Locations of Pyramids in Rifts North America?

[glitterboy2098]

Aside from Arzno, Tolkeen, and (probably) Lazlo, what other locations in Rifts North America have functional pyramids? i'm making a True Atlantean character and curious as to whether he could justify having used a Pyramid to jump from the home of his clan (Clan Skellian) to where he needed to be in NA to become a CyberKnight.

certainly i can use the Arzno Pyramid for such a trip, though arrival might be a bit weird since theirs is right in the middle of the AMC headquarters.

but i got me wondering where all Pyramids are actually found in North America.

[ShadowLogan]

It depends on what constitutes a pyramid for (Palladium/Rifts) Pyramid technology. Do step pyramids count? What about pyramid shaped earthen mounds?

Pyramids do exist in North America, you have the step Pryamids in Mexico (and Central America) and in the US/Canada you have earthen mound pyramids. If any of these count as Pyramids for the purposes of Pyramid technology, you'll have several more places to add to the list easily.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

Hes talking about functioning, nexus-point capping magic pyramids.

There are several in Canada (the easter islands) controlled by the Splugorth, the Federation of Magic has a bunch, and there's a few in Queenstown Harbor that spring to mind immediately.

[glitterboy2098]

It depends on what constitutes a pyramid for (Palladium/Rifts) Pyramid technology. Do step pyramids count? What about pyramid shaped earthen mounds?
Pyramids do exist in North America, you have the step Pyramids in Mexico (and Central America) and in the US/Canada you have earthen mound pyramids. If any of these count as Pyramids for the purposes of Pyramid technology, you'll have several more places to add to the list easily.

we are explicitly told that the mexican pyramids count. so yes step pyramids work. and i am aware of the mexican Pyramids. but since they are almost exclusively occupied by Vampire intelligence, they aren't much of an option for safe travel.

Earth mound's however would not be. has to be stone, per the rules in WB2

Hes talking about functioning, nexus-point capping magic pyramids.

There are several in Canada (the easter islands) controlled by the Splugorth, the Federation of Magic has a bunch, and there's a few in Queenstown Harbor that spring to mind immediately.

Easter island is in the pacific, and controlled by Lemuria. i think you are thinking of the New Foundland and Labrador Coast outpost?


Looking through books, i noticed that New Lazlo was (per WB2) founded with the help of a True Atlantean. which IMO means they probably a have a Pyramid too. that's the one i decided to go with, since it would be a safe arrival spot, should be known to the True Atlantean Clans, and while not close to the center of CyberKnight operations, should have a few representatives present at any given time, making contact easier.

[Axelmania]

Does anyone have page numbers to go with any of these for those of us who don't recall where in the books this was mentioned? I might have just forgot/skimmed but don't recall this New Lazlo / Newfoundland / Labrador stuff.

Just because Mexican Pyramids CAN count doesn't mean all of them actually do. Are vampire intelligences even stone masters?

Where this would be likely would be if the Aztec gods (I think at least one is a stone master) end up carrying forward with plans to ally with the vampires, then they could build the pyramids. If that happened, it might give True Atlanteans / Splugorth a target to fight other than each other, since both hate vampires and them having allies like that is trouble. It's bad enough Kingdoms already gave them lesser god allies, but the Aztec pantheon is much more powerful.

[glitterboy2098]

New Lazlo True Atlantean founder (one of them anyway) = WB2 Pg15.

The Mexican pyramids had atlantean influence: WB2 pg13. the super rift that destroyed Atlantis "stretched from the Pyramids in Egypt to the the Pyramids in the Yucatan"

also worth noting that WB2's entry on Pyramids does not require a stonemaster to build or use.. just that they build them the most, and do it the fastest. (and even stonemasters do not know why they work)
their benefits are all not unique to stone masters.. the slowed aging and the healing effect everyone in them. the harmonizing effect on ley line storms and random rifts requires no intervention. the storage of PPE is not stone magic specific. the Dimensional portal has no limit given on whoi can create one. the communication, teleport, and dimensional teleport just require a True Atlantean (or a stone master if not a True Atlantean). only the stassis, control weather, control ley line storm, and it's amplifying effect on stone magic require a stone master.


Mexican pyramids - WB1 predates the specific Pyramid powers, but WB2 heavily indicates that all pyramids gain the specific powers. i do not know if WB1Revised made it more clear (haven't obtained a copy yet)
WB1 (original) pg52-53 - Tula. actually a new build pyramid made specifically to house the Vampire Intelligence. sits ontop of a "powerful nexus" (that links to uxmal and easter island), is specifically said to be built to harness mystic energies.. and do so in a few unique ways in addition to the normal.
WB1 (original) pg164 - Uaxactun - has a pyramid on top of a nexus, the pyramid has an active dimensional portal at the top
WB1 (original) pg165 - Xultun. has a pyramid atop as nexus, the demon-king Hun-Came has his throne room at the 'nexus center'.
WB1 (original) pg 169-170 - Chichen itza. full Pyramid complex.

many of the ancient ruins in the book probably have pyramids (Mayans always had pyramid religious centers in their cities) but they are not expressly called out.

[Colonel_Tetsuya]

Hes talking about functioning, nexus-point capping magic pyramids.

There are several in Canada (the easter islands) controlled by the Splugorth, the Federation of Magic has a bunch, and there's a few in Queenstown Harbor that spring to mind immediately.

Easter island is in the pacific, and controlled by Lemuria. i think you are thinking of the New Foundland and Labrador Coast outpost?

Yes. My tablet doesn't always register every touch (i type too fast). Should be "eastern" islands.

Does anyone have page numbers to go with any of these for those of us who don't recall where in the books this was mentioned? I might have just forgot/skimmed but don't recall this New Lazlo / Newfoundland / Labrador stuff.

The Splugorth ones on the coast of Canada are in Canada, IIRC.

The one in Queenston Harbor (and Queenston Harbor itself) are detailed in CS Navy.

Arzno's is mentioned in.. well, Arzno.

Just because Mexican Pyramids CAN count doesn't mean all of them actually do. Are vampire intelligences even stone masters?

Vampire Intelligences dont need to be Stone Masters to use the powers of Pyramids. Not all Splugorth are Stone Masters, they can still use them.

I'd submit that those pyramids were probably built by Stone Masters. Theyre not newly constructed post-Rifts. Theyre ancient.

[Axelmania]

New Lazlo True Atlantean founder (one of them anyway) = WB2 Pg15.

Ah, nice find, although the context regarding Kahlibar is that he is officially just a "young paladin". He is merely "said" (by whom?) to bear the "Marks" of Atlantean heritage.

The Mexican pyramids had atlantean influence: WB2 pg13. the super rift that destroyed Atlantis "stretched from the Pyramids in Egypt to the the Pyramids in the Yucatan"

I think this implies (though still doesn't outright state) that the Egyptian/Yucatanian pyramids were functional magic pyramids. I don't think this necessarily means Atlanteans made them, it's possible the disaster just tuned into other existing pyramids made by different parties.

WB2's entry on Pyramids does not require a stonemaster to build or use.. just that they build them the most, and do it the fastest. (and even stonemasters do not know why they work)

I'm not so sure about that... page 99:

"their link to the Earth also links them to the ley lines. This enables them to control ley lines through the creation of stone pyramids"

This seems to express that the creation of stone pyramids can only be done by those who are linked to the Earth and its ley lines via being a Stone Master.

While it's true you don't need to be a stone master to use them (all True Atlanteans appear to have the ability regardless of OCC) it does seem like you have to be one to make one. Page 100 under "8. Operate dimensional pyramids" has this note:

They also know exactly how stone magic works and how to build pyramids.

That this is listed under "powers and magic of the stone master" seems to express that it is a thing unique to them, and not something anyone can do.

Mexican pyramids - WB1 predates the specific Pyramid powers, but WB2 heavily indicates that all pyramids gain the specific powers. i do not know if WB1Revised made it more clear (haven't obtained a copy yet)

I'm not sure why that would be implied. I could make a pyramid alone if I wanted to, but I don't think any mundane person making a pyramid which happened to be on a ley line would necessarily make it a magical one.

WB1 (original) pg52-53 - Tula. actually a new build pyramid made specifically to house the Vampire Intelligence. sits ontop of a "powerful nexus" (that links to uxmal and easter island), is specifically said to be built to harness mystic energies.. and do so in a few unique ways in addition to the normal.

An excellent candidate for a magical pyramid. At 400 feet tall it falls into the "medium" range which should have 10-40,000 MDC total. It also gives a nice guideline for base broadness: 2 city blocks, whatever that means.This one though, has 2000 MDC per 10 foot area, (not sure why they don't just say 200 per 1 ft area) so unless it merely has 200 square feet of surface (which would be rather low... how small can a city block get? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_block#Grid_plan I only see 264x264) this pyramid would appear to be much stronger than standard.

WB1 (original) pg164 - Uaxactun - has a pyramid on top of a nexus, the pyramid has an active dimensional portal at the top
WB1 (original) pg165 - Xultun. has a pyramid atop as nexus, the demon-king Hun-Came has his throne room at the 'nexus center'.

What's interesting about the latter part is the "Players, remember that all practitioners of magic enjoy the increased power" part (simply for being "near" a ley line nexus. Clearly this precedes Siembieda's concept that you must be in contact with the pyramid to use its nexus.

WB1 (original) pg 169-170 - Chichen itza. full Pyramid complex.

If Camazotz isn't a Stone Master on the side, I'm guessing he knows one to get this done for him. Guessing the same with the Tula intelligence. Perhaps the Sowki and Neuron Beast friends are Stone Masters or are in contact with some?

many of the ancient ruins in the book probably have pyramids (Mayans always had pyramid religious centers in their cities) but they are not expressly called out.

True, I just might not make every single one magical. There's probably some normal ones too that don't do anything, even if they were built on a ley line by the wrong person.

Vampire Intelligences dont need to be Stone Masters to use the powers of Pyramids.

What powers are you talking about?

2) healing 1.5 x faster than usual is sorta nice, okay

7) PPE accumulation is kinda nice, I guess it doesn't say only SMasters can access it

13) I can't see anything restricting opening portals to Stone Masters, and it even talks about powerful alien intelligences like the vampires usurping control of the rift somehow, though I'm not sure what actions are taken to roll that 53% chance.

Not all Splugorth are Stone Masters, they can still use them.

According to page 41 under 'magic' and 'rcc' all Splugorth are Stone Masters. You're probably thinking of the High Lords on page 44. The only things Splugorth choose between is Bio-Wizard / Shifter / Summoner / Diabolist (all are tattoo masters, LLWs and stone masters) while high lords choose between Techno-wizard / Bio-wizard / Stone Master / Shifter / Summoner / Rune Master (all are line walkers and tattoo makers according to RCC)

Although even there it's a bit inconsistent... under "magic" the High Lord says they have all steon master powers, can make tattoos, and 1 additional area. A final word on this would be interesting. Was this fixed in any later prints of Atlantis, if anyone knows?