1 Lead Designer Internal Playtesting Daniel Fox Adam Rose, Ben Peek, Caleb Rose, Cole White, Jeremiah Zentz, Jeremy Jones, Jeremy Scott, Kay Peek, Written By Kent Schoonover, Matthew Fulbright, Mike “The Boss” Daniel Fox & Tanner Yea Bossaller, Nicholas O’Hare, Tim Cohron, Tim Yoder & Walter Fulbright Editing By Contributions & Feedback Walter Fulbright & Paul Snow Aleksandar Macak, Anthony Boyle, Alex Forbes, Managing Art Director Anthony Holtberg, Armen Aslanian, Bojan Tesin, Charles Morrison, Christopher Barnhart, Clay Collier, Dejan Mandic Cliff Barendsen, Conny Andersson, Dan Davenport, Dave Graffam, David Nadj, Eric Medders, Francisco Cover Art, Logo & Borders Muñoz, Gregor Hodinj, Ian Ramsey, Ignacio Sariego, Jussi Alarauhio Ingo Beyer, Inna Alekseyeva, Jay Hafner, Jennifer Ford, Jeremiah Zentz, Jeremy Mohler, Jesse “Gitzman” Burke, Interior Artwork & Joffre Gutierrez, John Roche, Krzysztof Skrobanski, Kickstarter Cover Art Lauri Maijala, Layton Hill Snover III, Marko Perovic, Matthew Fulbright, Matt Murphy, Oleksii Siroshtan, Dejan Mandic Richard Mallinson, Rolph Segers, Sean Casey, Stephen Burnette, Steven Lewis, Tadeusz Cantwell, Tristan TK Early Access PDF Layout Jusola-Sanders, Vasil Khiznjak, Vladlen Ralchuk & Milena Lakicevic Yarik Didenko Published By Special Thanks Grim & Perilous Studios, LLC Alison Fox, Chris Pramas, Graeme Davis, Igarol.org, Phill Kilgore, Rangdo, Robert Hamilton, Strike-to- Stun.net and all our Kickstarter backers

Licensing The ZWEIHÄNDER logo & all images contained within Early Access PDF are a trademark of Grim & Perilous Studios, LLC.

Please send all feedback about the Early Access PDF over on our web forum at GrimandPerilous.com y name is Danziger Eckhardt, and I used to be a lot like you: a model citizen, a dutiful son, a stalwart soldier, a devoted husband and a loving father. But that was a long time ago. I’ll tell you something Mright now: life has many hard truths to teach a man, and most of them have been beaten into me. And with each lesson, the feeble trappings of “civilized” life grow dimmer before my sight, revealing their pathetic, contrived nature. Now if you’ll keep your mouth shut, I’ll tell you the three most important lessons in life.

The first lesson you have to know is this: you can’t earn anything in this world. I spent my life in obedience, following all the rules, doing my duty to my country. As a soldier, sometimes that means doing terrible things. Make no mistake, war is not some noble pursuit; when some poor bastard is spitted on your blade, spewing blood and piss and shit... well, you’re not thinking about your ideals, your country or your gods. You’re just trying to survive. But I’m not telling you this so you’ll feel sorry for me. The point is that at one time, I would have done anything for my country. I was a patriot, committed to the causes of our land. I gave everything to them, sure that they would value my service. But the time came when it was convenient for someone in power to use me, to dispose of me. And that’s exactly what they did. Someone gave the word, and they cast me into hell. I don’t even know his name; sometimes I wonder if he ever knew mine.

Lesson two: a man will do anything he can to survive. I’ve spent almost half my life in a prison pit with the insane, the bloodthirsty and the depraved. And in those years crawling about in the dark, drenched in my own filth, I should have died. I gave up every night, let myself go, closed my eyes and prayed that the gods would take my broken life from me. And yet every morning I would awaken, and some spark within refused to let me die. I have seen the black truth that hides itself in the soul of every man, the root of all that is vile and horrible in this world. In the depths of those dungeons, I did things you couldn’t imagine... things best left unspoken. And as I did these things, I would tell myself every time that I was only doing what was necessary to survive. I had convinced myself that someday I would be a free man, that there were still things in life worth fighting for, worth living for. The whole time, somewhere deep down, I must have known it was a lie and that each vicious act was eating at my precious humanity bit by bit. But my delusions continued, and one day, after all the blood and the savagery, I was set free.

And it was only then that I learned the third and most important lesson: life is pain and death. We spend all our days acting out some charade of an orderly life. We play out our roles, we say our prayers and we make our plans. We trust in others: our families, our neighbors, our superiors, our priests. We put our faith in the gods, we try to live good lives and we trick ourselves into believing that somehow all of this will safeguard us against the oncoming storm. We think we have some control over this life, but we don’t. And we never will. Life isn’t some children’s story, with heroic deeds and some tidy moral lesson and a happy ending. Life is cruel. Life is callous. Life will take everything from you, and then it will kill you. The most you can hope for is that you have some- thing to believe in, some last bit of hope you can use to deceive yourself before the end. But in the meantime, we will all root in our own filth and betray each other, and worse... oh, so much worse... because a man will do anything he can to survive.

Now, you’ll save yourself a lot of wasted effort if you start living by those three rules. But I know you won’t. You want to run and hide behind your values and false hope. Well, mark my words: pain is coming. Death is coming. And there’s nothing you can do about it. Now get out of my sight, before I kill you myself. Danziger Eckhardt, soldier and ex-convict TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESIGNER’S NOTE...... 9 DWARF...... 26 CHAPTER 4: ELF...... 28 PROFESSIONS...... 69 SPENDING REWARD POINTS: AD- CHAPTER 1: GNOME...... 30 VANCES...... 69 INTRODUCTION...... 10 HALFLING...... 31 WHAT IS A TIER?...... 70 ZWEIHÄNDER AS A THEME...... 10 HUMAN...... 33 BASIC TIER...... 70 THE CHARACTER’S ROLE...... 11 OGRE...... 35 INTERMEDIATE TIER...... 70 THE GAMEMASTER’S ROLE...... 11 STEP IV: ARCHETYPE & ADVANCED TIER...... 71 THE GOLDEN RULE...... 11 PROFESSION...... 37 UNIQUE ADVANCES...... 72 YOUR ZWEIHÄNDER GAME!...... 12 ACADEMIC...... 37 FOCUSES...... 72 COMMONER...... 38 LANGUAGES...... 73 CHAPTER 2: KNAVE...... 38 MAGICK SPELLS...... 73 HOW TO PLAY...... 13 RANGER...... 39 THE CORE MECHANIC...... 13 PROFESSIONS...... 73 SOCIALITE...... 39 SKILL TEST SUMMARY...... 13 ADHERENT...... 74 WARRIOR...... 40 DIFFICULTY RATING...... 14 ANARCHIST...... 75 STEP V: SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES CRITICAL SUCCESS 41 ANCHORITE...... 75 & FAILURE...... 15 STEP VI: BACKGROUND...... 42 ANIMAL TAMER...... 76 SOME SKILL TESTS TAKE TIME..16 DISTINGUISHING MARKS...... 45 ANTIQUARIAN...... 76 SKILL SYNERGY...... 17 OTHER PHYSICAL FACTORS...... 47 APOTHECARY...... 77 ASSISTING ALLY’S TESTS...... 17 YOUR UPBRINGING...... 53 ARTISAN...... 78 OPPOSED TESTS...... 17 SOCIAL CLASS...... 54 ASTROLOGER...... 78 SECRET TESTS...... 18 LOWBORN...... 54 BAILIFF...... 79 FLIP THE RESULTS BARBER SURGEON...... 80 TO SUCCEED...... 18 BURGHER...... 55 BEGGAR...... 80 FLIP THE RESULTS TO FAIL...... 19 ARISTOCRAT...... 55 BERSERKER...... 81 FURY & CHAOS DICE...... 19 LANGUAGES...... 55 BOATMAN...... 81 THE FORTUNE POOL...... 19 DRAWBACKS...... 56 STEP VII: HAND OF FATE...... 58 BONEPICKER...... 82

STEP VIII: ALIGNMENT...... 58 BOUNTY HUNTER...... 82 CHAPTER 3: CHARACTER DETERMINE YOUR BRAVO...... 83 ALIGNMENT...... 59 CREATION...... 21 BUCCANEER...... 83 ELEMENTS OF A CHARACTER.....21 ROLE-PLAYING ALIGNMENT...... 62 BURGLAR...... 84 CREATION OVERVIEW...... 23 ORDER & CHAOS RANKS...... 63 CAMP FOLLOWER...... 85 STEP I: BEGIN BASIC TIER...... 23 WHAT’S IN A NAME?...... 65 CHARLATAN...... 85 STEP II: PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES.23 STEP IX: BUILD YOUR PROFES- SION...... 68 CHEAPJACK...... 86 STEP III: SEX & RACE...... 25 COACHMASTER...... 86 RACONTEUR...... 109 GRAIL KNIGHT...... 136

COURTIER...... 87 RAKE...... 109 GREY GUIDER...... 136

CULTIST...... 88 RAT CATCHER...... 110 GUILDMASTER...... 137

DIABOLIST...... 88 REEVE...... 110 HERMETIC...... 138

DOOMSAYER...... 89 SCRIBE...... 111 HIEROPHANT...... 139

DRAGOON...... 90 SELLSWORD...... 112 HIGH LECTOR...... 140

ENGINEER...... 90 SERVANT...... 112 ILLUSIONIST...... 141

ENTERTAINER...... 91 SLAYER...... 113 INQUISITOR...... 142

ENVOY...... 92 SMUGGLER...... 113 IRON ABBOT...... 143

FOOTPAD...... 92 SQUIRE...... 114 MERCHANT LORD...... 144

FOP...... 93 TRAPPER...... 114 MILITARY OFFICER...... 145

GAMBLER...... 93 VAGABOND...... 115 NECROMANCER...... 145

GAMEKEEPER...... 94 VALET...... 115 PISTOLIER...... 146

GRAVEROBBER...... 94 VIGILANTE...... 116 PLAGUE DOCTOR...... 147

GUTTERSNIPE...... 95 WATCHMAN...... 117 PLEDGED GUARD...... 148

HEDGE KNIGHT...... 96 ELITE PROFESSIONS...... 117 PYROMANCER...... 149

HEDGEWISE...... 96 ARCHMAGE...... 118 REVERED MOTHER...... 149

HIGHWAYMAN...... 97 ASSASSIN...... 119 RUNE THANE...... 150

INFORMER...... 98 AUGUR...... 120 SCHOLAR...... 151

INVESTIGATOR...... 98 BADLANDER...... 121 SHAMAN...... 152

JAILER...... 99 BARRISTER...... 121 SOOTHSAYER...... 153

JESTER...... 99 BLACK MAGISTER...... 122 TRUTHSAYER...... 154

LABORER...... 100 BLOODMONGER...... 123 VETERAN...... 155

MAN-AT-ARMS...... 100 CHATTEL SLAVER...... 124 WAR DERVISH...... 156

MILITIAMAN...... 101 CRIME BOSS...... 125 WARLOCK...... 156

MONK...... 102 DARK DISCIPLE...... 126 WHITE WOLF...... 157

OLD BELIEVER...... 102 DEMAGOGUE...... 127

OUTRIDER...... 103 DROWNED ONE...... 127 CHAPTER 5: PEASANT...... 104 DRUID...... 128 SKILLS...... 159 SKILLS ARE DERIVED FROM PILGRIM...... 104 DUELIST...... 129 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES...... 159 PIT FIGHTER...... 105 DUNGEONEER...... 130 SKILL RANKS...... 159 PREACHER...... 105 ELEMENTALIST...... 131 SKILL DESCRIPTIONS...... 162 PROSTITUTE...... 106 EXECUTIONER...... 132 ALCHEMY (SPECIAL)...... 162 PROVOCATEUR...... 107 EXPLORER...... 133 ATHLETICS (COMMON)...... 163 PUGILIST...... 107 FUNERARY MAGE...... 134 AWARENESS (COMMON)...... 163 RACKETEER...... 108 GODSWORN...... 135 BARGAIN (COMMON)...... 163 CHARM (COMMON)...... 164 CHAPTER 7: LODGING & TAVERN...... 206 COORDINATION (COMMON)...... 164 TRAPPINGS...... 184 MEDICINE...... 206 BRASS PENNY: LOWBORN...... 184 COUNTERFEIT (SPECIAL)...... 164 QUALITY OF SILVER SHILLING: BURGHER...... 184 CRAFTSMANSHIP...... 207 DISGUISE (SPECIAL)...... 165 GOLD CROWN: CRAFTING TRAPPINGS...... 208 DRIVE (SPECIAL)...... 165 ARISTOCRAT...... 184

EAVESDROP (COMMON)...... 166 EXCHANGING ...... 185 CHAPTER 8: EDUCATION (SPECIAL)...... 166 GOODS & SERVICES...... 185 COMBAT...... 209 FOLKLORE (COMMON)...... 166 WAGES...... 185 COMBAT TERMINOLOGY...... 209 GAMBLE (COMMON)...... 167 GENERAL SERVICES...... 186 COMBAT OVERVIEW...... 210 GUILE (COMMON)...... 168 WEAPONS...... 187 STEP I: SURPRISE TURN...... 210 HANDLE ANIMAL (SPECIAL)...... 168 WEAPON QUALITIES...... 187 STEP II: INITIATIVE LADDER...... 211 HEAL (SPECIAL)...... 169 MELEE WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS...... 189 INCANTATION (SPECIAL)...... 169 STEP III: TAKE TURNS...... 212 RANGED WEAPON INTERROGATION (SPECIAL)...... 169 ACTIONS IN COMBAT...... 213 DESCRIPTIONS...... 193 INTIMIDATE (COMMON)...... 170 TYPES OF ACTIONS...... 213 ARMOR...... 195 LEADERSHIP (SPECIAL)...... 170 MOVEMENT ACTIONS...... 215 ARMOR QUALITIES...... 195 MARTIAL MELEE (SPECIAL)...... 170 CHARGE...... 215 ARMOR DESCRIPTIONS...... 195 MARTIAL RANGED (SPECIAL)...... 171 GET UP...... 215 SHIELDS...... 197 NAVIGATION (SPECIAL)...... 171 MANEUVER...... 215 SHIELD QUALITIES...... 197 PILOT (SPECIAL)...... 171 RUN...... 215 SHIELD STATISTICS...... 197 RESOLVE (COMMON)...... 172 TAKE COVER...... 215 SHIELD DESCRIPTIONS...... 197 RIDE (SPECIAL)...... 172 WALK...... 216 WAR MACHINES...... 198 RUMOR (COMMON)...... 173 ATTACK ACTIONS...... 216 WAR MACHINE QUALITIES...... 198 SCRUTINIZE (COMMON)...... 173 CALLED SHOT...... 216 WAR MACHINE STATISTICS...... 198 SIMPLE MELEE (COMMON)...... 173 CAST MAGICK...... 217 WAR MACHINE SIMPLE RANGED (COMMON)...... 174 DESCRIPTIONS...... 199 MELEE ATTACK...... 217

SKULDUGGERY (SPECIAL)...... 174 AMMUNITION...... 200 PERILOUS STUNTS...... 218

STEALTH (COMMON)...... 174 ANIMALS & CHOKEHOLD...... 218 CONVEYANCES...... 200 SURVIVAL (COMMON)...... 175 DIRTY TRICKS...... 218 BUREAUCRATIC TOOLS...... 201 TOUGHNESS (COMMON)...... 175 DISARM...... 218 CLOTHING...... 201 TRADECRAFT (SPECIAL)...... 176 KNOCKOUT!...... 218 BLACK MARKET GOODS...... 202 WARFARE (SPECIAL)...... 176 SPLINTER SHIELD...... 218 COMMODITIES...... 202 STUNNING BLOW...... 219 ENTERTAINMENT...... 203 TAKEDOWN...... 219 CHAPTER 6: HOUSING & PROPERTY...... 204 TALENTS...... 177 SPECIAL ACTIONS...... 219 ILLUMINATION...... 204 HOW TO USE TALENTS...... 177 CHANNEL POWER...... 219 LIGHT SOURCES...... 204 TALENT DESCRIPTIONS...... 177 INSPIRING WORDS...... 219 LITANY OF HATRED...... 219 SUFFOCATION...... 238 PRAYERS OF THE CROUCHING ONE...... 293 LOAD...... 220 RECOVERING PERIL & HEALING DAMAGE...... 239 PRAYERS OF THE TAKE AIM...... 220 CUSTODIAN...... 295 PERIL CONDITION TRACK...... 239 WAIT...... 220 PRAYERS OF THE DAMAGE CONDITION TRACK....240 DEMIURGE...... 298 REACTIONS...... 220 INJURIES...... 241 PRAYERS OF THE COUNTERSPELL...... 220 GOD-EMPEROR...... 300 INFECTION...... 242 DODGE...... 220 PRAYERS OF THE BLEEDING...... 242 LEARNER...... 302 OPPORTUNITY ATTACK...... 221 MATERIA MEDICA...... 243 PRAYERS OF THE PARRY...... 221 LEVIATHAN...... 304 RESIST...... 221 PRAYERS OF THE CHAPTER 10: PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER...... 221 MARTYR...... 307 GRIMOIRE...... 246 A COMPLETE GUIDE PRAYERS OF AETHERIC WINDS...... 246 TO ATTACKING...... 222 THE NIGHTFATHER...... 309 ARCANE MAGICK...... 247 STEP I: WHICH WEAPON?...... 222 PRAYERS OF THE STEWARD...... 311 DIVINE MAGICK...... 251 STEP III: MAKE THE ATTACK...... 225 PRAYERS OF THE THREE PRINCIPLES WINTER KING...... 313 STEP IV: ENEMY DEFENDS...... 225 OF MAGICK...... 256 WYTCHSTONE...... 315 STEP V: ROLL DAMAGE...... 226 PETTY MAGICK...... 256 ELIXIRS...... 317 STEP VI: DETERMINE LESSER MAGICK...... 256 DAMAGE CONDITION...... 227 RITUALS...... 319 GREATER MAGICK...... 256 STEP VII: DETERMINE AWAKEN THE DEAD...... 320 INJURIES...... 227 GAINING NEW MAGICK SPELLS...... 256 BIND ABYSSAL FAMILIAR...... 320

CASTING MAGICK BLESSED SACRAMENT...... 321 CHAPTER 9: OVERVIEW...... 258 HAZARDS & CALL DEMONIC SERVANT...... 322 MAGICK FORMAT...... 263 HEALING...... 229 MAGICK CIRCLE...... 326 GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK.....263 DISEASE...... 230 SUMMON AETHERIC SPIRIT...... 327 ARCANE MAGICK...... 269 SPREAD OF DISEASE...... 230 TALISMANS...... 328 ARCANA OF ANIMISM...... 269 DISORDERS...... 232 EXAMPLE TALISMANS...... 328 EXTREME WEATHER...... 233 ARCANA OF ASTROMANCY...... 271 ARCANA OF ELEMENTALISM...... 274 FALLING...... 234 CHAPTER 11: FIRE...... 235 ARCANA OF LUMINESCENCE...... 276 GAME MASTERY...... 331

INTOXICATION...... 235 ARCANA OF MORTICISM...... 279 GRIM ATTITUDES...... 332

POISON...... 236 ARCANA OF NECROMANCY...... 281 PERILOUS OUTCOMES...... 332

POISON TYPE: DELIRIANTS...... 236 ARCANA OF PYROMANCY...... 284 IGNORANCE & SUPERSTITION...333

POISON TYPE: TOXINS...... 236 ARCANA OF SHADOWMANCY.....286 FRACTURED FAIRYTALES...... 334

POISON TYPE: VENOMS...... 237 ARCANA OF SORCERY...... 288 LOW MAGICK, LOW FANTASY...335

SLEEP DEPRIVATION...... 238 ARCANA OF TRANSMUTATION.291 CHAOS’S INFLUENCE ...... 335

STARVATION...... 238 DIVINE MAGICK...... 293 YOUR ROLE AS GAME MASTER...... 336 NARRATIVE & RELICS...... 385 WORLDS BEYOND...... 439 STRUCTURED TIME...... 337 NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS...... 386 CAMPAIGN SEEDS...... 440 STARTING A GAME SESSION...... 338 ORDER AND CHAOS THE THIRTY YEAR WAR...... 441 ARBITRATING SKILL TESTS...... 339 ALIGNMENT...... 386 GOTH MORAN DIVIDED...... 443 PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS...... 340 MOTIVATIONS ...... 386 GANGS OF KAHABRO...... 445 GM’s GUIDE TO COMBAT...... 341 ORDER & CHAOS...... 388 LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE.....447 FLYING CREATURES & THREE BRANDS OF MADNESS...... 389 CHARACTERS...... 341 DARK ASTRAL: OUTREMER...... 449 WITHSTAND MADNESS...... 390 BUILDING ENCOUNTERS: SLAVES TO CHAOS: THE BLEAK. 451 RISK FACTOR...... 342 CORRUPTION...... 391 APPENDIX...... 453 COMBAT OPTIONS...... 343 MINOR OFFENSES...... 391

ALTERNATIVE MIDDLING OFFENSES...... 391 WEAPON DAMAGE...... 343 CHAPTER 12: MAJOR OFFENSES...... 392 BESTIARY...... 491 MULTIPLE ATTACKS...... 344 FATE POINTS...... 392 CREATURE FORMAT...... 491 PIECEMEAL ARMOR...... 344 DISORDER...... 393 CREATURE DESCRIPTIONS...... 492 ENCUMBRANCE OPTIONS...... 345 GAINING A DISORDER...... 393 ABYSSAL CREATURES...... 493 SUFFERING INJURIES...... 345 ADDICTIONS...... 394 ANIMAL CREATURES...... 512 MORALE CHECKS...... 345 INSANITIES...... 396 BEAST CREATURES...... 521 CHASE SCENES...... 346 MUTATIONS...... 397 HUMANOID CREATURES...... 531 SOCIAL INTRIGUE RULES...... 351 CHAOS TAKES HOLD...... 400 MUTANT CREATURES...... 550 OVERLAND EXPLORATION...... 361 ALTERNATIVE SUPERNATURAL WEATHER...... 361 ADVANCEMENT...... 400 CREATURES...... 575

DISTANCES...... 363 REMAINING IN THE CUSTOM CREATURES...... 600 SAME PROFESSION...... 400 WILDERNESS TRAVEL RULES.....364 TAINTS OF CHAOS...... 600 STARTING AT A HIGHER TIER...401 REWARD POINTS...... 372 UNDERLINGS...... 600 CHARACTER STABLE...... 402 REPUTATION POINTS...... 372 BOSS CREATURES...... 600 SLAVES TO CHAOS...... 402 BREAKING OBJECTS & PACT MAGICK...... 603 DESTROYING VEHICLES...... 375 AZTLAN...... 403 LOOT & LUCRE...... 606 HARDNESS CONDITION GRENDEL...... 404 TRACK...... 375 SMALL TREASURES...... 606 ORX...... 406 DEALING DAMAGE GEMSTONES & FINERIES...... 606 TO OBJECTS...... 376 SKRZZAK...... 408 COMMODITIES...... 607 TRAPS...... 377 MORTALKIND...... 409 COIN PURSE CONTENTS...... 607 MAGICKAL MENAGERIE...... 379 DARK ASTRAL...... 410 APPENDIX ...... 608 CHAOS MANIFESTATIONS...... 379 HUMANOCENTRISM...... 431

MALIGNANCIES...... 379 RULERSHIP...... 431

DIVINE PUNISHMENT...... 379 HUMAN COMMUNITIES...... 433

ATONEMENT...... 383 DEMIHUMAN COMMUNITIES...... 434

MAGICK ITEMS...... 383 ALTERNATIVE FAITHS...... 436

ARTIFACTS...... 384 ABYSSAL PRINCES OF CHAOS...... 438 8 DESIGNER’S NOTE

his tabletop RPG is nearly five years in the making, adopted from pages and pages of personal notes, scribbles in sketchbooks, house rules and the private wiki I use around my gaming table. I started writ- Ting on a whim back in November 2011. A year and several months later in August 2013, I released an early version called Project Corehammer on Strike-To-Stun.net. However, it became clear that the project was evolving into a wholly unique game system. From there, I scrapped the title, as Corehammer just didn’t have the right ring to it. Thanks to a few enterprising folks over at Strike To Stun, I embraced the community-sug- gested title of ZWEIHÄNDER. It roughly translates into “big friggin’ sword” in German and “press tongue firmly into cheek” in English.

Following this, I brought a reliable group of playtesters onboard to help test and perfect the system. The watch- words were this - make it grim and gritty; make it perilous and challenging; make it a system that carries un- certain outcomes in an unforgiving world; make it world-agnostic, so it can be used with any gritty campaign world. I shortened this to simply “grim & perilous” gaming.

Following internal playtesting, I released the GRIMDARK Public Beta in December 2014. It proved to be wildly popular with OSR players. Shortly thereafter, the largest Spanish-speaking tabletop RPG forum IGA- ROL.org translated the GRIMDARK Public Beta into Spanish. This set ZWEIHÄNDER into motion for self-publication. But, I needed help along the way to make it a reality. Realizing that I could have something material to bring to market, I contracted Dejan Mandic to begin working on concept art. He helped envision what a grim & perilous RPG would look like through his lens of creativity. Jussi Alarauhio beautifully illustrated our cover image, and created the borders and logo for layout. Tanner Yea joined on as co-writer, reshaping the narrative of the game without inherently disrupting the system’s rules. Walter Fulbright’s role evolved from contributor to editor shortly thereafter. Finally, Milena Lakicevic took over layout, working alongside the team to bring our formatting and publication standards up to snuff. From there, we formed Grim & Perilous Studios: a little gaming company with big ideas and lots of initiative. And, after many years of hard work and playtesting, ZWEIHÄNDER became the product we present to you today.

ZWEIHÄNDER has been revised and rebuilt through three major iterations across 240 playtest sessions and countless hours of number-crunching, with invaluable feedback from our internal and private playtest groups. We feel confident in saying that there isn’t any other tabletop RPG on the market that comes near its slavish devotion to the original influences behind the system.

Welcome to grim & perilous gaming.

Daniel Fox Lead designer of ZWEIHÄNDER

9 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

WEIHÄNDER is a pastiche of many familiar themes found throughout low fantasy literature: the gritty portrayal of a society replete with clandestine conflict, political intrigues, vicious reprisals and terrifying Zsupernatural elements. The Gamemaster will impose dramatic, tense situations upon players using intrigue, dangerous fights, the perils of the wilderness, heart-pumping chase scenes and more. These are the foundation of this book, as any one of them can prove lethal in very different ways. These challenges frame the drama of the adventure. As the Gamemaster calls upon you to mold the flow of events, you roll the dice to determine success or failure.

But a role-playing game is much more than just a series of arbitrations between numbers on a sheet of paper, or a puzzle of arithmetic to be plotted out and solved. The lifeblood of your game will be expressed through role-playing, subtlety and complexity, for which dice alone are woefully inadequate. Your Characters will be comprised of moral strengths and flaws; in other styles of game, the rewards for success are based on successfully manipulating situations confronted towards the former and away from the latter. The strength of your game will not be in the overcoming of obstacles, but frequently in the act of simply facing them. Their spirit is as crucial as the dread they face; after all, the darkest recess is always found just outside the range of the flickering candle.

ZWEIHÄNDER AS A THEME priests are often venal charlatans, consumed by the very sins they preach against. Far from the prying eyes of There are many dark themes you’ll find within these others, sorcerers risk their sanity and their souls to har- pages. The system and its game mechanics are written ness the mysterious power of cosmic disorder by strik- to describe a motif of brutal violence, political intrigue, ing Faustian bargains with gods, diabolical servants and profane sorcery and unimaginable horrors from beyond. other less palatable entities. All of these terrible things Disease runs rampant throughout cities. Towering asy- manifest into Corruption (both a thematic element and lums upon the edge of civilization ring with the howls of a game mechanic); a world-eating blackness that can ut- the demented and damned. Tales of twisted monstrosi- terly twist its victims both physically and spiritually. ties are whispered in firelight, talk of an all-consuming chaos that rests below the earth and beyond the stars. It These same elements are very portable, as any Game slumbers until stirred by intrepid fools... or waits lurk- Master can easily integrate ZWEIHÄNDER’s rules into ing in the deepening shadows of a nearby alley, biding their own homebrewed world. Gamemasters can use the its time. Villainy lies within the hearts of mortalkind, rules to craft adventures set in a low fantasy version of who engage in all manner of violence and deceit in the the Thirty Year War, the politically-inspired intrigues of name of progress. It is a world where the upright perish, George R.R. Martin’s A Song Of Ice and Fire, the racial the unjust linger and grim attitudes rule. People live in tensions of Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher, the crim- a state of decay and paranoia, scrambling to keep what inal underworld of Scott Lynch’s Lies of Locke Lamora, little has been afforded them by the higher social classes. war torn adventures set in Glen Cook’s The Black Com- The gods are petty and quick to anger; their fickle gifts pany and other “grimdark”-inspired campaign settings. bestowed upon a vexing few. Those who call themselves

10 WHAT ZWEIHÄNDER IS NOT their Characters, promoting fairness and fun in equal mea- This system isn’t really designed for the traditional dungeon sure. The Gamemaster will adjudicate the results of dice rolls romp. While these rules can support that style of play, death and produce a narrative that encapsulates what the players’ is almost a certainty. Injuries sustained in ZWEIHÄNDER Characters are experiencing. And when the interpretation of often have nasty consequences, requiring prolonged periods rules is called for, the Gamemaster is responsible for making of recovery and care. Creatures are incredibly dangerous and the final decision. rarely taken down without lasting wounds. In a grim & per- ilous world, common peasant rabble (when gathered into GENDER NEUTRALITY large enough groups) can drag a veteran knight off his steed Throughout this book, you’ll note that we use and beat him to a bloody pulp. We don’t wish to thwart this the singular they (along with its inflected forms style of play, but you have been warned! like them or their) for indeterminate gender. This ZWEIHÄNDER IS A TABLETOP RPG is so we can avoid the headache of using gender pronouns throughout the book. It may seem a bit Most readers will already be familiar with tabletop role-play- foreign, but trust us - it’s semantically and gram- ing games and how they work. For the uninitiated, a matically correct. However, our play examples will role-playing game is basically a story or adventure, otherwise typically reference the gendered pronoun appropri- an organized, cooperative game of pretend called a game session. In essence, you and and your friends share an inter- ate to the player’s or Character’s gender. active story where your choices drive the action, drama and suspense by taking on the role of someone else. You resolve Veteran Gamemasters will likely develop a lengthy story arc actions during the game session using dice to determine known as a campaign, a malleable blueprint that highlights whether choices were successful or not. the themes, people and places within the game while allow- ing the aforementioned elements to be molded by the choices THE CHARACTER’S ROLE players make with their Characters. Oftentimes, they will even You and your friends will share an interactive story where create their own persistent world, further immersing them- you drive the action, drama and suspense by taking on the selves and the players within its deep and robustly imaginative role of someone else. To start, a group of people use the book framework. Some Gamemasters may even adopt elements you’re holding in your hands right now to create alternate from popular television shows, author an alternate history de- personalities, called player Characters (or PCs). Players are rived from our own world’s history, adapt stories from material actors within the shared story, portraying their Character us- found in popular fantasy novels or use published campaigns ing first and third person perspectives during a game session. created by other role-playing game publishers. They can change the outcome of the story by making deci- sions In-Character, using the persona they’ve created. Play- THE GOLDEN RULE ers portraying their Character’s personality using active and One rule above all others is held in the highest regard around descriptive role-playing perspectives during a game session. the gaming table - have a good time! This means that the Active role-playing means a player declaring things as if they Gamemaster and players should never let the rules prevent were their Character, such as “I march across the chamber to the story from moving forward. If a rule gets in the way, work skewer the highwayman, declaring loudly FIE!”. Descriptive with your Gamemaster to change it by turning it into a house role-playing means a player describe the actions their Char- rule, personalizing it for your group’s preferred style of play. acter is engaging in, such as “Wilhelm marches across the While rules act as tools, rulings are far more important on the chamber to attack the highwayman, shouting a battle cry”. Gamemaster’s part rather than strict adherence to the book. Both are appropriate ways to role-play in ZWEIHÄNDER. ZWEIHÄNDER is built with modularity baked into the These decisions drive the challenges, resolved by using dice rules and able to be modified without upsetting the inherent to test success and failure. balance of the system. THE GAMEMASTER’S ROLE In other words, don’t let the rules bog down gameplay and The Gamemaster (sometimes referred to as a GM) presents fun on the part of players and the Gamemaster. the world Characters live within. They act as the narrator of If for some reason you or the Gamemaster has forgotten a spe- this world, keeping things organized, authoring the challeng- cific rule, ignore it and look it up later. Stopping the game to es within the adventure, providing exposition and portraying find the exact language (or even argue about its interpretation) the other personas and creatures (called non-players Char- only creates frustration around the table. The Gamemaster and acters or NPCs). Additionally, the Gamemaster makes up the players shouldn’t position themselves into adversarial roles. details and information about the setting and those within Above all else, a role-playing game is a cooperative game, with it. They also serve as referee to the decisions players make as 11 an agreement between the players and the Gamemaster that  Will it focus on an ongoing war between two or they will play fairly, placing fun above all else. And while the more rival nations who squabble over invisible lines Gamemaster has the final say on how all rules play out, you in the sand? should be mindful of your choices and discuss any issues you  Will it be a street-level crime drama, taking place may have with a particular mechanic or interpretation outside entirely in the streets of a Renaissance-inspired me- of the game session. Don’t ruin the fun for you and everyone tropolis that’s dominated by factions both small and else around you by dragging the Gamemaster into an argument large? over how a rule is used. Save discussion of the point for the end  Will it explore a perilous frontier of scattered city- of the game session or the beginning of the next. states, entrenched in localized sorties between petty warlords? Additionally, dice rolls alone do not solely dictate how the  Will it be a sacred pilgrimage that takes its ad- story plays out. Dice add an element of random chance to the herents through a terrible and strange land during game. It may create moments of excitement as you succeed a a cataclysmic apocalypse, testing their faith as the difficult challenge to overcome some deadly obstacle. Other world crumbles around them? times, it can be exceedingly harsh, as when a dice roll results  Will it emulate a pseudo-Germanic empire, where in the death of a Character. While dice add a threatening the forces of chaos have tainted the minds of the element of chance to the game that may be beneficial or ru- aristocracy and common folk alike? inous, the narrative, story and role-play should be the core  Will it be a low fantasy world, replete with back- focus. While grim & perilous games tend to be far grittier stabbers, schemers, sycophants and money-grubbing and unrelenting than other role-playing games, you should petty nobles while the tides of Magick have begun do your best to emulate this same style of gaming by relying to arise once more? less on the dice rolls you make and look more towards the  Will it be a story of a realm riven by civil war, where role you play. In fact, the game is designed to offer the most corrupt noble houses attempt to unify their people rewards for doing just that! beneath the banner of monotheism?  Will it be a survival horror game, where Characters YOUR ZWEIHÄNDER GAME! either race toward madness or simply try to survive Although ZWEIHÄNDER has several implied thematic the onslaught of unimaginably terrifying entities elements, you are encouraged to adjust them to fit your vi- from beyond the stars? sion of grim & perilous adventures. Feel free to select them  Will it be a game set in a desperate region stuck in the piecemeal or ignore them completely and create your own throes of feudalism, ruled beneath a corrupt monarchy elements. Take a moment, let yourself go and envision how where knights mete out their own brand of justice in your story might unfold... service to a goddess of a mythic lake?  Will it be an epic struggle between the roving ad- With imagination and creativity, the possibilities are endless. herents of disorder and a noble empire of scattered ZWEIHÄNDER awaits, and the fate of your grim & per- provinces? ilous tale hangs in the balance. We can’t wait to hear how it  Will it be a dark meditation on real-world ethnic turns out! Please come to our home webpage and share your cleansing and land grabs in foreign countries be- experiences on our forums at GrimAndPerilous.com! tween fantasy races?

12 CHAPTER 2: HOW TO PLAY

n a grim & perilous world, Characters will find themselves engrossed in intense scenes as you face the mach- inations of socialites and their lackeys, lethal back-alley knife fights, adrenaline-pumped chases and horrific Iconfrontations with aberrant creatures. Your Characters are able to overcome various challenges by calling upon raw abilities and some innate aptitudes, using with learnt proficiencies that rest upon the foundation of raw ability. Their prowess represents a specific com- mand over situations that they have either grown accustomed to or over those who exhibit a natural command. And naturally, all challenges have their own measure of risk. The threat of failure is a constant reminder that no one, no matter how far along in age or experience, may avoid the turn of fortune’s wheel.

THE CORE MECHANIC Skill Test, you will roll Percentile Dice using two 10-sided dice. Before you roll, be sure to indicate to players and the Whenever you try to perform a task or action which has a Gamemaster which die represents the tens die and which dramatic or direct effect in the gaming world, your Gam- represents the units die. If you rolled a face “6” on the tens emaster will ask you to make a Skill Test (sometimes sim- die and a face “1” on the units die, you generated a result ply called a Test) to determine whether you succeed or of 61%. When you generate a result of “00”, it is equal fail. Additionally, Skill Tests can render Critical Successes to 100%. Rolling equal to or under the Total Chance for (granting an additional positive effect) or a Critical Fail- success means you succeed your Skill Test. Rolling over ure (incurring an additional negative effect). On the other the Total Chance for success indicates failure. hand, there may be some tasks that are outside the realm of possibility. Your Gamemaster will determine if some tasks are too difficult for success to be a possibility. Danziger Eckhardt needs to make a Skill Test. His Total Chance for success is 64% or lower. ROLLING DICE Grabbing Percentile Dice, he rolls a 34% and suc- The Gamemaster will impose challenging situations ceeds! If he had rolled a 64%, he would still have upon you in various ways. These challenges vary widely, been successful. However, rolling 65% or higher including courtly intrigue, wilderness exploration, chase would have resulted in a failure. scenes, combat and more. These are the foundation of ZWEIHÄNDER, as any one of them can have serious SKILL TEST SUMMARY consequences…. or even prove lethal. These challenges Whenever you make a Skill Test, you’ll reference these form the drama of how your Character interacts with guidelines. You should commit these steps to memory, as the Campaign World. Whenever the Gamemaster calls you’re going to be called upon to make a number of Skill upon you to influence an outcome, you roll the dice to Tests during a game session: determine success or failure. First, you must determine the Skill that’s being Tested. Most rolls you make during a game session will be for Generally, your Gamemaster will call upon you to Test Skill Tests, generated using Percentile Dice. To make a a specific Skill as you role-play within the campaign

13 world. However, you may also request to use a specific Skill DIFFICULTY RATING to change events into your or another’s favor. Each Skill is Clambering over a manse’s garden wall to abscond away with related to a Primary Attribute, which you can view on your riches may prove to be a relatively easy task should there Character Sheet: be creeping vines to aid you, but scaling the sheer face of a  Once you’ve identified the Skill you’re going to ref- tower to infiltrate the count’s personal chambers is consider- erence, determine the Base Chance to use that Skill. ably more difficult. While both require an Athletics Test, it This will always be a number between 1 and 100. is clear that the second example is more challenging. But do First, add the Primary Attribute number and bo- you know what the level of challenge is of the first example? nuses from Skill Ranks. Then, add modifiers from This is where the Difficulty Rating comes into play. Talents or Traits from your Character Sheet that only apply in the current situation. The sum of these Circumstances directly affect your ability to succeed or fail determine your Base Chance.  with a Skill Test. Your Gamemaster will always assign a Take under consideration any penalties your Peril Difficulty Rating to a particular task you wish to attempt. Condition Track may confer. This may cause you to These bonuses help distinguish how easy it is to climb up ignore some or all of your Skill Ranks.  the manse’s wall or perhaps how hard it is to scale the face Other conditions of the environment and outside of a mountain. However, you may individually gain or be pe- influences will impact your ability for success or nalized by your Character’s Racial Traits, Professional Traits, failure. These are ambient bonuses or penalties im- Talents or even Qualities in the trappings you carry. In cases posed upon you by the drama of the situation by where there are unique modifiers, apply them to your Total your Gamemaster, called the Difficulty Rating. The Chance for success. Gamemaster will tell you the final adjustment you must apply. You will learn more about these below. You’ll note that there are several different steps along the  Add all of the modifiers together to determine the Difficulty Rating Chart. Whenever your Gamemaster de- Total Chance for success. While some modifiers termines the Difficulty Rating of the Skill you’re about to may negate one another, your Gamemaster will al- Test, consult the table below to determine the final modifi- ways clarify these situations. ers to your Skill Test. A Gamemaster will generally call out  Grab Percentile Dice, call out to the table what your the Difficulty Rating for the Skill Test, instead of telling you Total Chance for success is and roll. If the rolled the bonus or penalty. You can quantify the modifier from number is equal to or less than your Total Chance the Difficulty Rating using the chart on the bottom of your for success, you have succeeded at the Skill Test. If Character Sheet: the results are greater than the Total Chance for suc- cess, you have failed the Skill Test. Difficulty Rating Description  We will speak more in upcoming chapters about Apply a -30% penalty using Skills. However, no matter what the circum- Arduous stance is, you’ll always reference these basic guide- to Base Chance lines to make a Skill Test. Apply a -20% penalty Hard PERIL CONDITION PENALTIES to Base Chance Apply a -10% penalty Challenging Aside from the Difficulty Rating, your Peril Condition Track to Base Chance may further cause penalties to your Total Chance for success. No penalties or bonuses If you are Unhindered or Imperiled, you suffer no additional Standard to Base Chance penalties. However, if you in the state of “Ignore 1 Skill Rank”, Add a +10% bonus “Ignore 2 Skill Ranks” or even “Ignore 3 Skill Ranks”, you Routine to Base Chance must subtract the bonuses your Skill Ranks normally confer Add a +20% bonus to you. However, if Incapacitated! you cannot even roll dice, as Easy you cannot succeed any Skill Test. You will learn more about to Base Chance Add a +30% bonus the Peril Condition Track in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. Trivial to Base Chance Danziger is attempting to use a Guile Test. Guile is an Under special circumstances, there may be situational mod- Agility-based Skill. His Agility is 45%, while he has ifiers in play when making a Skill Test. Your Gamemaster three total Skill Ranks in Guile. This results in 75% (45 tallies these situational modifiers and gives you the Difficulty + 10 + 10 + 10). However, he is suffering from “Ignore 2 Rating. You should concern yourself only with your Charac- Skill Ranks” on the Peril Condition Track. This means ter’s immediate Base Chance to use a Skill, and let the Gam- that his Base Chance is now only 55% (45 + 10). emaster worry about any other ambient modifiers. 14 Danziger watches along the edge of the woods for signs CRITICAL SUCCESS & FAILURE that anyone followed the party. It’s nighttime, and hard In certain cases, you may generate a Match with your Per- to see anything. The Gamemaster considers the situa- centile Dice. A Match occurs whenever you generate the tion to determine the Difficulty Rating. It is dark out- same die result on both the tens and units dice (e.g. 11, 22, side and Danziger has no light. Additionally, Danziger 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99). These can have a dramatic impact is behind a number of buildings and can’t see very far. on your successes and failures. After consideration, the Gamemaster tells him that it is a Difficulty Rating (Hard -20%) Awareness Test. If you succeed your Skill Test and the dice Match, you incur a Critical Success. This may mean you may dole out addi- TOTAL CHANCE FOR SUCCESS tional wounds upon a foe, gain a temporary beneficial effect, add a bonus to your ally’s next Skill Test or do a number of Whenever it is time to make a Skill Test, the Gamemaster other things. These are generally contextual, and the Gam- will announce the Difficulty Rating. However, these results emaster will announce any additional benefits or penalties may not be all that encouraging. For instance, you may have tied to a Match. Your Talents and Professional Traits may a 75% Base Chance to use Skulduggery but because you’re confer other effects as well. trying to lift someone’s purse while surrounded by watch- ful eyes, the Gamemaster has determined that the Difficulty Danziger has a 55% Total Chance for success. Rolling Rating is (Arduous -30%). This reduces your Total Chance Percentile Dice, he generates a 33% - a Match! Because for success to 45%. it’s below the Total Chance for success, it qualifies as a Once you have announced what your Character intends to do Critical Success. The player announces that Danziger and the Gamemaster calls out the Difficulty Rating, you com- has Critically Succeeded the Skill Test. mit to your intended action. Pick up the Percentile Dice, call out your Total Chance for success and roll. However, should you fail your Skill Test and the dice Match, you incur a Critical Failure. The effects of Critical Failures Danziger is perched atop a roof, and needs to get away are generally to your detriment. Your Gamemaster will tell from his pursuers; he must jump! His player tells the you what the effects of these sorts of Matches are as you play. Gamemaster that Danziger will jump from one rooftop Sometimes, they may not even describe the terrible effect to another, crossing the gap using his Athletics Skill. until it really matters. These negative effects always dramati- The Gamemaster tells him that it is an (Arduous -30%) cally enhance the story and your trials and tribulations. Difficulty Rating. Knowing that this will drastically reduce his Total Chance of Success, the player tells the Danziger is wanted for crimes he didn’t commit. Cor- Gamemaster he doesn’t want to do it. The Gamemaster nered by a bounty hunter, Danziger attempts to con- reminds him that once he asks to do something and the vince them he’s not the guilty party. Patches has a 55% Difficulty Rating is set, he must commit to his action. Total Chance for success. Rolling Percentile Dice, he With an audible sigh, he picks up the dice to see what generates a 66% - a Match! Because it’s above his To- fate lies in store for poor Danziger... tal Chance for success and it’s a Match, it qualifies as a Critical Failure. The Gamesmaster notes that it is a Critically Failed Skill Test and considers the resulting SITUATIONAL DIFFICULTY RATING complications. Unfortunate for Danziger, not only will ZWEIHÄNDER does not provide a complete list be likely be hauled off in chains, the bounty hunter is of every single Difficulty Rating for situations your going to make it as painful as possible before dragging Character may be thrust in. Most of these decisions him back to the constable for the prize. rely on the Gamemaster’s adjudication of the rules, relying solely on contextual interpretation. Describe SKILL TESTS OVER 100% what you wish to attempt accurately as you can, so In a few extremely rare cases, it is possible to have a To- that the Gamemaster can assign an appropriate tal Chance for success in excess of 100%. Roll a Skill Test Difficulty Rating. The Difficulty Rating descriptor regardless. However, a result of 100% on Percentile Dice is is not an arbitrary word. If you can explain why your always a Critical Failure. Your Total Chance for success can Character would find the task easy to overcome, then never be more than 99%. you may expect an easier Difficulty Rating. While the SKILL TESTS LOWER THAN 1 Gamemaster will attempt to be fair, don’t be sur- % prised if your Tests are considerably harder if you’re There are times when your Total Chance for success is less not fully describing in detail what you wish to do. than 1%. Roll a Skill Test regardless. A result of 01% on Per- centile Dice is always a Critical Success. Your Total Chance 15 for success can never be less than 1%. your mind, demoralizing you. Only by gaining help, finding better equipment, waiting an appropriate amount of time or AUTOMATIC SUCCESS & FAILURE increasing your number of Skill Ranks allows you to re-at- Any time you intend for your Character to attempt a danger- tempt the failed Test. ous action, you’ll make a Skill Test. However, there are many mundane things your Gamemaster will not have you make a Danziger is amongst a crowd, tailing a local magistrate Test for. Otherwise, this would make for a very boring, drawn- through the market. He needs to pilfer a seal the mag- out and unpleasant gaming experience for you and other play- istrate has hidden on his person. Using the bustle of the ers. Tasks without risk such as climbing up ladders, driving crowd for cover, a Skulduggery Skill Test is rolled and a cart along a well-traveled road, writing in your Character’s failed. However, Danziger is determined to pick the journal in a foreign tongue and the like likely require no Tests, magistrate’s pocket. As the townsfolk swell around him and you should assume that they are passed automatically. The in the market, it provides Danziger another opportune Gamemaster will be the final arbiter, as always, in these cases. moment to try again.

Danziger is riding his horse down a cobblestone road. There are some exceptions to these rules, particularly in com- Knowing that he has a Skill Rank in Ride, the player bat. Every swing and shot against an active enemy promotes asks the Gamemaster if he needs to make a Skill Test to a new set of circumstances. We’ll talk more about how this see how well he is controlling his horse. Since Danziger works in Chapter 8: Combat. isn’t on a rough road and there aren’t any real drawbacks for failure, the Gamemaster simply rules that Danziger SOME SKILL TESTS TAKE TIME is riding very well, and allows him to show off his skills Most Skill Tests require only mere moments of attention to to his friends while they ride alongside. succeed or fail at. However, some require a longer expendi- ture of time and energy. For Skill Tests that require longer RE-ATTEMPTING FAILED TESTS lengths of time, your Gamemaster will indicate how long Failed Skill Tests may have other setbacks as a result. The it takes to attempt it after they’ve announced the Difficulty Gamemaster may rule that a failed Athletics Test results in Rating. exhaustion. Similarly, Critically Failing an Athletics Test could result in a nasty fall. Yet, this is not to say every failed EXTENDED TESTS Skill Test necessarily results in immediate, inevitable failure. If you decide to triple the amount of time required to try a Some Tests can be reattempted, but generally at a cost the task, your chances may increase. For instance, mending a per- Gamemaster dictates. son’s wounds with the Heal Skill takes ten minutes. However, if you instead dedicated thirty minutes to clean and dress the If you fail a roll, there may be a legitimate reason to re-attempt wound more carefully by taking greater care, the chance of you a failed Skill Test. However, not all Tests can necessarily be succeeding increases. Spending additional time beyond that retried. For instance, if you fail a Tradecraft Test, the result has typically confers no additional bonus, unless the Gamemaster already been determined - you failed to craft something effec- rules otherwise. tively and it is of shoddy quality. Another time, you may want to really, really get over a wall, despite the fact that you failed Anytime you are beset by circumstances where you take your the first Athletics Test. Consider using an alternative Skill or time with the Skill Test, your Gamemaster will impose a think of a more creative way to grant additional bonuses to more favorable Difficulty Rating, based on narrative circum- your Test. stances. Whenever you re-attempt a failed Skill Test, the penalties HASTY TESTS rely on narrative changes or the imposition of other mitigat- Some Skill Tests may need to be made in a hurry, or un- ing factors as determined by the Gamemaster. For instance, der some duress. For instance, you may be racing against you may have failed an Athletics Test to climb over a wall. the clock to pick a lock from a door while the owner is ap- Your Gamemaster may decide that a rope or other climbing proaching. Anytime you are beset by circumstances where implement would allow you to re-attempt the failed Skill you wish to rush through the Skill Test, your Gamemaster Test. Other situations may not allow you to re-attempt the will impose a less favorable Difficulty Rating, based on nar- Skill Test until time has passed, particularly if you wouldn’t rative circumstances. know if the initial Skill Test had failed. For instance, you may have failed a check to cleanse and scrape off contagion from a comrade’s wounds, noted only because the patient’s disposition grew worse. Some failures may even work against

16 SKILL SYNERGY you wish to assist a Charm Test likely won’t garner a vote of support from the Gamemaster, but declar- Some Skills can be used to benefit one another in the right ing that you intend to gaze admiringly and subtly circumstances. These situations are always determined by the seduce the lady-in-waiting that your ally is engaged Gamemaster, but you should feel encouraged to think about in conversation with will. how you can pair up Skills together to take advantage of this. In these cases, you may add a +10 Base Chance to your Total Chance for success. Danziger has crashed the group’s coach into a low ra- vine. He and his friends are trying to figure out how Danziger has recovered a stolen painting. He wishes to to drag it out without harming the horses. Danziger evaluate whether it is a forgery or not with the Counter- knows something of how to prepare a wagon’s creatures feit Skill. Fortunate for Danziger, he has a Skill Rank for travel, given that he spent time loading trunks for in Tradecraft with a Focus in Artistry. The Gamemaster “bigwigs” in the “big city”. He asks the Gamemaster if decides to let Danziger add a +10 Base Chance whenev- he can roll a Handle Animal Test to determine wheth- er he makes the Counterfeit Test, in order to determine er there’s an easier way to unhitch the horses without whether or not the painting is legitimate. causing any further injury. The Gamemaster announc- es that the Difficulty Rating of the Skill Test will be ASSISTING ALLY’S TESTS (Challenging -10%), which means Danziger’s Total Chance for success is 55%. Leopold Coventry immedi- Fortunately, your Character is not alone in their adventures. ately pipes up, indicating that he has raised horses his There are times in any grim & perilous game session where entire life and may be able to provide some assistance your own capabilities aren’t enough; a physical challenge too with the work. The Gamemaster tells Leopold he can demanding or a social situation too perplexing. Rely on your confer an Assist Die to Danziger’s Skill Test. Danziger allies to provide additional help while tackling the challenges rolls a “63%” on his Percentile Dice, and a face “3” on presented to you by your Gamemaster. his Assist Die. Danziger swaps the face “6” for a face “3”, You should always endeavor to aid your allies when your Char- with his derived result now a “33%” - a Critical Success! acter can realistically apply their own knowledge to the situa- tion. However, you must adhere to these few basic rules when- OPPOSED TESTS ever you provide assistance to others’ Skill Tests: In ZWEIHÄNDER, most Skill Tests assess a binary out-  An assisting ally must at least possess one Skill Rank come of success or failure; the wall is either climbed or not. in the relevant Skill to assist another, regardless if it For instance, whenever you strike a foe with an attack, they is a Common or Special Skill. may elect to defend themselves. They need not “beat” your  Whenever an ally intends to assist your Skill Test, results; the foe must only succeed their roll. The same can be they must hand one of their Percentile Dice (their said when using the Intimidate Skill to terrify your enemies. tens die) to you. This die is called an Assist Die, and Although you may have succeeded, your enemies may make can replace the tens die result of the next Skill Test a Resolve Test on their Turn to shake off or simply ignore you make. its effects. However, there are certain situations where these  Roll your Percentile Dice and the Assist Die along sorts of rolls may not do the trick, or both tests succeed and with it. When determining results, you may refer- result in a tie. ence either the original tens die or the Assist Die with the results you prefer (typically the lowest re- Should there ever be a time where an Opposed Test is ab- sult). This means that if you roll Percentile Dice that solutely required (such as in a contest of strength or when comes up with a “45%”, and your Assist Die comes gambling), not only should you succeed the Skill Test, you up as face “3”, your new derived result is “35%”. must also reference your Degrees Of Success. You determine  Always assume the best result when gaining assis- Degrees Of Success by adding together the tens die (a result tance with an Assist Die, unless it is a Critical Fail- between 1 to 10) and the relevant Primary Attribute Bonus ure. the Skill is derived from. For example, if your Character has  Only one ally can assist a Test. This means no matter a Primary Attribute of 45%, your Primary Attribute Bonus how many allies are assisting you, you cannot gain is “4”. Whoever succeeds their Skill Test and has the highest more than one Assist Die to a Skill Test. Degrees Of Success automatically wins the Opposed Test. If  Assistance requires full attention and effort. A player the Degrees Of Success match, make another Opposed Test can’t simply announce that they’re assisting a Skill until one side is declared the winner. Test. The assisting player must describe the actions Any time a Skill Test in an Opposed Test results in Critical their Character is taking to illustrate to the Game- Success, that participant automatically wins the contest. If master how they intend to help. Simply stating that 17 both participants roll a Critical Success, reference the De- SECRET TESTS grees Of Success to determine the winner. But, if the Op- Sometimes, the Gamemaster may not want you to know posed Test results in a Critical Failure, the participant auto- whether you succeeded or not. Tests to suss out hidden matically loses the contest. agendas (such as with Scrutinize), Tests to proficiently copy Danziger is sneaking through a merchant’s camp at a document (using Counterfeit), Tests to holdout weapons night. Although most are asleep, a scullion boy has on your person (using Skulduggery), Tests to change your been charged to clean up and watch their wares. The appearance (such as with Disguise) and other kinds of Tests Gamemaster decides to have Danziger and the scullion that the Gamemaster would rather secretly know the results boy make an Opposed Test. Danziger’s Stealth Test is of falls underneath the auspices of a Secret Test. (Challenging -10%), whereas the scullion’s Awareness Generally, these are used to hide the mechanics beneath the Test is (Routine +10%). Danziger has an Agility Bo- narrative, making certain that you as a player don’t know the nus (AB) of 4. He then rolls 35%, succeeding his Skill immediate result. Under these circumstances, you’ll already Test. Danziger has generated 7 Degrees of Success (4 have described what your Character is doing. Should you + 3). The scullion boy’s Perception Bonus (PB) is 2. He possess a Talent or Trait which allows you to flip or other- then rolls a 22%, a Critical Success! A Critical Success wise modify the Skill, be sure to let the Gamemaster know. always wins in an Opposed Test. From there, you will announce your Base Chance and then roll the dice; the Gamemaster will record the results secretly However, in some cases the Gamemaster may rule that the from you. The Gamemaster will only ever reveal the result if Opposed Test should play out in a tense manner. These sort you generate a Critical Success or Critical Failure. Other- of Opposed Tests take place over several rolls. The highest wise, the Gamemaster will interpret the dice and explain in result will win the contest. Characters who wish to partici- narrative terms what happens. It all boils down to perception pate will roll a series of Tests, tallying their individual results. - if the Gamemaster feels that you shouldn’t know the exact Whomever generates the most Degrees of Success will win. details, they’ll obfuscate the result within the narrative with- Alternatively, the Gamemaster will announce how many out directly revealing if you succeeded the Test or not. Degrees Of Success are required to win (called the Target No matter the situation, a Secret Test can never be given the Number), and each participant will take turns, making the benefit of an Assist Die. relevant Skill Test, counting up their respective Degrees Of Success. The first to exceed the Target Number with their Degrees Of Success wins. Danziger is attempting to use an ancient ritual to sum- mon an Abyssal demon to serve him. Although he has Danziger bellies up to the bar, attempting to engage in taken the proper precautions, the minds of diabolical an arm wrestling contest against the local champ, Gut- servants rarely bow to mortals. After successfully cast- boy Barrelhaus. The Gamemaster says that the first to ing his Magick, the creature appears in all its wicked- succeed their Athletics Tests and to reach the Target ness and grotesquery from a thick plume of sulphurous Number of 20 wins. Both Danziger and Gutboy make smoke. The Gamemaster secretly determines what the opposed Athletics Tests. Both succeed their Athlet- Difficulty Rating is, and asks Danziger to make a Secret ics Test, so it’s time to compare Degrees Of Success. Test using the Bargain Skill, in order to determine if his Danziger rolled a 45% and adds his Brawn Bonus (BB) force of will is enough to command the demon to do his of 5. Danziger’s total Degrees Of Success is 9 (4 + 5). bidding. Recording the result in secret, the Gamemas- Gutboy rolled a 35% and adds his Brawn Bonus (BB) ter will enact its outcome as Danziger commands the of 7. Gutboy’s total Degrees Of Success is 10 (3 + 7). creatures to cow to his wishes… The Gamemaster makes a note of the current Degrees Of Success, and the match continues on. Danziger rolls another Athletics Test; unfortunately, he fails his roll FLIP THE RESULTS TO SUCCEED (and doesn’t generate any Degrees Of Success). Gutboy Under some circumstances, an ability may allow you to “flip rolls his Athletics, and generates another 10 Degrees the results to succeed” a Skill Test and take the better result. Of Success! Gutboy takes Danziger over the top, win- Whenever the result of your Skill Test is a failure, you also ning the arm wrestling contest. swap the units and tens die with each other to determine if you succeeded. You always accept the better of the two results. If you have two or more traits that confer the ability to flip dice, you can only take advantage of one or the other.

18 USING SPECIAL SKILLS Danziger is attempting to listen in on a conversation in a bedchamber next to his. Pressing a cup against the Special Skills require a deeper understanding, requiring a wall, he tries to discern what they’re saying. Danziger more specific set of knowledge to effectively use them. These knows this is an Eavesdrop Test, and has a pretty good are typically indicated on your Character Sheet with an as- chance to succeed. However, he fails his Skill Test by terisk beside them. rolling an 81%. Fortunately, Danziger also possesses a Even though you may not have any Skill Ranks in a Special special Trait, which allows him to flip the results of a Skill, you reference only your Primary Attribute to deter- failed Eavesdrop Test. Danziger flips the dice, consid- mine your Base Chance. However, you must flip the results ering the result to be 18% instead. to fail the Test.

Danziger steals his foe’s blunderbus and takes aim. The FLIP THE RESULTS TO FAIL Gamemaster announces that it will be a (Hard -20%) In rare cases, you may be called to “flip the results to fail” a Martial Ranged Test to fire. Given that Danziger Skill Test and take the worst result. This mechanic is gener- doesn’t have any Skill Ranks in Martial Ranged, he ally only used for use of Special Skills in which you possess can only reference his Combat to determine his Total no Skill Ranks in. Whenever the result of your Skill Test is Chance of Success. Furthermore, when calculating re- a success, you swap the units and tens die with each other in sults, he must flip the results to fail this Skill Test. order to see if you fail. When flipping the results to fail, you always accept the worst of the two results. FURY & CHAOS DICE

Danziger, bereft of his weapon, picks up a ZWEI- Throughout this work, you’ll see mention of a 1D6 Fury Die HÄNDER. This particular weapon requires use of the to generate Damage with melee and ranged weapons. In Martial Melee Skill, of which he possesses no Skill particular, Fury Dice will be referenced in Chapter 8: Com- Ranks in. His Total Chance for success is 34%. He rolls bat. Anytime you roll for Damage, if it generates a face “6” Percentile Dice, generating a 34%. Unfortunately, he on the Fury Die, add an additional 1D6 Fury Die to Total must flip the results to fail, so he instead considers the Damage value. If that Fury Die then generates another face results to be 43%, failing his Martial Melee Skill Test. “6”, it continues to “explode”, generating yet additional 1D6 Fury Dice. Fury Dice can explode as many times as you can FINAL NOTE ON FLIPPED RESULTS generate face “6s”. Calculate all results together to determine Total Damage. Finally, should you possess an ability that allows you to flip the results to succeed and it’s opposed by another’s ability Danziger successfully strikes with his shiv. Danziger’s or situation that forces you to flip to fail, they simply cancel Combat Bonus (CB) is 3. He rolled a 1D6 Fury Die, re- each other out, as you attempt a normal Skill Test. sulting in a face “6”. He now adds 1D6 Fury Die, gen- USING COMMON SKILLS erating another face “6”. He rolls yet another Fury Die, resulting in a face “1”. Danziger inflicts 16 Total Dam- In ZWEIHÄNDER, it is impossible to have Skill Ranks age (3 + 6 + 6 + 1). in every Skill. This is entirely intentional; no matter how you grow your Character, you will only possess a fraction of Similarly, you may see mention of a 1D6 Chaos Dice. Chaos the total Skills made available. Yet, Common Skills can be Dice are used for special situations that dictate something roundly used by everyone. terrible may happen whenever it lands on a face “6”. They are generally referenced when determining if an Injury oc- Even though you may not have any Skill Ranks in a Com- curs, but the Gamemaster may impose a Chaos Die to other mon Skill, reference your Primary Attribute to determine circumstances where unintended things may happen. You’ll your Base Chance. However, Talents and Traits may further learn more about Chaos Dice in Chapter 8: Combat and modify it (which you’ll learn more about later). Chapter 10: Grimoire.

Danziger needs to abandon the boat he was piloting THE FORTUNE POOL earlier and swim to shore. The Gamemaster announc- The tides of order and chaos are in a constant tug of war. es that it will be an (Easy +20%) Athletics Test to swim. All are bound to the wheel of fortune as it turns, turning Given that Danziger doesn’t have any Skill Ranks in the treacherously for both the villainous and the chivalrous alike. Common Skill of Athletics, he can only reference his When these forces are pitted against one another, it can res- Brawn to determine his Total Chance of Success. onate acutely with their chosen emissaries.

19 Protagonists in ZWEIHÄNDER often face unexpected Immediately after failing a Skill Test, spend a Fortune Point. twists of fate and misfortune. Whether it’s being outflanked You may then re-roll to generate a better result but must by their foes, stumbling upon a creature’s den whilst heed- accept the outcome. ing the call of nature, breaking a wagon axle while fording a river, making an offensive quip to a blue-blooded lady of the During combat, spend a Fortune Point to gain one addition- court, getting caught with a handful of shillings you “found” al Action Point on your Turn. in someone else’s purse or even just being at the wrong place Immediately after rolling a D6 Chaos or Fury Die, spend a at the wrong time, Skills alone won’t necessarily remedy ev- Fortune Point to treat it as a face “6”. ery situation. Even when you may be unaware that you’re in immediate danger, fortune’s wheel continues to spin as blind MISFORTUNE POOL chance and dumb luck tends to favor the foolhardy and brave Whenever you use a Fortune Point, it immediately converts alike. into a Misfortune Point and is then contributed to the Gam- At the beginning of every game session, place one token, emaster’s Misfortune Pool. The Gamemaster may employ plus a number of additional tokens equal to the number of the Misfortune Pool to take advantage of the same bene- players participating, into a bowl. This means that if there fits as mentioned above for non-player Characters or other are five players, a total of six tokens are contributed into the creatures they control. However, once Misfortune Points are bowl at the beginning of the game session. You can use coins, spent by the Gamemaster, they are simply cast aside, expend- marbles, wrapped caramel candies or any other sort of ap- ed permanently. propriate counter for players to remove from the bowl. These FINAL CONSIDERATION tokens are called Fortune Points and the bowl is referred to as the Fortune Pool. Each Fortune Point represents a cur- It is important to note that Fortune Points do not accrue rency in which the players can spend to change the outcome between game sessions. The Fortune Pool always refreshes of events. As the session progresses, the Fortune Pool will at the beginning of a game session, regardless of any left- dwindle as players tap into it. over Fortune Points from a previous session. Players should feel encouraged to spend Fortune Points as needed, but judi- HOW TO USE FORTUNE POINTS ciously weigh each situation all the same. One never knows You can use Fortune Points in several ways, moving the odds when misfortune may strike! into your favor as fortune smiles upon you:

20 CHAPTER 3: CHARACTER CREATION

hat makes the fiber of a man? Is it the circumstances of their birth? Their status in society? The gods they hold dear? Their outlook on life? It is none of these: humanity is the sum of experiences, built up by the sun’s Wrise and cast aside by the moon’s glow. It is blood, love and tragedy. The cleanest king is but a child to the leprous beggar - one soft with comforts and the other hard with experience. This life is not kind, but it is yours - do not leave it regretful. Leopold Coventry, saboteur and demagogue

ELEMENTS OF A CHARACTER other cases, it is driven by social or economic issues. Rarely is it driven by the differences of As a player, you will create an alternate persona: a pro- race. Perhaps in your case, it’s related to the caste tagonist (or perhaps antagonist!) of the story, also known you were born to and the envy of your betters. as a Character. Character Creation is relatively simple,  Superstition is the foundation of faith. People but the choices you make during this process can have genuinely believe that wearing charms made long-term implications. Several themes dominate a grim from dried cat eyes or talismans wrought from & perilous game: oddly green-glowing Wytchstone shards will ac-  Dire circumstances recast your fate. You were tually ward away riotous spirits and if one prays a normal, everyday person (or as normal as you hard enough for rain, it will. Like everyone else, could be in a Renaissance-inspired, low fanta- your Character likely believes these things. Be- sy world). However, something in your imme- neath the myths lies a kernel of truth. diate past changed the path you were on. Now  Religious ceremony and pagan rites dominate that your life has changed dramatically, you find every facet of society. You pray hard and sacri- yourself among others who are of similar dispo- fice to your own gods so that they may save your sition. soul from damnation - for all are born unto sin  Retribution and violence are the hallmarks of and must absolve themselves before death. Most your unfortunate birthright. The world you live look upwards towards the stars in the Vault of in is largely uncaring, cruel and selfish. The fet- Night for meditative guidance, but some look id stink of the corrupt wafts from every cob- below into the endless pit of the Abyss for quick bled street and echoing hillside. The people are solutions. bound to strict social strata and rarely break free  Medicine is truly esoteric; its practitioners few from the yoke of servitude. You likely know little and far between. Quackery dominates the pro- of the world beyond where you were raised, but fession, where snake oil salesmen make up the are accustomed to the grim nature of the world bulk of the field. True physicians are generally around you. at odds with the church, believed to be necro-  Ethnic identity binds communities together. mancers with their odd pursuit of vivisection in Sometimes, prejudice manifests against contra- the name of scientific understanding. It may not dictions to one’s own traditions and religion. In

21 be uncommon for your Character to imbibe unusual rage against the dying of the light as a flickering glimmer of concoctions or other questionable remedies to main- hope, knowing the considerable risks they bear likely breeds tain balance of the four humours. Some even pay the pain and helplessness? Perhaps instead, they struggle in same level of “tithe” to a local barber-surgeon as they the morass of compromise, torn between justified violence, would for a preacher. questionable intentions and unyielding dogma? Or, will they  Sorcery is reviled by all and those who would dare simply embrace these deviant times for their own opportu- call themselves true wizards are often burned at the nistic ends, building legacy and lucre for themselves off the stake for heresy. Most have a damning opinion to- suffering of those less fortunate and clever? The answer is not wards Magick in all its forms. If you pursue these simple, but it is definition of what the ZWEIHÄNDER higher mysteries yourself, these gifts must be hidden role-playing game is all about. from the ignorant and stolen from others who are of your same ilk. One does not simply stumble across The Gamemaster will share ideas about what additional a grimoire or develop an understanding of sorcery. themes they wish to define the campaign world as your Char- It is a well-hidden secret of the material realm, and acter will influence the story arc through their adventures. It is those who can employ it jealously guard this knowl- recommended that everyone understands these themes, along edge from each other and outsiders. Fortunately, a with any other campaign expectations, before they create their hidden Magickal membrane called the Aethereal Characters together. But keep in mind that not all of the cam- Veil mostly protects the material realm from raw paign’s secrets need be revealed by the Gamemaster, as your Magick from pouring forth. story has yet to completely untold. In short, an idea of where  Ancient monsters and festering mutants doubtless- you would like to go with your Character is helpful; an idea of ly exist upon the periphery of civilization and in the where they’ve been is an absolute necessity. darkest of recesses. Those who seek to abandon their CONSIDERATION AND CHOICES former lives to become adventurers will likely have to contend with them at some point. These same crea- When you imagine your Character, how do you see them? tures also have their own social stratum, clawing their Are you a despicable cur who relies on their imposing na- way through the pecking order to ascend to domi- ture to hide uncertainties? Perhaps you’re a grifter in fool’s nance. However, not all monsters are truly monstrous, clothing, using dopiness to conceal their selfish intentions? and not all civilized folk are truly civilized. The worst Maybe you’re a jaded protagonist who has been through sort of “monsters” oftentimes exist within the walls, the crucible and is haunted by a terrible past? Perhaps you and not without. Beware the enemy within! want to play an ambassador who is terribly bigoted against  Capricious and sometimes sinister forces vie for those with whom he parlays? Maybe you want to create an agency over the world’s people from an endless all-knowing sage with crippling social anxiety? What if you hellhole called the Abyss. Their influence - called want to be a streetwise rake who is charismatic and randy Corruption - can physically, mentally and spiritually but will abandon his friends at the drop of a hat? There are twist those who come under its influence. Behind limitless paths you can explore in the gritty and dark world the curtain, these dark powers play puppet master, of any ZWEIHÄNDER game. pulling the strings of both cast-asides and the well- Consider not your Character’s strengths first, but instead bred alike. They whisper into the ear of those chosen your weaknesses. We encourage you to create a style of for a darker purpose. Perhaps, you have heard their Character you’ve never played before or one that forces you whispers, too. to step outside of your comfort zone. Often in role-playing games, players will select a personality type or allocate ability Grim & perilous role-playing is not a story about people who scores in a way that is already familiar or representative of change the world. No, it is instead a story of a world that a Character they have played in another role-playing game. changes the people within it. Given these considerations, it’s Challenge yourself as a role-player, and think about other easy to believe that a nihilistic principle guides your Charac- options. It is important to approach any role-playing game ter’s life. However, there is a glimmer of hope. Not all is lost, with a fresh perspective, particularly for players who also and fortune has smiled upon your Character for one reason Gamemaster. It can help you create new and interesting per- or another. There is a greater role for you to play in the grand sonalities, drawing from these new experiences as a player. scheme of things. It may not result in changing the world as a Making these sort of decisions as a Gamemaster helps you whole, but a path has been lain before you. Fate has something become more well-rounded, whereas making these choic- in store for both you and your motley crew of comrades. es as a player allows you to become a stronger role-player Ultimately, you must ask yourself how these circumstances yourself - particularly if you want to Gamemaster your own will change your Character’s primary motivation. Will they ZWEIHÄNDER game! 22 STEP VIII: ALIGNMENT DICE, PENCIL & CHARACTER SHEET This is the most personal step in the Character Creation pro- You’re going to be recording several notes during cess. One is called an Order Alignment; a strength of per- the Character Creation process. You will need three sona. The other is called a Chaos Alignment; a weakness of 10-sided dice (otherwise called Percentile Dice), a personality and habit. By determining these Alignments, it pencil and scratch paper. Everything you take down will largely inform how your Character reacts in tense, grim should be written in pencil, so any necessary changes situations. can easily be made along the way during and after this process. You can use the Character sheet pre- STEP IX: BUILD YOUR PROFESSION sented in this book or download it directly from our Once you have finalized all of the steps above, move to the website at GrimandPerilous.com next chapter to spend all Reward Points and begin play! STEP I: BEGIN BASIC TIER CREATION OVERVIEW Before you begin the Character Creation process, it is im- Below is a quick guideline to follow whenever creating your portant to understand the distinction between Tiers of play. Character: A Tier is a measurement of competence, profiling a Charac- ter’s experiences over the course of their adventures. Each Tier STEP I: BEGIN BASIC TIER represents a collection of choices you’ve made over the course Your Character has a humble beginning, starting play in the of the story. In ZWEIHÄNDER, there are only three Tiers Basic Tier. - Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Tier. Whenever you first STEP II: PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES create a Character, you begin in Basic Tier. These are the seven basic ability scores your Character pos- Each Tier has a certain number of requirements a Character sesses, illustrating your raw physical and mental capabilities. must fulfill before moving onto a new Tier. The Basic Tier They’ll ultimately define how well your Character employs requires of you to spend Reward Points on benefits (oth- their Skills. erwise called Advances), outlined in your Profession’s de- STEP III: SEX & RACE scription. Characters gain promotion into the next Tier by We’ve provided several basic races here in this book for you to fulfilling all of the required Advances from the previous Tier. choose from. Once you’ve determined your Character’s race, it Go to the first page of the Character sheet and record Basic will inform which Racial Trait they gain. Tier. Additionally, write down 1,000 Reward Points on the STEP IV: ARCHETYPE & PROFESSION third page of your Character sheet. We’ll talk more about how Although your Character will grow and adapt to learn new to spend Reward Points for purposes of Character Creation in things, these two items underpins their basic abilities, Prima- Chapter 4: Professions. ry Attribute Bonuses, Skills, Talents and other perks. First, STEP II: PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES you’ll determine an Archetype. From there, you’ll roll dice to determine the first Profession. Primary Attributes are the building blocks of creation, gov- erning a Character’s raw potential and capabilities. They STEP V: SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES represent physical and mental characteristics. The higher the Secondary Attributes define how much your Character can value, the better the raw ability. carry, how fast they react in a fight, their overall stamina, how quickly they move and threshold against danger. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE BONUSES Primary Attributes also have a related bonus. These Primary STEP VI: BACKGROUND Attribute Bonuses are applied to game mechanics in various Here, you’ll consider your Character’s name, define their cir- ways. These bonuses are equal to the tens digit of the related cumstance of birth, appearance and age. You will also de- Primary Attribute. For instance, if a Character has a Brawn termine what part they play in the social caste and any hin- of 37%, they would have a Brawn Bonus (BB) of 3. As you drances they begin play with. play your Character, these Attribute Bonuses will grow inde- STEP VII: HAND OF FATE pendently from your Primary Attributes. They may be modi- Your Character, unwittingly or not, has been chosen - the die fied with Bonus Advances you earn during Basic, Intermedi- has been cast for a greater purpose. Here, you will learn tap ate and Advanced Tiers. Additionally, all player races have an into Fate; fulfilling a destiny yet untold in ZWEIHÄNDER. intrinsic additive or penalty to the Primary Attribute Bonus. Each Attribute Bonus is generally referenced by its abbre- viated name throughout the book: Combat Bonus (CB), 23 Brawn Bonus (BB), Agility Bonus (AB), Perception Bonus WILLPOWER (PB), Intelligence Bonus (IB), Willpower Bonus (WB) and Willpower represents your Character’s resolve and fortitude. Fellowship Bonus (FB). It controls your ability to apply yourself in the face of hard- COMBAT ship and exercise self-control in dangerous or frightening situations. It also determines your Base Chance to succeed Combat represents your Character’s overall proficiency while Skill Tests with the Incantation, Interrogation, Resolve and fighting with weapons in close quarters and from afar, as well Tradecraft Skills. Your Willpower Bonus (WB) is the first as defending yourself. It also determines your Base Chance for number of the Primary Attribute, which directly affects success with the Martial Melee, Martial Ranged, Simple Melee your Peril Threshold and several miscellaneous modifiers for and Simple Ranged Skills. Your Combat Bonus (CB) is the first Magick. number of the Primary Attribute, which directly affects the To- tal Damage you inflict with melee and ranged weapons. FELLOWSHIP BRAWN Fellowship represents your Character’s charisma and social savvy. It controls your ability to use your personal magnetism Brawn represents your Character’s physical prowess, muscle, to persuade others, your ability to adapt to social situations durability and overall endurance. It controls your ability to and your personal confidence. It also determines your Base overpower others using might and force, to withstand pain Chance to succeed Skill Tests with the Bargain, Charm, Dis- and allows you to carry equipment without being encum- guise, Guile, Handle Animal, Leadership and Rumor Skills. bered. It also determines your Base Chance to succeed Skill Your Fellowship Bonus (FB) is the first number of the Pri- Tests with the Athletics, Drive, Intimidate and Toughness mary Attribute, which directly affects how many people you Skills. Your Brawn Bonus (BB) is the first number of the Pri- influence with Fellowship-based Skill Tests and how many mary Attribute, which directly affects your Damage Thresh- languages you may speak. old and Encumbrance Limit. GRIM & PERILOUS METHOD AGILITY Now that you understand what each Primary Attribute does Agility represents your Character’s speed and nimbleness. It and the Skills they influence, it’s time to generate them using controls your ability to outmaneuver others and allows you to the Grim & Perilous Method. This is the standard method duck out of the way from falling hazards. It also determines for allocating the basic attributes your Character possesses; your Base Chance to succeed Skill Tests with the Coordina- an inborn, natural set of seven characteristics which defines tion, Pilot, Ride, Skulduggery and Stealth Skills. Your Agil- the basic pattern of all your successes. As you determine your ity Bonus (AB) is the first number of the Primary Attribute, Primary Attributes, it will create compelling mix of strengths which directly affects Movement. and flaws reflecting the bleak nature of the world your Char- PERCEPTION acter inhabits; illustrating both the fortune and misfortune of your birth. Perception represents your Character’s mental acuity and in- sight. It controls your ability to observe the world around Roll 3D10 and add each face value to 25 which generates a you. It also determines your Base Chance to succeed Skill percentage result. This means if you roll 3D10 and the dice Tests with the Awareness, Eavesdrop, Scrutinize and Sur- land on a face “4”, “3” and a “9”, you end up with a 41% (25 vival Skills. Your Perception Bonus (PB) is the first number + 4 + 3 +9). As you generate each result, record it in the fol- of the Primary Attribute, which directly affects Initiative and lowing order by Primary Attribute: Combat, Brawn, Agility, Distances for ranged weapons. Perception, Intelligence, Willpower and Fellowship. By the time you’re finished, you will have seven separate total values. INTELLIGENCE Intelligence represents your Character’s ability to learn and Matt is ready to generate his Primary Attributes. Roll- memorize. It controls your ability to understand the writ- ing the dice, he generates a 37, 32, 50, 41, 35, 28 and 37. ten word and recall important facts. It also determines This means he has a 37% Combat, 32% Brawn, 50% your Base Chance to succeed Skill Tests with the Alchemy, Agility, 41% Perception, 35% Intelligence, 28% Will- Counterfeit, Education, Folklore, Gamble, Heal, Navigation power and 37% Fellowship. and Warfare Skills. Your Intelligence Bonus (IB) is the first number of the Primary Attribute, which directly affects the number of Magick spells you may ever learn and Focuses you can acquire in Skills.

24 MERCY our own species; the same should be said of any fantasy race Every Character is granted a reprieve as a circumstance of in ZWEIHÄNDER. Regional or cultural distinctions will their birthright, whether through a fluke of nature or by the be covered under Racial Traits within the reading below. forbearance of an unknown god. At your option, you may DETERMINE YOUR SEX change any one Primary Attribute of your choosing to 42%. ZWEIHÄNDER makes no basic physical or intellectual dis- tinctions between females and males of any race. The same ASSIGNING PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES? goes for transgender Characters; despite whether they may The die has been cast by fate, favoring no wom- have been born one sex, they may identify as a different gender. an or man above another. Player Characters are Simply put - your Character faces no measure of discrimina- bound to the same wheel of fortune and misfor- tion within the rules for their sex. However, there may be so- tune as the rest of the world. Naturally, you may cial perceptions which persist in your Gamemaster’s campaign want to roll all the values and assign them as you world regarding gender identification. Any social inequalities please. Merciful Gamemasters may allow you to should be addressed directly with the Gamemaster. assign your dice rolls at your discretion, so that you may “min-max” Primary Attributes. However, this Randomly generate your identifying sex by rolling Percentile does not capture the spirit of ZWEIHÄNDER Dice, consulting the table below. Once determined, go to the and we urge careful thought before considering first page of the Character sheet and record your sex. this option. Percentile Dice Sex Player Characters are distinguished above non-player 1 to 50 Female Characters with Fate Points; this is the advantage you’ll gain 51 to 100 Male against the merciless grim & perilous world. You’ll learn more about this later in this reading. DETERMINE YOUR RACE STEP III: SEX & RACE As mentioned before, Humans are the default race for start- ing players. Providing your Gamemaster is open to allowing You are now ready to determine what sex and species you demihuman races into their campaign world, you may ran- wish to play. For sake of familiarity, we will use the term domly generate a different race by rolling Percentile Dice, “race” throughout the rest of this work in reference to differ- consulting the table below. Once determined, go to the first ent species of humanoids. page of the Character sheet and record your race. HUMANOCENTRISM Percentile Dice Race Most grim & perilous campaign worlds are humanocentric, thus Humans are the default race for players. However, your 1 to 20 Dwarf Gamemaster may allow you to create Characters from one of 21 to 40 Elf the demihuman races: Dwarf, Elf, Gnome, Halfling or Ogre. As with other steps of the Character Creation process, it is 41 to 60 Gnome recommended that you discuss other racial implications with 61 to 80 Halfling your Gamemaster. They may have something very different 81 to 100 Ogre in mind for the kind of story they wish to present. RACIAL MODIFIERS DEMIHUMANITY Every race in ZWEIHÄNDER has unique strengths and Fantasy role-playing games and novels tend to portray weaknesses within their physical and mental make-up. These fantasy races with a homogenous culture, casting a famil- edges may have been carried down from a common ancestral iar light over them: Dwarves are squat and dour alcoholics strength, bred within their family over the generations. Sim- with axes; Elves are tall and androgynous dendrophiles with ply put, each race receives a positive and negative modifier to bows; Gnomes are relentless madmen tinkerers; Halflings their Primary Attribute Bonuses. are shoeless, voracious pacifists; Ogres are besotted dummies hell-bent on destruction. While we’ve retained some of the During Character Creation, adjust the referenced Primary popular portrayals of each race, we’ve added our own spin in Attribute Bonus. Specific modifiers follow the description of hopes that it sparks some creativity to deviate from the fan- each race. You can track these on the first page of your Char- tasy norm. However, there are literally hundreds of different acter Sheet, in the box above where “Advance” and a number personality types, physical and psychological traits amongst of smaller circles reside. 25 RACIAL TRAITS notoriously unhygienic, allowing their matted beards to grow Each race has its own set of unique features called Racial to such great lengths that they must tuck them into their belts. Traits. These cultural distinctions help create differences be- Amongst the Dwarf clans, there is an auspicious fascination tween the core races and ethnic diversity within their own with the length of one’s beard (beer-soaked as it may be), for it species. They also differentiate every person within the race is a respected symbol of tireless dedication. itself. In ZWEIHÄNDER, not all Elves can see at night Dwarves are not warlike by nature, but their endless pursuit of and not every Dwarf necessarily is a good craftsman. Racial perfection makes them ideal soldiers. Those Dwarves who feel Traits may also inform the philosophies, values and general compelled to pursue a life of warfare bear particularly contemp- outlook your Character possesses. They speak of the preju- tuous grudges against foes who exhibit a shameful lack of drive dices and traditions kept within their culture. You may elect and focus. Their tireless concern over seemingly petty matters to play a Dwarf from a primitive clan of man-eaters or one makes Dwarves the butt of many japes, thus giving birth to who lived beneath the folds of the earth, compelled to chip many popular stereotypes concerning their lack of personality, stone and rock for a millennium. Perhaps you want to play dulled insight and austere resolve. Orange mohawks, tattoos an Elf that jealously guards their sanctuary with violence, or that look akin to the scribbling of a madman and two massive calls the vast northern winter wasteland their home. What if axes to grind are amongst the most common of these images. you wanted to play a Halfling that has lived their life plying Indeed, they hold some kernel of truth to them as Dwarf Slay- the river ways thieving or as a recluse within a xenophobic ers have a particular romanticism within song and story. burg deep in the swamps? Maybe you want to play a Hu- man who’s lived in flea-ridden skins as a nomad or one who MODIFIERS dwells within a labyrinthine, dirty urban sprawl. Perhaps you  +1 Brawn Bonus (BB), Combat Bonus (CB) & want to play an Ogre whose singular dedication to cuisine Willpower Bonus (WB) leads them towards adventure. Each culture - despite their race - can be well-represented with Racial Traits in ZWEI-  -1 Agility Bonus (AB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & HÄNDER. Perception Bonus (PB)

You automatically gain one Racial Trait during Character Creation. Each have been designed to be equally attractive, Percentile Dice Racial Trait granting different situational bonuses. Many Racial Traits in- 1 to 8 Cavesight clude a measure of abstraction, and in these cases the Gam- emaster will act as the final arbiter regarding their use. Keep 9 to 16 Children of the Earth an open mind, and try to apply these abilities reasonably. Ran- 17 to 25 Consume Alcohol domly generate one Racial Trait by rolling Percentile Dice, consulting the table for your Race. Once determined, go to 26 to 33 Dwarven Warfare the first page of the Character sheet and record the Trait and 34 to 41 Grudgebearer its related benefits. 42 to 49 Ironclad Finally, it is strongly recommended that you work with your fellow players during this process. You should strive to have 50 to 58 Oathkeeper different Racial Traits from other players, even if you are 59 to 67 Physical Prowess playing the same race. 68 to 76 Rune-marked Glory DWARF 77 to 85 Stentorian Voice Proud but clannish, Dwarves possess a dour mien and are an 86 to 92 Stoneheaded incredibly obstinate race. They have a singular, compulsive need to understand the inner workings of all things. This de- 93 to 100 Strength of the Mountain sire extends far beyond love into an intense yearning for un- bridled perfection. Because of this, Dwarves take great pains CAVESIGHT in their craftsmanship, laboring for weeks over the smallest of Dwarves senses are attuned to the earth below. Using a com- trinkets. It is because of this singular dedication that Dwarves bination of sounds and acoustic wayfinding, they can see in often display a mercurial disposition. It also explains the ten- complete darkness as if it were perfectly illuminated. dency to binge drink when their work is complete, as the fraz- zled Dwarf is momentarily freed from the hold of their inner Effect:You can see completely in the dark below ground as if muse. Forever consumed by complex tasks, Dwarves are also it were daylight, providing you are able to hear. 26 CHILDREN OF THE EARTH ease. Renowned as master builders, their craft has been per- Dwarves have an almost magnetic pull toward the earth. This, fected over the ages. They jealously guard the secrets of their combined with a lower center of gravity, makes a Dwarf nigh work, passing these ancient rituals to their children. But as impossible to topple. This obstinacy is unmatched, save for the their fingers are the size of blood sausages and calloused, most fact that the mountain does not bend for the wishes of the wind. Dwarves find it difficult to work with things smaller than their hands. A rare few possess this gift, unlikely to share its Effect: You can never be forced off your feet or knocked secrets with others outside of their clan. Prone onto the ground by the elements, your enemies or even Magick. Finally, you will have a Corpulent build on the Effect: All armor, shields and weapons you forge with the Build Chart. Tradecraft Skill automatically gains the Castle-forged Qual- ity. They are best-in-class, raising its resale value three times CONSUME ALCOHOL the listed price as in Chapter 7: Trappings. Dwarves possess an unusually high resistance to the poi- PHYSICAL PROWESS sonous effects of alcohol and tobacco. But the stink of these vices cling to their clothes and breath, marking them less Dwarves are naturally athletic, excelling at feats most normal desired among the well-landed. people could never hope to achieve. Barrel-chested and pow- erfully muscled, they have an excellent physique and con- Effect: While Intoxicated, you never suffer from the neg- stantly train to maintain peak fitness. But when in private ative effects associated with this condition. You can learn company, they enjoy binge eating on pies, sausages and blood more about Intoxication in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. pudding.

DWARVEN WARFARE Effect: Reference either your Brawn Bonus (BB) or Agili- Dwarves use their lower center of gravity to drive cold steel ty Bonus (AB) for the purposes of Movement. Additionally, into their opponent, crushing armor and shattering bones be- you may substitute Athletics in place of Coordination when neath its impact. Coupled with familiarity of stone-cutting Dodging ranged weapons. Finally, you will have a Husky and wood-splitting tools, it makes Dwarves incredibly efficient build on the Build Chart. when defending themselves. RUNE-MARKED GLORY Effect: When wielding any two-handed melee weapon us- Sage and arcane, all Dwarves know their runes. They mark ing both hands, you automatically Parry melee attacks (pro- keepsakes, armor and weapons with chalk and ink, telling viding you have enough Action Points at your disposal). of an ancient, forgotten glory that came before them. Some even tattoo themselves from head to toe in these arcane sym- GRUDGEBEARER bols of might. Yet, these runes speak to an eldritch power, Dwarves harbor ancestral hatred, bringing violence upon girding their body against the touch of cold steel and their hated enemies. Perceived grievances - both real and imag- mind against the effects of sorcery. ined - and general bigotry fuel this rage. Effect: Whenever you suffer Damage or Peril from Magick, Effect: Whenever you use Fury Dice to determine weap- spend a Fortune Point to ignore it entirely. Note that this on Damage, they explode on a face “6” or face “1”. You can does not alleviate any additional effects the Magick spell may learn more about Fury Dice impacts Damage in Chapter 8: also cause (such as being caught On Fire or knocked Prone). Combat. STENTORIAN VOICE IRONCLAD Dwarves have a loud and booming voice, and when they speak, Dwarves have an incredibly stalwart physique, sleeping and others listen. They break out in song often, recounting tales eating daily in their armor. Rotund and ruddy-cheeked, of vendettas, unending turmoil and unresolved grievances to- they could easily pass for Yuletide’s bearer of gifts so their wards other races. It can become incredibly annoying to their non-Dwarven comrades may demand they wear a fur- non-Dwarven comrades, as they must put up with their inabil- trimmed hat when the season comes. ity to hold a tune.

Effect: When wearing a suit of armor, ignore its Encum- Effect:Whenever you use Fellowship-based Skills, reference brance Value. either your Brawn or Fellowship Primary Attribute (which- ever is highest). OATHKEEPER Like their forefathers before, Dwarves have become the bear- STONEHEADED er of ancient trade secrets, working the natural elements with Dwarves are stern and taciturn, unyielding to manipulation. 27 Born with an innate ability to see through Magickal decep- tion and trickery, their mind is unyielding. Changing their Percentile Dice Racial Trait perception is incredibly difficult, as they are stubborn in be- 1 to 8 Bewitching lief and pragmatic in nature. 9 to 16 Beyond the Veil Effect: You are immune to Magick which may control your 17 to 25 Deadly Aim mind and see through illusions without fail. 26 to 33 Enduring Mortality STRENGTH OF THE MOUNTAIN 34 to 41 Fey Treachery Dwarves can perform incredible feats of stamina. They claim that even the smallest runt of their clans can haul a hogshead 42 to 49 Firstborn of mead without breaking a sweat. 50 to 58 Kindred Warband Effect: Any Skill Rank you acquire that relies on the Brawn 59 to 67 Lament of the Ages Primary Attribute modifies your Base Chance by +15, in- stead of +10. 68 to 76 Meditative Healing 77 to 85 Nature’s Own ELF 86 to 92 Nighteyes Fey and haughty, Elves believe they were created in the image of their gods and seek to isolate themselves from the compa- 93 to 100 Warrior’s Tattoo ny of other pitiably inferior races in their communities called a “kindred”. The feeling is often mutual among these other BEWITCHING races, who’d classify Elves in two distinct camps: louche and supercilious or edgy and dismissive. Avid connoisseurs, there Elves are striking to behold, and others have a difficult time is no doubt that Elves are particularly disdainful of those who concentrating on anything else but their beauty. Often fash- do not apply the same exacting standards in their own choic- ion-forward, their clothing is striking and evocative, liberal es. Standing in imperious opposition to the long-bearded folk with its use of lace and high of collar. But beneath this ve- who dwell below the earth, the Elves take to the magnificent neer lay an insidious and alien power to bend people to their beauty of the forest, a sanctuary far removed from other civ- whim. ilizations. Neither would admit to it, but Elves and Dwarves Effect: Whenever you cast Magick or use the Charm Skill, have a remarkably similar desire for perfection. foes must flip their results to fail to Resist its effects. How- Perhaps there is some truth to the divine origin of Elves, for ever, this only works if your foe can both see and hear you. they uniformly appear ageless. There are many examples of BEYOND THE VEIL Elves whose years span several Human lifetimes, and it is even believed that some have attained true immortality. Not surpris- Elves share a significant link with powers beyond mortal ingly, Elven longevity is often stunted by the gripping reality of kith and kin and can manipulate them to their will. But, they a merciless world. Elves who have left their kindred by choice have slowly fallen prey to the mind-bending warp and weft or forced exile often fall victim to an eternal grief, doomed to of the world beyond. dwell among the crude masses of the lesser folk. Life is particu- Effect: Whenever you fail or Critically Fail an Incantation larly cruel to these exiles, who often find themselves enslaved by Test, spend one Fortune Point to turn it into a Critical Suc- pompous merchant-princes and paraded about as curiosities in cess. some personal menagerie. But in others, it manifests into cold neutrality as these Elven outcasts strike out as mercenary free- DEADLY AIM booters. These Elven scoundrels are often provoked by even the The world around Elves seems to fade to a blur as they fire simplest of informalities or inconveniences, flying into a furious their bows, striking between the chinks in their foe’s armor rage against all save their own. with perfection. They may pridefully (and purposefully) blind MODIFIERS one eye with a bandana to illustrate their skills… or should they grow insane, gouge it out entirely with a spoon to prove  +1 Agility Bonus (AB), Perception Bonus (PB) & their unyielding dedication. Intelligence Bonus (IB)  -1 Brawn Bonus (BB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & Effect: Whenever you make a Ranged Attack or Perilous Willpower Bonus (WB) Stunt using a ranged weapon, foes must flip the results to fail to Dodge, Parry or Resist it. 28 ENDURING MORTALITY Effect: Whenever combat begins, select one foe. If the foe can Although not all Elves are immortal, some still hold that clearly see and hear you, they must reduce all Damage they do flicker of divinity within their blood, passed down from their to you by your Fellowship Bonus (FB). Fey ancestry. Their features may change over these long de- MEDITATIVE HEALING cades, but some Elves appear neither old nor ugly. Even hor- rid scars seem to accentuate their perfectly-chiseled features, Gifted with the kindred’s ability to live between the weave of youthful and vigorous. However, you may take upon more the world, you have learned how to harness an inner power “noble” qualities in appearance, common amongst the elders to mend your own wounds. of your kindred. Effect: Whenever you awaken from a good night’s sleep, re- Effect: You never suffer the debilitating effects of any Dis- store your Damage Condition Track by one step positively. This means that if you were Grievously Wounded, you are ease, ageing or sickness - even by the hand of Magick. now Seriously Wounded instead. Note that this does not FEY TREACHERY cure Injuries or speed along the process to recover from them. Some Elven kindred are suspicious and deeply secretive. NATURE’S OWN Like them, you can be capricious and sullen. You are always Wild Elves have lived amongst the forest, beneath the jungle ready to spring upon interlopers without a second thought. canopy, atop the highest mountain and even below the earth. Effect: Your first successful Attack Action against a foe adds With burrs, leaves, mud and the like tending to cling to a 1D6 Fury Die to your Damage results. This can be used their clothing, they emerge unwashed from the wilderness, against multiple foes during combat, taking advantage of acknowledging little reason to clean themselves up for civi- your traitorous ways! lized company. Some Elven kindreds dismiss this frolicking as wasteful, but there is no denying the beautiful grace you FIRSTBORN exude when on the move. The Elves came to this world first, the favored children of Effect: When you hide or sneak about in natural surround- nameless gods. Their radiant perfection has been carefully ings above ground, you are completely invisible to others preserved in the histories of your kin through written and who attempt to find you. You leave no trace of your passing oral traditions. This age-long lineage has made your people whatsoever. distant and fickle, but it has also given them insight beyond the Aetheric Veil and nature of the world around them. NIGHTEYES

Effect: Whenever learning new Magicks, you always suc- Although Elves are not able to see completely in the dark, ceed your Incantation Test. Additionally, you never have to they can see clearly in the dim light of stars. It’s evident that sacrifice Reward Points to finalize the process. You can learn you’re an Elf when in these conditions, as your eyes tend to more in Chapter 10: Grimoire. flash with their own light like an animal’s. This is the first sign of chaos made manifest in the Elven race. It is enough KINDRED WARBAND to drive dim-witted peasants to demand that “the demon be Elves can be perceived as being particularly aloof and coldly hung by his neck until the lights go out”. neutral, sticking to their own. Contemptible as their disdain Effect: You can see completely in the dark above ground as if towards others may be, it is this preternatural intuition that it were full daylight, provided there is starlight or moonlight makes Elves incredibly dangerous when fighting side-by- in the sky. side. WARRIOR’S TATTOO Effect: When fighting alongside other Elves, you gain a +10 Intricate knots of indigo ink are painted or tattooed upon the Base Chance to strike with Attack Actions and Perilous bodies of Elven warriors, symbols of their might and prow- Stunts. ess. Elves revel in this heritage, empowered by the victories LAMENT OF THE AGES they tell. But these same symbols make it incredibly difficult to get a job in a respectable winesink, as everyone knows the Elves live many decades beyond other races, but this longev- tattooed cannot be trusted with the cash till. ity comes at a cost. In time, the petty concerns of the mor- tal coil weigh too heavily upon many Elves, giving birth to a Effect: Add the Punishing Quality to any Martial Melee or melancholy that gives way to bouts of unmitigated rage, even Martial Ranged weapon you wield, and +1 to Total Damage nihilism. Others react instinctively to this behavior with great with these same weapons. trepidation. 29 GNOME Percentile Dice Racial Trait Gruesome in appearance and short-tempered in their behavior, Gnomes are a notoriously unsympathetic people. They seem 1 to 8 Clockworks of War to have a chip on both shoulders; one against their Dwar- 9 to 16 Crag Fighting ven neighbors for being absolute bores, and the other against Elves for being pompous “louchebags”. In fact, it is suggested 17 to 25 Denizen of Stone - mostly in a derogatory way - that Gnomes are the byproduct 26 to 33 Dungeons Deep of the two aforementioned races’ carnal desires. Gnomes won’t admit to it, and have been known to take to fisticuffs when 34 to 41 Escape Artist such insinuations are made. By and large, Gnomes are not 42 to 49 Goldbergian well-liked by any race outside of their own. Even then, there’s some question as to whether they get along with anyone. Mar- 50 to 58 Hocus Pocus riage is rare and their families are small. Offspring are often 59 to 67 Metrognome treated as chattel to be put to work, and love is rarely a factor when it comes to coupling. Children of such unions, should 68 to 76 Thieving Stunties they prove to be useless, are abandoned to the woods. The only 77 to 85 Tunnel Vision reason a Gnome may even wed would be to erase some great shame upon themselves, forced to make amends by marrying 86 to 92 Underfoot themselves into families they’ve greatly offended. It’s not to 93 to 100 Wretched Prankster say that some couples have grown a certain fondness for one another (for misery loves company), but mutual disgust rarely CLOCKWORKS OF WAR lends towards a productive relationship. Siblings are treated Telescoping muzzles, switchblade-style two-handed swords, worse still, seen as bitter rivals or treacherous enemies. cog-driven crossbows and folding axes are only the tip of Despite their mean-spirited tendencies and detestation for the iceberg for the limits you can accomplish by modifying others, the Gnomes do have one particular knack. Sure, implements of war. they focus little on their personal appearance but instead Effect: Providing you have the appropriate tools, any turn those energies towards tinkering, exhibit mastery over two-handed weapon can be modified into a compact mechanics in a way that no other race does. This insight is clearly inspired by the spark their Elven ancestors squirted one-handed version (which only you can wield). Despite be- into the bellies of Dwarven mothers who gave birth to the ing one-handed, it retains its original function but now has first Gnomes. But don’t say it to their face. You’re likely to set an Encumbrance of 1. However, should you ever roll a Crit- them off into a tirade of misery, self-loathing and abhorrence ical Failure with any Combat-related Skill Test when using for all that is fair or acceptable, short-sighted as they are. this weapon, it breaks apart forever, unable to be repaired as it is destroyed. MODIFIERS CRAG FIGHTING  +1 Agility Bonus (AB), Intelligence Bonus (IB) & Willpower Bonus (WB) Living amongst the hills and mountains, Gnomes have ad-  -1 Brawn Bonus (BB), Combat Bonus (CB) & Fel- opted a particular edge in combat. Using subterfuge and lowship Bonus (FB) guile, you cleverly outpace foes using shark-like strike tactics. Effect: You may Maneuver after any Melee Attack for 0 Ac- tion Points. DENIZEN OF STONE Whenever Gnomes go to sleep, it is whispered that they turn to stone. While this seems like a wild tale, there seems to be some truth to it. Their skin oft turns a shade of grey as they rest, mistaken as if all the blood had been drained from their veins!

Effect: You are never left Helpless for any reason, thus can- not be made victim to a coup de grace: your skin is turned entirely to stone as a preternatural defense mechanism whenever you’re Helpless. 30 DUNGEONS DEEP However, you cannot wield two-handed weapons, carry a Gnomes are not a prodigious people. In fact, finding a living, shield and must reduce your Movement by 3. Finally, you breathing Gnome below ground is rare indeed. They pass will reference “1 to 3” on the Height Chart and will have a soundlessly throughout the caverns below the earth, roaming Frail build on the Build Chart. the “under dark” in solitude. Besides, who would go looking TUNNEL VISION after this much-maligned race of people in the first place? Like their Dwarven cousins, Gnomes have especially-at- Effect: When you hide or sneak about below ground, you are tuned senses below the earth. Using a preternatural sense of completely invisible to others who attempt to find you. You touch, they can “feel” their way around the underworld with leave no trace of your passing whatsoever. this strange affectation.

ESCAPE ARTIST Effect: You can see completely in the dark below ground as Gnomes are wheedling and conniving. So much, that they if it were daylight, providing you are able to use your hands cannot easily be caught or detained by the law. freely.

Effect: You can never be caught in a Chokehold and may flip UNDERFOOT the results to succeed Coordination Tests to slip through bonds Living below the world in a burrow has made Gnomes backs’ and other situations which may detain you from moving. crooked. Because of this, they hobble around like old men, not necessarily dawdling but quickly scurrying about, be- GOLDBERGIAN neath the line of sight for most folk. From devising mouse trap-styled children’s’ games to the chain-reactive devices that oscillate endlessly in your work- Effect: Add +3 to your Initiative. shop, you have created a number of deliberately over-engi- WRETCHED PRANKSTER neered machines in your time. You appropriate this same mannerism towards many of the professional arts, albeit at Poking fun at their poor mannerisms and faults in their ar- the cost of being seen as a madman. mor, you engender annoyance to the point of weakness in your foes. Effect: Any Skill Rank you gain in Alchemy, Counterfeit, Skulduggery and Tradecraft modifies your Base Chance by Effect: At your discretion, you may use your Guile Skill to +15, instead of +10. both Dodge and Parry. HOCUS POCUS HALFLING Knowing what specific psychological pressures to apply upon Affable and friendly, these “little people” live in great pas- the unwitting, Gnomes have a penchant for telling lies and toral communities called moots, amongst the vast beauty of manifesting sorcerous falsehoods which cannot be ignored. the countryside. Spry and vigorous in appearance, the Hal- Effect: Whenever a foe fails to Resist your Magicks, they flings remind people of children - albeit grown and intelli- Critically Fail instead. gent children - that choose to live in harmony with other races. They act as stewards to the land, working to provide METROGNOME for the community first and the individual last. They have You are downright obsessive, clockwork-like in mannerism. no qualms in dealing with outsiders, establishing coaching Little imperfections are simply unacceptable, so meticulous stations and eateries that cater exclusively to Humans and and measured are your hands whenever you craft. Elves. They even have some friendly relations with Ogres, as their shared love for eating makes them strange bedfellows. Effect: All trappings you craft with the Tradecraft Skill - Halflings pride themselves upon a shrewd but fair mercantile with exception to armor, shields and weapons - are always nature, and this reputation has spread throughout the civi- best-in-class, raising its resale value three times the listed lized world… but only at casual glance price as in Chapter 7: Trappings. But for all of their friendliness, Halflings are truly oppor- THIEVING STUNTIES tunistic, plying this trust into a life of conniving thievery These Gnomes are a hair shorter than their kin. They find and subsisting upon petty acts of larceny against those they it easy to hide in gardens, particularly because they have a deem easy marks. It is said that there is no better burglar propensity to wear red caps and fake white beards! than a Halfling, though this mischievous lot are oftentimes shunned by others within the community for their crimes. Effect: Foes must flip their results to fail all Attack Actions Beware the polite Halfling urchin who claims to be a mere or Perilous Stunts made with ranged weapons to strike you. chimneysweep! 31 MODIFIERS intact.  +1 Agility Bonus (AB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Combat-based Perception Bonus (PB) Skill Tests to Parry attacks made with melee weapons.  -1 Brawn Bonus (BB), Combat Bonus (CB) & In- telligence Bonus (IB) FARSIGHT Whether Halflings are searching for something the size of Percentile Dice Racial Trait a dormouse or making out the details of a coach laden with riches, they can clearly discern the smallest of details from 1 to 8 Beguiler half a mile away. But, should you try to exercise this ability 9 to 16 Cat-like Reflexes without proper lighting, this sight become useless as per- fumery to a hog. 17 to 25 Craven 26 to 33 Farsight Effect: When attempting to discern minute details, you always succeed Awareness Tests. Additionally, you can see 34 to 41 Fettered Chaos three times as far as any other race. 42 to 49 Fieldwarden FETTERED CHAOS 50 to 58 Fleet-footed The Halfling race are an incredibly resilient race, but not in 59 to 67 Hijinks the ways of overall physique. They illustrate an inexorable spiritual resistance towards the lure of the Corruption and 68 to 76 Kleptomania madness, a blessing given to them by their maker. 77 to 85 Low Blow Effect: Whenever you suffer Corruption, decrease the number 86 to 92 Memento you gain by three (to a minimum of one). This means that if you suffer 6 Corruption, you gain 3 instead. 93 to 100 Pintsized FIELDWARDEN BEGUILER Halfling women and men are taught at a very young age to Halfling lies are hard to tell from truth, and you can use this wield an array of weapons to defend themselves and their to your advantage. This may be a product of low cunning, homeland. When so armed, Halflings can unleash a devas- or simply good acting. With a string of insults and chiding, tating storm of death upon their enemies. you throw your opponent’s ability to strike you off-balance as your wit serves as your ability to roll with the punches. Effect: Ignore the Weak Quality of all ranged weapons you wield. Effect: Reference either your Fellowship Bonus (FB) or Brawn Bonus (BB) for the purposes of determining Damage FLEET-FOOTED Threshold. Additionally, you may substitute Guile in place of In tense situations, Halflings hop madly like rabbits, being any Combat-based Skill when Parrying attacks. remarkably fast on their feet. This is particularly fortunate CAT-LIKE REFLEXES when they need to tuck and roll when attacked, but does absolutely no good when a Halfling needs to hike from one Some say that Halflings are watched over by Abyssal fiends. end of the shire to the mouth of a far-flung volcano. Those with this affectation are oftentimes shadowed by a black cat or have it as a beloved pet, “found” at their doorstep Effect: Whenever you Charge or Run, add +6 yards to as a kitten. Movement. Effect: Whenever you fall, you may spend one Fortune Point HIJINKS to avoid Damage from it. In this case, you instead land on Sly in their ways, Halflings use their vexing mannerisms and your feet, apparently unharmed. You can learn more about general under-footedness to confound the tall folk. These falling in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. pranks are meant to annoy, as Halflings love to make others CRAVEN an ass to their japes. Some Halflings are almost laughably faint-hearted, ready to Effect: Whenever you suffer Damage from a melee weapon, bolt at a moment’s notice. Cowardice has its place, particu- spend a Fortune Point to ignore it entirely. larly when a Halfling ne’er-do-well wishes to keep their hide 32 KLEPTOMANIA HUMAN Halflings are gifted with the ability to use illusion and sleight A vast race whose tribes have long splintered, Humans have of hand tricks to make things disappear. Their hands may evolved over an age from primal roots to become the most wander off on their own to nick things, only to realize later prodigious and adaptable civilization in the modern world. they find something stuffed in their pocket that wasn’t there Humans are a varied lot, marked by differences in language, before! culture and art. They value reason and intellect, but also re- ward avarice and opportunism. If there is one shared trait Effect: Whenever you are in a pinch and need one object amongst Humans, it is a burning desire to impose their will that could realistically fit into your pocket, spend one For- upon others, using religion to justify their vicious ideologies. tune Point to automatically find it within. For instance, you In times of old, it is said that this vainglorious nature brought could use this to produce a silver shilling (ss) from your about a terrible age of suffering and exile when Humankind pockets, but not several silver shillings (ss) without spending attempted to exert its power over the gods themselves and an equal number of Fortune Points. failed. LOW BLOW Human society is adroit and intensely political, quickly as- When cornered, a Halfling will resort to nasty tricks to fell similating the ways of others and providing advancement to a foe. Menfolk are known to gasp in horror whenever they the ambitious and the talented. Their societies are dominated bear witness to this heinous (and deliberately) painful tactic. by thinkers and tricksters, clerics and charlatans, politicians and provocateurs. They huddle together in walled cities, pro- Effect: Whenever you make a successful Melee Attack, you claiming themselves conquerors over the vast wilderness be- force a foe to Resist a Stunning Blow. You must be Engaged yond the gates. It is this brash tenacity that makes Humans with a foe in order to use a Low Blow. the most populous race. It also makes them repugnant in the MEMENTO eyes of most Elves, who often kill Human perpetrators that dare enter their sanctuaries on sight. Most Halfling toddlers are given a precious keepsake to cherish. Typically, this is a bauble, cameo, necklace or ring - something MODIFIERS Halflings can hold close to their hearts. It also tends to be costly  +1 Combat Bonus (CB), Intelligence Bonus (IB) & and pretty. This memento brings comfort and solace in the face Perception Bonus (PB) of danger. But this treasure may attract the unwanted attentions  -1 Agility Bonus (AB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & of other Halfling pickpockets, seeking to steal and covet the Willpower Bonus (WB) valuable for themselves.

Effect: When carrying your memento, you never suffer from Percentile Dice Racial Trait the game mechanic ill-effects of your Disorder. In special cases, it may even be given to another to confer its benefits. 1 to 8 Blessing In Disguise The requirements to give it to another and replace it are at 9 to 16 Danger Sense the Gamemaster’s discretion. 17 to 25 Dauntless PINTSIZED 26 to 33 Esoteric Memory Some Halflings, often mistaken for small children, are born a head shorter than their kinfolk. They are sometimes dubbed 34 to 41 Fortune’s Wheel as pygmies or “black Halflings”; derogatory terms which 42 to 49 Grim Resolve seem to have little in common with their stature and are 50 to 58 Manifest Destiny more born from ignorance. 59 to 67 Mixed Bloodline Effect: Foes must flip their results to fail all Attack Actions or Perilous Stunts made with ranged weapons to strike you. 68 to 76 Mountain Amongst Men However, you cannot wield two-handed weapons, carry a 77 to 85 Natural Selection shield and must reduce your Movement by 3. Finally, you will reference “1 to 3” on the Height Chart and will have a 86 to 92 Noble Savage Frail build on the Build Chart. 93 to 100 Seventh Sense

33 BLESSING IN DISGUISE Effect: Immediately after you suffer Damage from a melee It is said that Humans have been watched over by a god who or ranged weapon, spend a Fortune Point to ignore it entire- favors them above all other races. But a blessing such as this ly, therefore negating both Damage and any Injuries you may may also be explained as the wanton attentions of Abyssal have suffered. You may even use this after failing to Dodge fiends acting of their own accord, waiting to turn you into a or Parry. thrall once your fate runs dry. MANIFEST DESTINY Effect: Whenever the time calls for you to suffer a debilitating Humans are a quick study and carry with them a wealth of Injury or face death, you may alternatively suffer 9 Corruption experiences. Unlike other races, their people are extremely (instead of spending a Fate Point) to ignore it entirely. adaptable and can use a number of techniques with a min- DANGER SENSE imal level of understanding. This is particularly unique to Humans, as they conscript themselves to toil for their own A rare few Humans tend to get a “funny feeling” whenever endless self-interest. a situation may turn dangerous. This danger sense also leads to some odd dreams, and plagues them with unusual visions Effect: When using a Skill you do not possess Skill Ranks in, and nightmares during the waking hour. add a +5 Base Chance. Effect: Whenever you are Surprised, spend one Fortune MIXED BLOODLINE Point to avoid it and take your Turn as normal. One of your Human ancestors or parents coupled with an- DAUNTLESS other race, and passed elements of this bloodline down to their children. Humans’ sheer force of will helps them withstand the world they inhabit. Rarely do they cross the threshold to fear and Effect: Randomly generate another race other than your own. darkness, as their grim demeanor shields them from the bru- Whichever you end up with, consider any particular distinc- tal horrors that surround them. tions in your appearance and cultural values. Should you elect Effect: You are immune to the effects of the Intimidate Skill, to share Dwarven heritage, you may have a mercurial dispo- and cannot be Stunned or Knocked Out! sition. If sharing Elven heritage, you may fly into fey rages when things don’t go your way. If sharing Gnome heritage, ESOTERIC MEMORY you may like to break things apart in hopes of learning how Some Humans have a mystical (and disturbing) ability for re- they work. If sharing Halfling heritage, you may exhibit an membering details and subconsciously committing things to insatiable appetite for larceny. Finally, if sharing Ogre heritage, memory. This uncanny ability causes them to manifest odd rit- you may have a terrible underbite and a predilection towards uals to remember things through repetition and rote. A schol- eating every morsel you can get your grubby mitts on. ar would say these Humans have an eidetic memory, recalling Randomly generate your Mixed Bloodline by rolling Per- every detail with great clarity. centile Dice, consulting the table below. As a result, you Effect: When attempting to recall a particular detail or re- may randomly determine another Racial Trait outside of the member a fact about what you saw, you always succeed Scru- Human’s Mixed Bloodline. Once determined, go to the first tinize Tests. page of the Character sheet and record your Mixed Blood- line under Background and record your new Racial Trait. FORTUNE’S WHEEL Some Humans are favored by Lady Luck. In a sense, they Percentile Dice Race are her emissaries to the unkind and capricious world, made either victim to its accidents or beneficiary of its boons. 1 to 20 Dwarf Effect: Anytime you generate a Critical Failure after rolling 21 to 40 Elf Percentile Dice, automatically add one Fortune Point into 41 to 60 Gnome the Fortune Pool. 61 to 80 Halfling GRIM RESOLVE 81 to 100 Ogre Humans are extremely durable and their force of will un- paralleled. When the chips are down, they manage to pull MOUNTAIN AMONGST MEN themselves up by the bootstraps to overcome any obstacle. Some Humans are incredibly tall, towering over their own After all, the protagonist always seems to survive at the end kind. Being a hulking brute may have negative social conse- of stage plays… at least, until the sequel. 34 quences, as they are oftentimes perceived as being a clumsy but they do respect strength and will deal with anyone who dunderhead. Are they right in this assertion? You decide. shows even a hint of it. Some Ogres have curiously joined with Halfling society, sharing in their insatiable taste for food. Effect: You are able to wield any two-handed melee weapon However, they rarely slake their hunger for other Humanoid with one hand. This also means you may freely take advan- sweetmeats in lieu of an endless smorgasbord of the myriad of tage of the Adaptable Quality for weapons using only one Halfling cookery. hand. Finally, you will reference “97 to 100” on the Height Chart and will have a Husky build on the Build Chart. The gut is the center of the Ogre’s mindset - their anatomy places most of their vital organs in their spacious stomach NATURAL SELECTION cavities, banded with tough muscle and fat to protect it. They Favored above all others, Humans are the living instruments not only journey for riches, but also for food - they are always of the gods beyond. A thankless few are granted a mere in- voraciously hungry, and they will sometimes even refuse pay- kling of their might. To those born beneath the right stars, a ment if it means they can sample a new gourmet meal. Per- great blessing may be bestowed upon them. haps this is what endears them to Halflings, though that odd couple has been a mystery for centuries. Ogres will adventure Effect: You may permanently change any one Primary At- with strong companions that show their worth - they have tribute to a 55%. no tolerance for weaklings and will often devour those they NOBLE SAVAGE see as holding them back. It is also quite dangerous to try and two-time an Ogre - if they do not receive their fair share of the Whether through purposeful training or accident, Humans loot, a few fingers or even a whole hand will find a new place have developed a natural resistance towards the elements. in their massive gullets. Effect: You never suffer physical Peril as a result of failed MODIFIERS Toughness Tests.  +2 Brawn Bonus (BB) & +1 Combat Bonus (CB) SEVENTH SENSE  -1 Agility Bonus (AB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & Some Humans possess an unusual mutation, in which they Intelligence Bonus (IB) can see odors and scents. They can envision odors in the air, as if they were comprised of blurry, colored light. As a result, Percentile Dice Racial Trait as they may be prone to allergies as the seasons change or sensitive to changes in light. 1 to 8 Broad-bellied Effect: You have an exceptional sense of smell and can visually 9 to 16 Cast Iron Stomach identify scents. With this sense, you always succeed Awareness 17 to 25 Cruisin’ For A Bruisin’ Tests (unless you would be prohibited from using the sense under normal circumstances). 26 to 33 Frightening Bellow OGRE 34 to 41 Gut-Plate While their numbers are small, the vast majority of Ogres are 42 to 49 Hunger Pangs wandering mercenaries, people without a home whose only 50 to 58 Mighty Thews desire is for coin and food. These strangely obtuse Human- oids give off the appearance of idiocy due to their rather siz- 59 to 67 Odd Couple able stature, but they are both surprisingly smart and spiritual. 68 to 76 Rotgut Spray Their odd civilization once centered around man-eating and managing vast stores of meat amid their grotesque delicates- 77 to 85 Slamdance sens: an Ogre’s sizable stomach infuses every part of their lives. 86 to 92 Thick Lining That does not mean Ogres are totally redeemable, however 93 to 100 Wendigo - they are violent, boastful, prideful, wanton to drunkenness and filled with greed. They harbor little sympathy for others, as they always look for an edge or a profit in anything. Their BROAD-BELLIED ragged clothes are composed of the scraps from defeated en- Your great preponderance has gifted you with the unfortu- emies, their rusted weapons worn with heavy use and their nate ability to haul anything without breaking a sweat. Un- belts lined with dismembered Mutant heads. Ogres are indi- fortunately, it also means that every Halfling you meet wants vidualistic and often do not like associating with other Ogres, you to help them move from their old hovel to a new one. 35 Effect: You entirely ignore the effects of Overage, unless the MIGHTY THEWS value is in excess of your Initiative or Movement. Ogres are all massive, but many possess tiny hands. Howev- CAST IRON STOMACH er, a rarer breed has hands in proportion to the rest of their body. These mighty specimens can easily handle turning the \sEffect: You can gain sustenance from eating literally any- spit over a fire on their own. thing, including inanimate objects. This protects you from starvation entirely, as described in Chapter 9: Hazards & Effect: You are able to wield any two-handed melee weapon Healing. with one hand. This also means you may freely take advan- tage of the Adaptable Quality for weapons using one hand. CRUISIN’ FOR A BRUISIN’ Whenever you gain the benefits of the Adaptable Quality, Despite their size, most Ogres are simply weaklings. Yet some you may add +2 to Total Damage, instead of the normal +1. retain the strength given to them by their mothers at the breast. Benefiting from a healthy diet of mother’s milk and ODD COUPLE raw meat, these Ogres are infused with great size and poten- Not many trust Ogres, but they have found an unlikely ally cy… in more ways than one. in Halflings. Perhaps it is their mutual love of food and al- cohol, or even commiseration about being underdogs. Ei- Effect: You may reference either Brawn Bonus (BB) or Combat ther way, “civilized” Ogres dwell in Halfling settlements, and Bonus (CB) with any melee weapons you wield, and to those their attitude towards each other is more a friendly rivalry or which possess the Throwing Quality. brotherhood than actual pure camaraderie.

FRIGHTENING BELLOW Effect: When fighting alongside Halfling allies, you gain a Ogre viscera is just as massive and beefy as the rest of their +10 Base Chance to strike with Attack Actions and Perilous frames. Their lungs are one of their other large organs, need- Stunts. ed in order to provide air to the massive amount of blood in their systems. This also gives them amazing vocal capa- ROTGUT SPRAY bilities, letting them rip out massive and terrifying roars as Ogres have a natural predilection towards the drink. They can, intimidation. however, do something unique with their liquors that others can not. Due to their almost furnace-like guts, they can ignite Effect: Whenever you succeed an Intimidate Test, the foes any alcohol they ingest to shoot it back out as a gout of flame. you intimidated also suffer from Stress. If it is a Critical Suc- This is both very dangerous and quite entertaining. cess, they suffer from Fear instead. Effect: After consuming an entire bottle of rotgut, you can GUT-PLATE belch it up as flaming breath. Treat this breath as a bottle Your great belly is covered in an outer carapace of bones and bomb. However, you must immediately make a Toughness muscles. Unfortunately, it makes for an easy target. Fortu- Test or become Intoxicated. nately, it protects you from most blows. SLAMDANCE Effect: Whenever unarmored, add +2 to your Damage By bringing a powerful, hammy fist downwards to crush a Threshold as if you were wearing a suit of leather armor. You foe, they also let fly their flintstone-like feet. This general- also gain the benefits of the Natural Quality in these cases. ly puts their enemies right where they want them: on the HUNGER PANGS ground, ready for skewering for the barbeque. Ogres oftentimes forget about the delicatessen they’ve en- Effect: Whenever you make a successful Stunning Blow, you gorged themselves in, until faced down with strain or oth- force a foe to Resist a Takedown as well. You must attack er stressors. Flashbacks of these meals are then triggered, with weapons possessing the Pummeling or Weak Quality whenever they’d consumed a delectable meal accompanied to utilize this Talent. by rare spices made from mandrake root. THICK LINING Effect: Whenever you successfully Resist the effects of Stress, Fear, Terror or other effects that force you to make a Butchers, hunters and meal-preparers are some of the most im- Resolve Test, you immediately gain the benefits of one dose portant people in Ogre society. Those whose job it is to slaugh- of mandrake root, despite not having any on-hand. If this is a ter often expose themselves to deadly natural poisons of tainted Critical Success, you gain the benefits of three doses instead. meats. Their constant work with natural poisons have made When under Hunger Pang’s effects, you do not suffer the them immune to them, and some even prefer the tangy taste. drawbacks normally associated with taking mandrake root. Effect: You are immune to Poisons of all types. 36 WENDIGO been formally educated with a focus on intellect, such as the Some Ogres in northern regions have developed quite strange- Academic. Filling a Commoner role may be more your style; ly as years have gone past. These Ogres have grown protective giving a sterner physique but less strength in warfare. Perhaps layers of blubber fat, and thick white hair grows in large tufts you prefer to have a shady past as the Knave, quick of wit but all over their bodies. These Ogres are often called Wendigo, a dullard when it comes to martial studies. A Ranger perfectly and they are isolationist and even a little xenophobic. How- suits a wilderness role, wandering as a vagabond of some sort ever, none are better at navigating cold steppes and tundra using bushcraft to get by. The Socialite may be a good fit for than they. you if you want to be a talking head, information broker or even a leader of some sort. Lastly, you may want to focus more Effect: You are immune from the effects of Frostbite, and on a more traditional martially-aligned role, like the Warrior. automatically succeed Toughness Tests to withstand cold weather. Randomly generate your Archetype by rolling Percentile Dice, consulting the table below. Once determined, you will then STEP IV: ARCHETYPE & reference the Archetype table to record your starting Trap- pings, indicated in bold type. Once you’ve written Trappings PROFESSION down, then figure out your first Profession by rolling Percentile Dice and consulting the table below each Archetype. Write in WHAT IS AN ARCHETYPE? your Profession on the first page of your Character sheet. It’s assumed that most Characters have lived a good part of their life toiling, working, spending and praying. An Arche- Percentile Dice Archetype type lays the foundation of how you begin the story and gov- erns how you can grow your Character during the first handful 1 to 15 Academic of game sessions. Each of these Archetypes defines in loose 16 to 32 Commoner terms what role you will play in the group, particularly when considering each other’s strengths and weaknesses in Skills 33 to 49 Knave and Talent. It also influences what Trappings you begin play 50 to 66 Ranger with. Finally, it determines what Profession you start out in during the Basic Tier and other suggested Professions you 67 to 83 Socialite may choose to adopt during Intermediate and Advanced Tier. 84 to 100 Warrior WHAT IS A PROFESSION? Professions are the hallmark of the ZWEIHÄNDER sys- UNIQUE CHARACTERS tem. They represent people from all walks of life: amorous At first glance, you may realize that your initial Troubadours, shrewd Cheapjacks, sweat-drenched Artisans, Primary Attribute placement may not match the surly Watchmen, loquacious Courtiers, timid Servants, unctu- traditional vision of every Profession. It may feel ous Valets, stoic Reeves, austere Adherents, indolent Beggars, jarring playing an Academic who has a middling swarthy Laborers, fey Seers, bumbling Scholars, wretched wit or a Socialite who’s an uncharismatic dullard. Footpads, indifferent Bounty Hunters, unscrupulous Sells- This is completely intentional, as not every Char- words, felonious Smugglers, corrupt Preachers, enigmatic Di- acter by in a grim & perilous world is built equally. abolists, vociferous Raconteurs and many, many others. It creates interesting role-play challenges, while further underscoring the uncaring world that Each Archetype has a list of Professions preceding it, offering ZWEIHÄNDER supports. It’s up to you to turn many different options for players. Once set, it set the path these perceived weaknesses into strengths. Some of your Character walks through the Basic Tier. As you continue the most interesting personalities in role-playing to grow, you’ll spend Reward Points (bonuses earned after the games are those born from disadvantage, where the game session) to gain new Primary Attribute Bonuses, Profes- odds are stacked against them. sional Traits, Skills and Talents. When your Character reaches the end of Basic Tier, you’ll move into a new Profession (either in your current Archetype or a different Archetype altogether). ACADEMIC You may even qualify for an Elite Profession. Given the privilege of an education, Academics possess formal YOUR STARTING ROLE training in some vocation or another. The tireless pursuit of scholarly or philosophical knowledge drives them. Their natural Most players will already have in mind what sort of role they lust for knowledge leads to interesting adventures, placing these wish to play. Perhaps you wish to play a Character who has 37 neophytes in dangerous situations which may demand they pick Commoner. They are the very backbone of society, from up a sword (or lean upon those more inclined to barbarism) to the wenches that populate winesinks, stevedores who work uncover the hidden mysteries of the world. And in some cases, the docks, peddlers who sell their wares in the streets, gong they may serve higher powers as a focus of their divine might, farmers who toil in the sewers and crofters that work the or even bend reality to their own devices using sorcery. An Aca- farm and field. demic may be a sniveling bureaucrat, a wan student of the black arts, a corrupted agent of the court or even a religious maniac. STARTING TRAPPINGS Commoners wear functional, simple attire: appropriate for STARTING TRAPPINGS whatever trade or skills they practice. Their sleeves are often As a mark of their station, Academics wear fine clothing and cut short, while possessing a warm vest for when the season carry a coin purse. They wear loose robes over their body turn cold. Three bandages are kept in a ruck sack, while a from shoulder to toe, making a statement as to the profun- single dose of graveroot is at the ready (to further fuel their dity of their career. Leather sandals are common footwear superstitious ways). Supportive, heavy boots are worn for in urban areas, while those who take to rural settlements will rural laboring, although sporting leather sandals for urban wear soft shoes instead. A holy symbol is kept as a book- trekking is not uncommon either. They carry aholy symbol, mark; a reminder of their faith. They are never without their give to them by a trusted family member, as a reminder of writing kit - comprised of paper, ink and quill - shoved into their doom to come. They always carry a makeshift shiv, and a shoulder bag. Three capsules of smelling salts can be taken possess one of the three weapons: a shepherd’s sling with for long nights of study and a bottle of leeches to extract nine sling stones, a splitting maul or a threshing flail. humours from the blood. A dose of black lotus will help reveal hidden secrets. They also keep a dirk handy for cutting Percentile Dice Commoner Profession meat and self-defense, and carry one of these three weapons: a cudgel, a staff or three throwing knives in a bandolier. 1 to 8 Artisan 9 to 16 Barber Surgeon Percentile Dice Academic Profession 17 to 25 Boatman 1 to 8 Adherent 26 to 33 Camp Follower 9 to 16 Anchorite 34 to 41 Cheapjack 17 to 25 Antiquarian 42 to 49 Coachmaster 26 to 33 Apothecary 50 to 58 Jailer 34 to 41 Astrologer 59 to 67 Laborer 42 to 49 Diabolist 68 to 76 Peasant 50 to 58 Engineer 77 to 85 Penitent 59 to 67 Informer 86 to 92 Rat Catcher 68 to 76 Investigator 93 to 100 Servant 77 to 85 Monk 86 to 92 Preacher KNAVE 93 to 100 Scribe Guttersnipes, scoundrels, the larcenous and other ne’er-do- wells fit this Archetype. The world is rife with their ilk, congre- gating like flies to dung in criminal associations to ply their il- COMMONER licit trades. Knaves may pass themselves off as viciously-armed Commoners are “salt of the earth”, menial folk - the most thugs, but don’t truly possess the same martial understanding populous of Archetypes in a grim & perilous world. They as their Warrior counterparts. Others may be simple pick- occupy a broad social division of people not given to com- pockets, with the risk of running afoul of the law. Gypsies and plaining, although drudgery and tedium often make up the roadside buskers fall into this same category as their line of bulk of their work. Not entirely underprivileged, their trades work, although not inherently illegal, requires some measure earn them an honest living in some fashion or another. Te- of guile to make an honest coin. Truthfully, they are the an- nacity, marked with extreme superstition, are aspects of the tithesis to civilized order, employing their own means to skirt 38 the law to their own benefit. Maybe they lack the wherewithal the road to make their coin as traders. Others devolve to to practice an honest trade, or perhaps they simply wish to a more primal root, oftentimes appearing no different than remain unfettered by the law. Despite the risks, the rewards the animals they live amongst. Rangers could be barbarians, can be great should a Knave find his true niche. A Knave may trappers, muleskinners or even sheriffs that patrol the roads be a care-free loner, rebellious scum, house robber, a snake oil between settlements. salesman, a pimp or grifter. STARTING TRAPPINGS STARTING TRAPPINGS Rangers always wear sturdy traveling clothes, while a suit of Knaves tend to wear either second-hand attire that allows fur or hide armor keeps them safe and warm. A wilderness them to blend into the normal crowds of Commoners, or cloak shields them from bad weather. Heavy boots adorn their clothing that is specific to their black dealings: dark clothing feet for the road ahead, and it is not surprising that they also for burgling, tattered rags for begging or even perhaps osten- carry a bullwhip to ward away dangerous animals. A dose of tatiously-loud garish attire for entertaining. Unfortunately, antivenom is kept nearby, in case of an animal bite and a dose their soft shoes are unfit for the road. A holy symbol is kept, of wolfsbane to fight the rotting illnesses. Abackpack car- although not likely worn outwardly (as compassion is often ries their various sundries and spare cash, along with a bedroll mistaken for weakness among Knaves). A gaff bag - a sack and a dose of animalbane. A waterskin keeps them hydrated, with a false bottom - is carried to hide away stolen items. A while three torches are stuffed into their sack. Aholy symbol rudimentary set of lockpicks is also stuffed into their pockets. is worn prominently, to identify their faith for other pilgrims Three doses of folkbane are kept handy, in case they need to on the road. Theirsurvival kit includes cutlery, flint, tinder, a knock someone out. They also have a dose of antivenom, in mug and plate, and they also carry one of these three weapons: case of emergency. A mantle is kept in case they attend a place a fire-hardened spear, a hunting bow with nine arrows in a where they need cover their ragged clothes up. They carry a quiver or a woodsman’s axe. stiletto hidden in their waistband, and possess one of these three weapons: a blackjack, a garrote or a flintlock pistol Percentile Dice Ranger Profession with nine gunpowder & shot. 1 to 8 Animal Tamer Percentile Dice Knave Profession 9 to 16 Bailiff 1 to 8 Beggar 17 to 25 Bonepicker 9 to 16 Burglar 26 to 33 Bounty Hunter 17 to 25 Charlatan 34 to 41 Gamekeeper 26 to 33 Footpad 42 to 49 Hedgewise 34 to 41 Gambler 50 to 58 Old Believer 42 to 49 Graverobber 50 to 58 Guttersnipe 59 to 67 Outrider 59 to 67 Highwayman 68 to 76 Pilgrim 68 to 76 Prostitute 77 to 85 Reeve 77 to 85 Smuggler 86 to 92 Slayer 86 to 92 Vagabond 93 to 100 Trapper 93 to 100 Vigilante

RANGER SOCIALITE Rangers tend to live outside of urban centers, amidst the The Socialite uses their self-import and notoriety to get wilderness. Rangers tend to prefer the country life, far away ahead in this world. Should they lack reputation, they sub- from the squalor of cramped cities and the buzzing of the stitute by putting on airs, manipulating others with smooth markets. City living is instead replaced by eking out a harsh words and trickery to get ahead. Their shield of reputation, existence outside of society, complete with exposure to the whether perceived or real, is most important to them. Gar- weather, contention with wild beasts and warding their lands ish costumes, foppish mannerisms and fey, lilting accents from interlopers and thieves. However, there is freedom to dominate their social circles. Graft, lies and subtlety are their be had once the trappings of civilized life are cast aside. watchwords, conniving with only those who possess (and Many of those who have lived in hermitage have found true may impart) real ultimate power. And when the chips are enlightenment amidst the wilderness. Some have taken to down? Most Socialites keep hired knives in their employ to 39 take care of their dirty work… or simply do it themselves true. Some make their living as hired swords, or even turn to through seduction or poison. Socialites may be debutantes, brigandry. A life of violence tends to lead to great fortune in a political firebrands, minstrels, spies or even streetwise enter- grim & perilous world, and Warriors best fill this niche. War- tainers. riors may manifest as an intrepid peasant hero, a loyal retainer, a professional mercenary-for-hire, a frightened soldier or even a STARTING TRAPPINGS doughty protector of the weak. It is of no great surprise that Socialites wear fashionable clothing, often with a neck ruff and stockings. Fancy shoes STARTING TRAPPINGS accompany this costume, as does a foppish hat and loose-fit- Warriors of all stripes wear military attire, fitted for war. ting mantle of expensive cloth to denote their allegiance or Over this, they have a suit of leather armor. As they are of- region they hail from. A writing kit is always kept upon their ten on the road, heavy boots are worn while a wilderness person to issue important documents, while a coin purse cloak keeps them warm at night. A flask of booze and a keeps them from dropping their cash. A holy symbol is kept lantern with one oil pot keeps them safe from the night’s in their pocket, and referred to only when they need a bit terrors, whereas a fire-hardened spear is always at the ready. of luck. When that fails them, they can refer to their “gen- A single ampule of quicksilver can be used to “chase away” tleman’s friend”, otherwise a knuckleduster in their pocket. the sins of their past. Additionally, three doses of tincture Three draughts of laudanum can be taken to relieve pain, will help them ignore further pain. A dose of red cap mush- while a single dose of mandrake root can be used to induce rooms can be taken in battle, but only if all else fails. A delirium; both are carried in a shoulder bag. They also pos- wooden shield is usually strapped to their back and a ruck- sess one of these three weapons: a walking cane (which can sack at their side. They’ll have one of the following weapons be used as an improvised hand weapon), a rapier or three upon them: an arbalest crossbow with nine crossbow bolts throwing knives in a bandolier. in a quiver, a mortuary sword or a pike.

Percentile Dice Socialite Profession Percentile Dice Warrior Profession 1 to 8 Anarchist 1 to 8 Berserker 9 to 16 Courtier 9 to 16 Bravo 17 to 25 Cultist 17 to 25 Buccaneer 26 to 33 Entertainer 26 to 33 Dragoon 34 to 41 Envoy 34 to 41 Hedge Knight 42 to 49 Fop 42 to 49 Man-At-Arms 50 to 58 Jester 50 to 58 Militiaman 59 to 67 Provocateur 59 to 67 Pit Fighter 68 to 76 Racketeer 68 to 76 Pugilist 77 to 85 Sellsword 77 to 85 Raconteur 86 to 92 Squire 86 to 92 Rake 93 to 100 Watchman 93 to 100 Valet

WARRIOR MOLDING YOUR PROFESSION Occupying the military caste of society, the Warrior stands We encourage you to interpret each Profession specifically to alone, world-weary while employing violence as a means to meet the vision the Gamemaster has laid for the campaign an end. Whether formally trained within a military academy, world with careful consideration towards how you wish to amongst a militia or even self-taught, Warriors are unparalleled portray your Character. ZWEIHÄNDER does not impose in their practice in the art of war. They’ve been through the cru- any cultural or Racial limits on what Professions you may cible and emerged victorious. While many graveyards are filled select, as these sorts of considerations are purely the prov- with middling swordsmen, rarely are Warriors used as fodder ince of the Gamemaster. Any limits on what Profession your in war and left for crow’s food. Standing above their peers, they Character may inhabit is left in their hands, with the cam- are the makings of myth and legend, one swing of the axe at paign world’s story informing these decisions. a time. Despite this, not all Warriors fight for what’s just and 40 chologically harm Characters with short-term effects. This Adam’s Character is of the Socialite Archetype and temporary physical or mental trauma is called Peril. A Char- determines his Profession: Rake. He has decided to acter’s Peril Threshold represents how much anxiety and further flesh out his Profession by making a few ba- weariness they can withstand before suffering penalties to sic assumptions for his Character’s beginnings. First, their Skill Tests. Fortunately, the more willful and internally his Rake is a disenfranchised aristocrat himself. resolute a Character is, the better their resistance to Peril. While not truly an inheritor to his family’s name, he still has to carry himself with some manner of digni- Each step of the Peril Condition Track illustrates how dis- ty. Secondly, he’s left the nest, so to speak. Spiraling tracted a Character is. Whenever a Character suffers Peril downwards, the Rake landed amongst the wretches of that exceeds Peril Threshold, they move down the Peril Con- society. Gambling, illegal fisticuff matches and cart dition Track. The further down the track a Character goes, racing became his vices. Street urchins and lickspit- the more likely they are to forgot some of their training in tles now call him friend. He’s enjoyed the “champion’s Skills as the pressure rises. You can learn more about each buffet” of sleazy trollops nightly and has no idea how step along the Peril Condition Track in in Chapter 9: Haz- many bastards he’s sired at this point. His Character ards & Healing. whittled away his inheritance, until he was nearly pen- ny-poor. Satisfied, Adam proposes these story ideas to Determine your starting Peril Threshold by adding 3 + your the Gamemaster as his Character’s history. Willpower Bonus (WB) and any modifier a Talent, Trait or Magick may add. Peril Threshold changes as your Willpower FINAL NOTE grows over your Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Tier. Go With the vast number of Professions, sometimes your se- to the first page of the Character sheet and record your total lection may seem at odds with other player’s choices. Af- Peril Threshold value. ter all, why exactly would a lawfully-minded Reeve elect to DAMAGE THRESHOLD rub shoulders with the criminal predilections of a Burglar? Shared hardship can sometimes make for strange bedfel- The ability to withstand pain is paramount in a fight. A com- lows, cultivating camaraderie in the face of adversity (and bination of tenacity, grit, mental fortitude and a bit of luck diversity). These meta-plots are handled by the Gamemaster, makes up the Damage Threshold attribute. It represents a cleverly devised to bring together a motley crew of miscre- form of physical durability, governing the amount of bodily ants and the upstanding towards a shared goal. While the harm you can withstand before suffering from mortal Inju- motivation to join forces during the Character Creation pro- ries or even death. The vast majority of the time, Damage is cess may not be entirely clear, the reasons will become more caused by wounds inflicted from weapons or nasty environ- apparent as the adventure unfolds for you and other players. mental effects. All Characters possess a tolerance for punish- Keep an open mind, but don’t cast aside the precepts of your ment, augmented by the strength of their armor. Character’s starting Profession to simply get along with the Each step of the Damage Condition Track illustrates how group. These subtle but sometimes obvious differences can wounded a Character is. Whenever a Character suffers lead to interesting developments with the relationships be- Damage that exceeds Damage Threshold, they move down tween Character. An odd mix of Professions creates power- the Damage Condition Track. The further down the track ful, lasting stories that will reverberate throughout the cam- a Character goes, the more likely they are to incur crippling paign world beyond the game table. injuries or face death. You can learn more about each step STEP V: SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES along the Damage Condition Track in Chapter 8: Combat. Each Character possesses Secondary Attributes. Second- Determine your starting Damage Threshold by adding Brawn ary Attributes focus on in-combat statistics, relying on your Bonus (BB) and your armor’s Damage Threshold Modifier. Primary Attribute Bonuses as a baseline. A combination Damage Threshold changes as your Brawn grows over your of these Characteristics determine how much you can haul Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Tier. It also changes if comfortably in a fight, how quickly you react to danger, how you wear armor. Additionally, there are Talents and Traits fast you move, how many hits you can take before dying and which allow you to grow your total Damage Threshold. Go how much strain you can sustain before passing out. to the second page of the Character sheet and record your total Damage Threshold value. PERIL THRESHOLD ENCUMBRANCE LIMIT Psychological stress, road fatigue, exposure to environmental elements, terror invoked by terrible creatures, intimidation, Encumbrance Limit is a measure of how much equipment emotional fear, social shame and the effects of narcotics psy- your Character can haul without having to toss it down. They will generally only cart around what can be carried easily. 41 Aught else, and they begin to feel the strain of porting ev- STEP VI: BACKGROUND erything around. Despite what Elves may prattle on about in private company, Your Character has a starting value equal to 3 + Brawn Bo- not all Dwarves look alike. When you picture your Charac- nus (BB), which changes as your Brawn grows over your Ba- ter, what do you see? How do they wear their hair? Are they sic, Intermediate and Advanced Tier. Additionally, there are grossly obese or rail thin? Do they look like just another face Talents, Traits and carrying equipment which allow you to in the crowd, or does something else set them apart? grow your total Encumbrance Limit. Trappings and various WHEN WERE YOU BORN? other equipment will weigh down your Character, measured by this threshold. For every point beyond this initial value Wars may come and go, people may die, and beasts may go (otherwise called Overage), you suffer an ongoing, cumula- extinct, but time marches forever onward. This is no better tive -1 to both your Initiative and Movement. Should your illustrated than in the cycle of seasons - from spring to sum- Overage ever reduce either your Initiative or Movement to mer, to autumn to winter and back again, the endless cycle 0, you must drop enough equipment in order to bring the is both comforting and imposing. The seasons color people value back to at least 1. You will learn more about Encum- as well - those born in the winter often have icy demean- brance Values of equipment in Chapter 7: Trappings. Go ors, while those born in the summer are fiery and passionate. to the second page of the Character sheet and record your Some countries may place weight on a star sign a person is Encumbrance Limit. born under, but it all returns to the movement of the seasons.

Leopold Coventry can carry a maximum of 7 Encum- Determine what season you were born under by rolling Per- brance. However, he insists on hauling enough equip- centile Dice, consulting the table below. Record your birth ment that puts him at 10 Encumbrance. As such, he season on the first page of your Character sheet under Back- suffers a -3 from Overage to both his Initiative and ground. Movement. Percentile Dice Season of Birth INITIATIVE 1 to 25 Spring Initiative determines when you take your Turn during on the Initiative Ladder. 26 to 50 Summer

Your Character has a starting value equal to 3 + Perception 51 to 75 Autumn Bonus (PB), which changes as your Perception grows over 76 to 100 Winter your Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Tier. Additionally, there are Talents and Traits which allow you to grow your IN WHAT MANNER WILL YOU PERISH? total Initiative. We will speak more about the Initiative Lad- In ZWEIHÄNDER, superstition is the accepted part of der in Chapter 8: Combat. Go to the second page of the reality. Oftentimes, life is viewed as an absurdity: it is short, Character sheet and record your Initiative. brutal and untidy. Each facet of life is guided, wittingly or MOVEMENT not, by the subtle movements of the stars. At ten years of age, it is customary for the child to meet with a prognosticator to During a fight, your ability to move about the field is whol- foretell of their Dooming: the way they will die. ly governed by Movement. It reflects your ability to quick- ly traverse the battlefield on foot, reflecting the number of Dooming is purely a role-playing tool. While it has no de- yards you can move on foot. finitive impact on game mechanics, you can use it to help guide your Character’s personality and choices during their Your Character has a starting value equal to 3 + Agility Bo- adventures. Roll Percentile Dice to determine your Doom- nus (AB), which changes as your Agility grows over your Ba- ing, referenced by what season you were born in. sic, Intermediate and Advanced Tier. Additionally, there are Talents and Traits which allow you to improve your Move- ment. We will speak more about Movement in Chapter 8: Combat. Go to the second page of the Character sheet and record your Movement.

42 Percentile Dice Dooming of Spring Percentile Dice Dooming of Summer Your end will be at the head of a ham- 1 to 4 Pride comes before a fall 1 to 4 mer Ivy will claw at your skin and prick like You will see your own hubris and end 5 to 8 5 to 8 a rose your life 9 to 12 Health is not always healthy 9 to 12 Those you love will kill you

13 to 16 Still waters run deep 13 to 16 Beware the comet’s warning The forest will strike back when the They will come as twins and leave as 17 to 20 17 to 20 campfire is low triplets You will die trying to save someone you 21 to 24 Do not pluck low-hanging fruit 21 to 24 love 25 to 28 The serpent is in the garden 25 to 28 Beware a lover scorned

29 to 32 Climb not the mighty oak 29 to 32 You will witness the end, then go into it

33 to 36 Beware fairies rings and standing stones 33 to 36 The heathen will cut you down Your final moments will be full of 37 to 40 The land will reclaim what is hers 37 to 40 divine pain 41 to 44 Do not stare directly into the light 41 to 44 Your flame shall consume you

45 to 48 Good intentions create bad situations 45 to 48 Mercy will be your downfall You will burn brightly, then be snuffed 49 to 52 Do not accept trust lightly 49 to 52 out 53 to 56 There is always another problem 53 to 56 The unlit path is the most dangerous

57 to 60 Light burns just as much as it heals 57 to 60 Iron will bend under heat Respect power, for it does not respect 61 to 64 Radiance can’t illuminate all 61 to 64 you 65 to 68 Charity will cause your end 65 to 68 Never leave a fire burning

69 to 72 Underestimate no one 69 to 72 Never turn your back on a foe

73 to 76 Birth is but the start of death 73 to 76 Your embers shall smolder

77 to 80 Provide no succor to the blind man 77 to 80 The sun can be a cruel friend

81 to 84 Do not pick up discarded coins 81 to 84 Death comes from above and below

85 to 88 Twice for poison, thrice for a kiss 85 to 88 Lightning sometimes does strike twice

89 to 92 Fate is cruel, but ironic 89 to 92 A squall occurs before a storm

93 to 96 A trick is not an illusion 93 to 96 The eye of a storm is just a reprieve The heavens will open, angry and 97 to 100 You will be stabbed by your own knife 97 to 100 bright

43 Percentile Percentile Dice Dooming of Autumn Dooming of Winter Dice A murder of another will herald thine 1 to 4 death 1 to 4 Beware the toothless hound 5 to 8 Thy skin shall darken as if soaked in ink 5 to 8 Warm winters bring hard frost 9 to 12 Do not trust what you can’t see 9 to 12 Do not cross a freshly dug tomb 13 to 16 Blood will be upon your hands 13 to 16 You shall see thine death twice 17 to 20 The oldest are the strongest 17 to 20 Up from the canyon, soars the raven 21 to 24 Be wary of false friends 21 to 24 Sorrow will fill your heart at death 25 to 28 Numbers overwhelm might 29 to 32 Your killer will not know your name 25 to 28 You shall not see the end At times, being found is worse than 33 to 36 29 to 32 One step forward, two steps back being lost 37 to 40 Do not tread upon thick ice nor thin 33 to 36 The jackdaw is a false omen 41 to 44 Iron is weak, gold is strong 37 to 40 A visage will haunt you to your grave 45 to 48 Your left eye will not see the truth 41 to 44 The Eye will look upon you with scorn 49 to 52 Revenge is upon you You will die in a pool of blood, but it 53 to 56 Absolute power corrupts absolutely 45 to 48 will not be yours 57 to 60 Being immovable is not always a boon 49 to 52 Your end will not be clean 61 to 64 Some things, man should not know 53 to 56 Sickness will be your downfall 65 to 68 Justice is blind, deaf and dumb 57 to 60 The stench of the grave follows you 69 to 72 Six of one, half a dozen of the other 73 to 76 Fear change, as it changes you 61 to 64 New beginnings herald sudden ends 77 to 80 The gavel will ring twice 65 to 68 The Abyss also gazes back 81 to 84 The stars can lead you astray 69 to 72 The shadows stalk hungrily The depths are crushing, the shallows 85 to 88 inviting 73 to 76 Three flies bring your doom From out of sight, something eyes you 89 to 92 hungrily 77 to 80 Beware the black stallion 93 to 96 You, too can be touched by the unknown 81 to 84 Do not fold, always stay 97 to 100 Do not fly too close to the stars

85 to 88 Confusion will kill more than you HOW OLD ARE YOU? 89 to 92 Do not be fooled by appearances Consider some of the ideas you have about your Charac- ter’s history, and let it inform your choice to play an old- 93 to 96 Avoid the exotic when possible er Character. Your Profession may inform your decision to play as an older or younger Character. A Preacher may be 97 to 100 Do not push for more, as you will get it elderly, whereas an Antiquarian an adult. A Sellsword likely has some victories underneath their belt, so they may be of middle aged. Or, perhaps a burgeoning Barber Surgeon is getting their start in their youth.

44 Age has no immediate impact to your Primary Attributes. ELDERLY Simply assume that any negative that may have impacted your You are in the twilight years of your life, and most of your Character’s abilities have already been taken under consider- physical prowess has waned as decades have passed. You are ation during the Character Creation process. Also, note that wheezy, shaky and given to fits of memory loss… or even we’ve purposefully omitted specific years of age and instead moments where you stop and do nothing but recount old use general terms for Age Groups, as a Gamemaster may have memories of your youth. Despite this, fate has something in their own idea about how life expectancy and number of years store for you, and will give you another chance at seeing its categorized by age vary by race. Roll Percentile Dice to ran- potentially grim outcomes realized. domly determine which Age Group your Character is in. Go to the first page of the Character sheet and record your age Effect: You must roll three times on the Distinguishing under Background. Marks table. Record your age under Background.

Percentile Dice Age Group DISTINGUISHING MARKS 1 to 25 Young Beyond simple appearance, all Characters have some sort 26 to 70 Adult of disfiguring or unusual mark on their body or affecta- tion in outward personality. Most people have some oddity 71 to 90 Middle Aged of birth or their life. People who are too comely are often 91 to 100 Elderly viewed with suspicion. It is not to say that others don’t wish to attain physical beauty! There’s a whole market for tinc- YOUNG tures, powders, elixirs of youth and other “beauty products” Thrust into a role that others of your age have not faced, snake oil salesmen pawn off to the unwitting. But there’s the world’s grim reality rests heavily upon your trembling just a slight imbalance of ugliness to the world to the point shoulders. Inexplicably, your youth has drawn the attentions where it’s become the norm, and those who possess strik- of misfortune. A sordid - and perhaps violent - future awaits ingly pure looks aren’t well-trusted. you. Depending on your Age Group, you must determine a spe- Effect: You have no Distinguishing Marks at this age. Re- cific number of Distinguishing Marks to further flesh out cord your age under Background. your Character’s appearance. If you end up generating Dis- tinguishing Marks which may not make sense, feel free to ADULT re-roll to generate a different result. Go to the first page of You are a full grown adult, along with all the responsibil- the Character sheet and record your Distinguishing Marks ities it entails. You are acutely aware of the realities of the under Background. world around you, pulled in different directions to fulfil your dreams. Prepare for them to be stomped upon by the un- yielding weight of reality.

Effect: You must roll one time on the Distinguishing Marks table. Record your age under Background. MIDDLE AGED You’re just now beginning to suffer the effects of aging, growing wiser but weaker physically. Your experiences have taken a toll on your body, as you now suffer from morning pains and perhaps a rattling cough when the weather is poor. Unlike the younger generations, destiny has decreed a new beginning - or perilous end - for you. As such, you’ve been given a spark of luck; a second chance to attain new goals through whatever hardships you must suffer.

Effect: You must roll two times on the Distinguishing Marks table. Record your age under Background.

45 Percentile Dice Distinguishing Marks Percentile Dice Distinguishing Marks

1 Abnormally white teeth 37 Eye candy 2 Abundance of freckles on face 38 False finger 3 Acne-scarred face 39 Farmer’s tan 4 Additional toes or fingers 40 Glasgow smile 5 Almond-shaped eyes 41 Golden lock of hair 6 Asexual appearance 42 Hare lip 7 Ashen complexion 43 Hooked nose 8 Balding pate 44 Horse-faced 9 Beaded mustachio 45 Humpbacked 10 Beady eyes 46 Incredibly beautiful 11 Beauty mark on face 47 Itchy scabies bites 12 Big ears 48 Jaundiced complexion 13 Blood-shot eyes 49 Lanky hair 14 Bow-legged walk 50 Large and hairy mole 15 Branded with cattle iron 51 Large nose 16 Broken nose 52 Large red birthmark on arms 17 Buck-toothed or snaggle-toothed 53 Lazy eye 18 Bulging eyes 54 Leathery complexion 19 Burn scars on face and arms 55 Lichtenberg scar 20 Bushy eyebrows 56 Long eyelashes 21 Carefully-groomed beard 57 Long moustache 22 Cherubic face 58 Long sideburns 23 Clammy hands 59 Milky eye 24 Claw marks over face 60 Mismatched eye color 25 Covered in black moles 61 Missing an eyebrow 26 Curly locks of hair 62 Missing fingers 27 Devilish goatee 63 Nervous tic 28 Different colored eyes 64 Olive complexion 29 Dimpled cheeks 65 Painted beard 30 Doll-like complexion 66 Pale white complexion 31 Drooping eye 67 Patch of white hair 32 Dry, flaking skin 68 Perfect posture 33 Ear half-missing 69 Perpetual sneer 34 Ebony complexion 70 Perpetually deep frown 35 Embarrassing tattoo on face 71 Piercing eyes 36 Excessive body hair 72 Pigeon-toed stance 46 tic of your race (unless your Racial Trait dictates otherwise). Percentile Dice Distinguishing Marks Go to the first page of the Character sheet and record your build under Background. Much like your Character’s age, 73 Pot belly build never bears any sort of bonus or penalty to Prima- 74 Pox scars all over body ry Attributes whatsoever. Simply assume that any negative 75 Pronounced brow that may have impacted your Character’s abilities have al- ready been taken under consideration during the Character 76 Purple bags beneath eyes Creation process. They simply serve as additional physical 77 Rancid breath characteristics which better illustrate what your Character looks like. 78 Rash of pimples 79 Rheumy eyes Percentile Dice Build Type 80 Six-fingered hand 1 to 20 Frail 81 Slouchy posture 21 to 40 Slender 82 Spiked mohawk 41 to 60 Normal 83 Squinting eyes or false eye patch 61 to 80 Husky 84 Steely gaze 81 to 100 Corpulent 85 Strong jaw 86 Sunburnt complexion FRAIL 87 Sunken eyes Born a weakling child, you likely suckled at the breast of your mother for many years… up to the point where it was 88 Tanned, leathery skin considered to be unsavory. As a result, you are extraordinarily 89 Tarred and feathered thin - even more so than traditionally slender people. Your little arms tremble whenever you have to carry your own 90 Terribly crooked teeth things, and legs buckle at the thought of helping someone 91 Vacant expression install their trappings into another’s home. Fortunately, this 92 Veteran’s nose also means you can squeeze into tight places, a great advan- tage should you be of a more roguish bent. 93 Vulgar tattoo SLENDER 94 Weak chin With a bearing considered to be “ideal” among fashionistas, 95 Wears spectacles who are large of moustache and broad of gown, you have 96 Webbed hands and feet a body type that the nobility strives for. Albeit waifish and thin, you possess a sultry allure, with a gait not unlike that of 97 Widow’s peak a cat. However, with a lack of meat on your bones, you grow 98 Wind-chapped cheeks cold easily, even under the summer’s heat. 99 Yellow scum on teeth NORMAL 100 Yellowed fingernails and toenails Nothing much to speak of here, as you have the average body type. This is neither good nor bad; eat as you like, diet as you OTHER PHYSICAL FACTORS wish, exercise as you want. Either way, there’s nothing spec- No matter the race or age, Characters are struck from a dif- tacular about your physical characteristics. ferent cast than other folk. Traditionally, they fall outside of HUSKY the norms for their build, height, weight and other physical factors. For in the annals of fate, heroes and villains are re- Whether you’re well-muscled, brimming with curves or sim- markable by both their appearance and deeds, vainglorious ply a bit overweight, you have to shop in a special section to as they may be. clothe yourself. It may have been a point of embarrassment whenever you were young; your breasts may have budded BUILD early, or you simply had a little too much cushion between First, you will roll Percentile Dice to randomly determine your belt line and legs. Regardless, your frame marks you as which build your Character has. This is determined agnos- someone not to be trifled with. 47 CORPULENT Simply assume that any negative that may have impacted Some would consider you a disgusting pig, and may even your Character’s abilities have already been taken under con- mistake you for an Orx whenever you are seen in public. sideration during the Character Creation process. They serve Others may see your great ponderance as a mark of achieve- as additional physical characteristics which better illustrate ment, as such creature comforts are rarely afforded to the what your Character looks like. poor. Either way, you’ve grown accustomed to the excess Your height is then cross-referenced with your build to de- weight, wearing it proudly. termine the general weight your Character will be (within HEIGHT & WEIGHT three pounds +/- listed in the entry). As mentioned before, the Gamemaster will indicate whether you should make Roll Percentile Dice to randomly determine what your any additional considerations with respect to sex. Go to the Character’s height will be. Note that each race possesses its first page of the Character sheet and record your height and own height attributes. Your height & weight never holds any weight under Background. sort of bonus or penalty to Primary Attributes whatsoever.

Dwarf Weight in (lbs) by Build Percentile Dice Height (ft) Frail Slender Normal Husky Corpulent

1 to 3 3.5 57 60 66 75 87 4 to 6 3.6 60 63 72 84 99 7 to 12 3.7 63 66 78 93 111 13 to 18 3.8 66 69 84 102 123 19 to 21 3.9 69 72 90 111 135 22 to 24 3.10 72 75 96 120 147 25 to 27 3.11 75 78 102 129 159 28 to 30 4.0 78 81 108 138 171 31 to 33 4.1 81 84 114 147 183 34 to 36 4.2 84 87 120 156 195 37 to 39 4.3 87 90 126 165 207 40 to 45 4.4 90 93 132 174 219 46 to 49 4.5 93 96 138 183 231 50 to 54 4.6 96 99 144 192 243 55 to 58 4.7 99 102 150 201 255 59 to 62 4.8 102 105 156 210 267 63 to 66 4.9 105 108 162 219 279 67 to 71 4.10 108 111 168 228 291 72 to 75 4.11 111 114 174 237 303 76 to 79 5.0 114 117 180 246 315 80 to 83 5.1 117 120 186 255 327 84 to 88 5.2 120 123 192 264 339 89 to 92 5.3 123 126 198 273 351 93 to 96 5.4 126 129 204 282 363 97 to 100 5.5 129 132 210 291 375 48 Elf Weight in (lbs) by Build Gnome Weight in (lbs) by Build Height Percentile Dice Height (ft) Percentile Dice Corpu- (ft) Frail Slender Normal Husky Frail Slender Normal Husky Corpulent lent 1 to 3 5.0 57 60 66 75 87 1 to 3 3.5 47 50 56 65 77 4 to 6 5.1 60 63 72 84 99 4 to 6 3.6 50 53 62 74 89 7 to 12 5.2 63 66 78 93 111 7 to 12 3.7 53 56 68 83 101 13 to 18 5.3 66 69 84 102 123 13 to 18 3.8 56 59 74 92 113 19 to 21 5.4 69 72 90 111 135 19 to 21 3.9 59 62 80 101 125 22 to 24 5.5 72 75 96 120 147 22 to 24 3.10 62 65 86 110 137 25 to 27 5.6 75 78 102 129 159 25 to 27 3.11 65 68 92 119 149 28 to 30 5.7 78 81 108 138 171 28 to 30 4.0 68 71 98 128 161 31 to 33 5.8 81 84 114 147 183 31 to 33 4.1 71 74 104 137 173 34 to 36 5.9 84 87 120 156 195 34 to 36 4.2 74 77 110 146 185 37 to 39 5.10 87 90 126 165 207 37 to 39 4.3 77 80 116 155 197 40 to 45 5.11 90 93 132 174 219 40 to 45 4.4 80 83 122 164 209 46 to 49 6.0 93 96 138 183 231 46 to 49 4.5 83 86 128 173 221 50 to 54 6.1 96 99 144 192 243 50 to 54 4.6 86 89 134 182 233 55 to 58 6.2 99 102 150 201 255 55 to 58 4.7 89 92 140 191 245 59 to 62 6.3 102 105 156 210 267 59 to 62 4.8 92 95 146 200 257 63 to 66 6.4 105 108 162 219 279 63 to 66 4.9 95 98 152 209 269 67 to 71 6.5 108 111 168 228 291 67 to 71 4.10 98 101 158 218 281 72 to 75 6.6 111 114 174 237 303 72 to 75 4.11 101 104 164 227 293 76 to 79 6.7 114 117 180 246 315 76 to 79 5.0 104 107 170 236 305 80 to 83 6.8 117 120 186 255 327 80 to 83 5.1 107 110 176 245 317 84 to 88 6.9 120 123 192 264 339 84 to 88 5.2 110 113 182 254 329 89 to 92 6.10 123 126 198 273 351 89 to 92 5.3 113 116 188 263 341 93 to 96 6.11 126 129 204 282 363 93 to 96 5.4 116 119 194 272 353 97 to 100 7.0 129 132 210 291 375 97 to 100 5.5 119 122 200 281 365

49 Halfling Weight in (lbs) by Build Percentile Human Weight in (lbs) by Build Height (ft) Dice Percentile Height Frail Slender Normal Husky Corpulent Corpu- Dice (ft) Frail Slender Normal Husky lent 1 to 3 2.5 27 30 36 45 57 1 to 3 5.0 97 100 106 115 127 4 to 6 2.6 30 33 42 54 69 4 to 6 5.1 100 103 112 124 139 7 to 12 2.7 33 36 48 63 81 7 to 12 5.2 103 106 118 133 151 13 to 18 2.8 36 39 54 72 93 13 to 18 5.3 106 109 124 142 163 19 to 21 2.9 39 42 60 81 105 19 to 21 5.4 109 112 130 151 175 22 to 24 2.10 42 45 66 90 117 22 to 24 5.5 112 115 136 160 187 25 to 27 2.11 45 48 72 99 129 25 to 27 5.6 115 118 142 169 199 28 to 30 3.0 48 51 78 108 141 28 to 30 5.7 118 121 148 178 211 31 to 33 3.1 51 54 84 117 153 31 to 33 5.8 121 124 154 187 223 34 to 36 3.2 54 57 90 126 165 34 to 36 5.9 124 127 160 196 235 37 to 39 3.3 57 60 96 135 177 37 to 39 5.10 127 130 166 205 247 40 to 45 3.4 60 63 102 144 189 40 to 45 5.11 130 133 172 214 259 46 to 49 3.5 63 66 108 153 201 46 to 49 6.0 133 136 178 223 271 50 to 54 3.6 66 69 114 162 213 50 to 54 6.1 136 139 184 232 283 55 to 58 3.7 69 72 120 171 225 55 to 58 6.2 139 142 190 241 295 59 to 62 3.8 72 75 126 180 237 59 to 62 6.3 142 145 196 250 307 63 to 66 3.9 75 78 132 189 249 63 to 66 6.4 145 148 202 259 319 67 to 71 3.10 78 81 138 198 261 67 to 71 6.5 148 151 208 268 331 72 to 75 3.11 81 84 144 207 273 72 to 75 6.6 151 154 214 277 343 76 to 79 4.0 84 87 150 216 285 76 to 79 6.7 154 157 220 286 355 80 to 83 4.1 87 90 156 225 297 80 to 83 6.8 157 160 226 295 367 84 to 88 4.2 90 93 162 234 309 84 to 88 6.9 160 163 232 304 379 89 to 92 4.3 93 96 168 243 321 89 to 92 6.10 163 166 238 313 391 93 to 96 4.4 96 99 174 252 333 93 to 96 6.11 166 169 244 322 403 97 to 100 4.5 99 102 180 261 345 97 to 100 7.0 169 172 250 331 415

50 Ogre Weight in (lbs) by Build Percentile Dice Height (ft) Frail Slender Normal Husky Corpulent

1 to 3 9.0 600 603 609 618 630 4 to 6 9.1 603 606 615 627 642 7 to 12 9.2 606 609 621 636 654 13 to 18 9.3 609 612 627 645 666 19 to 21 9.4 612 615 633 654 678 22 to 24 9.5 615 618 639 663 690 25 to 27 9.6 618 621 645 672 702 28 to 30 9.7 621 624 651 681 714 31 to 33 9.8 624 627 657 690 726 34 to 36 9.9 627 630 663 699 738 37 to 39 9.10 630 633 669 708 750 40 to 45 9.11 633 636 675 717 762 46 to 49 10.0 636 639 681 726 774 50 to 54 10.1 639 642 687 735 786 55 to 58 10.2 642 645 693 744 798 59 to 62 10.3 645 648 699 753 810 63 to 66 10.4 648 651 705 762 822 67 to 71 10.5 651 654 711 771 834 72 to 75 10.6 654 657 717 780 846 76 to 79 10.7 657 660 723 789 858 80 to 83 10.8 660 663 729 798 870 84 to 88 10.9 663 666 735 807 882 89 to 92 10.10 666 669 741 816 894 93 to 96 10.11 669 672 747 825 906 97 to 100 11.0 672 675 753 834 918

51 HAIR & EYE COLOR

Roll Percentile Dice to randomly determine what your Character’s hair and eye color will be. Note that each race possesses its own unique attributes from one another.

Hair Color

Percentile Dice Dwarf Elf Gnome Halfling Human Ogre

1 to 18 Medium brown Honey brown Medium brown Dark brown Medium brown Medium brown 19 to 32 Dark brown Golden brown Dark brown Medium brown Dark brown Dark brown 33 to 42 Light brown Straw yellow Light brown Light brown Light brown Light brown 43 to 50 Jet black Golden yellow Jet black Sienna Sienna Jet black 51 to 58 Grey Chestnut Grey Red Black Grey 59 to 64 Chestnut Copper Chestnut Fiery red Ash blonde Chestnut 65 to 70 Ginger Ginger Ginger Black Chestnut Ginger 71 to 76 Sienna Ash blonde Sienna Blue black Ginger Sienna 77 to 80 Corn yellow Sienna Corn yellow Ginger Corn yellow Corn yellow 81 to 84 Ash blonde Silver Ash blonde Corn yellow Red Ash blonde 85 to 88 Salt & pepper Smokey grey Salt & pepper Chestnut Salt & pepper Salt & pepper 89 to 90 Silver Ivory white Silver Ash blonde Blue black Silver 91 to 92 White Blue-black White Salt & pepper Grey White 93 to 94 Red Jet Black Red Grey Silver Red 95 to 96 Blue-black Fiery red Blue-black White White Blue-black 97 to 100 Black Black Black Silver Jet black Black

Eye Color Percentile Dice Dwarf Elf Gnome Halfling Human Ogre 1 to 16 Dark brown Amber Dark brown Hazel Dark brown Hazel 17 to 32 Grey Silver Grey Light brown Grey Light brown 33 to 36 Black Honey Medium brown Medium brown Medium brown Medium brown 37 to 44 Medium brown Emerald Hazel Grey Hazel Grey 45 to 50 Grey blue Molasses Black Dark brown Black Dark brown 51 to 58 Light brown Crystal blue Light brown Pale green Light brown Pale green 59 to 66 Hazel Hazel Grey blue Copper Grey blue Copper 67 to 74 Pale green Black Pale green Green Pale green Green 75 to 80 Blue Sapphire Dark green Black Dark green Black 81 to 86 Copper Copper Blue Grey blue Blue Grey blue 87 to 90 Dark green Blue purple Copper Blue Copper Blue 91 to 96 Green Gold Ice blue Dark green Ice blue Dark green 97 to 98 Ice blue Silver green Green Ice blue Green Ice blue 99 to 100 Violet Violet Violet Violet Violet Violet

52 CULTURED (FELLOWSHIP) ROLE-PLAYING YOUR CHARACTER’S APPEARANCE Entertainers, painters and parties made you what you are While at the table, if you’re Character is exception- today. From the penny theatres on the street corners to the ally tall, grab a few pillows to sit on. If you’re short, auditoriums of playhouses, you were immersed into other cultures other than your own since birth. You were taught cop a squat on the floor when you interact with the value of expression, as well as pride in your abilities and your fellow players or Gamemaster. If you have a to not trust anyone else easily. You have developed a sharp nervous tick, odd way of talking or even a slouch, eye and often an even sharper tongue. role-play these out around the table. Within your level of comfort, try your best to mimic how your FORGOTTEN (AGILITY) Character acts and looks using voice and posture. You were raised outside of common society, and had little Additionally, think about the way the Character opportunity to integrate until now. Maybe you grew up on speaks. If you’re comfortable mocking up a bad (or the streets or raised by wolves, or are the last scion of a noble incredibly accurate) accent, do so when you speak house. Being of an outcast family afforded benefits, but to- in-Character! If your Character is stinky or has bad day, you have nothing but yourself to rely upon. You became breath… well, that’s a different story. quick and lithe, but you feel as if there is a hole in your life. YOUR UPBRINGING INDUSTRIOUS (BRAWN) There has always been a debate of nature versus nurture, but The lot of most people, you were born into a family of hard there is little doubt that the environment we are raised in af- laborers. Whether they be servants, farmers, craftsmen or fects us on a deep level. Your family, if you had one, imprint- engineering nobles, your family forced you to work to put ed deep values and aspects on you without you even knowing food on the table for you and your doubtless countless sib- it. A family with a long line of military backgrounds may lings. Your hands are chapped and hard, your back rippling, have taught you how to fight at a young age, or a family of and your demeanor rough. You prefer to do things yourself scholars may have instilled in you the importance of learn- rather than to pay others to do it for you. ing. It’s not only important to know who you are, but where you came from. MILITANT (COMBAT) Rote and discipline has ruled your life and hardened you. How you were raised grants you a propensity to pick up cer- Your family traces their lineage down a long line of soldiers, tain aptitudes much easier than others. Depending on your generals and sappers, and more of your ancestors met their upbringing, you will be able to purchase Focuses in specific death at the end of a sword than in a sick bed. You have Skills for less Reward Points. Each upbringing has a favored nursed many a beating in your bed, taught these same harsh Primary Attribute. Whenever you attempt to purchase Fo- lessons by bellicose figures in your life. cuses for Skills related to these Primary Attributes, it costs 50 Reward Points (instead of the normal 100 Reward Points). REVERENT (WILLPOWER) You will learn more about Skills and their related Focuses in The gods are fickle, and your family raised you to fear their Chapter 5: Skills. ritualistic ways. You may have been raised by priests or nuns, Determine what kind of family raised you by rolling Per- attending religious school every week and performing in too centile Dice, consulting the table below. Record both your many religious plays to count. Perhaps you were orphaned upbringing and favored Primary Attribute on the first page and sat on the street corner, memorizing the words of doom- of your Character sheet under Background. sayers or street prophets. Regardless, your dogma has taught you to be strong of heart and will. Favored Primary Attri- Percentile Dice Upbringing SCHOLASTIC (INTELLIGENCE) bute From a young age, you were taught that knowledge is the 1 to 14 Cultured Fellowship ultimate weapon. It does not matter if you were raised by 15 to 29 Forgotten Agility scholars to learn or nascent magicians to read omens, you 30 to 44 Industrious Brawn were forced to understand the world around you and to 45 to 59 Militant Combat keep your head out of the clouds. Pronunciation, more so than anything else, was ingrained into you (and your 60 to 74 Reverent Willpower knuckled likely bled from being rapped for mispronunci- 75 to 89 Scholastic Intelligence ation). You came out smarter and wiser, but perhaps not 90 to 100 Villainous Perception fully-rounded. 53 VILLAINOUS (PERCEPTION) The number of siblings one has is usually determined by Your family has been underhanded far before you were born. their Social Class. The Aristocracy usually places a premium Whether they be common thieves or government officials on children; families of this sort rarely have more than three stealing from the poor, you learned that everyone is little more children, with one or two being far more the norm. This is than an angle or a walking coinpurse. But lucre takes a certain obviously for succession purposes, and even then only the el- mindset, as you learned to read others’ intentions. This lead to der sibling will obtain power. This is however only addressing a preternatural ability to scrutinize truth from lies. legitimate children - bastards are usually expected, though not respected. Burghers have a lot of variability - some will SOCIAL CLASS have only one child, while the wealthier could have far more. Usually this comes down to societal norms rather than any Every society - no matter how small or large - recognizes a so- status pressures, but the adage of “two and a half children per cial stratum that all are born into. No matter your race, Social household” generally holds true. Finally, the Lowborn often Class plays a big part in the ways your Character was raised have the most children - a few extra hands in the field, and and the social conventions they live by. Your Social Class is a a high infant mortality rate, generally means they will try to measure of mannerisms, style of speaking and personal pros- birth as many children as possible. Most Lowborn families perity, illustrating what part of society or stratum you occu- have at least three children, some as many as seven or eight. py amongst your people. In a grim & perilous world, Social Class is an important consideration. Everywhere, people react DETERMINE SOCIAL CLASS to what you’re wearing, the affectation in your speech and the We encourage you to think of your Social Class as your past way you carry yourself. The sum of these parts can make a - your Character is living in the now, and they’ve likely left all lasting impression upon strangers, underpinned by your social of that behind them for one reason or another. However, it is verve. In a way, it’s not a matter of what you are, so much as hard to set aside the mannerisms, speech patterns and other in- who you are. Despite what your Fellowship Primary Attribute delible experiences of your upbringing. Your Character carries may be, generally, someone with poor upbringing will likely these traits with them for life, which influences your Fellow- never convince a duke to let you into their garden party. You ship-based Skill Tests and other social interactions. have to play the part - or pretend at it, at least. Each Social Class has been painted with a very broad brush, Your Social Class also reflects why your Character has cho- leaving them open to interpretation. They may be fundamen- sen their specific career. With a cursory glance, it may not tal differences between them, varying from culture to culture. make any sense to be of the Aristocrat Social Class if your Your Gamemaster will provide any additional distinctions or Character’s first Profession is a Peasant. However, in some considerations you should make. cases it may be more interesting for the Character’s history. For instance, someone that was a part of the Lowborn Social Roll Percentile Dice to randomly determine which Social Class broke free one day, reinventing their life to become a Class your Character is. You’ll also determine how much Cheapjack. What about the person born to the Aristocrat cash your Character begins play with. Go to the first page of Social Class but their family’s fortunes were usurped by an- the Character sheet and record your Character’s Social Class. other rivaling house, now taking to the life of a lowly Monk? Perhaps your Character was of the Aristocrat Social Class, Percentile Dice Social Class but escaped debtor’s prison by enlisting as a Man-At-Arms. These interesting combinations create unique variants of 1 to 60 Lowborn Professions and ultimately help flesh out a backstory for your 61 to 90 Burgher Character. They also provide an opportunity for you to create a colorful and unique interpretation of a Profession that may 91 to 100 Aristocrat normally be unsuited for your Social Class. LOWBORN CHARACTER FAMILIES You were born poor and never found a way to raise yourself Though everyone may not like their relatives, every- above your station. From morning to night, your days were one at least has an extended family in some capacity. spent in backbreaking labor beneath the sun, barely making When we address family, we are talking about imme- enough to put food on the table. You likely worked six days a diate family - spouses, children, siblings and parents. week with only the sabbath or other special holy days to step Extended families can be fleshed out if desired, but away from your labors. rarely is it interesting enough to explore who a char- The Lowborn live in constant deference, humble in spirit acter’s third uncle twice removed is. but hearty in lifeblood for what meager riches they may be 54 able to gain. The Lowborn also tend to get around unnoticed, shying away from their betters. Being meek and small may UPWARDS MOBILITY work well when standing before lord such-and-such, but it It is all but impossible to break free of your Social also benefits those who’s on the run from whatever serfdom Class. The social order is so rigid that your birth pri- to which were virtually enslaved. They are a simple, supersti- marily determines what place you occupy within the tious lot, unburdened by formal education or training. This castes of society. But, striking the right alliances with rustic demeanor can be a solace among the like-minded, but proper folk with graft and cunning may change that others view it with bemusement or disdain. outcome. The Gamemaster may allow you to move between Social Classes as time progresses. However, LOWBORN STARTING CASH you may suffer the indignation of others amongst After creating your Character, you begin play with 1D10+1 your new Social Class. Merely calling yourself silver shillings (ss) in their pocket. “lord so-and-so” is not enough to command respect amongst those of your new social caste. Many peo- BURGHER ple, particularly those of the nobles’ caste are ex- You grew up amongst a family that broke free from the feu- tremely jealous of their positions. You must learn the dal order, a member of the burgeoning middle class called the appropriate behavior and etiquette that are standard Burghers. With the rise of commercial growth amongst town- with your new Social Class to gain its benefits. ships and cities, this allowed you the one freedom those of the Lowborn don’t possess - the freedom to make your own choices beholden to no man and to forge your own life with- ARISTOCRAT out the patronage and protection of the Aristocracy. Lawyers, You were born within a family whose name can be traced doctors and other academicians are often of the Burgher caste. back to old nobility. The influential renown of your lineage Money isn’t everything, but it can certainly grease the wheels, can be a significant boon; you may be able to call upon pow- as it were, as the Burgher cannot socially afford the same net- erful allies or even command subjects to assist you when work as their betters within the Aristocracy. needed. Your life has afforded you many luxuries: you are highly educated and are well-versed in the nuance of culture Because they are not required to “play at court” with their and high society. Patronage, ambition, climbing the social betters, Burghers dedicate their spare time to crafts, hob- network and a suite of responsibilities define the differences bies and the world around them. Perhaps more so than any between the Aristocracy and the nouveau riche Burgher. other Social Class, Burghers hold a unique opportunity to better themselves and rise above their station. However, not Aristocrats exercise certain freedoms others cannot afford. everyone appreciates the freedom that Burghers enjoy or the They dedicate themselves to understanding the sciences and sweeping social changes that this freedom may herald. literature, oftentimes beneath the sometimes knuckle-wrap- ping tutelage of their schoolmasters. Maintaining one’s court- BURGHER STARTING CASH ly appearance and expressing interest in the arts and hunting After creating your Character, you begin play with 2D10+2 as a sport is paramount, and these pursuits require forming silver shillings (ss) in their pocket. schools for girls and university teaching for boys. Aristocrats display a degree of eloquence and refinement that frequently inspires resentment or discomfort among those who did not share a similar upbringing.

ARISTOCRAT STARTING CASH After creating your Character, you begin play with 3D10+3 silver shillings (ss) in their pocket.

LANGUAGES You automatically begin play with the native tongue. This may be a racial language, a cultural language or regional “trade” lan- guage. It is best to work with the Gamemaster to determine languages that fit with the theme of your Character’s backsto- ry and the campaign world. When you know a language, this means you can use Fellowship-based Skills to communicate with others in that language. 55 However, you may learn other languages which are dialects, Point at the end of Character Creation. You may be encour- regional languages, foreign tongues and even the languages aged to select multiple Drawbacks, which can certainly lead of other races. Naturally, there may be imposed limits on how to interesting story development. However, you can never well you speak it, particularly if it’s not your native language. gain more than one Fate Point due to this. For those who Spending time in the foreign quarter drinking, fighting and are unsure of which one fits, spin fortune’s wheel to random- rogering swarthy indigents may be the best way to pick up ly determine your Drawback by rolling Percentile Dice and the colloquialisms of another language. Immersion, not consult the table below. Record it under the Traits section on smarts, drives your Character’s ability to learn new spoken the first page of your Character sheet. languages. Some cultures may not have a written language, instead communicating with a series of clicks, whistles and Note that some Professions (particularly Elite Professions) grunts! Regardless of the process, new languages are partially gain a Drawback once adopted. In these cases, you never awarded as a part of the story. gain an additional Fate Point because of it.

After speaking with the Gamemaster about your native Percentile Dice Drawbacks tongue, record your language under Background on the first 1 to 8 Black Cataract page of the Character sheet. You may learn additional lan- guages over the course of the campaign’s story as a Unique 9 to 16 Branded Advance, up to a number equal to your Fellowship Bonus 17 to 25 Crop Ear (FB). And, should your Character possess the Education 26 to 33 Cursed Skill, they can also read and write in any language they un- derstand (providing that it has a written language). You’ll 34 to 41 Debt-Ridden learn more about how to purchase Unique Advances in 42 to 49 Dunderhead Chapter 4: Professions. 50 to 58 Eunuch DRAWBACKS 59 to 67 Nemesis Some players like to determine their Character’s failings as 68 to 76 Veteran’s Boot they play through the game, using improv to let their Char- 77 to 85 Veteran’s Hand acter’s history come to light as they interact within the cam- 86 to 92 Veteran’s Leg paign world. Others may prefer to have distinct pieces of their Character’s life already fleshed out, which they can refer 93 to 100 Weak Lungs to whenever they make decisions in-Character and role-play BLACK CATARACT with others. A Drawback tells something unique about you; something far more distinct than simply being “Leopold Your eye has grown over with glaucoma or suffered major Coventry, the Human Bounty Hunter”. It paints a better trauma in a fight or accident. As a result, you have difficulty portrait about who your Character was before they walked making out distances and depth. It’s not to say that you cannot away from their Profession. Drawbacks make excellent tools see, but you face extreme hardship, unable to discern between to draw upon to further enhance role-play, illustrating your friend or foe at times. Character’s place in the world. Fleshing out who your Char- Effect: Whenever you miss with an Attack Action intended acter is and where they come from creates a level of immer- to strike a foe, you must re-roll the result at the same Diffi- sion often forgotten in other tabletop role-playing games. It culty Rating. If it is a success, you hit a random ally who is helps shape Leopold Coventry as more than a mere Human near the foe instead. Bounty Hunter. It may also be indicative of a past reputation or affiliation. For instance, Leopold Coventry spent many BRANDED years within the city as an unlicensed street thug, so he may You are one of the disenfranchised of society; the bonded, a have a criminal history that’s well-known amongst lawmen. serf, slave or thrall. You are looked upon poorly by most of so- This can work against him in many ways, even if he’s left the ciety, treated with some manner of contempt or apprehension, city. Reputations have a tendency to follow in the wake of if acknowledged at all. Most of those Branded take great pains those who establish them. Perhaps what the Gamemaster to hide the shame of their past. Perhaps you were even the knows, but Leopold doesn’t, is that he has other notorious bastard born progeny of an unknown father! It is up to you to bounty hunters on his trail! Branded or even Nemesis would decide why you were branded. be a perfect Drawback in this situation. Effect: Whenever you interact with those who know you’re While you are not required to select a Drawback, you may Branded and hold you in contempt due to it, you cannot optionally select one now in return for one additional Fate succeed Fellowship-based Skill Tests to interact with them. 56 CROP EAR CREATING NEW DRAWBACKS An unfortunate accident, a result of birth or disease has left While we’ve provided a handful of Drawbacks you you partially deaf. You are barely able to hear and must rely may choose from, we encourage you to work with your on your other senses to recognize the world around you. Speech is difficult, and you’re often misunderstood or even Gamemaster to create your own. They may describe ridiculed as you converse with others. what faith you prescribe to with its requirements, what loyalties you hold or previously held to, whether Effect: You must flip the results to fail all Skill Tests that rely you’re the inheritor to a family curse, motivations you on hearing. may have which hinder you or a host of other options you can think of. You shouldn’t be too broad with your CURSED descriptions; calling yourself “kind” doesn’t really Some terrible twist of fate or dark Magick has cast some hex provide a good descriptor for this Drawback. Howev- over you. Your curse may have originated from an act of cruelty er, something more distinct like “renowned kindness” served upon the innocent, born from mortal sin; a dreadful stig- may be more appropriate, as others within the cam- ma that has afflicted your family or a terrible Magick that’s been paign world know you’re someone who has a history cast upon you. Curses of this magnitude oftentimes fetter indi- with helping others out of sticky situations. It may viduals until their death. Only a major sacrifice can potentially also work against you, as others may take advantage lift the curse, and the cost is likely greater than you can levy. It may be that your Order or Chaos Alignment is somehow tied of this. Drawbacks built in this way are the best ones to the curse. to choose, as the Gamemaster can also apply them to help build a stronger story and sense of immersion. Effect: Whenever you intend to sacrifice a Fortune Point, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is a face “6”, you must use EUNUCH two Fortune Points instead of one. You were castrated for one reason or another. Your gelding has DEBT-RIDDEN deeply impacted you, a harrowing memory you find difficult to suppress. Perhaps you were a monastic who became a eunuch You have spent and spent and spent, borrowing far too much after a spiritual awakening. Or, maybe you were gelded for acts money without the possibility of return to your creditors. of sexual indecency. Either way, you decide what led you to You may have even been committed to a debtor’s prison. It this end. The sting of being unable to have children weighs carries a social stigma, leaving a black stain upon your shield heavily upon you. Your bloodline has ended. of reputation and conscience. As such, you find it exceeding- ly difficult - if not impossible - to come to any sort of middle Effect: You are immune to the charms and seduction by those ground with others given your history. who find you attractive, and unable to have children. However, being made victim to these same charms and seduction causes Effect: You must flip the results to fail all Skill Tests that rely you to suffer 1 Corruption. on your ability to barter, bargain or strike monetary deals in your favor. NEMESIS DUNDERHEAD You have an implacable enemy that harries you at every op- You are socially awkward, and don’t get along well with others. portunity. They may be a political rival who sabotages your You oftentimes stammer, lose focus and find it hard to compel ambitions or a foe who is destined to kill you. Perhaps your others to listen to you. As such, you are perceived as being so- Nemesis may yet be unnamed, revealed at a much later date. cially inept at times, or haughty without reason. You may even Effect: When confronted by your Nemesis, you cannot sac- have a brain trauma! You decide. rifice Fate or Fortune Points, so as you are so confounded by Effect: Whenever you suffer mental Peril, move down one them. Your Nemesis is determined by the Gamemaster with additional step on the Peril Condition Track while suffering consideration to your suggestions of your Character’s history 1 Corruption. or past rival. VETERAN’S BOOT Perhaps lost during an unfortunate carriage accident, during times of war or by misfortune of a rampant animal, you are missing a foot. In its place is a wooden boot, which you must strap onto your leg to stand up straight. It makes a charac- teristic “clud” sound as you walk, which has earned you a number of embarrassing nicknames. 57 Effect: You cannot Charge, Maneuver or Run with Move- meant to serve… yet. ment Actions without spending an additional Action Point. STARTING FATE POINTS VETERAN’S HAND Whenever you first create your Character in the Basic Tier Whether it was lopped off at the hands of a vicious mercenary for a ZWEIHÄNDER game, you begin play with one Fate or somehow torn asunder in the complex cogs of a war ma- Point. However, if you elected to take a Drawback, you begin chine, you lost use of your hand long ago. In its place is an iron with two Fate Points instead. Record this on the first page of prosthesis, clumsy to attach and even more so to use. A web- your Character sheet. bing of leather straps adorns your arm, from wrist to elbow. SACRIFICING FATE POINTS Effect: You cannot hold weapons which are two-handed, Fate Points can be sacrificed at any point during a game session and must flip the results to fail any Skill Test requiring use to escape Injury and death. They are akin to “get out of jail for of both hands. free cards”, allowing your Character to rewrite the immediate past to change their future. We’ll talk more about how Fate VETERAN’S LEG Points are used in Chapter 8: Combat. With a characteristic shuffling, you draw your lame leg be- hind you. Attached at the knee cap with a contraption of a STEP VIII: ALIGNMENT Barber Surgeon’s make, the cheap prosthesis grants you the A strong arm or a slow wit are not the measures which fully ability to walk (albeit at a slow, deliberate pace). define your Character; far from it. Weaknesses and strengths are not expressed by the same categorizations used for beasts Effect: You must reduce your Movement by 3. of burden or slaves, nor are they simply a general predictor WEAK LUNGS of outward behavior, but rather a deep and personal flaw and strength which defines your very existence. You have suffered a terrible injury at some point, making it very difficult to breath. You may have fallen on a fencepost as In keeping with the critical themes that make up a ZWEI- a youth, and grown up with the use of only one lung. Perhaps HÄNDER game, your greatest strength and deepest curse you were stabbed by a vicious rival as a cuckold, now exhibit- are one and the same, and that which shields you the most ing an audible wheezing. Either way, you still suffer its effects. also cuts the deepest. Your Alignment choices give you access to both an Order and a Chaos Alignment, two sides of the Effect: Whenever you suffer physical Peril, move down one same twisted coin. As you make decisions in your struggle additional step on the Peril Condition Track while suffering for survival, it will shift to and fro and reveal just who you are 1 Corruption. to the world around you.

STEP VII: HAND OF FATE Alignment is a role-playing tool, meant to aid you as you de- Player Characters in ZWEIHÄNDER often face insur- termine the choices and judgments your Character makes. In mountable odds. Your Character may stand wrongly accused short, they are your weapons when engaging in tense social with the threat of maiming by a corrupt bailiff, be wholly de- situations. This trait will be both comfort and curse - whether voured by an inexplicable abomination below the depths of a for good or ill is something only fate and your wits will decide. lake, plummet to their doom from the face of a cliff, succumb to sickness amidst a plague, drink from a poisoned cup by the ORDER & CHAOS ALIGNMENT hand of a rival or accidentally blast their own head off while Take a moment to decide just how this quality came to be. reloading a blunderbus. What is the primary motivation for your character in life? A quick glance at your fate will be a passion for something, Simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time can result whether it be food, lucre, comfort, kindness, battle, knowl- in an unfortunate end, as personal prowess alone won’t reme- edge or even salvation. It’s important to consider the broader dy every situation. Chaos is a powerful force, and misfortune strokes of what you seek, as gameplay itself (and your deci- awaits you at every turn. This is where Fate Points come into sions) will decide whether your pursuit is pure or corrupt. play. Destiny, for whatever reason, has picked your Character above all others. Whether it is to be a martyr, dying an un- ORDER ALIGNMENT sung death or a prideful hero - lording over all those brought In even on the rockiest of outcroppings, a wildflower blooms, beneath your heel - is unknown to you. Wittingly or not, you a sign of stubborn life refusing to bend or submit. Despite the and your fellow player’s Characters have been selected for circumstances, or perhaps because of it, you possess an inner some greater, shared purpose. You’re no mere cut-from-the- strength which refuses to be extinguished. Harmony, stability same-cloth person; you’ve been specially chosen. But like- and hierarchy are reflected by the Order side of your Alignment. ly, you don’t know why or what purpose your Character is 58 CHAOS ALIGNMENT ADAPTATION & MAYHEM Internal conflict, madness and unfiltered sentiment are defined ORDER: Your eccentricity is beyond just a mere quirk - you by your Chaos Alignment. You have given in to baser things, are, in fact, a savant and find that your interests change as the and perhaps become a mirror of the cruelty you once trembled weather does. Whether a mimic, a sycophant or simply easily from. Perhaps the madness of this world is just reflected in distracted, you adapt to new and changing social dynamics you. Dissonance, uncertainty and discord are reflected by the with ease. Chaos side of your Alignment. CHAOS: You have a lack of focus and an idiosyncrasy that DETERMINE YOUR ALIGNMENT practically invites chaos into the lives of all who come into Alignment is generally treated as a pairing of two distinct, contact with you. Worse still, you thrive off the social turmoil but similar, personality traits. Determine your Alignment by you cause. Not meant to necessarily imply the wanton spill- rolling Percentile Dice, consulting the table below. Record ing of blood, mayhem is a general whirlwind of confusion it on the first page of your Character sheet. For instance, if that follows your actions. Adaptation is your Order Alignment, Mayhem will be your AMBITION & TYRANNY Chaos Alignment. ORDER: You are driven to such an extent that no obstacle Chaos can possibly withstand your doggedness, as the crashing sea Percentile Dice Order Alignment Alignment wears rocks into sand. You know what you want out of life and don’t just hope to acquire it. In your mind, it simply will 1 to 4 Adaptation Mayhem be. It is a trait you have shared with the greatest of all men: 5 to 8 Ambition Tyranny king, scholar, and warrior alike. 9 to 12 Candor Cruelty CHAOS: A natural leader, certainly, but towards all the 13 to 16 Charity Pity wrong ends. You inspire those who listen to your words into a hateful fervor and possess a paranoid and vindictive streak 17 to 20 Compassion Melancholy that can almost certainly be your undoing. 21 to 24 Cunning Deceit CANDOR & CRUELTY 25 to 28 Dignity Vehemence ORDER: You are direct and steady, a firm believer in the 29 to 32 Diplomacy Hypocrisy marriage of words and deeds. Others treat your proclama- 33 to 36 Duty Fatalism tions with the greatest respect and never fail with the proper interpretation. 37 to 40 Enlightenment Detachment CHAOS: Your willingness to act on your words is vicious, 41 to 44 Ferocity Hatred potentially even vile. For others, to follow you or know your 45 to 48 Gentility Cowardice presence is to invite the pain you willingly impart. 49 to 52 Gravitas Vanity CHARITY & PITY 53 to 56 Heroism Martyrdom ORDER: Your heart thrives on the notion that it is morally 57 to 60 Humility Incompetence just to provide that which you possess in abundance to those who don’t. While certain charlatans will attempt to prey 61 to 64 Impiety Heresy upon your good will, you will not be for a lack of friends who 65 to 68 Independence Rebellion remember your deeds when all of the chips are on the table.

69 to 72 Mystery Exclusion CHAOS: What you view as kind and giving, others view as 73 to 76 Pride Arrogance condescending and mocking. You will never be accepted by those to whom you offer your hand in aid, as their expec- 77 to 80 Romanticism Lechery tations come from generations of mistrust. What you na- 81 to 84 Skepticism Cynicism ively view as good-hearted others view as manipulative and 85 to 88 Sophistication Indulgence self-serving. 89 to 92 Wisdom Rancor COMPASSION & MELANCHOLY 93 to 96 Wit Scorn ORDER: You empathize with the struggles of others and offer your personal strength to those who lack it, defending 97 to 100 Zeal Fanaticism any cause that you determine pure and just. You will inspire 59 others to proudly rise up, and wise parents will offer your CHAOS: Your dedication to a single ideal has twisted your example to their children to help them sleep at night. idea of free will into one you view as a fantasy and the pur- view of lesser folk than yourself. As such, you almost believe CHAOS: Your empathy for the pain of others affects you too that no course of action will change the course of events, and deeply, clouding your focus and stalling you from personal ac- will resist any input that suggests otherwise. tion. Your depression may manifest in many forms, whether from general social withdrawal to fear of just conflict or even ENLIGHTENMENT & DETACHMENT bind you to your bed for days at a time. ORDER: Spiritual purity, recognition and meditation have CUNNING & DECEIT given you an inner peace in your place in the world that no man or god can shake. You have accepted your place in so- ORDER: Your mind is slippery and tactical, manipulating ciety through simple indifference, acknowledging the acts of those whom you interact with towards ends you find more man as temporary and overwrought. favorable. You have a sharp instinct for escaping a parlay gone sour and never appear unnerved. CHAOS: To the bulk of others, you are something of a mad hermit, too busy stargazing to notice or care for the suffering of CHAOS: Your trickery and lies make you untrustworthy and others. Your thoughts are vague and muddled, offering no com- unsavory to others, unlikely to be accepted as proper company. fort or benefit to those forced to survive in the here and now. Friends are hard to come by as your words have no true value: if they give you no quarter, the aid of others is unlikely to provide FEROCITY & HATRED a soft landing. ORDER: The will you possess is capable of moving moun- DIGNITY & VEHEMENCE tains, and comes with such a rush of passion and vigor that others are often forced into stunned awe. You are unlikely ORDER: You are composed and unflappable, a model of to break under torture or mental duress, possessing a well of decency and proper behavior in even the most trying and emotional strength that at times seems unending. delicate circumstances. You are likely to be trusted as some- one who behaves in a way befitting their station, whatever CHAOS: The anger you barely contain explodes at inoppor- that may be. tune times, burning all those close to you, both friend and foe alike. As such, you are likely to inspire hatred in those CHAOS: Your drive for personal gain will crush many who have felt your abuse and situations under control will be beneath its bloated weight, friend, foe, and kin alike. You lost to your impulse. possess the strictest selfishness, where no means cannot be justified towards the conclusion you desire. In your mind, GENTILITY & COWARDICE sacrifice is the price others pay to fulfill your vision. ORDER: Your simplicity is indicative of a pure heart, and DIPLOMACY & HYPOCRISY never are your goals or desires second-guessed. You are most easily trusted and never taken as a threat, often to the even- ORDER: You fully understand the art of a true compro- tual chagrin of those who misjudge you. mise and that words can be malleable to fulfill the neces- sary results. You are never single-mindedly committed to CHAOS: You are passive and cautious to the point of being any course, recognizing that one must change with the war, almost crippled with fear of conflict, unwilling to exert your whether of words or steel. This oft puts you a step ahead of meager will in even very favorable situations. Others will those who cannot. prey upon you, bullying their wills upon you and will never inspire more than pity among anyone else. CHAOS: Others see you for what you are; a charlatan and a liar, unwilling or unable to be held to your words. Your judg- GRAVITAS & VANITY ments and insights are seen as false, unlikely to be followed ORDER: You have an aura of charisma, depth of knowledge or trusted. and great competence; your words carry weight as others ful- ly put stock in your abilities. You can inspire men or terrify DUTY & FATALISM them, but either way, they will listen. ORDER: You have taken an oath, whether personal or for- mal, that guides your actions in all things. No amount of CHAOS: Your dedication to your own self perfection is trickery, intimidation or bribery will sway you from your haughty and unseemly, and reflects your ugly judgment of promises. Your dedication to one single ideal or task will fol- those you see as lesser than you - which seems to be most low you to your grave, no matter how soon or distant that everyone. The beautiful and accomplished will envy and hate may be. you, the ugly and lazy will just skip straight to the hate.

60 HEROISM & MARTYRDOM CHAOS: You are bizarre and exotic in a way most unsavory ORDER: Willing and able to make the ultimate sacrifice in to those who expect a certain decorum, while those of the a world where it may not matter, you are unafraid of facing lowest station will find you uncomfortable at best and an overwhelming odds and draw a streak of personal strength outright threat at worse. You are likely to run afoul of the law from it. You recognize well the value of the needs of the many. and offend courts. Perhaps worst of all: you have a tendency to be noticed. CHAOS: You are possessed with a dedication towards end- ing your life in a way that you view befits your destiny. You PRIDE & ARROGANCE are not just willing to offer yourself as sacrifice, you pursue ORDER: That which you do is associated with the very that day with a morbid zeal, eagerly anticipating the day you quality of your name, and as such, is bound to perfection in can turn yourself into a fable. your eyes as nothing less will do. This dedication will serve you well in many respects, as such dedication is admirable HUMILITY & INCOMPETENCE and worthy of the greatest praise. ORDER: You are self-aware and cautious, aware of the lim- itations of your own abilities and those of others. Your quiet CHAOS: You are haughty and disliked, with an inflated nature does not attract the attention of predators and tends sense of self-worth as insult to others. You are inclined to view yourself as more capable than you are and others will to find you in situations more favorable to success than those be more than willing to correct your mistake. who face you realize. ROMANTICISM & LECHERY CHAOS: Foolish and without value is how others see you. Your simple soft-spoken nature viewed as a failure of proper ORDER: You are amorous but dignified, a great pleasure to breeding, upbringing (or perhaps resulting from a nasty fall be around and viewed as charming and clever. You make ex- as a child). Either way, no one will view you as capable or cellent company at dinner parties and know great songs for trust you with anything but the most menial of tasks. bawdy taverns. Whether a harmless rake or a flattering lady, you are well-liked in almost any company. Your imagination IMPIETY & HERESY and lust for life flies in the face of contemporary social norms ORDER: No god has fed your belly or filled your mug, nor and your company is highly sought after because of this. will they make you stand on your feet or open your eyes in the morning. You are aggressively self-reliant and resistant CHAOS: Your lust is insatiable and your predilections for to the manipulation of those who would have you bend your physical, base needs tend to overwhelm even your best judg- knee to an invisible man in the sky, pretty jewelry or nay. ment. Perhaps worse, your taste in manners of the flesh can range from the unconventional, to the unholy or even the CHAOS: Unclean and wicked thing! Your actions are irrev- sadistic. erent to the point of blasphemy and those who witness or know your nature will either be afraid of banishment to hell SKEPTICISM & CYNICISM with you (or do their best to hasten that arrival). ORDER: Nothing is as it seems, a lesson you’ve learned all too well and one that others seem too willing to repeated- INDEPENDENCE & REBELLION ly fail. You know better than to take anything at face value, ORDER: Is it two scrapes and a bow or two ring kisses, a believing in what your own eyes tell you and nothing more. twirl and a brown eye? You have no time for kings, princes Playing devil’s advocate serves almost no risk and potentially or silly outfits - and worshipping strips of cloth and walls of offers greater reward. stone - knowing that one grey man is as good as another. As such, you’re unlikely to get caught up in petty politics. CHAOS: Your absolute lack of faith in any manner has led you to many losses in your life: opportunities, love, wealth CHAOS: Alack, your intentions are valueless, traitor! You and friendship. While others leave the ship of despair and are an enemy to the crown and your actions are viewed as strive for a shore not visible, you take sick comfort in that undermining to law and order and the established order of many of them will drown. You, however, are guaranteed to peace. Your chances of being put down in a particularly hor- be right. rible manner - as an example to others - are quite great. SOPHISTICATION & INDULGENCE MYSTERY & EXCLUSION ORDER: Your appreciation of the finer things is more than ORDER: You are an outsider, and a bemused misunderstand- just a way to impress others. You are not a snob, as you appre- ing of your ways and culture help you sidestep all sorts of in- ciate pleasures of all kinds and class, acknowledging quality conveniences. Your social situation is unclear, and therefore wherever it exists. In addition, your knowledge makes you your path less muddled - an advantage afforded to very few. well-rounded and culturally accepted. 61 CHAOS: You unbecomingly pursue creature comforts with Consider the best books, movies, or video games you have a sick zeal, taking far more than your share and greedily experienced; you’ll realize that this is how you can craft a hoarding from those who need so that you can fulfill any memorable tale. want. You are the target of many a guttersnipe who will want to fill your belly and head with ideas… and empty your coin Alignments make no distinctions between what is right or purse. wrong; that is left for the players and the Gamemaster to decide. To what ends these Order and Chaos Alignments are WISDOM & RANCOR deployed makes no moral supposition - for example, Her- ORDER: You do not possess more knowledge than oth- oism can easily be called upon in pursuit of a darker, ne- ers; this simple realization is the very pillar upon which your farious purpose. Most importantly, don’t consider the Order advanced insight is perched. You simply know a way of pa- and Chaos Alignment comparable to a strict “good” or “evil” tiently ruminating upon a greater number of contributing paradigm, no matter how you choose to act upon them. factors… and thinking first, speaking later. CALLING OUT ALIGNMENT CHAOS: Regardless of a full head of hair or an upright When confronted with tense situations where you’re uncer- back or smooth skin, at heart, you are old, cantankerous and tain how your Character would act, look to their Alignment. cranky, set so firmly in your own knowledge and experiences They provide a simple guide for how your Character perceives that you snidely and openly dismiss others. You are viewed as themselves and the world around them. However, if you’re a single minded codger, incapable and stodgy. stumped, call out your Alignment to the Gamemaster for inspiration. They can help guide your choices by providing WIT & SCORN a few additional options and provide incentives to help you ORDER: There is both a science and an art to the way of find a desirable outcome. Don’t be afraid to explain motives, words. Regardless of your proficiency with the former, you out-of-Character at the game table, before your Character acts are a master of playfully manipulating the latter. Your clever- towards their Order Alignment! This is a helpful tool that can ness can make mirth and stem the tide of an uncomfortable aid new role-players, particularly as they begin to understand shift in a social engagement. Such mannerisms draw a will- what it means to call upon the axiom of Alignment. ing audience to your charms. Remember - your Character’s Alignment is merely a guide. CHAOS: You are in love with the very sound of your own They do not strictly bind you towards a specific outcome, but voice, and no one is more impressed with your wordy bon they should define their general persona whom they portray mots than you are. Your barbs are weapons and you employ outwardly and introspectively. them liberally. You had best hope that you save a particularly saucy one for your tombstone, because you well might need it! FIFTY SHADES OF MORALITY ZEAL & FANATICISM While your Order and Chaos Alignment are in- tended as a guideline towards the values that your ORDER: Your dedication to religious undertaking helps Character holds dearest, you are not a puppet held lead many a soul to greater understanding and provides the up by only two strings. The sort of one switch, knee lost with a path to salvation and a sense of belonging. Others jerk reaction to every possible scenario doesn’t real- will be wary of crossing you, for it is believed that to cross istically reflect how a fully fleshed individual would, you is to invite the wrath of higher judgment. or should, react. If you treat it as a simple gimmick, CHAOS: The hand of either a just or cruel god, your unwav- expect it to lose significance at the game table. ering dogma will cause the suffering and misfortune of many This applies both positively and negatively: if you you come into contact with. You are the personification of consistently try to implausibly navigate your social the very foundation of oppression and will be viewed as a interactions to where you can take advantage of symbol of such. You shall be feared, but as a monster that your Order Alignment, despite how ludicrous the must be hunted. situation, expect the Gamemaster to disallow (or even suspend for a length of time) any benefit. By ROLE-PLAYING ALIGNMENT the same token, if you use your Chaos Alignment Consider this axiom: an Order Alignment is not intended simply as a tool to harass or bicker with others, there for you to steer towards, nor the Chaos Alignment to steer are swifter and easier punishments that can come to away from, to achieve some kind of nebulous success. You bear: your growing reputation as a madman, a child should think of longer-term development arcs where your or a fool. In a grim & perilous world, that makes you strengths either overcome your failings or tragically do not. an easy target. 62 CHANGING ALIGNMENT ORDER & CHAOS RANKS Your Alignment may change over the course of a campaign. Within a grim & perilous world, therein exists many shades These sorts of changes are always the result of major events of moral relativism. Your Alignments are distinct qualities of that transpire as you play your Character. Events that lead to self that resonate within the moral morass, highlighting your such a shift in personality should be long in the making, rare or strengths while exposing your weaknesses. Your Character’s climactic enough to justify the change. Your Alignment may emotions shape how they perceive the world and in kind, change due to a traumatic experience where your Character how it changes them over time. Faced with moral dilemma, is faced with the death of a loved one or friend, a particularly how will they rectify it within their mind? Will they lean glorifying or unvirtuous choice you made, a frightening con- towards Chaos, using these events to justify future actions? clusion to a long story arc, the effect of madness or any other Or, will they manage to see the fault in their actions, using it host of instances you and the Gamemaster feel appropriate. as a moral lesson to act in a more Ordered fashion?

While we provide no specific guidelines for how and when Alignment is tracked with ranks towards Order and Chaos, you should change your Alignment, it is best to work with the providing a measure of how your Character has influenced the Gamemaster to make those elections together as a result of world around them through their attitude, actions and deeds. completing larger story arcs or distinct changes in personality. Between each Alignment rests nine total ranks, a rating system TAPPING INTO ALIGNMENT that measures how closely you’re aligned with both Order and Chaos Alignment. These ranks grow each direction, changing During every game session, you should strive to use one or over the course of the story. By making tough, narrative choic- both of your Alignments in interesting ways during social es driven towards selfish motivations, taking the “easy way out” interactions with other Characters. This could be as simple and use of violence to solve problems, you threaten to perma- as leaning on your Order Alignment during role-play, poten- nently change these attitudes (both narratively and mechan- tially influencing the game session in a unique way through ically). Ultimately, ranks are an axiom of values, representing the narrative or by making story-altering choices that lead the changing nature of your Character’s moral choices with to interesting (and potentially dire) outcomes. These situa- reference to their Order and Chaos Alignment. tions should be unique and creative, drawing from the story how the narrative impacts your Character and how it plays At the end of each game session, your Alignment has a chance towards their personality. The opportunities are endless! of moving by one step or more towards your Order or Cha- Throughout the story, the Gamemaster will present sever- os Alignment. There are many scenarios where the ranks may al instances during the game session where your Character change. Overall, it will be as a result of your Character’s per- should look to their Alignment to influence the narrative. sonality flaring up at opportune - and inopportune - moments during the story. These narrative choices you’ve made as the Kent’s Character Leopold Coventry has an Order Character will increase the probability that your Order or Alignment of Ferocity and a Chaos Alignment of Ha- Chaos Ranks will change. tred. The Gamemaster plans to have the Characters secretly investigate a dockyard murder at the behest of During play, you will keep track a temporary value called a criminal organization, as a part of this investigation, Corruption. Corruption is bestowed upon your Character as the Gamemaster plans to have the Characters encoun- you take actions the Gamemaster has deemed as potentially ter a pair of city guards who are attempting to cover up destructive, self-motivated, morally questionable or selfish. the murder. As the game session continues, the player The more Corruption you accumulate during the game ses- Characters come face-to-face with the guards. Kent sion, the more likely that your Order or Chaos Ranks will could lean on his Ferocity Alignment at this moment, increase. You will temporarily earn Corruption under many roleplaying his dogged pursuit for truth by warding different circumstances during a game session, generally at the behest of the Gamemaster. Below are a few examples: away the city guards with the threat of violence. How-  ever, he instead taps into his Hatred Alignment, slaying Carry through with narrative actions that may be the guards for their lack of integrity and duty. deemed morally questionable, reprehensible or vio- lent  Channel Power to casting Magick Don’t create a situation where you simply justify one of your  Character’s decisions as playing to their Alignment. Actions Fail a Resolve Test to resist Stress, Fear or Terror  Suffer a Moderate, Serious or Grievous Injury speak louder than words. You should distinctly know - and  should even call out during the game session - when your Reach the Incapacitated! on the Peril Condition Track Character’s Alignment flares, directly influencing the role-  play and narrative! Violate your god’s strictures if you practice divine Magick 63 For instance, your Characters manage to scare off a pair of Chaos Rank by one step automatically and roll against the thugs. One of these thugs tosses his sword down on the remainder. ground and places his hands behind his head, while the other runs away to alert others of your presence. There are a Adam’s Character accumulated 22 Corruption in few clear choices: do you eliminate the thug that’s run away, one game session. He automatically gains two Chaos killing him before he can further endanger your lives? Do Ranks, and the Gamemaster rolls a 1D10 Corruption you pick up the thug off the ground, and put a knife to his Die to measure the results against the remaining 2 throat to warn the other guard to stop running? Or, do you Corruption. Fortunately, his remaining Corruption simply take flight, trying to escort all of the hostages away manages to exceed this number, also positively grow- before the thug come back with help? ing his Order Rank by one step.

There is no right or wrong answer. However, these hard After rolling, erase the amount of Corruption you gained choices precisely shape how Corruption would be bestowed that game session, resetting it at zero for the next game ses- by the Gamemaster. sion. Additional rules governing Corruption can be found Your Gamemaster decides what actions may lead to accu- in Chapter 11: Game Mastery. mulation of additional Corruption, within the context of FORCES OF ORDER the story, consideration of the ethical values in their cam- The forces of Order are very real in a grim & perilous paign world and your Character’s personal stake. When it is world. Much like Chaos, it is outwardly fickle, favoring no bestowed by the Gamemaster, you’ll gain 1 to 3 Corruption one above another less they are exemplary, serving harmony for minor offenses, 4 to 6 Corruption for middling offenses and righteousness. Those who are self-sacrificing, willing and 7 to 9 Corruption for major offenses. to lay it on the line for the innocent and willing to mete Adam’s Character “Patches” has an Order Alignment out justice in the name of Order grow to become paragons, of Mystery, and the Chaos Alignment of Exclusion. contributing towards your Order Rank. Whenever a Char- During the game session, the Gamemaster reveals a acter is able to internally justify the actions they took after dangerous bit of information to Adam in secret. Patch- temporarily gaining Corruption, their overall Order Rank es now has the choice to to reveal an important plot increases. point to the other player Characters or hold onto it. When your Order Ranks are equal to 10, reward yourself Unfortunately, knowledge of this information could with one Fate Point. This reflects the attention your patron prove potentially dangerous, putting Patches o a point god has given in your favor for acting in accord with the of mistrust with his comrades. Patches decides it may universal order. After you log your new Fate Point, reset be best to hold onto this information, alienating him- both your Order and Chaos Ranks to zero. Your Order self from the others while shutting them out from the Ranks may increase again as you accumulate Corruption mysteries that only he understands. As the story led to over the course of the story. this moment, not revealing the information taps into his Chaos Alignment of Exclusion - placing his closest FORCES OF CHAOS friends’ life in danger. The Gamemaster, while satisfied Much like above, Chaos is real - manifesting subversively that Adam was doing the right thing for his Character, within others as its agent. Facing situations where intense bestows 3 Corruption. fear and horror are at the forefront of the story, selfish ac- END OF SESSION TALLY tions and giving into anger and violence contributed to- wards your Chaos Rank. Whenever a Character is unable At the end of every game session, the Gamemaster will roll to internally rectify the actions they took by temporarily a 1D10 Corruption Die to see if the effects psychologically gaining Corruption, their overall Chaos Rank increases. scar your Character. If the result on the Corruption Die is equal to or less than the total Corruption you accumulat- When your Chaos Ranks are equal to 10, you gain a Dis- ed during this game session, you will increase your Chaos order. A Disorder is a distinct change in personality, as you Rank by one step. If the result is more than the total Cor- now suffer from permanent mental anguish and struggle ruption you’d accumulated, it increases your Order Rank by with turmoil at the damage you’ve wrought. In cases as one step instead. If you instead have no Corruption, simply with those who use Magick, it may also reflect an outward, improve your Order Rank by one step. metaphysical mutation from the wanton Abyssal Princes; dark gifts that inhibit rational, sane thought but grant a However, if for some reason you earned in excess of 10 Faustian gift in return. Disorders are categorized by Ad- Corruption that game session, instead you increase your diction, Insanity and Mutation; and there are many dif- 64 ferent types of each. Assignment of a Disorder is always all, you’re going to have to live with it for some time! handled strictly by the Gamemaster, with consideration to your Character’s travails. There really aren’t any strict naming conventions you should follow. However, it is best to consult your Game- After you log your new Disorder, reset both your Chaos and master to pick a name that is appropriate to the campaign Order Ranks to zero. Your Chaos Ranks may increase again setting. Selecting a name such as “Bobby Badass” may not as you accumulate Corruption over the course of the story. fit within the context of a campaign set during the War of the Roses (but perhaps “Bold Robert” would). Similarly, LOST & THE DAMNED silly names such as “Carlos the Dwarf ”, “Pierce the Dick- Your Character’s Order and Chaos Ranks will change every ish” or “Karlore the mayor of Wizard Township” may not game session either directions, providing the pacing han- even be anywhere within the realm of acceptance. When in dled by the Gamemaster is set to underscore your Charac- doubt, select something evocative that rolls off the tongue ter’s attitudes during climactic moments. Generally, you’ll easily. Real world names tend to work, particularly if they face at least one moral dilemma per game session, forced evoke the age of old antiquity (Germanic-sounding names to follow the easy route or the difficult one. Depending on work very well for those playing a campaign set in a world these choices, the number of points you gain is handled by that evokes ZWEIHANDER’s source material). Informal the Gamemaster, influenced by the actions you take as your names are fun as well, earned by your Character’s misdeeds Character. or given by friends. Picking names with several consonants or otherwise unpronounceable names may be bothersome There is no upper limit to how many times Order and Cha- to other players and the Gamemaster; don’t be afraid to get os Ranks are moved and reset, outside of the Gamemaster’s creative! Evocative and colorful names such as “Sebastian discretion. Essentially, it continuously oscillates both direc- Bastian”, “Blixa Killbride” or “Lars the Ninefinger” have a tions as the story plays out, blossoming into additional Fate distinct ring to them; ones that aren’t easily forgotten. Points or manifesting into Disorders. Consider the campaign’s milieu and other naming conven- WHAT’S IN A NAME? tions that the Gamemaster may prefer before selecting a name. Once decided, go to the first page of the Character Players around the table will refer to you by this name sheet and record your name. Alternatively, let the dice de- during your in-Character conversations, so picking a name termine a suitable name, determined by your Character’s is very important to the Character Creation process. You sex and race, consulting the tables below: likely have already thought about your Character’s name by this point in the process. Others tend to find naming their Character one of the most difficult decisions to make. After

65 Percentile Dice Dwarf Female Dwarf Male Elf Female Elf Male 1 to 5 Aldis Asvald Alane Agnore 6 to 10 Anikka Dunfjall Altronia Alcanix 11 to 15 Aslaug Frey Arwin Camring 16 to 20 Bera Gaul Elenwe Dolwen 21 to 25 Brunhilda Grani Eponia Elror 26 to 30 Grima Gunnulf Finduelis Eredor 31 to 35 Gudfrid Hrosskell Galadwen Farnoth 36 to 40 Hilde Iorthr Ildrin Foros 41 to 45 Hlif Kelta Iludir Gilgarion 46 to 50 Hrafnhild Ketilbiorn Liessa Gloringwa 51 to 55 Ingunn Kolbein Nianna Harrond 56 to 60 Ragna Kollskegg Pelegrane Imhol 61 to 65 Sibbe Moldof Rilia Laurenor 66 to 70 Sigrid Orri Sadrilil Mormecar 71 to 75 Steinunn Selkollr Tallana Narien 76 to 80 Styrlaug Skeggi Tallana Olanis 81 to 85 Thordi Skialg Vadandre Rana 86 to 89 Thorfrithr Stein Vaklana Ravandril 90 to 95 Thraslaug Svartgeirr Vivandrel Thalos 96 to 100 Unn Torberg Yuviel Urdithane

66 Percentile Dice Gnome Female Gnome Male Halfling Female Halfling Male

1 to 5 Alla Alexi Beatrix Adelard 6 to 10 Anna Bogdahn Belle Artur 11 to 15 Elena Dima Beryll Balboa 16 to 20 Elisabeta Dmitri Cordelia Dankmar 21 to 25 Evelina Egdor Elandor Edmund 26 to 30 Feodora Egor Gabby Erling 31 to 35 Irina Fillip Gayle Hensil 36 to 40 Jelena Fyodor Hilda Hobi 41 to 45 Kira Garald Jilly Jorgle 46 to 50 Lenora Georgii Lindo Karl 51 to 55 Liza Hedeon Lucinda Kaspar 56 to 60 Mavra Ivan Lucretia Link 61 to 65 Mavra Kostantin Pansy Levin 66 to 70 Nastasha Mikail Poppy Markcha 71 to 75 Nika Pavel Prisco Reinholdt 76 to 80 Nikita Salvik Rosabella Rudger 81 to 85 Nikko Sergei Rowena Rulde 86 to 89 Sasha Viktor Ruela Sigurt 90 to 95 Varvara Vyach Xena Tolman 96 to 100 Vlada Zoltan Zelda Zeidle

67 Percentile Dice Human Female Human Male Ogre Female Ogre Male

1 to 5 Anya Annabelle Aggora Arrgh 6 to 10 Berchte Asan Baeju Ashrak 11 to 15 Brigirt Baltar Bingjaz Barbaz 16 to 20 Carla Bram Cutka Bauldin 21 to 25 Emme Edwin Errgha Blauten 26 to 30 Engela Einheit Fluli Blurblab 31 to 35 Gertrude Erasmus Gretla Brugg 36 to 40 Giselbert Giselbert Irrgha Ferrik 41 to 45 Hildegard Grinwold Jarjeen Firgbol 46 to 50 Janna Hardt Jimja Gnash 51 to 55 Klare Heinrich Magi Greasuz 56 to 60 Lena Ichabod Marta Grundle 61 to 65 Lucia Killian Ogrila Grut 66 to 70 Mina Kristof Orrgha Gwarhk 71 to 75 Muriel Luppolt Perplopa Magmork 76 to 80 Phee Matheus Tarkha Scrug 81 to 85 Salina Nitzer Torporza Urrgh 86 to 89 Tilda Richart Ylarfa Yorzell 90 to 95 Verina Sigmir Yrrgha Zobugg 96 to 100 Wulfhilde Voltz Zagba Zugzug STEP IX: BUILD YOUR PROFESSION Now that you have the basics of the Character Creation completed, move to the next Chapter 4: Professions to put the final touches on your grim & perilous Character. You’ll adopt your Professional Trait and spend your starting Reward Points. Once completed, you’ll be ready to play a game of ZWEIHÄNDER!

68 CHAPTER 4: PROFESSIONS

s the campaign progresses, your Character will acquire new abilities. After surviving dangerous adventures, unraveling vast political conspiracies, exploring the wilds, driving away horrific abominations and defeating Athe machinations of the just and unjust alike, the sum of these experiences cause your Character to improve in several different ways. In a grim & perilous world, loss means as much to the learning experience as victory. Forged through the fires of adversity, those who live take away invaluable knowledge and improve upon their profi- ciencies to be better prepared for future challenges. Killing fantastical monsters can be the assumed way to develop Characters in some tabletop role-playing games; this is not so with ZWEIHÄNDER. This system advocates that players be appropriately rewarded for staying In-Char- acter around the game table and playing towards their Character’s Order and Chaos Alignments in tense situations. To reflect this, you gain what are called Reward Points (sometimes called “RP”; and yes, the pun is intentional) - a form of currency you can spend on improving your Character’s abilities. You can generally assume that the Gamemaster will hand out around 50 to 100 Reward Points to each player at the end of every game session. Reward Points come from role-playing to your Character’s Alignments, simple survival and participation in the adventure.

SPENDING REWARD POINTS: three Skill Ranks in a single Skill gains a bonus of ADVANCES +30 Base Chance to use it.  BONUS ADVANCES: You grow your Primary As you gain Reward Points, you will spend them on Ad- Attribute Bonus, rewarding you with a +1 bonus vances. Advances enhance current aptitudes and grow each time you purchase a Bonus Advance. For in- beyond what your starting Profession has given you ac- stance, if you have a Combat Bonus (CB) of 4 and cess to. There are four different types of Advances you purchase a Bonus Advance in Combat, your new may buy with Reward Points: Combat Bonus (CB) is now 5.   TALENTS: You gain knacks or special abilities PROFESSIONAL TRAITS: You pick up a which either augment a way a Skill can be used unique knack your Profession is known for. Each or provide a new option your Character may uti- Profession has but one Professional Trait.  lize. Talents, while diverse, help clarify some of the SKILL RANKS: You gain training and raw bo- more distinct perks a Profession may employ. nuses to your Skills, otherwise referred to by Ap- prentice, Journeyman and Master Skill Ranks. For In addition to the above Advances, your Gamemaster each Skill Rank, you gain a +10 Base Chance to may allow you to spend Reward Points on Unique Ad- use that skill. Furthermore, Skill Ranks are cumu- vances. We’ll talk more about this later. lative; this means a Character who has purchased

69 WHAT IS A TIER? SPEND REMAINING RP IN BASIC TIER A Tier is measurement of competence, profiling a Charac- You should have 900 Reward Points remaining. Before you ter’s experiences over the course of a campaign. Each Tier begin your first play session, immediately spend them how- represents a collection of choices you’ve made. In ZWEI- ever you’d like following the requirements below. Each of HÄNDER, there are three Tiers - Basic, Intermediate and these Advances costs 100 Reward Points. You may purchase Advanced. A Tier requires you to improve certain character- these in any order you may desire. istics, until you’ve completed all of your Profession’s required Note you must fulfill the following minimum requirements training, before moving into the next Tier. However, as you before moving into Intermediate Tier: move from the Basic Tier into the Intermediate and Ad- vanced Tiers, you may grow in ways more appropriate to the  Your new Profession has several Skills tied to it. You story and narrative, customizing your Character into some- must spend Reward Points to purchase all ten of these one truly unique. Skills. Once purchased, you automatically gain Skill Rank: Apprentice in these Skills. This grants a +10 Each Tier has a certain number of required Advances a Base Chance to use that Skill. Mark the ovals for each Character must have before moving onto a new Tier (and Skill Rank on the front page of your Character sheet. thus a new Profession). The Basic Tier requires you to spend  Each Profession has a list of Bonus Advances tied to Reward Points in specific ways, outlined in your Profession’s them. You must spend Reward Points to purchase all description. However, as you are promoted to the Interme- seven of these Bonus Advances. Each grants a cumu- diate Tier and Advanced Tier, these limitations are entirely lative +1 to your Primary Attribute Bonus. Once pur- removed as you develop your Character into a new Profes- chased, go to the first page of the Character sheet and sion. Characters will automatically gain promotion into the mark the oval that says Advances beside the related next Tier by fulfilling all of the required Advances from the Primary Attribute. Adjust the related Primary Attri- previous Tier. bute Bonus.  You must purchase three Talents listed in your new AUTHOR YOUR PROFESSION Profession’s description. Once purchased, go the first At this point in the Character creation process, you should page of the Character sheet and record the Talent and already know what Profession your Character begins in. It is related benefits. assumed that your Character has spent their life in this Pro- fession, but is approaching the beginning of a new path. You Once you have purchased the Professional Trait, ten Skill are able to completely customize your Character during the Ranks, seven Bonus Advances and three Talents, you are al- creation process - even if you and another Character share most ready to move into the Intermediate Tier. the same Profession.

You had previously received 1,000 Reward Points during INTERMEDIATE TIER Character creation. These Reward Points are immediately The Intermediate Tier represents a new chapter for your spent to customize your Character before you begin game Character. While they’ve spent most of their lives in their play. This means you can mix and match Talents, Skill Ranks Basic Tier and in their old Profession, this new Tier rep- and Bonus Advances in any fashion you wish, uniquely craft- resents a new perspective and vista for their adventuring life ing your Character before the game begins. moving forward. While their experiences during their Basic Tier have given them a solid starting point, the Intermedi- ate Tier is where you begin to be challenged in new ways. BASIC TIER During Intermediate Tier, you’ll move into a new Profession When you first start out in your Profession during Character and adopt its related techniques as you gain Reward Points. creation, you are already in your Basic Tier. You’ll note that on each Profession’s page there are several things you may SELECT A SECOND PROFESSION purchase with Reward Points. The Intermediate Tier reflects what your Character is be- coming, as opposed to who they had been. Take under con- BUY PROFESSIONAL TRAIT sideration the sum of events - the story, adventures and ex- You must immediately spend 100 Reward Points to adopt periences your Character has gone through - before selecting your first Profession. Find the Professional Trait your Pro- a new Profession. fession confers your Character in the pages ahead. Once pur- chased, go to the first page of the Character sheet and record When moving into the new Profession, you continue to your Professional Trait and its related benefits. Mark the oval draw from your past and never lose your old abilities or traits. on the front page of your Character sheet called Basic Tier. Before moving into Intermediate Tier, you should peruse the 70 Professions that are within your Archetype to get an idea seven of these Bonus Advances. Each grants a cumu- which one you wish to adopt. Providing it is within your lative +1 to your Primary Attribute Bonus. Once pur- same Archetype, you may move freely into any other Pro- chased, go to the first page of the Character sheet and fession. For instance, perhaps you were a Sellsword who was mark the oval that says Advances beside the related decorated by an imperial army, recognized for their service. Primary Attribute. Adjust the related Primary Attri- This would be a good opportunity to consider becoming a bute Bonus. Man-at-Arms. Or, maybe your Character was an unscrupu-  You must purchase three Talents listed in your new lous Cheapjack, swindling and cheating others. Your Cheap- Profession’s description. If you already possess the jack may cast aside their gaudy copper-laden trappings of Talent from your previous Profession, work with your their previous career and take upon the mantle of an Artisan. Gamemaster to select an alternative one that suits the These examples spell out the importance of Gamemaster’s feel of the Profession and your Character’s experienc- story and how it should influence the choice you make for es in the campaign thus far. Once purchased, go the your next Profession. first page of the Character sheet and record the Talent and related benefits. You may select freely any other Profession within the same Archetype. It is assumed that all Professions by Archetype Once you have purchased the Professional Trait, ten Skill share a common bond of training and is a fairly trivial matter Ranks, seven Bonus Advances and three Talents, you are al- to move into. You may even quality to move into an Elite most ready to move into the Advanced Tier. Profession, providing you meet the related listed prerequi- sites. A case such as this may mean a Diabolist continues their profane studies, adopting an Elite Profession as a War- ADVANCED TIER lock. The Advanced Tier is the final chapter in your Character’s adventuring life, representative of their total growth over Should you elect to move into an Elite Profession or anoth- the course of the campaign. Challenges posed to your Char- er regular Profession outside of your Archetype, the Game- acter’s Skills are likely easily overcome, as they’ve grown to master must sanction the switch. Note that there aren’t any such great heights that they can overcome obstacles in ways inherent penalties to move to a new Profession outside of others cannot. your Archetype. SELECT A FINAL PROFESSION BUY PROFESSIONAL TRAIT You should take under consideration the sum of events - the You must spend 200 Reward Points to adopt your second story, adventures and experiences your Character has gone Profession, regardless of whether it’s a regular Profession or through - before selecting a new Profession. When moving Elite Profession. Find the Professional Trait your new Pro- into the new Profession, you continue to draw from your fession confers your Character in the pages ahead. Once pur- past and never lose your old abilities or traits. Before mov- chased, go to the first page of the Character sheet and record ing into Advanced Tier, you should peruse the Professions your Professional Trait and its related benefits. Mark your that are within your Archetype to get an idea which one you Character sheet that you’re in Intermediate Tier. wish to adopt. Providing it is within your same Archetype, SPENDING RP IN INTERMEDIATE TIER you may move freely into any other Profession. Perhaps the Sellsword who became a Man-at-Arms was disgraced You must fulfill the following minimum requirements before and shamed, leaving their previous life behind to become a moving into Advanced Tier. Each of these Advances costs Hedge Knight. Maybe the greedy Cheapjack turned Artisan 200 Reward Points. As before, you may purchase these in any took to the road to sell their wares, becoming a Coachmaster. order you may desire: These examples spell out the importance of Gamemaster’s  Your new Profession has several Skills tied to it. You story and how it should influence the choice you make for must spend Reward Points to purchase all ten of these your next Profession. Skills. Once purchased, you automatically gain a Skill Rank in these Skills. For example, if you already have You may select freely any other Profession within the same Skill Rank: Apprentice from Basic Tier, instead mark Archetype. It is assumed that all Professions by Archetype Skill Rank: Journeyman. Each grants a cumulative share a common bond of training and is a fairly trivial matter +10 Base Chance to use that Skill. Mark the ovals for to move into. You may even quality to move into an Elite each Skill Rank on the front page of your Character Profession, providing you meet any related listed prerequi- sheet.  sites. For instance, a Diabolist turned Warlock may finalize Each Profession has a list of Bonus Advances tied to their insidious learnings, adopting the Black Magister Elite them. You must spend Reward Points to purchase all Profession. 71 Should you elect to move into an Elite Profession or anoth- nated into a climactic end. Likely it will be a big blow-out er regular Profession outside of your Archetype, the Game- game where all of your past trials and tribulations come to master must sanction the switch. Note that there aren’t any an end, resulting in either your death or retirement into the inherent penalties to move to a new Profession outside of chronicles of the campaign world. Or, perhaps the Game- your Archetype. master may let the story continue as you play your Character as an epic representative of heroism. BUY PROFESSIONAL TRAIT You must spend 300 Reward Points to adopt your third and UNIQUE ADVANCES final Profession, regardless of whether it’s a regular Profes- In select cases, the Gamemaster may feel your Character has sion or an Elite Profession. Find the Professional Trait your earned a special reward, either from good role-playing or the new Profession confers your Character in the pages ahead. completion of a major story arc. While there are normally Once purchased, go to the first page of the Character sheet other prerequisites set in place by the rules to govern how and record your Professional Trait and its related benefits. you can purchase Skills and Talents, your Gamemaster may Mark your Character sheet that you’re in Advanced Tier. override these requirements at their discretion. SPENDING RP IN ADVANCED TIER In their Intermediate Tier, Characters had spent a You must fulfill these basic requirements before completing number of months in the frigid north. They found most your Advanced Tier. Each of these Advances costs 300 Re- of their days and nights in the wilderness, relying off the ward Points. As before, you may purchase these in any order land for food and water The Gamemaster decides to al- you may desire: low each player to purchase one Skill Rank in Survival  Your new Profession has several Skills tied to it. You for 100 Reward Points. must spend Reward Points to purchase all ten of these Skills. Once purchased, you automatically a Skill Similarly, you may have a very good justification to begin Rank in these Skills. For example, if you already have play with a Skill or Talent your Profession is barred from Skill Rank: Apprentice from Basic or Intermediate gaining during the Character creation process. Under these Tier, instead mark Skill Rank: Journeyman. If instead conditions, consult your Gamemaster and provide a logical, you already have Skill Rank: Journeyman from Inter- story-based justification to begin with a Unique Advance. mediate Tier, instead mark Skill Rank: Mastery. Each The Gamemaster will make the final decision regarding grants a cumulative +10 Base Chance to use that Skill. whether you acquire it. Mark the ovals for each Skill Rank on the front page Your Character spent the majority of their youth lashed of your Character sheet. to the “wheel of pain”, grinding grain for slave masters.  Each Profession has a list of Bonus Advances tied to The Gamemaster decided to let your Character begin them. You must spend Reward Points to purchase all play with the Long-winded Talent. seven of these Bonus Advances. Each grants a cumu- lative +1 to your Primary Attribute Bonus. Once pur- FOCUSES chased, go to the first page of the Character sheet and mark the oval that says Advances beside the related You’ll note that all Skills possess specific Focuses. These are Primary Attribute. Adjust the related Primary Attri- special perks which allows you to use your Skills in very dis- bute Bonus. tinct ways with an additional bonus. In essence, a Focus al-  You must purchase three Talents listed in your new low you to ignore the Peril Condition Track whenever mak- Profession’s description. If you already possess the ing a Skill Test, providing that the way you use your Skill is Talent from your previous Profession, work with your somehow tied to the Focus. Gamemaster to select an alternative one that suits the Graf von Beck is attempting to woo a number of la- feel of the Profession and your Character’s experienc- dies-in-waiting as an attendant in court. He knows es in the campaign thus far. Once purchased, go the it will require use of the Charm Skill. Drawing upon first page of the Character sheet and record the Talent Charm (Focus: Seduction), he indicates that his gift and related benefits. for seduction may come in handy, allowing him to over- Once you have purchased the Professional Trait, ten Skill come his current Peril Condition penalties. Ranks, seven Bonus Advances and three Talents, you have completed the Advanced Tier. Your Character has official- Although you are not required to purchase Focuses, you can ly reached the upper limits of their potential in ZWEI- pick them as you wish using Reward Points as a Unique Ad- HÄNDER! Your Gamemaster likely has in mind an end to vance. Any time you possess a Skill Rank in a Skill, you may the story, where you and other player’s choices have culmi- purchase one of their related Focuses for 100 Reward Points, 72 or 50 Reward Points if you have the appropriate Upbringing description to form a better idea about who they were before from Chapter 3: Character Creation. Note that you cannot they took upon the mantle of an adventurer (or who they will have more than a number of Focuses in any one Skill in ex- become if moving into this Profession). cess of your Intelligence Bonus (IB). This means that if your Intelligence Bonus (IB) is 7, you may potentially purchase PROFESSIONAL TRAIT up to seven Focuses in every Skill you have a Skill Rank in. Every Profession possesses a unique knack at something; Track your Focuses beside its relevant Skill on your Charac- otherwise, an ability that no other Profession has access to. ter sheet. You can learn more about Focuses in Chapter 5: The Professional Trait immediate follows the Profession’s Skills. description. LANGUAGES SPECIAL TRAIT For socially-inclined Characters, it may be a good idea to Although not every Profession has a Special Trait, it may learn new dialects. You may spend 100 Reward Points to provide further insight and specializations your Character pick up new languages as a Unique Advance. This is always will possess. at the discretion of the Gamemaster, who may impose addi- tional limitation on how quickly you can learn a language, DRAWBACK outside of a normal expenditure of Reward Points. Much like Special Traits, some Professions possess a Draw- back. These Drawbacks are generally unique for that Profes- MAGICK SPELLS sion, providing background information and distinct mechan- For those Characters who possess the Special Traits of Ar- ics you must adhere to with your Character. cane Magick or Divine Magick, you may spend your hard- ADVANCES earned Reward Points to learn Magick spells as a Unique Advance. Learning Magick is covered more thoroughly in Professions all possess Advances, which you must spend Re- Chapter 10: Grimoire. ward Points to acquire: FINAL WORD  SKILL RANKS: Every Profession has access to ten Skill Ranks. Following is the name of the Skill. ZWEIHÄNDER provides a vast number of options to  players. This decision can be a bit overwhelming to players BONUS ADVANCES: Professions may increase new to the system. We encourage you to make the choice to their Primary Attribute Bonuses seven times throughout a Tier. select your new Profession based on the progress of the sto-  ry and how it relates to your Character’s personality. While TALENTS: Every Profession has access to three some players may wish to plot out their entire Character’s Talents. path of growth ahead of time, we discourage this sort of behavior. We openly advocate that you set aside any prede- termined notions about the best build and other traditional role-playing game conventions for “min/maxing” your Char- acter’s abilities, letting the narrative and choices you’ve made shape their next Profession.

PROFESSIONS Professions are arranged alphabetically, using the following format: NAME The general name of the Profession follows. These names are merely a guideline; your Gamemaster may have very differ- ent ideas about how each of these Professions are named, and can change them to suit their campaign world’s milieu.

Following each Profession is a general explanation of its role in the world. Whenever considering how your Character’s Profession influences their background, you can refer to the 73 ADHERENT Professions This ancient order embraces the doctrine of asceticism, hav- Adherent Hedgewise ing taken vows to live their lives in meditation and prayer. Adherents are generally female, living amongst their own in Anarchist Highwayman convents dedicated to religious devotion. There, they abandon Anchorite Informer many of the things that linked them to their old lives, wiping the slate clean in service to whatever god they follow. Most Animal Tamer Investigator live cloistered lives, spending years in worship and service to Antiquarian Fop their faith. Many of these Adherent orders are self-sufficient, Apothecary Jailer growing their own food and tailoring their own clothes. These same cloisters can offer succor to wandering travelers and even Artisan Man-At-Arms medical treatment at times. Other Adherents may act as itin- Astrologer Jester erant priests of the road, making their living as midwives and animal husbands, spreading charity and attending to the ed- Bailiff Militiaman ucation of everyday folk. While Adherents typically abstain Barber Surgeon Monk from pleasures of the flesh, some convents promote handfast- Beggar Old Believer ing within their order to bring harmony to the church; these are often arranged between male and female members of the Berserker Outrider order with little choice in partner. Boatman Laborer Many grow flinty with age, becoming hard and worn through Bonepicker Peasant their faith and chaste nature. Each holy order is different, Bounty Hunter Pilgrim adopting doctrines that meet the zeitgeist of their culture. One conceit is consistent - Adherents advocate peace, char- Bravo Pit Fighter ity and temperance while casting aside violence, greed and Buccaneer Preacher luxury. Only a rare few profess aberrant views, worshipping darker gods with profane names best left unspoken in polite Burglar Prostitute company. Adherents of this bend take great measures to hide Camp Follower Provocateur their true allegiance, secreting themselves into cults where Charlatan Pugilist sex Magick, sacred prostitution and ritual sacrifice are ac- cepted forms of worship. Cheapjack Racketeer TURN THE OTHER CHEEK Coachmaster Raconteur So as long as an Adherent makes no means to harm another, Courtier Rake they are above reproach. But those who walk in blood-stained Cultist Rat Catcher clothes with a sword at their waist may send the wrong mes- Diabolist Reeve sage, allowing others to ignore the Adherent’s pacifistic ways. Doomsayer Scribe Effect: Humanoid creatures, specifically Corrupted Souls, suffer a -20 Base Chance to strike you with Attack Actions, Dragoon Sellsword until you initiate violence towards them or their allies. Addi- Engineer Servant tionally, you automatically understand how to use the Ritual Entertainer Slayer of Blessed Sacrament. Footpad Smuggler SPECIAL TRAIT: DIVINE MAGICK Envoy Squire You are a proxy to a distant god, calling down Magickal mir- acles with utterance of sacred prayers. Gambler Trapper Gamekeeper Vagabond Effect: You are solely a practitioner of Divine Magick. As a part of this, you may never adopt a Profession which has Ar- Graverobber Valet cane Magick as a Special Trait. Additionally, you gain a prayer Guttersnipe Vigilante book and immediately learn three Generalist Petty Magick spells whenever you enter this Profession. If this is your second Hedge Knight Watchman or third Profession where you’ve gained Divine Magick, you 74 do not gain another prayer book but automatically learn one who was overthrown as a dictator, both can prove to be pow- additional Generalist Petty Magick spell instead. erful foes after the Anarchist has landed in their crosshairs. Soon enough, the Anarchist can find themselves flogged in DRAWBACK: LURE OF POWER the public forum they once loved… or perhaps even worse. The lust for Magickal power corrupts all, indistinct of its most brazen or conservative practitioners. RABBLE-ROUSING Manipulating crowds with inflammatory words is one of the Effect: Whenever you generate a face “6” with Chaos Dice, Anarchist’s primary strengths. You foment rebellion with you invoke a Chaos Manifestation. See Chapter 10: Gri- half-truths, interspersed with little white lies to egg on oth- moire. ers. It also turns those so incited to their side, raising pitch- fork and torch in their stead...that is, until things go terribly awry. ADHERENT ADVANCES BONUS Effect: Whenever you fail a Guile or Leadership Test, you SKILL RANK Charm Fellowship +1 ADVANCE may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the BONUS SKILL RANK outcome. Education ADVANCE Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANK Folklore Intelligence +1 ADVANCE ANARCHIST ADVANCES Handle An- BONUS SKILL RANK Intelligence +1 BONUS imal ADVANCE SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANK BONUS Heal ADVANCE Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANK BONUS Incantation ADVANCE Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Guile ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANK BONUS Resolve ADVANCE Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Interrogation ADVANCES Perception +1 Impervious BONUS SKILL RANK Rumor TALENT SKILL RANKS Mind Intimidate ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANK Scrutinize TALENT Indifference SKILL RANKS Leadership ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANK Simple Melee TALENT Multilingual BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Forked Tongue Impervious SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS ANARCHIST Mind When the firebombs rain on a town hall, the nobles are SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Long-winded stockaded and pelted with fruit or even when a tax on beer is lowered, the Anarchist is often laughing from the shadows. At best a champion of causes - at worst a chaotic nihilist ANCHORITE - the Anarchist lives to fuel social movement. Organizing rallies, leading protests, soapboxing on street corners or tar- Though almost everyone believes in some sort of god or di- nishing noble’s reputation with propaganda, Anarchists love vinity, very few believe that they can survive on their faith the thrill of it all. Though some actually do believe in the alone. This is not so for the Anchorite, who will easily sac- causes they are marching for, many just like to watch author- rifice everything to become closer to their gods. Religious ity wither and power crumble. As a side benefit, often the hermits, Anchorites can spend months or even years out in most rewarded after a change is the one who was a bulwark the wilderness, isolated away from civilization, in attempts at the hardest times, which the Anarchist often has a knack to reduce themselves to little more than a shell for their soul. of conveniently being. They will subsist on bugs and dew, as any time spent hunt- ing or eating is time wasted not meditating. Anchorites exist Anarchists are not immune to their own tricks. For every within all faiths. Whether it be a priest of the Leviathan five revolutions that go right, one goes wrong, and the Anar- meditating on a coral atoll or a priest from the mysterious chist ends up on the run from very powerful enemies. A life east conditioning their body via rigorous martial training, of insignificance as an adventurer is often the perfect alibi the Anchorite is reduced to little more than a leather-clad for the excommunicated rabble-rouser. Sometimes however, skeleton before they finally see into the divine eye. their lies and triumphs can come back to bite them. Whether a scorned aristocrat with a penchant for torture or a count When they do achieve enlightenment (though few reach 75 this point) they are exalted and jubilant to feel their god’s foreign beasts raised in captivity. Some of these include the embrace. They feel invincible, as if a divine mantle has been dangerous komodo raptors of the south or the mysterious rocs draped on their shoulders. Quite a few take to wandering to flown by some select elves; these are by far the most dangerous preach the word of their achievements. Anchorites are tena- animals to tame, if they can even be properly tamed at all. cious, worldly and nature-loving, but their faith can inspire great deeds and even greater powers. Not everyone appreci- There is a particular fondness amongst the smallfolk for the ates a religious follower who exalts the virtues of meditation, bear-baiter, as these same Animal Tamers act as ringmaster of though. Whether it be jealousy, doubt or just pure hatred a menagerie or carnival. Employing brightly-colored clothing of civilized religion, blasphemous creatures immensely enjoy and large mustachios, they are well-paid to command sham- the breaking of an Anchorite’s faith, even if it doesn’t bend bling bears, thundering elephants and other twisted, foreign until they gasp their last breath. chimerae to perform stupid tricks that only simple folk would be entertained by. But perhaps it is not that the crowd wishes SACRED MANTRA to see these dangerous creatures perform, but instead expect- Uttering the sacred “om” numinous sound, you can tap into ant of the emcee being torn to shreds, stomped into a pulpy the divine vibrations of the Aethereal Veil. Deep within a mess or swallowed whole by the very creatures they command! spiritual trance, you are able to bend reality to restore vigor BEASTMASTER and mend your mind, healing both the spirit and the physi- cal body, from within. While the stench of manure and musk cling to their clothes, the Animal Trainer seems to be akin to the creatures they train. Effect: You may enter a sacred trance for ten minutes. If you They may even emulate some of their more unusual behaviors, succeed a Resolve Test at the end of the trance, you expel all but only for the sake of befriending those same creatures. Intoxication and Poisons from your system. Finally, if you are suffering from a Disorder during this time, you lift its effects Effect: You can use your Handle Animal Skill to not only (until it flares up again). tame creatures which are Animals, but also creatures that are classified as Beasts. Whenever you attempt to tame and train Animals and Beasts, you may flip the results to succeed Han- ANCHORITE ADVANCES dle Animal Tests. When you succeed, it is always considered BONUS SKILL RANKS a Critical Success. Coordination ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 ANIMAL TAMER ADVANCES Handle BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 Animal ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Drive Brawn +1 Heal ADVANCES Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 Resolve ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Guile Fellowship +1 Scrutinize ADVANCES Willpower +1 ADVANCES BONUS Handle BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Fellowship +1 ADVANCES Animal ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Clinch Fighter SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS TALENTS BONUS Survival Determination SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Willpower +1 Impervious SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Mind SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Carousing SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Clinch Fighter Gallows ANIMAL TAMER SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Humor Whether they be wranglers, rustlers or even sellers of horse- flesh, Animal Tamers tend to live solitary lives with those creatures they handle. Brusque at times and perhaps even ANTIQUARIAN boorish, they tend to carry the stench of the pen, replete with From the bustling academies of the great cities to the lo- dung between their cleats and straw matted within their hide remasters who gather the young about a fire, no society is leggings. The lowliest train pigeons, ferrets and cats. Middling without those desire to embark upon the quest for knowl- Animal Tamers breed hunting raptors and war dogs. Rarest edge. The Antiquarian dedicates themselves to the joys and are the ones who break, dominate and train bears or other 76 challenges of higher learning. History, heritage, philosophy APOTHECARY and other pursuits are their passion. For every question an- swered, two more arise. Their studies become a journey unto Whilst the Barber Surgeon seeks to cure the ailing, it is in themselves, embarking along a path to seek the truth of the fact the Apothecary who brews the medicine. Distilled from world around them. This is the ideal Antiquarian; sadly, even natural (and sometimes unnatural) elements acquired by Old in a time where education is a privilege, some take their stud- Believers, they apply their knowledge to create a multitude ies for granted; spending time cavorting in taverns or attend- of archaic remedies. These medicines can be used to treat ing bawdy troupe shows, leaving their letters for another day. infection with solutions of wine, ward away miasma and “unhealthy fogs” with pastes, reduction of pain originating When on break from studies or even given obscure assign- from venereal disease and even apply simple unguents for ments by their lectors, Antiquarians will venture the wilds a skinned knee. Indeed, the Apothecary is seen as every bit and forbidden places in search of lost knowledge - uncov- important as the village Barber Surgeon, but with a license to ering lost runes and skeletons of the past. There is a reason brew. The debate on whether any of these potions work still society supports those who travel within the depths of their rages on, as more than a few have died from too many dos- own minds - knowledge is power. A single key piece of in- es or succumbed to crippling addiction. Many Apothecaries formation is capable of delivering salvation or damnation far will shrug and say it is the will of nature, returning to their outreaching the sharpest steel. Some will be called to advise pestles and flasks to fulfill their demand. those in power, or to teach and mold the next generation. The accompanying temptations can skew even the most rigid Often, ingredients will be too risky for even the most adven- Antiquarian, and others will find their hunger for answers turous to gather, so Apothecaries must pick up their flasks raises questions that society is not ready to answer. Right and head out in search of their reagents. Of course, not every or wrong, more than one Antiquarian has been branded a Apothecary is a humanitarian. Some do so purely for profit, heretic for looking into things man was not meant to know... relying on quackery to take advantage of good-natured peo- ple. They may also create illegal opiates for consumption by BOOKWORM those who can afford it, working with criminal syndicates The Antiquarian has spent many years in the dark, cold re- to dispense their drugs. But never double-cross or underpay cesses of libraries reading the histories of far-flung continents an Apothecary, as academicians roundly agree that there’s a and their inhabitants. Although your skin may be pale as thin line between medicine and poison. Any sort of medicine parchment from all those years spent scouring bookshelves, taken in large enough doses can be made into concentrated your mental acuity is virtually unparalleled death… and a few enterprising rich widows have made use of the Apothecary’s knowledge in this fashion. Effect: Whenever you purchase a Bonus Advance in Intel- ligence Bonus (IB), you instead gain three Bonus Advances. NOSTRUM REMEDIUM This means you may exceed the normal limits for Bonus Ad- vances in your Intelligence Primary Attribute. Sometimes, the old ways are best. The Apothecary’s under- standing of natural medicines and country remedies produc- ANTIQUARIAN ADVANCES es pure, undiluted concoctions that yield impressive results. You are trusted by wives and husbands as being a medical BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Fellowship +1 doctor in your own right. But a canny chirurgeon may see BONUS through any deceptions should you try to ply quackery or SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 ADVANCES fraudulent medicinal potions. BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Alchemy Tests. BONUS SKILL RANKS When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. Interrogation ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS Additionally, you are immune to the effects of Poisons craft- SKILL RANKS Navigation ADVANCES Perception +1 ed using the Alchemy Skill. BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 Incredible SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Numeration SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Secret Signs SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Worldly

77 APOTHECARY ADVANCES ARTISAN ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Alchemy ADVANCES Agility +1 Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Fellowship +1 Bargain ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Intelligence +1 Coordination ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Coordination ADVANCES Intelligence +1 Counterfeit ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Education ADVANCES Perception +1 Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Perception +1 Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Ambidexterity SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Determination SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Determination SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Long-winded SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Nerves of Steel SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Strong Jaw

ARTISAN ASTROLOGER Butcher, baker and candlestick maker - Artisans are the If there is one certainty in life, it is that no matter your al- women and men who produce the trappings of civilized life. legiance, your creed, your status or your gender, we all gaze Through years of training and practice their hands begin to up at the same night sky and stare in awe at the majesty of move by instinct and their eyes suss out imperfections. These the stars. The Astrologer makes the heavens their bread-and- honed skills are what set them apart from a common Labor- butter. Not only do they mark the passage of the stars, the er, exhibiting a precision and expertise unmatched save by sun, the moon and other celestial bodies, they also assign ever their peers. Many Artisans are part of a guild, a fraternal so- important meaning to them. Zodiacs, movements of tides, ciety that keeps the integrity of their trade by preserving the divine providence and even your future can all be divined more advanced techniques for members only. These “myster- through these erudite pinpricks of light. The Astrologer is ies” are what produce castle-forged steel, steam engines and not just speaking hearsay; the heavens are indeed Magickal, the myriad other rare but needed items in modern times. All and the year of your birth has just as much effect on your life Artisans take immense pride in their work, from blacksmiths as your profession will. Astrologers are not often respected, to jewel-setters - it is no different. seen as either crackpots or fringe scientists, but they put their faith in their telescopes, star charts, tarot cards and astrolabes While some Artisans are fortunate enough to run their own and get along just fine. business, many are subject to the guild’s statutes and bylaws - venturing out to perform dangerous guild tasks they’d rath- Astrologers will often attest that ancient civilizations have er not do. One way or another, an Artisan is likely to find lost knowledge of the heavens and the soul, and thus will themselves strongly intertwined with the community they often head into abandoned libraries or dark crypts in search support. The local brewmeister may secretly host a band of of charts of heavenly bodies long lost to time. Astrologers are revolutionaries or the butcher might find that the local va- highly intelligent and inquisitive, though they often jump to grants could better serve society in a warm meat pie. One conclusions and apply meaning to things that have no mean- way or another they must support their neighbors - whether ing. A common occurrence that leaves many Astrologers that leads them to ruin is another matter. dead or missing is that their curiosity begets too much. They may wander wide-eyed in to parlay with Skrzzak, or realize GUILD PRIVILEGE the stars are a little too right to let in an Abyssal servant to The Artisan’s pursuit of perfection is unparalleled. Whenever guide their path more clearly. More often than not, an As- they pick up a new trade, it comes easier to them than others. trologer’s love for Magick and the heavens is their undoing.

Effect: Whenever you purchase a Focus in the Tradecraft ELDRITCH SIGNS Skill, you instead gain three Focuses. This means you may You have peered towards the skies in hope of answers, both exceed the normal limits for Focuses limited by your Intelli- earthly and sorcerous. In that, the mysteries of the zodiac gence Primary Attribute for Tradecraft. reveal their terrible truths. 78 Effect: You automatically gain all of the following Focuses doesn’t end there; they are often stationed in small stopover in the Incantation Skill whenever you adopt this Profession: towns along roadways to make their collections, and they Astrology, Card Reading, Dream Interpretation, Hypnotize, they fill a large variety of roles, from tax collector to govern- Palmistry, Scapulimancy and Scrying. Finally, you automat- ment official to all-around enforcer. The Bailiff wears many ically understand how to use the Ritual of Magick Circle. hats, but townspeople hate them all. Though some may be corrupt, many are just trying to do their job. They suppose it SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANE MAGICK is inevitable that when your job is to take people’s money, you Combing the Aether into energies through sheer force of do not become very well respected. will and formula, you can harness Magick with but utterance of a few words. Bailiffs walk a thin line, and the slightest thing can see them out of a job. Whether it be their station being overrun by Effect: You are solely a practitioner of Arcane Magick. As a begrudging peasants, the populace banishing them, or the part of this, you may never adopt a Profession which has Di- government simply running out of use for them, the Bailiff vine Magick as a Special Trait. Additionally, you gain an arcane will head out onto the road for something hopefully better. tome and immediately learn three Generalist Petty Magick The Bailiff ’s wide variety of responsibilities have made them spells whenever you enter this Profession. If this is your second broadly skilled, from intimidation tactics to advanced combat or third Profession where you’ve gained Arcane Magick again, maneuvers. Many would not think a pampered official would you do not gain another arcane tome but automatically learn serve as survivable, but some Bailiffs had stations in far-off one additional Generalist Petty Magick spell instead. wildernesses where they were required to fend for themselves. Bailiffs often quest to return to a lord’s good graces, perhaps DRAWBACK: LURE OF POWER find a new sponsor in need, or at worse turn to exploitation The lust for Magickal power corrupts all, indistinct of its and thuggery. It still remains hard for them to gain any re- most brazen or conservative practitioners. spect, admiration or safety; not only do their customers hate them, but Mutants have little respect for a bureaucrat either. Effect: Whenever you generate a face “6” with Chaos Dice, you invoke a Chaos Manifestation. See Chapter 10: Gri- PAY THE PIPER moire. When the tax collector makes his demand for recompense, those debts are always paid in full (at the pain of a beating, ASTROLOGER ADVANCES or worse). BONUS SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Fellowship +1 Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Bargain Tests. BONUS When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Additionally, you always succeed Intimidate Tests to demand BONUS SKILL RANKS taxes, tolls or other legal debts owed. Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Perception +1 ADVANCES BAILIFF ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Bargain Brawn +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Navigation Willpower +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Interrogation Agility +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Intimidate ADVANCES Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Azimuth BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 Incredible ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS BONUS Numeration SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Secret Signs BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee ADVANCES Willpower +1 BAILIFF Impervious SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Everyone battens down their windows when the Bailiff Mind Menacing comes to collect. The Bailiff ’s main job is guarding the var- SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS ious major roadways across the lands, almost as a Reeve but Demeanor Meeting of the far more stationary. Roads are expensive to build and main- SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Minds tain, so the Bailiff is employed by local government to collect fees for those passing down these avenues. The Bailiff ’s job 79 BARBER SURGEON BARBER SURGEON ADVANCES No one is more important to the health of small farming BONUS SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 burgs or the soldiers’ camp than a solid, experienced Barber ADVANCES BONUS Surgeon. Trained in the razor - both to groom the flea-rid- SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Fellowship +1 den heads of travelers and to perform the fledgling acts of BONUS SKILL RANKS healing - they are the most medical care that someone not Coordination ADVANCES Fellowship +1 made of coin can hope for or expect. They shave, cut and BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 groom the people during the best of times while they cut, ADVANCES BONUS sew and stitch the wounded in the worst of times. Treat- SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 ment of bunions, toothaches and the like fill the times in Handle BONUS SKILL RANKS Perception +1 between. You can always tell when a Barber Surgeon is Animal ADVANCES near; the sickly sweet scent of pus and their blood-marked BONUS SKILL RANKS Heal Perception +1 gauze hung in front of their shops to dry is more a point of ADVANCES comfort than disgust. SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Determination

Bleeding, leechcraft and “expression of the humours” is SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Indifference rather prominent in their trade. The esoteric ways of Ga- SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Knifework lenic medicine is well-regarded by the superstitious and the stupid as the only way to treat the sick. But medicine in this world is a messy act. Surgery is mostly outside the scope of understanding for Barber Surgeons. They are frequently to BEGGAR their patients as a butcher is to a side of beef; imperfect, The rich get richer and the poor get poorer in these trying sanguine and willing to cheat their customers to save a bit times, and the Beggar is evidence of just how poor you can of coin. It can be almost guaranteed that anyone unfortu- get. Beggars are common in large cities, drifting in crowded nate enough to rely on the animal mender’s skills in times marketplaces and digging in rubbish piles hoping for a piece of duress will be a field of scars, or simply bleed to death. As of scrap. Every small town seems to have the local tramp, and they say, a Barber Surgeon for a toothache, a Plague Doctor the Beggar is that. A number of misfortunes can lead you for a rotted, mutated hand. to the life of a Beggar: debilitating sickness, a terrible war PLIERS...SCALPEL...BONESAW wound or even psychological scarring. These leave erstwhile fortunate people out out on the streets, clutching a chipped With an assortment of bizarre and frightening instru- and cracked alms bowl to beg for a pfennig. They also gain ments, the Barber Surgeon sees to “curing” the wounded. much experience in underhanded skills, as well as being ex- Where bonesaws fail, the machete works to hack through tremely perceptive towards who will give them money and all that sinew and bone to remove a patient’s bothersome, who will kick them in the stomach. Very few burghers and gangrenous limb. even less aristocrats have sympathy for these poor wretches. Effect: Whenever you successfully bind wounds to heal Yet, Beggars remain stalwart and strangely optimistic that Damage, your patient is restored one additional step on the their lot will improve. Damage Condition Track. Additionally, you always succeed Leaving behind the broken bowl and picking up a stolen Heal Tests to prepare bandages. knife to become an adventurer is a bit of a no-brainer; many see it as an infinitely better alternative than slogging through muddy streets and eating rat corpses. They tend to quick- ly become aware of how unimportant they are when en- forced with the terrible truths of the universe. When many see the writing on the wall; they are convinced that if their city doesn’t care for them, what must the universe believe of them? This has led many Beggars back where they started, sobbing in alleyways and jumping at shadows. BEGGAR’S BOWL Hand outstretched, arm in a sling. Honest words you’d give, but conniving is the thing. They’ll drop a pfennig for two tonight, whether be by a long, sordid tale of the woes that 80 befell you. Or, perhaps you’ll harry your mark as they walk EATER OF THE DEAD down the street, demanding compensation for their good The salty taste of sweat and the coppery tang of blood drive fortunes while belaboring how the world is against you. the Berserker into an unbridled frenzy. Once enraged, you Effect: Whenever you fail a Guile or Intimidation Test, you are an unstoppable killing machine. may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the Effect: Whenever you are Seriously or Grievously Wound- outcome. ed, add a 1D6 Fury Die to Damage you inflict with melee weapons. BEGGAR ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS BERSERKER ADVANCES Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Athletics ADVANCES Brawn +1 Disguise ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 Eavesdrop ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Guile ADVANCES Combat +1 Folklore ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Intimidate ADVANCES Combat +1 Guile ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee ADVANCES Intelligence +1 Intimidate ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Forked Tongue Simple Melee ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Streetwise SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Nerves of Steel Supernatural Overwhelming SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Paranoia Force SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Run Amok BERSERKER The spark of life kindles the hearts of some and engulfs BOATMAN others. The fury of a Berserker is not something learned, it It is said that those who witness the power of the sea are for- is an extension of something raging within. These warriors ever enthralled by it. Boatman are usually such a bunch. Living throw themselves into their foes fearlessly - a terrible and off the bounties of the ocean, the salty winds in the sails and wondrous sight to behold. Theirs is an existence of sanguine the sights of mighty leviathans swimming by the ship bring intensity, of fiery passion and unmitigated rage. Most Ber- them comfort. Some may be simple fisherfolk, while others serkers come from the wilds of the lands, instilled by the are ferrymen or traders. Always longing for the familiar feel- spirit of the primal earth in order to just survive. Others are ing of bottomless depths under their feet, they live an inde- from far off lands, consuming red cap mushrooms to induce pendent life, free of any laws save kinship with other sailors. states of bloodlust that darkens their vision and twitches There are also those who sail the twisting rivers, Boatmen in their muscles into life. Even when not engrossed in battle, their own right but for them the known shores are more com- Berserkers are furious and imposing figures, not hesitating forting than the endless horizons of the sea. To anyone who to start bloodshed when called upon to do so. sails the aquatic depths, little else matters to them: a heart bro- ken in every port, bastard children and debts mean little when What drives a person to feel more alive at the brink of death? you are a thousand miles away from any border. Do they hear the calls of ancestors past as the blood flows - or are they simply mad? Are they filled with some primal calling Then, there are those who take this love too far. Sailing for lost to their brethren - or have they simply fallen to feral urg- months without even seeing the beach or trying to navigate es? Are they driven into a rage fueled by ritual - or are they through endless mazes of deathly deltas can turn a man in- possessed by a primal god? Do they fight for some greater sane. They are the ones who whisper horrible stories of vast purpose - or are they only envoys of chaos? One thing is a cer- cities under the waves, declare their love for flesh-eating tainty: only the taste of blood will sate their vexation. Howev- mermaids, unable to rest before they hunt down the beast er, their exhalation for violence is rarely contained. Fortunate that slaughtered their former companions. Many a hapless for the rest of the world, the Berserker is not long for this life. Boatman have followed this path, only to lead to their own drowned destruction. Those who do manage to escape can be 81 seen clinging to rocky outcroppings in the midst of the sea, deals with less than upright people. Some Bonepickers have bones and desiccated flesh left to rot. shared words with servants of chaos among the wastes of the dead, intending to trick them out of a useful deal only to BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES be tricked in kind. Ignorance and pride are the Bonepicker’s A Boatman can steer a ship safely through almost any passage. downfall, as even a genius can not fool the devil. Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Pilot Tests. SWAGGER WAGON When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Suc- With a sly smirk, you are not belabored by heavy loads, able cess. Additionally, when using the Movement Subtype of to nearly pilot a cart or wagon without the aid of an animal. Pilot and Swim, you do not have to add the additional 1 Your friends may even liken you to a donkey or mule, both Action Point cost. stubborn to convince but with a verve and aplomb that oth- ers cannot step up to. BOATMAN ADVANCES BONUS Effect: Add 3 to your Encumbrance Limit. Additionally, you SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 ADVANCES may optionally substitute your Brawn in place of Willpower BONUS SKILL RANKS when it comes to consideration of your Peril Threshold. Bargain ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 ADVANCES BONEPICKER ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Gamble ADVANCES Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Navigation ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Counterfeit ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Pilot ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS Azimuth BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble ADVANCES Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Carousing BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Mariner BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Larceny BONEPICKER Rural SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS There are three things which marks a Bonepicker’s arrival in Sensibility Incredible town: the rhythmic clunking of their cart overflowing, their SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS toothy grin and the patter of Peasant’s feet as they form a Numeration line to rummage through the cart’s wares. What is a Bur- gher’s trash is a Peasant’s treasure, and a Bonepicker knows BOUNTY HUNTER their customer. Unloading an extravagant display of trash and petty knick-knacks, the wise will walk past while the Considered to be cold, calculating and ruthless, there is no easily exploited look on in amazement. Bonepickers go by other career so greatly feared than the enigmatic Bounty many names, like rag picker, trash collector and street sweep- Hunter. These women and men track down wanted criminals er, yet they will assure you that they are just honest business for a living, having turned away from the life of a bona fide folk. The truth is their critics are right. Bonepickers rob the deputy. No matter how dire the circumstance, the adaptable dead (and sometimes the half dead) on battlefields, scavenge Bounty Hunter finds a way to bring the lawless to heel. Be- the streets for recyclables and resell wasted potions and the ing a Bounty Hunter can make you absurdly rich, but it is a like as cure-alls and supposed “occult antiques” to customers highly competitive field. Most bounties are handed out by who barely know their numbers and letters, let alone pos- lawful organizations such as guilds or the city watch. This sessing the capacity to see a raw deal. promise of wealth attracts a large number of greenhorns to their ranks, drawn from stables of nameless soldiers and dep- When a Bonepicker has been run out of town too many uties. Some even manage to catch a bounty or two, pulling times, some will choose to take up the mantle of a questing in minor criminals like pickpockets, unlicensed beggars or adventurer. Their eye for valuables, cooing words and easy exhibitionists. It is when a true bounty - one that requires swagger among the Lowborn are a boon in any social sit- strategy and planning - that distinguishes a would-be Boun- uation. This also leaves them open to rather less habitable ty Hunter as a cut above the rest. 82 Unfortunately, the life of a Bounty Hunter can lead to a de- around. Their charm can also take them for miles, bedding pressing solitude. Given to live a life where they’re constantly married men and women with ease only to escape out a win- surrounded by the lawless, their minds may go to dark places dow when the sun rises. Many find basic adventuring bar- as they contemplate their role in the world. After all, if fools baric; there is no honor in slaying monstrous rats in sewers or can get away with it, why can’t they? Turning to banditry running footpads through. However, they live for the big kill; in lean months using a different moniker is not uncommon a Bravo will speak of their epic duel with a six-fingered man amongst Bounty Hunters, only to “turn” a new leaf come who killed their father long after the blood has dried. Brag- spring and summer. Particularly clever Bounty Hunters will gadocio is both a gift and a curse for the Bravo, as their big cut other rogues into the bounty if they act as culprit, only to mouths and larger attitudes can easily lend them into chains, spring them from the same jail they were thrown into! torture or the grave. The only people who respect Bravos are other Bravos, so few have pity for a duelist too far outreach- FOR A FEW SHILLINGS MORE ing their station. The Bounty Hunter is an inscrutable and enigmatic hunter, undeterred by danger. Dogged in their pursuit, they always VIM & VIGOR get their man. You are a virtuoso when it comes to swordplay. It takes little effort for you to size up your opponent, and when the op- Effect: Whenever you make your first Attack Action with a portunity avails, you make your mark upon their clothing - a ranged weapon, you never miss. Additionally, your intended characteristic number or letter. This mark is how you will be target is left Defenseless to this same attack. known by in history, telling of your fabled fencing skills.

BOUNTY HUNTER ADVANCES Effect: Whenever you Parry a melee weapon, immediately BONUS make an Opportunity Attack against that same opponent. SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 You may only make this attack if you are wielding a melee BONUS weapon possessing the Finesse Quality. SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Agility +1 Martial BONUS SKILL RANKS Combat +1 BRAVO ADVANCES Ranged ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 Navigation ADVANCES Combat +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Charm Agility +1 Ride ADVANCES Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 Simple Melee ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS No Mercy Gamble ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Saddle-born Guile ADVANCES Intelligence +1 Take ‘em BONUS SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Willpower +1 Down ADVANCES Fencer’s SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS Panache Great BRAVO SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Numeration With a confident swagger and a wry quip, the Bravo prides Lightning SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS themselves on being a fighter with flamboyant style. They Reaction find no greater joy than that of the duel; a fight of cunning, speed and trickery between two opponents. Naturally favor- ing the rapier, court sword or estoc, they make it a point to be BUCCANEER quicker than their enemy. The Bravo is not simply a fighting A hold full of rum, a belly full of fish and a nose full of salty style, but an attitude. They are cock-sure and confident to a air is all the Buccaneer needs to stay happy. A Buccaneer is fault, with tons of their titular ‘bravado’. Bravos come from a ship-born soldier, specialized in raiding other ships while all walks of life, but they all have minds that are just as sharp protecting their own. Many are pirates, sailing just outside as the weapons they wield. of trade routes to plunder rich merchant ships that pass by. Buccaneers are hardy folk, and they need to be to survive Bravos are generally wanderers by nature, travelling the the storms that rock their vessels in the middle of the wa- world to pad out their reputations as the greatest fencers tery abyss. Their hands have been roughened by ropes and 83 their lips chapped with salt, all in the name of profit and BURGLAR exploration. Nothing will stand in the way of a Buccaneer and their money, and their sword play and familiarity with There’s no better bargain than the price of free. From shav- gunpowder helps them enforce that. Despite their hardened ing coins to cutting purse strings, Burglars are well-practiced exterior, many Buccaneers are joyful and boisterous amongst masters in the fine art of getting something for nothing. their fellows, treating their crew more like family than sim- These are no mere thugs nor ruffians. True professionals pro- ply allies. cure what they need with their mark being none the wis- er until it is too late. Many Burglars are simple cutpurses, A wrecked ship or a bad trade deal can leave a Buccaneer though some will go the riskier route of breaking and en- without a crew, a way to get about or coin. Desperate to re- tering, overt threats or just plain robbery at knifepoint. No turn to the seas they adore, they will grab their saber and one respects a Burglar, and that’s good because the Burglar flintlock in search of riches on land. Though their main skills respects no one all the same. They see everything as a poten- lie with sea-going vessels, a Buccaneer is both cunning and tial target; the world is one fat oyster waiting to be opened, intimidating. Their styles vary, from acrobatic swordsmen to pawned and thrown away. Burglars always look for the next bare-fisted brawlers, the Buccaneer has spent all their lives big score, and they dream of the mythical mark that will set amongst the toughest of the tough. Their desire for the sea them up for life. is unrelenting; no matter the danger or enemy, they will sail through any hurricane or dispatch any target that stands in With enough ingenuity, a Burglar can find opportunity in their way. Their headstrong, or rather bullheaded, attitude nearly any setting. However, those who want to dream big has resulted in many ships thrown against shoals or bloated will quickly learn their success is tied to the contacts they corpses washing up on a foreign beach. maintain. People may speak of honor amongst thieves, but friendship in the underworld is often a fickle thing. Still, SALTY DOG anything is better than being caught. A five-finger discount Whether by sea or land, Buccaneers can outmaneuver their will often cost a whole hand - if they’re lucky. But when the foes while pressing themselves into dangerous situations. cards are down and the heat is on, who better to disarm a Whether they be true pirates or even privateers, these salty trap or filch a rare jewel than a professional thief? Burglars dogs have learned to take their licks. who adventure often find riches beyond anything they could grasp in a township, but if a lordling would merely spit on Effect: After you make an Attack Action with a melee a Burglar, imagine what the hordes of darkness could do? weapon possessing the Finesse Quality, immediately make When a banshee moans for the return of its treasure, the an Opportunity Attack with any one-handed ranged weap- Burglar only naturally refuses, which could cost them the on on the same Turn. If Gunpowder, the weapon must al- ultimate price: their life. ready be loaded. THE BLACK ART BUCCANEER ADVANCES A Burglar’s hands are precious tools, and most spend years BONUS honing their innate dexterity. SKILL RANKS Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS Effect: You reduce the time required to use Skulduggery SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Agility +1 Tests by half. Additionally, you may flip the results to succeed BONUS SKILL RANKS Skill Tests to pilfer valuables. Gamble ADVANCES Combat +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile ADVANCES Brawn +1 Martial BONUS SKILL RANKS Brawn +1 Ranged ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Pilot ADVANCES Willpower +1 Appalling SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS Mein Gallows SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Humor SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Mariner

84 those around them. They are a fixture of any successful band BURGLAR ADVANCES of adventurers, well-compensated for their work. BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 ADVANCES Effect: You may attempt a Tradecraft Test to cook for oth- BONUS SKILL RANKS ers. If successful, a number of allies equal to your Fellowship Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 Bonus (FB) automatically recover their Damage Condition BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Brawn +1 Track by one step positively, and recover their Peril Condi- BONUS tion Track to Unhindered, despite whether they’re resting in SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Fellowship +1 ADVANCES a dangerous place or not. If you Critically Succeed, you affect BONUS SKILL RANKS a number of allies equal to three times your Fellowship Bo- Guile ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS nus (FB) instead. A Character may only gain benefit of this SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 meal once per day, which takes an hour of time to prepare. BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Holdout CAMP FOLLOWER ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Housebreaker SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Brawn +1 SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Larceny Handle BONUS SKILL RANKS Brawn +1 Animal ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Heal ADVANCES Fellowship +1 CAMP FOLLOWER Martial BONUS SKILL RANKS Fellowship +1 Chaos wages war everywhere in this dark world, fought Ranged ADVANCES BONUS by hordes of men, elves, dwarves and even monsters. These SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Perception +1 armies travel amid the countryside; following behind them BONUS SKILL RANKS are the ever-present Camp Followers. These travelers make Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS their living off of working and providing for a mobile army. SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged Willpower +1 They usually have a wide variety of skills, from cooking to ADVANCES horseshoeing to sewing. They also have a tendency to loot SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Carousing bodies of the slain as the battle ends, picking aside valuables SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Sprint such as gold teeth, cameos of loved ones, unspent gunpowder and other valuables. However, their wide array of skills is a SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Strong Jaw necessity outside the battlefield. This also makes them in- valuable as adventuring companions, their services providing a significant boon to other travelers. CHARLATAN The Charlatan is a trickster and a conman, and their tools are Followers are a welcome sight and support in all weary travel- as varied as the disguises they wear into a new town. From ers, often promising a hot meal or a warm bath after slogging shell games to parlour tricks and blatant false promises, the through much and being sprayed with blood. Charlatan is a master of deception, both in their words and Camp Followers are also very frequently exposed to the actions. As said before, Charlatans love disguises and falsi- horrors of war. Many are widows whose significant others ties; if you dig through a Charlatan’s bag, you’ll easily find a were slain on the battlefield or even parents to slain soldiers. few fake signet rings, forged letters, makeup kits, wigs and Though they rarely fight themselves, they see just as much other baubles that let them leave their tarnished reputations death, brutality and bloodshed as any frontline fighter. Thus, behind. Should their disguise fail, however, the Charlatan they have a tendency to go unhinged quicker than most, suf- only has their words to prevent them from being thrown into fering from maladies such as shellshock and stress disorders. the stockades. That may seem much like a disadvantage to When they are vulnerable, they are ripe for the plucking by the frail Charlatan, but they did not line their pockets with Abyssal fiends. And when this happens, it results in potential their hands alone - their tongues are venomous as any lord’s ruin for the army the Camp Follower is trailing behind. and half as reigned in. FEAST OR FAMINE An average Charlatan will pick up the adventuring life at the A Camp Follower can prepare hearty feasts, re-shoe horses, drop of a hat; what bigger mark to trick out of their valuables stitch up torn clothing, empty chamber pots and attend to a - material or otherwise - than those who serve the powers number of other mundane activities that lift the morale of of disorder? The Charlatan is a master at social trickery and 85 deception, and they do it with a cocksure style that translates favors that keep many of these skates going from day to day. well into this arena. However, these methods don’t always go over well to the less polite elements of society. As a Char- When Cheapjacks have generally run out of money or have latan falls to chaos, Abyssal servants love to manipulate the been ignored enough, some take to adventuring in order to Charlatan’s best features against them, reducing them to acts find actual, high-quality goods and treasures to sell. They can of savagery and cruelty. Schizophrenia and multiple personal- spin gold out of lead through just their words, but not ev- ities are common amongst “touched” adventuring Charlatans, eryone appreciates their gift of gab as much as they do. Their a cruel irony that even they can not tell who they are anymore. natural deceptive talents can also cost the better of them, lying and cheating their way into situations with powers they have CONFIDENCE TRICK no control over. Perhaps even worse, they can revert to their The Charlatan is ever the opportunist, exploiting the naiveté selfish tendencies and leave their companions in the lurch if of the foolish and stroking the vanity of the witless for their the opportunity for such best presents itself. Their only allies own benefit. soon just become another worthless trinket to them, a means to an end and a tool to best be used and disposed of. Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Guile Tests. When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. GREASE THE WHEELS Furthermore, you always Influence a number of people with A Cheapjack knows all the right notes to hit when buying the Guile Skill equal to x3 your Fellowship Bonus (FB) - this and selling goods. You also know people in the criminal includes use of Dirty Tricks during combat. world, and can fence goods fast and cheap.

Effect: Whenever you fail a Bargain or Counterfeit Test, you CHARLATAN ADVANCES may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the BONUS SKILL RANKS outcome. Counterfeit ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Disguise ADVANCES Fellowship +1 CHEAPJACK ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Bargain ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble Perception +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Counterfeit ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Perception +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Drive ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Folklore ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Gamble ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Doppelganger SKILL RANKS Guile ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS TALENTS BONUS Scrutinize Forked Tongue SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Holdout SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Forked Tongue SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Larceny Incredible CHEAPJACK SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Numeration Travelling the muddy roads between towns with little more than a cart full of shoddy goods, the Cheapjack is a travelling salesmen of the disreputable sort. Cheapjacks are hucksters COACHMASTER and hustlers who sell their low quality wares at festivals and markets across the land. From rusted swords to fool’s gold, Travel across the lands used to be long and arduous, as well they’ll try to gain as much profit as possible through their as full of danger and foul weather. While the Coachmaster deceptions. Not all Cheapjacks are vile, though; some are doesn’t exactly remedy that, they stave off all the worst as- roped in by organized crime or victims of a less-than-fair pects of it. Coachmasters drive stagecoaches - the vehicle justice system they must tithe to. Regardless, those in the of choice for the wealthy and elite - and they are good at know tend to stay away from these peddlers. There are di- their jobs. Not only does this give them basic survival and amonds in the rough amongst their goods, as a Cheapjack mechanical skills, but it also lends to them gaining a large may accidentally pick up a priceless ancient doubloon while amount of trust with animals. Coachmasters also are not sorting through a pile of wooden shillings - it is these small beholden as only taxi drivers; they can haul food, livestock, 86 mail, travelling shows and more across the muddy roads of COURTIER the modern era. They know all the trails and shortcuts, mak- ing deadlines and delivering packages through rain, sleet or Ensconced within trusted circles of petty barons, powerful bandit raids. When those events do happen, a blunderbus is dukes and kings, Courtiers are driven by intense political not too far from their coach seats. ambition. Masters of intrigue, their uncanny ability to bend the ear of powerful men fuels their desire for total political Obviously this drudgery gets tiring, leading some Coach- domination in the shadows. They haunt the administrative masters to trade in the reins for weapons. Their wilderness halls of towns, cities and castles, plotting and scheming their skills prove useful to any adventurer, and they are experts in way into their lord’s favor. Having spent most of their lives navigation. The problem arises in the wilderness; outside of rubbing elbows with blue-blooded royalty, ambassadors, bar- established roads and cities, the Coachmaster is as lost as any risters and clergymen, they’ve learned all the proper forms. other. The night is dark and full of terrors, and the elegant Although they may not necessarily be born of noble stock, lamplights of the coach can’t illuminate all shadows. When they have learned to mimic them. Nothing infuriates the no- the pressure is on, some will fold and flee back to the civiliza- bility more though than seeing a commoner manage to make tion and powdered wigs they know and love, rather than face their way into their manors and halls, influencing their poli- the legions of hungry beasts, greedy brigands and Abyssal cy with their simple farm ways where matters of state are at terrors. It’s not to say that Coachmasters are cowards per se, hand. But judging by all the courtly games and distractions, but simply naked as any other would-be adventurer when you would think ruling is the last thing on their minds. confronted with the great unknown. Their strength relies in their insight and ability to adapt. FOUR-IN-HAND Pretty words, flattery and platitudes are their hallmark. The Coachmasters establish a trusted bond with animals and pen is mightier than the sword, and the Courtier lives by beasts, pressing them onwards when the time is needed. For this code. But do not dismiss them as defenseless, for when all they know, you may very well have been a champion cart intrigue fails they will employ the most heinous of methods racer in the past, exhibiting tight skills when in the driver’s to see their machinations come to fruition. Make no mistake; seat. every Courtier worth his salt carries the “gentleman’s dagger” (otherwise known as a stiletto) and they’re completely will- Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Drive Tests. ing to use it should words fail. Like any politician, Courtiers When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. can fall into corruption: bribes, extortion and decadence will Additionally, when using the Movement Subtype of Drive eat away at the soul, and it is hard to resist the lure of power and Ride, you do not have to add the additional 1 Action once held within its grasp. Point cost. MACHIAVELLIAN INTRIGUE COACHMASTER ADVANCES Political jockeying and subtle manipulation within the high- er social circles come second nature to the Courtier. They’re BONUS AD- SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 VANCES also notorious for their short attention spans and haughty BONUS AD- demeanor, trafficking little with the lower classes. SKILL RANKS Drive Brawn +1 VANCES BONUS AD- Effect: Whenever you fail an Eavesdrop or Scrutinize Test, SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 VANCES you may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept Handle BONUS AD- the outcome. SKILL RANKS Combat +1 Animal VANCES Martial BONUS AD- SKILL RANKS Fellowship +1 COURTIER ADVANCES Ranged VANCES BONUS AD- BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Charm Agility +1 VANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS AD- SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Ride Perception +1 ADVANCES VANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Azimuth ADVANCES BONUS Mounted SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS ADVANCES Defense BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Saddle-born ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile ADVANCES Perception +1

87 BONUS Effect: You are solely a practitioner of Divine Magick. As SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 ADVANCES a part of this, you may never adopt a Profession which has SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Forked Tongue Arcane Magick as a Special Trait. Additionally, you gain a prayer book and immediately learn three Generalist Petty SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Holdout Magick spells whenever you enter this Profession. If this is SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Silver Tongue your second or third Profession where you’ve gained Divine Magick, you do not gain another prayer book but automati- cally learn one additional Generalist Petty Magick spell in- CULTIST stead. Even in this grim and perilous world, learned socialites seek DRAWBACK: CRUEL TUTELAGE to find the truth and pierce the veil of knowledge in less than As Cultists are wholly self-taught in the ways of Magick, the traditional ways. They might begin by going through the exactitude of their spells are messy, chaotic and unpracticed. family library or listening to the folklore of old. Ever-search- Fortunate for Abyssal Princes sensitive to this errant way of ing for esoteric knowledge from the beyond, Cultists read thinking, Cultists and their ilk make easy prey, leading them through musty old tomes crawling closer and closer to the down a path towards the blackest and most soul-corrupting ultimate truth - one that will help them to make the dark- of Magick. ness kneel before them. Drawing others into their circles, they practice rites of an age past, using sex Magick, strange Effect: Whenever you generate a face “6” or “1” with Chaos sacrifices and other less than acceptable practices to appease Dice, you invoke a Chaos Manifestation. See Chapter 10: the Abyssal Princes. And over time, they can learn to com- Grimoire. mand a sliver of the same divine “grace” as other worshipers of state-sanctioned religions, commanding the darkest of CULTIST ADVANCES Magicks for their own benefit. BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Fellowship +1 Every Cultist knows they run the risk of losing their very soul ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS in exchange for power; a risk they see worth taking. Such a Education ADVANCES Intelligence +1 yearning is never an easy one, particularly for the Cultist. It BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 must be practiced in secret, lest they risk persecution. It is not ADVANCES BONUS unprecedented for Cultists to band together in secret clubs to SKILL RANKS Guile Perception +1 practice their faith together. Those of impressionable minds ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS may feel their sanity decaying away and become raving luna- Incantation ADVANCES Perception +1 tics locked away in distant sanitariums as they “speak with the BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Willpower +1 Abyss’s voice”. Or, they might discover something not meant ADVANCES BONUS to be known; lore so dark and forbidden that it will turn them SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 from the light and send them down the path of utter chaos. SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Blood Magick CULT OF PERSONALITY SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Forked Tongue The Cultist can harness the ever-changing Aethereal winds as the wellspring of their Magick. They exhibit mastery over SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Secret Signs the smallest of spells, but ignorance towards others beyond their understanding.

Effect: Whenever casting Generalist Petty Magick - at your DIABOLIST option - you may automatically succeed the Incantation Test Although the world is permeated with Magick, those who can but must lower your Peril Condition Track by one step nega- actively wield it are few and far between. Erudite and arcane, tively. Additionally, you must always add 1 additional Chaos the apprentice Diabolist stands at the periphery of mankind to Die whenever you elect to Channel Power. Finally, you auto- understand how to use it effectively. These autodidacts guard matically understand how to use the Ritual of Blessed Sacra- their studies well, for superstition runs rampant in a grim & ment. perilous world. Most see wielders of Magick as dangerous and evil, regarded as heretics who must be taken down. But SPECIAL TRAIT: DIVINE MAGICK this doesn’t stop Diabolists from practicing Magick in secret. You are a proxy to a distant god, calling down Magickal mir- As they open conduits between the Material Realm and the acles with utterance of sacred prayers. Aether, they attempt to reshape the raw stuff of chaos into or- 88 derly, mathematical conclusions. Whether it be by transmut- ing lead into gold, summoning bolts of lightning from the sky DIABOLIST ADVANCES BONUS or by conjuring forth grand illusions, the Diabolist’s charge SKILL RANKS Alchemy Agility +1 is to understand, classify and practice the art of Magick. Al- ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS though seen as loners, it is not uncommon for Diabolists to Bargain ADVANCES Fellowship +1 band together in “colleges” over time; schools of Magick where BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Intelligence +1 this grand tradition is shared with other arcanists. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 However, as Diabolists draw forth from the Aether, there are ADVANCES BONUS opportunities for catastrophe. Simply speaking the wrong SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Perception +1 consonant or reading aloud the order of words incorrectly BONUS SKILL RANKS (such as in the case with the famous invocation of “klaatu Incantation ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS barada nikto”), can cause the Aether to seep forth into the SKILL RANKS Intimidate Willpower +1 Material Realm, corrupting the Diabolist first and spread- ADVANCES Aethereal ing corruption to the world around it. This raw chaos can SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS Alignment corrupt even the most steely-minded arcanist, drawing them Menacing SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS towards madness and mutation. However, witnessing these Demeanor moments - while terrifying - ultimately draws would-be ar- SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Secret Signs canists towards understanding how to use this greater power. Unfortunate for them, it comes at the cost of their very soul. WINDS OF CHANGE DOOMSAYER The Aether is a powerful but fickle force. It exists closer in Doomsayers are religious devotees, but they are not simple relation to the powers of corruption than most would care to fair-weather faithful. Their devotion borders on fanatical, even admit. However, as a Diabolist, you have learned to control cultish. Doomsayers believe that they were born into sin and the emergent chaos, reshaping it into a controlled, orderly the only way to absolve themselves of it is “physical purifi- force of power. cation”, otherwise known as flagellation. The most common form of this is ritual flogging, often with a cat-o-nine-tails, but Effect: Whenever you would potentially invoke a Chaos other punishments involve starvation, ritual burning, marking Manifestation, you must have two or more face “6s” on Cha- of the flesh and even mutilations. Doomsayers are proud of os Dice to invoke it. Otherwise, ignore the results. Final- their scars and pain, saying they are physical proof of devo- ly, you automatically understand how to use the Ritual of tion and love for their god. They treat their bodies as temples, Magick Circle. solemn places of suffering and fear that do not deserve their SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANE MAGICK Lord’s grace. While this may seem grim, they find nothing better than devoting themselves body and soul to the holy Combing the Aether into energies through sheer force of spirits. will and formula, you can harness Magick with but utterance of a few words. Doomsayers often go adventuring to spread the word of their faith and show how to cleanse with pain. Luckily this Effect: You are solely a practitioner of Arcane Magick. As a not only makes them resistant to hardship, but they often do part of this, you may never adopt a Profession which has Di- not mind inflicting pain on others. Their devotion can quick- vine Magick as a Special Trait. Additionally, you gain an arcane ly turn into sadism given the right stressors. More than one tome and immediately learn three Generalist Petty Magick Doomsayer has gone into a frenzy after seeing something spells whenever you enter this Profession. If this is your second man was not meant to see, stripping their back to the bone or or third Profession where you’ve gained Arcane Magick, you scorching their hands black, full of agony. In the face of this, do not gain another arcane tome but automatically learn one they try to repent for what they have seen, but only slowly additional Generalist Petty Magick spell instead. die in blinding pain instead. Wary to others that get in the DRAWBACK: LURE OF POWER way of a maddened Doomsayer, for they are surely filled with righteous wrath, readily inflicting punishment that their god The lust for Magickal power corrupts all, indistinct of its has demanded to be meted upon sinners! most brazen or conservative practitioners. HOLY ROLLER Effect: Whenever you generate a face “6” with Chaos Dice, Doomsayers ritually flog themselves, forging their faith in you invoke a Chaos Manifestation. See Chapter 10: Gri- the crucible of suffering and hardship. Their back may bear moire. 89 many scars, but a Doomsayer rests assured that the pain ingly trained horsemen who have never fought on the battle- they’ve endured guarantees them a place in the afterlife at field. Their familiarity with animals doesn’t end with horses; in their god’s side. addition to combat prowess, Dragoons have learned to train and tame all manners of creatures, from dogs to camels and Effect: Adjust your Damage Threshold by +3, but only when even more exotic fare. A sad commonality amongst adventur- you aren’t wearing armor. ing Dragoons is the potential loss of their animal companion. DRAWBACK: THE END IS NIGH Few see beasts of burden as little more than food, and chaos infiltrates and corrupts creatures far more quickly than it does Unfortunately, the process of ritual scarification has led its the noble races. A trusted stallion could potentially become votaries toward the brink of madness. not only hostile, but turn into a violent man-eater. It is a sad Effect: You can never be restored to Unharmed on your Dam- day when a Dragoon must butcher his only true companion, age Condition Track, instead restored to Lightly Wounded. one that few can recover from. Additionally, you can never be restored to Unhindered on HERE COMES THE CAVALRY the Peril Condition Track, instead restored to Imperiled. Whether on parade, participating in competitive sports or during times of war, you have mastered the art of equestri- DOOMSAYER ADVANCES anism. This mastery is unparalleled by many, dwarfed only by BONUS SKILL RANKS your contemporaries whom taught you to ride. Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Effect: Whenever you attempt to ride creatures which are Heal ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS Animals and can be saddled, you do not need to roll Percen- SKILL RANKS Interrogation ADVANCES Intelligence +1 tile Dice to make a Skill Test. Instead, you Critically Succeed BONUS SKILL RANKS the Ride Test you intended to make. Leadership ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation ADVANCES Perception +1 DRAGOON ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Coordination ADVANCES Agility +1 SKILL RANKS TALENTS Handle BONUS Simple Ranged Hard to Kill SKILL RANKS Brawn +1 Animal ADVANCES Impervious SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS BONUS SKILL RANKS Mind Marital Melee ADVANCES Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Run Amok Martial BONUS SKILL RANKS Combat +1 Ranged ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Fellowship +1 DRAGOON BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Intelligence +1 Despite the technological advances of the last century, from ad- ADVANCES Mounted vanced ocean-going ships to self-propelled “boneshakers”, the SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Defense majestic horse has remained the most reliable source of trans- port around. Mounted units such as the Dragoon have made SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Saddle-born Spirited or broken numerous armies. The Dragoon is a classic example SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS of cavalry, often highly trained and dedicated warriors who Charge maneuver their mounts like an extension of their own bodies. Armed with pikes, spears and bows, Dragoons can cut through footmen ranks like cheesecloth. While expensive to train and ENGINEER manage, a Dragoon unit can single-handedly turn the tide of a Soaring towers, flying buttresses, quaint storefronts and deep battle with little effort. The personality of a Dragoon varies, but mines; all of them had to be built and the Engineer has a they all share an almost supernatural bond with their mount. hand in them all. Engineers are the always-needed builders They eat, train and fight together, placing total trust in one an- of the modern age, experienced in all types of construction other that the Dragoon rarely puts in other folk. and materials. While some stick to the classic materials of Dragoons rarely take up the questing life, as their skillset pro- stone and wood, other engineers push the boundaries with vides them more than enough comforts. Those that do venture use of steel and even strange steam-run machines. In addi- out are often exiles from an army, or possibly underwhelm- tion to building structures, Engineers are present in almost all 90 standing armies. Whether constructing siege towers, repair- ENTERTAINER ing cannons, or placing gunpowder bombs at weak points, Engineers are terrors on the modern battlefield. Engineers Sometimes even the darkest nights have a candle sputtering are devoted and highly intelligent, able to calculate trajec- in a window, and from the dark shadows currently covering tories and angles with a mere glance. They are also high- the world, the Entertainer is that beacon. The Entertainer ly clandestine and secretive; not only do they know all the does what is printed on the barrel; they entertain. Whether strengths of their structures and inventions, they also know they be poets, playwrights, bards, painters, puppet showmen all the weaknesses which would be catastrophic if revealed. or any other bard of endless variety, they live to create and entertain the masses. The separate races even hold their own Engineers are not always building, and they often don’t mind specialized entertainers, such as elves who make performanc- taking on consulting jobs for a group of adventurers. En- es out of bending trees with Magick or the Halfling’s rather gineers love the challenge of finding the keystones of old unappetizing feats of “meat juggling”. Entertainers furnish a temples, or figuring out the perfect path to tunnel under the large amount of skills, but almost all of them are charismatic, fodderling king’s lair. Some Engineers are even freelancers, intelligent, and more than a little underhanded. Depending hopping between mines to find the best mother lodes or sell- on their talent and medium, Entertainers can range from ing their services to the highest bidder. However, if ever con- hated to adored, but very few make it into the halls of fame. fronted by the outer darkness of the Abyss, Engineers fold in quite peculiar ways. Their constructions no longer make Unless you are a court bard for a wealthy aristocrat, being sense as they construct angles that shouldn’t exist or passage- an Entertainer rarely pays the bills or puts food on the table. ways that seem to go nowhere. An infamous example is the Some Entertainers thus choose to sharpen their quills into Coppertooth Vault; a Dwarven stronghold, built by the in- swords, so to speak, and take up a life of crypt-delving and sane Frederick Coppertooth, that contains numerous empty bloodshed. Though many are not afraid to rake steel across rooms, doors that lead into walls of rock, and floors that you flesh, Entertainers have a much easier time navigating their have to crawl through to navigate. This is the madness of native environments of public houses, courts, masquerades genius made true to life. and street corners. A clever joke, a bawdy ballad or a seduc- tive dance can easily sway people more than a threat of vi- PROSPECTOR GADGET olence, and it’s there an Entertainer shines. Sadly, creativity Whether a crude affair or an extraordinarily complex appa- and madness are only a thin line apart, and too many run-ins ratus, your contrivances are notoriously reliable. As a part of with flesh-eating creatures, servants of the Abyss and hell- this, you possess an eye to find the right materials for the job. ish Magick can throw an Entertainer over that line. It may start innocently with lyrics or pictures of darker matters, but Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Tradecraft Tests. before you realize it, the mediums have turned from paint to When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. blood, and their worst critic becomes the new mouth grow- Additionally, you always succeed Skill Tests to locate pre- ing in the palm of their hand. cious resources below ground. THE SHOW MUST GO ON ENGINEER ADVANCES An Entertainer may be a poet, a comedian, a playwright, a BONUS bunko artist or even a burlesque dancer. They are vaudevillian SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 at heart, praised and paid for their performances. Whether BONUS lifting spirits through their words or song, the Entertainer’s SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 ADVANCES positive demeanor is infectious, setting the right mood for BONUS SKILL RANKS others. Drive ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Education ADVANCES Intelligence +1 Effect: You may attempt a Skill Test, related to your Focus BONUS in the arts, to perform for others. If successful, a number of SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 ADVANCES allies equal to your Fellowship Bonus (FB) gain the benefits BONUS SKILL RANKS Scrutinize Perception +1 of Inspiring Words for 24 hours. If you Critically Succeed, ADVANCES you influence a number of allies equal to three times your BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged ADVANCES Willpower +1 Fellowship Bonus (FB) instead. A Character may only gain Incredible benefit of this performance once per day, which takes an SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Numeration hour of time to perform. SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Mine Craft SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Siegecraft

91 with gravitas and dignity. ENTERTAINER ADVANCES BONUS Effect: Whenever using Fellowship-based Skill Tests with SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 ADVANCES non-player Characters, you do not suffer any additional pen- BONUS SKILL RANKS alties due to differences in Social Class. Charm ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Fellowship +1 ADVANCES ENVOY ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Disguise ADVANCES Fellowship +1 1p8 Bargain ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Gamble ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Education ADVANCES Intelligence +1 Rumor BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS (Fellowship ADVANCES Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Ambidexterity SKILL RANKS Interrogation ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Doppelganger BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Silver Tongue BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Long-winded ENVOY Meeting of the SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS The Envoy likes to think of itself as a special breed, the peo- Minds ple who hold the struggling empires and countries of our SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Multilingual lands from crumbling apart. Envoys are dignitaries and dip- lomats, often working for tradesmen guilds but sometimes used by rulers. They are efficient, objective and no-nonsense, finding very little use for any kind of charm. They are, how- FOOTPAD ever, master deal brokers and middlemen, able to turn heated Some disputes can’t be solved with words. Sometimes, an rivalries into the friendliest cooperatives. They care not for example needs to be made. And if actions speak louder bitter hatred, but strive to find a deal where everyone will than words, then when a Footpad shatters teeth and breaks favor equitably. Sometimes that may require placing pressure legs everybody gets the message loud and clear. These street where needed - either literally or figuratively - but an Envoy toughs stalk the alleys of their cities on behalf of their em- almost always walks away with a freshly-signed treaty and a ployers, while others are outlaws in the wilds knocking over wry smirk on their face. caravans. From making collections to enforcing territory, they invoke fear and use brutality to keep others in line. For Not every deal can gain purchase, and when lives or money is them, violence is practically an art form. Anyone can put the on the line, an Envoy’s simple failure can lead them towards pointy end of a blade into someone, but bricks and broken exile. While the Envoy has little way in self-defense, these bottles leave people talking. Though many Footpads use master manipulators can spin gold out of iron with their inherent violence to enforce the will of their bosses, some sharp tongues, steely gazes and stalwart attitudes. Wheth- instead use the gift of words; spinning threats and making er brokering for increased payment for a rescue mission, or implications that leave many fearful for their life without the forging a peace treaty between warring bands of Aztlan, the Footpad having to even lift a finger. Envoy finds a myriad of uses in an average party. Unfortu- nately, like many others, the Envoy can fall to the madness It’s a dog-eat-dog organization in the world of crime. To that seems to follow heroes wherever they journey. An En- stay on top, the Footpad will find themselves fighting tooth voy’s once fair deals become almost Faustian bargains, with and nail to be the top dog. Anything less will lose them re- money being changed with blood or slaves. These dark dip- spect; for those in the shadows, it is often the only armor lomats may still propagate trade and alliances, but they unite they can hope for. Friendships dissolve at a moment’s notice allies that only wish to watch the world burn. when enough money is on the line. Some Footpads will end up running for their lives, rubbing someone out that they DON’T KILL THE MESSENGER should not have touched. They’ll take to wandering as a lon- The timbre in your voice brings a certain comfort during er, picking up a job or two breaking legs to keep food in their exchanges, turning tense exchanges into mutually beneficial mouth. It’s hard scrabble, and some Footpads have rolled ones. Your words are even-handed, appealing to all parties with the wrong employers once they get desperate enough. 92 SNEAK ATTACK er Fops) as a “fashion forward” choice. For when you wipe Canny, smart and devious, the Footpad can catch their vic- away the makeup they wear to cover acne scars, strip them tim off guard with a precision strike. out of their corsets to let their bellies relax and remove the fake eyelashes and mustachios, they are as normal as you or Effect: Whenever you Take Aim with any Simple Melee I. Beneath the lipstick and rouge reveals another regular joe, weapon, your intended foe is left Defenseless, unable to simply trying to get by in this world. Unfortunately, it’s upon Dodge, Parry or Resist your next Attack Action made with the coattails of others… and maybe yours. that same weapon. FAME AND FORTUNE FOOTPAD ADVANCES Even when the chips are down, a Fop always seems to come BONUS out on top. Unlike others, they make their own luck. SKILL RANKS Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS Effect: You never suffer the ill-effects of Critical Failures SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop ADVANCES Brawn +1 whatsoever, instead treating it as failed Skill Tests. BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 FOP ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile ADVANCES Combat +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Charm Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Intimidate ADVANCES Combat +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Intelligence +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Beatdown BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Cheap Shot ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Kidney Shot ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 FOP SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Carousing Some people have an, oh, I don’t know... a certain je ne sais SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Silver Tongue quoi about them. They posses a particular charm and affecta- SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Worldly tion for magnificence. Clever of wit, sharply-dressed and larg- er than life, Fops are a welcome addition to any social circle. They are a little bit dangerous (which can be a huge turn-on GAMBLER for those who find them attractive), prattle about their exciting lives they have (or pretend to have) and prefer the company of What compels a person with the need to win? Is it arro- those who’d stand in adoration of their adventurous stories. gance? Ego? The desperate need to be respected or feared? Living a debonair lifestyle can be expensive, as their adven- The Gambler feels that pressing need and hence refuses tures oftentimes are sponsored by the rich. They’ll regularly to play a game in which the odds are not stacked in their carry on affairs with widows, act as paramours to trust fund favor, nor one without stake. They are regarded as dashing debutantes or willingly become concubines to nobles. Their and carefree, made handsome by the life of leisure afford- patrons, whether male and female, furnish the Fop’s “hipster” ed themselves through the abdication of responsibility. They lifestyle with the lucre they cannot singularly afford alone. blow through town like a brisk wind and then are simply Fops - no matter the sex - prefer strong liquor, fast horses, gone, ready to filch more strangers for their next fortune. lively songs and riotous lifestyles. Their games vary: knucklebones to darts, chess to five card draw, yet they always win - or lose - big on whatever they do. Despite their jaunty appearance and devil-may-care attitude, A good Gambler will have been thrown out of multiple tav- the Fop is devoid of any strong relationships. When the par- erns for fleecing every customer, while a bad one will often ty dies down and the lights go out, they retreat back to their spend their nights in the alley with no money and no food. homes where they live in isolation. Unable to establish any firm or real connections with people, they’re given to bouts of Gamblers play fast and loose in all things, seeing even wan- depression. They regularly treat this gloominess with home- dering as the ultimate gamble - a lifetime of riches and made wines, watered down (but well-accepted amongst oth- fortune bet against a violent death. They throw fate to the 93 wheel of chance more often than not, going where life takes mits and loners, but they are in tune with the natural world them and leaving anyone else of importance lost in the lurch. like no other. Often living by themselves in a run-down shack, But underneath this carefree veneer lies a sinister secret. The a Gamekeeper spends their days tending to animals, both Gambler’s choice to live firmly in the now has caused many large and small. Though they are often people who just feel in to ante up the ultimate wager: the fate of their immortal soul. sync with nature, some Gamekeepers are employed to protect And whatever Abyssal Prince helps Gamblers cheat at life royal woods and maintain the sanctity of holy mountains. awaits gleefully to escort them into death. Loners they may be, Gamekeepers will turn their bows upon LUCK OF THE DRAW those that not only threaten their own woodlands, but the The Gambler feels the ticking of the clock. Being friends wilderness and the world in general. They may have no taste with those in the underworld - of many different stripes - for civilization, but even they admit that demi-humanity is does have its benefits. The cards tend to come up aces when part of nature. Though the Gamekeeper treats their animals needed most. like family, it should still be stressed that the animals are still wild. Animals seem to be more easily swayed by the Abyss, Effect: Whenever you use Fortune Points, you do not need to perhaps because of their low-intellect, and there is no darker roll Percentile Dice to make a Skill Test. Instead, you automat- day for a Gamekeeper when a trusted wolf or a favored bear ically Critically Succeed the Skill Test you intended to make. turns on its master. DRAWBACK: WHEN THE DEALIN’S DONE WARDEN OF THE WILD Living forever is boring and the Gambler will burn out be- You vastly prefer the solitude of nature and creatures of the wilds fore they fade away. And when you play the devil’s game, you than the cries and clamor of the big city. In that, you’ve devel- eventually get the devil’s reward. oped an aptitude to not only spot wild animals on the loose, but also to calm angry beasts whenever they act out of sorts. Effect: Whenever you use a Fortune Point for Luck of the Draw, lower your Peril Condition Track by one step negatively. Effect: Whenever you fail an Awareness or Handle An- imal Test, you may re-roll to generate a better result but GAMBLER ADVANCES must accept the outcome. BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 ADVANCES GAMEKEEPER ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble Intelligence +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Intelligence +1 Handle BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Brawn +1 BONUS Animal ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Resolve Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Navigation Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Holdout BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Perception +1 Incredible ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Numeration SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Azimuth Meeting of the SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Minds SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Instincts Rural SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Sensibility GAMEKEEPER Children’s bedtime stories always abound with the mysterious folk of the wild, a person who has given up their life in civili- GRAVEROBBER zation to dwell amongst animals in nature. Not merely mis- Everyone dies someday, and with the current plague of cha- interpretations of Elves, these wilderness survivals are almost os, disease and warfare, those days seem closer and closer to- bestial women and men who eat, sleep and bath with animals, gether. Luckily for the Graverobber, that means business is and rumor has it, even mate. Mostly all of these rumors are booming. They sneak out under cover of darkness to exhume false, but the wild exists within the Gamekeeper. They are her- the recently deceased for a variety of customers. Often, they 94 peddle to academics or sorcerers who wish to further study GUTTERSNIPE the dead without risking public taboo. They also sometimes sell to less savory sorts; to the depraved and the perverted - it Guttersnipes are actually some of the cleverest thieves you will is an awkward sight when a Graverobber encounters a su- find throughout the land. Many guttersnipes are orphans, usu- pernatural creature they exhumed just the other evening. The ally from broken homes or having lost their families through life of a Graverobber is demanding and many have learned to war and disease. They either made their way in-and-out of dis- keep an ear to the ground both for rumors of the town watch gusting and cruel orphanages, or took instantly to a life on the and the stirrings of the undead. street. But either way they stalk not in the alleys, but in the broad daylight. They may take on a disguise of a petty laborer, That last part is what sends shivers up many Graverobber’s such as a chimneysweep, coal delivery boy or parcel runner, in spines. Though Graverobbers are prepared for many even- order to case their next mark. With such easy trusting access tualities, such as evading authorities or even roughing up to people’s homes and wallets, it’s hard not to pick up a few competitors; they are never prepared for the supernatural to coins, jewels or delicacies. Leaving cupboards and cabinets strike, no matter how many phials of holy water they carry. bare while the residents are out, oblivious to the messenger The living dead are savage, terrifying and nigh unstoppa- boy’s true intentions, are trademarks of the Guttersnipe. ble, servants of hidden sorcerers made flesh (albeit rotting). Many have been dragged right into the tombs they were pil- Guttersnipes are often young, so they tend to get bored and laging, never to be seen again. Those who are lucky to have take up adventuring as just something to do. Their experi- survived may lead them towards the adventuring life. Their ence in ducking through alleyways, crawling up chimneys and experience with the dead and the supernatural makes them swimming through sewers have given them many useful skills, an asset on many explorations. savory or otherwise. But it is also the young who are the most tragic; Corruption loves to manipulate young minds, plant- I SELL THE DEAD ing the seeds of destruction early to germinate into a terrible A Graverobber has heard and seen their share of strange fruit-bearing tree. Rapscallion innocence is soon replaced by things over the years; the dead rattling in their coffins, corps- vacant stares, shaky hands and paralyzing nightmares. es reanimating upon their own accord, the wailing of ban- ARTFUL DODGER shees from crypts and the clanking of a revenant’s chains deep below the earth. Guttersnipes were orphaned on the streets, thieving to eat and survive. Some even took up “trades” - such as a chimney- Effect: When facing Supernatural creatures, you always suc- sweep or gutter rat - casing joints underneath the guise of an ceed Resolve Tests to save yourself from Stress, Fear and Ter- honest-working citizen. ror. Additionally, you are immune to specific Diseases such as Red Death and Tomb Rot. Effect: You automatically gain every Focus in the Stealth Skill whenever you adopt this Profession. This means you may exceed the normal limits for Focuses limited by your GRAVEROBBER ADVANCES Intelligence Primary Attribute in Stealth. BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS GUTTERSNIPE ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Bargain Brawn +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Guile Fellowship +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS Resolve Perception +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS Gallows SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS ADVANCES Humor BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Larceny ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Handspring SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Long-winded SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Sprint SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Streetwise 95 HEDGE KNIGHT HEDGE KNIGHT ADVANCES Arm-strong, but penny-poor, the Hedge Knight has little to BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 their name save their martial prowess and a pair of well-worn ADVANCES BONUS spurs. Most Hedge Knights are little more than upjumped SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 ADVANCES mercenaries, constantly on the move in search of a new pa- BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Brawn +1 tron. With no lands or lord to serve, they lay their heads down ADVANCES at night “beneath the hedge”, sleeping beneath the stars. One BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 thing is consistent; these freelancers oftentimes crop up in ADVANCES BONUS tournaments as a black knight, using the air of mystery to SKILL RANKS Navigation Combat +1 ADVANCES dominate the field while currying favor with local lords. Other BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Intelligence +1 Hedge Knights are disgraced Grail Knights, or Squires who ADVANCES BONUS never improved past their training - all they know is fight- SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 ing and chivalry, yet they are not qualified to actually join a ADVANCES knightly order. It is a constant irony that hangs over them, for- SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Gatecrasher ever cursed by their skills and mocked for their incompetence. Impenetrable SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Wall Mounted Those of unguided power often find themselves in the ex- SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS tremes of a grim & perilous world. Smallfolk may beg these Defense knight-errants for the protection of their village, or rally to- gether against the Hedge Knight assuming them to be yet another marauder. Absent the politics of a formal order, some HEDGEWISE see themselves as the true embodiment of the knightly code. Talented in ways that others are not, Hedgewise are practi- Others will grow to scoff at useless titles and ideals, and won- tioners of the ancient, Themelic arts. Drawing their power der why they must wait to be granted by others for what they from talismans, old rituals, inner will and a bit of luck, they could take by force. Banditry is not an uncommon “virtue” of are able to exhibit an uncanny mastery over the smallest of the Hedge Knight, robbing and stealing as they see fit. spells. They dally with danger as they work with Magick, lacking the formal training their betters may have had. Most ISSUE CHALLENGE Hedgewise discover their power at a very young age, using Confronting a Hedge Knight is a dangerous prospect, and these “parlour tricks” to impress others. But as they mature many foes quickly find themselves pinned down by their val- in age, so do their powers. Thus, does the allure of greater orous onslaught. mastery over their strange abilities begin to percolate within. Hedgewise are outlawed in some parts of the world unless Effect: Select one foe in combat. That foe is left Defense- they become officially sanctioned as a Magick practitioner. less to all Melee Attacks and Called Shots made with melee Thus, most Hedgewise operate in secret, eternally fearful of weapons you make until they are defeated. You may select investigation by Inquisitors. another foe afterwards. By the time a Hedgewise has become full practitioners, DRAWBACK: CODE OF HONOR their powers have grown to such proportions that it begins Hedge Knights are restricted by a set of principles and guide- to attract clergy Inquisitors. Regarded as apostates by stu- lines they adhere to. Whenever they bend or even break them, dents of the arcane and treated as witches by worshippers they make themselves weaker to the influence of chaos. of the divine, Hedgewise usually live their lives in isolation or upon the road. No matter how careful they are, invari- Effect: Whenever you suffer Corruption, increase the num- ably a display of their Magick invites the wanton attention ber you gain by one. This means that if you suffer 3 Corrup- of Abyssal demons. Constantly whispering to them, they tion, you gain 4 instead. bring the promise of unmitigated power to the Hedgewise in exchange for small “sacrifices” of their own soul, calling for them to bring others at their heel. Thus, the lust for power begins, and the path towards the Warlock and Black Magister beckons... HEDGEWIZARDRY The Hedgewise can harness the basic, ever-changing winds of Magick as the wellspring of their Magick as their wizardly 96 counterparts. They exhibit mastery over the smallest of spells, HIGHWAYMAN but ignorance towards others beyond their understanding. Highwaymen are folk heroes, champions of the downtrodden Effect: Whenever casting Generalist Petty Magick - at your in dark times. Dwelling on roadsides and forest passes, they option - you may automatically succeed the Incantation Test ambush the wealthy and well-to-do and steal their wealth but must lower your Peril Condition Track by one step neg- and goods, until they distribute it to the small folk. Brash, atively. Additionally, you must always add 1 additional Cha- boisterous, yet extremely charismatic, they very rarely harm os Die whenever you elect to Channel Power. Finally, you their victims except for rustling bodices or causing monocles automatically understand how to use the Ritual of Magick to pop out from the robbed. Regardless, the aristocracy de- Circle. spises the noble Highwayman despite the commoner’s love of them. Furious reeves and incompetent counts will hunt SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANE MAGICK them to no avail, often making fools of themselves and only Combing the Aether into energies through sheer force of bolstering the Highwayman’s reputation and charm. will and formula, you can harness Magick with but utterance of a few words. Should their small folk be threatened, their friends captured, or their homes run out, Highwaymen will sometimes take Effect: You are solely a practitioner of Arcane Magick. As a their bows on the road. Their combat abilities, wit and rakish part of this, you may never adopt a Profession which has Di- charm are a boon to any party, although their notorious rep- vine Magick as a Special Trait. Additionally, you gain an arcane utations don’t always put them in good light with the ruling tome and immediately learn three Generalist Petty Magick class. Chaos loves a rebel, and if a Highwayman finds their spells whenever you enter this Profession. If this is your second way into the sweet stink of corruption, they will often feel or third Profession where you’ve gained Arcane Magick, you compelled not to only steal from the rich, but to kill and do not gain another arcane tome but automatically learn one usurp them. Sometimes they just start stealing from every- additional Generalist Petty Magick spell instead. one, only to be pursued by mobs of peasants, who used to sing their praises, demanding recompense. DRAWBACK: CRUEL TUTELAGE As Hedgewise are wholly self-taught in the ways of Magick, STAND AND DELIVER! the exactitude of their spells are messy, chaotic and unprac- Whether robbing from the rich to exact for the poor, or sim- ticed. Hedgewise and their ilk make easy prey, leading them ply robbing for their own gain, Highwaymen always pro- down a path towards the blackest and most soul-corrupting mote a compelling argument for victims to turn out their of Magick. pockets and hand over their purses.

Effect: Whenever you generate a face “6” or “1” with Chaos Effect: Select one foe in combat. That foe is left Defenseless Dice, you invoke a Chaos Manifestation. See Chapter 10: to all Ranged Attacks and Called Shots made with ranged Grimoire. weapons you make until they are defeated. You may select another foe afterwards. HEDGEWISE ADVANCES BONUS HIGHWAYMAN ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Alchemy Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Bargain Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Charm Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Disguise Fellowship +1 Handle BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Intelligence +1 BONUS Animal ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Intelligence +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Navigation Willpower +1 Martial BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Perception +1 BONUS Ranged ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Azimuth SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Saddle-born SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Blood Magick SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Silver Tongue Supernatural SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Take ‘em Paranoia SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Down 97 INFORMER INFORMER ADVANCES Information is very hard to obtain nowadays. Sizable librar- BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 ies are scarce, the maneuvers of court are obfuscated from the ADVANCES BONUS common people, and even basic education or the status of a SKILL RANKS Counterfeit ADVANCES Fellowship +1 war is nearly impossible to obtain. That’s where the Inform- BONUS SKILL RANKS er comes in. They deal in cold-hard facts, secrets and juicy Disguise ADVANCES Fellowship +1 rumors; business is always booming for them. Whether an BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Intelligence +1 influential noble wants to know if someone is plotting their ADVANCES BONUS assassination, or a gang member wants to know when the SKILL RANKS Education ADVANCES Intelligence +1 next shipment of gin is passing through, an Informer can BONUS SKILL RANKS get the information from their network of contacts or stolen Folklore ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS libraries. Though Informers are useful tools, no one wholly SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 trusts them; Informers rarely play sides, and they will take ADVANCES payment then immediately turn around and spoil those same SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Larceny secrets to another customer. It is simply a part of their trade, SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Secret Signs and a person who deals with an Informer knows it’s the cost of doing business. Despite this sly handedness and tendency SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Streetwise to double-cross, Informers are a necessary evil in the great game of politics. INVESTIGATOR Informers straddle a dangerous line, and when the heat gets too unbearable, they will lay low for a while. One of the eas- There was a time spoken of where the gift of memory and iest ways to do this is by becoming a wanderer; having no cognizance was a great blessing; the gift of remembering permanent residence, moving every day and plunging dark bounties past and the glowing face of children, of traditions ruins for weeks at a time- this tends to make people forget and pride, of families and good fortune. Those times are long about them. The Informer has a natural advantage when it gone, but cruel as fate may be, the gift is not. “The devil is comes to influencing potential enemies while adventuring; in the details” so it is said and the Investigator is a master of they have enough dirt and leverage to even make an Orx feel those very things. Investigators make their shillings through ashamed or embarrassed. Informers are not immune to their investigating criminal activity, a science that is more based in own tricks, however. Their enemies love to reveal the secrets speculation than actual fact. It is impossible for alchemy to Informers hide deep in their souls, viewing it as a delicious determine who wielded a blade or whose blood was spilled, cruel irony. Villains of the Abyss see nothing more fitting for but keen observation, tracking, and a quick analytical mind these muckrakers to be covered in their own brand of filth. are more than enough in cities with only a few thousand res- idents. Investigators seem almost preternaturally keen, able to SHADOW BROKER link together wildly unrelated clues into a consistent narrative. Legal informants and other underworld associates share It’s a pity very few gaolers or headsmen care for the nature of random information with you freely for the benefits they the innocent or guilty. may yield at a later time. Assembling these dissonant parts, Their investigations sometimes lead them abroad, tracking your mind can weave them together to provide significant, a man between hill and country to bring them to justice. powerful fulcrum to be leveraged when the time is right. Smoking strong tobacco and staring through lensed glass, Effect: At any time, you may spend 1 Fortune Point to gain little escapes them. They are cursed to notice details both a critical piece of information that’s relevant to the adventure gruesome and seemingly mundane, recreating the horrors for free among underworld contacts. of a scene unfolded within the mind’s eye. Piecing this in- formation together frequently makes the Investigator a me- thodical, obsessive person. It can be lonely, particularly in a world where they get a front row seat to all of its pain. However, it is a respected job if not a glamorous one and it can help at least bring some to justice. While it may be like attacking the water’s shore with a bucket in each hand, it’s sadly all that we have. TRUE DETECTIVE The Investigator sometimes experiences visions, slivers of 98 petty information which form a loose mosaic in the dark- Sanguine and bloody, these Jailers are oftentimes the most well- est recess of their mind. They possess the singular ability to paid, but also the maddest, of prison guards. disassociate reality and put the pieces of the puzzle back to- gether in a way most don’t even comprehend. They could be TORTUOUS INQUISITION geniuses, but they will certainly appear as lunatics. A Jailer knows all of the tricks to pry information from oth- ers. Psychological warfare is their primary tool; acid, scissors, Effect: At any time, you may spend 1 Fortune Point to gain pincers and thumbscrews are reserved only for the most un- an important clue you may not have already thought of from yielding of prisoners. Between the bleeding and the screams, the Gamemaster. the Jailer knows when a prisoner is telling the truth, or sim- ply lying to escape further pain. INVESTIGATOR ADVANCES Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Interrogation BONUS SKILL RANKS Charm ADVANCES Fellowship +1 Tests. When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical BONUS Success. Additionally, whenever you successfully interrogate SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Intelligence +1 ADVANCES someone, you may inflict any physical Injury of your choice BONUS SKILL RANKS or cause them to mentally suffer from Stress, Fear or Terror. Eavesdrop ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Perception +1 ADVANCES JAILER ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Interrogation Willpower +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Guile Brawn +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Heal ADVANCES Fellowship +1 Impervious SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS BONUS SKILL RANKS Mind Interrogation ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Indifference BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Secret Signs BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Scrutinize ADVANCES Willpower +1 JAILER Appalling SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Becoming a Jailer is rarely something that one strives for. It Mein Menacing is a lonely work suitable for those of the strongest mind, for SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS the cries and pleas of the prisoners are their only compan- Demeanor ion through lonesome nights. It is not uncommon for a lord SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS No Mercy wanting to find a new Jailer to pardon a criminal from their cruel acts, if they are willing to pledge their loyalty and serve in the cold, damp dungeons. It does not mean that all Jailers JESTER are unable to feel compassion or pity for their prisoners. It Free speech is a rarity in this age, where any decrying state- only means that the Jailers have grown to withstand such ment towards a noble could end you in the stockade or worse. mental burden; thus, making the best custodian of the in- That must make the Jester a god amongst men, because they terred and mad. Their jobs are dark and thankless, spending not only have free reign to say what they like, they’ll point ages in dungeons with little contact aside from a potential and joke right in nobility’s powdered face. The Jester is a jok- head jailer. They sleep in small apartments with ratty beds, er and a crass comedian employed in court, used often as a not much better than the prisoners they supposedly lord over. confidant and entertainer. They will frolic and jape, insulting Jailers rarely ever venture into the light, but there they use all dignitaries and make up crude lies on the fly, all of which their skills of interrogation, intimidation and beating to serve as nobles and ne’er-do-wells find hilariously tickling. Outside a more than intimidating figure. But on occasion, there are those of court, though, Jesters are not respected; they are often seen who take advantage of their situation and status. Those who live as annoyances, stooges to the aristocracy and just plain liars. for the anguish of other men and women often find “comfort” Jesters don’t often tell lies, merely exaggerations. Few are able in this profession. To them, the sounds of bones cracking and to “dim the lamp”, so to speak, over their mocking person- minds breaking brings them sadistic pleasure. Though this is ality. something all Jailers worth of their pay must know how to do, Jesters will leave a court either because their usual japes be- it takes a certain kind of person to actually enjoy the process.99 come a bore, or they said the wrong thing to the wrong dig- nitary and may soon find themselves a head shorter unless chef who spends hours slaving over stews for inconsiderate they flee. Jesters are not charming by any stretch, but they patrons. Naturally, this brings a certain level of detestation are sneaky and can even get the most high-browed stuffed for the more successful around them (particularly aimed at shirt to laugh uncontrollably, or instead attempt to throt- those whose chamber pots they may have fashioned)! tle the Jester. Nothing distracts a Skrzzak more than insults about his Broodmother, and that is how many Jesters make Though Laborers have toned their muscles from years of their living as travelers. Many foes - just like their friends - work, the world is still a very dangerous and frightening have no sympathy or time for a Jester, and will quickly rake place for someone who has rarely ventured outside their them over the coals, usually quite literally. Or perhaps even home. Frightening monsters and the lure of chaos have worse, the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure may take interest in caused many Laborers to never appear again or be driven their manic japs, stealing them away to forever prance in His mad. In some ways, Laborers are like plague rats of corrup- halls of madness, pleasure and death. tion; they absorb it and return home, spreading it throughout their communities like a sickness. A simple stable hand or BANTER & JIBE midwife may resort to murder at the drop of a hat for infrac- Royal court jester, a slave to humor. Monarch’s entertainer, tions which would otherwise seem innocuous, so corrupted I’m his consumer. I can only entertain, where my voice can’t they are. This draws other purveyors of chaos into the heart be heard. A clown, a joke, a fool - as I am often referred! of civilization… just where they like it.

Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Coordination BACKBREAKING LABOR Tests. When you succeed, it is always considered a Criti- The Laborer is accustomed to hardship and demanding cal Success. Additionally, you always succeed Coordination physical routine. They are the go-to when laborious tasks Tests to perform acrobatics. need to be performed, requiring not only strength but tenac- ity and endurance. JESTER ADVANCES Effect: You do not suffer the ill-effects of Peril, until you are BONUS SKILL RANKS at “Ignore 3 Skill Ranks” on the Peril Condition Track. Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Agility +1 ADVANCES LABORER ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Disguise Brawn +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Drive ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble Fellowship +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Gamble ADVANCES Fellowship+1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 Handle BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Intelligence +1 Animal ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Forked Tongue BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 Gallows ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS BONUS Humor SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Handspring SKILL RANKS Pilot TALENTS Carousing SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Nerves of Steel LABORER SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Strong Jaw Despicable, backbreaking and often thankless work must be accomplished to keep the wheels of society turning. Laborers are those courageous (but more often unfortunate) few who MAN-AT-ARMS live off this type of work. Laborers often tire of their me- Standing armies are a rarity in the modern era. Not only is it nial jobs, so they will oft change positions, picking up a new extremely expensive to maintain a significant force, but bor- trade that taps into their ability to endure physical labor. A ders are relatively stable enough to not require any impres- brief sampling of jobs includes dung collecting, lamp light- sive show of force. However, when the horns of war trumpet, ing, chimney-sweeping, mining, fishing, and numerous other the aristocracy will heed the call with the ever ready Man- careers that bring rough hands and bent backs. All are need- At-Arms. A Man-At-Arms makes a living off of fighting, ed in society, but very few songs are written about the noble 100 but they are not mercenary minded. They are professional come to a city’s aid in times of trouble. Though they are trained soldiers, disciplined and regimented to defend and fight, in the ways of war, Militiamen make their real living as bak- putting their lives in danger so that others may live. Most ers, blacksmiths and farmhands. Their training and equipment lands will levy Men-At-Arms during times of war, relegating varies on the city and country; wealthy states will have forces them as city or caravan guards during times of peace. They and equipment near on-par with a Sellsword, while a small have little qualms about their position as long as they can rural village may have nothing more than a few rusted pikes use their abilities, and those that do not die in combat are and a couple harvesting scythes. Either way, a Militiaman will handsomely rewarded with plunder and coin. fight their hardest to defend home and hearth, but do have a tendency to break when the odds are stacked against them. But what is there for a Man-At-Arms to do when there are no wars to fight or borders to push, and they bore of guard Though being a Militiaman is rarely a permanent profession, duty? They take the only skill they know into the lost tombs aside from leadership employed by the state, some will take and dark wildernesses in search of fortune and glory. Those their minor combat expertise out in search of glory. Their wide who do not savor plundering the depths of crypts turn to brig- range of skills, as well as their warfare experience, lends them andry and robbery. Their savagery can often get the better of to a large variety of experience. But as the Man-At-Arms of- them at times, though. When you are forged and tempered in ten yearns for action, the Militiaman will long for the com- the flames of war, you know little else than slaughter. Abyssal forts of home. A half-submerged temple teeming with half- fiends find easy targets in Men-At-Arms, often only requiring fish sirens is no place for a potter that barely knows how to a small push to go from bridled bloodlust to all-out destruc- swing a sword. The smallest minds break the fastest, and those tion. Militiamen who believed themselves to be brave and strong will oft end up gibbering in a corner of a damned ruin. SHIELD WALL The Man-at-Arms can form a protective wall of defense, GUERILLA WARFARE safeguarding their friends from harm. While armed with The Militiaman is constantly on the move, using hit-and-run a shield and you stand side-by-side with a chosen ally, you tactics to dominate the battlefield. They are able to bridge shield them from incoming attacks. great distances across the battlefield without sacrificing de- fenses, girding themselves against attacks that would take Effect: When Engaged with an ally and they fail to Parry or opportunity over their missteps. cannot do so, you may immediately Parry in their stead. If successful, they suffer no Damage. Effect: You never provoke Opportunity Attacks whatso- ever with Movement Actions or any other action you take. MAN-AT-ARMS ADVANCES Additionally, any Movement Action a foe takes while En- BONUS gaged with you immediately provokes an Opportunity SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 Attack from you. BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS MILITIAMAN ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Resolve Combat +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Ride Fellowship +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Coordination ADVANCES Brawn +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS Rumor ADVANCES Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Intelligence +1 Lightning ADVANCES SKILL RANKS TALENTS Simple Ranged BONUS Reaction SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS TALENTS Toughness Shield Slam BONUS SKILL RANKS Stealth Willpower +1 Sword & ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Board SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Instincts Rural SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS MILITIAMAN Sensibility SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Sprint Militias are by far the most common civilian-military troops around. Composed of villagers turned part-time warriors, they 101 MONK MONK ADVANCES The world is full of mysteries both great and small, and it is BONUS SKILL RANKS Drive Brawn +1 the job of the Monk to learn and study them all. Monks are ADVANCES BONUS divine librarians, sometimes an integral part of the faith or SKILL RANKS Education ADVANCES Fellowship +1 even a totally different sect of a religion. They spend their BONUS SKILL RANKS days illuminating manuscripts, recording decrees, analyz- Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 ing hymns and advising those curious of the divine powers. Handle BONUS SKILL RANKS Intelligence +1 Nearly every religion has at least a small cadre of Monks, Animal ADVANCES BONUS and they specialize in certain things according to their faith. SKILL RANKS Navigation Perception +1 For example, Dwarf Monks have the holy duty of record- ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS ing clan rivalries in the Book of Old Grudges. On the other Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 hand, elven Monks are often responsible for cataloging all BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 the different types of flora and fauna in their specific wilder- ADVANCES ness. Being a Monk is often a thankless job, both from others SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Azimuth within the church and laymen, but Monks are some of the Impervious SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS most educated and nuanced academics around. Mind SKILL RANKS TALENTS Monks will sometimes pack up their quills and scrolls to head Tradecraft Multilingual out beyond the comforts of their cloister, often in search of hidden religious knowledge or relics of a forgone time. Far from obtaining any sort of martial prowess, Monks are ed- OLD BELIEVER ucated in languages, scholastic facts and map reading; they can easily decipher ancient runes or parlay with other priests, The Aether suffuses everything in existence; not just through a boon in wildernesses where blood sacrifices become the bestial creatures of an ancient age, but in the very plants favored tithe. Some Monks are also simply radicals, followers around us. The Old Believer is a medicine man or woman, of fringe religions that the civilized world no longer follow. sometimes even an aged shaman, who creates folk remedies One thing that separates Monks from other priests is that from the plants and small life in the wilds. Often existing in their view of religion is subtler and they accept similarities rural villages that still believe in the “old ways”, an Old Be- between different faiths. This sadly makes them already vul- liever not only makes poultices, but can serve as a midwife, nerable; a few loose strings pulled and the correct chant from advisor and sometime fortuneteller. Some remedies concoct- the Abyss filtered through their souls, soon Monks believe ed by Old Believers are flukes: love potions, potency supple- that their gods are a lie, and only the proto-deities of chaos ments and stomach virus cures have varying levels of placebo are the world’s rightful rulers. effect. However, every once in awhile the Old Believer will tap into some of the world’s ambient Magick and produce a LEARNED DEVOTEE tincture or ointment that is purely supernatural. Many will Approaching faith as a student of the divine, they possess go on to follow the path of Hedgewise, and eventually ele- a very nuanced view of the gods. In that, they are able to vate to become true Druids. interpret and author seminal writings which continue to be As new empires encroach, indoctrinating ancient villages a major contributor to the writings of theologists and schol- with new beliefs, many Old Believers find they are no longer arly works. welcome in their homes at risk of imprisonment. Some give Effect: You can speak the language of any creature that is up, but some take it as an opportunity. The Old Believer can classified as a Humanoid (including player Races). freely wander the countryside, looking for new ingredients for poultices or even discovering new herbs that even they have forgotten. Though Old Believers are avowed healers and will strive not to hurt a soul, their work in medicine, nature survival and general alchemy can make a distraught party whole again. Old Believers have a dire secret though, one that they are not even aware of. If you look hard enough, you can find indisputable links between the old ways and proto-worship of old Abyssal gods. Many Old Believers have taken their own eyes when they find that their powers of order had long been linked to pure chaos. 102 WHITE WITCHERY survive for days unaided if need be. Some of the rank-and- You are able to call forth strange, esoteric powers from be- file see Outriders as cowards and the first to run away from yond the Aether. Although you do not have a true under- battle, but countless Outriders have died so that their com- standing of where they come from, you pay tribute to older panies could live. Outriders often carry signals with them gods nonetheless for such miracles (as petty as they are). to alert their allies, either small flutes or gunpowder-fueled flares of different colors to provide different warnings. Effect: Select any one Generalist Petty Magick spell (provid- ing that it does not cause harm to another). Whenever you Journeying, travel and exploration are second nature to the attempt to cast this Magick, you do not need to roll Percentile Outrider, and some even work exclusively for adventuring Dice to make a Skill Test. Instead, you Critically Succeed the parties. Their skills in navigation, weaponry, stealth and sur- Incantation Test you intended to make. Furthermore, should vival can lead any lost group out of the most dangerous sit- you adopt this Profession at Intermediate Tier, you may select uations. Not all Outriders adventure willingly, though; some one additional Generalist Petty Magick spell now and at Ad- have been banished or outcast from a hard-nosed army that vanced Tier with the aforementioned limitations. they have failed, making this their only source of income. The life of an Outrider can often be a lonely one as well. They DRAWBACK: ABSTAIN find little companionship outside their mounts, and the long FROM VIOLENCE distances and hours separated from their battle group often You have given yourself to the god’s mercy, taking no part in makes them feel alone and watched. It is when they feel at the selfish passions nor of violence. You are a pacifist at heart, their most forsaken that servants of chaos strike, subtly af- and it brings you great sorrow whenever you do hurt another firming their insignificance. - even if they would intend to kill you. DANGER SENSE Effect: Should you intentionally bring harm upon a Hu- Your road-weariness has turned into a wariness unseen manoid (including player Races), you are unable to call upon amongst others. You have attuned yourself to the smallest your White Witchery abilities for 72 hours. of sounds in the wilds, and can react quickly and efficiently.

Effect: Whenever you fail an Awareness or Stealth Test, you OLD BELIEVER ADVANCES may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the BONUS SKILL RANKS outcome. Alchemy ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 ADVANCES OUTRIDER ADVANCES Handle BONUS SKILL RANKS BONUS ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Animal Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Heal Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Folklore ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial BONUS Resolve ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Brawn +1 Ranged ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Navigation ADVANCES Combat +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Determination BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Indifference BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Secret Signs SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Azimuth Rural SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS OUTRIDER Sensibility SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Saddle-born Outriders are hard individualists, and that’s usually out of necessity. An Outrider spends their days as the forward for armies, always looking out for any dangers, ambushes or signs of the enemy. They can potentially ride for miles ahead of the main column, meaning they must not only be quite courageous but capable as well. They are an evolution of the scout, a master of the wilderness and of their mount, who can 103 PEASANT PEASANT ADVANCES Not all heroes come from upstanding knightly orders or stu- BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 dents of arcane lore - the real heroes of the realm are the ADVANCES BONUS Peasants who drudge in their fields, trying to provide enough SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Brawn +1 food for their families and lieges. The hardworking Peasants BONUS SKILL RANKS spent most of their lives ploughing the same fields their Drive ADVANCES Brawn +1 families have worked for countless generations. And most of BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 them are contented in this simple lifestyle. They find com- ADVANCES Handle BONUS fort and joy in repetition: bringing in their herds, spreading SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Fellowship +1 their seeds, selling their wares at market and then repeating Animal BONUS SKILL RANKS the whole process over again. This is not an easy life: what Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 work you put in determines if your family will live through BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Perception +1 the winter, and your house is often overrun with children ADVANCES Rural because you can not afford to pass up more cheap hands in SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS the field. Regardless, most of the realms are composed of Sensibility Peasants and uprisings are fairly rare, so it is not all bad. SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Secret Signs Supernatural SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Some despise this life, though, wishing nothing more to Paranoia journey and become a folk hero of legend. They are those that would like nothing more than to forge their plows into swords; those that suffer year after year from a spoiled crop; PILGRIM those that tire of watching their families suffer from hun- Being a Pilgrim means devoting yourself to your faith en- ger and disease; those that in secrecy covet that which their tirely. They are religious wanderers, heading out across the neighbor’s have. The hearts of simple Peasants are as easily countryside to both preach the gospel and visit sites of holy inflamed in valorous deeds as they are lured to sin. Armed significance. Whether it be into the deep reaches of old ruins with sickle and sword, Peasants may rally to strike off the or modern edifices of faith, the Pilgrim journeys out to seek head of the very lord they’d served before! these bastions of their gods. Though many people across the MORE WORK? world at least put some faith into the divine, the Pilgrim actively seeks out its miracles, relics and saints they hold dear The long, arduous days a Peasant faces never seem to end. in their soul. Some would decry them as fanatics, but they You’re well-acquainted with the hardships of labor, rustic know within their heart of hearts that they are the closest of in your ways. You’ve developed a specific tolerance towards all mankind to the gods. This even shows in their purity, as backbreaking drudgery. And when you rest, you sleep sound- they not only take holy vows and principles, but they seem ly and always awaken refreshed. resistant to the dark pull of Abyssal promises of power.

Effect: Adjust your Peril Threshold by +3. Additionally, after A Pilgrim will often turn their walking stick into a cudgel resting your Peril Condition Track always recovers all steps if the need arises on his journeys, and some will recruit oth- automatically to Unhindered. er adventurers to serve as protection in the darkest wilder- DRAWBACK: SALT OF THE EARTH nesses. A Pilgrim’s task requires them to be self-sufficient, so they harbor many skills related to the wilderness, healing and Despicable wretch! Lowly worm! Kneel before your betters, even social gatherings. The Pilgrim can serve as a bulwark of and polish my boots while you’re at it! his faith, but chaos loves picking at insecurities. Any flinch- Effect: Whenever you adopt this Profession, immediately ing away from the Pilgrim’s divine certainty is like finding a change your Social Class to Lowborn. chink in the armor for Corruption. They feed on self-doubt of these holy rollers, replacing their beloved gods with new gods of blood, decay and perversion. The Pilgrim will still love their old gods, but will gradually transfer that devotion to a sicker, more Abyssal sort of lord. ROAD TO ENLIGHTENMENT The Pilgrim is a spiritual aspirant, and this faith solidifies a place at the side of those they revere in the afterlife. How- ever, this spirituality can be compromised by the unwanted 104 attentions of Abyssal terrors. But their shield of faith safe- the two meet on the street. The Pit Fighter will live a lonely guards them at opportune times. life, one that can only end in death. Some reach celebrated heights, their names chanted to them as the blood of fallen Effect: Whenever you suffer 1 to 3 Corruption, make a (Rou- foes drip from their hands. That is when they become less of tine +10%) Resolve Test. If you suffer 4 to 6 Corruption, make a a man and more of a monster, following the call of the crowd (Standard +/-0%) Resolve Test. If you suffer 7 to 9 Corruption, for just a moment of acceptance. make a (Challenging -10%) Resolve Test. If successful, you suf- fer no Corruption. BLOOD AND SAND The roar of the crowd inspires the Pit Fighter to greatness. PILGRIM ADVANCES Let the lavish spectacle of the sport begin and rally the peo- BONUS ple to your favor! SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Agility +1 Handle BONUS Effect: Whenever you spend a Fortune Point, also restore SKILL RANKS Fellowship +1 Animal ADVANCES your Damage Condition Track by one step. BONUS SKILL RANKS Heal ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS PIT FIGHTER ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Navigation Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Resolve Intelligence +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Ride Perception +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS Impervious SKILL RANKS Intimidate Brawn +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS ADVANCES Mind BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Long-winded ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Sprint ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 PIT FIGHTER SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Hard to Kill Butcher or masochist, free person or slave, the Pit Fight- SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Indifference er engages in the most gruesome form of martial combat SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS No Mercy intended as entertainment or sport. Their endeavor is to slaughter criminals and beasts in an arena spectacle of sweat and viscera. Usually two men enter and one man leaves, but PREACHER the arena is a dangerous place where many things can go In the midst of suffering, the Preacher plays the role of spiri- wrong. Those states that treat pit fighting with glamour will tual advisor, leader and confidante. Their testimony can bring place traps, hold special events and even just hold pure spec- hope to the weak, despair to the unfaithful, joy to the pious, tacles of slaughter for their amusement. Not to mention the sorrow or penitence to the sinner. Blessings be to those will- barbarism of many mutants and demons, who host their own ing to shepherd the lost flock through their darkest hours, demoniac arenas that spell only doom for those thrown into with the hope that they may see yet another dawn. Preachers its depths. The Pit Fighter is adaptable in combat, and skilled stand behind their altars, spouting the word of their gods and in a variety of fighting styles. Formidable with any imple- beseeching blessings from on high. Tithe bowls are passed, ment put into their hands, their skill in sadism drive crowds thanks are given and solemn prayers of pronation are sung. into an uproar as they scream “FINISH HIM!” for the coup Some Preachers do not settle for one flock; they will trav- de grace. el to god-forsaken lands, preaching gospel and saving hea- But whether they are criminals that fight simply for the right thens from themselves. These wandering priests are often not to stay alive, or mercenary entertainers who get a cut of the greeted with open arms, as they do tend to be intruding and proceeds from the betting circuit, Pit Fighters are without too pushy in revealing the light to “non-believers” - meaning question ruthless killers. While the aristocracy may sit in anyone not within their faith. their boxed seat above the arena and offer polite applause Preacher’s wanderings can lead them to many strange plac- when the Pit Fighter eviscerates a particularly worthy foe, es, but their silver tongues and barbed words often serve as they will not offer their hand in friendship or courtesy should 105 the best poison. Their position of superior moral authori- ty also gives them an almost unprecedented ability to pilfer, PREACHER ADVANCES BONUS mislead, manipulate and extort their congregations (and to SKILL RANKS Charm Fellowship +1 have any evidence of such wrongdoing overlooked). It only ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS becomes more dangerous when their proclamations actually Education ADVANCES Fellowship +1 carry divine power, as they sometimes do. They may mistake BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 divination for madness, their own weakened minds seen as ADVANCES BONUS their god’s will, a charge that no man can ever disprove. And SKILL RANKS Heal ADVANCES Intelligence +1 woe to the Preacher when the people forsake their gods. As BONUS SKILL RANKS their earthly proxy, killing the messenger may bring peace to Incantation ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS the downtrodden! SKILL RANKS Leadership ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS FIRE AND BRIMSTONE SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 A Preacher’s sermons are filled with impassioned words, Impervious SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS evoking vivid images of sinners in anguish and torment. Mind Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Leadership Tests. SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Silver Tongue When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Worldly Furthermore, you always Influence a number of people with the Leadership Skill equal to three times your Fellowship Bonus (FB) - this includes use of Inspiring Words during PROSTITUTE combat. Finally, you automatically understand how to use As the world’s oldest profession, Prostitutes operate within the Ritual of Blessed Sacrament. a shaky level in society. Generally, they are employed in a SPECIAL TRAIT: DIVINE MAGICK brothel, where they use their services to pay for room and You are a proxy to a distant god, calling down Magickal mir- board. These brothels range in quality from roadside stop acles with utterance of sacred prayers. overs to lavish concubine chambers. Some Prostitutes serve in temples, as their association with some religions carries no Effect: You are solely a practitioner of Divine Magick. As stigma about their work. The more ambitious among them a part of this, you may never adopt a Profession which has move on to become pimps and purveyors of other pleasures Arcane Magick as a Special Trait. Additionally, you gain a while others become official courtesans of nobles. Prostitutes prayer book and immediately learn three Generalist Petty do not only offer sexual comforts: many are well-versed in Magick spells whenever you enter this Profession. If this is eastern methods of massage or offer up an understanding your second or third Profession where you’ve gained Divine ear to their client’s problems. Indeed, some Prostitutes never Magick, you do not gain another prayer book but automati- use their bodies at all - though they are in the vast minority. cally learn one additional Generalist Petty Magick spell in- stead. That said, not all Prostitutes have it easy. Many run away from abusive employers, taking to following roving armies to DRAWBACK: LURE OF POWER ply their trade. On this journey, many pick up martial skills The lust for Magickal power corrupts all, indistinct of its uncommon among other knaves. An adventuring Prostitute most brazen or conservative practitioners. may even take up the exploration mantle to find something better. Prostitutes make prime targets for corruption, through Effect: Whenever you generate a face “6” with Chaos Dice, Abyssal servants of pain and pleasure. There are even rumors you invoke a Chaos Manifestation. See Chapter 10: Gri- that corrupted Prostitutes spread their damnation through moire. sexual congress, carriers of far more deadly plagues than ve- nereal disease. Even if that isn’t true, a Prostitute’s honeyed words have turned more than one ear towards the seething corruption that secretly waits in the darkest of corners. OLDEST PROFESSION Prostitutes use suggestive body language, risqué acts and in- nuendo to convince others to do their bidding.

Effect: All Skill Ranks you acquire in the Charm Skill mod- ifies your Base Chance by +20, instead of +10. Additionally, 106 whenever you perform acts of carnal knowledge, both you SHAKEN NOT STIRRED and person gains the benefits of “getting lucky”. Afterwards, Play it cool, hold your cards close to your chest and roll the both you and that person gain 1 Fortune Point to be used dice only whenever you are absolutely certain you’ll win. But individually. This benefit cannot be gained or given but once when all else fails, you always find another in-road towards a day. success.

PROSTITUTE ADVANCES Effect: Whenever you fail a Charm or Eavesdrop Test, you may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain ADVANCES Agility +1 outcome. BONUS SKILL RANKS Charm ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS PROVOCATEUR ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Fellowship +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Charm Combat +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Disguise ADVANCES Fellowship +1 Gamble ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Fellowship +1 Martial Melee ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES Rumor BONUS Intelligence SKILL RANKS TALENTS Ambidexterity SKILL RANKS Education (Fellowships) ADVANCES +1 BONUS Intelligence SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Holdout SKILL RANKS Gamble ADVANCES +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Larceny BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogation ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS PROVOCATEUR Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 Doppelgang- In high noble courts, masquerades, gambling halls and drug SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS er dens, the well-to-do and the elite must keep their eyes and ears open at all times. For they are not alone; they are in the SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Holdout realm of the mysterious and capable Provocateur. A master SKILL RANKS Simple TALENTS Impervious spy in every sense of the word, a Provocateur has spent years Ranged Mind of training to infiltrate nearly any social circle, schmoozing and extracting information, and at times dispatching foes with elegant efficiency. The Provocateur is a charmer, a trav- PUGILIST eler, a seducer and a rogue scholar, all wrapped into a dead- When man first built a thatched roof to cover his head, fire to ly but attractive package. Many lords and ladies have found cook his food, took feathers from the ground to make his bed their pants down - both literally and figuratively - as a result and banished his leavings to the woods only, then did he make of the Provocateur, but this spy’s rambling ways leave lovers haste to turn war into sport. The Pugilist is such an athlete, in many ports and bodies in multiple alleyways. able to win fights with their bare fists by strength of will and The Provocateur makes many enemies, and one misplaced kiss atrophy of nerve. A rare few have made their living as enter- or ill-conceived plan could land them in hot water. Ejected tainers, prize fighters given a purse befitting their grandiosity. from their comfortable yet dangerous lifestyle, some begin us- The washed-up end up in the back alleys fighting for a hand- ing their wiles to quest across the lands. Their guile, proficien- ful of pennies, or end up serving as non-lethal enforcement in cy with disguise and knack at parlaying grants them a unique rowdy winesinks. Regulated matches leave the fighters look- advantage both in the slimiest of dens and the most gilded of ing only slightly better than pounded beef, while the less mon- halls. Just as before, though, their overconfidence and brazen itored ones often end up in one - or both - fighters dead. Not attitude can put them in a myriad of bad situations. From bare to mention lingering pain, blackouts and confusion, pugilism knuckle brawling in an alligator pit to a wagon chase down a is a sport where sacrifice is key. crowded street, trouble follows Provocateurs. This allows for Every Pugilist also faces a moral conundrum: what to do easy chances at injury, sickness and the even darker whispers when the time for violence is over. When aggression is your of Abyssal fiends, seeking to lure them towards corruption. forte and your livelihood, it becomes difficult when times or 107 manners call for words over fists. The Pugilist finds it very or veiled threats, they may leave a few bruises with their sap, challenging - nigh unto impossible - to sire and raise a fam- threaten a loved one or take a club to a shopkeeper’s knees. ily or improve their station to more gentile callings. Their Though they can be violent, they rarely kill and would much head has been bashed in so many times that it is difficult rather take their cut and keep people alive, so they can con- to distinguish right from wrong. They can no more change tinue to collect. their nature and put down the ways of violence than a bull can become a riding horse. Many a bloody lover or child has When shopkeepers get up the courage to lash out (and how fallen prey to their own attempts to disprove it; truly, a grim dare they?) or a more powerful thug muscles into new terri- end for even the mightiest of Pugilists. All that’s left is the tory, the Racketeer will quickly find their way out of a steady fight, and the Pugilist is willing to bring it until their own stream of income. Many get a taste of the adventuring life bitter end comes. rather quickly, as not only can they bend the ear of the pow- erful and weak alike, but they can also let out any pent-up MORTAL COMBAT aggression upon the hordes. The downside is that Racke- Although Pugilists may not be well-trained in swordplay, teers often love to think of themselves as masters of business they can rely on their fists and feet to get the job done. Brutal acumen and deception, but when the violence and trickery palm strikes, ferocious kicks to the groin and bone-shatter- usurps this facade and leaves the Racketeer revealed as the ing headbutts make up their fighting style. two-bit thugs they actually are, a Racketeer can turn from headstrong into destroyed in the blink of an eye. Effect: You ignore the Pummeling and Weak Qualities when fighting with Brawling type of weapons. Additionally, you MASTERMIND may reference Brawn Bonus (BB) or Combat Bonus (CB) You’re no dummy when it comes to interpreting the letter when inflicting Damage with these same weapons. of the law, the sanctions that support the business and am- nesties afforded to other “lawful” pursuits. However, when PUGILIST ADVANCES all else fails, you lean on you more lawless roots, resorting BONUS to bullying and threats to pave the way to largesse and lucre. SKILL RANKS Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS Effect: Whenever you fail a Folklore or Intimidate Test, you SKILL RANKS Coordination ADVANCES Brawn +1 may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the BONUS SKILL RANKS outcome. Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble ADVANCES Fellowship +1 RACKETEER ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Education Brawn +1 Guile ADVANCES Fellowship +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 Intimidate ADVANCES Willpower +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Gamble Fellowship +1 Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS TALENTS SKILL RANKS Rumor Beatdown Guile ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Clinch Fighter SKILL RANKS Intimidate ADVANCES Intelligence +1 Ground & BONUS SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS SKILL RANKS Leadership Perception +1 Pound ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 Incredible RACKETEER SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Numeration One of the most dreaded sites in towns and cities to the SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Indifference average shopkeeper is a well-to-do thug, dressed in cheap Menacing finery, knocking on each cobbler’s and baker’s door in search SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Demeanor of their monthly protection fee. They are Racketeers - thugs that see themselves as honest businessmen looking to just “protect the community we all live in”. Most Racketeers run solo operations, but some untasteful lords may employ Rack- eteers as more aggressive tax collectors. The Racketeer will be the first to tell you they hate violence, that it’s bad for business. However, if they can not lean on you with words 108 RACONTEUR RACONTEUR ADVANCES Part factotum and part thinker, the Raconteur is the true BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 “renaissance man” of the modern age. They are a jack of all ADVANCES BONUS trades, regarding themselves as students of the world. De- SKILL RANKS Counterfeit ADVANCES Fellowship +1 spite this, it is surprisingly difficult for Raconteurs to focus BONUS SKILL RANKS in one area of expertise. While their attention spans are Eavesdrop ADVANCES Fellowship +1 short, their drive to experience life is large. They are profes- BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 sional amateurs, taking interest in the arts and philosophy. ADVANCES BONUS They pride themselves on being know-it-alls and busybodies, SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 fashion-forward and aught to belt out quotes at a moment’s BONUS SKILL RANKS notice. Raconteurs make interesting additions to any guest Guile ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS list, spinning the most outrageous of stories and anecdotes. SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 This bohemian lifestyle suits the Raconteur just perfectly. ADVANCES Raconteurs enjoy the privilege of a free life: free of social SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Carousing responsibility, free of obligation and free of debt. SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Forked Tongue Free of debt, you say? Oh, we didn’t tell you? Raconteurs SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Worldly are the world’s biggest freeloaders. You’ll come home from working in the fields to find them lazing about your cot- tage, having eaten everything from the larder. They may have RAKE taken your horse for a joyride with “that rather randy fellow or bonnie lass they met in the village”, only to have lost the What becomes of a person who has lost everything? A life of leisure squandered and lost in but a moment of misfortune horse on the way back. In many ways, these poseurs are vul- or a carried grudge? The Rake knows, for they once lived garian in nature, spending every last penny they have been high atop the world… maybe not at the summit, but cer- given on whatever seems to capture their attention at that tainly not in the foothills. Rubbing elbows with guttertrash, moment. Simply put, Raconteurs are malingerers, shirking salty dogs and scurrilous cads, they have been forced to live duty at their own discretion, sponging off everyone. Once amongst the proles, looked down upon from the same peo- the well of charity has run dry, they move on to find the next ple who cast them down. The only thing they detest more “friend” who can be taken advantage of. than the poor surrounding them are their former friends in RENAISSANCE MAN ivory towers. The Rake gains an all-consuming lust to return to their former station, but if that’s not possible, pull down The Raconteur can apply the fundamentals of most abilities, those ivory towers brick-by-brick. even without formal training. They are true factotums, dedi- cating themselves as a jack of all trades but a master of none. Rakes are natural outcasts, so trading in their cane and fancy clothes for a knuckleduster and sap is not too much of a Effect: You gain a +5 Base Chance to all Skill Tests. stretch. Rakes are both brawlers and gamblers, able to toss out a charming word just as easily as a sucker punch. Their DRAWBACK: NOTORIOUS MOOCHER journey of redemption can lead them to odd places, but the Living off the hard work of others, you manage to get by Rake is always prepared to be thrust even lower down the with but what’s in your pockets or what’s been given to you. social ladder before they’ll rise again. It is here that they find Unfortunately, this casts an ill-light upon your reliability as their greatest weakness. So strong is their lust and greed that you burn through your associates’ charity very quickly. they will destroy anyone they see as a threat or obstacle. They become blinded to the people around them who actually Effect: When attempting to use Fellowship-based Skill care, and the chaos of rebellion slips into the cracks of their Tests with people who personally know you, they automat- mind until they crumble like the ivory towers they so hate. ically fail. MAGNIFICENT BASTARD A Rake lives a riotous life, their nights filled with witty con- versation, gambling and whoring. You have many friends of many different stripes because of this, and these same people may stick up for you should you let slip the wrong words to the wrong person. But when friends fail, and you’re caught between a rock and a hard place, a vicious punch to the kid- ney may buy you some time to get away! 109 Effect: Select one foe in combat. That foe is left Defenseless widely renown to have lured both rats and children into the to all Perilous Stunts you make until they are defeated. You wanton arms of the Skrzzak’s mysterious god? Who are the may select another foe afterwards. Skrzzak, you ask? Best ask the Rat Catcher, for only they know of the people below where good people dare not tread. DRAWBACK: WASHED UP Leaving behind the life they once lived, the Rake is now GUTTERPUNK forced to rub elbows with the friends they’ve got, as opposed I am the bard known far and wide, the travelled rat-catcher to the ones they had. beside. A man most needful to this town, so glorious through its old renown. However many rats I see, how many weasels Effect: Whenever you adopt this Profession, immediately there may be. We cleanse the place of every one, all needs change your Social Class to Lowborn. must helter-skelter run.

RAKE ADVANCES Effect: You may use any Fellowship-based Skill to directly BONUS communicate with Small Animals (specifically moles, rats, SKILL RANKS Athletics Brawn +1 ADVANCES rabbits, rodents, snakes, weasels and dogs). This interaction BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Brawn +1 is not always beneficial: many creatures are skittish, ignorant, ADVANCES confused, cunningly deceptive or even openly aggressive. BONUS SKILL RANKS Education ADVANCES Fellowship +1 This empathy acts as a supernatural type of communication; BONUS the exactitude and complexity determined by the Gamemas- SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 ADVANCES ter. Additionally, you are immune to specific Diseases such as BONUS SKILL RANKS Filth Fever and Grey Plague. Gamble ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Intelligence +1 ADVANCES RAT CATCHER ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Carousing BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination ADVANCES Agility +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Forked Tongue BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 Lightning ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Handle BONUS Reaction SKILL RANKS Fellowship +1 Animal ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve ADVANCES Perception +1 RAT CATCHER BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 One of the most unpleasant - but necessary - jobs is that of the ADVANCES BONUS Rat Catcher. Disposing of rodents, moles, snakes and the like, SKILL RANKS Simple Melee ADVANCES Willpower +1 they are an itinerant bunch, traveling from village to village to Gallows SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS ply their stomach-churning trade. Wading through rivers of Humor human filth and trash, these gutter punks bait, trap and ferret SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Instincts out vermin from their warrens. With the aid of their ubiqui- tous “small but vicious dog”, they help prevent the spread of SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Streetwise disease through their vocation. Many made their nut during plague times as Rat Catchers, wretched survivors who rose above poverty to take up the trade. Despite their penny-poor REEVE appearance, they are notoriously miserly, setting up a nest egg Modern roads are plagued by all varieties of bandits and worse, for times when rodent populations are thin. as the landed gentry would not be caught dead being accosted Rat Catchers are notoriously unforthcoming in their meth- by a highwayman. Thus came the occupation of the Reeve, odology. Some have stumbled across places treated by the a sheriff of sorts who polices the various roads and overland uncanny Rat Catcher, discovering crude but insidious chalk passes that crisscross forests and plains. Reeves have the rep- drawings left above rodent holes. Whispers abound they pay utation of being grim and cold, so scrutinizing that even the homage with these writings to a forgotten god, borne of filth boldest of aristocrats are afraid to look them direct in the eye. and excrement. While the Rat Catcher will smile grimly and They tend to be efficient and brutal, but vary in personality just make a snide jape at such suggestions, there may be some like anyone else. Often their glacier exterior is a front, but one truth to it. R the tale of the vivimancer called the Pied Piper, they find necessary to do their job. They return to their homes to their partners and families just like any other, but when they 110 holster their flintlock pistol they become almost an entirely laws and copying of educational scripts, to writing letters and different person with a completely separate life. deeds for the small folk who can not read. Scribes are fast readers and writers, but they bring an eloquence to writing, A Reeve would not be caught dead in sight of the likes of from plain text to elaborate calligraphy. Many Scribes also Burglars, Sellswords and Diabolists, and that’s why many serve as translators, decrypting the myriad languages of the Reeves who adventure with them are often running from countryside and turning them into the local tongue. Though something in their past. A false arrest or murder - or even a the humble Scribe rarely admits it, the lives and fates of hun- cruel baron who gave them a brutal order - could lead a Reeve dreds of thousands rest in their quills and inkpots. back down the roads they once guarded. Often enough, the Reeve’s territory is the thing that bites them back the hardest. A Scribe will very rarely leave the cooled comfort of their Many con artists, Vigilantes and road agents have vengeance workshop, but being ousted for spreading false information on their mind when it comes to these wandering Reeves, - or worse, spreading propaganda and anarchist ideas -could and if servants of chaos don’t take them down first, their old land them without a studio to call home. Scribes are not only enemies will be their death knell. well-educated and quick of both wit and hand, but they are also surprisingly deceptive. One glance at noble’s hand, and I AM THE LAW! they can copy the script style as if it was a simple drawing A deputy so hard, the Reeve bleeds ice - when the warden of a flower. Forging documents and writing fake pardons are speaks, they never speak twice. Reeves patrol the roads in the just some of the few skills a Scribe carries with them. Obvi- wilderness, and a distinct show of force is sometimes neces- ously, these talents can also land them in quite a lot of trou- sary to cow would-be highwaymen by flaunting their badge. ble, as many Scribes with broken and worthless hands can attest to. The dark corners of reality also do not appreciate Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Intimidate Tests. someone who can read their runic scripts and translate their When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. meaning; ask a blind Scribe how they lost their sight, and see Furthermore, you always influence a number of people with them weep as they tell their tale of hubris and woe. the Intimidate Skill equal to three times your Brawn Bonus (BB) - this includes use of Litany of Hatred during combat. SCRIVENER’S SPEED You have developed a lightning quick intellect, used to speed REEVE ADVANCES read at an alarmingly fast rate. This ability can be translated into your own writings, penning down complex mathemati- BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogation ADVANCES Brawn +1 cal equations, complex authorship in cursive and legal docu- BONUS ments. As a part of this, you translated the written word with SKILL RANKS Intimidate Combat +1 ADVANCES equal ease and expediency. BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Fellowship +1 ADVANCES Effect: You reduce the time required to use Education Tests BONUS SKILL RANKS by half. Additionally, you automatically succeed all Skill Resolve ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS Tests to read and write in foreign languages. SKILL RANKS Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS SCRIBE ADVANCES Scrutinize ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 Simple Melee ADVANCES Willpower +1 ADVANCES BONUS Menacing SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Coordination ADVANCES Agility +1 Demeanor BONUS Shoot From SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS ADVANCES The Hip BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS True Grit ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 SCRIBE ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Literacy is a luxury in this day and age, and while some Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 wealthy nations may have developed fledgling printing-press SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Determination technology, the danger of the roads and the instability of bor- Incredible ders have made wide distribution not worth the effort. This SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS cements the importance of the Scribe, a professional writer. Numeration The Scribes do a variety of jobs, from writing the verbiage of SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Multilingual 111 SELLSWORD SERVANT When battle looms near, a normal person will ask what he’s The ever-growing cities do not offer a much work for un- fighting for. His king? His god? His countrymen? The Sells- skilled youth. Most of the younger folk whose parents are word knows they will think up some pretty lie for themselves. penny-poor or orphaned eventually drift to work as a Servant. Meanwhile, these grizzled mercenaries brandish steel for the Sweeping gutters, carrying pints in a tavern, scrubbing gongs coin it will put in their pocket. After all, if you’re good at some- below the city or even assisting the noble lady to dress, all thing you should never do it for free. But an early unmarked forms of service is exhausting work with little hope for a better grave and death awaits all mercenary-minded folk, left unsung future. Their houses are small shacks or rooms under the stairs, and unloved. A few wise Sellswords have found at least minor barely holding more personal belongings than a wash pan. The benefit in working together - mercenary bands can be found lucky ones have quarters in a manor - but those are few and in nearly any city, posting bounties and taking requests from far-between, often recruited by the lords in question instead of locals. With gruff names like the Purple Hawks or Orxbane, being picked from the street. But it is job someone must do; it they live and die by their reputation and results, sometimes is a job that makes most people even forget they are doing it. even serving as platoons in undermanned armies. Servants tend to get wrapped up in events quite unexpect- A Sellsword’s reputation can mean as much or more than edly, such as serving as armor polishers for questing knights, their skill. Do they honor their contracts, or solicit bids from picking up their lord’s sword once he has fallen. When they the competition? Are they cold, calculating veterans, or do they revel in violence and seek it out? Theirs is a life of little tend to stay in their taverns and hovels, it is not surprising trust. Soldiers will doubt their loyalty. Lords may wish to that Servants like to gossip. They are usually overlooked by tighten their purse strings when the battle is done. Often- their superiors, unless they screw up a job. Some Servants times, the only thing that will keep a Sellsword alive is a have noticed this and turned it into their advantage. They can willingness to do what nobody else will, and make others hear secrets no one should be allowed to hear, witness acts of consider how much it would cost to betray them. Many a secrecy or even find tangible evidence of heinous crimes. If peasant revolt has been put down by these mercenaries; peo- they want to cash out these small winnings it is their right - ple who are willing to do whatever is necessary to get paid. for their employers surely would not suspect them. The characteristic “clink” of coins in the hand drives them to TOWN GOSSIP murder others for profit. A Servant knows to lay low when the law - or other less rep- DOGS OF WAR utable members of society - show their faces. This provides Every scar a Sellsword bears has a story behind it. Every dis- ample opportunity to eavesdrop, covertly observing others figurement speaks to their history of violence. But war...war while picking up juicy rumors. never changes. And every mercenary must debase themselves for survival, doling out barbarity with reckless abandon. Effect: Whenever you fail an Eavesdrop or Rumor Test, you may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the Effect: You never suffer Serious Injuries. outcome.

SELLSWORD ADVANCES SERVANT ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Brawn +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Brawn +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Bargain ADVANCES Brawn +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Combat +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Charm ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Drive ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Fellowship +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Eavesdrop ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Folklore ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Gamble ADVANCES Perception +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Indifference SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Carousing SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Second Skin SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Silver Tongue Tough As SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Nails SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Worldly 112 SLAYER SLAYER ADVANCES There are things in the dark that mean ill for people. And BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Brawn +1 then there are those who have dedicated their lives in hunt- ADVANCES BONUS ing them. Taking the mantle of a Slayer never happens under SKILL RANKS Coordination ADVANCES Brawn +1 a joyous circumstance; it is always a path of blood. Starting BONUS SKILL RANKS from some mind-shattering experience that leaves the Slayer Folklore ADVANCES Combat +1 in pain, searching for their own demise that will be bloody. BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Combat +1 But on that path, the Slayer has vowed to help those who are ADVANCES BONUS in a need of a madman slaying monsters. The best Slayers SKILL RANKS Martial Melee ADVANCES Perception +1 will draw criticism that they are not needed, as common- BONUS SKILL RANKS ers rarely see their hard work outside the occasional scare or Resolve ADVANCES Willpower +1 BONUS minor trophy. There is no such thing as a bad Slayer - one SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 that makes even a single mistake will end up as another skull ADVANCES littering the bloody lairs of the creatures who still stalk the SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Ambidexterity night. SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Bad Axx! The path of the Slayer takes them into dark corners of the SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Die Hard world, showing them the bare naked and ugly truths about the world they live in. They will know the sins that birthed monstrous creatures lurking in the woods, as well as face the demonic hordes in mortal combat. Very few ever make it out SMUGGLER unscathed, wounded either mentally or physically they limp Draconian laws, xenophobia and social taboos are a boon to until sweet death takes their last breath. And at times, this some, but they are the bread and butter of the ever-elusive path can lure not only the Slayer towards their own doom, Smuggler. Any Smuggler worth their salt knows every port, but their comrades as well. For every Slayer possesses a death seedy tavern and crime family; and if they don’t, they are a wish, which can only be fulfilled by a vainglorious death! dead corpse walking. They are selfish and greedy, but only THE SLAYER’S PATH because they and their customers know their time is valuable. Smugglers often have debts to pay or families that rely on The world is dark place, filled with loathsome abominations. their criminal ways, but as long as they can make Kessel’s When these fiends appear, the terrified populace calls upon Trade Run in twelve days, they can put food on the table for madmen known as Slayers to kill them. They are foehammer hungry mouths. Not all Smugglers are noble at heart, break- to such beasts, attacking with relentless furor! ing blockades and serving the needy. Many trade in more Effect: After you have successfully defeated a creature (provid- illegal goods: hallucinogens, dangerous animals from distant ing it is not a Humanoid), those types of creatures are now your lands and illegal arms. These black market goods run high chosen enemy. While attacking such creatures of the same kind prices, but also risk high imprisonment or execution. in the future, you always add a 1D6 Fury Die to melee weapon Smugglers are often adventurers before they even start smug- attacks. Additionally, you are immune to the Intimidate Skill, gling, as the lifestyles seem to mesh pretty well. Quick re- along with Stress, Fear and Terror provoked by these creatures. flexes, weapon skills, negotiations and expert vehicle control Note that there is no upper limit to whom your chosen enemies means that if they can’t convince someone, they can for sure are, only gaining the aforementioned benefits after defeating outrun them. This also results in a lot of running from the their specific creature type. Smuggler’s own past. Skeletons in the closet and ghosts of DRAWBACK: DEATH WISH the dead lurk behind their shoulders and on empty stretches of the road, wearing nerves thin. This is an opportunity for Unfortunately, the path of the Slayer is a difficult one that misfortune to get in, for chaos to play on doubt, paranoia and only the truly insane would possibly follow. worry until it seems that all the Smuggler ever does is run. Effect: In order to follow the Slayer’s Path, you can never HÄNS SHOT FIRST wear armor as it violates this tenet. Should you don armor, you do not gain the benefits of any Professional Trait - Slayer Every Smuggler is ruthless at heart, resorting to villainy or otherwise - that you may possess. when the situation necessitates. Effect: Whenever combat begins, you gain 3 Action Points that must be used immediately at the top of the Initiative 113 Order - even if you were Surprised. Once spent, determine METTLE & STEEL your place in the Initiative Ladder and take your Turns nor- Squires undergo harsh and rigorous training, lessons which a mally. knight instills into them with vicious beatings at the end of a wooden sword. This regimen teaches them the skills they SMUGGLER ADVANCES need both on and off the battlefield through practice, evolv- BONUS ing into muscle memory. SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS Effect: At your option, you may substitute the Warfare Skill SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 ADVANCES in place of Resolve. Additionally, you may substitute Warfare BONUS SKILL RANKS in place of any Skill required to Resist Perilous Stunts. Counterfeit ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Disguise Fellowship +1 ADVANCES SQUIRE ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Drive Intelligence +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Charm ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Pilot Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Education ADVANCES Combat +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 BONUS ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Martial Melee ADVANCES Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Larceny Martial BONUS SKILL RANKS Fellowship +1 Ranged ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Light Sleeper BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Intelligence +1 SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Streetwise ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride ADVANCES Intelligence +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 SQUIRE ADVANCES Arbalest’s SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Squires undergo long hours of training to develop both mar- Speed tial and scholarly skills, performing rote tasks to instil strict Fencer’s SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS discipline. They are often paired with a mentor knight, per- Panache forming mundane duties, such as horseshoeing, cleansing SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Silver Tongue the trappings of the company, assistance with donning ar- mor and fighting alongside their patron in battle. Some even attend forming schools, academies who pride themselves on TRAPPER equestrian arts, military history and strategy. Naturally, their student body is mostly made up of those born with a silver In the cold parts of the world, a good fur-lined coat could spoon in their mouths, although it is not unheard of to find be all the separates you from life and death. The Trapper is a those born of lower status and bastardry drawn into their fur and pelt hunter, but instead of using guns or blades that ranks. On the battlefield, they are taught to value strength in could potentially ruin a good fur, they use traps and then numbers over personal might, reflected by their adherence to dispatch their quarry with a cut across the jugular. Most tactical warfare. Trappers make their living off of killing “necessary” game; wolf or bear pelts for the cold, seal pelts for waterproofing War never changes, but it does change those who make and so on. Some trade in the luxury furs, such as mink or fox war. Each battle takes its toll on a Squire in the form of lost normally reserved for the elite. The most fearless trappers companions and disintegration of their sanity. Chivalric al- have their eyes on dangerous or illegal game, like the lions truism can give way to selfish survivalist instincts, as fresh- of the south or great basilisks and their diamond-hard scales. faced recruits turn jaded, intent on butchering their enemies. Despite being a necessity for many, many Trappers receive It is of no great surprise to find that the most murderous the ire of other rangers and nature types of exploiting, rather and sanguine of gently-born warlords began their tutelage than serving, the natural world. as a Squire. Disenfranchised soldier-squires are even more dangerous, knowing the routes and roads that their former Trappers travel far and wide for their quarry, following mi- compatriots use. These rebel Squires seek to recompense gration patterns and delving into lost ruins or caves to find a themselves of stained honor and lost wages by turning to rare piece of game. Others are run off of lands, either by ter- rapine and pillaging. Some even turn to enslavement of the ritorial animals who have sensed a threat, or potentially even conquered, as they acutely know how demoralizing it is to a Gamekeeper who has had too many of his animals killed. serve without recompense. Being Trappers, they are not only adept at making traps of all 114 varieties, they can spot and disarm them as well, from sim- would rarely plunge into tombs or walk alone into badlands. ple snares to complex arrow traps. Trappers also possess great They are hardy and crafty individuals, having a smattering survival instincts, and many do respect and care for animals of skills of all walks of life they picked up on the road. The they are not actively hunting. The stress of adventuring for a Vagabond is no stranger to tragedy, though, and sometimes Trapper is entirely different from that gained from hiding in a the people they meet end up dead or worse. At times, having tree waiting for your mark to approach. When a Trapper sees nowhere to call your own is rough on a wanderer, and Abyssal humans flayed or eaten alive by fodderlings, or see their allies servants loves tormenting these souls with visions of a life the succumb to injury from traps, they may slowly realize that they Vagabond will never have, but one they will always chase after. are no different from the monsters they fight. AIMLESS DRIFTER TRAPPER KEEPER Consigned to the life of a wanderer, you have seen far-flung With an eye for the most minute of details, traps cannot con- places, shook hands with strange people and picked up odd found you. So detailed are the workings of your contrivances affectations along the road. In that, you’re oftentimes viewed that they cannot be foiled, detected or unhinged. with apprehension or adoration, depending on who you speak with. Effect: You automatically spot traps without having to make a Skill Test. Furthermore, traps you create cannot be detect- Effect: Whenever you fail a Navigation or Survival Test, you ed or removed, outside of Magickal means. Finally, you may may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the flip the results to succeed Skill Tests to disarm all traps. outcome.

TRAPPER ADVANCES VAGABOND ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Awareness ADVANCES Agility +1 Athletics ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Coordination ADVANCES Agility +1 Bargain ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Folklore ADVANCES Brawn +1 Disguise ADVANCES Brawn +1 Handle BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS Combat +1 SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 Animal ADVANCES ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Navigation Intelligence +1 Navigation ADVANCES Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 Simple Melee ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged Willpower +1 Simple Ranged ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Azimuth SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Azimuth Rural Rural SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Sensibility Sensibility Take ‘em SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Worldly Down

VAGABOND VALET Being a Valet is not just a profession, but a fine art. Trained A rolling stone gathers no moss, but you could say otherwise for years at academies that teach the intricacies of manners, about the Vagabond. Vagabonds are wanderers, storytellers traditions and social maneuvering, the Valet is far more than a and well-weathered vagrants who find more solace on the simple household servant. They are intellectuals, mentors and roads and passes between villages than they do settling into companions that not only show that you have wealth, but that a dull drudgery. Vagabonds wander hither-and-yon, hopping you know how to use it properly. The house Valet is just as on ships or tagging along with wagons to see what the world much a figurehead as the manor lord, and a proper Valet take has to offer. Often strange and somewhat aloof, the Vaga- utmost pride in their work. They are quick with advice or a sly bond is at the whim of their wanderlust and that’s how they word, and are confidants that know secrets that would have like it. Eventually the Vagabond picks up little mannerisms, others killed. Some are even closer to their lieges than their stories and attitudes from everywhere they visit, letting them parents are; some have raised lords orphaned at a young age become both worldly and independent. - perhaps their parents killed in an alley after a night on the Vagabonds are already adventurers in a sense, though they town - into more than capable leaders and heroes. 115 Sometimes those secrets can get the Valet dismissed from the amusement of a petty noble. Some might even choose his household, or a new upstart lordling inheriting a family this life path to right the wrongs they have encountered in fortune finds no use for a dusty old codger. Sadly, fine tastes their day-to-day lives. These would-be “protagonists” are and dapper suits do not fit a life of poverty, so a Valet will professional bullies, those who aren’t above using vigilantism often seek treasure elsewhere (or at least a new lord to ward to enforce justice. Colorful monikers, costumes and flour- over). Valets are impeccable in court life, and sometimes the ish oftentimes accompany these Vigilantes, creating an alter very lord you speak to may be one you’d read stories to as a ego to protect the ones they love. Nevertheless, the watch is child. That does not mean the Valet is above spying on con- keeping their eye out for these kind of rogues. versations, as such a skill is almost a necessity in the halls of power. But the Valet can also be trusting to a fault, and in a While vigilante justice might be sufficient for some, a few time when the stench of corruption wafts from every dark Vigilantes find that they cannot sate such bloody cravings in alley, excess trust can lead to stained reputation, slit throat or such a simple manner. Their knack for mayhem and murder even unimaginable demonic horrors. may take then down the path to become a well-paid killer. Driven by their sense of justice - or even coin - they find ALFRED PFENNIGWORTH that a sanguine life is best suited for them. In fact, Vigilan- Valets embody impeccable grace and confidence, attending to tes such as these may end up becoming a part of a villain’s their duties with professional charm while galvanizing the pres- gallery, opposed by other Vigilantes whose drive for justice ence of those whom they serve. Their presence mollifies repu- will invariably draw them into a fight with these would-be tation, lends credit to business dealings and ensures seamless antagonists. However, In the end, there is a dark place within social maneuvering. every Vigilante; a hole that cannot be filled by a life of sed- entary peace. Effect: Whenever you Assist others with Skill Tests, they gain two Assist Dice instead, choosing the better of the two MORTALITY WORK to use. Additionally, whenever you Assist them, they may ig- With the tools of murder, a Vigilante savors all the “little” nore any Critical Failures they roll, treating them as regular emotions of the kill. In their last moments, people show failures instead. you who they really are, particularly when you have a knife pressed against their throat. VALET ADVANCES Effect: Whenever you inflict an Injury with a weapon, your BONUS SKILL RANKS foe begins Bleeding as well. You can learn more about Bleed- Bargain ADVANCES Agility +1 BONUS ing in Chapter 8: Combat. SKILL RANKS Charm ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS VIGILANTE ADVANCES Eavesdrop ADVANCES Fellowship +1 BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 Education ADVANCES Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Coordination Agility +1 Folklore ADVANCES Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Disguise Brawn +1 Gamble ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES BONUS BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Combat +1 Rumor ADVANCES Perception +1 ADVANCES Meeting of the BONUS SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 Minds ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Multilingual Resolve ADVANCES Perception +1 BONUS SKILL RANKS SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Silver Tongue Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Indifference SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Knifework VIGILANTE Strangler’s SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Perhaps it is because of uncaring parents, childhood bullies Union or that some people just like to hurt others but there is a clear need in this world for paid ruffians. Vigilantes are scoundrels who have made their lives beating up others and getting paid for doing it: sometimes for business purposes, other times for 116 WATCHMAN ELITE PROFESSIONS From the poorest rural hamlets to the largest of cities, Watch- Elite Professions are arranged alphabetically, using the fol- man are trusted to keep a keen eye out for trouble. They are lowing format: trained to repel the unwanted elements, to rally to the hue and cry and to act quickly as danger is detected. Watchman patrol NAME amongst the people and stand alone against the night. They are The general name of the Profession follows. These names are trusted to keep the dark things out of settlements as well as to merely a guideline; your Gamemaster may have very differ- act as the moral backbone of any society. Watchmen are thought ent ideas about how each of these Professions are named, to be an elite force with seemingly endless numbers, but the and can change them to suit their campaign world’s milieu. opposite is true - no more than two dozen Watchmen patrol Unlike regular Professions, however, Elite Professions have the largest cities, and even then they are fairly under equipped. specific requirements in order to enter them. The Gamemas- Watchmen have a knack of stretching out their numbers and ter may override these requirements, but only in rare cases. warning against the largest threats, but even they can not pre- pare for every eventuality that may befall a city’s walls. Following each Profession is a general explanation of its role in the world. Whenever considering how your Character’s Sometimes Watchmen journey further afield to stand vigil at Profession influences their background, you can refer to the remote outposts, but many stay within a hamlet of some sort. description to form a better idea about who they were before Placing so much trust on the shoulders of these brave fellows they took upon the mantle of an adventurer (or who they will can be burdening upon business owners. Rough pleasures become if moving into this Profession). come with rough work, for it is not uncommon to learn that a Watchman visits illegal brothels and gaming dens to indulge PROFESSIONAL TRAIT their vices. These vices are often demanded to be free from the Every Profession possesses a unique knack at something; pimps and gamblers who provide these services. And in that, otherwise, an ability that no other Profession has access to. it is not uncommon to find that these same Watchman can The Professional Trait immediate follows the Profession’s be bought for less than a few farthings. Greasing the palms of description. these petty sentinels is almost part and parcel to the stench of corruption that gathers at the city gates. SPECIAL TRAIT HUE AND CRY! Although not every Elite Profession has a Special Trait, it may provide further insight and specializations your Char- A Watchman relies on preternatural instincts to sniff out acter will possess. danger. They are quick to rally in the face of lawlessness, vig- ilant and alert. DRAWBACK Effect: Roll 2D10, instead of 1D10, to determine your place Unlike regular Professions, every Elite Profession possesses in the Initiative Order. a Drawback. These Drawbacks are generally unique to that Elite Profession, providing background information and dis- tinct mechanics you must adhere to with your Character. WATCHMAN ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS ADVANCES Awareness ADVANCES Combat +1 BONUS Professions all possess Advances, which you must spend Re- SKILL RANKS Intimidate ADVANCES Combat +1 ward Points to acquire: BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Fellowship +1  ADVANCES SKILL RANKS: Every Profession has access to ten BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Perception +1 Skill Ranks. Following is the name of the Skill. ADVANCES  BONUS ADVANCES: Professions may increase Martial BONUS SKILL RANKS Perception +1 their Primary Attribute Bonuses seven times Ranged ADVANCES BONUS throughout a Tier. SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1  ADVANCES TALENTS: Every Profession has access to three BONUS SKILL RANKS Talents. Rumor ADVANCES Willpower +1 Arbalest’s SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Speed SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Eagle Eyes SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Light Sleeper 117 remote locations and studying the origins of Magick. This Elite Profession brand of arcane Magick uses the combined Aethereal winds Archmage Hermetic - much like the Black Magister does - but instead refracts and refines them instead of crushing them into a swirling Assassin Hierophant mass. The winds are brought together but separate, creating Augur High Lector Silver Magick. It takes decades to master this technique fully, and the Archmage is simply an apprentice in the high arts, Badlander Illusionist but they have already reached heights unimaginable by most Barrister Inquisitor other Magick users. Some seek just as much power as their darker cousins, though they are often disappointed when Black Magister Iron Abbot their glamours are purer than destructive. The large majority Bloodmonger Merchant Lord seek knowledge and experience, striving to find the real puri- ty beyond the Material Realm and perhaps even the nascent Chattel Slaver Military Officer energies that formed reality at its core. Crime Boss Necromancer Archmages tend towards aloofness or cloistering themselves Dark Disciple Pistolier behind a wall of esoteric know-how, but their might is un- Demagogue Plague Doctor rivaled - many of the few that exist are conscripted by na- tional armies to serve as dreaded battle wizards on the field. Drowned One Pledged Guard Though this study requires strict discipline and practice, that Druid Pyromancer does not mean that an Archmage is immune to corruption. The searing light of the combined winds can bore a hole into Duelist Revered Mother the Archmage’s soul, making them a lightning rod towards Dungeoneer Rune Thane Aetheric power rather than a commander of it. The Abys- sal Princes have spent centuries trying to sway Archmages Elementalist Scholar to their side, as having a servant with the might of refined Executioner Shaman Magick could spell ruin to the entire world. Explorer Soothsayer MASTERY OF THE HIGH ARTS Funerary Mage Truthsayer You have successfully unraveled the confusion of the Aethe- ric winds, and are able to “separate” them as you call forth Godsworn Veteran Magick. These strands are then re-woven into perfect, silvery Grail Knight War Dervish order; their warp and weft loomed together to achieve spec- tacularly perfect feats of Magick. Grey Guilder Warlock Effect: Select one Petty, one Lesser and one Greater Magick Guildmaster White Wolf spell over the course of your Profession. You no longer have to make Incantation Tests to Critically Succeed casting these ARCHMAGE Magicks. SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANE MASTERY You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Incanta- You have reached the ultimate stratum of your Magick- tion in order to adopt this Elite Profession Addition- al practice, and now understand the deeper secrets of the ally, you must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. Aethereal. Unraveling these arcane mysteries, you call forth Finally, you must sacrifice one Fate Point upon entering powerful, world-altering Magicks, but at the risk of corrupt- this Profession. ing yourself and harming your allies in the process. Effect: You may now attempt to learn Greater Magick from Magick holds many dangers, but it also gives many boons. the list of Arcana your Elite Profession granted you, pro- Providing warmth, benison, defense and healing, it is a viding you possess at least three Skill Ranks in Incantation. worthwhile tool to common arcanists. But the Magick prac- Additionally, you automatically learn one Greater Magick ticed today is not as it has always been; secrets of the original spell from this same list of Arcana, and may record it into arts have been lost to the ages, consumed by war or destroyed your arcane tome. by natural disaster. Rumors abound that there are still an- cient mages, living centuries beyond their time, dwelling in 118 DRAWBACK: WARP DISSONANCE Assassins rarely adventure into the wider world - their home The mind reels at the complexities of the Aethereal winds, is of the city full of wealthy benefactors and spurned lovers. and how they pass into the Material Realm. The mortal soul Those that do are escaping something - often another As- is not properly equipped to deal with these confounding sassin that is hot on their tail, though truly the only other majesties and can easily overwhelm even its most learned of worthy opponent for the Assassin’s cold calculations. Assas- practitioners. It takes solemnity and inner grace to properly sins kill without being there and let people hear what they balance oneself against the buffeting winds, one that must be want, making them useful in countless situations. The true unburdened by woe. hindrance to an Assassin is others - too much evidence, too many witnesses, too little alibi. When Assassins start going Effect: Whenever your Disorder is triggered, you cannot off the deep end, they will often turn on those that once cast Magick. trusted them, killing them in their sleep or making a death look like an accident. To the corrupted Assassin, these bodies ARCHMAGE ADVANCES are just obstacles to them, ones that need to be torn down so BONUS they can pursue their true art of purposeful death. SKILL RANKS Alchemy Agility +1 ADVANCES BONUS ART OF INVISIBILITY SKILL RANKS Awareness Fellowship +1 ADVANCES BONUS Using closely-guarded arts of the assassin, you can disappear SKILL RANKS Coordination Intelligence +1 ADVANCES before others’ very eyes. BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Effect: You may attempt to use the Stealth Skill to hide in BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 plain sight, providing you use one gunpowder shot to mask ADVANCES your disappearance and make a successful Skill Test. Addi- BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Willpower +1 ADVANCES tionally, you automatically succeed all Skill Tests to blend BONUS into crowds. SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES DRAWBACK: ASSASSIN’S CREED SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Battle Magick Higher One must have a callous Indifference towards the sanctity SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Mysteries of life to become an Assassin. This career tends to draw the Winds of SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS bloodthirsty and insane to its ranks. Ones possessed by vi- Change cious self-interest are consumed by the act of killing, while Assassins who can maintain professional decorum will find ASSASSIN profit in their career. Effect: Whenever you take an innocent life unprovoked, you automatically gain 1 permanent Chaos Rank. You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Stealth in order to adopt this Elite Profession ASSASSIN ADVANCES BONUS A cold body with their throat pressed in by a garrote; a SKILL RANKS Coordination Agility +1 ADVANCES seizing noble foaming at the mouth; a heretical priest shot BONUS SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Agility +1 in the head from afar. These are all victims of the Assas- ADVANCES BONUS sin, a professional killer of the highest caliber. The most SKILL RANKS Disguise Combat +1 famous assassins are the Bloodmongers who worship the ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Combat +1 Crouching One, but they only commit their crimes for ADVANCES the sake of their god. A true Assassin is a consummate BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Intelligence +1 professional - a person who is all business and is confi- ADVANCES BONUS dent in their abilities. They wear immaculate wardrobes, SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Perception +1 walk with a poise and posture that’s always at the ready, ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 and conceal a small armory on them at any one time - but ADVANCES they can just as easily kill with a smile as with their bare SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Doppelganger hands. Assassins make it their job to get in, complete the job, and get out: no muss, no fuss. Though an Assassin will SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Gruesome Shot have their favored tools, they use disguises, concealment SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Indifference and forgery all to accomplish their goal. 119 AUGUR prognosticate the future. Through these portents can Her Augurs begin to understand the higher mysteries of the uni- verse, and call upon the Custodian’s full body of blessings.

You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you Prayers of the Custodian, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Custodian, The Aethereal Veil is not only a barrier between the Well of and may record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast Souls and our Material Realm, but also the realm of dreams Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the Custodian until you - a borderline sleepers enter who can see the unreality inher- have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to ent in the universe. The Custodian - the mysterious goddess learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever of dreams and death - uses dreams to speak to Her devot- use Prayers of the Custodian, and cannot adopt any other ed priesthood, the Augurs. Though it is true that Augurs are Profession that gives different Prayer types other than the priests of the lady of death, they are not an evil clergy: they are aforementioned. fully aware that death is a part of the great cycle, grateful for the life given to them rather than the ending they must brood DRAWBACK: THE CUSTODIAN’S upon. Augurs are quiet though not morose, often reflecting COMMANDMENTS inward and seeming nearly always in a dream-like state. In The Custodian makes specific demands from Her priest- addition to being the attendants to the dead - embalming hood. They must remain steady foes to the befouled Crouch- and burying them for their journey to the Well - Augurs also ing One, taking all means to bring their cult to an end. They have obtained gifts of revelation and insight into the future must defend places where the dead are buried and cannot and the nature of dreams. From under their dark and bilious disturb those who have been chosen by the Custodian to en- cloaks, they prognosticate the fate of all men. It is even said ter Her sacred realms. But of all Her strictures, none is more that Augurs know the nature of the death that awaits every demanding than that which all necromongers and those man, though their descriptions of them are vague. who’d raise the dead unnaturally to be hunted down.

Augur temples are dark and cold, where they undertake the Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos Man- preparation of the corpse for burial and the afterlife. They ifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the Custodi- very rarely hold active worship, as the Custodian is an inevi- an. Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of your god, as tability rather than a possibility. To Augurs, the supernatural outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you violate any of are the highest blasphemy against their lady, stealing souls these commandments, you must seek atonement. To atone, that rightfully belong to the Well of Souls. Those Augurs you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice the Gamemas- who become too obsessed reach too deep into the mysteries ter deems narratively appropriate to your god. of the dead, many becoming Dark Disciples who use their holy rites as a segue to foul necromancy. AUGUR ADVANCES BONUS SHADES OF THE PAST SKILL RANKS Awareness Brawn +1 ADVANCES When you brush your hand over the dead, your head fills BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Intelligence +1 with visions from their life. From both joyous and traumatic ADVANCES BONUS events of their personal history, your mind reels with memo- SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 ADVANCES ries of the life once lived by the corpse you touched. BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 ADVANCES Effect: Whenever you touch a corpse, make a successful In- BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 cantation Test to learn three important facts about their past. ADVANCES BONUS These facts are determined by the Gamemaster, however, SKILL RANKS Intimidate Willpower +1 you may only ever exert this power over an individual corpse ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 once. ADVANCES SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Indifference THE CUSTODIAN SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Secret Signs Terrible dreams haunt the Augur; however, within these Supernatural SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS dreams comes hidden meaning and secrets. This is the way Paranoia the Custodian speaks to Her followers, allowing them to 120 BADLANDER Effect: You never Critically Succeed Fellowship-based Skill Tests, even if you roll a Match. Additionally, you cannot take advantage of Talents, Traits, Magick or Fortune Points to modify any Fellowship-based Skill Test. You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Survival in order to adopt this Elite Profession BADLANDER ADVANCES BONUS The wilderness is full of dangers, both mundane and fantas- SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 ADVANCES tic, and only the Badlander truly knows the best ways to sur- BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Agility +1 vive amongst soaring canopies and frigid boreal valleys. Bad- ADVANCES landers are at their core scouts - many are hired by mercenary BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Brawn +1 units or armies to forge ahead ahead of the main vanguard, ADVANCES BONUS using stealth and observation to watch enemy movements SKILL RANKS Martial Ranged Combat +1 ADVANCES and return with movement reports. But they are also much BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Intelligence +1 more than that - they are die-hard survivalists, individual- ADVANCES BONUS ists who believe that others only exist to hold them back. SKILL RANKS Resolve Perception +1 They are also expert marksmen, never being seen without ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride Perception +1 their longbow and a full quiver of arrows. Badlanders are also ADVANCES hired as caravan guides and navigators, consummate rangers SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Light Sleeper that can tell tracks that are weeks old and navigate by the stars on overcast nights. When not working, Badlanders live SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Long-winded alone, honing their skills in the wilderness they fear and re- SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Nerves of Steel spect. Most haunt a specific wilderness, working along with people like Gamekeepers as it’s protector.

Why would a loner like a Badlander wish to divorce them- BARRISTER selves from their solitude and join a wandering party? The main gear is a sense of duty - many Badlanders hold a creed of both protecting the people in the wilds and protecting You must possess at least one Skill Rank in both Bar- the wilds from them. They are not a dour lot, simply an in- gain and Guile in order to adopt this Elite Profession dependent one. They are fantastic fighters, able to target an Orx at a thousand paces and nestle an arrow between their Law is a fickle thing at times. More often than not, it is draconi- eyes with hardly a thought. The Badlander can suffer how- an and labyrinthine, constantly revised by emperors and pushed ever - endless nights on long stakeouts, eating spoiled food aside by the next. But still the legal system rolls on, as people are to survive, and the eerie silence they must keep is enough tried, acquitted, jailed or even executed, and the driving force to drive anyone to madness. Those that break become true behind the system is the maligned Barrister. Barristers are law- wildmen - xenophobic outlaws who will attack anyone they yers, litigants and mediators, spending their lives studying the see as a threat with hardly a moment’s notice. law in order to convince the often waif court of their pledge’s innocence. The Barrister is a thankless job - they go through LEAF ON THE WIND years of training and study, only to be spat upon if they lose You are rarely comfortable in one place, possessing a strong a case despite any impossibilities stacked against them. While sense of wanderlust. You have learned to live off of roots and most Barristers work for the people, some are professional law bark when necessary. The dangers of the wilds persist, and interpreters or representatives of royalty, at times even going to just a few minutes of shut-eye here and there are enough to prison in their lord’s stead. The only benefit in being a Barrister live by. is akin to being minor nobility - lands, titles and incomes are usually awarded to Barristers who prove their worth to the court Effect: You are always able to provide enough food and wa- at large. Aside from that, the reputation hit is enough for many ter to live by, never suffering from the effects of Starvation or to retire early. Sleep Deprivation. Barristers often take to the road due to exile, but times they DRAWBACK: ENJOY THE SILENCE can also prove useful while staying stationary. A Barrister can Badlanders enjoy the company of the wilderness more than act like an inside man - easily researching legal loopholes, others. They treat others with extreme discrimination, seeing forgiving debts or even bending the ear of a king or earl. Bar- them as more a distraction than a boon. risters also have learned to defend themselves against their 121 more unhinged clientele, so they are not entirely defenseless. BLACK MAGISTER It is true that many Barristers have their clients’ best inter- ests in mind, but those that grind against the stress of living slowly start to turn. The cases they take they ensure ruin in You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Incanta- lives, gouging for reparations and sending people to unjust tion in order to adopt this Elite Profession Addition- deaths. They form a cult of personality, whispering honeyed ally, you must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. words into their judge’s ears to let them get exactly what they want - and want they want starts to become foul indeed. Even laymen know the inherent dangers that come from ar- POUND OF FLESH cane Magick. Its power flows from the Aethereal Veil and Where desperate attempts to bargain fail, you are there to wraps around the world in invisible but destructive winds, demand harsh compensation. and it is these winds that arcanists mold and control to their whim. Tapping into just one of these is dangerous enough, Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Intimidate Tests. as the body and soul of the caster is at constant risk of being When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. ripped apart. But there are those who wish to amplify this Additionally, whenever you successfully Intimidate someone, power, opening themselves up to a ravaging storm of Aethe- you inflict 1D10+ your Willpower Bonus (WB) in men- ric winds. These casters seek out natural pools of Magickal tal Peril. Finally, you may substitute Fellowship in place of energy, where all the Winds have swirled together in a light- Brawn when determining Base Chance of success with the less, fetid mass - known as Void Magick, the ultimate repre- Intimidate Skill. sentation of the Black Winds. Those who risk everything for these dark arts are called Black Magisters, shunned by the DRAWBACK: UNTRUSTWORTHY arcane community at large for meddling in powers they fail Despite that you may have the backing of the law and to understand. These pleas often fall on deaf ears, however, as schooling, you are roundly mistrusted by others. Many see Black Magisters are often too self-centered and narcissistic you as a blood-sucking, money-grubbing parasite of society. to care for anything beyond their own quest of real, ultimate Inquisitors may even truly believe you may be a blood-suck- power. However, some Black Magisters are simply misun- ing vampire! derstood and are only trying to learn and discover; not be- come power mad. Regardless of intentions, this arcane might Effect: Whenever you fail any Fellowship-based Skill Test, is dangerous and a bane to all who wield or are affected by it. you suffer 1 Corruption. Black Magisters are nearly always outcasts, perhaps running BARRISTER ADVANCES from zealous Inquisitors or on a spirit quest to understand demonic might from its immortal practitioners. They are in BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Fellowship +1 ADVANCES a dangerous position, as a Black Magister is often wracked BONUS with madness to simply obtain a taste of the power they so SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 ADVANCES desire. Many seek to be crowned among Abyssal princedom, BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 becoming one step closer to the very source of all that is dark ADVANCES BONUS and corrupt. One false move and they will turn from a cham- SKILL RANKS Guile Intelligence +1 ADVANCES pion to a gibbering wretch, one knocked about by the winds BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogation Perception +1 of Aether for all of eternity in damnation. Void Magick is ADVANCES not to be meddled with, and the onyx spirit of the Black BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Willpower +1 ADVANCES Magister will not soon forget it. BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES MASTERY OF THE VOID SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Determination You “crush” the unstable winds of the Aether into chaotic yet powerful combinations. As they coalesce, it produces SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Forked Tongue dramatically amplified effects, as you force these deeply de- Menacing SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS structive winds to bend into a shape of which you desire. Demeanor However, they have wildly unpredictable side effects that can unravel the thin veil between the Material Realm and the Abyss, creating unstable rifts.

Effect: Whenever you Channel Power and succeed your Skill Test, you Critically Succeed instead. 122 SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANE MASTERY spite this, priests of the Crouching One, self-professed Blood- You have reached the ultimate stratum of your Magick- mongers, are almost universally despised: devoting yourself to al practice, and now understand the deeper secrets of the murder is not a way to earn many accolades or recognition. De- Aethereal. Unraveling these arcane mysteries, you call forth spite this, the Crouching One’s name is often invoked in the powerful, world-altering Magicks, but at the risk of corrupt- case of death sentences and vendettas, but no one utters His ing yourself and harming your allies in the process. name aloud more clearly than the Bloodmonger priesthood. Bloodmonger initiation almost always requires a ritual bathing Effect: You may now attempt to learn Greater Magick from in viscera, provided by either an exquisitely slaughtered oxen or the list of Arcana your Elite Profession granted you, pro- lesser creature when one cannot be afforded by the prospective viding you possess at least three Skill Ranks in Incantation. acolyte. It is of no great surprise then that Bloodmongers rit- Additionally, you automatically learn one Greater Magick ually leech themselves of their own blood as a petty offering. spell from this same list of Arcana, and may record it into Animal sacrifice abounds among their following however, as your arcane tome. worshippers must be careful and selective of what humanoids they elect as their victims. Spilling too much blood draws the DRAWBACK: DAMNED! Crouching One’s ire, and spilling too little does the same. Unfortunately, the power you wield is highly destructive - When in public, they disguise themselves and suppress their not only to others, but upon your very soul. madness well in order to not draw suspicion to their uniformly Effect: Any time you gain a Disorder, you gain a Malignancy despised faith. Bloodmongers are a secretive cult, only com- as well. Malignancies are covered in Chapter 10: Grimoire. municating in public through discrete hand signs every wor- shipper knows. Their rituals are long and deadly, their temples closed to the public. Vessels filled with sanguine offerings lit- BLACK MAGISTER ADVANCES ter their doorstep, as the poor and desperate attempt to appeal BONUS SKILL RANKS Alchemy Fellowship +1 to them for revenge. Though there are clearly legends of heroic ADVANCES BONUS Bloodmonger killers that perform their deeds upon the vil- SKILL RANKS Bargain Fellowship +1 ADVANCES lainous with a gross sense of justice, these are not altogether BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Intelligence +1 common. Most Bloodmongers will slip into the dark crimson ADVANCES of their worship, becoming relentless serial killers or devoting BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 themselves wholly to chaos, taken by their bloody ways. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 BLOOD THIRST ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogation Willpower +1 To spill blood is to please the Crouching One. It invigo- ADVANCES rates His power from beyond, and brings great stillness to BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Willpower +1 ADVANCES the universe. Although purely a chaotic act, it can fill the Aethereal Bloodmonger with divine jubilance, and heal them from SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Alignment their ailments. SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Appalling Mein Effect: Whenever a Bloodmonger renders the killing blow Higher SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS to any Humanoid (including player races), they may option- Mysteries ally restore their Damage Condition Track one step towards Unharmed, but in exchange by suffering 3 Corruption. BLOODMONGER SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF THE CROUCHING ONE The invocations given to the Crouching One are of sanguini- You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation ty and violence. Priests of their order are able to cause wounds in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you to fester from Aetheric disruption and render death-dealing must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. blows, enhanced by the Crouching One’s power.

In deep warrens below the earth and the riotous fighting pits of Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the the south, from the dark wastelands ruled by Mutants, and in Prayers of the Crouching One, as listed under Chapter 10: lands stalked by coldly-neutral Siabra, these priests make blood Grimoire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and sacrifices to a reviled deity. The Crouching One’s worship has one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Crouching been almost entirely outlawed, as rumors abound He was once a One, and may record them into your prayer book. You cannot demon who was thrown down for becoming too powerful. De- cast Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the Crouching One 123 until you have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may con- of slave labor; it is where the often-villainous Chattel Slaver tinue to learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only profits. These women and men make it their job to round up ever use Prayers of the Crouching One, and cannot adopt any and sell others, and sometimes to also serve as slave masters other Profession that gives different Prayer types other than and pit bosses. The very worst of them take vile delight in the aforementioned. subjugating others, lashing thralls to death from disobedi- ence or forcing themselves upon the slave’s loved ones. Most DRAWBACK: THE CROUCHING ONE’S Chattel Slavers hold bondsmen or indentured servants, COMMANDMENTS who work for them a certain time until their debts are paid. The Crouching One makes specific demands from His Though most deal with exploiting other native cultures, it’s priesthood. His Bloodmongers must spill the blood of an- not the only group that feels the sting of the lash. There are imals in contrition, and bleed themselves of foul humours those who viciously enthrall women and children as sexual often. Sometimes, they must carry out dangerous, ritualistic objects. Chattel Slavers are usually not tolerated, but their missions to assassinate specific people who displease the god. dark trade happens in the darkest recesses of the world. Rarer still they must indoctrinate their victim’s children into their sacred order, turning them into hired killers or worse. Those who travel in search of adventure and glory actually find use in their cruelty and violence, using their threatening Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Cha- nature to speak when their rawhide is not loud enough. They os Manifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of also find a strange kindred with certain humanoids, as many the Crouching one. Additionally, you are bound by the creatures like Siabra and Duergar use enslavement as a cog tenets of your god, as outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. in their economy. Some Chattel Slavers actually revoke their Should you violate any of these commandments, you ways and try to reform themselves, becoming abolitionists must seek atonement. To atone, you must make a suitable who seek to undo slavery as an ideology. The dark gods love offering or sacrifice the Gamemaster deems narratively a Chattel Slaver, as they basically are already doing the work appropriate to your god. for them of instilling fear, hatred and uprising among the weak. Vile demon lords will often welcome a Chattel Sla- BLOODMONGER ADVANCES ver with open arms, giving them red-hot brands and barbed BONUS whips to continue with their foul duties. SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Agility +1 ADVANCES BONUS MASTER’S WHIP SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 ADVANCES With every vicious lash of the whip, with every rod unspared BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Combat +1 ADVANCES and leg broken, the Chattel Slaver fulfils their disdainful task BONUS of subjugation and oppression. SKILL RANKS Incantation Combat +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Fellowship +1 Effect: You ignore the Ineffective and Pummeling Qualities ADVANCES when fighting with Crushing type of weapons. Additionally, BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Perception +1 you may reference Willpower Bonus (WB) or Combat Bo- ADVANCES BONUS nus (CB) when inflicting Damage with these same weapons. SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 ADVANCES DRAWBACK: CALLOUS ATTITUDES SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Blood Magick Slavers who relish in subjugating others often take to this SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Die Hard trade. Each vicious act of the Chattel Slaver eats away at There Will Be SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS their precious humanity bit by bit. Blood Effect: Whenever you suffer Corruption, increase the num- ber you gain by one. This means that if you suffer 3 Corrup- CHATTEL SLAVER tion, you gain 4 instead.

You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Interroga- tion in order to adopt this Elite Profession

The world is dark and terrible at times, but there are some re- gions that live in terror of one day being swiped up to be sold into slavery. This peculiar institution has a lot of lashback from civilized folk, but some regions still run off the backs 124 claw at the lord, pushing them to move their soldiers in more CHATTEL SLAVER ADVANCES wanton ways or even take matters into their own hands. They BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 can turn from what was once despised but necessary evil to a ADVANCES maniac who controls a town with a bloody iron fist. BONUS SKILL RANKS Drive Brawn +1 ADVANCES SKIN O’ MY TEETH BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 ADVANCES In the most difficult of situations, you’re able to escape... BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Combat +1 somehow alive. However, the repercussions for the actions ADVANCES BONUS you took that got into such a tangle will inevitably catch up SKILL RANKS Intimidate Fellowship +1 ADVANCES to you someday. BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogation Willpower +1 ADVANCES Effect: Whenever you would use a Fortune Point to re-roll BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 Percentile Dice, you automatically Critically Succeed in- ADVANCES stead. Additionally, whenever you spend that Fortune Point SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Beatdown to gain an Action Point, you gain two Action Points instead. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Indifference DRAWBACK: PUBLIC ENEMY # 1 SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS No Mercy Your face and name are likely well-known. Very likely, there’s a reeve, bounty hunter or worse on your tail. As such, you are forced to live a life of secrecy CRIME BOSS Effect: When in places where you may be recognized, you cannot use Fate or Fortune Points unless you make means You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Skuldug- to hide your true identity. The Gamemaster will likely ask gery in order to adopt this Elite Profession you to make a Secret Test for Disguise when in public, only revealing the results at the most inopportune of times. The world is rife with professional thugs and leg-breakers, but few have ever stopped to realize that being a hitman is an en- CRIME BOSS ADVANCES terprise. In a land rife with suspicion and murder, there is little BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogate Brawn +1 excuse against not trying to gain what one can from a life of ADVANCES BONUS crime. The Crime Boss is one of the few souls that have risen SKILL RANKS Intimidate Brawn +1 up from their life of hard-scrabble on the streets to truly make ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Fellowship +1 themselves into something a cut above the rest. Crime Boss- ADVANCES es lead entire networks of gangs, serving as the accountants, BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Fellowship +1 leaders and public faces of those knaves. They are wealthy and ADVANCES BONUS influential, often holding as much power as any lord or lady SKILL RANKS Rumor Perception +1 ADVANCES - as few wish to invoke the wrath of an organized band of BONUS SKILL RANKS Scrutinize Willpower +1 murderers. Crime Bosses are not stupid or brash, however - ADVANCES every move and plot they make has just as many subtleties as BONUS SKILL RANKS Skulduggery Willpower +1 any political coup. They eliminate threats when they are found, ADVANCES expand their territories and regulate their illegal businesses. SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Appalling Mein Though at first blush they may seem like fiends, many are not SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Gangster Grip - they control the worst aspects of crime, and without them Menacing SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS many cities would fall to chaotic ruin. Demeanor Crime Bosses are of low cunning and perplexity, but their cleverness is not the only thing that let them reach the heights they are seated at. They are quick and stealthy, able to slit throats and coin purses much better than their countless grunts. They often suffer many close scrapes and near misses, but that is often the hazard of living amongst the night-soil lined streets. Crime Bosses are often paranoid, however, as many young upstarts are jealous of their power and wish to overthrow them through oft bloody means. These suspicions 125 DARK DISCIPLE SPECIAL TRAIT: DIVINE MASTERY You have learned the deepest of secrets in the universe, and share an unshakeable bond with the gods above. As a result, You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Incanta- you have gained (or perhaps earned) the watchful gaze of tion in order to adopt this Elite Profession Addition- unsavory deities. Despite this, you are unable to call forth ally, you must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. the most earth-shattering of Magicks, invocations unseen by other rank and file priests. The gods are distant, both to commoners and priests. The only true evidence of their meddling is divine prayers, and only a Effect: You may now attempt to learn Greater Magick from few who devote themselves to these powers actually gain an the list of Prayers your Elite Profession granted you, pro- inkling of their power. Some priests journey or study to dis- viding you possess at least three Skill Ranks in Incantation. cover why the once-rumored personable gods have become Additionally, you automatically learn one Greater Magick strangers to their thralls. Eventually, the worms of ruin enter spell from this same list of Prayers, and may record it into their ear and they slowly put together pieces that the gods your prayer book. supposedly don’t exist. Instead, they are manifestations of the DRAWBACK: DIABOLICAL MARK only true deities: the terrible Abyssal Princes of the endless pit. These new Dark Disciples have been convinced their life-long You have denied the gods outright and they have now denied faith has been a lie; their devotion to the true gods being just you in return. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your prayers go a clever ruse by the forces of chaos. However, their adherence unanswered. In fact, they’re still granted but, by new masters. to their former faith doesn’t solely end there; it only grows For your subservience, you are branded with a mark, sealing more loathsome and twisted. Some Dark Disciples become your obedience to the Abyssal Princes of the endless pit. crazed doomsayers, wandering into towns preaching the end Effect: You no longer suffer from Divine Punishment, but of reality as we know it. They reject the assumed gods entirely, instead invoke Chaos Manifestations as if you were using seeing themselves as a focus of earthly god-like might. Still Arcane Magick. Additionally, whenever you cause Chaos others seek to supplicate themselves before these new-found Manifestations with Petty Magick, they are treated as Lesser Abyssal powers, perhaps seeing if they can turn them around Manifestations. Whenever you cause Chaos Manifestations and revive the “real” gods. with Lesser Magick, they are treated as Greater Manifesta- Many Dark Disciples hide this dark secret, as even hinting at tions. For every Greater Chaos Manifestation, your skin is worship of Abyssal powers is enough to be burned at the stake. branded with a permanent devil’s mark. Should you ever car- But their Abyssal masters actively respond to them, something ry thirteen marks, your Character is retired from gameplay. they only rarely obtained from their former gods. Dark Dis- ciples look over the edge of ruin, staring into the ever-roiling DARK DISCIPLE ADVANCES maw of the Abyss and questioning not whether, but when, BONUS SKILL RANKS Disguise Agility +1 to jump. Only the strongest and most insane resist the call ADVANCES BONUS while still trying to make sense of its whispering, but most SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 will eventually plunge head first into the sickening, torturous ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 and blood-soaked orgy that is the realm of the Abyss, fully ADVANCES wrapped in a dark embrace. BONUS SKILL RANKS Heal Intelligence +1 ADVANCES FAUSTIAN BARGAIN BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Whenever you call into the deep Aethereal, your Magicks BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Perception +1 are sometimes “amplified” by the unwanted attentions of de- ADVANCES BONUS mons; in particular, by one of the four Abyssal Princes. These SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 personalities whisper dark secrets in your ear, telling of ter- ADVANCES rifying things to come. To see these ends come to fruition, SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Doppelganger they have given you a gift of their favor… but you’re unsure SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Indifference yet what they require of you in return. Left-handed SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Effect: Whenever you Channel Power and Critically Suc- Path ceed an Incantation Test, a single, hand-sized shard of Wytchstone is produced into your palm. Additionally, you may ignore the commandments and tenets your previous Elite Profession required of you through its Drawbacks. 126 DEMAGOGUE Effect: You gain the Nemesis Drawback upon entering this Profession. If you already have a Nemesis, you gain another.

You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Leadership DEMAGOGUE ADVANCES in order to adopt this Elite Profession BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Fellowship +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 Demagogues go by many names: politician, governor, sultan, ADVANCES mayor, burgomeister and any other designation under the sun. BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Intelligence +1 Most of the world is run through an imperial government of ADVANCES BONUS one sort or another, a feudal system of minor lordlings that SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 all serve under an emperor, king or other prominent title. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogation Perception +1 Demagogues are as diverse as any other profession. Some ADVANCES are honorable and want to serve their communities, helping BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Perception +1 them pave their futures. Others are corrupt, accepting bribes ADVANCES BONUS and passing draconian laws that result in only profit for the SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower + ADVANCES ruler in question. Though elected positions are a rarity, Dem- Meeting of the SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS agogues require at least some variety of charisma if they wish Minds to succeed, and those who do not please their superiors will SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Multilingual often quickly find themselves out of a job. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Worldly Many wandering Demagogues are those very ones who are out of a job, or they may be trying to campaign or petition for a new position. Demagogues are extremely influential; DROWNED ONE whether they be shysters or honest is a different matter. They are also well versed in all the “darker” portions of political maneuvering; extortion, bribing, and even lacing threats into You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation their impassioned speeches. Depending on their style, other in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you nobles and smallfolk could take a strong liking to a Dem- must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. agogue, or be afraid of what power they could potentially wield. In the eyes of chaos, however, all Demagogues are sin- “We were born from the sea, and to the sea we shall return”; ners. It’s naturally the job of Abyssal lords to lie, cheat and this is the main chant of the Drowned Ones, the dour priests steal but play it off as legitimate, so any competition they face of the enigmatic Leviathan. The cult of the Leviathan is one via puny mortals is not one they will willingly stand for. The that has long been present, dating back to even before the Abyss will pluck at the mortal’s mind as they become more Old Believer’s faith, as high ranking Drowned Ones would stressed, turning what was once a benevolent leader into a have you believe. The church is one of penance, as they affirm jingoistic despot. all have forsaken their lord by taking to the land. Their ini- tiation involves being drowned by water, and only those that DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER revive by the sacred kiss of life are considered worthy of the A Demagogue’s authority is widely recognized, and they Leviathan’s blessing. Drowned Ones trust in the mercy of often take liberties with this privilege. Their voice carries the sea and storms, subsisting solely on the bounties of the weight, motivating those who’d call them an ally and insti- water and draping themselves in rough-spun cloth to best al- gating hatred in those who disagree with their policies. low salt to stick to their flesh. Many who do not worship the Leviathan see Drowned Ones as odd monks who whisper to Effect: You influence any number of people who can see and fishes and waves, but their influence among sailing commu- hear you clearly with Fellowship-based Skill Tests. Addi- nities is not to be trifled with. tionally, change your Social Status to Aristocracy, assuming all of its advantages. Drowned Ones are a languid lot most of the time, though they erupt in bouts of fury much like their beloved ocean. DRAWBACK: POLITICAL RIVALRY Their rituals involving chanting and communion, holding At some point or another, you’ve earned a very powerful po- worship on a beach next to rock-carved idols of obscene litical enemy. Both they and their followers are attempting to aquatic beasts they claim are manifestations of the Levia- defame you, embarrass you and shame you. They may even be than. Drowned One prayers are almost a certainty on long willing to kill you to see that their goals are met! ship voyages, but the lord of storms also offers them fell Magicks from the depths that seem almost like the black- 127 est of sorcery. If ever betrayed by their god, Drowned Ones To atone, you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice the become even more radical, drowning infidels in buckets of Gamemaster deems narratively appropriate to your god. saltwater they carry ashore or by offering them to schools of sharks, the Leviathan’s most holy of animals. DROWNED ONE ADVANCES BONUS THRICE-DROWNED SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 ADVANCES You have been blessed by another of your order, forcibly BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 drowned three times. Thrashing, you saw the truth of the ADVANCES BONUS world below the water, as the Leviathan’s salty brine filled SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 ADVANCES your lungs. Darkness came, and then enlightenment. Each BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 time you were revivified by the kiss of life, a new mystery was ADVANCES BONUS revealed to you. Each dream you had while dead showed you SKILL RANKS Incantation Fellowship +1 strange, terrible visions of a world that will end in deluge. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Intelligence +1 You must prepare for the end times. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Pilot Willpower +1 Effect: You cannot drown, never suffering from Suffocation ADVANCES when below water. Once you go unconscious, you instead SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS Azimuth float to the surface. Additionally, you may add your Will- Higher SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS power Bonus (WB) to your Brawn Bonus (BB) to determine Mysteries how many minutes you can hold your breath. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Mariner SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF THE LEVIATHAN Whereas most maritime shanties are sung while passing DRUID time aboard a ship, the chanting of the Drowned Ones are haunting invocations. They call forth both below the sea and You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation to the sky, invoking blessings to ensure safe harbor and pas- in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you sage aboard the water. must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Prayers of the Leviathan, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- Though no single religion knows precisely how the world moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and was formed, most agree that the hermaphroditic Demiurge is one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Leviathan, the source of life and nature. They were the one who birthed and may record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast the myriad creatures of the world and caused the land to Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the Leviathan until you take seed and grow. Priests of the Demiurge call themselves have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to Druids, and theirs is a faith that grew out of the worship of learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever more old, elemental ways. The Druids really have no center use Prayers of the Leviathan, and cannot adopt any other of worship, as many of them are individualists who simply Profession that gives different Prayer types other than the heard the call of the wild and returned to the bosom of the aforementioned. wilderness. Druids are mystical and often oddly consort with flora and fauna, though their lust for life - and each other - is DRAWBACK: THE LEVIATHAN’S unmatched. The Demiurge is not only the god of nature, but COMMANDMENTS the god of childbirth; so those who wish to carry child often The Leviathan makes specific demands from Her priesthood. seek counsel from a Druid. Worshippers take on both the Whistling aboard a ship is considered unlucky, as is leaving fury and gentle nature of the Demiurge, following Their du- any port with a lad aboard named Jonah. They will not eat the alistic nature in all they do. They also often take great pains to meat of animals born on the land. Mostly, sailor’s superstitions hide their gender, sometimes castrating themselves of their are exacerbated by their cult ten fold and heavily ritualized. sexual organs in order to live as pure and free as possible. In that, it is not uncommon to see that Druids of the Demiurge Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos possessing the Drawback of Eunuch. Aside from this, they Manifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the Le- often wear very little, only donning clothes and taking what viathan. Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of your the Demiurge provides them from nature. god, as outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you vio- late any of these commandments, you must seek atonement. Druids worship in primordial areas that predate mankind: 128 in old growth glades, amidst bones of enormous long-dead Profession that gives different Prayer types other than the behemoths and within monoliths of ancient stone that have aforementioned. stood since the world was hot. It is in these places they feel the primal warmth of their loved Demiurge. Their worships DRAWBACK: THE DEMIURGE’S are full of passion, love and often copulation - but not to an COMMANDMENTS excessive degree. Prayers granted to Druids run the range of The Demiurge makes specific demands from Its priesthood. nature, from communicating with animals to tapping into This includes sacrificial offerings, seclusion during the winter primal fury. If a Druid feels the pull of the Abyss, they will solstice for extended prayer and jubilant exhortation during turn their jubilation back to the ancient forbidden ways: the spring solstice. mass orgies with animals, humanoid sacrifice and offering up newborns to the Demiurge by abandoning them in the wild. Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos Manifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the De- OLD FAITH’S CHOSEN miurge. Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of your The old faith predates most religious institutions of our mod- god, as outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you vio- ern age. As one of its practitioners, you are inherently (and su- late any of these commandments, you must seek atonement. pernaturally) recognized as a devotee by creatures born of this To atone, you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice the same age. Although not their enemy, you are viewed as mostly Gamemaster deems narratively appropriate to your god. harmless, in the same way that another may regard an ant. DRUID ADVANCES Effect: Animal creatures, specifically Critters, will never BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Agility +1 make you a target of their Attack Actions or Perilous Stunts, ADVANCES until you initiate violence towards them or their allies. BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Brawn +1 ADVANCES BONUS You also gain the loyal service of a liaison to your god called a SKILL RANKS Heal Fellowship +1 Spirit Animal. You share an empathic link to the Spirit Ani- ADVANCES BONUS mal, up to one mile away. Additionally, you can use the Spirit SKILL RANKS Incantation Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Animal as an an Aethereal conduit, using it as an extension BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Perception +1 of yourself for sight, hearing and touch when it come to cast- ADVANCES BONUS ing Magick, providing it remains within your line of vision. SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 Fortunately, the Spirit Animal can see perfectly in the dark ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 - much to your advantage. The Spirit Animal always mirac- ADVANCES ulously avoids harm by others, turning Aethereal at will. It SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Azimuth possesses extremely high intelligence, and you can commune with it at any time. Finally, you can project your voice through SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Rural Sensibility the Spirit Animal. SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Saddle-born SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF THE DEMIURGE Druids are followers of the Old Faith, a religion that stretch- DUELIST es back to the origin of all humanoidkind. You pray among long-forgotten landmarks, such as towering stone monoliths You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Coordina- and burial grounds. Outside of these circles, you call forth tion in order to adopt this Elite Profession the Demiurge’s grace, bringing forth the primal, elemental fury of the world. Few would argue that being an effective combatant requires Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the more than a little skill, and even creativity in the arts of war Prayers of the Demiurge, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- in order to think on your feet to avoid a mortal blow. But moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and those same few would argue that the only true fighters of one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Demiurge, any merit are the Duelists. Dueling is a long-standing tra- and may record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast dition, an effectively legal means of dispute via violence - Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the Demiurge until you often to first blood, but sometimes to death. Though the have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to current fashion is through the quicker and final pistol duel, learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever sword duels are still popular amongst traditionalists. Duel- use Prayers of the Demiurge, and cannot adopt any other ists are either brash and swaggering swordsman, or serious and dour professionals; both of them make a living serving 129 as intermediaries for quarreling nobles. Depending on the skill level, a fight between Duelists can go on for nearly an DUELIST ADVANCES BONUS hour. Against brasher or ill-experienced marks, Duelists can SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 run them through in a single thrust, wiping their needle-like ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Charm Combat +1 blade of blood in a single flourish. Considered to be a step ADVANCES above novitiate Bravos, the best Duelists are often classically BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Combat +1 trained in fencing or swashbuckling schools, their styles and ADVANCES BONUS methods all varied but deadly. SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 ADVANCES BONUS Duelists are quick fighters who wear little to no armor to SKILL RANKS Guile Fellowship +1 ADVANCES best move on their feet. Even when slaying beasts, those fell BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Fellowship +1 creatures often have a hard time pinning down these flighty ADVANCES BONUS fighters. The Duelist’s main weakness is in their confidence: SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 they often see themselves as indestructible or a cut above ADVANCES the rest, while they can just as easily bleed as the many foes SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Fencer’s Panache they have laid low. Many Duelists hire their skills out to SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS No Mercy others who do not wish to die on the dueling ground, but Lightning SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS some are foolhardy enough to challenge anyone near them Reaction who they deem as either worthy opponents or someone who has slighted them. As the stresses of life and battle weigh upon the mind of the Duelist, they are more and more wan- DUNGEONEER ton with their challenges, eventually attacking anyone they please before the fight has even been accepted. You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Folklore in MASTERS OF DEFENSE order to adopt this Elite Profession Through grueling training regimens or by schooling, you have become a master of military techniques. You expertly The world is built upon the ruins of the old - deep below avoid blows with ease, eviscerating an opponent’s flurry of modern streets lies catacombs, ancient caverns and aged blows with steady parries and retreat tactics. sewers, all brimming with manner of unspeakable threats to the world above. Only one person hears this call for help in Effect: Whenever you suffer Damage from a melee weapon, the deep below, and that is the oft disrespected Dungeoneer. roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands on a face “6”, you ignore it Dungeoneers are professional spelunkers and defenders, as you automatically Parry it. Otherwise, you may attempt to trained to fight in enclosed spaces and drive back any threats Parry as usual. You must be armed with a weapon possessing to the world above. Threats to most nobles means perhaps the Finesse Quality in order to use this Trait. dangerous animals or potential structural weak points, but DRAWBACK: CRAMP MY STYLE Dungeoneers know better - the underworld is rife with beasts and other terrors that would love to spread their stench to The art of fencing demands some particular joie de vie; an the world above. Armed with little more than a torch, fifty exuberance of quality in flourish and style. As such, you re- feet of rope, a ten-foot pole and a few henchmen, a rare few fute all armaments which does not fit into this worldview. make it out alive. Those who’ve lived to tell the tale are ac- Effect: You can only wear quilted or leather armor. Other- counted of in fantastic tales of dragons and dungeons, such wise, you cannot use any of your Traits or Talents conferred as the famous Gygax Greybeard and Arneson Schwarzmoor. by this Profession. Though most Dungeoneers are employed by a city to defend the sewers and under reaches, some do find that their skills are mighty useful abroad - plunging ancient necromantic crypts, the vine-crawled ziggurats of the Aztlan, and temples to gods long thought dead. They have been trained to stand stalwart, to turn aside all threats at cost to their lives. But things lurk in the dark, and the sounds of the old and the dead whisper in the Dungeoneer’s ears at every turn. Passag- es twist, traps are sprung, and exits are sealed off - in blind panic the Dungeoneer struggles to no avail. Their fate is only known later on, when another hapless Dungeoneer encoun- 130 ters the bones of a pack mule, a torch-bearer and their for- ELEMENTALIST mer colleague, all collecting the dust of ages.

GYGAXIAN NATURALISM You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation Dungeoneers have spent an inordinate amount of time un- in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you derstanding and recording the ins and outs of traps. In that, must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. they exhibit an uncanny knack for escaping deadly traps and being ambushed by the skin of their teeth. Elementalists take an almost wild and unhinged approach to their Magick. To them, nature is a force that can not be reck- Effect: At any time, you may spend 1 Fortune Point to avoid oned with, a wanton mistress who will kiss you with a calm- a trap or other contrivance intended to cause you harm. Ad- ing breeze one minute and deluge your croplands the next. ditionally, you can spend 1 Fortune Point to avoid being sur- Many Elementalists believe in an inevitability: the more that prised. the wilds are destroyed, the more they will push back. Nature DRAWBACK: GROGNARDIA has always been there and always will be, and they know ret- ribution can be swift. The actual Magicks of an Elementalist Dungeoneers are generally stout-hearted people, possessed are varied and rather explosive, from causing enormous rifts by the will to do good and right wrongs. However, their her- in the ground to summoning enormous storms of hail, they oism sometimes borders on insanity, driven by the predilec- let elemental energy flow through and ravage them. The El- tion to destroy all that is foul below. They’d make martyrs of ementalist and the Shaman are kissing cousins to an extent. themselves, if only to have their names spoken of in stories While the Shaman puts most of their focus into the beasts and song. and creatures of the earth, the Elementalist is a mage of the Effect: Immediately change your Order Alignment to Her- plants, the land and of weather. Most Elementalists will have oism and your Chaos Alignment to Martyrdom. a season or disaster they favorite, oft garbing themselves and their attitudes with something like the coldness of winter or DUNGEONEER ADVANCES the fury of the sea. BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 An average Elementalist is volatile, prone to mood swings, ADVANCES and often mercurial and aloof when in their right minds. As BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 ADVANCES their power grows they become more unstable, causing even BONUS the wind around them to whip up or the seas to rage. Like SKILL RANKS Folklore Combat +1 ADVANCES their brethren the Shaman, radical Elementalists will make BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Fellowship +1 themselves the catalyst of the wilds, knocking down forts ADVANCES BONUS with mighty hurricanes or sundering cities with massive SKILL RANKS Martial Ranged Intelligence +1 ADVANCES earthquakes. Unlike Shamans, they see almost all life as a BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Perception +1 blight upon the world, and radicals amongst their order will ADVANCES not hesitate to slay anyone who’d transgress against them. BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES SEASONS TO PASS SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Mine Craft During bountiful seasons, your Magick grows immensely in SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS Secret Signs power - particularly whenever you attempt to draw deeper Supernatural from the wellspring of Elementalism. You can more accu- SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Paranoia rately guess how the winds of the Aether will impact your ability to cast, as you withdraw a power untold among other Magickal orders.

Effect: During spring, subtract one Chaos Die whenever you Channel Power. During summer, subtract two Chaos Dice whenever you Channel Power. SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF ELEMENTALISM From the wellsprings of the world around them, Aether can be harnessed into the forces of Elementalism. Found within wellsprings, megalithic standing stones and lush forests, their 131 Magick is drawn from permeations in the world between the EXECUTIONER Material Realm and the Abyss. When melded together, they are a force that is both beautiful and destructive. You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Interroga- Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the tion in order to adopt this Elite Profession Arcana of Elementalism as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and Bearers of a most onerous and grisly task, the Executioner is one Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Elementalism a career fit only for but a few. Responsible for capital pun- and may record them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast ishment - such as hanging, quartering, and beheading - their Lesser Magick from the Arcana of Elementalism until you job is to both serve as the final justicar and a symbol against have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to lawlessness. The grim spectacle of an execution is enough to learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever draw the locals to witness. However, given the ghastly du- use Arcana of Elementalism, and cannot adopt any other ties of an Executioner, they are shunned by the community Profession that gives different Arcana types other than the when their axe is laid to rest and their hoods removed. Exe- aforementioned. cutioners are roundly the subject of hatred. Being the king’s DRAWBACK: GREEN TEMPERAMENT justice is often a position of privilege: an Executioner acts as the hand a ruler refuses to raise, and the most famous are as Elementalists must maintain harmony with nature in order feared as any baron. Most executions are performed on the to draw from the Aether. Should they disrupt the forces of classic chopping block, but with the advancement of tech- order and tip the balance towards disorder, it brings about an nology comes new cruelties. Crosses, gallows, firing lines and internal turmoil which cannot easily be assuaged, outside of guillotines are all known by the Executioner, and they rarely intense meditation and reflection. take any joy from their gruesome work. Some Executioners Effect: If you are suffering from more than 3 Corruption, even accompany rulers or Inquisitors, serving as handy dis- you cannot Channel Power. posers of prisoners of war or heretics. Performing executions is not for the faint of heart, so the ELEMENTALIST ADVANCES profession is swarmed with the grim, adamant and cruel. BONUS SKILL RANKS Alchemy Fellowship +1 ADVANCES Even the most brutish of Executioners turn to alcohol and BONUS other drugs, attempting to bury the strain of their wearisome SKILL RANKS Awareness Intelligence +1 ADVANCES task. But when deep in their cups, they must be careful of BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 pranks or reprisals from family members whose loved one ADVANCES fell before the axe. The weight of their work can turned even BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Perception +1 ADVANCES the most lawful justicar into a grim-hooded fiend. The com- BONUS munity must be wary of an Executioner at the brink, for they SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 ADVANCES may cut their bonds to lawfulness and take to a gruesome, BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Willpower +1 bloodthirsty rampage to “snuff out” others, raging with in- ADVANCES BONUS sanity. SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES Impervious COUP DE GRACE SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Mind An Executioner deals the death stroke to those that lay be- Left-handed SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Path fore them. SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Light Sleeper Effect: Whenever you inflict Injuries with melee weapons, they are always considered to be Grievous Injuries unless you’re using a weapon possessing the Ineffective, Pummeling or Weak Qualities. DRAWBACK: A GRIM CAREER The life of a hangman relegates them to a world of fear and shame by the citizenry, despite their grisly (yet lawful) task.

Effect: Permanently lower your Fellowship by 9%.

132 as god given rights, that their superiority is divine and they EXECUTIONER ADVANCES must educate “backwards savages”. Explorers are the fore- BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 ADVANCES runners of imperialism, and it is not difficult to see how the BONUS bloated corpses of old nations have spread themselves too SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 ADVANCES thin too far and have stagnated and collapsed. BONUS SKILL RANKS Disguise Brawn +1 ADVANCES PULP HERO BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Combat +1 ADVANCES Throughout their many journeys, an Explorer’s derring-do BONUS will land them in situations where they survive by the seat SKILL RANKS Interrogation Combat +1 ADVANCES of their pants. An Explorer must keep their edge, or else fall BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Willpower +1 into the depths of their own desires… or pits that may await ADVANCES BONUS them. SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Willpower +1 ADVANCES Effect: Whenever you fail an Awareness or Coordination SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS Appalling Mein Test, you may re-roll to generate a better result but must SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Beatdown accept the outcome. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS No Mercy DRAWBACK: FORTUNE & GLORY Explorers are inexorably led, by their own egotism, to seek and recover artifacts, unearth lost knowledge and demand EXPLORER that things be set into motion that matches their world view. They’ll oftentimes forget that there are more powerful forces in the world that would keep them at bay, for curiosity kills You must possess at least one Skill Rank in both Edu- the cat (and the Explorer). cation and Navigation in order to adopt this Elite Pro- fession Effect: Immediately change your Order Alignment to Ad- aptation and your Chaos Alignment to Mayhem. Many who take up the life of wandering could be considered Antiquarians, but the actual career of Explorer is a rare and ex- EXPLORER ADVANCES BONUS otic one. Explorers do not just head by themselves into dark SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 woods or foreign islands - they are contracted by kingdoms and ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Fellowship +1 empires to mount grand expeditions, sometimes with hundreds ADVANCES of others in order to discover new lands, seek out new trade BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 routes or settle distant colonies. Bearing a trademark explorer’s ADVANCES BONUS hat, they are often independently wealthy scholars, diplomats SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 ADVANCES or traders that have been given royal writ to seek out what they BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Perception +1 please. Explorers are not only excellent navigators and intellec- ADVANCES tuals, but cults of personality that are able to both rally the fail- BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Willpower +1 ing morale of any crew members and to extend the metaphor- ADVANCES BONUS ical - or sometimes literal - olive branch to natives of foreign SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES countries. At their heart though, Explorers are mostly in it for SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Azimuth the fame and glory - if a genocide or a destruction of culture Strangler’s results from their meddling, they care little as long as they are in SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Union a history book and their discovery on a map. SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Worldly Explorers are generally egotistical, and many would jump the chance to lead an expedition that could result in the discov- ery of a new civilization, a lost city or some other chance encounter the average adventurer seems to stumble upon. They are upstanding navigators, pilots and diplomats, able to get to, into and out of nearly any situation with either a wisecrack or the crack of their bullwhip. Explorers can become quite erratic and dogmatic however - those who see the worst of the world see their possessions and discoveries 133 FUNERARY MAGE SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF MORTICISM The practitioners of Morticism is a reverence for life and the control of death. It is the cessation of unnatural endings - You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation such as with Necromancy - an understanding of how time in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you flows, and how destiny affects mortal kind. Morticism is the must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. dusty murk between both what is living and that which is not; a veil between both the Well of Souls and the Material To describe a Funerary Mage is to understand the mean- Realm. If life were summer and death is winter, then Morti- ing of death. For they are not Necromancers, seeking to cism is the fall - a path between where both twains shall pass. fight against the march of time to live into eternity. Yet, they are not priests either, seeking to alleviate the sick Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Ar- and to help others. Nay, they are more akin to custodi- cana of Morticism, as listed under Chapter 10: Grimoire. ans, occupying a role that inspires natural transcendence Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one from the Material Realm without disrupting the natural Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Morticism, and may state of things. Deeply spiritual, the Funerary Mages record them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast Lesser worship the cosmic balance between the Well of Souls Magick from the Arcana of Morticism until you have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to learn Gen- and the Material Realm. Death comes to us all, and the eralist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Arcana Funerary Mage acutely understand how fate and destiny of Morticism, and cannot adopt any other Profession that impacts us when it is time to go. As a part of this, they gives different Arcana types other than the aforementioned. share a profoundly deep connection to the spirits of the world, but hold vehemence against those which sit on DRAWBACK: PURPLE TEMPERAMENT the threshold between the Material Realm and the Well. Rumors persist that Funerary Mages are nothing more than Undeath does not fit into the natural order. Although Necromancers in disguise, seeking both paths to find the they embrace the certainty of death, they do not seek to truth to unlife. Given this unsavory (and unfair) reputation, wield power over it. They seek to banish such imbalances, it is no wonder that Funerary Mages are curt, grim and de- seeking to be rewarded in this life rather than the next. tached from the rest of the world. They do not make friends Given their preoccupation with the two realms, they are easily, nor are their words taken as affable given their grave deeply laconic people, austere and disciplined in a way that nature. most cannot identify with. In that, they can fall prey to dis- association from the living. They are indoctrinated to the se- Effect: You never Critically Succeed Fellowship-based Skill crets of the world, and in that some pursue a far darker art. Tests, even if you roll a Match. Additionally, you cannot take Bordering on Necromancy, they may attempt to escape the advantage of Talents, Traits, Magick or Fortune Points to bonds of both this world and the next. This spiritual cor- modify any Fellowship-based Skill Test. ruption threatens madness at best, and mutation among the worst. Renegade Funerary Mages may turn to the necro- FUNERARY MAGE ADVANCES mantic brotherhoods to extend their own life. For it one un- BONUS SKILL RANKS Awareness Brawn +1 derstands how time and destiny works, one can make them- ADVANCES selves as a god, cast between both worlds as their own master. BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Brawn +1 ADVANCES SPIRIT SIGHT BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 ADVANCES As a practitioner of Morticism, you have seen the dead rise BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 and witness other infernal acts which would scare the liv- ADVANCES BONUS ing daylights out of others. You’ve developed an affinity with SKILL RANKS Heal Perception +1 the Aethereal Veil, as you now exist somewhere between this ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Willpower +1 Magickal membrane and the Material Realm. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Willpower +1 Effect: You can always see Aethereal creatures, and can affect ADVANCES them with your Attack Actions and Perilous Stunts, regard- SKILL RANKS Resolve TALENTS Appalling Mein less if they are in Aethereal form or not. You can also visually sense the presence of restless spirits - such as Supernatural SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Indifference creatures - with a successful Awareness Test. SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Knifework

134 GODSWORN Grimoire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Pet- ty and one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the God-Emperor, and may record them into your prayer book. You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation You cannot cast Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you God-Emperor until you have two Skill Ranks in Incanta- must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. tion. You may continue to learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Prayers of the God-Emperor, Of all faiths in the known world, the Godsworn are perhaps and cannot adopt any other Profession that gives different the most recognizable (as they protest loudly of their faith). Prayer types other than the aforementioned. Often resplendent in brilliant plate mail, they brand them- DRAWBACK: THE GOD-EMPEROR’S selves with the burning star of their god while wielding mas- COMMANDMENTS sive hammers as their weapons. These warrior-priests make it their sole mission to protect humanity at all costs. The The God-Emperor makes specific demands from His priest- God-Emperor is easily one of the most relatable gods; He too hood. Some of these include obeying your king. Others may was once a person, and a fine specimen of all the traits hu- be rooting out the Mutant incursion. You must befriend manity can muster - courage, valor, honesty, and swift justice. dwarves, and do your best to ally with them. Most of these The Godsworn are less like a church and more like a crusading edicts require you to sacrifice personal liberty so that justice order, as even the frailest of their priests are taught the ways is fulfilled for all. of warcraft. They despise inhumans of all sorts, striking down Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos Mutants and any other creature that dares threaten the sanc- Manifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the tity of civilized life. Though they are a terror to behold in bat- God-Emperor. Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of tle, Godsworn also uphold the other generous qualities of the your god, as outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you God-Emperor: many are charitable and devoted, going above violate any of these commandments, you must seek atone- and beyond their call of duty in any situation, battle or no. ment. To atone, you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice Godsworn temples are often lavish and beautiful - in many parts the Gamemaster deems narratively appropriate to your god. He is the most worshipped god, and it shows in the gold statues and ivory pillars. Their worships are full of pomp and circum- GODSWORN ADVANCES stance, often lasting for hours with consultations afterwards. BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Agility +1 Burning pyres are tended to, both day and night, by Godsworn ADVANCES BONUS priests. However, their prayers extend beyond these hallowed SKILL RANKS Incantation Brawn +1 halls. They can summon down searing divine light and root out ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Brawn +1 inhumanity at its very core. Those who become too devoted to ADVANCES the king of justice take their zealotry too far, and start eliminat- BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 ing even others of different credo in order to maintain the purity ADVANCES BONUS of their church. These dark Godsworn, shorn free of all bodily SKILL RANKS Resolve Fellowship +1 ADVANCES hairs and riddled with burn marks, are not to be trifled with. BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 ADVANCES ARMOR OF GOD BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 Put on the whole armor of the God-Emperor, that ye may be ADVANCES Impervious able to stand against the wiles of chaos. SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Mind Mounted SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Effect: Armor with the Heavy Quality doesn’t prohibit your Defense use of the Incantation Skill to cast Magick. Supernatural SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Paranoia SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF THE GOD-EMPEROR You wear the armor of your god, and can invoke His prayers. They speak of judgement, righteous fury and execution. You are the God-Emperor’s priest elect, and forces of chaos best step aside or else suffer from your holy incantations.

Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Prayers of the God-Emperor, as listed under Chapter 10: 135 GRAIL KNIGHT ly despise the use of bows, pistols and the like, seeing them as the weapons of cowards and unskilled warriors.

You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Martial Effect: You cannot use ranged weapons whatsoever, nor at- Melee in order to adopt this Elite Profession tack during a Surprise Turn or from ambush.

Militant brotherhoods are considered somewhat decadent GRAIL KNIGHT ADVANCES BONUS in this day and age. These fraternal organizations are tied SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 together by church or lord, pledged eternally into their ser- ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Charm Brawn +1 vice to defend them for rights of land, glory and riches. The ADVANCES first known organization of these landed knights were said to BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Combat +1 have searched for an ancient relic of immense power, though ADVANCES BONUS if they completed their quest is the territory of folklore. Since SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 ADVANCES then, however, these noble warriors have been called Grail BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Intelligence +1 Knights - not only for their history, but the fact that many ADVANCES of them also have a euphemistic “grail” they seek. Whether BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 it be on a crusade or simply defending their homelands, each ADVANCES BONUS order has their own grand quest. Besides their grail, nothing SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 ADVANCES is more important to a Grail Knight than their kin; their Impervious SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS heraldry, shared bloodshed and mutual training have forged Mind Mounted them strong bonds that will last far beyond the grave. SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Defense Grail Knights are skilled warriors, excellent tacticians, and also SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Nerves of Steel knowledgeable in all things relating to their grail. Their per- sonalities and mannerisms vary among the orders: the Order of the Gryphon may be full of fierce warriors, while the Order GREY GUIDER of the Stoat may be full of sly tricksters. Grail Knights also seem to obtain the better spins on fortune’s wheel, many es- caping deaths that seemed nearly inevitable. But though many You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation Grail Knights have strong hearts despite some fanaticism, in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you they can take a darker turn when slowly lured by Abyssal crav- must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. ings and wanton destruction. Entire orders have altered their grails, turning from stalwart defenders to xenophobic murder- Money is an all important part of society: gold and shillings ers, but still have maintained the same devotion to their cause. are what make the war machine turn, not the heart of a na- Hearing of a fallen order is an ill-omen, as even just one Grail tion. And even when money does speak, there is always an air Knight who has swayed to chaos is a threat. of mystery and double-cross associated with the coinage. It is this trickery, and commerce in general, that the Grey Guilders BLESSING OF AVALON devote themselves to. Priests of the trickster god called the Grail Knights are a cut above Hedge Knights; some would Nightfather, Grey Guilders are little more than a religious- even say they are nine steps ahead of them. They are incred- ly-organized thieves’ guild. They believe heavily in chance, ibly compassionate, honorable and chivalrous. They are the luck, deception and the almighty crown. Grey Guilders, and embodiment of justice, holy warriors given great jurispru- the Nightfather in general, exalt themselves with mischief dence by the gods above. As a reward to their virtuous ways, and mayhem - many Grey Guilders were once bards, court fate has decided that Grail Knights alone have a higher cause jokesters or thieves that turned over a new leaf. “New leaf ” to serve. Unfortunately, that cause is generally more danger- may be a forgiving term however, as they maintain the same ous and life-threatening than other quests the forces of order actions, only this time under the disguise of religious devotion. may take upon. Grey Guilders are only identified by the piece of onyx they wear around their neck, carved into the shape of a crow’s eye. Effect: Whenever you would gain a Fate Point due to your While their worship is not outlawed and every traveler says Order Alignment, you gain two instead. a prayer to the Nightfather for good luck, the priesthood is DRAWBACK: LAW OF WAR rarely trusted due to their furtive and scrupulous nature. Grail Knights are a cut above the rest, holding themselves to Grey Guilder cells operate completely independent from one different standard than the rest of the world. They thorough- another, and unless you know the Grey Guilder’s call, rare- 136 ly will you see beyond their “honest merchant” storefronts others, however, is the most egregious of sins in the eyes of which hide secret rooms for worship. Rituals are subtle and the Nightfather. rare, often paid with a tithe and a quick invocation for luck than anything overly elaborate. Grey Guilder prayers are Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos Man- meant to confuse and misdirect, or even directly meddle ifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the Nightfa- Magickally with the flow of commerce. If a Grey Guilder ther. Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of your god, as ever falls from grace, their attitude takes on one completely outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you violate any of taken by chance; they mutilate themselves and use marked these commandments, you must seek atonement. To atone, coins to determine their barbaric actions - such as whether you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice the Gamemas- or not they should kill or steal at their every whim; binary in ter deems narratively appropriate to your god. their decision-making. These two-faced criminal priests are reviled, and should be feared. GREY GUILDER ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Intelligence +1 X MARKS THE SPOT ADVANCES BONUS Grey Guilders oftentimes mark a characteristic “X” upon their SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Fellowship +1 ADVANCES religious tokens or clothing, but only where the discerning eye BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Fellowship +1 could not readily identify it. This is a silent invocation of luck ADVANCES BONUS and steadfastness, oftentimes in the face of danger. The Night- SKILL RANKS Gamble Perception +1 father has seemingly marked His blessed followers with an ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Perception +1 invisible X Himself, as Grey Guilders are unnaturally lucky. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Willpower +1 Effect: Whenever you intend to sacrifice a Fortune Point, ADVANCES roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is a face “6”, you don’t BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 have to use a Fortune Point to gain its benefits. ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Doppelganger SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF THE NIGHTFATHER SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Gallows Humor Those who worship the Nightfather have no prescribed doc- SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Forked Tongue ument of faith, nor do they adhere to a religious body. They operate semi-independently of any formal church, although they do maintain a number of “shrine clubs” dedicated to the GUILDMASTER god of luck. Those lucky enough to be blessed by him can call upon His powers to change the outcome of events in both minor and life-altering ways. You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Tradecraft in order to adopt this Elite Profession Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Prayers of the Nightfather, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- In an imperial society, rulers can easily assign their own moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and workers to trades without having to consort with expensive one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Nightfather, glassblowers, masons or collegiate researchers. The edge that and may record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast crafters and academics have are their guilds: fraternal - or Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the Nightfather until you sometimes maternal - organizations that attempt to monop- have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to olize a specific trade or field of study. Within these guilds, learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever the secrets of the craft, often called “the mysteries”, are re- use Prayers of the Nightfather, and cannot adopt any other served and guilders share a sense of special kinship with one Profession that gives different Prayer types other than the another. Behind each guild is a Guildmaster, a high-ranking aforementioned. member of the organization who serves as leadership for all DRAWBACK: THE NIGHTFATHER’S COM- their fellow guilders. Whether a Guildmaster be a trusted MANDMENTS librarian, a merchant with a great reputation or just a black- smith that contracts work for a kingdom, they all share a The Nightfather makes specific demands from His priest- common bond in their higher knowledge and expertise. They hood. This includes participation in gambling, theft and are what keeps the relatively-new burgher social class stable; graft. The use of violence is highly discouraged; even mug- otherwise, their allies would go back to being exploited as gings and petty crimes where others are brought to harm they always have been. is looked down upon. Informing upon criminal activities of 137 Guildmaster’s skills are as varied as the trades they represent, HERMETIC but their connecting traits are their leadership and knowledge. They are both well-versed in the most arcane and erudite of techniques in their craft, able to collect opinions among their You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation guilder kin and make their voices heard. Guilds don’t even stop in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you at just traditional things like larder or banker guilds; even some must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. mercenary bands have established guildhalls themselves. Guild- masters are simply leaders of others, and they are quite talented First and foremost, every Hermetic is an alchemist at heart. at it. But woe befall any who gets in their way, as they will oft The very basis of their research is ensconced in understanding stop at nothing to make their power, both among the guilders the properties of the four basic elements. However, they also and of the guild itself, constant and unbreakable. This obsession recognize that the Aether permeates everything around them, can sometimes become disastrous, causing riots, forbiddance of and is considered to be THE primary element. They see it as a necessary crafts or even violently expelling any competition that universal solvent, breaking down the traditional elements into rears its ugly head in their territory. lesser substances such as gases and matter. Thus, the Hermetic is elevated not only in the field of alchemy, but also under- MAKER’S MARK stands how Magick affects the makeup of the Material Realm. Tempered and honed by an experienced hand, the equip- This line of thought naturally bleeds into their own personal ment a Guildmaster forges with their hand is strong. Their work - that of transmutation of metals and ore. Metallurgists items withstand the test of time and deterioration, treated without peer, they are able to weave elements of the Aethereal almost relic-like in their quality of craftsmanship. Veil in subtle (and not so subtle) ways to change substances. However, only the most esteemed of Hermetics know how to Effect: Any time you produce a trapping using your Focus, make these transmutations. Despite this, all Hermetics rigidly you always Critically Succeed your Tradecraft Test (as they pursue the dream to transmute nickel into iron or lead into are of the best quality possible). If they are a weapon, shield gold, simply called the “true transmutation”. or armor, they gain the Castle-forged Quality. Hermetics left to their own wiles may go down a very dark DRAWBACK: GUILD RESPONSIBILITIES path to achieve the dream of true transmutation. Although A Guildmaster must consistently put money into the pot, a common pursuit among lesser alchemists to successfully for the work they do is not enough to sustain their political do so, they lack the arcane knowledge to see it fulfilled. Yet, power. It may be used for graft, further investiture and the like Dwarf ’s lust for gold, a Hermetic may be driven to the housing of new apprentices. brink of madness in this quest. They may take extreme mea- sures - ones which enforce the most despicable stereotypes Effect: You must donate one out of nine coins you have to regarding arcanists - to sate their own lust. It is not unheard your guild. of to find Hermetics attempting to use other less than savory substances to aid in their research. One need only recall the GUILDMASTER ADVANCES tale of Midas to know what becomes a man whose greed BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 consumes him. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 ALCHEMICAL THAUMATURGY ADVANCES BONUS With alchemical instruments, you have learned to mix SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 ADVANCES Wytchstone into liquid, distilling it into a usable dram for BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 concoction. Your Elixirs are highly potent, retaining their ADVANCES BONUS properties for a lifetime. SKILL RANKS Intimidate Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS Effect: Whenever you create Elixirs, you create three potions SKILL RANKS Leadership Intelligence +1 ADVANCES instead of one. Additionally, Elixirs you prepare have an end- BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 less shelf life, lasting until drank or destroyed. ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Determination SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF TRANSMUTATION Incredible SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Numeration You have adopted the thaumaturgic arts, learning to manip- Meeting of the SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS ulate metals to bend, shape and twist to your very desire. Minds Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the 138 Arcana of Transmutation, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- HIEROPHANT moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Transmutation, and may record them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation Lesser Magick from the Arcana of Transmutation until you in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Arcana of Transmutation, and cannot adopt any other The biggest insult you can give to a Hierophant is through Profession that gives different Arcana types other than the calling them a priest. Hierophants have spent decades of their aforementioned. life devoted to the Arcana of Luminescence and will not be brought low by such mockery. They are intensely proud of DRAWBACK: YELLOW TEMPERAMENT their Magick, as their school of thought is the closest anath- The coldly logical minds of the Hermetic order marks them ema to the powers of the Abyss. While those demonic beings as hyper-rational individuals. While clearly “on the spec- propagate chaos, disaster, darkness and destruction, the Hi- trum”, they find it exceedingly difficult to entertain ideas erophant controls radiance, order and healing. Their power is which may not be theoretically sound. As such, they find derived from light, of an utmost supernatural order unseen themselves grossly unequipped to deal with factors that can- amongst other arcanists. Many Hierophants give off an air not be predicted. of scholarly knowledge and wisdom, though they are often quiet, reserved and judgmental. They often deem themselves Effect: Whenever your Chaos Ranks exceeds your Order more important or more influential than other arcane wiz- Ranks, you must flip the results to fail all Fellowship-based ards, much to the ire of their brethren. Their arrogance does Skill Tests. This lasts until your Order Ranks exceeds your not go unnoticed by their colleagues, but the proof is in their Chaos Ranks. abilities; they can heal the sick, protect those in danger and bring hope where there is none. HERMETIC ADVANCES BONUS Whenever a layperson speaks favorably of wizards, the SKILL RANKS Alchemy Agility +1 ADVANCES Hierophant is usually the source of their praise (so-called BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Intelligence +1 “white wizards” in their own right). ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 Hierophants are aloof, suffer from superiority, and can be ADVANCES quite zealous when it comes to opposing the forces of chaos. BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 ADVANCES Those steeped in the study of light and banishment often find BONUS themselves becoming further detached from reality, feeling as SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 ADVANCES though they are either gifts to the material world or are su- BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 perior to everyone, and not just their fellow casters. They also ADVANCES BONUS become larger targets for the Abyssal Princes’ chaotic manip- SKILL RANKS Scrutinize Willpower +1 ADVANCES ulation, and Hierophants will willingly put civilians in harm’s SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Ambidexterity way in order to destroy their hated rival. Radical Hierophants distraught by stress will avoid delving into chaos at cost of SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Determination their own personal health, instead becoming almost like judg- Impervious SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS es or magistrates, passing punishment and death on any who Mind do not follow how the law works in the wizard’s eyes. ILLUMINATION PROWESS Hierophants are most potent with their Magicks during the daylight hours, as they absorb the Aetheric power of Lu- minescence into their body. They can then focus this into immense, and oftentimes violent, explosions of might and power as they cast Magick.

Effect: During the daytime, you may Channel Power with- out suffering the risk of Chaos Manifestations.

139 SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF HIGH LECTOR LUMINESCENCE Luminescence is the most difficult of Aetheric winds to con- trol. It requires a potent mind, with a deep connection to- You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Incanta- wards the inner light of consciousness. But when harnessed, tion in order to adopt this Elite Profession Addition- it can be bent into immense show of light, healing and ar- ally, you must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. cane power. Finally, you must sacrifice one Fate Point upon entering this Profession. Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Arcana of Luminescence as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- Every denomination of faith has a leader, someone who moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and claims they have communed directly with the heavens and one Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Luminescence serve as a holy vessel. In times when prayers fall upon emp- and may record them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast ty, god-forsaken halls, it is hard to believe that anyone - let Lesser Magick from the Arcana of Luminescence until you alone a priest - speaks with the divinity. This is the lot of the have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to High Lector, one of the most holy and trusted of any faith. learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever Be it a Grey Guilder cultist or those within the Revered use Arcana of Luminescence, and cannot adopt any other Mother priesthood, they all supplicate to the superb word Profession that gives different Arcana types other than the of the High Lector and their inspired guidance. The process aforementioned. to become a High Lector is seemingly quite random, but almost always involves a vibrant vision and guidance from DRAWBACK: WHITE TEMPERAMENT the gods. They are told to shepherd their people towards a Possessed by an unyielding quest for enlightenment - quite higher order, to be a leader in both spirit, body and mind. literally - their bodies have become a vessel for Lumines- They’ll take upon attributes of their beloved deity, such as cence. This unification of spirit, mind and body attunes them the golden locks of the God-Emperor or the cloaked vis- to the Aetheric winds of the Material Realm. When the sun age of the Nightfather. The laity often treat High Lectors as sets, however, the light is sapped from them, and they are not only powerful priests, but as living avatars: true earthly made victim to the encroaching darkness. embodiments of their god, as close to the real thing as they are likely to get. Though some High Lectors languish in the Effect: At nighttime, you cannot cast Magick without power and ego, many are humble and admit they are merely Channeling Power. a servant, chosen for a lifetime of pain and glory.

HIEROPHANT ADVANCES High Lectors are advisers and leaders, lending their prayers to BONUS the smallest of churches and the highest of temples, yet so few SKILL RANKS Alchemy Fellowship +1 ADVANCES ever journey out past their apartments. A rare few take to the BONUS SKILL RANKS Awareness Intelligence +1 road, observing the grim and perilous world as it is through ADVANCES their own eyes to better understand how they can serve a BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Intelligence +1 ADVANCES higher purpose. Though they are approaching the divine, High BONUS Lectors are still at the whimsy of their gods and can potential- SKILL RANKS Education Perception +1 ADVANCES ly fall from grace. Those who become too enthralled in their BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 gods tend to disappear forever. Whether this disappearance ADVANCES BONUS is an exaltation into the hallowed halls of the heavens or a SKILL RANKS Incantation Willpower +1 ADVANCES corruptive descent into the Abyss is yet to be fully understood. BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES LIVING AVATAR SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Determination The grace in which the gods show to their worshippers is in the form of Magickal power. Unlike them, however, you SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Instincts have attained the succor of your god and a benediction of SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Light Sleeper favor. Etched deeply within your soul and physically upon your body, a series of stigmata illustrate that you are truly favored above all others.

Effect: Whenever you sacrifice a Fate Point, you permanent- ly gain 3% to any Primary Attribute of your choice.

140 SPECIAL TRAIT: DIVINE MASTERY ILLUSIONIST You have learned the deepest of secrets in the universe, and share an unshakeable bond with the gods above. As a result, you have gained (or perhaps earned) the watchful gaze of You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation unsavory deities. Despite this, you are unable to call forth in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you the most earth-shattering of Magicks, invocations unseen by must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. other rank and file priests. Among arcanists, Illusionists are rarely seen in one place. Effect: You may now attempt to learn Greater Magick from They are curious, restless and full of wanderlust. They spend the list of Prayers your Elite Profession granted you, pro- their lives on the road, considered to be pilgrims in some viding you possess at least three Skill Ranks in Incantation. sense, in pursuit of occult knowledge. On this road, they’ve Additionally, you automatically learn one Greater Magick picked up a knack for swordsmanship - unseeming among spell from this same list of Prayers, and may record it into arcanists. Knowing that their kind are generally the subject your prayer book. of witch hunters, they turn towards the night and shadows, or beneath another guise to hide who they really are. Illu- DRAWBACK: NOT LONG sionists prefer to remain inconspicuous, for their endless FOR THIS WORLD pursuit for the arcane brings them to dark places, of which It is said when the God-Emperor was a mortal man and can be perceived as potentially “evil” by those who do not un- obtained divine favor with the Winter King, He rose from derstand their esoteric arts. However, given the knowledge his golden throne to begin a journey - and never returned, they return with, they are seen as prized mediators. An ab- instead ascending into apotheosis. If a High Lector ever be- ject sense of practicality, intermixed with their worldly view, comes so favored, they too wander away never to be seen makes them especially skillful diplomats. Naturally, their again. Perhaps they embark on an endless quest or ascend vow of pragmatism and poverty aids in this, as they cannot into sainthood, but either way they fade into legend. be easily persuaded by coin or worldly goods.

Effect: You can never have more than 3 Fate Points at once. However, upon these roads less traveled, they can become Should you ever posses 4 Fate Points at once, you must either twisted by their own sense of secrecy. A need for concealed sacrifice one or else be retired from game play. intentions has lead many an intrepid Illusionist down a sin- ister path. As they actively practice deception, an Illusionist HIGH LECTOR ADVANCES may be lured towards a lust for greater power, believing they BONUS can hide their infernal pursuits with their inborn abilities. SKILL RANKS Bargain Fellowship +1 ADVANCES Albeit masters of deception, witch hunters are expressly at- BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 tuned to sniffing out these renegade illusionists. Thus, the ADVANCES need for a sharp sword concealed beneath the robes, for BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 ADVANCES witch hunters who actively seek out Illusionists know how BONUS to render their Magicks useless. SKILL RANKS Heal Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS FACE IN THE CROWD SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 ADVANCES BONUS An Illusionist knows to pass themselves off as others. You SKILL RANKS Leadership Willpower +1 ADVANCES can go unnoticed, and possess an uncanny aptitude to make BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 others forget who you are. They take no heed by your passing. ADVANCES Even if they do manage to remember you, they chalk up their SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Light Sleeper lack of remembrance to indifference, faulty memory or both.

SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Multilingual Effect: Strangers and acquaintances alike must Critically SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Secret Signs Succeed a Scrutinize Test in order to recognize you, even if they have met you before. SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF SHADOWMANCY The art of deception, concealment and illusion are the back- bone of Shadowmancy. As such, you find the darkness and evening fog more comforting than the light and sunny days.

141 Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the INQUISITOR Arcana of Shadowmancy, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Shadowmancy, You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Resolve in and may record them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast order to adopt this Elite Profession Lesser Magick from the Arcana of Shadowmancy until you have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to Since the dawn of time, the forces of chaos have sought learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever to corrupt the seeds of life and twist the soul of mankind. use Arcana of Shadowmancy, and cannot adopt any other Locked within this eternal struggle, the Inquisitor knows Profession that gives different Arcana types other than the there is no place for half measures. Vows of unwavering aforementioned. faith and fealty drive them to face the abominations of this world, and perhaps more importantly act as the scourge DRAWBACK: GREY TEMPERAMENT to those tainted souls that would lead their kin down the Property, wealth and largesse is of little use to the Illusion- path of destruction. It is their duty to be ever watchful, ever ist. To them, they regard the aesthetics of the world around prepared, and ever ready to use any means necessary. Their them as their bounty, carrying only what is necessary upon responsibilities are varied and dangerous, from rooting out them to survive. local heresies within a town to wading into the depths of a cult lair; they must stare prepared against the heretic, the Effect: You cannot accumulate property, asides what you mutant and the supernatural. Many Inquisitors are touched may be able to carry upon yourself. Violation of this sacred with madness themselves, an unwelcome side effect from tenet causes your Magick to automatically fail otherwise. exposure to fell ideas and dark energies. They must soldier on though, as they are the last line of defense when all other ILLUSIONIST ADVANCES measures would be too extreme or too dangerous. BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 ADVANCES It matters little if the Inquisitor is seen as a pious warrior or BONUS SKILL RANKS Disguise Combat +1 ADVANCES a self-justifying madman. Ill tidings are doubtless afoot when BONUS one arrives; doors are locked, neighbors are accused and pyres SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 ADVANCES are constructed to cleanse witches in holy fires. In pursuit of BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Fellowship +1 the greater “good”, no sacrifice will be too great - many Inquis- ADVANCES itors find themselves maimed or much less of a person than BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Intelligence +1 ADVANCES the one that took their vows of purity. And those who choose BONUS to stare into the heart of darkness will often find it stares right SKILL RANKS Navigation Perception +1 ADVANCES back at them in the light. Some remain stalwart champions of BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 the faith. Others find themselves embraced by the welcoming ADVANCES arms of chaos and destruction they once battled. An Inquisitor SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Doppelganger knows no deadlier foe than their fallen brethren. Meeting of the SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Minds WITCH HUNTER’S INSIGHT SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Rural Sensibility By all that is divine, the Inquisitor metes out justice upon those who offend the gods. You are therefore protected against corruption, in its many forms. You can sniff out all forms of chaos, Aetheric or otherwise.

Effect: You are always under the effects of the Petty Magick called Wytchsight. However, you retain your normal sight, able to “turn off ” your Wytchsight on command. You can learn more in Chapter 10: Grimoire. DRAWBACK: RELIGIOUS ZEALOTRY Inquisitors are a dogged folk, zealous to the point of posing danger to themselves and their friends around them.

Effect: Immediately change your Order Alignment to Zeal and your Chaos Alignment to Fanaticism. 142 orific as she, so discord are rare. Those that do come forth INQUISITOR ADVANCES are awful, as they become the vehicle for bloody, senseless BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Agility +1 ADVANCES destruction through their charisma, cold intellect and cun- BONUS ning strategies. SKILL RANKS Interrogation Combat +1 ADVANCES BONUS SHIELD OF THE BLAZING SUN SKILL RANKS Intimidate Combat +1 ADVANCES Painted upon your shield is the symbol of a golden sun. This BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Intelligence +1 ADVANCES is the holiest of symbols of the Steward, emblazoned and BONUS held aloft as a signal to those who’d dare trespass against you. SKILL RANKS Martial Ranged Perception +1 ADVANCES It is an emblem of the Steward’s ever-watchful gaze over His BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 followers. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 Effect: Whenever you suffer Damage from a ranged weapon, ADVANCES Menacing roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands on a face “6”, you ignore it SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Demeanor as you automatically Parry it. Otherwise, you may attempt to SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS No Mercy Parry as usual. You must be armed with a shield in order to Supernatural use this Trait. SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Paranoia SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF THE STEWARD IRON ABBOT Utterances to the Steward are always militaristic in nature. They are ordered, well-structured and highly ritualistic. Breaking any of the sacred rites can cause disruption from You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation the Aethereal, potentially bringing forth chaos due to your in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you fumbling of instruction. must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the There are many subtleties to war. Maneuvers, morale, when Prayers of the Steward, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- to send in troops, when to retreat; it’s all a deadly dance moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and that culminates in the loss of life and the victory of ages. one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Steward, The Steward is the god that finds the most joy in these war and may record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast games on a higher level, and His priesthood call themselves Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the Steward until you Iron Abbots. Nearly every guardhouse and encampment has have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to a wayshrine to the Steward, but Iron Abbots truly devote learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever themselves to battle and order in all ways divine. Dressed use Prayers of the Steward, and cannot adopt any other Pro- with emblazoned symbols of the sun, their trusty, blessed fession that gives different Prayer types other than the afore- spears are treated as a shepherd’s crook, leading them on pil- mentioned. grimages to ancient battlefields to witness the horrors and DRAWBACK: THE STEWARD’S beauty of warfare. Iron Abbots sometimes tend to wound- COMMANDMENTS ed soldiers and often provide parlay between two opposing sides in a skirmish; though ideals may be different, war and The Steward makes specific demands from His priesthood. honor are universal languages. Iron Abbots do not shy away They must always obey their superiors, unable to swerve from from conflict either; regiments are sometimes lead by these their orders. Iron Abbots always honor surrender, and nev- battle-priests, their blazing sun banners flying proudly next er kill their prisoners unless in self-defense. Unfortunately, to blue-blooded houses and knightly orders. this often puts them at arms against followers of the Winter King, who embrace warmongering as a means to an end. Iron Abbots assemble makeshift shrines in barracks and war tents, with military academies having steely but subtle Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos Man- worship rooms. Their worship comes about in the drills and ifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the Steward. exercises they do, each spear thrust and shield block being Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of your god, as a prayer to their lord of war. Their prayers shine most on outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you violate any of the battlefield where regiments fall on each other, bolster- these commandments, you must seek atonement. To atone, ing morale and providing protection from enemy blows. The you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice the Gamemas- Steward makes sure His followers are just as logical and hon- ter deems narratively appropriate to your god. 143 ficking, animal poaching and outright thievery so the world IRON ABBOT ADVANCES stays as their own. BONUS SKILL RANKS Awareness Brawn +1 ADVANCES ROGUISH TRADER BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Combat +1 ADVANCES Merchant Lords take what they want, running roughshod BONUS over all those who’d stand in their way. They stand shoulder SKILL RANKS Incantation Combat +1 ADVANCES to shoulder with captains of their industry, a first among BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Fellowship +1 equals. For them, there are no critical errors or failure; there ADVANCES BONUS is only opportunity. SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BONUS Effect: Whenever you Critically Fail a Skill Test, immedi- SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES ately turn it into a Critical Success. BONUS SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 ADVANCES DRAWBACK: THE WORLD IS MINE SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Battle Magick With an air of extreme confidence, they make others feel Impenetrable uncomfortable in their presence. With an air of affluence and SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Wall sophistication, they have few perceived weaknesses, save for Military SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS their indulgences of coin, food and flesh. Formation Effect: Immediately change your Order Alignment to So- MERCHANT LORD phistication and your Chaos Alignment to Indulgence. MERCHANT LORD ADVANCES BONUS You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Bargain in SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 order to adopt this Elite Profession ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Fellowship +1 ADVANCES BONUS The economy of a grim and perilous world is often hard SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 to wade through - every country has their own currency, ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Perception +1 their own standards and their own controllers of the eco- ADVANCES nomic engine. The only person who has the wherewithal BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Perception +1 to not only learn the ins-and-outs, but to accurately ex- ADVANCES BONUS ploit them, is the decadent Merchant Lord. Though a free SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 market economy is hundreds of years away, the Merchant ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 Lord is the first experimenter in it. Balancing supply and ADVANCES demand, they divert their fleets and trade coaches to bring SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Appalling Mien goods where they are needed, sometimes depriving other Impervious SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS cities at the cost. Merchant Lords are venture capitalists Mind and risk-takers, rich enough that they are able to influ- SKILL RANKS Tradecraft TALENTS Indifference ence governmental policy just through their hordes of gold. Merchant Lords are oftentimes haughty and egotistical, but geniuses of a sort.

The most effective Merchant Lords do not sit idly by - they go to cities, shake hands and make trade deals that could result in thousands of gold for their house. Thus Merchant Lords will venture out amongst the “rabble”, to not only forge these pacts but to also search for exotic or rare goods to sell. They can spin quite a yarn and know their way among social strata, and being able to flash a purse of gold crowns can help any group of wanderers in trouble. However, it is no surprise to say that greed is a commonality amongst Mer- chant Lords - as their gentle sensibilities become wracked by corruption, they covet nearly everything in their sight, in- cluding human life. Soon they are committing human traf- 144 MILITARY OFFICER DRAWBACK: YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH! It takes a certain kind of personality to become a Military You must possess at least one Skill Rank in both Lead- Officer. One must be highly disciplined, be able to take or- ership and Warfare in order to adopt this Elite Profes- ders and carry out even the most unusual or egregious of acts sion without question.

The armies and navies of the world have countless soldiers, Effect: Immediately change your Order Alignment to Fe- archers and scouts that need to be led in order to best succeed rocity and your Chaos Alignment to Hatred. - those soldiers that rise above to become leaders are Military Officers. These high ranking warriors have countless ranks, MILITARY OFFICER ADVANCES ranging from sergeant to captain and beyond. Some com- BONUS SKILL RANKS Awareness Combat +1 mand small mercenary bands, others admiral fleets of ships, ADVANCES BONUS and some have the armies of entire nations in their hands. SKILL RANKS Leadership Combat +1 The traditional Military Officer is not just someone that ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Brawn +1 dwells within their tent, plotting strategies for victory and ADVANCES other maneuvers - for when the war horn is sounded, they BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Ranged Fellowship +1 too will don their mail and greatswords to wade into battle ADVANCES BONUS alongside soldiers. Military Officers are brilliant tacticians, SKILL RANKS Resolve Fellowship +1 ADVANCES fighters and leaders, not to mention occasionally statesmen BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 and diplomats. They are well respected, devoted to the cause ADVANCES BONUS and being the active force behind many a campaign. They are SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 also sadly valuable targets - some are kidnapped or outright ADVANCES Impenetrable SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS killed, and the death of a great captain can easily cause an Wall entire army to break. SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Instincts Military Officers travel sometimes with small parties on spe- Military SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS cialized campaigns, while others have abandoned the mili- Formation tary way of life but still use their skills. Most Military Offi- cers not only get their position through intelligence, but also courage and skill on the battlefield - all of them are excellent NECROMANCER combatants in some form. Others loan out their skills to the highest bidder, wandering from nation to nation to win wars You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation they fought on the other side of a month ago. The power and in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you the violence can often prove too much however - some Mil- must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. itary Officers have rallied their own personal armies, striking down a kingdom and installing their own militaristic autoc- While other arcanists seek to merge themselves with the racy. These dictators are often cruel, using the only thing they Aetheric plane by calling into the realm of chaos, Necroman- know in order to rule: excessive force, violence and a cult of cers have an earthlier goal - to live forever. They have embarked terror. on a quest to cheat death, living into eternity either in their CALL OF DUTY current body or a more “divine” form which can withstand the march of time. Rejecting the idea of godly dominion, Abyssal The Military Officer is the consummate soldier: they make service and the wheel of fate, their singular task is to bind their their beds nightly, they spit-shine their boots with a mir- spirit permanently to the Material Realm. To them, there are ror-like finish, they sharpen their blades razor sharp and they no gods, only men. And through Necromancy, they seek to fletch their arrows until trued up. This sense of perfection is ensorcel their bodies with the darkest of Magicks to live on- unparalleled by the rank and file, making Military Officers wards. It is not inherently an evil purpose, so much as a selfish incredibly efficient warriors. one. Preserving themselves for all eternity to see the fruit of Effect: Whenever you fail a Martial Melee or Martial their labors - whether for lineage, largesse or their innovations Ranged Test, you may re-roll to generate a better result but - is the ultimate goal of every Necromancer. must accept the outcome. Despite their fight against time, Necromancers cannot help but be corrupted through their workings. Their brand of 145 Magicks are inherently dangerous, even more so than their spirit is consumed by the dark sorcery you wield. You begin Warlocks kin. Ceaseless trafficking with the dead only fur- to develop odd affectations and side effects from using the ther twists their embattled spirits. Controlling death is a destructive powers of the blackest Aethereal winds. prerequisite to understanding how to prolong life. Inhuman experiments upon the living, grave-robbing and desecration Effect: Whenever you Critically Fail an Incantation Test to of the recently deceased makes up the bulk of their prac- cast Magick, you gain a Malignancy. Malignancies are cov- tice. Eventually, their work coalesces into the most deplor- ered in Chapter 10: Grimoire. able of necromantic practices - creation of the undead. It takes a dark mind to set upon this path, and Necromancers NECROMANCER ADVANCES BONUS that arrive to these conclusions are utterly corrupted. But, at SKILL RANKS Bargain Brawn +1 ADVANCES times their continued work along this path will stall out. In BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 that, the Necromancer must dig deeper from the well, swal- ADVANCES low their pride to seek audience with Abyssal creatures to BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Fellowship +1 further explore the secrets to eternal life. This is when the ADVANCES BONUS Necromancer is most likely to be lured towards the blackest SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Intelligence +1 ADVANCES of Magicks - a time that is all-too-pleasing for their new BONUS SKILL RANKS Heal Intelligence +1 Abyssal masters. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Willpower +1 RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 Your mastery of life has given you limitless power over the ADVANCES dead. Calling them forth from their graves is a natural part SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Indifference of your research. A host of the undead awaits, heeding your call to rise forth, for they are legion. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Larceny Left-handed SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Effect: Anytime you attempt to raise those with the Super- Path natural Trait from the dead using Magick and Rituals, you do not have to make an Incantation Test as it automatically succeeds. Additionally, you automatically understand how to PISTOLIER use the Ritual of Awaken the Dead. Finally, you can use any Ritual which brings Supernatural creatures under your control within one minute, instead of the normal Casting Time re- You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Martial quired (otherwise 3 Action Points in combat). Ranged in order to adopt this Elite Profession

SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF Though cannons and artillery have become a mainstay of effi- NECROMANCY cient armies, the advent of hand-held gunpowder’s recent de- You wield the most unnatural of arts; command over the un- velopment brings new innovations. It is still fairly expensive to dead. In your “noble” pursuit to live forever, you have learned maintain these armaments and hard to teach their use, so these to extend life and end it at a whim. dreadful weapons are still thankfully rare. That is not such the case of the Pistolier, who many see as the ultimate soldier of Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the the coming days. The Pistolier has wholeheartedly embraced Arcana of Necromancy, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- flintlocks and wheellocks, wicks and cap-and-balls to the full- moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and est extent. Though they use all gunpowder weapons with equal one Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Necromancy, efficiency, they favor their trusty pistols, often carrying one in and may record them into your arcane tome. You cannot each hand with many more strapped to a bandolier draping cast Lesser Magick from the Arcana of Necromancy until across their chest. They are certain in the quick brutality of you have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may contin- their guns, and while many are employed as mercenaries with ue to learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only intimidating ferocity, many hire out their expertise for dueling, ever use Arcana of Necromancy, and cannot adopt any other protection or even making spare shilling through public dis- Profession that gives different Arcana types other than the plays of shooting games. aforementioned. Many are naturally intimidated by Pistoliers, as it does not DRAWBACK: BLACK TEMPERAMENT take a child to know the certain death that lies behind the Unfortunately, the power you wield is highly destructive - barrel they carry. They are quick draws and take pride in their not only to others, but upon your very soul. Bit by bit, your skills, cocky through fantastic twirls of their guns and trick 146 shots that would leave even the greatest jesters agape. But PLAGUE DOCTOR their skills end at the gun tip; few carry any other weapons larger than a knife, and bows are barbaric toys. Many consid- er Pistoliers “gun nuts” already, with the way they treat their You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Heal in or- weapons almost like children - this worsens as the Pistolier is der to adopt this Elite Profession drawn closer to the grip of madness. They collect and hoard guns, cooing at them and aching to fire them in aggressive Even though culture and some technology have advanced to a displays of dominance. They display these weapons openly, never before seen level, the medical sciences are still a relative and are quick to pull - and shoot - at a moment’s notice. They mystery. Only a few years ago was it discovered that sickness are loose cannons, stuck permanently on the edge between and disease was natural, almost a living creature that could be tension and ruin. spread by breathing. The Plague Doctor is the one who has made it their life’s calling to devote themselves to this new sci- GUNSLINGER ence and aid the unwell. Though many have standard training With quick hands and practice, you have learned to reload and can do things like set bones or lance boils, Plague Doctors practically every gun with blinding speed. No others can spend most of their time researching disease. Wearing a long, match your skills in arms, save for other Pistoliers. At that bird-like mask stuffed with herbs and spices to block out the point, it all boils down to the draw. smell of decay, Plague Doctors explore festering sores, amputate limbs, apply leech therapy and watch people die from hundreds Effect: You may Load any weapon possessing the Gunpow- of nasty illnesses. Not to mention, Magickal diseases born from der Quality for 0 Action Points. Additionally, you ignore the mutation and the stench of the Abyss bring a host of new chal- Volatile Quality of weapons that also possess the Gunpow- lenges. Even further, there is no such thing as antibiotics or an- der Quality. esthesia, the only alternatives being a prayer to the gods and a DRAWBACK: BLACK HAT bottle of rotgut. Every protagonist of the story has a rival; an implacable vil- Many Plague Doctors are natural wanderers, travelling the lain that haunts their every turn. You are no different, and world to look for cures and learn about even stranger dis- this heel will follow you to the ends of the earth to see that eases. The entire countryside is sick, so they have little re- you are humiliated or killed. morse leaving behind “regulars” in order to probe new breakthroughs. Plague Doctors are highly intelligent and in- Effect: You gain the Nemesis Drawback upon entering this quisitive, using a scientific method to answer much of their Profession. If you already have a Nemesis, you gain another. questions. They are also naturally amazing healers, though their abilities only extend as far as science can take them. PISTOLIER ADVANCES Being a Plague Doctor is grim and gruesome work; hearing BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 ADVANCES the screams of your patient as you burn the stub that was BONUS once their hand, watching children cough up blood or see- SKILL RANKS Coordination Agility +1 ADVANCES ing a friend succumb to mutation places a massive strain on BONUS SKILL RANKS Guile Combat +1 their mental state. Many Plague Doctors become unstable ADVANCES and erratic, with those who have too far gone swearing off of BONUS SKILL RANKS Marital Melee Combat +1 ADVANCES medicine due to their perception of its uselessness. BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Ranged Intelligence +1 ADVANCES BLIGHT-BORN IMMUNITY BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 Long has the Plague Doctor wandered among the sick and ADVANCES BONUS infirmed. Both a life-giver and death-dealer, a Plague Doctor SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 ADVANCES is both an omen of death and a portent to life. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Gangster Grip Effect: Whenever you successfully treat a Disease, instead SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Gruesome Shot assume that you Critically Succeeded instead. Additionally, Shoot From The you are entirely immune to all Diseases. SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS Hip DRAWBACK: DEATH HAS COME TO TOWN Whenever a Plague Doctor comes calling, the people scatter. They hold an inalienable fear of their grim practice, as their beaked masks and black garb are oftentimes conflated with 147 images of the Custodian himself. As such, you have found it life just find an imposing figure to be useful upon the road. difficult to keep close friends, as most perish in your compa- Pledged Guards are specialized in single combat, able to ny as you are undeniably a plague carrier. take out a single opponent with aplomb and finality that few others could manage. They also tend to like to throw Effect: Whenever you fail Fellowship-based Skill Tests, they things around and generally make a menace of themselves, are treated as if they were Critical Failures instead. even clearing out a rowdy tavern by simply walking in. The Pledged Guard is easily swayed by coin, however - they will PLAGUE DOCTOR ADVANCES drop an alliance for better pay quite easily, no matter how BONUS foul their ward is. A ward is a ward is a ward, no matter if SKILL RANKS Coordination Agility +1 ADVANCES they are the most sagacious of priests or the vilest of cult- BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Brawn +1 ists. This ambivalence has lead many Pledged Guards down ADVANCES BONUS a road of destruction, becoming the main enforcer of a vile SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 ADVANCES worship they never considered joining. BONUS SKILL RANKS Heal Intelligence +1 ADVANCES THE ENFORCER BONUS SKILL RANKS Interrogation Perception +1 ADVANCES The Pledged Guard is duty-bound to protect and to serve BONUS their master. Should they be made a target of assassination, SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ADVANCES an eel pie or even bird droppings, the Pledged Guard will BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 throw themselves into harm’s way to protect their lord. ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Ambidexterity Effect: When Engaged with an ally and they fail to Parry Impervious or cannot do so, you may immediately spend 1 Action Point SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Mind and make a Coordination Test. If successful, they are pushed SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Indifference 1 yard away and suffer no Damage. You suffer Damage in their stead. DRAWBACK: EVER-FAITHFUL PLEDGED GUARD The Pledged Guard, no matter their master, maintains the strictest sense of loyalty. While they may serve many lords You must possess at least one Skill Rank in both Ath- and ladies over time, a Pledged Guard must have an unerring letics and Toughness in order to adopt this Elite Pro- sense of duty, which sometimes leads them down the path to fession destruction.

Effect: Immediately change your Order Alignment to Duty Where there is any person of import - or at least any person and your Chaos Alignment to Fatalism. that has the funds - usually not far behind them is a Pledged Guard of some sort. Pledged Guards are professional en- PLEDGED GUARD ADVANCES forcers, having trained years to serve as body shields for no- BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 bles, guildsmen, criminals, priests and scholars. The Pledged ADVANCES BONUS Guard make it their job to not incite violence, but to prevent SKILL RANKS Coordination Brawn +1 it - many find a glower and a snarl is enough to send most as- ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Eavesdrop Brawn +1 saulters or annoyances packing. When push comes to shove, ADVANCES however, the Pledged Guard will lay their life on the line, BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Combat +1 whether it be taking a bullet for their ward or even serving ADVANCES BONUS as their champion in a trial by combat. Pledged Guards are SKILL RANKS Intimidate Perception +1 ADVANCES on the whole imposing, both physically and in attitude, and BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Willpower +1 no matter who they are hired to protect, they will treat them ADVANCES BONUS as the most important person in the land. When off the job SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 though, many Pledged Guards shed their hard personas and ADVANCES go about their lives as anyone else does - a shilling is a shil- SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Appalling Mein ling no matter which way you clip it, after all. SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Run Amok

Pledged Guards sometimes join an adventuring group as an SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Second Skin actual bodyguard, while others who are sick of their lot in 148 PYROMANCER Magick spell from the Arcana of Pyromancy, and may record them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast Lesser Magick from the Arcana of Pyromancy until you have two Skill Ranks You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation in Incantation. You may continue to learn Generalist Petty in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Arcana of Pyromancy, must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. and cannot adopt any other Profession that gives different Ar- cana types other than the aforementioned. Strike a match, and look at the flame. That is the smallest DRAWBACK: RED TEMPERAMENT wonder of a Pyromancer’s work. It is of no great surprise that of all arcanists, the Pyromancer immediately comes to Pyromancers are famously mercurial, possessing quick tem- mind. Whether from the tavern tales of raconteurs or the pers and heated emotions. Woe be to others should they stand edicts of witch hunters, the Pyromancer is the most prodi- in your way, for they cannot assuage your anger! gious of personalities amongst the Magick-wielding world. Effect: Whenever you would gain Corruption, you must im- Even those unversed in Magick will conjure up images of the mediately succeed a Resolve Test or else your Disorder is radical and explosive Pyromancer. From their flowing robes triggered. of red, they appear much like a lick of flame; emerging from the darkness, a shining beacon standing against the tide of chaos. With staff and flaming sword held aloft, a burning PYROMANCER ADVANCES BONUS crown of flame hovers from their skullcap as a symbol of war. SKILL RANKS Alchemy Brawn +1 Pyromancers are favored greatly for both their spectacular ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 appearance and military zeal; eager candidates to become ADVANCES Archmages later in their lives. It is said that those who play BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Combat +1 with fire are often the ones who get burned, and the nu- ADVANCES BONUS merous ragged scars and disfigurements wrapping their way SKILL RANKS Intimidate Intelligence +1 ADVANCES around a Pyromancer’s body is more than enough proof to BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Intelligence +1 suggest that their glamour is not all it is cracked up to be. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 Stories such as these are oftentimes just that - stories. Rarely ADVANCES BONUS does a Pyromancer live as long a life to uncover the greater SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 mysteries of their studies. Consumed by their own passions, ADVANCES their heart turns to hatred, to zeal and to lust. Burning the SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Battle Magick proverbial candle at both ends, the Pyromancer’s shelf life is SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS Indifference limited. Chaos drives them towards exuberance and strain, Menacing SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS burning with vehemence both fast and bright. These practi- Demeanor tioners take upon these same elemental desires, burning not from the outside, but within. Chaos - no matter its champion - will have its due, consuming the Pyromancer fast as a fuse. REVERED MOTHER THE FIERY HEART The winds of the Aethereal Veil burn bright within your You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation heart, invigorating your passion. in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. Effect: You and any non-living possessions you carry cannot be harmed by fire, Magickal or otherwise. The sister of mercy and succor, the Martyr offers up Her SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF own body and health to lead the children of the world from PYROMANCY sickness and suffering. A well-loved and respected goddess the world over, Her priesthood of the Revered Mothers are From the smallest flicker to the largest of conflagrations, just as respected as She is. Revered Mothers gladly take on Magick from this particular school is incredibly destructive. the mantle of benevolent priests, garbed totally in white - But you are a master of the flames, commanding massive in- though the white may be stained in splatters of blood and fernos to spill forth into the Material Realm with but a word. bile. Revered Mothers are healers, menders and mid-wives, Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Ar- asking little more for their services than a tithe and a shared cana of Pyromancy, as listed under Chapter 10: Grimoire. prayer. Many are highly trained physicians, though reliance Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser 149 upon the Revered Mother’s Magick makes the ill sometimes Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to learn Gen- wary and cautious of their sorcerous healing. Revered Moth- eralist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Prayers ers are almost universally women, but men are sometimes of the Martyr, and cannot adopt any other Profession that accepted into their ranks - they retain the title of mother as gives different Prayer types other than the aforementioned. a point of pride. Revered Mothers are under strict oath to never harm another humanoid soul, no matter how vile, mu- DRAWBACK: THE MARTYR’S tated or diseased. Their Mother of Healing is a benevolent COMMANDMENTS and loving figure who would never raise Her hand against Revered Mothers should always offer to heal the sick and anyone, so they do the same. give their services without promise of pay in return. Most have never even taken another life, even as an act to defend Revered Mothers are passionate and loving, giving off a ma- the weak. However, they remain fervent in their crusade ternal glow no matter their attendant. Many are also chaste, against chaos and are given reprieve from some strictures to feeling pleasures of the flesh distract from their mission. The defend others against those pained by Abyssal possession or Martyr’s preceptories are great places of healing, hospices those born of chaos made flesh. which give as much space to sick beds as they do their grand altar. Their worship is formalized and quite strict, including Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos Man- the needed “cleansing of hands” between touching patients - a ifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the Martyr. ritual believed to ward off sickness. Revered Mother prayers Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of your god, as are all centered around healing and balms, risking divine outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you violate any of wrath to heal those in need. Those Revered Mothers who see these commandments, you must seek atonement. To atone, too many horrors begin to crack under pressure, often seeing you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice the Gamemas- quick merciful deaths to be the only solution to wounds and ter deems narratively appropriate to your god. illness. These “red revenants” are blood-stained representatives of the Martyr, valkyries that bring swift death to the dying by REVERED MOTHER ADVANCES misericorde, ushering them towards the Well of Souls. BONUS SKILL RANKS Charm Fellowship +1 ADVANCES SISTERS OF MERCY BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 Blessed are the Revered Mothers, for they exude an invisible ADVANCES BONUS aura of blue-white Aethereal light. This pallor discourages SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 ADVANCES rational-minded folk, even those touched by Corruption, BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Intelligence +1 to defer from harming a Revered Mother. Only when the ADVANCES BONUS priestess makes the choice to embrace violence does this aura SKILL RANKS Heal Perception +1 fade. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Willpower +1 Effect: Humanoid creatures, specifically Corrupted Souls, will ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 never make you a target of their Attack Actions or Perilous ADVANCES Stunts, until you initiate violence towards them or their allies. SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Die Hard

SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Hard To Kill THE MARTYR Impervious SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Although the Martyr is a very popular goddess, her followers Mind do not preach actively. They merely serve as compassionate volunteers to those truly in need. Water is sacred to every Revered Mother, and is often used to consecrate the thresh- RUNE THANE olds of doors that have been transgressed against by violent people, or used to bless the wounded. Her prayers are of You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation healing and mercy. in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the must have the Special Trait of either Arcane or Divine Prayers of the Martyr, as listed under Chapter 10: Grimoire. Magick. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Martyr, and may Deep underground and in fallen places, carvings in odd lan- record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast Lesser guages and scripts have been found, ones that still remain un- Magick from the Prayers of the Martyr until you have two deciphered to this day. The most common and oldest letters are 150 the runes, a complete alphabet that is not only the language of a lost civilization, but enchanted primal sounds that produce RUNE THANE ADVANCES BONUS effects when they are inscribed. As more and more people be- SKILL RANKS Alchemy Agility +1 gan to study the mystery of the runes, they became specialists ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Brawn +1 in all things relating to this new arcane working, and they be- ADVANCES came known as a Rune Thane. Rune Thanes are researchers, BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Brawn +1 scholars and inscribers who focus all their energy and atten- ADVANCES BONUS tion on runes and the magic they produce. They are not quite SKILL RANKS Folklore Combat +1 ADVANCES spellcasters and not quite mundane researchers, as the purpose BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Intelligence +1 and use of runes lies somewhere in between in a nebulous grey ADVANCES BONUS area. Rune Thanes make much of their living wage as runic SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Intelligence +1 inscribers, as runes are one of the only reliable ways to produce ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 ‘magickal weapons’ without terrible drawbacks or lore lost to ADVANCES the ages. Even then, it is more of an art than science. SKILL RANKS Ride TALENTS Determination Though most of the runic alphabet has been discovered, many Higher SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Rune Thanes believe more eldritch runes exist out there wait- Mysteries Impervious ing to be found. They take to the road, serving as “enchanters” SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Mind of a sort for their allies, as well as being quite versed in lan- guages and general cultural study. Though many spellcasters are untrusted, the Rune Thane is usually given a passing glance SCHOLAR only, as their Magick is subtle and only used on objects and not people. Other wizards say, however, that there is something dangerous within those runes. Magick within a grim & peril- You must possess at least one Skill Ranks in both Edu- ous world is never pure and always runs a risk of destruction, cation and Resolve in order to adopt this Elite Profes- and it is warned the runes are hiding their horrid potential sion for the right moment. Many Rune Thanes have gone insane studying and staring into the lusty glow of the runes, drawn From the tenured professor to the obtuse alienist, and from into a world and a time that no longer exists, becoming furious the natural philosopher to the learned historian, Scholars are and choleric when their inscriptions do not go their way. the center of knowledge no matter where you go. Scholars are professional academics, devoting their lives to learning, ELDER FUTHARK teaching and discovery all in the name of knowledge. Times Rune Thanes attest that all language comes from the Elder are very exciting for Scholars - new and interesting branches Futhark, an ancient script found amongst the deepest ruins of study are popping up constantly, from the early begin- known. They make it their business to memorize these runes, nings of discipline and philosophy, it is a wide open playing in hopes of unlocking the secret to ultimate knowledge. field for new discoveries. Though Scholars can be generalists, this is often seen as quite bad form among the intellectual Effect: Anytime you use the Ritual of Inscribe Magick community - many hold focuses in certain subjects such as Rune, you may flip the results to succeed your Incantation history, language, and even Magick at times. Scholars are of- Test during the empowerment cycle. Additionally, you au- ten snooty and quite full of themselves, as they live in a rela- tomatically understand how to use the Ritual of Inscribe tive lap of luxury compared to other hardscrabble jobs. That Magick Rune. does not mean Scholars do not struggle - many will drudge DRAWBACK: WALLOW IN MISERY through endless papers and dissertations in hopes of funding by their board of trustees, while the lucky ones become royal The Rune Thane devotes everything into their work - they librarians or political advisors. are not just a fairweather researcher, but a scholar and a champion for the runic arts. Thus, when they fail at their Scholars travel for the sake of knowledge, as learning itself is job, they become cloistered and sour as they take the failure often reward enough for these individuals. They may not be particularly hard. effective combatants, but their knowledge of the world, re- silience and wherewithal is a testament when their chips are Effect: After a Rune Thane fails to strike a Rune, they must down. But this search for knowledge can lead many Scholars flip the results to fail all Fellowship-based Skill Tests for into dark places and darker recesses they never knew. Per- three times the duration of the inscribe time. Additionally, haps an anthropological inquiry could lead to the discovery they cannot attempt to strike new Runes during this time. of the Scholars own damned heritage, or a covert investiga- 151 tion into a fringe cult could land the Scholar naked upon an bling brook or a majestic redwood. Life to them is a constant altar as a knife looms above their gut. Knowledge is certainly battle between these forces, a savage eternal war where only power, but whether the Scholar decides to use that power for the strongest spirits survive; the Shaman being one of those good or ill is in the end up to them. spirits as well. Shamans make no attempt to control these energies, as they are too wild; they simply guide them, serv- HISTORICAL METHOD ing as conduits of their powers. The most potent spirits are Scholars use primary sources and other evidences to com- animalistic spirits, and when the Shaman gathers Magick, prise the technique and guidelines to author accounts of the it is said they take on the very aspects of the beasts they past. Their formative knowledge allows them to understand so cherish. Shamans respect all animals’ might, but many of to a preternatural degree the nature of life and the world that them will have a ‘totem’, an animal that they hold in particu- surrounds them. larly high regard for and feel a kinship towards.

Effect: You may treat all Intelligence-based Special Skills as Shamans are wild, unkempt and ripe of smell, being closer to Common Skills instead. a creature than of their own race. Countless numbers of these wild arcanists disconnect from society, turning to even more DRAWBACK: INTELLECTUAL RIGOUR rural societies that accept the Shaman’s way. Those who have Scholars are slavishly devoted to the truth. To speak an un- become too entrenched in their Magick see themselves as truth or stretch the truth thin is not only grossly negligent more akin to the very animal’s essence they respect. They be- towards their studies, but is a mark upon their shield of rep- come unhinged, violent and sometimes cannibalistic in order utation and stake in the scientific community. to protect their territory. Those who have been driven even further into madness may try to actually overthrow civiliza- Effect: Any time you tell a lie or a falsehood, you gain 6 tion, believing the only path to true enlightenment resides Corruption. within learning to become the beast within.

SCHOLAR ADVANCES FRIEND OF THE WILDLANDS BONUS Predator or prey; to you it makes no difference. From the SKILL RANKS Alchemy Fellowship +1 ADVANCES simplest of creatures to the most unfamiliar beasts of a dif- BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Intelligence +1 ferent age, they are all a creation of nature. In that, you have ADVANCES learned to bring them to heel, to speak with them and live BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Intelligence +1 ADVANCES among them as their friend. BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 ADVANCES Effect: For purposes of all Skills, Magick and other inter- BONUS actions you have, treat creatures who are Beasts as Animals. SKILL RANKS Navigation Perception +1 ADVANCES This means you can communicate with them, attempt to BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 tame them and ensorcel them with your Magicks and Skills. ADVANCES Furthermore, whenever you fail a Handle Animal Test, you BONUS SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 ADVANCES may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Light Sleeper outcome.

SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Multilingual SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF ANIMISM

SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Worldly Your arcana is of the bestial essence, untouched by the guid- ing hand of civilization. It flows freely like water, spilling over rock, rupturing the ground and making way where it can from its source to the sea. Untamed and unchecked, it is SHAMAN neither a force of order or chaos; it is a wind left free to blow whichever way it wants.

You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Ar- in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you cana of Animism as listed under Chapter 10: Grimoire. Ad- must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. ditionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Animism and may record Being a Shaman is more than just respecting nature; it’s them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast Lesser Magick about becoming one with it. The Shamans are mages of the from the Arcana of Animism until you have two Skill Ranks wild, perhaps even priests in a sense. To a Shaman, every- in Incantation. You may continue to learn Generalist Petty thing in nature has a spirit and an essence, be it a bear, a bab- Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Arcana of Animism, 152 and cannot adopt any other Profession that gives different that destiny has woven for mortal kind. Nevertheless, Sooth- Arcana types other than the aforementioned. sayers are theoreticians, less erudite than Funerary Mages and almost scientific in nature. Surprisingly, given the weight this DRAWBACK: BROWN TEMPERAMENT knowledge yields, they are not all that grim. Soothsayers are Shamans have little patience for social conventions, with matter-of-factly, and surprisingly pragmatic. those of your order are notoriously gruff, rude and grumpy as a whole. Shamans have no taste for the trappings of civil- While their profession may give the impression that they know ity, and make no means to hide this fact. They almost take practically everything that there is to be said before it is spo- pride in aggravating others, taking accomplishment with the ken, it simply is not the case. It takes a long time to disassem- people they scare or frighten due to their savage appearance. ble the hazy images that make up their dreams. Interpretation of these omens leads to divination and prognostication, ad- Effect: Whenever interacting directly with those of a So- vanced in understanding their own dreams. Oftentimes, these cial Class other than Lowborn, you cannot succeed Fellow- dreams are of people around them - their friends, families and ship-based Skill Tests. Additionally, you immediately move closest confidantes. A Soothsayer must carefully - and artfully to the Lowborn Social Class once adopting this Profession. - conduct themselves with others. It is not well-accepted by those of a more “divine” and godly bend to accept the whimsy SHAMAN ADVANCES of a Soothsayer’s interpretations, given that the study of the BONUS arcane is not only discouraged but actively squashed by inquis- SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 ADVANCES itorial ranks in the church. As a result, Soothsayers will find BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 themselves gainful employment with nobles to further shield ADVANCES themselves from the scrutinizing eyes of witch hunters. BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Brawn +1 ADVANCES THE FINAL PORTENT BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Fellowship +1 ADVANCES The movement of the heavens above reveal secret truths of BONUS SKILL RANKS Intimidate Intelligence +1 the world. Given your predilection to understand how the ADVANCES movement of stars affects you and your closest of friends, you BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Perception +1 ADVANCES can detect warning signs of endeavors either ill-omened or BONUS well-favored by Fortune herself. SKILL RANKS Ride Willpower +1 ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Azimuth Effect: Whenever an ally uses a Fortune Point in your pres- ence or you use one, immediately make an Incantation Test. SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Instincts If successful, the Fortune Point is immediately restored to Menacing De- SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS the Fortune Pool. meanor SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF STROMANCY SOOTHSAYER Those who have mastered the art of Astromancy can sense disturbances within the Aethereal Veil. The disruptions can You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation be understood as omens and portents. Through Astromancy, in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you the Soothsayer can manipulate a person’s destiny, including must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. their own. Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Fabulously wealthy, ostentatious and perhaps supercilious in Arcana of Astromancy, as listed under Chapter 10: Gri- leanings, Soothsayers are the most extravagant of arcanists. moire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and Gazing towards the astral bodies, they document the move- one Lesser Magick spell from the Arcana of Astromancy, ment of stars beyond the Material Realm, divining the future and may record them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast for themselves and others around them. They have no equal; Lesser Magick from the Arcana of Astromancy until you not even Astrologers can keep up with the complex prognosti- have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to cations a Soothsayer may produce. While it is not uncommon learn Generalist Petty Magick. for a mundane Astrologer to take up this career, so it is also rare for them to advance very far without crumbling. It takes DRAWBACK: BLUE TEMPERAMENT a special type of person to be able to look into the realm of It is of no great surprise that Soothsayers are well-paid for infinite knowledge and not be crushed by the bleak outcomes their auguries. More so than their Astrologer counterparts, 153 they can factually draw prognostications using their Magick Learner temples are massive libraries to the faith, chroni- to produce desired, real results. Abnormally wealthy, Sooth- cling the histories of both their faith and the known world. sayers are ostentatious in their affectations, mannerisms and Truthsayer worship often revolves around deep meditation style of dress. to commune with their god, or otherwise doing the exhaust- ing work of chronicling. When not studying, Truthsayers use Effect: You must always purchase the highest quality Trap- their prayers to dispense justice and offer rulings. Those that pings available. This includes foodstuffs, supplies, weapons, become too absorbed by their erudite ways use their terrible armor and other wares. knowledge and insight in their unfair rulings, altering ver- dicts and condemning innocents for sheer pleasure. Others SOOTHSAYER ADVANCES seek to upend other faiths, condemning them as they counsel BONUS inquisitors to erase these perceived “heretical” religions from SKILL RANKS Awareness Fellowship +1 ADVANCES the face of the earth. Once destroyed, they’ll re-appropriate BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Fellowship +1 their Magicks for their own benefit, leading them down the ADVANCES BONUS path towards dark incantations of prayers unknown by other SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Truthsayers. BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble Intelligence +1 ADVANCES OGHAM OF TRUTH BONUS SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Perception +1 ADVANCES Truthsayers are masterful in their art. They have become BONUS perfect vessels for order, able to control the winds of the SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 ADVANCES Aether whenever they are perfectly aligned with divine truth. BONUS SKILL RANKS Navigation Willpower +1 However, whenever possessed by the inner turmoil of chaos, ADVANCES Truthsayers begin to waver. SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Azimuth Incredible Effect: Whenever your Order Ranks are higher than your SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Numeration Chaos Ranks, you never provoke Divine Punishment. SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Secret Signs SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF THE LEARNER TRUTHSAYER Veneration of the Learner takes many forms. Some au- thor works of truth; others educate the illiterate. However, Truthsayers take this to an entirely different level - they have You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation learned to sift between truth and lies using divine power. in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you must have the Special Trait of Divine Magick. Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Prayers of the Learner, as listed under Chapter 10: Grimoire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Less- Education is expensive and hard to come by in modern times, er Magick spell from the Prayers of the Learner, and may but those who become blessed with the gift of knowledge have record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast Lesser the Learner to thank. As the god of knowledge, wisdom and Magick from the Prayers of the Learner until you have two truth, His church is led by the serious and immovable Truth- Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to learn Gen- sayers. These priests are academics first and foremost, wearing eralist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Prayers of circlets engraved with eyes to show their all-knowing vision. the Learner, and cannot adopt any other Profession that gives Truthsayers work alongside Scholars of all sorts, and many are different Prayer types other than the aforementioned. the preeminent authorities of religion and apocryphal histo- ries. Truthsayers also serve as judges and arbitrators: townsfolk DRAWBACK: THE LEARNER’S who can not afford Barristers seek the counsel of a Truthsayer COMMANDMENTS to resolve any dispute involving money, land or lineage. Many The Learner makes specific demands from His priesthood. would see the Truthsayers as the least religious of all priest- Truthsayers should always seek to speak the truth under all hoods, as they take an objective, theological approach towards circumstances, and abide by the law. They must volunteer to the divine. This is simply not true, as they believe the purpose arbitrate disputes, and must lean on reason before picking up of divinity is to reveal all knowledge and truth, no matter how the sword. frightening it may be. The Learner’s worship also extends to arcanists and craftsmen, as anything that requires knowledge Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos Man- is under His purview. ifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the Learner. 154 Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of your god, as minds more so, but the damage has been done and cannot be outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you violate any of mended. They are sour, lost and cruelly indifferent, unable to these commandments, you must seek atonement. To atone, acknowledge even the slightest bit of additional suffering in you must make a suitable offering or sacrifice the Gamemas- their world. While they may be slightly revered, no one cares ter deems narratively appropriate to your god. to hear the Veteran’s stories … and the Veteran cares less to tell them. TRUTHSAYER ADVANCES I’VE SEEN WORSE BONUS SKILL RANKS Awareness Fellowship +1 ADVANCES In tense situations, Veterans are well-equipped to get the job BONUS done. When facing all but the direst straights, a Veteran is SKILL RANKS Coordination Intelligence +1 ADVANCES stoic and unflappable in the face of danger. BONUS SKILL RANKS Counterfeit Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Effect:You always succeed Skill Tests to Resist the effects of BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Perception +1 Stress and Fear. Additionally, you can never be made subject ADVANCES BONUS to the effects of the Intimidate Skill. SKILL RANKS Folklore Perception +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Willpower +1 ADVANCES DRAWBACK: SCARRED PSYCHE BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 Unfortunately, your cynicism is difficult to hide, the scars ADVANCES upon your psyche visible to all. This carries through both Aethereal SKILL RANKS Rumor TALENTS Alignment in your personal and professional life, triggering during in- Incredible stances of intense stress or pain. This sickness may send you SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Numeration into a blinding rage, or cause you to cower in the corner like Meeting of the SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS a squawling babe. Minds Effect: Whenever you fail Willpower-based Skill Tests, they VETERAN are treated as if they were Critical Failures instead. VETERAN ADVANCES You must possess at least two Skill Ranks in Warfare in BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 order to adopt this Elite Profession ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Gamble Combat +1 ADVANCES The Veteran’s place in society is one of grudging respect, a BONUS SKILL RANKS Leadership Combat +1 passing acknowledgement of the horrors they have endured ADVANCES BONUS and what few freedoms and luxuries those sacrifices have SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Fellowship +1 purchased. Not uncommon among Veterans are false legs, ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Ranged Intelligence +1 amputated hands and metal noses; a grim reminder of the ADVANCES physical sacrifices they’ve made. But the spiritual toll is not BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 as apparently outwardly. A haunted look, a thousand-mile ADVANCES BONUS stare or even moments of intense psychological disturbance SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 ADVANCES mark the Veteran as more the victim of war. For their sac- rifices, they are honored on commemoration days, given at SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Die Hard Impervious least meager amounts of food when they are hungry and SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS drink when they are thirsty. Their advice in battle is keenly Mind Military SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS regarded and their ethics in trade are overlooked in lieu of Formation this. They hold a mild place of honor, and while unglamor- ous, no one can say that it is unearned.

However, in war, there are no survivors - only living victims. The Veteran is one who has lived through this savage bru- tality. They have seen dead children suckling dying mothers and know the color of flesh that is charred from the bone. They have smelled the leavings of their captured enemies, wasting away in cages. Their bodies are hardened and their 155 WAR DERVISH WAR DERVISH ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Athletics Agility +1 You must possess at least one Skill Rank in both Mar- ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Coordination Agility +1 tial Melee and Resolve in order to adopt this Elite Pro- ADVANCES fession BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Brawn +1 ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Combat +1 Many faiths have splinter religions that few are part of, and ADVANCES that fewer even know the purpose of - the sect of mysticism. BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Combat +1 Mysticism is of course about studying the ways of the gods, ADVANCES BONUS but it also deals with mysteries untapped - the nature of re- SKILL RANKS Scrutinize Willpower +1 ality, the idea of existence, and the idea of the self related to ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 the godhead. Heady subjects to be sure, but the wandering ADVANCES War Dervish devotes themselves entirely to this cause. War SKILL RANKS Simple Ranged TALENTS Handspring Dervishes are not priests or even warriors trying to convert Impenetrable SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS anyone to their ways - their wanderings are for their own Wall benefit, to learn about themselves and to learn of the world Lightning SKILL RANKS Warfare TALENTS around them. They pass through villages to share stories, Reaction trade, or perform one of their mesmerizing worship rituals - ones that usually involve intricate and graceful dances. WARLOCK The War Dervish is also a quite imposing combatant - they be- lieve that in order to truly know themselves, they must master their bodies just as they master their minds. They use graceful You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation weapons and sweeping dances to prance around a battle, striking in order to adopt this Elite Profession. Additionally, at foes with them hardly noticing. The path of a War Dervish you must have the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. is wrought with peril, however. Stare too deep into the Abyss, and the Abyss stares back. Many War Dervishes have resorted Warlocks are an unpleasant breed of arcanists, ones who to more and more black means to see “the hidden truth” of the have paid a terrible price in exchange for raw, unbridled world, devolving into psychoactive drug addicts who swirl and power. While many may have started out as reluctant Diab- slash at demons they only see in their mind’s eye. More often olists or Hedgewise, their impatience to grow into their own than not, these demons turn out to be the allies they journey lead them down a very dark path. Deluding themselves into with. thinking that they can negotiate with other-worldly crea- tures, they foolishly believe that they are mindful enough to THE DANCE OF WAR control that which they bring into the material world. Un- Whether they use ribbon-trailed spears, graceful longswords fortunately, they find out rather quickly the error of their or dual scimitars, the War Dervish confounds their enemies ways. Needless to say, they are eventually consumed by their with their fast movement and acrobatic pirouette. own lust for power. But striking such Faustian bargains can bring about the desired results regardless. Effect: For every successful strike, Parry or Dodge you make during combat, temporarily increase your place on the Ini- Every practitioner of the dark arts who sets out on this path tiative Ladder by 1. must strike a deal with an Abyssal master. The powers a War- lock gains is explicitly drawn out in blood by an infernal con- DRAWBACK: QUALITY OF MERCY tract. These contracts are entangled in doublespeak, esoteric War Dervishes are intrinsically not violent, but their training terms and chthonic provisions which must be kept. Striking leads to the alignment of both body and weapon. Some use a deal with a master is excessively complex, and rightfully so; this for the sake of corruption, whereas some fight against the Warlock’s very soul is at stake. However, the creature they the allure of chaos. Despite whether a justified killing or not, sign this contract requires upkeep, maintenance and further it leaves a stain upon the War Dervish’s soul. addendum. In that, a “witness” to the contract is always sent to observe the Warlock, and imp that independently verifies Effect: Whenever you slay a creature that’s of your same that they keep to the agreement. And when the agreement Race, you suffer 3 Corruption. isn’t met, the Warlock isn’t dragged before an Abyssal court. No, instead the contract receives new infernal addendum, further drawing out the stipulations and requirements that 156 the Warlock must now make in order to stay out of touch with their Abyssal master. WARLOCK ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Bargain Agility +1 INFERNAL CONTRACT ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Education Fellowship +1 While some arcanists may have difficulties beseeching the ADVANCES powers of the Abyss, the Warlock has long signed away their BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Intelligence +1 soul to those creatures. Their lord will often lend them aid in ADVANCES BONUS times of need by sending a servitor demon as an ally, as the SKILL RANKS Guile Intelligence +1 ADVANCES Abyssal creature knows it has nothing to lose if the Warlock BONUS SKILL RANKS Incantation Perception +1 breaks their contract. ADVANCES BONUS SKILL RANKS Resolve Willpower +1 Effect: Anytime you summon Abyssal creatures using a Rit- ADVANCES BONUS ual, you may flip the results to succeed your Bargain Test to SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 bargain for service. Additionally, you immediately learn the ADVANCES name of one Lesser Demon for purposes of summoning. Fi- SKILL RANKS Scrutinize TALENTS Blood Magick nally, you automatically understand how to use the Ritual of SKILL RANKS Simple Melee TALENTS Larceny Call Demonic Servant. Strangler’s SKILL RANKS Skulduggery TALENTS SPECIAL TRAIT: ARCANA OF SORCERY Union Anointed by the forces of disorder and corruption, Warlocks have the power to cast suffering upon another with but a word. WHITE WOLF Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Ar- cana of Sorcery, as listed under Chapter 10: Grimoire. Ad- ditionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser You must possess at least one Skill Rank in Incantation Magick spell from the Arcana of Sorcery, and may record in order to adopt this Elite Profession Additionally, you them into your arcane tome. You cannot cast Lesser Magick must have the special Trait of Divine Magick. from the Arcana of Sorcery until you have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to learn Generalist Petty Before the God-Emperor ascended His lordly throne, Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Arcana of Sorcery, many paid tribute to the might of the Winter King. Leg- and cannot adopt any other Profession that gives different ends state that the God-Emperor himself was a disciple of Arcana types other than the aforementioned. this frigid god of the north, something many White Wolf priests love to rub in the face of the Godsworn. The White DRAWBACK: BLACK TEMPERAMENT Wolves are berserker-priests of the ever cold and calculat- Unfortunately, the power you wield is highly destructive - ing Winter King. They are brutal fighters, decked in the not only to others, but upon your very soul. Bit by bit, your pelt of a white wolf they had to kill as a part of their initia- spirit is consumed by the dark sorcery you wield. You begin tion into the priesthood. Their religion is an ancient one, as to develop odd affectations and side effects from using the the Winter King is brother to the Demiurge - the first god. destructive powers of the blackest Aethereal winds. White Wolves are as cold and steely as the climes they live within, raised by the bite of frost and the tear of claws. The Effect: Whenever you Critically Fail an Incantation Test to White Wolves lead prayers for many northern cities, but cast Magick, you gain a Malignancy. Malignancies are cov- there is a worry that the lord of wolves has perhaps been ered in Chapter 10: Grimoire. too assuaged by Abyssal servants who dwell in these same climes. This is obviously blasphemy to the White Wolf priesthood, who spend much of their time combating those very same hordes.

White Wolves are fiery in their worship, cold in their men- tality and hold little mercy for their enemies. They hold wor- ship among ancient stone circles marked with runes of the Winter Kings; circles that many tundra-locked cities were built around. White Wolf prayers are destructive and cold, a boon in any battle their priests face. Fanaticism is easy to come by in White Wolves, most likely due to their proximity 157 to Corruptive influences; those that succumb turn from bat- Effect: Whenever you would normally invoke a Chaos tle-hardened soldiers to blood-thirsty berserkers. Manifestation, you instead provoke Punishments of the Winter King. Additionally, you are bound by the tenets of TOTEMIC ANIMAL your god, as outlined in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Should you To priests of this cult, no other animal is more sacred than violate any of these commandments, you must seek atone- the wolf. They represent the primal beginnings of all hu- ment. To atone, you must make a suitable offering or sacri- manoidkind; intelligent, pack-like huntsmen. By skinning fice the Gamemaster deems narratively appropriate to your these lupine predators, they can literally “wear” the powers, god. able to speak the tongue of canines and resist bitter cold. WHITE WOLF ADVANCES Effect: While wearing the skin of a wolf, you may use BONUS any Fellowship-based Skill to directly communicate with SKILL RANKS Awareness Agility +1 ADVANCES creatures whom are wolves, dogs or other beasts of similar BONUS SKILL RANKS Folklore Agility +1 nature. This interaction is not always beneficial: many crea- ADVANCES BONUS tures are skittish, ignorant, confused, cunningly deceptive SKILL RANKS Handle Animal Brawn +1 or even openly aggressive. This empathy acts as a supernat- ADVANCES BONUS ural type of communication; the exactitude and complexity SKILL RANKS Incantation Combat +1 ADVANCES determined by the Gamemaster. Additionally, you never BONUS SKILL RANKS Martial Melee Perception +1 suffer the ill-effects of cold weather or Frostbite, able to ADVANCES BONUS survive as if you were in normal weather conditions. SKILL RANKS Rumor Willpower +1 ADVANCES BONUS SPECIAL TRAIT: PRAYERS OF SKILL RANKS Simple Melee Willpower +1 THE WINTER KING ADVANCES SKILL RANKS Stealth TALENTS Bad Axx! The Magicks of the Winter King require the loudest of ex- altations; a combination of howling, stomping of boots and SKILL RANKS Survival TALENTS Hard To Kill battle cries. There is nothing subtle about the prayers of Overwhelming SKILL RANKS Toughness TALENTS White Wolves. Many say that the terrifying priests of the Force Winter King could call beasts of all sorts forth from the wilds; and they may be right.

Effect: You may now attempt to learn Magicks from the Prayers of the Winter King, as listed under Chapter 10: Grimoire. Additionally, you automatically learn one Petty and one Lesser Magick spell from the Prayers of the Win- ter King, and may record them into your prayer book. You cannot cast Lesser Magick from the Prayers of the Winter King until you have two Skill Ranks in Incantation. You may continue to learn Generalist Petty Magick. Finally, you may only ever use Prayers of the Winter King, and cannot adopt any other Profession that gives different Prayer types other than the aforementioned. DRAWBACK: THE WINTER KING’S COMMANDMENTS The Winter King makes specific demands from His priest- hood. They generally will not lie, cheat or lay in wait to am- bush their enemies. Wolf-skins are sacred, and must be worn at all times - even when in bed. Fires must be kept alight while resting, lest Abyssal spirits invade their dreams. Males will not shave their beards until defeated in combat, where- as women will wear their hair braided until they suffer the same fate. Bravery and self-reliance are the watchwords of the White Wolves.

158 CHAPTER 5: SKILLS

hen commandeering a runaway carriage, pilfering a ledger unnoticed from a workshop, menacing over others to persuade them to leave, haggling over the price of a sausage pie, firing a gunpowder weapon Wproperly or honing your mind to withstand the corruption-blasting effects of terrors from beyond the stars, Characters are armed with proficiencies to overcome them. Skills encapsulate a particular kind of knowledge, distinct from one another but all equally important.

Skill Tests represent the core mechanic of the ZWEIHÄNDER system in action. The Gamemaster will call upon you to make Skill Tests as a reaction to a decision you made for your Character. They are a response to challenges and events that transpire during the Game Session. Their use and outcome can vary wildly, far above and beyond simple success or failure. The Skill descriptions describe in general terms how they can be used. However, there are a number of ways Skills can be used above and beyond each entry.

SKILLS ARE DERIVED FROM mulative bonus, added together whenever a Skill Test is PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES made. Beyond their mechanical modifiers, they also in- form the level of mastery a Character may possess. For Each Skill is directly associated with a Primary Attri- instance, it is helpful to distinguish between one who’s bute. For instance, the Interrogate Skill is based on the merely an Apprentice or a Master of Tradecraft. When Willpower Primary Attribute, as it relies on a force of considering your Character’s capabilities and how to personality to coerce others to tell the truth. In another reference them in-Character, they provide a keyword to example, Characters who possess high Brawn will natu- frame your Character’s level of experience. rally be better with physical-based Skills, whereas some- one who possesses a high Perception will be better with You should immediately be able to identify these dis- observational-based Skills. tinctions if you’re using the official Character sheet. The Apprentice Skill Rank confers a +10 Base Chance. SKILL RANKS Journeyman Skill grant an additional +10 Base Chance. Skill Ranks represent an intense dedication to a Skill, Finally, the Master Skill Rank grants a final +10 Base providing mechanical bonuses beyond the fold of raw Chance. All Skill Ranks are cumulative, so the most ability. These are clarified as Apprentice, Journeyman prodigious of Characters will gain a potential +30 Base and Master. Each of these Skill Ranks provides a cu- Chance from Skill Ranks by Advanced Tier.

159 ics Skill but need to climb the face of a garden manse’s WHY IS MY BASE CHANCE SO LOW? wall, perhaps you should look around the environment to It is easy to see that overall Base Chance to suc- find something to give you a boost. Or, maybe you have ceed Skill Tests are relatively low. Unlike other a middling Stealth Skill but need to trail a city watch- role-playing games, ZWEIHÄNDER assumes man; consider moving around when it is twilight, or trail that the Gamemaster only calls for Skill Tests them in disguise among a crowd during daylight. What when your Character faces a measure of immediate if you need to find your way along a river but lack the duress or risk. For instance, this means your Char- Pilot Skill? Use your Bargain Skill to hire a boatman to acter doesn’t have to make a Ride or Drive Test to do the work for you! Think outside the box, but within the simply wind down a path, but may call upon you context of the situation your Character faces. Turning your to make a Skill Test should you face a torrential own innate disadvantage into a more advantageous front is downpour or forced to navigate a tightly-wound paramount. trail while being pursued by the city watch. Tough choices and evaluating risk versus reward is the GAINING NEW SKILLS backbone of any worthy grim & perilous game. Characters will grow in strength with Skills they already possess, and develop new competencies as time goes on. Learning new Skills is not only important from a survivabil- However, this should encourage you to think about how ity perspective, but it also helps flesh out the direction your your Character should prepare for the worst and find Character has gone in the story. You can learn new Skills opportunities as challenges arise. Push things into your and gain Skill Ranks by moving into new Professions. This is Character’s favor and don’t be afraid to explore alternative covered in the previous Chapter 4: Professions. solutions. For instance, should you have a poor Athlet-

Primary Skill Type Focuses Attribute Antivenom, Deliriant, Elixir, Laudanum, Quicksilver, Smelling Salts, Alchemy Intelligence Special Tincture, Toxins, Venoms

Athletics Brawn Common Climb, Lift, Row, Swim, Wrestle

Awareness Perception Common Count, Discern Details

Bargain Fellowship Common Bribery, Courtly Intrigue, Diplomacy, Evaluate, Haggle

Acting, Begging, Comedy, Mime, Mimic, Play Music, Seduce, Sing, Charm Fellowship Common Storytelling, Write Poetry

Coordination Agility Common Acrobatics, Balance, Contortion, Dance, Dodge Attack, Juggle

Counterfeit Intelligence Special Clip Coins, Embezzle, Forgery

Disguise Fellowship Special Act, Assume Identity, Hide Social Class

Drive Brawn Common Carting, Coaching, Wagoner

Eavesdrop Perception Common Lip Reading, Listen In, Sign Language, Ventriloquism

Astronomy, Cartography, Heraldry, Geography, Law, Politics, Science, Education Intelligence Special Theology

Gamble Intelligence Common Ball Games, Cards, Chess, Cockfighting, Dice

160 Primary Skill Type Focuses Attribute Appear Innocent, Blather, Con Games, Deception, Innuendo, Thieves’ Guile Fellowship Common Cant Handle Fellowship Special Animal Care, Calm Animal, Rustling, Teach Trick Animal Bind Wounds, Bloodletting, Kiss of Life, Perform Psychosurgery, Perform Heal Intelligence Special Surgery, Prepare Bandages, Treat Disease, Treat Injury Astrology, Card Reading, Cast Runes, Concentration, Conduct Ritual, Incantation Willpower Special Counterspell, Dream Interpretation, Hypnotize, Learn Magick, Palmistry, Runesmith, Scapulimancy, Scrying Interrogation Willpower Special Mental Torture, Physical Torture

Intimidate Brawn Common Physical Presence, Threaten

Leadership Fellowship Special Incite Rebellion, Military Command, Spiritual Leadership, Stewardship

Martial Combat Special Bladed, Crushing, Parry Attack Melee Martial Combat Special Gunpowder, Missile Ranged

Navigation Intelligence Special Guide, Orientation, Overland Travel

Pilot Agility Special Boating, Ocean Lore, River Lore, Sailing

Resolve Willpower Common Resist Fear, Resist Magick, Resist Stress, Resist Terror

Ride Agility Special Ride Animal, Ride Beast, Trick Riding

Rumor Fellowship Common Etiquette, Gossip, Linguistics, Public Speaking, Secret Language

Scrutinize Perception Common Cryptography, Detect Lies, Memory, Sense Social Class

Simple Melee Combat Common Bladed, Brawling, Crushing, Parry Attack

Simple Combat Common Gunpowder, Missile Ranged Disable Trap, Lock Picking, Palm Object, Pick Pocket, Set Trap, Window Skulduggery Agility Special Fishing

Stealth Agility Common Ambush, Hide, Scout, Shadowing, Silent Movement

Survival Perception Common Build Shelter, Find Water, Forage, Game Hunting, Plant Lore, Survivalist

Consume Alcohol, Resist Disease, Resist Flames, Resist Magick, Resist Toughness Brawn Common Peril, Resist Poison, Resist Weather Artistry, Brewing, Carpentry, Engineering, Fine Smithery, Gunsmithing, Tradecraft Willpower Special Metallurgy, Shipwright, Smithing, Stoneworking, Tailoring, Tanning, Weaponsmithing Warfare Intelligence Special Fortifications, Military Tactics, War Machines

161 SKILL DESCRIPTIONS you can never have more Focuses in any one Skill in excess of your Intelligence Bonus (IB). This means that if your Intel- This section details all Skills your Character may use, listed ligence Bonus (IB) was 7, you may potentially possess up to in alphabetical order. We’ve included a few common exam- seven Focuses in every Skill you have a Skill Rank in. As your ples of how they can be put to use. However, you may utilize Character grows over the Basic, Intermediate and Advanced them in unique or different ways other than illustrated here. Tiers, your Intelligence Bonus (IB) will grow, so that you may While the descriptions provide a good guideline, we encour- purchase additional Focuses. How these are purchased are age you to be creative when explaining how you wish to use covered in Chapter 4: Professions under Unique Advances. them or work with your Gamemaster to better understand how they can be employed. While they aren’t comprehensive, SPECIAL FOCUSES they give you a guideline to follow when considering how With the Alchemy, Education and Tradecraft Skills, a Fo- you wish to use your Skills in a game of ZWEIHÄNDER. cus gives a more distinct advantage. Focuses in these Skills represent a more specific approach, giving you insight others COMMON OR SPECIAL SKILL? may not have - even if they already possess a Skill Rank in Following the Skill Name in parenthesis, you will be able to those Skills. Be sure to mention any Focuses you possess for see whether the Skill is Common or Special. Common Skills the aforementioned Skills whenever you are called upon to can be used by anyone. They represent a broad base of knowl- make a Skill Test by the Gamemaster. edge every character in ZWEIHÄNDER may attempt to NEW FOCUSES? use without having practiced it. While we have listed many Focuses, by are by no means Special Skills are a cut above a Common Skill, as they re- complete. Feel free to work with your Gamemaster to de- quire a greater level of study and proficiency to use. If your velop new ones for your Character. Naturally, it is up to the Character has a Skill Rank in a Special Skill, they possess Gamemaster to determine whether a new Focus is suitable something remarkably different than others. While Special for the game or not. Skills can be used by those without Skill Ranks in them, you must flip the results to fail when Testing them (as indicated SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS in Chapter 2: How To Play). Each Skill has examples of how a Skill could be used, along with the suggested Difficulty Rating for circumstances. As PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE always, these Difficulty Ratings may be changed by the Gamemaster, but should provide you a good guideline on Each Skill is governed by a Primary Attribute. It provides the how hardships and beneficial situations impact your effica- first raw value that you add to determine your Base Chance. cy with Skills. These suggested uses and samples are by no FOCUS means comprehensive. All Skills possess a Focus, reflecting a particular knack or spe- ALCHEMY (SPECIAL) cialization in its use. While it doesn’t necessarily encapsulate every way you can use a Skill, they highlight its most common aspects. For instance, the Skulduggery Skill has several Focus- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence es: Disable Trap, Lock Picking, Palm Object, Pick Pocket, Set FOCUSES: Antivenom, Deliriant, Elixir, Laudanum, Trap and Window Fishing. Quicksilver, Smelling Salts, Tincture, Toxins, Venoms

Whenever you use a Skill with its Focus in synergy, you may Alchemy’s practitioners spend years divining the hidden se- ignore any penalties your Character is currently suffering crets of true transmutation, although its everyday use tends to from due to your Peril Condition Track. rely on concocting serums, pain relievers, abortifacients and other medicines. Although Alchemy, at its heart, is a form of Graf von Beck is attempting to woo a number of la- science, it borders on being a more mundane form of Magick, dies-in-waiting as an attendant in court. He knows it practiced by both the wise and the insane. Through processes will require use of the Charm Skill. Drawing upon his of heating and cooling substances can alchemical compounds Focus in Seduction, he indicates that his gift for seduc- be created. Drugs, poisons and other substances useful to ad- tion may come in handy, allowing him to overcome his venturers can be crafted using this Skill. An alchemist’s labo- current Peril Condition penalties. ratory tends to be a strange amalgam of scientific notes, eru- dite symbols of Magick, smells and boiling baubles. Rules for You may possess more than one Focus in a Skill. However, using alchemy are covered in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. 162 SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS find hidden objects and spot contrivances designed to trap or  Automatic Success: Brew a tea to calm one’s nerves kill. You’ll use Awareness to visually see, but it also can be used  (Trivial +30%): Identify an unknown alchemical to sense using smell, taste and touch. You may also use Aware- substance ness to estimate numbers and distances.  (Easy +20%): Assemble an alchemical laboratory  This Skill doesn’t allow you to see through lies, sense motives or (Routine +10%): Create one dose of Deliriant, innuendo - reference the Scrutinize Skill in those cases. If you draught of Laudanum or shot of Gunpowder  wish to listen in on a conversation or distinctly make something (Standard +/-0%): Create two doses of Deliriants, out you heard, reference the Eavesdrop Skill instead. draughts of Laudanum or shots of Gunpowder  (Challenging -10%): Create three doses of Delir- SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS iants, draughts of Laudanum or shots of Gunpowder   Automatic Success: Finding someone in an open (Hard -20%): Brew a quintessence of Royal Water square in the middle of the day  (Arduous -30%): Brew a quintessence of Panacea   (Trivial +30%): Listen for sounds through a thin Automatic Failure: Transmute metal into flesh with- door out the use of Magick  (Easy +20%): Smell a distinct spice in a dish  (Routine +10%): Spot an obvious snare ATHLETICS (COMMON)  (Standard +/-0%): Standing watch at a campfire on a clear night  (Challenging -10%): Find someone obscured by PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Brawn mist or darkness FOCUSES: Climb, Lift, Row, Swim, Wrestle  (Hard -20%): Count a mound of treasure in under a minute  Athletics measures physical prowess. It reflects your ability (Arduous -30%): Spot a trap melded almost perfect- to scale up surfaces and ropes, tread and swim water with- ly into the flagstones  out tiring, propel vessels while rowing, overpower others in Automatic Failure: View the Aetheric Winds with contests of strength and push heavy objects. It also aids you the naked eye when lifting heavy objects or great feats of stamina, such as sprinting and vaulting. BARGAIN (COMMON) SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Fellowship Automatic Success: Lift up an object half your FOCUSES: Bribery, Courtly Intrigue, Diplomacy, weight above your head Evaluate, Haggle  (Trivial +30%): Climb up a tree with many limbs  (Easy +20%): Swim while wearing quilted armor  Bargain allows you to interpret the underlying factors of a (Routine +10%): Jump over a pit while wearing commercial transaction, barter with trade goods, haggle over leather armor prices, find a common ground with another party, grease the  (Standard +/-0%): Row a boat through rapid water  wheels of commerce through use of bribery, appraise the (Challenging -10%): Push an object three times worth of objects d’art and even procure illegal contraband. your weight  (Hard -20%): Pull a coach stuck out of the mud with You can use this Skill in many different ways, but its most the aid of draft animals common use is to haggle over the price of goods. You may  (Arduous -30%): Climb the sheer face of a tower also use the Bargain Skill to appraise the worth of jewels,  Automatic Failure: Swim in rough waters while trade goods and even priceless relics of an age long past. Your wearing munitions or full plate armor Difficulty Rating may be improved if you have other Skill Ranks in other Skills that may be related to the object you’re AWARENESS (COMMON) attempting to evaluate (such as having the Tradecraft Skill with Focus in Tailoring to suss out the worth of a bolt of silk). Your Gamemaster will always let you know when there PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Perception may be an existing synergy between these two. FOCUSES: Count, Discern Details SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  Awareness represents the ability to visually notice minute de- Automatic Success: Trade a more valuable coin in tails and sounds, particulars within the air, watch for ambushes, exchange for a lesser valued coin 1:1 163  (Trivial +30%): Evaluate the worth of a gem or fin- COORDINATION (COMMON) ery you procured  (Easy +20%): Broker a deal between two merchants for trade PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Agility  (Routine +10%): Interpret the profit and loss of a FOCUSES: Acrobatics, Balance, Contortion, Dance, major financial deal Dodge Attack, Juggle  (Standard +/-0%): Procure blackmarket goods from a fence  (Challenging -10%): Find common ground between Coordination represents dexterity, flexibility, balance and two people of different Social Classes grace in movement. You can use this Skill to perform acro-  (Hard -20%): Convince a guard to look the other batic feats, slip out of bonds, avoid falling debris, manipulate way so you can commit murder objects with delicacy and avoid oncoming attacks by leaping  (Arduous -30%): Bribe a guard to walk away from out of the way. the scene of a crime  You generally use Coordination as a reaction to something else. Automatic Failure: Beg a demon back for your Its most common application is to evade traps, avoid being own soul without another’s life in exchange pushed off your feet and weaseling out of bonds and shackles. CHARM (COMMON) SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  Automatic Success: Walk across a wide plank of PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Fellowship wood  (Trivial +30%): Catch a small object in-hand as it FOCUSES: Acting, Begging, Comedy, Mime, Mimic, falls Play Music, Seduce, Sing, Storytelling, Write Poetry  (Easy +20%): Walk across a wet tree log over a river  (Routine +10%): Juggle otherwise innocuous objects Charm is used to please others with flattery and kind words.  (Standard +/-0%): Avoid Moderately Dangerous A kind word, a soft smile, a pleasant handshake or hug may flames be used to illustrate your personal charms and bewitch others.  (Challenging -10%): Perform an intricate dance This Skill can modify the mood of others, persuading them among higher social circles towards your favor or causing them to change their opinions  (Hard -20%): Twist your body to fit into a very small about things they may not necessarily support. It can be used space to impress others with your affable nature or seduce those who  (Arduous -30%): Contort your wrists to escape may find you attractive. bonds or manacles This Skill doesn’t allow you to produce lies, false accounts or Automatic Failure: Dodge a melee attack without con games - reference the Guile Skill in those cases. the proper Trait SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS COUNTERFEIT (SPECIAL)  Automatic Success: Convince yourself that you are a perfect specimen of humanity  (Trivial +30%): Whistle or sing a popular song in- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence tune FOCUSES: Clip Coins, Embezzle, Forgery  (Easy +20%): Remember and retell a funny joke  (Routine +10%): Recant a famous story before an Counterfeit represents a pool of abilities that are utilized to audience falsify documents, making them appear official. This Skill is  (Standard +/-0%): Read poetry with a straight face oftentimes used to duplicate signatures, handwriting styles in front of a lover and author other records, (providing you can read and write  (Challenging -10%): Seduce someone outside of in the language you intend to forge in). It also related to your your Social Class ability to reproduce near-replicas of objets d’art, cobbling to-  (Hard -20%): Pick up an instrument you’ve never gether a facsimile of a painting, statue, ring, necklace and a played and learn a song host of other items. Additionally, Counterfeit can be used  (Arduous -30%): Seduce someone who does not to forge currency and shave coins as to dupe merchants and share your sexual values other pedlars from their wares. This Skill also allows you to  Automatic Failure: Convince yourself that you’re embezzle money from others, providing you have made and imperfect and ugly established a bond of trust with your mark. 164 In the case of most forged documents, you should already SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS know how to read and write (as with the Education Skill).  Automatic Success: Make a subtle change to your Additionally, if you wish to reproduce other works you must appearance to look more attractive be able to craft the objects in question (as with the Trade-  (Trivial +30%): Convincingly act as another in a craft Skill). Most importantly, you will never outright know cheap play whether the reproduction was successfully created or not. The  (Easy +20%): Pretend to be someone of a higher or only time you’d know whether the copy was successful or not lower Social Class is during the transaction with a Secret Test. Whenever you  (Routine +10%): Create a false identity and live be- attempt to resell forged objects or pass them off as official or neath it original, you may be required to employ use of Guile to spin  (Standard +/-0%): Impersonate someone from an- a tale or give credence to the legitimacy of the Counterfeit. other foreign land  (Challenging -10%): Convincingly act as another in SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS a well-known playhouse  Automatic Success: Produce a facsimile of your own  (Hard -20%): Impersonate another’s personal ap- artwork pearance  (Trivial +30%): Create a simple reproduction of a  (Arduous -30%): Perfectly impersonate with looks ring or other finery and voice another person  (Easy +20%): Craft a false estimate of work to col-  Automatic Failure: Make a drastic change to your- lect pay self to appear less attractive  (Routine +10%): Cut the corners off of coins, pro- ducing 1 new one out of 9 others DRIVE (SPECIAL)  (Standard +/-0%): Pass off a painted wooden token as a gold piece  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Brawn (Challenging -10%): Forge a signature FOCUSES: Carting, Coaching, Wagoner  (Hard -20%): Reproduce an intricate artwork with- out the skills necessary Drive represents the ability to control common conveyances,  (Arduous -30%): Perfectly reproduce the writing such as a simple cart, overland carriages, dog-drawn sleds, style of another four-wheeled wagons and even war chariots. You can also  Automatic Failure: Produce foreign currency with- use this Skill to navigate vehicles through tight corners, race out understanding the language throughout the countryside, plow through low barriers and even roll over others should they stand in your way. DISGUISE (SPECIAL) Drive typically doesn’t require a Test to operate a vehicle, unless you’re doing something out of the ordinary. However, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Fellowship Drive Tests are required if you intend to plow through a hedge, FOCUSES: Act, Assume Identity, Hide Social Class over sharp hills, move through treacherous terrain or race oth- ers. Depending on the severity and inherent challenge of the The Disguise Skill represents the ability to masquerade as maneuver, it may require you to roll multiple Drive Tests to someone else, hide your own identity in public or conceal successfully evade debris or navigate tight corners. your true feelings from others. Theatrics and imitation are SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS the foundation of any good disguise. The more you know  about the people (or person) you’re trying to hide or mimic, Automatic Success: Drive a coach down a quiet road  the more effective your disguise. (Trivial +30%): Travel overland by any vehicle during fair weather You can use this Skill in its most traditional way by employing  (Easy +20%): Break through a low barrier in a vehi- tools of the trade to change your appearance - heavy cosmet- cle or over a hedge ics, appropriate clothing, different posture, regional accent and  (Routine +10%): Trek overland by vehicle during in- different behavioral traits or personality tics. Changing your clement weather appearance to look like another group of people or race may  (Standard +/-0%): Race by cart and horse be easy, given that you have the appropriate clothes or know  (Challenging -10%): Take a vehicle off-roading enough about their culture. Dressing as the opposite sex can  (Hard -20%): Jump a vehicle from one road to another be tough. However, disguises to imitate specific people can be  (Arduous -30%): Ford a deep river with a vehicle much more difficult, particularly if you intend to traffic among  Automatic Failure: Drive a coach across a deep body people they know. of water 165 EAVESDROP (COMMON) of the specialized forms in scholastic pursuits. While your Character may not have had a formalized education, this Skill lends significant insight into the histories and practices PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Perception of the world they live within, FOCUSES: Lip Reading, Listen In, Sign Language, Ventriloquism Although anyone with a Skill Rank in Education can prac- tice all scholastic pursuits, Focuses give them a more succinct Eavesdrop allows you to listen, perceiving what specif- specialization in that Skill. While the Focuses above are the ic sounds are. It lets you try understanding a conversation most common of educational studied in a grim & perilous between two or more people, by listening or watching the world, work with your Gamemaster to develop new ones. movement of their lips. You can make out distinct sounds The Gamemaster will have the final say whether it fits within with your hearing, understanding the differences between the standard of their campaign world, however. mumbling and actual words. You can use it to hide the SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS movement of your own lips. With a clear view of the people  speaking, they can try to suss out slight intonations and body Automatic Success: Write a strongly-worded letter language, which gives indication as to what may be spoken. to a burgomeister about conditions in your village  (Trivial +30%): Understand local laws and how they Succeeding an Eavesdrop Test doesn’t really give you a full may impact your own criminal wrongdoing  range of details in the conversation. Instead, you gain a general (Easy +20%): Identify specific constellations in the impression of what was spoken. For instance, you may have night sky  not been witness to the details of a business dealing, but you (Routine +10%): Know a specific prince, count, earl could possibly deduce that those two courtier are plotting an or duke’s name of a province  assassination attempt against a rival aristocrat. You may even (Standard +/-0%): Understand the relationships be- be able to understand who the intended mark is, judging by tween the gods from holy canon  the way they sneer or emote towards their rival. (Challenging -10%): Identify the standard or banner of a house, region or faction SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  (Hard -20%): Translate ancient writings into the  Automatic Success: Listen in on a loud public con- common tongue versation  (Arduous -30%): Understand the difference between  (Trivial +30%): Reproduce animal sounds with your a Demon and a Daemon mouth  Automatic Failure: Write a strongly-worded letter  (Easy +20%): Hide your lips from being read by oth- to a burgomeister without a Skill Rank ers  (Routine +10%): Use hand signals to indicate simple FOLKLORE (COMMON) thoughts to another  (Standard +/-0%): Read a person’s lips in a well-lit room PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence  (Challenging -10%): Listen to a conversation FOCUSES: Creature Lore, Foreign Lore, Local Lore through a wooden door  (Hard -20%): Read a person’s lips in dim light Folklore represents a general, broad knowledge of the world  (Arduous -30%): Listen in to a conversation through around you. Unlike academic learning (such as with the Ed- a metal door ucation Skill), it represents both second-hand and first per-  Automatic Failure: Understand the words of a mute son knowledge of the histories, traditions, faith and notable figures of a particular region. It relates to the stories you’ve EDUCATION (SPECIAL) heard from merchants, raconteurs and troubadours. It indi- cates an overall general understanding of societal conditions amongst cultures other than your own, passed down through PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence oral traditions. It may also impart the socially-accepted FOCUSES: Astronomy, Cartography, Heraldry, Geog- norms amongst the social classes and what courtesies should raphy, Law, Politics, Science, Theology be observed, along with proper forms of address.

Education represents both literacy and schooling. However, Oftentimes, your Folklore can be used to gain knowledge this extends far beyond merely being able to read and write. about geography, taboos, famous personalities, faith and even Education is a Skill that represents a distinct knowledge customs of people other than your own. It also can be used 166 to gain knowledge about the law, local history and institu- SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS tions of your own culture. You may be able to identify land-  Automatic Success: Play a common board game and marks, secret signs left behind by other travelers, suss out the enjoy yourself movements and migrations of people and seek to understand  (Trivial +30%): Play and win a game of cards against the basic religious practices of your own region and others the uninitiated outside of it. It also lends information about what grows in  (Easy +20%): Fix a cockfight in your favor the area, what parts may be dangerous and expected weather  (Routine +10%): Play and win a standard game of conditions. chess against someone with one Skill Rank  SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS (Standard +/-0%): Guess the number of stones in a  large jar Automatic Success: Understand common supersti-  (Challenging -10%): Fix a fistfight in your favor tions   (Hard -20%): Play and win a game of dice against (Trivial +30%): Interpret the funerary practices of someone with three Skill Ranks locals, such as burying the burning the dead   (Arduous -30%): Guess the next card that will be (Easy +20%): Use the proper courtesies of a higher lain down Social Class   Automatic Failure: Play a tabletop game of WFRP (Routine +10%): Identify a local landmark and its 3E without Percentile Dice importance  (Standard +/-0%): Recant legends from history  (Challenging -10%): Know about local flora and LET’S PLAY DICE POKER fauna, and how to identify it Dice Poker is an exciting way to shake things up  (Hard -20%): Identify a famous person by their around the table, particularly when the Gamemaster burial marker or tomb wants a slight change of pace during the campaign.  (Arduous -30%): Forecast the weather based on his- It’s an unusual dice game, but is easy to play and wa- toric patterns ger on. It is intended for two players, but other play-  Automatic Failure: Know the ethnicity of a person ers may be substituted after each hand is resolved. without a Skill Rank You and another participant begin play by grabbing 5D6 Chaos Dice. We recommend using non-stan- GAMBLE (COMMON) dard six-sided dice without pips, as it makes reading the results much easier. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence The first round begins by placing a bid. The Gam- FOCUSES: Ball Games, Cards, Chess, Cockfighting, emaster will pick a random participant to start the Dice first bid. If the opponent matches the bid, they may raise. The raise must be met for the game to contin- Gambling represents a general know-how for common ue onwards. Otherwise, it is forfeit and the player games of chance with cards, dice and darts. Although any- who raised the bid wins. one can technically make wagers and play games, some are Assuming both you and the other participant are more adept at spotting common mistakes and playing upon fine with any bids or matches, you both roll all five the weaknesses of their opponents. Although this Skill does dice. Normally, the dice must be rolled inside a not allow outright cheating, it does give a particular sort of farkel box, but rolling atop a piece of paper can be insight as to the outcome. an easy substitution. Should any of the dice fall fall outside the play area, they are immediately discard- Some Gamemasters may simply prefer Players to make dice ed! contest in order to resolve high stakes gambling. However, Once the dice have been rolled, look at the numbers they may require you and other Players around the table to on the face of the dice. You’re attempting to determine play out an actual game of cards or dice amongst each other. a winning combination. We’ve ordered the combina- This can be an exciting change of pace, presenting a colorful tions below in order of best to worse hand: distraction from your normal gaming schedule. You should feel encouraged to continue staying in-Character during these sort of side games.

167  (Trivial +30%): Bluster and blather your way out of HAND OF CHAOS: all 5 dice show face 6! responsibility FIVE OF A KIND: 5 dice show the same number  (Easy +20%): Use innuendo to imply one thing FOUR OF A KIND: 4 dice show the same number while saying another FILL HOUSE: 2 dice show the same number and 3  (Routine +10%): Engage in wordplay with another dice show the same number to appear smarter SIX HIGH STRAIGHT: the dice show these num-  (Standard +/-0%): Blend into the crowd to look in- bers: 6,5,4,3,2 nocuous and harmless FIVE HIGH STRAIGHT: the dice show these  (Challenging -10%): Bluff your way into a garden numbers: 5,4,3,2,1 party of the elite THREE OF A KIND: 3 dice show the same num-  (Hard -20%): Understand Thieves’ Cant without a bers Skill Rank TWO PAIRS: the dice show two pairs of matched  (Arduous -30%): Appear innocent in front of a numbers witch hunter or inquisitor ONE PAIR: the dice show one pair of matched  Automatic Failure: Lie to your mother and make numbers them believe it The game is not over yet! You and the other participant may set aside anywhere from one to four dice you wish HANDLE ANIMAL (SPECIAL) to re-roll. After you set aside the dice, the person who made the first bid may raise the stakes. If they don’t match the stakes, they lose. However, they may raise PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Fellowship the stakes themselves as well, which you must match FOCUSES: Animal Care, Calm Animal, or else lose. Rustling, Teach Trick Once the last bid is to be had, re-roll the remaining dice. Now you determine the final result! Whomever The Handle Animal Skill represents the ability to subdue, has the best combination of dice after the re-roll wins. command and train creatures classified as Animals. Although If both you and the other participant have the same this Skill doesn’t allow those who use it to domesticate ani- combinations, add the dice together to determine who mals that are not meant to be domesticated, it does allow one wins. If both of the rolls are exactly the same, it’s a to tame creatures. This Skill also teaches the proper way to draw and another round begins with the same starting care and groom an animal, establishing a bond of trust and bid and different bidder. submission. Use of this Skill also allows for the domestica- tion of animals for food or work as livestock.

GUILE (COMMON) You can use this Skill to coerce or tame those who are crea- tures classified as Animals. Chickens, dogs, horses, falcons, pigs and other farm creatures can easily be taught to obey PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Fellowship you. However, you should wish you teach these animals more FOCUSES: Appear Innocent, Blather, Con Games, complex tricks you must teach it over nine consecutive days. Deception, Innuendo, Thieves’ Cant If successful, you are master of the the animal and it will learn one simple trick. You can never impart more than a The Guile Skill represents general underhandedness in con- number of tricks to a single animal in excess of your Fellow- versation, using trickery and lies to get what you want. It is of- ship Bonus (FB), however. tentimes used to subtly manipulate others’ feelings and emo- tions by sewing the seeds of doubt within their mind. With SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS this Skill, you can play word games or use irony to confuse  Automatic Success: Groom an undomesticated others, engage in political mind games with demagogues and creature classified as an Animal run verbal circles around spin doctors. You can fool others in  (Trivial +30%): Shoe a horse or groom a domestic order to cover up your true intentions with this Skill. Blather, animal innuendo, deception and bluffing - these are the watchwords  (Easy +20%): Teach a simple trick to an animal, like of those who use Guile to get what they want. fetch, sit or lay down  (Routine +10%): Rustle up a flock of sheep without SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS a sheepdog  Automatic Success: Lie to your lover and make  (Standard +/-0%): Calm a frightened horse them believe it  (Challenging -10%): Break a young horse for riding 168  (Hard -20%): Calm a frightened stampede of kine INCANTATION (SPECIAL)  (Arduous -30%): Break a wild horse for riding  Automatic Failure: Groom an undomesticated crea- ture classified as a Beast PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Willpower FOCUSES: Astrology, Card Reading, Cast Runes, HEAL (SPECIAL) Concentration, Conduct Ritual, Counterspell, Dream Interpretation, Hypnotize, Learn Magick, Palmistry, Runesmith, Scapulimancy, Scrying PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence FOCUSES: Bind Wounds, Bloodletting, Kiss of Life, Perform Psychosurgery, Perform Surgery, Prepare Ban- Incantation is a catch-all Skill to understand that which is dages, Treat Disease, Treat Injury not of this world. That which is comprised of the Aethereal Veil - a formless element outside of the material world - which is manipulated expressly by those who possess this The Heal Skill represents an acute understanding of the sig- Skill. It can be of benefit to identify strange Magickal sym- nificance in the four humours of the body, how they relate to bols, understand occult activities, participate in rituals, re- one another and how the wounded can be treated by paying search otherworldly creatures, interpret omens and even gain heed to these temperaments. With this Skill, you can ex- understanding of superstitions made real. Additionally, use ercise this knowledge and how it relates to the excesses of of Incantation is relied upon by would-be seers, diviners, tar- fluids which causes miasma and sickness. ot card readers and other turban-wearing spiritualists. You can treat the ill and the healthy alike, tending to their Expressly, this Skill is used for arcane and divine Magickal needs for headaches and aches, act as midwife, render abor- practices. You can learn more about Magick in Chapter 10: tifacients and even tend to the injured. You may adhere to a Grimoire. classical school of thought, using emetics and bloodletting to cure illness through humoralism. Or, you may prescribe to a SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS mechanical school of thought, seeing the body as a complex  Automatic Success: Read and interpret a new machine that can be “fixed” with the right techniques. Re- Magick spell from a sacred scroll gardless of which school you adhere to, those who practice  (Trivial +30%): Cast a Petty Magick spell in a place the healing arts always pay some sort of lip service to the regarded as holy to your faith gods.  (Easy +20%): Interpret a person’s future, based on SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS their personality quirks  (Routine +10%): Cast a Lesser Magick spell upon  Automatic Success: Bind the wounds of someone an unsuspecting target while hidden who is bleeding out  (Standard +/-0%): Cast a Petty Magick spell as foes  (Trivial +30%): Treat Bloody Flux in a patient are Charging towards you  (Easy +20%): Perform psychosurgery on someone  (Challenging -10%): Hypnotize a willing subject with 2 Chaos Ranks  (Hard -20%): Cast a Lesser Magick spell into an  (Routine +10%): Treat one Injury to begin recuper- Engagement where you could harm your allies ation  (Arduous -30%): Cast a Greater Magick spell while  (Standard +/-0%): Treat Orx-molt in a patient being harassed in a crowd.  (Challenging -10%): Treat Heatstroke on someone  Automatic Failure: Cast Magick with both your who is Grievously Wounded hands bound and gagged  (Hard -20%): Treat Red Death in a patient  (Arduous -30%): Use a kiss of life on someone who’s been unconscious for seven minutes INTERROGATION (SPECIAL)  Automatic Failure: Administer a healing serum meant to revive the dead PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Willpower FOCUSES: Mental Torture, Physical Torture

Interrogation is the ability to draw answers from an unwill- ing subject using a variety of physical and emotional meth- ods. It allows you to cause duress in your subject, inflicting mental fatigue upon them as you begin to drill down into the heart of the truth. Interrogation often relies on torture, 169 as you inflict bodily harm upon a subject to coerce them to Coordination for a Takedown in combat speak the truth. A nasty mix of hot tar, branding irons, a  (Hard -20%): Make a threatening gesture to force a cat’s paw, red-hot coals, thumbscrews, pliers and sharpened guard to abandon their post spoons to scoop out eyes are the most common trappings of  (Arduous -30%): Force an undefeated rival to kneel any worthy gaoler. Torture devices such as the iron maiden, before you to kiss your boots brazen bull, breaking wheels and the pear of anguish are of-  Automatic Failure: Force a king or high priest to ten used by royal torturers. The limits of which devices and abandon their post for their crimes methods you can employ are virtually limitless, bound only by how far you’re willing to go to extract information. LEADERSHIP (SPECIAL) SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Fellowship Automatic Success: Pluck the wings off a fly to keep FOCUSES: Incite Rebellion, Military Command, it from flying away Spiritual Leadership, Stewardship  (Trivial +30%): Gaslight a friend or loved one  (Easy +20%): Pour hot tar over someone, burning Leadership is the ability to enlist the support of allies and fol- their skin while avoiding yours lowers, leading them in unity underneath your guiding hand.  (Routine +10%): Strike the head off of the guilty It represents truth in action and the ability to manage others with a massive axe in one stroke with the force of persuasion or reputation. You can use this  (Standard +/-0%): Force a witness to relive a trau- Skill to present tactical edges to your armies, such as with a matic experience general who cries out orders upon the battlefield. You may be  (Challenging -10%): Convince a Mutant to tell the able to move mass throngs of people towards unified move- truth, after an round of torture ment, such as a firebrand who leads their people towards a  (Hard -20%): Torture a friend or ally higher plane of spirituality. You may also attempt to stir emo-  (Arduous -30%): Torture a child or innocent animal tions and foment rebellion, such as with political demagogues  Automatic Failure: Physically torture someone who use their words to instigate people towards violence. without causing them to suffer Damage SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS INTIMIDATE (COMMON)  Automatic Success: Incite peasants to violence in the wake of diablerie  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Brawn (Trivial +30%): Convince a close friend to lift their FOCUSES: Physical Presence, Threaten spirits in the wake of harm  (Easy +20%): Spread rumors and news among crowds of people Intimidation is the power to bully others into doing some-  (Routine +10%): Use Inspiring Words in combat thing you want. By using your physical appearance, you try to while Moderately Wounded cause others to cow before you, posturing aggressively like a  (Standard +/-0%): Convince your flock to change dog ready to pounce. You attempt to terrify others with your their principles in the name of their god words and movements, suggesting that you’ll do violence upon  (Challenging -10%): Command a military cam- them should they not back down. Similarly, you can use this paign to besiege a stronghold Skill to cause others to back out of a fight, causing them to  (Hard -20%): Uplift a congregation who’ve lost their either shrink away with their tail between their legs or to stand faith in their god proud but stay their hand.  (Arduous -30%): Convince Humanoids who were SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS once your enemies to fight alongside you  Automatic Failure: Incite peasants to violence in the  Automatic Success: Convince a Mutant child to run wake of a miracle  (Trivial +30%): Bully your way to the front of a line  (Easy +20%): Insinuate violence through force of MARTIAL MELEE (SPECIAL) presence and words  (Routine +10%): Cause innocent people to cow be- fore you in a public place PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Combat  (Standard +/-0%): Shove or push someone out of FOCUSES: Bladed, Crushing, Parry Attack your way  (Challenging -10%): Substitute this Skill in place of Martial Melee Skill is used by most fighting men. Soldiers, 170 mercenaries and all manner of trained professionals pro- NAVIGATION (SPECIAL) ficient in the martial arts have Skill Rank: Apprentice in Martial Melee. It also allows you to maintain the quality of Martial Melee weapons and perform general maintenance to PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence keep them in usable condition. FOCUSES: Guide, Orientation, Overland Travel

SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS Navigation represents the ability to accurately determine  Automatic Success: Strike a foe who is left Helpless distance, direction and paths throughout the world, orien-  (Trivial +30%): Strike a foe that’s Prone on the teering both land and sea conveyances alike. This Skill re- ground lies on landmarks and maps to find your way overland. The  (Easy +20%): Use an Opportunity Attack against a passing of constellations over the seasons and the alignment foe who’s moving away without Maneuvering of the stars can help you find your way over the seas. You  (Routine +10%): Flank foes that are outnumbered in can use this Skill to plot a course towards a destination that a melee engagement will take under account the landscape, weather and roads  (Standard +/-0%): Fight toe-to-toe with an even- as to make your arrival the fastest. Even though you may ly-matched aggressor not be familiar with the lands, providing you have someone  (Challenging -10%): Strike someone in fog, mist or who can tell you what to look for or indicate prominent smoke landmarks, you can chart a course.  (Hard -20%): Parry a two-handed weapon using a dirk SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS   (Arduous -30%): Strike someone in darkness Automatic Success: Find your way overland between  Automatic Failure: Break someone’s armor with a villages a day apart  one-handed weapon (Trivial +30%): Determine true north above ground  (Easy +20%): Discern the constellations to guide MARTIAL RANGED (SPECIAL) your journey by sea  (Routine +10%): Chart out a route overland for sev- eral days PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Combat  (Standard +/-0%): Identify foreign landmarks to FOCUSES: Gunpowder, Missile make your way without a map  (Challenging -10%): Chart out a route overland for Martial Ranged Skill is used by most targeteers and scouts. several weeks  Dragoons, horse-borne screamers and all manner of trained (Hard -20%): Realign your travels after getting lost professionals proficient in the martial arts have at least one for days in the wilderness  Skill Rank in this Skill. It also allows you to maintain the (Arduous -30%): Determine true north below quality of Martial Ranged weapons and perform general ground  maintenance to keep them in usable condition. Automatic Failure: Navigate your way through a cavern in total darkness SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS PILOT (SPECIAL)  Automatic Success: Fire at a foe who is left Helpless  (Trivial +30%): Fire a shot at a foe who’s climbing a tree PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Agility  (Easy +20%): Fire a shot in the outer rings of a sta- FOCUSES: Boating, Ocean Lore, tionary archery target River Lore, Sailing  (Routine +10%): Fire a shot from higher ground  (Standard +/-0%): Fire a shot at someone who’s un- Pilot represents the ability to sail water vessels, from simple protected by cover  river-going rowboats to triple-masted ships of the open seas. (Challenging -10%): Fire at someone standing in This Skill implies knowledge of how to propel oar-driven fog, mist or smoke or on horseback  river vessels. It also covers general maintenance and upkeep (Hard -20%): Fire a ranged weapon into an Engage- of these boats; scrubbing decks, unloading and reloading car- ment where both enemies and allies stand go, repairing broken oars, patching holes, attending to torn  (Arduous -30%): Fire at a foe in darkness  sails and a host of other repairs minor and major that are Automatic Failure: Fire at someone standing behind needed to keep a vessel ship-shape in top working order. an arrow slit 171 SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS ure can cause you to completely lose it. Most of these results  Automatic Success: Sail a river boat down a placid are handled by the Gamemaster. river  SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS (Trivial +30%): Maintain the integrity of any wa-  ter-going vessel Automatic Success: Mentally prepare yourself to be  scrutinized before your peers (Easy +20%): Pilot a ship in calm conditions by sea   (Routine +10%): Sail a river boat through rapids (Trivial +30%): Maintain your cool when piloting or  (Standard +/-0%): Right a boat that’s being spun out driving a vehicle in a tense situation  (Easy +20%): Withstand the effects of Stress of control by a river eddy   (Challenging -10%): Pilot a ship in stormy condi- (Routine +10%): Ignore the impact of Petty Magick tions by sea spells which may cause anxiety   (Standard +/-0%): Withstand the effects of Fear (Hard -20%): Assure that cargo arrives unmolested  if sent across a rough sea (Challenging -10%): Withstand being intimidated  (Arduous -30%): Right a boat that’s threatening to by those of a higher Social Class  (Hard -20%): Withstand the effects of Terror be swallowed by the sea   Automatic Failure: Sail a river boat in a stormy ocean (Arduous -30%): Steel yourself before a monstrous beast  Automatic Failure: Save face when confronted by an ROW A BOAT WITH ATHLETICS OR otherworldly creature PILOT? Stormy seas, strong currents and windy conditions RIDE (SPECIAL) may require you to use Athletics in order to get your- self to safety. However, avoiding whirling river eddies, whirlpools, keep from crashing into the rocks and oth- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Agility er natural water-borne hazards may require you to use FOCUSES: Ride Animal, Ride Beast, Pilot to keep from crashing. Providing you can plead a Trick Riding solid case to your Gamemaster, these two Skills may be transposed with one another. The Ride Skill is primarily used to mount and ride atop an- imals trained to bear others, such as horses and ponies. You RESOLVE (COMMON) can also use this Skill to gallop and race, leap over hedges and fences, ride through treacherous terrain and leap atop your mount while running or jumping from a window. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Willpower Ride, much like the Drive Skill, typically doesn’t require a FOCUSES: Resist Fear, Resist Magick, Resist Stress, Test when you’re not under duress. Unless you’re doing Resist Terror something out of the ordinary, you shouldn’t have to worry. However, Ride Tests are required if you intend to do some- Resolve is the ability to keep yourself calm under pressure. thing more difficult or stressful while mounted. Depending It allows you to steel your mind, focusing on your inner on the severity and inherent challenge of the maneuver, it strength to maintain resolve when thrust into situations that may require you to roll multiple Ride Tests to succeed. Test your will. When confronted by the supernatural or hor- Should you attempt to mount atop an animal that is un- rifying situations, you use this Skill to let the fear pass over tamed (such as a wild horse or steer), you must succeed a you and through you - as fear is the “little death”, as Ad- Ride Test. Succeeding allows you to gain control of the crea- herents are wont to say. Stress and anger, trauma and hate ture for a number of minutes equal to your Agility Bonus - these are the sorts of things you can attempt to withstand (AB). A Ride Test may also be required if you’re atop a dray with the Resolve Skill. horse, mule, palfrey horse or pony in tense situations. These The most common use for the Resolve Skill is to resist the animals are not accustomed to the battlefield, and will often effects of madness and shake off the effects of intimidation. spook or attempt to bolt away when faced with the scent of It also allows you to resist certain types of Magick which blood or the clang of steel against steel. attempt to control the mind. The Gamemaster will generally SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS call upon you to make these Tests as a reaction to a situation.  Failure often results in losing your edge, while Critical Fail- Automatic Success: Mount a horse in a hurry  (Trivial +30%): Ride a horse in the water as it swims

172  (Easy +20%): Break from a gallop into a charge on SCRUTINIZE (COMMON) horseback  (Routine +10%): Ride a horse from village to village at fast speeds PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Perception FOCUSES:  (Standard +/-0%): Perform simple tricks on horse- Cryptography, Detect Lies, back, such as leaping over hurdles Memory, Sense Social Class  (Challenging -10%): Drop from a high window into the saddle The Scrutinize Skill represents the ability to understand mo-  (Hard -20%): Leap over hedges at a fast pace tives and underlying intentions in others. It relies on hearing  (Arduous -30%): Take control and ride a creature and vision to assess the qualities of a conversation; the way that’s classified as a Beast they intone their words, whether they fidget or look away  Automatic Failure: Saddle a pit dragon to take on a as they speak and read unusual body language. You can also leisurely flight deduce tone and intention with the written word, providing you possess the Education Skill. Finally, it can be used to RUMOR (COMMON) recall things from memory. This Skill doesn’t allow you to see minute details, take ac- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Fellowship count of numbers or see through an ambush - reference the FOCUSES: Etiquette, Gossip, Linguistics, Awareness Skill in those cases. Public Speaking, Secret Language SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  Automatic Success: Remember how much spare Rumor is used to gather information from social circles, stim- cash you have in your pockets ulating conversation by being gregarious and talkative. It can  (Trivial +30%): Remember what you had to eat the be used to interact with strangers and friends alike, appealing prior day to them with your personality or just chewing the fat. Unlike  (Easy +20%): Read body language to understand the other social Skills such as Charm, Guile and Intimidate, this Social Class of another Skill is used to specifically appeal to larger groups by being  (Routine +10%): Decode a secret message in your an extrovert. Stimulating conversation can be a good way to own tongue get the skinny on what may be going down politically or  (Standard +/-0%): Remember an important task you socially, dissecting the latest scandal and spreading rumors forgot to attend to all the same. It reveals some kernels of truth, and sometimes  (Challenging -10%): Decode a secret message in a reveals particularly harmful dirt or secrets. foreign tongue  SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS (Hard -20%): Memorize the order of events after a  deadly fight Automatic Success: Convince a lowly peasant to tell  (Arduous -30%): Determine if someone whom you you about monsters in the woods aren’t familiar with is telling lies  (Trivial +30%): Lubricate local gossip-mongers with  Automatic Failure: Recall the last time you cleaned alcohol to hear rumors your rented room at an inn  (Easy +20%): Hobnob with locals while participat- ing in tavern games SIMPLE MELEE (COMMON)  (Routine +10%): Speak in Pig Latin or other odd languages with friends PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Combat  (Standard +/-0%): Spread gossips of an impending FOCUSES: Bladed, Brawling, Crushing, attack with locals Parry Attack  (Challenging -10%): Speak fluently before a court of your betters  (Hard -20%): Befriend foreigners who don’t partic- The Simple Melee Skill is employed when wielding common ularly care for “your kind” weapons to fight with up close. Most people that use this Skill  (Arduous -30%): Stimulate casual conversation with to fight with a number of easy to use weapons, commonly those whose language you can’t speak accepted to carry openly at your side. You may have gained  Automatic Failure: Convince a Dwarf to talk about this Skill by training with improvised weapons taken from the politics without beer on-hand battlefield left shattered and abandoned. It also allows you to maintain the quality of Simple Melee weapons and perform general maintenance to keep them in usable condition. 173 SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS SKULDUGGERY (SPECIAL)  Automatic Success: Sharpen your knife for danger to come PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Agility  (Trivial +30%): Upkeep a Simple Melee weapon af- ter it’s been Ruined. FOCUSES: Disable Trap, Lock Picking, Palm Object,  (Easy +20%): Strike a foe who is sitting in their chair Pick Pocket, Set Trap, Window Fishing with their back turned toward you  (Routine +10%): Use your weapon alternatively as a Skulduggery is perhaps one of the more contentious Skills, tool for work as it encapsulated practically everything larcenous or illegal  (Standard +/-0%): Grapple the haft of a heavy axe to you’ll do using your hands. You can use this Skill to bypass bash a door down locked doors and chests without a key onhand, disable secu-  (Challenging -10%): Break a Simple Melee weapon rity contrivances and spring traps, use simple prestidigitation over your knee to palm small objects or hide cards and cut coin purses or  (Hard -20%): Dig a shallow grave using your weap- snatch bracelets with robbery. on Skulduggery Tests are often tough to make if someone is  (Arduous -30%): Scavenge a Simple Melee weapon watching. While you may be able to use this Skill to make with the Ruined condition into a usable one  Automatic Failure: Repurpose a Martial Melee small objects disappear in front of onlookers, it takes some weapon as a Simple Melee one form of distraction to do so. This is a particularly helpful method to employ when cheating at cards! Similarly, using SIMPLE RANGED (COMMON) this Skill to snatch coin purses or cut pockets can be difficult unless you are amongst a crowd. There are simple techniques you can use to draw your mark’s attention away from you, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Combat and your Gamemaster will always takes these under consid- FOCUSES: Gunpowder, Missile eration.

The Simple Ranged Skill is used when wielding common SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS weapons to fight with at a distance. Most are very easy to use,  Automatic Success: Finagle a key into a lock that’s such as the light crossbow and hunting bow. This Skill is of- stuck tentimes referenced by hunters turned peasant militiamen or  (Trivial +30%): Use a simple card trick to distract irregular forces; you likely gained training from one of these others groups. It also allows you to maintain the quality of Simple  (Easy +20%): Fish a pie off a windowsill Ranged weapons and perform general maintenance to keep  (Routine +10%): Disable a wire trap intended to set them in usable condition. off an alarm  (Standard +/-0%): Pick the pocket of a passerbyer in SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS a crowded street   Automatic Success: Fire a shot at a person who is (Challenging -10%): Pick the lock off a strongbox or fortified trunk left Helpless   (Trivial +30%): Fire a shot at a person who’s climb- (Hard -20%): Pick the pocket of a passerbyer in a near-empty street ing a tree.   (Easy +20%): Fire a shot at someone who’s moving (Arduous -30%): Palm an object in front of a mer- chant’s stall away without Maneuvering.   (Routine +10%): Fire a shot at a foe whose pinned Automatic Failure: Steal the smallclothes off your- against a wall or in the corner self without using trick underwear  (Standard +/-0%): Fire a warning shot at someone before their feet STEALTH (COMMON)  (Challenging -10%): Fire a shot at someone on horseback.  (Hard -20%): Fire into an Engagement, where you PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Agility may potentially harm your allies FOCUSES: Ambush, Hide, Scout,  (Arduous -30%): Fire at an enemy in darkness Shadowing, Silent Movement  Automatic Failure: Fire at someone hidden behind an arrow slit Stealth represents the ability to lay in wait to ambush others. Using concealment, shadows, foliage, people and the distrac- 174 tions of others, Stealth can also be used to move without SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS being heard or to stalk a mark while moving among crowds  Automatic Success: Hunt pigeons or rats within a of others. city  You can use the Stealth Skill to hide and conceal yourself, but Trivial (+30%): Go fishing with adequate supplies  Easy (+20%): Forage for roots and berries in the wild you must be outside line of sight of those you intend to am-  bush or they must be pre-occupied with something else (the Routine (+10%): Built a shelter out of limbs and grass distraction of close combat isn’t enough). To cause a distrac-  tion, you may need to get creative. Whipping your horse and Standard (+/-0%): Construct an improvised weapon  Challenging (-10%): Track a small animal’s prints having it storm through the battlefield is a good way to take  everybody’s eyes off of you. Another is to wait until dark, or Hard (-20%): Track the passing of a single person through the wild walk amongst the crowds during the day, hiding in plain sight.  Whenever you make a Stealth Test, it is always treated as a Arduous (-30%): Find a source of water in the deep Secret Test (as indicated in Chapter 2: How To Play). desert  Automatic Failure: Construct a fire in a blizzard SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS without shelter  Automatic Success: Hide in the woods when no one is watching TOUGHNESS (COMMON)  (Trivial +30%): Move quietly, as to not awaken your enemies PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Brawn  (Easy +20%): Stalk someone through a crowded FOCUSES: Consume Alcohol, Resist Disease, Resist street Flames, Resist Magick, Resist Peril, Resist Poison, Re-  (Routine +10%): Hide from the law, when being sist Weather pursued  (Standard +/-0%): Set up a good vantage point where you can waylay a coach Toughness represents stamina and endurance. It reflects the  (Challenging -10%): Shadow an animal through the ability to withstand pain and exposure to the elements, ignore woods the effects of physical Peril, withstand the powerful effects of  (Hard -20%): Lay an ambush along an open road chaos, endure a forced march, run for an extended period of  (Arduous -30%): Hide in plain sight time, resist fatigue and hold your breath underwater.  Automatic Failure: Disappear and become invisible, without use of Magicks SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  Automatic Success: Take a shot, and hold your al- SURVIVAL (COMMON) cohol  (Trivial +30%): Resist the effects of Bloody Flux af- ter a bad meal PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Perception  (Easy +20%): Resist the effects of Tomb Rot after FOCUSES: Build Shelter, Find Water, Forage, Game robbing the interred dead  Hunting, Plant Lore, Survivalist (Routine +10%): Withstand one dose of a Toxin  (Standard +/-0%): Resist the effects of Venereal The Survival Skill represents the ability to live out in the Disease after being exposed  wilderness and live off the land. Under these conditions, the (Challenging -10%): Withstand the effects of Snake Skill can be used to forage for roots, hunt for food, find suit- Venom  able shelter, follow trails left behind by animals and people (Hard -20%): Withstand Intoxication after drinking alike and locate somewhere safe to lay your head. Addition- Dwarven beer  ally, it allows you to construct rudimentary weapons to hunt (Arduous -30%): Keep on your feet after falling a with. Providing you can locate the appropriate materials, you long distance  can construct rough items such as a wattle and daub house, Automatic Failure: Take a number of shots, and a well, ladders, fences and other staples of peasant life. You drive a coach or ride a horse home safely may even use this Skill to conceal large objects such as en- campments, horses, wagons and contrivances such as traps.

175 TRADECRAFT (SPECIAL) armor, shield, weapon or other object  Automatic Failure: Repair any destroyed object to like-new condition PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Willpower FOCUSES: Artistry, Brewing, Carpentry, Engineer- WARFARE (SPECIAL) ing, Fine Smithery, Gunsmithing, Metallurgy, Ship- wright, Smithing, Stoneworking, Tailoring, Tanning, Weaponsmithing PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE: Intelligence FOCUSES: Fortifications, Military Tactics, Crafting is a Skill that requires astute attention and study in War Machines an area of trade focus. It also represents the ability to run a business based off that craft. Although anyone with a Skill Warfare represents an acute understanding of warfare as it Rank in Tradecraft practices many trades, Focuses give them relates to war machines. This Skill is used to arm and reload a distinct advantage over their peers. weapons intended to break down walls, smash doors, crash through an army’s defenses, wreak havoc upon an enemy’s You may use Tradecraft to construct a wide variety of things. supply lines, understand strategies utilized in warfare (both Artistry can produce frescoes, paintings and sculptures. mobile and ensconced within a fortification), how to erect Someone who is Brewing can create alcohol and flavored appropriate defenses and how to wage psychological warfare drinks such as coffee and colas. Carpentry can plank wood upon the enemy. It also implies explicit knowledge how to and construct anything from carts and wagons carriages, to construct siege towers, battering rams, bolt throwers, trebu- two to three storey houses and wooden fortifications. Engi- chets and a host of other gunpowder-type weapons. You can neering can oversee the construction of stonework homes, also use this Skill to identify wounded foes in large groups, bridges, aqueducts, walls, towers, fortified manor homes able to isolate and strike the same one over and over amid an and castles. Fine Smithery can work with jewelry, clock- Engagement. work parts and even gunpowder weapons. Metallurgy can be used to recognize, extract and reforge ores into alloys with You can also use this Skill to arm, aim and fire war machine. the appropriate tools. A Shipwright can construct anything Identifying weakness in defenses is also another common use from river-going rafts to sea-going vessels. Smithing can of this Skill. Although you may not be a stoneworker, you can work with practically any metal to create horseshoes, kettles, identify where the strongest and weakest points are in a cas- iron bands and wire. Stoneworking can be used to cut stones tle or other fortification. You can also use the Warfare Skill fitting to the construction of larger buildings. Tailoring can to commit military investment and provisioning into the war work with cloth and other rare materials to clothe both the effort. Part of this knowledge imparts an understanding how dreck of society to those amongst the higher social stratums. to tactically deploy armies and the other uses for artillery Tanning can produce rawhide, furs and refined leather goods. against a mobile enemy. With this knowledge, you can rap- idly change the mode of conflict as necessary, adapting very And finally, Weaponsmithing can be used to craft all manner quickly to your opponent’s movements en masse. of weapons. The time it takes and expenses to craft objects are more fully covered in Chapter 7: Trappings. SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS  SAMPLE DIFFICULTY RATINGS Automatic Success: Pick any foe out amidst an En- gagement to strike them  Automatic Success: Craft any object you have Focus  (Trivial +30%): Take account for supplies and provi- in normally  sions for a war campaign (Trivial +30%): Melt down or repurpose materials  (Easy +20%): Load a war machine with assistance from destroyed objects   (Routine +10%): Determine weaknesses in enemy (Easy +20%): Make minor repairs and restore to lines like-new condition   (Standard +/-0%): Conduct a massive troop move- (Routine +10%): Conduct the last bit of repairs to ment in the midst of battle restore an object from the Ruined! Quality  (Challenging -10%): Find “soft spots” in fortifica-  (Standard +/-0%): Repurpose any armor, weapon or tions shield to gain the Castle-forged Quality  (Hard -20%): Prognosticate the tactics an unknown  (Challenging -10%): Mimic someone else’s work to enemy is using appear as your own  (Arduous -30%): Count the number of troops re-  (Hard -20%): Invent a new trapping, based on your maining on a battlefield  Focuses Automatic Failure: Load a war machine without as-  (Arduous -30%): Begin repairs on a Ruined! set of sistance 176 CHAPTER 6: TALENTS

n a grim & perilous world, daring feats can mark the difference between life and death. While Characters are cut from the same cloth, Talents allows them to stand out from one another. Talents are derived through prac- Itice, training and experience, learned from the harsh rigors Characters struggle through. They are a refinement of natural aptitudes and capabilities, with a unique finesse unseen by others. Ultimately, Talents amplify Skills and allow you to express them in ways to “break” the standard rules of ZWEIHÄNDER.

Whereas a Skill represents an innate sense of how to do something, a Talent illustrates a particular knack within the Skill, allowing you to take particular advantage of your abilities. All Professions possess three Talents. You will accumulate knowledge and invest Reward Points to learn Talents over the course of the Campaign. With the right combination of Talents, your chances of survival increases significantly. However, not all Talents are made equal. Some may be more preferable than others, catering to a specific build or Character type. While we’ve used an un- derlying universal guideline with their design, some may be perceived as potentially more powerful than others.

HOW TO USE TALENTS SIMILAR BENEFITS Unlike Skills, Talents do not require any forethought to There may be a few unique situations where the ben- employ. As mentioned before, they are innate abilities efits derived from Talents are trumped by Profes- that act as “riders” to the actions your Character takes sional Traits or Racial Traits. On the other hand, it during play. Once a Character has gained a Talent, it be- is entirely possible that a Talent will be of greater use comes a part of them - akin to Primary Attributes, but to you than another Talent or Trait. While we don’t they are instead learned over the course of their experi- want the game to break the game down into a rules’ ence. argument, we empower you as the player to make good, judicious choices; work with your Gamemas- Unless specified otherwise, you may use Talents in com- ter where there may confusion. bat freely without having to dedicate Action Points.

As you move into new Professions, you cannot gain the TALENT DESCRIPTIONS same Talent more than once. If you’ve moved into a Pro- Listed below are each of the Talents with flavor text and fession which grants you the same Talent, work with a full description of their use. You can also reference the your Gamemaster to find a more suitable one. summary tables to determine what the prerequisites are and a brief explanation of its benefits.

177 Effect: Whenever attempting to Counterspell, you gain a TALENTS +20 Base Chance to succeed. Aethereal Alignment Left-handed Path AMBIDEXTERITY Ambidexterity Lightning Reaction You can use both hands with equal finesse. Appalling Mein Light Sleeper Arbalest’s Speed Long-winded Effect: You never suffer penalties when using tools or weap- ons in either hand. If you ever suffer an Injury where you Azimuth Mariner cannot use your primary hand, you do not suffer penalties to Bad Axx! Menacing Demeanor use your off-hand. Battle Magick Meeting Of The Minds APPALLING MIEN Beatdown Military Formation People are disturbed by your presence, as you invoke appre- Blood Magick Mine Craft hension and fear in those who encounter you. Carousing Mounted Defense Cheap Shot Multilingual Effect: Whenever you succeed a Intimidate Test against one foe, they cannot attack you until they succeed a Resolve Test. Clinch Fighter Nerves Of Steel However, if you or your allies bring harm to them, they im- Determination No Mercy mediately shake off this effect. Die Hard Overwhelming Force ARBALEST’S SPEED Doppelganger Run Amok Expertly, you prime another shot, ready another arrow or re- Eagle Eyes Rural Sensibility load another stone to strike your enemy expertly. Fencer’s Panache Saddle-born Effect: Whenever you begin to Load a ranged weapon, make Forked Tongue Second Skin a successful Coordination Test to Load it without spending Gallows Humor Secret Signs Action Points. If failed, you must spend the requisite number Gangster Grip Shield Slam of Action Points to finish Loading. Gatecrasher Shoot From The Hip AZIMUTH Ground & Pound Siegecraft You have an aptitude for not getting lost on a starry night. Gruesome Shot Silver Tongue Effect: When you can see the stars, you gain a +20 Base Handspring Spirited Charge Chance to Navigation Tests. Additionally, you always know Hard To Kill Sprint true north above ground, even during inclement weather. Higher Mysteries Strangler’s Union BAD AXX! Holdout Streetwise Armed with two insanely vicious weapons, you relentlessly Housebreaker Strong Jaw cleave into the fray with both hands. This is a particular fa- Impenetrable Wall Supernatural Paranoia vorite of Dwarf Slayers whose predilection for this particular Impervious Mind Sword & Board fighting style cannot be denied.

Indifference Take ‘em Down Effect: Whenever you hold a one-handed melee weapon in ei- Incredible Numeration There Will Be Blood ther hand and fail a Martial Melee or Simple Melee Test, you Instincts Tough As Nails may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the out- Kidney Shot True Grit come. However, if you do not possess Ambidexterity, you must flip the results to fail the re-rolled Skill Test. Knifework Winds Of Change Larceny Worldly BATTLE MAGICK The winds of Magick bend to your whim. In the face of vi- AETHEREAL ALIGNMENT olence, you’ve learned to control the emergent forces of cha- Your ability to concentrate cannot be assuaged simply by ex- os. You weave Aethereal energies to the betterment of your haustion; no, you are indomitable when it comes to reshap- Magicks. ing the Aether. Effect: Foes who are made subject to your Magicks must 178 spend one additional Action Point to properly Counterspell. Test. Additionally, whenever you use a Chokehold, add an Additionally, you penalize your foe’s ability to Resist your additional 1D10 to determine how much physical Peril you Magicks by a -10 Base Chance. inflict. BEATDOWN DETERMINATION You are an unscrupulous cur, opting to strike joints and other Your doggedness tends to slow everyone down, but your con- vital areas instead of putting up a fair fight. siderable foresight grants you extraordinary ability.

Effect: Whenever you Take Aim and then make a successful Effect: Whenever you attempt an Extended Test to take Melee Attack, you force a foe to Resist a Takedown. You your time, you gain an additional +10 Base Chance to your must attack with Brawling or Crushing types of weapons to Skill Test. utilize this Talent. DIE HARD BLOOD MAGICK Pain has come to mean little to you these days, as you heal With great practice, you have learned to bend the powers of quickly. disorder to your whim. However, every dark gift requires a sacrifice in return. Effect: You reduce the time to recuperate from your own In- juries by three days, to a minimum of one day. Additionally, Effect: After you have made an appropriate sacrifice of an in- you never Bleed. nocent creature (a beloved animal like a kitten or puppy for Petty Magick, a farm animal such as a cow or sheep for Lesser DOPPELGANGER Magick or a living humanoid like an Elf or Dwarf for Greater As an acute observer of others’ habits, you’re able to mimic Magick), you can cause any one foe to automatically fail to their mannerisms with little chance of failure. Resist one casted Magick spell within the next 24 hours. You can only make a sacrifice like this once per day, and will likely Effect: When masquerading as someone else of a Social suffer Corruption for such a heinous act. Class other than your own, you gain a +20 Base Chance to Disguise Tests. CAROUSING EAGLE EYES You’re accustomed to staying out all night, and too often finding yourself drinking everyone else underneath the ta- You have exceedingly focused vision, targeting foes accurate- ble. Whenever you are drunk, are you a friendly drunk or a ly over great distances. mean drunk? You choose, but only after you’ve taken your Effect: You do not suffer additional hardship when firing first drink. ranged weapons at Medium Distance, instead treating it as Effect: Whenever you are Intoxicated, will you be a friendly Short Distance. drunk or a mean drunk? When you’re a friendly drunk, gain FENCER’S PANACHE a +10 Base Chance to Charm Tests while Intoxicated. When you’re a mean drunk, gain a +10 Base Chance to Intimidate Your intense studies of warfare have made you into an expert Tests while Intoxicated. You may make this choice every swordsman. time you become Intoxicated. Effect: Whenever you Take Aim and then make a successful CHEAP SHOT Melee Attack, you force a foe to Resist a Disarm. You must attack with weapons possessing the Fast or Finesse Quality When an attacker is stupid enough to expose their groin to utilize this Talent. when turning away your attack, you use that opportunity to kick them in the tender parts as a low blow. FORKED TONGUE

Effect: When a foe successfully Parries your Melee Attack, im- Lies simply spill out of your lips, but others are generally mediately make a bare-handed Opportunity Attack. none the wiser. CLINCH FIGHTER Effect: Whenever you attempt to deceive those of a differ- ent Social Class other than your own, you gain a +20 Base You are a natural wrestler, using paralyzing grapples in close Chance to Guile Tests. quarters combat. GALLOWS HUMOR Effect: You penalize your foe’s ability to Resist a Choke- hold and Dirty Tricks by a -10 Base Chance to their Skill With a morbid sense of humor, you use witticisms to counter 179 the bleak world you live in (and its grim outcomes). HOLDOUT

Effect: At your option, you may substitute the Guile Skill in You find it easy to hide items you’ve palmed in places where place of Resolve. no one may find them. GANGSTER GRIP Effect: You always succeed Skulduggery Tests to conceal ob- jects no larger than a knife on your person. Step off, knave. If you tryin’ to plough with me, my blunder- buss go bang! HOUSEBREAKER

Effect: Whenever you make an Attack Action with a weap- You’ve likely spent some time as a second story man or been on possessing the Gunpowder Quality within one yard of an paid to help mums locked out of their own cottages. opponent, you inflict an additional 1D6 Fury Die to Damage. Effect: When trying to open locks, you gain a +20 Base GATECRASHER Chance to Skulduggery Tests. You’ve been trained amongst the martial elite, whose tute- IMPENETRABLE WALL lage taught you how to break through a foe’s defenses. Whenever you’re surrounded, you manage to outmaneuver Effect: Whenever you Take Aim and then make a successful foes when flanked. Melee Attack, add 3 Damage. Effect: Opponents do not gain an advantage (such as addi- GROUND & POUND tional Damage or bonuses to strike) when they flank, out- number or surround you in combat. When you’ve got a foe clinched up, you’re practically un- stoppable. IMPERVIOUS MIND

Effect: When a foe successfully Resists your Chokehold, im- You spit in the face of fear, as your mind is incredibly resilient mediately make a bare-handed Opportunity Attack. towards events which leads towards stress and madness. GRUESOME SHOT Effect: Whenever you suffer mental Peril, reduce your Peril Condition Track by one less step. In one masterful stroke, you strike your target clean and ac- curately. Danziger suffers 13 mental Peril, which normally would move him one step down the Peril Condition Track. Effect: Whenever you Take Aim and then make a successful Because he has the Impervious Mind Talent, he doesn’t Ranged Attack, add 3 Damage. move any steps whatsoever. HANDSPRING INDIFFERENCE You get knocked down, but get up again. You’ve grown accustomed to the battlefield, and the smell of Effect: You can use the Movement Action called Get Up for rotting corpses doesn’t bother you. 0 Action Points. Effect: When viewing blood-soaked and visceral scenes of HARD TO KILL death, you always succeed Resolve Tests to withstand their You are stubborn and tough, unable to be put down. With psychological effects (such as with Stress, Fear and Terror) and strength left within, you turn away blows with bitter resolve. don’t suffer Corruption due to it. INCREDIBLE NUMERATION Effect: Whenever you are Grievously Wounded, temporarily add 3 to your Damage Threshold. You are a human calculator, and may determine odds with great speed. HIGHER MYSTERIES A rare few dabble in the darkest of Magicks. In its purest of Effect: When counting or cheating, you gain a +10 Base forms, it is vile and destructive to others and soul-corrupting Chance to Skill Tests. to the magician that wields it. You force the dark to kneel INSTINCTS before you but only after appropriating a suitable sacrifice. You do not need to be able to see your enemies clearly in Effect: While Channeling Power, you may voluntarily re- order to strike them. move any number of Chaos Dice. However, you suffer 3 ad- ditional Corruption for every Chaos Die you remove. Effect: While in fog, mist and smoke, you ignore the normal 180 penalties associated with impaired vision. Danziger suffers 23 physical Peril, which normally KIDNEY SHOT would move him two steps down the Peril Condition Track. Because he has the Long-winded, he moves one A well-placed shot to the vitals will cause your enemy to step instead. stagger. MARINER Effect: You penalize your foe’s ability to Resist a Stunning Blow by a -10 Base Chance to their Skill Test. Additionally, You ply the waterways with great ease, understanding head- whenever you use a Stunning Blow, your foe loses 2 Action winds, currents and favorable weather conditions that are Points, instead of 1 Action Point. conducive to a good voyage. KNIFEWORK Effect: Whenever boating in waters where the shore can be You are incredibly adept at using cutting weapons, twisting seen, you gain a +20 Base Chance to Pilot Tests. the blade between the chinks of your enemy’s armor. MENACING DEMEANOR Effect: Whenever a foe is threatened to be struck by your You are intimidating and tend to act in a prickly manner. Attack Actions made with melee weapons possessing the Fast Quality, they suffer a -20 Base Chance to Parry instead Effect: Whenever you succeed an Intimidate Test, you inflict of the normal -10 Base Chance. 1D10+1 mental Peril. LARCENY MEETING OF THE MINDS You engage in illegal activities and are a natural fit in the Your words bring harmony and accord during an exchange, criminal underworld. persuading the bitterest of rivals towards a covenant of terms in agreement.

Effect: When fencing black market goods or procuring il- Effect: When attempting to bring compromise between two legal information, you gain a +20 Base Chance to Bargain extreme positions, you gain a +10 Base Chance to Skill Tests. Tests. MILITARY FORMATION LEFT-HANDED PATH Standing amongst your allies, you lead them towards victory You possess an inexorable command over the powers of cha- as you occupy the van. os and disorder, resilient to their corrupting effects. Effect: Whenever you successfully use Inspiring Words in Effect: Whenever you Channel Power, if your Chaos Dice combat, both you and allies you inspire raise their Initiative by 3. do not result in a Chaos Manifestation, you avoid gaining MINE CRAFT Corruption as a result. You have an aptitude for not getting lost below ground, using LIGHTNING REACTION the flow of water and the marks upon rocks to find your way. You are unnaturally fast and able to assess the situation with Effect: When beneath the earth, you gain a +20 Base Chance lightning reflexes. to Navigation Tests. Additionally, you always know true north Effect: In combat, you gain 1 additional Action Point. How- below ground, even in total darkness. ever, it can only be used to Dodge and Parry. This Action MOUNTED DEFENSE Point refreshes at the beginning of your Turn. You are an expert rider, and can duck and weave with ease to LIGHT SLEEPER defend yourself. You rest with one eye open, ever-watchful for danger. Effect: When fighting on horseback or atop a conveyance Effect: Whenever you are sleeping, you cannot be Surprised like a cart, coach or wagon, you may substitute your Drive or or left Helpless. Ride Skill in place of Coordination when you Dodge. Addi- tionally, add +1 to your Damage Threshold under these same LONG-WINDED circumstances. You may exert yourself above and beyond normal limits. MULTILINGUAL Effect: Whenever you suffer physical Peril, reduce your Peril You have a high degree of proficiency with understanding Condition Track by one less step. and speaking languages. 181 Effect: You can communicate simple thoughts through Quality. words and hand signals with other humanoid races whom you do not share the same language with. SECRET SIGNS Vagabonds, rural folk and rangers use a series of intricate NERVES OF STEEL patterns to leave short messages, and you have learned to Your will alone is often enough to withstand the rigors of read them. fatigue and strain. Effect: Whenever you attempt to understand secret symbols, Effect: When resting in unsafe places (as mentioned in hand gestures or signs left behind by others as a warning, you Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing), your Peril Condition gain a +10 Base Chance to Skill Tests. Track recovers all steps automatically to Unhindered. SHIELD SLAM NO MERCY You are a literal wall of defense, and brush aside even the Your implacable nature grants no man mercy, whether he most dangerous of foes with the swipe of the shield’s boss. begs for it or otherwise. Effect: Whenever you hold a shield, the melee weapon you Effect: Whenever you Injure a foe with a melee weapon, you wield in your primary hand gains the Powerful Quality. inflict two Injuries instead of one. SHOOT FROM THE HIP OVERWHELMING FORCE You possess such prowess with guns that you need not line Arming yourself with a heavy weapon, you deliver crushing up the sights to fire. blows that splinter shields and shatter weapons. Effect: Whenever armed with a ranged weapon, you may Effect: If you roll a Critical Success with a Melee Attack, use it for purposes of Opportunity Attacks - even if it’s un- you inflict the Ruined! Quality to a foe’s shield, weapon loaded. However, you must expend one ammunition to do so. or armor (your choice). Overwhelming Force has no effect on Castle-forged trappings, and you must be armed with a SIEGECRAFT two-handed melee weapon.. Siege warfare and investiture are your forte, having spent time in the field perfecting the art of war. RUN AMOK You plow through your enemies, driving the business end of Effect: Whenever you attempt to determine appropriate dis- your weapon home with terrible accuracy. tances for siege engines and employ them to hit, you gain a +20 Base Chance to Warfare Tests. Effect: Whenever you Charge, you gain a +20 Base Chance to strike with a melee-based Attack Actions and Perilous SILVER TONGUE Stunts. You know how to move crowds and persuade them to act in your favor. RURAL SENSIBILITY You were born in the country, and know how to get around Effect: Whenever you attempt to persuade those of a differ- unnoticed. ent Social Class other than your own, you gain a +20 Base Chance to Charm Tests. Effect: Whenever you attempt to hide in rural environments, you gain a +20 Base Chance to Stealth Tests. SPIRITED CHARGE Atop conveyance or horse, you ride like a hellion borne from SADDLE-BORN the gates of hell. Hi-yo and away, you are an accomplished rider in the saddle. Effect: Whenever you use the Drive or Ride Skills, add +3 Effect: When fighting on horseback or atop a conveyance to your Movement. like a cart, coach or wagon, you gain a +10 Base Chance to strike with melee and ranged weapons. SPRINT When the time comes to pick up the pace, it is considerably SECOND SKIN more difficulty for others to get a bead on you. You bob and You’ve grown accustomed to the weight of armor and move weave, narrowly avoiding shots from afar. around unimpeded. Effect: Whenever you Charge or Run, you cannot be struck Effect: You may Dodge when wearing armor with the Heavy by attacks made with ranged weapons until your next Turn. 182 STRANGLER’S UNION TOUGH AS NAILS You’re a straight-up murderer, dealing death silently and ef- Scars ripple up and down your body, telling tale of horren- fectively. dous injuries you’ve suffered over the years.

Effect: Whenever you make an Attack Action with a black- Effect: You no longer suffer Moderate Injuries, remaining jack, bullwhip or garrote, your foe cannot Dodge or Parry uninjured as a result. this attack. TRUE GRIT STREETWISE You have an incredibly hardy physique, powering through You were born in the streets, and know how to get around pain and suffering with resolve. unnoticed amongst the gutters and back alleys. Effect: You are immune to the effects of Knockout! and Effect: Whenever you attempt to hide in urban environ- Stunning Blow. ments, you gain a +20 Base Chance to Stealth Tests. WINDS OF CHANGE STRONG JAW WIth a subtle “tug” on the web of the Aethereal Veil, you Dizziness and debilitation doesn’t really affect you, because alter the pattern of emergent chaos to take shape from the you’ve learned to take your licks. Abyss, in whatever form you may desire.

Effect: When attempting to Resist Perilous Stunts, you gain Effect: Whenever using Burst, Cone or Explosion Magick, you a +20 Base Chance to succeed. can reshape it to not harm your allies, hurting only your foes. SUPERNATURAL PARANOIA WORLDLY Your encounters with the supernatural and the terrifying You have a high degree of proficiency about the world be- have made you extremely paranoid. yond where you live. This worldly experience lends credence to your stories, oftentimes seen as a point of interest with Effect: Whenever your Chaos Ranks are higher than your strangers. You’re innately friendly, and people enjoy your Order Ranks, add 3 to your Initiative. presence.

SWORD & BOARD Effect: When interacting with people you’ve never met, you When armed with a shield and sword, you are a whirlwind gain a +10 Base Chance to Skill Tests. of blows.

Effect: If a foe successfully Parries your Melee Attack, im- mediately make an Opportunity Attack using a shield as an improvised hand weapon. TAKE ‘EM DOWN A perfect throw may bring down your quarry as they run away. With a carefully-placed shot, you can disarm any foe.

Effect: At Distance, you may substitute either your Simple Ranged or Martial Ranged Skills whenever you attempt to use Disarm, Stunning Blow or Takedown. Note that you do not inflict Damage in these cases. You must be armed with a loaded ranged weapon in this case.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD After dealing a fatal blow, blood-curdling screams and con- vulsions always follow from your enemy.

Effect: You roll an additional 1D6 Chaos Die to determine if you Injure foes.

183 CHAPTER 7: TRAPPINGS

urrency falls into three distinct types of coins - the brass penny (bp), the silver shilling (ss) and the gold crown (gc). While different regions may have different stamps or values placed upon them, there is a univer- Csal consensus as to what they’re worth, based on the value of the metal by its weight. Each type of currency has a direct correlation to the three Social Classes:

BRASS PENNY: LOWBORN purse will show this is demonstrably true. However, it is also how the common, middle class folk can begin to un- From the lowliest of dirt-farming peasants to the ser- derstand the world outside of their own. They learn the vants who port booze from tap to table, the brass pen- names of kings, recognize heraldry and even can spout off ny (bp) is the most common coin used within Lowborn unknown gods of other countries, as most silver shilling circles. These “bit pieces” tend to be rather crude, gen- (ss) are imprinted with decoration which represents said erally bent, smashed, clipped or otherwise beaten out lands. of shape. Made from copper, brass and sometimes tin, most are not imprinted with a face or tail whatsoever, EXCHANGE RATES instead epitaphs denigrating the upper classes scratched 20 silver shillings (ss) equals 1 gold crown (gc) upon them with a knife or fingernail. They jingle in a 1 silver shilling (ss) equals 12 brass pennies (bp) stevedore’s pockets after a hard day’s labor, rattle from a beggar’s cup at passerbyers, are pilfered by raggamuffins GOLD CROWN: ARISTOCRAT on the streets and often find their way into the pockets of people given to desperation and hardship. Undeniably, the gold crown (gc) is the ultimate form of commerce, outside of trade stuffs. Found within EXCHANGE RATES the homes of the rich (and sometimes nouveau riche), 240 brass pennies (bp) equals 1 gold crown (gc) guarded within the vaults of kings, counts and churches, 12 brass pennies (bp) equals 1 silver shilling (ss) these coins are not openly trafficked among the Low- born. Most folk will go their entire lives within seeing a SILVER SHILLING: BURGHER single gold crown (gc), as it is retained strictly for busi- ness dealings. However, crowns have been known to pass The silver shilling (ss) is the universal coin of trade and hands amongst mercenaries, given in tribute or as a re- commerce. From the merchant caravan traders to soldiers, sult of plunder. these coins are the most common form of currency. The coins a person carries in their purse is a good indicator of EXCHANGE RATES their nationality and race. During wartime, it is not un- 1 gold crown (1gc) equals 20 silver shillings (20ss) common for people to scratch the face of their ruler off 1 gold crown (1gc) equals 240 brass pennies (240bp) their silver shilling (ss), in an act of defiance. Due to the many wars of the known world, a glance in a burgher’s

184 EXCHANGING With a successful Bargain Test, you can increase the resale GOODS & SERVICES price for every 6 points of Fellowship Bonus (FB). However, if you generated a Critical Success, multiply your Fellow- The roads bustle with trade, as it is still the most common ship Bonus (B) by x3 to determine how you reduce the price alternative form of commerce. Given that it’s far easier to down: make off with a box of coins than it is several bolts of linen, it  Fellowship Bonus (FB) 1 to 6: resell at 60% of listed is no wonder that pedlars and merchant caravans vastly pre- price fer to trade with stock goods, using coin to help supplement  Fellowship Bonus (FB) 7 to 12: resell at 70% of list- the difference. Those with but a pot to piss in will generally ed price barter their services in exchange for goods. For instance, it  Fellowship Bonus (FB) 13+: resell at 80% of listed is not uncommon for villagers from far-flung burgs to rely price solely on trade to get what they need. A local miller may offer to grind down grain in exchange for a trapper to bring Failing a Bargain Test has no repercussions, but a Critically them warm furs for bedding. Failed one will result in the purchaser refusing to buy any- thing to you, until circumstances dictate otherwise. Generally, brand-new goods and services are generally ex- changed at a 1:1 ratio. This means that if a weaponsmith WAGES agreed to trade away a newly-forged dirk (which is worth 5ss) All trades have a living wage associated with them. Wages lends for a bolt of hemp (which is worth 6ss), they make a trade and insight as to how coin is earned - and later spent - by the world get back 1ss in change. However, there may be times where around them. It also helps players understand what living wage the price of a commodity is worth significantly less (or even their Character could earn. Most of these jobs also include more). For instance, during a time of war, grain may hold a lodging and board, although some wouldn’t give anything more higher value than a wagon wheel. Similarly, the cost of arms than a poor meal and watery wine. Finally, wages help you un- may be significantly less if there’s been an influx into a com- derstand how much it would cost to pick up a hireling, hench- munity. The Gamemaster will ultimately arbitrate the real man or cannon fodder for the adventure. trade value of goods or services. Reference the tables below to understand the going wage for HAGGLING work. For every Skill Rank in a Skill related to the job at-hand, If your Character has at least one Skill Rank in Bargain, you can it increases the pay. For instance, if they possess at least two attempt to haggle for a cheaper price for equipment. However, Skill Ranks, add two times more in pay, whereas three Skill it is far easier to wheel and deal with those of the same Social Ranks guarantees three times pay. This means if you have two Class. The Gamemaster will set the Difficulty Rating, based first Skill Ranks in Martial Melee and are working as a merce- on the aforementioned factor, rarity of the item and other cir- nary, you’d earn 70bp daily daily (35bp is the standard pay). All cumstances that may bode into your favor or work against you. Wages are expressed in brass pennies (bp).

With a successful Bargain Test, you can purchase at a low- er price point for every 6 points of Fellowship Bonus (FB). However, if you generated a Critical Success, multiply your Fellowship Bonus (FB) by x3 to determine how you reduce the price down:  Fellowship Bonus (FB) 1 to 6: purchase at 90% of listed price  Fellowship Bonus (FB) 7 to 12: purchase at 80% of listed price  Fellowship Bonus (FB) 13+: purchase at 70% of list- ed price Failing a Bargain Test has no repercussions, but a Critically Failed one will result in the seller refusing to sell anything to you, until circumstances dictate otherwise. SELLING SCAVENGED GOODS However, if you are attempting to trade or resell a used good, it is always equal to 50% of its listed price, unless you manage to haggle the price upwards. 185 GENERAL SERVICES Wages Price Wages Price There will be times where you’ll need to hire someone to Animal trainer 16bp Lawyer 60bp stitch up wounds, grease the palm of a doorman at a popular winesink, understand how much to tip an innkeep or even Apothecary 52bp Leatherworker 24bp pay a street pimp or trollop to comfort your Character be- Armorer 72bp Lexigrapher 52bp tween the sheets. Most of these service fees are one-off and paid before services are rendered. Barber 52gc Locksmith 68bp General Services Price General Services Price Bowyer 60bp Mercenary 35bp Alms for the poor as Cartographer 60bp Metalsmith 64bp a Burgher 2bp Fortune telling 4bp

Chandler 24bp Miller 28bp Alms for the poor as Lawyer’s court a Lowborn 1bp appearance by day 1gc Charcoal burner 24bp Miner 4bp Alms for the poor as Money lending by an Aristocrat 3bp day 5% Cook 12bp Mortician 40bp Asylum or hospice 7ss Physician’s visit 9ss Courtesan 28bp Perfumer 52bp stay per day

Draper 24bp Physician 60bp Prostitute’s Barber surgeon’s visit 3ss company 4bp Professional Executioner 100bp 80bp bodyguard Shave and a hair Bribe a doorman 4bp cut 2bp Farm hand 2bp Prostitute 2bp Bribe a guard 1gc Shoe horse 5ss Finesmith 52bp Rat catcher 24bp Bridge toll by Spread rumors Fisherman 8bp Sage 68bp 1bp with rabble- 8bp traveler rousers Forester 32bp Sailor 28bp Burial in a marked Theatre grave 7gc performance 4bp Glassblower 72bp Scribe 44bp Burial in an ossuary 6ss Tip a musician 2bp Herald 64bp Servant 2bp

Herder 3bp Shipwright 52bp Cheap tattoo 6bp Tip a servant 1bp

Herdsman 2bp Skinner 28bp Train a hunting City guide 4bp dog or falcon 3gc Hostler 36bp Stevedore 2bp Courtesan’s company 1gc Train a horse 3gc Hunter 4bp Stonemason 76bp per day Translate Iceman 24bp Teamster 28bp Currency exchange 5% document by the 3ss page Initiate priest 2bp Tentmaker 32bp Travel by cart per Distract beggars 11bp day 15ss Innkeep 24bp Toymaker 52bp Draft legal contract 1gc Travel by overland 1gc Jester 2bp Trapper 4bp or deed coach per day Draft legal will or Travel by river per Judicial bailiff 52bp Turnkey 3bp oath of service 3gc day 2ss Laborer 3bp Weaponsmith 44bp Travel by sea per Embalming 20gc day 1gc Lantern bearer 1bp Woodcrafter 28bp Entertainment by a Travel by wagon minstrel 1ss train per day 1gc

186 WEAPONS with a Chokehold or Takedown with this weapon, they must flip the results to fail when Resisting its effects. In a grim & perilous world, weaponry is divided into two distinct categories: those you use up close (melee weapons), FAST and those you use at Distances greater than one yard (ranged Whenever a foe is struck by weapons of this Quality, they weapons). Within those two broad categories, weapons are suffer a -10 Base Chance to Dodge or Parry. further delineated by either being simple or martial. FIERY SIMPLE WEAPONS After a foe is struck with this weapon, both the foe and any- Simple weapons are those which practically every farmer, one who is Engaged with them must succeed a Coordina- servant or valet can pick up and use effectively. Most com- tion Test or be caught On Fire (see Chapter 9: Hazards & monly, they are simple tools used around the farm or for Healing). industries like wood cutting and threshing grain. Howev- er, hunting bows, thrown javelins and point-and-shoot light FINESSE crossbows also fall into this category. It is pretty much guar- Weapons of this Quality always reference Agility Bonus anteed that your Character can pick up a simple weapon to (AB) whenever inflicting Damage, instead of Combat Bo- use to defense themselves, and kill when necessary. nus (CB). MARTIAL WEAPONS GUNPOWDER Martial weapons require specific training to use, requir- Weapons of this Quality can be loaded and fired while ing intense specialization to use effectively. Most of these standing in an Engagement. Furthermore, these weapons weapons are ones found on the battlefield, from the tow- force foes to flip the results to fail whenever they Dodge or ering two-handed swords found in the hands of mercenary Parry an attack made with a Gunpowder weapon. Engage- captains, massive war hammers wielded by battle priests and ments are clarified in Chapter 8: Combat. even gunpowder weapons of state-sponsored troops. Using a martial weapon in a pinch can be incredibly difficult, re- IMMOLATE quiring specific know-how to keep from harming yourself or After a foe is struck with a weapon of this Quality, they others when wielded. must succeed a Coordination Test or be caught On Fire. The weapon is immediately extinguished after a successful strike, WEAPON QUALITIES until relit. There are many different weapons you’ll pick up, purchase and pilfer during your adventures, and no two are built alike. INEFFECTIVE Each possess unique benefits and drawbacks, which are re- Weapons of this Quality cannot deal Damage, and therefore flected by their Qualities. Many of these Qualities will di- cannot inflict Injuries. rectly reference benefits from Chapter 8: Combat. However, as a general rule, if you are wielding any two weapons at once which confers the same Quality, you cannot take advantage of it twice; only account for it once, and only when held in- hand. All weapons possess unique combinations of Qualities: ADAPTABLE Whenever weapons of this Quality are held in two hands instead of one for Attack Actions, add +1 to Total Damage. DEFENSIVE Shields and weapons of this Quality add a +10 Base Chance to Parry. ENTANGLING Immediately after striking a foe, weapons of this Quality forces a foe to Resist either a Chokehold or Takedown - you choose which. Additionally, whenever a foe is threatened

187 PUNISHING MISCELLANEOUS QUALITIES There are Magicks and combat abilities within the Immediately after striking a foe, weapons of this Quality may add a 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage in exchange for game that may confer these other Qualities to your spending 1 additional Action Point on this Turn. You’ll learn weapons, armor and shields. Good craftsmanship, more about Action Points in Chapter 8: Combat. as an example, can make certain that your weapon can never be destroyed or broken, whereas a solid REACH blow may render your armor useless. The following Weapons of this Quality may strike a foe you’re Engaged with two Qualities account for these situations: or standing one yard away from outside of an Engagement. Ad- ditionally, foes who are armed with a Reach weapon can make CASTLE-FORGED an Opportunity Attack whenever someone Charges or Runs This Quality is typically conferred by the best toward them. craftsmanship, which you’ll learn more about in this chapter. Armor, weapons and shields of this REPEATING Quality cannot acquire the Ruined! Quality, out- Ranged weapons of this Quality can be fired up to three side of special exceptions by the Gamemaster. All times without having to spend Action Points to load. Re- Castle-forged trappings have an associated base peating weapons have an associated base cost of three times cost of three times the listed price. the listed price. SHRAPNEL RUINED! The Ruined! Quality is conferred by specific Traits, Whenever weapons of this Quality are fired, it harms multi- Talents or other occasions where the Gamemaster ple targets. A Cone (otherwise called a Cone Template) fires outwards in a line from where you stand. A Cone may affect may decide that the integrity of your armor, weap- up to 3 people in an Engagement, depending on where they’re on or shield is in a state of disrepair. Armor of this standing. The Gamemaster will make the determination who Quality does not add to Damage Threshold. Shields is affected if you’re using a Shrapnel weapon amidst an En- of this Quality cannot be used to Parry. Weapons gagement where both your allies and enemies stand. of this Quality suffer a -3 penalty to Total Damage. Fixing Ruined! trappings require an appropriate SLOW tradesman who can fix it, who must be paid six day’s Whenever a foe is struck by weapons of this Quality, they wage. Alternatively, if you can make a successful gain a +10 Base Chance to Dodge or Parry its Damage. Tradecraft Test after six days of repair, you may fix it yourself. If already-Ruined! trappings are once again THROWING Ruined! before they can be fixed, they are irrevocably Weapons of this Quality do not have a Medium or Long destroyed. If you attempt to trade or sell Ruined! Distance increment for ranged weapons. items, they have no value whatsoever. VICIOUS LIGHT Weapons of this Quality grant an additional 1D6 Chaos Die to determine whether you inflict an Injury upon a foe. Whenever weapons or shields of this Quality are held in your off-hand when attacking with a melee weapon in your VOLATILE primary hand, add +1 to Total Damage. Whenever you Critically Fail an Attack Action or Peril- POWERFUL ous Stunt when using weapons of this Quality, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. On a result of 1 to 5, the weapon misfires, re- Immediately after striking an Engaged foe, weapons of this quiring an hour to clean and repair. On a result of face “6”, Quality force a foe to Resist with Toughness, or be shoved it explodes, dealing 2D10+2 Damage from fire to you and out of the Engagement. destroys the weapon. This Damage cannot be Dodged, Par- PUMMELING ried or Resisted. Weapons of this Quality always reference Brawn Bonus WEAK (BB) whenever inflicting Damage, instead of Combat Bonus (CB). Pummeling weapons can only inflict Moderate Inju- Weapons of this Quality can only inflict Moderate or Seri- ries, never Serious or Grievous Injuries. Finally, Pummeling ous Injuries, never Grievous Injuries. weapons cannot be used to cause Bleeding.

188 WEAPON STATISTICS Short Distance are penalized by additional Difficulty Rating, The benefits and drawbacks weapons give to its wearer is as which the Gamemaster will handle (and is further covered in follows: Chapter 8: Combat). NAME QUALITIES Every type of weapon possesses a proper name. Many weap- All weapons possess a combination of Qualities, as outlined ons are known by different names (such as the dirk may also above. A weapon’s Quality, however, is only conferred when- be called a “knife”, whereas a zweihander may also be called ever you are wielding it in your hands. Meaning, you can- a “two-handed sword”). However, you’ll reference its proper not take advantage of a sabre’s Defensive Quality if it’s in a name whenever recording it on your Character sheet. sheath while you’re wielding a longbow in hand. SKILL TYPE Every weapon requires a specific Combat-based Skill to use There are five specific subcategories which all weapons be- it. These four Skills are Simple Melee, Martial Melee, Simple long to: Bladed, Brawling, Crushing, Gunpowder and Mis- Ranged and Martial Ranged. sile. These Types are generally referenced by your Character’s Talents and Traits. LOAD ENCUMBRANCE VALUE Ranged weapons, which can be used at a Distance outside of one yard, requires its wielder to load it with ammunition Weapons have very little Encumbrance, but just enough to before firing. Loading a weapon requires a certain number make sure you’re not walking around like a living armory. of Action Points. Loading can be a time-consuming process, Encumbrance Values are added up to determine whether taking more than your allotted time during a fight. Weap- or not you’re suffering from Overage. However, reasonable ons that must be loaded cannot be interrupted; meaning, you assumptions trumps mechanics. Just because you have a 14 cannot halfway load an arrow into a bow. You must complete Encumbrance Limit doesn’t mean you can realistically haul the load action before using the weapon again - even it it around fourteen mortuary swords! carries between your Turns. More information about Action PRICE Points and loading can be found in Chapter 8: Combat. This is how much the weapon normally costs. Prices may HANDLING vary during wartime or even if there are shortages in the area Weapons are always used in either one or both hands. Provid- for iron, stone, leather, wood and other types of trade goods ing you have use of both hands, you must carry two-handed used to craft weapons. weapons; most cannot be simply strapped to the back (with- MELEE WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS out the approval of the Gamemaster). One-handed weapons are generally sheathed or hidden away. The following entries give general descriptions all melee weapons. These weapons aren’t necessarily portrayed in a DISTANCE historical light. Instead, they are simple accounts on how a Melee weapons require you to be standing toe-to-toe, oth- weaponsmith might speak to a would-be warrior: erwise Engaged, with an opponent. Chapter 8: Combat speaks more about what constitutes an engagement. BARE-HANDED: You were born with two hands and feet, and (hopefully) will live with all of them intact. Real Ranged weapons are able to be used at distinct ranges be- weapons are far more effective, but a cross to the jaw, round- tween the Character firing it and their target. Distances are house kick to the kidney or head butt to the groin sometimes always expressed in yards, and are derived from Perception speaks louder than words alone. Bonus (PB). As an example, an arbalest crossbow has a Dis- tance of 9 + PB. This means that if you have a 4 Perception BATTLE AXE: This weapon is vicious and heavy, often Bonus (PB), you can fire this weapon at a Short Distance of favored by Dwarves and Berserkers. Overly-cumbersome, one yard, up to 13 yards away (9 + 4). Medium Distance is they’re usually adorned with skulls - just for the hell of it. equal to Short Distance times two. So, if the aforementioned BLACKJACK: This is nothing more than a glorified leather sack Short Distance is 13 yards, the Medium Distance is between full of lead shot. Generally, it’s guaranteed to knock the sense into 14 to 26 yards (13 x 2). For Long Distances, it is Short Dis- or out of anyone it is used against. tance times three. Using the above examples, Long Distance is between 27 to 39 yards (13 x 3). BULLWHIP: This is a common tool for ranchers and an- imal tamers; more intimidating than useful. Despite the Attacks made from ranged weapons fired outside of the 189 fanciful stories Antiquarians have spun, it cannot hold your with vicious spikes or topped with rattling chains termi- weight if used to swing across a chasm. nating into knobbed iron spheres. Viscera has a tendency to stick to its barbs in a most gruesome fashion. COURT SWORD: Fast and efficient, this blade is carried by both nobles and dandies. Many are unsharpened, carried MORTUARY SWORD: The most common weapon for as status symbol by the latter (but just as dangerous as a poi- explorers, it is useful and evokes little fuss. Not surprisingly, it soned word with the former). Beware ill words with the fop tends to cleave violently - thus its namesake. whose expertise in fencing may result in a duel to the death. PIKE: A very long, sharp stick - making it the weapon of CUDGEL: It’s basically a large shillelagh, and that’s roughly choice for any imperial army. it. Found in abundance in any old growth forest or detritus pile on a farm, the good ones are bigger and studded at the POLE CLEAVER: A very long stick with an axe on the end. end. It’s far more intimidating than a pike, but less embar- rassing than a mere butcher’s cleaver. DIRK: Slender and sharp, this is used to either cut your meat or your enemy. RAPIER: Quick and impossibly sharp, this is the standard weapon of civilians. It’s a deadly tool in the proper hands, ESTOC: A common and adaptable weapon, this needle-like but little more than an unwieldy sharp crowbar for the inept. sword is useless for slashing anything more than loose parch- ment. Its thrust, however, is deadly sharp. SABRE: Arm of choice for both cavalry and to give airs that you know what you’re doing. Many Veterans hang their sa- FLANGED MACE: A metal version of a cudgel, it comes bre in honor of the blood and sanity they shed for whatever in a myriad of designs. Used by priests because they are “gen- nameless count marched them off to war. tler” than a blade, though many caved-in skulls rebuke this fact. SHIV: A sliver of metal or broken piece of glass wrapped in leather, it has made the difference between life or death for FIRE-HARDENED SPEAR: Often fashioned from a both the imprisoned and desperate. large branch and a broken piece of metal, it’s heated to make it more robust. Not surprisingly, it’s the favorite implement SPLITTING MAUL: Both a carpenter’s and mason’s tool, of outlanders and the desperate. it’s one part axe and one part hammer. Verily, an easy choice for rioting peasants or an adventurer who is short on money GARROTE: Often made from cat muscle or steel wire at- but efficient with scavenged farming aids. tached between two spools, this is the assassin’s weapon. The skilled can put people to sleep permanently, whereas the un- STAFF: Mostly used as walking sticks by the scholarly skilled will butcher the victim’s neck in the process, accom- and elderly, travelers swear by it (particularly ten-foot long panied by a lot of gurgling and screaming. poles). Proper ones are beautifully designed and weighted, while poor ones are simply gnarled tree limbs. IMPROVISED HAND WEAPON: These are weapons that shouldn’t really be weapons. It could be an ale stein, a STILETTO: A second-favored weapon of the assassin, it’s stool, pots and pans, a fire poker, a salted leg of pork; the list concealable and designed for quick stabs. They can bleed some- goes on. They are generally useful in bar scuffles and emergen- one like a stuck pig if this weapon is thrust in the right way. cies, laughable otherwise. THRESHING FLAIL: As a farmer’s tool, it’s used to sep- KNUCKLEDUSTER: The “gentleman’s friend” is for the arate grain from husks. In other hands, it can be used to bash more discerning brawler. It can be bought on the open market, about raiders who steal farming supplies or foolish lords that but often improvised from gloves stitched with weighty rings demand too much grain. Although it possesses a long reach, or even a few skeleton keys gripped between the fingers. it looks rather foolish when whirled around above the head.

MAIN GAUCHE: Now this is a knife. Favored by swash- TORCH: Swabbed in oil and rough cloth, torches are of- bucklers and daredevils, they’re wielded in an off-hand to tentimes used by peasants and witch hunters to burn cruel parry blows. lords and heretics. Rarely are torches employed otherwise, unless one is so inclined to descend into a tomb to rob it. MISERICORDE: This ancient word translates into mercy blade, used commonly to grant swift death to fatally-wound- WAR HAMMER: The trademark weapon of your favorite ed knights. It grants a swift death to peasants, too. Uncle Siggy. Big, laborious, terrifying: much like its wielders. This hammer was crafted for war, not driving nails. MORGENSTERN: This is a round-headed club, dotted 190 WOODSMAN’S AXE: Perfect for felling trees, splitting ZWEIHANDER: Sometimes, it is called a bastard sword logs and dismembering raiders, the axe is the perfunctory (mostly because you will be cursing whoever wields it). tool of foresters. Sometimes, they are edged with silver in However, it is far more efficient than previous editions of the case of attack by the supernatural. same sword.

Encum- Simple Melee Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Price Weapons Value

Bare-handed 0 One-handed Engaged Pummeling, Slow Brawling - -

Blackjack 0 One-handed Engaged Entangling, Pummeling Brawling 1 2ss

Engaged or 1 Entangling, Ineffective, Bullwhip 0 One-handed Crushing 2 5ss yard Reach

Cudgel 0 One-handed Engaged Light, Powerful, Weak Crushing 1 5ss

Fast, Finesse, Light, Dirk 0 One-handed Engaged Bladed 1 5ss Weak Fire-hardened One or two- Engaged or 1 0 Reach, Weak Bladed 2 7ss spear handed yard Entangling, Fast, Garrote 0 Two-handed Engaged Brawling 1 2ss Ineffective Improvised hand 0 One-handed Engaged Pummeling Varies 1 - weapon

Knuckleduster 0 One-handed Engaged Fast, Pummeling Brawling 1 7ss

Rapier 0 One-handed Engaged Fast, Finesse, Weak Bladed 1 5gc

Shiv 0 One-handed Engaged Fast, Weak Bladed 1 2ss

Splitting maul 0 Two-handed Engaged Slow, Weak Bladed 3 4ss

One or two- Adaptable, Defensive, Staff 0 Engaged Crushing 2 1ss handed Pummeling

Stiletto 0 One-handed Engaged Fast, Vicious, Weak Bladed 1 1gc

One or two- Threshing flail 0 Engaged Adaptable, Weak Crushing 2 1ss handed Immolate, Ineffective, Torch 0 One-handed Engaged NONE 1 3bp Slow One or two- Woodsman’s axe 0 Engaged Adaptable, Slow, Weak Bladed 2 4ss handed

191 Encum- Martial Melee Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Price Weapons Value

One or two-hand- Adaptable, Battle axe 0 Engaged Bladed 2 2gc ed Slow Fast, Court sword 0 One-handed Engaged Bladed 1 7gc Finesse

One or two-hand- Adaptable, Estoc 0 Engaged Bladed 2 7gc ed Finesse

Flanged mace 0 One-handed Engaged Powerful Crushing 1 5gc

Defensive, Main gauche 0 One-handed Engaged Bladed 1 1gc Finesse, Weak Engaged or Reach, Military lance 0 Two-handed Bladed 3 1gc 1 yard Vicious Fast, Misericorde 0 One-handed Engaged Bladed 1 2gc Finesse

One or two-hand- Adaptable, Morgenstern 0 Engaged Crushing 2 5gc ed Powerful, Vicious

Mortuary sword 0 One-handed Engaged Vicious Bladed 1 10gc

Engaged or Pike 0 Two-handed Reach Bladed 3 1gc 1 yard Engaged or Pole cleaver 0 Two-handed Reach Bladed 3 4gc 1 yard

Sabre 0 One-handed Engaged Defensive Bladed 1 6gc

Powerful, War hammer 0 Two-handed Engaged Crushing 3 5gc Slow Engaged or Punishing, Zweihander 0 Two-handed Bladed 3 12gc 1 yard Reach, Slow

192 RANGED WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS JAVELIN: Used both in sport and murder, these short spears are carried by the half dozen. The range it can be thrown is a point of pride in both fields. The following entries give general descriptions all ranged weapons. These are the most common names used, although LIGHT CROSSBOW: These apparatuses resemble hand- mileage may vary, depending on what region you’re from: held boltthrowers, hand-drawn by a crank. They’re typically used as cheap weaponry for peasant militias, or as playthings ARQUEBUS: This long-range matchlock gunne is the pre- for lordly children too nearsighted to draw a bowstring. decessor to the far-superior musket. Arquebuses are notori- ously unreliable and useless when its raining, as the match is LONGBOW: Used by scouts and raiders, they are also the snuffed out. cause of many deaths by archer’s hands. The mere length of the shaft is enough to put a well-hung Ogre to shame. ARBALEST CROSSBOW: Wound by hand and cranequin, it can decapitate nearly anything at a pace of a MUSKET: Incredibly expensive, this percussion cap gun is few yards. Any further, and it produces merely a bloody ruin. intimidating enough that that doesn’t really matter whether you load it or not. Deadly accuracy and reliability make them BLUNDERBUS: This wheellock hand cannon is stuffed the best of class among gunpowder weapons. with blackpowder, boot nails and pebbles - for when you ab- solutely, positively, have to kill everyone in the room? Accept SHEPHERD’S SLING: Used to deter wolves from flocks no substitute. of sheep, they can be used to fell the greatest of goliaths if slung correctly. BOLAS: Useful for capturing dogs or prey on the run; both despicable curs. THREE-BARREL PISTOL: Considered to be king of all pistols, they are notorious for exploding in-hand, given the BOTTLE BOMB: Generally sparked by a demagogue’s amount of gunpowder stuffed into the barrels. Barring that, fiery rhetoric, this rudimentary incendiary sets its enemies they make an incredibly intimidating explosive sound when aflame upon contact. fired, though inaccurate. COMPOSITE BOW: Used in militias for its great range, THROWING KNIFE: This small dart is the staple of vag- they’re entirely worthless in any close encounter. Thus, it is abonds and cut throats. Well-balanced ones can be juggled why archers always carry a backup knife. and pierce any thrown apple… often to reluctant applause. DRAGON PISTOL: This wheellock, hand-held scatter- gun is used for kicking arse and chewing tobacco - especially when you are all out of tobacco.

DUELING PISTOL: Ostentatious and unusually deco- rated, these percussion cap pistols are deadly quick. A true “gentleman’s” weapon, if there ever was one to be named.

FLINTLOCK PISTOL: Much like the arquebus, these pistols are ineffeicient for firing in bad weather. However, it is the mainstay weapon of choice for highwaymen and sol- diers of fortune.

FRANCISCA: A balanced throwing axe, it’s good for split- ting pumpkins or noggins at range. Strangely, both make similar sounds when struck.

HUNTING BOW: Lightweight and easy to wield, these bows are favored by forest stalkers. They have a strong pull, but not strong enough to split an arrow in twain.

IMPROVISED THROWING WEAPON: Bottles of beer, a brass pitcher, a sizeable rock, a lead plate or even a pair of boots are serviceable enough to be flung. Mostly, they serve as a minor annoyance.

193 Encum- Simple Ranged Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Price Weapons Value Gunpowder, Shrapnel, Vol- Blunderbus 4 AP Two-handed 3 + PB yards Gunpowder 3 13gc atile, Weak Entangling, Ineffective, Bolas 1 AP One-handed 1 + PB yards Missile 1 2ss Throwing

Bottle bomb 1 AP One-handed 1 + PB yards Fiery, Ineffective, Volatile NONE 1 12ss

Francisca 1 AP One-handed 1 + PB yards Throwing, Weak Missile 1 2gc

Hunting bow 1 AP Two-handed 9 + PB yards Finesse, Weak Missile 3 4gc Improvised throwing weap- 1 AP One-handed 1 + PB yards Pummeling, Slow, Throwing Missile 1 - on Javelin 1 AP One-handed 3 + PB yards Throwing, Weak Missile 1 6ss

Light crossbow 2 AP Two-handed 6 + PB yards Fast, Punishing, Weak Missile 3 3gc

Shepherd’s sling 1 AP One-handed 3 + PB yards Fast, Throwing, Weak Missile 1 2ss

Fast, Finesse, Throwing, Throwing knife 1 AP One-handed 1 + PB yards Missile 1 1gc Weak Encum- Martial Ranged Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Price Weapons Value Arbalest cross- 2 AP Two-handed 9 + PB yards Fast, Punishing Missile 3 5gc bow

Arquebus 4 AP Two-handed 6 + PB yards Gunpowder, Volatile Gunpowder 3 33gc

Composite bow 2 AP Two-handed 12 + PB yards Fast, Finesse Missile 3 7gc

Gunpowder, Shrapnel, Vol- Dragon pistol 4 AP One-handed 1 + PB yards Gunpowder 2 40gc atile, Weak

Dueling pistol 3 AP One-handed 3 + PB yards Gunpowder Gunpowder 2 50gc

Flintlock pistol 3 AP One-handed 3 + PB yards Gunpowder, Volatile Gunpowder 2 20gc

Longbow 1 AP Two-handed 12 + PB yards Finesse Missile 3 5gc

Musket 4 AP Two-handed 9 + PB yards Gunpowder Gunpowder 3 67gc

Three-barrel Gunpowder, Repeating, 4 AP One-handed 3 + PB yards Gunpowder 2 83gc pistol Volatile

194 ARMOR armor (Damage Threshold Modifier of 1) and have a Brawn Bonus (BB) of 3, your total Damage Threshold is 4 (1 + 3). It takes far more than physical fortitude to protect oneself Wearing multiple sets of armor (otherwise “stacking”) has no against the risk of death. A harness of plate or coat of mail effect whatsoever, asides your Character taking upon more bridges the gap between those who have little combat know- Encumbrance Value! how and those who’re combat-ready. While some elect not to wear armor (a penchant perhaps of half-naked Dwarf Note that if you remove armor, your Damage Threshold Slayers), it is always wise to wear some sort of protection - drops, but doesn’t change your current Damage Condition regardless if you’re simple fop or a political mastermind. Track whatsoever.

ILL-FITTED OR USED ARMOR Leopold Coventry is Lightly Wounded, and has a Dam- When armor is stripped off a foe, it is rarely fitted for its new age Threshold of 12 (10 from his Brawn Bonus (BB) and owner. In order for it to fit right, it requires an appropriate 2 from the leather he’s wearing). He doffs his armor be- tradesman who can fix it, who must be paid three day’s wage. fore laying down to sleep, which reduces his Damage In the rare cases that Characters sharing armor are of a simi- Threshold to 10. lar build (as indicated in Chapter 3: Character Creation), it requires no additional expenditure - it’ll fit like a glove. Until ARMOR QUALITIES properly retrofitted, however, a new wearer must double its Akin to weapons, armor can also possess Qualities. Refer- Encumbrance Value when worn. ence the Qualities table above to understand their impact. ARMOR QUALITIES ENCUMBRANCE VALUE Much like weapons, armor possesses specific Qualities. Not surprisingly, armor is relatively awkward to tote around However, not all armor has Qualities associated with it: on your body. It’s not necessarily heavy per se, however dif- ferent types of armor can be cumbersome, making it difficult DANGEROUS to move, perceive the world around you and react. As stat- Clothing or armor of this Quality cannot adequately protect ed before, Encumbrance Values are added up to determine you from harm. Should you suffer Damage during this time, whether or not you’re suffering from Overage. you begin to Bleed (as mentioned in Chapter 8: Combat). PRICE HEAVY This is how much armor normally costs. Prices may vary Armor of this Quality prohibits use of the Incantation Skill during wartime or even if there are shortages in the area to cast Magick and Coordination in order to Dodge attacks. for metal, leather, fur and other types of trade goods used to craft armor. NATURAL Armor of this Quality adds a +10 Base Chance to Dodge ARMOR DESCRIPTIONS attacks. The following entries give general descriptions of each type of armor. Note that the descriptions do not aim for true historical ARMOR STATISTICS “accuracy”, but reflect how Characters would perceive these ar- The benefits and drawbacks armor gives to its wearer is as mors in a grim & perilous world. follows: CLOTHING: Unfortunately, it’s nothing more than the attire NAME you’re wearing and the skin on your back. Obviously not very Every type of armor possesses a proper name. Some of these good for deflecting anything other than a blow from a fist, but it names may be perceived differently by other cultures (brig- keeps your organs and blood inside where it belongs - you can’t andine may be called studded, for instance). However, you’ll fault it for that. reference its proper name whenever recording it on your If you are wearing any other sort of armor along with cloth- Character sheet. ing (which your Character likely is), you ignore both the DAMAGE THRESHOLD MODIFIER Dangerous and Natural Qualities. Armor works in conjunction with your Brawn Bonus (BB), FUR OR HIDE: Made from heavy skins, often bear or softening the blows that you take. Each type of armor has wolves pelts, this armor is common in colder climes. Most a specific Damage Threshold Modifier value, which you of its protection comes from the sheer amount of hair and add to your Brawn Bonus (BB) to determine total Dam- layering of furs, though the skin is tanned beneath. age Threshold. This means that if you are wearing quilted 195 est of fashion. It’s by far the best set of armor you can wear BARDED ANIMALS without feeling like an overturned tortoise. Oftentimes, this Most creatures ridden into battle already have horse armor is accompanied by a codpiece shaped into a grinning tack and saddle. War destriers and other types of caval- moon-like face. ry horses may be equipped with a type of armor, called barding. In these cases, add the Damage Threshold MAIL: Made of interlocking metal rings, mail (some- Modifier to the Damage Threshold found in Chapter times called chain mail) is worn under the military coat of 12: Bestiary. In order to determine cost, take the nor- high-ranking officials to provide sleek protection. Loud and mal armor prices and multiply it by three times. annoying when worn alone, but definitely life saving in the field of battle.

QUILTED: Cheap and easy to move around in, this is stan- MUNITIONS PLATE: This is none other than sec- dard equipment for penny-poor soldiers. Worthless against ond-hand plate armor used to outfit state-sponsored soldiers bullets and sword swings, it can usually soften the blow of a in a hurry. Although it only covers the torso and upper limbs, mace or club. Those who die wearing this armor often look it is still the best armor you can get if you weren’t born with like gutted ragdolls. a silver spoon in your mouth. It tends to rattle terribly when running, and grates annoyingly when walking. LEATHER: This is the standard issue armor for well-paid mercenaries. The leather type depends on the location: most FULL PLATE: Expensive and clunky, it covers the entire of it is boiled and hardened cowhide, but sets made from body from toe to crown. It generally requires help to don and sharkskin on the coast or lizardhide in the deep south are doff, and unfortunately can only be worn for short periods not uncommon. due to uncomfortableness. It is often found gathering dust in alcoves of mansions, or harnessed to knights that demand an BRIGANDINE: Cloth on the outside, metal plates on the impeccable appearance. The trade-off is it probably will keep inside. Worn often by travelling lords, this otherwise studded you from getting killed… probably. or banded leather offers protection whilst reflecting the lat-

Damage Threshold Encumbrance Armor Name Qualities Price Modifier Value Clothing 0 Dangerous, Natural 1 -

Fur or Hide Suit of Armor 1 - 3 6gc

Quilted Suit of Armor 1 - 2 11gc

Leather Suit of Armor 2 - 3 20gc

Brigandine Suit of Armor 3 - 4 33gc

Mail Suit of Armor 4 Heavy 5 65gc

Munitions Plate Suit of Armor 5 Heavy 6 88gc

Full Plate Suit of Armor 6 Heavy 7 179gc

196 SHIELDS ABSTRACTED ENCUMBRANCE Used to block arrows and bash enemies about, a shield can Some role-playing games use distinct weight mean the difference between life or death. A shield is pri- values that players must track. Not so in ZWEI- marily used to protect its wielder from ranged attacks, but HÄNDER. This sort of distinct bookkeeping is some can be interspersed between melee attacks (which unnecessary and bogs down game play. The Gam- you’ll learn more about in Chapter 8: Combat). emaster will use their best judgement as to how SHIELD QUALITIES much equipment is “too much”. Your Encumbrance Limit should generally take under consideration Much like weapons, shields possess specific Qualities: the weight of weapons, armor and shields. How- DEFENSIVE ever, reasonable assumptions always trump basic rules. Although a suit of brigandine armor has a Shields and weapons of this Quality add a +10 Base Chance 4 Encumbrance Value doesn’t mean that you may to Parry. carry around two or more suits of armor if you have LIGHT a high Encumbrance Limit. The same goes for something as absurd as a ladder; just because your Whenever weapons or shields of this Quality are held in your Encumbrance Limit is 12, it doesn’t mean you can off-hand when attacking with a melee weapon in your prima- comfortably haul it around. A Gamemaster will ry hand, add +1 to Total Damage. likely rule that you’re maxed out on Encumbrance PROTECTIVE Limits, making it an act of absurdity to carry one into a fight. Shields of this Quality may be used to Parry any Attack Ac- Larger items will have a value of 1 to 100 for their tion made with a ranged weapon. Encumbrance Value, which is assigned by the Gam- SHIELD STATISTICS emaster. However, in cases where your Character is The benefits and drawbacks shields gives to its wearer is as hauling around smaller items, assume that a total follows: of nine small items or the same or mixed type have 1 Encumbrance Value. This means that 5 ampules NAME of quicksilver, 8 bandages and 4 arrows would only Every type of shield possesses a proper name. These names have a total Encumbrance Value of 1 (5 + 8 + 4 = are purposefully abstract: a buckler is generally either a lan- 17). However, if you added one additional arrow to tern or target type of shield, a wooden shield may potentially the mix, the total Encumbrance Value would be 2 be construed as being a round shield or a kite type of shield instead (5 + 8 + 4 + 1 = 18). For purposes of track- and a metal shield could be a heater or tower type of shield. ing coins, 3,000 of any type have an Encumbrance However, you’ll reference its proper name whenever record- Value of 1. ing it on your Character sheet. SHIELD DESCRIPTIONS HANDLING The following entries give general descriptions of each type Unless otherwise noted in other supplements to ZWEI- of armor. Despite their glib description, it should be clear HÄNDER, a shield is always held in one hand. that a shield is important to carry if attempting to avoid be- QUALITIES ing struck by missiles in flight. Akin to weapons, shields can also possess Qualities. Reference BUCKLER: This hand-held shield is generally no broader the Qualities table above to understand their effect. than a dinner plate. Often used in training and duels, it’s entirely useless against anything larger than a training sword. ENCUMBRANCE VALUE You can use it to block arrows if you have the reflexes of a cat. Overall, shields are relatively easy to carry around. However, WOODEN SHIELD: These shields are bought and paint- when their Encumbrance Value is added to armor, weapons ed beautifully, though among poorer soldiers are simply bar- and other sundries, it can create Overage. rel lids or rotted, reappropriated oak doors. It actually pro- PRICE vides a solid amount of defense - as long as they are not splintered or set ablaze. This is how much shields normally costs. Prices may vary during wartime or even if there are shortages in the area for metal, METAL SHIELD: Sturdy and able to actually deflect blows leather, fur and other types of trade goods used to craft shields. instead of absorb them, many of these metal-rimmed escutch- 197 eons are dented and rusted from use. In a pinch, it can also be SIEGE used to beat someone about the head - helpful for emergencies. Whenever weapons of this Quality are fired, it affects mul- Encum- tiple targets. An Explosion (otherwise called a Large Tem- Shield Handling Qualities brance Price plate) radiates outwards in a circle. Select a point of origin Value within sight - whether it is a creature, object, person or place - and the Explosion then takes effect. If used in combat, an Bucker One-handed Defensive 1 1gc Explosion would affect up to 9 people in an Engagement, both friend and foe alike. The Gamemaster will make the de- Wooden Defensive, One-handed 1 2gc termination who is affected, if you’re using Siege amidst an shield Light Engagement where both your allies and enemies stand. Fi- Defensive, nally, Siege weapons do not require a user to roll Chaos Dice Metal shield One-handed 2 3gc Protective to determine whether they inflicted an Injury, as they always inflict a Grievous Injury whenever a target suffers Damage. WAR MACHINES SMOKE ZWEIHÄNDER is a game rarely focused on large-scale Whenever weapons of this Quality are fired, it affects mul- siege warfare; it is mostly focused on the personal trials of tiple targets. A Burst (otherwise called a Small Template) adventuring parties. Characters will undo the machinations radiates outwards in a circle. Select a point of origin within of political rivals, plunder lost ruins, stake out new tracts of sight - whether it is a creature, object, person or place - and land among the vast wilderness and insert themselves into the Burst then takes effect. If used in a Combat, a Burst localised conflicts where yes - sometimes, the sword is in- would affect up to 6 people in an Engagement, both friend deed mightier than the pen. However, there may come a time and foe alike. The Gamemaster will make the determination when siege weaponry is at the forefront. One instance may who is affected, if you’re using Smoke amidst an Engage- be an entire WAAAR! Horde is holding an entire town hos- ment where both your allies and enemies stand. tage at its gates with a cannon. Another example would be The Smoke’s effects remain immobile for 1D10+1 minutes, if an Anarchist and her loyalists stole atop a tower, threaten- but a heavy wind will disperse it after three minutes have ing to assassinate a reknown count and his entire coterie of passed. Those who stand inside or fire into the Smoke cannot knights with a stone hurler. use the Medium or Long Distance values of ranged weap- WAR MACHINE QUALITIES ons, while attacks made with weapons or Magick outside of Engaged suffer additional penalties to strike (as handled by Much like weapons, war machines possess specific Qualities, the Gamemaster). Those with the Instincts Talent can avoid a few of which are entirely unique to them: these penalties. FIERY WAR MACHINE STATISTICS After a foe is struck with this weapon, both the foe and any- All war machines possess unique statistics to reference. Un- one who is Engaged with them must succeed a Coordination like regular melee or ranged weapons, they are handled very Test or be caught On Fire. differently. GUNPOWDER SKILL Weapons of this Quality can be loaded and fired while As indicated before, all war machines require the success- standing in an Engagement. Furthermore, these weapons ful use of Warfare to strike successfully. The chance to strike force foes to flip the results to fail whenever they Dodge or is derived from the crew’s highest Warfare value. However, Parry an attack made with a Gunpowder weapon. whenever firing a war machine, they gain the benefits of one SHRAPNEL Assist Die. Whenever weapons of this Quality are fired, it harms mul- CREW tiple targets. A Cone (otherwise called a Cone Template) War machines require the attentions of many people to ap- fires outwards in a line from where you stand. A Cone may propriately man it. Some focus on assessing distance, a few affect up to 3 people in an Engagement, depending on where others on positioning it and a crew leader to either pull the they’re standing. The Gamemaster will make the determina- lever or light the fuse when the time is right. If a crew is tion who is affected if you’re using a Shrapnel weapon amidst manning a war machine during combat, they must spend 2 an Engagement where both your allies and enemies stand. Action Points in order to do so. 198 LOAD TIME the results to fail whenever they Dodge an attack made with Unlike other ranged weapons, all war machines require not any war machine. only a crew to man it, but also to Load it. Load times are BOLT THROWER expressed in minutes, instead of Action Points. Whenever Loading, it is assumed that the crew are all using a Special Sometimes called a ballista or a scorpion, bolt throwers are Action called Operate (from the above listing). perilous weapons are designed to fire massive spears with great force. These war machines are very common, primar- DISTANCE ily used as an anti-personnel weapon. Likened to oversized War machines are able to be used at distinct ranges between crossbows, they are the favored weapon by soldiers given the Character firing it and their target. Distances are always their ease of use. Although most bolt throwers are designed expressed in yards, and multiplied by the crew’s highest Per- to be carted around by oxen, some are affixed to the walls of ception Bonus (PB). As an example, a cannon has a Distance castles. They see little use, given that the mere threat of being of 9 x PB. This means that if the highest crew member’s Per- struck by a bolt thrower is enough to frighten off would-be ception Bonus (PB) is 8, you can fire this weapon at a Short attackers. The concussive force that a bolt thrower’s missile Distance of up to 72 yards. Medium Distance is equal to carries is enough to skewer any horseman (and their horse) Short Distance times two. So, if the aforementioned Short to the ground, and easily split a war wagon or defensive car- Distance is 72 yards, the Medium Distance is between 73 to riage with but a single shot. 144 yards (72 x 2). For Long Distances, it is Short Distance Bolt throwers are generally shod of wood, with massive iron times three. Using the above examples, Long Distance is be- springs and heavy horsehair filaments wound together to tween 145 to 216 yards (72 x 3). make the bowstring. Several winches work together to create Attacks made from ranged weapons fired outside of the Short great torsion, however in the the rain these winches are no- Distance are penalized by additional Difficulty Rating, which toriously unreliable. Many soldiers have lost a hand trying to you’ll make the call on as outlined in in Chapter 8: Combat. load a spear into the slider. DAMAGE CANNON Unlike other weapons, war machine Damage is expressed The development of the cannon promotes a distinct change using a number of 1D10 Siege Dice, added to Perception in the ways of warfare. Unlike their bolt thrower cousins, Bonus (PB). Damage is always derived from the crew’s high- cannons are generally affixed permanently to the ground, for est Perception Bonus (PB) that’s manning the war machine. the shock waves they send after firing would be enough to knock its entire crew flat on their arses. Although cannons QUALITIES vary in size and shape, all are built upon the same principles: War machines possess a combination of Qualities, as out- stuff as much gunpowder into the breach and stand as far lined above. away as you can with the match when lighting the fuse. Af- terwards, take cover, because cannons (much like other gun- TYPE powder weapons) are notoriously unreliable. Many parts of There are three specific subcategories which all war machines the cannon are handsomely designed, with reinforced rings belong to: Crushing, Gunpowder and Missile. These Types made from brass. They melt red hot with every shot, cooling are generally referenced by your Character’s Talents and afterwards as crewmen toss buckets of water over the can- Traits, but in this case may confer additional bonuses in a non to load it again. Unfortunately, even the finest of siege future supplement for ZWEIHÄNDER. crafters have yet to figure out how to keep the rings from breaking. PRICE Cannons are always decorated to look akin to monsters from Although these prices are normally prohibitive to run-of- folklore, with engravings inlaid around the muzzle with an the-mill player Characters, it can infer the immense cost that affectionate name. Liken to pets, all cannons are named by a settlement must incur in order to build a war machine. their crewmen. Popular cannons such as Gutbucket and Hell’s Trumpet are the most renown, given their extremely WAR MACHINE DESCRIPTIONS rarity and treatment as “heroes of folklore” in a sense. There are a large host of war machines in a grim & perilous STONE HURLER world. We have chosen to cover the three that are most pro- lific among armies and fortifications. Stone hurlers are designed to toss or lob anything from stones to pots of explosive gunpowder through the air into Unless otherwise noted, war machines can be fired while the midst of an army. Those powered by torsion mechanics standing in an Engagement. They always force foes to flip are called catapults, regarded to be the most reliable of war 199 machines. Those affixed with massive counterweights are The large the throwing arm, the bigger the payload. Armies called trebuchets, and generally use church bells or even stat- sometimes resort to filling a stone hurler’s bucket with corps- ues sacked from enemy cities to balance the throwing arm. es and slinging them over enemy lines, in hope of spreading Stone hurlers are rarely carted on wheels. Instead, trees are disease and breaking morale. Live cattle, broken barricades taken down along the edge of enemy lines and hurriedly as- and even rotten cabbages mixed in with pebbles have also sembled by shell-shocked craftsmen to erect them. With the served the same purpose. advent of the cannon and improvements of the bolt thrower, stone hurlers have widely fallen out of favor.

War Machines Crew Load Time Distance Damage Qualities Type Price Bolt thrower 3 9 minutes 6 x PB yards 2D10 + (PB) Shrapnel Missile 317gc Fiery, Gunpowder, Cannnon 6 12 minutes 9 x PB yards 4D10 + (PB) Gunpowder 952gc Shrapnel Stone hurler 9 15 minutes 12 x PB yards 3D10 + (PB) Siege, Smoke Crushing 634gc

AMMUNITION Ammunition Price This section covers the myriad of am- Arrow 1ss munition types ranged weapons require. Crossbow bolt 2ss Use common sense when trying to apply Gunpowder shot 3ss the correct ammunition to the weapon. Sling stone 1bp ANIMALS & CONVEYANCES Animals & Conveyances Price Animals & Conveyances Price Axle replacement 1gc Kitten 2bp Mankind has conquered the challenge of distant travel through industry and Barrow cart 2gc Lamb 1gc using their smarts, letting beasts of bur- Calf 11gc Large wagon 75gc den or modern vehicles do the heavy Chariot 20gc Longship 1996gc lifting for them. Animals are used to aid in farming, generally used to carry Chicken 4bp Merchant coaster or knorr 833gc heavy loads. Sometimes, they’re ridden Cow 17gc Oxen 23gc for sport. The same can be said for car- Dog sled 4gc Palanqu in 5gc riages, coaches, carts and boats. Con- tained within you’ll find a great range Drakkar or galley warship 3125gc Pig 1gc of things: the cost of a pet kitten fit for Duck 3bp Raft 20gc ritualized killing, the price to repair a Falcon 3gc River barge 210gc broken axle on the trail and even the luxurious expense of a two-masted plea- Fancy coach 333gc Rowboat 30gc sure barge. Fishing boat 200gc Sheep 3gc Goose 8bp Small but vicious dog 4gc Horse (courser) 287gc Snow sled 5ss Horse (destrier) 952gc Three-masted cog 6250gc Horse (hobby) 90gc Two wheeled cart 23gc Horse (palfrey) 100gc Two-masted cog 4167gc Horse (rouncey) 21gc Wheel replacement 3gc Wheel with iron rims Hunting dog 8gc 5gc replacement

200 BUREAUCRATIC TOOLS CLOTHING Every scholar worth their weight understands the impor- From the warmest of cloaks to the sturdiest of boots, every- tance of their implements. Without their official seals, con- one must wear something. If you’re going to a party, you’ll tracts, badges of office and writing kits, nothing would ever want to wear your finest. If working in the fields, a sturdy be recorded; lawlessness would reign, and these bureaucrats pair of boots and loose clothing will do. When on the road, cannot have that. Maps for the parlour, books to fill the a thick mantle and fur-trimmed boots are an absolute neces- shelves, quills to write with and scales to verify that a coin sity. But, it is not only out of necessity that clothing is worn. hasn’t been clipped - these are the tools of every reliable mer- Sometimes, it’s used to capture the attentions of the opposite chant out there. sex. At other times, it’s to denote your loyalties or station.

Bureaucratic Item Price Bureaucratic Item Price Clothing Price Clothing Price

Abacus 7ss Paper by the sheet 2bp Balaclava mask 1gc Mantle 3gc

Cheap necklace 1gc Military attire 4gc Academic book 1gc Pilot’s chart 5gc Cheap ring 12ss Monocle 5gc Arcane tome for Prayer book for 8gc 8gc Magick Magick Coin purse 2bp Priest’s mitre 3gc Atlas of the known 54gc Printing press 1,333gc world Dark clothing 1gc Second-hand attire 7ss

Bailiff ’s lockbox 3gc Provincial map 7ss Entertainer’s mask 2gc Simple attire 1gc

Chalkboard 3ss Quills or brush 4bp Expensive necklace 44gc Smallclothes 3ss Expensive ring 23gc Snuff box 7bp Cheap map 13ss Religious scripture 6gc Fancy shoes 8gc Soft shoes 2gc City map 1gc Rune stones 3ss Fancy wig 4gc Spectacles 2gc

Hand mirror 2gc Scales and weights 8gc Fashionable cloth- Stinky perfume 5gc 1gc ing by the bottle Homing pigeon 7ss Scroll case 3ss Fine clothing 20gc Straight razor 3ss Fine perfume by the Sturdy traveling Hourglass 1gc Torture device 2gc 4gc 15ss bottle clothes

Ink pot 7ss Trade tools 17gc Foppish hat 2gc Tattered rags 3ss Garish attire 3gc Walking cane 3gc Key & padlock 1gc Wanted poster 2bp Heavy boots 5gc Warm vest 3ss Looking glass 13ss War medal 2ss Holy symbol 3ss Wilderness cloak 2gc Witchhunter’s coat Magnet 7ss Writing kit 3gc Leather sandals 1gc 4gc & mantle Loose robes 2gc Witchhunter’s hat 4ss

201 BLACK MARKET GOODS Commodities Price Commodities Price Back alley hustlers and fences sell a bevy of goods… but only to trusted customers. You have to be vouched for, if you don’t Barrel of cod 14ss Hide of a man-eater 12gc Hide of a small already belong to a network of blackguards, killers or thieves. Barrel of eels 7ss 7ss Procuring opiates and other drugs can be done if you grease critter the palm of the local dealer. Not only can you buy a dram or Barrel of flatfish 1gc Jar of caviar 8gc two of poison, but you can also source rarer pastes, used to Barrel of nut oil 1gc Jar of cheese 8bp kill everything from a beast, to an animal, to a man and even Supernatural horrors. Barrel of salt 2gc Jar of chocolate 5ss

Black Market Goods Price Barrel of seed oil 7ss Jar of coffee 7ss

Animalbane by the dose 3gc Barrel of shellfish 18ss Jar of exotic meats 12ss Beastbane by the dose 3gc Barrel of whale oil 5gc Jar of jam 4ss Black lotus by the dose 2gc Bolt of canvas 1gc Jar of oysters 2bp

Blackroot by the dose 3gc Bolt of hemp 6ss Jar of rare spices 1gc

Demonbane by the dose 3gc Bolt of lace 2gc Jar of smoked meats 8bp Folkbane by the dose 3gc Bolt of linen 3ss Jar of sugar 2ss Graveroot by the dose 3gc Bolt of silk 3gc Jar of tea 3gc Lockpicks 4gc Bolt of velvet 2gc Keg of common dye 8gc Red cap mushroom by the dose 13ss Bolt of wool 2ss Keg of rare dye 42gc Scorpion venom by the dose 1gc Crate of assorted 4ss Sack of amber 7ss Snake venom by the dose 2gc fruits Crate of assorted 3ss Sack of ambergris 3gc Spider venom by the dose 2gc vegetables Crate of ceramics 2gc Sack of barley 2ss COMMODITIES Crate of charcoal 3ss Sack of barley flour 1ss Commerce is often a catalyst of betrayal, both petty and Crate of leather 4gc Sack of buckwheat 3ss large. Monopolies on specific commodities, such a fur, leath- Sack of buckwheat Crate of lumber 2gc 8bp er and iron, often lead to poisoned words and poisoned flour wounds. While a fair amount of commodities trade is done Crate of metal 3gc Sack of ivory 12gc on the smaller level between friendly peasants, sponsorship ingots of large expeditions to source and sell commodities on a Crate of parchment 7gc Sack of lentils 2ss greater magnitude requires money, business acumen and un- Crate of religious 1gc Sack of nuts 2ss derhandedness. Not many are equipped with such lack of icons morality and driven pursuit of lucre; those who are can get Crate of rugs 11gc Sack of oats 1ss rich quick, while fledglings die trying. Crate of sheepskin 7gc Sack of rice 1ss Crate of tools and 6ss Sack of rye 2ss utensils Crate of vellum 2gc Sack of wheat flour 2ss Hide of a large 2gc Vial of incense 3gc critter Hide of a large 5ss Vial of myrrh 8gc insect

202 CREATURE PELTS & HIDES ENTERTAINMENT During your adventures, you will inevitably fight To pass the time, minstrels and other ne’er-do-wells will monsters both small and large. Some of the crea- spin bawdy tale to help take minds away from the en- tures - particularly those who are classified as Ani- croaching chaotic hordes outside the walls. Dice will be mals or Beasts - have pelts you can skin. Although cast, darts will be thrown, board games will be played and this chapter doesn’t include a resale price for each likely, a thieving cheat will be caught whilst gambling. hide, assume that more common pelts would sell Rough peasant sports, such as “blood blitz” will be played, as much as a hide of a man-eater, whereas the rare while horse races take place illegally in city streets. Box- ones would fetch at least three times the same ing matches are to be found along bridges, while aspiring value. musicians play their horrendous tunes. Naturally, you may be inclined to craft armor from the pelt. Providing that there is enough hide to be skinned (using a successful Survival Test), your Gamemaster will likely allow you to turn it into fur or leather armor. Unique hides (such as the diamond-hard scales of a Pit Dragon) may even be turned into the equivalent of full plate armor. These extreme cases will be handled by the Gamemaster.

Entertainment Price Entertainment Price

Acting troupe performance 2ss Instrument with mouthpiece 3gc Animal fighting match 1ss Instrument with strings 23gc Bard song 4bp Jousting box 28gc Bouquet of bountiful flowers 4gc Knucklebones 1ss Bouquet of wilting flowers 7bp Lavish party 209gc Brandy by the keg 53gc Make it rain like m’lords do 15gc Brandy by the sniffer 3ss Pit fight ticket 7bp Chess set 13gc Playing cards 1gc Cricket set 11gc Poker dice 7bp Croquet set 9gc Stuffed shoulder guards for Bloodblitz 2ss Derby ticket 7ss Table board game 1gc Dominos 2gc Tennis set 81gc Faire admission 3bp Theatre seat in main audience 18ss Fisticuffs ticket 3ss Theatre seat in peanut gallery 6bp Gaming dice 6ss Theatre seat in private box 19gc Inflated pig bladder for Bloodblitz 8bp Tournament entry fee 4ss Instrument for percussion 2gc WFRP 3e 99gc

203 HOUSING & PROPERTY ILLUMINATION Perhaps at some time, you owned a townhome...before it was The oppressive darkness can stoke anxieties and evoke fear burned to the ground by roving mutants. Or, you may inherit within even the stoutest of adventurers’ hearts. Only the light a deed to a decrepit winesink, becoming its new landlord. - a twinkling bastion of hope - can drive away the shadows Herein you will find the general costs to own property, or and the creatures that stir along its edges. Within you’ll find more appropriately called a “money sink”. You can almost light sources meant to illuminate your darkest hours, and guarantee you’ll need half as much money next year to main- stoke the hearts of adventurers towards heroism and plunder. tain and staff the property itself. Illumination Price Housing & Property Price Box of matches 1bp An acre of arid land 7ss Candle 1ss An acre of fertile land 14ss Charcoal by the bag 1ss An acre of workable land 1gc Firewood for one fire 1ss

Ancestral manor 7200gc Flint and steel striker 4ss

Barn 37gc Lamp 2ss

Coaching inn 1600gc Lantern 2gc

Crowded workshop 1700gc Oil pot 1ss

Decrepit winesink 1433gc Powderkeg of gunpowder 13gc Storm lantern 4gc Deed to a mine 7gc Torch 3bp Dilapidated manse 1600gc

Dockside shanty 43gc LIGHT SOURCES

Dusty storefront 1100gc Light is an important ally for those who travel in the woods as the sun sets, or slinks below the streets on the hunt for rat- Farmstead 90gc like Skrzzak (who, of course, do not really exist). Without it, nary a shadow would be chased away. Fencing by the yard 1ss

Filthy shack 30gc The following outlines the rules for different sources of light. Each possesses unique traits specific to how long they’ll re- Fortified castle 10000gc liably burn, how far its light extends (equivalent to daylight), the distances outside of this where shadows play and the Guild hall 666gc maximum visibility of illumination. Lock-keeper’s house 150gc BONFIRE Market stall 28gc Perfectly built for either roasting a pig, hosting a Dionysian Modest apartment 150gc celebration in the woods or spitting a witch for the village to watch it burn in the flames of righteousness, a bonfire burns Stable 27gc brightly and quickly. It also produces an abundance of heat. Toll house 250gc Some swear they can prognosticate their future in the burn- ing flames, while others see visions of undulating demons Town home 500gc dancing on the other side of the Aethereal Veil. Bonfires are regularly erected in the woods within kilns by charcoal burn- Watchtower 6000gc ers to produce vast quantities of charcoal. Way temple 5833gc A bonfire will burn for 3 hours. It provides enough light to Wayside shrine 267gc see perfectly for 30 yards in all directions. Anything from 31 to 59 yards out appears as fleeting shadows, and then at 60 yards and beyond, perfect darkness. 204 CAMPFIRE LANTERN Built from loose brush and thick logs, a campfire will keep Encased in a metal and glass vessel, a lantern has shudders your feet and hands warm in the cold. It also serves as a as to either direct light in a single direction or open them to perfect way to heat up provisions when mixed with grease or illuminate the area around. The glass panes protect the wick gristle from the bones of a rabbit you ate a few days before. from blowing out, but the oil does slosh around rather vio- Campfires made from pinewood tend to spark and pop loud- lently when on the run. Take great care in these instances, as ly, often called a “wytchwood fire” for that very reason. More a lantern can go from being your only friend in the darkness odiferous woods, such as applewood, produce a semi-trans- to a metal incendiary if mistakenly dropped! parent, almost blue colored smoke - perfect for a long cook. However, it may attract would-be robbers to your camps or a A lantern will burn for 6 hours. It provides enough light to road-weary vagabond eager for a hearty meal. see perfectly for 15 yards in all directions. Anything from 16 to 39 yards out appears as fleeting shadows, and then at 40 A campfire will burn for 9 hours. It provides enough light to yards and beyond, perfect darkness. see perfectly for 15 yards in all directions. Anything from 16 to 39 yards out appears as fleeting shadows, and then at 40 MATCH yards and beyond, perfect darkness. Prepared by alchemical processes, these are used rarely by everyday folk. The rich will use it to light cigars and table- CANDLE side lamps. The military will use them to light the fuses of Decorating most homes, candles are oftentimes made of wax gunpowder weapons. Matches possess a peculiar, sulfurous and tallow. They burn in sconces, from tall chandeliers and stench, found somewhat pleasing to the more discerning in hand-held lamps. Candles are found amid graveyards in gentlewoman (or gentleman). Naturally, it evokes the fabled reverence for the dead. They can even be found in the darkest stink of Abyssal servants, called to pentagrams to service a of recesses, resting upon altars to unsavory gods. demonologist. Thus, it is no wonder that most people shun their use, if not for superstitious reasons, but for the reliabili- A candle will burn for 3 hours. It provides enough light to see ty of a flint and tinder not to spontaneously ignite! perfectly for 5 yards in all directions. Anything from 6 to 9 yards out appears as fleeting shadows, and then at 10 yards and be- A match will burn for 1 minute. It provides enough light to yond, perfect darkness. see perfectly for 1 yard in all directions. Anything from 2 to 4 yards out appears as fleeting shadows, and then at 5 yards LAMP and beyond, perfect darkness. These unreliable lanterns are commonly used in homes (thus the evocative image of a man in his smallclothes answer- TORCH ing the door with lamp in-hand). A single wick burns in a They are a common apparatus of both rat catchers and witch brass vessel, fueled by an oil pot. They aren’t incredibly reli- hunters alike. Applying a simple bandage or tattered cloth- able outside the home, as a gust of wind could blow it out ing around a firm piece of wood and soaking it in an oil pot unexpectedly. can produce nine, reliable torches in one evening. A lamp will burn for 6 hours. It provides enough light to see perfectly for 5 yards in all directions. Anything from 6 to 19 A torch will burn for 1 hour. It provides enough light to yards out appears as fleeting shadows, and then at 20 yards see perfectly for 10 yards in all directions. Anything from 11 and beyond, perfect darkness. to 29 yards out appears as fleeting shadows, and then at 30 yards and beyond, perfect darkness.

Light Source Duration Perfect Light Fleeting Shadows Total Darkness Bonfire three hours 1 to 30 yards 31 to 59 yards 60 yards and beyond Campfire nine hours 1 to 15 yards 16 to 39 yards 40 yards and beyond Candle three hours 1 to 5 yards 6 to 9 yards 10 yards and beyond Lamp six hours 1 to 5 yards 6 to 19 yards 20 yards and beyond Lantern six hours 1 to 15 yards 16 to 39 yards 40 yards and beyond Match one minute 1 yard 2 to 4 yards 5 yards and beyond Torch one hour 1 to 10 yards 11 to 29 yards 30 yards and beyond 205 LODGING & TAVERN MEDICINE From the most famous coaching houses of the road to the Medicament, cloth and suture; the three most important piec- dingiest of winesinks, adventurers will eventually need a es of equipment an adventure can have. Whether to stitch to- place to take off their boots and warm their feet by the fire. gether tattered clothing or that ragged tear in their leg, med- Eel pies, watery wine, gin in teacups and chasers of rum are icines and its related trappings will aid the hapless hero in a imbibed in great quantities in these dens. time of need (or time of mead). Got a case of the willies? A capsule of smelling salts will get the blood going. Suffering Lodging & Tavern Price Lodging & Tavern Price from a niggling wound? Take a dose of tincture to forget the pain temporarily. Need to forget your fears? Imbibe a red cap Night in a Ale by the cup 3bp 1s mushroom, and revel in delirium. Ailments be gone! At least, common room until you throw yourself back into the jaws of hell… again, and Night in a again, and again. Ale by the rundlet 16ss 5ss private room Medicine Price Medicine Price Night in the Ale by the half tun 3gc 1bp back alley Antivenom by the Ragged cloth by 18gc 1bp Quality wine dose the strip Beer by the half tun 10gc 35gc by the case Bandage by the Rotgut by Quality wine 1ss 4ss Beer by the stein 7bp 1ss strip the bottle by the glass Cinnabar by the Royal water by 7ss 18gc Brandy by the keg 53gc Rum by the keg 64gc crystal the quintessence

Brandy by the Rum by Epsom salt by the 3ss 3ss 2ss Saltpetre by the vial 1ss sniffer the roemer vial Cider by the half Stable dog by the Holy water by the Smelling salts 12gc 3bp 4ss 7ss tun night with feed vial by the capsule

Stable horse by the Honey pot for nine Cider by the jar 6ss 8bp 3ss Surgical tools 18gc night with feed uses Hot meal fit for the Stable mule by 1s 4bp Laudanum by the Tincture by Aristocrat the night 4gc 1gc draught the dose Hot meal fit for the Stable raptor by 8bp 3bp Leeches by the Veteran’s Burgher the night with feed 3ss 2bp bottle eye patch Hot meal fit for the Table wine by 4bp 1gc Lowborn the case Mandrake root by Veteran’s 7ss 7ss Mead by the Table wine by the dose guilded nose 15gc 2bp hogshead the goblet Opium by the seed Veteran’s hand 1gc 9ss pod or boot Mead by the horn 1s Tobbacco pouch 1ss

Mulled wine by the Whiskey by Plague mask 2gc Veteran’s leg 1gc 1s 43gc goblet the keg Night above the Whiskey by Quicksilver by the Wolfsbane 6bp 3ss 1gc 2ss stables the snifter ampule by the sprig

206 WILDERNESS NEEDS ENCUMBRANCE OPTIONS Most Characters begin with carrying equipment on the outset A life along the road is wearisome. The underprepared soon of Character creation. Should you possess any one of these find themselves victims of the unforgiving world beyond their forms of carrying equipment below, you may freely add the walls. She is a fearsome foe: implacable, uncaring and unfor- following value as a modifier to your Encumbrance Limit. giving. Only those who are truly prepared to combat the cold However, you may only add one modifier to Encumbrance with warm blankets, climb through the deepest of snow with Limit in this fashion. This means that you cannot take advan- appropriate footwear and eke out provisions tucked into a tage of two backpacks, or even a rucksack and a gaff bag at the rucksack will survive. same time. Finally, none of these items can be used to stow weapons, armor or shields: Wilderness Needs Price Wilderness Needs Price  Backpack: Add +3 Encumbrance Limit  Rucksack: Add +2 Encumbrance limit Animal trap 2gc Pavilion tent 40gc  Gaff bag or shoulder bag: Add +1 Encumbrance Astrolabe 41gc Pitons or spikes 2ss Limit QUALITY OF CRAFTSMANSHIP Backpack 16ss Pot of glue 2ss Typically, the quality of craftsmanship for equipment is not Bandolier 1ss Powder flask 3ss all that important to an adventurer. It is simply enough to be for gunpowder able to recover a zweihander from the hands of a dead ene- Barrel, box Preserved rations my. However, there are times when a Character may want to or coffin 7ss by the day 4bp have a suitably decorative - or awfully gaudy - set of armor. Bedroll 2gc Quiver 1ss A jewel-encrusted sword likely isn’t to be found sitting in the middle of the road, nor will a mahogany-hilted flanged mace Blowing horn 8gc Rucksack 2ss be sitting in the local garrison for some would-be watchman to acquire. Camouflage 3gc Scabbard for one 1gc handed weapon MENIAL QUALITY: LOWBORN Climbing Scabbard for two crampons 2ss handed weapon 2gc The prices as presented in this reading assume that they are of the most menial quality, fit for the Lowborn. Traditionally, Climbing rope 5ss Shoulder bag 1ss this means they were made with function winning over or- namentation. This means that the dirk you recently purchas- Compass 5gc Signal whistle 5ss es is not ostentatious whatsoever; it’s design is simple, sturdy Fishing hook and otherwise non-descript. and pole 1ss Skies & poles 3gc BETTER QUALITY: BURGHER Flask 2ss Slitted goggles 5ss What of the aspiring Burgher who feels that their mantle must be of better stock? It includes some basic designs, which Gaff bag 4ss Snowshoes 1gc would imply that the person is of a higher Social Class. In the case where you wish to acquire an item equivalent to Grappling hook 1gc Survival kit 4gc what a Burgher would carry, simply modify the price by two Hammer & nails 1ss Telescope 15gc times. This means that a simple court sword, which normally costs 7gc, would cost 14gc (7 x 2) to be of a “Burgher’s status” Horse tack weapon. and saddle 11gc Tent for one 5gc BEST QUALITY: ARISTOCRAT Iron manacles 1gc Tent for two 7gc Wish to pick up an item of even further quality and val- Large bag 1ss Watch dog 1gc ue? Strutting around in the latest fashions, as an Aristocrat would, is going to cost you - big time. However, it clearly an- Length of rope nounces to the world that it is of the highest quality make. To by the yard 2ss Waterskin 8bp determine the price, take the normal price, and increase it by Lock with key 1gc Wooden skates 3gc three times. So, that same court sword as before would cost a whopping total of 21gc (7 x 3)! In all cases where you’re pur- 207 chasing a weapon, shield or armor that’s fit for an Aristocrat, are in the the settlement you are in. The Gamemaster will this item will automatically have the Castle-forged Quality set the Difficulty Rating, based first on the aforementioned (as detailed earlier in the reading). factor, rarity of the item and other circumstances that may bode into your favor or work against you. QUALITY OF SERVICES With a successful Tradecraft Test, you can purchase at a low- Although it doesn’t make all that much of a differ- er price point for every 6 points of Willpower Bonus (WB). ence to pay a troubadour at a better rate than that However, if you generated a Critical Success, multiply your your betters would, you can make an assumption Willpower Bonus (WB) by x3 to determine how you reduce that visiting a barber surgeon fit for the Aristocracy the price down: is not only well-worth the money, but also more  Willpower Bonus (WB) 1 to 6: purchase at 40% of likely skilled in the healing arts. The Gamemaster listed price will make that call, but you can assume that the  Willpower Bonus (WB) 7 to 12: purchase at 30% of more you pay for services, the better results you’ll listed price receive.  Willpower Bonus (WB) 13+: purchase at 20% of listed price CRAFTING TRAPPINGS Failing a Tradecraft Test has no repercussions, but a Criti- cally Failed one will result you being unable to source them, There will come a time when your Character will want to until circumstances dictate otherwise. gather the raw materials themselves and create their own trappings. While a generally laborious process, it can save a TIME fortune, guaranteeing you possess the right Focuses, access to The time it takes to craft items varies wildly. The best materials and the wherewithal to finish the task. rule of thumb to apply is this: for every gold crown (gc) FIRST STEP or less the item normally costs, it takes one day to craft. A reasonable craftsman could easily pull together a fire- Providing you have the appropriate Focus (as outlined in hardened spear (which normally costs 7ss) in one day. On Chapter 5: Skills), you can attempt to craft any trapping the other hand, a suit of full plate armor, which normally in this reading. You’ll need an appropriate workshop, such costs 179gc, would take 179 days! However, in these cases, as a forge for weaponsmithing and anvil with hammer for you can hire apprentices to help craft or enlist the aid of armorsmithing. If you intend to create chemicals like lauda- other Characters with the same Skill Focus as you. You may num and smelling salts, Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing lays enlist up to nine total apprentices in these cases, reducing out the required materials necessary. Materials are vital to the time to craft by one day per helper. So, this means craft your own equipment. However, reasonable assumptions that if you and seven craftsmen were working on the full trump mechanics in these cases - you may not have access to plate armor (a total of 8 workers), it would take 22 days a facility or even the proper tools. Given that the life of an (rounded down) to completely forge the armor (179 / 8). adventurer is generally spent somewhere bordering on squa- There may be exceptions to this rule that your Gamemaster lor to penny poor, you’ll need to have friends in high places may introduce. or favors to call in to get a workshop. SUCCESS RATE COST & MATERIALS Providing you have a Skill Focus relevant to the trapping In order to craft an item from scratch, you’ll need to source you wish to create, you need not make a Skill Test under the raw materials. The the settlement you’re in must provide normal conditions. Use of Tradecraft in these instances access to the materials needed. The best rule of thumb is to never require any dice rolls, assuming that the time and simply look at the item you wish to craft, and cut the price money you spent resulted in a functional piece of new buy 50% to determine material cost. You can assume that if a equipment. If you are under duress, or attempting to settlement has a specific trapping on-hand you wish to craft, speed up the crafting process, however, the Gamemaster they will also likely have the material handy for you to make will require that you make a Skill Test to produce results. it yourself. Failing that, you must start the entire process over. REDUCING COST However, as stated above, if you are attempting to craft a If your Character has at least one Skill Rank in Tradecraft, weapon, shield or armor fit for an Aristocrat, it automatically you can attempt to reduce the cost even further by tapping gains the Castle-forged Quality. into guilds or others who may be in your same trade. How- ever, this is dependent on how rare or abundant the materials 208 CHAPTER 8: COMBAT

an by nature is an animal; he can be cruel and callous. Where diplomacy fails, combat is the only choice left to resolve differences. Often swift and merciless, fighting is his way to establish dominance, or to simply Mterminate the opposition all together. By conscious decision and intent, man is able to assert himself against the world and face aggression in kind. - Father Victor, monk

Tactical skirmishes amidst a torrential downpour, vi- cious back alley knife fights, honorific duels to the death DIFFICULTY RATINGS & GM FIAT and horrifying battles against dire abominations makes Because of the wild and varied nature of com- up several situations your Character will be drawn into. bat, there may be situations that crop up from However, some may be more raucous and less deadly, time to time that aren’t covered in these rules. such as with a barroom brawl or fisticuffs erupting be- Additionally, some Actions in Combat may have tween a swindling pedlar and his customer. Combat can fixed Difficulty Ratings. Much like any other be fun and entertaining, but in a grim & perilous cam- ruling in ZWEIHÄNDER, the Gamemaster paign world, death can come at the drop of a will make the final call as arbiter and ultimate authority, empowered to make changes to Diffi- hat to Characters. While exciting and offering the op- culty Ratings and otherwise to fit the situation. portunity for players to roll dice, the risk of death is al- ways the foremost element within combat. No amount COMBAT TERMINOLOGY of planning can truly prepare the unwitting against the strategic leadership of those born within the crucible of Here are the three common terms you’ll reference often combat. Even the most well-orchestrated plans can go throughout the combat chapter: terribly awry as combat is so fast paced, as numbers fre- TURNS quently prevail. Equal to a minute of in-game time, Turns are an abstrac- Unlike other role-playing games, Characters in ZWEI- tion, reflecting each Character’s time to catch their breath, HÄNDER aren’t given a vast pool of “hit points”, al- pause, jockey for position and set themselves up to render lowed to instantly recover from their wounds and get decisive blows. During a Turn, Characters can take a set right back up. Combat is savage and unrelenting, han- number of Actions, dictated by their reserve of “Action dling confrontation with all the excitement you’d expect Points” (also called AP). Even though all Characters get a to have in a fantasy adventure - but not without danger Turn, all Actions are assumed to be taking place at the same to one’s self and sanity. time narratively.

209 ACTIONS IN COMBAT defend, move, attack or take other special actions as their Actions are formalized choices Character make to change the Turn begins. outcome of combat. Each Action possesses a relative cost in Action Points which must be expended before a specific Ac- tion may be taken. Providing a Character has enough Action STEP I: SURPRISE TURN Points, they can execute attacks against foes, get around the A Surprise Turn affects the very beginning of combat. It allows battlefield, hamper their enemy’s ability to gain ground and Characters to gain advantage over one another and take a Turn set aside a reserve to defend against attacks. These “Actions before the Initiative Ladder proceeds. Ultimately, it is the prov- In Combat” are described in further detail in the oncoming ince of the Gamemaster to determine if the players or their en- pages. All Characters in ZWEIHÄNDER have the same op- emies gain a Surprise Turn. This call is based on specific sets of tions for attacking, defending and the use of Actions In Com- circumstances or special preparations Characters have made in bat, regardless if they’re played by players or the Gamemaster. order to ambush one another purposefully. Outlining these cir- cumstances goes above and beyond the scope of this discussion, THE INITIATIVE LADDER but the Gamemaster will use common sense when determining The Initiative Ladder decides the order of which all Charac- which sides gains the advantage of a Surprise Turn. ters resolve their Actions In Combat. Whenever the Game- master announces combat is about to unfold, all Characters Whether either side gains a Surprise Turn, the Gamemas- will generate their own Initiative Ladder results by rolling ter will always explain in narrative terms why. It’s important 1D10 and adding their Initiative from their Character Sheet to consider what sort of preparedness your Character may to the result. The end results are tracked from highest to have elected to adopt, even before the fight begins. Kicking lowest, displayed openly for everyone to reference. in the door and expecting your foes to simply fold before your might may be an acceptable option in some games, but in ZWEIHÄNDER it can get you killed. FURY DICE Throughout this chapter, you’ll see mention of a SURPRISE ADVANTAGE 1D6 Fury Die to generate Damage with melee and Those who gain the advantage of surprise may take a free ranged weapons. Anytime you roll for Damage, if it Turn while all Attack Actions and Perilous Stunts gain a generates a face “6” on the Fury Die, add an addi- +20 Base Chance to succeed. Additionally, Attack Actions tional 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage value. Every made with melee or ranged weapons add a 1D6 Fury Die to time a Fury Die generates another face 6, it contin- Total Damage results. Once a Surprise Turn finishes, combat ues to “explode”, generating additional 1D6 Fury proceeds as normal according to the Initiative Ladder, and Dice. Calculate all results together to determine all benefits for the Surprise Turn are lost. Total Damage. DEFENSELESS DURING SURPRISE TURN COMBAT OVERVIEW Foes who are surprised are temporarily left Defenseless to all Below is a brief overview to follow whenever combat is about attacks. While Defenseless, they cannot use any Reactions. to begin: This includes Counterspelling a Magick’s effects, Dodging ranged weapons, using Opportunity Attacks, Parrying melee STEP I: SURPRISE TURN attacks, Resisting Perilous Stunts or Resisting Casted Magick. Whenever combat is about to begin, the Gamemaster will individually determine whether players or their foes individ- ROLE-PLAYING & COMBAT ually get the jump on one another. If either party manages Although Turns introduce a more uniform way to to catch their enemies unaware they’ll act first during a Sur- handle Actions, it should never stymie role-play- prise Turn. ing. You should feel encouraged to describe your Character’s Actions with flourish. Representing STEP II: INITIATIVE LADDER adrenaline-packed scenes of fierce attacks and After a Surprise Turn has ended, Characters will determine daring stunts using your own personal descriptions the order in which they may take their Turn. Each Character is both exciting and enjoyable. Role-playing should will roll 1D10 and add their Initiative to the result. never take a backseat during the format structure of combat. STEP III: TAKE TURNS Once a Character’s Turn comes up in the Initiative Ladder, they may spend Action Points to select specific Actions In Combat. Characters receive 3 Action Points to dedicate to 210 STEP II: INITIATIVE Remember, ZWEIHÄNDER is a cooperative game and while the Gamemaster will be controlling your enemies (po- LADDER tential allies), you should work to help keep things tracking In any role-playing game, there must be a structure to the right. combat can sometimes grow confusing as you oscillate order of which events unfold - particularly in the case of between each other’s Turns. The Gamemaster has to worry combat. For every Character, each determines their Initiative about positioning, tactics, track conditions and plot out your individually. Using 1D10, every Character will roll and add enemy’s strategies. All players should do their part to help their Initiative from their Character Sheet to the result. But track combat, working in concert with the Gamemaster to those who burden themselves with equipment tend to react progress the Initiative Ladder correctly. slower, as their senses are dulled beneath the weight of their MATCHING INITIATIVE RESULTS harness. Overage from Encumbrance Limit always penalizes Initiative results, even if a Character decides to toss aside Should any Character generate the same Initiative result, their equipment during combat. The result is then ranked compare their Perception Bonus (PB). The highest always from highest to lowest, displayed openly on a marker board trumps the other, displacing that Character down the Ini- or piece of paper for both the player and Gamemaster’s ref- tiative Ladder directly below them. Should their Perception erence. Each name is written down, with the resulting Ini- Bonus (PB) match, Characters should re-roll to determine tiative Ladder indicated beside it with a hyphen. This de- who goes first. termines the order that each Character will act in until the fight is resolved. It also allows players to help the Gamemas- Mercutio Salvatore and the Thug generated the same ter keep everything straight during combat, as most veteran Initiative, both resulting in “8”. Mercutio’s Perception players can generally attest - things can become hectic. All Bonus (PB) is 6, whereas the Thug has a Perception Bo- in all, whoever goes first tends to get the upper hand - and nus (PB) of 4. Mercutio goes first, displacing the Thug speed can lead to a more favorable outcome. beneath him in the Initiative Ladder.

ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS It’s time to roll Initiative. There are six players - Edwin Mortani, Graf von Bek, Leopold Coventry, Mercu- Sometimes the environment plays a role in combat. Detonat- tio Salvatore, “Patches” and Danziger Eckhardt. The ed gunpowder explosions, roiling fires that threaten to col- Gamemaster is controlling several enemies - a Thug, lapse the floor, an impending rainstorm, the blinding threat a Bounty Hunter and a Guttersnipe. Both the players of a blizzard, an out-of-control wagon barreling down the and Gamemaster roll Initiative, placing their names on street, a stampede of wild horses ready to burst forth from a marker board that can be referenced by everyone. The their pen, the threat of an angry peasant mob and other haz- results follow, dictating the Initiative Ladder. Under ards can also influence the battlefield. In these special cases, this example, Danziger will go first, whereas the Thug the Gamemaster will roll 2D10+2 to determine the event’s will go last. Once everyone has taken their Turn, Ini- individual Initiative. If this event is being kept in secret from tiative begins again with Danziger again until combat the players, the Gamemaster may elect not to disclose the ends: name of the event in the Initiative Ladder. Instead, they may track it with some other mark - an asterisk, question mark Danziger Eckhardt - 24 or other short phrases such as “DOOOOM.” will suffice. Patches - 23 This leaves everyone guessing as to what may yet still unfold amidst the chaos of battle, for in battle there is no law. These Bounty Hunter - 21 secret events may be repetitive (such as the blazing of a fire) Edwin Mortani - 20 or a one-time event (such as the strike of lightning upon the top of a building). Guttersnipe - 17 Leopold Coventry - 10 Graf von Bek - 9 Mercutio Salvatore - 8 Thug - 8

211 A raging fire erupts around everyone, threatening to con- STEP III: TAKE TURNS sume the floor of Tramp’s Loft. The Gamemaster has se- Suddenly, it’s your Turn. What will you do? Will you boldly cretly decided that it will take three Turns before the floor rush forward, invoking the name of Count So-and-So? Will collapses from the Raging Fire. Rolling Initiative, the you elect to launch a litany of hate, seeking to unman your Gamemaster tells everyone to note that the Raging Fire foes? Will you throw someone else in front of you to beat a goes on a “19”, but does not disclose that the floor will col- hasty retreat? Whichever option you elect to take, they are lapse. Unwittingly or not, they better act quickly before the always classified by one of many categories of Actions. fire consumes everything around them. Danziger Eckhardt - 24 All Characters begin with 3 Action Points at the start of Patches - 23 their Turn, which are then spent to commit to any of the Bounty Hunter - 21 Actions as their Turn comes up within the Initiative Ladder. Edwin Mortani - 20 You’re not required to spend all of these Action Points on Raging Fire - 19 (the Gamemaster made the call for the your Turn, and may hold onto them as to Dodge or Parry. fire to go before the Guttersnipe) By the same token, a Character cannot simply elect to save Guttersnipe - 17 Action Points for their next Turn. Whenever a Character’s Leopold Coventry - 10 new Turn begins, all of their remaining Action Points are Graf von Bek - 9 considered to be lost and start with the normal allotment of Mercutio Salvatore - 8 3 Action Points (unless they are suffering from a condition Thug - 7 (the Thug was displaced down the Initiative that reduces their starting Action Points). These are special Ladder due to matching Initiative rolls) cases we will speak about throughout this chapter. NEW COMBATANTS Particularly sneaky enemies may simply lay in wait, watching IN-CHARACTER TALK DURING COMBAT for favorable circumstances to avail themselves. The Game- Players may elect to speak, using banter, jibes, master may decide that even before combat started that these insults or scream battle cries and obscenities whilst same shadowy assassins are quicker, more aware, or better taking their Turn. This sort of communication is prepared. This is one of the many tools the Gamemaster can generally limited to short sentences or expressions, employ to keep combat unpredictable. Should new Charac- and should be done In-Character. Should a player ters enter the fray, they must determine their own Initiative. wish to exude a longer and more verbose speech or Regardless if the new Character is an enemy or a potential even stirring soliloquy to inspire their allies, spend ally, the Gamemaster indicates their Initiative with a mis- 1 Action Point instead. cellaneous mark, similar to the environmental events above. While we encourage players to work together, it The Gamemaster may even dictate that the new combatant is best to let each make their own decisions as to immediately gains a Surprise Turn. what Actions to take. Lording over other players and telling them what Actions to use during a game An unscrupulous cutthroat has been hidden the whole session can create confusion, breaks down the bar- time, watching the fight unfold. Announcing that rier between the player’s voice and the In Character there’s another participant that they don’t know about, voice, limits the ability of players to grow more the Gamemaster tracks the Cutthroat with a series of familiar with ZWEIHÄNDER’s rules and quickly question marks “???” and indicates that this Character’s erodes the suspension of disbelief. Creative players Initiative is “18”. should make sure that if they do intend to issue or- ders to their fellow players, they’ll do it using their Danziger Eckhardt - 24 Guttersnipe) In-Character voice. Patches - 23 Guttersnipe - 17 Bounty Hunter - 21 Leopold Coventry - 10 TAKE TURNS, RINSE AND REPEAT Edwin Mortani - 20 Graf von Bek - 9 ??? - 18 (this is the hidden Mercutio Salvatore - 8 Combat may last for one or many Turns. Once Initiative is Cutthroat) Thug - 7 (the Thug was determined, it remains in play throughout combat until it Raging Fire - 19 (the displaced down the Initia- ends. When the enemy is clearly decimated, gives up or some Gamemaster made the tive Ladder due to match- other mitigating condition arises, the Gamemaster will an- call for the fire to go be- ing Initiative rolls) nounce it. fore the

212 ACTIONS IN COMBAT TYPES OF ACTIONS Action Points represent the economy of Actions Characters There are four general categories of Actions Characters may may call upon during combat. It reflects a reserve pool that a use on their Turn. Within each category, there exist specific Character taps into, spent in exchange for Actions. Readying Actions a Character may use with a relative cost of Action a weapon, setting up a defensive posture, demoralizing the Points to execute: enemy, swinging a sword, firing a gun, mounting a horse and  MOVEMENT ACTIONS - A Character can po- reloading ranged weapons constitute examples of Actions sition themselves on the field of battle. taken during combat.  ATTACK ACTIONS - A Character can fight and Actions always have a relative cost. Characters may spend 1, inflict Damage against a defender. 2 or even 3 Action Points to use one Action - like shoving  PERILOUS STUNTS - A Character can inflict a a sword through someone’s stomach or barreling over their variety of conditions that may hamper their enemy’s enemies. They may also break up these Action Points to take ability to fight or defend. multiple Actions - such as moving over to the nearest enemy,  SPECIAL ACTIONS - A Character can attempt shoving them over and cleaving them in twain while they’re stunts and other miscellaneous Actions that fall out- on the ground Prone. A few Actions have no cost whatso- side of movement, attacking and defending. ever, able to be used without the Character having to spend time managing minor activities (talking and dropping items There is also a fifth type called REACTIONS, but they’re typically don’t cost any Action Points to use). Other Actions never used on a Character’s Turn. Reactions instead allow a can only be used outside of the Character’s Turn - disruptive Character to duck out of the way or take an opportune mo- attacks and defensive actions as an example. ment to attack an enemy. Reactions have their own unique limits on how often they may be used, clarified in the entries EXCESS ACTION POINTS below. AT END OF TURN Should a Character end their Turn with an excess of Actions Points, they can hold onto them to use Reactions like Dodge and Parry. However, when their next Turn begins, they “re- fresh” their Action Points to 3. They do not carry over excess Action Points into their next Turn.

TRAITS & TALENTS Professional Traits, Racial Traits and Talents oftentimes act as “riders”, working in coordination with Skill Tests. Some play a major role, allowing your Character to bend the system’s rules in certain cases, provide a unique benefit or augment their abilities. Unless specifically indicated within its description, the use of these abilities cost 0 Action Points. Furthermore, they may be used in conjunc- tion with one another. However, this may not al- ways apply where two separate abilities supplement the same Skill. These cases are always adjudicated by the Gamemaster.

213 MOVEMENT ACTIONS AP Cost Description

Charge 2 Charge at Movement x2 and add 1D6 Fury Die to Damage. Get up 1 yard to stand up from Prone, crouched, step into a vehicle or mount atop an Get Up 2 animal. Invokes Opportunity Attack if moving out of Engagement. Maneuver 2 Maneuver 1 yard out of an Engagement, avoiding all Opportunity Attacks. Run at Movement x3, gain +3 Damage Threshold. Invokes Opportunity Attack if moving Run 3 out of Engagement. Take Cover 1 yard away. Gain +3, +6 or +9 Damage Threshold, depending on height of Take Cover 1 cover. Invokes Opportunity Attack if moving out of Engagement. Walk 1 Walk at Movement x1. Invokes Opportunity Attack if moving out of Engagement.

ATTACK ACTIONS AP Cost Description

Called Shot 2 Make Combat-based Test. Cannot Dodge or Parry the attack. Cast Magick Varies See Grimoire for description. Melee Attack 1 Make Combat-based Test. Foe must Parry or suffer Damage. Make Combat-based Test. Foe must Dodge or Parry with shield, or suffer Damage. Cannot Ranged Attack 1 be Engaged by enemies to make Ranged Attack unless Gunpowder weapon. PERILOUS STUNTS AP Cost Description Make Athletics Test. Foe must Resist Athletics or Choked. Suffer 1D10+BB Peril Chokehold 1 immediately, and on your Turns when maintained, until Resisted. Make Guile Test. Foe must Resist Awareness or Blinded. Cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Dirty Tricks 1 Parry until their next Turn. Make Coordination Test. Foe must Resist Coordination or Disarmed. Lose weapon and Disarm 1 cannot use primary hand until next Turn. When foes Defenseless or Surprised, make Athletics Test. Foe Knocked Out, left Helpless Knockout! 1 for (BB) Turns. Splinter Shield 1 Make Combat-based Skill Test. Foe must Resist Toughness or shield is Ruined. Make Athletics Test. Foe must Resist Toughness, or Stunned. Start with 1 less AP until Stunning Blow 1 Resist. Make Coordination Test. Foe must Resist Coordination, or Prone. Attacks gain 1D6 Fury Takedown 1 Die. SPECIAL ACTIONS AP Cost Description

Channel Power 1 You can attempt to increase your chances for success to Cast Magick during combat. Make Leadership Test, # of allies equal to (FB) adds +1 Damage and Peril Threshold. Use Inspiring Words 1 once in combat only. Make Intimidate Test, # foes equal to (FB) suffer -1 Damage and Peril Threshold. Use once Litany of Hatred 1 in combat only. Load Varies Load a ranged weapon. Spend 1 AP for +10 Base Chance to your next Attack Action or Perilous Stunt this Turn. If Take Aim 1 or 2 you spend 2 AP, +20 Base Chance instead. Wait until later to use your Action Points, but displace yourself elsewhere on the Initiative Wait 0 Ladder. REACTIONS AP Cost Description

Counterspell 1 Make an Incantation Test. Dispels Magick immediately Dodge 1 Make Coordination Test to Dodge ranged weapons for 1 AP deficit. Avoids all Damage. Opportunity Attack 0 Make melee attack in specific situations, foe left Defenseless. Make Combat-based Skill Test to Parry melee weapons for 1 AP deficit. Avoids all Parry 1 Damage. Resist 0 Resist the effects of Perilous Stunts and Special Actions. 214 MOVEMENT ACTIONS PROVOKING MULTIPLE Movement Actions are used whenever a Character needs OPPORTUNITY ATTACKS to jockey for position, bridge the gap between their foes or You will note that some Movement Actions pro- tactically move between opponent’s swings to evade their at- voke Opportunity Attacks. Additionally, some Tal- tacks of opportunity: ents or Traits may allow attackers to make Oppor- tunity Attacks. Should a Character ever provoke CHARGE multiple Opportunity Attacks from attackers with You build up speed, using momentum to punch through an action, only one attacker may take advantage your enemy’s defenses. of it. For instance, if a Character uses Walk while surrounded by 5 attackers in an Engagement, only Cost: 2 Action Points one attacker may make the Opportunity Attack. Effect: Charge a Distance equal to two times your Move- Generally, the Gamemaster will elect who makes ment. If you move at least three yards and then successfully the Opportunity Attack. strike with a melee weapon on the same Turn, add an ad- ditional 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage results. However, MANEUVER this provokes an Opportunity Attack if you leave an En- gagement. You break away from combat, disengaging from your ene- mies while zig-zagging between them.

WHAT IS AN ENGAGEMENT? Cost: 2 Action Points Sometimes you’ll see the term “Engagement” or “Engaged” referenced at specific times in this Effect: Maneuver a Distance of 1 yard to get out of an En- chapter. The term has broad application, but should gagement, allowing you to avoid Opportunity Attacks. be applied very loosely. Inherently, an Engagement is when two or more Characters stand toe-to-toe RUN against one another. They’re standing less than You sprint at a fast pace, making it more difficult for your 1 yard of each other, close enough to strike with enemies to target you. most melee weapons. However, many foes may be standing Engaged with one another. Typically, an Cost: 3 Action Points Engagement consists of no more than nine people. Effect:Run a Distance equal to three times your Movement. The Gamemaster may wish to further define what As a result, add 3 to your Damage Threshold until the begin- it means to be within an Engagement at their own ning of your next Turn. However, this provokes an Opportu- option. If using miniatures and a gridded map, an nity Attack if you leave an Engagement. Engagement is whenever each combatant stands in an adjacent square or hex on the map that touches. At the end of a Run action, with a successful Athletics Test, you may jump horizontally one yard for every 3 points of GET UP Brawn Bonus (BB) or leap vertically one yard for every 6 points of Brawn Bonus (BB). You saddle up on your mount, get into a vehicle, pull an ally up to their feet you’re standing next to up or get up from lying on the ground. Leopold Coventry has a Brawn Bonus (BB) of 13. This means he can jump four yards horizontally or leap two Cost: 2 Action Points yards vertically after Running.

Effect: Get up at a Distance of 1 yard to stand up from the ground from a Prone or crouched position, get into a carriage TAKE COVER or mount atop an animal. If you have at least one Skill Rank You move behind cover, placing a barrier between you and in Coordination, you can Get Up for 1 Action Point instead. your foes. This may grant you safety, and a barrier from which However, this provokes an Opportunity Attack if you leave to attack behind. an Engagement. Cost: 1 Action Point

Effect: Take Cover a Distance of 1 yard to a waist-high wall or higher. The barrier or cover must come up to your mid-section and be made of wood, stone or metal to grant 215 ample protection. Trees, a cart or low stone walls would qual- Leopold Coventry wishes to sneak towards the enemy. ify, but shrubs or thick grasses would not. If behind low cover Using the terrain, he asks the Gamemaster if his enemies (such as a crate or barrel), add 3 to your Damage Threshold are distracted enough to use his Stealth Skill. His Skill when struck by ranged weapons. If behind medium cover Test is (Hard -20%), and he succeeds the Skill Test. He (such as a waist-high stone wall), add 6 to your Damage then Walks, costing him 2 AP as sneaking is a rider onto Threshold when struck by ranged weapons. If behind high any Movement Action. With one Action Point left, he cover (such as a tall pillar), add 9 to your Damage Threshold banks it in case he needs to Parry or Dodge. when struck by ranged weapons. It behind cover that breaks the line of visibility, you cannot be targeted by ranged weap- A few moments later, Leopold’s Turn comes up again. ons. The Gamemaster will always determine how low or high Since he had already made his Stealth Test successfully, the cover is for these purposes. However, this provokes an he Takes Cover again, but it costs him 2 AP as sneaking Opportunity Attack if you leave an Engagement. is a rider for all Movement Actions until he no longer wishes to sneak around. WALK You hustle forward without fatiguing yourself. It is not necessary to track these on a Character Sheet, but you can derive these other types of Movement below. Natu- Cost: 1 Action Point rally, if Characters are suffering Overage, these other types of Movement are penalized the same. Effect: Walk a Distance equal to your Movement in yards. However, this provokes an Opportunity Attack if you leave  1 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while climbing, sneaking or an Engagement. swimming  3 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while rowing a boat upstream You may also crawl on hands and knees. In these cases, you  3 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while driving a cart or wagon crawl a number of yards equal to your Agility Bonus (AB),  minus any Overage you are suffering from. 6 + rawn Bonus (BB) while driving by coach  9 + Agility Bonus (AB) while flying MOVEMENT IN HARD TERRAIN  9 + Agility Bonus (AB) while riding on horseback  Mud, thick bushes, tangled undergrowth, creek beds, snow- 12 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while rowing a boat down- stream fall, icy lakes and clutter within interior spaces can create  additional challenges during combat. Characters cannot 15 + Agility Bonus (AB) while piloting a ship in Charge, Maneuver or Run through Hard Terrain. calm waters MOVEMENT SUBTYPES There are other Subtypes of Movement, such as climbing, ATTACK ACTIONS driving, riding, rowing, sneaking and swimming. These other Attack Actions are used whenever a Character needs to van- types of Movement Actions act as “riders”, pairing on top quish their enemies using melee and ranged weapons. other Movement Actions and increase the Action Point cost Once you’ve attempted an Attack Action, whether successful by 1 (although the Gamemaster has the final say). For in- or not, you cannot use any other Attack Actions until your stance, if you intend to Charge while sneaking, it costs 3 Ac- next Turn. tion Points instead of 2. In order to use a Movement Subtype, make a relevant Skill CALLED SHOT Test (Stealth to sneak, Ride to ride your horse, etc…) with Lining up the perfect attack, you attempt to debilitate your a Difficulty Rating set by the Gamemaster. Once you suc- enemy in some capacity with your blade or a carefully-placed ceed, you need not continue making the Skill Test every Turn arrow. thereafter, unless the circumstances change. For instance, if you were sneaking and walked out into the open, discovered Cost: 1 Action Point by your enemies, you would need to roll another Stealth Test. Effect: Taking careful aim, you intend to target either the These exceptions are handled by the Gamemaster. arms, body, head or legs of a foe with a relevant Com- bat-based Skill Test. The Difficulty Rating is dictated by the Gamemaster. After successfully striking, reference your Combat Bonus (CB) and add a 1D6 Fury Die to determine Total Damage.

216 A foe cannot Dodge or Parry a Called Shot. You cannot RANGED ATTACK make a Called Shot with a melee weapon outside of an Lining up a shot, you target the chinks in their armor with Engagement with foes, unless using a melee weapon with a ranged shot. the Reach Quality. You cannot make a Called Shot with a ranged weapon while in an Engagement with foes, unless Cost: 1 Action Point using a ranged weapon with the Gunpowder Quality. Final- ly, your ranged weapon must be loaded with ammunition to Effect: When at Distance with a foe, make a relevant Com- make a Called Shot. bat-based Skill Test, referencing the Skill required to use your ranged weapon. After successfully striking, reference CAST MAGICK your Combat Bonus (CB) and add a 1D6 Fury Die to deter- Summoning powers beyond most kith, you draw forth raw mine Total Damage. and formless ethereal energies to take shape. A foe can attempt to Dodge your Ranged Attack, or Parry it Cost: Varies with a shield. You cannot make a Ranged Attack while in an Engagement with foes, unless using a weapon with the Gun- Effect:Make an Incantation Test. Specific Magick spells, and powder Quality. Finally, your weapon must be loaded with their limitations, are covered in Chapter 10: Grimoire. Cast- ammunition to make a Ranged Attack. ing Petty Magick requires 1 Action Point, Lesser Magicks 2 ATTACKING LARGER FOES Action Points and Greater Magicks 3 Action Points. Some attacks may suffer additional penalties to attack or You must have one hand free, be able to see, have the nec- wrangle foes larger than an attacker. For instance, it may essary reagents on-hand and able to speak in order to Cast prove incredibly difficult to Chokehold a Troll if a measly Magick. Dwarf or easier to make a Melee Attack against a creature larger than a barn door. In these situations, the Gamemaster MELEE ATTACK will change the Difficulty Rating based on factors that may You focus your precision and might behind a series of strikes influence the outcome. to slay your enemies. HELPLESS FOES Cost: 1 Action Point Any time a Character is asleep, unconscious, pinned beneath a heavy object, shackled or otherwise unable to escape on Effect: When Engaged with a foe, make a relevant Com- their own accord, they are rendered Helpless. When a foe bat-based Skill Test, referencing the Skill required to use is Helpless, they are also Defenseless. Additionally, you do your melee weapon. After successfully striking, reference not have to roll to strike a Helpless foe, instead immediately your Combat Bonus (CB) and add a 1D6 Fury Die to deter- slaying them with any blow. mine Total Damage. OVERWHELMING FOES A foe can attempt to Parry your Melee Attack. You cannot make a Melee Attack outside of an Engagement with foes, In most cases, numbers generally prevail. Whenever attackers unless using a weapon with the Reach Quality. outnumber a foe 3:1 or more in an Engagement, add a 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage results made with melee weapons.

MULTI-ATTTACKS? The Gamemaster may make exceptions to this rule (such as In ZWEIHÄNDER, fights are abstracted to a facing foes which are significantly taller or larger than the great degree. Rolling to strike and dealing Damage attackers), and may even adjust the Difficulty Rating into has been carefully balanced, designed to be swift the attacker’s favor. and merciless. Because of this, multiple attack rolls on the same Turn are not a consideration of the SWAPPING WEAPONS system, even if you are wielding two melee weap- You may draw any weapon either from your own body, grasp ons. However, some Professions or Talents may a weapon you dropped at your feet, swap weapons at your allow you to take advantage of two weapon fighting side, give a weapon to an ally or even take one from an ally. in different ways. Chapter 10: Game Mastery also This requires no additional Action Point expenditure what- presents alternative options for those Game Mas- soever, but must occur at the beginning of your Turn. Swap- ters who allow multiple attacks in their game. ping multiple weapons around requires the expenditure of 1 Action Point each time you re-draw a weapon.

217 PERILOUS STUNTS DISARM Perilous Stunts qualify Actions that are above the fold of With a weapon in-hand, you try to deprive your enemy of standard options. They lend an opportunity for Characters their only means of offense. to shine in a cinematic way, inflicting crippling conditions Cost: 1 Action Point on their foes. Some Talents, Traits and and weapon Qualities may allow you to trigger them in unique ways. Effect: When Engaged with a foe, make a Coordination Test. If successful, your foe may attempt to Resist by mak- Perilous Stunts cannot be Dodged or Parried, only Resist- ing a successful Coordination Test or be made temporarily ed. Finally, once you’ve attempted a Perilous Stunt, whether Disarmed. successful or not, you cannot use any other Perilous Stunts until your next Turn. While Disarmed, your foe loses a weapon from either their primary hand or off-hand, thrown 3 yards away. Ad- CHOKEHOLD ditionally, your foe cannot use that hand until the begin- You tighten the grip around your enemy’s neck, restricting ning of their next Turn. their ability to breath. KNOCKOUT! Cost: 1 Action Point Using a sap or a square punch to the jaw, you try rendering Effect: When Engaged with a foe, make an Athletics Test. one enemy unconscious. If successful, your foe may attempt to Resist by making a Cost: 1 Action Point successful Athletics Test or be made Choked. Effect:When Engaged with a foe, make an Athletics Test. If While Choked, your foe suffers 1D10 + your Brawn Bonus successful, your foe is immediately made Helpless. (BB) in physical Peril, and at the start of each of your Turns if you maintain the Chokehold. If the foe drops to Incapac- While Helpless, your foe immediately fall to the ground un- itated!, they fall unconscious for a number of Turns equal to conscious for a number of Turns equal to your Brawn Bonus your Brawn Bonus (BB). It costs 3 Action Points to maintain (BB). Additionally, they immediately reduce their Peril Con- a Chokehold, requiring no additional Skill Tests to do as such. dition Track to Incapacitated!. Helpless foes can be instantly Your Choked foe cannot use any Actions, but may attempt to Slain! with any weapon for 1 additional Action Point. Resist again at the beginning of their Turn to escape. Only foes who are Defenseless or Helpless can be made You cannot use any other Actions while you maintain a victim to Knockout!. However, unique Talents or Traits Chokehold. However, you may release a Chokehold at any may allow an attacker to use this in other circumstances. time. If your Damage Condition Track drops one or more steps while you have a foe in a Chokehold, you immediately SPLINTER SHIELD relinquish your hold. Putting everything you have into it, you attempt to break and shatter shields. DIRTY TRICKS Cost: 1 Action Point With a handful of sand, you throw it into your opponent’s eyes to temporarily blind them. Effect: When Engaged with a foe, make a Combat-based Skill Test, referencing the weapon you have in-hand. If suc- Cost: 1 Action Point cessful, your foe may attempt to Resist by making a success- Effect:When Engaged with a foe, make a Guile Test. If suc- ful Toughness Test or have their shield Ruined!. cessful, your foe must Resist by making a successful Aware- While Ruined!, your foe’s shield cannot be used to Parry ness Test or be made temporarily Blinded. melee or ranged weapons until repaired. Shields which are While temporarily Blinded, your foe cannot Counterspell, Castle-forged cannot be Ruined! in this manner. Dodge or Parry until the beginning of their next Turn. You can only Splinter Shield when wielding a two-hand- You can only use Dirty Tricks if you have a handful of sand, ed melee weapon or melee weapon with the Adaptable silt, dirt or something else to confuse your foe. Quality.

218 STUNNING BLOW INSPIRING WORDS With a kidney punch or a solid bludgeoning instrument, you You rally the morale of a comrade with a stirring speech. try to stun your enemy. Cost: 1 Action Point Cost: 1 Action Point Effect: Once during combat, you may attempt a Leadership Effect: When Engaged with a foe, make an Athletics Test. Test. Depending on where you’re at on the Damage Con- If successful, your foe may attempt to Resist by making a dition Track, the Difficulty Rating of the Leadership Test successful Toughness Test or be Stunned. worsens:

While Stunned, your foe begins their Turn with 1 less Ac-  Unharmed: (Easy +20%) Leadership Test tion Point until they successfully Resist at the beginning of  Lightly Wounded: (Routine +10%) Leadership Test their Turn to escape. A foe can only be made victim to this  Moderately Wounded: (Standard +/-0%) Leader- condition once, unable to be Stunned until they have no Ac- ship Test tion Points left.  Seriously Wounded: (Challenging -10%) Leader- ship Test TAKEDOWN  Grievously Wounded: (Hard -20%) Leadership Test You lurch forward to try dropping your foe to the ground If successful, a number of allies equal to your Fellowship Bo- with a throw or kicking their feet out from underneath them. nus (FB) who can clearly see and hear you are immediately Inspired. While Inspired, allies temporarily add +1 to their Cost: 1 Action Point Damage and Peril Thresholds. If your Leadership Test is a Effect: When Engaged with a foe, make a Coordination Critical Success, allies gain the benefits above and restore Test. If successful, your foe may attempt to Resist by mak- their Peril Condition Track positively by one step. Allies gain ing a successful Coordination Test or be made temporarily this benefit until the end of combat, or until subjected to a Prone. Litany of Hatred or made victim to Stress, Fear or Terror. Finally, allies can only be made subject to Inspiring Words While Prone, your foe drops to the ground until they Get once during combat. Up. Additionally, attackers add 1D6 Fury Die to Total Dam- age results they deal to a Prone foe. You cannot use Inspiring Words if you are under the effects of Stress, Fear or Terror.

SPECIAL ACTIONS LITANY OF HATRED Special Actions are used to complete miscellaneous Actions You break the morale of your enemy by spouting a litany of that do not hinge on actually moving or attacking. Interact- hatred, intimidating them. ing within the environment, shaking off the effects of Com- bat conditions and boosting the morale of allies constitute Cost: 1 Action Point these sort of Actions: Effect:Once during combat, you may attempt an Intimidate Test. Depending on where you’re at on the Damage Con- CHANNEL POWER dition Track, the Difficulty Rating of the Intimidate Test Drawing deeper from the Aethereal Veil, you create a tem- worsens: porary tear through reality to boost your Magickal power.  Unharmed: (Easy +20%) Intimidate Test Cost: 1 Action Point  Lightly Wounded: (Routine +10%) Intimidate Test  Moderately Wounded: (Standard +/-0%) Intimi- Effect: After the Difficulty Rating is called out by the Gam- date Test emaster, you may attempt to draw in more power from the  Seriously Wounded: (Challenging -10%) Intimi- Aethereal Veil to boost your ability to cast that Magick suc- date Test cessfully. You must have one hand free, be able to see, have  Grievously Wounded: (Hard -20%) Intimidate Test your Arcane Tome or Prayer Book in-hand and able to speak in order to Channel Power. Other limitations are covered in If successful, a number of foes equal to your Fellowship Bo- Chapter 10: Grimoire. nus (FB) who can clearly see and hear you are immediately Intimidated. While Intimidated, foes temporarily suffer a -1 to their Damage and Peril Thresholds. If your Intimidate 219 Test is a Critical Success, foes also move one step negatively later while holding your Action Points in reserve. You must down the Peril Condition Track. Foes suffer this penalty un- act before your next Turn comes up in the Initiative Ladder; til the end of combat, or until Inspired with Inspiring Words. otherwise, you are no longer Waiting. Once you’ve acted, as- Finally, foes can only be made subject to a Litany of Hatred sume a new position within the Initiative Ladder. once during combat. You cannot Wait to take two Turns back to back. You must You cannot use a Litany of Hatred if you are under the ef- use your Turn - or lose it - before your next Turn comes fects of Stress, Fear or Terror. around in the Initiative Ladder. USING OTHER SKILLS INTIMIDATION OF CREATURES While the Actions in Combat are comprehensive, you can use In some cases, this can also be used against crea- Skills in other creative ways, outside the fold of Actions in Com- tures to cause them to flee. The effect of creatures bat as presented in the aforementioned examples. Once you’ve yielding before you vary, left to the Gamemaster described what you wish to do, the Gamemaster will assign any- to interpret. You could potentially scatter a pack of where from 0 to 3 Action Points to commit to the action. rats by stomping around wildly, swing lit torches towards a pack of wolves to cause them to cower, make loud noises to overawe a bear, chase away REACTIONS small animals by flapping your arms, smack a dog Reactions are always used by Characters as a response to firmly on the nose or even raise a symbol of your their enemy’s attacks and movement or defending them- faith, causing Supernatural creatures to recoil and selves against the onslaught. turn away. COUNTERSPELL LOAD As you witness Aethereal energies coalesce into reality, you With haste, you prepare another shot draw forth from the Aethereal Veil to counteract a Magick spell’s effect. Cost: Varies Cost: 1 Action Point Effect: Before you fire a ranged weapon that is unloaded, you must Load it with ammunition. Spend the requisite Effect: Instead of Resisting a Magickal effect, you can at- amount of Action Points to Load, as indicated within the tempt to Counterspell to entirely dispel it. Limitations are ranged weapon’s listing in Chapter 7: Trappings. However, covered in Chapter 10: Grimoire. you must have both hands free to Load a weapon and cannot Load a weapon while Engaged with a foe. DODGE Using quick reflexes or out of desperation for lack of pro- TAKE AIM tection, you attempt to entirely avoid an oncoming attack by Taking careful aim, you prepare to unleash an accurate shot! ducking out of the way.

Cost: 1 or 2 Action Points Cost: 1 Action Point

Effect: Spend 1 Action Point to gain a +10 Base Chance Effect: Whenever you are successfully struck by a ranged to your next Attack Action or Perilous Stunt on this Turn. weapon but before Damage is determined, attempt a Co- If you spend 2 Action Points, you gain a +20 Base Chance ordination Test. Your Test’s Difficulty Rating receives either instead. a penalty or a bonus, based on the Difficulty Rating of your foe’s attack. It is always the opposite bonus or penalty. This You cannot Take Aim to Cast Magick under any circum- means if your foe’s attack has a Difficulty Rating of (Rou- stances. tine +10%), your Difficulty Rating to Dodge is (Challenging -10%). WAIT You position yourself into a watchful position, waiting for If successful, you avoid all Damage. More details on Dodg- condition to play out during a fight. ing can be found further in this chapter.

Cost: 0 Action Points You cannot Dodge when left Defenseless or Helpless. Final- ly, you cannot Dodge the effects of Perilous Stunts. Effect: Whenever you Wait, you opt to hold to take a Turn 220 OPPORTUNITY ATTACK may attempt to Resist once as your Turn starts. If successful, you recover from negative effects. If unsuccessful, you may You lash out with a disruptive attack against an exposed foe. attempt to Resist on your next Turn once again. However, if Cost: 0 Action Points you are suffering from multiple conditions, you must attempt to Resist each of them individually. Effect:In specific situations (such as a foe moving away from you when Engaged in combat with them), make a free Me- You cannot Resist when left Defenseless or Helpless. lee Attack without spending Action Points. Your foe cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry this attack. Leopold Coventry is struck by a Stunning Blow. He fails to Resist, so upon his next Turn he starts with 2 Action You cannot make Opportunity Attacks when left Defense- Points. At the beginning of that Turn, he fails to Resist less, Helpless, on the ground Prone, while concentrating on again, continuing to suffer from a Stunning Blow. At Magick or with ranged weapons. Note that if you are not the beginning of his next Turn, he successfully Resists, already armed with a weapon, you cannot draw one in order recovering from Stunning Blow and now has 3 Action to make an Opportunity Attack. Points to use. PARRY Cost: 1 Action Point PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER Below is an example of the way combat may play out. Gam- Effect: Whenever you are successfully struck by a melee emasters and players can use this as a quick reference to un- weapon but before Damage is determined, make a relevant derstand how to pull together the basics of a fight. Colorful Combat-based Skill Test, referencing the Skill required to descriptions were omitted on purpose, so that the focus is use your melee weapon. Your Test’s Difficulty Rating re- purely on the raw mechanics of Actions in Combat: ceives either a penalty or a bonus, based on the Difficulty Rating of your foe’s attack. It is always the opposite bonus  It is Danziger Eckhardt’s Turn in the Initiative Lad- or penalty. This means if your foe’s attack has a Difficulty der. He wants to position himself a bit closer to the Rating of (Hard -20%), your Difficulty Rating to Dodge is Guttersnipe to attack. Danziger jogs forward with (Easy +20%). Walk (1 AP). At the end of the Walk, he Takes Aim (1 AP) and then swings his mortuary sword with a If successful, you avoid all Damage. More details on Parrying Melee Attack (1 AP). It reduces the Guttersnipe’s can be found further in this chapter. Damage Condition Track to Slain! It’s now the end You cannot Parry when left Defenseless or Helpless. How- of Danziger’s Turn.  ever, if you’re armed with a shield or weapon possessing It’s now Patches’ Turn in the Initiative Ladder. the Protective Quality, you can Parry ranged-based Attack He needs to disengage from combat, as Patches is Actions and Perilous Stunts. Finally, you cannot Parry the wounded pretty badly and surrounded. He Maneu- effects of Perilous Stunts. Note that if you are not already vers (2 AP), avoiding an Opportunity Attack the armed with a weapon, you cannot draw one in order to Parry Thug could have made, and banks his last Action an attack. Point. It’s now the end of his Turn.  The Gamemaster is controlling the Bounty Hunter. RESIST She decides to Load a hunting bow for (1 AP) and then attack with a Called Shot (2 AP), missing Ed- You attempt to withstand the effects of a Perilous Stunt, win Mortani. It’s now the end of the Bounty Hunt- casted Magick or other effect. er’s Turn.  Cost: 0 Action Points Edwin Mortani’s Turn is up in the Initiative Lad- der. He storms towards the Bounty Hunter with a Effect: Whenever you are made victim to Perilous Stunts, Charge (2 AP), terminating with a Melee Attack Magick or other Talents and Traits that require a defender (1 AP). Edwin unfortunately rolls a Critical Failure to withstand a special condition, make a relevant Skill Test, with his Melee Attack. Edwin’s Turn immediately referencing the Skill indicated necessary to withstand the ef- ends. fects. If successful, you nullify the results entirely. If failed,  It’s the Gamemaster’s Turn with a new Character - a you suffer them in kind (as per the description). Cutthroat. She’s been hidden the entire time, unno- ticed by all. The assassin leaps out from behind a ta- In cases where your Turn starts and currently suffering from ble, lunging out at Danziger Eckhardt with a Called the effects of a Perilous Stunt (such as being Choked), you Shot (2 AP). The Cutthroat ends her Turn, and the 221 Gamemaster updates the Initiative Ladder with the A COMPLETE GUIDE Cutthroat at 18.  The Raging Fire continues to rage, slowly creeping TO ATTACKING up the supporting beams on the bottom floor of the This covers the most common Action you’ll take during Tramp’s Loft. The Gamemaster updates the Initiative combat - the attack. Whenever a Character is armed with a Ladder with one hash mark beside the number (ex. melee or ranged weapon, the ability to strike and the Dam- Raging Fire - 19 X). This indicates that there’s some age dealt is determined the same way. There are seven sim- sort of time constraint, or something will eventually ple principles to resolving an Attack Action which results in unfold should the fire be left unchecked. The Raging Damage: Fire’s Turn is now over.   Step I: Which Weapon? The Guttersnipe was killed earlier by Danziger Eck-  hardt. In his dying breath, he curses Danziger and Step II: Total Chance For Success  Step III: Make The Attack keels over dead. The Gamemaster removes the Gut-  tersnipe entirely from the Initiative Ladder. Step IV: Enemy Defends   Step V: Roll Damage Leopold Coventry’s Turn comes up in the Initiative  Ladder. He draws a throwing knife, propelling it at Step VI: Determine Damage Condition  the Cutthroat with a Ranged Attack (1 AP). He Step VII: Determine Injuries strikes the Cutthroat, and she attempts to Dodge (1 AP) in response. The Cutthroat fails, but doesn’t suf- STEP I: WHICH WEAPON? fer enough Damage to lower her Damage Condition Track. Leopold’s Turn ends. Whenever a Character wishes to fight, they must first decide  Graf von Bek’s Turn comes up. Knowing that he and what kind of weapon to use and whether their foe is close his allies outnumber their enemies, he gives words enough to strike. Melee weapons are useful for those who of encouragement to Patches with Inspiring Words like to get up close and personal, while ranged weapons serve (1 AP) and succeeds. Graf then Walks (1 AP) and the purposes of more cowardly (or some may wiser) fight- Walks (1 AP) again, ending his Turn. ers. However, there are benefits and drawbacks, no matter  Mercutio Salvatore’s Turn now begins. He feels con- the choice a Character makes when using a weapon. What fident that his friends can take on these ruffians, but fighting style a Character uses is generally reflective of their the fire clearly presents a different sort of challenge. Archetype, Profession or Social Class, taught at a formative He asks the Gamemaster if there are any barrels of age when they first learned to defend themselves against an water in Tramp’s Loft. Unfortunately, there’s noth- unforgiving world. Tutelage from a master swordsman is a rel- ing he can see within the vicinity. Mercutio recalls atively common practice amongst the Aristocracy and War- that it’s raining outside, and proposes to the Game- riors, whereas Knaves and the Lowborn may have taken their master that he wishes to use a Skill outside the fold licks in the streets, fighting with clubs and rocks. No matter of Actions in Combat as presented, describing into the instrument of death, all weapons confer general advantag- detail what he wishes to do. The Gamemaster OKs es and disadvantages, based on the type of weapon. Here are a the request, requiring him to spend (2 AP), and to few general distinctions: make a Coordination Test. Mercutio succeeds! Mer- Unlike Magick, all melee and ranged weapons gain the ben- cutio carefully balances outside onto the window sill, efit of exploding Damage on a face “6”. Anytime you roll for and using his strength, breaks the rain gutter. Water Damage, if it generates a face “6” on the Fury Die, add an ad- begins to pour into Tramp’s Loft, in hopes to douse ditional 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage value. Every time a the flames. His Turn now ends.  Fury Die generates another face 6, it continues to “explode”, It’s now the Gamemaster’s Turn with a Thug. Giv- generating additional 1D6 Fury Dice. Calculate all results ing careful consideration to the devastating blows together to determine Total Damage. Danziger Eckhardt is dealing out, the Thug makes a Called Shot (2 AP) and attempts to Disarm (1 AP)  One-handed melee weapons generally have lower Danziger. Not only is his Disarm attempt success- Damage. However, 2 one-handed weapons may be ful, but he rolls a Critical Success. The Thug snatches held simultaneously, should an attacker wish to be away the sword and tosses it halfway across the room, more flexible with the type of attacks they’re using. directly into the source of the fire. His Turn ends.  One-handed ranged weapons have lower Damage  Initiative begins again with Danziger Eckhardt, un- and poor Distance, but two-handed ranged weapons fortunately left disarmed. generally need to be Loaded between shots but pos- sess supreme Distance rates. 222  Two-handed melee weapons generally deal high- er Damage. Unfortunately, should the weapon be PRIMARY AND OFF-HAND dropped or disarmed, an attacker may be left with- While a favored option of other tabletop role-play- out a way to fight: ing games, using two weapons in combat can be  Two-handed ranged weapons always have the ad- difficult for the Gamemaster to balance. We pre- vantage of Distance, but force an attacker to fight fer a simpler method of application, taking under without a shield. This can be a particularly danger- account the delicate balance of ZWEIHÄNDER’S ous prospect, since they are unable to take advantage game mechanics. of a shield’s defense against ranged-based attacks You can wield any 2 one-handed weapons in combat. for Parrying. However, two-handed ranged weapons However, indicate on your Character Sheet under deal better Damage when they strike true. Background what your primary hand is. When  Ranged weapons cannot be used for purposes of attacking with a weapon held in your off-hand, you Opportunity Attacks. flip the results to fail with Attack Actions. However,  Ranged weapons with the Gunpowder Quality deal you provoke no penalties to Parry in these cases if out high Damage and can be used while Engaged employing a shield. Should you possess the Ambi- with foes. Furthermore, foes cannot Parry them but dexterity Talent, you suffer no penalties to use your may Dodge them. However, they are notoriously off-hand in combat whatsoever, using either weapon volatile should an attacker generate a Critical Fail- with equal finesse. ure.  Shields allow you to Parry ranged weapons. They RANGED WEAPONS also can be used as an improvised weapon. With Nothing like the “plunk!” of lead shot blasting through plate some shields, they add to your Base Chance to Par- armor is more satisfying to the ear, save perhaps the resound- ry or provide a bonus to your Damage Threshold. ing hum of an arrow as it shivers within the target’s breast- However, when used with another one-handed me- plate. Thrown axes, drawn bows and cranequin-driven cross- lee weapon, the amount of Damage an attacker can bows can be incredibly deadly, albeit taking time to reload deal pales in comparison with an attacker armed between shots. with a two-handed melee weapon.  Some weapons, like fighting bare-handed, using a With a ranged weapon, the attacker will make either a Sim- blackjack, knuckledusters or bullwhip, possess the ple Ranged or Martial Ranged Test, varying by the kind of Pummeling Quality, which references Brawn Bonus weapon their wielding. Akin to melee weapons, the attacker (BB) for Damage instead. must consider the range to their intended target when at- tacking with a ranged weapon. However, ranged weapons MELEE WEAPONS also possess further ranges to strike, called Distance. Dis- From a simple farmer’s tool, to a poisoned dirk, a splitting tance is generally measured by the attacker’s Perception Bo- maul or even a thin rapier, melee weapons are the most nus (PB), modified by the ranged weapon they’re using. It common stock of hand weapons. They’re typically cheap to reflects the number of yards an attacker can accurately target purchase, easy to use and reliable even under the worst of a foe with their weapon: conditions.  Short Distance is the minimum range an attacker With a melee weapon, the attacker will make either a Sim- may stand without suffering additional penalty to ple Melee or Martial Melee Test, depending on the type of their attack. This mean there is a bare minimum of weapon they’re armed with. For most melee weapons, the at- 1 yard between the attacker and the intended tar- tacker must be Engaged, otherwise standing next to their in- get. Each ranged weapon has a Short Distance tied tended target, in order to attack. While most melee weapons to it within Chapter 7: Trappings. While at Short can only be used while Engaged, some may used to attack Distance, the attacker does not suffer any additional foes outside of an Engagement, up to 1 yard away. penalties to their attack roll.  Medium Distance is the sum of Short Distance, multiplied by two. This means an attacker can stand even further away from their intended target and fire effectively. While at Medium Distance, the Difficul- ty Rating becomes worse by one step on the Diffi- culty Rating Chart. This is dictated by the Game- master. 223  Long Distance is the sum of Short Distance, multi- on the end of your blade. Violence, while a very real threat, plied by three. At this range, firing a ranged weapon should not overshadow the more gentlemanly ways to settle can be considerably difficult. While at Long Dis- a score. This style of fighting is an excellent way to take down tance, the Difficulty Rating becomes worse by two an enemy without having to resort to a fight to the death. steps on the Difficulty Rating Chart. This is dictated When Engaged in a fistfight, there are a few important rules by the Gamemaster. Characters should consider: EXTREME DISTANCE Fists, head butts and kicks function as a bare-handed weapon, Distances for ranged weapons outside of Long Distance as indicated in Chapter 7: Trappings. Note that bare-hand- bears little use. At such ranges, a weapon cannot add its ed attacks never cause others to Bleed. inherent 1D6 Fury Die to Damage. Maximum yardage in STEP II: TOTAL CHANCE these cases is never in excess of four times the Short Dis- tance of a weapon. FOR SUCCESS There are several key factors that may influence a Charac- Although distance is always factor, there may be other rea- ter’s ability to successfully strike a foe with their attacks or sons why the Gamemaster may make a ranged weapons’ at- evade their incoming blows. Positioning, ambient modifiers tack more challenging. by their abilities and types of Actions can rapidly change the difficulty to strike enemies. These modifiers are resultant Leopold Coventry has an arbalest crossbow, with a dis- of the Actions Characters use and personal conditions they tance of 9 + his Perception Bonus (PB) in yards. As his may be suffering from. Perception Bonus (PB) is 5, this means the crossbow’s Short Distance is 14 yards. He may fire the crossbow BASE CHANCE without the Gamemaster adjusting the Difficulty Rat- Reference first the Combat Primary Attribute, then add ing due to distance anywhere from 1 to 14 yards. Its Me- together total Skill Ranks for the relevant Combat-related dium Distance would be 28 yards (14 x 2). This means Skill in order to determine Base Chance. Depending on the that Leopold can fire the crossbow anywhere from 15 weapon used, it will ultimately influence Base Chance. For to 28 yards with consideration of moving the Difficul- instance, an attacker cannot use the Martial Melee Skill for a ty Rating by one step, solely due to the length between ranged weapon. Additionally, some Talents or Traits may add Leopold’s attack and the foe. Its Long Distance would a bonus to Base Chance. Similarly, an attacker may be suf- be 42 yards (14 x3). As above, this means he can fire his fering from an Injury or lower Peril Condition Track which crossbow anywhere from 29 to 42 yards at a maximum, further penalizes chances of success. and the Gamemaster may make the Difficulty Rating more challenging by moving it two steps worse. The maximum total bonus that can be applied is +30 Base Chance, while the maximum total penalty is -30 Base THROWING WEAPONS & DISTANCES Chance. Should the bonuses or penalties exceed these two There are some ranged weapons which possess the Throwing numbers, they are ignored. Quality. In these cases, these weapons can never be thrown MAKE ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO PERIL further than the Distance listed; they always are at Short Dis- tance, and do not have a Medium or Long Distance value. Whenever you are suffering from Peril, you must take this under consideration whenever the Difficulty Rating for Skill One final note about ranged weapons - if an attacker is Tests are called out. For instance, you may have three total standing next to an enemy, this means they effectively En- Skill Ranks in Simple Melee, but your Peril Condition Track gaged, unable to use a ranged weapon (unless it is a Gun- forces you to ignore two Skill Ranks. Thus, you can only add powder weapon). one Skill Rank to your Base Chance. “UNARMED” ATTACKS Not every fight necessarily has to boil down to outright mur- Leopold Coventry is attempting to make a Melee At- der. Underground pugilist’s clubs sponsored by the aristoc- tack with a rapier. His Combat is 45%, while he has racy, the tried and true tavern brawl, “bridge wars” between three total Skill Ranks in Simple Melee. This results rivaling guilds and sanctioned gladiatorial boxing matches in a 75% Base Chance for success (45 + 10 + 10 + 10). are part and parcel within the context of a believable world However, he is suffering from “Ignore 2 Skill Ranks” There are times when punishing someone for their transgres- on the Peril Condition Track. This means that his Base sions with a solid smack to the jaw or the lashing of a whip Chance is now only 55% (45 + 10). is a better lesson to teach another, rather than spitting them 224 GAMEMASTER ADJUSTS It is a good idea for players to announce the Total Chance DIFFICULTY RATING for success rolling Percentile Dice. The confusion of a fight All Attack Actions have a fixed Difficulty Rating of (Stan- and all of its related modifiers can sometimes confuse even dard +/-0%), but the Gamemaster may change it when the the most level-headed player. The Gamemaster likely won’t situation dictates. These circumstances are always the result announce the Total Chance for success, so it keeps players of outside influence, used by the Gamemaster to either neg- guessing and unaware of their foe’s true capabilities. atively or positively influence the outcome. For instance, should one side outnumber another’s within an Engage- Adding up all the modifiers, Patches’ Total Chance for ment, it plays into their favor. On the same token, should an success is 25% or below. Rolling the dice, he comes up attacker find themselves firing into an Engagement where with a 24 - barely succeeding - but still strikes the Thug. their intended targets stand amongst their own allies, it will If he had rolled a 26% or above, he would have failed. work against them. The Gamemaster will impose these fi- nal bonuses or penalties, and the results of these determine MATCH - CRITICAL SUCCESS! the Total Chance for success the attacker will need to meet. Some attacks allow an attacker to trigger a special effect Should you be the attacker, your Gamemaster will tell you whenever they roll a Critical Success with an Attack Action. the Difficulty Rating. Similarly, your Gamemaster will al- In these cases, Talents, Professional and Racial Traits allow ways announce the Difficulty Rating of their Character’s at- an attacker to incur a mechanical bonus or new effect, covered tacks, adjudicated according to circumstances. in its description. However, not all attackers gain these sort of abilities. In cases where the attacker doesn’t gain a special TOTAL CHANCE FOR SUCCESS effect that triggers on a Match with an attack, they are left Once these personal modifiers have been tallied by the at- Defenseless to it. This means that they cannot Counterspell a tacker, the result determines the Total Chance for success to Magick’s effects, Parry melee Damage, Dodge ranged Dam- strike successfully. age, Resist Perilous Stunts or the effects of Casted Magick. MATCH - CRITICAL FAILURE? Patches is ready to attack. Unfortunately, the Thug is Rolling poorly with an attack has no immediate adverse ef- standing amongst Patches’ friends. This will make it fect. However, should an attacker roll a Critical Failure with particularly difficult to get a shot in, requiring extreme any Attack Action or Perilous Stunt, it causes combat fatigue precision in Action. Should he Critically Fail, Patches from overexertion. They automatically suffer 2D10+2 phys- may strike one of his own allies. The Gamemaster says ical Peril. that Patches’ Difficulty Rating is (Hard -20%). Patches is currently suffering from “One Step Down DR”. This makes his Difficulty Rating (Arduous -30%) instead. STEP IV: ENEMY DEFENDS Defenders in a fight are constantly on the move. They’re ma- STEP III: MAKE THE ATTACK neuvering, side-stepping, bobbing and weaving around, jock- eying for a better position. Should defender be aware and Although it may appear at first glance that combat is iterative ready, they can attempt to turn away an attack. in the game world, it is anything but that. While Turns ad- here to a strict structure, your Character is constantly on the DEFENDING: DODGE & PARRY move - spinning this way to feint an attack, turning that way Should a defender wish to avoid an attack, they may try to to position themselves for a better shot. It’s that one attack, a avoid it by interposing their weapon or shield in front of final shot that makes all the difference as you make a decisive them by Parrying, or duck out of the way by Dodging. Pro- blow, finally rolling the dice. This is where the fun and excite- viding they are not Defenseless or Helpless, a defender has ment of combat comes in, as a good roll can turn the tide of two options: the battle but a poor roll could result in extreme misfortune. Much like other Skill Tests, the attack is resolved using the DODGE RANGED WEAPONS same rules covered back in Chapter 2: How To Play. Whenever a defender is successfully struck by a ranged ROLL TO STRIKE weapon, they may attempt a Coordination Test. The Test’s Difficulty Rating receives either a penalty or a bonus, based Once an attacker has considered what weapon they intend on the Difficulty Rating of the attacker’s Attack Action. It is to use, what the Total Chance is, it’s time to roll Percentile always the opposite bonus or penalty. Dice. Should the result meet the Total Chance for success or result below it, the attack succeeds. Should the result exceed the Total Chance for success, the attack fails. 225 Every Character deals Combat Bonus (CB) in Damage, un- The Thug was instead hit by a ranged weapon, and wish- less their weapon possesses a specific Quality they’d refer- es to Dodge out of the way. However, because the at- ence otherwise. tacker’s Difficulty Rating to attack was (Easy +20%), the Thug’s Difficulty Rating to Dodge is (Hard -20%). After determining Combat Bonus (CB), add a 1D6 Fury Die for the weapon (a property all weapons in ZWEIHÄNDER If successful, the defender avoids all Damage. A defender possess). The sum of Combat Bonus (CB) and derived re- cannot re-attempt to Dodge the same attack they just failed sults of Fury Dice determines Total Damage. to Dodge. A defender cannot Dodge when left Defenseless or Help- Patches successfully strike with his shiv. Patches’ Com- less. Also, they cannot Dodge the effects of Perilous Stunts. bat Bonus (CB) is 3. He rolled a 1D6 Fury Die, result- ing in a face “6”. He now adds 1D6 Fury Die, generating PARRY MELEE ATTACKS another face “6”. He rolls yet another Fury Die, result- Whenever a defender is successfully struck by a melee weap- ing in a face “1”. Patches inflicts 16 Total Damage (3 + on, they make a relevant Combat-based Skill Test, referenc- 6 + 6 + 1). ing the Skill required to use the weapon used to Parry with. The Test’s Difficulty Rating receives either a penalty or a bo- Some weapons may possess a particular Quality which may nus, based on the Difficulty Rating of the attacker’s Attack change the way Damage is calculated. You can reference Action. It is always the opposite bonus or penalty. these differences in Chapter 7: Trappings. The Thug was instead hit by Patches’ melee weapon, and CALCULATE DAMAGE THRESHOLD wishes to Parry. However, because Patches’ Difficulty A defender always takes under consideration their Damage Rating was (Challenging -10%), the Thug’s Difficulty Threshold as they suffer Damage. It is an ambient form of Rating to Parry is (Routine +10%). defense which protects them, regardless if they are aware of being attacks or not. Damage Threshold is a combination of If successful, the defender avoids all Damage. A defender the defender’s armor’s Damage Threshold Modifier and their cannot re-attempt to Parry the same attack they just failed Brawn Bonus (BB). to Parry.

A defender cannot Parry when left Defenseless or Help- The Gamemaster considers the Thug’s Damage Thresh- less. Also, they cannot Parry the effects of Perilous Stunts. old. He’s wearing quilted armor, which has a Damage However, if the defender is armed with a shield that has the Threshold Modifier of 1. He has a Brawn Bonus Bonus Protective Quality, they can Parry attacks made with ranged (BB) of 6. His total Damage Threshold is 7 (1 +6). weapons. Whenever an attacker strikes their target and after Total FINAL CONSIDERATION Damage is considered, the defender must now compare it to The size of a weapon or the form of the attack should be con- their Damage Threshold: sidered whenever a defender attempts to Parry. The Game- EQUAL TO OR BELOW master may rule that Parrying a pole cleaver with a piddly DAMAGE THRESHOLD shiv would warrant an (Arduous -30%) Difficulty Rating to Parry. Similarly, they may rule that a defender gets a better If Total Damage is equal to or below the Damage Thresh- chance to Parry a mortuary sword with a zweihänder, chang- old, nothing happens. The defender is unhurt, and soldiers ing the Difficulty Rating to (Routine +10%). In the case of onwards. Dodge, ducking out of the way from a flurry of arrows may be considerably more difficult than simply moving out of the EXCEEDS DAMAGE THRESHOLD way of a thrown bottle. The Gamemaster will always make Whenever Total Damage is considered, treat it as such for these determinations on a case-by-case basis, changing the purposes of determining Damage Threshold: Difficulty Rating on the fly.  If Total Damage exceeds base Damage Threshold, STEP V: ROLL DAMAGE the defender moves one step down the Damage Condition Track. After you successfully strike and the foe fails to Dodge or Par-  If Total Damage exceeds 6 + Damage Threshold, the ry (or chooses not to defend), it’s time to determine Damage. defender moves two steps down the Damage Con- There are two specific considerations an attacker should make dition Track. when determining how much Total Damage they deal:  If Total Damage exceeds 12 + Damage Threshold, 226 the defender moves three steps down the Damage STEP VII: DETERMINE INJURIES Condition Track. Whenever a defender’s Damage Condition Track drops to  If Total Damage exceeds 18 + their Damage Thresh- Moderately Wounded, Seriously Wounded or Grievously old, the defender is instantly Slain! Wounded, they are at risk of suffering an Injury. In some cases, particular Talents or other Traits may make said Inju- For instance, if Damage Threshold is 7, it can easily be ex- ries more (or less) severe. Note that you are never at risk to pressed as such: 7 (13/19/25). suffer Injuries if you move up the Damage Condition Track; only when you move down the Damage Condition Track. Patches attacks the Thug and succeeds. Patches deals 4 Whenever a Character’s Damage Condition track drops to Damage due to his Combat Bonus (CB). He then rolls Lightly Wounded, there is no risk of Injury. Once the Con- a 1D6 Fury Die, and it results in a face 6. He is then dition Track drops to Moderately Wounded, they must im- awarded a 1D6 Fury Die. Fortune seems to be in his mediately roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is a face “6”, favor, as he rolls yet another face 6 on the second Fury they suffer a Moderate Injury. When the Damage Condition Die! The next Fury Die results in a face 5. Tallying his Track drops to Seriously Wounded, they must immediately results, his Total Damage is 21 (4 + 6 + 6 + 5). roll 2D6 Chaos Dice. If the results show one or more face The Thug’s Damage Threshold is 7. Adding 6 to this “6”, they suffer a Serious Injury. When the Damage Condi- results in 13 (7 + 6), while adding 12 to the Damage tion Track drops to Grievously Wounded, they must imme- Threshold equals 19 (7 + 12). Patches inflicted 21 Dam- diately roll 3D6 Chaos Dice. If the results show one or more age, thus the Thug three steps down the Damage Con- face “6”, they suffer a Grievous Injury, And once they reach dition Track. Quite a blow indeed ... Slain!, they’re dead.

BLEEDING WHEN INJURY OCCURS Whenever you suffer an Injury and are not wearing armor, Every Injury has a specific penalty you’ll incur until you’re you will begin to Bleed. Whenever you Bleed, the count- recuperated and some Injuries can inflict permanent harm. down begins towards death. The Gamemaster will assign or randomly determine which Injury the defender suffers from. This is solely dependant on While Bleeding, you cannot restore your Damage or Per- where they’re at on the Damage Condition Track. Addition- il Condition Tracks. For every Turn (otherwise a minute of ally, player Characters will gain 3 Corruption for Moderate in-game time) a player Character Bleeds, they suffer 1 Cor- Injuries, 6 Corruption for Serious Injuries and 9 Corruption ruption. Should you continue to suffer from blood loss for a for Grievous Injuries. Treatment of Injuries are covered in number of Turns greater than your Brawn Bonus (BB), you Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. immediately bleed out to death, and are Slain!. Further de- tails regarding Bleeding are covered in Chapter 9: Hazards SACRIFICING FATE POINTS & Healing. Gods be damned if you’re going out like that! When facing certain death, you politely tap the shoulder of whatever god STEP VI: DETERMINE (or Abyssal Prince) who watches over you to intervene on DAMAGE CONDITION your behalf. Any time a Character suffers Damage that exceeds their At any point in time when you feel it’s appropriate during a Damage Threshold, the Player or Gamemaster must an- game session - even outside of combat - you may sacrifice 1 nounce to the group where they are on the Damage Con- Fate Point to save yourself from being Slain! or to ignore any dition Track: one Injury. Following the sacrifice, your Gamemaster may simply allow your Character soldier onwards or have them  Unharmed  fall unconscious. They’ll decide what best fits the narrative. Lightly Wounded Remember: Fate Points are a rare commodity, earned when-  Moderately Wounded  ever your Order Rank grows or as a special reward by the Seriously Wounded Gamemaster. Sacrifice them wisely!  Grievously Wounded  Slain!

The closer a Character gets to the bottom of the Damage Condition Track, the riskier things become. Injuries can oc- cur within a specific threat range at the whim of misfortune. And once they reach the bottom, death is their reward. 227 FINAL NOTE ABOUT COMBAT Ask your Gamemaster about the environment you’re fight- Combat in ZWEIHÄNDER game will be exciting, riveting ing in, for opportunities that may pose benefits or drawbacks and brutal. Your Gamemaster will create tense and dramatic during battle. Be open, and remain alert for narrative queues situations, pushing your Characters to the very edge. A vari- the Gamemaster may present. Keeping tabs and paying close ety of dynamic circumstances can rapidly change the battle- attention to these factors can give you circumstantial benefits field conditions, presenting all-new challenges that require and hamper your enemy’s ability to overcome you and your you to use Skill Tests beyond making attacks. You can use allies. them to your advantage, such as leaping behind cover and using it to impede your enemy’s attacks against you. At other times, these conditions can impose incredible difficulty upon all Characters, such as inclement weather rendering ranged weapons useless.

228 CHAPTER 9: HAZARDS & HEALING

haracters in a grim & perilous world are fraught with danger from all sides. Beyond the sword blows of marauders and gunshot of highwaymen, there are other ways to perish. Raging infernos, drugged foods, Cexhaustion, plummeting from upon high and even the poisonous effects of alcohol can whittle down the weary. If it were not for enterprising barber surgeons and apothecaries, the lich yards would be overflowing with the bones of the dead!

Categorized below are several types of natural hazards you will face in a game of ZWEIHÄNDER. They include Disease, Disorder, Extreme Weather, Falling, Fire, Intoxication, Poison, Sleep Deprivation, Starvation and Suffoca- tion. The following outlines these hazards and related effects, along with how to recover both your Peril and Damage Condition Track. Finally, Materia Medica outlines how you can prepare medicines and other dangerous substances at the end of the chapter.

DAMAGE & PERIL PERIL FROM HAZARDS  If Total Peril inflicted exceeds base Peril Thresh- Some hazards inflict Damage or Peril. Unlike in combat, old, they move one step down the Peril Condi- Damage cannot be Dodged or Parried, however it may tion Track.  be allayed in certain cases. Those situations are covered If Total Peril inflicted exceeds 6 + Peril Thresh- below, independent of this universal rule. Whenever old, they move two steps down the Peril Condi- Damage or Peril is considered, treat it as such for pur- tion Track.  poses of determining Damage Threshold: If Total Peril inflicted exceeds 12 + Peril Thresh- old, they move three steps down the Peril Con- dition Track. DAMAGE  If Total Peril inflicted exceeds 18 + Peril Thresh-  If Total Damage inflicted exceeds base Damage old, they are instantly Incapacitated! Threshold, they move one step down the Dam- age Condition Track.  If Total Damage inflicted exceeds 6 + Damage Threshold, they move two steps down the Dam- age Condition Track.  If Total Damage inflicted exceeds 12 + Dam- age Threshold, they move three steps down the Damage Condition Track.  If Total Damage inflicted exceeds 18 + Damage Threshold, they are instantly Slain!

229 DISEASE tures can pass sickness through infected cuts and wounds. Should a wound prove well-enough to Injure a Character, it Death by sickness is a given in a grim & perilous world. An has a chance of passing a disease onwards. The most common outbreak of sickness can sweep across the land, wiping out the disease spread by wounding is Chaotic Rot and Tomb Rot. weak and elderly. Many believe that illness is borne from im- piety, a cruel curse waged upon the people by uncaring Abys- ADDED HARDSHIP sal demons and angry gods. The poor and unwashed beseech priests for benedictions, making petty sacrifices to please the Sometimes, the Gamemaster may adjust the Diffi- gods. The middle class cling to barber surgeons, handing over culty Ratings in this chapter. For instance, depend- whatever riches they have to alleviate themselves from pain. ing on the quality of the tools (or lack thereof), how The rich look to physicians, academically trained to lance sanitary (or flea-ridden) the conditions are where a boils, bleed sores and apply unguents. Universally, physicians procedure will take place (preferably not bleeding are no more effective than barber surgeons when it comes on a donjon’s floor) and whether you were wounded to treating disease. Both produce quacks of all stripes, venal by unclean creatures or rendered in an unsanitary charlatans who are no different than buskers who roam the environment (such as a bog, sewer or midden), it street. The only differences are the lack of funds in the case of may provide additional reasons to make your Heal a barber surgeon or a fancy certificate illustrating to would- Test more difficult. As always, adjudicating Diffi- be patients that their physician may be trusted. Priests sim- culty Ratings is solely the province of the Game- ply believe both camps are apostates, as vivisection is widely master. regarded as bordering on heresy. DISEASE FORMAT SPREAD OF DISEASE Every Disease in ZWEIHÄNDER is represented using Diseases can be spread in several ways. Each Disease has a this format: specific case in how it can pass to a potential victim. While not wholly scientific, they may help give your Character a RESIST frame of reference for when they perceive world (and all its When exposed to a Disease, a Character must initially make superstitious ways) around them: a successful Toughness Test - with the Difficulty Rating in- dicated by the Gamemaster - or else contract its effects. Its INGESTION effects take place almost immediately and lasts over the course Eating befouled foods where a cook’s wounds have wept of its duration. However, if they Critically Fail the Toughness openly into the stew can result in contamination. Even Test, they immediately suffer the effects and gain 3 Corrup- though most adventurers take great pains to keep their food- tion. stuffs from becoming moldy, they can still produce parasitic DURATION illnesses. The most common disease spread through inges- Most diseases have a set period of time their effects remain, tion is Bloody Flux and Filth Fever. until expired. Once the duration is up, the effects go away. However, a rare few have a duration of “until cured”, which MIASMA requires special treatment or circumstances to turn to your Disease can be spread through “night airs”; times of terrible favor. pollution and the stench emitting from rotten trash or burnt EFFECT plague victims. Passing through an area where miasma is Over the duration of the disease, you must account for its present may precipitate Characters being exposed to disease. effects. It will also explicitly instruct you when to reference The most common disease spread by miasma is Grey Plague its effects. and Red Death. TREATMENT The effects of diseases may be lessened in some cases, and TOUCH instructions on how to treat a patient are covered within. Disease can also be spread by contact. Traditionally, it re- While some diseases can undergo treatment, not many can quires the exchange of bodily fluids with the infected. be cured. If you are suffering from multiple Injuries, each However, some diseases are so aggressive that a mere touch must be treated individually. Any disease can immediately be could pass it to others. The most common disease spread by cured after imbibing a rare Magickal cure-all called Wytch- wounding is Orx-molt and Venereal Disease. stone Panacea, which you’ll learn more about in Chapter 11: Grimoire. WOUNDING The fetid and filthy claws of ghouls and other disgusting crea- 230 BLOODY FLUX FILTH FEVER Blood in your feces, dehydration, general weakness and in- A terribly disgusting disease, it quickly debilitates those who ability to focus are symptomatic of the Bloody Flux. Your are exposed to it. Wading through a midden or traipsing stool becomes watery, causing your bowels to cramp in a most through bogs and sewers can expose would-be adventurers uncomfortable manner. Living within the squalid quarters of to Filth Fever. It inhibits the body’s ability to recover appro- the city and amongst soldiers’ camps causes this uncomfort- priately and mental fortitude to grow more severe. able Disease to spread from person to person. Blood sausag- es, spicy foods and eel pies are oftentimes prescribed to ward Resist: (Routine +10%) Toughness Test away its effects, along with a makeshift diaper to plug up Duration: 1D10+1 days your bunghole. Effect: Over the duration, you cannot recover your Peril Resist: (Trivial +30%) Toughness Test Condition Track whatsoever that day.

Duration: 1D10+1 days Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, a caregiver Effect: Over the duration, you awaken each day suffering must have a Skill Rank in Heal, a dose of mandrake root 2D10+2 physical Peril. and a bandage (both of which are expended) and be left un- interrupted for at least one hour. If they succeed a (Routine Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, you must use +10%) Heal Test, you do not suffer the effects for the follow- a bottle of rotgut and a bandage (both of which are expend- ing day. You may only be treated in this manner once every ed), and be left uninterrupted for at least one hour. If you 24 hours, no matter whether it is successful or not. succeed a (Trivial +30%) Toughness Test, you do not suffer the effects for the following day. You may only be treated in GREY PLAGUE this manner once every 24 hours, no matter whether it is Sometimes also referred to as “greyscale”, the Grey Plague is successful or not. a relentless disease. It tends to take hold over those who live in damp conditions, affecting the very young or very old. The CHAOTIC ROT afflicted exhibit oddities upon their flesh, hardening their skin A terrible pox, the Chaotic Rot is inflicted upon innocent like thin scales - thus its namesake. It leaves limbs dead and souls indiscriminately. It is considered to be one of the Abyssal atrophied, causes feverish episodes periodically and even mo- Prince of Decay’s greatest works, a terrible contagion spread ments of epilepsy before limbs must be removed. For all of its by powerfully malign mutants. Characterised by bouts of for- victims, it is a death sentence - albeit a slow, painful one. Cow- getfulness that leads to total memory loss, this ailment slowly bells and personal clappers are often forced upon its victims, to rots the brain from the inside out. It is the most rapacious of warn others of their dire illness. all diseases, one that not only eats the brain but also eats at the soul. As the disease takes hold, the afflicted may attempt to Resist: (Challenging -10%) Toughness Test take their own lives to end the pain, or seek succor from dark Duration: Until cured gods to lift this terrible sickness from them. Those who follow such a corrupted path risk a fate far worse than death. Effect: Over the duration, you permanently lose 3% Agility every week. Resist: (Arduous -30%) Toughness Test Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, a caregiver Duration: Until cured must have a Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, Effect: Over the duration, you permanently lose one Skill a vial of holy water and a bandage (both of which are expend- Rank in any Skill of the Gamemaster’s choice every week. ed) and be left uninterrupted for at least one hour. If they Should you ever lose all of your Skill Ranks, your Character succeed a (Challenging -10%) Heal Test, you do not suffer must be retired. the effects for the following week. You may only be treated in this manner once every 24 hours, no matter whether it is Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, you must successful or not. undergo psychosurgery once a week. Psychosurgery is fully covered later in this chapter. If they succeed an (Arduous ORX-MOLT -30%) Heal Test, you do not suffer the effects for the follow- Orx-molt is a frightening consequence of the violence Orx ing week. You may only be treated in this manner once every bring upon civilized society. This body-wracking disease is 24 hours, no matter whether it is successful or not. spread by Orx-spore, commonly found growing in WAAAR! Horde encampments. Once its spores settle into wounds, it 231 begins to quickly grow across the body, as tiny “shelves” of fun- TOMB ROT gi fester in the mucus membrane and sprout from embarrass- Only the foolhardy contract this illness. It is particularly ing orifices. It is not easily treated, and those who are killed by found and spread by would-be adventurers and inexperi- other means are revived by it, as they literally slough off their enced grave robbers. Infection is a tell-tale sign to healers old flesh and emerge into the form of a vile Low Orx. that their patient is likely a criminal, robbing the dead of Resist: (Standard +/-0%) Toughness Test their jewels and belongings. Worse still, Tomb Rot is also passed by the corruptive touch of Supernatural creatures and Duration: Until cured lycanthropes, their filthy claws and nails harboring this Dis- ease. It serves as a reminder that death’s touch curses all, and Effect: Over the duration, you permanently gain 1 Chaos that no one can escape His scythe. Rank every week. If you suffer a Disorder during this time, you are instead Slain! and arise upon the new moon as a Low Resist: (Easy +20%) Toughness Test Orx. Duration: 1D10+1 days Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, a caregiver must have a Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, Effect: Over the duration, you cannot recover your Damage a quintessence of Royal Water and a bandage (both of which Condition Track whatsoever that day. are expended) and be left uninterrupted for at least one Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, a caregiver hour. If they succeed a (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test, you do must have a Skill Rank in Heal, a sprig of wolfsbane and a not suffer the effects for the following week. You may only bandage (both of which are expended) and be left uninter- be treated in this manner once every 24 hours, no matter rupted for at least one hour. If they succeed an (Easy +20%) whether it is successful or not. Heal Test, you do not suffer the effects for the following day. You may only be treated in this manner once every 24 hours, RED DEATH no matter whether it is successful or not. The Red Death propagates indiscriminately, a violent disease that sickens - and kills - all its infects. Unlike other maladies, VENEREAL DISEASE it is more insidious and soul-corrupting than any other. It There are many names for these sort of illnesses - the clap, devours both the flesh and the mind, driving even the most sailor’s pain, the drip, great pox or hot piss - all evocative in level-headed insane with visions in their sleep. Nightmares their own way, but the resulting discomfort is generally the eventually give way to physical symptoms. Over the course same. Its treatment involves using an iron catheter to insert of a few short weeks, hemorrhaging erupts beneath the arm- mites and lice into the genitalia. Terribly embarrassing and pits, around the neck and below the eyes. The eyes and other potentially fatal, Venereal Disease can persist over a lifetime. open sores begin to “weep” blood. Victims of the Red Death tend to take their own lives at this point, given the grotes- Resist: (Standard +/-0%) Toughness Test query they have become. Finally, the afflicted loses the ability to breath, with death a certainty afterwards. Duration: Until cured

Resist: (Hard -20%) Toughness Test Effect: Over the duration, you permanently lose 3% from Brawn every week. Duration: Until cured Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, a caregiver must Effect: Over the duration, you permanently gain 1 Chaos have a Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, an am- Rank every week. If you suffer a Disorder during this time, pule of quicksilver and a bandage (both of which are expended) you are instead Slain! and arise upon the new moon as a and be left uninterrupted for at least one hour. If they succeed a Reanimated Corpse. (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test, you do not suffer the effects for the following week. You may only be treated in this manner once Treatment: To have a chance at being treated, a caregiver every 24 hours, no matter whether it is successful or not. must have a Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, a crystal of cynnabar and bandage (both of which are ex- pended) and be left uninterrupted for at least one hour. If DISORDERS they succeed a (Hard -20%) Heal Test, you do not suffer Disorders cannot be treated by common means. Medicine is the effects for the following week. You may only be treated esoteric, as are the ways of the mind. More often than not, in this manner once every 24 hours, no matter whether it is the Afflicted are simply locked away, dashed over the rocks of successful or not. a high sea-side cliff or condemned by would-be Inquisitors 232 as prisoners of a sort. Eradicating Disorders are not unheard least 3D10+3 hours while they perform psychosurgery and of, but success is a rare outcome. At worst, they send the mad help the patient convalesce, regardless of success or not. further down the spiral of their Disorders, only drawing them closer towards the brink of utter damnation. If treated with a successful Heal Test, the patient’s Chaos Ranks are reduced to zero and cures Chaotic Rot. A Critical Success There two known ways to help the sick reverse some of the has the same results as above, while curing their Disorder. Fail- damage inflicted upon their fragile minds; the first is sup- ure results causes the victim to permanently lose 9% Willpower, pression and the last is psychosurgery. whereas a Critical Failure causes the patient to be Slain! imme- diately. SUPPRESSION WITH QUICKSILVER All manner of drugs wrought from mercury, snake oil and other odd remedies have been prescribed by would-be EXTREME WEATHER apothecaries and charlatans. Imbibing rare liquid metals Your adventures in a grim & perilous world will take you have worked in some cases, while poisoning others to death. far beyond the safety of the town gates. Beasts of an old age, Resting with a red hen at your side in bed may seem like sanctimonious zealots and ruthless bailiffs harry the road at quackery, but patients note they gain some relief at times all corners. But beyond the reach of a monster’s claw and the from such absurd prescriptions! However, no chemical or tip of a highwayman’s sword lay a more natural but honest herbal concoction can truly cure a Disorder. At best, they opponent - the world around you. A terrible storm may be- can suppress a Disorder’s effects for a time, such as through fall you and your comrades, proving to be as formidable as a the use of quicksilver. miserly tax collector with hired swords lying in wait to extort your hard-earned silver from your bruised hands. After injecting an ampule of Quicksilver, you may ignore a Disorder’s effects for a day but immediately suffer 1 Corrup- The Gamemaster generally knows what the norms are for tion. temperature in the campaign world. However, when faced TREATMENT WITH PSYCHOSURGERY with such adversity that may lead to extreme temperatures, you will be called upon to withstand these effects. Should Through a most heinous and barbaric practice, some phy- you fail, your Character may face adversities not easily assail- sicians - and even barber surgeons - have managed to cure able by normal means. Disorder through ablation of the flesh. Using all manner of deadly instruments, they can attempt to “bleed out”, or FROSTBITE corkscrew their way into the patient’s brain. Seepage of the There may be times where Frostbite may occur. Generally, internal fluids may draw out the corruptive influence of a this is the result of becoming Incapacitated! while in tun- Disorder, cutting away at the mutated flesh as a way to purge dra-like conditions. Once you suffer from Frostbite, you can it from the body. However, it can do irreparable damage… no longer recover your Damage or Peril Condition Track by which may lead to death. normal means. You also run the risk of losing fingers, toes or even whole appendages. It can only be treated by a trained PERFORMING PSYCHOSURGERY healer. A Disorder can be treated by a surgeon with a successful Heal Test. A patient may only be treated in this manner once TREAT FROSTBITE a week, no matter whether it is successful or not. However, Frostbite can be healed by a healer with a successful Heal the more Chaos Ranks the patient has gained, the Difficulty Test. You may only be healed in this manner once every Rating of the Heal Test worsens: hour, no matter whether it is successful or not. Depending on where you’re at on the Damage Condition Track, the Dif-  0 to 1 Chaos Ranks: (Trivial +30%) Heal Test ficulty Rating of the Heal Test worsens:  2 Chaos Ranks: (Easy +20%) Heal Test  3 Chaos Ranks: (Routine +10%) Heal Test  Unharmed: (Easy +20%) Heal Test  4 Chaos Ranks: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test   Lightly Wounded: (Routine +10%) Heal Test 5 Chaos Ranks: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test  Moderately Wounded: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test  6 Chaos Ranks: (Hard -20%) Heal Test   Seriously Wounded: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test 7 to 9 Chaos Ranks: (Arduous -30%) Heal Test  Grievously Wounded: (Hard -20%) Heal Test

To have a chance at performing psychosurgery, a surgeon To have a chance at being healed, a caregiver must have a must have a Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, a bandage an ampule of quicksilver, a bottle of leeches and a bandage (which is expended) and be left uninterrupted for at least (which are all expended) and be left uninterrupted for at one hour. If the patient has any untreated Grievous Injuries, 233 they must be attended to first before being having Frostbite 24 hours, you are Slain! instead. treated. If you are healed with a successful Heal Test, Frostbite goes FALLING away and you can begin to restore your Damage and Per- Clinging perilously to the edge of a tower, you climb fur- il Condition Track normally. A Critical Success causes your ther and further upwards. Ever-distant is the top-most edge, Frostbite to go away and you recover one step on the Damage rimmed with grotesque gargoyles watching you with malev- Condition Track. Failure results in the loss of 1D6-1 toes or olent grins. One small misstep and you’ll be worm food. fingers. For every toe lost, you permanently lose 1% Brawn. If you lose all toes, you gain the Veteran’s Boot Drawback. For WHEN YOU FALL every finger lost, you permanently lose 1% Agility. If you lose If you Critically Fail an Athletics Test while climbing or all fingers, you gain the Veteran’s Hand Drawback. A Critical Critically Fail a Coordination Test while balancing, you Failure causes you to lose a whole foot or hand regardless, as plummet towards the ground with naught else to save you. you immediately suffer either the Veteran’s Boot or Veteran’s Hand Drawback. FALL ONTO A HARD SURFACE Depending on the distance, you suffer Damage equal to If a successful treatment isn’t provided for Frostbite within 1D10 + the number of yards you fell. Unlike Damage done 24 hours, you automatically suffer either the Veteran’s Boot during combat, you do not suffer Injuries from a fall, but or Veteran’s Hand Drawback. still face the potential for a grim outcome. Should you fall HEATSTROKE a number of yards in excess of 3 + your Brawn Bonus (BB), you must succeed an (Arduous -30%) Toughness Test or else Heatstroke generally occurs during times of becoming Inca- be Incapacitated! from the fall, unable to walk or use Move- pacitated! while in desert-like or high heat conditions. Once ment Actions until your Peril Condition Track is restored to you suffer from Heatstroke, you can no longer recover your Unhindered. Damage or Peril Condition Track by normal means. You also run the risk of damaging your brain. It can only be treated by a trained healer. “Patches” Critically Failed an Athletics Test to climb up a nearly-sheer cliff, and plummets towards his doom. TREAT HEATSTROKE He fell 15 yards, and would suffer 1D10+15 Damage. As Heatstroke can be healed by a healer with a successful Heal his Brawn Bonus (BB) is equal to 7 (3 + Brawn Bonus Test. You may only be healed in this manner once every (BB) of 4), he must attempt to succeed a Toughness Test hour, no matter whether it is successful or not. Depending to withstand being Incapacitated!, unable to walk away on where you’re at on the Damage Condition Track, the Dif- from the fall. ficulty Rating of the Heal Test worsens: FALL INTO WATER  Unharmed: (Easy +20%) Heal Test  Sometimes, fortune is on your side. The Nightfather just so Lightly Wounded: (Routine +10%) Heal Test happened to place that deep well right below where you fell,  Moderately Wounded: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test  or you were pushed from the edge of a cliff to fall into the Seriously Wounded: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test sea. This can be a boon, but only in certain cases.  Grievously Wounded: (Hard -20%) Heal Test If you fall into water that is at least half as deep as the dis- To have a chance at being healed, a caregiver must have a Skill tance you fell, reduce the yards you fell by 9 for purposes of Rank in Heal, smelling salts (which is expended), a jug of wa- lessening Damage you suffered (to a minimum of 1 yard). ter and be left uninterrupted for at least one hour.

If you are healed with a successful Heal Test, Heatstroke “Patches” Critically Failed an Athletics Test to climb goes away as you awaken and can begin to restore your Dam- up a nearly-sheer cliff, and plummets towards his doom. age and Peril Condition Track normally. A Critical Success A large body of water is right below him, which may causes your Heatstroke to go away and you recover one step cushion his fall. He fell 15 yards, and the water is eas- on the Peril Condition Track. Failure results in damaging ily 8 yards or deeper. Normally, he would have suffered your brain, as you permanently lose 3% Willpower. A Criti- 1D10+15 Damage. Instead, the Gamemaster adjusts cal Failure causes you to immediately suffer the Dunderhead the Damage to 1D10+7 as if he fell 7 yards. Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you perma- nently lose 6% Willpower. If a successful treatment isn’t provided for Heatstroke within 234 FIRE ON FIRE Fire ravages homes, razes settlements and is used for torture. As a result from being exposed to open flames you may be set Survivors end up mutilated and grotesque, their skin burned On Fire. Only when moving down the Damage Condition nearly down to the bone. Over time, the flesh may mend but Track are you at risk of being set On Fire. the scars will always remain. Whenever you are On Fire, you suffer 3D10+3 Damage from AVOIDING FLAMES fire every minute. Immersing yourself in water or smothering For every minute you are exposed to fire, you must attempt the fire with a heavy blanket immediately ends this condi- a Coordination Test. The ferocity of the fire sets the Diffi- tion. As above, Damage inflicted does not cause Injuries. culty Rating for Resisting its effects. If you succeed, you pat out the flames and move onwards. If you Critically Succeed, INTOXICATION you may automatically succeed the next Coordination Test you make while avoiding flames. If you fail the Test, you are In a grim & perilous world, it is not uncommon for Charac- exposed to flames and suffer Damage. However, if you Crit- ters to drown their sorrows from the depths of a bottle. Some ically Fail this Test, you are both exposed to flames and set get stinking drunk, relieving themselves openly in public (or On Fire. Damage caused by Fire doesn’t inflict Injuries. in their pants). Others grow increasingly belligerent, picking fights with anyone who looks at them the wrong way. The MILDLY DANGEROUS introspective may attempt to pontificate upon the myster- Examples of mildly dangerous fires include candles, cooking ies of the world and philosophize openly with those nearby oil, hot coals and lamps. (much to the chagrin of friends and strangers). One thing is a certainty: many questions but few answers have been found Resist: (Routine +10%) Coordination Test at the bottom of a cup. Why adventurers continue to subject themselves to the demon drink is hard to say. It may provide Effect: You immediately suffer 1D10+1 Damage from fire. fleeting joy, but remains a poor excuse for a cure. MODERATELY DANGEROUS LIQUID COURAGE Examples of moderately dangerous fires include a camp fire, No matter what a Character elects to drink, they must state bottle bomb, a hearth or burning torch. what they choose to drink. It determines the inherent Diffi- Resist: (Standard +/-0%) Coordination Test culty Rating to resist the effects of alcohol with the Tough- ness Skill. For every hour you drink, make a Toughness Test Effect: You immediately suffer 2D10+2 Damage from fire. based on what you’re imbibing (with the Difficulty Rating dropping one step down every hour you drink). This means SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS if you drank wine on the first hour, it would be a (Standard Examples of seriously dangerous flames include boiling oil +/-0%) Toughness Test, but for the second hour it would be used during a siege, a burning building, forest fires and mas- (Challenging -10%), the third hour (Hard -20%) and so on. sive conflagrations. If you mix different alcohols, assume the worst of the two or more types of liquor you imbibe. Failure results in Intox- Resist: (Challenging -10%) Coordination Test ication, whereas a Critical Failure results in becoming im- Effect: You immediately suffer 3D10+3 Damage from fire. mediately Incapacitated! from Intoxication. You may always choose to automatically fail your Toughness Test to become RISK OF INJURY FROM FIRE? Intoxicated. Unlike Damage in combat, you do not suffer Injuries from fire, but still face the potential for a fiery demise. Whenever a Char-  Cheap wine: (Easy +20%) Toughness Test acter is exposed to fire and their Damage Condition track drops  Mead: (Routine +10%) Toughness Test to Lightly Wounded, there is zero risk for being set On Fire.  Good wine or rotgut: (Standard +/-0%) Toughness Once the Condition Track drops to Moderately Wounded, they Test must roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is a face “6”, they are  Spirits: (Challenging -10%) Toughness Test On Fire. When the Damage Condition Track drops to Seri-  Dwarven beer: (Hard -20%) Toughness Test ously Wounded, they must roll 2D6 Chaos Dice. If the result is one or more face “6”, they are On Fire. When the Damage While Intoxicated, you gain a +3 Damage Threshold while Condition Track drops to Grievously Wounded, they must roll suffering 3D10+3 physical Peril. Intoxication lasts for six 3D6 Chaos Dice. If the result is one or more face “6”, they are hours. If for some reason you are Incapacitated! while Intox- On Fire, And once they reach Slain!, they’re dead. icated, you fall unconscious for six hours. Afterwards, your Peril Condition Track is not restored. 235 POISON as above and must immediately succeed a Toughness Test, or be Slain! at the end of the third hour. It is commonly said that Poison is the weapon of women, the craven and eunuchs. It’s also the weapon of choice for There is no known cure to break the hold of a Deliriant. It sophisticated assassins who wish to silently kill their targets. must simply run its course. Note that Deliriants only affect Slayers even make use of Poisons, rendering creatures either living victims; creatures that are classified as Abyssal or Su- paralyzed or dead. However, some Poisons can produce eu- pernatural are unaffected. phoric effects, enhancing the abilities of Characters but at the cost of potential addiction. While some Poisons can be BLACK LOTUS cured with an antidote, others simply have no other way to This deliriant is a powerful opiate, found deep in the jungles expel their effects. or forests of the world. It is either smoked or ingested, caus- ing moderate hallucinations. It opens the mind and psyche Poison comes in many forms; it can be extracted from veg- to visions. If taken in large enough doses, it may prove fatal. etable matter, it can be drawn from serpents or even boiled from the blood of rare beasts. Many Poisons are fatal if swal- Effect: When affected by one dose, add a +10% to Willpow- lowed, although some can be spread through mere contact. er for one hour. When affected by two doses, add a +20% to Woe be to the apothecary who doesn’t wear gloves when Willpower for two hours. When affected by three doses, add handling these dangerous concoctions! Their manufacture a +30% to Willpower for three hours. and possession carries stiff penalties, thus their rarity. There are three main families of Poisons, with many types of Poi- MANDRAKE ROOT sons belonging to each. Thought to be the only anthropomorphic root in the world, it has a notorious “scream” whenever it is plucked from fa- Unless otherwise noted, all Poisons can be placed into food erie circles. Wilderness folk are careful to plug their ears in liquid form or applied upon a weapon when rendered into with wax, as it is well known that when pulling it from the a paste. However, Poisons evaporate within three hours when ground it can kill a man with this sound. The root is incredi- exposed to open air. This means that anyone who ate from a bly powerful, well-regarded by doctors to treat the insane. It poisoned eel pie could be exposed, whereas multiple foes (or is also a powerful reagent used by occultists for their profane even the same foe) exposed to Poison by a blade must Resist Magicks. its effects multiple times. Effect: When affected by one dose, add a +1 to Peril Thresh- POISON TYPE: DELIRIANTS old for one hour. When affected by two doses, add +2 Peril Deliriants are made from plant material by apothecaries Threshold for two hours. When affected by three doses, add looking to make a quick handful of coin. Deliriants are all +3 Peril Threshold for three hours. hallucinogenic, and abused by those seeking to escape the RED CAP MUSHROOM world around them in a drug-induced haze. Deliriants are seriously habit-forming, mind-altering and potent enough These hallucinogenic mushrooms are highly sought after by to potentially kill their users. However, most Deliriants pro- Orx, marauders and sportsmen alike. Ingesting these fungi vide a modicum of benefit, used by aspirants of strange cults, can arouse frenzy, rendering pain impotent as the imbiber administered for treating the insane and taken by dervishes becomes “mad as a hatter”. or other marauders to withstand pain. However, this comes Effect: When affected by one dose, add +1 to Damage at the cost of potentially maddening influence. Threshold for one hour. When affected by two doses, add +2 WHEN EXPOSED TO DELIRIANTS Damage Threshold for two hours. When affected by three The effects of a Deliriant immediately take hold within one doses, add +3 Damage Threshold for three hours. hour of ingestion. For each dose taken, you suffer 1 Corrup- tion. Additionally, each dose dulls your senses while putting POISON TYPE: TOXINS you at risk for paralysis… or worse. Toxins are produced by combining rare chemicals and plant matter, carefully mixed in an alchemist’s laboratory. While When under the influence of one dose, you must flip the not as powerful as Venoms, this class of Poison is manufac- results to fail all Brawn-based and Willpower-based Skill tured to effect specific creatures’ physiology. Geared specifi- Tests. When under the influence of two doses, you suffer the cally for those creatures, they otherwise cause stomach pains same effects as above and drop one step down the Peril Con- with those they’re not designed to affect. Hedgewise and dition Track. If you are Incapacitated! during this time, you Apothecaries produce Toxins, with Slayers as their primary fall unconscious for one hour in a drug-induced haze. When clientele. under the influence of three doses, you suffer the same effects 236 WHEN EXPOSED TO TOXINS duce its Peril Condition Track to Incapacitated! and be un- When coming into contact with a Toxin, you must attempt able to use Attack Actions. If subjected from three doses, it to withstand being Poisoned for each dose suffered. If you causes the creature to be Slain! immediately. come into contact with one dose, it requires a (Routine +10%) Toughness Test. If coming into contact with two DEMONBANE doses, it requires a (Standard +/-0%) Toughness Test. If in Demonbane is one of the only ways to ward off creatures contact with three doses, it requires a (Challenging -10%) from beyond this world. With a pungent stench of rotten Toughness Test. Upon failure, they suffer the effects as out- eggs and sulphur (much like the foes it seeks to ward away), lined. However, should a victim ever Critically Fail their it is secreted away by inquisitors and exorcists, as it is expen- Toughness Test to withstand Toxins, they instead suffer as if sive and rare. they had come into contact with three doses. Special: Only affects creatures classified as Abyssal There is no known cure to break the hold of a Toxin. It must simply run its course. Effect: If subjected to one dose, it immediately causes the creature to immediately suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril. If sub- ANIMALBANE jected from two doses, it causes the creature to immediately The most common of Toxins, it is used to drive away or sub- suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. If subjected from three doses, due wild animals. When coupled with larger doses, it can the creature immediately suffers 3D10+3 physical Peril. calm an animal ready for the kill. FOLKBANE Special: Only affects creatures classified as an Animal This particular Toxin arrests the nervous system of the major races. Arresting the limbs and nerves, it can almost instantly Effect: If subjected to one dose, it immediately causes the debilitate and kill with the right dosage. creature to flee for one minute. If subjected from two doses, it immediately causes the creature to flee for three minutes Special: Only affects creatures classified as a Humanoids and reduce its Movement by 6. If subjected from three doses, (including player races) the creature cannot use Movement Actions as it is paralyzed for nine minutes. Effect: If subjected to one dose, it immediately causes the creature to reduce its Peril Condition Track to Incapacitat- BEASTBANE ed!. If subjected from two doses, it causes the creature to re- duce its Peril Condition Track to Incapacitated! and be un- Ancient creatures stir in this world. While sword and gun- able to use Attack Actions. If subjected from three doses, it shot may drive them away temporarily, this Toxin is used causes the creature to be Slain! immediately. by Slayers to banish them permanently from this world. It inflicts crippling paralytics and rendering the beast immobile GRAVEROOT for the death blow. Graveroot is yielded from a brew made from the roots of Special: Only affects creatures classified as a Beast trees which have been planted at the head of a grave, wolfs- bane and other rare herbs. It is an anathema to the unliving Effect: If subjected to one dose, it immediately causes the and the supernatural. creature to immediately suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril. If sub- jected from two doses, it causes the creature to immediately Special: Only affects creatures classified as Supernatural suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. If subjected from three doses, Effect: If subjected to one dose, it immediately causes the the creature immediately suffers 3D10+3 physical Peril. creature to flee for one minute. If subjected from two doses, BLACKROOT it immediately causes the creature to flee for three minutes and reduce its Movement by 6. If subjected from three doses, This Toxin is the hammer and shield against the mutant incur- the creature cannot use Movement Actions as it is paralyzed sion. Much like Folkbane, it is attuned to attack the nervous for nine minutes. system of Goblins, Orx and Skrzzak alike. Black as midnight and thick as molasses, it has the taste of buttery syrup to all POISON TYPE: VENOMS other races. But for mutants, it is death in a bottle. Venoms are milked from creatures, carefully harvested by Special: Only affects creatures classified as a Mutant beast tamers who capture and raise these creatures for this singular purpose. Traditionally, venoms are used to debilitate Effect: If subjected to one dose, it immediately causes the or kill their victims. They are extremely potent, and costly to creature to reduce its Peril Condition Track to Incapacitat- collect. ed!. If subjected from two doses, it causes the creature to re- 237 When coming into contact with a Venom, the effects im- SLEEP DEPRIVATION mediately take hold - no matter how many doses a victim is exposed to. However, if they Critically Fail to Resist the All living, breathing creatures must sleep. It is the primary effects of Venom, they are Slain! Immediately. requirement to recover the Peril Condition Track.

The effects of Venoms can be immediately cured by adminis- If awake for more than 24 hours, you cannot recover from tering a single dose of Antivenom to a living victim. Strictly Damage or Peril until after you’ve slept six hours. For every speaking, an Antivenom can be used to cure someone of any 24 hours that pass, you suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril. Once type of Venom they’ve been afflicted with. reaching Incapacitated!, you fall unconscious until awaken- ing 24 hours later. After resting, your Peril Condition Track SCORPION VENOM recovers completely. This particular venom is milked from the stinger of nine scorpions. Handlers of these particular venoms must take great care to not be stung themselves, lest they alike suf- Starvation fer the effects in kind. The sting of this venom immediately Living creatures must eat and drink to survive. Whether eat- paralyzes the nervous system of its victims, and can lead to ing links of blood sausages, a head of cabbage with gravy, death. pork with beans or even a bowl of soup, all living creatures need sustenance. Food and water is not always easy to come Resist: (Standard +/-0%) Toughness Test by. In extreme circumstances, they may resort to eating de- Effect: When subjected to scorpion venom, the victim must spoiled fruit, tree bark, plant roots, their own belt or shoes. flip the results to fail any Skill Test which relies on sight. If In the worst of cases, they may even turn on themselves, con- not given an Antivenom within a number of hours less than suming the flesh of their own kind (or when all else fails, eat themselves). the victim’s Brawn Bonus (BB), they are Slain! immediately. SNAKE VENOM You can generally forage and hunt, spending 1D10+1 hours tracking down animals, gathering berries, stocking up on Snake venom is easy to come by, given the number of Poi- water and other edibles. This gives enough food for yourself sonous snakes in swamps and fields. Pit vipers, cottonmouth alone to live a number of days equal to your Perception Bo- and water moccasins are the most common species of snake nus (PB), guaranteeing you succeed a Survival Test. Natural- captured for their venom. It leaves its victims in a fever ly, some environments won’t yield water or food. dream, until they expire from pain. You must eat at least one meal per day, consisting of at least Resist: (Challenging -10%) Toughness Test bread and water. For every day that a meal is not eaten, you cannot recover from Damage or Peril until after you’ve eaten. Effect: If subjected to snake venom, the victim is left In- Additionally, you suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril if you don’t eat capacitated! and cannot recover their Peril Condition Track daily. Should you continue to not eat for a number of days by any means. If not given an Antivenom within a number greater than your Brawn Bonus (BB), you are Slain! instead. of hours less than the victim’s Brawn Bonus (BB), they are Slain! immediately. Suffocation SPIDER VENOM There are several cases where a person can suffer from as- Only the deadliest of spiders can yield this venom. Taken phyxiation. Choking in heavy smoke, being drowned in a from the glands, it must be harvested from at least nine spi- shallow river by a foe or even inhaling dangerous gases; these ders to create one usable dose. Spider venom leaves its vic- all comprise the various ways suffocation can take hold. tims delirious, unable to protect themselves. Eventually, it You can hold your breath a number of minutes equal to your can lead to death from delirium. Brawn Bonus (BB). Afterwards, for every minute without Resist: (Routine +10%) Toughness Test breath, you suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. Once reaching In- capacitated!, you fall unconscious and and are Slain! if not Effect: When subjected to spider venom, the victim cannot rescued within a number of minutes equal to your Brawn move whatsoever, left Helpless from paralysis. If not given Bonus (BB). an Antivenom within a number of hours less than the vic- tim’s Brawn Bonus (BB), death is imminent. KISS OF LIFE If you’ve fallen unconscious from Suffocation but are not yet Slain!, you can potentially be revived. However, the longer 238 you have been unconscious, the Difficulty Rating of the Heal PERIL CONDITION TRACK Test worsens: Unlike Damage, the Peril Condition Track is a temporary setback caused by excessive physical or mental strain. It may  One minute: (Trivial +30%) Heal Test be caused by a Chokehold, fatigue from travel, the stresses  Two minutes: (Easy +20%) Heal Test of courtly intrigue, the results of a horrifying situation or a  Three minutes: (Routine +10%) Heal Test myriad of other perilous conditions spelled out in Chapter  Four minutes: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test 11: Game Mastery. Depending on where you are at on the  Five minutes: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test Peril Condition Track, it will decide what penalties you suf-  Six minutes: (Hard -20%) Heal Test fer for all Skill Tests until recovered. There are six distinct  Seven minutes or more: (Arduous -30%) Heal Test steps which make up the Peril Condition Track: To have a chance at being revived with the kiss of life, a heal- UNHINDERED er must have a Skill Rank in Heal and be left uninterrupted for at least one minute. You are the very model of health and face no adversity what- soever. You face no road weariness, anxiety or other mental With a successful Heal Test, you awaken but remain Inca- states...yet. pacitated!. A Critical Success causes you awaken with your Peril Condition Track restored to Unhindered. Failure re- IMPERILED sults in remaining unconscious, while a Critical Failure re- Although you’re operating under a minimal amount of strain, sults in you being Slain!, unable to awaken. you should consider all choices with more care. IGNORE 1 SKILL RANK RECOVERING PERIL & The pressure is on, and you can feel it. Your brow beads with HEALING DAMAGE sweat, and you are more ponderous and slower with all ac- tions. Whenever in this state, you must ignore one of your People within a grim & perilous world have a very archaic Skill Ranks. understanding of the human body. Germs and bacteria are unknown terminology, as most disease and ills are attributed IGNORE 2 SKILL RANKS to an excess of humors within the body, miasma or the influ- You are toiling with every step you take, as your mind is filled ence of Abyssal spirits. Even the most renowned physicians with anxiety. Likely, you’re suffering from intense anxiety, command a very ill-conceived purview of how the body truly worn to a frazzle or a combination of both. Whenever in this works. Quacks, charlatans and other snake oil peddlers lit- state, you must ignore two of your Skill Ranks. ter the medical field. Finding a legitimate doctor is a trial unto itself. Despite these misunderstandings, the Heal skill IGNORE 3 SKILL RANKS represents not only the knowledge of physiology, but of its You can barely hold on. You’re facing a significantly reduced interconnection to the spiritual world around it. That means chance to succeed at any task, but hold on...help may be on you’d better pay and pray, because you’re going to need all the the way! Whenever in this state, you must ignore three - oth- help you can to get back on the mend. erwise all - of your Skill Ranks.

MAGICKAL HEALING? INCAPACITATED! In a grim & perilous game, healing potions, spells Your body betrays you, dragging with every step. Whenever and resurrection from the dead aren’t easy options, in this state, you cannot succeed any Skill Test, no matter nor readily available. Those who thrust themselves what Talents, Traits or special situations normally play into into the jaws of hell must rely on Barber Surgeons your favor. Additionally, you immediately suffer 6 Corrup- and trained Physicians to treat their wounds. For- tion whenever you are Incapacitated!. tune and Fate Points may help bridge the gap be- tween bad dice rolls and circumstance, but don’t Leopold Coventry is attempting to make a Melee Attack throw yourself into a situation where you’re counting with a rapier. His Combat is 45%, while he has three total on it to save your hide. After all - who knows when Skill Ranks in Simple Melee. This results in a 75% Base you’ll need that Fate Point next! Chance for success (45 + 10 + 10 + 10). However, he is suf- fering from “Ignore 2 Skill Ranks” on the Peril Condi- tion Track. This means that his Base Chance is now only 55% (45 + 10). 239 CALCULATING PERIL THRESHOLD at least six hours. After resting, your Peril Condition Track You always take under consideration your Character’s Peril recovers all steps automatically as you are now Unhindered. Threshold as they suffer Peril. It is an ambient form of de- RESTING IN UNSAFE PLACES fense which protects them, regardless if they are aware that If you are sleeping upon a cold dungeon floor, in the bed of certain actions or consequences cause Peril. Peril Threshold a prostitute, on the floor of a wine sink, in a back alleyway, in is a combination of your Willpower Bonus (WB) + 3. a dangerous area outside or somewhere that there may be an inherent risk to your safety, you must be left uninterrupted Patches has a Willpower Bonus (WB) of 7. This means for six hours. After resting, your Peril Condition Track can his Peril Threshold is equal to 10 (7 + 3 = 10). only ever recover to Imperiled while in unsafe places.

Whenever you suffer either physical or mental Peril, com- USE SMELLING SALTS: RECOVER PERIL pare it to your Peril Threshold: After inhaling a capsule of smelling salts, you recover one step positively on your the Peril Condition Track. For in- EQUAL TO OR BELOW stance, if you were Imperiled, you are now Unhindered. You PERIL THRESHOLD can only recover your Peril Condition Track in this manner If the Peril you suffer is equal to or below the Peril Threshold, with one capsule within a 24 hour period. Inhaling more nothing happens. You remain unburdened, shrugging it off. than one capsule during that period has the opposite intend- ed effect - this means you would instead reduce your Peril EXCEEDS PERIL THRESHOLD Condition Track by one step. Whenever Peril is considered, treat it as such for purposes of determining Peril Threshold: DAMAGE CONDITION TRACK  If Peril suffered exceeds base Peril Threshold, you You’ll find that the healing process in ZWEIHÄNDER is move one step down the Peril Condition Track. oftentimes a lengthy proposition, as Character carry their  If Peril suffered exceeds 6 + Peril Threshold, you wounds over from session to session. Your Damage Con- move two steps down the Peril Condition Track. dition Track paints a portrait of how wounded a Character  If Peril suffered exceeds 12 + Peril Threshold, you may be while informing other players how the Party is hold- move three steps down the Peril Condition Track. ing up. It effectively acts to inform a Character’s allies as to  If Peril suffered exceeds 18 + Peril Threshold, you are where to appoint support and focus. Cohesion amongst allies immediately Incapacitated!. can make all the difference, resulting in a greater chance of success and survival rate. For instance, if Peril Threshold is 10, it can easily be ex- pressed as such: 10 (16/22/28). It is a good idea whenever players begin combat or at the be- ginning of a Game Session to announce to everyone around the table where their Character is on the Damage Condition Patches is made victim to Terror. He suffers a total of Track. The bottom line is that if your Character is hurt - 21 mental Peril. His Peril Threshold is 10. Adding 6 to tell everyone about it, so they’ll throw someone else in front this results in 16 (10 + 6), while adding 12 to the Peril of those marauding chaos berserkers! There are six distinct Threshold equals 22 (10 + 12). Patches suffered 21 men- steps which make up the Damage Condition Track: tal Peril, thus he moves two steps down the Peril Con- dition Track. UNHARMED You may have old wounds that are scarred up and scabbed NATURAL RECOVERY: over, stitches and sutures that no longer threaten to open up RECOVER PERIL or bandages that cover lacerations and bruises. Carouse with The Peril Condition Track can be recuperated through natu- friends, cavort with strangers, “make it rain like m’lords do”, ral recovery. However, the safety of the place you’re resting in slum it up or go pick a fight - you’re the very picture of good (or inherent level of danger surrounding where you elect to health. kick up your feet) can influence your chances. LIGHTLY WOUNDED RESTING IN SAFETY You have small cuts, light bruising and perhaps an itch or To recover, you must sleep in the lofty comforts of an inn, mild pain. You can shrug most of this off with perhaps a visit in a temple sanctuary, in a common room at an inn, around to the local barber surgeon. You’ve been hurt at some point, a campfire near town or somewhere where there is little to but a bit of rest should help. no danger to your person, you must be left uninterrupted for 240 MODERATELY WOUNDED within a 24 hour period. Imbibing more than one draught You have moderate bruises, cuts that require sutures and during that period has the opposite intended effect - this lesions that may threaten infection. You’re not dead (yet). means you would instead reduce your Damage Condition You’re suffering in pain, and likely won’t make it on your Track by one step. own without the aid of a physician. INJURIES SERIOUSLY WOUNDED Oftentimes nasty, Injuries can result in trauma, loss of a Your wounds worsen, as clothing begins to soak with blood. limb and can lead to an irrevocable end for Characters. They A black eye, busted nose, irregular gait and difficulty speak- have lasting effects that persist far beyond combat. While ing complete sentences characterizes what’s happened to you. some are temporary and require time to recuperate, others Should you play your cards right, you’ll live to talk about it. can haunt a Character for a lifetime. They manifest in many different ways - as a result of a fall, being shot, stabbed or at- GRIEVOUSLY WOUNDED tacked by predators and other wild creatures. Some Injuries Splintered bones, hyperextended muscles, deep cuts and may temporarily incapacitate the ability to function, whereas black bruising characterize your body. Your clothing is likely others result in broken ribs and a rare few can cause in blind- blood-soaked, as are the hands of your would-be killer. ness, loss of limb, punctured lungs or worse. Injuries serve as a grave reminder of the brutal and violent nature of a grim SLAIN! & perilous world. In a fight, it is rare to walk away unscathed Sadly, you are dead and about to meet your maker. But will for those daring (or foolish) enough to draw their sword. you heed death’s calling, or defy the gods to live another day? Sacrifice a Fate Point to live, or don’t. The choice is yours. CORRUPTION FROM INJURIES BIND WOUNDS TO HEAL DAMAGE The toll of war inflicts deep psychological wounds upon The Damage Condition Track can be healed by a healer with living survivors. Thus, it is not surprising to find that those a successful Heal Test. You may only be healed in this man- who’ve suffered crippling wounds to be afflicted with mad- ner once every 24 hours, no matter whether it is successful ness and derangement. or not. Depending on where you’re at on the Damage Con- dition Track, the Difficulty Rating of the Heal Test worsens: As mentioned in Chapter 8: Combat, every time a player Character suffers an Injury, they gain 3 Corruption if it is a  Lightly Wounded: Automatically succeed  Moderate Injury, 6 Corruption if it is a Serious Injury or 9 Moderately Wounded: (Routine +10%) Heal Test Corruption if it is a Grievous Injury. This Corruption cannot  Seriously Wounded: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test  be avoided in any way whatsoever, even if your Profession Grievously Wounded: (Challenging -10%) Heal confers immunity to Injury. The effects of Corruption still Test impact player Characters.

To have a chance at being healed, a caregiver must have a TREAT INJURIES TO BEGIN RECUPERATION Skill Rank in Heal, a bandage (which is expended) and be Both Moderate and Serious Injuries must be treated suc- left uninterrupted for at least ten minutes. If the patient has cessfully to begin recuperation. You may only be treated in any untreated Grievous Injuries, they must be attended to this manner once every 24 hours, no matter whether it is first before being having their wounds binded. successful or not. If you are suffering from multiple Injuries, If you are healed with a successful Heal Test, you can recov- each must be treated individually. The more Injuries you’re er one step positively on the Damage Condition Track. This currently suffering from the Difficulty Rating of the Heal means if you were Grievously Wounded, you are now Serious- Test worsens: ly Wounded. A Critical Success allows you to recover three  One Injury: (Routine +10%) Heal Test steps on the Damage Condition Track instead. Failure results  Two Injuries: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test in no recovery, whereas a Critical Failure has the same result as  Three Injuries: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test above and causes your wounds to suffer from Infection. To have a chance at being healed, a caregiver must have a USE LAUDANUM TO HEAL DAMAGE Skill Rank in Heal, a seed pod of opium (which is expend- After imbibing a draught of laudanum, you recover one ed) and be left uninterrupted for at least ten minutes. step positively on the Damage Condition Track but suffer 1 Corruption. This means if you were Grievously Wounded, If you are treated with a successful Heal Test, you begin re- you are now Seriously Wounded. You can only recover your cuperation. A Critical Success has the same results as above Damage Condition Track in this manner with one draught while reducing the time to recuperate by three days. Failure 241 mean you cannot recuperate until undergoing a successful INFECTION treatment, whereas a Critical Failure has the same result as Infection causes your Injuries to grow red and swollen, issu- above and causes your wounds to suffer from Infection. ing bad pus and throbbing with pain as gnats gather around PERFORM SURGERY ON the sore. Infection can result from being thrust into a mid- GRIEVOUS INJURIES den heap, thrown into a dungeon while suffering from un- Unlike other Injuries, Grievous Injuries require surgery be- treated Grievous Injuries, falling victim to any Injury dealt fore they begin recuperation on their own. Successful surgery from an unclean creature, getting caught in a booby trap of also allows you to avoid any permanent effects it may confer. feces smeared on sharpened stakes, made victim to a quack’s However, you must undergo this surgery within a number of mishandling of unclean instruments or a number of other hours equal to your Brawn Bonus (BB) of suffering a Griev- circumstances that may lead to further trauma. ous Injury or else its effects are permanent. As before, if you Generally, a Critically Failed Heal Test to treat Injuries caus- are suffering from multiple Injuries, each must be treated in- es Infection. But other circumstances may mean you suffer dividually. The more Injuries you’re currently suffering from, Infection, dictated by the Gamemaster. Once suffering from the Difficulty Rating of the Heal Test worsens: Infection, you cannot recover either the Damage or Peril  One Injury: (Routine +10%) Heal Test Condition Tracks nor can you recuperate from your Injuries  Two Injuries: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test until Infection has been appropriately dealt with. Infection  Three Injuries: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test lasts until it has been successfully treated through bloodlet- ting. If Infection is not properly treated within 24 hours, you To have a chance at being healed, a caregiver must have a permanently lose 1% Brawn and continue to lose 1% Brawn Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, a seed pod every 24 hours thereafter, until it has been treated. of opium and a bandage (both of which are expended) and BLOODLETTING TO HEAL INFECTION be left uninterrupted for at least one hour. Infection can be treated by a healer with a successful Heal If you are treated with a successful Heal Test, you may begin Test. You may only be treated in this manner once every 24 recuperation and don’t suffer from the permanent effects of hours, no matter whether it is successful or not. The more a Grievous Injury. A Critical Success has the same results as severe your Damage Condition Track, the Difficulty Rating above while reducing the time to recuperate by three days. Fail- of the Heal Test worsens: ure results in a failed surgery as you suffer from the permanent  Unharmed: (Easy +20%) Heal Test effects forever, whereas a Critical Failure has the same result as  above and causes your wounds to suffer from Infection. Lightly Wounded: (Routine +10%) Heal Test  Moderately Wounded: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test RECUPERATION TIME  Seriously Wounded: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test  While in recuperation, you still suffer from any penalties Grievously Wounded: (Hard -20%) Heal Test your Injury conferred to you. Recuperation requires a certain To have a chance at being healed, a caregiver must have a number of days before the effects are lifted and the Injury Skill Rank in Heal, have access to surgical tools, a bottle of disappears. Complete recovery is based on the severity of the leeches and a bandage (both of which are expended) and be Injury: left uninterrupted for at least one hour.  Moderate Injury: 1D10+1 days to recuperate If you are treated with a successful Heal Test, your Infection  Serious Injury: 2D10+2 days to recuperate goes away. A Critical Success causes your Infection to go  Grievous Injury: 3D10+3 days to recuperate away and you recover one step on the Damage Condition Track. Failure results in no recovery, whereas a Critical Fail- Note that if you elect to remain bedridden while recuperat- ure has the same result as above and causes permanently lose ing, you reduce recuperation time by one additional day you 6% Brawn. remain in bed (to a minimum of one day to recuperate).

USE TINCTURE: SUPPRESS INJURY BLEEDING Whenever a healer isn’t handy, an Injury’s effect can be tem- Some attacks may cause you to begin Bleeding, such as being porarily suppressed through use of rudimentary medicine. struck by special attacks, suffering an Injury when unarmored When administered, it can suppress the pain of an Injury for or other perilous circumstances. Only the daft and foolish a period of time. picks a fight with a swordsman wearing only their Sunday’s best. Conditions that lead to Bleeding are covered in Chapter After injecting an ampule of Tincture, you may ignore an In- 8: Combat. jury’s effects for a day but immediately suffer 1 Corruption. 242 STEMMING BLOOD LOSS With a successful Heal Test, you prepare the number of strips Blood loss can be stemmed by anyone armed with the prop- you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares three ad- er tools. Providing you have a bandage to expend, it doesn’t ditional strips. Failure results in expending the ingredients require a Skill Test to stem Bleeding, taking one Turn (oth- without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the same re- erwise 3 Action Points) to do so. Barring that, you can ask sult as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril. a nutter with a penchant for sadism to cauterize the wound instead with a hot poker or torch! If you cauterize the Bleed- “CHAOS” BANDAGES ing, the patient immediately drops three steps down the Peril Bandages can be made without use of a honey pot. However, Condition Track as a result. If this moves them to Incapaci- whenever they are used, a patient must roll a 1D6 Chaos tated!, they also fall unconscious for an hour. Die. If it lands on a face “6”, the bandages are ineffective and instead cause Infection. SUCCUMBING TO BLOOD LOSS BOTTLE BOMB Whenever you are Bleeding, you cannot restore either your Damage or Peril Condition Track. For every Turn (other- Bottle bombs can be prepared into bottles, and used as a wise a minute of in-game time) a player Character Bleeds, ranged weapon. Up to three bottles can be created in this they suffer 1 Corruption. Should you continue to suffer from manner. The more bottles you wish to prepare at once, the blood loss for a number of Turns greater than your Brawn Difficulty Rating of the Tradecraft Test worsens: Bonus (BB), you immediately bleed out to death, and are  One bottles: (Routine +10%) Tradecraft Test now Slain!. However, you may sacrifice a Fate Point at any  Two bottles: (Standard +/-0%) Tradecraft Test time to recover from blood loss.  Three bottles: (Challenging -10%) Tradecraft Test

To have a chance at preparing a Bobble Bomb, a preparer MATERIA MEDICA must have a Skill Rank in Tradecraft, strip of ragged cloth For apothecaries and other would-be pharmacologists, and a bottle of rotgut (both of which are expended) and be preparation of various medicines, poisons and other com- left uninterrupted for at least ten minutes. mon treatments require extensive knowledge of elemental With a successful Tradecraft Test, you prepare the number properties of plants. Carefully recorded into voluminous text of bottles you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares of the natural world, these formulae describe how to man- three additional bottles. Failure results in expending the in- ufacture these costly sundries. Outlined below are the most gredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the common forms of preparation they’ll make in attendance of same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 Damage the sick and the dying. Also included are the forms in which from fire. materials can be rendered into more deadly tools. DELIRIANTS ALCHEMICAL LABORATORY A standard laboratory is assumed to have alchemical sub- Deliriants can be prepared into doses, and may be inhaled, stances, glassware and herbs required to create most any al- ingested or smoked by a user. Up to three doses of Deliriants chemical substance. Should any of the Materia Medica re- can be prepared at a time. The more doses of Deliriants you quire other substances, they will be listed below. wish to prepare at once, the Difficulty Rating of the Alche- my Test worsens: BANDAGES  One dose: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test Bandages can be crafted into strips. Up to three strips can  Two doses: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test be prepared at a time. The more strips of Bandages you wish  Three doses: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test to prepare at once, the Difficulty Rating of the Heal Test worsens: To have a chance at preparing Deliriants, a preparer must have a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a laboratory, a  One strip: (Routine +10%) Heal Test plant the Deliriant is derived from (which is expended) and  Two strips: (Standard +/-0%) Heal Test be left uninterrupted for at least 1D10+1 hours.  Three strips: (Challenging -10%) Heal Test With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number To have a chance at preparing Bandages, a preparer must of doses you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares have a Skill Rank in Heal, a honey pot and a strip of ragged three additional doses. Failure results in expending the in- cloth (both of which are expended) and be left uninterrupted gredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the for at least ten minutes. same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 phys- ical Peril. 243 GUNPOWDER have a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a laboratory, a Gunpowder can be prepared into shots, and used for any crystal of cinnabar (which is expended) and be left uninter- weapon that possesses the Gunpowder Quality. Up to three rupted for at least 1D10+1 hours. shots can be created in this manner. The more shots you wish With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number of to prepare at once, the Difficulty Rating of the Alchemy Test ampules you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares worsens: three additional ampules. Failure results in expending the  One shot: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test ingredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has  Two shots: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test the same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2  Three shots: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test physical Peril.

To have a chance at preparing Gunpowder, a preparer must ROYAL WATER have a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a laboratory, a Quicksilver can be rendered into a quintessence, which can vial of saltpetre (which is expended) and be left uninterrupt- be poured over any material to instantly dissolve a hand- ed for at least 1D10+1 hours. sized hole in it or used to treat Orx-molt. Up to three quin- tessences of Royal Water can be prepared at a time. The more With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number of quintessences of Royal Water you wish to prepare at once, shots you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares three the Difficulty Rating of the Alchemy Test worsens: additional shots. Failure results in expending the ingredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the same result  One quintessence: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 Damage from fire.  Two quintessences: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test LAUDANUM  Three quintessences: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Laudanum can be rendered into a draught; a liquid possess- Test ing a characteristically bitter taste. Up to three draughts of Laudanum can be prepared at a time. The more draughts of To have a chance at preparing Royal Water, a preparer must Laudanum you wish to prepare at once, the Difficulty Rating have a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a laboratory, a of the Alchemy Test worsens: vial of epsom salt (which is expended) and be left uninter- rupted for at least 1D10+1 hours.  One draught: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test  Two draughts: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number  Three draughts: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test of quintessences you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares three additional quintessences. Failure results in ex- To have a chance at preparing Laudanum, a preparer must pending the ingredients without success, whereas a Critical have a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a laboratory, a Failure has the same result as above and causes you to suffer seed pod of opium (which is expended) and be left uninter- 2D10+2 physical Peril. rupted for at least 1D10+1 hours. SMELLING SALTS With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number of draughts you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares Smelling Salts can be rendered into a capsule; a colorless three additional draughts. Failure results in expending the but incredibly acrid-smelling liquid. Up to three capsules of ingredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has Smelling Salts can be prepared at a time. The more capsules the same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 of Smelling Salts you wish to prepare at once, the Difficulty physical Peril. Rating of the Alchemy Test worsens:  QUICKSILVER One capsule: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test  Two capsules: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test Quicksilver can be rendered into an ampule; injected by the  Three capsules: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test user. Up to three ampules of Quicksilver can be prepared at a time. The more ampules of Quicksilver you wish to prepare To have a chance at preparing Smelling Salts, a preparer at once, the Difficulty Rating of the Alchemy Test worsens: must have a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a labo- ratory, a vial of epsom salt (which is expended) and be left  One ampule: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test uninterrupted for at least 1D10+1 hours.  Two ampules: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test  Three ampules: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number of capsules you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares To have a chance at preparing Quicksilver, a preparer must three additional capsules. Failure results in expending the 244 ingredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has To have a chance at preparing Toxins, a preparer must have a the same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a laboratory, a draught physical Peril. of Laudanum and a capsule of Smelling Salts (both of which are expended) and be left uninterrupted for at least 1D10+1 TINCTURE hours. Tinctures can be rendered into a dose; imbibed by the user. Up to three doses of Tinctures can be prepared at a time. With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number The more doses of Tinctures you wish to prepare at once, the of doses you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares Difficulty Rating of the Alchemy Test worsens: three additional doses. Failure results in expending the in- gredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the  One dose: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 phys-  Two doses: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test ical Peril.  Three doses: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test VENOM & ANTIVENOM To have a chance at preparing Tincture, a preparer must have Venom can be rendered into a dose; a resin-like paste which a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a laboratory, a seed can be applied directly to a weapon. Up to three doses can pod of opium (which is expended) and be left uninterrupted be prepared at a time. Additionally, you can prepare a dose of for at least 1D10+1 hours. Antivenom in the same fashion. The more doses of Venoms With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number and Antivenoms you wish to prepare at once, the Difficulty of doses you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares Rating of the Alchemy Test worsens: three additional doses. Failure results in expending the in-  One dose: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test gredients without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the  Two doses: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 phys-  Three doses: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test ical Peril. To have a chance at preparing Venom and Antivenom, a pre- TOXINS parer must have a Skill Rank in Alchemy, have access to a lab- Toxins can be rendered into a dose; a resin-like paste which oratory, possess a sample of the original Venom (which is ex- can be applied directly to a weapon. Up to three doses of pended) and be left uninterrupted for at least 1D10+1 hours. Toxins can be prepared at a time. The more doses of Toxins you wish to prepare at once, the Difficulty Rating of the Al- With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number of chemy Test worsens: doses you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares three additional doses. Failure results in expending the ingredients  One dose: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the same result  Two doses: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril.  Three doses: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test

245 CHAPTER 10: GRIMOIRE

nlike common prestidigitation and parlor tricks, Magick is a metaphysical, chaotic force that exists outside of reality. It is the fifth element, called Aether by practitioners. It is an emotional expression of the universe, Ucompelling those to its presence through the promise of power. It is otherwise intangible, unable to be felt or discerned by the common person. However, its subversive, decaying effects can be seen in the faces of people. Disease, sickness, famine, violence and other undeniably unsavory outcomes are born from it. In its purest form, Magick is malignant like a cancer, corrupting hapless souls who’d force it to kneel before them. It does not discern between mighty statesman or petty farmer; all are fair game when it comes to its poisonous grasp. But the lure of power compels some more than others; those who would strike hell-bound bargains with demons or soul-bound promises with gods in exchange for its eldritch might.

AETHERIC WINDS sense their presence, however, they can be harnessed to have a positively devastating effect upon the Material The living world, or “reality” as most know it, is called Realm. It is easier for an apprentice wizard or priest- the Material Realm. Sages roundly believe Magick’s ly disciple to manipulate them in this fashion, wrought origins exist outside of the Material Realm, collapsed into a tangible force which can produce simple effects into a vibrating membrane between here and the end- or even move mountains. But fickle are the Aetheric less hellhole of the Abyss. This membrane is called the Winds, for they are volatile and dangerous for even the Aethereal Veil, comprised of multi-colored scintilla and most practiced wizard or itinerant priest to control. particles of chaos. It spreads into our reality intangibly by way of unseen Winds, felt only by those attuned to INNER WORKINGS OF MAGICK sense it. Just as the eternal symbol of the chaotic Abyss As words upon the page represent language, so too can possesses eight arrows, so do the Aetheric Winds take geometric shapes and linguistics be used to catalogue flight from it into eight cardinal directions. Those who Magick and its esoteric teachings. Whether by ink and are sensitive to the Winds can sometimes visibly detect quill written within a book, carved into beads upon a these Aetheric “disturbances”, scintillating into distinct necklace, tattooed upon one’s flesh or ritualized in re- colors as light through a prism - they have even been ligious documents, Magick can be recorded. However, named, though from a tongue long lost. The pretty col- Magickal language is not simply comprised of one set of ors, however, belie their true origin, for the Winds are symbols or letters. It is written in a variety of languages, chaos manifest. generally penned in the native tongue of its practitioners. Fortunately for the rest of mankind, the Aetheric Winds Albeit terribly complex and erudite, the undertaking are dissipated by the eons which exist between the liv- to research, report and reproduce Magickal phenome- ing world they inhabit and the endless pit of the Abyss; na takes decades of practice. Even the most esteemed by the time they have reached the living world, they are of master wizards or chief priests continue to learn and mostly invisible to the naked eye. For those who can

246 practice as the years toil onward. Verbal components are an rible primordial things, murderers and cannibals who thrum absolute standard, where inflection of the voice, pronuncia- with the power of the animal kingdom. tion of specific syllables, shading of pitch and intonation of words first draw forth the Aethereal Winds. Somatic weaving GEVURAH, THE BROWN WINDS of the hand in prayer - as if directing a concert - are an ab- Shaman practice the Arcana of Animism, thus command- solute must. Hand signs are gesticulated in specific patterns ing Gevurah, the Brown Winds of the Aethereal Veil. This and follow specific phrases. Finally, physical reagents hold Wind is wild and untamed, as it comes from the bestial fury significance to the Magick being authored. These compo- of the creatures of the land, sea and sky. In a sense it is cha- nents may be as simple as a pat of butter held in hand to the otic, but not malevolently so - it operates on nearly bestial bones of a saint being broken beneath the heel. These make instinct and can be hard to control at times. Gevurah gathers up the three absolute necessities to purposefully attempt to in the wilderness and dens of creatures, and that is where cast Magick. Saving that, aught else is required...with excep- Shaman develop their powers most easily. Gevurah is warm tion to the sacrifice of a part of one’s soul in exchange for the but brooding, full of survival instincts and a hunger for meat. promise of both mundane and unfathomable power. Disci- ARCANA OF ASTROMANCY plined rigor and mental fortitude are all that stands as safe- guards against the corruptive effects of the Aethereal Veil. The stars and the heavens above hold many secrets, and some believe that the cosmos is the source of Aether, and the ori- gin of Magicks. The Astromancy school of thought takes this ARCANE MAGICK brand of study to heart. The manifestations in this Arcana often deal with prophecy and the movement of stars, but the The Winds of the Aether can be harnessed in two mutually fury of celestial storms and plasma also play a part. exclusive ways. Arcane Magick is perhaps the most ubiqui- tous of these paths. Traditionally calling themselves wizards Soothsayers are the mysterious arcanists who devote them- or arcanists, they prescribe to the theory that the Aethereal selves to the endless void above. Ethereal and often ab- Veil can be tapped into through less godly means. Using ge- sent-minded, they place more faith in their star charts and ometry, formulae and personal will, they weave the Aether as astrolabes than they do in any cryer or noble. As they grow a seamstress to a loom, creating the tapestry of Magick. This more powerful, Soothsayers almost entire a dreamlike state tapestry tells of mortal resolve - and not of godly oversight - to of existence, and it almost appears as if stars and planets play control wondrous might. Carefully authoring their spells into in their hair and eyes. Soothsayers who follow the wrong an arcane tome, in which they jealously guard the knowledge path will often find themselves delving deeper into the mys- that they alone have uncovered. Apostates in every right, they teries of pure Aether, and often the Abyss beyond as well. do not deny that the gods exist; instead, they believe mortals are master of their own destiny. Undeniably, mortal kind is not BINAH, THE BLUE WINDS truly fit to harness the Aether in this way. Thus, it is a more Soothsayers practice the Arcana of Astromancy, thus com- difficult path for Arcane Magick-weavers than those who’d manding the Binah, the Blue Winds of the Aethereal Veil. look towards the sky for divine miracles. This Wind is extremely mysterious and odd, as it flows out of the Vault of Night and pummels the land. Not only is it a ARCANA OF ANIMISM reagent for storms and the inky black of beyond, but its haze Animism is an Arcana of living things and their Magick po- can be gazed into to see the future. Soothsayers can easily be- tential. Everything from the smallest bug to the largest ele- come wrapped up in the uncertain yet tempting power of the phant has the Aether flowing through them, and Animism Binah, leading to vacant stares and mercurial minds. Binah is is the branch of the arcane that harnesses these energies. Not almost electric in its feel and experience, full of both the fury only does Animism control and influence animals, it also of storms and potential of the future. changes the user’s form to something more bestial and pri- ARCANA OF ELEMENTALISM mal. Animism is also thought to be one of the first arcanas ever discovered and utilized, mastered by ancient followers Elementalism is a very primal, and sometimes very danger- of the old ways. ous, Arcana of magick. Elementalism is the power of the earth, water, plants and weather; nature’s fury unbridled and People who use their Magicks to control wildlife are called enraged. Spells range from conjuring up feasts for dozens of Shaman. They are wild and unruly, nearly more beast than people, to assaulting the land with frost and hail. It’s often man. Very few wash or groom, and as they become more in- an unpredictable brand of magick, and in a wilderness that tune with their energies, Shaman become more bestial in ap- is alive with monsters and beasts, having the very land out to pearance. Their hair grows and coarsens, their nails elongate, get you does no service to morale. and they nearly develop snouts. Chaos Shaman become ter- Experts in Elementalism are unsurprisingly called Elemen- 247 talists. They are often an unpredictable sort, their attitudes Supernatural and exploiting them, Morticism deals with and viewpoints changing with both environment and season. communicating with the dead and bringing the Supernat- When steeped in Elemental Magicks, they can often shift ural to peace. Morticism is generally more “gentle”, often appearance as well, their skin changing to a green coloriza- involving exorcising spirits or protecting mortals from the tion in the summer or their hair growing brittle in autumn. ravages of the hereafter. Abyss-touched Elementalists will often invoke the fury of the elements on civilization, claiming that their exploitative Experts in Morticism are called Funerary Mages, and in ad- ways are not natural to the order of the universe. dition to their spell prowess, many will preside over funeral services in addition to acting as a priest. Funerary Mages are CHESED, THE GREEN WINDS a dour and grim lot, though they aren’t particularly hostile. Elementalists practice the Arcana of Elementalism, thus com- As they speak more with the spirits, their skin pales, their manding Chesed, the Green Winds of the Aethereal Veil. This eyes sink and their hair darkens and often falls out. Those Wind is a natural and old one, as it swirls about mountains who fall too far to the wayside often start exploring the dark- peaks, down through valleys and rushes through rivers. El- er side of death magick in through the path of a Black Ma- ementalism does not strictly deal with the four classical ele- gister, or worse, enraging spirits into fervor and violence. ments, but rather nature and all its aspects contained therein. It represents growth and potential, as Elementalists also hold TIFERET, THE PURPLE WINDS a religious fervor for creation and the natural order of things. Funerary Mages practice the Arcana of Morticism, thus Chesed is fresh and uncaring, forever rolling across the land- commanding Tiferet, the Purple Winds of the Aethereal scape and buffeting anything that may intrude upon its path. Veil. It is the most commonly-seen Wind through the pow- er of Wytchsight. It swirls around places of inevitable fate ARCANA OF LUMINESCENCE and death, and in fact, it is often confused for Necromancy. The Arcana of Luminescence is probably the closest arcane In reality, Morticism respects the cycle of life and death and tradition to being widely accepted by the populace. Often, Funerary Mages see death as just another step in the cycle of it’s even confused for holy magick derived from the gods, life. Tiferet is dark and cold, but not inherently hostile. It is though this is untrue. Luminescence is the lore of light, illu- a resonation of the power of mortality, a remnant of life lost mination and order, and of all the schools of magick it is the and transformation from ashes to dust. closest antithesis to the powers of the Abyss. Light and law ARCANA OF NECROMANCY in all its forms manifest through these spells, whether it be a gentle beam or a purifying explosion. If there is one thing that both arcanists and commoners can agree on, it’s that the dead should stay dead. Death and the Hierophants are their practitioners, possessing an air of su- afterlife is too mysterious, too dangerous and too godforsak- periority that no other arcanist can claim. They feel superior en to muddle with. However, some dark souls practice the and intelligent, and their egos are immense. As a Hierophant damning Arcana of Necromancy. Necromancy is not only a absorbs more lore, they will almost begin to glow or take way to invigorate the dead, but also to bring about unnatural on an angelic appearance, which makes their enormous chills of the grave, spiritual screams and visions of demise. self-confidence even more monstrous. Hierophants who find themselves lured to darkness take their superiority in a ter- Necromancers are a vile sort, and many obviously obscure rible direction, smiting and destroying anyone they feel is their craft. They are born scientists, performing blasphemous unworthy of their majestic glory. and grotesque experiments on both the dead and the living. As they fall deeper into madness, their skin becomes jaundiced KETER, THE WHITE WINDS and clings to their bones, giving them a corpse-like visage. The Hierophants practice the Arcana of Luminescence, thus com- worst Necromancers go on quests to straddle the line between manding Keter, the White Winds of the Aethereal Veil. This life and death, many in the search for immortality through Wind is perhaps one of the hardest to harness - it is diffused lichdom. and everywhere, hard to gather into large quantities to unleash. But when it is, the spells are dazzling and baffling, almost di- YESOD, THE BLACK WINDS vine in their execution. Hierophants are intellectuals in a phil- Necromancers practice the Arcana of Necromancy. Howev- osophical sense, and often put themselves behind barriers of er, they do not command one Aetheric Wind but intertwine superiority against not only commoners, but other arcanists. strands of them together, creating a pitch Black Wind known Keter is warm and welcoming, but only when you can find it. as Yesod. Thus, it is not uncommon to find that Necroman- cers are given to bouts of depression and nihilistic philoso- ARCANA OF MORTICISM phies. The combination of these Winds are utterly corruptive The Arcana of Morticism is often wrongfully confused with to one’s soul, and requires a powerful force of presence and Necromancy. While Necromancy deals with controlling the personality to ever hope to control its destructive outcomes. 248 ARCANA OF PYROMANCY misty fog, landing in places of confusion like fetid moors Fire was the spark that brought about the beginning of civ- and dark alleyways. It is silent and terrifying, just like the ilization, and this is an immense point of pride for the users Illusionists who harness it. Netzach is cold and clammy, but of Pyromancy. The fire-based Magick of Pyromancy is flashy it also opens up the senses and makes the world seem vivid and a spectacle to behold, with explosions and great gouts to those that can penetrate the fog. of flame being the norm among its users. Not only does it ARCANA OF SORCERY burn foes, but it ignites courage in the hearts and bellies of its practitioners and their allies. Commoners fear Magick of all sorts, but Sorcery is the Ar- cana that causes doors to be bolted, inquisitors to fear for their Users of this flame Magick are, appropriately enough, known lives, and humanity to fear their place in the world. Sorcery as Pyromancers. They more they know of the Arcana, the is the Magick of the Abyss, and it’s nearly pure chaos made more they take on the characteristics of the flame they love. form. The invocations are dark and vile, preying on humanity’s Their hair slowly turns red, they become quick to anger, and greatest fears and doubts to extreme effect. the air shimmers around them. Those who submit themselves to the flame become cruel indeed, becoming pyromaniacs Sorcery’s practitioners are known as Warlocks, and most of themselves. Many witch hunters have had to strike down Py- them lost both their minds and souls to the call of chaos romancers who have engulfed entire cities in crimson death. long ago. Many take on the appearances of corruption of the Abyss, from fetid sores to diabolical horns curving from HOD, THE RED WINDS their foreheads. They have little value for any life aside from Pyromancers practice the Arcana of Pyromancy, thus com- their own, and most only see the living as tools that can help manding Hod, the Red Winds of the Aethereal Veil. This them fulfill their own dark, twisted fantasies. Believe it or Wind is the embodiment of passion, desire and violence - not, Warlocks can get worse; those who are too cocksure can all of which manifests as crimson flame and cloying smoke. be absorbed fully by the Aether, becoming little more than a It rips across the world like a wildfire, settling in places of hand puppet for capricious and cruel Abyssal Princes. wild emotion and lust, or places full of terrifying promise. Pyromancers are almost mad from the cinders that scorch YESOD, THE BLACK WINDS them, quick to anger but also quick to love. Hod is hot, dry Warlocks practice the Arcana of Sorcery. Like their Nec- and lustful, as mesmerizing as staring into a campfire as it is romantic cousins, they do not command one but mix the frightening as a forest fire. Aetheric Winds together, crushed into the Black Winds of Yesod. Unlike Necromancy, however, their methods often ARCANA OF SHADOWMANCY lead to mania and madness - a seeing beyond the Veil into Sometimes, what is not visible to the eye is just as important the chaos of the Abyss. Warlocks stop at little to gain their as what is. Things are not always what they seem, and the power, bargaining with demons and other beings for even mysterious Arcana of Shadowmancy perpetrates this. Shad- just the pure promise of possibility. owmancy is an arcane lore about obscuring information, ARCANA OF TRANSMUTATION conjuring things that are not there, and hiding things from sight. Shadowmancy is often a terrifying sight to behold, as In an age of soaring churches, rumbling carts and the ad- often you are not even beholding it. vent of other philosophies, people still strive for the secret of turning lead into gold. Though this ability has not yet been Practitioners who devote themselves to Shadowmancy are discovered, those who study the Arcana of Transmutation known as Illusionists. They like to remain hidden and un- will likely be the first to find it. Transmutation is alchemical noticed, clothing themselves in dark greys and bilious robes in nature, a Magickal tradition that deals with metals and - but they can easily walk unhindered through the streets, as state changes. Spells of this nature can not only set portcullis their magick allows it. As they go more into the lore, their to disintegrate into dust, but also empower physical objects skin washes out and becomes translucent, their voice drop- with Aetheric energies. ping to little more than a faint whisper. Illusionists who turn to corruption are favored by the Prince of Change, being able Hermetics are the main practitioners of Transmutation, and to obscure heresies and falsities with a wave of their hands. they are a rather scholastic and insular group. As they re- veal more mysteries of the metallurgic sciences, they become NETZACH, THE GREY WINDS more implacable and stalwart, sometimes even struggling to Illusionists practice the Arcana of Shadowmancy, thus com- move their very joints. Hermetics who have been touched by manding Netzach, the Grey Winds of the Aethereal Veil. the Abyss often wander into impossible realms of the Ar- This Wind contains the essence of confusion, perplexity, cana, attempting to turn everything they touch into dust, or doublespeak and paradox. It billows over the world like a even transmutating their very flesh into an everlasting metal. 249 CHOKHMAH, THE YELLOW WINDS SOCIETAL VIEWS OF WIZARDS Hermetics practice the Arcana of Transmutation, thus com- Unlike other traditional fantasy settings where Magick may manding Chokhmah, the Yellow Winds of the Aethereal simple be exhausting or time-consuming, Magick in a world Veil. This Wind is one of cold logic and reason, gathering where Abyssal agents are specifically attuned to seek out ar- around dense metals that Hermetics use as reagents of all canists is not only dangerous, but most likely world-ending. sorts. Chokhmah represents abstraction and possibility, albe- It is approached from the layman’s point of view: arcanists it one guided by strict rules- that being said, it is also a Wind are most likely in league with demons, and if not, the temp- of creativity, experimentation and imagination. Hierophants tation is there, so why not kill them … as an ounce of preven- always have active minds, trying to find the step further or tion is worth a pound of cure. However, even though Magick the spell larger, though this leads many to become obsessive is dangerous, just like all things it depends on its user. True, and odd. Chokhmah is uncaring and stiff, but able to bend Magick in these kinds of worlds can not easily revive the easily in the hands of a master. dead or translate to different realities, but they can prove a THE WINDS INTERTWINED boon to both common life and rulership. The Winds of Magick are energies of contradictions Arcan- SANCTIONED & ists have spent centuries trying to tap into the true essence UNSANCTIONED MAGICK of the Aethereal Veil in order to get to the true origin of Wizards are basically divided between two parties in most Magick, and they have only just stumbled upon the begin- worlds - the sanctioned and the unsanctioned. Sanctioned nings of it. mages often have approval by some religion, self-governing MALKUTH, THE VOID body or school to practice their Magick in league with oth- The Black Winds of Yesod has long been known about as the ers. These organizations are few and far between, but teach root of Necromancy and Sorcery, but something more ter- arcanists how to keep from abusing its power and avoiding rifying lays within the inky black stillness. The Winds have the dangers of spellcasting through use of proper reagents, coalesced naturally in places of darkness and terror, forming how to control the Aetheric Winds and not wander afoul of almost visible pools as the winds shred and decimate all liv- dark Magicks. Now, this may not prevent one from sprouting ing things. Looking into this unnatural miasma is not just horrible mutations or being run out of a town by a pitchfork seeing black - it is akin to looking into true oblivion, the Void wielding mob, but it does usually grant at least a writ or just known as Malkuth. Those who have managed to tap into the cause to avoid the pyre of a witch hunter for one more day. Void are the foul Black Magisters, though rumor abounds Unsanctioned spellcasters, on the other hand, are a much dif- the Gilded Pharaoh also knows its secrets. But as the true ferent story. A vast majority of them are self-taught, meaning distillation of the Black Winds, it is the closest embodiment they have incomplete knowledge and a broken understand- to an existential, arcane evil as you can reach - uncaring, ma- ing of the nature of reality. At times this is forgivable - if levolent, and so very cold. Most who have followed the path an old wise woman can brew a little indigestion aid from of Malkuth have been consumed by it. Those solely unique newt eyes, a fuss is rarely risen. But Magick has always been individuals who have begun to master it are treated as devils a slippery slope - it unhinges and warps, leading its practi- and worse by witch hunters. tioners to seek more and more dangerous pathways unless DA’AT, THE SILVER WINDS held back by another. This resulted in the foul discoveries On the other hand, several arcanists have managed to take of arcana such as Necromancy and Sorcery, and the corrup- the first shaky steps in the other direction - not crushing tion of countless souls. Unsanctioned wizards are often mad the Aethereal Winds into the Void, but refracting them as or very close to being so, mutated heavily with dreams of if put through a prism. Dubbed the Silver Winds of Da’at, domination and power. They are the beasts inquisitors look this Magick is beyond complicated but free of corruption as for and townspeople fear above all else. If players delve into it has become perfectly ordered into a rainbow-like pattern, Magick of a darker stripe, unless they hide it very well, they blazing with silvery-gold light. Archmages are the only “civ- will be hunted and tried as witches if possible. ilized” wizards that have unearthed the secrets of the Silver Despite all the dangers involved, civilization has come Winds, but the Ancient Ones were said to have passed the to slowly accept Magick as a necessary evil. Fire must be gifts to the Aztlan long ago. Da’at is sensical, hopeful, and fought with fire, and when the enemies at the gates are lit- sometimes seen as a beacon - even then, it takes decades erally made of flames, harnessing a small Magickal missile to master the childish works of the Archmages. It’s practi- of Aetheric energy doesn’t seem too damning in hindsight. tioners are a true rarity in the world, considered to be akin to Further, smaller Magick practices have become even more demigods; oftentimes worshipped for their superior intellect. acceptable - alchemical processes are now considered science rather than heresy. But what happens if it goes too far? This 250 is where inquisitors and witch hunters come into play. Many tures, though His skin is scarred with countless, self-inflicted are contracted by the church, sent to strike the land clean of wounds. The Crouching One is often said to be the twin all wayward souls of the natural order. Some are even former brother of the Custodian, bearing similar preoccupations magis themselves, but have given it up to root out corruption with death between the two. Strangely, the Crouching One and Abyssal influence at its core. is a hero-god for the Elves, though open worship is often reluctant in those circles. The Crouching One only gives Wizards are a supreme rarity in this world, and even the prayers to those who perform a bloodletting ceremony; His most powerful Magicks do not compare to other tradition- actual powers are vile and murderous. al fantasy settings. There is also no time travel whatsoever. Wandering arcanists are vanishingly rare - only a smidgen of PRIESTHOOD people possess the gift of spellcraft, an even smaller percent The Crouching One’s penitents are called Bloodmongers, of that can actually be taught to use it, and a unique few thought to be so on account of the fact they tattoo them- can keep from either blowing themselves themselves up or selves with a mark after every person they personally slay. falling towards the call of the Abyss. And even more spe- They worship in secret, and their rituals are often very san- cific than that, very few arcanists complete their collegiate guine and manic. The more murders they carry through in or intellectual training to prove themselves worthy to leave the name of the Crouching One, the more erratic and eu- the hallowed halls of apprenticeship whatsoever. If a peasant phoric they become (though they expertly hide the madness ever saw a true wizard in the flesh, it is a story they would in public). It does not take a hard push for a Bloodmonger pass down to their grandchildren - as they saw the very pow- to tip over the edge into complete insanity, killing wantonly er of reality stride through their streets. with serial joy. Not surprisingly, most priests of the Crouch- ing One suffer from a Disorder called the Dark Passenger. DIVINE MAGICK COMMANDMENTS The strictures of the Crouching One really cement it as a death The second way that the Aetheric Winds can be reached is cult. To them, all death is sacred, but assassination is the most through Divine Magick. Those who traditionally call them- sacred. It should not be rushed, and killing is its own reward. selves clerics or priests, they rely on their intense devotion Opportunities should not pass you by, and though murdering to the gods to summon the Winds. Viewing themselves as by proxy is acceptable, it’s not ideal. Bloodmongers also must proxies to divine might, their piety and faith lend them great not betray the cult, nor must they conceal their killings - they gifts of power to whichever gods they make sacrifice to. All are blasphemous artists in a way. Finally, they should only who’d look to draw from the Aethereal Veil in this manner wield weapons that can be hidden upon their person. carefully create illuminations in their prayer book; a work of divine liturgy and ceremonies to call forth this power. Rituals THE CUSTODIAN and religious rites dominate this application of Magick, right The Custodian bears a grim visage, but She is by no means down to purposefully invoking the very name of deities-up- a god of chaos, for She is the lord of death, dreams and the on-high to condemn those who’d stand in their way! Miracles afterlife, as well as the husband to the Learner. The Custo- of the smallest and grandest of design are at their fingertips. dian is depicted as a person of ambiguous gender cloaked However, the cost can be considerably greater than those who by a large burial shroud. Although She bears a frightening follow the aforementioned path, as they may be made pawn to appearance, the Custodian is wise and kindly though mys- the fickle nature of the deity they serve. terious and tight-lipped on the secrets of death. Since the By and large, clerics do not manipulate the Winds in the afterlife is so closely tied to the Vault of Night, the Custodi- same traditions as wizards. However, they no less draw pow- an has a large following. Further, the Custodian despises the er from the patron gods beyond the Material Realm. The supernaturally-awoken undead, seeing them as having been gods, however, make specific demands of their worshippers. stolen from Her realm - the Well of Souls - so many prayers Violation of these sacred tenets can result in gaining Cor- deal with the destruction of those abominations. ruption, or worse. PRIESTHOOD THE CROUCHING ONE Priests of the Custodian are called Augurs due to their ability to dig through the past and make sense of events in the present. The Crouching One is the god of assassination, blood and They have an immense respect for both life and death, often cruelty, and has been in worship for thousands of years. chosen personally by the Custodian through visions. As Au- Obviously, much of civilization has turned away from this gurs become more deeply entrenched in the faith, they grow vicious deity, with many countries outright banning His more in tune with death, though not in a macabre way. Her worship. The Crouching One is maniacal and devious, ap- priests spend hours ruminating on the nature of the soul and pearing often as a handsome male with striking angular fea- 251 dreams, and often become distracted from other tasks. Much THE GOD-EMPEROR like Funerary Mages, corrupted priests of the Custodian seek According to folklore, a child was born of virginal birth, her- to root out the secrets of death from the Custodian, and thus alded below a blazing winter star. Three seers, witnessing the sometimes fall upon the crooked path of a Dark Disciple. birth, prophesied the boy would save humanity. The blessed COMMANDMENTS child grew from being a mere carpenter to become a strong Augurs observe nothing but the utmost respect for the dead. and charismatic champion of order, who united dozens of Part of their strictures include observing all rites of death warring regions into a cohesive empire. He eventually as- and wake, as well as paying their respects to loved ones. Also cended to divinity and was dubbed the God-Emperor, be- perhaps obviously, they oppose the Supernatural of all sorts, coming the lord of civilization, courage and humanity. From pretenders to the Well of Souls that usurp the Custodian’s a heavenly throne amid the clouds, the God-Emperor’s natural order. They are cautioned to pay heed to their dreams divine light brings revelation to the darkest of places, wor- - as dreams are the murky area between life and death. Fi- shipped universally as the chief god of humanity. His prayers nally, and perhaps obviously, Augurs are forbidden from des- are radiant and inspire courage, but are only granted to the ecration of graves or thievery of their tombs. worthiest agents of order. THE DEMIURGE PRIESTHOOD The priesthood of the God-Emperor are known as God- The Demiurge is the dualistic god of nature, animals, earth and sworn: hammer-wielding, militant paladins who root out fertility, as well as the parent of the Leviathan. The Demiurge Mutants and chaos in the name of humanity. They are a zeal- is a hermaphrodite, possessing both female and male attributes. ous and headstrong priesthood, taught to never back down All of life - including the other gods - is said to be born from and to always put faith in their divine lord. Older Godsworn the Demiurge’s womb. The Demiurge is often depicted as any seem to exhume holy light, with the mark of a burning sword number of animals and beasts, including that of humanity, but branded on their skin. Heretical Godsworn are unforgivable always heavy with child. Priests who follow the deity of the and deemed traitors of the highest order, as they militantly wilds receive prayers, all of which tap into the raw majesty of destroy anyone who is not “purely human”, which often has the wilderness and creatures within it. a quite specific definition. Pogromists of the worst sort, they PRIESTHOOD bear a twisted, upside down brand upon their skin, to delin- Worship of the Demiurge is ancient, and Its priesthood of eate their allegiances to racial purity. Druids are truly blessed by their god. Druids make their COMMANDMENTS worship in remote petrified glades and among stone mono- The Godsworn must obey orders given to them by superiors, liths, locations that far predate mortal kind’s existence. It is and always show true allegiance for their godly lord. They not uncommon for these fringe priests to keep humble jobs must always promote civilization, even if it is at the cost of such as midwives and herbalists. The most blessed of Dru- their individual freedoms. Finally, they must not only root ids have the wilds swirl around them, giving off the scent of out mutations of all sorts, but they should also lend aid to fallen leaves or attracting animals wherever they roam. Taken the reclusive race of Dwarves - the God-Emperor’s former down paths of corruption, Druids will revert to their ancient sworn allies. Finally, Godsworn should ever only wield blunt forbidden practices, such as living sacrifices and mass orgies weapons as to not spill blood. Cracking skulls, however, is of destruction. They’d tear down every wall of civilization encouraged when faced by their enemies. and see the world in absolute anarchy, if only to usher in a return to the basic elements of life. THE LEARNER

COMMANDMENTS As literacy slowly becomes more of a given than not, the The strictures of the Druids are much about respect and un- Learner has moved from being a more obscure deity to one derstanding. Animals should be honored for giving us their of the most well-regarded. The Learner is the god of knowl- meat and bones, and for a week a year a Druid must abandon edge, justice and history, as well as the husband of the Custo- civilization to get in touch with their bestial side. Sacrifices dian. He is a kind and patient though esoteric god, seen most of animal or grain must be made monthly as well, and Druids often as an aged scholar or an owl. In addition to being the are forbidden from wearing metal - though they may wear patron of philosophers and intellectuals, many sanctioned skins. They also oppose science and innovation, encouraging arcanists of all sorts t pay lip service to the Learner. The the use of natural weapons and pure skill. Finally, Druids are Learner often values usable knowledge over mystical powers, forbidden from bringing harm upon animals, unless killed but He does grant prayers of perception to those He deems for food, in self-defense or as a sacrifice. intelligent enough to use them wisely.

252 PRIESTHOOD Leviathan prohibits the Drowned Ones from wearing armor The Learner’s devout go by the name of Truthsayers, whose heavier than quilted armor, so that they may swim. ranks are few but are well-regarded for their sagacity. Not only do they keep track of history and recorded doings of THE MARTYR other faiths, they will often serve as arbitrators or judges With plagues, disease and poison being common occurrenc- between feuding churches. As a Truthsayer obtains more es, the Martyr is a goddess that many pay direct homage knowledge and records new-found learning into the restrict- to. The lady of healing, mercy and childbirth, the Martyr is ed archives kept by the priesthood, they develop an almost the wife of the Steward. The Martyr is the only widely-be- eidetic memory while their sense of judgement gains a hard nevolent deity, hesitating to lift a hand against anyone and delineation between what is humane, and what is notably well-regarded as the protector of mothers and the slain sons pragmatic. Truthsayers who use knowledge for their own of the battlefield. She is often depicted as a beautiful maiden twisted purposes are beyond saving, for their awareness of clothed in all white, and she is said to radiate a motherly, dark truths can serve as potent weapons against their fellows. soothing glow. All of Her priests are taught the healing arts, and her Magicks involving healing or caring for the injured COMMANDMENTS and sick. The Learner’s strictures are of utmost important to the zeal- ous Truthsayers. They must safeguard knowledge of all sorts, PRIESTHOOD as it is the foundation of civilization. They must also arbitrate Those who come to worship to the Martyr call themselves disputes and keep them free from bias. Additionally, though Revered Mothers, and while it is not a position of only wom- they use combat as a last resort, there is no shame in using it en, the vast majority of the church is female. They embody to overthrow injustice and heresy. The Learner also expressly the care and love of their goddess, helping any who are in forbids the priesthood from telling falsehoods, unless it is for need of aid. As Revered Mothers become more engrained the benefit of their faith. in the mythos, they become both highly resistant and vul- nerable to pain; while it takes more for them to feel injured, THE LEVIATHAN they weep openly and scream lamentations when seeing The Leviathan is the goddess of the sea and of storms. A ca- others in pain. Revered Mothers who follow darker paths pricious and sometimes angry goddess, the Leviathan is often still heal, though their healings are more radical: limbs that depicted as a massive, blue-skinned woman with undulating need only stitching are amputated, while leech therapy turns tentacles, though the actual shape of the creature varies among into full sanguination. They become literal revenants of the worshippers. She is also said to be the first daughter of the her- battlefield, valkyries who’d profess only to heal the wound- maphroditic Demiurge, born from Its loins deep below the sea. ed in exchange for souls to be converted to the faith of the The Leviathan bestows prayers rarely, but the ones She does not bloodiest vision of the Martyr (whom they would call the only becalm storms and bless voyages, but can also bring ene- “red revenant”). mies of the faith into briny fathoms that have no escape. COMMANDMENTS PRIESTHOOD The priesthood of the Martyr, known as Revered Mothers, Priests of the Leviathan are known as Drowned Ones, and hold many tenets sacred, most related to healing. They will they believe in their lady fervently. Often sailors and explor- never refuse healing, but neither will they suffer someone ers who survived drowning, they were kissed by the Levia- an agonizing death. They avoid killing at all times and carry than’s terrible storm and found worthy. Drowned Ones who no weapons, and they focus solely on others - never them- descend deeper into the faith take on the tempestuousness selves. They also have almost a personal vendetta against the of their lady and often smell horribly of dried seaweed and Abyssal Prince of Decay - many declare Him their mortal dead fish. Drowned Ones who command the mightiest of enemy. The Martyr forbids use of armor and Her priests Magicks of the lady of storms will forcibly drown people may only carry a staff. Finally, they should not take the life of they see as enemies or throw them overboard into the maws another, unless as an act of self-defense. of sharks, prescribed as the Leviathan’s holy creatures. THE NIGHTFATHER COMMANDMENTS A wry smile, the cut of a leather coin purse and a lie told in Their beliefs are sometimes contradictory - some temples confidence are all little worships given to the conniving Night- believe whistling on a ship is bad luck, while others think it father. The lord of good fortune, commerce and the patron of encourages a good headwind. Common tenets include the burglars and confidence men, almost everyone throws a brass forbiddance of killing an albatross, obeying your captain, or two to the Nightfather’s coffers when all else seems im- keeping a cat on the ship and countless others - they usually possible. The Nightfather is a trickster, though not malicious; vary from ship to ship and temple to temple. Finally, the He often appears as a cunning knave or orphan, elsewise in 253 the form of a jackdaw such as a crow or raven. In fact, many Abbots who stroll dark paths often use their military might in assert that the Nightfather was originally a mortal that tricked terrible ways, gathering other zealots to pillage and burn with His way into ascending into the court of the gods. The lord of might rarely seen outside of most organized armies. For while fortune’s Magicks are subtle and often appear as twists of fate the world fears the rapine and pillaging of regular armies, the on the surface, which is what the Nightfather desires to keep zealotry present in the Steward’s ranks beneath the leadership the wool pulled over people’s eyes. of a corrupted Iron Abbot fears far worse atrocities.

PRIESTHOOD COMMANDMENTS The Nightfather’s priesthood is rag-tag and disorganized at The Steward is a foreign god, but respected all the same. best. Calling themselves Grey Guilders, they operate more Honor and dignity are highly important - His priests must as a shrewd merchant or banking guild than an actual center not only respect their commander, but also show pity and of worship. Guilders are cunning and often throw caution to respect to prisoners of war. The only thing Iron Abbots have the wind, knowing the Nightfather will bless them with good no patience for are the enemies of humanity, whether that fortunes and safe travels. As they rise higher in the “church”, be Mutant or Abyssal. Iron Abbots are expressly forbidden the Guilders will rarely make any decisions themselves, rath- to use most weapons, unless they are spears or the like. Fi- er letting fate decide on any little event they deem as too nally, whenever they give a promise or swear themselves to uncertain. The worse of these culprits do not place their own another, they are bound by a Vow of Fealty to the Steward lives in the Nightfather’s hands, but rather serve as operatives (as spelt out under Generalist Petty Magick), and its effects and instigators of misfortune and death. Tarnished Guilders can only be lifted only by the oathgiver or completion of a often mutilate half their face in reverence. These two-faced sacred quest. folk dispense life and death at the flip of a coin. THE WINTER KING COMMANDMENTS Far to the north, where the beasts are cruel and the winter is Grey Guilders expose freedom and liberty in their tenets. crueler, only the Winter King holds court as the highest of You must live by your wits, holding your sword back from lords. It is spoken that there is no greater god in the tundras unnecessary violence - even then, small daggers are preferred. and cold than the endless season of cold, as the Winter King is They don’t believe in honor, but trust is valued above all else. its progenitor. He is a god of winter, wolves and battle, though Oppression is a terrible sin, considered better to die than live His focus on warfare is more bloody and wild than the Stew- unders it yolk. The Nighfather demands that Grey Guilders ard’s commandment of stratagem and organization. The lord of donate one out of nine coins they have. They are expressly ice is worshipped most often in His form of a large, burly and forbidden from wearing metal armor, and commanded to bearded warrior, though He can also appear as a large winter only carry small one-handed weapons that can be secreted wolf with a steely mane of hoarfrost. The Winter King gives no upon themselves. mercy and only sponsors the strongest of warriors, as those who THE STEWARD die in the cold do not deserve to be protected from it. War and conflict have always existed, but only until recently PRIESTHOOD have many taken the brutality of combat and turned it into a The Winter King finds His chosen souls in the White true art form and game. The Steward rules over this type of Wolves, a priesthood who bedeck themselves in wolf pelts war, being the god of soldiers, strategists and general warfare, and often serve as rangers and outriders. White Wolves are as well as being the husband of the Martyr. A deity wide- hardy and full of bloodlust, their heart and souls almost ly worshipped where the sun beats down the brightest and as cold as the woods they dwell in. As the ice and sleet hottest, He is commonly represented by a rising sun, embla- infuse their bones, the ‘Wolves rebuke any sort of heat and zoned with a downward-thrust spear. The Steward’s prayers have little trouble staying in the fringes of the wilderness both rally allies and frighten enemies, with many great gen- despite the terrible season. Priesthood that let the howls of erals paying homage to Him in one form or another. winter flurries bury into their souls become insane berserk- ers, straddling the line between man and beast in a bloody, PRIESTHOOD sanguinated haze. Faithful of the Steward call themselves Iron Abbots, steeled and martial warriors who spend almost as much time in battle COMMANDMENTS as they do in worship. They are steely-eyed and lionhearted, The White Wolves tenets are actually quite similar to those nearly rivaling the Godsworn in their devotion. Iron Ab- of the Godsworn. They too are supposed to obey superiors, bots become even more boisterous and proud as they engrain defend your honor and be truthful in all things. Winter themselves in the military might of their god (sometimes Wolves also believe that using ranged weaponry is dishon- resulting in rash decisions and headstrong tomfoolery). Iron orable, as is wearing the pelt of a wolf you did not personally 254 kill. Furthermore, they are bound by sacred oath not to back a grey wolf being an omen of death from the Winter King. down from a direct challenge, fighting to the death. These symbols and ideas are canonized and worshipped al- most as much as their gods, and are holy beyond thought. FAITH & WORSHIP The gods and the church are integral to the people’s lives - Behind all these aspects, though, is the priesthood - the lead- they serve as guide points and leaders, and really the only ers of both minds and hearts. Though each religion handles certainty that many of them have in their chaotic whorl of their leaders differently, there is often both a hierarchy in existence. Crops may fail, children may be taken by pox and the church and a split between a militant and scholarly arm. cities may fall, but the canticles of the church will keep ring- There is little consistency - God-Emperor priests are both ing. On the other hand, divinity also plays a lesser focus - warriors and scholars, and the Demiurge’s followers almost mainly on the basis on if there is any divinity at all. Despite only as intellectual adherents. What is consistent is that wor- what many deacons and learned priests may say, the gods do ship requires total devotion; priests often devote their entire not speak to them and rarely show signs that they are real. life to the service of their Lord or Lady, doing everything for However, their presence is felt all around. And though cler- the church they are told. Nascent drunk priests or rebellious ics may at time may be blessed to cast Magicks, who’s to say rabblerousers are often more ex-priests, excommunicated by this isn’t another manipulation of the Aether? Keep in mind, the church for their impure ways. What constitutes impurity not every cleric can use Magick; in fact, they are exceedingly varies between religion, but each church wants their flock rare, even within the body of worship. In most cases, there is to be moral perfection. This is why wearing the cloth is not a difference between the “godsworn” clergy of the God-Em- something to be chosen on a whim - it means a life of ser- peror and the true Godsworn priests who can call upon His vitude, separation and dogma for the potential promise of a enigmatic power. divine reward.

How worship is structured varies by the religion; for instance, HERESY & FANATICISM the God-Emperor’s temples may have a more formal, almost But that is only the extent of the formal religions - below papal-like structure in how they are organized. On the other that lie far darker things. Not all religions are even legal. For hand, a deity like the Demiurge may hold annual meetings example, the Crouching One and his worship is often uni- during spring and harvest times rather than congregating in versally outlawed, and many non-human deities or folk god grand churches. What is certain is most are independent and offshoots are severely frowned upon if not outright banned. singular - a town will often have a temple to a single deity And forbid worship of an Abyssal Prince or one of their de- only, though small shrines to other gods may be found with- mons is ever discovered - inquisitors with broad hats and in. This temple may also serve dual purpose - for example, phials of fire will draw and quarter those heathens with no the Learner’s temples also act as universities and libraries. chance of repentance. That doesn’t mean the worship doesn’t exist, however. Sex cults dedicated to the Prince of Pleasure Despite that, all gods find equal worship, at least among hu- are held in backrooms of lavish castles, barbarian warrior manity. Though almost every person has a patron god they creeds hold the Prince of Violence as the highest and even choose as the center of their devotion, they all carry out the darker names echo that those who follow the Abyss shrink small rites and prayers befitting all the normal gods: a prayer back from. Whether they are real just as the gods are is not to the Martyr when asking for a mercy, a call of thanks to the really sure, but zeitgeist and dogma has made these beings Leviathan for a hearty catch or a small beseechment of light not only real, but a terrible possibility. from the God-Emperor in dark times. Outside of humanity it is often a different story - demihumanity both worships These formal religions even see their own share of fanati- traditional gods of humanity, as well as their own pantheons. cism. Devotion and insanity is divided by a very thin line, For example, Dwarves may find solace in worshipping their and some priests do trip over the edge and follow heretical ancient ancestors, while Ogres may look upon a god of hun- sects - mortifying their flesh, consulting with false worship ger for favor. and becoming almost as barbarous as worshippers of demons. Templars and paladins are in a sense even worse - holy war- Though many religions have holy books and tablets detailing riors sponsored by the church to go out and destroy in their their methods, there is still also a large amount of folk belief name of their god, where in actuality it is often for less savory in modern worship. Omens, portents and good luck charms purposes than that. Being said, most of the priesthood does - relics of a bygone old faith - still exist and offer perhaps have good interests at heart, and at least attempt to guide arbitrary protection. Does snapping your finger when seeing their flock in times of trouble. Their temples ring with song a falling star really bring good luck? Perhaps not, but why and their roadside shrines see constant tithe, so it must not risk it? Even formal religions have their fair share of these be all fire and brimstone - just only partially. - a dove being a symbol of good health from the Martyr or 255 THREE PRINCIPLES reality. It can summon an earthen maw to consume enemies, cause a rain of fire over a village, significantly change the OF MAGICK weather pattern over a region, allow you to directly commu- Each of these forms dictate a group of common effects, pow- nicate with an Abyssal creature or open gates to other places er and duration. Regardless if they originate from an arcane across the world. It may also summon loyal hosts or servants or divine source, all Magicks are treated uniquely into these from afar, create homunculi or golems, return the dead to the three groups. The least of these principles is called Petty living (or reanimate their bodies), bring forth heavenly - or Magick: hell-raised - flames from the sky and earth, regrow limbs or chase away mutation entirely, restore another from a Dis- PETTY MAGICK order, transmute lead into gold and create mighty artifacts Both Petty Magick and Generalist Petty Magick constitute and relics. It also includes slaying another with but a word, the simplest acts of enchantment, occurrences which may be puppeteering a foe entirely from afar, taking flight into the construed by an outsider as luck, unusual phenomena or works air, allowing you to breach the passage between the Material of superstition. It may include extinguishing lanterns from afar, Realm and the Aethereal Veil, bring about pestilence and keeping ones’ clothes entirely dry from the rain or imbuing a disease over a land, age another towards their youth or elder weapon with a god’s blessing (or curse). It also constitutes be- years, animate a forest to strike out at interlopers and conjure ing able to determine truth from fiction, temporarily robbing forth bright comets to rain over your enemies. another’s ability to speak, allow you to speak with the deceased, Access to learn and cast Greater Magick is granted by specific cause another to lose their grip from a weapon, cauterizing a Professions. These descriptors are covered by the Profession’s wound from risk of infection, invoke a flicker of fire from one’s Special Trait, which you can find in Chapter 4: Professions. fingertips, disappear a rodent into a hat or conjure forth distant, disembodied voices. It also includes causing a door to forever GAINING NEW MAGICK SPELLS be locked (save by use of a special key), bewitch or curse anoth- Although Magickal talent can be honed over time, it is clear er with terrible dreams, render another fast asleep, cover one’s that cosmic forces beyond the kith of mortal kind elects their tracks in the mud, alarm you whenever a threshold is trespassed chosen. The chosen practitioner, whether for good or ill, can upon, despoil food or summon will o’ wisps from a swamp to learn to harness the Aetheric Winds to shape it into Magick. illuminate a path. RECORDING LEARNED Access to learn and cast Petty Magick is granted by specific MAGICK SPELLS Professions. These descriptors are covered by the Profession’s Special Trait, which you can find in Chapter 4: Professions. Whenever you gain your first Skill Rank in Incantation, you must immediately make a choice: does your Character rely LESSER MAGICK on the gods to grant them power, or is it personal willpower Lesser Magick makes up things that are wildly improbable, and formula where they derive their power from? This choice undoing reality in small ways. Creating things out of thin air, is generally a function of the Special Trait of your Profession: projecting your voice hundreds of feet away, invoking divine ARCANE TOME protection, vanishing and reappearing nearby or briefly levi- Those who prescribe to precious mathematical formula and tating are ways Lesser Magick can be used. It may bewilder ritual to conduct Magick must write their lessons in an ar- another with scintillating lights that only they may see, proj- cane tome. It may take many shapes. It could be a bronze ect forth an illusory person or creature, ensorcel a weapon to rod, with inscribed symbols writhing down it. An arcane temporarily burn with a tongue of fire, change one’s appear- tome may be expressed as a simple book, chained to one’s ance wholly or cause an object to fly forth into your hands waistband to prevent theft by other practitioners. It may from far away. It also includes bestowing the ability to see in also be stones inscribed with runes, kept in a special velvet the dark by mere touch, cure another from disease, enable pouch. Not surprisingly, for those that practice more profane you to climb walls as if a spider, speak languages you do not Magicks they’ll inscribe their vile rites within flesh-bound inherently understand or breath water for a time. grimoires. Access to learn and cast Lesser Magick is granted by specific An arcane tome can be used to record up to nine total Magick Professions. These descriptors are covered by the Profession’s spells, regardless if they are Petty, Lesser or Greater Magicks. Special Trait, which you can find in Chapter 4: Professions. As an arcanist, your library of arcane tomes will grow as you GREATER MAGICK master new Magick spells. Greater Magick re-authors the world around you or removes something which was formerly real, breaching the laws of 256 PRAYER BOOK ly recording it doesn’t necessarily mean you can learn it yet. On the other hand, those who believe the gods grant them This is only the beginning of the process. Magick must author their rites into a prayer book. Much like an arcane tome, it too can be of many varied forms. For some, STEP III: PRACTICE NEW SPELL it may be an illuminated scripture of the holy word. It may During this time, you will repeat the correct intonation of take the shape of copper plates, held on a link of chain. It syllables, the weaving of one hand and the proper use of the could even be prayers hand-carved into a set of prayer beads. reagent. In order to learn the Magick spell, you must acquire Generally, a prayer book best reflects the teachings of the the reagent. After that, you’ll spend one day in ceremony to gods. It would not be uncommon to find that a god of arti- practice the new Petty Magick spell, two days in ceremony fice would require their followers to place sacred utterances for a new Lesser Magick spell or three days total for a Great- upon their tools. Either way, the prayer book is a permanent er Magick spell. accounting of all the Magick spells you’ve learned. The hours, along with the days spent in ceremony, are sacred A prayer book can be used to record up to nine total Magick to both arcane and divine magicians. These days need not be spells, regardless if they are Petty, Lesser or Greater Magicks. consecutive though. But the days you commit to the ceremo- Over time, the prayer book - in whatever shape it may take - ny cannot be disturbed, or else you must begin anew. could constitute a veritable library of prayer books. STEP IV: FINALIZE RESEARCH GROWING YOUR Once you finish practicing, you’ll make an Incantation Test MAGICK LIBRARY to see if your research was successful, with the principle of Over the course of your adventures, you will inevitably run Magick setting the Difficulty Rating; Petty Magick is (Rou- into others not unlike yourself. As such, their lust for power - tine +10%), Lesser Magick is (Standard +/-0%) and Greater in particular Magick power - is wanton and endless. It is with Magick is (Challenging -10%). This Difficulty Rating may be no great surprise that you’ll find other misfortunates of the augmented or penalized, depending on the place you study Material Realm as mendicants and practitioners of Magick. and additional supplies - or lack thereof - by the Gamemaster. And to that, they will ultimately seek to steal or destroy the knowledge you possess. You may even stumble across an- Upon success, you finalize your research and are ready to re- cient ruins which speak tales of sorcerers and priest-kings, cord the Magick into your arcane tome or prayer book, but who were then buried with their own accounts of Magick. It must spend Reward Points to record it. If you rolled a Crit- would be surprising to find that these same folk didn’t leave ical Success, you both finalize your research and need not their tombs open for robbing, however. Powerful curses deter spend Reward Points to record it. Failing the Incantation most individuals, but the lure of power may be enough to Test means you must begin practicing anew from the start. drive you towards the promise of power (or a perilous ending Critically Failing, however, means you can never learn this to your story). Magick spell. STEP I: ACCESS NEW SPELL STEP V: RECORD THE SPELL In order to learn new Magick spells, you must first have ac- In all cases, once you have succeeded or Critically Suc- cess to an unknown Magick spell you don’t currently know. ceeded to learn the Magick spell, you must incinerate the This may be taught to you by a learned scholar, practiced sacred scroll in flames, using the ashes mixed with an ink within the church by participating in ceremonies with your pot (which are both expended) to author the spell into your elders, transcribed from ancient texts or any other fashion arcane tome or prayer book. This step permanently etches which may make sense, given your Profession. Once you the Magick spell into your mind, so that you may cast it at commit to learning a new Magick, you can only spend time any time without looking at the Magickal formula. Addi- learning that specific spell. You cannot study multiple spells tionally, it allows you to use your arcane tome or prayer book at once. to Channel Power later on. STEP II: CREATE SACRED SCROLL Once the ink has dried, you must finally spend either 100 Re- ward Points for a Petty Magick spell, 200 Reward Points for You record the intricate, complex Magickal formula and a Lesser Magick spell or 300 Reward Points for a Greater prayers temporarily on paper or parchment, called a sacred Magick spell to complete the ceremony. Once complete, you scroll. Generally, it takes one hour to record a Petty Magick may now cast the Magick spell without aid of your arcane spell, two hours for a Lesser Magick spell and three hours tome or prayer book. Be sure to track the Magick spells you for a Greater Magick spell. Recording a spell upon a sacred know under Unique Advances on your Character Sheet. scroll doesn’t require any Skill Tests, but must be uninter- rupted, otherwise you must start over again. However, mere- You may only ever learn a number of Petty Magick, Lesser 257 Magick and Greater Magick spells equal to your Intelligence available -, announce to the Gamemaster you intend to use Bonus (IB). This means that if you have an Intelligence Bo- a specific Magick spell. Unless indicated otherwise, it takes nus (IB) of 5, you may learn five Petty, five Lesser and five one minute to cast a Petty, Lesser or Greater Magick spell. Greater Magick spells. REQUIREMENTS TO CAST MAGICK CASTING MAGICK OVERVIEW Use of Magick is traditionally bound by four, easy Below is a brief overview to follow whenever you wish to to remember, restrictions: one hand must be free, cast Magick: you must be able to see, you must be able to speak and have all the appropriate reagents on your per- STEP I: SELECT SPELL son to properly cast. From your Character’s repertoire of Magick spells, you select to cast one. You must have all necessary reagents present to GAMEMASTER ADJUSTS attempt using Magick. The Difficulty Rating of the Magick DIFFICULTY RATING you intend to cast is set at this point. Petty Magick has a fixed Difficulty Rating of (Routine +10%), Lesser Magick a (Standard +/-0%) and Greater Magick a STEP II: CHANNEL POWER (Challenging -10%), but the Gamemaster may change it After the Difficulty Rating is set, you may attempt to draw when the situation dictates. These circumstances are always more power from the Aethereal Veil to boost your chances the result of outside influence, used by the Gamemaster to for a success casting (but at the cost of raising the stakes for either negatively or positively influence the outcome. For a mishap). instance, should one side outnumber another’s within an Engagement, it plays into their favor. On the same token, STEP III: DETERMINE RESULTS should an attacker find themselves casting Magick into an Make an Incantation Test, and take under consideration any Engagement where their intended targets stand amongst sort of bonuses you may have gained from Channel Power. their own allies, it will work against them. The Gamemaster Announce whether it was successfully cast or not, and the will impose these final bonuses or penalties, and the results Gamemaster will determine how its variable effects coalesce of these determine the Total Chance for success the attacker based on the Magick’s descriptor. will need to meet. Should you be the attacker, your Gam- STEP IV: ROLL CHAOS DICE emaster will tell you the Difficulty Rating. Similarly, your Gamemaster will always announce the Difficulty Rating of After the Magick has been cast, immediately roll the appro- their Character’s Magicks, adjudicated according to circum- priate Chaos Dice. If any of the Chaos Dice lands on a face stances. Here are a few examples you may see: “6”, announce this to the Gamemaster. The Gamemaster will then determine if a Chaos Manifestation occurs. PETTY MAGICK  STEP V: UNFETTER MAGICK Trivial +30%: Cast a Petty Magick spell while in a holy place where other priests are chanting in unison You can sustain the effects of a Magick’s duration, but at or within an arcane study with other magicians the cost of mental exhaustion. You’ll suffer Peril as a result,  Easy +20%: Cast a Petty Magick spell while Chan- depending whether it was a Petty, Lesser or Greater Magick. neling Power one step under normal circumstances  STEP I: SELECT SPELL Routine +10%: Cast a Petty Magick spell under normal circumstances Drawing forth from the Aethereal Veil, the aspiring practi-  Standard +/-0%: Cast a Petty Magick spell as foes tioner creates an invisible breach to reform chaos into order. are Charging towards you With intonation of words, weaving of hands into the air and  Challenging -10%: Cast a Petty Magick spell presenting the reagent, this complicated ceremony may bear whenever Engaged with enemies the fruit of their labors or ultimate disaster.  Hard -20%: Cast a Petty Magick spell while stand- ing on the edge of a cliff Whenever your wish to attempt to cast Magick, you must  Arduous -30%: Cast a Petty Magick while suffering first choose what Magick spell your Character intends to from an Injury cast. Only Magick spells that the Character has formally learned can be attempted. Additionally, you cannot wear LESSER MAGICK armor which possesses the Heavy Quality while casting  Trivial +30%: Cast a Lesser Magick spell while Magick, as it inhibits the ability to use Incantation properly. Channeling Power by three steps under normal cir- Providing the circumstances are right - and the reagents are cumstances 258  Easy +20%: Cast a Lesser Magick spell while stand- STEP II: CHANNEL POWER ing in a holy or arcane place of power, such as a sa- A practitioner of Magick may need to draw deeper from the cred temple or a ley line  Aethereal Veil, gathering more power than normally possible to Routine +10%: Cast a Lesser Magick spell upon an expand their hold over Magick. Widening the rift, it can produce unsuspecting target while hidden  more desirable results by drawing in and venting more chaotic Standard +/-0%: Cast a Lesser Magick spell under power. However, the Aether is fickle and even the most sagacious normal circumstances  of spellcasters cannot fully control what may occur afterwards. Challenging -10%: Cast a Lesser Magick spell Oddities in the material world may coalesce, unintended side ef- while on horseback or on a boat rocking back and fects from withdrawing too much power. In some cases, the re- forth sults can be most catastrophic.  Hard -20%: Cast a Lesser Magick spell into an En- gagement where you could harm your allies After the Difficulty Rating is called out by the Gamemaster,  Arduous -30%: Cast a Lesser Magick spell while you may attempt to draw in more power from the Aethe- Prone and surrounded by foes real Veil to boost your ability to cast that Magick success- fully. Drawing deeper from the well, it raises the chance for GREATER MAGICK success but not without raising the stakes. This is known as  Trivial +30%: Cast a Greater Magick spell while Channel Power. Be wary; the chances of you invoking a more casting in a place known to be a powerful conduit to severe fit of chaos increases with the number of Chaos Dice your god or a place of immense arcane power you roll.  Easy +20%: Cast a Greater Magick spell by Chan- neling Power three steps under normal circumstanc- Whenever Channeling Power, you are given three options es (with the following consequences):  Routine +10%: Cast a Greater Magick spell when-  Raise your chances of success by increasing the Dif- ever you are standing above your foe, unsuspecting ficulty Rating by one step positively, but immediate- of your presence  ly suffer 1 Corruption. Additionally, you must roll Standard +/-0%: Cast a Greater Magick spell while 1D6 Chaos Die after you’ve casted Magick to see if Channeling Power by one step under normal cir- a Chaos Manifestation is triggered, regardless if the cumstances  casting was successful or not. Challenging -10%: Cast a Greater Magick spell  Raise your chances of success by increasing the Dif- under normal circumstances  ficulty Rating by two steps positively, but immedi- Hard -20%: Cast a Greater Magick spell when your ately suffer 2 Corruption. Additionally, you must roll intended target is obscured by fog  2D6 Chaos Dice after you’ve casted Magick to see if Arduous -30%: Cast a Greater Magick spell while a Chaos Manifestation is triggered, regardless if the being harassed in a crowd casting was successful or not.  MAGICK SPELLS IN COMBAT Raise your chances of success by increasing the Diffi- If you are in combat, you must spend the appropriate number culty Rating by three steps positively, but immediately of Action Points on your Turn before you make an Incanta- suffer 3 Corruption. Additionally, you must roll 3D6 tion Test. Petty Magick costs 1 Action Point, Lesser Magick Chaos Dice after you’ve casted Magick to see if a Cha- 2 Action Points and Greater Magick costs 3 Action Points. os Manifestation is triggered, regardless if the casting was successful or not. Given that some Magick requires Concentration or the cast- ing time extends into next Turn, if you are brought to harm Patches is attempting to cast a Petty Magick spell. He during this time, it may spoil your casting. If for any reason currently faces an (Arduous -30%) Incantation Test. He you suffer Damage or Peril, have to Resist Magick or an effect, decides to Channel Power, raising the Difficulty Rating Counterspell, Dodge or Parry during this time, you will need by two steps. This moves the Difficulty Rating from (Ar- to make a succesful Resolve Test or have your focus broken, duous -30%) to (Challenging -10%) for his Incantation unable to continue Concentrating, as the duration (and any Test, while suffering 2 Corruption. However, he must effects which follow) immediately ends. roll 2D6 Chaos Dice after making his Incantation Test. You may only Concentrate upon one Magick spell at a time. However, you can cast other Magicks while in this state which do not require Concentration.

259 CORRUPTION used to affect only foes. However, the Gamemaster may rule Corruption is temporarily recorded by your Order and Cha- that if you’re using Magick amidst an Engagement where os Rank, as mentioned in Chapter 3: Character Creation. both your allies and enemies stand, you will need to succeed Remember, the more Corruption you gain, the better chance an Awareness Test to harm only your foes. there is of gaining a mark on your Chaos Rank at the end of the Game Session. EXPLOSION MAGICK An Explosion (otherwise called a Large Template) radiates Once you’ve decided to Channel Power, you’ll make an In- outwards in a circle. Select a point of origin within sight - cantation Test. whether it is a creature, object, person or place - and the Ex- plosion then takes effect. The Magick’s effects remain immo- STEP III: DETERMINE RESULTS bile, meaning it will not follow the target of the Magick. If Giving shape to chaos in the Material Realm, your Magick used in combat, an Explosion would affect up to 9 people in takes hold. Its effects may be more subversive, as you pup- an Engagement, both friend and foe alike. The Gamemaster peteer another to your whim and will. In other cases, it may will make the determination who is affected, if you’re using conjure forth scintillating light, dazzling and blinding all. Magick amidst an Engagement where both your allies and enemies stand. Each Magick spell has a list of Effects. Effects take hold if your Incantation Test is successful. However, if you Critically Height will rarely play a part in determining the impact of Succeed the Incantation Test, you’ll take under account both Burst, Cone or Explosion Magick, however assume that the the Effects and result from the Critical Success listing. Fail- height always matches the diameter or length of its impact. ing an Incantation Test has no immediate drawbacks. How- However, distinct barriers, such as walls or buildings, can con- ever, Critically Failing an Incantation Test can be devastat- strain the portions of which Burst, Cone or Explosion Magick ing. Reference the Critical Failure listing for the Magick to takes effect. However, soft barriers such as clothing lines, trees, determine what happens. foliage and the like will not. The best rule of thumb to follow is that if the barrier totally prevents a Character’s line of sight, it DISTANCES AND SIGHT constraints the effects of the Burst, Cone or Explosion, reshap- In order for it to strike a target at distance, you must be able ing it to meet the constraints it promotes (generally never to to clearly see the intended target of your Magick spell. Those your benefit). partially obscured may raise the Difficulty Rating for your Incantation Test, as the Gamemaster will make that deteri- TOUCH MAGICK nation. Some spells require a practitioner of Magick to touch anoth- er for its effects to work. During non-combat situations, it BURST, CONE & EXPLOSION MAGICK should be easy enough to touch someone without them be- Some Magicks affect not only one, but many targets. Magick ing inherently aware that you’re trying to harm - or help - of this nature is unpredictable, rarely unable to distinguish them. However, if this takes place during combat, you must between friend and foe once a practitioner casts it. For pur- be Engaged with the foe. This is considered a part of the Cast poses of these Magicks, their effects will be indicated as ei- Magick action, requiring no additional expenditure of Action ther a Burst, Cone or Explosion in the Magick’s description: Points or Skill Tests to initiate the touch. The distance entry will always note if the subject must be touched. BURST MAGICK A Burst (otherwise called a Small Template) radiates outwards AVOIDING MAGICK in a circle. Select a point of origin within sight - whether it is Magick oftentimes requires an opponent to Resist the ef- a creature, object, person or place - and the Burst then takes fects of a spell by using one of their Skills. These are always effect. The Magick’s effects remain immobile, meaning it will denoted by the specific Magick spell, which covers the Skill not follow the target of the Magick. If used in combat, a Burst necessary to Resist its effects. In the same vein, touch-based would affect up to 6 people in an Engagement, both friend Magick cannot be Parried or Resisted, requiring an unwill- and foe alike. The Gamemaster will make the determination ing person you are Engaged to Resist with a successful Co- who is affected, if you’re using Magick amidst an Engagement ordination Test to avoid its effects. Those who are willing do where both your allies and enemies stand. not require them to Resist its effects - even if your Magick goes haywire with a Critical Failure! CONE MAGICK A Cone (otherwise called a Cone Template) fires outwards Whenever a foe is struck by Magick that requires them to in a line from where you stand. If used in combat, a Cone Resist its effects, they make a relevant Skill Test, referencing may affect up to 3 people in an Engagement, depending on the Skill denoted in the spell’s entry. The Test’s Difficulty where they’re standing. You can generally aim this Magick, Rating receives either a penalty or a bonus, based on the Dif- 260  ficulty Rating of your foe’s casted Magick. It is always the You can never Counterspell Magick whose duration opposite bonus or penalty. This means if your foe’s Casted is listed as Instantaneous  Magick has a Difficulty Rating of (Routine +10%), your Dif- If you fail to Counterspell, you cannot attempt to ficulty Rating to Resist is (Challenging -10%). Resist this same Magick

However, the Gamemaster may adjust the Difficulty Rating INJURIES for Dodging and Resisting Magick based on the situation. Magick rarely causes Injuries, unless otherwise noted within Some conditions may play into your favor (such as casting the Magick’s entry. Simply ignore the Chaos Dice normally Magick upon someone who cannot readily see you (or lack rolled as a foe moves down the Damage Condition Track thereof) and at other times against you (the foe is standing after suffering Damage from the Magick’s effects. In some between your necromantic spell and you with a holy symbol cases, there may be a chance to be caught On Fire or suffer meant to ward away chaos). These determinations will al- other effects. For these special exceptions, roll Chaos Dice as ways be made by the Gamemaster. you’d normally would for Injuries but reference the alterna- tive effect mentioned by the Magick spell. If you gain a free Surprise Turn and Cast Magick, your foe cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Resist Magick whatsoever, as STEP IV: ROLL CHAOS DICE they’re left Defenseless. The same can be said of foe who are The Winds of the Aethereal Veil are incredibly unpredictable. held Helpless; they cannot Resist your Magick, either. In these The more power you invoke to cast Magick, the more likely cases, the foe is always made victim to the full force of your that the Aether’s chaotic nature will slip between the cracks. Magick’s effects. Whether by whimsy of the gods or by not paying a suitable COUNTERSPELL enough sacrifice, chaos can take shape, changing the Material Despite whether you follow an arcane or divine path, all Realm around you. casters gain access to Counterspell. It can be useful during You may be forced to roll Chaos Dice for a myriad of rea- a situation - primarily in combat - to instantly dissolve the sons. Whenever you Channel Power, however, you’ll be re- effects of a Magick spell. Counterspelling is an alternative to quired to roll them after the effects of the Magick have been Resisting. determined. If you generate one or more face “6”s while cast- Whenever you are targeted by Casted Magick (referenc- ing Petty Magick, you trigger a Petty Manifestation. If you ing the Distance entry for Magick), attempt an Incantation generate one or more face “6”s while casting Lesser Magick, Test. Your Test’s Difficulty Rating receives either a penalty you trigger a Lesser Manifestation. And finally, if you gener- or a bonus, based on the Difficulty Rating of your foe’s cast- ate one or more face “6”s while casting Greater Magick, you ed Magick. It is always the opposite bonus or penalty. This trigger a Greater Manifestation. means if your foe’s casted Magick has a Difficulty Rating of (Routine +10%), your Difficulty Rating to Counterspell is CAST MAGICK FROM A SCROLL (Challenging -10%). There may be times where you have not formally learned a Magick spell or have a spell you cannot If successful, you negate their Magick entirely, as it’s immediate- use, have a sacred scroll with it written on it. Gener- ly dispelled. If you roll a Critical Success, you retain the Action ally, you are prohibited from casting Magick that you Points you would have spent to Counterspell. may not formally have learned. However, in certain There are several limitations to Counterspelling: situations you may wish to cast a spell which either you have not committed to learn yet, or from a sacred  You must know how to cast the Generalist Petty scroll you’ve recovered that belonged to another Magick of Dispel Magick practitioner. In these cases, you may attempt to use  You must have one hand free, be able to see and the sacred scroll as a focus of the Magick. You need speak in order to Counterspell not have Reagents on-hand in these cases, as the  You must have two Skill Ranks in Incantation to scroll acts as the Reagent. However, you must always Counterspell Lesser or Greater Magick  roll Chaos Dice as if you choose to Channel Power You must have three Skill Ranks in Incantation to while casting from a scroll. You’ll add 1D6 for Petty, Counterspell Greater Magick  2D6 for Lesser and 3D6 for Greater Magick. One You cannot Counterspell when left Defenseless or completed, regardless if you casted successfully or Helpless not, the sacred scroll is instantly incinerated.  You cannot Counterspell when the attacker had Critically Succeeded their Incantation Test to Cast Magick 261 CHAOS MANIFESTATIONS Moderate Punishment. This effectively means you can suffer from both a Minor and Moderate Punishment at the same Pouring forth from the breach between the Aethereal Veil time. Moderate Punishments can be uncharacteristically dif- and the Material Realm, uncontrolled Magickal energy can ficult to deal with. For instance, worshippers of the Custo- wrack the mind of the would-be practitioner in the best of dian may draw Necromancers and the undead towards their cases, or rend them into fleshy pieces at worst. The influence presence. As before, the Gamemaster will determine what of the Abyss resonates strongly within the Aethereal, bound Moderate Punishment you will suffer from. by no reality. Unimaginable horrors await those who draw too deeply from the Aethereal, as chaos takes hold. MAJOR PUNISHMENT In the worst of cases, should you be suffering from a Moderate The Gamemaster will assign or randomly determine which Punishment and once again provoke another instance while Chaos Manifestation takes hold. Particularly damning re- Channeling, you gain a Major Punishment. In total, a Major sults may even have some persistent, permanent effects. Punishment’s effects can be particularly damning to your soul, This is solely dependant on how many steps you decided to revealing the falsity of your faith to others who also worship Channel Power. Chaos Manifestations last for an amount of the same god. As stated above, the Gamemaster will deter- time as described in the Chaos Manifestations table, which mine what Major Punishment you will suffer from. the Gamemaster will outline for you. ATONEMENT DIVINE PUNISHMENT Each Punishment must be addressed individually, atonement As a worshiper continues to call upon power, they grow clos- achieved by measures in consideration of the tenets and re- er in both mind and spirit to the divine origins of their dei- sponsibilities each god requires of worshippers. All forms of ty, while taking upon certain aspects of their physical being. atonement are narrative in design. One case could be where Although Divine Magick is practiced through intercession an Augur must atone for their transgressions by presiding and ritualized ceremony, the gods grant and withdraw power over the funeral of a murdered soldier. Another case would upon their whimsy. Not every call to power is returned; some be if a Revered Mother must atone by making their way into prayers go unanswered. In these times, those of a divine bend a diseased ghetto to bring comfort to the sick for three days. can call beyond the reaches to forgotten gods and potent de- As such, each form of atonement is unique from one another, mons to answer these prayers. Should their god ever catch and always the province of the Gamemaster. Guidelines are wind of this, however, they dole out a particular brand of provided in Chapter 11: Game Mastery, however they are punishment upon the cleric - a grim reminder of whom the always influenced by your god’s tenets and in consideration sinner truly serves. of the campaign world.

Some Elite Professions that practice Divine Magick are able to avoid Chaos Manifestations altogether. In these cas- STEP V: UNFETTER MAGICK es, whenever you would have normally generated a Chaos At times, it is necessary to maintain a continuous tether be- Manifestation (despite how many face “6”s you generated), tween the breach of the Material Realm and chaotic Aether you instead suffer the effects of Divine Punishment. Each to power your Magick. By holding onto the tether, it can is uniquely designed by the god you worship, carrying their re-energize your Magick, sustaining its effects but at risk of own negative effects. Unlike Chaos Manifestations, once un- exhaustion. der the effects of Divine Punishment, the effects grow more severe over time for continued transgressions and last until Immediately after casting, over a Magick’s duration or at the atonement is had. very end before it expires, you may extend the time a Magick spell’s effects persist by its listed duration. For Petty Magick, MINOR PUNISHMENT you must lower your Peril Condition Track by one step im- The first time you are punished, you gain a Minor Punish- mediately. For Lesser Magick, lower it by two steps. Finally, ment. Its effects are narratively appropriate for the god you for Greater Magick, you must lower it by three steps. You worship. For instance, worshippers of the bloody Crouching can extend the duration only up to the point when you’re One may be caused to Bleed from every wound they suffer. Incapacitated! or go to sleep. The Gamemaster will determine what Minor Punishment you will suffer from. You may extend the duration of as many Magick spells you’ve casted at once. Note that you cannot extend the effects of a MODERATE PUNISHMENT Magick where the duration is listed as instantaneous or for- However, should you generate another Chaos Manifestation ever. while suffering from a Minor Punishment, you also gain a

262 FINAL NOTE DURATION You can only attempt to cast one Magick spell per minute. This determines how long the Magick lasts once success- However, there are no upper limits to determine how many fully casted, until it runs its course. Duration can be ended Magick spells you can attempt to cast in a given day. Know- by the person who had casted it at will, unless they critically ing the risks that they incur, you should exercise caution, as failed to cast it. Otherwise, it must be made subject to Dispel a small mishap can not only be threatening for you, but your Magick. allies as well. The raw Aetheric chaos can resonate strongly into the Material Realm, causing waves of mutation if left EFFECT unchecked. An effect describes what happens after the Incantation Also, note that a person can only be subjected to the ben- Test has been made successfully. In some cases, you’ll deal eficial or negative effects of a Magick spell one a time. For Damage with your Magick spells using a number of 1D10 instance, this means you cannot cast Hasten Speed twice on Magick Dice. However, Magick Dice never explode like an ally so they gain double the benefits, nor cast Hush again 1D6 Fury Dice do. In all cases, “person”, “foes” and “allies” upon a foe who’s already currently affected by Hush. The are interchangeable, imposing no additional distinction or same Magick spell can only be cast upon a subject once, until restriction due to the relationship you have (or lack thereof ) after the effect’s duration expires. Otherwise, you’d Unfetter for consideration of who is affected by the Magick. magick to extend the Magick’s effects. As stated in Chapter 2: How To Play, if you’re under the effects of a Magick spell, you can spend a Fortune Point to attempt to Resist its effects again, unless indicated otherwise MAGICK FORMAT under Effects. Every Magick spell in ZWEIHÄNDER is represented us- ing this format: CRITICAL SUCCESS The Magick works, gaining additional bonuses indicated in DISTANCE this description. Note that Magicks where you’ve rolled a This reflects the distance in which your Magick can be cast. Critical Success cannot be made subject to Counterspell. Distances that rely on sight and sound must take under con- sideration visibility. For instance, if it is dark out it would CRITICAL FAILURE be nearly impossible to target another with Magick with- The Magick fails, and incurs additional penalties indicated out proper lighting (or appropriate Trait to see in the dark). in the description. Critical failures generally indicate that the If the distance says “yourself ”, it means precisely that you Critical Failure effects last as long as the duration, unless can cast it only on yourself and no other. However, some indicated otherwise. Naturally, it is not to your benefit to Magick allow you to cast it upon objects or people by touch, Unfetter the duration in these cases! but you must be Engaged. In these cases, you can also cast them on yourself. Any time a person is mentioned, it also means a creature (unless there is a restriction mentioned in GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK the effects) or yourself. The Gamemaster will apply their best Generalist Petty Magicks are the lowest forms of Magickal judgement in these cases. You are always your ally, so you power, easily harnessed by those who know how to reach may cast Magick intended for others upon yourself as well. into the Aethereal Veil to draw forth their power. Learned by REAGENTS rote, intense prayer or by accident, Generalist Petty Magicks are shared between both practitioners of Arcane and Divine Reagents are material ingredients normally required to cast Magick. In order for either camp to move onwards to cast Magick. Reagents are usually not expended after casting Petty, Lesser and Greater Magicks in their related arcana Magick, unless indicated otherwise in brackets; e.g. (expend- or set of prayers, they must first master the lessons of basic ed). When reagents are expended, they are destroyed despite Magicks. However, without proper handling, they can gen- whether you were successful in casting the Magick or not. erate Chaos Manifestations as the Aethereal whips uncon- It doesn’t require any additional amount of time to produce trollably into the Material Realm. Reagents whenever casting, unless buried in the bottom of your backpack. Assume they are always within easy reach Each of the listings below represent the broadest application (such as in your pockets or folds of a mantle) whenever cast- of Magickal power. However, each spell’s name may differ in ing Magick. application. For instance, while a Diabolist may call Aegis by its proper name, a Preacher of the God-Emperor may call it the Emperor’s Shield. A Hedgewise may call the Aegis spell Lordly 263 Protection, whereas an Adherent may dub the prayer Mother’s Effect: After successfully casting, the weapon you are En- Grace. Feel free to reskin the names of these Magick spells to gaged with gains the ability to strike enemies that may be suit your Character’s basis of Magickal practice. normally unharmed by non-Magickal weapons - particularly helpful against Abyssal creatures such as demons and Super- Generalist Petty Magick natural creatures who may turn Aethereal. Aegis Invoke Fury Critical Success: As above, but you can anoint up to three weapons instead. Anoint Weapon Magick Missile Critical Failure: Your call to bless a weapon has angered Bewitched Pinprick gods unknown, as you now suffer from a terrible curse. For Cack-handed Grasp Rainshade the next 24 hours, you must add an additional 1D6 Chaos Candlelight Robber’s Misery Die to all Magicks you cast.

Dispel Magick Sanctuary BEWITCHED Gust of Wind Subdue GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Hasten Speed Trackless Step With a simple rhyme and an object in-hand, you can call Hat-Trick Vow of Fealty forth a terrible hex to befall the object’s keeper.

Haunting Warding Distance: Any one object you can touch

Hush Will o’the Wisp Reagents: An inanimate object you wish to curse, which Indomitable Spirit Wytchsight must be small enough to carry.

AEGIS Duration: Forever GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Effect:After successfully casting, the object you are Engaged with is bewitched. Whenever another carries this object, A mystical halo of wind buffets you at all sides from attacks. they suffer an irritating curse - such as flatulence, hiccups, Distance: Yourself pimples, warts or an otherwise innocuous but annoying ef- fect. The accursed therefore suffers a -10 Base Chance to all Reagents: A splinter of a wooden shield kept in your pocket Fellowship-based Skill Tests while in their possession. A foe cannot be made subject to the effects of more than one curse Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes at a time.

Effect: After successfully casting, add 3 to your Damage Critical Success: As above, but cursed instead suffers a -20 Threshold and you cannot Bleed. If you are currently Bleed- Base Chance to all Fellowship-based Skill Tests. ing, you are Bleeding no more. Critical Failure: Your Magick backfires in the worst way Critical Success: As above, and you are immune to Damage imaginable! An object on your person is cursed instead, as you inflicted by ranged weapons. suffer a -20 Base Chance to all Fellowship-based Skill Tests Critical Failure: Your Magick goes terribly awry, as the wind so as long as you possess the object. Unfortunately, you do not is knocked out of you. You immediately suffer 1D10+1 phys- know which object has been bewitched without use of further ical Peril and are left Defenseless for the duration. Magick! ANOINT WEAPON CACK-HANDED GRASP GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK

With but a touch, you imbue a weapon with righteous might. Take one dab of fat, rub between the fingers and a foe will immediately drop whatever is in-hand. Distance: Any one weapon you can touch Distance: Any one person you can see Reagents: Three drops of holy water dabbed upon the weap- on (expended) Reagents: A dab of animal fat, rubbed between two fingers (expended) Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours 264 Duration: Instantaneous Magick to dismiss the effects of other Magick spells whose duration is listed as Instantaneous. Effect: After successfully casting, one foe instantly drops whatever is in their hands to the ground just outside of easy Critical Success: As above, and the person who was affected reach. by Dispel Magick suffers 1D10+1 physical Peril.

Critical Success: As above, and your foe falls Prone onto to Critical Failure: As the tuning fork strikes the ground, your the ground. ears begin to bleed as you are deafened and concussed. You immediately suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril and cannot hear Critical Failure: You are rendered maladroit for a period for 24 hours. of time. You cannot hold anything in your hands without it slipping out of grasp for 24 hours. GUST OF WIND CANDLELIGHT GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK With a “whoosh”, a wind is drawn from the Aethereal Veil With a snap of your fingers, you can ignite a candle, torch or to blow things about. other tiny object that’s flammable. Distance: Any one object you can see Distance: Any one object you can see Reagents: The breath of a chaste woman, contained in a jar Reagents: A drop of lantern oil rubbed between your fingers (expended) (expended) Duration: Instantaneous Duration: Instantaneous Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure a gust of Effect: After successfully casting, you can ignite a candle, wind which instantly extinguishes candles, blows papers torch or other tiny object you can see. It provides an insig- about and tosses blankets around. nificant amount of heat and light, equivalent to a candle. Its flames are considered to be Mildly Dangerous. Optionally, Critical Success: As above, but instead the wind can be ad- you can hold this burning light in your palm without risk of justed to open an unlocked door or move a heavy object no harm, until you must use your hands again. larger than a carriage.

Critical Success: As above, but you can ignite up to three Critical Failure: A sudden gale of wind blows you over, as objects instead. you are knocked Prone.

Critical Failure: Fire suddenly engulfs your arm. You immedi- HAT-TRICK ately suffer 1D10+1 Damage from fire. You may inflict Injuries GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK with this Magick, but you are On Fire instead. You produce an aberrant creature from the folds of your DISPEL MAGICK clothing.

GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Distance: Yourself

Weaving your hands about, you instantly cause a Magick Reagents: A bag, hat or pocket where an animal can be spell to end abruptly. withdrawn

Distance: Any one object or person you can see Duration: Instantaneous

Reagents: A silver tuning fork, struck against the ground Effect: After successfully casting, you produce a small living Duration: Instantaneous animal of your choice, such as a dove, fish, mouse or rabbit. This creature has an odd affinity about them, such as mis- Effect:After successfully casting, you immediately cause one matched eyes, hidden boils beneath their fur or even two Magickal spell’s effect to end permanently. This can be used tails. to dismiss Magickal effects, such as Aegis or other Magick spells which may protect another. This has no effect on sum- Critical Success: As above, but you instead draw three crea- moned creatures or Rituals. You must have this Magick in tures forth instead. order to Counterspell. Finally, you can never use Dispel Critical Failure: You draw nothing from your hat, save a 265 bloody stump! You begin to Bleed, and are unable to use your Distance: Any one person you can see primary hand for 24 hours. Reagents: A silver thimble placed upon your finger, raised HAUNTING to your lips

GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Contacting the world between here and elsewhere, you call Effect:After successfully casting (and your foe fails to Resist forth a poltergeist to rattle their chains and haunt an area. with an Awareness Test), you immediately silence one foe, as Distance: Any one place you can see they are unable to communicate whatsoever.

Reagents: The death shroud of someone murdered Critical Success: As above, your foe is unable to Resist this Magick. Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Failure: An invisible, demonic cat steals your tongue Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure ghostly but will not return it for 24 hours. During this time, you can- sounds or voices, which manifest as a low whisper or a dull not speak. roar. They can only mimic natural sounds or voices that your Character would know (and the Gamemaster may require INDOMITABLE SPIRIT you as the player to sound them out at the game table). GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK

Critical Success: As above, but instead those who witness By crushing the shell in-hand, you are able to grant a minor the Haunting are made victim to Stress (as mentioned in gift of protection to another. Chapter 11: Game Mastery). Distance: Any one person you can touch Critical Failure: You are contacted by the Abyssal Princes, babbling in ancient languages within your mind. A terrible Reagents: A shell of a tortoise (expended) secret of your past is revealed to you. You immediately suffer Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours 3 Corruption. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- HASTEN SPEED gaged with increases their Peril Threshold by 3. GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Critical Success: As above, and immediately restore their With a “snap” of your fingers, you usher others about to most Peril Condition Track by one step. faster. Critical Failure: With but a touch, the strength withers away Distance: Any one person you can touch from the intended beneficiary of this Magick. They suffer a -3 to Peril Threshold for the duration. Reagents: The boot of a weary traveler, worn on your feet INVOKE FURY Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with increases their Combat Movement and Initiative Invoking righteous anger and vengeance, you instill the god’s by 3. power unto another.

Critical Success: As above, but they also gain 1 additional Distance: Any one person you can touch Action Point for their Turns in combat. Reagents: Ink or dye, which is painted on the person’s hands Critical Failure: Time begins to ebb strangely around you. or face (expended) The person you’d intended to hasten immediately ages three Duration: Instantaneous years. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- HUSH gaged with is given the gift of retribution. They may add a GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK 1D6 Fury Die to their next Total Damage roll with a melee or ranged weapon, immediately expended afterwards. With but an utterance, you steal the ability for another to speak. Critical Success: As above and the person may add the Pun- 266 ishing Quality to their weapon until expended afterwards. Reagents: A leafy branch held above your head (expended)

Critical Failure: Your invocation has angered the god of war. Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours In fact, the next attack you suffer from inflicts an additional 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage roll with a melee or ranged Effect: After successfully casting, you can travel in the rain weapon and adds the Punishing Quality until expended af- or snow without getting wet. This does not ward against oth- terwards. er effects related to rain or snow that may inflict Peril or other penalties related to weather. However, it may keep your MAGICK MISSILE clothes dry, your torch lit and your grimoires safe!

GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Critical Success: As above, but you also clear the area of bad You conjure a magickal missile that darts forth to harm your weather within a Burst radius around you, so that others may enemies (but not the darkness) take advantage of this Magick.

Distance: Any one person you can see Critical Failure: The weather around you grows worse, as you’re drenched to the bone. You suffer 1D10+1 physical Reagents: A silver dart, held in-hand (expended) Peril.

Duration: Instantaneous ROBBER’S MISERY

Effect: After successfully casting, one foe suffers 1D10 + GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. You permanently lock a door, preventing second story men Critical Success: As above, but the foe drops whatever is in from ever entering. their hands just outside of easy reach. Distance: Any one key you can touch

Critical Failure: The bolt flickers outwards, but instead redi- Reagents: A skeleton key rects to you! You suffer 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage and drop whatever is in your hands just outside Duration: Forever of easy reach. Effect: After successfully casting, the key you are Engaged PINPRICK with can be used to permanently lock one portal or lock. That GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK lock can never be picked or the door opened without use of this key. However, it doesn’t prevent it from being busted With but a prick of the needle, you can render another dazed. open.

Distance: Any one person you can touch Critical Success: As above, but instead may use this key on three portals. Reagents: A small needle, held in-hand (expended) Critical Failure: Doubtlessly, you will be made victim to Duration: Instantaneous theft in the next 24 hours. Likely, it will be at the hands of a Effect: After successfully casting, one foe suffers 1D10 + treacherous little Guttersnipe. Only the Gamemaster knows your Willpower Bonus (WB) in physical Peril. the truth of what is to occur.

Critical Success: As above, but the foe is unable to Counter- SANCTUARY spell, Dodge or Parry on their next Turn. GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK

Critical Failure: Your body is wracked with pain, lighting This simple Magick wards away those who’d do you harm. lancing through your bones. You suffer 1D10 + your Will- power Bonus (WB) in physical Peril. Distance: Yourself RAINSHADE Reagents: The bone of a saint or revered priest GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Raindrops keep falling on your head, but you stay dry despite Effect: After successfully casting, Humanoid foes who at- the weather. tempt to attack you must immediately succeed a Resolve Test or choose to ignore you for the duration. This Magick Distance: Yourself is broken if you attempt to bring harm upon any whom have 267 been made victim to this Magick. VOW OF FEALTY

Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK

Critical Failure: Suddenly, you provoke all foes to immedi- A willing person swears to carry out a sacred vow or for- ately target you. They make you the object of their ire for the swears from a specific action duration, attempting to end your life! Distance: Any one person you can touch

SUBDUE Reagents: A willing participant, whose name you announce GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK Duration: Forever Between the lines of awake and asleep, in the haze that is wakeful slumber. After the darkness spreads but before the Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- sandman arrives, I hear your name leave my lips. gaged with vows to carry out or swear against an action you set. Breaking this vow temporarily drops their Brawn by Distance: Any one person you can touch -10%, until the oathbreaker appeals to you to lift the Magick, or completes the task they were set out to do. Once the vow Reagents: A handful of sand poured onto the ground (ex- is upheld and comes to fruition, the Magick fades. pended) Critical Success: As above, but instead they suffer a -20% Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes to Brawn.

Effect:After successfully casting (and your foe fails to Resist Critical Failure: Although you word the pledge right, it with a Resolve Test), you immediately render one foe Help- doesn’t seem to take effect. You are held to a vow yourself, less for the duration, as they are knocked Prone. given at the behest of the Abyssal Princes. You will suffer a Critical Success: As above, but your foe cannot Resist this -20% to Brawn if you break this vow, and must see it to its Magick. completion.

Critical Failure: You cannot seem to rest, despite what you WARDING do. You suffer from Sleep Deprivation for 24 hours. GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK

TRACKLESS STEP By ringing a tiny bell or clapper, you protect an area against GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK trespass.

Sprinkling salt in your wake covers your tracks, unable to be Distance: Any one object or portal you can touch followed by even the most seasoned of rangers. Reagents: A tiny bell rung three times

Distance: Yourself Duration: Special

Reagents: A jar of epsom salt, sprinkled in your wake (ex- Effect:After successfully casting, the object or portal you are pended) Engaged with can make you mentally aware if it has been Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours trespassed against or stolen - even if you are asleep or hun- dreds of leagues away. Once triggered, the Magick fades. Effect:After successfully casting, you and a number of allies equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB) are able to pass over Critical Success: As above, but Warding never fades unless surfaces such as snow, mud, and vegetation without leaving a otherwise dispelled. trace behind, untrackable as you travel. Critical Failure: Tracing your fingers to produce the wards Critical Success: As above, triple the duration. causes terrible intestinal discomfort. You suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril. Critical Failure: Your feet give out from underneath of you, as you grow tired and weak. You and your allies suffer from WILL O’ THE WISP 1D10+1 physical Peril for every hour of travel during the GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK duration. Several motes of light ignite, leading you and your allies through the darkness.

268 Distance: Yourself Below are the ten most common Arcana, followed by the Elite Profession the spells belong to. Reagents: A firefly crushed in-hand (expended) ARCANA OF ANIMISM Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Effect: After successfully casting, you conjure nine green Arcana of Animism Principle wisps of light, gently floating above the ground. They can be mentally controlled to move slowly out into the distance, but Sooth the Savage Heart Petty must remain within sight or else wink out of existence. They cast poor light, no greater than that of a candle, but may be Quoth The Raven Petty used to see in the darkness. Inhuman Fury Petty Critical Success: One wisp can be trapped into a container, Tongue of Beasts Lesser to forever conjure poor light as a candle. Savage Transformation Lesser Critical Failure: Green fireflies dart back and forth, stinging Feast for Crows Lesser you with tiny electrical zaps but then disappear to hide in the nearest tree or building. You suffer from Sleep Deprivation The Beast Within Greater for 24 hours. Primeval Form Greater WYTCHSIGHT Lemurian Polymorph Greater GENERALIST PETTY MAGICK

You peer into the spirit realm beyond through a swath of FEAST FOR CROWS cloth. LESSER MAGICK

Distance: Yourself You conjure forth a murder of crows, which harry and harm your enemies. Reagents: A blindfold placed over your eyes Distance: Any one place you can see Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Reagents: A crow, sacrificed (expended) Effect:After successfully casting, you can visually determine if an object or person is imbued or under the influence of Duration: Instantaneous Magick. Naturally, since dark Magick flows within the unliv- ing, you may also detect Supernatural creatures as well. Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure a flock of murderous crows that swoop over your enemies, dispersing only Critical Success: As above, but you may also detect what after tasting blood. All those who are caught within the Burst sort of Magick spell has affected it, if any. radius suffers 2D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage.

Critical Failure: You behold a terrible vision of nightmare Critical Success: As above, but those caught in the Feast for beings beyond the mortal realm. Your eyesight is stricken Crows begins to Bleed. from you, as you’re temporarily blinded for 24 hours. During this time, you automatically fail any Skill Test which requires Critical Failure: Calling forth not from the Material Realm you to see. but from the Abyss, a flock of murderous crows - armed with iron beaks and dagger-like talons - swoops over you! You suffer 2D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage and ARCANE MAGICK begin to Bleed. Practiced by those who possess the Special Trait of Arcane INHUMAN FURY Magick, the ten Arcana are often adopted by Astrologers, Diabolists and Hedgewise in Intermediate or Advanced PETTY MAGICK Tier. Calling forth their Magicks from raw chaos-stuff of the Wretched talons extend from your hands, as you’re possessed Aethereal Veil, they attempt to bring the Winds of Magick by a creature’s animus. under their control, putting themselves at risk to channel Magickal power without divine guidance. As such, they Distance: Yourself can generate perilous Chaos Manifestations if not properly channeled. Reagents: Talons of a raptor or claws of a bear 269 Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours

Effect: After successfully casting, your hands terminate Effect: After successfully casting, both you and all the trap- either into deadly claws or talons. Claws are a two-hand- pings upon yourself take shape of a Man-Eater. You retain ed melee weapon with the Vicious Quality. Talons are a your mental attributes (Intelligence, Perception and Will- two-handed melee weapon with the Fast Quality. Instead of power) and Damage Threshold, but cannot communicate using your Combat Bonus (CB), reference your Willpower nor use Magick while in this form. If you ever suffer Injury Bonus (WB) to determine Damage. Finally, whenever you during this time, the duration immediately ends. strike or Parry with these claws or talons, reference your In- cantation Skill instead of a Combat-based Skill. You may Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. inflict Injuries with this Magick, but they Bleed instead. Critical Failure: Your transformation goes terribly awry. Critical Success: As above, but victims cannot Dodge or Your body is covered in fur, a bear-like amalgamation that Parry this attack. resembles a demon from the depths of the Abyss. You main- tain this form for the duration, unable to communicate or Critical Failure: Wicked thing! Your hands immediate- use Magick. Those who witness this transformation must ly bend backwards, folding over your palms as a rakshasa’s succeed a Resolve Test, or be made victim to Terror. paws. A horrendous snapping is heard, although you suffer no Damage or Injury due to it. You are unable to use your QUOTH THE RAVEN hands for 24 hours. PETTY MAGICK

LEMURIAN POLYMORPH With a burst of feathers, you turn into one of the most noble GREATER MAGICK of jackdaws.

Your Magick changes the subject into its primal form, roots Distance: Yourself from which its ancestors hail. Sprouting hair from its body in Reagents: Three feathers of a crow or raven, held aloft (ex- strange places, it babbles incoherently...and eventually wan- pended) ders off. Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Distance: Any one person you can touch Effect: After successfully casting, both you and all the trap- Reagents: The skin of a rare frog (expended) pings upon yourself take shape of a raven or crow. You retain Duration: Forever your mental attributes (Intelligence, Perception and Will- power) and Damage Threshold, but cannot communicate Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are Engaged nor use Magick while in this form. If you ever suffer Injury with must Resist with a successful Coordination Test or be during this time, the duration immediately ends. turned into a primitive version of its own race. This foe is ren- dered utterly harmless and Helpless. They may begin to pick Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. their nose, throw its feces, beat its chest, furiously masturbate, Critical Failure: Your transformation goes terribly awry. dance around with its arms waving around, roll up into a ball Your body is covered in feathers, a crow-like amalgamation and laugh, bray like a wild animal or simply wander away. that resembles a demon from the depths of the Abyss. You Critical Success: As above, but the foes cannot Resist this maintain this form for the duration, unable to communicate Magick. or use Magick. Those who witness this transformation must succeed a Resolve Test, or be made victim to Stress. Critical Failure: Not only does the Magick utterly fail, but you immediately suffer 9 Corruption. SAVAGE TRANSFORMATION LESSER MAGICK PRIMEVAL FORM GREATER MAGICK Fur erupts from your shoulders, as your mouth elongates into a snout. Falling onto all fours, you take upon a lupine form. Your haunches explode into muscle-covered brown fur, as your hands turn into paws of a great bear. Distance: Yourself

Distance: Yourself Reagents: A hide of a silverback warg, worn on your shoul- ders Reagents: A hide of a Man-Eater, worn on your shoulders 270 Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Effect: After successfully casting, both you and all the trap- Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of allies pings upon yourself take shape of a Silverback Warg. You equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). They may add a 1D6 retain your mental attributes (Intelligence, Perception and Fury Die to their Total Damage rolls with melee and ranged Willpower) and Damage Threshold, but cannot communi- weapons. cate nor use Magick while in this form. If you ever suffer Injury during this time, the duration immediately ends. Critical Success: As above and the allies may add the Pun- ishing Quality to their weapons. Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Critical Failure: Your invocation has angered the ancient Critical Failure: Your transformation goes terribly awry. beasts of the woods. In due time, it will call forth its most Your body is covered in fur, a wolf-like amalgamation that powerful representative, savage and primal, to exact its re- resembles a demon from the depths of the Abyss. You main- venge. Likely, this will be a Man-Eater...or potentially worse. tain this form for the duration, unable to communicate or Only your Gamemaster truly knows. use Magick. Those who witness this transformation must succeed a Resolve Test, or be made victim to Fear. TONGUE OF BEASTS LESSER MAGICK SOOTH THE SAVAGE HEART PETTY MAGICK You are able to speak in your own tongue, despite taking upon a more savage form. With an outward spread hand, you calm and sooth creatures. Distance: Special Distance: Any one creature you can touch Reagents: The tongue of a creature you’re turning into (ex- Reagents: Your pinky and thumb outstretched over the crea- pended) ture’s nose Duration: Special Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Effect: After successfully casting, you may retain the ability Effect: After successfully casting, the creature you are En- to speak and cast Magick while transmogrified into the form gaged with (providing they are considered to be an Animal) of any animal’s shape you take. This works in conjunction must Resist with a successful Coordination Test or be made with aforementioned Magick under the Arcana of Animism. friendly to you. It will cease all attacks, and you may attempt to ride the creature with Handle Animal. Note that if you Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. attack the creature or cause it further harm, the duration im- Critical Failure: With but a whisper, your voice is stricken mediately ends. from you. You cannot speak for 48 hours. Critical Success: As above, but the creature cannot Resist this Magick. ARCANA OF ASTROMANCY

Critical Failure: You words only further incent the creature to further violence. Rearing up, it has a new-found passion Arcana of Astromancy Principle - to kill and eat you! The creature may add a 1D6 Fury Die Augury Petty to Total Damage whenever it strikes you, until the duration is up. Call Lightning Petty THE BEAST WITHIN Terrestrial Refraction Petty GREATER MAGICK Zephyric Squall Lesser

Your words unleash the beast within the hearts of your allies, Night’s Secrets Lesser calling them into a frenzy! Heavenly Wings Lesser Distance: Any persons you can see Astral Bridge Greater

Reagents: A sliver of a silverback warg’s heart, eaten by you Lightning Storm Greater (expended) Dooming Greater 271 ASTRAL BRIDGE CALL LIGHTNING GREATER MAGICK PETTY MAGICK

Opening a meta-Magickal bridge within the Material With a crackle, a bolt of lightning arcs to strike your foe! Realm, you and your comrades slip through the Aethereal Veil to emerge on the other side. Distance: Any one person you can see

Distance: Any one place you have visited Reagents: A vial of rain water, poured into one hand (ex- pended) Reagents: A powdered sapphire, lain at the foot of a thresh- Duration: Instantaneous old (expended) Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Duration: Instantaneous Resist with a Coordination Test), they suffer 1D10 + your Effect: After successfully casting, a number of persons equal Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage and are knocked Prone. to your Willpower Bonus (WB) instantaneously travel to Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this another location. You can only travel to specific locations you Magick. have previously visited. Critical Failure: The bolt arcs upwards into the air, reflect- Critical Success: As above, but you are able to save the pow- ing off the nearest surface and directly returns to you! With dered sapphire reagent for use later. a quick flash, you are knocked off your feet and your hair Critical Failure: As you step through the threshold, you move stands straight on end. You suffer 1D10 + your Willpower into a swirling darkness. Witnessing the birth of stars, the de- Bonus (WB) in Damage and are knocked Prone. struction of galaxies and the emergence of chaos manifest, it DOOMING drives you and all your allies towards the brink. Everyone in- stantly suffers 9 Corruption, as you end up right back where GREATER MAGICK you started. You cast a terrible curse over another, commanding them to- AUGURY wards a fate worse than death. PETTY MAGICK Distance: Any person you can imagine, whom you’ve per- sonally met and know their name You forecast the future of someone, using entrails and the position of the stars. Reagents: A lock of hair and the name of the intended vic- tim Distance: One person you can touch Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Reagents: The liver of a bird, opened to reveal a portent (ex- pended) Effect: After successfully casting, if your foe fails to Resist with a Resolve Test, they immediately lose 1 Fate Point. For- Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours tune and Misfortune Points cannot be used to augment this Skill Test. Additionally, any Injuries they receive over the du- Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- ration are treated as Grievous Injuries. Finally, they cannot gaged with may automatically succeed one Skill Test of their use Fortune and Misfortune Points over the duration. choice. When they succeed, it is always considered a Critical Success. Critical Success: As above, but the foe instead is Slain! if they suffer any Injuries over the duration. Critical Success: As above, but they may automatically Critically Succeed 3 Skill Tests instead. Critical Failure: So powerful is this Magick that it causes a disturbance in the Aethereal Veil. Tearing a hole into the world, Critical Failure: Once again, your auguries have led you astray. raw chaos-stuff pours out of it, coalescing into a doppelgang- But this time, it impacts the beneficiary of an Augury to their er of the person you intended to cast Dooming over. It takes detriment! The Gamemaster will make certain that the person upon the same characteristics as the intended victim. For the automatically fails any three Skill Tests of their choice over the duration. When they fail, it is always considered a Critical Fail- duration, this physical doppelganger attempts to take your life, ure. using whatever means or materials they’d have on-hand. Once destroyed, it dissipates as if it were never there.

272 HEAVENLY WINGS NIGHT’S SECRETS LESSER MAGICK LESSER MAGICK

Beautiful, white and yellow wings sprout from your back. Stars shine above, as all objects below its presence glow with a blue nimbus. Distance: Yourself Distance: Any one place you can see Reagents: The feather of a dove (expended) Reagents: An astrolabe held to the sky Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Effect: After successfully casting, you can now fly. Refer- ence your Combat Movement to determine how many yards Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure star light you can fly in a minute. Should you ever be made to suffer that shines above. The area within the Burst radius is now an Injury while under the effects of Heavenly Wings, you alight as if it were daytime. Additionally, those within an must make a successful Coordination Test or plummet to the Aethereal state can be clearly seen. Hidden foes, objects, ground, the wings destroyed. Note that if you fly too high, traps, disguises and secrets doors are instantly revealed in you may suffer from Suffocation as a result. The Gamemaster the area, as illusions are dispelled (as the Generalist Petty will explain any additional details you’ll need to reference Magick called Dispel Magick). when flying. Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration.

Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Critical Failure: Suddenly, inky black darkness fills the area Critical Failure: The feathery wings turn vestigial, akin to a where you had intended to conjure Night’s Secrets. The bat’s. Uncontrollably, they take you higher and higher, until darkness whirls with strange, undulating creatures from be- the wings break off at your shoulders! You plummet to the yond. Cyclopean, leaning towers are populated by strange fish-men. Nightmares are suddenly made real! All those who ground, at a falling height equal to 2D10+2 yards. witness this must succeed a Resolve Test, or be made victim LIGHTNING STORM to Fear. GREATER MAGICK TERRESTRIAL REFRACTION Raising the lightning rod into the air, arcs fly outwards to- PETTY MAGICK ward your enemies. A lens levitates before your eye, powerfully magnifying all Distance: Any persons you can see beyond it.

Reagents: A copper rod, held aloft Distance: Yourself

Duration: Instantaneous Reagents: A monocle lens

Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of foes Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Providing you can Effect: After successfully casting, you can now see three see your foes, each foe suffers 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, times as far. Additionally, you can perfectly see through con- but they are Incapacitated! instead. Additionally, if your foes cealment such as bushes, fog and smoke. fails to Resist with an Athletics Test, they are knocked Prone. Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration.

Critical Success: As above, but foes are automatically On Critical Failure: Levitating before you, the lens is encircled Fire and knocked Prone. within a burning blue flame. What you see within the lens Critical Failure: The copper rod is instantly incinerated, as a is not of this world; it is frightening. You must immediately bolt of lightning strikes you from above. You suffer 3D10 + succeed a Resolve Test, or be made victim to Stress. your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. You are Incapaci- tated! and fall Prone.

273 ZEPHYRIC SQUALL Reagents: A ceremonial knife, plunged into a patch of nat- LESSER MAGICK ural earth

A gentle breeze suddenly turns violent, as raging winds take Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes over an area Effect:After successfully casting, you immediately move one Distance: Any one place you can see step up the Peril Condition Track for every minute you stand upon natural earth. However, this Magick doesn’t work if Reagents: A piece of bark that has been struck by lightning you are suffering from any other status which may normally prevent you from restoring your Peril Condition Track. A Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Character may only gain the benefit of this Magick once per Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure a wind- day. storm that rages in place of where you cast it. All those Critical Success: As above, but you additionally restore your who are caught within the Burst radius start their Turns Damage Condition Track by one step for every minute as with 1 less Action Point for their Turns in combat. Ad- well. However, this Magick doesn’t work if you are suffering ditionally, remaining within the Burst radius requires a from any other status which may normally prevent you from successful Athletics Tests to Resist, or else they cannot restoring your Damage Condition Track. use Movement Actions. All ranged weapons used to fire at those inside or outside of the Zephyric Squall automati- Critical Failure: The earth below refuses to infuse your life- cally fail. Finally, any melee weapons used in the Zephyric blood with her own, as it saps away your strength! For every Squall suffer a -20 Base Chance to strike. minute you stand upon natural earth, you immediately move one step down both the Damage and Peril Condition Tracks. Critical Success: As above, but those caught in the Burst However, you don’t suffer Injuries due to this Magick. This cannot Resist this Magick. lasts until the duration has expired. Critical Failure: A funnel of violent winds immediately BUBBLING GEYSER strikes down over you, picking you up into the air. You are lifted off the ground, dropping everything in-hand as your GREATER MAGICK possessions are scattered into the Winds. Although you are Bursting forth from the earth comes a geyser, burbling luke- returned to the ground safely, you permanently lose two warm with fresh water. items of the Gamemaster’s choice. Distance: Any one place you can see ARCANA OF ELEMENTALISM Reagents: A dowsing rod made of rare oak, used over a patch of natural earth Arcana of Elementalism Principle Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Crown of Thorns Petty Through Thick and Thin Petty Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure a tall gey- Blood of the Earth Petty ser to bubble forth from the earth. All those who are caught within the Explosion radius are immediately thrown into the Pillars of the Earth Lesser air a number of yards equal to 3D10 + your Willpower Bo- Ephemeral Whisper Lesser nus (WB). Whenever they land, they fall Prone. The geyser Spring’s Bounty Lesser will continue to produce potable water for the duration. Bubbling Geyser Greater Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Hoarfrost Greater Earthen Strength Greater Critical Failure: The dowsing rod instantly breaks in half. No water is found, but instead the earth opens up before you. BLOOD OF THE EARTH You are swallowed into a crevasse, suffering 3D10+3 physi- cal Peril. Additionally, you must succeed an Athletics Test to PETTY MAGICK hold onto the edge or fall into a pit as deep as your Willpow- er Bonus (WB) in yards. The earth mother feeds you from her bosom, warming you from within.

Distance: Yourself 274 CROWN OF THORNS Distance: Yourself

PETTY MAGICK Reagents: A river or body of water, which you stand waist- A foe is wracked with painful thorns, which grows from their deep within insides-out. Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Distance: Any one person you can see Effect: After successfully casting, you may communicate with Reagents: A rose held in-hand (expended) the river. It is friendly, answering questions directly within your mind’s eye. It will answer questions pertaining to it, such as Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes those who’ve passed along it, forded it or what it bear witness to, in a general way. Answers are always framed within the past 48 Effect:After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Re- hours; for instance, you could not find out who trafficked along sist with a Resolve Test), your foe immediately suffers 1D10 its lanes 72 hours ago. + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. Additionally, they suffer a -10 Base Chance to all Skill Tests for their next Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration Turn. Finally, they must Resist the effects of this Magick at the beginning of their subsequent Turns over the duration, Critical Failure: The river fights against you. Fish nibble and or continue to suffer the -10 Base Chance penalty to Skill bite at your legs. Crawdads pincer at your fingers. The waters Tests. crest over your head, threatening to sweep you further down and drown you! You must immediately success a Coordina- Critical Success: As above, but affected suffers a -20 Base tion Test or be taken downriver for the duration. During this Chance instead. time, you may be placed in danger due to Suffocation. Critical Failure: Heartless worm, you shall lay prostrated HOARFROST before your enemies! For the duration of the Magick, you are GREATER MAGICK held in-place, rendered Helpless and Prone on the ground by thorny vines. Winter’s frost coats everything along the ground, making it EARTHEN STRENGTH slippery and exceedingly dangerous. GREATER MAGICK Distance: Any one place you can see

You are given the strength of the mountain and the flames Reagents: A vial of melted snow from a mountain, poured of the earth below. out (expended)

Distance: Yourself Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Reagents: A clay statuette of yourself Effect: After successfully casting, you conjure forth a sheet of frigid ice from the ground, insufferably cold and debil- Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes itating to the touch. All those who are caught within the Explosion radius immediately suffer 3D10 + your Willpower Effect: After successfully casting, add +30% to your Brawn. Bonus (WB) in physical Peril. The ice is considered to be Additionally, any attack you make with a melee weapon adds Hard Terrain. Additionally, those attempting to move upon the Powerful Quality to it. the Hoarfrost must Resist with a Coordination Test, or be Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. left Helpless on their Turn.

Critical Failure: The clay statuette shatters in your hands. Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this The earth rejects your calling, as the flesh turns soft and your Magick while upon the ice. energy sapped from you. You feel heavy and ponderous in Critical Failure: The heat of a summer wind envelops you. your gait! You must subtract -30% from your Agility for the Your head begins to sweat profusely, as you are suddenly duration. Additionally, any attack you make with a melee placed under strain. You immediately suffer 3D10+3 physical weapon adds the Slow Quality to it. Peril. Additionally, reduce your Combat Movement by 9 (to EPHEMERAL WHISPER a minimum of 1) for the duration. LESSER MAGICK PILLARS OF THE EARTH You step into the river, and she whispers back. LESSER MAGICK 275 Beloved earth mother accepts you into her womb, as you re- THROUGH THICK AND THIN emerge elsewhere. PETTY MAGICK

Distance: Yourself You fatten your body up, feeling full and prepared for travel

Reagents: An iron key, dropped at your feet on a patch of Distance: Any one person you can touch natural earth (expended) Reagents: A handful of oats, eaten (expended) Duration: Instantaneous Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in days Effect: After successfully casting, you are immediately swal- lowed into the earth and reappear anywhere within sight. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- You can only disappear and reappear upon a patch of natural gaged with doesn’t need to eat or drink to survive. earth. Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Critical Success: As above, but you immediately gain a Sur- prise Turn against your foes. Critical Failure: Hunger immediately sets in, as the last meal the intended target of this Magick expels in their pants. Critical Failure: The earth mother denies you, as every step They must eat three times the normal amount of food to fill you take despoils the grass and land you step upon. You im- themselves up each day - unable to sate their hunger - over mediately take six steps the direction you intended to go, the duration. suffering 2D10+2 mental Peril for the destruction you have wrought. ARCANA OF LUMINESCENCE SPRING’S BOUNTY LESSER MAGICK Arcana of Luminescence Principle

Calling upon the earth mother, you bring a bountiful har- Cleansing Light Petty vest and hope to new mothers and practitioners of animal Blinding Gaze Petty husbandry. Coruscating Mantle Petty Distance: Any one place or person you can see Medicament of the Mind Lesser Reagents: A handful of manure, sprinkled (expended) Radiant Shield Lesser

Duration: Instantaneous Purification Lesser Banishment Greater Effect: After successfully casting, you cause one place to in- stantly burst forth with life, as crops, flowers, bushes and the Scintillating Explosion Greater like slowly blossoms. A harvest is very likely come autumn. Pillar of Brilliance Greater This can be used on fallow and despoiled land, restoring it to its fertile nature. If used on a person or creature, it guaran- BANISHMENT tees that natural conception will take and produce at least one GREATER MAGICK child if bred under normal conditions, at the appropriate time. Locked in an epic struggle against chaos incarnate, you or- Critical Success: As above, but the harvest or conception der servants of chaos back from whence they came. You only takes half as long. need repeat these words: klaatu barada nikito...or was it nik- Critical Failure: Instantly, the land is salted and the soil to? blackens. Nothing will ever grow here again. If used on a per- Distance: Any one person you can see son or creature, they will certainly give birth to something, but not likely that which they’d intended. Abyssal fiends are Reagents: The True Name of the creature you wish to ban- acutely attuned to this Magick, oftentimes placing their ill- ish, spoken aloud seed within the bellies of would-be mothers. Whether you disclose this to the person is up to you, but either way, you Duration: Instantaneous suffer 6 Corruption (as goes the mother once they find out Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Re- whose seed they carry in their belly). sist with a Resolve Test), they are instantaneously banished 276 from the Material Realm. Note that this only works on crea- BLINDING GAZE tures who are Abyssal in nature. You can also use this Magick PETTY MAGICK to banish a Supernatural creature’s possession of another, but it does not cause the Supernatural spirit to be banished from Your eyes shine with such brightness that looks could blind, the Material Realm, only driven away from possession of and likely kill. others for nine days. Distance: Any one person you can see Critical Success: As above, but the creature cannot Resist this Magick. Reagents: A monocle, held in-hand (expended)

Critical Failure: Despite calling out its True Name, you hor- Duration: Instantaneous ribly mangle the words. In fact, it only seeks to further em- Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Re- power it! The Banishment fails, and calls forth another crea- sist with an Awareness Test), they suffer 1D10 + your Will- ture of lesser power to manifest within a few yards of you. power Bonus (WB) in physical Peril and cannot Counter- spell, Dodge or Parry for one Turn. TRUE NAMES Every creature, both small and large, is given a Critical Success: As above, but the foe is left Defenseless name upon birth. Whether it crawled forth from for one Turn. an Orxish slime pit, the bellies of Elven maidens Critical Failure: Light comes pouring out of your eyes. or among throngs of many animals which inhabit Filled with intense Aetheric energy, you have no choice the earth, every creature manifest possesses a term but to “vent” this power towards the sky in a ray of sear- of affection; otherwise, a name. However, creatures ing white light. Unfortunately, you manage to make one ally such as Lower and Higher Demons - including of the Gamemaster’s choice become victim to the effects of Restless Spirits among others - possess what is Blinding Gaze. called a True Name. Mirroring the rite of naming children upon birth, CLEANSING LIGHT blasphemous demons are given a True Name by PETTY MAGICK the Abyssal Prince they serve. This unholy name is immensely sacred; a reflection of their real nature. A dim mote of light spreads across a surface, creating a glim- To know and speak aloud a True Name is to bring mering polish. weakness to the demon whom it was given to. Be- Distance: Any one object or person you can touch cause of this, demons adopt second or third names (sometimes called Call Names), jealously guarding Reagents: A soapstone held in-hand (expended) their True Name from others. To possess a demon’s True Name is to be able to wield power over it. Un- Duration: Instantaneous fortunately, even if a demon’s True Name is found Effect: After successfully casting, the object or person you out, it is hard to pronounce, being comprised of im- are Engaged with is instantly cleaned, spick and span. It possible combinations of glyphs. Your Gamemaster washes dirt away, removes stains, eliminates odors and pro- will have more information therein. duces a lemon-like scent. It can even make spoiled foods or In some cases, True Names are carried from a despoiled water taste good. mortal life into undeath. Such is the case with a Restless Spirit. Many years may have passed since Critical Success: As above, but it can affect a number of it was arisen to unlife, as its mortal memories were objects or persons equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). snuffed out like a flame from a candle. A universal Critical Failure: Tiny motes of darkness wash over the ob- truth remains: a Restless Spirit can only be exor- jects and persons you touched. They emerge dirty, grimy and cised (and affected by Magick) when their True stinking of a fetid odor that makes you vomit! You immedi- Name has been spoken aloud. Fortunate for spiri- ately suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril. tualists, the True Names of the Restless Spirits are easier to figure out. Additionally, these True Names CORUSCATING MANTLE are not assembled from glyphs, but of the language PETTY MAGICK which the Restless Spirit spoke before death. Your cloak glimmers and twinkles with brilliant light, as to displace where you stand 277 Distance: Yourself Critical Success: As above, but the foe is left Defenseless for one Turn. Reagents: An expensive velvet mantle, worn on your back Critical Failure: The pillar is made not of light, but of dark- Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes ness. It immediately extinguishes all sources of light in an Effect: After successfully casting, all ranged weapons that Explosion radius around you. Additionally, it causes all those with it who have Chaos Ranks higher than their Order aren’t Magickal in nature cannot apply Fury Dice to their Ranks immediately suffers 9 Corruption. The darkness then Total Damage when harming you. However, due to that the is restored to natural light. cloak shimmers with a low light, you cannot use the Stealth Skill to hide. PURIFICATION Critical Success: As above, but all ranged weapon attacks LESSER MAGICK automatically miss you. A white light washes over the wounded, purifying them of Critical Failure: With a terrible tearing sound, the velvet their ills. mantle takes to the air, ripping from your neck. A zephyr of Distance: Any one person you can touch wind catches it, and it flies off, never to be found again. Reagents: A poultice made from aloe (expended) MEDICAMENT OF THE MIND LESSER MAGICK Duration: Instantaneous

A glowing light mends broken hearts and cures exhaustion. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with immediately removes the ill-effects of Poison and Distance: Any one person you can touch Intoxication. Additionally, if they are suffering from a Dis- ease, it forestalls any negative effects of the Disease for that Reagents: A clear bead of glass (expended) day. A Character may only gain the benefit of this Magick Duration: Instantaneous once per day.

Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Critical Success: As above, but the afflicted forestalls any gaged with may restore their Peril Condition Track positive- negative effects from a Disease for six days. ly by two steps. A Character may only gain the benefit of this Critical Failure: The Magick goes horribly awry, as theperson Magick once per day. immediately suffers 2D10+2 physical Peril. Critical Success: As above, but instead the Peril Condition RADIANT SHIELD Track is restored by three steps positively. LESSER MAGICK Critical Failure: A nebulous, purple light emits from your hands as you touch the intended. They immediately suffer A globe of light orbits around you, protecting you from harm. 2D10+2 physical Peril. Distance: Yourself

PILLAR OF BRILLIANCE Reagents: A glass globe, held in-hand GREATER MAGICK Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes A god-like ray of burning white energy strikes down at your foes. Effect: After successfully casting, you gain 2 additional Ac- tion Points for your Turns in combat. However, they can only Distance: Any one place you can see be used to Counterspell, Dodge and Parry. Reference your Incantation Skill whenever you Dodge or Parry using this Reagents: A diamond held aloft Magick. Duration: Instantaneous Critical Success: As above, but it redirects blows right back Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure a burning at the attacker (as if you had made an Opportunity Attack, pillar of light to shine down. All those who are caught within requiring no Skill Test to strike). This also redirects Magick the Explosion radius who fails to Resist with an Awareness back at the original caster (as they may suffer the effects, Test suffer 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in physical depending on the Magick). Peril and cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry for one Turn. Critical Failure: The globe of light manifests for a moment, 278 and immediately fizzles out. The globe shatters, as its light AT THE THRESHOLD bursts outwards! Everyone within a Burst radius of you to GREATER MAGICK successfully Resist with an Awareness Test or be left De- fenseless for the duration. You forestall the inevitable end of your comrades.

SCINTILLATING EXPLOSION Distance: Yourself

GREATER MAGICK Reagents: A vial of embalming fluid given to the recipients An explosion of shimmering light emits from an area, sear- of this Magick (expended) ing all within its purifying rays. Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Distance: Any one place you can see Effect:After successfully casting, a number of allies equal to Reagents: An expensive polished mirror, held outwards your Willpower Bonus (WB) may deny death. Immediate- ly after they suffer Damage that would render them Slain!, Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes they may ignore it entirely, therefore negating both Damage and any Injuries they may have suffered. After denying death Effect: After successfully casting, you can conjure a twin- once, the Magick dissipates and no longer confers any ben- kling expulsion that rages in place of where you cast it. All efit to your allies. those who are caught within the Explosion radius who fails to Resist with an Awareness Test suffer a -30 Base Chance to Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. all Agility-based and Combat-based Skill Tests. Addition- ally, they reduce their Combat Movement down by 9 (to a Critical Failure: Who are you to deny the fates? Lady death minimum of 1). Those who do Resist instead suffer 3D10 + punishes you and all others for your transgression. Everyone your Willpower Bonus (WB) in physical Peril and cannot you intended to cast this Magick on suffers 3D10+3 mental Counterspell, Dodge or Parry while standing in the Explo- Peril and 9 Corruption. sion radius. Remaining within the Explosion radius requires BANISH UNDEAD additional Awareness Tests to Resist against harm. GREATER MAGICK Critical Success: As above, but those caught in the Explo- sion cannot Resist, suffering both effects. Suddenly, those which belong to neither the Aethereal Veil or the Material Realm are whipped back and forth in a ter- Critical Failure: The mirror shatters in-hand, as an Aethe- rible, cutting Wind. ric backlash wracks your body every hour. You are unable to muster the strength to cast Magick again, until 72 hours Distance: Any one place you can see have passed. Reagents: The breath of a holy person other than yourself, contained in a bottle (expended) ARCANA OF MORTICISM Duration: Instantaneous

Arcana of Morticism Principle Effect: After successfully casting, all creatures who are Su- pernatural caught within an Explosion radius suffer 3D10 + Bereavement Petty your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage and are knocked Swift Passage Petty Prone. Harvester of Souls Petty Critical Success: As above, but they are automatically Slain! instead of suffering Damage. Grave Ward Lesser Wither Limb Lesser Critical Failure: Your Magick doesn’t harm the dead. In fact, it only invigorates them, urging them onwards to a path of Dearly Departed Lesser destruction. All those with the Supernatural trait who are At The Threshold Greater caught within the Explosion radius are immediately healed to Unharmed and any Magicks or Perilous Stunts negatively Banish Undead Greater impacting them are instantly cured. Death’s Embrace Greater

279 BEREAVEMENT DEATH’S EMBRACE PETTY MAGICK GREATER MAGICK

Your words lend comfort to those suffering from grief or loss. Inhaling deeply, you belch forth a necrotic Wind to whisk away the living to the realm of death. Distance: Any one person you can touch Distance: Yourself Reagents: A grave flower (expended) Reagents: An expensive ruby held before your lips Duration: Instantaneous Duration: Instantaneous Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with resolves their internal turmoil after the loss of a Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foes caught loved one. Any effects of Stress, Fear or Terror are instantly in a Cone radius fails to Resist with a Coordination Test), alleviated, removes Corruption they may have suffered as a they suffer 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. part of it and alleviates the effects of their Disorder. They However, it ignores any Damage Threshold Modifier their may only be made recipient of this Magick once a week. Fi- armor may confer. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, nally, this doesn’t cure a Disorder, only causing its effects to but they are Slain! instead. temporarily go away until they flare up again. Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist. Critical Success: As above, but the bereaved receives a per- sonal Fortune Point which only they may use. Critical Failure: The ruby turns to dust in your hand, blown away with by Aetheric Winds. Today is not the day that they Critical Failure: You words lend cold comfort to the be- die, and you must make an appropriate sacrifice of your own. reaved. It only stokes their temperaments even further, as You immediately suffer a Grievous Injury. they grow angry. Remove one Fortune Point from the pool. If one is not available, you suffer 3 Corruption instead. GRAVE WARD LESSER MAGICK DEARLY DEPARTED LESSER MAGICK By ringing a tiny bell or clapper, you protect an area against trespass. Placing your hands out in contrition, you begin to speak with the spirit of the recently deceased. Distance: Any one grave you can touch

Distance: Special Reagents: A vial of holy water, sprinkled on a burial site (expended) Reagents: A spirit board, two people and the True Name of the Restless Spirit you wish to speak with Duration: Forever

Duration: Special Effect:After successfully casting, the grave you are Engaged with imbues a terrible curse upon anyone who robs or dese- Effect: After successfully casting, you can speak with Rest- crates it. Those whom robbed it suffer a -20 Base Chance to less Spirits who may haunt a place, directly with the remains all Brawn, Agility and Perception-related Skills, until they of another or in the presence of a blood relative of the de- return items which were stolen. ceased individual. You may only ask a number of questions equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). The spirit can only Critical Success: As above, but the robbers suffer a -30 Base answer yes/no questions, with either “yes” (indicated by one Chance instead. audible knocking sound) or “no” (indicating by two audible knocking sounds). They will always answer truthfully. Critical Failure: Invoking the wrong name of the deceased, you awaken them from their slumber - but only in your Critical Success: As above, but triple the number of ques- mind’s eye. Their voices haunt your dreams, as you must suc- tions you may ask. ceed a Resolve Test now and every morning for six days or be made victim to Fear. Critical Failure: Haunted voices can be heard all around! The spirit board instantly splinters, ruined forever. Everyone par- ticipating in the seance is immediately made victim to Fear.

280 HARVESTER OF SOULS WITHER LIMB PETTY MAGICK LESSER MAGICK

Purple, Aetheric energy engulfs the scythe, ready for the The person you gaze at begins to twist and break in place as reaping. they’re exposed to this heinous spell.

Distance: Yourself Distance: Any one person you can see

Reagents: A farmer’s scythe, held in both hands Reagents: A splinter of a coffin from a Restless Spirit (ex- pended) Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Effect: After successfully casting, the scythe is engulfed in purple, deadly energy. The scythe is a two-handed melee Effect: After successfully casting, you immediately cause weapon with the Powerful Quality. Instead of using your limb atrophy to the person you look at. Although you do not Combat Bonus (CB), reference your Willpower Bonus lower the Damage Condition Track, they cannot use one of (WB) to determine Damage. Finally, whenever you strike or their arms or legs for the duration (your choice). Parry with this scythe, reference your Incantation Skill in- stead of a Combat-based Skill. You may inflict Injuries with Critical Success: As above, but instead the foe cannot use this Magick, but they Bleed instead. either their arms and legs (left Helpless).

Critical Success: As above, but victims cannot Dodge or Critical Failure: As you break the splinter of coffin in your Parry this attack. hand, you hear the haunted voices of the wicked undead. You begin to tremble with trepidation, and eventually collapse to Critical Failure: The scythe takes upon its own personality, the ground like a marionette whose strings were cut. You are dancing into the air as if guided by an apparition, for the paralyzed, losing use of your arms and legs as you’re Helpless duration. Roll 1D6 Chaos Die whenever your Turn starts. for the duration. If the result is 1-5, the scythe does nothing. If the result is a face “6”, it will lash out at a random ally (or perhaps you)! ARCANA OF NECROMANCY SWIFT PASSAGE PETTY MAGICK Arcana of Necromancy Principle

A gentle touch dispatches the grievously wounded to here- Death’s Visage Petty after. Ashes to Ashes Petty Distance: Any one person you can touch Sanguine Restoration Petty Reagents: Two brass pennies (expended) Brush With Death Lesser Duration: Instantaneous Spectral Form Lesser

Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Golemskin Lesser gaged with (providing they are suffering from a Grievous Crippling Stare Greater Injury) must Resist with a successful Coordination Test or be instantly Slain!. Banshee’s Wail Greater

Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this The Final Surrender Greater Magick. ASHES TO ASHES Critical Failure: The twin pennies begin burning in your hand with a purple light. An Aetheric whiplash of energy PETTY MAGICK springs forth from your hand, as you automatically catch On We come from dust, and we return from dust. Fire. Distance: Any one person you can see

Reagents: A handful of grave dirt blown into the air (ex- pended) 281 Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Failure: The hand begins to wriggle inside the bag. No one notices, save you. At some point during the night, Effect:After successfully casting, you immediately blind one the hand will crawl about and attempt to choke someone. foe, as they are unable to Counterspell, Dodge or Parry for The Gamemaster will choose one of your allies - which could the duration. include yourself - for its fearful embrace. Regardless, an ally Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. wakes up Incapacitated! for the next 6 days. On the last day, the hand disappears from the bag. Critical Failure: The dust blows into the air, entirely ineffec- tive. However, you are struck by a terrible Aetheric whiplash CRIPPLING STARE - a punishment! You are unable to Counterspell, Dodge or GREATER MAGICK Parry for the duration. The person you gaze at begins to twist and break in place as BANSHEE’S WAIL they’re exposed to this heinous spell.

GREATER MAGICK Distance: Any one person you can see

A terrifying howl emits from your throat, crippling all who Reagents: The leg bone of a priest, which must be thrice-bro- hear it. ken (expended)

Distance: Yourself Duration: Special

Reagents: A veil from a wedding dress of a Restless Spirit Effect:After successfully casting, you immediately cause In- Duration: Instantaneous juries to the person you look at. Although you do not lower their Damage Condition Track, they will suffer a Moderate Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foes caught in Injury on your first Turn, a Serious Injury on your second a Cone radius fails to Resist with a Resolve Test), they suffer Turn and a Grievous Injury on your third Turn. This Magick 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in mental Peril. require Concentration.

Critical Success: As above, but they automatically fails their Critical Success: As above, but instead the foe suffer a Seri- Resolve Test. ous Injury instead of a Moderate Injury.

Critical Failure: A distant howling is heard as you lay your Critical Failure: Staring long and deep into the eyes of your head down to rest. The veil is instantly torn from your hands, victim, you momentarily are taken by the inhumanity of this and disappears into the Wind. You are haunted by terrible act. As you break the bone the first time, you immediately dreams of a wailing woman in a tattered dress. Her voice suffer a Moderate Injury. Again, you then suffer a Serious haunts your dreams, as you must succeed a Resolve Test now Injury. And finally, a Grievous Injury. You cannot help but and every morning for nine days or be made victim to Terror. break the bone thrice, despite the pain. BRUSH WITH DEATH DEATH’S VISAGE LESSER MAGICK PETTY MAGICK

Your cold hand causes the foe to recoil from intense pain, Behold, and stare into the face of death incarnate! enervating their life energy. Distance: Any one person you can see Distance: Any one person you can touch Reagents: A skull held aloft Reagents: A hand of a murderer, held in a bag Duration: Instantaneous Duration: Instantaneous Effect:After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Re- Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- sist with a Resolve Test), your foe is made victim to Stress. gaged with must Resist with a successful Coordination Test Additionally, they cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry for or suffer 2D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage one Turn. and falls Prone. Critical Success: As above, your foe cannot Resist this Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this Magick. Magick. Critical Failure: The jaw of the skull unhinges, cackling ma- 282 niacally. You must immediately succeed a Resolve Test or be Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes made victim to Stress. Effect: After successfully casting, you are Aethereal - occu- GOLEMSKIN pying a different reality but can see perfectly into the Mate- LESSER MAGICK rial Realm. While in Aethereal form, you cannot manipulate objects, but may pass through them effortlessly. You cannot Your skin hardens, rendering you protected from outside inflict Damage while Aethereal. Additionally, you are com- forces which could harm you. pletely immune to Damage from melee and ranged weapons. However, Magicks and weapons imbued with Magick can Distance: Yourself harm you. You can manifest into a non-Aethereal, physical Reagents: The skin of a dead strongman form into the Material Realm for 0 Action Points. However, turning Aethereal once again costs 2 Action Points. Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Effect: After successfully casting, add 6 to your Damage Threshold. Additionally, you are immune to Injury and can- Critical Failure: Passing into the Aethereal Veil, you are not Bleed. tossed about by the Winds of chaos, returning a few seconds later. Upon return, you suffer 6 Corruption and are instantly Critical Success: As above, but add 9 to your Damage Incapacitated! Threshold instead. THE FINAL SURRENDER Critical Failure: Your skin cracks from weakness, as you are GREATER MAGICK wracked with intense pain. You suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. With the utterance of a few words, you immediately send the SANGUINE RESTORATION unfortunate soul into the afterlife. PETTY MAGICK Distance: Any one person you can see The blood of another invigorates, for it is life. Reagents: A silver bottle with a person’s name written on it, Distance: Yourself spoken aloud

Reagents: A pint of blood from one of your own race, im- Duration: Instantaneous bibed (expended) Effect:After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Resist Duration: Instantaneous with a Toughness Test), your foe is immediately Slain!, with their spirit transferred into the bottle. Their corpse remains perfectly Effect: After successfully casting, your Damage Condition intact, in a vegetable-like state, which no longer ages. Only by Track restores positively by one step. However, you suffer 3 feeding the bottle’s contents back to the deceased’s corpse can Corruption as a result. they be restored to life.

Critical Success: As above, but you don’t suffer Corruption Critical Success: As above, but your foe cannot Resist. whatsoever. Critical Failure: You accidentally drop the bottle, breaking Critical Failure: As you drink deep from the vial, the blood beneath your feet. Uttering the words aloud, you feel as if tastes of ash. It cannot sate your own predilection for fresh something terrible just passed through you. You immediately blood. If you do not drink the blood from one of your own suffer 9 Corruption. race within 24 hours, you suffer 3 Corruption. SPECTRAL FORM LESSER MAGICK

Your body turns incorporeal, as you now occupy both the Material Realm and the Aethereal beyond.

Distance: Yourself

Reagents: A death shroud, wrapped around you

283 ARCANA OF PYROMANCY that rages in place of where you cast it. All those who are caught within the Explosion radius who fails to Resist with a Coordination Test suffers 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus Arcana of Pyromancy Principle (WB) in Damage from fire. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, but they are On Fire instead. Remaining within the Cauterize Wound Petty Explosion radius requires additional Coordination Tests to Bolt of Flame Petty withstand harm. Shimmering Crown Petty Critical Success: As above, but those caught in the inferno automatically fails to Resist. Fireproof Lesser Flaming Sword Lesser Critical Failure: The rod of wood splinters, as a Cataclysmic Inferno is not conjured in the local area. Instead, it sets off Courage Under Fire Lesser in a random direction, out of your sight. It likely rains down Meteors of Doom Greater over a village, killing others for the duration. You are made immediately aware of this heinous act by the whispers of the Dragon’s Breath Greater Abyssal Prince of Violence. You immediately suffer 9 Cor- Catalysmic Inferno Greater ruption for the countless deaths waged by your Magicks.

BOLT OF FLAME CAUTERIZE WOUND PETTY MAGICK PETTY MAGICK

WIth a flick of a match, a searing bolt of fire makes a beeline With but a touch, wounds miraculously close shut and are purged towards your foe. from infection.

Distance: Any one person you can see Distance: Any one person you can touch

Reagents: A match, which must be struck (expended) Reagents: A spoonful of honey rubbed into a wound (ex- pended) Duration: Instantaneous Duration: Instantaneous Effect: After successfully casting, one foe immediately suf- fers 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage from Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- fire. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, but they are gaged with immediately stems any sort of Bleeding while On Fire instead. removing Infection.

Critical Success: As above, but foes are automatically On Critical Success: As above, but the person also recovers one Fire. step positive on the Damage Condition Track.

Critical Failure: The searing bolt transforms into a frigid Critical Failure: Your touch is utterly painful, as a searing boomerang of ice, arcing back to strike you instead! As you pain singes the skin and quickly spreads like wildfire. You are are struck, you are frozen in place for a number of minutes caught On Fire, but the Bleeding stops. equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB), left Helpless. COURAGE UNDER FIRE CATACLYSMIC INFERNO LESSER MAGICK

GREATER MAGICK You stoke the fires of your allies, invigorating them to bask in You visibly disturb the material world, as a breach opens direct to glory! the Aethereal Veil. Lashing Winds and a rain of fire consumes the Distance: Yourself land before you, as a terrifyingly cataclysmic event unfolds. Reagents: A tatter of a renown battle standard, held aloft Distance: Any one place you can see Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Reagents: A rod of petrified wood Effect:After successfully casting, a number of allies equal to Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes your Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you gains Effect:After successfully casting, you can conjure a firestorm a +20 Base Chance to Resolve Tests. 284 Critical Success: As above, but increase the same ally’s Ini- immediately catch On Fire. tiative by 6. FLAMING SWORD Critical Failure: The battle standard is immediately LESSER MAGICK wreathed in a terrible flame, incinerated! You take upon the countenance of weakness. A number of allies equal to your You ignite the hilt of a sword, as a burning flame emerges from Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you suffers a the crossguard. -20 Base Chance to Resolve Tests and reduces their Initia- tive by -6 over the duration. Distance: Yourself DRAGON’S BREATH Reagents: A hilt of any castle-forged sword, held aloft GREATER MAGICK Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Inhaling deeply, you belch forth a gout of flame and smoke. Effect: After successfully casting, the hilt glows with a fiery blade. The blade is a one-handed melee weapon with the Pun- Distance: Yourself ishing Quality. The sword provides a significant amount of Reagents: The hide of a desert creature heat and light, equivalent to a torch. Its flames are considered to be Moderately Dangerous. Instead of using your Combat Duration: Instantaneous Bonus (CB), reference your Willpower Bonus (WB) to de- termine Damage. Finally, whenever you strike or Parry with Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foes caught this sword, reference your Incantation Skill instead of a Com- in a Cone radius fails to Resist with a Coordination Test), bat-based Skill. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, but they suffer 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage they are On Fire instead. from fire. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, but they are On Fire instead. Critical Success: As above, but victims cannot Dodge or Parry this attack. Critical Success: As above, but all foes struck automatically fails to Resist. Critical Failure: The sword takes upon its own personality, dancing into the air as if guided by an apparition. Roll 1D6 Critical Failure: A grave mishap has occurred, as your breath Chaos Die whenever your Turn starts. If the result is 1-5, the uncontrollably ignites everything around you in an Explo- sword does nothing. If the result is a face “6”, it will lash out sion radius, centered on you. Those exposed suffer 3D10 + at a random ally (or perhaps you) over the duration. your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage from fire. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, but they are On Fire in- METEORS OF DOOM stead. GREATER MAGICK

FIREPROOF From the skies above, burning stars rain down over your enemies. LESSER MAGICK Distance: Any persons you can see Calling forth from the Aethereal Veil, you temporarily ensorcel an amulet, allowing its bearer to withstand great heat and fire. Reagents: A rod of meteoric iron, held aloft

Distance: Any one person you can touch Duration: Instantaneous

Reagents: An iron amulet, placed around the neck of the Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of foes recipient (expended) equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Providing you can see your foes, each foe suffers 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes (WB) in Damage. Additionally, if your foes fails to Resist with a Coordination Test, they are knocked Prone. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with will add your Willpower Bonus (WB) to their Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist this Damage Threshold, but only to withstand fire. Magick.

Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Critical Failure: The meteoric rod suddenly cracks and breaks. A searing meteor strikes you from above. You suf- Critical Failure: Placing the iron amulet upon the bearer fer 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage, and of this dark gift, they immediately burst into flames! They knocked Prone. 285 SHIMMERING CROWN Effect:After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Re- PETTY MAGICK sist with a Scrutinize Test), one foe must roll 1D6 Chaos Die as their Turn starts. If the result is a face “1”, they lose A crown of burning flames adorns your head, burning with an 1 Action Point on their next Turn. If the result is a face “2”, effervescent brightness that forestalls foes and raises morale. they lose 2 Action Points on their next Turn. If the result is a face “3”, they elect to run in a random direction. If the result Distance: Yourself is a face “4”, they elect to attack the nearest ally. If the result Reagents: One gold coin (expended) is a face “5”, they do nothing. However, if the result is a face “6”, they are left Helpless. Once beneath this Magick’s effect, Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes they can attempt to Resist at the beginning of their Turn to shake off the effects. Effect:After successfully casting, you gain a +10 Base Chance to Intimidate and Leadership Tests. Additionally, foes who Critical Success: As above, but the foe is always left Help- attempt to attack you must immediately succeed a Resolve less on a result of face “1” or “6”. Test or choose to ignore you for the duration. Finally, the Shimmering Crown provides a significant amount of heat Critical Failure: You find yourself exhausted, uncertain of and light, equivalent to a candle. Its flames are considered to what is occurring around you. You lose 2 Action Points for be Mildly Dangerous. your Turns in combat for the duration.

Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. DEATH MASK Critical Failure: The crown of flame collapses at your feet. GREATER MAGICK You immediately suffer 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage from fire. You may inflict Injuries with Unwittingly, the person before you appears by all means dead this Magick, but you are On Fire instead. The duration im- to everyone. mediately ends. Distance: Any one person you can touch

ARCANA OF SHADOWMANCY Reagents: An ivory death mask, held to your face

Duration: Forever Arcana of Shadowmancy Principle Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are Engaged Shadow Slip Petty with must Resist with a successful Coordination Test or im- mediately appears Slain! to all. They do not need to breathe Imposter Petty or eat during this time, taking upon the color of someone re- Addle-coved Petty cently deceased (yet do not rot). However, the foe can hear, taste and smell everything, unable to move or communicate as Two Selves Lesser they’re left Helpless. You can lift the Death Mask’s effects at Eternal Darkness Lesser any time you wish.

Mindwipe Lesser Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot perceive any- Umbral Knives Greater thing around them. Mass Hallucination Greater Critical Failure: Suddenly stricken by death’s hand, you fall dead to the ground. Well, you appear dead at least. Hopeful- Confusion Greater ly, you don’t awaken buried alive! This lasts for 72 hours. ADDLE-COVED ETERNAL DARKNESS PETTY MAGICK LESSER MAGICK

The mystic sigils you make with your hand dazzles and con- Contacting the world between here and elsewhere, you call fused your intended victim. forth a poltergeist to rattle their chains and haunt an area.

Distance: Any one person you can see Distance: Any one place you can see

Reagents: A mirror shattered onto the ground (expended) Reagents: The eyes of a salamander (expended)

Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: Forever 286 Effect:After successfully casting, you conjure blinding dark- Effect:After successfully casting, you can conjure forth a per- ness in a Burst radius within sight. This darkness is impene- fect illusion of anything you like with an area of an Explosion trable, even to those who may normally see in the dark. You diameter. This illusion can be as complex as you like, taking can see completely in the darkness, and suffer no additional upon both sight, smell, sound, feel and taste. Anyone who ex- effects to yourself from it. Those caught within start with 1 poses themselves to the illusion may attempt to see through less Action Point for their Turn in combat, until they move it by succeeding a Scrutinize Test. Otherwise, it appears real outside of the darkness. Additionally, any Skills requiring vi- to them - even if their comrades deny it is there! This Magick sion automatically fails while standing within the darkness. require Concentration.

Critical Success: As above, but those within lose 2 Action Critical Success: As above, but the illusion is impenetrable, Points instead of one. appearing real to everyone who witnesses it.

Critical Failure: Manifesting instantaneously within your Critical Failure: You have a difficult time distinguishing sight (and only in your sight) is a horrific shadow, a fiend- between what is real, and what isn’t. Your mind begins to ish creature. It follows within your own shadow, constantly reel from all manner of strange shadows and shapes play- watching you. So unnerving is its appearance, as you must ing around you. Etched deep within your brain, you cannot succeed a Resolve Test now and every morning for six days shake the feeling away as you’re hypnotized by its beauty. You or be made victim to Fear. remain Helpless over the duration. Upon its completion, the diadem turns into a mere pebble. IMPOSTER MINDWIPE PETTY MAGICK LESSER MAGICK The shadows transmogrify your body into someone else’s, a perfect mirror image. By tracing your finger into the air, you unravel the mind of another, stealing their memories. Distance: Yourself Distance: Any one person you can see Reagents: A sketch of the person you wish to impersonate, immolated in fire (expended) Reagents: River water poured onto the ground (expended)

Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Effect: After successfully casting, you take upon the outer Effect: After successfully casting (and your foe fails to Resist shape of a specific humanoid figure who was sketched. The with a Scrutinize Test), they completely forget who you are, transformation doesn’t change your voice, nor does it impart what you are doing here and everything else about you, up to the ability to speak the language of the figure you’re imper- the point after you’d cast the spell. Regardless, the actual casting sonating. of Mindwipe is never apparent to anyone, perfectly disguised.

Critical Success: As above, but you also may mimic their Critical Success: As above, but you gain the last 48 hours of voice and language perfectly. the person’s memory you had Mindwiped.

Critical Failure: Outwardly, you take upon the appearance Critical Failure: Your mind is foggy, as you seemed to have of whomever you intended to imposter, However, when forgotten something. Anxiety riddles you, as you’ve clearly confronted with those you wished to fool, your semblance misplaced something. Two valuable objects you own disap- becomes a horrid, wretched thing - monstrously disfigured pears. You cannot be assuaged otherwise; you’ve lost it, and over the duration. you don’t recall where it is. You may never have it back. MASS HALLUCINATION SHADOW SLIP GREATER MAGICK PETTY MAGICK

A grand illusion is conjured forth from thin air, looking You slip into the shadows, nigh invisible save to the most completely real. keen of eye.

Distance: Any one place you can see Distance: Yourself

Reagents: A crystal diadem held in-hand Reagents: One piece of charcoal, crushed beneath your boot (expended) Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes 287 Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes UMBRAL KNIVES

Effect: After successfully casting, you gain a +10 Base GREATER MAGICK Chance to Stealth Tests. Additionally, you do not require Conjuring forth multiple silhouettes of illusory knives, they concealment or cover in order to sneak around, able to hide are instantly hurled towards your enemies. in plain sight. Distance: Yourself Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Reagents: One castle-forged dirk, held before you Critical Failure: As you step into the shadows, you are im- mediately struck by a sense of vertigo. Spiraling through the Duration: Instantaneous darkness, you seem to visit a dream-like reality where every- one around you are like apparitions, shades of their former Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of foes selves. Eventually, you stumble out of the shadows after the equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Providing you can duration is up. You suffer 3 Corruption upon return. see your foes, each foe suffers 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in mental Peril. TWO SELVES Critical Success: As above, and immediately triggers any LESSER MAGICK Disorders they may be suffering from. A mirror image is instantly produced, following a set of pre- Critical Failure: The dirk drops immediately at your feet, scribed actions you think on your mind while you manage to twisting into a single screw and buries itself hundreds of slip away. yards beneath the earth (lost forever). You immediately suffer Distance: Yourself 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in mental Peril. It also triggers any Disorders you may be suffering from. Reagents: Your pointer fingers brought together side by side ARCANA OF SORCERY Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Effect: After successfully casting, you produce a mirror im- age - an illusion - of yourself. This mirror image does what- Arcana of Sorcery Principle ever you command it to do, albeit not having the ability to Nightmare Visions Petty physically manipulate anything. While the mirror image conducts its activity, you are rendered completely invisible. His Dark Gift Petty If you take any actions which may directly impact another Basilisk’s Spittle Petty (such as attacking them, lifting something off their person, etc…), they may immediately make a Scrutinize Test to see Withering Touch Lesser through this illusion before you take action. Regardless, the Skin Guest Lesser actual casting of Two Selves is never apparent to anyone, per- fectly disguised. Mark of Chaos Lesser Grotesque Miasma Greater Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Metamorphosis Greater Critical Failure: As your second self steps away from you, it takes upon the same physical characteristics as you and Condemnation Greater your trappings (including the ability to cast Magick). For the duration, this doppelganger threatens to take your life, using BASILISK’S SPITTLE whatever means or materials you had on-hand which it now possesses as well. Once destroyed, the doppelganger and its PETTY MAGICK possessions dissipate into a gray mist. Ingesting the vile liquid, you spit a stream of hot, acidic blood towards a hated foe.

Distance: Any one person you can see

Reagents: A vial of blood from your own race, ingested (ex- pended)

Duration: Instantaneous 288 Effect:After successfully casting (and your foe fails to Resist Mastery. This Magick lasts up to the point when the affected with a Coordination Test), the foe’s armor loses 3 from its finally succeed a Toughness Test. A foe is never Slain! by this Damage Threshold Modifier from acid, until repaired. Magick, instead remaining Grievously Wounded while con- tinuing to suffer from. This Magick require Concentration. Critical Success: As above, but the foe’s armor and clothing are instantly destroyed. Critical Success: As above, but those affected automatically fails their first three Toughness Tests to Resist. Critical Failure: Your stomach makes a terrible noise, as if you’d had too much blood sausage. You instantly soil your Critical Failure: Suddenly, you fall to the ground. As you drawers, as you now suffer from Bloody Flux. twist and contort, your body does not seem as your own. You suffer 9 Corruption as a result. At the end of the session, CONDEMNATION whenever the Gamemaster determines whether you gain an GREATER MAGICK Order or Chaos Rank, if you gain a Chaos Rank, you also gain a Taint of Chaos. You utter a single word of such power that it decimates oth- ers, condemning them to the swell of chaos beyond. HIS DARK GIFT

Distance: Yourself PETTY MAGICK

Reagents: The blood of an Abyssal creature (expended) Drawing from the Abyss, you grant a black blessing in ex- change for part of the recipient’s soul. Duration: Instantaneous Distance: Any one person you can touch Effect: After successfully casting, all those who are caught within the Burst radius immediately suffer 3D10 + your Reagents: An appropriate sacrifice, such as a small kitten Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. Additionally, those (expended) who fails to Resist with a Resolve Test are left Helpless for Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes one Turn. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Critical Success: As above, but those caught in the Burst gaged with may add a +5% to Combat, Fellowship and Will- radius cannot Resist this Magick. power. However, once the duration is expired, they suffer 3 Critical Failure: Your words unwittingly unravel your hold Corruption. over Magick. You immediately suffer 3D10 + your Willpow- Critical Success: As above, but they gain a +10% instead. er Bonus (WB) in Damage, and are left Helpless for one Turn. Critical Failure: You have displeased whatever demon would have granted such chaotic power. In that, the intend- GROTESQUE MIASMA ed beneficiary to this Magick instead suffers from His Dark GREATER MAGICK Punishment. The person you touch instead suffers a -10% to Combat, Fellowship and Willpower-related Skills over the Scattering dust to the ground, a miasma arises in the dis- duration. Additionally, they suffer 3 Corruption once the du- tance, choking all caught within it. And as they breath the ration ends. deadly gasses, their body begins to grow misshapen. MARK OF CHAOS Distance: Any one place you can see LESSER MAGICK Reagents: A plague victim’s bones, ground into dust (ex- pended) Using the black, twisted tip of the horn, your victim is in- stantly mutated before your eyes and weakened by chaos in- Duration: Special carnate.

Effect:After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Resist Distance: Any one person you can touch with a Toughness Test), all those caught within an Explosion radius immediately drop one step down the Damage Condition Reagents: The horn of an Abyssal creature, crossed against Track and gain a Mutation called Taint of Chaos. Foes must the chest of a victim succeed a Toughness Test every Turn while standing in the Duration: Instantaneous Explosion radius, or drop yet another step down the Damage Condition Track. Mutations are covered in Chapter 11: Game Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- 289 gaged with must Resist with a successful Coordination Test Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. or gain a Mutation called Taint of Chaos (as covered in Chapter 11: Game Mastery). Additionally, they are are left Critical Failure: Your body is wracked with pain, lighting Helpless for one Turn. lancing through your bones. Your own skin seemingly melts before you, dripping like hot butter into your boots. As above, Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist this but you start your Turns with 1 less Action Point in combat until the duration is up. Critical Failure: The touch of the horn does nothing, at least at first. Instead, you find your hand instantly atrophied. You SKIN GUEST are unable to use your primary hand for 48 hours. LESSER MAGICK

METAMORPHOSIS Whispering as you play cat’s cradle with delicate strings, you GREATER MAGICK exercise limitless control over another.

With a wet “whoosh”, your body transforms into a black Distance: Any one person you can see cloud of chattering insects. Reagents: A cat’s cradle made from muscle sinew of the race Distance: Yourself you wish to control

Reagents: A jar of flies smashed onto the ground (expended) Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Effect:After successfully casting (and your foe fails to Resist with a Resolve Test), you immediately gain control of anoth- Effect: After successfully casting, all your trappings fall to er. You can physically bend them to your will, forcing their the ground where you once stood, as your body takes shape hand to commit acts they would normally not do. Although into a swarm of six hundred and sixty-six flies. You can now not truly “charmed”, they cannot defy your commands. They levitate one yard above the ground as a part of your Combat may speak as they’d normally would. This Magick require Movement. Furthermore, you cannot be struck by any sort Concentration. of normal weapons, but can be harmed by Magick. You may move through small spaces unhindered. You can transform Critical Success: As above, but your foe cannot Resist this back to your regular shape, and into the shape of flies, at will Magick. over the duration (or in combat for 2 Action Points). Critical Failure: Suddenly, your limbs jerk upwards as if con- Critical Success: All of your trappings metamorphose as trolled by an invisible puppeteer. You are immediately made well. the cat’s paw of an Abyssal fiend, as you intend to harm your allies for the duration. Critical Failure: The Magick spell fails as your body rips at the seams and you disappear, unable to act. Once the dura- WITHERING TOUCH tion is up, you reform somewhere a number of miles away LESSER MAGICK equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB) from where you trans- formed. With but a touch, your hand withers and makes objects brittle.

NIGHTMARE VISIONS Distance: Any one object or person you can touch

PETTY MAGICK Reagents: A bad apple writhing with maggots, crushed un- Your foe’s mind is filled with a waking dream of a great cyclo- der heel (expended) pean city, glistening with ooze and sinister with latent horror as Duration: Instantaneous brooding Abyssal entities loom over them as gods. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are Engaged Distance: Any one person you can see with must Resist with a successful Coordination Test or ages Reagents: A candle made from fat of your same race, ignited 1D10+1 years. For every year they age, reduce their Agility and Brawn Primary Attributes by the same number. If this Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Magick is used on inorganic objects smaller than a sword, it can permanently splinter, shatter and rust objects (penalizing Effect:After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Re- them with the Ruined Quality). When you touch organic sist with a Resolve Test), your foe starts with 1 less Action objects such as food, it immediately spoils, swarming with Point for their Turns in combat. with maggots and bloatflies. 290 Critical Success: As above, it immediately renders inorganic Reagents: A number of silver arrowheads equal to your and organic objects to dust, left destroyed. Willpower Bonus (WB) (expended)

Critical Failure: Destruction withers your most worldly Duration: Instantaneous possessions, a terrible curse of this dark Magick. Two ran- dom trappings of your own are instantly destroyed and you Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of foes are aged 1D10+1 in years. For every year you age, reduce your equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Providing you can Agility and Brawn by the same number. see your foes, each foe suffers 3D10 + your Willpower Bo- nus (WB) in Damage. Additionally, if your foes fail to Re- ARCANA OF TRANSMUTATION sist with a Coordination Test, they drop whatever is in their hands just outside of easy reach.

Arcana of Transmutation Principle Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist this Magick. Gird of Iron Petty Critical Failure: The dancing arrows shoot off into the air, Law of Order Petty but one returns to strike you. You suffer 3D10 + your Will- Corrosion Petty power Bonus (WB) in Damage and drop whatever is in your hands just outside of easy reach. Enchant Trapping Lesser Fool’s Fortune Lesser ENCHANT TRAPPING LESSER MAGICK Reshape Metal Lesser Dancing Arrows Greater You instill temporary Aetheric power into an object through a simple ritual. Transmutate Mind Greater Distance: Any one object you touch Unlock Secrets Greater Reagents: The feather of a rare creature, used to draft a for- CORROSION mula on paper (expended) PETTY MAGICK Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours A glancing touch is all you need to rust and destroy objects. Effect:After successfully casting, the object you are Engaged Distance: Any one object you can touch with is temporarily turned into an arcane artifact. Whenever you enchant the object, it grants +10% towards one relevant Reagents: A rusted nail, crushed beneath your heel (expend- Primary Attribute. For instance, you can enchant a jaunty ed) hat to grant a boon to Intelligence or a codpiece to grant a benefit to Combat. Perhaps you enchant a set of slippers to Duration: Instantaneous grant a boost to Agility or a pair of silken gloves to improve Effect: After successfully casting, the object you are Engaged Brawn; it is your choice. Whatever you wish to enchant, the with (providing it’s no larger than a person is tall) is perma- form must follow its function. Such objects may only bear nently rusted, considered to be useless until repaired. one enchantment at a time. Furthermore, a person cannot wield more than one Enchanted Trapping at a time. Critical Success: As above but you can permanently rust an object no larger than a carriage is tall. Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration.

Critical Failure: As you stomp on the nail, it drives deep into Critical Failure: Not only does the Magick fail, it also in- your foot! Although you do not suffer Damage, all terrain is stantly dispels all Magick around within a Burst radius, treated as Hard Terrain for 24 hours. centered on the trapping you were attempting to enchant (as if affected by the Generalist Petty Magick called Dispel DANCING ARROWS Magick). GREATER MAGICK FOOL’S FORTUNE Shimmering arrows lance outward towards the nearest foe. LESSER MAGICK

Distance: Any persons you can see A glancing touch is all you need to rust and destroy objects. 291 Distance: Any one object you touch make over the duration of their choice - even after failing to succeed or Critically Failing. Reagents: A handful of pyrite, sprinkled over the object (ex- pended) Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration

Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Critical Failure: Misfortune hexes the would-be recipient. The Gamemaster will determine one Skill Test the person Effect: After successfully casting, the object you are Engaged will automatically fails - even if they Critically Succeed - with can appear to be far more valuable than it really is. For over the duration. instance, you can turn a penny into gold, make a wooden staff appear as if made from ironwood or make a teetering wagon RESHAPE METAL look like a shimmering crystal cart. Once affected, the object LESSER MAGICK appears to be worth three times its original market value. Ob- jects affected by Fool’s Fortune cannot be discerned to be false Tapping the hammer against an object three times, it in- by normal means. stantly takes a new shape before your eyes.

Critical Success: As above, but you can affect three objects Distance: Any one object you touch instead. Reagents: An iron hammer, touched to the object you re- Critical Failure: As you gently sprinkle the pyrite, three ob- shape jects appear to become something incredibly valuable. How- ever, within a few moment’s time they disintegrate, forever Duration: Forever destroyed. Effect:After successfully casting, the object you are Engaged GIRD OF IRON with (providing it’s no larger than a person is tall) can be physically altered. For instance, you could reshape a door into PETTY MAGICK a sled, a lead flagon into a fishing lure or a sword into a dirk. The steel balls begin to rotate in unison around your body, The object being changed must be larger than the new ob- shielding you from harm. ject, although you can reshape objects into similarly-shaped or sized objects. Additionally, it cannot change the properties Distance: Yourself of the metal (meaning you could not turn a lead ball into a gold coin). If you attempt to use this on a foe’s armor, they Reagents: A handful of small steel balls (expended) can escape it with a successful Coordination Test as the met- Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes al reshapes. Otherwise, they fall Prone.

Effect:After successfully casting, you may Dodge ranged at- Critical Success: As above, but the object is crafted as if tacks and Parry melee attacks using your Incantation Skill. Castle-forged or the best quality you can create.

Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Critical Failure: The tolling of the bell rings in your head, as you immediately bowl over and vomit from illness. Your Critical Failure: The steel balls knock the Wind out of you. hearing is stricken from you, as you’re temporarily deafened You immediately suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril. for 48 hours. During this time, you automatically fails any Skill Test which requires you to hear. LAW OF ORDER PETTY MAGICK TRANSMUTATE MIND GREATER MAGICK Your Magick instills a sense of better tactics and stratagem into the mind of the one you touch. You are able to transform the mind of a madman into a sane one, much like how a rod of iron is struck into a sword. Distance: Any one person you can touch Distance: Any one person you can touch Reagents: A piece of paper with a mathematical formula written on it (expended) Reagents: A page from a madman’s book, torn to shreds (ex- pended) Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: Special Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with may automatically succeed one Skill Test they Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- 292 gaged with reduces their Chaos Ranks equal to your Will- PRAYERS OF THE power Bonus (WB). CROUCHING ONE Critical Success: As above, but you also cure a Disorder (if the person has one). Prayers of the Crouching One Principle Critical Failure: Your touch warps the mind of the intend- Knife In The Dark Petty ed patient, driven to borderline madness. They immediately gain a number of Corruption equal to your Willpower Bo- Stinging Blows Petty nus (WB). Spider’s Fang Petty UNLOCK SECRETS Lustful Blade Lesser GREATER MAGICK Eternal Damnation Lesser Peering through the ruby, you can see the world’s many se- Hand of the Murdered God Lesser crets upon its multi-faceted surface. Terrifying Attacks Greater Distance: Any one object you can touch Murderous Demands Greater Reagents: A ruby of arsenic crystal, peered through Dance of Death Greater Duration: Instantaneous DANCE OF DEATH Effect:After successfully casting, the object you are Engaged with is now known to you. You know the material composi- GREATER MAGICK tion, who made it (if it was crafted) and any mundane prop- erties it may possess. Additionally, you can discern from a Your prayers are gruesome and threatening, causing foes to Magickal object a number of secrets equal to your Willpower dance maniacally - pulling their own hair, picking at their Bonus (WB). This includes any special properties it may pos- own flesh and harming themselves in the process. sess and how to activate it (even if it is cursed or corrupted). Distance: Any persons you can see

Critical Success: As above, but you uncover every bit of his- Reagents: A vial of blood from an honest priest (expended) tory and secret imaginable that the object may possess. Duration: Instantaneous Critical Failure: Your mind is filled with confusion, as thou- sands upon thousands of secrets come pouring into your Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of foes head. The crystal immediately turns into liquid mercury, slip- equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). They must Resist ping between your fingers. You start with 1 less Action Point with a Resolve Test or immediately suffer 3D10 + their for your Turns in combat over 72 hours. Brawn Bonus (BB) in Damage and dance in place for three minutes, unable to Counterspell, Dodge or Parry during this time. Those who do Resist suffer from Terror instead. DIVINE MAGICK Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist this Practiced by those who possess the Special Trait of Divine Magick. Magick, the ten Prayers are often adopted by Adherents, Cultist and Preachers in Intermediate or Advanced Tier. Un- Critical Failure: Your words send you into an endless dance, like their arcane counterparts, these Magicks originate from until you are unable to do so. You begin to dance, and must a divine source. Each of the Prayer suites represent a specif- do so for 72 hours as you’re left Helpless. At the end of this ic sphere of influence that a god may have over the Material dance, you suffer one Moderate, Serious and Grievous Injury. Realm. Allowing these would-be “clerics” a smidgen of their divine might, clerics become the living proxy of the god’s ETERNAL DAMNATION agenda in the Material Realm. And when these practitioners LESSER MAGICK stray from the path, they are made subject to Divine Punish- ment, each branded with a particularly ironic twist. You claim a soul for the blood god, damning them to eternal torment at the hands of the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure. Below are the ten most common Prayer suites, followed by the Elite Profession the spells belong to. Distance: Any one person you can touch 293 Reagents: The blood of your victim (expended) Critical Success: As above, but the foe also begins to Bleed.

Duration: Forever Critical Failure: The scorpion’s tail stings you, instantly dis- solving in-hand. You are affected by scorpion’s venom, as in- Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- dicated in Chapter 9: Hazards and Healing. gaged with (providing they are already Slain!) is unable to be raised from the dead. LUSTFUL BLADE

Critical Success: As above, but you may affect a person who LESSER MAGICK is suffering from any kind of Injury. Your stiletto has an unquenchable thirst for blood, which Critical Failure: Refusal of the blood god takes a wearisome must be sated. toll upon you. For three nights hence, your Peril Condition Distance: Yourself Track may only recover to Imperiled as if you were resting in unsafe places (as noted in Chapter 9: Hazards and Heal- Reagents: A castle-forged stiletto, held in-hand ing). Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

HAND OF THE MURDERED GOD Effect: After successfully casting, the stiletto is engulfed in LESSER MAGICK an oozing, acidic drip. The stiletto is a one-handed melee weapon with the Fast and Vicious Qualities. Instead of using Blood oozes incessantly from your hand, dripping on the your Combat Bonus (CB), reference your Willpower Bonus ground and congealing beneath your feet. (WB) to determine Damage. Finally, whenever you strike or Parry with this stiletto, reference your Incantation Skill in- Distance: Yourself stead of a Combat-based Skill. You may inflict Injuries with Reagents: The finger bones of a murderer, held in a purse this Magick, but you instead restore your Damage Condition Track positively by one step for every Injury inflicted. Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Success: As above, but victims cannot Dodge or Effect: After successfully casting, your hand begins to weep Parry this attack. Aetheric blood over the duration. During this time, foes who attempt to target you with Attack Actions or Perilous Stunts Critical Failure: The stiletto takes upon its own personality, must Resist with a Resolve Test, or suffer a -20 Base Chance dancing into the air as if guided by an apparition, for the to strike you. duration. Roll 1D6 Chaos Die whenever your Turn starts. If the result is 1-5, the stiletto does nothing. If the result is Critical Success: As above, but foes are unable to Resist this a face “6”, it will lash out at a random ally (or perhaps you)! Magick. MURDEROUS DEMANDS Critical Failure: Your hand begins to bleed, for real! You GREATER MAGICK suffer from Bleeding over the duration, or until stemmed. Your god requires a sacrifice, and you shall deliver it unto KNIFE IN THE DARK them. PETTY MAGICK Distance: Yourself Flashing out from the darkness, a blade immediately strikes the foe you’re Engaged with. Reagents: A vial of blood from a corrupt priest other than yourself. (expended) Distance: Any one person you can touch Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Reagents: A tail of a scorpion, held in-hand Effect: After successfully casting, you can kill with a single Duration: Instantaneous blow. Anytime you inflict at least 12 Damage or cause Inju- ry with a melee weapon, you automatically render your foe Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Slain! instead. Those who are not Slain! begin to Bleed. gaged with must Resist with a successful Coordination Test or suffer 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage, Critical Success: As above, but you may slay someone when unable to use any Movement Actions for one Turn. You may inflicting at least 9 Damage. inflict Injuries with this Magick, as if it were a melee weapon. 294 Critical Failure: Your wounds begin to weep endlessly. You TERRIFYING ATTACKS begin to bleed, reducing your Damage Threshold down by 9 GREATER MAGICK (instead of the normal 6). Should you suffer an Injury over the duration, you are Slain! instead. Every time you draw blood, a horrendous cackling emits from the shrunken head. SPIDER’S FANG PETTY MAGICK Distance: Yourself

You draw both blood and inflict stinging pain as you wound Reagents: The shrunken head of a priest, held on a necklace enemies. Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Distance: Any one person you can see Effect: After successfully casting, you automatically inflict Reagents: A spider’s head, held in your pocket Terror upon those whom you deal Damage to with melee weapons. They can suffer from multiple bouts of Terror with Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes these attacks.

Effect: After successfully casting, your attacks inject venom Critical Success: As above, but foes who move down the whenever they land. Whenever you Injure a foe, they both suf- Peril Condition Track are paralyzed, unable to use Move- fer Injury and are affected by spider venom. ment Actions to get away.

Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Dodge or Critical Failure: The head begins to cackle, but only in your Parry your attacks. mind’s eye. You are enervated, moving one step down the Peril Condition Track on every one of your Turns over the Critical Failure: The spider’s head bites your leg, as it dis- duration, until you are Incapacitated! solves in your pocket. You are affected by spider’s venom, as indicated in Chapter 9: Hazards and Healing. PRAYERS OF THE CUSTODIAN STINGING BLOWS PETTY MAGICK Prayers of the Custodian Principle Your attacks inflict excruciating pain as they strike. Beyond the Pale Petty Dreamweaver Petty

Distance: Any one person you can see Last Rites Petty Turn Undead Lesser Reagents: A blackjack, held in your off-hand The Invitation Lesser Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Deja Vu Lesser Effect: After successfully casting, your attacks sting when- ever they land. Whenever you deal Damage with a melee Sleepwalker Greater weapon, your foe must Resist with a Toughness Test or suffer Final Rest Greater a -10 Base Chance to all Skill Tests over the duration. Omen of Death Greater Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this Magick. BEYOND THE PALE Critical Failure: You’re struck dumb by the gods for this PETTY MAGICK transgression. Your head reels from dizziness, as you must flip the results to fail all Combat-based Skill Tests over the You pour a line of salt upon the ground, calling for your god duration. to deny the unliving from crossing it. Distance: Yourself

Reagents: A jar of epsom salt, poured upon the ground (ex- pended)

Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours 295 Effect: After successfully casting, you draw a three yard line can be no longer than one minute. The Gamemaster will likely upon the ground. The line cannot be trespassed against by time you with a watch. creatures whom are Supernatural, unless they successfully Resist with a Resolve Test. When they cross it, they suffer Critical Success: As above, but the message can be up to 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) Damage, regardless if three minutes long. they Resisted or not. Critical Failure: As you weave the dream, the message be- Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. comes muddled. Awakening confused and bewildered, the person you envisioned suffers 1D10+1 mental Peril upon Critical Failure: Strange symbols begin to glow upon the awakening. ground. Those who behold these ebbing symbols whose Chaos Ranks are higher than their Order Ranks are made FINAL REST victim to Stress. GREATER MAGICK

DÉJÀ VU As you touch one of the undead, they instantly disintegrate LESSER MAGICK into dust, forever destroyed.

You will receive a foretelling of the immediate future, unrav- Distance: Any one person you can touch eling its mysteries only upon the moment it happens. Reagents: A stake carved from rare ironwood, driven into Distance: Yourself the unliving (expended)

Reagents: Three sticks of frankincense, burned (expended) Duration: Instantaneous

Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with (providing they are considered to be a Super- Effect: After successfully casting, you gain one temporary natural creature) must Resist with a successful Coordination Fate Point to be used as you desire. Once this Fate Point is Test or be Slain!, turned entirely to dust and cannot be raised used, you suffer 6 Corruption as you’ve stolen what death from the dead. was meant to take away. After the duration is up, the Fate Point goes away, regardless if it was used or not. Critical Success: As above, but your foe cannot Resist this Magick. Critical Success: As above, but you don’t suffer Corruption in turn. Critical Failure: The stake splinters in-hand, and reinvigo- rates whatever you’d intended to drive it through. The Su- Critical Failure: You receive nothing. There is nothing to pernatural creature is instantly restored to Unhindered and be learned here. However, at an appointed time in the fu- Unharmed, and remedied of all Injury and other maladies. ture by the Gamemaster, you will be ridden with a seizure, convulsing on the ground. During this time, you will be left LAST RITES Helpless for six minutes. Furthermore, you cannot recast this PETTY MAGICK Magick until the duration has expired. Finally, you suffer 6 Corruption. You perform both the requires rites to usher along the dead, but also a special convocation to prevent them from rising DREAMWEAVER from the dead. PETTY MAGICK Distance: Any one person you can touch You personally appear in the dreams of another, delivering a Reagents: A brick, set between the teeth (expended) haunting message. Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in years Distance: Any one person you have met Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Reagents: A bit of wool, pulled between your forefingers and gaged with (providing they are already Slain!) is unable to thumbs (expended) be raised from the dead by Magickal or supernatural means. This can only be cast upon a corpse once ever, regardless Duration: Instantaneous whether it succeeds or fails. Effect:After successfully casting, the person you envision can Critical Success: As above, but this Magick lasts for triple receive a message the next time they go to sleep. This message the duration. 296 Critical Failure: As the body is laid to rest, you will be as- THE INVITATION suredly haunted by their memory in your dreams. For three LESSER MAGICK nights hence, your Peril Condition Track may only recover to Imperiled as if you were resting in unsafe places (as noted Holding the mirror over the dead’s face, their haunted gaze in Chapter 9: Hazards and Healing). reflects within it, speaking with you.

OMEN OF DEATH Distance: Any one person you can touch GREATER MAGICK Reagents: A mirror, in which you hold to the face of a corpse Crows begin to gather overhead, circling above to cast their Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes grim shadow over the battlefield. Distance: Any persons you can see Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with (providing they are already Slain!) summons Reagents: A raven, slaughtered in-hand (expended) their spirit back from the dead to their corpse to speak with it. You may ask any questions, and they will always answer Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes truthfully. However, they cannot answer questions they did Effect: After successfully casting, a number of allies equal not know the answers to in life. to your Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. have their Fury Dice explode on a face “6”, “5” and “4” when determining Total Damage. Critical Failure: Behold, the terrible countenance of a Su- pernatural creature from beyond. ‘Tis not the one you’d com- Critical Success: As above, but the affected explodes their manded to return. The mirror suddenly shatters, breaking in Fury Dice on a face “6”, “5”, “4” and “3”. your hand! You are made victim to Fear. Critical Failure: The crow you released becomes murderous, pecking and gnawing at you. Over the duration, you are un- TURN UNDEAD able to cast Magick and must succeed a Coordination Test LESSER MAGICK whenever you Turns start or else be knocked Prone. Denouncing the supernatural, you turn away and destroy SLEEPWALKER those who are an anathema to the material world, bursting GREATER MAGICK into blue flames. You chant over a crowd of people, making them calm as Distance: Any one person you can see sheep. Some even fall asleep, so enchanting are your words. Reagents: Your holy symbol, held before you. Distance: Any persons you can see Duration: Instantaneous Reagents: A handful of powdered gold, poured onto the Effect:After successfully casting, providing they are consid- ground (expended) ered to be a Supernatural creature, you deal 2D10 + your Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage to a single foe.

Effect: After successfully casting, a number of foes equal to Critical Success: As above, but the foe is also On Fire. your Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you suffer Critical Failure: You are suddenly filled with crippling anx- a -30 Base Chance to Resolve Tests. Additionally, those who iety, crushed as your god has turned away from you momen- fail to immediately Resist with a Resolve Test are left Help- tarily. You suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril and fall Prone. less for the duration.

Critical Success: As above, but the affected automatically fail to Resist.

Critical Failure: As you invoke the walk of sleep among the throng, they grow incensed. Suddenly, you find yourself in a situation that begins to spiral out of control! You are left Helpless for the duration against those who you’d intended to use this Magick against.

297 PRAYERS OF THE DEMIURGE fall beneath your command. It will remain under your com- mand for only one minute. Note that if you attack the crea- ture or cause it further harm, the duration immediately ends. Prayers of the Demiurge Principle Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Hare’s Speed Petty Critical Failure: You words only incent the creature to fur- Primordial Tongue Petty ther violence. Rearing up, it has a new-found passion - to kill King of Beasts Petty and eat you! The creature may add a 1D6 Fury Die to Total Part The Ways Lesser Damage whenever it strikes you over the next three minutes. Suffocating Growth Lesser HARE’S SPEED Thunderclap Lesser PETTY MAGICK

Mother’s Cradle Greater You bound and sprint like a rabbit in the wild. Rage of the Primal Lord Greater Distance: Yourself Fury of the Wildlands Greater Reagents: A rabbit’s foot, held on a chain FURY OF THE WILDLANDS GREATER MAGICK Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

You call forth the most destructive of forces to rage over your Effect: After successfully casting, you may increase your foe, whether it be a lightning strike, trees lashing about, an Combat Movement by 3. Additionally, you reduce the num- open maw from the earth, a pounding ice storm, a rising tide ber of Action Points by 1 whenever you Charge, Get Up, of acidic water or a tornado of fire. Maneuver and Run.

Distance: Any one person you can see Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration.

Reagents: The petrified genitals of a Troll, held aloft Critical Failure: You accidentally bound upwards into the air, a number of feet equal to 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus Duration: Instantaneous (WB). You suffer a fall, knocked Prone.

Effect: After successfully casting, one foe immediately suf- MOTHER’S CRADLE fers 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage now, GREATER MAGICK and every Turn thereafter until they are Slain! from it. The bounty of the earth mother’s creatures reinvigorates her Critical Success: As above, but the foe also suffers 3D10 other children. + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in physical Peril now, and every Turn thereafter until they are Incapacitated! from it. Distance: Any persons you can touch

Critical Failure: The call of the wild goes unanswered. You Reagents: The breastmilk of a woodland nymph, shared be- are petrified into a soft stone, left Helpless for 72 hours. tween the beneficiaries (expended)

KING OF BEASTS Duration: Instantaneous

PETTY MAGICK Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of allies You command the creature to do your bidding; it responds equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Those so affected im- in kind. mediately restore their Peril Condition Track as if they had “Rested In Safety”, as indicated in Chapter 9: Hazards and Distance: Any one creature you can touch Healing.

Reagents: The tooth of a creature type you wish to tame (ex- Critical Success: As above, but the allies may also restore pended) their Damage Condition Track positively by two steps.

Duration: Special Critical Failure: The milk turns sour, tasting horrible. The jug is dropped once everyone imbibed, breaking. Those who Effect: After successfully casting, the creature you are En- partook of the jug immediately suffer 3D10+3 physical Peril, gaged with (providing they are considered to be a Beast) will and are made victim to Bloody Flux. 298 PART THE WAYS Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

LESSER MAGICK Effect: After successfully casting, you conjure forth a crawl- The river cradles you in the water, buoyant like a fish (and as ing patch of vines and creeping plants, seeking to swallow fast, too). those within its reach. All those who are caught within the Burst radius begin to suffer from Suffocation. The growth is Distance: Yourself considered to be Hard Terrain. Additionally, those attempt- ing to escape the growth must Resist with an Athletics Test, Reagents: A small minnow, swallowed (expended) or continue to suffer from Suffocation. Finally, any Move- Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes ment Action made within the growth requires the expendi- ture of 1 additional Action Point to use. Effect: After successfully casting, you may flip the result to succeed Athletics Test while swimming. Additionally, you are Critical Success: As above, but Movement Actions instead not weighed down by any trappings or equipment you wear. require the expenditure of 2 additional Action Points to use. Finally, you may add an additional 6 yards to your Combat Movement while swimming. Critical Failure: A burst of vines explodes upwards around you, their fronds creeping down your throat. You must Resist Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. with an Athletics Test now and every Turn over the duration, or suffer from Suffocation. Critical Failure: Your stomach fills with Aetherically-sum- moned water. You immediately suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril, THUNDERCLAP and remain Prone on the ground, throwing up water for the LESSER MAGICK duration. As you bring your hands together, a streak of lightning flash- PRIMORDIAL TONGUE es outwards towards foes, followed by a thunderous clap that PETTY MAGICK can be heard for miles.

You are gifted to speak the tongue of any creature of the Distance: Yourself wild, conversing as you would a stranger. But beware - not all creatures are so willing to hold a normal conversation, as they Reagents: Two hands, brought together to clap are born from savage hearts! Duration: Instantaneous

Distance: Yourself Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foes caught in Reagents: A crabapple, smashed beneath boot (expended) a Cone radius fails to Resist with a Coordination Test), they suffer 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in physical Peril Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes and 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. Ad- ditionally, they lose 1 Action Point for their Turns in combat Effect: After successfully casting, you gain the ability to over the next 48 hours. speak with any creature which is a Beast. Additionally, you gain a +10 Base Chance to all Skill Tests to converse with Critical Success: As above, but all foes struck automatically and befriend them. fail to Resist.

Critical Success: As above, but add a +20 Base Chance in- Critical Failure: As you bring your hands together, a bolt stead. of lightning strikes nearby and you are deafened. You suf- fer 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in physical Peril, Critical Failure: With but a whisper, your voice is stricken 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage and can- from you. You cannot speak for 24 hours. not hear for 48 hours. SUFFOCATING GROWTH RAGE OF THE PRIMAL LORD LESSER MAGICK GREATER MAGICK

Creeping vines and thorns come alive, as it entangles limbs You seeth within, filled with the passion of the primal lords. and hands to the ground. All those before you tremble in utter horror!

Distance: Any one place you can see Distance: Yourself Reagents: A patch of solid earth you can see (expended) 299 Reagents: A mask made from a creature which is a Beast, Critical Failure: As you throw the comet of justice towards worn over your face your foe, you realize within your heart of hearts that it was solely intended for you. You suffer 3D10 + your Willpower Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Bonus (WB) in Damage, and are knocked Prone and cannot Effect: After successfully casting, you may provoke Terror. Counterspell, Dodge or Parry for three Turns. Additionally, you add a 1D6 Fury Die to all Damage - re- DAMNATION gardless if it is by casted Magick or with a melee or ranged weapon. As with all Fury Dice, this die may explode on a face LESSER MAGICK “6”. Finally, you may spend 2 Action Points on your Turns in As the heretic gazes into the mirror, they see the err of their order to make two Melee or Ranged Attacks. However, you ways. cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry during this time. Distance: Any one person you can touch Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Reagents: A mirror, held before the person you touch Critical Failure: Your mask drops to the ground and withers away, turning into worms. You are small, unworthy of the Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes primal lord’s light - you must pay the price. You immediately suffer 9 Corruption. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with (providing they’re considered to be a heretic or PRAYERS OF THE GOD-EMPEROR are a Mutant creature) must Resist with a successful Coor- dination Test or be unable to Counterspell, Dodge or Par- ry over the duration. Additionally, they suffer a -20 Base Prayers of the God-Emperor Principle Chance to Resist your Magicks over the duration. Imperial Might Petty Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this Magick. Unassailable Bulwark Petty Heresy Denied Petty Critical Failure: ‘Tis not your enemy who is damned, but you instead! You suffer a -20 Base Chance to Resist Magicks Damnation Lesser over the duration, and are left Defenseless to them. Lionheart Lesser CHAOS OVERTURNED Chaos Overturned Lesser LESSER MAGICK Order’s Majesty Greater Summoning the powers of order, you instill within yourself a Celestine Judgement Greater sense of righteous hope. Flames of Order Greater Distance: Yourself CELESTINE JUDGEMENT Reagents: A bronze hammer held aloft GREATER MAGICK Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes You hurl a two-tailed comet of righteousness towards a single foe, as it incinerates those who align themselves with chaos. Effect: After successfully casting, you gain 1 additional Ac- tion Point for your Turns in combat, to use as you see fit. This Distance: Any one person you can see also means that you can make an additional Attack Action or Perilous Stunt, despite the normal limitations presented Reagents: An arrowhead fashioned from gold (expended) in Chapter 8: Combat. Duration: Instantaneous Critical Success: As above, but you also gain a +20 Base Effect: After successfully casting, one foe suffers 3D10 + Chance to Combat-based Skill Tests for the duration. your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. Additionally, they Critical Failure: As you raise the hammer above your head, are knocked Prone for three Turns. it splits along the hilt, breaking. You lose 1 additional Ac- Critical Success: As above, but the foe also cannot Counter- tion Point on your Turns and suffer a -20 Base Chance to all spell, Dodge or Parry for three Turns. Combat-based Skill Tests for the duration. 300 FLAMES OF ORDER IMPERIAL MIGHT GREATER MAGICK PETTY MAGICK

You are instantly immolated in holy light, rejecting all that is Your weapon glows with a white light, purifying all those wrong and chaotic in this world. whom you purify with it.

Distance: Yourself Distance: Yourself

Reagents: A golden amulet inscribed with the holy symbol Reagents: Your melee weapon held aloft of your god Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: Instantaneous Effect: After successfully casting, your weapon beams with Effect: After successfully casting, you are instantly immo- pure, white light. Instead of using your Combat Bonus (CB), lated in a harmless, white blinding light. Providing they are reference your Willpower Bonus (WB) to determine Dam- considered to be a heretic or a Mutant creature, those within age. Finally, whenever you strike or Parry with this weapon, the Explosion radius centered on you suffers 2D10 + your reference your Incantation Skill instead of a Combat-based Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. However, it ignores any Skill. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, as if it were Damage Threshold Modifier their armor may confer. a melee weapon.

Critical Success: As above, but those so affected are also On Critical Success: As above, but any victim struck with the Fire. weapon cannot Dodge or Parry it.

Critical Failure: The flames of your inner passion fizzles out. Critical Failure: You invoke the names of the sacred gods So distraught as you are that you suffer a -30 Base Chance above incorrectly, you fool! As punishment, your weapon is to all Skill Tests for a number of minutes equal to your Will- sundered, ruined forever. power Bonus (WB). LIONHEART HERESY DENIED LESSER MAGICK PETTY MAGICK You instill your god’s might and fortitude to allies. You permanently lock a door, preventing second story men from ever entering. Distance: Yourself

Distance: Any one portal you can touch Reagents: Your holy symbol, raised aloft

Reagents: Three bent nails, hammered into a threshold (ex- Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes pended) Effect:After successfully casting, a number of allies equal to Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours your Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you are immune to the Intimidate Skill, and cannot be made victim Effect: After successfully casting, the portal cannot be tres- to Stress or Fear. passed against by creatures who are considered to be a her- etic or Mutant creature, unless they successfully Resist with Critical Success: As above, but allies are also immune to a Resolve Test. Should they cross it, they suffer 1D10 + your Terror. Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage, regardless if they Re- Critical Failure: Your words fail, as you invoke the damna- sisted or not. tion of your own god. Not only that, your allies are instilled Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist this with cowardly emotions. A number of allies equal to your Magick. Fellowship Bonus (FB) suffer a -6 to their Peril Condition Track until the duration is up. Critical Failure: The three nails you hammer into the thresh- old instantly break. Strange symbols of judgement begin to ORDER’S MAJESTY ebb upon the threshold. Those who behold these symbols GREATER MAGICK whose Chaos Ranks are higher than their Order Ranks are made victim to Stress. The power of your god ebbs in your eyes, causing all those who behold it to turn away from fear and superstition.

301 Distance: Yourself PRAYERS OF THE LEARNER Reagents: A prism held to your eye

Duration: Instantaneous Prayers of the Learner Principle All-Seeing Eye Petty Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of allies equal to your Fellowship Bonus (FB). Providing you can see Bonds of Justice Petty your allies, those who were made victim of Stress, Fear and Criminal’s Remorse Petty Terror immediately restores their Peril Condition Track by three steps while lifting any lingering effects of a Disorder Justiciar’s Blade Lesser that may have been triggered. See Through Lies Lesser Critical Success: As above, but those so affected also gain Eye For An Eye Lesser one Fortune Point. Gods As Your Witness Greater Critical Failure: The vision from your eyes is not of embold- ening light, but of holy, unrepentant judgement! Those who Trial By Fire Greater behold your countenance must succeed a Resolve Test or else Tooth For A Tooth Greater they suffer from Terror. UNASSAILABLE BULWARK ALL-SEEING EYE PETTY MAGICK PETTY MAGICK

A pale white nimbus of light surrounds you, protecting you The eye of providence gives you insight others cannot possi- from harm. bly see without use of their third eye.

Distance: Yourself Distance: Any one person you can see

Reagents: An iron ring, forged in purifying flames Reagents: A miniature pyramid of clay, crushed (expended)

Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Duration: Instantaneous

Effect:After successfully casting, both Grievous and Serious Effect: After successfully casting, you may learn both the Injuries inflicted upon you are treated as Moderate Injuries Order and Chaos Alignment of a person you can see and instead. hear.

Critical Success: As above, and you are immune to Damage Critical Success: As above, but you may also learn what inflicted by melee weapons. Disorders or Drawbacks they are suffering from.

Critical Failure: Your Magick goes terribly awry, as the Wind Critical Failure: You behold not a vision of the person’s is knocked out of you. You suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril and temperament, but of the psychological horrors which have are left Defenseless for the duration. befallen them. You immediately suffer 3 Corruption as pun- ishment. BONDS OF JUSTICE PETTY MAGICK

With a wave of your hands, you bind the hands and ankles of another in Aetheric energy.

Distance: Any one person you can see

Reagents: A single link of a chain, held in-hand (expended)

Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Effect:After successfully casting, a foe who can see and hear you must Resist with a Resolve Test or is left Helpless. A foe 302 caught in the shackles may attempt to break free of them, Critical Success: As above, but the affected is affected three- required to Resist with an Athletics Test. However, they can- fold. This means that if you suffered 4 Damage, they suffer 12 not add their Skill Ranks to their Athletics Test to break in kind. Or, if they stole your purse, they lose their purse and them. valuables of equal value in kind. It also means that if you had been made victim to one Perilous Stunt, they are immediate- Critical Success: As above, but the affected cannot break ly made victim to three Perilous Stunts in kind. free of the shackles. Critical Failure: By some mistake, you have disrupted the Critical Failure: You have made a minor transgression cosmic balance between order and chaos. The scales of justice against the gods. You are immediately rendered Helpless for do not weigh in your favor. Sometime in the next 48 hours, the duration, unable to break free of the justiciar’s bonds. you will suffer retribution for the actions you took three-fold! CRIMINAL’S REMORSE GODS AS YOUR WITNESS PETTY MAGICK GREATER MAGICK

The smallest infractions of the law can bring about self- A truthful testimony will be compelled out of a person, by doubt and guilt within the heart of a criminal the god’s divine will.

Distance: Any one person you can touch Distance: Any one person you can touch

Reagents: A tuft of a dog’s hair, burnt (expended) Reagents: Invoking “gods as your witness…” before asking Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours a question

Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Duration: Special gaged with must Resist with a successful Coordination Test Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- or be wracked with guilt. Whenever they commit a crime, gaged must give a truthful telling to your questions. You may they suffer 1D10+1 mental Peril in return. only ask a number of questions equal to your Willpower Bo- Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration of this nus (WB). The person may only answer to the best of their Magick. abilities, and are honest answers.

Critical Failure: Crime doesn’t pay. Nor does the law, in Critical Success: As above, but triple the number of ques- your case. Whenever you attempt to enforce the law over tions you may ask. three times the duration, you suffer 1D10+1 mental Peril. Critical Failure: You have made a critical error. You’re not EYE FOR AN EYE sure whether they’re telling the truth or not. In fact, this may not bode well for you or your well-being. Stricken with anx- LESSER MAGICK iety, you immediately suffer 3D10+3 mental Peril. The balance between chaos and order will be preserved. Jus- JUSTICIAR’S BLADE tice for all. LESSER MAGICK Distance: Yourself When all else fails, you turn to the sword to appease Nem- Reagents: A pair of weights from a scale, held in each pocket esis.

Duration: Special Distance: Yourself

Effect: After successfully casting, the forces of order ensure Reagents: Any sword, held in one hand that any chaotic act committed upon you is returned in kind to the transgressor of these acts. This means that if someone Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes stole your coin purse, they’d immediately lose their purse in Effect: After successfully casting, the sword shines like sil- return. The same could be said if someone harmed you. If you ver. The sword becomes a one-handed melee weapon with suffered Damage or Peril, they immediately suffer the same the Fast Quality. Instead of using your Combat Bonus (CB), Damage or Peril in kind. It also means that if you were made reference your Willpower Bonus (WB) to determine Dam- victim to a Perilous Stunt, the offender would immediately age. Finally, whenever you strike or Parry with this sword, suffer the same in kind. This Magick lasts until it has been reference your Incantation Skill instead of a Combat-based triggered. Skill. You may inflict Injuries with this Magick, as if it were 303 a melee weapon. Critical Failure: Petty mortal! Who are you to exact revenge in the name of the gods? Today, you are not the arbiter of Critical Success: As above, but victims cannot Dodge or right and wrong. As punishment, you cannot cast Magick Parry this attack. for 72 hours. Critical Failure: The sword takes upon its own personality, TRIAL BY FIRE dancing into the air as if guided by an apparition, for the duration. Roll 1D6 Chaos Die whenever your Turn starts. If GREATER MAGICK the result is 1-5, the sword does nothing. If the result is a face You incant an ancient prayer, meant to root out liars from “6”, it will lash out at a random ally (or perhaps you)! the honest. The guilty are bathed in the blue flames of justice, SEE THROUGH LIES while the innocent remains untouched. LESSER MAGICK Distance: Any person you can see, whom you’ve personally met and know their name The balance between chaos and order will be preserved. Jus- tice for all. Reagents: An expensive fire opal, held in palm

Distance: Yourself Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Reagents: A silken blindfold, worn over the duration Effect:After successfully casting, a foe who can see and hear you is condemned if they are guilty. Now and every Turn, Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes name a crime that the guilty committed. If the foe is guilty of Effect: After successfully casting, you are able to detect a lie this crime, they immediately suffers 3D10 + your Willpow- from anyone who you can hear. Note that you are completely er Bonus (WB) in Damage from fire. You may inflict Inju- blind to the Material Realm during this time, automatically ries with this Magick, but they catch On Fire instead. Each failing any Skill Tests based on vision. crime you name must be unique, and must conform to the local law. If they are innocent of the crime, nothing happens. Critical Success: As above, but you are not blind during this time. Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration.

Critical Failure: You behold a terrible vision of nightmare Critical Failure: You have made a major transgression beings beyond the mortal realm. Your eyesight is stricken against the gods. The fire opal burns in your palm, turning to from you, as you’re temporarily blinded for the duration. dust. You will be punished for each and every lie or infraction During this time, you automatically fail any Skill Test which of the law over the next 72 hours. Should you even attempt requires you to see. to muddle the truth slightly or commit even the smallest of infractions against the law, you suffer 9 Corruption each time TOOTH FOR A TOOTH you do so. GREATER MAGICK PRAYERS OF THE LEVIATHAN You enact the old adage “tooth for a tooth” upon a criminal, fully-knowing what transgressions they’ve made and exact a toll in return. Prayers of the Leviathan Principle

Distance: Any person you can see Bon Voyage Petty

Reagents: The blood of a victim whose suffered injustice Breath of the Aether Petty (expended) Fisher’s Intuition Petty Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Saltwater Blast Lesser Effect:After successfully casting, a foe who can see and hear Seasickness Lesser you must Resist with a Resolve Test or loses 3 Action Points Walk Upon Water Lesser for their Turns in combat. A foe must continuously attempt to Resist this Magick at the beginning of their Turns. Becalm Squall Greater

Critical Success: As above, but the affected cannot Resist Kraken’s Curse Greater this Magick. Blessed Albatross Greater 304 BECALM SQUALL BON VOYAGE GREATER MAGICK PETTY MAGICK

With the thrust of a blade, the mast and sails are wreathed You christen the ship with a bottle of alcohol, wishing good in St. Elmo’s light. fortune and safe travels.

Distance: Any one boat you can touch Distance: Any one boat you can touch

Reagents: A whalebone dagger, thrust into the boat’s mast Reagents: A bottle of wine or bubbly, shattered on a boat’s (expended) hull (expended)

Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Duration: Special

Effect: After successfully casting, the boat you are Engaged Effect: After successfully casting, the boat you are Engaged with (providing it is a river-going or sea-going vessel) is with (providing it is a river-going or sea-going vessel) grants saved from any bad Winds or storm that surrounds it. The anyone aboard a +10 to Navigation Tests while on the boat. Winds buffet outside of the area, providing a gentle breeze This Magick lasts so as long as you remain on the boat, and upon the boat. An area of calm radiates around the boat in you must name both the port it departs from and the port it a number of yards equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB), intends to stop. Port of calls do not account for this Magick. allowing companion boats to take advantage of the Magick. Once ported, the Magick fades. Once becalmed, the boat moves as if it were guided by a gentle Wind, and the thrashing waters no longer impact its Critical Success: As above, but those who use Navigation ability to navigate. Tests gain a +20 Base Chance to succeed instead.

Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Critical Failure: The bottle does not shatter against the hull, instead bouncing off of it and rolling away. The cork sudden- Critical Failure: The storm grows even more precipitous. Roll ly pops on its own accord, as the alcohol suddenly turns to a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands on a face “6”, lightning strikes the silt. This boat is cursed, and if you choose to board it before mast of the boat you’re on, splitting it from the ship. it leaves port, all those upon it must flip the results to fail all Navigation Tests instead. BLESSED ALBATROSS GREATER MAGICK BREATH OF THE AETHER PETTY MAGICK Releasing sacred albatross, they forever hover above the ship’s mast to bless its journey By covering your mouth with a kerchief - or a kiss - you are able to draw in deeper breaths. Distance: Any one boat you can touch Distance: Any one person you can touch Reagents: Three albatross, released from a cage (expended) Reagents: The kiss of a woman, placed on a kerchief or the Duration: Forever mouth (expended)

Effect: After successfully casting, the boat you are Engaged Duration: Instantaneous with (providing it is a river-going or sea-going vessel) will never sink, should the albatross all remain alive as they hover Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- above the mast. gaged with add your Willpower Bonus (WB) to their Brawn Bonus (BB) to determine how many minutes they can hold Critical Success: As above, but it will also protect any upon their breath to withstand the effects of Suffocation. Once the boat from falling overboard. these minutes pass by, the Magick fades.

Critical Failure: The albatross bring not fortune, but a ter- Critical Success: As above, but they also gain a +10 Base rible curse. You, along with the boat-goers, are unaware that Chance to Athletics Tests to swim. you’ve irrevocably cursed the boat. At a time appointed by the Gamemaster, the boat will flounder and eventually sink. Critical Failure: As the woman places her kiss upon the un- This will always be precipitated by the blackened husks of witting, it has spelt their own dooming. Once they hold their albatross being struck by lightning, one by one, day over day, breath, they fall unconscious from Suffocation, requiring a for three days. As each are struck, those in the boat suffer Kiss of Life! 3D10+3 mental Peril. 305 FISHER’S INTUITION powerful blast of water and dangerously sharp coral. All PETTY MAGICK those who are caught within the Cone radius suffers 2D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. This Magick also You momentarily possess the uncanny eye of an able fisher- extinguishes Mildly and Moderately Dangerous fire, and man. those who are already On Fire.

Distance: Self Critical Success: As above, but all foes caught in the Salt- water Blast are automatically knocked Prone. Reagents: A fishing lure, dropped into the water (expended) Critical Failure: A briney blast of water reigns washes over Duration: Instantaneous you, from below your feet. You suffer 2D10 + your Willpow- Effect: After successfully casting, name any one creature of er Bonus (WB) in Damage and are knocked Prone. the sea. You now know the inherent direction to find it, pro- SEASICKNESS viding it dwells in an area within your field of vision. Once located, the Magick fades. LESSER MAGICK

Critical Success: As above, but you are guaranteed to catch You invoke a curse, making the afflicted believe they are atop your prey. a seabourn ship, wracked by a terrible storm!

Critical Failure: Your Magick leads you astray, as whomev- Distance: Any one person you can see er attempts to catch the prey withdraws something terrible Reagents: A splinter of a wrecked boat, snapped in half (ex- from below the depths. Likely, it will attempt to either swal- pended) low them once captured or pull them into the waters! Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes KRAKEN’S CURSE GREATER MAGICK Effect: After successfully casting (and if your foe fails to Re- sist with a Coordination Test), they are knocked Prone and A curse of the depths is lain upon the unworthy, made fragile suffer a -20 Base Chance to all Skill Tests for that Turn. Ad- before you. ditionally, they must Resist the effects of this Magick at the beginning of their subsequent Turns over the duration, or Distance: Any persons you can see continue to be knocked Prone and suffer a -20 Base Chance Reagents: A bone rod made from a deep sea monster to all Skill Tests for that Turn.

Duration: Instantaneous Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this Magick. Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of foes equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Each foe suffers a Critical Failure: Your stomach begins to turn, as if you’d Grievous Injury. been drawn from the depths of the sea too quickly. Taken by the bends, you are unable to stand, knocked Prone every Critical Success: As above, but foes also begin to Bleed. Turn and suffer a -20 Base Chance to all Skill Tests until the duration is up. Critical Failure: The rod of the ancient seat creature dis- solves, turning into silt between your fingers. You fall uncon- WALK UPON WATER scious from Suffocation, requiring a Kiss of Life! LESSER MAGICK

SALTWATER BLAST You can walk atop water as if it were land. LESSER MAGICK Distance: Yourself A powerful blast of seawater and coral stings your foes, knocking them about. Reagents: A water strider, consumed (expended)

Distance: Yourself Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Reagents: A piece of coral (expended) Effect: After successfully casting, you can walk upon water or wet ground as if it were firm land. Duration: Instantaneous Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Effect: After successfully casting, you conjure forth a briney, 306 Critical Failure: You cannot walk upon water. Nor, can you Distance: Any persons you can see walk atop land! You cannot stand up without automatically falling Prone for three times the duration. Reagents: A vial of holy water, sprinkled over the recipients of this Magick

PRAYERS OF THE MARTYR Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Effect:After successfully casting, a number of allies equal to Prayers of the Martyr Principle your Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you add Lay On Hands Petty a +20 Base Chance to Resist Perilous Stunts and Magick. Sooth Corruption Petty Critical Success: As above, but they are immune to Stress and Fear, but not Terror. Expel Poison Petty Critical Failure: While the words seem to work, they fall Cure Malady Lesser upon deaf ears. Your comrades have been made victim to a Martyrdom Lesser terrible hex on your behalf. Whenever they must Resist Per- ilous Stunts and Magick, they suffer a -20 Base Chance to Compassionate Words Lesser Resist. Additionally, they always are made victim to Stress Resolve Injury Greater and Fear, unable to Resist their effects, for the duration. Suppress Affliction Greater EXPEL POISON Purifying Halo Greater PETTY MAGICK

Leading in prayer, you beseech your god to lift the poison CURE MALADY from the blood of a victim. LESSER MAGICK Distance: Any one person you can touch Your prayers lead the suffering away from the threshold, and Reagents: The blood of a poisonous snake, consumed by the back to the light. victim (expelled) Distance: Any one person you can touch Duration: Instantaneous Reagents: The proper treatment agents required to normally Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- treat the Disease (expended) gaged with instantly recovers from the Poison they were Duration: Instantaneous made victim to. This also allows them to recover from Intoxi- cation. A Character may only gain the benefit of this Magick Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- once per day. gaged with is cured of the Disease they were made victim to. A Character may only gain the benefit of this Magick once Critical Success: As above, but if the person suffered Cor- per day. ruption from a Poison’s effects, they may remove the Cor- ruption. Critical Success: As above, but if the person lost points from their Primary Attributes from a Disease’s effects, they may Critical Failure: The only mercy for the wounded is simply restore any lost points due to it. to let them pass onwards into the mother’s loving arms. Your victim is immediately affected by an additional dose of the Critical Failure: Your words are twisted, as you forget the same Poison you had sought to expel. correct convocation to draw your god’s might. Your victim immediately suffers the effects of the Disease you had sought LAY ON HANDS to cure. PETTY MAGICK

COMPASSIONATE WORDS A warm glow emits from your hands, soothing the one you LESSER MAGICK touch.

Careful words and explicit prayer leads your compatriots to Distance: Any one person you can touch a zen-like state. Reagents: Your bare hand, placed upon the chest of a victim 307 Duration: Instantaneous pernatural creatures automatically catch On Fire if they at- tempt to bring harm to you. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with restores both their Damage and Peril Condition Critical Failure: The flames of your inner passion fizzles out. Tracks positively by one step. A Character may only gain the So distraught as you are that you suffer a -30 Base Chance benefit of this Magick once per day. to all Skill Tests for a number of minutes equal to your Will- power Bonus (WB). Critical Success: As above, but you restore their Damage and Peril Condition Track positively by three steps instead. RESOLVE INJURY GREATER MAGICK Critical Failure: Your touch causes a corpulent decay to spread across the intended beneficiary’s wounds. They are Calling forth a blessing, the consumption of the holy honey now suffering from Filth Fever. treats the injured.

MARTYRDOM Distance: Any one person you can touch LESSER MAGICK Reagents: A honeycomb, imbibed by the victim (expended) You create an indelible bond between you and another, suf- Duration: Instantaneous fering in their place. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Distance: Any one person you can touch gaged with removes one Injury they are suffering from, as it Reagents: A lock of hair from the victim (expended) has completely recuperated. A Character may only gain the benefit of this Magick once per day. Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in days Critical Success: As above, but if the person lost points from Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- their Primary Attributes from an Injury’s effects, they may gaged with ignores any Damage or Peril they suffer. Instead, restore any lost points due to it. it is dealt to you. You need not be near the person in order for Martyrdom to work. Critical Failure: A buzzing sound can be heard from the honeycomb. You pay no mind, as they eat the honeycomb. A Critical Success: As above, but if they begin to Bleed, suffer bee then stings the victim’s throat, as they are unable to speak from Infection or an Injury, you may suffer it in their stead. for 48 hours.

Critical Failure: A terrible mangling of the proper form SOOTH CORRUPTION renders this Magick completely useless. Not only does the PETTY MAGICK person suffer, but you always suffer in kind. This means if they suffer Damage, you suffer it as well. The same goes for Your warm embrace and tears bring comfort to the troubled. Bleeding, Infection and Injuries for the duration. Distance: Any one person you can touch PURIFYING HALO Reagents: Your tears, placed upon the cheek of a victim GREATER MAGICK Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus in hours Crowning your head rests a golden halo, hovering in place. Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- Distance: Yourself gaged with immediately removes 1 Corruption. Additional- Reagents: A halo made from an unbroken circle of gold leaf ly, it temporarily delays the effects of all Diseases, Disorders, Poisons and similar effects for the duration. Any time a per- Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes son is made subject to this spell, they must spend a Fortune Point. Effect:After successfully casting, a halo of golden light hov- ers above your head. During this time, you are entirely im- Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. mune to Diseases, Infection, Injuries and Poison. Addition- ally, any foes who may be Abyssal or Supernatural creatures Critical Failure: You bear crocodile tears, and your god automatically suffer a -30 Base Chance to strike you with knows it. You are withdrawn and cannot muster the inner Attack Actions and Perilous Stunts. fortitude to bring yourself to bear. You must ritually flog yourself before casting Magick again, moving one step down Critical Success: As above, but foes who are Abyssal or Su- the Damage & Peril Condition Track. 308 SUPPRESS AFFLICTION Effect:After successfully casting, you automatically know the GREATER MAGICK best source for any goods you’re seeking at the cheapest prices in the area. While using this prayer, you must intone the set- Through a complex series of prayers and guidance, you finally tlement you’re in and name the specific goods you’re seeking bring peace to the afflicted. (black market or otherwise). If these goods are unavailable in the area, you automatically learn this. Cheap prices usually Distance: Any one person you can touch come at 25% less than market cost.

Reagents: Three vials of holy water, imbibed by the victim Critical Success: As above, but you so compel the retailer to (expended) sell these to you at 50% less than market cost.

Duration: Instantaneous Critical Failure: You have made a critical error. Merchants Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- will be compelled to refuse service to you, until you success- gaged with is cured of the Disorder they were made victim fully cast this Magick again in the same settlement. to. A Character may only gain the benefit of this Magick EYES WITHOUT A FACE once per day. GREATER MAGICK Critical Success: As above, but if the person lost points from their Primary Attributes from a Disorder’s effects, they may Intoning a prayer, you protect your real identity with an il- restore any lost points due to it. lusion that inspired the legends of personalities like Spring- heeled Jack. Critical Failure: You mangled the words to the prayer. The afflicted is not brought peace, falling towards chaos. Instead Distance: Yourself of curing the Disorder, its effects are instantly triggered. Reagents: An expensive gold and ivory venetian mask, held PRAYERS OF to your face (expended) THE NIGHTFATHER Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Effect:After successfully casting, make up a nom de guerre - an Prayers of the Nightfather Principle alternative appearance and personality - and describe it to the Gamemaster. You make it difficult for others remember what My Lucky Day Petty you truly look like while under this illusion. This could be any- Bargain Bin Petty thing as crazy as appearing as a brooding bat-winged freak, a caped man clad entirely in red and blue steel or even a mad- Open Sesame Petty ly-painted maniacal jester. While under this Magick’s effects, Flimflam Lesser this is the appearance you take upon, except to those you deem worthy of seeing your true countenance. This allows you to build Fortune Favors The Bold Lesser reputation without bringing harm upon your true identity. Pussyfoot Around Lesser Critical Success: As above and you retain the reagent. Luck Of The Draw Greater Critical Failure: Oh, fickle are the gods! You are made the Eyes Without A Face Greater catspaw of the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure for a time. Over Riches to Rags Greater the duration, you vanish from sight. Returning after the du- ration is up, you are unawares of what you did during your BARGAIN BIN time. So ridden are you with anxiety that you suffer 3D10+3 PETTY MAGICK mental Peril. Only time will tell what deeds you saw to while away...and it will inevitably come back to bite you in the ass. Intoning a prayer of fortune, you know the best place to buy trappings at the right price. FLIMFLAM LESSER MAGICK Distance: Yourself You hoodwink, cork-screw, swindle, bamboozle or confound Reagents: One brass penny, thrown into a well or body of one person with Magickal glamour, compelling them to do water (expended) something they’d normally not to. Duration: Instantaneous Distance: Any one person you can see 309 Reagents: A handful of wool (expended) Reagents: Special (expended)

Duration: Instantaneous Duration: Instantaneous

Effect:After successfully casting, you convince one person to Effect: After successfully casting, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. immediately carry through with an action of your choosing. Whatever the value is, place that many Fortune Points into You must tell the person what you wish for them to do out the pool. You must sacrifice 3 gold coins for every Fortune loud. Although this action cannot be used to Damage them- Point you place into the pool, as they are sacrificed. Every selves, it can be used to persuade someone to ignore you, time you cast this Magick, roll 3D6 Chaos Die to determine give you the best bargain, look the other way, do something whether you provoke Divine Punishment. foolish or other critical commands that would benefit you. Once casted, the subject of this Magick is unaware that they Critical Success: As above, but do not sacrifice gold coins carried through with the action, forgetting it ever happened. for Fortune Points. The action they use must take two minutes or less to com- Critical Failure: You were a fool to believe that you could plete. bend the rules into your favor. Roll 3D6 Chaos Dice. What- Critical Success: As above, but the action can be up to three ever the result is, you suffer Corruption equal to the result. minutes long. MY LUCKY DAY Critical Failure: Today is not your lucky day. Your ignorance PETTY MAGICK of the proper incantations has left you dumfounded. You are left Helpless and can be convinced to do anything by the Drop a coin in the well for wishes, but spin a shilling for very same person you attempted to Flimflam, up to three luck. minutes. Distance: Yourself

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD Reagents: A silver shilling, spun in place (expended) LESSER MAGICK Duration: Instantaneous Today, fortune is in their favor. But tomorrow? Who knows. Effect: After successfully casting, you may restore one For- Distance: Any persons you can see tune Point to the Fortune Pool, but only if it has already been spent. Every time you cast this Magick, roll 1D6 Chaos Die Reagents: A pair of silver dice, rolled on the ground to determine whether you provoke Divine Punishment.

Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in hours Critical Success: As above, but may avoid rolling a 1D6 Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of allies Chaos Die to determine whether you provoke Divine Pun- equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). They automatically ishment. succeed one Skill Test of their choice. When they succeed, it Critical Failure: You have made a critical error in your sum- is always considered a Critical Success. monings to the god of fortune. You are punished with a set- Critical Success: As above, but they may automatically suc- back. Remove one Fortune Point from the pool, and convert ceed three Skill Tests instead. it into a Misfortune Point for the Gamemaster. If one is not available, you provoke Divine Punishment. Critical Failure: Fortune favors the bold, and you are not bold. Nor, are your comrades. The Gamemaster will make OPEN SESAME certain that the person will automatically fail any three Skill PETTY MAGICK Tests over the duration. When they fail, it is always consid- ered a Critical Failure. A simple utterance of words sometimes is all you need to gain ingress. LUCK OF THE DRAW Distance: Any one portal or lock you can see GREATER MAGICK Reagents: A sesame seed, ingested (expended) Calling upon the god of fortune’s favor, you bring providence to all. Duration: Instantaneous

Distance: Yourself Effect: After successfully casting, you unlock one portal or lock of your choosing. If it has been ensorcelled Magickally 310 to be held fast, you dispel this Magick temporarily for one Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. minute, able to trespass as you like. Critical Failure: For a moment, all valuables you’d intended to Critical Success: As above, but the mechanism that was hide disappear into the Aether. A moment later, they return. used to lock it is broke. Additionally, Magick that may have However, three objects will never be seen again. The Game- been cast on it to hold it fast is dispelled. master will make the determination what doesn’t return. Critical Failure: The invocation goes slightly haywire. Not PRAYERS OF THE STEWARD only is the portal or lock permanently jammed, it is held fast with Magick. It cannot be opened by you ever again. Prayers of the Steward Principle PUSSYFOOT AROUND LESSER MAGICK Warrior’s Blessing Petty Vengeful Wrath Petty You are slippery like water, and quick as a cat. You are hard Voice of the Legion Petty to catch, and even when you are, you manage to slip away. Commander’s Vision Lesser Distance: Yourself Blitzkrieg Lesser Reagents: One silver shilling, flipped over your shoulder Praise the Light Lesser (expended) His Great Blessing Greater Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Blazing Retribution Greater Mask of Terror Greater Effect: After successfully casting, if you are caught while shadowing or hiding with Stealth Test, you may re-roll to BLAZING RETRIBUTION generate a better result but must accept the outcome. When GREATER MAGICK you succeed this Skill Test, those who originally found you completely ignore you for the duration, forgetting that you Blinding flames of retribution strike down at your foes, as were ever there. they burn like human candles!

Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Distance: Yourself

Critical Failure: The price you paid to foolishly miscast this Reagents: A religious condemnation, written upon paper Magick wasn’t enough. Your god demands tribute. You must (expended) sacrifice one gold coin, or else suffer 6 Corruption in turn. Duration: Instantaneous RICHES TO RAGS Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of foes GREATER MAGICK equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Providing you can Once they were princes, with all their worldly wealth. Now, see your foes, each foe suffers 3D10 + your Willpower Bonus they are paupers, ready to sing for their supper. (WB) in physical Peril. Additionally, they must Resist with a Resolve Test or lose 1 Action Point on their next Turn. Distance: Any persons or objects you can see Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist and also Reagents: A silken purse, turned inside out. catch On Fire.

Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Failure: You are a false avatar! Condemned by the gods, you immediately suffer 3D10+ your Willpower Bonus Effect:After successfully casting, select a number of allies or (WB) in physical Peril. Additionally, you lose 1 Action Point objects equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). The persons on your next Turn and catch On Fire you see may hide any of their valuables, stored in a space outside of the Material Realm. The valuables they hide are BLITZKRIEG up to them to decide. You can even make objects appear to LESSER MAGICK be shabby, or hide its contents, filled with illusory crumbs and trash. This is a helpful spell to hide contraband. Once the You are granted the gift of great speed and military prowess. duration ends, all valuables reappear. Distance: Yourself 311 Reagents: A charm that is shaped like a lightning bolt equal to your Fellowship Bonus (FB). Providing you can see your allies, they gain +9 Damage Threshold. This Magick re- Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes quires Concentration.

Effect:After successfully casting, you may immediately make Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. an Opportunity Attack with a melee weapon. Additionally, you may make a Called Shot with a melee weapon or Melee Critical Failure: The fabric of the standard is torn to shreds Attack for 0 Action Points over the duration. However, you before your very eyes, as the eagle takes shape into a great can only use one Attack Action on your Turn. Abyssal monstrosity, before flying away. A number of allies who see this, equal to your Fellowship Bonus (FB), are made Critical Success: As above, and you may make two Attack victim to Terror. Actions on your Turn, spending 0 Action Points for each. MASK OF TERROR Critical Failure: You have made a grave mistake, and an- GREATER MAGICK gered your god. Your body is wracked by electricity, as you suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. Donning the mask, you wear the face of your god. Your eyes glow with a great, golden light causing others to tremble be- COMMANDER’S VISION fore you. LESSER MAGICK Distance: Yourself You are granted a vision from the gods, as you peer over the battlefield, surveying all before you. Reagents: A mask made from copper, worn upon your face

Distance: Yourself Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Reagents: A gold-rimmed monocle, worn over your eye Effect: After successfully casting, any foes who attempts to use Attack Actions or Perilous Stunts against you must first Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Resist with a Resolve Test, or be made victim to Terror.

Effect: After successfully casting, you can survey any place Critical Success: As above, but foes cannot Resist this you can think of from the sky, as if you were there yourself. Magick. This place must be within a number of miles no greater than your Willpower Bonus (WB), it must be a place you’ve visit- Critical Failure: As you place the mask upon yourself, you ed before and must have an open sky above it (meaning you are temporarily blinded to the world. Within, you see gal- cannot view inside buildings or caverns). This provides total axies born, stars die and the husks of dead gods floating in line of sight, so that you may cast Magick upon the battle- the vast emptiness of the Aethereal. You immediately suffer field as if you were standing there. Additionally, it grants a 9 Corruption. +20 Base Chance to any Warfare Tests you wish to utilize PRAISE THE LIGHT over the duration. This Magick requires Concentration. LESSER MAGICK Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. You chant words of praise to the Steward, as He rewards His Critical Failure: The monocle shatters, temporarily blinding chosen people. you. You automatically fail any Skill Tests based on vision for Distance: Any persons you can see the next 48 hours. HIS GREAT BLESSING Reagents: Stand before your enemies, as your allies draw their weapons GREATER MAGICK Duration: Special Your chanted prayer fills the hearts of your friends and allies, as they are emboldened by His blessing. Effect: After successfully casting, a number of allies equal to your Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you Distance: Any persons you can see (providing their Order Ranks exceeds their Chaos Ranks) may increase their Initiative by their Order Rank. This lasts Reagents: A standard with an eagle upon it, held aloft until combat ends. Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Success: As above, but they are also immune to In- Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of allies timidate, Stress and Fear. 312 Critical Failure: Once weapons are drawn and your chant- WARRIOR’S BLESSING ing ends, you are not chosen to be the victors. Nay, but the PETTY MAGICK losers! Everyone you had intended to affect with this Magick immediately reduces their Initiative by their Chaos Rank. You bless a person with keen insight, evening the odds into This lasts until combat ends. their favor.

VENGEFUL WRATH Distance: Any one person you can touch

PETTY MAGICK Reagents: A pebble with an eagle’s eye etched onto it (ex- With but a touch, you imbue a weapon with vengeful wrath. pended)

Distance: Any one weapon you can touch Duration: Instantaneous

Reagents: A whetstone used to sharpen a weapon (expend- Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- ed) gaged with is immediately moved to the top of the Initiative Ladder, and may take their Turn immediately. A Character Duration: Instantaneous may only gain the benefit of this Magick once per day.

Effect: After successfully casting, the weapon you are En- Critical Success: As above, but you do not expend the re- gaged with is given the gift of wrath. A foe who is struck by agent. this weapon ignores any modifier to their Damage Threshold when considering Damage. This Magick is then immediately Critical Failure: Your Magick utterly fails, as the person expended afterwards. you’d touched immediately moves to the bottom of the Ini- tiative Ladder and loses their next Turn. Critical Success: As above and the person may add the Vi- cious Quality to their weapon until expended afterwards. PRAYERS OF THE WINTER KING

Critical Failure: Your invocation has angered the gods. In fact, the next attack you suffer from a melee or ranged Prayers of the Winter King Principle weapon you must ignore your armor’s modifier to Damage Threshold. Additionally, it is treated as if it had the Vicious Winter’s Bone Petty Quality, until expended afterwards. Frostbite Petty Wolven Heart Petty VOICE OF THE LEGION Battle Rage Lesser PETTY MAGICK To Crush Your Enemies Lesser Your voice booms with bravado, and issues to any who you The Wolfpack Lesser can envision - either nearby, lying in a ditch or upon a nearby Ice Storm Greater battlefield where the fight rages on. Dictum of the Winter King Greater Distance: Yourself Roar of Winter Greater

Reagents: A trumpet wrought into the shape of an eagle, BATTLE RAGE held to your lips LESSER MAGICK Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes The spirit of the wolf inhabits your body, as you rage out- Effect: After successfully casting, all allies you can see may wards with fury and anger! hear your words clearly, as if you were standing beside them. Additionally, it grants a +10 Base Chance to any Leadership Distance: Yourself Tests you wish to utilize over the duration. Reagents: Fresh blood, smeared on your face (expended) Critical Success: As above, but you triple the duration. Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Failure: The horn does not call forth your god’s blessing, but warns of the end times. Anyone who can hear Effect: After successfully casting, you can make additional the trumpet’s blare suffers 1D10+1 mental Peril. Attack Actions or Perilous Stunts on your Turn, despite the normal limitations presented in Chapter 8: Combat. How- ever, you cannot retain your Action Points to Counterspell, 313 Dodge or Parry. ICE STORM

Critical Success: As above, but you may Counterspell, GREATER MAGICK Dodge and Parry as you wish. A hail of rock hard ice pounds the area, accompanied by a Critical Failure: You are so possessed by a blinding rage that freezing chill. you cannot see straight. You are left Defenseless for the du- Distance: Any one place you can see ration. Reagents: An icicle, thrown into the air (expended) DICTUM OF THE WINTER KING Duration: Instantaneous GREATER MAGICK Effect: After successfully casting, you conjure forth a ter- Your god despises cowardice, making you its proxy to dole rible storm of ice which rains downwards. All those who out judgement upon the weak. are caught within the Explosion radius suffers 2D10 + your Distance: Any one person you can see Willpower Bonus (WB) in physical Peril and 1D10 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in Damage. Additionally, they must Reagents: A castle-forged axe, leveled at your enemy Resist with a successful Coordination Test or begin their next three Turns with one less Action Point. Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Success: As above, but the foe cannot Resist this Effect:After successfully casting, providing they are consid- Magick. ered to be dishonorable or have Chaos Ranks higher than their Order Ranks, the person suffers 1D10 + your Will- Critical Failure: You have once again brought shame for power Bonus (WB) in Damage now, and at the beginning your actions. While your prayers are heeded, the storm of of their Turns. ice instead rains down on you. Center the Explosion radius upon yourself, and those caught in it suffer the consequences. Critical Success: As above, but they also begin their Turns Those so affected cannot Resist this Magick. with 1 less Action Point over the duration. ROAR OF WINTER Critical Failure: Your dictum goes unnoticed by the winter king. You have brought great shame upon yourself, and must GREATER MAGICK pay the price. You suffer 9 Corruption! You speak aloud your unswerving loyalty to the winter king, FROSTBITE bequeathing all with a gift of unmitigated fury. PETTY MAGICK

You give prayer to the gods to freeze the limbs of your enemy, Distance: Any persons you can see rendering them weak. Reagents: The tail of a wolf, incinerated (expended) Distance: Any one person you can see Duration: 9 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Reagents: A drop of frozen blood (expended) Effect: After successfully casting, select a number of allies Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes equal to your Fellowship Bonus (FB). All allies may spend 1 Action Point to make two Attack Actions or two Perilous Effect:After successfully casting, your foe immediately drops Stunts on their Turn, despite the normal limitations present- one step down the Peril Condition Track. Additionally, they ed in Chapter 8: Combat. cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry for the duration. Critical Success: As above, but those so affected gain 2 Ac- Critical Success: As above, but your foe immediately drops tion Points instead. two steps down the Peril Condition Track instead. Critical Failure: You have trespassed upon the threshold of Critical Failure: Your bones creak and rattle from a bitter your god, and must pay the price. The winter king demands cold Wind. You drop two steps down the Peril Condition that you sacrifice a part of yourself, as you suffer a Grievous Track, and cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry for the du- Injury, Serious Injury and Moderate Injury. ration.

314 THE WOLFPACK Reagents: A wolf hide, worn on your shoulders

LESSER MAGICK Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

You call forth a prayer, rewarding both you and your “pack” Effect: After successfully casting, any foes who are engaged of friends with you suffer a -10 Base Chance to all Skill Tests. This af- Distance: Any persons you can see fects foes as they attempt to strike you and persists over the duration - even if they elect to attack others. Reagents: A horn made from wolf bone, blown Critical Success: As above, but triple the duration. Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Failure: You are instantly possessed by the dank Effect:After successfully casting, a number of allies equal to chill that radiates from your body. Although your enemies your Fellowship Bonus (FB) who can see and hear you can do not suffer, your hands are rigid and cold. You suffer a -10 provoke Fear. Base Chance to all Attack Actions and Perilous Stunts you make, until the duration expires. Critical Success: As above, but your allies can provoke Ter- ror instead. WOLVEN HEART

Critical Failure: Lo, for the pack is vicious. You are not the PETTY MAGICK alpha of your kin, another is. You cow before them, showing With but a touch, you instill the fury of the wolf within an your belly. You suffer from Terror in the face of your friend, ally. remaining Prone for the duration. Distance: Any one person you can touch TO CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES LESSER MAGICK Reagents: Three drops of a wolf ’s blood, smeared on the per- son (expended) Utterance of such a prayer is assured to bring you strength for the fight. Duration: 3 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes

Distance: Yourself Effect: After successfully casting, the person you are En- gaged with always inflicts Injuries whenever they reduce a Reagents: A paw of a wolf, worn around your neck foe to Moderately Wounded, Seriously Wounded or Griev- ously Wounded. Duration: 6 + your Willpower Bonus (WB) in minutes Critical Success: As above, but you can affect up to three Effect: After successfully casting, whenever you fail an At- allies instead. tack Action or Perilous Stunt, you may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the outcome. Whenever you Critical Failure: Your allies are not worthy of the winter strike successfully, add a 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage. king’s blessings! Three allies cannot inflict Injuries whatso- ever over the duration. Critical Success: As above, but you may re-roll to generate a better result. If you don’t like the outcome, re-roll one final time and accept the outcome. WYTCHSTONE Critical Failure: Your prayers go unanswered. Your igno- Said to have fallen from the Vault of Night during a chaotic rance of the proper form has angered the winter king. Filled cataclysm, these strange embers of green glass are all that with anguish, whenever you succeed an Attack Action or remains of a dead star that once gravitated over the Ma- Perilous Stunt, you must re-roll to generate a worse result terial Realm. Following the cataclysm, shards of the dead but must accept the outcome. star plunged to the earth. Vast, meteoric craters demarcat- ed the largest of these rock caches, bringing with it strange, WINTER’S BONE transmutative phenomena. The land around where these PETTY MAGICK “Wytchstones” lay half-buried are unnaturally changed, contaminating the flora and fauna around it. Mutations of You radiate an air of ill, Aetheric coldness and any foes who creatures both small and large are not uncommon near these attempt to bring harm to you suffer the consequences. cavities, giving rise to strange emanations of thick, virides- Distance: Yourself cent mist. Nigh impenetrable, the mist radiated outwards, bringing miasma, sickness and pain to those who’d dare enter 315 it. Only the brave, or already damned, would dare penetrate highly corruptive effects. Merely carrying more than one the glaucus-colored mist to recover Wytchstone. Princely shard upon yourself is enough to usher complete degeneration sums have been offered to the smallest of shards, hundreds into the spawn of chaos. Wytchstone raises the hackle of ev- of coins passing hands between those who seek to use it for ery witch hunter, and is enough evidence to have its possessor arcane purposes and the worthy adventurers who’d dare press condemned to a dank cell for the remainder of their mortal beyond the sanguine mist to recover them. life. Even keeping stones near each other can produce un- seeming results, such as local areas of green mist mysteriously “MAGICK” ITEMS IN ZWEIHÄNDER erupting or oddities in the air. Unlike other tabletop role-playing games, weapon- Thus, it is a fact that a Character can only carry one shard smiths don’t churn out Magickally-blessed swords upon themselves without risk of spiritual harm. Carrying to sell to every would-be adventurer. Nor, are there two or more Wytchstone shards at a time requires a Char- incanter-alchemists producing potion after potions acter to succeed a Toughness Test every day, or else suffer 1 of Elixir for those hurrying off to plunder a dun- Corruption. Upon a Critical Failure, however, they suffer 3 geon. Artifacts and Relics are exceedingly rare in Corruption instead. a grim & perilous world. In fact, every one of the is unique, possessing its own history and tale of If one is bold enough to hold onto a shard of Wytchstone, power. Merely possessing but one during a lifetime it can be used for many different applications, including the should be considered a blessing, one that is not creation of Elixirs, Talismans and as the focus for Rituals. readily given or earned. It can also be pulverized into Wytchstone Essence, which can aid in casting Magick. Finally, it can be used to create A mysterious stone that has said to have fallen from the sky, Wytchstone Panacea, a cure-all for diseases. Wytchstone hold otherworldly, Aethereal properties that WYTCHSTONE ESSENCE both arcanists and priests seek to harness. Possessing vast alchemical powers, it is undoubtedly the mysterious element Wytchstone can be prepared into powder, which can be in- which Hermetics harvest to transmute metals and produce haled. After inhaling, you can automatically succeed any one the famed philosopher’s stone. Creatures, such as the Skrz- Incantation Test over the next 24 hours in exchange for suf- zak, injecting ampules of it inside their bodies to fuel their fering 3 Corruption. Up to three powders can be prepared at psychoactive fever-dreams. Other would-be clerics and wiz- a time. The more powders of Wytchstone Essence you wish ards seek out its power to fuel damning Rituals, emulating to prepare at once, the Difficulty Rating of the Incantation Magick in a bastardized way. Even the mundanity of the Test worsens: world seek to use its powers. Tales are told of farmers bury-  One powder: (Routine +10%) Alchemy Test ing Wytchstone shards into the ground to produce bountiful  Two powders: (Standard +/-0%) Alchemy Test harvests, while aristocrats give their wives talismans made  Three powders: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test from it to produce stronger children. To have a chance at preparing Wytchstone Essence, a pre- Yet, it is doubtless that these incredibly rare caches are pure parer must have a Skill Rank in Incantation, have access to a chaos made real, and those who acquire them learn to fear it laboratory with their arcane tome or prayer book, a shard of more so than harness it. For every wive’s tale of a pregnan- Wytchstone (which is expended) and be left uninterrupted cy gone well as she wears a charm of Wytchstone, there are for at least 1D10+1 hours. others which speak of twisted, mutated man-beasts birthing themselves prematurely from their mother’s belly. For every With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare the number of bounty of a great harvest, there are other stories that speak powders you intended to make. A Critical Success prepares of crops coming to life, enveloping the farmer and his family three additional powders. Failure results in expending the while poisoning the animals which graze upon the transmuted Wytchstone without success, whereas a Critical Failure has plants. Tales of healing with Wytchstone are also met by terri- the same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 fying accounts of death brought upon by ingestion of potions Damage from fire. made from it. Yet, greed is the downfall of all men, and even the slightest hint of power and lucre is enough to drive poor WYTCHSTONE PANACEA souls towards acquiring these corruptive elemental caches… Panacea can be prepared into a cure-all, which can be ad- and vain men to acquire it by any means necessary. ministered to a patient. Once administered, it cures every disease the patient is suffering from, while restoring both POSSESSION OF WYTCHSTONE their Damage and Peril Condition Tracks completely. Only Wytchstones shards are fortunately rarely found, but has one cure-all can be prepared at a time: 316  One cure-all: (Arduous -30%) Alchemy Test Using the Incantation Skill, you can create a concoction of small Magickal effects to be imparted upon the imbiber. To have a chance at preparing Wytchstone Panacea, a pre- They are wildly unstable, as the effects they give wane away parer must have a Skill Rank in Incantation, have access to a over time. laboratory with their arcane tome or prayer book, a shard of Wytchstone (which is expended) and be left uninterrupted PREPARING ELIXIRS for at least 1D10+1 hours. Elixir can be prepared into a potion; imbibed by the user. With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare one cure-all. A Only one potion can be prepared at a time: Critical Success prepares one cure-all and allows you to retain  One potion: (Challenging -10%) Alchemy Test the Wytchstone for later use. Failure results in expending the Wytchstone without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the To have a chance at preparing an Elixir, a preparer must have same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 Damage a Skill Rank in Incantation, have access to have access to a from fire. laboratory with their arcane tome or prayer book, a powder of Wytchstone Essence (which is expended) and be left un- ELIXIRS interrupted for at least 1D10+1 hours.

These strangely enigmatic potions, called Elixirs, are gener- With a successful Alchemy Test, you prepare one potion. A ally found within an iron flask (forgivingly marked and ti- Critical Success prepares one potion and allows you to retain tled by alchemists as something other than “XXX”), contents the Wytchstone for later use. Failure results in expending the stored into a hand-held clay pot or even poured into tiny Wytchstone without success, whereas a Critical Failure has ampules to be swallowed or injected into the bloodstream. the same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 Fueled by Wytchstone Essence, the effects of an Elixir you’re Damage from fire. creating isn’t understood until well after you’d concocted it. However, the rarity of Wytchstone means that there are few Roll Percentile Dice to determine what Elixir you concocted, Elixirs in circulation - fortunately, perhaps for the foolhardy as you’re immediately made aware of which you created. adventurer given to consume everything before them!

317 Percentile Elixir Result Effect Dice

1 to 4 Elixir of Allsight You can see Aethereal creatures and those who are hidden with Stealth for a day.

5 to 8 Elixir of Amnesty You automatically add +6 to your Damage Threshold for a day.

9 to 12 Elixir of Banality You automatically Critically Fail Rumor Tests for a day.

13 to 16 Elixir of Being You are automatically ressurected from the dead without spending a Fate Point.

17 to 20 Elixir of Benefice You automatically restore your Damage Condition Track three steps positively.

21 to 24 Elixir of Camouflage You automatically Critically Succeed Stealth Tests for a day.

25 to 28 Elixir of Chaos You automatically turn into a Beastkin for a day.

29 to 32 Elixir of Comeliness You automatically Critically Succeed Charm Tests for a day

33 to 36 Elixir of Cunning You automatically Critically Succeed Scrutinize Tests for a day.

37 to 40 Elixir of Fluttering You can fly at a movement equal to 9 + Agility Bonus (AB) for a day.

41 to 44 Elixir of Gambol You cannot help but want to dance for a day.

45 to 48 Elixir of Growing You are automaticaly turned into the size of a giant for a day

49 to 52 Elixir of Incognito You automatically Critically Succeed Disguise Tests for a day.

53 to 56 Elixir of Milquetoast You automatically Critically Fail Charm Tests for a day.

57 to 60 Elixir of Moxie You automatically Critically Succeed Resolve Tests for a day.

61 to 64 Elixir of Ooze You automatically turn into sludge, and are able to see, hear but not speak, for a day.

65 to 68 Elixir of Pathos You automatically Critically Succeed Guile Tests for a day.

69 to 72 Elixir of Potency You can lift anything nine times your weight above your head for a day.

73 to 76 Elixir of Pyromania You cannot help but want to set fires for a day.

77 to 80 Elixir of Respiration You cannot Suffocate for a day.

81 to 84 Elixir of Shrinking You are automatically turned into the size of a mouse for a day.

85 to 88 Elixir of Strife You automatically Critically Fail Leadership Tests for a day.

89 to 92 Elixir of Torpor You automatically Critically Fail Athletics tests for a day.

93 to 96 Elixir of Truthsaying You cannot help but speak the truth for a day.

97 to 100 Elixir of Unbeing You are automatically Slain!, unless you expend 1 Fate Point.

318 ELIXIR EFFECTS & SHELF LIFE Magicks requires a hefty price. And, even then, Rituals carry Successfully-prepared Elixirs have a shelf life for a number considerable risk to oneself and others. of weeks equal to your Intelligence Bonus (IB), as they turn into Cursed Elixirs after this time. By imbibing the Elixir, its Ritual Name effect immediately takes hold. However, given its corruptive properties, the imbiber immediately suffers 3 Corruption. Awaken The Dead

CURSED ELIXIR Bind Abyssal Familiar Whenever you Critically Fail to concoct an Elixir or its shelf Blessed Sacrament life expires, it becomes a Cursed Elixir. Your Character will Call Demonic Servant believe that it is undoubtedly an Elixir of Benefice, ready for use when the chips are down. However, once imbibed, it Inscribe Magick Rune polymorphs you into something innocuous for a day - per- Magick Circle haps a slug, toad or jackdaw. Perhaps instead it turns your skin phosphorescent green, or some other rather irradiating Summon Aetheric Spirit malignancy that immediately drops your Peril Condition Track to Incapacitated!. The effects are left to the Gamemas- CONDUCTING A RITUAL ter’s wiles. Whenever a Ritual is conducted, follow the standard rules for casting Magick. This includes the risk of Chaos Mani- IDENTIFYING AN UNKNOWN ELIXIR festations and Divine Punishment when Channeling Power, Elixirs found in the wild are likely not labeled, and imbibing unless indicated otherwise by the Ritual’s entry. Each Ritual them without understanding their effects could prove fatal. has its own Difficulty Rating, however. A Character with at least one Skill Rank in Incantation may attempt to identify what type of Elixir it is. You will make RITUAL FORMAT a Secret Test, using your Incantation Skill, to see if you can Every Ritual in ZWEIHÄNDER is represented using this identify its properties by taking a sniff and a sip. format:

Casting Time: All Rituals have a prescribed amount of time RITUALS required to conduct them. Generally, this will be expressed Outside of the prescribed and well-practiced rote of arcana in hours. Further conditions for time needed to conduct a and prayers, there lay another sort of Magick which falls out- Ritual may apply. side of it. Called Rituals, they exist outside the boundaries of Reagents: Reagents are material ingredients normally re- the well-studied application of normal Magick. Sublimating quired to conduct a Ritual. Reagents are usually not expend- raw Magick into an entirely different format when com- ed after conducting the Ritual, unless indicated otherwise bined with Wytchstone, Rituals embody some of the most in brackets; e.g. (expended). When reagents are expended, powerful Magick available in a grim & perilous world. Their they are destroyed despite whether you were successful in esoteric authorship is prized by practitioners of Magick, fe- conducting the Ritual or not. verishly sought out by those either unwise or too foolish to realize the risks of conducting them without a standard ed- Condition: Before the Ritual is conducted, there are various ucation in Magick use. conditions which must be met beforehand. These conditions are mostly immutable, unless the Gamemaster approves Unlike normal Magick, Rituals can be used by anyone, pro- of substitution of certain conditions or alternatives where viding they gather the necessary reagents, fulfill the proper they’re not required. conditions, have a Ritual ensconced upon a sacred scroll and possess the wherewithal to walk down that path. This means Channel Power: Whenever you Channel Power and gener- that someone without the Arcane Magick or Divine Magick ate face “6”s, you invoke a Chaos Manifestation. Every Rit- Trait can use a Ritual with the Incantation Skill. Conducting ual provokes a different level of Chaos Manifestations. For Rituals in this way is highly dangerous however, as fledglings instance, if you Channel Power and generate a Chaos Man- are highly susceptible to the Abyssal Prince’s ruinous corrup- ifestation using a Ritual called Awaken the Dead, you will tion. However, unlike following the normal path to arcana treat it as if it were Lesser Magick for purposes of reference or prayers, Rituals offer incredibly powerful effects. They are to Chaos Manifestations or Divine Punishment. the mightiest of all Magicks, requiring forethought and care- ful planning to use. Oftentimes, Wytchstone and the oth- Difficulty Rating: Much like Magick, Rituals have a default er incredibly rare reagents are required to use such devilish Difficulty Rating to use Incantation. Unlike Magick, how- 319 ever, there aren’t any consequences for Critically Succeeding Skill Ranks you possess in Incantation. You may only com- (or Critically Failing) your Incantation Test. The Gamemas- mand a number of Mindless Undead equal your Willpower ter may adjust these Difficulty Ratings with the same con- Bonus (WB) at once, but may replace those which have been sideration of circumstances spoken of when casting Magick. Slain! through continued use of this Ritual.

Consequences: Some Rituals require a part of your soul, 1 SKILL RANK IN INCANTATION corrupting you from within. Others may tear away at others Difficulty Rating: (Routine +10%) Incantation Test around you. Sometimes the consequences come as a part of successfully conducting the Ritual, and other time conse- You give unlife to corpses, turning them into creatures called quences come about regardless if you are successful or not. a Crypt Skeleton or Reanimated Corpse. These supernatu- These distinctions are covered in each Ritual’s listing. rally-arisen beings can be controlled by you, understanding simple yet distinct orders (such as march, follow, sit, attack, Ritual Effect: A Ritual’s effects vary widely, with each hav- die). They must remain within a distance where you can vis- ing a series of results which follow. Sometimes, the effects are ibly see them, or else collapses into a heap of useless bones followed by additional circumstances which may inherently and decrepit skin, Slain! where they once stood. change the Ritual. 2 SKILL RANKS IN INCANTATION AWAKEN THE DEAD Difficulty Rating: (Standard +/-0%) Incantation Test The only greater blasphemy than the summation of the Abyss is perhaps the reincarnation of the restless dead. You give unlife to corpses, turning them into creatures called Their unliving are ripped from the beyond, unceremoni- Draugr. Unlike the aforementioned undead, you do not have ously tossed back into decrepit bodies and ordered to serve to remain within distance in order to control them. They can at a moment’s notice. The ritual involves first obtaining the obey more complex commands (kill anyone who trespasses, corpse of that you wish to revive, or possibly pieces of several protect your burial chamber, roam the halls, etc…). However, corpses if a full one can not be found. It is placed in a cir- Draugr cannot leave the confines of the chambers they were cle of salt, with six black candles surrounding it. The candles originally interred within, elsewise they turn to a fine dust, are snuffed by purple Winds, as screaming spirits are torn Slain! where they once stood. through the Aethereal Veil, swirling around in pain and tor- 3 SKILL RANKS IN INCANTATION ment before being thrust back into their old bodies. These awakened dead become mindless thralls, at the beck and call Difficulty Rating: (Challenging -10%) Incantation Test of whoever brought them up. There is a common conjecture You give unlife to corpses, turning them into creatures called that only sorcerers who study the Magick of the undead and Tenebrae. Much like the Draugr, you do not have remain necromancy can summon these wretches. However, this is within distance to control them. They can obey extremely not true, as long as the caster wields a Wytchstone scepter, complex commands, possessing a predatorial intelligence, even the most experienced of farmhands could soon have but yet will serve to your best interests. Tenebrae can only their steads overrun with the mindless, walking dead. operate at night, otherwise when exposed to daylight, they Casting Time: One hour turn into dust upon the wind, Slain! where they once stood.

Reagents: A shard of Wytchstone affixed into a staff or rod, BIND ABYSSAL FAMILIAR corpses placed within a Magick Circle, epsom salt and six Countless terrible spirits dwell within the wroll of the candles (all of which are expended). Abyss, but not all of them are powerful enough to ascend Condition: The corpses you wish to awaken must be placed into demonhood. Many are trickster-wretches, chaotic be- inside a Magick Circle. ings who long to be released into the Material Realm. The most vain of magisters will harness these spirits, binding one Channel Power: As Lesser Magick permanently into their service to be a servant and a Magickal conduit. The rite to summon one of these impish spirits in- Difficulty Rating: Special volves filling a bronze censer with incense and Wytchstone. Consequences: You suffer 9 Corruption every time you con- Once alight, the acrid smoke drifts up and congeals in an duct this Ritual. inky blackness, and with a blinding flash the familiar appears - devoted to the caster as much as an insane spirit can be. Ritual Effects: You can give unlife to a number of Mindless These familiars take on simple forms to disguise themselves Undead, equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB), with this Rit- from mortals, often in the shape that would otherwise be ual. The type of Mindless Undead is determined by how many innocuous from a harmless small mammal - insufferably cute 320 to belie its nature (perhaps a beloved household pet such as that would not mesh with their chaotic nature. You will make a kitten, piglet, puppy or even a small child). However, the a Secret Test referencing your Bargain Skill. The Difficulty familiar’s craven nature oftentimes puts itself at odds with Rating will be determined by the Gamemaster, in consider- your goals, tempting you towards damnation. Strangely, the ation of the relationship between you and the Imp. If you suc- Imp never ages - remaining small and never maturing in size. ceed, the Imp will kowtow to your request. If you Critically They must feed, however, to maintain their form and phys- Succeed, the Imp will do precisely as you ask, and owe you ical presence in this reality. They often leave the confines of a favor (which you can cash in upon the next time this same their master’s domicile at night, teleporting away to suck the Secret Test is required). If you fail, the Imp will simply re- blood of newborns and steal the livers of old drunkards. If fuse, and chide you for being a “little goody two-shoes”. If you worst comes to worst, their master can also provide them Critically Fail, the Imp will not agree to any demand again - with sustenance through the taste of their own blood - an until you feed it your own blood or the blood of a freshly-slain unusual, but oftentimes fulfilled demand. The familiar has Small Animal. If you choose to make this sacrifice, you drop many tricks up its sleeve to aid its master, and the risks asso- one step down the Damage Condition Track (albeit not suf- ciated with binding them to your service are well worth the fering an Injury). If you feed a Small Animal to the Imp, you exchange in power. suffer 3 Corruption. Casting Time: One week BLESSED SACRAMENT Reagents: A shard of Wytchstone pulverized (expended) Considered to be the most common of convocations among into a bronze censer. You must also handcraft an effigy made the priesthood, the Blessed Sacrament is practiced among from mud, clay, dung and the innards of a small Humanoid most faiths. From the paltriest of preachers to the largest of creature. legates, the sacrament is an observance of the favor a god be- stows upon their faithful. Each of these services enumerates Condition: You must know the True Name of a Butler De- the grace of their deity, a visible sign of worship that shows mon, which is spoken aloud. the earthly and spiritual pledge each has given. Yet, even the most vile of denominations - and “Demoninmations” - prac- Channel Power: As Lesser Magick tice Blessed Sacraments to honor themselves before a god. Difficulty Rating: (Challenging -10%) Incantation Test Casting Time: One hour Consequences: You can only call one familiar into your ser- Reagents: An object or person intended to be blessed that vice at a time, but you gain 1 permanent Chaos Rank upon you can touch, a holy book or other religious work read aloud conducting this Ritual. This Rank can never be erased from and no less than three observers who give worship to the god your Character sheet. you invoke. Ritual Effects: You gain the loyal service of a liaison to the Condition: Holy water must be placed in a Consecrated re- Abyss called an Imp. You share an empathic link to the Imp, ceptacle. The person you intend to Dedicate must be a will- up to one mile away. Additionally, you can use the Imp as an ing subject. You must also possess the Special Trait of Divine an Aethereal conduit, using it as an extension of yourself for Magick. sight, hearing and touch when it come to casting Magick, providing it remains within your line of vision. Fortunately, Channel Power: As Petty Magick the Imp can see perfectly in the dark - much to your advan- tage. The Imp always miraculously avoids harm by others, Difficulty Rating: (Routine +10%) turning Aethereal at will. It possesses extremely high intelli- Consequences: Special gence, and you can commune with it at any time. Finally, you can project your voice through the Imp. Ritual Effects: Blessed Sacrament can be used for three unique purposes: Once per day, you may call upon an Imp’s true infernal pow- er. The powers they grant are always at random, and some- CONSECRATION times not to your benefit. The Gamemaster will reference You solemnly dedicate an altar, chalice, plate, relic or a sym- these powers (called Impish Delights) under the entry for bol to a god you serve. Symbols which have been Consecrat- a Butler Demon. Invoking their powers requires you to be ed are permanently dedicated to your god, now considered standing within 3 yards of the Imp. to be a holy symbol. While holding a Consecrated object, Whenever your Order Ranks exceed your Chaos Ranks, the you may ignore up to 1 Corruption whenever you fail to cast Imp may disobey your commands, rebelling against actions Magicks or Channel Power. You may only take advantage of 321 one Consecrated object at a time. (expended).

CREATE HOLY WATER Condition: When casting, you must sacrifice a Man-Eater You bestow a god’s favor upon one vial of water or wine, to call a Lower Demon or a Humanoid of your own race to turned into holy water. Holy water is useful as a reagent for call a Higher Demon. You must also have casted a Magick Magicks, Rituals, administered to diseased patients and as Circle beforehand, and remain inside of it. Should you leave a weapon against Supernatural creatures. Holy water must the Magick Circle while bargaining with the demon, it be kept in a sacred vial, made from clay or glass, as metal breaks the Ritual as the demon is unleashed into the Mate- is a forbidden receptacle to contain holy water (otherwise rial Realm for one day. spoiling). Channel Power: As Greater Magick

DEDICATION Difficulty Rating: Special You conduct the rite of Dedication at the threshold of a door, over the cornerstone of a building or upon the forehead of Consequences: A demon will remain contained in the tri- a person. If you dedicate the threshold of a door or a cor- angle for one hour, but you gain 1 permanent Chaos Rank nerstone of a building, it remains so for a number of weeks upon conducting this Ritual. This Rank can never be erased equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Dedicated thresholds from your Character sheet. and cornerstones prevent Abyssal creatures from trespassing Ritual Effects: You call audience with a Lower or Higher within, requiring an invitation by its chief inhabitant or the Demon, depending on the True Name you called out. The caster of the Dedication (such as being ritually summoned demon takes the shape of something of your worst night- or compelled). Dedication of a person allows them to re-roll mares: perhaps a ruby-skinned minotaur enshrouded with any failed Skill Tests whenever they may fall beneath the smoke, a dark-haired child with burning yellow eyes, a goat charm or control of an Abyssal creature: it lasts a number of with the face of a man, a terrible chimera with multiple days equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). heads or even your grandmother with hooked hands and a CALL DEMONIC SERVANT head crowned with horns. Whilst inside a triangle of con- tainment, the demon will not attempt to cause you harm, “Do not call up what you can not put down”; this is the un- however it may attempt to compel, confuse or even lie to you. official mantra of thaumaturgists, a warning to not deal with powers outside of your own capabilities. Truly no Magick FAUSTIAN BARGAIN can be controlled, but there are understandable limits. Some Once the demon is summoned, it will remain bound inside wish to break this limit, cavorting with beings of pure energy the triangle of containment for precisely one hour until dis- and Magick to enforce their will - these are the foul demons appearing back to the Abyss. During this time, you may at- of the Abyss. Uncaring, capricious and powerful, demons lan- tempt to bargain for its service, ordering it to carry out one guish in the endless pit, unable to take physical form in the maleficent and potentially diabolical command. The types of Material Realm, until some foolhardy demonologist takes it services vary, but here are a few example requests that may be upon themselves to draw upon powers they do not know the made to a demon by its classification: magnitude of. The ritual is long and bloody, varied slightly by LOWER DEMON the demon being called: for example, summoning a demon who serves the Abyssal Prince of Violence requires a bloody Difficulty Rating: (Hard -20%) Incantation Test  Taint water source, such as a mill pond or lake sacrifice, while one who bows to the Abyssal Prince of Decay  requires consuming filth. The demonic servant arises from a Bring about a plague to a village  Force an unwilling victim into marriage with another triangle of containment, as if constructed from gore while  Aethereally bonded together in the Material Realm. Once Cause an unwilling victim to be filled with lust for an- other fully manifested, the demon makes a contract with its con-  voker for its service. These contracts are rife with loopholes Produce a bountiful harvest for one farm  Bestow a Disease upon a person you can name and clauses, almost always ending with the demon being the  one actually controlling the deal. Blight a single harvest from a village  Cause a jury to find someone guilty or innocent, despite Casting Time: One hour the truth  Allow someone who is currently interred in a donjon to Reagents: A bronze censer filled with incense, a ritual dirk find freedom made from a shard of Wytchstone, a triangle of containment  Tell you the True Name of another Lower Demon inscribed upon the ground, an ink pot (expended) and True  Turn brass pennies (bp) into false silver shilling (ss) for Name of a demon you wish to call written on a sacred scroll 322 thirteen days INSCRIBE MAGICK RUNE  Teach the summoner how to use any one Petty or Lesser Language is one of the few things that separate humanoids Magick spell from the beasts, a consistent way of communicating through  Fight for the summoner one time in the near future for writing and words that flows across culture. Writing has not 1D10+1 Turns at any point its True Name is invoked always been the same, as it has changed and grown over time. HIGHER DEMON But many scholars have found evidence of a proto-language, one that existed before man stalked the earth - a language Difficulty Rating: (Arduous -30%) Incantation Test thought to be the very utterances of the gods, or perhaps even  Seek audience with the summoner with a powerful per- demons. These Runes are carved upon ancient stone mono- sonality or otherwise unreachable powerful individual liths and in the deepest caves, emanating power. Dwarven  Destroy a single building, whether it’s a wayshrine, incanter-blacksmiths have seen the power in these scribings, townhouse, church, manse or castle and have struck them into the designs of armor, weapons and  Create discord between two trusted officials shields. What is found is the Runes are a bane to the mon-  Bestow a Disorder upon a person you can name strous, perhaps serving as a reminder of times when they were  Render a person who you name impotent or infertile bound by divine providence. They are not wards against Abys-  Tell you the True Name of another Lower or Higher sal or Supernatural creatures either - even Humanoids feel a Demon strange primordial compulsion from them. Striking Runes is a  Strip an individual of all their monies fairly simple and short process, but unfortunately not perma-  Grant wealth equal to nine year’s wage nent. Only the oral histories of the dwarves foretell of rune-  Grant control over a host of creature which are Beasts or smiths who can emblazon their maker’s mark permanently, Mutants girding their wielders against the chaotic horrors of the world.  Immediately assassinate a person who you can name  Turn brass pennies (bp) or silver shillings (ss) into false Casting Time: Special gold coins (gc) for thirteen days  Teach the summoner how to use any one Greater Magick Reagents: One powder of Wytchstone Essence for Appren- spell tice Runes, two powders of Wytchstone Essence for Jour-  Fight for the summoner one time in the near future for neyman Runes or three powders of Wytchstone Essence for 1D10+1 Turns at any point its True Name is invoked Master Runes (all are expended). You must also have access to a workshop and a suit of armor, shield or weapon - crafted Then, the Gamemaster will have you make a Secret Test using by your hands - which possesses the Castle-forged Quality. your Bargain Skill. The Difficulty Rating will be determined Condition: You must have the Skill Focus: Runesmith in by the Gamemaster, in consideration of the service you wish Incantation. to have carried out by the demon. If you succeed, the demon will carry through with the service, immediately disappear- Channel Power: As Lesser Magick ing afterwards. If you Critically Succeed, the demon will carry through with the service, disappear and leave you with one Difficulty Rating: Varies shard of Wytchstone in the triangle of containment. If you Consequences: Temporary Runes lasting for a number fail, the demon will twist your words against you, carry out the of days equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB). Permanent request in a way that pleases them (but does not fulfil your re- Runes are inscribed until the item is destroyed. quest) and immediately disappears afterwards. If you Critical- ly Fail, the ritual dirk is destroyed, and the demon will attempt Ritual Effects: You inscribe any single Rune on a suit of to force you out of the Magick Circle. You must Resist with a armor, shield or weapon. Each Rune grants different abilities successful Resolve Test or be made victim to Terror, forced to to the person that wields the item. However, no item can flee until you find relative safety or an hour passes. As before, bear more than three Apprentice Runes, two Journeyman a Gamemaster will never tell you the result of this Secret Test Runes or one Master Rune, nor can an item ever have more unless it’s a Critical Success or Critical Failure. than three Runes upon it. Note that a caster may attempt to Call Demonic Servant RULE OF THREE with a false True Name or even its Call Name. If this is the To Inscribe Magick Rune, there are three rules which are case, you must flip the result to fail when when attempting immutable to the process: the Faustian Bargain which the Gamemaster will only re- veal at the most inopportune moment. Additionally, mispro- RULE ONE: INSCRIBE TIME nouncing the True Name may have other drawbacks. Every Rune takes a specific amount of time to inscribe upon 323 a suit of armor, shield or weapon. This is done with a very Apprentice precise hand, requiring intense focus as even the smallest of Effect imperfections can potentially ruin the entire process. You can Runes inscribe any Rune temporarily, but must have went through Weapons inscribed with this rune allows a the process to learn the Rune properly to make its effects Rune of user to roll twice when making attacks with permanent. Fehu ranged weapons, selecting the higher of the two results. Providing you’re not in a hurry, you don’t need to make a Skill Weapons inscribed with this rune adds +1 Test to inscribe the Rune. Depending on whether you’re in- Rune of Ur scribing it temporarily or as a permanent Rune, it determines Damage. the time required to inscribe it. Shields inscribed with this rune allows a Rune of user to roll twice when Parrying, selecting RULE TWO: EMPOWERMENT CYCLE Thurisaz the higher of the two results. After a Rune has been inscribed, immediately attempt an Incantation Test to empower the Rune. Weapons inscribed with this rune allows a Rune of user to roll twice when making attacks with If you succeed, you inscribe the Rune and may move onto Ansuz melee weapons, selecting the higher of the the final step to bind it to the suit of armor, shield or weap- two results. Shields inscribed with this rune can on. If you Critically Succeed, the Rune is inscribed and you Rune of be used to Parry weapons with the may skip the final step, as it’s now bound. If you fail, you Raido Gunpowder Quality. must attempt the empowerment cycle over again, 24 hours later. If you Critically Fail, the item turns to dust, irrevocably Rune of Armor inscribed with this rune adds +1 to destroyed. Kaunan Damage Threshold.

RULE THREE: BINDING TIME Weapons inscribed with this rune allows Rune of Once the empowerment cycle is completed, you must begin a user to roll Fury Dice twice, taking the Gyfu to chant and recitation the oral histories tied to the ancient better of the two results. Rune. This doesn’t require any Skill Tests, requiring several Shields inscribed with this rune can be hours to complete the process. Rune of held aloft to ignore an enemy’s Combat Wynn Bonus (CB) in consideration of Damage Once it is bound, the suit of armor, shield or weapon is now reduction from ranged weapons. considered to be “struck” by one Rune. GENERAL TYPES OF RUNES JOURNEYMAN RUNE All Runes are categorized beneath three general categories Inscribe Time: Six minutes for temporary, two hours for of types, as illustrated below. Depending on the Rune type, it permanent determines how to inscribe, empower and bind: Empower Difficulty Rating: (Standard +/-0%) Incantation APPRENTICE RUNE Test Inscribe Time: Three minutes for temporary, one hour for Binding Time: 2D10+2 days permanent These Runes are slightly more complex, containing stops and Empower Difficulty Rating: (Routine +10%) Incantation jagged edges an apprentice can easily forget. They provide Test more significant changes to abilities, and they can be paired with an Apprentice Rune. They glow a fiery red when acti- Binding Time: 1D10+1 days vated. These Runes are simple and only contain basic lines, making them ideal for beginners. They only provide small changes to abilities, but three of them can be placed on any singular item. They glow a cool blue when activated.

324 Journeyman Master Effect Effect Runes Runes

Weapons inscribed with this rune Armor inscribed with this rune allows its Rune of Rune of automatically destroys weapons and shields bearer to automatically succeed Resolve Haglaz Tiwaz when purposefully struck with Splinter Tests when confronted by Mutant creatures. Shield. Weapons inscribed with this rune glows like a torch upon command. It provides Armor inscribed with this rune allows its Rune of Rune of a significant amount of heat and light, bearer to automatically succeed Resolve Tests Naudiz Berkanan equivalent to a torch. Its flames are when confronted by Abyssal creatures. considered to be Moderately Dangerous. Weapons inscribed with this rune Rune of Armor inscribed with this rune allows automatically ignores Damage Threshold Ehwaz Rune of Isaz its bearer to gain one free Fortune Point Modifier from armor when causing Damage. whenever a Combat Encounter begins. Shields inscribed with this rune can be held Shields inscribed with this rune can be Rune of aloft to cause all enemies to see it to Resist Rune of held aloft to cause all allies to automatically Mannaz Heran Parry ranged and melee weapons by with Resolve or be made victim to Fear. spending 1 Fortune Point. Weapons inscribe with this rune can be Rune of Armor inscribed with this rune allows its Rune of leveled toward any Magick effect, dispelling Laguz bearer to ignore all Injuries. Eihwaz it (as if affected by Dispel Magick). Weapons inscribed with this rune may flip Shields inscribed with this rune can be held Rune of Rune of the results to succeed any Combat-based Skill aloft to cause all allies to ignore the effects Inguin Pirum Tests to strike. of the Intimidate Skill and to ignore Fear.

Weapons inscribed with this rune Rune of Weapons inscribed with this rune will return Rune of automatically renders a Stunning Blow to Odal to the user’s hand once thrown or shot. Algiz any opponent as they suffer Damage. Shields inscribed with this rune can be Armor inscribed with this rune allows its Rune of held aloft to cause all enemies to suffer Rune of bearer to ignore the effects of Stunning Dagaz from Litany of Hatred, while allies gain the Sowilo Blow and Chokehold benefits of Inspiring Words.

MASTER RUNE PERMANENT MAGICK RUNES Inscribe Time: Nine minutes for temporary, three hours for Any Rune can be temporarily inscribed to a suit of armor, permanent shield or weapon. Unless you have learned the specific Rune, Empower Difficulty Rating: (Challenging -10%) Incanta- it can never be inscribed permanently. The only way to learn tion Test how to properly inscribe a Rune permanently, you must be taught by a Runesmith. However, most Runesmiths jealous- Binding Time: 3D10+3 days ly guard the secrets of this Magick. These Runes are passed down by word of mouth, surprisingly never found upon sa- These Runes are exceedingly powerful and rarely seen out- cred scrolls or even contained in Dwarven grimoires of old. side of the workshops of craftsmen. Their forms are elegant, Runecrafting is a discipline taught from parent to child, the complex, and lend mighty power to whoever wields them. art secreted by the clans. So taciturn is the runic process They are so powerful, they can be the only Rune placed on that entire clans possess a unique monopoly on their Runes, an item. They glow a brilliant yellow-white when activated. shared with no others This also means that no one Rune- smith could possibly craft all Runes.

Once you commit to learning a new Rune, you can only spend time learning that specific Rune. You cannot study multiple Runes at once. 325 REQUIREMENTS you must begin practicing anew from the start. Critically Fail- As described before, Runes are categorized into general, ing, however, means you can never learn this Rune. broad categories. Each has different requirements to learn. You must have at least one Skill Rank in Incantation to learn STEP IV: PERMANENTLY Apprentice Runes, two Skill Ranks in Incantation to learn RECORD THE RUNE Journeyman Runes and three Skill Ranks in Incantation to In all cases, once you have succeeded or Critically Succeeded learn Master Runes. to learn the Rune, you must incinerate the sacred scroll in flames, using the ashes mixed with an ink pot (which are STEP 1: CREATE SACRED SCROLL both expended) to author the spell into your arcane tome In order to learn a Rune, you must begin the learning process or prayer book. This step permanently etches the Rune into (which is traditionally limited to Dwarves only, unless your your mind, so that you may cast it at any time without look- Gamemaster states otherwise). You record the intricate, com- ing at the runic formula. Additionally, it allows you to use plex runic scribblings temporarily on parchment or whatever your arcane tome or prayer book to Channel Power later on. material you have handy, creating a sacred scroll. Generally, it takes one hour to record an Apprentice Rune, two hours Once the ink has dried, you must finally spend either 100 for a Journeyman Rune and three hours for a Master Rune. Reward Points for an Apprentice Rune, 200 Reward Points Recording the Rune doesn’t require any Skill Tests. Howev- for a Journeyman Rune or 300 Reward Points for a Master er, merely recording it doesn’t necessarily mean you can learn Rune to complete the ceremony. Once complete, you may it yet. This is only the beginning of the process. now permanently etch Runes into armor, shields and swords without aid of your arcane tome or prayer book. Be sure to STEP II: PRACTICE NEW RUNE track the Runes you know under Unique Advances on your During this time, you will practice brushstrokes for symbols Character Sheet. in black chalk, intone the words and procession of strikes on You may only ever learn a number of Apprentice Runes, the anvil and the proper use of the reagent. In order to learn Journeyman Runes and Master Runes equal to your Intel- how to use the Rune, you must first acquire the reagent - in ligence Bonus (IB). This means that if you have an Intelli- this case, either one, two or three powders of Wytchstone gence Bonus (IB) of 5, you may learn five Apprentice, five Essence. During this time, you will practice the inscription Journeyman and five Master Runes. process, the incantations needed for empowerment and the final steps for binding the Rune. MAGICK CIRCLE After that, you’ll spend one week in ceremony to practice Opening a rift to the Abyss through the Aethereal Veil can the new Apprentice Rune, two weeks in ceremony for a new be extremely dangerous. Magick is not a simple parlour trick Journeyman Rune or three weeks total for a Master Rune. or a bending of light - its practitioners tap into realms of pure chaos and potential to draw forth unnatural power. The hours, along with the days spent in ceremony, are sacred Each incantation comes with a risk of damnation, the curse to both arcane and divine magicians. These days need not be of all that power eating away at your body and soul. Howev- consecutive though. But the days you commit to the ceremo- er, the does not mean there have not been researched meth- ny cannot be disturbed, or else you must begin anew. ods to lessen this impact. Indeed, many mages are people of STEP III: FINALIZE RESEARCH science, not only using their power but studying it for further applications. Certain circles of power, made from the dust Once you finish practicing, you’ll make an Incantation Test of a crushed Wytchstone, have proved to lessen the impact to see if your research was successful, with the category of of the Aetherial Winds as they storm around a caster. These Rune setting the Difficulty Rating; Apprentice Runes is forms take on a myriad of shapes, but all of them possess an- (Routine +10%), Journeyman Runes is (Standard +/-0%) cient symbols written in their circumferences that arcanists and Master Runes is (Challenging -10%). This Difficulty are reluctant to tell the meaning of. This Magick Circle is Rating may be augmented or penalized, depending on the very delicate, however: any disturbance or slight shifting in place you study and additional supplies - or lack thereof - by its form breaks the protective barrier and allows the ruinous the Gamemaster. energies to seep through. Though these circles are temporary, Upon success, you finalize your research and are ready to re- ancient ruins and some powerful wizards contain either par- cord the Rune into your arcane tome or prayer book, but must tial or full engraved circles, carved into the very floor to serve spend Reward Points to record it. If you rolled a Critical Suc- as a permanent aid. cess, you both finalize your research and need not spend Re- Casting Time: One minute (3 Action Points) ward Points to record it. Failing the Incantation Test means 326 Reagents: Epsom salt, poured onto the ground around you or on top of water. Earthen Gnomes cannot be summoned in the shape of a circle (expended) unless standing on natural ground. Fire Salamanders cannot be summoned over a body of water and Water Undines can Condition: You must stand inside the Magick Circle to take only be summoned in water. advantage of its benefits. You must also possess the Special Trait of Arcane Magick. Channel Power: As Greater Magick

Channel Power: As Petty Magick Difficulty Rating: (Hard -20%) Incantation Test

Difficulty Rating: (Easy +20%) Incantation Test Consequences: Providing you are not Incapacitated!, are awake and can see it, an Aetheric Spirit will remain under Consequences: A Magick Circle will last for a number of your control for an hour, guaranteeing you are able to exert hours equal to your Willpower Bonus (WB) control over it. You may control an Aetheric Spirit beyond Ritual Effects: A Magick Circle allows you to re-roll any this, but you must lower your Peril Condition Track by one Chaos Dice that may land on a face “6” whenever Channeling step immediately and for every hour beyond that in which Power. This means that if you had rolled 3D6 Chaos Dice, and you wish to continue controlling it. it came up with two face “6”s, you can re-roll both those dice Ritual Effects: You summon forth an elemental spirit: either to generate a more favorable result. an Air Sylph, an Earthen Gnome, a Fire Salamander or a If the circle is broken; meaning, you step outside of it or oth- Water Undine within a few yards near you. ers step into it, it is ruined and no longer protects you. Once an Aetheric Spirit is summoned, you must attempt to exert mental control over its elemental brain. You will make SUMMON AETHERIC SPIRIT a Secret Test using your Resolve Skill. The Difficulty Rat- Beyond the Material Realm lay the Aethereal Veil. Within ing will be determined by the Gamemaster, in consideration it, raw chaos - creation left unchecked - float wildly among of any dangers that surround you. Naturally, this Difficulty the endless void. Collecting into four distinct elemental spir- Rating will be substantially easier if you are under no du- its, they represent an age unknown, when stars collided and ress of any kind. If you succeed, the Aetheric Spirit will obey where these energies crashed together to forge the world as your every command. If you Critically Succeed, the Aethe- we know it. These same untamed spirits can be drawn into ric Spirit will obey your every command, and may ignore its the Material Realm, taking physical manifestation in either Trait of Physical Instability. If you fail, the Aetheric Spir- air, earth, fire or water. Without any real sense of identity it will simply refuse to obey you, and you may attempt to or intelligence, Aetheric Spirits assumes the shape of the exert control a minute later. If you Critically Fail, however, first creatures that crawled forth from primordial ooze in the the Aetheric Spirit will break its bonds and takes random dawn age. Lacking any sense of intelligence, a summoner can actions, but disappears until summoned again at the end of control these spirits to obey their every whim, guaranteeing an hour. During this time, roll Percentile Dice to determine their steely minds are not torn asunder by the realization that what happens at the beginning of each of its Turns: they control the same raw natural forces which forged both men and gods. Percentile Aetheric Spirit Rage Dice Casting Time: One hour

Reagents: Each summoned spirit requires a specific set of 1 to 20 The Aetheric Spirit does nothing. reagents, all of which are expended at the end of the ceremo- The Aetheric Spirit attacks the nearest foe of ny. A Gryphon’s egg cracked into a marble bowl is required 21 to 40 to summon an Air Sylph. A Basilisk’s eye buried beneath a the summoner. heavy rock is required to summon an Earthen Gnome. A The Aetheric Spirit attacks the nearest ally 41 to 60 Chimaera’s heart burnt within a bronze censer is required to of the summoner. summon a Fire Salamander. A Shimmering Mimic’s brain drown in a bucket of piss is required to summon a Water 61 to 80 The Aetheric Spirit attacks the summoner Undine. Also, you will need a shard of Wytchstone affixed into a staff or a rod, held aloft while exerting mental control The Aetheric Spirit immediately disappears 81 to 100 over the Aetheric Spirit. until summoned once again.

Condition: Each Aetheric Spirit has a natural habitat and Note that a caster cannot summon multiple Aetheric Spirits weaknesses. Air Sylphs cannot be summoned underground at once. 327 TALISMANS IDENTIFYING AN UNKNOWN TALISMAN True Talismans don’t regularly advertise if they’ve been en- There are “talismans”, and then there are Talismans. Called sorcelled with Magick. The only way to determine the effects by a variety of names: amulet, fetish, juju or totem, a Talis- of a Talisman is to successfully cast Wytchsight, which im- man is crafted with distinct care by both divine and arcane mediately reveals the effects placed upon the Talisman. magicians to ward away terrible afflictions and to bring luck. There are a garden variety of Talismans which do not work; EXAMPLE TALISMANS unfortunately, a result of the chaotic nature in Wytchstone. The following represents a number of Talismans and their However, some hold true potency and are passed down from related effects. This list is by no means exhaustive, but should generation to generation. provide some ideas about names and related function: Talismans are never sold in shops; they’re carefully-tended items of ancestry, sometimes given to a child at the time of their birth, at the time of death to a loved one or even as an honor bestowed upon a would-be adventurer who’d ran enough errands for an errant wizard as a reward for a lifetime of service. Some Talisman takes the shape of a ring, an amu- let or piece of jewelry. They come in all shapes and sizes, and no two Talisman are alike. However, Talismans never take the form of a suit of armor, shield or weapon.

IMBUING A TALISMAN Talisman can be imbued into a keepsake; worn by the user. Only one keepsake can be imbued at a time:

 One keepsake: (Hard -20%) Incantation Test

To have a chance at preparing a Talisman, a preparer must have a Skill Rank in Incantation, a personal keepsake, have access to have access to a laboratory with their arcane tome or prayer book, a shard of Wytchstone (which is expended) and be left uninterrupted for at least 1D10+1 days.

With a successful Alchemy Test, you imbue the keepsake into a Talisman. A Critical Success imbues one keepsake and allows you to retain the Wytchstone for later use. Failure re- sults in expending the Wytchstone without success, whereas a Critical Failure has the same result as above and causes you to suffer 2D10+2 Damage from fire.

As the Ritual is completed, it can grant a +5 Base Chance bonus to any one Skill (and only that Skill). The Talisman must then be given a specific name. The name should follow the form or function of the Talisman. Some suggestions in- clude Lucky Chucks for soft shoes which grants speed with Coordination, the Golden Eye of Chaos which grants extra- sensory perception with Incantation or perhaps The Stone in the case of a necklace which grants courage with Resolve. Once the Skill benefits are determined and the Talisman is named, the imbuement is complete. Successfully-prepared Talismans continue to grant their benefits, until they are de- stroyed. No matter how many Talismans you wear, you can ever only take advantage of one Talisman at a time.

328 Percentile Talisman Description Effect Dice 1 to 2 A Simpler Time Wooden hair comb with copper insets Gain +5 Base Chance to Bargain Furled-up painting depicting a family 3 to 4 Ancestral Shame Gain +5 Base Chance to Folklore member 5 to 6 Beast Stride Snake-skinned riding boots Gain +5 Base Chance to Ride Gain +5 Base Chance to 7 to 8 Black Baron’s Ring Signet ring missing the center stone Interrogation Well-worn ancestral token of a heretical Gain +5 Base Chance to 9 to 10 Blasphemous Lineage sect Skulduggery 11 to 12 Blessed Warhorn Old war horn of brass and copper Gain +5 Base Chance to Leadership

13 to 14 Bootsie’s Tenth Life Straw doll with a cat’s skeletal head Gain +5 Base Chance to Stealth

15 to 16 Call of the Sea Sodalite bracelet Gain +5 Base Chance to Navigation Smoking pipe stained yellow from 17 to 18 Captain’s Smokestack Gain +5 Base Chance to Toughness generations of use Neckerchief whose colors shift when 19 to 20 Chameleon Cloth Gain +5 Base Chance to Disguise doused in water Small, impenetrable lockbox without a Gain +5 Base Chance to 21 to 22 Chest of Secrets keyhole Skulduggery 23 to 24 Coin of Ruin Unidentifiable coin from an age before Gain +5 Base Chance to Bargain Gain +5 Base Chance to Martial 25 to 26 Cracked Brooch Brooch that never seems to stay pinned Ranged 27 to 28 Curia Oculorum Pair of gold-rimmed spectacles Gain +5 Base Chance to Awareness

29 to 30 Dancing Shoes Silken boots Gain +5 Base Chance to Drive

31 to 32 Death’s Knucklebones Set of bone dice with skeleton pips Gain +5 Base Chance to Gamble

33 to 34 Egg of Eternity Tarnished Nuremberg egg Gain +5 Base Chance to Tradecraft

35 to 36 Eye of the Leviathan Mariner’s telescope Gain +5 Base Chance to Navigation

37 to 38 Flintlock Match Fancy flint and steel lighter Gain +5 Base Chance to Survival Hardened piece of amber with an insect 39 to 40 Fossil Stone Gain +5 Base Chance to Survival within it 41 to 42 Grandpa’s Night Out Fancy hat fitted with peacock feathers Gain +5 Base Chance to Athletics

43 to 44 Grisly Trophy Necklace of monstrous teeth Gain +5 Base Chance to Survival

45 to 46 Harken Earhorn Bronze ear trumpet Gain +5 Base Chance to Eavesdrop

47 to 48 Hidden Stash Snuff box full of something unidentifiable Gain +5 Base Chance to Gamble

49 to 50 Kerchief of Apologies Blood-stained handkerchief Gain +5 Base Chance to Charm

329 Percentile Talisman Cont. Description Effect Dice 51 to 52 Lament of Ages Dented crier’s bell Gain +5 Base Chance to Rumor Gain +5 Base Chance to Simple 53 to 54 Locks of Love Cloak woven from your ancestor’s hair Ranged 55 to 56 Lonely Key Skeleton key to a chastity belt Gain +5 Base Chance to Guile

57 to 58 Lucky Silver Deck of cards edged in silver Gain +5 Base Chance to Gamble Gain +5 Base Chance to 59 to 60 Mother’s Little Helper Shiny brass flask Toughness 61 to 62 Objet d’Crouching One Jasper statuette of your deity Gain +5 Base Chance to Folklore Gain +5 Base Chance to Handle 63 to 64 Ol’ Black and Blue Grandfather’s dusty moose-knuckles Animal Gain +5 Base Chance to 65 to 66 Orphan’s Sorrow Frayed velvet hood Incantation Gain +5 Base Chance to 67 to 68 Quillion of Paradise Writing quill made from an exotic bird Coordination 69 to 70 Restless Sleep Moth-eaten death shroud Gain +5 Base Chance to Heal Gain +5 Base Chance to 71 to 72 Rubrik’s Box Strange baroque puzzlebox Scrutinize 73 to 74 Sachet of Tisane Perfumed linen bag Gain +5 Base Chance to Rumor

75 to 76 Shattered Memory Destroyed cameo necklace Gain +5 Base Chance to Charm Grisly-looking fingerbone with an Gain +5 Base Chance to 77 to 78 Signet of Darkness unremovable silver ring Incantation Tarnished spoon of a bendable, but 79 to 80 Silvertail Gain +5 Base Chance to Alchemy unbreakable metal Sharp straight razor engraved with “vorpal” Gain +5 Base Chance to Simple 81 to 82 Snicker-snack on it Melee 83 to 84 Sparse Shelter Threadbare parasol Gain +5 Base Chance to Disguise

85 to 86 Stoppered Phial Silver vial that cannot be opened Gain +5 Base Chance to Charm

87 to 88 Stygian Coat Unearthly-looking animal hide Gain +5 Base Chance to Pilot

89 to 90 Tenenbaum’s Jack Your grandfather’s old military surcoat Gain +5 Base Chance to Resolve Gain +5 Base Chance to 91 to 92 The Endless Dictionary Musty tome of blank pages Education Gain +5 Base Chance to Martial 93 to 94 The Good Eye Glass eye kept in a folded satchel Melee 95 to 96 Two Weeks Tin of “Dapper Dmitri” black hair oil Gain +5 Base Chance to Guile Gain +5 Base Chance to 97 to 98 Vanity’s Prize Polished steel mirror Counterfeit 99 to 100 War Ribbon Tattered red ribbon Gain +5 Base Chance to Warfare

330 CHAPTER 11: GAME MASTERY

nlike other tabletop role-playing games, ZWEIHÄNDER doesn’t have an implied setting. Instead, it fo- cuses upon a number of thematic elements, underpinning the narrative and mechanics presented through- Uout the work. Characters live in a desperate world, where society stands upon both existential and literal collapse. A hellish misery permeates society as a whole, where uncertainty and superstition abound. A brighter tomorrow exists, but only for a select few. Might makes right, order is born from chaos and the entire collapse of civilization inches closer and closer as balance is temporarily sustained. Universal balance is often achieved by the sacrifice of the downtrodden and misfortunate, so that their betters may go on living. What is the death of ten people, when ten thousand will survive as a result? In fact, selfish agendas are oftentimes hidden behind the shield of righteousness. Dystopic order, above all else, prevails over outright chaos. Ironically, the shadow of corruption influences every decision that leads towards the greater good, enticing the most noble of hosts with the promise of lucre and political gain.

GRIM & PERILOUS THEMES (chaos) is pitted against idealism of a better tomorrow This is not a story of good versus evil, but about truth (order). These two principles often blend together, feed- and consequences. It is a world cast in many shades of ing off one another in an eternal tug of war where there grey, but also with rare extremes of black and white. is no clear victor. Short-term solutions may be more dreadfully harmful Self-realization is as much of the story as is uncovering in the long run, but fits the ticket for what must be done the brutal truths of the world. While adventurers will now, unless everything is lost to indecision. Sacrifices uncover deeper mysteries, reveal double-dealings of up- must be made to realize a brighter outcome. The neces- standing men and expose corruption at its very core, will sary means to achieve order and balance requires tough they debase themselves in the process? Will they rise decision-making. above the brutal truths of the world, or root around in However, this isn’t a game of gratuitous violence for its filth, becoming alike their enemies? This conflict is at the sake of violence. In a grim & perilous world, death the forefront of every worthy grim & perilous adventure. means something. But compassion, forgiveness and sac- The campaign world and the many adventures Char- rifice means something greater. Pessimism, disillusion- acters will take part in are generally not about people ment and depravity are realized, but only when allowed who change the world. No; it is instead about a world to do so. Those who are willing to throw themselves into that changes the people within it. And the world should the jaws of hell - whether that hell may be kneeled be- present every terrible situation it can to lure adventur- fore a despicable noble who must be appeased, among ers towards utter chaos. The Characters’ struggle is un- a jury of witch hunters intent on burning an innocent like the archetypical hero of other tabletop role-playing man, breaking bread with one’s enemies or inside a de- games. They are not a near god-like warriors who must mon’s sanctuary who must be coerced to aid them. This save the village from an evil dragon. Instead, they are is a world where cynicism and disintegration of society everyday, normal people fighting for their convictions

331 while trying to retain their humanity. They may be riddled Adventurers may be full of tenacity, bravery and vision - yes with angst and verge towards delirious idealism, but should - but they are so very mortal and fragile. There is no Magick be urged back towards order and balance. While the Char- to easily revive the dead back to life; there is no tincture to acters are not “heroes” in a traditional fashion, they should reattach an arm severed by a wolf; there is no godly boon be willing to make short term sacrifices for the greater good, to wipe away the terrible visions of a friend being rended redemption for the evils they committed and a better life before your eyes in sacrifice to dark gods. It’s important to that awaits them in the beyond. Whether these sacrifices are remind players that they are not the arch-wizards and mar- made in the name of a liege lord, a thundering god, a set of tial masters found in other tabletop role-playing games. Nor, moral convictions or even their own sense of self-preserva- will they remain unsullied by the weight of their abuses. They tion, players should act - which means taking action! are terrified peasants turned heroes, half-mad prestidigita- tors, would-be pastors and opportunistic freebooters trying The following outlines several themes and inherent qualities to make their way in this world without sacrificing what re- that makes up a grim & perilous campaign world. While it mains of their dignity. is not necessary to adopt them in total, consider each sug- gestion whenever you begin to craft new adventures. And Not only does this extend to mortality, but morality as well: through repetition, players new to this play style will become a grim & perilous campaign world is not one of strict black better invested as they figure how how their Character fits and whites. There is no good or evil, just a perilous balanc- into these struggles. ing act between id and ego that even gnaws at the most de- spicable of inhuman beings. Society is often self-serving, GRIM ATTITUDES narcissistic and manipulative - not out of malice, but out of Make no mistake, Characters in ZWEIHÄNDER are not the fact they need to survive. When urban legends speak of near-godlike heroes who laugh at death with a sidelong the infamous quack barber surgeon who slit the throats of glance. Heroes in a grim & perilous setting are oftentimes his victims to rob them blind, people have a tendency to go normal townsfolk, people who were desperate enough to beat untrusting. Fortunately, these psychopaths are few and far their plowshares into swords and head out into the unknown. between. Desperate people do exist, yes but are unlikely to Adventurers are just a small handful of people, after all. Sure, murder unless there is plausible deniability for their crimes. they can make a difference in some people’s lives, but saving the country is the business of the emperor and his army, not a Your campaign world should be one of doubt and uncer- farm boy wielding a makeshift sword. There is no zero to hero tainty, keeping both intentions and dangers behind a veil of - there is zero to one, and then probably back to zero if the mystery. However, it should not be a world where players ask odds aren’t in their favor. It’s not to say that these individuals “what’s the point?” if their actions don’t have at least some cannot become kingmakers themselves. After all, those with good consequences. This requires a very careful balancing act nothing to lose have everything to gain. The nobility recogniz- to keep players invested into the world their Characters live es this flaw and uses it to their every advantage. Desperation in. They’ll be fighting for their own ideals, ones which lead and damnation often go hand in hand. But this provides op- to a better (and sometimes bitter) tomorrow. Every victory portunity to craft localized stories that play towards the things over chaos steadily chips away at the chokehold it has on the that are truly at risk: one’s livelihood, one’s friends and one’s world. Let your players relish when they are able to conquer personal successes. chaos at its roots, and let the outcomes bear fruit. While they don’t always have to tidily resolve every misgiving or per- Taking up the mantle of an adventurer is not an easy deci- ceived evil, it should give players a sense of satisfaction, even sion to make - average wisdom says adventure leads to near if their actions lead to a dark conclusion. Inaction have far certain death, with families often writing loved ones off the worse consequences than any action they elect to take. Don’t moment they start considering leather cuirasses and prop- make players gentle observers to the story! Put them right erly weighted bows. Death is assured. The odds are stacked into the thick of things, and encourage them to make deci- against them; the world is full of ancient beasts, fell and foul sions that have lasting consequences, for good and ill. They sorceries that proliferate the darkest reaches, fanatics who are the sole focus of the adventure; the world keeps spinning, seek to find heresies where there may be none and even cities and while things will happen unabated by their actions, the rife with corruption that poisons both the body and soul. microcosm of events that swirl around them should leave The proof is seen among the bones littering the road, blood ripples in their wake. pooled over strange stone effigies, still-smoking pyres in remote villages and discarded tabards of once-leal servants PERILOUS OUTCOMES who turned their stripe to truly understand the merciless re- In some tabletop role-playing games, optional systems are ality of what it means to be an adventurer. provided to make the game deadlier and “realistic”. More of- ten than not, a Gamemaster will ignore these rules because 332 they often come off as unwieldy or perhaps too time-con- calls have to be made where Corruption is either an assured suming. ZWEIHÄNDER also contains these rules, but thing, or indecision leads to terrible conclusions. You’ll learn instead of being optional, they are considered core and im- more about these mechanics later in this chapter. portant to the entire experience. As stated before, a grim & perilous campaign world is not one of magical warriors - it is IGNORANCE & SUPERSTITION one of real people in unfortunate situations. And real people In a grim & perilous world, the actual people living within have to eat, they get sick, must take time to recover from it and how they form their precognitions of the supernatural their wounds and some scars they gain - both mental and world around them is just as important as the creatures and physical - are just too deep to stitch closed. diseases that ravage the countryside.

This may seem intimidating at first from a rules perspective, Widespread education among the Social Classes is sorely but a lot of weight relies on the methods involved with heal- lacking, for a myriad of reasons. The few things a Burgher ing and suffering Injuries. As long as player Characters take understands is what’s relevant to their occupation: a farmer time to prepare, the rules for things like Starvation, Falling will know about seasonal patterns and when best to harvest and Frostbite only need to be referenced every once so great crops, a blacksmith will know how to work metals and re- often. Be sure to help the players understand that adventures forge broken kettles and so forth. They either learned these are not only about uncovering mysteries and fighting terrible things from a parent or apprenticed to another guildsman. foes, but also about survival. If your players aren’t picking up It’s not to say that Burghers are ignorant, but they only know on these queues, have them make Skills Tests relevant to the what pertains to their standard of living and what puts cash challenges ahead. Having players roll dice reminds them that in the proverbial kitty. Literary education is an enterprise Skill Tests may bring information they may not have even rarely afforded to the Burgher class. Fortunately, unlike their considered beforehand. When all else fails, they can sacrifice Aristocratic betters and the Lowborn who bear the burden a Fate Point to escape certain death and dismemberment. of heavy labor, they are more well-rounded, dealing with a great host of people outside of their own social class. As they Understanding the basics of how to adjudicate aspects of also craft the wares they trade, Burghers interact with people ZWEIHÄNDER such as Psychosurgery, Disease, Star- of many different walks of life. vation and others are important, since they will inevitably come up. These rules really enforce the deadliness and fu- The Lowborn, however, are a very different story. The vast tility of health and healing - a world where Magick is not majority are completely unlettered, and know just enough an immediate solution and even medicine has a chance to numbers to get their weekly payment at the market. Re- cause sepsis and painful death. However, we urge caution: markably isolated from the rest of the world, they hold a when these rules are used too often, you may oversaturate begrudging indifference towards the learned. Book learning the game with too many details. But when used with thin is seen as a catalyst for sin, leading to idle hands and lax at- brushstrokes, much like the other fantasy elements present titudes. This viewpoint is born partially out of fear, but also in this work, they’ll resonate stronger with the players. Use from religious indoctrination. Among no other social strata them sparingly, and at times that are relevant to the adven- is the church more relevant. To the unwashed masses of illit- ture. And even then, you can willingly ignore them if they erate, what they know of the world is sold to them by their stand in the way of good storytelling. Never let the rules de- priests and elders, influenced by whatever religion or local tract from the plot’s momentum. gods their communities worship.

It’s also important to consider how the player Character’s That’s not to say formal schooling doesn’t exist. Lavish col- minds slowly disintegrate in the wake of violence, and spirits leges where the well-bred get together to discuss new ideas can break. Sure, physical degradation can be easily shown, do exist, but they are far too expensive and exclusive for the but adventurers are not only risking their bodies, but their common person. For Aristocrats, tutelage in the home begins minds too. Adventuring is madness-inducing and rife with at an early age by an aged master. But, once the blue-blooded hard choices - as any psychoanalyst can tell you, a damaged daughters and sons are of an appropriate age, they are sent mind is just as bad as a damaged body. If Characters do not off to finishing schools, unencumbered by other distractions. perish from blood loss, they will often either end up gibber- Unfortunately, much like the Lowborn, this breeds a partic- ing in an asylum, fitting a brass barrel into their mouth and ular brand of ignorance of the real world. Academic tutelage, pulling the trigger or resorting to booze and opium to chase secret social clubs and the distraction of fictional novellas away nightmares. Lingering ghosts of past mistakes and ex- leaves little room for understanding what the world is like periences scar real people, so they should be played up and beyond the written word. given just as much attention as a punctured lung or a filthy cut. You should put players into situations where judgement Naturally, this lack of education also comes with much-in- 333 grained ignorance. Speculation and folklore occupy where creted by naturalists to compare with their peers’ findings, the rest of knowledge should dwell, leaving many xenopho- but a rare few are sold on the private market for several gold bic and scared. Since many do not know what truly lies be- crowns (gc) to nobles. Once these voluminous tomes make yond the mountains, they are afraid of it - even if it could just their way into an noblewoman’s private collection, a house- be a well-meaning group of traders. Nations constantly war hold manservant will doubtlessly crack it open when their over differences and ideals, and calls of witchcraft and here- mistress is away. Beneath glimmering candlelight, tales of sy abound. This can be coupled with the nature of monsters grotesqueries from beyond the grave and outside the realm and the real threats of devilry, the spread of mutation and all of reality are read aloud in grim tones with other retainers of other manner of spirits that linger on the threshold. Mon- the house. These scholarly works are quickly unraveled into sters are real, and avoiding their grasp is paramount to living strings of fiction interspersed with little truths. As the stories a long and industrious life. It can pretty much be assumed then spread from the manservant, to the stable hand, to the that any Characters with at least one Skill Rank in Folklore washerwoman and then to her lover, these threads are spun has a healthy understanding of credible threats beyond the back into literary gold by well-paid professional Raconteurs. gates, and sometimes even those found within the hearts of When the wine begins to flow, the tales grow taller while evil men. the truths become smaller for sake of entertainment. This is oftentimes the way that stories grow of the ravages of beasts By applying the lessons you’ve learned above, it is important and other mythical creatures make their way into the com- to frame how every Character views the world around them in mon lexicon. different ways. Whereas a Burgher has traded with the noto- riously duplicitous marauders from the north, a Lowborn may But when ignorance prevails, here comes the local so-and-so, regard them with prejudice and trepidation while an Aristo- would-be monster hunter who boasts of taking down levia- crat will seek to shackle them in slavery. All the same, an Aris- thans with “their own two hands”. Sure, the stories turn an ear tocrat may have an medical impression of how a victim had or two and may earn a warm meal and comfy place to sleep at been afflicted with Chaotic Rot, but a Burgher may avoid in- night. But, when the piper has come to call, these pretenders teracting with them as to not catch the plague as the Lowborn steal away to the next settlement, leaving desperate villagers will lash out with swords from fear and ignorance. In the final abandoned with no way out. This is where adventurers are example, a Lowborn may spare a criminal’s life out of empathy, drawn into the story, to bring the tale full circle. a Burgher may order their hand struck off for thievery and an Aristocrat will hide behind the long arm of the law out of fear. Wedged somewhere in between the myths and tales of the There is a permanent culture of fear that permeates the Social myriad of creatures which inhabit a grim & perilous world Classes, and should be framed from that perspective when ex- are a few truths. It’s important whenever you reference foes amining situations where adventurers may have very different from Chapter 12: Bestiary that you frame them from the impressions of those whom they interact with. perspective that players don’t fully know what they are. While you should allow for use of Education and Folklore to FRACTURED FAIRYTALES suss out and color in what a Character’s impression of which monster they’re fighting, don’t share with them the proper If you look back upon classic fairy tales, you will see that the name of the creature. Lean on folklore to impress upon them ages have not been kind to them. In Hans Christian An- the majesties of a grim & perilous world. The mystery of dersen’s classic “The Little Mermaid”, the titular character these foes should leave the players guessing at all times. Not does not lose her voice to potentially find her lover. Instead, only does this add to the suspension of disbelief, it keeps when she grows her legs, she feels as if every step taken is on players on their toes. Don’t let them rest on their laurels. This barbed knives. A further addendum is that instead of losing is not a world where a common goblin has no backstory; her voice, she will die and dissolve into sea foam if she does beasts are not bags of hit points to bang on in order to gain not marry the prince. It is not to say the classic animated film experience points. Lottery orcs - ones you stick your sword whitewashed the story, but adapted it for a young audience. in and pull the lever to win endless coins and plate mail - In that, ZWEIHANDER goes back to the roots of these don’t exist in a vacuum. Instead, every creature and every tales for its own dark, fantastical twist. beast has a place in the world. Whether as simple as a Small Scholars regularly pen accounts from the mouths of hunt- Critter or as mysterious as a Talking Tree, each creature in ers and slayers who speak of the many stripe of beasts that the Bestiary has been given enough backstory for you find a prowl remote regions. Tales of loss and woe against savage place for it in your own campaign world. Using the example wolves, hard-fought victories against mutated beast-like presents before, it would be very easy to repaint The Little men, witnesses to supernaturally-arisen corpses, Faustian Mermaid as as Siren who has the ability to shapeshift, but at bargains struck with devils and even indiscretions with the a terribly corruptive price. Fey fill many a scholar’s catalogues. Grimoires are often se- 334 LOW MAGICK, LOW FANTASY dead don’t usually rise from their graves unless something of diabolical significance has occurred. Dungeons, in a tra- ZWEIHÄNDER makes the assumption that Magick ditional sense, are unique and aren’t populated by monsters isn’t prominent as it is regularly portrayed in other tabletop waiting to be slaughtered. The gods don’t send their avatars role-playing games. Most common folk have little interac- upon the world to be defeated by a band of high level epic tion with those who wield Magick or knowledge about it, or heroes, nor do dragons regularly level cities with their fiery how it fits into the big picture. By default, most non-play- breath. It takes a mountain of terrible things to occur, pre- er Characters will treat anyone who elicits even a hint of cursors to even lead to such terrible and dire outcomes. And arcane might as someone dangerous or even deem them a while these situations may very well play out in your own witch. These notions draw heavily upon ignorance and fear, campaign world, it is important to frame them with a sense as the world beyond the gates of civilization has proven to of realism. Something must alter the course of the natural be strange and deadly. Convincing folks otherwise is a tall order in order for the fantastical to peak above the fold. feat, thus why arcanists must be careful with when and how they display their craft. Now that being said, it’s not to say Vast kingdoms of humanity stretch across nearly every con- that wizards and the like don’t ever enjoy the good will of tinent, safeguarding society from invasion, having squashed the people. However, this reputation is earned only if some aged, infernal foes during the dawn age. They dominate great display of Magick is able to stop an invading force, slay all other races with their cultural attitudes, faith and sheer a brutal monster plaguing their home or to bring immediate, numbers. Demihumans are rarely found amid Human settle- material fortune. Even so, this favor may be short-lived if ments, and when they are, they are scrutinized for every ac- they don’t produce lasting protections against further incur- tion they take. Prejudice runs rampant. Pogroms have existed sions of chaos. While situations will inevitably put wizards to exterminate demihumans, and there seems to be no end into the spotlight, they must exhibit extreme caution as ig- to these injustices. This is not a world where the races walk norance rules and death by pyre is in fact the letter of the law. hand-in-hand towards the dungeon to relieve a dragon of its In the worst of cases, it may lead to a situation where rural treasure. No, it is a world where humanity abounds, subduing justice is meted out without trial by the very people they just other cultures to fit into a monoculture united by religion. saved from assured death! Grim & perilous adventures are often humanocentric, but that Divine users of Magick, on the other hand, are flocked to by does not mean they are demihuman-agnostic. All these stories a coterie of misfortunates who seek a better end, malefactors are relatable to an extent. The struggles against corruption, en- who wish to use the priest for their own ends and dabblers of nui, disease and death can be traced into our own world. It is arcane Magick to hide behind them. In fact, it is not surpris- important to create analogues to real history and tragedy, and ing to learn that wizards often wear a priest’s frock to hide inject influences of the fantastical in there. This approach im- their own diabolical techniques. Priests are better-accepted presses a sense of familiarity and understanding with players, into civilized society, but like moths to a flame, they attract opening the doors to more relatable struggles that will invari- all manner of good and bad people around them. Not all ably influence better role-playing. Leaving things mysterious clerics dislike these attentions, however. After all, the display not only adds to the excitement of the setting, but leaves the of miracles quickly draws people to their worship. Yet, affec- fantastic firmly where it should be - in the realm of fantasy. tions may be fleeting when the priest cannot satisfy what- ever ideas simple-minded folk may have in their heads. For CHAOS’S INFLUENCE instance, if a blighted crop cannot be attended to or a child’s One aspect stands out amongst other potential settings is disease cannot be lifted, a priest may quickly find themselves the deadly chaotic force know as Corruption. Corruption is on the run from torch-wielding peasants demanding their - and can mean - several things. Not only does it include head. fraudulence from charlatan priests misleading their congre- Despite the proliferation of Magick in the background, ad- gations, lords who jockey for political ascendancy by spread- venturers live in a rational, mundane world. The laws of nature ing sensationalist lies about their peers and vile thieves who apply: the sun rises and sets and the seasons are predictable. murder innocent travelers for cash, but it also refers to the Gravity is real but myths predominates modern though. In mystical concept of Corruption. a grim & perilous world, massive skycastles don’t dominate Corruption is subtle and vile, something between a mimetic the skies, and dryads aren’t found beneath every hollow tree idea and an actual, enervating energy. It seeps invisibly out in the wilderness. Orcs and other creatures don’t generally of the endless pits of the Abyss and fizzles into the Ma- band together in massive hordes along the periphery of the terial Realm. It is cancer which spreads through vile deeds wilderness unless something world-spanning has happened. terrible influence and manifestations of chaos caused by un- Werewolves don’t regularly howl through the valleys, and the controlled Magick. Corruption is often portrayed as at least 335 marginally intelligent - it does not storm into cities and wipe ing of the light. This is why a grim & perilous setting may out scores of people, shifting them into debased Mutants. outwardly feel hopeless - there is always entropy and always No, instead Corruption often plays the long con and whis- an end, and player Characters often end up standing at the pers in the ears of people when they are emotionally weak. edge of the Abyss, glaring into its roiling maw. Hope is often It misleads clerics to false gods, taking their congregation a pale glimmer, and even a major victory is just a small blip upon pilgrimage to a holy site, where they’ll convince them on the timeline of reality. That should not discourage players to commit mass suicide. It turns just rulers into megaloma- though - banishing a demon for a thousand years may mean niacs, where imagined powerlessness turns them into cruel nothing in a cosmic sense, but it is vitally important to the and stone-hearted monarchs. Although Corruption flocks here and now. towards the cruel and despotic (as they are the easiest to ma- nipulate), its greatest pleasure is when it can tear down the How Corruption should be handled as it pertains to Char- just and orderly towards chaos. Though common folk are on acter development will be covered later in this chapter. We the lookout for these signs of terrible fruit, their paranoia have often spoken about ditching game mechanics you don’t and hatred only further fuels the fire of the Abyss. Tell-tale favor. Unlike other rules, however, this mechanic is vital. It signs are commonly identified by simple folk as symbols of determines the growth pattern of Character alignment, de- Corruption: odd habits, strange moles upon one’s face, un- termining when they earn Fate Points and whether they’re naturally older than others the in the community and a host punished with Disorders. While you should feel free to tin- of other signs that witch hunters have identified as being ker with the rules, we do not recommend removing the Cor- symptomatic of its influence. ruption mechanics wholesale from the game.

Usually when someone is exposed to the physical presence of YOUR ROLE AS GAME MASTER Corruption, they have two choices - either be devoured by it, As with many other tabletop role-playing games, there is but or serve it in hopes of a greater reward. Those who hear its one Game Master to run the adventure and call the shots. call grow addicted to odd affectations of human needs, grow You have many responsibilities in this role: mutated and become maddened. It changes their personality  in small ways at first, but eventually to a degree in which is You must be comfortable and familiar with the rules  diametrically different than before. Corruption’s influence is You must understand how to translate mechanics even worse in the wilds. As creatures classified as Animals into the narrative  and Beasts have very little willpower due to lack of sentience, You must convey the themes and tone of a grim & they can be afflicted by its rotten grasps. This also leads into perilous world  the nature of Corruption - it not only spoils the mind and You must craft the story and set the stage for ad- soul, but also the body - turning its followers into vile abom- venture  inations that are not natural to this land. It even can have an You must understand the plot points behind the effect on the landscape - shifting swamps into skull-invested scenes  middens, warping dead cities in and out of existence, and far, You must remain flexible when players chase down far worse. spurious leads  You must be creative and willing to alter the course How Corruption is used in your campaign world is entire- of the story ly up to you. Whether you feel it should be more insidious  You must maintain an immersive campaign world and invisible or physically take shape into gloaming mist and  You must play the role of both enemies and friends corpulent clouds of flies and rot is your call. Many grim & of the player Characters perilous worlds are on the brink of apocalypse, though most  You must interpret the difficulty and ease of Skill people do not know to what extent they are toeing the line use to oblivion. The only thing stopping it is basically an invol-  You must act as referee to the rules and call the shots untary inner war - Corruption always fights against itself,  You must be prepared before the game begins because that is its very nature as a chaotic, ephemeral feel- ing. Those possessed by it cannot help but be drawn into the It can sometimes be an overwhelming amount of responsi- struggle. Although this war is eternal, it is also a force for bility, but a very rewarding one - particularly when every- change. thing goes over well with your players. Your job is not unlike that of a writer of a story. Not only do you have to frame Oddly enough, chaos is as vital to the growth of the cam- the world the player Characters live in, you must also de- paign world as balance is. It drives many of the underlying scribe what they see, what they experience and determine themes of ZWEIHÄNDER, and promotes a concrete rea- the outcome of events based on their actions. In some ways, son for adventurers to band together to rage against the dy- you are “directing” the adventure, but the players are driving 336 the actions while you determine the consequences. Using the it’s simply impossible to account for every hair-brained, cra- vision of your campaign world, describe it in rich detail and zy idea players may have in their head to overcome challeng- let players immerse themselves into the narrative. es. Don’t discourage this line of thinking! Instead, learn from the players what they prefer… and use those same approach- To ensure immersion and a fun game, there are many tech- es to your benefit. At the end of it all, ZWEIHÄNDER is a niques you can use that are, frankly, too comprehensive to group game and you have to ensure that players trust in your list in this book. However, we’d like to cover a bit of general adjudication of the rules. advice on how to run a successful game and what tools you can use to frame a worthy grim & perilous adventure. FOCUS ON PLAYER CHARACTERS THREE GOLDEN RULES ZWEIHÄNDER is primarily a role-playing game. Success- ful ones will take place in a campaign world, where the player The following outlines a series of guidelines you should fol- Character’s adventures change the world around them. Sure, low when Gamemastering a ZWEIHÄNDER game: there may be things going on in the background that the THROW OUT THE RULES players have zero agency over, but keep the macrocosm out of focus until it crosses paths with the player’s actions. It is As the Gamemaster, it is your job to frame the narrative, easy to get lost in your own creativity, letting the stories of bring your campaign world to life and most importantly, other non-player Characters outshine the actions of what’s help everyone have fun around the table. However, as with happening in the adventure. Carefully-plotted adventures many tabletop role-playing games, the rules sometimes get will oftentimes allow the adventurers to cross paths with in the way of moving forward. If you feel a rule doesn’t fit other important non-player Characters. But follow these within your vision of the campaign world, or gets in the watchwords: the players are the focus in the story. While you way of the story moving forward - house rule it! We en- should make players cognizant of other things going on in courage you to think of new, creative ways you can incor- the campaign world around their Characters, keep the pace porate ZWEIHÄNDER’s rule set to fit to your group’s of the adventure focused primarily on them. standards. Don’t be afraid to brush aside a rule, and instead focus on the now - make a ruling, and ignore the rule. If it NARRATIVE & makes narrative sense, brush the rule aside for sake of story. STRUCTURED TIME However, you must remember to be consistent in rulings. If you make an important change to the way a rule works, For the most part, a Game Session is handled using a loose make note of it and address it with the players either at the format called Narrative Time. Interactions within the cam- end of the session or at the beginning of the next one. paign world can transpire over hours, days or even months of in-game time. If your players tell you they wish to book Remember: you are the Gamemaster. You have an unspoken a coach between settlements, you may simply respond “You contract with your players that your choices in the way that pay a coachman and ride through the wilderness, arriving at the story and rules play out are in your hands. Don’t engage your destination a few hours later”. There aren’t any hard and in ruling arguments - tell the players it’s time to move on if fast rules to handle these sorts of interactions. In fact, the they begin to argue or question your adjudication. Continue majority of time that passes during a game session is in Nar- playing, and address their questions at the end of the session rative Time, moving in flux with the choices players make. or the beginning of the next. Fluidity is key; you need to have in mind how long interac- REMAIN CONSISTENT tions take, so that you may better frame the adventure and You must remember that you are neither in favor of the play- the story as it progresses. For instance, at the pace of the er Characters or those whom they meet in your campaign players, one game session may take place over a single night, world. You must remain as impartial as humanly possible, but the next game session may take place over a week. Both even in the face of frustration. And never, ever play favorites Social Intrigue and Wilderness Travel also use Narrative with players around the table. Everyone’s Character should Time. However, be mindful of Narrative Time - don’t spend be just as important as the other. Take the opportunity to too much attention on any single player. The key for engag- shine the spotlight on at least one Character every session. ing players into the story is to make sure everyone gets equal This will ensure everyone gets an equal opportunity to shine, time in the spotlight. and grows each of their Character’s background through When the story has led the players towards a moment where role-playing. you need to control the narrative flow in a stricter fashion, Sure, having players run roughshod over a carefully-plotted the game can be dialed into a more formal structure. To adventure you worked hours on can be a bit distressful. But frame these scenes, the loose narrative is streamlined, made 337 more uniform and iterative by using Structured Time. This ments. Give a reward for players role-playing their Charac- can be used to carefully track the passage of time, allowing a ter’s eccentricities and Alignments. Adding a Fortune Point cycle of Characters to get equal play and attention. to the Pool whenever players employ your Character’s Order and Chaos Alignment at critical moments to drive the story Limiting the economy of actions a player may take is key to forward is an excellent way to encourage good role-playing. using Structured Time. You can use it to carefully control the Although players should not routinely expect these rewards, chaos of multiple players from acting at once, ratcheting up but but the more often they play to your Character’s person- the dial to enforce tension and a sense of urgency as required. ality, the better chance they should have for you to give them Although primarily used for Combat Encounters, you also additional Fortune Points. extend Structured Time into Chase Scenes or other oppor- tunities where careful tracking of time is required. REVIEW DAMAGE CONDITION TRACK PACING THE ADVENTURE If a few days have passed since your last game session, players may not remember what their Character’s Damage Condi- Using both Narrative and Structured Time, you will need to tion Track may be. As previously mentioned, communicating learn how to transition between the two. You’ll want to al- the current condition a Characters is in to other players is low the players to speak among themselves, role-playing out integral for helping them understand how fragile of a state interactions with one another but being mindful of when it’s they may be in. Take turns around the table, having each time to move from Narrative into Structured Time. Howev- player announce their current Damage Condition Track and er, don’t be afraid to reign things in should the focus be upon any Injuries they may be suffering from. This is a great way but a single facet of the story. Pacing is important both in to start the session, so that everyone is on the same page for writing and in storytelling. Reel players in should the game who may need to be attended to or looked after first. session result in some players interacting, with others staring blankly at their Character sheets. UPDATE TRAPPINGS

Using the Initiative Ladder, you can use it as a guideline to Oftentimes, players don’t have a chance to update the me- move seamlessly between the two aforementioned modes of chanics of their new weapons or armor while in the midst gameplay. For instance, players may be parlaying with a cor- of gameplay. Encourage players to update their Character nered enemy, but a hasty word and ill-timed insult sets their with any relevant weapons or armor they may have acquired. enemy on the run. Switching from Narrative Time - when Additionally, if they intend to swap around items with their the scene was focused on social interactions - and then into fellow adventurers, this is a fine time to allow them to do so Structured Time - when they begin to give chase - is one of before the game begins. the many instances where this transition must be carefully SPEND REWARD POINTS handled without disrupting the core flow of the adventure. Additionally, encourage your players to spend Reward Points STARTING A GAME SESSION before gameplay begins. Stopping in the middle of a game session to purchase new Advances can bring the game to a Whenever you begin a game session, there are several steps crawl. If you forgot to give out Reward Points last session, you can take to ensure a steady start. Take a few minutes distribute them now and have players spend them if they can. before your players arrive to review your notes. If the game ended on a high note - or even a grim one - last session, get DETERMINE THE INITIATIVE LADDER yourself into the mindset of the last session and be ready to This specific step is integral for maneuvering between the pick right up where everyone left off. narrative of gameplay direct into the various encounter types. Although Characters may discard some of their trappings Give your players the option to update their Character sheet over time, using this approach keeps things nice and tidy, and with any new Advances, shore up any missing trappings or allows you to knock out a step in the process to speed along findings from the prior session, shore up any new purchases combat. that may be required from an Advance, take account of their Character’s health and spend any leftover Reward Points. YOUR MISFORTUNE POOL ACCOUNT FOR THE FORTUNE POOL You, too will grow your own pool of Misfortune Points to use over the session. As mentioned in Chapter 2: How To As mentioned before, account for 1 + the number of par- Play, any time that a Fortune Point is spent, it immediately ticipating players around the table for total Fortune Points. transfers into your hands. These Misfortune Points can be However, this method assumes players are making steady used by you in the same capacity players may use them. Once rolls and playing for at least 4 hours. Should your game crawl spent, discard them - they do not convert back into Fortune on longer, feel free to refresh the Fortune Pool at critical mo- Points in these cases. 338 ARBITRATING SKILL TESTS As you will learn, being a Gamemaster isn’t necessarily about being an adversary to the players. A Gamemaster’s primarily Nearly every action a Character makes has a comparable role is to facilitate the adventure, advocating first for the sake Skill you can reference to determine success rate or failure. of fun and second to the rules. However, not every action necessarily needs a dice roll to be considered successful. Too many Skill Tests can bog the However, this doesn’t mean that you have to always acqui- game down in mechanics. You should call for Skill Tests esce to player demands. Don’t let players run roughshod over only when the risk of failure carries impending results to your authority. The gritty world the Characters inhabit has the Character’s safety or sanity. For instance, having a player to hold up to scrutiny, as all actions must have consequences. make an Athletics Test to climb a ladder would be entirely A good guideline to follow here is this: if the idea is creative unnecessary. However, should they need to climb a ladder and fun, would add to the story but may be a bit outside quickly in the face of a raging fire or even foes on their tail, of the capabilities or knowledge the Character may possess, you may require one. Skill Tests are best employed when an impose a stiff Difficulty Rating or some sort of mechanical outside force would bring risk or harm to the Character. cost. We encourage you to rely on a tried and true method that has worked in our playtests of “... if you fail, you suffer ADJUDICATING DIFFICULTY RATING 3D10+3 Peril”. Alternatively, you can impose some sort of As a Gamemaster, it will be your job to determine how easy Injury or Condition in cases where players are attempting or hard a task may be when a Skill is called to be used. The something incredibly risky during combat. Difficulty Rating chart will be the most common mechan- ic you’ll reference when running a ZWEIHÄNDER game. “FAIL FORWARD” SKILL TESTS However, interpreting how difficult a task would be, it re- There are times where failure with percentile dice doesn’t al- quires more information to understand how to property as- ways equate to failing the Skill Test. For instance, when play- sign Difficulty Ratings to Skill Tests. Consider the following ers are sneaking up on their foes, you may have them make a factors when determining the right amount of difficulty of a Stealth Test. However, the circumstances may be so much in Skill Test: their favor that failing the Test shouldn’t mean being caught. In this case, you could simply have a player whose Character failed DISTRACTIONS their Stealth Test instead suffer 1D10+1 mental Peril due to the Would something in the area around the Character prohibit anxiety of being caught. Similarly, you may wish to have players them from doing things easily? Would enemies surrounding make Athletics Tests to climb up a wall. However, that wall is a Character causes them to erroneously misload a shot (such riddled with outcroppings, as the circumstances are mostly in as using Simple Melee), or perhaps the raging of a fire causes their favor. Simply failing the Skill Test to climb would result in them to have difficulty concentrating (like casting Magick in additional fatigue, as they suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. the middle of a burning building)? You can make these judgement calls at your whim, but use TIMELINESS them sparingly. However, you should always make a Critical How much time does it take to complete the task? Do they Failure an outright failure in these cases. In the examples need immediate results (like steering a cart out of the way above, this means that a Critically Failed Stealth Test reveals from falling off a cliff using Drive), or can they take their them to the enemy, and a Critically Failed Athletics Test time to get it right (spending an extra few minutes to unlock would result in a fall to the ground. For failure, simply have a door using Skulduggery)? Characters suffer 1D10+1, 2D10+2 or 3D10+3 Peril, based TOOLS on the relative challenge of the Test. Does the Character have the right equipment to get the job PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE TESTS? done? Are there available substitutes, if in a pinch? A war- hammer or battle axe would do to help breaking down a door In ZWEIHÄNDER, you will never have players Test their (using Athletics), but a knife or a slender rod of iron may raw Primary Attributes alone. For these situations, pick a help remove the hinges (using Coordination). related Skill you will Test to determine success. A good ex- ample would be when a Character is attempting to pull the WHEN IN DOUBT, SAY YES! reigns of their carriage out of a muddy road. You’d not have While you have a number of tools you can frame the narrative them Test their Brawn; instead, have them use their Athletics in for ZWEIHÄNDER, don’t be afraid to say yes to a play- Skill. When in doubt, rely on the values of the following six er whenever they suggest an out of the box idea or solution. Skills to understand their basic physical and mental prowess:  Whenever you approve of a player’s agency to try something Feats of visual acuity: Awareness (Perception)  that’s outside of the rules, it encourages groupthink and co- Feats of strength: Athletics (Brawn)  operation, and reminds players that you’re not their adversary. Feats of dexterity: Coordination (Agility) 339  Feats of mental resolve: Resolve (Willpower) Leopold Coventry is engaged with an affluent and com-  Feats of problem-solving: Scrutinize (Perception) passionate prince-elector, who has acted as a lead patron  Feats of physical fortitude: Toughness (Brawn) to both Leopold and his party’s adventures for quite ALTERNATIVE PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE SUBSTI- some time. They have enjoyed a good and lucrative rela- TUTES tionship, and a friendship has grown between them over Every Skill references a Primary Attribute, as listed in its the past few months. The elector has summoned Leopold description. However, there are certain cases where you may personally to his chambers to discuss a private matter. He allow a player to substitute a different Primary Attribute. divulges to Leopold of a tryst between him and a house- One particular case would be the substitution of Fellowship hold servant, and has issued forth that Leopold “silence” in place of Brawn for cases whenever someone attempts to rumor-mongers by threat of intimidation. The elector’s use the Intimidate Skill through force of personality. Anoth- behavior seems somewhat erratic, and unlike the friend- er may be diagnoses of a disease, substituting Perception in ly demeanor Leopold is accustomed to. Leopold’s player place of Intelligence for the Heal Skill. asks the Gamemaster if he can get a read on the elector, to understand if there are other motives perhaps at play As an example, when you ask a player to use a substitute Pri- or whether the elector is hiding something. Making a Se- mary Attribute, you’ll call out to the player “make an Intim- cret Test using Scrutinize, he fails the Skill Test. Howev- idate Test, referencing your Fellowship instead of Brawn”. er, the Gamemaster goes on to explain to the player that Determining the Total Chance for success would otherwise Leopold is unsure whether he’s hiding something or not. follow the examples laid out in Chapter 2: How To Play. WHEN TO USE SECRET TESTS There are no tried and true rules you need to adhere to when determining when a Secret Test is appropriate. In fact, every There are times when you may not wish to reveal the results Skill Test could potentially be used as a Secret Test if you of the success or failure of a Skill Test to the players. You may wished to do so! This certainly evokes a more “old school” wish to hide the outcome of a Skill Test, until a critical mo- feel which may be familiar with players of other tabletop ment in the story. In these situations, it is important that you role-playing games. Calling out Difficulty Ratings, after all, don’t simply hand wave away the descriptions of what the is entirely your prerogative - and so is the adjudication of Character experiences. Keep the integrity of the narrative Secret Tests. Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine when a by describing in no certain terms the immediate outcome as Secret Test is appropriate. Using the examples below, you can their Character sees it from their perspective. model out when a Secret Test may be required:  To formally adjudicate a Secret Test, you need to secretly de- Using the Awareness Skill to detect whether foes lay in ambush termine what the Difficulty Rating is. For our example, we’ll  assume that a player Character is attempting to determine if Using the Bargain Skill when a Character attempts a Faustian bargain for service with a demon a non-player Character they are on very friendly terms with  is attempting to hide the truth. In this case, we’ll make it Using the Counterfeit Skill to produce a replica of an artwork before a scrupulous Antiquarian a (Routine +10%) Scrutinize Test given their relationship,  however don’t communicate the Difficulty Rating to the Using the Disguise Skill to pretend to be of another Social Class player. Simply write down the Difficulty Rating on a sheet of  paper, and then ask the player to roll Percentile Dice to make Using the Scrutinize Skill to sense ulterior motives from another non-player Character a Secret Test using their Scrutinize Skill. The player must an-  nounce their Total Chance for success aloud, assuming that Using the Skulduggery Skill when attempting to hide a weapon upon themselves from guards the Difficulty Rating is (Standard +/-0%). Mark this down  as well, and do the math on paper. This will give you a visual Using the Stealth Skill to shadow another through indicator whether the player can succeed or fail. a crowded market

After the player rolls their results an announces it, determine PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS whether they succeed or fail. Remember, you will not im- It is a good idea for players to track important non-play- mediately reveal the success or failure of Secret Tests unless er Characters they meet, places they have visited and clues they generate a Critical Success or a Critical Failure. Let the they’ve found during the ongoing adventure. Between ses- story reveal the results through your narration, as a form of sions, players may not think about the previous game. Real life suspense and mystery. has a way of creeping up, and can delay or sometimes cause you to cancel a game session. Outside of sharing the progress of the adventure on a web forum, using a wiki or email, players 340 can refresh their memory by maintaining a set of flashcards ROLL INITIATIVE WHEN A GAME or 3x5 inch index cards during gameplay. They can be used to SESSION STARTS write down important events, take note of the personalities Setting the Initiative Ladder at the start of a game ses- they’ve interacted with, record locales they’ve investigated or sion can help you move from Narrative Time into Struc- fought and even to pen down clues over the adventure. These tured Time smoothly. It helps players focus on the adven- cards are then referenced at the beginning of every game ses- ture “In-Character”, keeping players on their toes when you sion, using a shared set of notes between them. make the decision to move into Structured Time and out of For instance, the players may be under the employ of a the loop on the Initiative Ladder for their enemies. wealthy aristocrat who wishes for them to protect him at a TRACKING CONDITIONS & DAMAGE ball. However, the aristocrat requires extreme discretion, and THRESHOLDS explains who his enemies - both perceived and real - will be in attendance. They also know that the ball will be held Conditions in combat, such as being Stunned or suffering in unsafe place where the aristocrat’s enemies lurk and are Injuries, needs to be referenced and applied to the enemies instructed to show up later after games in the parlour tradi- the player Characters fight. Many require upkeep (such as tionally begin. Finally, they may have to track down a spe- remembering to Resist being Stunned a few Turns before), cific set of fine garments to wear, as to maintain the ruse. In whereas others are count downs (like Bleeding out to death). this instance, denote on index cards the aristocrat’s enemies, You should make sure to check for any effects that may be the auditorium where the ball is being held and the specif- ongoing or otherwise hinder foes as their Turn begins, and ic garments they must track down. Mark them in bold as a take under account these things before making a decision on header, and give the card to the players. As they uncover new what Actions in Combat they use. Feel free to share their evidence, make discoveries and encounter complications, en- Conditions openly, and always call out their Damage Con- courage them to take notes in the margins below. This way, dition Track after they’ve harmed their enemies. whenever the game session breaks and meets again later, they can jointly review the notes whenever the session starts. You’ll want to keep close at hand the current Damage Con- dition track of foes. Paying mind to the Peril Condition track You should encourage players to take turns authoring these may be a bit more tricky. Peril is rarely inflicted by player Char- cards every game session, rotating the duty between them. acters upon creatures. In these cases, it may be suitably easier Likely, the players will be taking notes using their Char- to simply write off any Peril foes suffer, and instead lower their acter’s persona and voice, so they may skew the intentions Damage Threshold by 1 point for every 9 Peril they suffer. or even their perspective on the person, places and things they’ve recorded. This gives you an interesting role-playing Danziger inflicts 19 mental Peril upon one of the foes. tool, particularly because reviewing cards out-of-Character The Gamemaster reduces that foe’s Damage Threshold may lead to in-Character discussions as the game session starts. Award the player who maintained the cards 50 Re- from 10 (16/22/28) to 8 (14/20/26). ward Points at the end of the game session. This will encour- age players to share the responsibility and lend importance of The Damage Condition Tracker can be found in the Game the person, places and things tracking mechanism. Mastery Appendix at the end of this chapter. Finally, you will want to help the players keep their cards FLYING CREATURES & straight as the adventure continues onward. For an ongo- CHARACTERS ing campaign, this can result in scores of cards! Feel free to let players know, once specific arcs of the story or adventure Although flight is an uncommon mechanic in ZWEI- come to a close, which cards to retire. HÄNDER, some Characters and creatures possess the pow- er to fly. Chapter 8: Combat assumes that player Characters and creatures are fighting on the ground. However, when a GM’s GUIDE TO COMBAT combatant is born into the air, the rules change slightly. In a grim & perilous world, its people are beset by conflict, MOVEMENT both clandestine and broad. A large part of your responsibil- In the creature’s Secondary Profile, it will indicate a range of ity as a Gamemaster is to impress these situations upon the Movement in yards “while flying”. For instance, a Wyvern player Characters, sometimes using subtlety and other times has values of Movement: 15 on foot, 18 while flying. This outright violence. The following further explains consider- means that it can move at least 18 yards, either horizontally, ations you’ll make as Gamemaster during combat. Addition- vertically or diagonally in the air when using the Movement al tools will help you frame tense intrigue, the hazards of the Action of Walk during combat. wilds and white-knuckled chases. 341 Once a creature begins to fly, it must spend at least 1 Action acter). If the creature reaches the Target Number first, it Point on a Movement Action during their Turn to stay aloft. immediately initiates a Chokehold for 0 Action Points, as Otherwise, they immediately fall 81 yards during their Turn in the Character cannot Resist. combat (otherwise a minute of in-game time). Recovering from a fall of this nature requires a successful (Challenging -10%) BUILDING ENCOUNTERS: Coordination Test. Otherwise, they plummet to the ground. RISK FACTOR MELEE & RANGED WEAPONS Every creature in ZWEIHÄNDER is classified with an es- timated level of danger, called Risk Factor. Much like how Creatures in flight cannot Engage its foes as someone could Characters are classified by Basic, Intermediate and Ad- born upon land. They must always use the Movement Action vanced Tiers, creatures in Chapter 12: Bestiary are also de- of Charge before making any attack with its melee weapons. signed using the same principle with Basic, Intermediate and Whenever they Charge, however, their movement doesn’t Advanced Risk Factor. However, creatures have an addition- stop. Instead, they strafe by, making an Opportunity Attack al layer of sub-categorization called Notches: (Low), (Mid) and concluding their Movement. Using the example above, and (High). When combined together, this gives you an idea the Wyvern can fly 18 yards normally. This means it can for how powerful they would be when compared against any Charge 12 yards, interrupt its movement for an Opportunity Profession within the Warrior Archetype in their Basic Tier. Attack and complete its movement 6 yards away. Its move- ment does provoke an Opportunity Attack from their foes. The adventuring party’s size generally has an impact on how Otherwise, flying creatures can make attacks using ranged many player Characters it would take to defeat creatures. weapons as normal. Those creatures of (Low) Notch can be handled one on one by Characters in the same Tier, whereas those of (Mid) Notch ATTACKING FLYING CREATURES require at least three allies in the same Tier to have a fighting Attacking a flying creature with a melee weapon is nearly chance and (High) Notch requires an adventuring party of six impossible, as it’s always simply out of range to strike. Un- or more player Characters of the same Tier to defeat. less the attacker is at the same altitude as the flying creature (such as being born on the back of another flying creature), While the methodology is not totally perfect, you can use melee attacks simply fail. However, attacking them with Risk Factor and Notches as a guideline to better craft mem- ranged weapons can also pose a challenge. Assume that any orable Combat Encounters. Used as a benchmark, it should Character attacking another at a lower altitude or standing communicate to you how creatures stack up against player upon the ground imposes increases the Difficulty Rating Characters, agnostic of Fortune Points, Fate Points, tactics, by at least one step. In the case above, if the Wyvern is random dice rolls and trappings. Not all encounters need be ascending and a player Character is attempting to fire at it evenly matched with player Characters, however. It is not with a flintlock pistol at Medium Distance, you can make always necessary to “balance” fights against the player Char- the assumption that it would be a (Hard -20%) Martial acters, but to instead be cognizant of the danger they may Melee Test. pose, and let it influence the narrative when you communi- cate these things to Characters. Using the examples below, BRINGING DOWN A you should be able to get an idea how each Risk Factor stacks FLYING CREATURE up to Characters in their Tiers: Any time that a creature in flight suffers an Injury or is made to Bleed, it must immediately succeed a (Challenging BASIC (LOW, MID, HIGH) RISK FACTOR -10%) Coordination Test or be forced to the ground. It can Creatures of this Risk Factor would prove a simple challenge, take flight again afterwards, but must use the Movement requiring but a handful of Turns to properly defeat one on Action of Get Up first. Should a player Character attempt one. Should player Characters outnumber them, they may be to mount a flying creature or else become entangled with it, easily defeated within but a few Turns. you can use an Opposed Test using Athletics or Ride, with the Target Number being twice that of the flying creature’s INTERMEDIATE Brawn Bonus (BB). For instance, a Wyvern has a Brawn (LOW, MID, HIGH) RISK FACTOR Bonus (BB) of 7, therefore the Target Number to reach Creatures of this Risk Factor are of an ample challenge to is 14 (7 * 2). Allow airborne Characters a single Athletics any Profession. When matched one on one, it may take sev- Test on their Turn to wrestle the flying creature down. If eral Turns to defeat on their own, without aid from their the Character reaches the Target Number first, both they comrades. If outnumbered, it may require less Turns to de- and the creature crash and burn, plummeting towards the feat but remains a great challenge no less. ground at the rate explained above. In that case, only the flying creature suffers falling Damage (but not the Char- 342 ADVANCED (LOW, MID, HIGH) perhaps the low light plays into their favor, allowing them RISK FACTOR to get the jump on their enemies. Chapter 7: Trappings has Creatures of this Risk Factor are nearly impossible to defeat additional information about illumination, including lines of on their own without significant aid of allies in the Advanced vision by light source, you can reference during these times. Tier. Generally, these foes are either well-equipped, have use FOG, MIST OR SMOKE of Magick or can harm multiple foes with ease. These crea- tures are immensely challenging, even to those within the Obscuring the ability to see clearly can add a sense of tension same Tier. and danger. In these situations, you may wish to have play- ers succeed Coordination Tests to keep from falling down ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR while Charging or Running. Or, you may require successful There is also a final Elite (Unique) Risk Factor. There are but a Awareness Tests to assess numbers of enemies or to size up handful of creatures who possess this Risk Factor in the Bes- their opponents. tiary. Foes classified as such should be used sparingly, for they HIGHER GROUND promote terrible outcomes for even the most experienced of individuals. Parties of six or more are generally required to de- Being perched upon the edge of a rooftop or overwatching feat creatures of this Risk Factor. Elite creatures make perfect on a hill can provide a distinct advantage to attackers. De- “boss-styled” foes. fenders may be put on the run, or perhaps they’ll have to seek cover from a turkey shoot. Perhaps those who stand on ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS higher ground may lower the Difficulty Rating to fire upon Not every Combat Encounter takes place on flat terrain, defenders down below? Maybe they instead have a better bereft of any bad weather. Imposing negative circumstances chance of spotting an ambush? upon combatants can instill a sense of ever-changing, tactical INTERESTING LOCALES situations that players will remember (regardless if they died or not). Here are some added suggestions for how you can Not every fight needs to take place on the battlefield. Setting change the terrain or add other features into a Combat up an encounter inside an old windmill, amidst a parking Encounter: yard for carriages or waist deep in a midden heap may cause players to think twice before striding forward. Using the BAD WEATHER blades of the windmill to escape the blades of a foe or using Patterns of erratic weather, such as vicious downpours, a bliz- the thick muck of a shit heap to drown a foe in would mark zard or perhaps even a rain of frogs is an interesting way to an interesting and exciting change of pace for players. spice up a Combat Encounter. Imposing additional difficulty to land ranged shots, or even be heard when speaking in the middle of a terrible storm raises the tension, or may simply COMBAT OPTIONS render certain tactics players are accustomed to using useless. Unlike other role-playing games, ZWEIHÄNDER has a very tactically-aligned combat system. However, the speed in COVER which it plays out may not be to your liking. The following Cover can range from any hard surface where one may hun- outlines additional rules you can “plug and play” into your own ker down beside. It may be a low stone wall surrounding a grim & perilous game. garden, stacked crates, a leaning lamppost, the corner of a nearby building or maybe even the desiccated corpse of a ALTERNATIVE WEAPON DAMAGE massive beast of the wilderness. While we have already spo- In Chapter 8: Combat under Step V: Roll Damage, it explains ken of the benefits of using cover in Chapter 8: Combat, that Damage is generally calculated by referencing Combat you may wish to allow attackers to make a Stealth Test after Bonus (CB) + 1D6 Fury Die. However, you may alternatively firing a ranged weapon to hide again. use Damage types by weapon. In these cases, you’ll reference DIM LIGHT the weapon’s alternative Damage value and then roll a 1D6 Fury Die to determine Damage. Without a lantern to see by, light becomes the immediate enemy to Characters. Perhaps the waning of a torch or dwin- dling of a lamp’s flame may impose additional anxiety upon Danziger Eckhardt has a Combat Bonus (CB) of 7. He players. You may want to consider having players track the swings a zweihänder sword and successfully strikes, in- number of hours remaining for each flask of oil or torch. flicting CB+3 Damage with the sword. He rolls a face Maybe as every hour passes, they must succeed a Resolve “6” on a Fury Die, and re-rolls it, landing on a 4. He has Test or else suffer 1D10+1 mental Peril from anxiety? Or, now inflicted a total of 19 Damage (7 + 3 + 6 + 4) 343 Alternative Weapon Damage can be found in the Game Damage Threshold Modifier of 5. Mastery Appendix at the end of this chapter. Piecemeal Armor can be found in the Game Mastery Ap- MULTIPLE ATTACKS pendix at the end of this chapter. Although ZWEIHÄNDER’s default combat system doesn’t PRICING MODEL include multiple attacks, it is very easy to back these rules Whenever a Character intends to purchase or resell a piece into your own game. A word of warning: if you are using this of armor, reference this table for base values. It also includes combat option, it is very likely that death will be far more a proper name for the armor being worn, followed by body common in your games. Characters who wish to attack more parts it covers. than once during their Turn can use a new Attack Action called Lightning Strikes: QUALITY CHANGES LIGHTNING STRIKES You will need to pay special attention to the Qualities armor bears. You’ll notice that being unarmored gives a Character You let loose a succession of wild strikes with a melee weap- the benefit of Natural and also the Dangerous Qualities. If a on or blindly fire arrows, shots or bolts in hopes of hitting Character is wearing any other armor type on their body, they your enemy. immediately lose the benefits of Natural while the Dangerous Quality is only referenced if that specific body part is struck. Cost: 2 or 3 Action Points The same goes for Heavy - this Quality is always in effect, Effect: Spend 2 Action Points to attempt to strike twice. If even if a Character is wearing this style of armor simply on you spend 3 Action Points, you can attempt to strike three their head or legs. This is the way you can control Magick-us- times instead. Follow the description of Melee Attack with ing players from taking advantage of mail, munitions and full strikes using a melee weapon, or Ranged Attack with strikes plate armor. using a ranged weapon. The first attack is made normally, ENCUMBRANCE DETERMINATION while the following second and third strike you must flip the results to fail your Skill Tests. When determining the Encumbrance of piecemeal armor, always reference the Encumbrance value of the heaviest ar- Lightning Strikes can be targeted at one or many foes. How- mor the Character is wearing. Using the example from be- ever, if you’re using Lighting Strikes with a ranged weapon, it fore, a Character would reference the Encumbrance Value of must possess the Repeating Quality, unless you’re holding a munitions plate. one-handed ranged weapon in either hand. Unloaded ranged weapons cannot be used with Lightning Strikes, unless you HIT LOCATIONS have a Talent or Trait that states otherwise. With use of piecemeal armor, it may behoove you to use ran- dom hit locations to determine whether a foe goes down the PIECEMEAL ARMOR Damage Condition Track. While this does require some addi- In order to emulate a more “gritty” system of distinct Injuries tional labor on your part to track the head, arms, body and legs and hit locations, you can make easy changes to your game of your foes, you can use a post-it note to lay over the Bestiary by introducing piecemeal armor rules. Whenever these rules entry to keep track of. are in use, a player will wear but one kind of armor on that In these cases, whenever a Character rolls to strike with a location. For instance, a Man-At-Arms may be wearing pad- melee or ranged weapon, reference the units die. This means ded armor on their body and head, but have munitions plate that if they roll a 45%, you’ll use the face “5” value. Once on their arms and legs. Under these rules, players can wear you have this number, reference the table below to determine different types of armor on these specific locations: head, where they struck: arms, body and legs.  10: Head  7 to 9: Arms Armor in these cases never stack, however nor can they be  worn atop one another without gaining the Ill-Fitted Qual- 3 to 6: Body  1 to 2: Legs ity from Chapter 7: Trappings. This means a Character cannot gain the Damage Threshold Modifier for both leath- CALLED SHOTS er and brigandine if they are wearing both types on their body. Instead, reference the “best” type of armor they have When using these rules, players may wish to strike a foe where on. With the example above, leather has a Damage Thresh- least protected. Given the frantic nature of combat, it may be a old Modifier of 2, whereas munitions plate has a Damage good idea to have players make an (Easy +20%) Warfare Test Threshold Modifier of 5. In this case, you’d reference the to determine where their enemy’s least protected body part is located. Once they do so, you need to adjust the Difficulty 344 Rating of the Called Shot. Use the following chart to start turers with lasting effects. A rare few walk away without a figuring out how to translate into Difficulty Rating: lasting mental scar, too.  Body: (Standard +/-0%) Combat-based Skill Test  Arms: (Challenging -10%) Combat-based Skill Test SOLDIERING ONWARDS  Legs: (Hard -20%) Combat-based Skill Test Permanent injuries can be particularly disheartening for any  Head: (Arduous -30%) Combat-based Skill Test player, but creative ones will find a way to turn these weak- nesses into a strength. Encourage players to soldier forward ENCUMBRANCE OPTIONS with their Character’s Injuries, even if it means their Char- Some Gamemasters may dislike using Encumbrance rules. acters have to wear a gilded nose, veteran’s hand or a false leg. However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind if Some of history’s best and brightest suffered from handicaps, you remove these rules. Some Traits allow players to ignore but they were no less formidable. These debilitations and certain types of Encumbrance; you’ll need to make sure to the events which caused them provides Characters with a disallow use of these Traits. Additionally, Overage is used unique life experience, leading to interesting and robust story to help control players who packrat everything they find. development. In the right circumstances, any weakness can Should you wish to dump Encumbrance, the best alternative be made a strength. Developing these into Distinguishing is to have players “slot” their trappings. Marks or new Drawbacks that further their renown can have SLOTS long-lasting effects on the campaign’s ongoing story. Players don’t immediately need to scrap their Character, should they As opposed to tracking all Encumbrance Values, you can suffer from a lost limb. Work with them to find a way to turn have players slot their items upon their person. Essential- this sudden loss into a positive strength for the Character. ly, this means that every trapping a Character has must be After all, what isn’t potentially more sinister than a one-eyed, stowed somewhere on their person. The following describes half-handed killer of men? the most common slots, and what they can typically carry. Remember, common sense trumps the rules - if you feel it’s Injuries vary by Moderate Injuries, Serious Injuries and unrealistic for a Character to easily carry something, let them Grievous Injuries. As mentioned in Chapter 8: Combat, In- know and apply Overage. juries suffered is determined primarily by the Damage Con-  HEAD - you can wear piecemeal armor on your dition Track the Character is at. head  ARMS - you can wear piecemeal armor on your Whenever determining Injuries, we recommend that you arms roll Percentile Dice, and let fate decide what occurs. Should  BODY - you can wear piecemeal armor on your any of these Injuries not make sense narratively, free to pick body the one that feels the most appropriate.  LEGS - you can wear piecemeal armor on your legs Injuries can be found in the Game Mastery Appendix at the  HANDS - you can stow either 2 one-handed weap- end of this chapter. ons, 1 two-handed weapon or 1 one-handed weapon and shield in your hands HIT LOCATIONS & INJURIES  WAIST - you can stow 1 one-handed weapon, such Hit locations may also impact what specific Injuries a Char- as a mortuary sword acter may suffer. Referencing the tables above, use your best  BACK - you can carry a backpack or other carrying judgement when assigning Injuries. device to stow away other smaller trappings here; al- ternatively, you can carry 1 two-handed weapon or 2 MORALE CHECKS one-handed weapons If the odds are stacked against intelligent enemies, they  BOOT - you can stow a smaller object, such as a may give up or flee of provided the opportunity. Partic- dirk or pistol ularly honorable foes or those who value their lives are You should never under any circumstances allow a Character more likely to lay down their sword and give up, but pack to stow away armor. Should players choose to carry armor creatures are likely to simply take flight. However, if you’d they don’t intend to wear, apply it direct to Overage. rather rely on random chance, you can use this quick and dirty method to check moral in the face of danger. Animals, SUFFERING INJURIES Beasts, Humanoids and Mutants are ought to make these Combat in a grim & perilous world is lethal. Even the small- sort of checks, but creatures which are Abyssal and Super- est of scratches can lead to a grisly end. Dire outcomes await natural may be more mentally resolute, or unable to com- those who dare to draw their sword and pistol. Injuries create prehend whether the number of player Characters impacts lasting wounds, grave outcomes that physically scar adven- their chance for victory or defeat. 345 You can make morale checks whenever either the leader of foes can be brought to heel and others can be made to flee a creature’s cadre is Slain! or otherwise outnumbered by the at the first sign of danger. Animals defending their young total number of player Characters they’re fighting. Have the may fight to the bitter end, but others may flee at the first foes make a Resolve Test, using this as a model to determine sight of imminent danger. An enemy who may hold im- Difficulty Rating: portant intelligence or information may be more beneficial  Automatic Success: Foes easily outnumber their en- captured than simply spitted on the end of your spear. A emies 3:1 politician (or Abyssal fiend for that matter) may attempt  (Trivial +30%): One of a foe’s companions suffers a to strike a bargain with his captors in exchange for release. Moderate Injury While death is certainly the foregone conclusion in most  (Easy +20%): One of a foe’s companions suffers a fights, it should not be the only option. Sparing your ene- Serious Injury mies (particularly if you have a “heroic” reputation to up-  (Routine +10%): One of a foe’s companions suffers hold) can create interesting plot developments during the a Grievous Injury adventure.  (Standard +/-0%): One of a foe’s companions is Slain! Pacing and realism should always be at the forefront of a  (Challenging -10%): Player Characters outnumber Combat Encounter. Know when to dial up the momentum the foes 3:1 of a fight, and when to dial it back. If the players are soundly  (Hard -20%): Player Characters outnumber the foes defeating their enemies, it’s time to hang it up - don’t con- 6:1 tinue rolling dice at this point. Simply assume that foes give  (Arduous -30%): The foe’s leader is Slain! up or run away. All the same, pay attention if enemies have  Automatic Failure: A host of enemies are Slain!, to a significantly upper hand over player Characters. Even if but one survivor the players stand stubbornly against their enemies, despite the odds, perhaps offer a truce or an opportunity for escape. With a successful Resolve Test, foes continue to fight. A Surrender may be a good option, or perhaps even capture. Critical Success gives them the immediate benefit of Inspir- However, never force these things upon players - give them ing Words (unless already affected by it). Failure results in the choice, so they retain agency over their Characters. And them giving up on their next Turn, whereas a Critical Fail- yes - if players want to stubbornly stand against foes who ure causes them to potentially turn on their own allies at clearly outclass them, let them have both barrels of the shot- the benefit of saving their own skin. A successful Leadership gun, but only after presenting them with options for escape Test, however, may turn their failed Resolve Test into a suc- or otherwise. cessful one, providing that a leader is present. WHEN FOES ARE SLAIN! CHARACTER DEATH Their time is up! Likely it is a gruesome affair, as dying It is inevitable that players may lose a Character permanently, screams and moaning are accompanied by a loped-off limb, once all their Fate Points are sacrificed. While no one enjoys an arterial spray of blood and the stench of piss and iron. losing something they’ve spent weeks or months building, Depending on which weapon Type was used to kill someone, you should always give players an opportunity to narrate how you can randomly roll percentile dice to determine the man- their Character passes. Parting words or a post-game session ner of their death. Narrate the gory details when necessary, eulogy would be a perfect way to allow a creative player an and skim over it at other times. It may be a good idea to outlet to deal with their Character’s passing. This sense of save the descriptions for when a climatic battle ends, or an drama helps underscore the reality of the campaign world important enemy is Slain! by the Characters. they live within, but also helps cement Characters who’ve died into the annals of its history. Find a creative way to write Slain! By Weapon Type can be found in the Game Mastery them into the history of the campaign world. There’s nothing Appendix at the end of this chapter. more exciting to players than having their new Characters happen across the story of their former Character’s deaths from a non-player Character’s mouth. CHASE SCENES At some point in the adventure, Characters are bound to WHEN DOES COMBAT STOP? find themselves caught up in pursuit of a bounty or on the Once either side is defeated or yields, combat is over. Yet, run from villagers attempting to set their arcanist ablaze for not every fight needs to end in the wholesale slaughter of meddling and heresy. Whether being pursued through the the other side. Most sapient creatures understand when busy streets of a market, racing in hot pursuit of another car- they’ve been beaten, knowing when it’s time to give up. riage down the lane, chasing down a bounty on horseback, Bargains can be struck, former enemies can be made allies, driving a cart down mountainous switchbacks or sprinting at 346 a breakneck pace to escape the law, the thrill of the chase can an Escapee, are always at the top of the Initiative Ladder. be a compelling piece of a grim & perilous story. If there are multiple Escapees, rank them in order, based on their Perception Bonus (PB). The remainder of the Charac- Like Combat Encounters, all Chase Scenes reference Struc- ters are called Pursuers and will determine their placement tured Time, referencing the Initiative Ladder. However, in on the Initiative Ladder, ranked in order from highest Ini- a Chase Scene, time itself is malleable, with the length of tiative roll to lowest. time during the chase set by you, depending on how you wish to frame the story. It could be handled as a quick dash Write down every participant within the Chase Scene by through the streets or a day long pursuit of a brigand’s band their Character’s name and track their Brawn Bonus (BB). on the road. It could result from the end of combat - as the Character’s quarry attempts to flee - or as reaction to having The Chase Scene Tracker can be found in the Game Mastery their pocket picked by a ragamuffin in a marketplace. It may Appendix at the end of this chapter. take place in the midst of Wilderness Travel, or at the end ESCAPE CONDITION of a Social Intrigue event. It may span just a few short min- utes or several days of travel. The choice is yours, defined by There are always circumstances which should lead to an Es- what you wish to impress upon the Characters, drawn into a capee getting away. This is defined by the Escape Condition. tense scene where the stakes are high and the threat of being By setting an Escape Condition, it specifically spells out caught (or capturing an important personality on the lam) when an Escapee gets away. can change the tide of the story. OTHER MODES OF MOVEMENT Whenever a Chase Scene begins, you need to set the Escape Condition. The Escape Condition determines how many Chase Scenes don’t always take place on foot. Some may take Rounds the Escapee needs before completely eluding their place while driving carriages, on horseback or in a boat. In Pursuers. For purposes of a Chase Scene, a Round is an inde- these cases, you’ll have the Pursuer make a related Skill Test, terminate amount of time. It can be equal to either minutes, based on this mode of transportation, while the Escapee hours or days. When using multiple Escapees, it is ideal to must attempt to escape being caught using their own related set the Escape Condition to the same value. Announce the Skill Test. This means that if the Pursuers are traveling by measure of time you intend to use for the players. horse, they’ll make a Ride Test to Takedown the Escapee, Once you have determined the Escape Condition, record it while they will Resist with their own Ride Test. The same somewhere outside of the player’s sight. This is for you to goes for those who’re driving a carriage (using the Drive reference, or modify as you see fit. Skill) or even by river barge or ship (using the Navigation Skill). Use your best judgement in these cases, particularly SHORT CHASE: 3 ROUNDS if the Pursuers and Escapees are using different modes of A Short Chase is a good way to handle Chase Scenes for transportation. Takedown may not even be an option if play- groups of five players or more at the game table. This allows ers are on horseback or driving a cart or carriage. every Character to have something to contribute, while not extending the time to run a Chase Scene beyond 15 minutes STEP I: TRACK THE CHASE of real time. A Chase Scene doesn’t always have to play out in local move- ment as it would during a Combat Encounter. It may be LONG CHASE: 6 ROUNDS framed within shorter local distances where pursuers can A Long Chase is ideal for a group of about four players, in- visibly see the people they’re chasing (yards), when hunters troducing more opportunities for random elements to oc- are following their quarry’s trail in the wilderness (miles) or cur during the chase. This also mirrors the average length even across a great divide where two roving armies are racing of combat between equally powerful opponents in ZWEI- against one another (leagues). HÄNDER. DISTANCES EXTENDED CHASE: 9 ROUNDS Use this option only when you have three or less players sit- Whenever you begin a Chase Scene, you’ll need to first con- ting around the game table. Extended Chase allow for many sider what measure of Distance you intend to use. You’ll opportunities for smaller groups to make waves, despite the reference yards, miles or leagues. Once you’ve made this de- size of their party. cision, announce it to the players and establish an Initiative Ladder (as indicated in Chapter 8: Combat). ESCAPEES & PURSUERS Characters who are attempting to escape, otherwise called 347 ESCAPE VALUE While the player Characters were in a busy market- place, a female guttersnipe decides to nick a bottle of At the beginning of each Round, the Escapee will generate wine from a nearby stall. Unfortunately, she ultimate- an Escape Value. It represents the relative Distance they’re ly failed her Skulduggery Test. While the pedlar wasn’t ahead from Pursuers that Round. The Escape Value is always wholly aware, one of the Characters (a watchman) was. placed at the top of the Initiative Ladder, displayed for all Calling for her to stop, the guttersnipe speeds off into players to see. the crowds. The Gamemaster determines there are only Escape Value is determined by adding the Escapee’s Head two participants. For this Chase Scene, it will be an Ex- Start + Movement + 1D10 Chase Die. Calculate all results tended Chase (9 Rounds). Since they’re relatively close together to determine total Escape Value. Multiple Escapees to one another in the marketplace, Distances will be re- may set different Escape Values, but always share the same corded in yards. Escape Condition. STEP II: DETERMINE HEAD START A Head Start gives an Escapee or a Pursuer an initial boost, The guttersnipe is now on the run. Her Head Start is adding a +3 bonus their Escape or Pursuit Value but only on 3, and adds it to her Movement of 4. Rolling a 1D10 the first Round. Don’t give a Head Start to both the Escapee Chase Die, it lands on a face 8. The Escape Value for the and the Pursuer. It is more likely you’ll give an Escapee a Head first Round is set at 15 (3 + 4 + 8). Start. Yet, there are times that smart Pursuers may be able to justify having a Head Start themselves. Make this decision before the chase begins. PURSUIT VALUE After the Escape Value is set, Pursuers will then take their Because the marketplace is crowded and the gutter- Turn, following the order established in the Initiative Ladder. snipe is naturally smaller than her watchman Pursuer, During their Turn, they begin to sprint towards the Escapee, in an attempt to catch them. the Gamemaster decides to give her a Head Start. Pursuit Value is determined by adding their Head Start + STEP III: BEGIN PURSUIT Movement + 1D10 Chase Die. Calculate all results together After rolling for Initiative, the Escapee will first set the Es- to determine total Pursuit Value. cape Value for that Round as they begin to run away. Follow- ing that, Pursuers will then take their Turn, either electing to TAKEDOWN OR ATTACK? pursue after them or unleash an attack at range. Each time a Pursuer generates Pursuit Value, announce the Distance between them and the Escapee. If the Pursuit Val- MOVEMENT DURING A CHASE ue is in excess of the Escape Value, they can attempt a Take- Most Chase Scenes take place on foot. However, some may down or a melee-based Attack. If the Pursuit Value is less take place atop a coach, on horseback or even by sea. Natu- than or equal to the Escape Value, they can attempt ranged- rally, this has an impact on how you’d calculate Movement based or Magick-based Attack. for the Escapee and Pursuers. Normally, you’d calculate Movement on foot by adding 3 + the Character’s Agility Bo- TAKEDOWN nus (AB), accounting for any Overage they may be suffering If their Pursuit Value is equal to or in excess of the Escape from. However, you can derive these other types of Move- Value, a Character may attempt a Takedown to immediately ment below. Naturally, if Characters are suffering Overage, stop the Chase Scene. Immediately lower their Pursuit Value these other types of Movement are penalized the same: to the Escape Value, so that both the Pursuer and Escapee  1 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while climbing, sneaking or are Engaged. swimming Assuming that the Chase Scene is taking place on foot, this  3 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while rowing a boat upstream  requires a successful Coordination Test, with Difficulty Rat- 3 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while driving a cart or wagon ing based on the situation. Here are a few suggested exam-  6 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while driving by coach  ples of Difficulty Ratings to assign: 9 + Agility Bonus (AB) while flying  (Trivial +30%): Grab ahold of an Escapee when  9 + Agility Bonus (AB) while riding on horseback  their companions have them cornered. 12 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while rowing a boat down-  (Easy +20%): Grab ahold of an Escapee while out stream  in the open. 15 + Agility Bonus (AB) while piloting a ship in  (Routine +10%): Grab ahold of an Escapee where calm waters other people in the crowd are barring them from 348 sprinting away. Test to strike therefore reducing their Pursuit Value by -3.  (Standard +/-0%): Grab ahold of an Escapee when in an easily-navigable alleyway. MELEE WEAPON  (Challenging -10%): Grab ahold of an Escapee in- For an Attack with a melee weapon, immediately lower their side a busy tavern. Pursuit Value to the Escape Value, so that both the Pursuer  (Hard -20%): Grab ahold of an Escapee in the dark- and Escapee are Engaged. ness of night.  RANGED WEAPON & MAGICK (Arduous -30%): Grab ahold of an Escapee in the In order to properly fire a ranged weapon, it must be load- middle of a busy thoroughfare within a large crowd ed first with a successful Coordination Test. Failure to do of people. so results in losing the opportunity to attack this Round, If successful, the Escapee must immediately attempt to Re- but the weapon is prepared for an attack on the following sist by making a Coordination Test. The Coordination Test’s Round. The same can be said for those who wish to use Difficulty Rating receives either a penalty or a bonus, based Magick; a successful Coordination Test must be made to on the Difficulty Rating of the Pursuer’s Coordination Test. ready any reagents necessary. Under these circumstances, It is always the opposite bonus or penalty. This means if Channel Power and Rituals are not an option due to the the Pursuer’s Coordination Test had a Difficulty Rating of frantic nature of a Chase Scene. (Routine +10%), the Difficulty Rating for the Escapee’s Co- Distance is always a factor that must be taken under consid- ordination Test is (Challenging -10%). eration. The Distance between a Pursuer and an Escape is If the Pursuers’ Coordination Test is successful and the Es- the difference between the Escape Value and Pursuit Value. capee’s Coordination Test fails, the Escapee is caught and Given that all ranged weapons have a fixed Distance in yards both the Pursuer and Escapee are removed from the Chase they can strike from and Magick generally requires visual- Scene (or the Chase Scene ends if they are the only Escapee). ization of a target, a Ranged Attack or Magick use may not Upon a Critically Succeeded Coordination Test, the Escap- even be able to reach the Escapee. If the Distance is in miles ee cannot Resist being caught and is immediately removed, or leagues, this option may be impossible, unless for some along with the Pursuer, from the Chase Scene. Upon a failed reason the Magick a Pursuer is using can target enemies they Coordination Test, the Escapee continues sprinting away cannot see. and the Pursuer immediately reduces their Pursuit Value by The watchman has a Pursuit Value of 17, while the guttersnipe 1. However, upon a Critically Failed Coordination Test, the has an Escape Value of 15. The difference between the two is Escapee not only continues sprinting away, but the Pursuer equal to 2 (17 - 15). This means that if the watchman wants instead immediately reduces their Pursuit Value by 3. to make a Ranged Attack with their crossbow, the guttersnipe Using the examples above, if a player wrangles a horse, have is within 2 yards. them make a Handle Animal Test. If successful, they can VEHICLE ATTACK change their movement to 6 + Agility Bonus (AB) as de- For an Attack when using a carriage, horse, ship or or con- scribed in the previous sidebar. If they were able to figure out veyance’s force to strike, immediately lower their Pursuit a more economical way to traverse the city during the Chase Value to the Escape Value, so that both the Pursuer and Es- Scene with Scrutinize, immediately increase their Pursuit capee are Engaged. Value by +3, or even +6 on a Critical Success. With Survival, a successful Skill Test may yield a reduction to their oppo- Attacks made with a conveyance always reference the related nent’s Escape Value by -3, or -6 upon a Critical Success. Skill used to navigate it. For instance, if attempting to drive a dog sled or cart into another’s, you’d roll a Handle Animal ATTACK Test. With a wagon or a coach, you’d use the Drive Skill. Or, if Chase Scenes are focused on momentum. Should a Pursuer attempting to broadside another ship or crash your barge into stop to load a weapon and fire off a shot, it may mean that another, you’d use the Pilot Skill. the Escapee gains some ground. This is a risk some may wish to take.

An Attack with a melee weapon requires a Pursuer to be En- gaged with the Escapee. However, an Attack with Magick or a ranged weapon can also be used, regardless if they lag be- hind or if their Pursuit Value is in excess of the Escape Val- ue. By Attacking, however, a Character immediately reduces their Pursuit Value by -1, unless they Critically Fail their 349 OTHER SKILLS IN A CHASE The guttersnipe is struck for 8 Damage. While it wasn’t There may be times where players wish to fore- enough to punch through their Damage Threshold, the go taking down their opponent or lobbing a shot force of the attack still penalizes the guttersnipe’s cur- towards the Escapee, instead committing to using rent Escape Value by -3. another Skill. A good example would be if players COUNTERATTACK! manage to hop atop a horse during the Chase Scene as they race through the marketplace, or use Scru- Due to the frantic nature of a Chase Scene, melee and ranged tinize to suss out a more beneficial route to cut off weapon attacks cannot be Dodged or Parried. Magick can be the Escapees. They may even wish to use Survival to Resisted, however it cannot be Counterspelled for the same cut off the Escapee at the next bend in the road. Let reasons above. players take the proverbial reins in these instances, However, any time that an Attack is made towards the Es- describing what it is they wish to do. Reward crafty capee, they may counterattack the same Pursuer, following the players that wish to do something off-script in these same rules as above. However, much like the Pursuers, the Es- instances. capee is bound to the same rules as above: they can only make one counterattack during a Round, and immediately reduces DIFFICULTY RATINGS their Escape Value by -1, unless they Critically Fail their Test The Difficulty Rating is determined normally as with to strike therefore reducing their Escape Value by -3. Combat Encounters, with environment being the single If at any point you decide to have an Escapee stop, it is better largest factor in deciding how simple or demanding their to immediately switch from a Chase Scene into a Combat attack should be. Here are a few suggested examples of Encounter. Simply place them onto the Initiative Ladder as Difficulty Ratings to assign: you normally would. If your intention is to have each of the  (Trivial +30%): Attempt to attack where no one else combatants slowly pick one another off, moving from cover could potentially be struck and the Escapee is out in to cover, it’s a good idea to abandon a Chase Scene entirely the open. and let it play out as a Combat Encounter.  (Easy +20%): Attempt to attack whenever an Escap- STEP IV: FATIGUE & ee is in an open field. COMPLICATIONS  (Routine +10%): Attempt to attack whenever an Es- capee is sprinting through a wide-open street. During a Chase Scene, Characters on both sides will grow  (Standard +/-0%): Attempt to attack whenever an tired and run the risk of stumbling into trouble or worse. Escapee is sprinting through a small crowd of peo- FATIGUE ple.  (Challenging -10%): Attempt to attack whenever Both Escapees and Pursuers can sprint without risk of tir- the Escapee is rushing between carts and horses on ing. You previously recorded the Characters’ Brawn Bonuses the move. (BB) beside their name. Once an Escapee or Pursuer exceeds  (Hard -20%): Attempt to attack when where is only a number of Rounds beyond their Brawn Bonus (BB), they’ll starlight to see by. begin to tucker out. Whenever they take their Turn thereaf-  (Arduous -30%): Attempt to attack in a busy street ter, they must succeed a (Challenging -10%) Toughness Test where the Pursuer’s companions are nowhere to be or suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. If they Critically Fail, they found, and may be rushing into a trap. suffer 3D10+3 physical Peril instead. If they ever reach Inca- pacitated!, they can no longer participate in the Chase Scene.

The watchman is 2 yards away, close enough to fire an Fortunate for the watchman, his Brawn Bonus (BB) is 4. arquebus. The watchman succeeds their Coordination This means that on Round 5 and thereafter, the watchman Test to load, and fires! must Resist fatigue whenever they generate a Pursuit Val- ue. Unfortunately for the guttersnipe, however, their Brawn If the Attack is success, the Escapee cannot Counterspell, Bonus (BB) is 3. This means that they must Resist fatigue Dodge or Parry the Attack (but may Resist Magick if re- on Round 4 and thereafter whenever they generate Escape quired to). They’ll suffer Damage as usual, while reducing Value. their current Escape Value by -3. COMPLICATIONS During a Chase Scene, you may wish to introduce a Com- plication. It adds a random element of danger, introducing 350 additional challenges towards Pursuers but without whol- WHAT SOCIAL INTRIGUE MEANS ly interrupting the Chase Scene. While it isn’t necessary to Social Intrigue ranges from simple interactions to more use Complications during every Chase Scene, it can prove to complex social interludes. It may be something relatively be an excellent way to pit Characters against not only their simple as haggling over the price of a fur-trimmed cloak quarry, but the world around them. with a trapper. It could be used to entertain and persuade a Complications fall upon Characters with the lowest Escape crowd. It could diffuse a situation that threatens to erupt in or Pursuit Value at the end of a Round. They must roll a violence. It could be used to grease the palms of would-be 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands on a face “6”, they face a Com- city guard. It may be to cause another to cow before them plication. Complications from a Chase Scene can be found with intimidation or bullying. in the Game Mastery Appendix at the end of this chapter. Verbal sparring is a pastime of those quick of wit and silver However, you should feel emboldened by these examples to of tongue. More complex examples could include the in- create your own. trepid Character’s quest to unseat a count who has wronged Chase Scene Complications can be found in the Game Mas- them, by waging a political war of words. It could be a tense tery Appendix at the end of this chapter. situation where royal houses threaten violence, and only the Characters can put a stop to it by negotiating the terms be- STEP V: RESOLVE tween hostile parties. It could also be framed by a masquer- ROUND OF CHASE ade ball, where specific rumors must be spread in order to A Chase Scene continues until one of these situations is met: set one aristocrat against another with propaganda. It may require a suite of flattery, veiled threats and guile to reduce  Escape Condition is met by the Escapee an enemy outside of combat to simply give up, retreating in  Escapee is taken down shame.  Escapee or all Pursuers are exhausted  Escapee is Slain! However, not all exchanges need to be framed beneath the  Escapee or Pursuers give up Social Intrigue rules. Simply ruling that a Rumor Test con- vinces enough people of some falsehood may be enough. If none of these conditions are met, return to Step III, con- Greasing the palm of a guard with enough coin may be eas- tinuing the Chase Scene. Add the results to the original Es- ier to run as Gamemaster, as opposed to putting a player cape and Pursuit Values. Continue these same steps until the through a trial of Skill Tests to get the job done. Simple role- Chase Scene ends. play can be used to resolve many social interactions without having to ever roll dice, particularly whenever failure doesn’t necessarily negatively affect Characters. Ultimately, you need SOCIAL INTRIGUE RULES to ask yourself whether it’s going to add value to the game Whenever player Characters seek to either convince another at-hand or not. Although these rules shouldn’t be ignored of a significant falsehood, persuade another party to capitu- wholesale, you should reserve them for climactic moments. late to demands they’d not easily agree to or ensconce their WHY SOCIAL INTRIGUE? own agendas into the mind of others with a profound effect, you will engage in a mechanic called Social Intrigue. As with all things, your responsibility as Gamemaster is to determine which social interactions you wish to shape into Social Intrigue is one of the many kinds of challenges you’ll Social Intrigue. There are a few considerations you’ll make present to players as Gamemaster. Like Wilderness Travel, before using these rules. Social Intrigue uses Narrative Time to frame its encounters. It is equally as important as Chases Scenes, Combat Encoun- Most role-playing games rely less on social-based Skills, and ters and Wilderness Travel. It lends dramatic weight to key lean on player’s ability to role-play. While ZWEIHÄNDER parts of the story you tell, fleshing out the people who inhabit still encourages social interactions to be role-played, there your campaign world and gives credence to the importance exists a suite of roles that can enhance these interactions, of Character relationships outside the group. It can establish introducing a process to determine precisely what it means rivalries with those who are not so easily crushed beneath the to achieve victory or earn defeat (beyond a simple yes/no crook and hammer. It can also create partnerships with those outcome) in the social arena. who’re put it all on the line for their friends. Social Intrigue Used sparingly and only at climactic interludes during the also grounds the players into the world you present, as new game session, you can use Social Intrigue to stand out as a villains and allegiances form after climactic moments in the special event where players plan, plot and engage in tense ver- story. bal assault against other non-player Characters. 351 SOCIAL INTRIGUE OVERVIEW STEP I: DETERMINE Below is a quick guideline to follow whenever using Social COMPLEXITY Intrigue: Initially, you need to decide how complex you want the ex- change to be. It is divided into two groups: STEP I: DETERMINE COMPLEXITY You will decide whether the interaction will be a quick reso- SIMPLE EXCHANGE lution or complex negotiation of words. Simple Exchanges generally require one well-reasoned ar- gument or one Skill Roll between one player Character to a STEP II: RESOLVE SIMPLE EXCHANGE non-player Character. Examples include haggling over the A Simple Exchange can quickly be wrapped up with good price of something, bribing a minor official to ignore tres- role-playing or a single Skill Test. pass, gathering rumors, etc… This is the most common form of Social Intrigue you’ll use. STEP III: DISCUSS OBJECTIVES After announcing that a complex Social Intrigue event is Generally, you won’t even need to communicate these sort about to take place, the players will discuss above-board who of exchanges directly to the players. You’ll likely already have will participate in the exchange, what is to be gained and in mind the Social Class of the non-player Character they’re what may be at risk. preparing to interact with. Keeping most exchanges simple like this is ideal, so you don’t have to worry about additional STEP IV: SOCIAL TACTICS preparation beforehand.

Every participant will elect one specific Skill for the exchange, If you are using a Simple Exchange, move onto Step II to set which should drive the meat of their role-play. It will further up a Social Intrigue event. be influenced by favorable and unfavorable Skills, and which Alignment they will lean on to achieve their goals. COMPLEX EXCHANGE STEP V: REPUTATION Complex Exchanges generally require continuous engage- ment, arguments, interaction and role-play. This would be to Characters carry with them a level of fame and infamy, which convince a minor noble to capitulate to demands they would may influence how effective their Skill Test is during Social normally find unreasonable or gain ingress to a formidable Intrigue. fortification by way of social intrigue. Complex Exchang- STEP VI: SOCIAL CLASS & DISPOSITION es generally require more than a simple verbal barb or bit of flattery to convince another. Generally, these exchanges You’ll use the non-player Character’s Social Class and gen- are best used when players have planned to sow the seeds of eral mood to set the Difficulty Rating of the Social Tactics discontent with a major mover-and-shaker. They tend to go check. on for an indeterminate time, unbound by a specific set of STEP VII: SOCIAL TACTICS CHECK minutes in-game to follow. Each participant must now roll their Skill Test, which will If you are using a Complex Exchange, move onto Step III to determine a set of Temperaments you’ll reference through- set up a Social Intrigue event. out the exchange. STEP II: RESOLVE STEP VIII: ROLE-PLAY EXCHANGE SIMPLE EXCHANGE The entire exchange is played out to the point where all par- Simple exchanges generally take less than five minutes in ticipants have had their say, made their relevant points and the game world. Likely, it doesn’t require the Characters to drove together towards the formally-agreed upon objectives. continuously interact with another to cause them to con- During this time, players may change Social Tactics or use cede. Simply begin narration and let the player describe what other Skill Tests to sense deception and lies. they’re doing. STEP IX: RESOLUTION Resolution is not binary whatsoever; it is not as simple as a yes/no outcome. You’ll describe what happens, and award bonus Reward Points for those who stuck to the objectives.

352 Graf von Bek - a Lowborn bounty hunter - is at a very Once inside the tavern, Graf von Bek discovers it plays exclusive tavern, one which welcomes those of higher host to a number of times; both salt-of-the-earth and social standing. Graf knows that the spy (a mysterious upper crust folk. This is where both the upper and mid- woman called the Shadowbroker) is likely inside. How- dle-class rub elbows. The Gamemaster decides that ever, it only caters to those of a particular bend - those most of the patrons are Burghers, save for those who of the Burgher and Aristocracy Social Classes. He ap- may be of a criminal bend, who will be Aristocrats. Un- proaches the tavern, only to meet a surely doorman. fortunately, Graf is of the Lowborn Social Class, which may won’t work in his favor. Jeremy, who is playing Graf, approaches the tavern, dressed to the nines. He describes the flourish in his NPC ALIGNMENT SETS step, and speaks that his Character adopts the affecta- DIFFICULTY RATING tions that would be common among the patrons of the establishment. Every non-player Character will either be more strongly Or- der-Aligned or Chaos-Aligned. This means they have a pro- pensity to side with and understand those who play towards You may even determine that they described what their that strength while harboring a proclivity towards disdain Character does so well that a Skill Test isn’t required whatso- with those whose values are not aligned with theirs. These ever to achieve what they want. You need not continue with subtle personality quirks are not easily hidden, and others the rules therein, simply let interaction play out and resolve it pick up on these mannerisms easily. Make this decision without any Skill Tests. However, remember that only when during the interaction, or simply flip a coin in cases where failure has a result which carries long-lasting consequences, you’d rather let chance determine their Alignment. you should require a Skill Test. If so, continue moving for- ward to understand how both player and non-player Charac- Mark down the Social Class of the non-player Character ters’ Social Classes will impact a Simple Exchange. they’re interacting with, as their alignment and Social Class will determine the baseline Difficulty Rating to use. Refer- Although Graf von Bek has dressed the part, he clearly ence below to determine the final Difficulty Rating: isn’t of the same exclusionary Social Class as the other NPC IS ORDER-ALIGNED patrons. Not only that, the doorman seems to scrutinize SAME SOCIAL CLASS every person who walks in. Jeremy, the player of Graf von  Bek, tells the Gamemaster that he intends to bribe the Order Ranks greater than Chaos Ranks: (Easy +20%) Difficulty Rating doorman to let him in, handing roughly one week’s wage  over to grease his palm. The Gamemaster may normal- Order & Chaos Ranks equal: (Routine +10%) Dif- ficulty Rating ly rely on a Bargain Test to see if this is successful, but  because the amount of money was so insanely high, he Order Ranks less than Chaos Ranks: (Standard +/- dismisses the Skill Test altogether and tells Jeremy that 0%) Difficulty Rating Graf is allowed into the tavern without even a pat-down. DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASS  SOCIAL CLASS Order Ranks greater than Chaos Ranks: (Standard +/-0%) Difficulty Rating Generally, you can assume that the non-player Characters  Order & Chaos Ranks equal: (Challenging -10%) are fairly indifferent towards strangers; having no particular Difficulty Rating reason to favor or disfavor them. However, the inequities be-  Order Ranks less than Chaos Ranks: (Hard -20%) tween Social Classes become readily apparent during these Difficulty Rating transactions. That being said, the weight of decisions Char- acters have made in the past make it difficult or impossible NPC IS CHAOS-ALIGNED to hide their demeanor. SAME SOCIAL CLASS  You’ll want to know both the Social Class of the Characters Chaos Ranks greater than Order Ranks: (Easy +20%) Difficulty Rating at all times. Record each player Character’s Social Class will  help you transition between narration and mechanics seam- Chaos & Order Ranks equal: (Routine +10%) Dif- ficulty Rating lessly. However, when it’s time to lay down the Social Class  of non-player Characters, they’ll always be either Lowborn, Chaos Ranks less than Order Ranks: (Standard +/- Burgher or an Aristocrat. 0%) Difficulty Rating DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASS The Social Intrigue Tracker can be found in the Game Mas-  tery Appendix at the end of this chapter. Chaos Ranks greater than Order Ranks: (Standard 353 +/-0%) Difficulty Rating The Gamemaster decides that Graf will need to make  Chaos & Order Ranks equal: (Challenging -10%) a successful Charm Test to get answers. Graf ’s fellow Difficulty Rating card players are Order-Aligned. He is of a different So-  Chaos Ranks less than Order Ranks: (Hard -20%) cial Class, but Graf ’s Order Ranks are higher than his Difficulty Rating Chaos Ranks. This makes it a (Standard +/-0%) Charm Test. Fortunately, Jeremy rolls a Critical Success! The Graf von Bek bends the ear of a local drunkard for in- Gamemaster decides that not only will the card players formation on the Shadowbroker. The Gamemaster says acquiesce in telling him who the Shadowbroker is, they it will take a Rumor Test to do so. Taking under consid- make an introduction for him. After Graf gets what he eration the situation, the Gamemaster determines that wants, he alerts both Leopold Coventry and Danziger the drunkard is Chaos-aligned. Graf is of a different to join him for the introduction. Social Class, and has more Order Ranks than Chaos Ranks. This makes his Difficulty Rating (Hard -20%). STEP III: PLAYERS DISCUSS OBJECTIVES ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS At this point, you’ve determined that a Complex Exchange In some cases, you may wish to ignore the above examples is about to occur. Take a moment to ask players to step “out and rely on other deeds - for good or ill - that will impact a of Character” for a moment, to discuss three things above Character’s interactions. Belonging to the same guild, reli- board: gion or even race may significantly raise the Difficulty Rat- ing. Use your best judgement in these cases, adjusting the FIRST: WHO WILL PARTICIPATE? Difficulty Ratings positively or negatively as you wish. If in The players decide who will participate in Social Intrigue. doubt, let the player take advantage of an Assist Die. Some players may be better-suited to take the charge, whereas others may have specific deeds of their Character’s past which RESULTS OF A SIMPLE EXCHANGE will not benefit the party. A successful Skill Test allows them to persuade or make the non-player Character concede to their argument. A Criti- For purposes of Complex Exchanges, it is important for more cally Succeeded Skill Test has the same result, and may earn than one player to interact. In fact, the more players who par- them an additional benefit (such as secret information for ticipate in Social Intrigue, the better chance they have of pro- use of Folklore or a better deal if haggling over items with ducing more desirable results, based on the results of their dice Bargain). A failure results in no concession, while a Critically roll. Actively encourage all players around the game table to Failed Skill Test results in no concessions and utter embar- participate in Social Intrigue (guaranteeing their Characters rassment or shame, as the Character suffers 2D10+2 mental are actually all present). And, as stated before from Chapter Peril. 1: Introduction, you should explain to players that they don’t have to be the “best” role-players in order to participate in So- Charged with finding the Shadowbroker, Graf scans the cial Intrigue. Both first person and third person role-playing room. Knowing that the barkeep likely isn’t to give up who are perfectly valid ways to engage in a tense session of So- the broker is (for fear of reprisal), he decides to join in a card cial Intrigue. Encourage everyone to participate, unless their game where the coins are stacked high and the people play- Character simply isn’t present during the exchange. ing it appear of a cut above the rest of the patrons. Once the players have determined which Characters will be participating in the exchange, put a check mark beside their Requiring nothing less than a 10 silver shilling (ss) buy- name on the Social Intrigue Tracker. You’ll reference this lat- in, Graf lays down his coin...and then some. The Game- er during the exchange. master asks Jeremy to make a (Standard +/-0%) Gamble Test, in which he’s successful. At the point where Graf has won several hands of cards, he then inquires with Graf von Bek, Danziger and Leopold Coventry come to the other card players where the Shadowbroker can be the private quarters of the Shadowbroker. Danziger seems found. ill-equipped to deal with these sort of interactions, and his player Adam defers to the others to lead the role-playing exchange. This leaves both Graf and Leopold to partici- pate in the exchange.

354 SECOND: WHAT IS TO BE GAINED? with, and use these as potential pressure points during ne- As before, all players - despite whether their Characters in- gotiations. tend to participate in Social Intrigue - will discuss the broad strokes of what their objectives are. Likely, there will be several Dealing with the Shadowbroker carries its own risk: by agendas at play. One player may wish to suss out secrets from seeking out information from her, she may later sell in- the person their Characters are interacting with, whereas an- formation about them in turn. Additionally, Leopold other may want to establish a firmer relationship or patronage. Coventry’s Nemesis, the Bride, may be with the gangers (but the Shadowbroker may choose not to disclose this These objectives do not have to necessarily be shared information). Finally, there will definitely be some sort in-Character between the players, but everyone should be of exchange at some point between the party and the made aware of what their fellow players are after. It is not Shadowbroker for her services, either bankrupting them unlikely that some players may wish to hide their Character’s of all their coin or a favor to be called upon at a later date. agenda from the others, veering off the rails for purposes of role-play when the time is right (as it fits their Character’s STEP IV: SOCIAL TACTICS personality). However, a good gaming group will mostly be on the same page, and can used this opportunity to figure out Social Intrigue requires honeyed words, deals to be struck, just what they are attempting to achieve together. They may pledges to be given, intrigues to be drawn out and sometimes also choose a point man to lead the discussion, while other the threat of violence to force non-player Characters to ac- Characters wait in the wings. quiesce to demands they’d not normally say yes to.

Once the players have agreed upon their objectives, it will Before the role-playing portion of Social Intrigue plays out, give them a solid theme to adhere to during Social Intrigue. you need to determine what the non-player Character’s general Write down these objectives, so you may reference them later mood will be in, based on the demands the players intend to during the exchange. make. In order to determine these attitudes, otherwise called Temperaments, you will call upon each player participating to pick a tactic they feel will lend the most weight to the objec- The Shadowbroker offers the party the promise of in- tive they wish to attain. Temperaments develop a frame of mind formation. They need to learn three key things during that you’ll reference whenever you role-play the non-player the Social Intrigue exchange: where they can find the Characters the players interact with. secret entrance to the temple vault, what street gang the clerics have paid to guard it and how many strong the By selecting a specific Skill, called Social Tactic, it gives them a gang is. Giving that Leopold Coventry has the Nem- mechanic to rely upon as they role-play during the Social In- esis Drawback, his player Kent states that he fears his trigue. In return, it gives you a set of keywords you may refer- old-enemy “The Bride” is among the gangsters. Al- ence to set the tone of the non-player Character’s role-playing though neither Graf von Bek nor Danziger knows this during Social Intrigue. Skills that come into play include the in-Character, both Jeremy and Adam as players do. following:  They mutually agree upon the objectives, and Kent will Bargain (Fellowship)  be sure to have Leopold speak about The Bride without Charm (Fellowship)  openly disclosing to Leopold’s allies that The Bride is Guile (Fellowship)  still after him. Interrogation (Willpower)  Intimidate (Brawn) THIRD: WHAT IS AT STAKE?  Leadership (Fellowship)  The players already discussed a number of objectives they Rumor (Fellowship) wish to attain in Social Intrigue. However, some of these Once players have selected their Social Tactic, write it beside agendas may carry consequences. Asking for assistance from the Character’s name on the Social Intrigue Tracker. You’ll a notorious outlaw may put their own reputations on the reference this later during the exchange. line. Associating with rivaling nobles could paint them as untrustworthy in the royal courts, flappable and mercenary in attitudes. Every Social Intrigue has something at stake, whether it be esteem, riches or even their lives.

Players should announce, and agree upon what may be at stake for entering Social Intrigue. Keep these things in mind while role-playing the Characters they intend to interact 355 STEP V: CHARACTER As only Graf von Bek and Leopold Coventry chose to REPUTATION participate in the Social Intrigue event, they discuss what Skills may prove useful to get the information out Complex Exchanges are marked by both the shield of repu- of the Shadowbroker. Graf von Bek feels that an ex- tation players bear - wittingly or not - and the psychology of change of information may prove useful to squeeze the those they will be interacting with. information out of the Shadowbroker. He selects his Some Characters, particularly those who have lived long Bargain Skill. Meanwhile, Leopold Coventry wants to lives, carry with them a certain level of respect Mercenar- lean on his expertise as a former gaoler. Trained in the ies who have served at the behest of counts and dukes of- ways to extract information using psychological tech- ten have a solid reputation they carry with them, instilling niques, he chooses to use Interrogation. a deep sense of honor that both stranger and friends alike FAVORABLE SKILLS can pick up on. All the while, Characters may also be in- famous for their deeds. A thieving messenger may have When entering the Social Intrigue arena, there are some been ousted from their master for petty embezzlement, and Skills which may have a more pronounced impact on the in- the royal courts may well know the notoriety the burgling teraction. For instance, trying to squeeze information out of pencil-pusher carries. This could bode negatively for them a captured Orx by lying to them - using Guile to trick them during Social Intrigue. - can be effective. However, using Interrogation would have a more definitive impact. During every Social Intrigue event, BURNING REPUTATION POINTS you should write down a single Skill that will have extremely Consider any important distinctions that individual Charac- favorable results. ters may carry. Do so carefully; as the benefit of repute - by If a player chooses a favorable Skill and succeeds their Social fame or infamy - should not so easily be awarded or given Tactics Check, you will treat it as a Critical Success when as a punishment. A Character may burn 1 Reputation Point determining Temperaments. Don’t relay that a player has to augment interaction with someone of their own Social chosen a favorable Skill, until after they’ve made their Social Class, or 3 if of another Social Class. If they burn Reputation Tactics Check. Points in this fashion, they gain an Assist Die when making their Social Tactics Check. Let the player know they gain The Shadowbroker is in the business of information this advantage. exchange. The Gamemaster decides that Bargain is a Favored Skill. Fortunately, Graf von Bek elected to use Leopold Coventry is known to the Shadowbroker as an Bargain, so this will allow him to get the most favorable extremely valuable agent. He’s done work for her in the result once the Social Tactics check is resolved. past, and has brought many bounties to the Shadowbro- ker’s doorstep. The Gamemaster decides Leopold’s fame UNFAVORABLE SKILLS will prove beneficial during the exchange. He then tells Leopold’s player to remember he may take advantage of There are some Skills which lend little credence towards at- his spent Reputation Points when he makes a Social Tac- taining player objectives. For example, threatening the same tics check. Orx to kill its family, using Intimidate, would be nigh upon useless. Why? Because this particular Orx has no family, but STEP VI: SOCIAL CLASS & the player Characters have no idea whatsoever. DISPOSITION If a player chooses an unfavorable Skill and fails their Social At this point, you’ll understand how the non-player Char- Tactics Check, you will treat it as a Critical Failure whenev- acter’s Social Class impacts the Difficulty Rating, and refer- er determining Temperaments. Don’t relay that a player has ence their Disposition to set additional guidelines. chosen an unfavorable Skill, until after they’ve made their Social Tactics Check. SOCIAL CLASS In this case, you can basically assume that the non-player The Shadowbroker does not react well to being dra- Characters are fairly indifferent towards strangers; having gooned or subdued. The Gamemaster decides that In- no particular reason to favor or disfavor them. However, the timidate is an Unfavored Skill. Fortunately, neither inequities between Social Classes become readily apparent Grav von Bek or Leopold Coventry elected to use this during these transactions. This ranges from in which the Skill. manner that they speak, to affectations and accent in their voice to the way they carry themselves around others. These distinct wrinkles in personality that make it to the forefront of their interactions by default. 356 Mark down the Social Class of the non-player Character er, willingly putting their fortunes at stakes to ensure that the they’re interacting on the Social Intrigue Tracker for refer- Characters come out on top. They’ll overlook personal flaws ence later in the process. with the party, and would willingly lay down their own life (or put themselves directly in harm’s way) for them. The Shadowbroker rubs elbows with both the elite and the middle class, but the nuances of her upbringing are FRIENDLY hard to hide. She is of the Lowborn Social Class. Those who are Friendly share a bond of fealty or loyalty with the Characters, one that would be shared between those who DISPOSITION have deep loyalties or ties to the players. Although they would Every non-player Character has a specific mentality; an out- have to be persuaded, it would not be uncommon for them to look they default to, known for by their friends and to be dis- do favors for their kinsmen. Betrayal is not even a word in their covered by strangers. This Disposition sets the tone for your vocabulary. own role-playing, as player Characters interact with them. POLITE It also influences how far they’d be willing to go when put Those of this Disposition view the Characters favorably. to the test, at the end of Social Intrigue. For instance, just While they would not go so far to state that they’re friends, because they players are asking for assistance from the local acquaintanceship may guarantee some sort of benefit. They count and the count acquiesces, his Disposition determines won’t easily put themselves at risk, unless there is something how far he’d go or what the count is prepared to put at stake. to be gained. Favors do not come cheap, but they’re willing Mark down the Disposition of the non-player Character to entertain them. they’re interacting with for reference later in the process. INDIFFERENT Those who are Indifferent have no particular feelings towards Unfortunate for the party, they’ve scorned the Shad- the Characters, neither for good or ill. They can be bargained owbroker in the past. Although they may not realize it, with to assist, but only if persuaded by favors or compensa- they’ve meddled into her business interests. Howev- tion. They will likely follow orders from Characters out of er, being a businesswoman, she’s willing to give them duty, but won’t put themselves into harm’s way without being some benefit of the doubt. The Gamemaster decides the well-compensated. This is the default Disposition strangers Shadowbroker is of an Unfriendly Disposition. have towards the Characters. IMPOLITE Each non-player Character maintains a specific Disposition, As the word suggests, this Disposition infers a general dis- distinctly impacting the Temperaments that will be gener- like towards the Characters. This mistrust may be in rela- ated by the Character’s Social Tactics Check. Providing you tion to the Character’s misdeeds, or general outlook of the have spent time thinking about important non-player Char- non-player Character they’re interacting with. They certainly acters, you likely already have a good idea what their general won’t entertain alliance, and are difficult to convince other- Disposition is. However, if you are making it up on the fly or wise. However, they won’t outwardly challenge the Charac- wish to rely more so on fortune’s wheel, reference the table ters; instead, would act dismissing (but could be pressured below, consulting Percentile Dice to determine results: with the right Skills).

Percentile Dice Disposition UNFRIENDLY Simply put: they do not like the Characters. Their reasoning 1 to 10 Helpful is grounded in their own personal experience or misgivings, 11 to 20 Friendly or may be due to their own personal hang-ups. Unfriendly 21 to 30 Polite people rarely are convinced to work in the Character’s fa- 40 to 70 Indifferent vor, and may entertain conspiracies to take them down. Un- friendly people won’t attempt to hide their disgust, either. If 71 to 80 Impolite pressed, they’d certainly come to fists and sword. They may 81 to 90 Unfriendly concede to demands, but not without a generous amount of 91 to 100 Hostile redress in return.

HELPFUL Characters who are Helpful show adoration towards the players, either out of duty, notoriety or admiration. They share the same bond that a family would have to one anoth- 357 HOSTILE  Chaos Ranks less than Order Ranks: (Standard +/- This final Disposition is reserved for true enemies; foes who 0%) Difficulty Rating intend malicious harm upon the Characters. They’d be more DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASS than willing to stage an assassination against Characters, ac-  tively participating to bring them down using intrigue and Chaos Ranks greater than Order Ranks: (Standard +/-0%) Difficulty Rating violence. They are a true enemy, and are nigh impossible to  persuade with honeyed words. It would take the movement Chaos & Order Ranks equal: (Challenging -10%) Difficulty Rating of mountains, or other impossibilities, for them to cede to  demands or requests. Chaos Ranks less than Order Ranks: (Hard -20%) Difficulty Rating STEP VII: MAKE SOCIAL TACTICS CHECK RECORD TEMPERAMENTS Taking under consideration all steps as laid out above, you’re ready to have them make their Social Tactics Check. The re- As each result is determined, reference the Temperament table sults will generate a set of Temperaments for you to reference below and write them down on a piece of paper. You’ll refer- during the final steps of Social Intrigue. ence these as you portray the non-player Character’s voice and reactions. Temperaments have many different applications, but NPC ALIGNMENT SETS will primarily fuel how you role-play the non-player Character DIFFICULTY RATING they’re interacting with. As described before, Temperaments Every non-player Character will either be more strongly Or- are a person’s nature, describing how they generally react. They der-Aligned or Chaos-Aligned. This means they have a pro- are like personality traits, but are changeable depending on pensity to side with and understand those who play towards how they’re approached during Social Intrigue. These inherent that strength while harboring a proclivity towards disdain qualities of mind will shape how you portray the non-player with those whose values are not aligned with theirs. These Character in the final steps of a Social Intrigue event. subtle personality quirks are not easily hidden, and others Record the results, despite whether they they succeed or fail pick up on these mannerisms easily. the Skill Test. However, if they generated a Critical Success, Mark down the Social Class of the non-player Character reference the Temperament as if the non-player Character they’re interacting with on the Social Intrigue Tracker. Ref- was Helpful and award the party with one bonus Fortune erence below to determine the final Difficulty Rating: Point. However, if they generated a Critical Failure, refer- ence the Temperament as if the non-player Character was NPC IS ORDER-ALIGNED Hostile as player Character suffers 2D10+2 mental Peril. SAME SOCIAL CLASS  Temperaments can be found in the Game Mastery Appen- Order Ranks greater than Chaos Ranks: (Easy dix at the end of this chapter. +20%) Difficulty Rating  Order & Chaos Ranks equal: (Routine +10%) Dif- ficulty Rating  Order Ranks less than Chaos Ranks: (Standard +/- 0%) Difficulty Rating

DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASS  Order Ranks greater than Chaos Ranks: (Standard +/-0%) Difficulty Rating  Order & Chaos Ranks equal: (Challenging -10%) Difficulty Rating  Order Ranks less than Chaos Ranks: (Hard -20%) Difficulty Rating

NPC IS CHAOS-ALIGNED SAME SOCIAL CLASS  Chaos Ranks greater than Order Ranks: (Easy +20%) Difficulty Rating  Chaos & Order Ranks equal: (Routine +10%) Dif- ficulty Rating 358 prior relationship the party may have with them to influence Using our example from before, it is now time for play- how they respond (and how you role-play the non-player ers to roll their Character’s Social Tactics check. How- Character in turn). It may even be helpful to simply time ever, the Gamemaster must first consider the Shadow- the exchange using a watch or other time-telling device, broker’s profile to help set the Difficulty Rating. The breaking and fast-forwarding the role-played exchange at Shadowbroker is of a Lowborn Social Class, and of an moments which makes sense. Unfriendly Disposition while being Order-Aligned. Graf von Bek is of the Lowborn Social Class. He chose to Players portraying their Character’s personality during So- use his Bargain Skill, which is a Favored Skill. The Gam- cial Intrigue using “active” or “descriptive” role-playing per- emaster asks the player whether Graf ’s Order or Chaos spectives is perfectly acceptable. Active roleplaying means a Ranks are higher, and determines his Order Ranks are player declaring things as if they were their Character, such as the highest. Referencing the Difficulty Ratings above, when they narrate in-Character “I demand you tell us what the Bargain Test will be (Easy +20%). Rolling the dice, we need to know, or else you’ll live to regret that decision!”. Graf succeeds! His successful Bargain Test normally de- Descriptive role-playing means a player describe the actions termines a “Considerate” Temperament for the Game- their Character is engaging in, such as “My Character Leo- master to reference when role-playing out the exchange. pold demands he gives up what we want using his force of However, because Bargain is a Favored Skill, he instead personal strength”. Both are appropriate ways to role-play in gets the best result on the table, generating the Tempera- ZWEIHÄNDER. ment of “Generous”. CHANGING SOCIAL TACTICS Leopold Coventry is an Aristocrat. He chose to use his Social Tactics changes should be carefully paid attention to, Interrogation Skill. The Gamemaster asks the player both by you and players. If a player sharply changes their whether Leopold’s Order or Chaos Ranks are higher, and Social Tactic within the dialogue, indicate so and warn them determines his Chaos Ranks are the highest. Referencing about it. Don’t tell them “you’re role-playing the wrong way”; the Difficulty Ratings above, the Interrogate Test will be this is dangerous territory. Simply remind them of the So- (Hard -20%). Leopold gained the benefit of an Assist Die cial Tactic they had initially chosen, and ask them to adjust above for having reputation with the Shadowbroker from their dialogue to support the objectives previously lain out. prior dealings. Rolling the dice, Leopold fails and elects Feel free to pause the exchange when necessary so players not to use a Fortune Point to re-roll. His failed Interro- can think about what they want to say and how to frame it gation Test determines an “Unbroken” Temperament. around the Skill they selected for their tactic.

Unlike a Simple Exchange, failure and success doesn’t neces- If this pattern continues, shift the dynamics of the exchange, sarily mean players are going to get what they want. Success cross out the previous Temperament they generated and write certainly means that you should role-play the person they’re down an additional Temperament as if they had failed their interacting with more favorably, while failure should point you Social Tactic Check. If multiple players change mid-stream, towards playing the non-player Character they interact with a stop the exchange and revisit the objectives (and Social Tac- shaky or suspect mentality. tics) once again. Don’t be afraid to backtrack or start Social Intrigue over at this step. STEP VIII: ROLE-PLAY THE EXCHANGE Leopold Coventry was previously leaning on Inter- Once you have written down the Temperaments, the rogation during Social Intrigue. However, during the role-playing portion of Social Intrigue may begin. The role-playing exchange, he leans more so towards a friend- players will interact with the non-player Characters, and ly and accepting mannerism, abandoning the hostile whenever they drive toward their objectives, reference the stance he had initially adopted. The Gamemaster care- Temperaments you had written down to determine how you fully warns the player that he’s veering away from his should react, acting as the person they’re speaking with. Both original intention. Graf ’s player agrees and adjusts his you and the players will negotiate, debate and connive both dialogue during the exchange. for and against one another as the Characters make their case and settle on options. AWARENESS, EAVESDROP & SCRUTINIZE Obviously, there is no right or wrong way to role-play these There are times when players may become suspicious of the reactions. However, try to be as impartial as possible, letting people their Characters are interacting with. Perhaps they both the personality of the non-player Character they’re in- smell deception, in that someone is masquerading as the teracting with, along with the Temperaments and any sort of count they were suppose to meet with. An Awareness Tests 359 may describe that the military garb the person wears is put concisely great points, driving them home with vim and vig- on incorrectly or medals displayed on the wrong shoulder. or. As discussed in Chapter I: Introduction, there are many An Eavesdrop Test may give a notion of a conversation this acceptable ways to role-play. While we do encourage you to same count is having behind a whispered hand with a con- help players who are not well-spoken figure out how to com- fidante. Similarly, a Scrutinize Test may help players under- municate their ideas in-Character, we discourage you from stand that the demeanor of the potential impersonator is rewarding better spoken role-players in the group simply be- nervous, betraying their ruse. cause they are more comfortable with role-playing. Focus on rewarding well-reasoned arguments, instead of handing over Whenever players urge to understand these things, have bonus awards to the strongest role-player in the group. them make these related Skill Tests (or any other Skill Test that may make sense) as a Secret Test, referencing the same Feel free to give anywhere from 50 to 100 Reward Points Difficulty Rating chart you’d used for Social Tactics Check. to those who participated in Social Intrigue. Rewarding As stated in Chapter 2: How To Play, don’t reveal the Dif- these sort of behaviors helps underscore the importance of ficulty Rating, success or failure of a Secret Test, unless it is role-playing, as it is the backbone of Character development a Critical Success or Critical Failure. Let the player wonder in ZWEIHÄNDER. Additionally, players can be awarded whether the narrative you’re giving is true or not. One of the alternative benefits, in the form of Reputation Points. many tools a Gamemaster can use is to obfuscate the truth SOCIAL CLASS ALTERNATIVES through narration, leaving players to wonder whether what their Characters are experiencing and seeing are real or not. In your campaign world, Social Class may be meaningless. For instance, in the campaign seed Gangs of Kahabro, the adven- As the exchange continues, Graf von Bek’s player grows sus- tures are focused on gang allegiance, while Social Class isn’t picious of the Shadowbroker’s composure. Smelling potential nearly as important. In these cases, you can wholesale elimi- deception, he asks the Gamemaster if the Shadowbroker is nate Social Class from the picture, and introduce Factions at giving off any subtle tells that would give away whether she’s your discretion. For instance, instead of referencing whether a being evasive or lying. The Gamemaster then asks Graf ’s play- Character is of the Lowborn Social Class, you’d denote that he er to make a Secret Test using Scrutinize, secretly referencing belongs to the Southwall Janissaries. Following this, you can the same Difficulty Rating of (Easy +20%). Although Graf even begin to determine what gangs are friendly to their own, fails the Skill Test, the Gamemaster narrates that some queues thus creating them as if they were of the same Social Class for seem to indicate that the Shadowbroker may not be telling the purposes of interaction. Using the example above, the South- truth (despite that the Gamemaster already knows the Shad- wall Janissaries may be on friendly terms with the Betrothed, owbroker is being nothing but truthful). but antagonistic to Bad Company. However, continue to keep Order-Alignment or Chaos-Alignment as a factor in deter- STEP IX: RESOLUTION mining Difficulty Rating. As the exchange plays out, there will come a time where all objectives have been realized, risks have been addressed and Another example would be aristocratic rivalry. Among those points of negotiation come to an end. This is the point where born of blue blood, there exists a complicated web of politics. you should wrap up the exchange, and determine a resolution. These often manifest themselves into political wars fueled by petty jealousies and waged with sharp words, strategic allianc- Ultimately, it’s up to you to determine the outcome, based on es, one-upmanship and trickery. While many of these rivalries the power of the arguments the players make and whether between houses are somewhat benign, others have devolved it fits the resolution you feel is best-suited for progression of into deadly feuds. Social Class can be supplanted with royal the story. Even if they failed their Social Tactics checks but Houses. An example of this could be drawn from the fanta- role-played exceedingly well, reveal enough information to sy world of George R.R. Martin, where the fate of the seven the players so they feel as if they accomplished a few of their kingdoms is left in the hands of a multitude of squabbling goals. Don’t let the dice dictate whether they “win” Social Houses and their leal (and sometimes flappable) servants. Intrigue or fail it. Lean on your players to make the right choices - giving them just enough leeway to squirm at times Social Intrigue generally assumes that player Characters are when the interaction grows tense - and allow the to guide of the same race. As an alternative, you can choose to treat Social Intrigue to its conclusion. difference races as if they were of a different Social Class. This may play out as the classic “Elves versus Dwarves” men- AWARDS tality, where traditional Tolkienism assumes that age-old During the exchange, points that underscore the argument grudges have existed since the dawn age. It may also be illus- or exchanges that really highlight the importance and rele- trated differently, as in the world of Andrzej Sapkowski’s The vancy of the exchange should award Reward Points at the Witcher, Scoia’tael commando-guerillas arose from a society end of the game session. Make note of players who indicate that deeply discriminates against demihumans. 360 OVERLAND EXPLORATION WEATHER Despite the best attempts by road warriors and other altruistic For most grim & perilous campaign worlds, the general cli- wardens of the road, the wilderness is largely left untamed be- mate is one not unlike our own. Cooler temperatures prevail yond civilization’s borders. Ruthless bandits, foreign maraud- the further north you go, with warmer temperatures in the ers and other creatures roam the wilds in search of plunder, south. Precipitation peaks in spring and autumn, while snows food and fortune. The unforgiving weather, highland terrain come towards late autumn and winter. Summer tends to be and impenetrable forests are nearly as deadly as those merci- hot and humid, interspersed with heavy rainfall in the early less denizens. The untamed wilds are perhaps the last foothold months while winters tend to be frigid and dry, with snowfall of the chaotic and uncivilized. Woe be to the intrepid traveler towards the end of winter. who is not properly prepared; in the wilds, companions can Using the tables below, you can plot out patterns of weath- make all the difference between life and death. er throughout the season. These charts can help guide the narrative, whenever you describe the world around the ad- venturers.

Percentile Percentile Dice Spring Weather Descriptors Autumn Weather Descriptors Dice 1 to 10 Chilly, cloudy, hail, windy 1 to 10 Chilly, clear, windy 11 to 20 Chilly, cloudy, rainy, breezy 11 to 20 Chilly, cloudy, showers, windy 21 to 30 Cold, thunderheards, rainy, stormy 21 to 30 Chilly, hazy, foggy 31 to 40 Hot, sunny, humid 31 to 40 Chilly, overcast, snowflakes, breezy 41 to 50 Mild, clear, breezy 41 to 50 Cold, thunderheads, snowflakes, stormy 51 to 60 Mild, overcast, drizzle 51 to 60 Hot, clear, breezy 61 to 70 Mild, overcast, showers 61 to 70 Mild, cloudy, showers, breezy 71 to 80 Mild, sunny, breezy 71 to 80 Mild, hazy, foggy 81 to 90 Warm, clear, breezy 81 to 90 Warm, clear, breezy 91 to 100 Warm, hazy, humid 91 to 100 Warm, hazy, humid

Percentile Dice Summer Weather Descriptors Percentile Dice Winter Weather Descriptors 1 to 10 Hot, clear, breezy 1 to 10 Chilly, sunny, breezy 11 to 20 Hot, hazy, humid 11 to 20 Cold, clear, windy 21 to 30 Hot, thunderheads, showers, stormy 21 to 30 Cold, cloudy, snowflakes, breezy 31 to 40 Mild, clear, windy 31 to 40 Cold, cloudy, snowy, breezy 41 to 50 Mild, hazy, humid 41 to 50 Cold, hazy, foggy 51 to 60 Mild, sunny, breezy 51 to 60 Cold, overcast, snowflakes 61 to 70 Sweltering, sunny 61 to 70 Cold, overcast, snowflakes, windy 71 to 80 Warm, clear 71 to 80 Frigid, cloudy. snowy, breezy 81 to 90 Warm, sunny, humid 81 to 90 Frigid, cloudy, snowy, windy 91 to 100 Warm, thunderheads, humid 91 to 100 Frigid, thunderheads, hail, stormy

361 UNUSUAL REGIONS AETHERIC PHENOMENA The traditional weather patterns presented above assumes Strange meteorological events have known to transpire, that most adventures take place in temperate regions. How- particularly in areas where Magicks have been left to run ever, the patterns of weather in arctic and tropical areas are unchecked. Flightless animals fall from the sky, an ill-omen vastly different. Follow these recommendations for other cli- to the simple-mind while a clear sign of chaos’s influence mates: to witch hunters. Massive dust storms may whorl around  damned cities, while lances of plasma dance through the sky ARCTIC: Reference only the winter weather table. threatening ships.  SUBARCTIC: Reference the autumn and winter weather tables Whenever a Character causes a Chaos Manifestation and  SUBTROPICAL: Reference the spring and sum- generate at least three face “6”s, you can refer to the table mer weather tables below to describe Aetheric phenomena in weather patterns.  TROPICAL: Reference only the summer weather These patterns generally last one hour for Petty Manifesta- table tions, two hours for Lesser Manifestations and three hours for Greater Manifestations. The effects remain in play, following the Character who provoked the Chaos Manifestation, until the storm of corruption goes away.

Percentile Aetheric Phenomena Effect Dice

1 to 10 Acidic rain All armor gains the Ruined Quality, unless shelter is found.

11 to 20 Black blizzard All Perception-based Skill Tests automatically fail.

21 to 30 Bloody rain All Characters suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril an hour, unless shelter is found.

31 to 40 Corruptive windstorm All player Characters gain 6 Corruption an hour, unless shelter is found.

All ranged weapon and Magick attacks at a distance greater than Engaged 41 to 50 Haboob dust storm automatically fail. All Characters suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril an hour, unless shelter is 51 to 60 Rain of cats and dogs found. Rain of fish, frogs, jellyfish, All Characters suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril an hour, unless shelter is 61 to 70 lizards rats or spiders found.

71 to 80 Rain of frozen creatures All Characters suffers 1D10+1 Damage an hour, unless shelter is found.

All Characters armed with metal weapons suffers 2D10+2 Damage an 81 to 90 St. Elmo’s light hour, unless shelter is found. All Characters must succed a Coordination Tests every hour or else catch 91 to 100 Whirlwind of fire On Fire, unless shelter is found.

362 DISTANCES the city you go, however, the worse the conditions become. Roads are generally maintained by the toll gates and the col- Generally, the number of miles covered per day isn’t an im- lection of “foot tax” by Bailiffs. It is not uncommon to pay portant consideration of a ZWEIHÄNDER game. This a single brass penny (bp) for every foot a traveler and their sort of bookkeeping is unnecessary. Most players aren’t going beasts of burden have. While this may make it cheap for vet- to ask for you to tell them how many miles they cover per erans born upon a false boot, it can become very expensive minute or even per hour. However, you can make a few broad for traveling merchants who have several oxen in-tow to cart assumptions if you absolutely wish to track distinct overland their goods along. Tolls along roads nearest to the cities may distances. For our example below, we will show the number demand even higher foot taxes in order to pay Reeves and of miles covered per day. Naturally, if Characters are suffer- upkeep on walls and other forms of protection. ing Overage, these other types of Movement are penalized the same: PATHS Paths are little more than narrow trenches between hills or MILES PER DAY COVERED even winding pathways with only a few rocks or two (and BY MOVEMENT TYPE  perhaps a sign indicating the nearest settlement) to denote 1 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while climbing, sneaking or where it lays. In fact, many merchant coasters pay “road war- swimming riors” to help them navigate where paths are lost to under-  3 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while rowing a boat upstream  growth, paths washed away in flash floods or indiscernible 3 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while walking on foot amid foothills or bogs.  3 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while driving a cart or wagon  6 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while driving by coach RIVERS  6 + Agility Bonus (AB) while walking on a forced Waterways permeate the landscape, generally running from march a source in the mountains until they spill into the sea. While  9 + Agility Bonus (AB) while flying a great number of creeks and ponds litter the landscape,  9 + Agility Bonus (AB) while riding on horseback rivers are the lifeblood of many countries. Fortunately, riv-  12 + Brawn Bonus (BB) while rowing a boat down- er ways are safer and more fastidious than overland travel, stream but demands a princely sum to move goods up and down it  15 + Agility Bonus (AB) while piloting a ship in in bulk. River barges are not uncommon, however only the calm waters most successful of merchants can afford a boat large enough to support an entire crew and its cargo. As rivers oftentimes However, remember that a party is only as strong as its weak- have snags or eddies that could potentially derail shipment, it est link. The Character with the lowest value should be refer- is not uncommon to find that river boats are accompanied on enced whenever determining distinct distances covered per land by oxen, prepared to be harnessed to pull a floundering day. Naturally, this means that shorter races may cause their boat from a sand bar. companions to take longer to move due to their short stature. WAYSHRINE Otherwise, refer to the Wilderness Travel rules below in or- Unlike temples redressed with flying buttresses and massive der to frame travel in a mechanical fashion. cathedrals of cities, wayshrines are places of worship found along the roadside. Generally erected from stone, wayshrines ROADS, PATHS & RIVERS are small abbeys without pews but with a single offering plate Traveling along the main roads is not easy. A number of haz- upon a plain altar, providing a place for people to make small ards await to waylay travelers: bands of highwaymen, roving offerings to the gods. However, they are uncharacteristically hosts of Mutants and the rare beast or two may beset upon unlike any other place of worship. All wayshrines are curi- them. While roads near cities are fairly well-maintained, ously agnostic of any one particular god or style of worship; roads between towns and villages are often nothing more thus, why it is not uncommon to find petty sacrifices such as than a well-worn muddy path, with a few landmarks along a handful of grain pooled next to the skull of a loved one in- the way to indicate how far and what direction to go to reach terred into the floor, or a broken blade lain beside the mummi- the nearest settlement. Along these roads, well-maintained fied remains of a child. However, many benedictions written farmlands quickly give way to the unmitigated wilds, as upon paper flap endlessly in wayshrines, advertising this god roads can become difficult to discern in the tangles of forests. or that or simple prayers meant for fellow worshippers.

ROADS While many gods are worshipped in wayshrines, popular The best of roads are constructed of cobblestone or broken worship of regional deities attract laymen to “clean out” oth- rock lain upon a bed of sand, whereas the worst are akin er offerings considered to be impractical or unbecoming of to clapboard lain over muddy ruts. The further away from what their gods demands. They’ll hammer placards of their 363 deity into the walls to “stake out” a wayshrine’s claim to one WILDERNESS TRAVEL RULES god. Maintenance of the shrines are left in the hands of the people who worship there, despite the attendance of laymen In a grim & perilous world, sometimes the fates will curse or otherwise. Unsurprisingly, it is very common to find wan- you, but equally sometimes fortune favors the bold. The wil- dering vagabonds taking shelter inside them. derness is unforgiving, yet every bit as formidable as a vicious bandit’s knife; unkind to the weak, but lenient to those who Player Characters who spend time to pray in a wayshrine to understand bushcraft. their patron god should be given an opportunity to invoke good fortune. Providing they make a minor sacrifice and In ZWEIHÄNDER, this is replicated by allowing you to spend at least one hour in prayer, have them roll a 1D6 Cha- outline the relative threats for each leg of a journey, granting os Die. If the die lands on a face “6”, give them a free Fortune Characters a way out by testing their Skills. The common Point to add to the Fortune Pool to reflect the attentions folk rarely travel any great distance. Traveling far is com- of their patron god. This benefit cannot be gained but once monly associated with those fated to band together for a a day. You may also require that player Characters cannot cause; perhaps to strike out to demonstrate their heroism, gain this benefit unless on a journey of discovery, hardship or as a necessary evil in order to see wrongs righted. Howev- or pilgrimage. er, misfortune may intervene at times, which can exacerbate the dangers encountered. As Gamemaster, you may wish to COACHING STATION sculpt the story by letting the flow of the narrative drive it, Coaches regularly traffick back and forth between towns and but there is much to be said for triggered inspiration where cities, ferrying both blue bloods and middle class folk alike the roll of the dice nudge the creativity of both you and the aboard their lumbering carriages. However, travel can take players. hours or even days between stops. Along the roads rest a number of fortified inns called coaching stations. Tradition- Like Social Intrigue, Wilderness Travel uses Narrative Time. ally, coaching stations are sponsored by a number of coach- You are highlighting the most important parts of the journey ing lines with fanciful names, such as Coventry Palanquin or by summarizing the important parts of what would poten- Three Seasons Overland, in exchange for safe harbor for a tially be slow, cumbersome and boring if handled in the way small fee. These fees go into investment into storage garages, a Combat Encounter or Chase Scene flows in Structured improved accommodations for road-weary travelers and em- Time. ployees of the coaching station. In fact, coaching stations are THE PARTY so well-funded they often provide better accommodations than one would find in any major city. A party consists of all player Characters participating in the Game Session. It may also include any non-player Characters Coaching stations also plays host to a number of travelers, of importance. It is critical that the party is decided upon be- providing safe food and lodging for those bound overland. fore you use the Wilderness Travel mechanics, as each member This is a perfect place to introduce players to different strings will be required not only to test their Skills, but play an active of adventure. Coaching stations roundly employ a number role in the survival of everyone around them. Inconsequential of unscrupulous folk to guard goods in their garages, and non-player Characters such as camp followers, hirelings and accompany coaches and wagons bound between settlements. the like shouldn’t be considered a part of the party unless you Bounty hunters and traders often stop over at coaching sta- intend to fully-flesh them out as active participants during the tions, so it can be a good place for adventurers to engage in journey. light trade, sleep soundly and seek out new employment. WHEN TO USE WILDERNESS TRAVEL Coaching stations found upon rivers are called lock houses, Traveling from town to town through harsh landscapes, over serving a similar purpose but for merchant barges. Howev- war-torn countryside, navigating thick forests and scaling er, instead of storage garages, lock houses have a number of high mountains are a common hallmark of any grim and piers where river wardens keep a close eye on sailor’s goods. perilous game. The rules presented for Wilderness Travel Coaching stations are a perfect place to begin adventures. You help frame the journey as a part of that story. can generally assume that bounties will be posted outside of Any time a party intends to travel for more than a day over- them, and even lawmen looking to collect taxes may post up land, the rules for Wilderness Travel can be used. Without di- in a coaching station to look for less scrupulous folk to do rect consideration of Primary Attributes or Movement, it allows their dirty deeds. Use of Rumor Tests can usually help player you as Gamemaster to track how fast the party reaches their Characters suss out work where needed. However, these odd destination, to examine the hardships they face and to set the jobs will generally be of the type that requires acts of violence measure of danger assigned to each stretch of their journey. But to see them to their end. many questions arise from this: how will they get there, and by 364 what means? Will they go by horse or on foot? Perhaps they will STEP VI: THE JOURNEY BEGINS book a coach, or otherwise ride in the back of a merchant’s cart? The final step is when you begin to set Wilderness Travel Will it be a safe, quick journey, or will it be filled with hardship into motion, using the rules provided above. Along the way, and adversity? All of these questions must be answered in order the party will face adversity and strife, but eventually all jour- to shape the narrative into a cohesive story. neys come to an end. Will it be a fortunate one, or will it DANGERS IN THE WILDS result in the utter destruction of the Characters? Every journey carries some measure of danger to it. This STEP I: CHART THE ROUTE means that a party that is trekking over well-worn paths may The party must jointly agree where they’re intending to trav- still face the threat of violence from highwaymen, encounter a el. It’s likely that the destination will be influenced by story part of the road that’s washed out from a storm flood, stumble hooks you’ve introduced into your Campaign World. Play- into the middle of a war band on the move, be forced to nego- ers will need to announce the destination to you, but feel tiate with a corrupt bailiff demanding taxes or avoid a blazing free to suggest a destination if they are uncertain or haven’t fire at a nearby farmstead that threatens those within. Even caught onto important clues. Ideally, all of this exchange will with the best-laid plans, things can go wrong. The wilderness be handled in-Character between the players as a part of the is truly a daunting place, requiring foresight, competence and Game Session. the wherewithal to overcome the many challenges it presents. HOW TO GET THERE? WILDERNESS TRAVEL OVERVIEW Generally speaking, a party knows the area around where Below is a quick guideline to follow whenever Wilderness they spent the most time in their Profession. However, reach- Travel begins: ing destinations beyond a few days’ travel can prove difficult.

STEP I: CHART THE ROUTE If blazing a path through the wilderness to a remote moun- The players will tell you where they wish to go and discover tain range, a lost settlement, a far-flung country or oth- how best to get there. Afterwards, you decide whether to er landmark that’s not well-known, the party must inquire allow the party to quickly travel there without any hitch, or with locals or do independent research to find the way there. play out the journey in greater detail. Sages and cartographers can come in handy in these cases. Roads and other paths are traveled by reeves, merchants and STEP II: DIVIDE THE ROUTE herdsmen, making a great resource for Characters to tap into. INTO STRETCHES Each step of the journey is divided up into manageable legs There are no specific rules to determine the best path. En- called Stretches, delineated by you. courage players to think together creatively, and react accord- ingly with their interactions with each other and non-player STEP III: ASSIGN TERRAIN BY STRETCH Characters. Don’t simply tell them how to get there. Interpret Assigning terrain for each Stretch of the journey determines what the Characters would realistically know about the world the inherent difficulty of various checks they’ll make using around them. Take under consideration their personal history, their Skills. interactions, ethnic or racial backgrounds. And when in doubt, let them commit their own investigation to come up with STEP IV: DETERMINE THREAT ideas, drawn from their experiences in your Campaign World. LEVEL BY STRETCH They will come to learn that well-travelled routes by land, riv- A level of inherent danger may lurk upon each Stretch of the er or sea are usually less dangerous than following shortcuts journey. Here, you assign how dangerous the journey may be. through the wilderness. You can also make suggestions on how they may employ their Skills to determine the path. STEP V: DEFINE ROLES WITHIN THE PARTY In order for a party to strike out into the wilderness, they must take upon certain responsibilities to ensure safe, effi- cient travel. Here, you inquire with players to see how their Characters intend to help the party by selecting one of three distinct positions.

365 Naturally, the route likely won’t all be on demarcated roads or The party has embarked upon a mission to an unknown well-worn paths. It could cross untracked forest, follow low province to deliver a message to a merchant-prince. hills and river valleys or even be by sea. But you must con- They know the road will be fraught with peril, but the sider breaking up the trip into manageable legs, or Stretches. risk is well-worth the reward. However, finding the best path there will be difficult, given that merchants don’t Each Stretch creates the itinerary of the overall journey, giving readily trade outside the known borders. In order to you the opportunity to pace Wilderness Travel over several determine few landmarks along the path, the Charac- scenes. It allows you to create clear milestones where the par- ters split up in town: “Patches” decides to pay a visit to ty can begin and end each leg of their journey. It also gives an old gong farmer, originally from the eastern prov- the opportunity for Characters to recuperate, resupply, inves- ince, to speak about known roads. Leopold Coventry tigate, interact with one another and to meet new non-play- heads to a local bounty hunters’ lodge, inquiring within er Characters (especially if that Stretch of road terminates in about prison caravans that head east. Graf von Bek digs a settlement). But most importantly, it helps you determine through his father’s encyclopedias of adventure, seeking how many Toughness Tests you should have the party make information about important way stations in the east- over the route’s course. Toughness Tests are required by each ern province. Mercutio Salvatore goes to a local swill party member to survive the hardships of the wild without house and chats up a well-known raconteur to inquire if succumbing to fatigue. she’s been that way (and perhaps if they can hitch a ride there with them). Danziger shakes down a local foreign The length of the Stretch is abstract in some regard, but also thug to convince him to lead them there in exchange for distinct as it segments distance between waypoints, land- his freedom. Exploring each of these different options, marks, cities, villages or other notable geographic points in the Gamemaster then narrates the results. your Campaign World. Simply consider the relative distance between these waypoints, regardless if they’re ten, fifty or ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS one hundred miles from one another. However, it is import- You may summarize Wilderness Travel by simply telling the ant to decide roughly how many days of travel it will take to players “you take a coach for three days from this town to cover the Stretch. This will determine how many provisions next, encountering no danger”, and that’s fine. Sometimes, the party must bring. it is important to the story arc to not bog down the Game Dividing the route into Stretches is primarily the province of Session in this way. If they’re not actively leading the jour- you as the Gamemaster. It is unnecessary to disclose the exact ney (such as if they chartered a coach or river ship), it’s not mileage to the players unless you feel it adds to the story. It necessary to continue with the next steps. However, if they allows you to consider plot points you wish to throw at the are striking out on their own, whether by cart, coach, horse, players during their trip. While you certainly don’t want to bog wagon, ship or on foot, you need to make an important deci- down each Stretch with numerous side quests or story hooks, sion: will you quickly summarize their travels following the it can help you introduce rumors, new people, minor events or example above or will you play out the journey as a major smaller plot points to reinforce the verisimilitude and believ- part of the story? ability of your Campaign World. Follow these guidelines below to begin framing it as a major SHORT STRETCH part of the overall story arc. A Short Stretch may be the distance between villages, the distance from a town to a roadside coaching house or hunt- STEP II: DIVIDE THE ROUTE INTO er’s lodges near a backwater village a day or so from civili- STRETCHES zation. Anywhere from a day to one week’s worth of travel Whether referencing a homemade map, a published Cam- is a good measure of the time needed to complete a Short paign World’s map or some other resource you’ve identified Stretch. for locations in your Campaign World, indicate to the play- You should call upon each member of the party to make one ers what the route is and give a rough estimate of the overall Toughness Test during this time, immediately after Role distance from where they’re starting and where they’ll end Checks are made. up. As exact distances outside of a few days away or several weeks abroad is largely unknown by the uneducated pop- MEDIUM STRETCH ulace of a grim & perilous world, it is unnecessary to give A Medium Stretch may be the distance crossed through a distinct distances in miles or even leagues, unless you feel it’s vast forest, over foothills leading to a mountainside or along relevant to the narrative. the coasts of an uncharted island. Over one to two week’s travel generally describes the distances of a Medium Stretch. 366 You should call upon each member of the party to make two tough decisions, particularly if you know a Stretch may be Toughness Tests; once at the beginning of travel immediately divided between different environments. For instance, if a after Role Checks are made, and a second time near its end. Stretch is comprised of a hunting path through the woods, leading into a vast pine forest the party must explore with- LONG STRETCH out the aid of a path or map, it can create a number of fiddly A Long Stretch may be the distances required to pass considerations. A good rule of thumb to consider is that if the through mountain ranges into adjacent countries, explore Stretch is comprised of multiple Terrain types; select the one the coasts of a lost continent or blaze through a great, unset- which comprises half or more of the Stretch. For instance, if tled plain. Travel over three weeks and beyond constitutes a a mountainside passes through thick woodland and follows a Long Stretch. hunting path, assume that most of the Terrain is mountainous.

You should call upon each member of the party to make three As before, you need not disclose this to the players. Let it act Toughness Tests during this time; once at the beginning of as a story aid as you describe the wilderness. Narrate what travel immediately after Role Checks are made, a second one they see during their travels; describe the sounds heard, what at the middle and a third near the end. sort of plants grow, the coolness of the river, the fragrant smells of a pine wood, the distinct smell of a heavily-forested Whatever you choose, you will need to track what sort of vale, the intense heat of the desert. We cannot provide rules Stretch it is. The Wilderness Travel Tracker can be found in to follow in these cases, as they go beyond this book. But the Game Mastery Appendix at the end of this chapter. approach the narration in the same way that your favorite storyteller or novelist writes it. Feel free to crib their descrip- The Gamemaster has charted the route from beginning tions, jotting them down as you read other books or make to end. The Characters will start their journey in Minu- up your own along the way. We encourage you to steal, reuse et, landing somewhere along the Basque River to a riv- and appropriate when needed! er-side inn called Lloyd’s Beacon. The players state they wish to go on foot through the woods, instead of rowing EFFECTS OF TERRAIN downriver. Normally, this would be Short Stretch when Each Terrain type below describes not only the miles the moving downriver, but their river barge was burned a party may cover per day within it, but also the Difficulty week before. Instead, the Gamemaster converts it to Rating of all Toughness and Role Checks. Mark the Terrain a Medium Stretch. It will require one Toughness Test type by Stretch in your notes, only disclosing the Difficulty immediately, and one towards the end of the trip out- Rating and miles traveled per day when absolutely necessary. side of Lloyd’s Beacon. By keeping the miles abstract, it allows you to narrate the The next leg of their journey starts at Lloyd’s Beacon journey without burying it in mathematical formulas on the and ends in Swanzi, a town built alongside the mighty player’s side. By hiding the Difficulty Rating, it lends an air Basque River. As they have chartered a route on a bro- of mystery to the environment the party is moving through, ken-down riverboat without a captain (in exchange springing hardships as needed. for rowing the entire way with several stops at fishing villages), this leg will be a Long Stretch. It will require EXTREME WEATHER three Toughness Tests; one at the beginning, middle Weather may also be a factor for consideration of and near the end of the as they reach Swanzi. Terrain Types. Increase the terrain type by one step After disembarking in Swanzi, they must now reach a for extremities of the weather (rain, falling snow, village called Vorberg. It is only a day or so away from hot days, etc…). Swanzi. The Gamemaster decides this will be a Short Stretch. It will require a Toughness Test as they leave ARDUOUS TERRAIN Swanzi towards Vorberg. DIFFICULTY RATING: (Arduous -30%)

STEP III: ASSIGN TERRAIN TYPES BY Arduous Terrain consists of rough seas and oceans, river STRETCH rapids, blighted areas, impenetrable forests, mountains and deserts. Once you have divided the route into Stretches, you need to assign specific Terrain types. While these decisions may al- HARD TERRAIN ready have been made for you in the case of a published Cam- DIFFICULTY RATING: (Hard -20%) paign World, you may have to think carefully about what sort of Terrain comprises each of your Stretches. This can lead to Hard Terrain consists of high hills, deep cave systems, bad- lands, tundra-like conditions and taiga. 367 CHALLENGING TERRAIN Not all Wilderness Encounters are the same. Take the ex- DIFFICULTY RATING: (Challenging -10%) ample presented before. Although the road may be patrolled, the weather may have washed out a large part of it, causing Challenging Terrain consists of trackless forests, caverns, horses and wagons to become stuck. Perhaps a large tree has fast-flowing rivers, open seas, wastelands and foothills. blocked the way for the party’s journey, and now they must think of a way around it. There may be a need to negotiate STANDARD TERRAIN with a band of slavers or dangerous marauders. Maybe a cor- DIFFICULTY RATING: (Standard +/-0%) rupted bailiff and his supporting mercenaries intend to extort Standard Terrain consists of paths around large lakes, “tolls” from those who trespass upon their roads. Is it possible slow-moving rivers, marshes, and forests with little under- that the road forks unexpectedly, with one path leading to growth. misfortune? Perhaps a throng of beggars, led by a particular- ly inflammatory rabble-rouser, is attempting to persuade the ROUTINE TERRAIN party to cast aside all wealth and join them. A situation may DIFFICULTY RATING: (Routine +10%) arise where a rogue herd of elk are on the move, and need to be tamed lest they crash headlong through a village of Routine Terrain consists of rolling hills, discernible trails the destitute and helpless. Maybe even a fistfight has broken through the wilderness, upriver and open badlands. out between two rivaling hucksters, which the party may be EASY TERRAIN drawn into. Essentially, the possibilities are endless, and not DIFFICULTY RATING: (Easy +20%) every Wilderness Encounter has to be hostile or require the players to be drawn into a Combat Encounter. We will talk Easy terrain is generally well-worn paths for hunting, walk- more about distinct Wilderness Encounters in this chapter. ing through open plains, a dirt path through open meadows or even travel upon a navigable river. Note that each Stretch has its own Threat Level. It is en- tirely up to you to determine how dangerous it is. Dastard- TRIVIAL TERRAIN ly Gamemasters may wish to levy a continuous amount of DIFFICULTY RATING: (Trivial +30%) danger upon the party, whereas other ones may suggest no real threat of danger. The best answer may lie somewhere in Trivial terrain consists of well-paved roads, graveled paths the middle. Consider how populated the area is; it is likely and other roadways that are marked or demarcated by signs that well-traveled roads aren’t particularly prone to having and patrolled. ancient creatures walking along them, but the presence of footpads, highwaymen or other bandits may be expected. The Gamemaster begins to assign the Terrain Type by Stretch. Minuet to Lloyd’s Beacon on foot through the Use the guidelines below to assign an appropriate Threat woods will be Standard Terrain. For the next stretch Level by Stretch, recording it on the Wilderness Travel from Lloyd’s Beacon to Swanzi downriver, it will be Tracker: Easy Terrain. Finally, from Swanzi through the well- NO DANGER ploughed fields in Vorberg, it will be Trivial Terrain. No danger means just that; nothing will impose any sort of STEP IV: DETERMINE THREAT LEVEL BY challenge whatsoever on the party. Use this option whenever STRETCH you wish for players to have an easy trip. Although they may face hardships in other ways, they likely won’t face any exter- A Threat Level represents the possibility that an external sit- nal factors which may influence the safety of their journey. uation may influence the party’s journey during a Stretch. Random chance plays a huge role here. Players aren’t nec- MILDLY DANGEROUS essarily “causing” a Wilderness Encounter to come about Stretches which are Mildly Dangerous indicates that some from their Character’s actions. Instead, you’re letting random hazard or other hindrance exists, but only for those who go chance dictate if the Threat Level is high enough to warrant looking for it. Washed-out roads, fallen trees or areas that a challenge of some kind. In many ways, Wilderness En- haven’t been well-traveled pose as Mildly Dangerous. counters are strings of events you can use to tell the story of what occurs to the party as they travel. Using random- MODERATELY DANGEROUS ized results, these same events begin to flesh out the tale, Moderately Dangerous areas are commonplace in the re- removing some of the pre-planning it takes for you to plan a cesses of the wilderness. Creatures of all types may hunt memorable adventure. It represents a way for you to commu- these areas and undergrowth may spread throughout these nicate situations that frame a grim and perilous world, where Stretches. Regions of land that aren’t tended to by farmer’s danger can be found just around the corner. hands and paths which aren’t actively patrolled may become 368 Moderately Dangerous. Locals know to stay away from these GUIDE places, but intrepid explorers may venture out into them for a ROLE CHECK: Navigation (Intelligence) myriad of reasons. The Guide plays the most critical Role during wilderness HIGHLY DANGEROUS travel. They may use the position of stars, maps and tell-tale Highly Dangerous areas are readily apparent (and advertised) signs of other travelers to lead the way. A general knowledge to all, ranging from ignorant, nose-picking peasants to ivory of the world and wilderness expertise serves the Guide best. tower-dwelling, louche gentry. High mountainsides with a A Guide that does their job leads the party successfully over risk of rockslides, overgrown forests where ancient creatures a Stretch, whereas one that fails at the task can make the trip stir, wartime encampments of foreign armies and barbarian far more toilsome, taking the worst of routes over the easy settlements would all qualify as Highly Dangerous. ones as the party is lost.

REGARDING THREAT LEVELS The players deliberate amongst themselves to find the Threat Levels are entirely mutable. They may change for a best mix of Characters to fill the Navigator’s Role. De- region at the whim of a headstrong knight who decides to spite that none of them have a Skill Rank in Naviga- settle a desolated land. It may evolve as pioneers tame the tion, both “Patches” and Danziger Eckhardt possess wilds, pushing the forests back. It may even change if a city is high Intelligence Primary Attributes. Patches will fill decimated, the crumbling remnants now home to voracious the Role, while Danziger will lend an Assist Die when it monsters. In short, don’t allow the players to assume the comes time to make a Role Check. Threat Level is always the same across a journey’s Stretch. SURVIVALIST Ultimately, you are the one who makes that call after con- sidering the story hook or changes to your Campaign World. ROLE CHECK: Survival (Perception) A Survivalist is vigilant and watchful. They manage the The Gamemaster has already made the determination watch cycle and determine the perimeter of safety. They help that the Threat Level from Minuet to Lloyd’s Beacon set up the encampment, build a fire, prepare food and attend will have No Danger. There is a generous amount of foot to other duties to comfort the party. A properly-trained Sur- traffic between the two places, and road wardens openly vivalist can prevent any missteps along the way. They also patrol the area However, river pirates traffic openly be- will identify potential hazards in the wilderness, helping the tween Lloyd’s Beacon to Swanzi, making it Moderately rest of the party around bad parts of the road and dangerous Dangerous Terrain. And despite the fact that Swanzi routes. However, one that is not vigilant can raise the stakes is well-patrolled, the lands to Vorberg will be Highly significantly against the party. Dangerous, given to the rise of a Mutant incursion. Fortunately, the party has someone who will make an ex- STEP V: DEFINE ROLES WITHIN cellent Survivalist amongst them. However, the Character is THE PARTY suffering from a crippling Injury, which requires them to flip to fail all Survival Skill Tests. Despite this setback, it’s the Combined sharing of hardship along the journey often sep- best option available. arates the foolish from the well-prepared. One need look no further than the desolate ruins alongside major routes to see SCOUT how poor preparation can lead to becoming lost, suffering ROLE CHECK: Stealth (Agility) from exposure, drowning or even death by predators in the A Scout stays ahead of the party, looking for immediate wilderness. By dividing the workload, an experienced party signs of danger. Courage and furtiveness are the foremost can move assuredly from one destination to the next, barring prerequisites for a talented Scout. A successful Scout keeps misfortune encountered along the way. the party aware of danger, but failing to do so can result in There are three specific Roles that must be filled by the par- being overly-cautious, keeping the party on edge and con- ty. Each Role has its own responsibility during Wilderness tributing to bickering and unpreparedness. It also could set Travel. While each Role must be filled, they may be filled by themselves up for being ambushed. more than one Character (and best when all Characters have Finally, it is time to fill the Scout’s Role. Although the party a Role to play). When occupying a Role, a Character must has the advantage of dense foliage and poor weather due to make a related Role Check at the beginning of each Stretch. rain in their favor, none of the Characters have a Stealth Skill Players should reference their Skill Focuses, as it will allow Rank or possess a good Agility. They decide to draw straws them to ignore their Peril Condition Track whenever mak- to see who will be resigned to this Role, forcing Mercutio ing Role Checks. Salvatore to act as Scout. 369 EVOLVING ROLES SURVIVALIST Finally, Characters are not necessarily locked into their Role SUCCESS: The Survivalist’s conservation skills lead to for the duration of the trip. The needs of the party may evolve a more comfortable camp whenever the time is right to in the face of danger or the many miseries that may be levied rest. Should the party ever need to Strike Camp along this upon their comrades. You should allow them to change the Stretch, they may recover to Unhindered (instead of Imper- Role they play, but only at the end of a Stretch, after the iled, as mentioned in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing). Strike Camp or after facing a Wilderness Encounter. CRITICAL SUCCESS: Not only does the Survivalist’s Once all of these considerations have been made, it is time bushcraft serve the party’s needs, they also manage to find for the party to embark upon the first Stretch of their journey. perfect points in the land to escape bad weather, availing them a few extra hours to recover from road weariness. As STEP VI: THE JOURNEY BEGINS above, and the party may ignore one Toughness Test over Wilderness Travel can be arduous, taking its toll evenly that Stretch. This means that if a Long Stretch normally re- across the weakest to the strongest of explorers. Overbur- quires 3 Toughness Tests, it now requires 2 instead. dening oneself with excessive supplies - fancy bedrolls, heavy blankets, large pavilion tents, spools of rope and the like - is FAILURE: The encampment is left a mess, the ground the best-suited for pack animals, and not for travelers. Footing Survivalist chooses is rugged and makes for an uncomfort- can become unsure, and not only does weariness set in but able journey. Should the party ever need to Strike Camp harm can occur from a misplaced step along the trail. along this Stretch, they may only recover to Imperiled.

MAKING ROLE CHECKS CRITICAL FAILURE: Not only is the ground uncomfort- As the journey begins, one Character within each Role must able, the Survivalist’s lack of attentiveness leads to continued make a Role Check. Only one Role Check is required, de- road weariness as patrols are mismanaged, the fire doesn’t spite the length of the Stretch. Consider the Terrain Type to burn as bright and other misfortunes befalls the party. As determine the related Difficulty Rating. If multiple members above, and the party must make one additional Toughness of the party are filling the same Role, they may add an Assist Test over that Stretch. This means that if a Long Stretch Die to the Skill Test. Finally, if they possess a specific Skill normally requires 3 Toughness Tests, it now requires 4 in- Focus for each of the necessary Skills, they may ignore their stead. Peril Condition Track. SCOUT GUIDE SUCCESS: Perceptive and attentive, the Scout feels confi- SUCCESS: The Guide is successful at navigating the way, as dent they’ll find any danger, should there be any along the the party moves along the Stretch without getting lost. The road ahead. The party reduces the Threat Level by 1D6. This party only requires one day’s worth of provisions for each day means that if it was Highly Dangerous, the Gamemaster they travel. would roll 2D6 instead of 3D6.

CRITICAL SUCCESS: The party moves along the Stretch CRITICAL SUCCESS: Although the Scout disappears without getting lost, and the Guide identifies the best routes from the party’s sight at times, they will make sure that the to take, reducing the overall hardship they must face. As party has the jump upon any interlopers on their path. As above, and decrease the difficulty of Terrain by one step over above, and the party gains a Surprise Turn during a Wilder- the Stretch. For example, this means that Routine Terrain ness Encounter. would now be treated as Easy Terrain. FAILURE: The surroundings of the Scout puts them on FAILURE: The Guide misleads the party, getting lost for a edge, as their attention span is drawn away to investigate ar- time until they can double back along the same routes. The eas that could potentially lead to further danger. The party party requires two day’s worth of provisions for each day they increases the Threat Level by 1D6. This means that if it was travel along this Stretch. Highly Dangerous, the Gamemaster would roll 4D6 instead of 3D6. CRITICAL FAILURE: Misfortune has struck the party! The Guide not only misleads the group by getting them ter- CRITICAL FAILURE: In the face of hardship, the Scout ribly lost, they also choose the wrong routes along the way. completely breaks down, growing anxious. Unfortunately, By the time they circle back, the path becomes more trouble- the racket the party make along the way - stopping to inves- some. As above, and increase the difficulty of Terrain by one tigate every noise they hear - may awaken other creatures or step over the Stretch. For example, this means that Chal- humanoids along the path! As above, and foes gain a Sur- lenging Terrain would now be treated as Hard Terrain. prise Turn against the party during a Wilderness Encounter. 370 MAKING TOUGHNESS TESTS sprung upon the party after the Scout’s Role Check. If you Amalgamate the Terrain Type and Stretch’s length to de- generate two face “6s”, a Wilderness Encounter is sprung termine the number of Toughness Tests necessary and the upon the party after the Survivalist’s Role Check. If you related Difficulty Rating. With this in mind, call upon each generate three face “6s” or more, a Wilderness Encounter is member of the party to make a series of Toughness Tests. sprung upon the party after the Guide’s Role Check. If the Character is atop a horse or within a cart, wagon or We have left the Wilderness Encounters tables purposefully riding in a conveyance to keep them off their feet, they may vague, without any sort of game mechanic for their effect and add an Assist Die to their Skill Test. resolution. This loose approach works best, so you can cus- ALL PARTY MEMBERS tom tailor each pre-made encounter to your wishes. Likely, Everyone in the party must attempt Toughness Tests at in- you have already been a Gamemaster or player in another ta- tervals you assign. A successful Toughness Test indicates bletop role-playing game and already understand how to ap- nothing goes awry, as the Character suffers no Peril from propriately treat encounters within the purview of a focused fatigue. A Critical Success yields the same result as above but challenge. If not, look at the examples presented throughout allows the Character recover their Peril Condition Track to this work. We’ve provided a wealth of information on how Unhindered when striking camp. On the other hand, a failed you can apply the mechanics to match any Wilderness En- Toughness Test indicates the Character suffers 2D10+2 counter. Use this opportunity to flex your knowledge of the physical Peril. A Critical Failure instead indicates a Charac- ZWEIHÄNDER system to create something fair, interest- ter suffers 3D10+3 physical Peril instead. ing and challenging. And if you don’t like the result on the table, you can always re-roll or simply make up your own. BREAKING UP TOUGHNESS TESTS Clever Gamemasters will even have charted out unique “ran- Both Medium and Long Stretches require multiple Tough- dom encounters” tables beforehand. And feel free to relax ness Tests. We recommend that you stage them out at spe- the danger if you like! You may even wish to present friendly cific times during a Stretch. While resolving all Toughness encounters with others along the road, leading to interesting Tests prior to the Role Check may vastly simplify things, it opportunities for players to gain news, rumors or trade op- may also create a situation where Characters are completely portunities with other people in your campaign world. fatigued, having little or no chance for survival. Only experi- ence with ZWEIHANDER will lead you to the right time Wilderness Encounters can be found in the Game Mastery for players to make Toughness Tests. Appendix at the end of this chapter.

EXTREME WEATHER EFFECTS NATURAL RECOVERY & HEALING Whenever a Character faces extremes of heat (such as in the During normal gameplay, Characters can simply get a good desert or arid conditions) or cold (as in a tundra or arctic con- night’s sleep at any number of shady inns or upstanding ditions), Incapacitation! can lead to worse results. Use these coaching houses to heal Peril with natural recovery and treat rules sparingly, reserving them only in cases of particularly un- their wounds with the Heal Skill. favorable weather that Characters may be unaccustomed to. However, an important distinction about Wilderness Travel  Whenever a Character is Incapacitated! in extreme- is that once a party has struck out, they cannot get a good ly cold conditions, they suffer from Frostbite. night’s sleep to recover their Peril Condition Track, heal up  Whenever they are Incapacitated! in extremely hot their Damage Condition Track or recuperate from Injuries conditions, they suffer from Heatstroke. Both the unless they Strike Camp for an extended period of time (or effects of Frostbite and Heatstroke are covered in at the end of the Stretch). No amount of comfort they at- Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. tempt to provide themselves while on the move can help them shake off the wearing complications that a journey WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS bears upon them. This helps impress a measure of danger After the first Toughness Test is made for that Stretch, se- upon a party during Wilderness Travel. cretly roll a number of D6 Chaos Dice. The number of Cha- os Dice are first determined by Threat Level. If it is Mildly WHEN THE PARTY MUST Dangerous, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it is Moderately Dan- STOP: STRIKE CAMP gerous, roll 2D6 Chaos Dice instead. But if it is Highly Sometimes, a party may have no choice but to Strike Camp Dangerous, roll 3D6 Chaos Dice. Additional Chaos Dice for a day or more. This may mean they need to use the Heal may fall upon the party if they previously failed their Role Skill to recover from Damage, get a good night’s sleep to re- Checks. cover from Peril, recuperate from Injuries, spend time hunt- ing for food using the Survival Skill or commit to other tasks If you generate one face “6”, a Wilderness Encounter is 371 which requires an extended amount of time and effort. How- a good idea to spread the bulk of Reward Points earned ever, they’re still in a perilous place and face the hardship of during a game session equally between players. We generally the wilds. recommend giving 100 Reward Points to each player at the conclusion of every 4-6 hour game session. If you prefer a Allow the party to make this choice if needed, Striking slower, more organic growth rate for players, dial this back to Camp for no less than 24 hours. However, make certain they 50 Reward Points. This sets a good pace to adhere to, makes account for any supplies (provisions, bandages and the like) sure that players all have a chance to grow in their Profes- during this time. Whenever awakening, their Peril Condi- sions equally and know that attendance to a game session is tion Track recovers to Imperiled (unless their Survivalist important. succeeded their Role Check). Once they break camp, they can continue on their journey where they left off. Once you have the bulk of Reward Points out of the way, you should consider giving additional Reward Points when CONCLUDING THE JOURNEY players move the plot forward at critical moments. Take time A journey comes to its conclusion once the party reaches before the adventure begins to note important parts of the their destination. Naturally, it may be a cause for celebra- story. Make note of them, and set it aside to reference as the tion! Should the journey had been a particularly difficult one, adventure begins. Assign these critical moments a value of refresh the Fortune Pool with a number of Fortune Points 10, 20 or 30 Reward Points. Distribute these once the ad- equal to the number of surviving player Characters. venture is concluded, so as to encourage action and initiative in future adventures. For instance, in the adventure “A Bitter Harvest”, there are listings for rewards as such: REWARD POINTS Reward Points are a way you can reward “good behavior”. PART I: THE WEDDING Outside of normal traditions, however, what good behav- Good role-playing at wedding (e.g. taking part in ior is in ZWEIHÄNDER may not match up with what competition): 20 RP most players are accustomed to in other tabletop role-play- Impressing Maximilian and/or Franz: 10 RP ing games. In those, successfully killing monsters, with a few Successfully calming the two men down: 10 RP addendum rules for rewarding heroic role-play, is the way to grow a Character with experience points. In this system, Much like the bulk rewards above, these should be jointly however, the chief focus is on role-playing. Reward Points awarded to all players. Give out additional awards to the en- are given by you to reflect the Character’s ongoing journey, a tire group at the end of an adventure. mix of both failure and success in their endeavors and of how they psychologically overcame these challenges. REPUTATION POINTS Figuring out the number of years it takes to reach Advanced Tier is unnecessary in this game, much as it is in the same Reputation Points are a limited form of social currency players sense useless to calculate when Characters in other games may draw upon, cultivated through the connections Charac- reach 21st level. Does it really matter than a 14 years old ters have made and the renown earned over the course of the Burglar is in Advanced Tier, yet their 67 year old Antiquari- campaign story. They are a ubiquitous representation of the an peer is only in their Basic Tier? In the big picture, the an- name they’ve made amongst others, deriving from the loyal- swer is No. There isn’t an expectation in ZWEIHÄNDER ties they’ve pledged and allegiances owed. It is also a manifes- that non-player Characters (or player Characters) continue tation of personality, a learned gift to bend others to do favors growing in esteem and ability with age, even if they contin- for a Character who would otherwise be resistant to it. Fame, ue to adventure in the background. In fact, one could argue infamy and glory - these all represent how Reputation Points that simply being in Basic Tier is where most folks are in grows and wanes. the campaign world! This is why players begin creation of There are several ways their Reputation Points may be lev- their Characters with 1,000 Reward Points. They’ve already eraged by players. They can draw upon it to call upon favors lived a life - and likely would continue living it as-is - should with organizations or patrons their Characters pay tribute fate not had something else greater in store for them. As the to, request gifts and other benefits to requisition equipment Gamemaster, you and only you, set the pace of how Charac- from known associates, gain services and employment of ters grow in this world. Let the actions of the players drive others for no expense. Much like Fate Points, they are a lim- their growth… even if their Character is in fact a 14 year old ited currency, generally spent and rarely earned. However, Burglar/Graverobber/Crime Boss in Advanced Tier. it is wildly spontaneous - Reputation Points may diminish, Following the golden rules as presented above, it is always even if Characters elect not to burn them. Interaction and 372 engagement are an absolute necessity to make certain Repu- master’s seat temporarily, authoring another personality that tation Points remains intact. exists within the campaign world. It is vital that these new non-player Characters fit the vision of your world. This could AWARDING REPUTATION POINTS eventually lead to interesting side stories or adventures in- Completion of major story arcs within the campaign are a volving these new contacts! simple way to reward players for committing heroic (or hei- nous) acts that grows their names and renown. Exceptional Lyndon is unable to draw from his inheritance as it dried role-playing that forges new relationships with power groups up long ago. His purse is nearly empty, with only a hand- and other situations appropriate to the campaign world ful of farthing left - just enough to get some food in his are another way to award Reputation Points. For instance, belly and room on the floor to sleep amongst the lower should they ever find themselves as a leader of an organiza- wards of the city. However, knowing that there’s an im- tion or perhaps a commander in an army, their Reputation portant job coming up where his services as a paid mer- may grow as a function of the group, as opposed to your own cenary will be needed, he must make sure to come pre- choices. pared. Unfortunately, his employer refused to front any money. Lyndon sold nearly everything to his name...but When giving additional Reputation Points, give them out in he has earned respect amongst the guttersnipes, having either one, two or three point awards. You should also feel a total of 6 Reputation Points. Knowing that he’ll need empowered to give at least 3 Reputation Points whenever a a warm cloak, a sturdy rapier and breastplate, he calls player gains a new Fate Point or Disorder. Remember, Rep- upon his network to provide for him. He burns 2 Rep- utation isn’t necessarily about good deeds, it’s also about in- utation Points to draw upon his good name, imploring famy through ill intent. his associates to fund him without recompense. While STARTING REPUTATION POINTS they do provide him with what he needs, Lyndon can only guess as to who they peeled these goods off of and All Characters in a grim & perilous world had a life before why the cloak they gave him is covered in dried blood… they were brought together with other misfortunate souls. They’ve lived their life in earnest, doing favors, exchanging OBTAIN SERVICES services, gaining friends and adversaries all the same. If you Depending on the number of items, abundance and expense, intend to use Reputation Points to take away the focus on it requires a larger expense of Reputation to be spent. Most tracking coins and acquiring wealth, Character begin play Minor Requisitions for service lend someone’s aid for an with a number of Reputation Points equal to the number of hour, whereas Middling Requisitioned services generally Fate Points they possess. contracts someone’s help for a day and Major Requisitions of BURNING REPUTATION service gains a week’s worth of service. There are exceptions to this rule, and you will be the final arbiter in the length of If there is some sort of immediate service, favor or even time services may be used. goods a player wishes to acquire that’s out of their Charac- ter’s reach, they may burn a set number of Reputation Points REQUISITION GOODS you’ll determine a cost for. Burning Reputation Points re- With kind words, subtle manipulation and open threats, play- quires no sort of repayment or immediate return of a favor ers may use their Reputation Points to acquire arms or equip- for drawing from it. However, they may reap the drawbacks ment that would be otherwise out of reach. Calling upon as- from where those services or goods originated from and sociates or lackeys, they reach out to a network of associates what happens in service to manipulate others when tapping to attain trappings. Their contacts in turn tap into their own into Reputation Points. When burning Reputation Points, it network of friends by pulling strings, using bribery and pos- allows a Character to do what they could not normally do by sibly extorting others to source what a player wants. This may simply convincing someone with a Skill Test. represent illegal or black market goods a Character can own A player may not simply say “I burn two Points in Reputa- free and clear, vessels or other land-born conveyances they may tion to get what I want”. It doesn’t work that way. Calling borrow indefinitely or even stealing from the local garrison in upon their connections or working with organizations they order to outfit a small contingent of mercenaries. pay tribute to can provide an interesting diversion from the To first obtain goods, they must be readily available within campaign’s main story, creating a good way to further flesh the community Characters are in. Liaisons can only produce out a Character’s background. As a player, this gives them arms or other equipment that are readily available near the dramatic license and we encourage you to allow them to location you’re at. Cheaper or more common items tend to make up other important non-player Characters they may be easy to obtain - even in large amounts. Scarcer and more know. This affords them the ability to step into the Game- 373 expensive items are unfortunately sometimes out of reach in  Augment a Social Intrigue event in exchange for an large quantities. Unless the circumstance changes, they may Assist Die be unable to get the goods requested. Unfortunately, a Char-  Bribe a local gossip to tell you who a gang leader acter’s network usually extends its personal influence within may be the community around them.  Contract a professional thug to strong-arm someone that owes you money DEGREES OF REPUTATION  Have someone masquerade as your significant other There are limits as to how often players may tap into their  Hire a band of beggars to harass an aristocrat or oth- Character’s Reputation. Those who ask for help too often er official as they leave the temple can quickly diminish the respect, admiration or fear they  Patch up a suit of armor that’s been badly damaged may hold over others. Bearing this in mind, one can only  Pay funeral mourners to attend the funeral of a be- use this shield of Reputation so often without potential- loved friend ly endangering a relationship or ruining your self-image.  Purchase the services of a barber surgeon to treat Time must pass so that they don’t seem too demanding or your wounds wanton for aid.  Provision yourself of a week’s worth of foodstuffs There are precisely three Degrees of Reputation which must MIDDLING DEGREE be observed, determining the length of time a player must  Cost: 11 - 20 Reputation Points wait to expend their Reputation Points again. Whenever  Act as a lookout while you rob a place or assault an- a player uses Reputation Points for Minor Requisition of other goods and services, they must wait at least one day before it  Acquire a suit of mail armor can be burned again. If they wish to gain a Middling Req-  Contract a physician to perform a dangerous surgery uisition of goods and services, the player must wait at least  “Find” a nice mortuary sword that fell out the back a week before they can tap into the pool of Reputation once of a wagon more. Finally, if they wish to gain a Major Requisition of  Gain the services of a professional bodyguard to goods and services, the player must wait at least a month protect you from harm before they can burn Reputation Points again.  Hire a sedan chair to ferry you around whilst about business Barring that, should they grow desperate and wish to press  and call upon associates in a time of desperation, they must Illegally smuggle goods or yourself and friends into or outside of a city burn two times the amount of Reputation to do so… and  may introduce additional complications at your discretion. Pay someone to sabotage a clergyman’s personal coach  To no great surprise, Lyndon has once again lost every- Pay an information broker to give you the location thing. He gambled away the sword the night before the of a fence or black market arms dealer job had to be done. He lost the breastplate to his par- MAJOR DEGREE amour’s son to sled down the alleyway, losing sight of her  Cost: 21 - 30 Reputation Points and the armor. He even lost a cloak he left accidentally  in the alley, stripping it off himself while carousing the Acquire a suit of full plate armor  Ferry you across the sea to a different country night before. Knowing that he must once again call upon  his friends, he burns his remaining 4 Reputation to ac- Gain enough materials to craft your own wagon  Get out of jail for free quire more goods. However, they are of an even lower  quality than before - and the inside of this breastplate is Hire the services of a henchman to protect you for marked with a signature of a rather infamous knight... a year  Pay a cutthroat to assassinate someone  BURNING REPUTATION Purchase the services of a coach that will ferry you cross-country Below are a few examples of services a player may make and  Requisition the crafting of a Castle-forged set of the relative Reputation cost assigned to them. Depending mortuary swords on the number of items, availability and additional expense,  Sneak your way into a garden party by paying off a use your best judgement to determine how many Reputation local magistrate Points it costs by Degree of Reputation: MINOR DEGREE GROUP REPUTATION As ZWEIHÄNDER is a cooperative tabletop role-playing  Cost: 1 - 10 Reputation Points 374 game, you may feel encouraged to allow players to pool to- SERIOUSLY WEAKENED gether their Reputation Points. This is a perfectly feasible Timber begins to seriously splinter, allowing a person to see option, but make sure that all players buy into this idea. Not inside. Stone shows deep cracks and begins to break off in every player wants to sacrifice their personal buying power chunks and powder. Metal has stress fractures upon it, bent for the sake of the group - particularly with Characters who out of shape. are either materialistic or notoriously stingy. This is an all or nothing option, which you should share at the outset of the GRIEVOUSLY WEAKENED Character creation process. An object made of timber is entirely splintered, requiring A FINAL NOTE ON REPUTATION little else asides another good, solid strike to bash through. Stone breaks into pieces, falling to the ground and a single Reputation should never be used as a substitute for good hit could reduce it to rubble. Metal is bent and fractured, role-play. Additionally, they should never be used as a sub- requiring one more concussive attack to cause it to fail. stitute for a single Skill Test. While these rules do provide some abstraction to processes that you may find slows down RUINED! the pace of the story, if it feels more appropriate to have it The object is either rendered useless. It may mean that a tim- play out around the table, then proceed using the normal ber door is broken off its hinges, a stone statue splits into sev- guidelines for purchasing trappings. eral pieces or a metal grate is bent entirely out of shape and can be pulled off the wall.

BREAKING OBJECTS & When an object is Ruined!, it isn’t necessarily destroyed or DESTROYING VEHICLES shattered into tiny pieces. It is unrealistic to assume that a mere woodsman’s axe could cut an iron door into ribbons, During exploration of your grim & perilous campaign world, but it could mean that a timber door is splintered into pieces. the players are going to ask to break something: clay pots, All the same, it may not make sense to have a player com- wooden doors, glass chandeliers, open barrels and iron pad- pletely take down a single wall using a Gunpowder weapon, locks. Or, you may want to figure out precisely how much but instead allowing them to blast a man-sized hole through Damage it takes to set the adventurer’s barge aflame. Perhaps it. Use your best judgement when describing what this con- the players want to crash their wagon into their foe’s, to see if dition means, and don’t take it too literally. Allow players to they can slow it down or outright disable it. Below, you’ll find be creative, but mindful of what makes sense in your cam- guidelines on how to handle object destruction. paign world. HARDNESS CONDITION TRACK VEHICLE DESTRUCTION Despite whether constructed from timber, stone or metal, all Using the Chase Scene rules, it is very likely that play- objects possess Hardness Threshold. It represents the overall ers will want to cause harm to others’ vehicles. In cases integrity of an object, and the state of repair it is currently such as these, reduce its Hardness Threshold by a -1 in. When Damage is dealt to objects, they gradually become penalty for every step it goes down the Hardness Con- weaker, until finally rendered useless. dition Track (to a minimum of 0 Hardness Threshold). There are six distinct steps which make up the Hardness Condition Track: DESTRUCTION & REALISM SOLID Naturally, realism applies all the same, despite the Damage The object shows no signs of structural fatigue whatsoever. dealt. If you feel that a fire-hardened spear could not realis- tically break through a timber wall, tell the player that be- LIGHTLY WEAKENED fore they attempt it. All the same, make sure that you clearly Small cracks begin to appear in timber, stone is chipped and communicate to the player when they are at risk of breaking metal has dings in it. their weapons. In fact, specific tools are designed specifically to break objects. For instance, a crowbar is the perfect tool for MODERATELY WEAKENED breaking iron grates off of a wall. Similarly, a hammer and Timber shows signs of splintering, stone shows chinks and chisel is fashioned to crack and shatter stone. Common sense metal has deeper dings in it. applies here. Should a player use their Castle-forged mortuary sword to break through a solid door of timber? Sure, they can attempt to do so, but risk breaking their weapon, despite its Qualities. 375 BROKEN WEAPONS likely little reason to account for clay pottery; you can pretty If a player is using a melee weapon unintended to bash much assume it’s going to break if struck. through a specific object it’s made for, they should attempt a Hardness Thresholds can be found in the Game Mastery Ap- Warfare Test every time they hack at it. If unsuccessful, their pendix at the end of this chapter. However, when in doubt, weapon immediately gains the Ruined Quality. If they once adhere to this rule: always calculate Hardness Thresholds by again fail this Test or Critically Fail, the weapon is simply factors of 3. Use the following factors, starting with zero: 0, destroyed, rendered useless. 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21. DEALING DAMAGE TO OBJECTS FRACTURING OBJECTS Whenever a Character bashes an object, there isn’t a need Whenever an attacker bashes an object and after Total Dam- to roll a Skill Test. The attack hits automatically, and then age is considered, the object must now compare it to their the player calculates Damage normally. There are two specific Hardness Threshold: considerations a Character should make when determining EQUAL TO OR BELOW HARDNESS how much Total Damage they deal: THRESHOLD Reference either Brawn Bonus (BB) for melee weapons or If Total Damage is equal to or below the Hardness Thresh- Perception Bonus (PB) for ranged weapons in Damage. old, nothing happens. The object remains unscathed.

After determining whether Brawn Bonus (BB) or Percep- EXCEEDS HARDNESS THRESHOLD tion Bonus (PB) is applicable, add a 1D6 Fury Die for the Whenever Total Damage is considered, treat it as such for weapon. The sum of these and derived results of Fury Dice purposes of determining Hardness Threshold: determines Total Damage.  If Total Damage exceeds base Hardness Threshold, Note that a weapon’s Qualities confer no inherent bonus the object moves one step down the Hardness Con- against object. Simply treat these weapons as if they had no dition Track.  Qualities whatsoever. And as indicated in previous chapters, If Total Damage exceeds 6 + Hardness Threshold, Fury Dice always have a chance to explode on a face “6”. the object moves two steps down the Hardness Condition Track.  If Total Damage exceeds 12 + Hardness Threshold, Leopold Coventry successfully bashes a hollow wooden the object moves three steps down the Hardness door with his battle axe. Leopold’s Brawn Bonus (BB) is Condition Track. 5. He rolled a 1D6 Fury Die, resulting in a face “6”. He  If Total Damage exceeds 18 + Hardness Threshold, now adds 1D6 Fury Die, generating another face “6”. the object is instantly Ruined! He rolls yet another Fury Die, resulting in a face “5”. For instance, if Hardness Threshold is 3, it can easily be ex- Leopold deals 22 Total Damage (5 + 6 + 6 + 5). pressed as such: 3 (9/15/21).

MAGICK DAMAGE AGAINST OBJECTS Leopold Coventry dealt 22 Total Damage with his Magick cannot generally be used to deal Damage to objects, battle axe to a hollow wooden door. The door has a unless the spell indicates an object as its Distance factor. Hardness Threshold of 3 (9/15/21). Thus, he com- However, you may wish to make exceptions to this rule for pletely Ruined! the door with one solid smash! particularly creative players. For instance, using Lightning Storm from the Arcana of Astromancy may be useful to hurt PERMANENT DESTRUCTION not only foes, but to bounce off of stone while potentially Objects are rarely destroyed, unless a player specifically sets destroying walls. In these cases, reference Magick Damage out on purpose to do so. The time to destroy objects is up to normally from Chapter 10: Grimoire. you; there are no hard and fast rules to cover the minutes, CALCULATE HARDNESS THRESHOLD hours or even days it takes to utterly destroy an object. An object always takes under consideration its Hardness REPAIRING STRUCTURAL Threshold as they suffer Damage. Hardness Threshold is de- termined by the object in question. Below you will find many INTEGRITY common objects players may attempt to break and their re- As mentioned in Chapter 7: Trappings, Ruined! objects can lated Hardness Threshold. Although not wholly comprehen- be automatically repaired after six days of labor. However, if sive, it should give you an idea with how to calculate Hard- you wish to take a more methodical and lengthy approach, you ness Threshold for unnamed objects. For instance, there’s can use the following rules to address how to repair objects. 376 The Hardness Condition Track can be repaired by a crafts- TRAPS man with a successful Tradecraft Test. An object may only be repaired in this manner once every 24 hours, no matter In a world where spying, thieving and murder prevail, traps whether it is successful or not. Depending on where the ob- are lain to deter would-be plunderers. Devious traps await ject is at on the Hardness Condition Track, the Difficulty the foolhardy, particularly those given to robbing burial Rating of the Tradecraft Test worsens: tombs. The largesse and lucre of the aristocracy is guarded by hired swords, but the rich may doubly insure themselves  Lightly Weakened: Automatically succeed by installing traps into the same doors and lockboxes their  Moderately Weakened: (Routine +10%) Tradecraft henchmen are charged to protect. Test  Seriously Weakened: (Standard +/-0%) Tradecraft A trap is generally built with but one function: to raise an Test alarm, immobilize a would-be thief or to to maim an inter-  Grievously Weakened: (Challenging -10%) Trade- loper. Pressure-sensitive plates, false doors, trapped hinges craft Test on a lockbox and lids of sarcophagi can be built to accom-  Ruined!: (Hard -20%) Tradecraft Test modate contrivances meant to deter robbers. Similarly, levers pulled in procedure can be used to get around some traps, the use of special keys or even maps that denote where traps are lain. To have a chance at being repaired, a craftsman must have a Skill Rank in Tradecraft, tradecraft tools, the appropriate ma- Below are several examples of traps you can use. They are a terials and be left uninterrupted for at least 1D10+1 minutes. touchstone if you wish to custom create your own as well. However, you may adjust this to be minutes, hours or days, depending on what you feel is a realistic amount of time to TRAP FORMAT take to repair an object. Consider that objects made from tim- Every trap in ZWEIHÄNDER is represented using this ber (like a table) may take 1D10+1 minutes, whereas complex format: small metal objects like a clock may take 1D10+1 hours. The same goes for sea-faring objects like a rowboat; it may take Type: With a little bit of know-how, a survivalist can create 1D10+1 hour to fix, but repairing a ship could take 1D10+1 simple snare meant to trap man and beast. Engineers can turn days. Note that even though there is a limitation to repair once their mad designs into contrivances meant to elude even the every 24 hours, a Skill Test is made at the end of the repairs, craftiness of burglars. Simple traps are built using the Survival not the beginning. Using the example above, this means that if Skill, whereas complex traps are made with Tradecraft. repairing a ship over 1D10+1 days, the Tradecraft Test is made Detect: Player Characters are always on the lookout for dan- at the end of the days spent. Once failing, the player would ger. Unless there is a reason otherwise to disallow detection have to wait at least 24 hours until attempting again, spending of a trap, always call for a Secret Test if a trap is present. yet another 1D10+1 days to repair the ship. You can let players use Awareness in situations where a trap If an object is repaired with a successful Tradecraft Test, it may be lain in an urban environment or otherwise unhidden. can be fixed one step positively on the Hardness Condition Have them make a Survival Test if hidden in the wilderness. Track. This means if the object was Grievously Weakened, Disable: Disabling traps requires a perfect, steady hand, us- it is now Seriously Weakened. A Critical Success allows the ing a Secret Test using the Skulduggery Skill. Failing to dis- object to be repaired three steps on the Hardness Condition able a trap always results in it being sprung, whereas a Criti- Track instead. Failure results in no repairs, whereas a Critical cal Failure produces the same results as above while suffering Failure has the same result as above and causes the object to 2D10+2 mental Peril as well. instead be destroyed, unrepairable entirely. Effect: Unless stated otherwise, the effects of a sprung trap impact the victim closest to where it was lain. However, some traps affect multiple people. Whenever you consid- er who may be affected, be sure to ask players where their Characters are positioned. This may better illustrate in your mind who could be hurt by the trap.

ENSNAREMENT TRAP Type: Simple trap

Detect: (Easy +20%) Skill Test 377 Disable: (Easy +20%) Skulduggery Test (Trivial +30%) Coordination Test or suffer 3D10+3 Damage. When this Test is failed, the victims immediately suffers a Effect: Whenever triggered, it affects multiple victims. Those random Grievous Injury. Roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result caught in a Large Template’s area of effect must succeed an is 1 to 2, they suffer a Detached Ear. If the result is a face 3 (Easy +20%) Coordination Test or be unable to move. to 4, they suffer a Cerebral Contusion. If the result is a 5 to This trap can also be rigged to drop deadfall from above. Those 6, they suffer a Mutilated Nose. caught in a Large Template’s area of effect must succeed an Should it trigger a falling block from above, those caught (Easy +20%) Coordination Test. If this Test is failed, the vic- in a Cone Template’s area of effect must succeed a (Trivial tims are unable to move, and also suffers 2D10+2 Damage. +30%) Coordination Test. If this Test is failed, the victims GAS TRAP are immediately Slain!. Type: Complex trap PIT TRAP

Detect: (Arduous -30%) Skill Test Type: Simple trap

Disable: (Arduous -30%) Skulduggery Test Detect: (Standard +/-0%) Skill Test

Effect: Whenever triggered, it affects multiple victims. Those Disable: (Standard +/-0%) Skulduggery Test caught in a Small Template’s area of effect must succeed an Effect: Whenever triggered, the victim must succeed a (Arduous -30%) Coordination Test or be made to suffer the (Standard +/-0%) Coordination Test or fall any number of effects of 1D6-3 (to a minimum of one) doses of any Toxin yards into a pit. Generally, pits such as these are usually at you choose. least 9 yards deep. Once they fall, they suffer falling Damage A gas trap can be instead be rigged with gunpowder to ex- (as spelt out in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing). plode. Those caught in a Small Template’s area of effect must If you elect to have dung-covered spikes in the pit, they suffer succeed an (Arduous -30%) Coordination Test. If this Test an additional 1D10+1 Damage as their wounds are Infected. is failed, the victims suffer 3D10+3 Damage from fire. They A pit trap may instead open up a chute to drop adventurers may suffer Injuries from this trap, but are On Fire instead. into a different part of a complex, such as in a nest of deadly vipers or a watery pit where air is scarce. MAN TRAP TRIP WIRE ALARM Type: Simple trap Type: Simple trap

Detect: (Challenging -10%) Skill Test Detect: (Routine +10%) Skill Test

Disable: (Challenging -10%) Skulduggery Test Disable: (Routine +10%) Skulduggery Test

Effect: Whenever triggered, the victim suffers 3D10+3 Effect: Whenever triggered, the victim is immediately Damage but inflicts no Injuries. Additionally, they must re- knocked Prone. Additionally, the victim immediately suffers duce their Movement by 9, until the trap is removed from a Serious Injury of Head Trauma. Anyone within 30 yards of their leg with a successful (Challenging -10%) Athletics the trap is alerted of the victim’s presence. Test. If this Test is failed, the victim immediately suffers a Grievous Injury of Butchered Leg. A trip wire may also trigger a ceiling to slowly drop until it crushes those beneath of it. Those caught in a Large Tem- Smaller traps meant to trap Large Animals do 2D10+2 plate’s area of effect must attempt to disable the Trap with Damage, while reducing Movement by 6 instead. The Injury a (Routine +10%) Skulduggery Test within 1D6 minutes or component remains unchanged, however. be Slain! instead. PENDULUM TRAP VENOMOUS DART Type: Complex trap Type: Complex trap

Detect: (Trivial +30%) Skill Test Construction: Tradecraft

Disable: (Trivial +30%) Skulduggery Test Detect: (Hard -20%) Skill Test

Effect: Whenever triggered, it affects multiple victims. Those Disable: (Hard -20%) Skulduggery Test caught in a Cone Template’s area of effect must succeed a 378 Effect: Whenever triggered, the victim is made subject to nel Power, they have a chance of a face “6” landing on a Cha- 1D6-3 (to a minimum of one) doses of any Venom you os Die. When this happens, two things have occurred. One, choose. Feel free to mix poisons together, so that the victim the arcanist has lost complete control of the wildly chaotic is affected by multiple Venoms. energies of the Aethereal Veil. And two, the tear in reality between the Material Realm and the Aethereal Veil remains Venomous traps may alternatively be set up as booby traps, open for a short period of time. In these cases, something exploding contact poison across a door’s handle, on a latch, wildly unpredictable happens. in the keyhole or on a clasp or hinge. In these cases, only reference a single dose of Venom. We strongly recommend that you roll Percentile Dice to determine the Chaos Manfestation that occurs. Should any CONSTRUCTING TRAPS of these Chaos Manifestations not sit well with you, free to Only a single trap can be constructed at a time. The Diffi- change them as you see fit. culty Rating to create a trap varies, based on the examples below: Chaos Manifestatons can be found in the Game Mastery  Pendulum trap: (Trivial +30%) Tradecraft Test Appendix at the end of this chapter.  Ensnarement trap: (Easy +20%) Survival Test  Trip wire alarm: (Routine +10%) Survival Test MALIGNANCIES  Pit trap: (Standard +/-0%) Survival Test Malignancies manifest for Necromancers, Warlocks and  Man trap: (Challenging -10%) Survival Test other future Professions with the Drawback of Black Tem-  Venomous dart: (Hard -20%) Tradecraft Test perament. However, these Malignancies only occur they  Gas trap: (Arduous -30%) Tradecraft Test Critically Fail to cast Magick using the Incantation Skill. Malignancies are permanent effects, and may potentially oc- To have a chance at crafting a trap, a Character must have a cur in tandem with Chaos Manifestations. Characters can Skill Rank in either Survival or Tradecraft (referencing the be affected by multiple Malignancies, potentially gaining the trap type above), have access to proper tools, materials such same Malignancy with different effects multiple times. as wood and wire (which is expended) and be left uninter- rupted for at least 1D10+1 hours. Malignancies can be found in the Game Mastery Appendix at the end of this chapter. With a successful Survival or Tradecraft Test, you craft the trap you intended to make. A Critical Success creates a bet- DIVINE PUNISHMENT ter trap, and causes anyone who intends to detect or disable By reaching beyond the Aethereal Veil to other gods and it to flip the results to fail their Skulduggery Test. Failure demons to enhance their chance of success to cast, priests results in expending the materials without success, whereas a of all stripes reshape their spells with infernally-augment- Critical Failure has the same result as above and triggers the ed power. In other cases, the violation of strictures and re- trap upon yourself. quirements of the faith can cause a god to reprimand their worshippers. The gods are doubtlessly capricious and cruel at MAGICKAL MENAGERIE times, turning their backs to their own priesthood in a time of need. That is whenever they lay Divine Punishment upon their priesthood. CHAOS MANIFESTATIONS Whenever a player who uses Divine Magick elects to Channel Whenever an arcanist reaches beyond the Material Realm, Power, they have a chance of a face “6” landing on a Chaos they visibly tear a breach open into the Aethereal Veil. Wild Die. When this happens, two things have occurred. One, the energies are at play here, and do not conform to the rules cleric has reached beyond the Aethereal Veil to call forth to of reality. Whenever these Aetheric winds spill forth, they other long-lost gods or demons to augment their power. And can be quickly reshaped into reliable, mathematical forms two, their own god has caught wind of this, and will punish before they escape the breach. However, whenever a ma- this transgression. In these cases, each god maintains a sep- gician’s spirit is weakened, the energies enjoy a short-lived arate set of Divine Punishments, specifically flavored to suit chaotic explosion into the Material Realm, changing reality their tastes. Unlike Chaos Manifestations, however, Punish- in both subtle and sometimes world-shattering ways. This is ments remain in effect until Atonement is had. Additional- oftentimes called “overchanneling”, where an arcanist draws ly, they grow worse with time. If a person is suffering from a too deeply from the Veil as Aetheric winds cause ripples in Minor Punishment and runs afoul of face “6” on Chaos Dice, reality, until the breach closes a few moments later. they also now suffer from a Middling Punishment. The same Whenever a player who uses Arcane Magick elects to Chan- applies for Major Punishments; the effects stack. 379 The examples below represent several examples of Punish- Her grace. ments you can dole out to players. Use these as a guideline, and feel free to change them as you see fit. Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, all creatures classified as being Supernatural inflict an addition- THE CROUCHING ONE al 1D6 Fury Dice in Damage to you. Additionally, you act as MINOR PUNISHMENT: Blood for the blood god! Your a beacon for unrest and necromancy, as these same creatures lifeblood refuses to clot, and it flows like spring water when and others who practice necromancy actively seek to cause exsanguinated. you harm.

Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you MAJOR PUNISHMENT: You have angered the Custodi- Bleed every time you suffer Damage, regardless if you are an enough that She abandons you, and allow the influence wearing armor or not. of demons to draw your spirit deeper towards the Abyss. Followers of the Custodian will lend you no aid or comfort MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: The Crouching One’s de- during this time, as you’ve been marked with a divine brand mands sacrifice and grants divine powers to Bloodmongers visible only to His worshippers. to fulfil these holy tenets. But when He is displeased, the reins are tightened. Effect: If you use a Fate Point during this time, you imme- diately gain 3 Chaos Ranks. Additional effects of this are up Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, to the Gamemaster, but you are seen as little more than a you cannot use Fury or Magick Dice to modify Damage you false prophet by worshippers of the same faith. Finally, your inflict with weapons, spells and other abilities. Additionally, ability to cast Magick is stricken from you. These effects last whenever you are involved in combat, you provoke the ire of until you find atonement for your transgressions. foes more easily, seen as the greatest danger (and must be put down first). THE DEMIURGE MINOR PUNISHMENT: You begin to attract the anger MAJOR PUNISHMENT: If you truly invoke the ire of the of all wild beasts of all kinds. Crouching One, He goes not after you, but others. Followers of the Crouching One will lend you no aid or comfort during Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you this time, as you’ve been marked with a divine brand visible must flip the results to fail Handle Animal and Ride Tests. only to His worshippers. Additionally, you cannot Dodge or Parry attacks from crea- tures classified as Animals or Beasts. Effect: At the end of every week roll a 1D6 Chaos Dice. If it lands on a face “6”, a non-player Character you inter- MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: You are refused the gifts acted with that week will either have an attempt of assault and nourishments of the Demiurge’s bounty. upon them or be outright murdered. Further, the blame for this assault may be placed upon you, despite evidence to the Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you contrary. Additional effects of this are up to the Gamemas- must eat at least three meals per day or suffer from the effects ter, but you are seen as little more than a false prophet by of Starvation. Additionally, game animals and other Small worshippers of the same faith. Finally, your ability to cast Critters are frightened by you, actively fleeing the immediate Magick is stricken from you. area. THE CUSTODIAN MAJOR PUNISHMENT: You have been abandoned by the Demiurge, as your footsteps sour the earth wherever you MINOR PUNISHMENT: The Custodian is not only the walk, leaving fields salted and livestock sick. Followers of the lady of death, but of dreams as well. You are haunted by ter- Demiurge will lend you no aid or comfort during this time, rible nightmares while you slumber, as ill omens dance in as you’ve been marked with a divine brand visible only to Its your head nightly. worshippers.

Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you Effect: The more zealous of the Demiurge’s faith will see you must succeed a Resolve Test before awakening every day, or as a herald of sickness, and react to you accordingly. Addi- else suffer from Sleep Deprivation (as indicated in Chapter tional effects of this are up to the Gamemaster, but you are 9: Hazards & Healing). seen as little more than a false prophet by worshippers of the MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: The Custodian has ha- same faith. Finally, your ability to cast Magick is stricken tred for the unnatural, but She will revoke protection from from you. These effects last until you find atonement for your Augurs when angered. This invariably draws those of a Su- transgressions. pernatural bend to torment and lure away worshippers from 380 THE GOD-EMPEROR Effect: No matter where you go, people are suspicious of MINOR PUNISHMENT: You become overzealous and you; though they will never reveal your crime, and any local quick to judge. judiciaries will certainly throw the book at you. Additional effects of this are up to the Gamemaster, but you are seen as Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you little more than a false prophet by worshippers of the same must flip the results to fail all Charm and Bargain Tests. Ad- faith. Finally, your ability to cast Magick is stricken from ditionally, you suffer 1 Corruption for every failed Fellow- you. These effects last until you find atonement for your ship-based Skill Test. transgressions.

MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: You have attracted the THE LEVIATHAN God-Emperor’s ire, and He will cleanse you of heresy and MINOR PUNISHMENT: The Leviathan takes away your remind you of who the Godsworn serve. ability to navigate Her dark depths.

Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you must flip the results to fail all Skill Tests relying on sight. Ad- must flip the results to fail all Skill Tests related to water, ditionally, should you lay eyes or hands upon symbols or other such as use of Athletics for swimming and Pilot for sailing. religious iconography of the God-Emperor, white light blinds you momentarily, as you immediately suffer 2D10+2 mental MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: You are forbidden the Peril. blessings of the sea and sky. Any water you consume turns to brine once it passes your lips, making it undrinkable. MAJOR PUNISHMENT: You have been marked as a false believer of the faith and must atone for your transgressions. Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, the Followers of the God-Emperor will lend you no aid or com- only way to stave off dehydration is through the consump- fort during this time, as you’ve been marked with a divine tion of alcohol, as you must become Intoxicated once a day. brand visible only to His worshippers. Otherwise, you suffer from Starvation.

Effect: The more zealous of His religion will see you as an MAJOR PUNISHMENT: The Leviathan unleashes Her apostate that needs to be purged, as if you were a Mutant. power as the lady of storms to bring destruction in your wake. Additional effects of this are up to the Gamemaster, but you Followers of the Leviathan will lend you no aid or comfort are seen as little more than a false prophet by worshippers of during this time, as you’ve been marked with a divine brand the same faith. Finally, your ability to cast Magick is stricken visible only to Her worshippers. from you. These effects last until you find atonement for your transgressions. Effect: Rain will follow you, storms will wrack ships and lightning will splinter masts. Additional effects of this are THE LEARNER up to the Gamemaster, but you are seen as little more than a MINOR PUNISHMENT: The Learner forbids you use of false prophet by worshippers of the same faith. Finally, your His endless knowledge, dulling your mind. ability to cast Magick is stricken from you. These effects last until you find atonement for your transgressions. Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you must flip the results to fail all Intelligence-based Skill Tests. THE MARTYR When you fail, you also suffer 1D10+1 mental Peril. MINOR PUNISHMENT: The Martyr is often quite de- mure for a god, but Her anger is piqued when a Revered MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: The Learner will remind Mother calls to other gods for aid. you for every transgression of ignorance, your sin will be re- alized. Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you must flip the results to fail all Heal Tests. Additionally, all Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, failed Heal Tests by your hand always leads to Infection as you suffer 3 Corruption for every failed Intelligence-based you suffer 1 Corruption in turn. or Willpower-based Skill Test. Additionally, you can no lon- ger read or write, as this ability has been stripped from you. MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: The Martyr refuses to bind your wounds or lend you succor, leaving you in agony MAJOR PUNISHMENT: You are marked as an outlaw for your sins. for some crime or another, one so vile that most commoners view you as diabolical. Followers of the Learner will lend you Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you no aid or comfort during this time, as you’ve been marked cannot recover your Damage Condition Track by any means with a divine brand visible only to His worshippers. whatsoever. 381 MAJOR PUNISHMENT: The Martyr pushes those gressions, the Steward causes your blades to blunt and your around the sinning priest closer to the gates of the Well of spears to snap at the worst times. Souls. Followers of the Martyr will lend you no aid or com- fort during this time, as you’ve been marked with a divine Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, any brand visible only to Her worshippers. weapon you wield in-hand is treated as if it possesses the Weak Quality. Additionally, if you ever fail to Parry a blow Effect: Wherever the sinner goes, the sick will die, the or Critically Fail a Combat-based Skill Test to strike a foe, healthy will be harmed, and disaster will fall upon hearth your weapon gains the Ruined Quality. and home. Additional effects of this are up to the Game- master, but you are seen as little more than a false prophet MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: The Steward dulls your by worshippers of the same faith. Finally, your ability to cast senses and makes your strategies in combat dull, leading you Magick is stricken from you. These effects last until you find to make an ineffective combatant. atonement for your transgressions. Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you THE NIGHTFATHER must flip the results to fail all Combat-based Skill Tests. Ad- ditionally, you cannot succeed Leadership or Warfare Skill MINOR PUNISHMENT: Coins seem to fall from your Tests whatsoever. pockets, and deals always seem to end up sour on your end. MAJOR PUNISHMENT: Your presence inspires bellig- Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you erence and foments rebellion from others - guilds overturn, automatically fail any Skill Test to strike deals of a monetary civil wars ignite and people rise up in martial ferocity. Fol- nature. Additionally, a single brass penny (bp) disappears lowers of the Steward will lend you no aid or comfort during from your pockets before awakening every day. If no brass this time, as you’ve been marked with a divine brand visible pennies (bp) are available, silver shillings (ss) or gold crowns only to His worshippers. (gc) will do. Should you have no coins to give, you instead drop one step down the Peril Condition Track. Effect: Riots and conflicts that spring up around you are at- tributed to you, and people see you as a meddler and usurper. MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: Being the patron of Additional effects of this are up to the Gamemaster, but you thieves and the wily, the Nightfather enjoys playing tricks are seen as little more than a false prophet by worshippers of upon those who’d transgress against him. He takes great joy the same faith. Finally, your ability to cast Magick is stricken in watching his bumbling followers fall over themselves, par- from you. These effects last until you find atonement for your ticularly whenever attempting to bow and scrape for forgive- transgressions. ness. THE WINTER KING Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you must flip to fail all Agility-based Skill Tests. Additionally, MINOR PUNISHMENT: The Winter King no longer reduce your Movement by 3. protects you from the deadly chill of the winter He embod- ies. MAJOR PUNISHMENT: The Nightfather refuses to spin the wheel of Fate in your favor, and in fact turns it to leave Effect: Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you you distraught with terrible luck. Followers of the Night- must flip the results to fail Toughness and Survival Tests. father will lend you no aid or comfort during this time, as Additionally, no fires can be made by your hands and you you’ve been marked with a divine brand visible only to His instantly extinguish any heat source you stand near (save for worshippers. massive conflagrations and the like).

Effect: You cannot take advantage of Fortune Points what- MIDDLING PUNISHMENT: Sent upon your ankles is soever. Additionally, the Gamemaster gains 3 Misfortune the divine animal of the Winter King: the ever vicious wolf. Points every game session to use exclusively against you. Ad- Until you find atonement for your transgressions, you are ditional effects of this are up to the Gamemaster, but you are followed by a pack of Man-Eaters called winter wolves. seen as little more than a false prophet by worshippers of the Effect: Whenever conflict erupts - such as during a Combat same faith. Finally, your ability to cast Magick is stricken Encounter - you must roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. Should it land from you. These effects last until you find atonement for your on a face “5”, one of the pack will join the fray, determined transgressions. to take you down. Should it land on a face “6” however, a THE STEWARD Silverback Warg joins the fray. MINOR PUNISHMENT: In response to your trans- MAJOR PUNISHMENT: The barbarism of the Winter 382 King fills your mind, as the coppery tang of blood is unmis- player aside to speak of them about what this means for them takable upon your lips. You revert to an almost bestial nature as a Divine Magick user. Coach them to explore their form of - eating uncooked meat, coating yourself in the blood of your penance on their own, but one that won’t detract significantly enemies and grunting in ancient, guttural tongues. Followers from the enjoyment of other players and the story at-hand. of the Winter King will lend you no aid or comfort during this time, as you’ve been marked with a divine brand visible Whatever decision they make, make sure that the player only to His worshippers. declares aloud what act of penance they will take. Feel free to nudge them in the right direction, but make certain that Effect:The vast majority of civilization sees you as a backwards the player makes this decision, and not you. Be open-mind- savage, perhaps even mistaking you for a cannibal. Additional ed as they make suggestions on how they intend to atone effects of this are up to the Gamemaster, but you are seen as for their sins. little more than a false prophet by worshippers of the same faith. Finally, your ability to cast Magick is stricken from you. These effects last until you find atonement for your transgressions. MAGICK ITEMS There are legends of enchanted blades of mythical strength, ATONEMENT armor which can withstand the most formidable of blows, For every transgression against the gods, there must be sacri- rings which grant extra lives, mantles which cause one to fice. The path of righteousness is uncertain. Each priesthood become invisible and more. From artifacts wrought in the has recorded these times of censure by the gods, and the dawn age by the firstborn gods to grimoires bound in the penance sinners have sought to please their divine masters. flesh of men, hundreds of stories persist of ancient items of To no great surprise, these cumbersome and oftentimes puz- great Magickal repute. zling accounts do not provide hard and fast rules to appease the gods. There are no tidy and moral lessons on how to es- Yet, most of these are simply stories. Sure, there are plenty of cape the somewhat contradictory approach the gods take amulets out there that swindler priests will pawn off as being with their worshippers. But who are mortals to question the Magickal, swearing that such and such ring gave a little old lady rhyme or reason of beings vastly more powerful than they? two hundred long years of life before she choked to death on a crouton in her soup. They may even spin a hilarious yarn of Whenever a worshipper angers their god, there is only one a pair of silken boots that gifted their brother exquisite dance way to absolve themselves of sin: seek atonement. However, moves that landed him a local Aristocratic lady’s hand in mar- absolving oneself from transgressions is not a clearly-defined riage. The huckster will try to convince you that dropping this task, nor an easy one. While each god may require differ- simple - yet expensive - coin into a tankard will automatically ent forms of atonement from their worshippers, one thing is dissolve the poison from unrequited lovers and turn them into clear: the cleric themselves must define what they will sacri- a sex-crazed maniac. But for every story, nine times out of ten, fice, in hopes of achieving absolution. These could be minor these are useless trinkets pawned off as magnificent objects. acts, such as presiding over the funeral of a fallen soldier in However, for the tenth one...there may be some truth to it. the case of the Custodian. Another example could be walk- ing bare-footed for three days in the wilderness should they As mentioned before, Magick items are not found in shops have irked the Demiurge. More serious forms of atonement nor sold on the open market. There aren’t artificer wizards may include ritual flagellation in the case of the Crouching churning out armor, shields, weapons and fetishes for other’s One, giving up all the coins in your pockets to appease the use. The art of enchanting items has been long lost, and not Nightfather or a vow of silence in hopes to seek absolution even the elder races understand how to craft them today. Only from the Learner for spreading false lies. Most clerics will the mightiest of champions in the histories, decidedly doomed start with petty sacrifices, and slowly ratchet up their acts of heroes to be certain, have beheld items of true Magickal re- penance until they find absolution. pute. The promise of power is enough to drive anyone mad - rest assured that these same “heroes” were villains through and In most cases, atonement should be had, providing that the through, abusing its power for their own mad design. Even if sacrificial act or style of penance is narratively appropriate. This these items were to be uncovered, assuredly inquisitors and means that as a Gamemaster, you need to be very clear with other would-be heresy branders would do everything in their players about the tenets of their gods, what is expected of them power to seek them out and destroy them (unless they, too, and to give clear indication whenever they may be commit- were ensorcelled by their promises of power). ting acts seen as unfavorable in their god’s eyes. Communicate clearly with players during the Character creation phase and Magick items that have survived the testament of men and throughout their growth the requirements of their faith. With the passing of time are firmly divided between two camps - this in mind, whenever you dole out a Punishment, take the Artifacts and Relics. 383 ARTIFACTS by the Gamemaster. However, a painter can be granted any one wish, should they illustrate their desires upon the can- The first Artifacts were assuredly created by mad wizards, vas themselves. The would-be painter must complete a por- thousands of years ago. The desire to replicate the rune tion of the painting, using the blood of another living being Magick of Dwarven clans lead power-hungry mortals to- from their own race, taking no less than one year of time. The wards creation of Artifacts, sacrificing parts of their own blood must be wrought from a lover or well-trusted member soul to see their work to its completion. They went to great of their family. Once the wish is fulfilled, the painting disap- lengths to wait for the alignment of stars and positioning pears as the painter gains 10 Chaos Ranks. of planets to pinpoint places where the Aethereal Veil was thin and weak. Along these ley lines, the endless pit of the MANTIC CALCULATOR Abyss yawned open, whispering its damning promises to en- Many moons ago, there existed an orrery device of such great chanters. Pouring forth into the Material Realm, arcanists proportions, that it had to be contained in the tallest of tow- channeled this power within themselves, acting as a battery ers. Built by a group of nine wizards, it was a perfect replica for raw chaos. By harnessing it, they were able to create the of the known world. A great armillary sphere dominated the first Artifacts. Though stories of Artifacts are many (and the mechanism, with every continent, ley line and sacred stone cir- results of these power grabs leading to the death of the arti- cle indicated upon it. The sphere was built from a half sphere ficer), a handful of Artifacts are still spoken of today. of silver and an encasing sphere of gold, moving as a yin-yang THE BEYOND symbol over one another. Each of the clockwork pieces were built of brass and rare stones, moving in all directions at once “Upon this canvas lie the terrifying and unspeakable in unison. Above it, smaller globes hovered, attached to hoops secrets of hell. No one who sees it lives to describe it. And of iron. Beyond that, long rods affixed to even smaller armillary you shall live in darkness for all eternity.” spheres extended outwards. Deep within the main sphere laid a -Malen Fulci golden throne, with a vast series of lenses and spectacles affixed to flexing metal arms, uncovering the secrets which lay beyond The Beyond is the macabre magnum opus of a madman; an the stars. Together, this device - dubbed the Mantic Calculator unfinished painting of massive proportions. It depicts phys- - ticked and moved along, driven purely by Aethereal energy. ical despair, stretching into an unending horizon with bogs Ensconced within a bulbous minaret atop a preceptory in the of festering miasma consume the desperate final remnants of mountains, the Calculator could track not only the movement light. The dead and the damned crawl and feed upon one an- of stars and the seasons, but also predict terrible happening other in an endless cycle as their haunted, hateful eyes gaze in the Vault of Night. It foretold of when the stars would fall, back at the viewer. where the Aethereal Veil was the thinnest and what series of events would lead to the Abyss pouring into the world. It reput- Is it a physical manifestation of the Aethereal Veil, the mem- edly predicted the falling of a star during the cataclysm, which brane between this world and the next? Or, is it a living rit- born the genesis of Wytchstone to the world. Yet today, only the ual? The Beyond has been called a great many things, but towering minaret remains, as remnants of the Mantic Calcu- always in hushed whispers. Few, if any, truly understand the lator lay in waste amid the ruins of the preceptory. No arcanist works of Malen Fulci. One might argue that to even try is to nor cleric of the higher mysteries has been able to puzzle out enter the mouth of madness. Entering the world hated as the how to put it back together. Only the throne remains, with its bastard of a fallen priest, the artist had always seen the world myriad of lenses in varying states of disrepair. Should it ever be differently. Tortured and left at the brink of death for years reassembled, however, it could lead all mortal kind to an age during a tumultuous war, his deranged perception found ra- unseen since the gods walked the earth. zor focus. Some argued his works came alive, each composed of unique and terrible components. But, the Beyond is dif- POWERS ferent. His cult of followers to this day hunt the lands to feed By sitting upon the golden throne, a would-be astrologer’s The Beyond, for it is never finished, never sated. It hungers to Intelligence is immediately changed to 100%. However, the make its dark landscape reality and ours the portrait. astrologer cannot remove themselves from the throne, fas- tened into it for no less than nine days. After merging with POWERS the infernal machine, every Skill Focus is granted to the as- The painting is a gateway to any realm an admirer of its ma- trologer. Such vast amounts of information drives the user cabre work can possibly imagine: flown to the other side of mad, as they instantly suffer from the Disorder of Deranged the Material Realm, projected into the weightlessness of the Hero. Finally, the Mantic Calculator allows its user to pre- Vault of Night, tossed into the bewildering buffeting winds dict precisely what will happen a day before it unfolds. Once of the Aethereal Veil or even cast into the endless pit of the unseated from the Mantic Calculator, the astrologer’s Intel- Abyss. A suitable blood sacrifice must be made, determined ligence returns to normal. 384 RELICS hammer, possessing the following Qualities: Castle-forged, Defensive, Fast, Finesse, Powerful, Punishing, Reach, Shrap- Whereas Artifacts were undoubtedly crafted, Relics are of a nel and Vicious. Those who wield the hammer are forever vastly different nature. There were terrible times that came to cursed to champion the cause of the God-Emperor, and pass, where mighty armies of heavenly and demonic soldiers must change their Order and Chaos Alignments to Zeal and waged war, when gods walked on the earth and other events Fanaticism respectively. Finally, whenever a foe is struck by of great significance had come to pass. In their wake came the hammer, they immediately suffer from a Stunning Blow cataclysmic results, where items became unintentionally em- and a Grievous Injury, despite whether they are Lightly, powered by the influence of order and chaos made manifest. Moderately or Seriously Wounded. Romanticized in stories, these ancient Relics wait for the right person to unlock their latent power; useless in the hands of THE WHORESON the unworthy. Relics have historically been gifted to power- Many centuries ago, a great and terrible war erupted across the ful Abyssal Dukes from their true demon masters, eventually Material Realm. All nations, united beneath their region’s ban- making their way to the Material Realm. Some even suggest ner, invaded one another’s territories. In the wake of a thirty that foolhardy, yet powerful, bible-thumpers have even passed year long war, it was spoken that nearly 40% of the population beyond the Aethereal Veil into the endless pit, in hopes of re- perished - lying dead in ditches, burned at the stake, given to covering an accursed item to use for the greater “good”. Many famine and disease or made victims of rapine and mutilation. have failed; all that remains are the horror stories of these At the thrust of these atrocities was a man named Gustavus saints cast themselves into the Abyss, only to be eternally tor- the Great. He was a soldier of the church, affectionately called mented by their lust for ceaseless power. The Giver by his allies and The Taker by his enemies. Gus- HAMMER OF THE GOD-EMPEROR tavus was a dichotomy of a man; both priestly and monstrous. The Giver was magnanimous to his own people, whereas the The God-Emperor is a revered figure, both as a god and as Taker decidedly cruel to his enemies. Ceremoniously man- hero of all mortal kind. His radiant hair and glistening armor ic and dedicated to his religious cause, the Taker led a great are staples of how his worshippers honor him in their hymns siege against an ancient city called Wurzburg. Beneath his and illuminations, but often just as famous is the God-Em- command, his troops sacked the city and destroyed its walls peror’s massive war hammer. It is this weapon, carved with the with massive siege engines. After seizing Wurzburg, the Taker image of a burning star, that He struck down his Mutant slave beheaded every captain of the city guard, while the children masters and founded a mighty kingdom. But this hammer and wives of the captains were hung from the throwing arm of was not forged by the God-Emperor. When the God-Em- a mighty trebuchet, decorated with his banners. Left behind peror was still a mortal name Sigmund, He journeyed far to as a symbol of The Taker’s sanguine campaign, it would later the north, where the Abyss opened into the Material Realm. be dubbed The Whoreson. Were one to locate the trebuchet Therein, he stumbled upon an ancient ruin and found the war today, likely you’d find the tiny bones of children half-buried hammer deep within, radiating an iridescent glow. He took in the soil, with daisies growing in the earthy red-black clay. it up, as His head filled with divine providence that it was a tool of primordial creation; the very hammer that struck upon POWERS the anvil of reality. He then strode forth to conquer and then It is spoken that any rock flung from this trebuchet will unify mortal kind into a single empire, with the war hammer spread Filth Fever across any settlement that its stones land becoming an eternal symbol after he was canonized. The relic in. Also, any ammunition flung will instantly destroy any is reputedly locked away in the most highly guarded of the wall, standing building or otherwise man-made contrivance Godsworn’s reliquaries. The Hammer of the God-Emperor of war. Given its nature of extreme destruction, anyone at- is their most important artifact, and massive crusades would tempting to throw the trigger mechanism must roll a 1D6 be started if it was ever stolen. Naturally, a number of false Chaos Die. Should it land on a face “6”, the user is flung into hammers have floated around. There are even whispers that the air as well, only to fall to their doom. Finally, those who the true war hammer is not kept in the Godsworn’s reliquary, pray below the beam of The Whoreson can directly com- but instead held in-hand by an unassuming peasant girl. Some mune with the Abyssal Prince of Violence (as if they had speak that the hammer lay in a deep crevasse - a portal be- casted Dearly Departed, a Lesser Magick from the Arcana tween the Material Realm and the Abyss. What truth there of Morticism). may be with that is largely unconfirmed.

POWERS Only someone with a Brawn Bonus (BB) and Willpower Bonus (WB) of no less than 13 can heft the hammer above their head. It acts as a Martial Melee weapon known as a war 385 NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS Non-player Characters are oftentimes driven by several differ- ent agendas, and may have different urges. Some of these may While adventurers will have their share of hardships and be earthly, such as the drive to accumulate wealth, and others make many enemies along the way, they will inevitably make may be more spiritual, such as to please a wanton god with contacts as well. Some of them will align with player Charac- endless forms of adoration and sacrifice. For instance, villains ters due to shared motivations or as a means to an end. They don’t scheme for the mere purpose of being evil; no, they do may be friendly as a matter of convenience, or perhaps leal so with an end goal in mind. Motivations gives you a keyword servants of a shared ideology. Others may occupy an ambigu- you can reference whenever player Characters interact with ous or tenuous gray area, where friend and foe are sometimes their contemporaries. It also gives you an idea whether play- one in the same. In situations like these, you must think care- er Characters share a common bond or goal with them. For fully about the motivations of non-player Characters, as they instance, a player’s Bounty Hunter will likely have a shared will mostly inform their interactions with the players. ideology with the village sheriff if they’re working towards the You can custom tailor non-player Character’s general dispo- same goals. All the same, a player’s Diabolist may find him- sition, using several factors in this book. You can random- self on the wrong side of the torch, should an aggressive peas- ly determine their race, age, Social Class and Profession if ant-hero learn of their predilection for heresy. you wish by going back to Chapter 3: Character Creation. Understanding, and playing towards these Motivations, is Finding out their Motivation may further illustrate where vital in creating deep and compelling non-player Charac- their allegiances lay. Finally, determine whether they are ters. Although they are not meant to be restricting, they Order-Aligned or Chaos-Aligned, as this will have a major can give you an idea about how a non-player Character impact on interactions. Finally, every person the Characters makes decisions to achieve their goals. Feel free to roll per- interact with will have a name, and likely a backstory as well. centile dice to determine a random Motivation for import- Their age may even be a factor, too. While you don’t neces- ant non-player Characters: sarily have to color in the history of each non-player Charac- ter they interact with, giving them a name and jotting down a few notes about their professional history or their family Percentile Dice Motivation helps color in whom the players are dealing with. 1 to 5 Absolution ORDER AND CHAOS ALIGNMENT 6 to 10 Ascendancy Much like player Character’s own personal motivations are 11 to 15 Decorum influenced by their Alignment, so, too are the Characters 16 to 20 Defiance they interact with. Unlike player Characters, though, they do not track Corruption or specific Alignment Ranks. Instead, 21 to 25 Destruction you can make the decision whether they are Order-Aligned 26 to 30 Dominion or Chaos-Aligned, and track it in your own notes. As player 31 to 35 Emancipation Characters will grow to understand, those who share similar ideologies will be significantly easier to convince and work 36 to 40 Homage with. Roll dice or flip a coin to determine their Alignment; 41 to 45 Innovation the choice is yours. 46 to 50 Judgement Percentile Dice Alignment 514 to 55 Largesse 1 to 50+ Chaos 56 to 60 Legacy 51 to 100 Order 61 to 65 Metamorphosis 66 to 70 Nihilism MOTIVATIONS 71 to 75 Peace Player Characters, and their counterpart non-player Char- 76 to 80 Perfection acters, have different reasons for the choices they’ve made. While oftentimes unclear, they result from a lifetime of ex- 81 to 85 Revelation perience and hardship. These drives create a defining pur- 86 to 90 Secrecy pose for non-player Characters, called Motivations. It’s what makes them endure the endless hardship of a grim & peril- 91 to 95 Veneration ous world, as the rewards for their Motivation are oftentimes 96 to 100 Vengeance greater than the sacrifices they must make to achieve them. 386 ABSOLUTION themselves, but only to appease others. Those who are driven by this Motivation seeks to be redeemed INNOVATION through their actions, either to a mentor, peer or perhaps a god. They will oftentimes go to great lengths, and sacrifice Those who thrive on discovery embark upon an endless quest others, to guarantee that they are given clemency for their of self-fulfillment. Innovators may be friendly naturalists or crime. And crimes committed along the way… well, those too murderous magicians, hell-bent on creating a new world for will be absolved. themselves. They hold dear their achievements, and may stop at nothing to see that others fail in their footsteps. ASCENDANCY JUDGEMENT Whether for moral dominance or from a position of power, these people will stop at nothing to maintain their status Standing upon high, they believe that there is only one truth quo. Slipping backwards is not an option, forward momen- in this world - their own. Whether empowered by the state tum is their goal. Those who stand in their way may be made or by a god, their shrewdness is matched only by reasonable allies, or simply tramped over. arguments. It is rare that they entertain others’ ideas in this regard, given that they discriminate indiscriminately against DECORUM others’ sense of prudence. Propriety is paramount, as seemliness leads to a better end. LARGESSE While they maintain airs in front of others, it may all be a show, meant to hide their darker predilections behind closed Generous to a fault, they dispense with favors and gold cease- doors. In public, however, they must appear astute and repu- lessly. Their munificence is well-regarded by their friends. table before their peers. Unsurprisingly, sycophants and hanger-ons often circle around the charitable. But they, too can be used - perhaps DEFIANCE the philanthropy of the kind-hearted is dispensed if only to Every hill is worthy dying upon, and they’ll harp endlessly cover up their true crimes. about what they feel is just and right. Their sense of true jus- LEGACY tice may be skewed by their inability to give ground or call it quits. Even in the face of danger, they’re remain red-faced They must leave something behind, whether it be an es- with disobedience. teemed name, reputation, commemorations or their seed. Heritage means everything to them, going to great lengths DESTRUCTION to know everyone knows about their victories and achieve- Those given to this Motivation care little for the world, and ments. This may mean erecting temples in their name or would rather see it burn than flourish. While they may not racking up a murder count that would make the most hei- take an active hand to help kindle the fire, they certainly ar- nous of criminal’s blush. en’t going to toss a bucket of water on it when it starts to METAMORPHOSIS burn everyone around them. Change and evolution are all that matter. Evolving from DOMINION where they’re at now into something else is the only way Territorial and haughty, these folk believe that their home is to live. Being upjumped from their current circumstances, their castle. And perhaps even your castle is their castle. They growing in their duties and responsibilities or transmutation broker no deals nor make allegiances unless it strengthens into something less human would fulfill their design. their sovereignty over what they hold most precious. NIHILISM EMANCIPATION Life means nothing. Do what you want. Party as you like. Freedom and choice are the watchwords of this Motivation. Steal to your heart’s content. It may also mean that one Free thought, and derestriction, are keys to make society bet- predisposed to such entropic desires care little if their own ter. They may even foment rebellion or support illegal ac- goods are stolen. However, it would prove a great test of faith tivities to see that personal freedom is achieved, but are not to see what little property they have have taken by another. afraid to enslave others to see that their ideology is met. PEACE HOMAGE An end to hostilities is the only way to pure enlightenment. Those who live in Homage do aught else but emulate the But, peace isn’t always sewn by making deals with their behaviors of a peer. Succor, adoration and obsequiousness enemies. Sometimes, peace can only be achieved forcibly are oftentimes the descriptors of those who care nothing of through tyranny. This may not suit every peacenik, but plenty 387 of rulers use intermittent chaos as a way to enforce harmony the dark secrets men hide within their hearts. Nightmares are in the wake of violence. real, dwelling upon the threshold to our reality while seek- ing to consume or despoil those who wander too close to the PERFECTION wretched truth. Over time, these truths erode the mind of the Infatuation of their looks or capabilities drives these people unwitting. Tearing at the fabric of their reality, the slip towards to places others might not like. They abhor others who may madness races faster and faster until everything unravels. Cor- be comparable to themselves. They may spite others’ faces ruption takes hold, and order gives way to chaos. for their perfect noses, and simply cut it off to wear as their own. Or, perhaps they hide their inadequacies behind a thick A GRIM & PERILOUS WORLD veneer of makeup and rouge. What triggers madness may be cerebral at times (anticipa- tion of something that may happen) and at others, more vis- REVELATION ceral (witnessing or committing heinous acts). Much of what The word of gods or the universe, will teach everyone else what it takes to experience horror relies on player’s investment into it means to be faithful. Only a few are worthy of knowing the their Characters. A lot of this relies on the unwritten con- truth, and no others may understand the complications that tract of a role-playing game between the Gamemaster and are to come. Perfect for them that they’ve been chosen to in- players. Ideally, the players should feel attachment to their terpret the omens. Characters, the world the Characters live within must feel real and must be presented within the assumed and consis- SECRECY tent reality of your campaign world. Obscurement of the truth, or staying out of the limelight, suits them just fine. Those obsessed with Secrecy would rath- IMMERSING PLAYERS er not attract attention from others, especially if they raised Whereas your players may be very desensitized by violence the ire of witch hunters seeking after the heresy they practice. from other forms of media, it is important to distinguish be- tween what players feel and what a Character experiences. Try VENERATION to portray how the Character would personally feel, given the They seek to be worshipped, whether for personal achieve- gravity of the world they live in. Emphasize that Characters ments, adoration of their physical selves or hero-worshipped are ignorant of the existence of zombies, vampires, the undead by soldiers. There have been many kings and priests who’ve and the like. They have their own anxieties, whether they be caught to be worshipped as gods born upon earth, but a rare of heights, deep waters, being left alone, of insects or even the few ever deserved such attentions. alien horrors from beyond.

VENGEANCE Characters should have only the faint semblance of disre- A right must be wronged, and they’ll stop at nothing to see gard towards these nightmares, believing full well that there it happen. Once the wrong is righted, however, some born is in fact something creeping out there in the dark or hiding upon this path may continue a twisted game of findings beneath the bed to gobble them up. While you - as a per- wrongs to be righted. Many a masked vigilante have been son - may handle fictional horror in a very casual way, you led astray to seek vengeance. must help the player acclimate to the laid down expectations and approach it from a very different aspect. With a bit of emotional investment into the situation, you’ll help support ORDER & CHAOS a mood of dread. The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the Many people have written extensively on how to use mad- oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. ness mechanics in role-playing games. Tired tropes include skeletons, monsters, zombies and endless buckets of blood. - H.P. Lovecraft They are the most common trappings of both movies and From isolation, utter powerlessness, ambition denied, para- games, albeit inspiring aught more than a laugh or two. noid delusions, perversions of nature and nightmare-induc- While this approach is fine at times, it doesn’t truly reach ing terrors from beyond, chaos punctuates all but the mild- into the guts of ZWEIHÄNDER’s narrative principles. est of adventures in ZWEIHÄNDER. There are countless True insanity lies not just within the unanswered, but also horrors waiting to prey upon the intrepid, foolish enough to fearing to uncover what may happen next. Madness does not blunder into their midst. However, nothing is more insidious lay within the moment, a “jump scare” used to inspire fear. and treacherous than one’s own mind. As the veil is pulled Instead, it relies on the imagination run wild at what may be back upon reality, the unwary begin to realize the smolder- out there and revulsion at the improbable. Remember, when ing remnants of something far more insidious than merely portraying the fantastical - particularly the horrific - use thin 388brush strokes to narrate horror. Carefully plan the moment, and let the player’s collective imaginations run wild at what  A Character breaks a promise or knowingly tells a may be lurking out there. But all the same, don’t be afraid to lie to someone of prominence. punctuate these same moments with moments of intense,  A Character is robbed at knifepoint with no means deliberate acts to personify the scary world their Characters to protect themselves. live within.  A Character is lost within a forest, unsure which di- rection to get out. Admittedly, it is difficult to promote some of these situations  A Character is arrested and shackled in the middle in a role-playing game, but we’ve devised guidelines to help of the night for a crime they didn’t commit. shape up your grim & perilous world of madness.  A Character’s reputation is called under question in THREE BRANDS OF MADNESS a public forum, facing humiliation or worse. You will thrust Characters into many horrific situations FEAR which will test their mental resolve. These trials can have a Unlike Stress, the effects of Fear are felt more acutely. It is an very acute effect on their Character’s psyche, gradually erod- emotion aroused by impending danger or pain, regardless if ing their ability to reason while at the same time desensi- the threat is real or imagined. Revulsion against the unclean tizing them to these same horrors. Eventually, it can affect and disgust can also trigger Fear. If Characters encounter a productive and rational thought, transforming into insanity. situation where they face mutilation, must combat a perver- From this, there are three distinct categories which plays upon sion of nature or otherwise step into a situation where mon- the madness which can quickly overcome Characters. Following sters prevail and men dare not tread, it falls into the category that are situations that may provoke the type of madness. They of Fear. are by no means comprehensive, but provide a good framework  to reference: A Character is mutilated, brutalized sexually or tor- tured while helpless.  STRESS A Character’s close friend or other Character is tor- tured in front of their eyes. Stress is invoked by situations that cause unease or trepidation  A Character is knowingly being stalked by someone within the mind. Restlessness, anxiety caused by tedium while else but unable to truly escape. under a deadline and situations provoking impatience often-  A Character can hear the beating of a heart within times cause Stress. Anticipation that something can go horribly the darkness of a hallway, without any way to discov- awry is another common trigger for Stress. If Characters en- er where the sound truly originates. counter a situation where they may be abandoned by friends,  A Character is seduced by a woman with strange potentially lose hope in the face of danger or witness a heinous eyes, only to awaken the next day with deep claw act of violence, it falls into this category. marks on their back.  A Character’s lantern winks out in the oppressive  A Character hears the unearthly chanting of the darkness of a lightless cavern. dead within a crypt.  A Character stays up all night without a wink of  A Character knows that a council of aristocrats may sleep and begins to see “tracers” from the corners of have a hand in the disappearance of numerous inno- their eyes. cent people.  A Character is forced to shoulder the burden of re-  A Character stumbles across a bear protecting her sponsibility for something they don’t inherently un- cubs in the forest. derstand.  A Character must hide beneath the rotting bodies of  A Character walks along a cliff side, where falling their peers to avoid notice by another army. could spell their doom.  A Character has a personal conversation with some-  A Character investigates the grisly scene of a mur- one they know is dead. der.  A Character discovers that they are the perpetrator  A Character discovers that the trusted town doctor in a string of killings, seemingly done while sleep- who just performed surgery on them while uncon- walking. scious may indeed be a sorcerer, instead of a surgeon.  A Character faces down a fearless predator or dan-  A Character is called to witness the execution of gerous creature. someone - regardless of if they are guilty or inno-  A Character is the lone survivor of an onslaught that cent. takes the lives of their comrades or other Characters.  A Character is thrown into a situation where their  A Character discovers that a “clone” or doppelgang- phobias can be piqued. er of themselves is out there and attempting to take 389 their life over. others bear witness to it at the same time. This could  A Character is being hunted by a foul creature of be something as terrifying as a dragon rising from a which there is no certain escape. volcano or a strange ship falling from the sky.   A Character must defend themselves against a su- A Character walks through a scintillating portal to pernatural horror from beyond the grave. the Abyss, Aethereal Veil or the Well of Souls: di- mensions where the laws of science do not prevail. TERROR By far the most intense of emotions, Terror is provoked after WITHSTAND MADNESS situations where the grim realizations of the unnatural and You must make an initial judgement call to determine unimaginable world come true. It is intense and harrowing, whether a situation would potentially provoke Stress, Fear or provoking the worst in some while shattering the minds of Terror upon a Character. Each of these categories inflicts dif- the weak-willed. It brings about feelings of prolonged dan- ferent penalties, but the guidelines above should help guide ger; not easily shaken or broken. “Things that should not be” you towards the right choice. Some creatures in Chapter 12: encapsulate situations which promote Terror. Revulsion is Bestiary may provoke Stress, Fear or Terror with their Traits. the most common of emotions which are provoked in these sort of situations. If Characters encounter a point in the story Whenever a Character first stumbles into the situation which where they discover that the reality they perceived is entirely can provoke Stress, Fear or Terror, you’ll call upon them to wrong, must speak with an Abyssal presence face-to-face or make a Resolve Test. However, other exacerbating circum- kill someone they trust, it falls into the category of Terror. stances may lead you towards having a Character make addi- tional Tests. For instance, walking in and out of the vicinity  A Character is forced to brutalize or torture a loved of a crime scene may not necessitate a Character to make one or other Character while possessed or forcibly multiple Resolve Tests. However, revisiting the same scene coerced. of the crime where the victim stood upright from the dead  A Character experiences endless nightmares from and walked away may well necessitate another Resolve Test! their youth, only to discover that it was real all along.  A Character gains revelation that the death of a If the Character doesn’t perceive an active threat, they trusted friend or a loved one was their fault. shouldn’t make a Resolve Test. By the same token, perceived  A Character awakens one day to find that the sun threats, whether real or not, should require one. For instance, rises in the west, and sets in the east. even though an armed brigand may not truly be a threat from  A Character is prepped to be consumed in a gro- a game mechanics’ perspective when compared to the Char- tesque buffet by those that have been tainted by dark acter’s strengths, a specific brigand’s infamy in the campaign powers. world may lend credibility to the illusion of threatening men-  A Character finds out that the world they live in is ace and danger. In turn, they should make a Resolve Test. actually purgatory, where they’re condemned to re- MAKING A RESOLVE TEST live the same experiences over and over until they correct whatever they’ve done wrong. As a rule, the Difficulty Rating varies whether it is a situ-  A Character discovers that the god they worship ation which provokes Stress, Fear or Terror. However, you is monstrous, an alien being from beyond the stars may alter the Difficulty Rating at your discretion. External who speaks in a gibbering voice. factors may possibly influence the ease or raised difficulty of  the Resolve Test: A Character initially discovers that they’ve been  made victim to a terminal illness or face amputation. Stress: (Easy +20%) Resolve Test   Fear: (Standard +/-0%) Resolve Test A Character witnesses the emergence of a Lower  or Higher Demon into the Material Realm without Terror: (Hard -20%) Resolve Test the protections of Magick.  If a Character succeeds their Resolve Test, they remain unaf- A Character discovers they’ve committed an act of fected. A Critical Success indicates that they may add a For- cannibalism, or forced to commit an act of auto-can- tune Point into the Fortune Pool. However, if they fail, they nibalism!  suffer 1D10+1 mental Peril from Stress, 2D10+2 mental A Character witnesses a comrade or other Character Peril from Fear or 3D10+3 mental Peril from Terror. Addi- transform into an unnatural creature.  tionally, they also gain Corruption. If from Stress, they gain A Character witnesses a true miracle, where a De- 3 Corruption. For Fear, they gain 6 Corruption. For Terror, monic force actively advocates for another openly by they gain 9 Corruption. However, upon a Critical Failure, its inhuman avatar.  they are instead Incapacitated! and suffer the aforemen- A Character sees something so inexplicable, but tioned Corruption. 390 Should a Character be suffering from a Disorder, a failed GIVING OUT CORRUPTION or Critically Failed Resolve Test always triggers one of their It is up to you to determine when to assign Corruption to Disorders. You’ll learn more about Disorders later in this Characters. The following is a list of suggested offenses. Each chapter. offense describes acts players may make or narrative situa- tions where a Character should warrant Corruption. As it is entirely up to your discretion when to assign them, consider CORRUPTION carefully each of the offenses. Note that these are sugges- Corruption is a core mechanic of ZWEIHÄNDER. Charac- tions, a guideline to help you determine how many Corrup- ters accumulate Corruption in many different ways. Normal- tion to assign. And, as always, your ruling on this is final. ly, they are accumulated during critical, narrative moments where Characters give into negative emotions, selfishness GAIN BOTH ORDER & CHAOS or moments of personal weakness in perilous situations. In RANKS IN A SESSION many ways, is a method you can use to slowly “seduce” player Never allow a player to gain both an Order Rank Characters towards chaos. In a grim & perilous world, it rep- and Chaos Rank in the same game session. If for resents the advance of dark, chaotic powers, ever-watchful some reason they gained a Chaos Rank with excess for new servants. Whenever someone commits a deed which Corruption left over at the end of the session, sim- is considered to be chaotic, selfish or unethical, the gaze of ply wipe it away. these Abyssal Princes turns towards victims. Criminal activi- ty, acts of violence, unholy rituals and the like constitute situ- MINOR OFFENSES ations where Corruption may be bestowed upon a Character. 1 to 3 Corruption Player moral choices are paramount to running a grim & per- ilous campaign world. These choices should be apparent to the The smallest offenses and bad deeds should award Corrup- players. Every game session should include at least one situ- tion if inflicted upon the innocent, loved ones or those who ation where the Character’s goals can be achieved with less are helpless. Suggested examples include the following:  Bigotry or intolerance of another race than honorable, orderly actions. In other words, always offer  plenty of opportunities to the players that reduces risk and Bullying the innocent  Defacing a tomb effort, but at the cost of harming another monetarily, mentally,  physically or socially as a consequence. Gaslighting a friend or loved one  Grave robbery It is a good idea to forewarn players before they take actions  Petty thievery of the poor or underprivileged which may have dire psychological outcomes on their Char-  Read a heretical or profane grimoire acter. While it is a handy mechanic to reflect the grim & per-  Suffer a Moderate Injury ilous world they live in, you must also be judicious with how  Threaten violence upon an innocent often Corruption points are dispensed. Use them too often  Use psychological torture or punitively, and you’ll stymie good role-playing. When used sparingly - and only at crucial moments when Order or Chaos MIDDLING OFFENSES Alignment is at play - it can underscore an important moment 4 to 6 Corruption during a game session. They’ll feel deserved by the player, and Middling offenses inflict lasting effects, meddling with the make them think twice before engaging in such a similar act lives of those affected. Suggested examples include the fol- in the future (or perhaps lure them down a darker path). Al- lowing: ways explain why they gained it - not as a measure to reel in  Assaulting the innocent bad behavior, but as a way to help players plumb the depths  Becoming Incapacitated! on the Peril Condition of their Chaos Alignment, and how their actions have conse- Track quences within a grim & perilous world.  Implicating another for your crimes  Mocking the gods in a holy place Characters cannot withstand gaining Corruption with a  simple Skill Test. Heinous acts such as these have direct Murdering another for a crime of passion  Political assassination consequences, and no amount of skill can help them ignore  their effects. In a way, they’re god-given; unavoidable and a Suffer a Serious Injury  Treachery of your closest friends and loved ones direct result of acting in a fashion aligned with their Chaos  Alignment. Use physical torture  Violation of your god’s strictures if you practice Di- vine Magick 391 MAJOR OFFENSES PERMANENT RANKS 7 to 9 Corruption Some Special Traits and Rituals may cause a Character to Major offenses or acts of trespass are generally soul-corrupt- permanently mark a Rank in Order or Chaos. While these ing, bordering on heresy and should be rare. Suggested ex- situations are decidedly rare, in these situations, the Ranks amples include the following: can never be erased from the Character sheet, even after  Binding an Abyssal servant to your service, such as reaching 10 Order or Chaos Ranks. For instance, if a Char- an imp acter reached 10 Chaos Ranks (but had two permanent Cha-  Committing a sex crime os Ranks), they’d gain their normal Disorder but would keep  Creation of a powerful, unholy Artifact or Relic the 2 Chaos Ranks.  Desecration of a holy place  Perform a ritual which requires a blood sacrifice of an innocent FATE POINTS  Premeditated murder As Characters gradually accumulate Order Ranks, Fate  Sadistic torture Points can be gained as a result. They are the best reward  Strike a bargain with an Abyssal Prince or other a player can earn for their Character in ZWEIHÄNDER, chaotic entity awarded after passing through the jaws of hell and back.  Suffer a Grievous Injury Tempered like hardened iron, a Character’s Order Align-  Using a cursed Artifact or Relic to alter reality ment leads towards the ultimate goal to gain additional Fate Points. CORRUPTION INTO ORDER & CHAOS Whenever a Character gains Corruption, the player will keep Naturally, you may feel inclined to allow the Order and Chaos a tally of it until the end of the game session. As the session Rank system to be the best path to adjudicate when Fate Points comes to a close, you will roll a 1D10 Corruption Die. If the are given out. Doubtless, they are the most valuable commodi- roll result is equal to or less than the number of Corruption ty in the game next to Reward Points. However, some Game- gained, they increase their Chaos Rank by one step. This masters may feel it appropriate to give out an additional Fate means that they gave into their darker self, and begin to slip Points whenever a major story arc comes to a close. Give them towards Disorder. If the roll result is more than the number out sparingly in these cases, as they essentially equate to an of Corruption gained, they increase their Order Rank by one “extra life”, and never award more than one point at once to step. This means that they were able to reconcile their deeds, any one Character. Only award them on unique occasions, and and learn from their mistakes as they move forwards their next never for selfish, violent self-aggrandizing means. Fate Point. It doesn’t necessarily justify the actions, nor does As a final note, Fate Points should never be purchasable by it mean they were acting in a manner considered “good”. In- players with Reward Points under any circumstance. Ad- stead, their favor grows with the unknown powers who know ditionally, only player Characters possess them. If you are that these emissaries must thrust themselves into difficult sit- particularly concerned with having a villain escape, craft the uations and make tough choices. narrative to allow them to do so within the rules you’ve lain Be judicious and careful as you assign Corruption. Feel free to out. Let Fate Points be the best - and most unique - advan- warn the player after they announce an act that could lead to tage player Characters possess over non-player Characters. their Character’s downfall. Let them know how many Cor- FATE POINT SACRIFICE ruption they’ll earn for heinous acts before bestowing them. Intent is key; some situations may be very well justified, fol- Whenever a player sacrifices a Fate Point, consider what oc- lowing the universal order whereas others may be construed curs next. Do they continue fighting onwards? Perhaps they as being solely chaotic. Ultimately, if the act is selfish in any instead fall unconscious for an hour? Maybe they instead fashion, likely the player should be given Corruption. are captured by the enemy? It’s important to not only know that Fate Points allows a player Character to escape Injury or certain death, but what happens for the sake of the story RESETTING RANKS afterwards. Consider the situation that the players are in, and Whenever a Character gains 10 Order Ranks, they gain a narrate an appropriate outcome. Fate Point and reset both their Order and Chaos Ranks to 0. The same goes for Chaos Ranks. Once accumulating 10 Chaos Ranks, they gain a Disorder and reset both their Or- der and Chaos Ranks to 0.

392 DISORDER The Hunger would be fitting.  Maybe a pious Character had been through a se- As Characters gradually accumulate Corruption; turned ries of traumatic events; tortured endlessly, mental- into Chaos Ranks, Disorder erupts as a result. Some may ly scarred and physically mutilated? Perhaps they simply given into passivity, allowing a Disorder to overcome now secretly channel their own anger by picking them. Disorder may result in obsessions or nervous ticks, as the wings off butterflies, may be the first to set to their mind is consumed with crippling phobias. In others, it the slaughter of animals for a meal or demonstrate may result in inurement, as empathy diminishes for those a particularly grisly predilection towards violence? around them. They begin to distance themselves from the The Insanity Dark Passenger works well given the world, growing more and more numb. Those in a grim & example above. perilous world do not look kindly upon the afflicted. Brand-  What if the Character were a degenerate fop who ed, condemned or outlawed, those with crippling Disorders spent their fortunes on wine, whores and fast carts? are generally forced out of civil society. If not for the peer It’s possible that they drown their sorrows to drive pressure, the fear of being mistaken as a madman or product away grim thoughts of the damage they’ve done unto of uncleanly origins is enough to set people on edge. others. Perhaps it is their fault for driving under the A minority of people in the world believe that all Disorder influence of alcohol which led the carriage over the is demonic in nature, touched by otherworldly hosts to play cliff. In this case, the Addiction Bound to the Bottle cruel tricks upon the people around them. The more vocal would be very fitting, given the situation. believe that the afflicted are “skin guests”, possessed by Abys- Ideally, you should let the narrative define what Disorder sal fiends and must be put down. The minority are correct fits best. Taking under consideration the Character’s past - - Disorders in a grim & perilous world are in fact a way for prior to adventuring - is also an excellent way to find the chaos to subjugate and enslave mortalkind; both an infernal right Disorder. But be careful; a Disorder invariably change quirk in personality and source of unusual strength. some of the core moral principles of the Character, playing off their Chaos Alignment. This can be potentially devastat- GAINING A DISORDER ing to a campaign, so be certain that the Disorder you give It is up to you as a Gamemaster to select an appropriate Dis- not only fits the story, but meets the ideas players have about order for the Character once they reach 10 Chaos Ranks. their Character. At its heart, it can be a wonderful role-play- First, consider what event triggered the Character to gain ing tool if used right. the Chaos Ranks. This may have been caused by a series of unfortunate Critical Failures in a row during a game session, PULL THE PLAYER ASIDE or perhaps a sudden event which caused the Character to Whenever a Character gains a Disorder, do it in the after- gain enough to push them over the precipice. Depending on math of the current game session. Pull them aside, describe the situation, you can select a Disorder that fits the Char- what has happened, what they have gained and give them acter best, with consideration to the ongoing story or the some pointers on how to role-play it. Some Gamemasters Character’s background: may even want to keep it a secret, just between them and the  What occurred to cause the Character to fail the player. It can lend an air of mystery - and uncertainty - from Resolve Test? If it was a situation where the Char- other players whenever they consider how their actions may acter and a trusted comrade’s carriage was assaulted, lead to triggering the Character’s Disorder. rolling off a cliff. The carriage crashed down into a ravine, washing away the horses and supplies. For- ROLE-PLAYING DISORDERS tunately, the Character lived but the driver did not. Disorders “flare” up at moments of weakness - during an af- They both end up stuck in a deep hole in the earth, flicted Character’s failed Resolve Test, a Critically Failed Skill where the Character suffered from a crippling Injury, Test or other moments you feel relevant to the story at-hand. unable to walk and forced to recuperate in the wil- However, from a role-playing perspective, it is important to derness, alone and scared. What was going through direct the narrative to the Character suffering from the Dis- their mind at that moment? order in a way that visibly distorts the world around them.  What if the Character was left with nothing to eat, Essentially, you will paint a very different portrait of the world as their dead friend lays nearby? Although they may around their Character, speaking to the player what they be- have enjoyed being a vegetarian before - if only be- lieve to be true versus what others see. While these need not cause they could not afford meat - desperate times devolve directly into hallucinations, the narrative should con- call for desperate measures. Without a way to get up firm to their deranged viewpoint, a delusion of things which to forage, they use their knife to pick flesh from the may not necessarily be true. corpse to gain sustenance. Perhaps a Mutation such as 393 party visits a gambling den or blood sport is openly on display Leopold Coventry suffers from an Addiction called (and wagering is encouraged, if not required, to watch). “Bound To the Bottle”. After a particularly grueling trip across a storm-riddled plain, he and his compan- When triggered, encourage the afflicted ignore their Char- ion settle inside. Being penny-poor as they may be, acter’s Order Alignment and embrace their Chaos Align- his companions opt not to drink, instead settling for a ment for purposes of role-play. During this time, a Character warm soup. However, Leopold’s addiction to swill im- cannot recover from Peril by any means. mediately kicks in. You decide to ask the player to make a Resolve Test, so that his Disorder doesn’t force him to Ultimately, it is up to you to determine when a Disorder is grab a bottle...by any means necessary. triggered and its influence ends. However, its effects should last no more than 24 hours, or until you feel that the scene You should also consider the Disorders of non-player Char- or situation that triggered their Disorder comes to a close. acters, and how they react to player decisions. While you As an example, Bound to the Bottle may last until the Char- shape the narrative, the players are affecting its outcome by acter is wounded. On the same token, Moon Fever may last interacting within it. only an evening, as the lycanthropic Character rampages the countryside. Piper “The Bride” Hardt, a local bounty hunter, sees a “CURING” DISORDERS party of travelers walk into the room. She overhears the proprietor mention Leopold’s name; his infamy tells A player may elect to either sacrifice a Fate Point, or go un- the Bride he’s dangerous. Knowing that there’s a ran- der the risky prospect of psychosurgery to have a Disorder som on his head, it could be a moment to seize a hand- removed. Otherwise, you may want to create interesting sce- some sack of gold. However, Leopold is surrounded by narios where a Disorder could be lifted by alternative means. other companions, who are similarly armed. Under nor- For instance, slaying the Vampiric Templar who afflicted a mal circumstances, the Bride would ignore such danger. player with Sanguine Thrall may lift the curse. Another ex- However, you also know that her Dark Passenger may ample would be to infirm an addict with Bound to the Bottle take the wheel, leaving her in the passenger seat invol- in an asylum or hospice for several months. A final example untarily. You decide to make a Secret Test for the Bride’s could be to undergo a gruesome experiment to remove the Resolve Test to resist stalking and killing Leopold. thumbs of someone afflicted with Pyromania (so that they cannot use a fire striker). All these examples illustrate cre- As you can see in the two examples above, they promote sit- ative ways around curing a Disorder. uations where you may call upon players to resist their own DISORDER TYPES temptations or potentially put a dangerous foe before them which may trigger a Disorder’s effects. These sort of narra- There are three different families of Disorders with many tive cues are important, as they constitute what makes for different types nesting below them. First, there is Addiction; good role-play with players around the game table. Ideally, a relatively self-explanatory Disorder. It indicates an irratio- you want the narration to drive the decision of the players. It nal yearning for some form of cessation of strain. The second is important to not railroad players by stripping away agen- is Insanity, which is a result of mental disorder and imbal- cy over their own Characters. However, don’t be afraid to ance. Finally, the third is Mutation, a grim transformation of use over-the-top situations to trigger their Disorder. Not the flesh which is difficult to hide but can rear its ugly head all players catch onto subtly-lain hooks you introduce. Be at inopportune moments. forward and open with the player to help them shape the Character’s deranged narrative. ADDICTIONS The idea that Addiction exists as a medical condition as you or WHEN A DISORDER IS TRIGGERED anyone else would perceive it in the real world is not a conceit of It is up to you as the Gamemaster to determine whenever the common people. While a rare few preach temperance, their a Disorder holds influence over a Character. A good rule of voices are oftentimes drowned out in the revelry and racket of thumb to adhere to is when a Character fails a Resolve Test those who imbibe. Despite the ramblings of rabble-rousing to withstand Stress, Fear or Terror, their Disorder is triggered. priests who condemn the use of the “demon drink”, drunken- However, there are other situations which may be more rele- ness and Intoxication is a pastime for many, a way to drown out vant to the story. For instance, The Hunger - which relies on the rigors of life or sorrows of the past. In the case of drugs, even an insatiable desire to consume the flesh of others - may take less is understood. Given the private nature of drug use, it is no hold over a Character during particularly gruesome scenes of wonder that Addiction runs rampant without the guiding hand carnage. All the same, Gambler’s Lament - which relies on a of preachers or outright prohibition by authorities to deter such compulsion to gamble - may trigger during a scene where the dangerous activities. And where there is a vacuum of knowledge 394 and science, Addiction takes hold. No, these misfortunate souls are thralls to lady fortune, un- able to ever sate their vice, ever-compulsive in their activi- BOUND TO THE BOTTLE ties. To those afflicted, only the rush of gambling can help To some, alcoholism is a disease. It can be treated with me- them temporarily ignore the immense grief they’ve suffered dicinal remedies and kinship with others in remission. But and suffering they’ve caused. They are always debt-ridden, for you, it is madness itself. It is not that you’re immediately often to the point where they cannot be trusted by friends brought to the bottle every morning to function, so much or associates. For when their coffers have run dry, they may as you drink to make the visions and voices in your head go turn to lying, cheating and stealing from others to back their away. What these visions are is up to you; likely, a haunted ventures. Ever on the run from collectors, they find kinship memory of some terrible atrocity you’ve committed or are in the worst of society, which only continues to feed a vicious born witness to. Perhaps the booze helps cloud the incessant cycle of fast rewards and quick losses. buzzing of a hundred fold voices from the darkest corners of your mind. Either way, not a good place to be. Effect: Whenever an opportunity presents itself to gamble, those afflicted with this Disorder must gamble until they Effect: Whenever an opportunity presents itself to drink, have played at least three games or else suffer 6 Corruption. those afflicted with this Disorder must drink until they be- come Intoxicated or Incapacitated! (whichever comes first). When Gambler’s Lament is triggered, the afflicted may flip the results to succeed a Gamble Test. Each time they take While Intoxicated, the afflicted increase Damage Threshold to advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. +6 instead of the normal +3. Each time they take advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. HOPHEAD Through spirit journeys fueled by experimentation with De- DERANGED HERO liriants, they’ve allowed you to discover other worlds beyond Whenever the afflicted becomes a Deranged Hero, they ours. You see where the Aethereal Veil and the Material (mistakenly) believe that they are the world’s single most Realm collides into beautiful, rainbow-like patterns of light. important hero. Driven by an insatiable desire to help or save You feel a “oneness” with everything, and can read the auras others, they will thrust themselves into the maw of hell, were of others around you. You’ve spoken with not the gods, but it to help another. However, this particular Disorder is always THE god, and She has revealed the truths of the world to accompanied by some delirious, raving belief that they alone you. Dark truths. Brutal truths. Sanguine truths! In order to possess a singular power that can save others (falsely so). This see them fully-realized, everyone must helter skelter run red; power may be something along the lines of believing they red with blood. But the colors, man… so trippy. can abolish the world’s currency by swallowing every gold coin they are able to earn for an honest day’s labor. It could Effect: Whenever an opportunity presents itself to take a be they believe that ending poverty for the misfortunate is dose of a Deliriant, those afflicted with this Disorder must only possible should they shave every cat they encounter of take at least one dose or else suffer 6 Corruption. their fur. It may even mean that they could cure disease with While under the effects of a dose, the afflicted immediately godly power by skinning sinful children alive and wearing doubles the effect of the Deliriant. Each time they take ad- their tiny hands around their neck as a “gateway” to divine vantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. might. Either way, these ideas from a Deranged Hero are always grandiose, inexplicable and utterly devoid of truth. MANA JUNKIE

Effect: Whenever an opportunity presents itself to become Magick is not something you merely practice, it’s something to “a hero”, those afflicted with this Disorder must play their be continuously developed. Through both success and failure, part to fulfil vainglorious desires or else suffer 6 Corruption. magicians have learned to hone and reshape the wild Aetheric winds to do their bidding. However, you have grown to become When Deranged Hero is triggered, the afflicted adds a possessed by the idea that breaking the rules is absolutely nec- +20 Base Chance to any Combat-based Skill Test. Each essary to understand the secrets of the world beyond. At every time they take advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Cor- opportunity, you are strongly compelled to widen the breach ruption. between the Material Realm and the Aethereal Veil by Chan- neling Power. In the case of Divine Magick, only by calling to GAMBLER’S LAMENT other gods and Daemons will secrets of immeasurable power Life presents a series of vexing choices, ones which generally be revealed to you. Only through this sublime and chaotic act lead to internal suffering. Fortune’s chosen victims self-med- can you truly become the master of Magick. And in time, you icate against the horrors the world presents by gambling. will show everyone else just what you’re capable of… even it it But these are not your standard, run-of-the-mill gamblers. means unraveling reality around you. 395 Effect: While at Ignore 2 or 3 Skill Ranks on the Peril Con- CLAWING OBSESSION dition Track, those afflicted with this Disorder must Chan- Corruption can cause people to break easily, faltering over nel Power with each Magick spell they cast by at least one the edge of damnation and sanity where a simple push could step. plunge them down for all eternity. Some are convinced they When Mana Junkie is triggered, the afflicted may flip the are just inches from crossing this threshold, and the only way results to succeed an Incantation Test. Each time they take they can stave it off is through cementing themselves in this advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. reality. What this amounts to is a type of self imposed ritu- al: an obsession of an action or idea that is the only thread STICKY FINGERS of sanity they have left. This manifests in a variety of ways. In a grim & perilous world, one is hard-pressed to feel any- Some must recite the names of the villages surrounding their thing but contempt and disregard for life. Rarely does a hap- home city over a period of an hour before they go to sleep py moment present itself, or confirm that it’s worth living. at night, others may douse themselves daily in fetid garlic Leaving a black, empty hole in one’s soul, it can only be filled water and spin around, while others may have to constantly by something - things which do not belong to them. After count items they handle at least 666 times. Whether these all, what does a man have to lose if he already has nothing? are actual rituals passed down through rumor and hearsay or just coping mechanisms depends, but they are almost always Those possessed with this particular Addiction attempt to hindering, annoying and bothersome. The afflicted knows thief, steal and swipe anything not bolted to the ground. what they are doing is insane, and perhaps even painful, but Whether what they nick is valuable or not, it’s not the ex- in their mind it is the only thing that is keeping them from press worth of what they steal - it’s the act itself. Bringing a crumbling away to nothing. temporary sense of joy, the rush of potentially getting caught drives the would-be robber to attempt to steal even larger Effect: While at Ignore 2 or 3 Skill Ranks on the Peril Con- objects. A crowning moment for one possessed by Sticky dition Track, those afflicted with this Disorder automatically Fingers would be to get caught, but manage an escape after- fail all Awareness and Resolve Tests. wards by the skin of their teeth. When Clawing Obsession is triggered, the afflicted may Effect: Whenever an opportunity presents itself to steal, automatically succeed their Skill Test when using Fortune they must steal at least three items or are caught or else suf- Points. Each time they take advantage of this benefit, they fer 6 Corruption. gain 3 Corruption.

When Sticky Fingers is triggered, the afflicted may flip the DARK PASSENGER results to succeed a Skulduggery Test. Each time they take Faced with the brutal truths of the world, your wounded advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. mind has given sanctuary to a voice that is not your own. Called the Dark Passenger, this “other self ” seeks to possess INSANITIES you, urging you towards heinous, murderous acts. At times, The mind can only take so much punishment before it com- you are able to ignore its demands, retaining control. At your pletely erodes. Traumatic ordeals lead to a different state weakest moments, the Dark Passenger becomes the driver, of mind. The insane are looked at very differently within a using your body as its vehicle for destruction. grim & perilous world. Some are treated with kid gloves, Some who are possessed by the Dark Passenger may attempt providing the Insanity doesn’t manifest to push the afflicted to control these urges by abiding by a code of twisted ethics. towards harming others. Everyone knows a village idiot; per- This code may help you control its wrath with self-imposed haps a child-like adult or an old codger who’s been “touched” limits as to when you kill, how you kill and who you kill. or a lowly vagrant who begs for coin outside of the parish Regrettably, the code continues to lead you down the path to with feathers glued to his head. The stark-raving mad are true insanity, as you remain possessed by unmitigated rage. sometimes driven away by the local populace, whereas those The Dark Passenger will have you, both body and soul. who are insane in other ways are tracked down, hunted and burned at the stake for their transgressions. You see, Insan- Effect: While at Seriously or Grievously Wounded on the ity is largely beneath the purview of the church, and priests Damage Condition Track, those afflicted with this Disorder oftentimes condemn the insane as the possessed. Much like must flip the results to fail all Fellowship-based Skill Tests. how Mutation is treated, so are those who suffer from Insan- ities. Sometimes, death is a mercy in their eyes. When Dark Passenger is triggered, the afflicted adds a 1D6 Fury Die to Damage. Each time they take advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption.

396 DREADFUL PHOBIA ods. As the corrupted manipulate the innocent, their souls In a grim & perilous world, there are a multitude of horrors twist and bend in ways not meant for mankind to do. They waiting upon the periphery. From beasts born of the Abyss, are being driven by even more insidious beings as Abyssal to the corruptive ways of Orx and secretive political death Princes use the corruptors as playthings, puppeteering their cults, these threats loom both small in the darkness and large every move. in the light. Though adventurers grow to be more resilient to This abandonment of faith has driven the world towards the the influence of these evils over time, in their quiet moments, brink, one which it may never return from. The gods have these stressors transform into sheer dread at otherwise harm- abandoned us, and we have nothing to show for it but our less things. Fear of the supernatural rising from their grave own hedonistic ways and the weight of our sins against the may transform into fear of dirt, spiders or cobwebs. Fear of world and the people within it. As for those who attempt to chaotic Magicks may turn into extreme discomfort while fight against the dying of the light, attempting to restore or- around practitioners of medicine (seen as sorcerous in some der from chaos? They are fighting for nothing, as everybody people’s eyes). After months of slaying the mewling herd of dies alone in the end. The world is coming to an end, and Grendel, it may lead to fear of being around normal children there’s nothing anybody can do about it but pray to the gods crying. Even more innocuous of objects - sharp knives, be- for mercy to return to us. Repent and seek redemption, for ing alone in a crowd, fear of drowning or far, far worse can the Abyss will swallow the world! emerge from an adventurer’s turmoil. Either way, there is al- ways one key object someone with this Disorder is afraid of, Effect: While at Ignore 2 or 3 Skill Ranks on the Peril Con- and avoidance of it is paramount to maintain sanity. dition Track, those afflicted with this Disorder cannot add their Willpower Bonus (WB) to Peril Threshold. Effect: After facing the object they dread, those afflicted with this Disorder cannot add Skill Ranks to their Tests. When Prophecy of Doom is triggered, the afflicted flips the results to succeed Skill Tests used in coordination with For- When Dreadful Phobia is triggered, the afflicted doubles tune Points. Each time they take advantage of this benefit, their Movement. Each time they take advantage of this ben- they gain 3 Corruption. efit, they gain 3 Corruption. SOLDIER’S HEART PYROMANIA Living in a grim world of perilous adventure is difficult, Driven to the point where life means nothing but pain and even for those trained to dole out death at the end of their darkness, a tiny spark of light brings sublime joy to a pyro- swords. For warriors, this can be a particularly difficult ex- maniac. Watching a dancing flame upon the end of a match istence. Some are haunted with the death screams of oth- reveals the beauty of the universe, contained within the fire. ers not during their dreams but in waking reality, echoing Only within that flame can the world be made whole again... as whispers in the wind. Their victims constantly call from by burning down the old, and rebuilding from the ground up. beyond the threshold, attempting to draw the insane towards Terrible Injuries stokes the flames from within, causing them their own doom. The whispers urge these death-dealers clos- to set fires. The flames and heat bring a sense of elation that er towards the razor’s edge. With enough of a push, it stirs lifts their spirits. The larger and more vigorous the flames, the feelings of resentment and displeasure at the destruction greater sense of arousal. This incendiary urge drives them to they’ve left in their wake, sending them into a bout of deep utter disregard for the safety of others around them, as only depression. the blaze can truly bring them peace. But when the flames die down, a firebug will fall into a deep pit of nervousness Effect: When suffering from an Injury, those afflicted with and depression...at least, until they set their next blaze. this Disorder must reduce all Damage they do by their Fel- lowship Bonus (FB). Effect: After they suffer an Injury, those afflicted with this Disorder must immediately set a fire or else suffer 6 Cor- When Soldier’s Heart is triggered, the afflicted automatical- ruption. ly succeeds Skill Tests to Dodge and Parry. Each time they take advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. When Pyromania is triggered, the afflicted gains 1 addition- al Action Point on their Turn. Each time they take advantage MUTATIONS of this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. Corruption is ever-present within a grim & perilous world. PROPHECY OF DOOM Its touch has turned great men into harbingers of chaos and Corruption seethes within the hearts of men. Promises of humble priests into dark servants of the Abyss. Its insidious power and lucre drive folk towards dark, opportunistic meth- touch takes hold within the spirit, twisting them from the 397 insides. The flesh revolts at such chaos, tormenting both the PRINCE OF DECAY: The afflicted becomes obsessed body and mind. These malignancies then take metaphysical with filth, plays with insects and picks at their own wounds, shape as the body is transmogrified. The afflicted are turned seeking to watch blood flow and disease spread. into a grim reflection of the dooming which awaits. When- ever Disorder resides within the hearts of folk, it grows out- Effect: During this time, they must flip the results to fail all wardly into Mutations. Brawn-based Skill Tests. HOST TO THE ABYSS PRINCE OF PLEASURE: The afflicted becomes lurid, vain and self-indulgent in their mannerisms, seeking carnal When the stars align, demonic fiends can be made whole in and venal pleasures. the Material Realm. Corruption made flesh, they seek suc- cor of powerful, Abyssal Princes by enslaving, torturing and Effect: During this time, they must flip the results to fail all abusing the innocent. When discovered, brave souls of order Combat-based Skill Tests. combat these chaotic entities, they bring their physical bod- ies to lay before their swords and gunshot. Destruction of PRINCE OF VIOLENCE: The afflicted becomes blood- the Demon’s mutated, fleshy vessel generally banishes their thirsty, extremely erratic and aggressive in their mannerisms, seeking to indulge in cruel pleasures. spirit back to the endless pit they came from. However, some willful demonic forms may retain a foothold in the Materi- Effect: During this time, they must flip the results to fail all al Realm. Their foremost goal - to impart their incorporeal Fellowship-based Skill Tests. spirit into a physical vessel with a fragile mind. THE FLESH REVOLTS Once within, it is a battle of spirits that takes place between Transmogrified, the flesh is given to taking upon a cadaver- the host and the Abyssal Prince. Constantly tormenting ous, scaly appearance. Your heart begins to beat slower, and their dreams, the fiend attempts to take sway over the host, your flesh grows colder to the touch. Given to this terrible motivating them with dark thoughts when their host is at curse, your body must cast aside its skin, as you now molt their weakest. This war within causes the host to have dra- upon every new moon. Naturally, the disgusting countenance matic shifts in personality, changing the way they interact you’ve taken upon raises a horrendous social stigma, unless with their friends and family, driving them towards further you take great pains to keep it hidden from others. But it madness. Slowly eroding the host, the fiend will eventually also has introduced a terrible condition where your body is change not only the host from within, but also without as the constantly paralyzed, “stuck” in a sense as your muscles revolt physical body mutates into a chosen form the fiend favors at the mind’s wishes to move. over time. Effect: When suffering 10 or more Corruption in a game Effect: When suffering 10 or more Corruption in a game session, those afflicted with this Disorder cannot add their session, those afflicted with this Disorder are temporarily Brawn Bonus (BB) to Damage Threshold. taken possession of by a random demonic host, who vies for control of their mind. Roll on the table below to determine When The Flesh Revolts is triggered, the afflicted may ig- what sort of host inhabits their body, referencing the effects nore Bleeding or an Injury. Each time they take advantage of as follows: this benefit, they gain 3 Corruption. THE HUNGER Percentile Dice Demonic Host Your cravings are ravenous; wanton for grotesque culinary ex- 1 to 25 Prince of Change periences and grim buffets. An aperitif, freshly wrung from 26 to 50 Prince of Decay blood of a mewling Human child? Delectable! A first course of fingerling potatoes roasted with petit Dwarven carpaccio? 51 to 75 Prince of Pleasure Très bien! A second course of boiled Elven ears with vinai- 76 to 100 Prince of Violence grette reduction? Excellente! A third course of succulent Hal- fling flank steak, served between two slices? Magnifique! A PRINCE OF CHANGE: The afflicted becomes obsessed dessert torte made with eyeballs, covered in a raspberry gas- with changing their appearance, seeking to change the world trique sauce? Belissimo! around them with fiery words of the end times as a sinister schemer. Unsated by the simplest or auspicious of meals, the Hunger stirs appetites considered unsavory by social standards. Con- Effect: During this time, they cannot add any Skill Ranks to sumed by an unquenchable thirst for flesh, your own body Skill Tests they make. is fortified with unnatural energy as you dine upon the flesh 398 of others. Once you are possessed by the Hunger, your body the afflicted a sprig of wolfsbane or 24 hours pass, which im- slowly becomes slothful as you fatten yourself up. Insatiable, mediately causes the afflicted to revert back to their normal you continuously consume others - whether cooked or left selves. After reverting, the afflicted is immediately Incapaci- raw. Over time, you grow gaunt and emaciated, everlasting is tated! and remains unconscious for one hour. your hunger. In the end, however, you are only preparing for the final course… platter toi même. The recipe to become a When the moon is full, they cannot resist turning into a Ly- ravenous ghoul is complete! canthrope and are no longer in control of themselves, ceding control fully over to the Gamemaster. After 24 hours have Effect: When suffering 10 or more Corruption in a game passed, however, they revert to their original form and be- session, those afflicted with this Disorder cannot recover come Incapacitated!, unconscious for one hour. from Damage by any means and must lower Damage Con- dition Track by one step for every hour they go until they eat SANGUINE THRALL the flesh from someone of their own race (other than them- You have been afflicted with the curse of the vampire. What selves). As their Damage Condition Track drains, they do once delighted your senses now tastes of ash. You possess a not suffer Injuries due to it. If they reach Slain! before they predilection to drink the warm blood of living creatures; and, can eat, they instead remain Grievously Wounded and gain if unable or unwilling to do so, you eventually lapse into a 6 Corruption every hour thereafter, until sated. deep slumber from which you can awake only after the feel- ing passes. Daylight becomes your greatest enemy, as it caus- When The Hunger is triggered, the afflicted may automat- es your vision to grow blurry and your skin to grow sunburnt ically inflict a Serious Injury with a bare-handed weapon. easily. Holy sacraments, garlic and other tokens of faith give Each time they take advantage of this benefit, they gain 3 you terrible headaches if you behold them. Corruption. Along with these weakness, you gain strength from within, MOON FEVER as your grasp becomes incalculably powerful. You find that You have been afflicted by a terrible curse, mutated by its your lifeblood pumps heartily through your veins, filled with influence. As the moon waxes and wanes, you feel the wil- unnatural strength. However, it is only a matter of time until derness call and become increasingly animalistic in your be- the curse takes full hold over you. The question remains: are havior. You lose all semblance of your humanity. In its place, you willing to pay the price for immortality? there exists only insatiable hunger and a need for violence. Roaming the countryside by night, you feed upon the weak, Effect: When suffering 10 or more Corruption in a game ses- craving only the flesh of other creatures. By morning, you sion, those afflicted with this Disorder cannot recover from awaken in the wilderness, naked. Your memories of the night Damage by any means and must lower Damage Condition before are fleeting. The curse of lycanthropy is almost impos- Track by one step for every hour they go until they drink three sible to lift; a number of superstitious “remedies” exist, but drams of blood or are Slain! by it. As their Damage Condition most prove ineffective. Track drops, they do not suffer Injuries due from it.

Effect: When suffering 10 or more Corruption in a game After drinking blood, the afflicted immediately adjusts their session, those afflicted with this Disorder cannot recover Damage Condition Track to Unharmed and suffer 6 Cor- ruption. They also gain these abilities and penalties: from Peril by any means and must lower Peril Condition  Track by one step for every hour they go until they choose to Whenever the afflicted causes an Injury, they au- change into a Lycanthrope or are Incapacitated! by it. tomatically restore their own Damage Condition Track by one step. After changing into a Lycanthrope, the afflicted immediately  The afflicted can see perfectly in the dark, as if it adjusts their Peril Condition Track to Unhindered and suffer were daylight. 6 Corruption. They also substitute the Lycanthrope entry in  The afflicted don’t cast a reflection. Chapter 12: Bestiary in place of their Character sheet.  The afflicted cannot cross running water, unless by bridge or boat. Although a player retains some control over their Character  When exposed to sunlight, the afflicted suffer at this time, those afflicted with Moon Fever must imme- 2D10+2 Damage from fire for every minute they diately succeed a Resolve Test once they see someone reach remain exposed. Seriously Wounded, Grievously Wounded or begin to Bleed. If they fail, they have no choice but to attack that person Although a player retains some control over their Character until they’re Slain!. at this time, those afflicted with Sanguine Thrall must imme- diately succeed a Resolve Test once they see someone reach The only way to stave off this condition is to forcibly feed Seriously Wounded, Grievously Wounded or begin to Bleed. 399 If they fail, they have no choice but to attack that person CHAOS TAKES HOLD until they’re Slain!. Different Disorders may develop over time and if a player The only way to stave off this condition is to forcibly feed the is not blessed with good dice rolls at important times, they afflicted a vial of holy water or 24 hours pass, which immedi- could technically accumulate many different states of Dis- ately causes the afflicted to revert back to their normal selves. order! However, you should allow players to sacrifice 1 Fate After reverting, the afflicted is immediately Incapacitated! Point in order to avoid a Disorder any time they’d normally and remains unconscious for one hour acquire one.

Whenever the afflicted can see and hear the “master” vam- CHARACTER RETIREMENT pire who infected them, they cannot resist turning into a Should a Character ever acquire more than three Disor- mindless slave and are no longer in control of themselves, ders, they are utterly corrupted. At this point, the Character ceding control fully over to the Gamemaster. After 24 hours should be permanently retired from play. It may mean that pass, however, they revert to their original form and become the Character commits suicide, becomes mentally broken, Incapacitated!, unconscious for one hour. reverts to a baser nature, falls from grace or goes on a ram- page of murder. It is up to you how to handle this. Work with TAINT OF CHAOS the player to give their Character a big send-off, as a grand A horrific accident has taken place, an act of extreme mis- climax of the story. But don’t put it off for too long; resolve it fortune that has resulted in an oddity to your physical being. within the next few game sessions. A horrid alteration to your body crops up at inopportune times. Difficult to hide, and even harder to control, this “gift” of the endless pit has mutated your body in an unexpected ALTERNATIVE way. Marked by Abyssal Princes as one of their own, and you ADVANCEMENT will face certain death by Inquisitors should it be discovered. Fortunate for you, this Mutation only flares up during stress- While ZWEIHÄNDER makes several considerations with ful situations… but you may find it difficult to hide after it how Characters are built, there are several other options avail- has arisen. able at your choosing. The first is to allow Characters to re- main in the same Profession as they move into new Tiers. The Effect: When suffering 10 or more Corruption in a game second is how to start a more powerful group of adventurers session, those afflicted with this Disorder cannot recover for one-shot games or ongoing campaigns and the final is re- from Peril by any means and must lower Peril Condition lated to creating a Character stable, so players can rotate in Track by one step for every hour they go until they let their and out of a rogue’s gallery of personalities as their adventures Taint of Chaos manifest or are Incapacitated!. progress. After a Taint of Chaos manifests, the afflicted immediately REMAINING IN THE adjusts their Peril Condition Track to Unhindered and suf- fers 6 Corruption. If they have one or two Taints, they can SAME PROFESSION inflict Stress with a successful Intimidate Test. If they have Some players may wish to remain in the same Profession three or four Taints, they can inflict Fear with a successful during Intermediate or Advanced Tier. This allows players to Intimidate Test. If they have five or six Taints, they can in- create a more robust and unique vision of their Profession, flict Terror with a successful Intimidate Test. Whenever the selecting freely from other options offered in this book. This afflicted interacts with those who know they’re Tainted and gives an unprecedented level of customization to the player. hold the Character in contempt due to it, they cannot suc- However, be careful whenever you consider these options. ceed Fellowship-based Skill Tests to interact with them. Each Profession has been carefully designed with Talents in mind. Overloading a Character with too many “good” Tal- The only way to stave off this condition is to inhale Wytch- ents may impinge upon the usefulness of other player Char- stone Essence or 24 hours pass, which immediately causes acters. the afflicted to revert back to their normal selves. After re- verting, the afflicted is immediately Incapacitated! and re- MOVING INTO INTERMEDIATE TIER mains unconscious for one hour. There are a few governing rules to remain in the same Pro- Roll on the Taint of Chaos table to determine what sort of fession within the Intermediate Tier. Once on this path, a Taint is spawned, referencing its additional effects. Taint of Character cannot abandon it (but may elect to move into Chaos tables can be found in the Game Mastery Appendix a new Profession once completing the Intermediate Tier). at the end of this chapter. They must fulfil the following minimum requirements be- fore moving into Advanced Tier. Each of these Advances 400 costs 200 Reward Points. As before, they may purchase these player must spend Reward Points to purchase all ten in any fashion or order they may desire: of these Skills for their Character. Once purchased,  they automatically gain a Skill Rank in these Skills. Select any 1 Talent that fits the player’s vision of the For each purchase, mark Skill Rank: Mastery. They Character to adopt the same Profession. This be- cannot acquire Skills Ranks other than those already comes their new Professional Trait.  outlined by their previous Profession, however. Create a new “title” for the Profession, based on the  The Profession had a list of Bonus Advances tied Character’s development in the story. A good exam- to them. A player must spend Reward Points to ple would be a Character that was a Hedge Knight. purchase all seven of these Bonus Advances. Each Perhaps the Character is elevated to become a grants a cumulative +1 to the Primary Attribute “Freelancer” or followed a criminal path to become Bonus. Adjust the related Primary Attribute Bonus. a “Robber Knight”. The choice is theirs, but step in They cannot acquire Bonus Advances other than where needed to help guide them. those already outlined by their previous Profession,  Add 1 Fate Point on the Character Sheet.  however. The previous Profession had several Skills tied to  The player must purchase 3 new Talents that fits it. A player must spend Reward Points to purchase their Character’s story and abilities. Work with the all ten of these Skills for their Character. Once pur- player to select three alternative ones that suits the chased, they automatically gain a Skill Rank in these feel of the Profession and the Character’s experienc- Skills. For each purchase, mark Skill Rank: Journey- es in the Campaign thus far. man. They cannot acquire Skills Ranks other than those already outlined by their previous Profession, STARTING AT A HIGHER TIER however. As player create and play more Characters, they begin to bet-  The Profession had a list of Bonus Advances tied to ter understand the intricacies of the rules. Sometimes they them. A player must spend Reward Points to pur- may have the desire to begin a “higher level” campaign, or chase all seven of these Bonus Advances. Each grants you want to design a one-shot or shorter campaign that fo- a cumulative +1 to the Primary Attribute Bonus. Ad- cuses on other Tiers outside of Basic in a shorter period of just the related Primary Attribute Bonus. They can- time. Perhaps a player is rejoining the gaming group, and you not acquire Bonus Advances other than those already want to give their Character a similar level of competence, outlined by their previous Profession, however. so they don’t feel left behind. Although ZWEIHÄNDER’s  The player must purchase 3 new Talents that fits system doesn’t implicitly build encounters or challenges their Character’s story and abilities. Work with the around “levels”, it can still accommodate situations where player to select three alternative ones that suits the you want to start a game at higher Tier. Follow these guide- feel of the Profession and the Character’s experienc- lines to create a more powerful adventuring party: es in the Campaign thus far. MOVING INTO ADVANCED TIER BASIC TIER By default, all players are given 1,000 Reward Points to cre- As before, a player must fulfill these basic requirements be- ate their Character. However, if you wish to lessen the time fore completing their Character’s Advanced Tier. Each of needed to reach Intermediate Tier, feel free to give anywhere these Advances costs 300 Reward Points. As before, they between 100 to 2,000 additional Reward Points. Given that may purchase these in any fashion or order they may desire: you generally give 100 Reward Points at the end of each  Select any 1 Talent that fits the player’s vision of the game session, you can do the math to better understand at Character to adopt the same Profession. This be- what point Characters enter the Intermediate Tier. Remem- comes their new Professional Trait. ber, it takes a total of 2,100 Reward Points to purchase all  Create a new “title” for the Profession, based on Advances in Basic Tier. the Character’s development in the story. A good example would be a Character that remained as a INTERMEDIATE TIER Hedge Knight but renamed their new Profession in If you wish to allow players to begin play in Intermediate Intermediate Tier as a Robber Knight. Perhaps the Tier, you have several options. However, the most import- Character is elevated to become a “Black Knight” or ant consideration you’ll make up front is to give players became a war commander called a “Banneret”. The enough Reward Points to make it entirely through their choice is theirs, but step in where needed to help Basic Tier. Give them 2,100 Reward Point to purchase all guide them. Advances for their Basic Tier. Then, let them choose a new  Add 1 Fate Point on the Character Sheet. Profession. Once chosen, give anywhere between 200 to  The previous Profession had several Skills tied to it. A 401 4,100 Reward Points to purchase additional Advances in and only in circumstances that makes sense first for death, Intermediate Tier. It takes a total of 4,200 Reward Points and second for narrative purposes. This means that players to purchase all Advances in Intermediate Tier. should switch out upon the death of a beloved Character first, and then during the adventure if it makes sense for the ADVANCED TIER story. Finally, if you wish to allow players to begin play in Advanced Tier, you have several options. However, the most important CHARACTER GROWTH consideration you’ll make up front is to give players enough In order to assure that switching out a Character for another Reward Points to make it entirely through their Basic Tier. is a seamless process, any Reward Points they earn for their Give them 2,100 Reward Point to purchase all Advances for active Character is also assigned at half the value to other Basic Tier, have them select a new Profession and give 4,200 Characters in their stable. This means that if a player was Reward Points to complete all Advances for Intermediate currently using their Human Ratcatcher and earned 100 Re- Tier. Then, let them choose their final Profession. Once cho- ward Points, they may also give 50 Rewards Points for their sen, give anywhere between 300 to 6,200 Reward Points to Dwarven Prostitute and 50 Reward Points to their Halfling purchase additional Advances in Intermediate Tier. It takes Guttersnipe. This makes sure that the primary Character is a total of 6,300 Reward Points to purchase all Advances in always the focus, with others in the stable still growing in Intermediate Tier. kind. CHARACTER STABLE SHARED TRAPPINGS? Life in a grim & perilous campaign world is one of hard- Even though Characters are within the same stable for the ship and quick deaths. While Characters gain Fate Points, player, they aren’t considered to be as close of comrades as the one day, the well will run dry. Players will be forced to retire main Characters are. This means that exchanging or handing beloved Characters, uncertain of their place in the ongoing over equipment from a dead Character is likely a rarity. Let game. By adopting a Character Stable approach, players can common sense guide these trades, working with the players better envision how they can reintegrate into the game, or when it may make sense for trappings to be passed back and simply cycle through to new Characters each adventure at forth. points in the story that makes the most sense.

You can begin to systemize the adventures in a fashion where SLAVES TO CHAOS all player Characters stand upon the periphery of the story. Most would like to think that mortalkind are the only people While they may not be actively participating within it (as who struggle, the only bulwark against the darkest nights they carry out their own tasks behind the scenes), they are where beasts bay for blood and cavort before dead idols. To at least partially aware of what’s going on. By using a Char- them, they are pinnacles of order and truth, the marvel that acter Stable, players have the opportunity to call upon one all should look up to in order to better themselves. But what “favored” adventurer to complete an adventure or reintegrate their hubris clouds is one clear fact - good and evil are an back into the story at points which makes sense. illusion. Even the most beneficent of kings have lost their head on the chopping block, and the vilest of sorcerers would easily die for their family. CREATE THREE CHARACTERS In short, you can have your players create a Character Stable Another civilization lurks just beyond the walls of the civi- by having them randomly determine three wholly different lized, one that some say is wilder and purer. As mortalkind Characters during the Character creation process. Although believe themselves to be the keepers of order, these fell be- this does take some deeper thought into how each Charac- ings see themselves as champions of chaos - though this is ter will be personified through role-playing, the general me- not in a inherently malevolent sense. They see freedom and chanics should give a distinct impression of who the Char- creativity in chaos, a morality of justification that harmonizes acter is, outside of the influence of adventures to come. For within the original rules of reality. They find no need for laws example, a player may create together a Human Ratcatcher, or ordinance, as to believe there were any in the first place Dwarven Prostitute and Halfling Guttersnipe. is a blind falsity. This does mean these beings are less prone to accepting the call of corruption, but that is a risk they CHANGING CHARACTERS must take in order to best experience life. They are Slaves to Before the adventure commences, work with players to select Chaos, those who fight civilization to be heroes enshadowed. a single Character to use throughout that story. Rotating in If players desire to play in a game of feral wilds and monstrous and out these personalities on a regular basis should be rare, anti-heroes - perhaps interspersed with a little narcissism and 402 savagery. These optional rules provide guidelines on how to use four additional monstrous races as player Characters in Percentile Dice Racial Trait your campaign world. They are the Aztlan, Grendel, Orx and 1 to 8 Amphibious Ancestry Skrzzak. 9 to 16 Calculating AZTLAN 17 to 25 Chameleon Skin Out of all the Slaves, the Aztlan - lizard-like humanoids - 26 to 33 Cut & Run are the oddest duck of the odd ducks. Aztlan will attest with their dying breathe their anathema towards corruption, their 34 to 41 Hide of the Ancients hatred of the Skrzzak and their desire for structure. And all 42 to 49 Kuuk Yak of these are true to the Aztlan - but they are not what occurs 50 to 58 Liquid Poise in reality. The Aztlan are just as influenced by the darkness as their hated brothers - but their embrace is rather a rage 59 to 67 Monstrous Leap against it. Aztlan are hypocrites, believing all others to be 68 to 76 Razor Claws inferior when they themselves still resort to ritual sacrifice, barbaric Magicks and obscure religions of alien gods. Aztlan 77 to 85 Serpentine Fangs life is dictated by ritual and rote, and they will follow the 86 to 92 Thick Blood same motions daily in order to appease their gods that lie 93 to 100 Third Eye beyond. They also have superiority complexes and are rath- er narcissistic, dressing in ostentatious feathers and intricate war masks to both impress and frighten. AMPHIBIOUS ANCESTRY The Aztlan share a common ancestor with ancient wa- Aztlan are actually quite intelligent and in tune with the ter-breathing reptiles, retaining inherent abilities common world around them, receiving consult from their Ancient among water panthers and komodo drakes. One gods in the ways of astrology, architecture and war. But outside of their society they fall apart and rely on others - a Effect: You can breath underwater, never suffering from suf- Lacertilia can not survive without a Gekkota, so they lean focation in these instances. upon others for reliance when spread in the wide world. Az- tlan will often journey in order to discover lost artifacts of CALCULATING their gods, or perhaps to quell dangerous outbursts of cor- Aztlan are reptilian creatures whose mental processes are a ruption. They will work with any other chaotic being, but near mystery. Obscuring or manipulating their minds is a they usually have to be physically forced to even speak to a task reserved to only the best of warlocks, and even then they Skrzzak without ripping their limbs off. Aztlan never really possess imposing intellectual fortresses. see themselves as integral to a party - they see their compan- ions as tools, nothing more than a means to an end. Effect: You are immune to Magick which may control your mind and see through illusions without fail. SPECIAL NOTE Aztlan are Humanoids, and therefore can be made subject to CHAMELEON SKIN diseases and other hazards as indicated in Chapter 9: Haz- Your hide almost perfectly mimics the colors and patterns ards & Healing. of the world around you, as you become nigh imperceptible.

MODIFIERS Effect: Whenever you elect to not use Movement Actions  +1 Agility Bonus (AB), Brawn Bonus (BB) & Will- on your Turn, you cannot be struck by attacks made with power Bonus (WB) ranged weapons.  -1 Combat Bonus (CB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & CUT & RUN Perception Bonus (PB) When pressed into a corner, the Aztlan have developed a unique ability to interpose their own tails into harm’s way. Their self-defense mechanisms allow them to escape with their lives.

Effect: Whenever you would be Slain!, you immediately break off your tail, remaining Grievously Wounded and can immediately use any Movement Action for 0 Action Points. 403 Should you suffer Damage again, you are permanently Slain! SERPENTINE FANGS instead. This tail grows back over a month’s time. A pair of retractable fangs line the mouths of the Aztlan. HIDE OF THE ANCIENTS With a snapping sound, they can quickly inject an enemy with deadly poison. Covered in a thick reptilian hide, you are naturally protected from weapons and other hazards. Effect: Whenever you make a successful Attack Action us- ing a melee weapon, spend a Fortune Point to also inflict Effect: Whenever unarmored, add +2 to your Damage snake venom on the same foe. Roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it Threshold as if you were wearing a suit of leather armor. You lands on 1-5, you inflict one dose of snake venom upon your also gain the benefits of the Natural Quality in these cases. foe. If it lands on a face “6”, you inflict one dose of snake KUUK YAK venom upon yourself! Through genetic inheritance, some Aztlan have learned to THICK BLOOD communicate with lower creatures. These tongues are long- Your blood is syrupy and slow flowing, allowing you to natu- lost to modern society and unteachable. They’ve also become rally expunge poisons much faster than the normal creature. endowed with specific immunities to environmental influ- ences. Effect: When subjected to Toxins, the amount of doses you are affected by is reduced by one. This means that one dose Effect: You may use any Fellowship-based Skill to direct- does not affect you, while two doses are treated as one dose ly communicate with creatures which possess the Animal and three doses are treated as two. Creature Trait (specifically amphibians, reptiles and snakes). This interaction is not always beneficial: many creatures are THIRD EYE skittish, ignorant, confused, cunningly deceptive or even Aztlan have an extrasensory level of perception that allows openly aggressive. This empathy acts as a supernatural type them to “hear” light and darkness from a gland atop their of communication; the exactitude and complexity deter- head. Fortunately, scales overlap it, protecting them from mined by the Gamemaster. Additionally, you always succeed would-be harm. Toughness Tests to withstand Heatstroke (as indicated in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing). Effect: You can see completely in the dark above ground as if it were daylight, providing you are able to hear. LIQUID POISE Your body slithers and sleeks around, moving with a strange GRENDEL and almost hypnotic grace These satyrian beast-like folk are dubious beings that strad- dle a line between being a cult of personality and a deadly Effect: Add +3 to your Movement. Additionally, you may force of raiders. Grendel are the worst of all hedonists - they optionally substitute your Agility Bonus (AB) in place of exalt in drugs, sexual conquest and profane rituals to gods Perception Bonus (PB) when it comes to consideration of they do not even remember the names of. They are slavers your Initiative. in a sense, but all their captives are willing - doting harems MONSTROUS LEAP devoted to the primal attraction of beasts unhinged. That said, the beat folk can be bargained with as they believe in Over centuries of evolution, Aztlan have developed muscu- respect and fair trade, as well as ability and stamina. If you lature that allows them to jump upwards to great heights, can gain a Grendel’s respect, you are as good as inundated in even after taking a few short steps. a Wild Hunt as long as you follow the alpha in all they do. Effect: At the end of any Movement Action, with a success- Showing any sign of weakness or hesitation, however, could ful Athletics Test, you may jump horizontally one yard for result in a fate worse than death. Grendel believe in a “less- every 3 points of Brawn Bonus (BB) or leap vertically one is-more” philosophy, their technology bordering more on the yard for every 6 points of Brawn Bonus (BB). bronze age than anything excessively modern. Yet, they have no need for it, as their horns, developed senses and teeth are RAZOR CLAWS more than useful as tools. It is thought that Grendel are in Your fingers terminate into sharpened claws, retractable at a fact too simplistic and constantly in a belladonic haze, but try moment’s notice. to trick one and you’ll find yourself a head shorter.

Effect: Whenever you use a bare-handed attack, they gain The Wild Hunt is basically a Grendel’s family, one composed both the Vicious & Weak Qualities. This means that you can of not only fellow beast men, but also their large cadre of sex inflict Moderate Injuries with them. slaves and livestock. Few Grendel will ever venture far from 404 their ancestral grounds, but those that do were often sepa- Effect: You automatically succeed all Skill Tests to charm and rated from the Wild Hunt and are trying to return to the seduce all Animal and Humanoid creatures. comforts they know best. If they should come across other chaotic beings to journey with, they will eventually start to DIONYSIAN DELIGHTS see them as an extended part of the Wild Hunt - perhaps The Grendel are insatiable lushes, drinking and cavorting be- not one of family, but one of dependable allies that can serve neath the full moon’s light. These parties often rage for days, as a temporary substitute. Grendel also serve as great liaisons where they fall asleep amid their brethren, only to awaken when intruding into civilization, as their primal “assets” often the next day to continue their debauched partying. prove a boon to them among the enlightened folk. Effect: While Intoxicated, you never suffer from the neg- SPECIAL NOTE ative effects associated with this condition. You can learn Grendel are Mutants, and therefore can be made subject to more about Intoxication in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. diseases and other hazards as indicated in Chapter 9: Haz- ards & Healing. KEEN SENSES The olfactory senses of the Grendel are highly attuned to MODIFIERS sniff out anything: the scent of others, and sometimes danger.  +1 Brawn Bonus (BB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & Perception Bonus (PB) Effect: You automatically succeed all Perception-based Skill  -1 Agility Bonus (AB), Intelligence Bonus (IB) & Tests which rely on smell. Willpower Bonus (WB) GORING CHARGE Grendel blaze ahead with horns protruding from their head. Percentile Dice Racial Trait Whenever they crash into their enemy, they can gore them 1 to 8 Alpha with their rack of horns. 9 to 16 Animal Magnetism Effect: Whenever you Charge, you may add an additional 3 Damage to your next melee-based Attack Action on this 17 to 25 Dionysian Delights same Turn. 26 to 33 Goring Charge HALF-BEAST 34 to 41 Half-Beast A Grendel’s appendages are affixed with crooked legs, but 42 to 49 Hard-Headed terminate in hoofs. This gives them the ability to bound and sprint far faster than any other Mutant. 50 to 58 Keen Senses 59 to 67 Musky Odor Effect: You use 6 + Agility Bonus (AB) to determine your Movement on foot. 68 to 76 Nature’s Wisdom HARD-HEADED 77 to 85 Lamb To The Slaughter The Grendel’s noggin is protected by a hard, bony plate. It 86 to 92 Silent Stalker makes them immune to being knocked out from the force of 93 to 100 War Bray a blow, and incenses them to rage. Effect: Not only are immune to the effects of Knockout! ALPHA and Stunning Blow, you may make an Opportunity Attack against a foe whenever they attempt to use these Perilous Every Wild Hunt has a single alpha; you are or will become Stunts against you. one of these alphas. In that, you fight in harmony with your peers and lessers. LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER Effect: When fighting alongside other Grendel, you gain a Viciously savage, the Grendel ravage and butcher their foes +10 Base Chance to strike with Attack Actions and Perilous with an earnestness akin to a predator to its prey. Stunts. Effect: Whenever you inflict Injuries with a melee weapon, ANIMAL MAGNETISM you inflict two Injuries instead of one. The Grendel possess a sexual potency that’s nigh impossible to withstand, even among other beasts. 405 MUSKY ODOR to find an inroad to tear down a peer and assume their social Whenever cornered, a Grendel can emit a nasty odor - not position. Aside from this, Orx are also scavengers. Those ex- unlike that of a skunk. This self-defense mechanism causes iled from the WAAAR! Horde, Orx adventurers make their others to vomit from the stench. way in this world with like-minded souls, plundering caravans while honing their martial spirit. Effect: Whenever you fail or succeed an Attack Action, you may spend 1 Fortune Point to automatically Stun a foe (as if Aside from the Orx’s nature as a hermaphroditic fungal be- they had failed to Resist a Stunning Blow). You must attack ing, they also seem to possess some kind of latent Magickal with melee weapons utilize this Trait. power that is not clearly understood. In short, the collective force of will of the Orx causes things to happen, whether NATURE’S WISDOM it be misfortune, coincidence or actual arcane doings. For Being of the animal hierarchy, Grendel have a preternatural example, most of their equipment looks prone to fall apart at instinct inside them. It allows them to become masters of any second - however, the Orx believe the equipment won’t the wilderness, taming animals and hunting prey with ease. fall apart, so it doesn’t. This is an odd wish fulfillment that the Orx just brush off as common sense, when in actuality Effect: Whenever you fail a Handle Animal or Survival Test, it’s an ability that has baffled scholars for generations. Orx you may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept are also oddly seen as kindred by other Mutants - something the outcome. about them having a lack of tact or morals makes it some- SILENT STALKER what more liberating to associate with them. Wandering Orx often adventure for the thrill of it, or to perhaps assert Attuned to the density of the wood, Grendel know how to their power as “da best”. muffle their footfalls by treading lightly in the brush. Even in clearings, a Grendel can sneak almost unerringly upon their SPECIAL NOTE prey. Orx are Mutants, and therefore can be made subject to dis- eases and other hazards as indicated in Chapter 9: Hazards Effect: You may flip the results to succeed Stealth Tests. & Healing. When you succeed, it is always considered a Critical Suc- cess. Additionally, you always succeed Stealth Tests to move MODIFIERS silently in rural areas.  +1 Combat Bonus (CB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & WAR BRAY Willpower Bonus (WB)  -1 Agility Bonus (AB), Intelligence Bonus (IB) & As they enter a fray, the Grendel bray aloud “brooooo!”. This Perception Bonus (PB) may empower them and their allies to fight harder, stronger and faster. Percentile Dice Racial Trait Effect: Anytime you succeed a Litany of Hatred, foes tem- porarily suffer a -2 to their Damage and Peril Thresholds 1 to 8 Backstabber instead. Anytime you succeed Inspiring Words, allies tempo- 9 to 16 Bigboss’s Law rarily add +2 to their Damage and Peril Thresholds instead. 17 to 25 Brute Force ORX 26 to 33 Da’ Bigboss Out of all the Slaves, the swine-like Orx are perhaps the most 34 to 41 Dumb As A Rock encompassing of its values. These once-human Mutants are now half-fungus, rather than pure flesh and blood. People of- 42 to 49 For the Horde ten see Orx, and their lesser slaves in the Kobolds, as simplis- 50 to 58 Fungus Among Us tic and brutish. And to an extent, they are correct - Orx care little for others, themselves or even material goods. However, 59 to 67 Lucky Git they harbor an almost pure and animalistic neutrality towards 68 to 76 Luk Wat I Can Du civilization: survival is the only thing that matters. To an Orx, living another day means moving up their violent social lad- 77 to 85 Orxish Sight der, absorbing more power and potentially lording over those 86 to 92 Unflinching who once tried to bring them harm. Orx begrudgingly respect power - they will work with others who they see as their su- 93 to 100 WAAAR! Horde United perior or equal, though it is often just long enough for them 406 BACKSTABBER FUNGUS AMONG US Expert combatants, Orx can get the jump on any opponent Orx-molt continuously grows inside Orx’s gizzards. Once when they put their minds to it. they die, it generally consumes them from the inside out. However, through this process, an Orx may reemerge a dif- Effect: Before making an attack with a melee weapon, make ferent person entirely. a Skulduggery Test. If successful, you may add 3 Damage to this same attack. Effect: Whenever you are Slain!, you may optionally roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the die results in a face “6”, you are au- BIGBOSS’S LAW tomatically revived to Unharmed a week later. However, you Orx are notoriously unsympathetic. The mere threat of dis- must change your current Profession to something else en- pleasing the Bigboss - including letting down their peers - tirely, reassigning all Reward Points earned in that Tier. weighs heavily upon their minds. LUCKY GIT Effect: You do not suffer Corruption from killing others; Whatever god overlooks the Orx, they’ve elected them to go however, you do suffer 6 Corruption by sparing them. on for other things - not for better, but worse.

BRUTE FORCE Effect: Whenever you spend a Fortune Point and fail the Skill Test, replace the Fortune Point to the Fortune Pool. In the hands of Orx, simple implements of war become tre- mendous tools of destruction. LUK WUT I CAN DU

Effect: Ignore the Weak quality on any melee weapon you Earnest and focused, Orx power through their own inepti- wield while adding the Vicious Quality in place of it. tudes by drawing upon dire blessings. DA’ BIGBOSS Effect: Whenever you attempt any Agility-based Skill Test, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the die results in a face “6”, you au- You’ve got the biggest ‘ballz of them ‘allz. tomatically succeed. However, you suffer 6 Corruption. Effect: You automatically succeed Leadership Tests to com- ORXISH SIGHT mand other Mutants who recognize their leadership to fight to the death, and automatically succeed Warfare Tests to be- Orx snouts give them a predilection to suss out things in calm or organize these same Mutants under your leadership. the dark. However, when under the weather, this ability is as useless as a second bunghole on a pig’s elbow. DUMB AS A ROCK Effect: You can see completely in the dark above ground as if Orx are notoriously unintelligent. Mutation has altered their it were daylight, providing you are able to smell. brains, fueled by rotgut, and has burnt it to a crisp. That said, they are so dense that they are often too dumb to fall for any UNFLINCHING kind of deception or forceful personality. Under the extreme conditions in which the WAAAR! Hordes Effect: You can not be subject to the Guile or Interroga- live, Orx are rarely overawed by external forces. However, tion Skills. However, being made victim to these same Skills whenever subdued by more powerful opponents, they dig causes you to suffer 1 Corruption. deep to find an inner strength. FOR THE HORDE Effect: You are immune to the effects of the Intimidate Skill, and automatically add a Fortune Point to the Fortune Pool Belting out a battle cry in the face of danger draws out the whenever you fail a Resolve Test to withstand Stress, Fear or latent deliriums that have intermingled within the fungal or- Terror. gans of Orx biology. WAAAR! HORDE UNITED Effect: Whenever you succeed a Resolve Test, you imme- diately gain the benefits of one dose of red cap mushrooms, In an unforgiving world, Orx have learned to band together. despite not having any on-hand. If this is a Critical Success, Through their sheer numbers, there is strength. you gain the benefits of three doses instead. When under For Effect: When fighting alongside other Orx, you gain a +10 The Horde’s effects, you do not suffer the drawbacks normal- Base Chance to strike with Attack Actions and Perilous ly associated with taking red cap mushrooms. Stunts.

407 SKRZZAK Percentile Dice Racial Trait The main philosophy of the rat-like humans called Skrzzak is two-fold: never be seen and know your place. The Skrzzak’s 1 to 8 Blighted Invocation goals have been hidden from the populace: they dwell within 9 to 16 Bred To Kill the sewers of cities, plotting and manipulating officials so they 17 to 25 Darksight can serve as puppet rulers and influencers. Amusingly enough, despite how much the two hate each other, Aztlan and Skrzzak 26 to 33 Do’urden Syndrome society are very similar - they both maintain a rigid caste, they 34 to 41 Enter the Skrzzak are derived from Magick influence, and they worship near god- like rulers. Perhaps it is they see the evil of their own society in 42 to 49 Nose For Danger the others and that brings vitriol, but both races would have 50 to 58 Ogre-Born a hard time admitting such a thing. The big difference is that while Aztlan are generally brazen and proud, Skrzzak are subtle 59 to 67 Plague Bearer and manipulative. They crawl among sewers and rooftops, be- 68 to 76 Skittish ing natural thieves who whisper from the shadows just as well. 77 to 85 Skrzzak Don’t Exist Skrzzak are also surprisingly efficient - they rarely leave a trace, and their debauched courts have an odd regal order about them 86 to 92 Slave’s Desperation that could rival any lord’s manor house. Their equipment and 93 to 100 Warren Runner leathers are old, but well maintained as a point of pride as their ultimate tools - extensions of their own personality rather than BLIGHTED INVOCATION simple weapons. Chosen by a strange and blighted god, you have been impart- The Skrzzak have no care for themselves individually, but in- ed with their unearthly might. You may even bear a strange stead focus all their attention on their Broodmothers - their mark, denoting the number “13” upon your arm, which glows matrons, prophets and queens. Skrzzak rarely have intentions as you incant ancient spells of disorder. or motivations outside of what they must do to please their queen, and they do not mind this one bit. Most Skrzzak who Effect: Whenever you succeed an Incantation Test, spend venture out of their sewers are on some sort of extended mis- one Fortune Point to provoke Fear upon enemies who bear sion for their queen, perhaps to link up with a long-lost warren witness to this infernal act. or establish a base of operations in a far-off land. All they do is BRED TO KILL for the glory of their clan, and they have an odd sense of pride, honor and familiarity with those of the same brood as them. Might makes right, and Skrzzak with this Trait are the top Other beings often only trust Skrzzak as far as they can throw brass amongst the Kabal. Given to rigorous martial discipline, them, but they have no doubt in their tendency of results. This cruel displays of destruction and practices martial awareness, is only assuaged by the Aztlan - the two races hate each other the “storm vermin” are the rank and file of Skrzzak armies. and will only work together if forced. Effect: All foes suffer a -10 Base Chance to Dodge, Parry SPECIAL NOTE and Resist your Attack Actions and Perilous Stunts. Skrzzak are Mutants, and therefore can be made subject to DARKSIGHT diseases and other hazards as indicated in Chapter 9: Haz- ards & Healing. Attuned to live below the earth, the Skrzzak have developed an extrasensory perception to “see” in complete darkness us- MODIFIERS ing smell and the brush of their whiskers. However, when  +1 Agility Bonus (AB), Intelligence Bonus (IB) & standing in any light they may nervously chitter, vastly pre- Perception Bonus (PB) ferring the cover of shadow.  -1 Brawn Bonus (BB), Fellowship Bonus (FB) & Effect: You can see completely in the dark below ground as if Willpower Bonus (PB) it were daylight, providing you are able to smell. DO’URDEN SYNDROME Unlike your shadowy brethren, you have elected to live amongst surface dwellers. Considered a dishonorable trai- tor by the Kabal, you’re not accepted by people above, either. As an edgy, gritty “antihero”, your name may have inspired 408 a number of false tales in testament to your greatness as a Your mind races a hundred yards a second, unrelenting...as warrior (much to the chagrin of better qualified swordsmen). does your mouth during conversation. But what they don’t know is that you ARE the stuff made up in these tales. Effect: Whenever you suffer Damage from a ranged weapon, spend a Fortune Point to ignore it entirely. Effect: When wielding any 2 one-handed melee weapons, you may add 3 Damage to any melee attack. However, you SKRZZAK DON’T EXIST are unable to Parry attacks while in this state. “The Skrzzak don’t exist”, they say? Then, why are you stand- ing plainly right in front of them? Can’t they see your snout, ENTER THE SKRZZAK red eyes and tail? That’s alright - you’ve got the drop on them. Bred to be a deadly assassin, you use an array of throwing They just don’t know it yet. stars, poisons and gas bombs to debilitate and confuse your enemies. Donning all black, you are a faceless killer with a Effect: Whenever you make make a successful Melee At- cruel cause. But with a snap of the fingers, you can disappear tack, you force a foe to Resist Dirty Tricks. in plain sight with nary a trace of your presence. SLAVE’S DESPERATION Effect: With a successful Guile or Stealth Test, you can dis- Slaves in Skrzzak society are downtrodden, considered high- appear entirely from sight, even while standing on front of ly expendable. This carries forward throughout their entire onlookers. lives, remembering the boot that sat upon their throat. In that, hard times call for desperate measures, as they draw NOSE FOR DANGER from a wellspring of anguish and torment to inflict desperate The Skrzzak are horribly mutated, with protruding teeth, attacks upon their enemies to survive. snouts and pale skin However, this has granted them a keen sense of smell; not only for tasty treats, but also for oppor- Effect: Whenever you are Seriously or Grievously Wounded, tunity. you may use two Attack Actions during your Turn, spending twice the requisite amount of Action Points needed. Effect: Whenever combat begins, you always gain a Surprise Turn (unless you are Surprised yourself). WARREN RUNNER Equipped with nothing but a black cloak, Skrzzak run the OGRE-BORNE gutters with unparalleled speed and agility. Grossly crossed with some terrible monstrosity in their past, the notorious “rat ogre” towers over their Skrzzak kin (and Effect: Whenever you use any Movement Action during most other races). Made up of sinewy muscles, viciously-large combat, your foes suffer a -10 Base Chance to strike you talons and filled with unrequited bloodlust, the Ogre-borne with any Attack Action or Perilous Stunt until the beginning are formidable enough to give other Skrzzak warlords pause. of your next Turn. Effect: Any attacks you make bare-handed ignores the Weak MORTALKIND Quality and adds the Punishing Quality. However, you must Not all Slaves to Chaos are Mutants - some are of mortalkind double the cost of clothing and armor to accommodate your that have felt the call of Corruption and fallen to its ways, or hulking frame, and pay twice the normal amount to eat. have simply known no other way. They can be played as nor- PLAGUE BEARER mally using the normal ZWEIHANDER races, with a few narrative changes. With massively-bulging eyes and foaming mouths, these plague-bearing Skrzzak are afflicted with terrible diseases DWARVES they must take pains to hide in polite company. The only thing that Elves and Dwarves can seemingly agree Effect: You are entirely immune to Grey Plague. However, on is their mutual hatred of chaos - but much like Elves, a inflict Grey Plague whenever you Injure a foe or Critically small group of Dwarves have also descended into madness Fail a Heal Test when treating others. You can learn more by the siren call of Wytchstone. Though Elves were victims about Grey Plague in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing. of their circumstance, the Dwarves were victims of their hu- bris. As they dug and mined, Wytchstone deposits corrupt- SKITTISH ed their brains - they saw faces in the magma they walked Nervous as a hen near a rooster, you’re undeniably fidgety. past, and heard whispers of dark whispers from below. After While annoying to others, it is in fact a side effect of your centuries of this, they emerged as almost entirely different quick mind, as you can almost see things before they happen. creatures, the so-called Duergar. 409 The Duergar are a bit zealous and angry, and they despise short, aspiration filled lifespans, but the call of the Abyss is most other races - or perhaps they are afraid of them. They are always a threat to humanity. Most humans who join hands masters of metallurgy and explosives, as well as dark Magicks with the forces of chaos grew up in it - despite what many of fire and shadow. Their skin is dusky, their hair ashen or fi- kingdoms would like you to believe, the world has not been ery red and their bottom teeth are elongated into tusks. They civilized completely. Collectively, they are called Wastelanders. adorn themselves with bronze, obsidian copper and basalt, and love nothing more than cruelty. They will venture out of The Wastelander raiders stalk the tundras and whisper the their citadels only in search of lucre of Wytchstone, the only endless names of the Abyssal Prince of Violence, only know- thing that really matters to them anymore. ing the freedom of chaos. They are not evil, just different and feral. Further, normal people from the countless kingdoms ELVES sometimes journey into the woods to never return - cult- While Elves scorn chaos above all, as their once great empire ists who wish to find the truth, woodsmen who feel more at was sundered by the corrupting touch of the Abyss. But there home among beasts, or scorned lepers who have vendettas. is a sub-section of Elves that heard the call of chaos and wel- Thus, humanity is easy to find among the dark legions - per- comed it with open arms, calling themselves the Siabra. haps even to their chagrin.

Idolizing the dark Witch-Queen to survive in the harsh lands OGRE far to the west, the Siabra have become pain addicts who make It was thought that when the Ogre empire was widespread their living off of slavery and plunder. They are tragic figures of in the dawn age, they were as debauched and cruel as Orx. a sort, as they wish to be redeemed but they have been cast so Maybe it was for the best that their inhuman kingdoms were far from the light that they do not even know where it orig- sundered, as what remains of the scarce few Ogres have ad- inated anymore. Siabra are often outfitted in reptilian leath- justed to civilized life with little to no hassle - in spite of ers, their skin paled to a sickening yellowish-white and their their size, gluttony and gruff manner. eyes a near milky white. Their raven black hair descends past countless piercings and self-inflicted scars, and they give of When an Ogre reverts back to their old ways, they band up an almost unnatural malevolence. Siabra often journey out to and declare an “Endless Feast” - their term for a scorched find new resources to steal or exotic wonders to experience, earth campaign where they destroy and devour all that is not taking sick pleasure in the pain they inflict at nearly all times. theirs in the name of the Tusked One. Other Ogres will fall into WAAAR! Hordes with Orx or lead upstart armies in HALFLINGS & GNOMES their preferred frigid wastelands. As another option, some Halflings and Gnomes, often collectively called “demihu- Ogres may have fallen under the diabolical sway of the mans”’ are a lot more alike than either would like to admit. Witch-Queen, having been transmogrified into the vile pi- It turns out, both races serve to be highly resistant to the call scean Fomorians of chaos. Though it is true Goblins are born from the muta- STARTING PLAY AS A MUTANT tions of Gnomish children, they have no part of their society that devotes themselves to chaos - unlike the Siabra and the Any of the races discussed above can begin the game with a Duergar. If a player wants to play as a Goblin, simply use mutation, granting them more power but obviously tipping the same stats as a Gnome. The resilience of demihumans them down the path of chaos. In order to become a Mutant, applies to Halflings in an even more extreme case, as aside a player must take a Disorder at Character creation, but in- from normal mutations and taints of the Abyss, no mutant stead replacing the Disorder with a Taint of Chaos. Ran- breed has ever been discovered that has been traced to half- domly generate a Taint of Chaos by rolling Percentile Dice, breed stock. consulting the table in Order & Chaos. Once determined, a player goes to the first page of the Character sheet and That is not to say that neither of the demihuman races do not records their Taint of Chaos under Background. fall to the wilds - Halflings are often allied with the worst of Ogres and fall in with their methods, while Gnomes are such outcastes that sometimes the only acceptance they do find is DARK ASTRAL in the arms of hell. It’s only to say their numbers are small, In the far future of Dark Astral, there is only war. and seeing a Halfling wandering with an Orx, a Skrzzak and a Siabra would be quite odd indeed. Not only is the current Renaissance-inspired era plagued by Abyssal threats and beast most foul, as is the far-flung future HUMAN of these same worlds. In a time where humanity has traveled Humans seem to be the easiest to draw to chaos, and it is beyond the bounds of their fiefdoms, a dark future has un- unsure why. Perhaps it is there unchained destinies or their folded. Assembling a planetary empire lead by the desiccated 410 remains of their godhead, mankind’s return marked an inva- black markets using credit they’ve earned for deeds both sion from beyond the stars - progenitor races who originally glorious and infamous. Follow the rules as presented here had given birth to the multitudes of Mutants that dwelled in Chapter 11: Game Mastery to understand how to use upon their planet before eradication. Degrees of Reputation as a driver for purchasing gear.

Imperial servants scream through the void of astral space on REQUISITIONING RANGED WEAPONS impossibly large spacing vessels, besieging ecumenopolises, Whenever a Character requisitions a ranged weapon, it is always occupying rim planetoids and industrializing hell-worlds accompanied with one full magazine of ammunition. However, all for the promise of glory to the godking while destroy- if the weapon they acquire is Ballistic-Pattern or Gauss-Pattern, ing alien species who will not bend the knee to an imperial it is always a standard magazine of ammunition. theocracy. Meanwhile, rebellion creeps around the corner of their homeworld while heresy whispers in the darkest recess- Some ranged weapons use either an energy cell or fuel canis- es of confederate planets. ter in place of its ammunition. In these cases, follow the same rules as above. If you wish to play in a setting such as this, we have provided additional rules for advanced gear of the Dark Astral. REQUISITIONING MELEE WEAPONS THE MORE THINGS CHANGE... If a Character requisitions a melee weapon, they acquire a single type weapon. However, unlike standard ZWEI- The more they stay the same, as the saying generally goes. HÄNDER melee weapons, most require a power source. If The link between playing in a Renaissance environment and the weapon requires a power source, they also gain an energy in a Dark Astral may be tenuous at first, but makes a lot of cell or fuel canister. sense upon further glance. The solar system is spread apart into warring fiefdoms, technology has gone by the wayside REQUISITIONING GRENADES and become an extreme luxury, education is fleeting and Whenever Characters requisition grenades, they either gain knowledge is reserved for the powerful - meaning science enough to fill a magazine for the Launcher-Pattern weapon and medicines lag behind. The Dark Astral is the Renais- they carry, or nine individual grenades (whichever is greater). sance era transplanted into the theater of the cosmos: in- sane astro-navigators, corrupted techno-priests, hedonistic REQUISITIONING AMMUNITION cyber-cultists and ravaged arch-knights all have their niche, Whenever a Character requisitions ammunition, they gain even if their sailing ships are replaced by space freighters and three magazines of either the same or different types, pro- bows with laser rifles. viding they share the same Requisition cost. For instance, this means that that a Character can requisition 2 dumdum This can further be expanded to Professions and race - per- magazines and 1 full metal magazine whenever spending haps Halflings are actually genetically modified rodent-like their Reputation Points, as they are both have a Middling Mutants designed for scouting and stealth; Grail Knights Requisition level. are heavily outfitted marines who have undergone strenuous mental and physical changes to best serve the godking; Diab- REQUISITIONING ARMOR & SHIELDS olists instead harness psychic abilities or mysterious, relic-like Whenever Characters requisition armor or shields, they gain technologies born from the vastness of the astral. Enemies one set of armor or a single shield. Note that a Character undergo similar transitions: the Mindless Undead are actually cannot use more than two shields at once. For instance, this souls bound to automatonic statues commanded by ancient means that a mantle cannot be used in conjunction with a riot Defilers; the Aztlan have taken their caste-based society to shield. Similarly, a Character may only take advantage of the extremes, attempting to indoctrinate others fiefs among the Damage Threshold Modifier benefits of a single suit of armor cosmos into their way of absolute order. The possibilities are they wear. If the armor or shield requires a power source, they endless, just as the number of stars aflame with the chaos of also gain an energy cell or fuel canister during requisitioning. war and the ever-looming threat of Abyssal corruption. REQUISITIONING MODIFICATIONS, PURCHASING GEAR WITH REPUTATION IMPLANTS & GEAR Unlike the standard ZWEIHÄNDER ruleset, Dark Astral Whenever Characters requisition the aforementioned, they does away with tracking coins. The galaxy-wide economy is only gain one. If gear requires a power source, they also gain so inflated with money that it’s not really a consideration an energy cell. for Characters to manage. Characters are likely agents of the astral empire, allowing them to requisition equipment direct TRADING IN GEAR from their superiors, through outposts, via trade or among Characters may not have the required Reputation Points to 411 burn in order to acquire new trappings. In these cases, they A Laser carbine has a magazine size of 45. This can always augment their lack of Reputation Points by trading means that after an energy cell has been used for 45 in what they currently have. In these cases, simply give them a temporary 3 Reputation Points. These Reputation Points are shots, it is expended. instantly expended upon trade-in. CURTAIN FINAL NOTE Armor and shields of this Quality require a wearer to roll a Extremely rare or alien items are classified as Unique under 1D6 Chaos Die whenever they’re struck by a ranged weapon. Degrees of Reputation. They must be taken from the hands If the result is a face “6”, they may temporarily add 3 to their of the entities who wield them using deception, force or Damage Threshold for consideration of soaking Damage murder. from the attack.

NEW QUALITIES FUEL There are many different pieces of technology in the Dark Armor and shields of this Quality requires power from a fuel Astral. Meant to accompany Chapter 7: Trappings, refer- canister. Fuel canister follow the standard rules for expiration ence these Qualities as Characters requisition new trappings. when powering armor and shields. Once the fuel canister expires, both armor and shields are rendered useless until a ACCURATE new fuel canister is installed.

Weapons of this Quality treat Medium Distances as Short Weapons of this Quality require use of a fuel canister as its Distances, and Long Distances as Medium Distances. This ammunition, unable to accept any other type of ammunition. is in consideration of Difficulty Rating, which the Game- Unlike normal fuel canisters however, it immediately expires master dictates. once the magazine is spent (otherwise usable as an improvised hand weapon until Loaded with a new fuel canister). ALIEN Trappings with this Quality were not crafted by the hands of A Pyreshot rifle has a magazine size of 9. This mortalkind. Unless its wielder is of the same race, they must means that after a fuel canister has been used for 9 flip the results to fail any Combat-based Skill Test to use it. shots, it is expended. ANATHEMA Whenever a foe is struck by weapons of this Quality, they INCENDIARY must Resist with a Resolve Test or suffer a -20 Base Chance Whenever weapons of this Quality are fired, it affects mul- to Cast Magick on their next Turn. tiple targets. An Explosion (otherwise called a Large Tem- plate) radiates outwards in a circle. Select a point of origin BRACE within sight - whether it is a creature, object, person or place Weapons of this Quality must be braced against something - and the Explosion then takes effect. If used in a Combat to hold it steady to command its full potential. Whenever Encounter, an Explosion would affect up to 9 people in an these weapons are used for Attack Actions, a wielder must Engagement, both friend and foe alike. The Gamemaster spend 1 Action Point to brace it with a tripod, against a low will make the determination who is affected, if you’re using barrier or another hard horizontal surface. Without brac- Incendiary amidst an Engagement where both your allies ing a weapon before firing, it cannot use its firing modes and enemies stand. of Semi-Auto or Full-Auto, nor can it launch any sort of grenade. Weapons which are braced remain so until moved. FORCE Weapons of this Quality are considered to be Ineffective, un- CELL less its wielder possesses at least one Skill Rank in Incanta- Armor and shields of this Quality requires power from an tion and can cast Magick. energy cell. Energy cells follow the standard rules for expira- tion when powering armor and shields. Once the energy cell PIERCING expires, both armor and shields are rendered useless until a Whenever striking armored foes, weapons of this Quality new energy cell is installed. ignores 3 Damage Threshold.

Weapons of this Quality require use of an energy cell as its POWERED ammunition, unable to accept any other type of ammunition. Immediately after a foe Parries a weapon of this Quality, it Unlike normal energy cells however, it immediately expires forces a foe to Resist a Disarm. once the magazine is spent (otherwise usable as an impro- vised hand weapon until Loaded with a new energy cell). SHOCK Immediately after striking a foe, weapons of this Quality 412 forces a foe to Resist a Stunning Blow. loaded magazine whenever used for an Attack Action. Semi weapons need not be Loaded between Turns, until its maga- SPECIAL zine is fully expended. Ammunition of this Quality can only be used for Ballis- tic-Pattern and Gauss-Pattern ranged weapons. SEMI-AUTO: This firing mode squeezes off bursts of three bullets with each squeeze of the trigger. TOXIC Weapons of this Quality cannot inflict Damage, and therefore Before a player attempts an Attack Action, they may opt to cannot inflict Injuries. However, they instead inject a dose of increase Damage against a single foe. This Damage is in ad- Venom (as covered in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing). The dition to Total Damage they’d normally suffer when struck. Venom type is interchangeable, depending on what sort of am- munition is placed inside. Whenever players wish to use Semi-Auto mode for an At- tack Action, they must spend 1 additional Action Point WEAPON STATISTICS while suffering a -10 Base Chance to strike. When attacking, In addition to the standard benefits and drawbacks outlined they will roll only once to strike. If successful, add the result in Chapter 6: Trappings, weapons in Dark Astral have these of the tens die (a result between 1 to 10) to Total Damage. additional stats to reference: Regardless if they hit or not, using a weapon in Semi-Auto firing mode consumes three shots from a loaded magazine. WEAPON CLASS For simplicity, ranged weapons (otherwise referred to by default Leopold fires an assault rifle at a foe in Semi-Auto as guns) are classified by how they must be wielded. Guns that firing mode. He rolls 67% to strike - a success! His can be wielded in one hand are called Pistols, ones that can be tens die is a 6. He then rolls a 1D6 Fury Die to de- wielded in one or two-handed are called Carbines, and ones termine Damage, landing on a 4. Adding his Com- that must be wielded in two hands are called Rifles or Mortars. bat Bonus (CB) of 3, he generates 13 Total Damage This is important when applying weapon modifications. (6 + 4 + 3). MAGAZINE SIZE FULL-AUTO: This firing mode fires a continuous stream All guns have different magazine sizes. A magazine can only of bullets as long as the trigger is held down. ever be filled with one type of ammunition. A Character can- not mix different types of ammunition together whatsoever. Before a player attempts an Attack Action, they may opt to However, whenever they Load, a partially-full magazine may strike up to three total foes who all stand within the same be dropped while a new type of magazine is loaded. Clearing Distance band. For instance, if two foes were at Short Dis- the chamber is a part of the Load action; lucky Characters tance and one was at Medium Distance, they could only at- may even attempt to roll a 1D6 Chaos Die to catch it. If it tempt to strike the two at Short Distance. lands on a face “6”, they catch the bullet as they clear the chamber...for no other benefit than simply to do something Whenever players wish to use Full-Auto mode for an Attack fun. Action, they must spend 2 additional Action Points while suffering a -20 Base Chance to strike. When attacking, they It is also important to note that ammunition is interchange- will roll only once to strike. If successful, each foe suffers the able between all weapons. For instance, a dumdum magazine same Damage. Regardless if they hit or not, using a weapon can be easily interchanged between a Ballistic-Pattern or in Full-Auto firing mode consumes nine shots from a loaded Gauss-Pattern weapon. magazine.

Note that weapons with the Cell Quality always uses an ener- Furthermore, weapons which have the Full-Auto firing mode gy cell in place of its magazine, while those of the Fuel Quality can be used for a new Special Action called Suppressive Fire: always uses a fuel canister in place of its magazine. Finally, Mortars use grenades in place of its magazine. SUPPRESSIVE FIRE You lay down a spray of gunfire to degrade enemy units, forc- FIRING MODES ing them to hunker down or suffer the consequences. Ranged weapons have up to three standard firing modes, al- lowing you to unleash additional shots on one or more foes. Cost: 3 Action Points Switching between firing modes costs 0 Action Points. Their Effect: When at Distance with a number of foes, make a rele- uses are as follows: vant Combat-based Skill Test, referencing the Skill required to SEMI: This is the normal firing mode for a ranged weapon. use your ranged weapon. If successful, a number of foes equal Using a weapon in Semi firing mode consumes 1 shot from a to your Combat Bonus (CB) may attempt to Resist by making 413 a successful Warfare Test or be made temporarily Under Fire. As mentioned in Chapter 4: Professions, Focuses are Unique Advances, purchasable using Reward Points. Feel free to give While temporarily Under Fire, foes who use Movement one free Focus in Ballistic-Pattern and Laser-Pattern to Actions on their Turn are made subject to an Opportunity any player during the Character creation stage. Those of the Attack by you (unless they elect to Take Cover). Warrior Archetype should have the aforementioned, along You can only use Suppressive Fire when wielding a ranged with Gauss-Pattern. weapon which has the Full-Auto firing mode. Additionally, Unless otherwise noted, only pistols and carbines can be fired using a weapon for Suppressive Fire always consumes twelve while standing in an Engagement. Ranged weapons in Dark shots from a loaded magazine. Finally, you can only lay down Astral always force foes to flip the results to fail whenever Suppressive Fire against foes who are within Short Distance. they Dodge or Parry an attack made with any high tech gun. RANGED WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS It is of no great surprise that ranged weapons are the most BALLISTIC-PATTERN common stock of the rank and file. Forged by massive, eso- Ballistic-Pattern weapons are the standard among soldiers, teric machines, they press out synthetic and metal “Patterns” moved along by a propellant and hitting its target with impact of weapons by the thousands. force - making a distinctive sound when fired. Many of these have not changed basic designs from the great wars of forty For purposes of using these weapons, a wielder must have a millennia ago, only becoming easier to make and more reliable Focus in the Pattern. Understanding each of these Patterns in the hands of greenhorns. For instance, the Orx scrapper is a is critical to properly use guns. Without the Focus, they must weapon made from the discarded pieces of other guns; unsta- flip the results to fail any Attack Action using that weapon. ble but cheap. The Aztlan railgun is a quick rifle used by their This means that in order for a Sellsword to use a Gauss-Pat- tern weapon, they must have Gauss-Pattern as a Focus in scouts, propelled along by magnet rails while barely making a either Simple or Martial Ranged. sound as it is fired.

LOW & HIGH TECH Low tech weapons are still common throughout the galaxy, considering that technology is the wheel- house of the elite and knowledgeable. Used for ceremony or defense, they are made out of better material than the days of old from steel, ceramic, hardened leathers and other synthetic materials. Low tech weapons are rarely the province of the poor - many nobles still see the worth of a good sliver of steel, mostly because the hide of a beast knows no difference between iron and plasma. Unlike low tech melee weapons, low tech ranged weapons are seen as primitive and ineffective in a galaxy ruled by energy weapons and high-powered explosives. Any weapon or armor from Chapter 7: Trappings is considered low tech, otherwise functioning nor- mally. All shields, weapons, armor and other gear presented in Dark Astral is considered to be high tech. Furthermore, low tech weapons are not nearly as effective versus high tech armor. When a low tech weapon strikes someone wearing high-tech armor, they cannot cause someone to Bleed or be Injured.

414 Encum- Degree of Ballistic- Weapon Magazine Firing Skill Load Distance Qualities Type brance Reputa- Pattern Class Size Modes Value tion

Accurate, Assault Martial 9 + PB Gunpow- 3 AP Rifle 30 S/SA/FA Brace, 3 Middling rifle Ranged yards der Powerful Auto- Martial 3 + PB Fast, Gunpow- 1 AP Pistol 9 S/FA 1 Middling pistol Ranged yards Finesse der Punishing, Automat- Martial 3 + PB Gunpow- 3 AP Carbine 18 S/SA/FA Shrapnel, 2 Middling ic shotgun Ranged yards der Volatile Aztlan Martial 9 + PB Alien, Gunpow- 2 AP Carbine 6 S/SA 2 Unique railgun Ranged yards Punishing der Heavy Accurate, Martial 12 + PB Gunpow- machine- 3 AP Rifle 210 SA/FA Brace, 3 Middling Ranged yards der gun Powerful Orx Martial 6 + PB Alien, Gunpow- 2 AP Carbine 30 S/SA 2 Unique scrapper Ranged yards Punishing der Fast, Peace- Simple 3 + PB Gunpow- 1 AP Pistol 6 S Finesse, 1 Major maker Ranged yards der Weak Punishing, Pump Simple 3 + PB Gunpow- 3 AP Carbine 9 S Shrapnel, 2 Middling shotgun Ranged yards der Weak Punishing, Sawn-off Simple 3 + PB Shrapnel, Gunpow- 3 AP Carbine 2 S 2 Middling shotgun Ranged yards Volatile, der Weak Simple 3 + PB Punishing, Gunpow- Shotgun 3 AP Carbine 2 S 2 Middling Ranged yards Weak der

Martial 3 + PB Fast, Gunpow- SMG 1 AP Pistol 18 S/SA 1 Middling Ranged yards Finesse der Accurate, Sniper Martial 12 + PB Gunpow- 3 AP Rifle 6 S Brace, 3 Middling rifle Ranged yards der Powerful

415 ESOTERIC-PATTERN Though any odd weapon found throughout Dark Astral can be categorized as beyond strange, a handful stand out. Hypo weapons fire bladed syringes filled with toxins that inject their payload into a foe when they hit. The Fey ex- clusively make the hypo-cannon, which is nearly like a shotgun with rapid-firing capabilities. Net guns fire plasticine nets that can entangle others, leaving them fairly vulnerable to attack. The singularity cannon modifies local gravity and distorts it, leaving the target cemented to the ground and unable to move. The thundergun uses ambient sound to release deadly sonic waves that pushes back enemies with bone-shaking force. Finally, the mindripper does not cause physical damage, but instead assaults the target’s very mind and their tenuous grasp to the Aethereal Veil.

Encum- Esoteric- Weapon Maga- Firing Dis- Degree of Skill Load Qualities Type brance Pattern Class zine Size Modes tance Reputation Value Accurate, Alien, Fey hy- Martial 9 + PB 4 AP Rifle 300 SA/FA Brace, Cell, Bladed 3 Unique po-cannon Ranged yards Shrapnel, Toxic Simple 3 + PB Hypo-pistol 1 AP Pistol 6 S Fast, Cell, Toxic Bladed 1 Major Ranged yards

Martial 12 + PB Accurate, Brace, Hypo-rifle 3 AP Rifle 6 S Bladed 2 Major Ranged yards Cell, Toxic

Simple 3 + PB Alien, Anathema, Mindripper 1 AP Pistol 6 S Energy 1 Unique Ranged yards Cell, Fast Cell, Entangling, Simple 6 + PB Net gun 3 AP Carbine 1 S Ineffective, Shrap- Crushing 2 Major Ranged yards nel Simple 3 + PB Fast, Cell, Entan- Net pistol 1 AP Pistol 1 S Crushing 1 Middling Ranged yards gling, Ineffective

Singularity Martial 3 + PB Accurate, Brace, 3 AP Rifle 1 S Energy 3 Major cannon Ranged yards Cell, Shock, Slow Alien, Cell, Pow- Martial 9 + PB Thundergun 3 AP Carbine 30 S/SA/FA erful, Punishing, Energy 3 Unique Ranged yards Shrapnel

416 FLAME-PATTERN Flame weapons are streamlined flamethrowers, a favorite for the purging of heretics. Flame weapons are easy to make and maintain - most are simply a fuel hose that runs past a pilot light. The flames it produces isn’t only pure fire - it’s liquidized, meaning it can splash and spread with devastating effects. The Defiler set-beam operates on similar principles, except it shoots volcanic arcs of electricity between multiple targets. Pyreshot rifles are also a useful tool; it launches a compact flare that bursts in a variety of colors.

Mag- Encum- Flame- Weapon Firing Dis- Degree of Skill Load azine Qualities Type brance Pattern Class Modes tance Reputation Size Value Accurate, Brace, Flamer Martial 3 + PB Ener- 4 AP Rifle 6 S Fuel, Fiery, Shrap- 3 Middling cannon Ranged yards gy nel, Volatile Fuel, Fiery, Pun- Flamethrow- Martial 1 + PB Ener- 3 AP Carbine 3 S ishing, Shrapnel, 2 Middling er Ranged yards gy Volatile

Martial 1 + PB Fast, Fuel, Fiery, Ener- Hand thrower 2 AP Pistol 3 S 1 Middling Ranged yards Shrapnel, Volatile gy

Accurate, Brace, Fi- Heavy Martial S/SA/ 3 + PB Ener- 4 AP Rifle 9 ery, Fuel, Incendiary, 3 Middling flamethrower Ranged FA yards gy Shrapnel, Volatile Accurate, Brace, Martial 1 + PB Fuel, Fiery, Incen- Ener- Pyreshot rifle 3 AP Rifle 9 S 3 Major Ranged yards diary, Powerful, gy Volatile

GAUSS-PATTERN These guns sheer small pieces of lead off of the weapon’s magazine, accelerating the flechettes using electromagnetic coils. This would not normally be anything especially helpful, except for two things: the first being that Gauss-Pattern weapons can function in an airless environment, while the second is that the flechettes separate inside their targets, dealing terrible internal damage. A Fey starthrower is the most common weapon amongst those ethereal forest spirits, except the flechettes are spun metallic stars that cut and rend.

Encum- Degree of Weapon Magazine Firing Gauss-Pattern Skill Load Distance Qualities Type brance Reputa- Class Size Modes Value tion Martial 9 + PB Alien, Piercing, Pun- Fey starthrower 2 AP Carbine 120 S/SA/FA Frag 2 Unique Ranged yards ishing, Vicious

Martial 9 + PB Gauss carbine 2 AP Carbine 24 S/SA Punishing, Vicious Frag 2 Major Ranged yards

Martial 3 + PB Gauss pistol 1 AP Pistol 9 S/SA Frag 1 Major Ranged yards

Martial 12 + PB Heavy gauss 3 AP Rifle 60 SA/FA Fast, Vicious Frag 3 Major Ranged yards

Martial 12 + PB Accurate, Anathema, Magecannon 3 AP Rifle 40 SA/FA Frag 3 Major Ranged yards Brace, Vicious

Martial 3 + PB Accurate, Brace, Pun- Storm gauss 3 AP Rifle 30 S/SA Frag 3 Major Ranged yards ishing, Vicious

417 LASER-PATTERN Laser weapons fire a burst of highly agitated light energy (often red or green in color) that hits the target quickly - the only other sign of the shot being a loud cracking noise as the air superheats. The pain from it is excruciating, like getting hundreds of micro-burns all over your body. Laser weapons are actually the most commonly found weapon, as they are easy to manu- facture and train with. If you manage to rip the bilegun off a Skrzzak, the inherent acidic element of the weapon empowers their ammo to eat through armor.

En- Degree Weapon Maga- Firing cum- Laser-Pattern Skill Load Distance Qualities Type of Rep- Class zine Size Modes brance utation Value Martial 12 + PB Accurate, Brace, Cell, Mid- Heavy laser 3 AP Rifle 6 S/FA Energy 3 Ranged yards Fast, Finesse dling Simple 6 + PB Cell, Fast, Finesse, Laser carbine 2 AP Carbine 45 S/SA Energy 2 Minor Ranged yards Punishing, Weak Simple 3 + PB Laser pistol 1 AP Pistol 30 S Cell, Fast, Finesse, Weak Energy 1 Minor Ranged yards Simple 9 + PB Accurate, Brace, Cell, Laser rifle 3 AP Rifle 60 S/SA Energy 2 Minor Ranged yards Fast, Finesse, Weak Martial 12 + PB Cell, Fast, Finesse, Mid- Laser sniper 2 AP Carbine 45 S Energy 2 Ranged yards Punishing dling Martial 3 + PB Alien, Cell, Fast, Finesse, Skrzzak bilegun 2 AP Carbine 30 S/SA Energy 2 Unique Ranged yards Toxic

LAUNCHER-PATTERN Grenade launchers and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) launchers can fire any type of grenade. Launcher-Pattern weap- ons are useless without an accompanying explosive (save for a trusty doorstop). These weapons are unstable; unless they are braced against something, the kickback is monstrous. One example is the Skrzzak fleshcannon, except that grenades are organically grown along with the weapon in piles of mutated detritus and delivered as cancerous incendiary payloads.

Encum- Launcher- Weapon Magazine Firing Degree of Skill Load Distance Qualities Type brance Pattern Class Size Modes Reputation Value Martial Grenade launcher 2 AP Mortar 6 S 6 + PB yards Brace Frag 4 Middling Ranged Martial RPG launcher 2 AP Mortar 1 S 12 + PB yards Brace Frag 4 Middling Ranged Skrzzak Martial 2 AP Mortar 9 S/SA 9 + PB yards Alien, Brace Frag 4 Unique fleshcannon Ranged

418 MASER-PATTERN Maser weapons fire invisible microwaves, cooking the target from the inside out. They do not travel very far as the energy dissipates quickly, but those hit by it feel as if their innards are boiling - the weapons even give off a distinct hissing sound. The Defiler tomb rifle is the most common weapon among the undead, instead using antimatter to disrupt atoms - though this in itself leaves the weapon highly unstable.

Mag- Encum- Weapon Firing Degree of Maser-Pattern Skill Load azine Distance Qualities Type brance Class Modes Reputation Size Value Defiler tomb Martial 9 + PB Accurate, Alien, 3 AP Rifle 18 S/SA Energy 2 Unique rifle Ranged yards Brace, Cell, Piercing Martial 12 + PB Accurate, Brace, Maser lance 3 AP Rifle 1 S Energy 3 Major Ranged yards Cell, Piercing Martial 1 + PB Maser pistol 1 AP Pistol 3 S Fast, Cell, Piercing Energy 1 Major Ranged yards Martial 1 + PB Accurate, Brace, Maser rifle 3 AP Rifle 6 S Energy 3 Major Ranged yards Cell, Piercing Accurate, Brace, Twin-barrel Martial 3 + PB 3 AP Rifle 6 S/SA Cell, Punishing, Energy 3 Major maser rifle Ranged yards Piercing

PLASMA-PATTERN Plasma weapons ignite particles of plasma with electrical energy, allowing the missile to stay intact while it travels to the target. They are some of the most damaging weapons out there, as little can stand up against their odd form of delivery. That said, plasma weapons can overheat very easily and have a tendency to explode under heavy use. The Aztlan pulser is the bread-and-butter of the Aztlan fiefdoms, firing rapid bursts of plasma and not suffering from heat accumulation.

Encum- Degree of Plasma- Weapon Magazine Firing Skill Load Distance Qualities Type brance Reputa- Pattern Class Size Modes Value tion

Alien, Cell, Finesse, Aztlan Martial 12 + PB Ener- 2 AP Carbine 36 S/SA/FA Punishing, Shock, Slow, 2 Unique pulser Ranged yards gy Volatile

Defiler Martial 6 + PB Alien, Cell, Punishing, Ener- 3 AP Carbine 9 S 2 Unique Set-beam Ranged yards Shock, Slow, Volatile gy

Plasma Martial 9 + PB Cell, Punishing, Shock, Ener- 2 AP Carbine 15 S/SA 2 Major cannon Ranged yards Slow, Volatile gy

Plasma Martial 3 + PB Cell, Fast, Shock, Ener- 1 AP Pistol 9 S 1 Major pistol Ranged yards Volatile gy

Plasma Martial 1 + PB Accurate, Brace, Cell, Ener- 3 AP Rifle 18 S 3 Major rifle Ranged yards Shock, Slow, Volatile gy

419 AMMUNITION DESCRIPTIONS most insidious and feared of all types of ammo. Their bullets As mentioned before, ammunition is interchangeable be- possess a microglass tip filled with Venom, one that shatters tween all weapons; none possess its own unique style of upon impact and infests the target through countless micro ammunition. However, some types of ammunition impart cuts. The most common poisons found in these bullets are a temporary Quality a weapon may take upon while firing Animalbane, Beastbane, Black Lotus, Blackroot, Demon- that specific type of ammunition. One important distinction, bane, Folkbane, Graveroot, Red Cap Mushrooms, Scorpion however: ammunition which possesses the Special Qual- Venom, Snake Venom and Spider Venom. Most are used ity is only interchangeable between Ballistic-Pattern and offensively, but many of the Deliriants are loaded into hy- Gauss-Pattern weapons. po-pistols to buff a target at long range.

ARMOR-PIERCING MAGAZINE: These bullets have STANDARD MAGAZINE: This is the most common of a finer tip and travel at high speeds, allowing them to punch all bullets, their casings spread across countless battlefields through armor and barriers. Armor-piercing magazines are and cities. They often have rounded tips and good aerody- all but required to harm someone in powered armor, which namics, but there is nothing else special about them. There can shrug off hits from even the most basic of bullets. used to be hundreds of calibers in the old days, but thanks to standardization, any standard bullet can be fired from a DUMDUM MAGAZINE: The tip of a dumdum bullet is Ballistic-Pattern or Gauss-Pattern weapon. hollow tipped, or has a characteristic pentagram carved into its end. When it hits the target, the bullet blossoms out into WARP MAGAZINE: People are afraid of what they do not ravaging blades that cut through soft tissue. These weapons understand, and the Warp magazine is the ultimate expres- are meant to inflict agony and injury, and their distinctive sion of this. Warp bullets are filled with depleted Wytch- “metal shredding” sound causes anyone to dive behind cover. stone, which turns out is able to quell the use of Magicks. Many inquisitors hunting down rogue wizards pack plenty EMP MAGAZINE: A type of generally non-lethal shot, of these in tow, but they are no guarantee of safety. EMP bullets have pronged tips that deliver an electrostat- Encumbrance Degree of ic discharge upon striking an enemy, potentially stunning Ammunition Qualities them. These are especially effective against large targets, giv- Value Reputation Armor-piercing Piercing, ing someone a few spare moments to set up a mortar before 1 Middling magazine Special a gigantic hell-beast gores them. Dumdum Special, 1 Middling EXPLOSIVE MAGAZINE: These bullets do not contain magazine Vicious really any lead - instead, they are packed with low grade ex- EMP magazine Shock, Special 1 Middling plosives. When it impacts the target, the bullet detonates and Explosive Powerful, shoves back opponents with high force. It is said that hearing 1 Middling magazine Special a burst of fire from these is like hearing the explosion of doz- ens of high grade M80 firecrackers. Flame magazine Fiery, Special 1 Middling Punishing, FLAME MAGAZINE: Flame bullets contain small phials FMJ magazine 1 Middling of jellied gasoline - also known as napalm - that ignite upon Special Pummeling, impact and spread clinging fire over the target’s body. They Riot magazine 1 Middling are especially used by those who believe fire is a purging el- Special ement, or often just for a terrible display of pyromancy and Toxic magazine Special, Toxic 1 Major melting flesh. They are also choice igniters of red fuel barrels. Standard - 1 Minor FMJ MAGAZINE: The acronym “FMJ” stands for full-met- magazine Anathema, al jacket, as this bullet is completed enclosed in its casing. Warp magazine 1 Major When it hits a target, it tends to tumble and turn, shredding Special their insides and causing terrible wounds. ENERGY CELLS & FUEL CANISTERS RIOT MAGAZINE: Riot bullets are hardened rubber shots, often used to quell uprisings or put down enemies Gear in the Dark Astral is powered by external sources, non-violently. That isn’t to say they don’t hurt - some pellets coming in the form of energy cells and fuel canisters. Inter- will pierce the skin, cause severe bruises or break bones, but changeable between weapons, armor, shields and other gear, it’s better than a bounty ending up dead. they are acquired fairly easily. However, the shelf life for both are dictated by the piece of gear they’re put into, expressed in TOXIC MAGAZINE: Toxic magazines are probably the days, weeks and months. 420 In the case of weapons, this is covered in the Qualities called DEGREE OF REPUTATION Cell and Fuel. For armor, shields and gear however, their The Degrees of Reputation illustrates the price to requisition shelf life is dictated by the piece of gear being used. We’ve a weapon under normal circumstances. This is broken out applied abstractions, taking under consideration moderate into three levels: Minor, Middling and Major Requisitions. usage. For sake of simplicity, adhere to this model when it However, you are ultimately in control of how many Reputa- makes sense. Whenever the Characters are experiencing tion Points are required to purchase an item individually. You downtime - perhaps traveling across the astral empire un- may deem that certain types of armor are unattainable on encumbered by hardship or during cryosleep - don’t account worlds which are underdeveloped, or even lower the number for the amount of time that’s passed to determine when they of Reputation Points required to purchase gear that’s eas- must be replaced. ily obtainable. While you should never change the Levels USE OF ENERGY CELLS AND between Minor, Middling and Major Requisitions, instead FUEL CANISTERS lower the Reputation Points required to purchase it. Refer- ence the Degree of Reputation entry in this chapter for ideas Once an energy cell or fuel canister is installed to a piece of how to assign an appropriate Reputation Point cost. gear, however, it cannot be removed without risk of leaking. Whenever removing one, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands MELEE WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS on a face “6”, the energy cell or fuel canister is rendered un- Melee weapons are a throwback to what was considered usable. Replacing either an energy cell or fuel canister takes to be the dark ages of technology, rooted in the rise of the ten minutes. godking and His massive empire upon a single planet. They RECHARGING SPENT ENERGY CELLS echo even in the Dark Astral among both the military elite Energy cells power most modern technology of the Dark and scholarly alike. Many melee weapons require their own Astral. Under the right circumstances, they can be recharged. power sources, usually in the form of an energy cell or fuel However, overheating and leakage can occur. canister. When out of gas or left with a dead battery, they are no better than an improvised hand weapon. If exposed to an appropriate power source, a successful Tra- decraft Test will recharge an energy cell completely. Upon While we won’t go into depth for each type, use your imagi- failure, the energy cell cannot be recharged until the electric- nation to draw parallels to other far-flung future role-playing ity inside is rendered inert 24 hours later. However, upon a games to understand each...or make up your own! The choice Critical Failure, the energy cell dissolves, entirely unusable. is yours.

REFUELING EMPTY FUEL CANISTERS CHAIN Archaic fuel canisters are unfortunately dangerous to refuel, Chain weapons are brutal tools of death, the edge comprised given that the gas or other liquid used in ignition is very vol- of a rotating saw blade much like a chain saw. A favorite of atile. A level of ceremony is involved to refuel them. Harmful the violent. They come in a variety of types, with the chain- chemicals are used to “temper” fuel canister’s contents in or- axe and chainblade being self-explanatory. The decapitator der to complete the rite is an intimidating polearm used mostly by guards, while the Orx ripper is a crude attempt by these Mutants to emulate If exposed to an appropriate power source, a successful Surviv- this barbaric weapon. al Test will recharge a fuel canister completely. Upon failure, the fuel canister cannot be recharged until the chemicals cool down 24 hours later. However, upon a Critical Failure, the fuel canister explodes, dealing 2D10+2 Damage from fire.

Encum- Degree of Rep- Chain Skill Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Value utation Martial One or Adaptable, Fuel, Slow, Chainaxe 0 Engaged Bladed 2 Middling Melee two-handed Vicious Martial One or Adaptable, Finesse, Fuel, Chainblade 0 Engaged Bladed 2 Middling Melee two-handed Vicious Martial Engaged or Fuel, Punishing, Reach, Decapitator 0 Two-handed Bladed 3 Major Melee 1 yard Vicious, Slow Simple One or Alien, Adaptable, Fuel, Orx Ripper 0 Engaged Bladed 2 Unique Melee two-handed Slow, Vicious, Weak 421 FORCE Force weapons are specifically designed for the rare users of Magick, as they are only ever useful when imbued with a mage’s energies. They are wired with arcane circuitry that gives off a sickly glow when they are powered. The Defiler ankh is used by the rare undead necromonger, and it not only uses arcane energies, but ignites those it touches with unholy flame.

Encum- Degree of Force Skill Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Reputation Value Martial Engaged or 1 Adaptable, Alien, Defiler ankh 0 One or two-handed Crushing 2 Unique Melee yard Fiery, Force, Reach Simple Adaptable, Force, Force staff 0 One or two-handed Engaged Crushing 2 Major Melee Pummeling Simple Adaptable, Finesse, Force sword 0 One or two-handed Engaged Bladed 2 Major Melee Force, Weak

SHOCK Shock weapons are featureless hilts that, when activated, manifest as crackling balls of energy. These weapons are non-lethal and used for policing purposes, but that doesn’t mean they don’t hurt. This non-lethality rapidly disappears with the cruel Fey ninetails, a barbed and powered shock weapon that is used by Fey slavers to inflict monumental pain upon those they capture.

Encum- Degree of Shock Skill Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Reputation Value Fey nine- Martial Alien, Cell, Entan- 0 One-handed Engaged Crushing 1 Unique tails Melee gling, Reach, Shock Shock Simple Cell, Shock, Slow, 0 Two-handed Engaged Crushing 3 Middling maul Melee Weak Shock Simple Engaged or 1 Cell, Entangling, Inef- 0 One-handed Crushing 1 Middling whip Melee yard fective, Reach, Shock

VIBRO Vibro weapons throb and hum at nearly imperceptible speeds using odd dimensional technology, but these subtle variations prove great defensively when trying to ward off blows. They are often very ornamental in design and used with pride - the technology to create these weapons was lost long ago, so they are often heirlooms. The exception to this is the Skrzzak claw, a dismembered limb whose adamantine strength deflects blows like water.

Encum- Degree of Vibro Skill Load Handling Distance Qualities Type brance Reputation Value Simple Alien, Fast, Finesse, Skrzzak claw 0 One handed Engaged Bladed 1 Unique Melee Light, Powered, Weak Simple Adaptable, Cell, Slow, Vibroaxe 0 One or two-handed Engaged Bladed 2 Major Melee Powered, Weak Simple Cell, Fast, Powered, Vibrogauntlet 0 One-handed Engaged Crushing 1 Major Melee Pummeling Martial Cell, Powered, Vibromaul 0 Two-handed Engaged Crushing 3 Major Melee Powerful, Slow Martial Engaged or Cell, Powered, Vibrosword 0 Two-handed Bladed 3 Major Melee 1 yard Punishing, Reach, Slow

422 GRENADE DESCRIPTIONS version of any Venom, spread through a local detonation.

Grenades are hand-held explosives, ones that can either ex- MAGEBANE: Like Warp magazines, magebane grenades plode on impact or be set on a timer. The most popular ones contain a payload of depleted Wytchstone and rock salt. Those are damaging, but there are a few utility grenades as well - of the arcane persuasion affected by it find their abilities sup- such as the blinding flashbang or the wall-destroying breach. pressed, and they are a favored tool of uber-inquisitors. Grenades are useful and relatively easy to get ahold of, but they do not distinguish between friend and foe. For instance, MESHNET: Meshnet grenades explode in mid-air, releas- Orx carry disgusting pissbombs, basically jars of urine that ing a polymer net that entangles any person it lands upon. explode in a cloud of Orx Spore when the hit the ground. The net is also lined with barbs, scrapping and cutting at those who try to remove it. Perfect for capturing prey alive, Unless otherwise noted, a grenade can be either thrown by but in pain. hand or launched from a mortar. MUSTARD: Mustard grenades release a cloud of sulfur BREACH: Breach grenades are not really grenades, but rather mustard, which burns skin and puts blisters on lungs. They shaped charges of C4. They are often used to blow open doors, are extremely dangerous, painful and deadly. damage vehicles or breach walls - they can be used for combat, but they are often set as boobytraps instead. PISS BOMB: Piss bombs are made solely by the Orx, and thank the stars they are. Little more than glass phials filled FIREBALL: Fireballs are flammable grenades that contain with Orx urine, they are lobbed and explode in a smelly and napalm, which splashes on explosion and sets things ablaze noxious could. That’s not the only hazard: Orx urine contains easily. Fireballs can also be jury-rigged as Molotov cocktails, Orx Spore, and inhaling any particles could quickly lead to though those gain the Volatile quality. mutation into one of the green-skinned nightmares. FLASHBANG: Flashbang grenades are filled with volatile PLASMA: Plasma grenades contain unstable plasma sup- magnesium and flash powder, which explodes in blinding pressed by electrical fields - when the pin is released, the elec- light when set off. The explosion disorients both sight and trical fields disperse and allow the plasma to explode out in a hearing, though they do no harm aside from that. slowly-unfolding violent force. FRAG: Frag grenades are the classics - a simple pull-pin SMOKE BOMB: Smoke bombs don’t explode, but rath- with a small explosive that can rend limb from bodies. Dif- er expel a thick and cloying cloud that obscures vision. The ferent models exist, such as the stick grenade or cluster bomb, smoke is not normal fire smoke, but a chemical smoke that but all explode viscera the same way. lingers for up to 10 minutes after being thrown. They are GAS BOMB: Gas bombs explode like a small firecracker, often used to either obscure an enemy’s sight, or to become but their payload is hyper dangerous. They contain an aerosol more hidden behind cover.

Encum- Degree of Grenade Skill Distance Qualities Type brance Reputation Value 1 + PB yards or via Breach Simple Ranged Incendiary, Throwing, Volatile, Weak Frag 1 Major Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Fireball Simple Ranged Fiery, Incendiary, Powerful, Throwing Energy 1 Middling Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Flashbang Simple Ranged Incendiary, Ineffective, Shock, Throwing Energy 1 Major Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Frag Simple Ranged Incendiary, Throwing, Vicious, Volatile Frag 1 Middling Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Gas bomb Simple Ranged Incendiary, Ineffective, Toxic, Throwing Frag 1 Major Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Magebane Simple Ranged Anathema, Ineffective, Throwing Frag 1 Major Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Meshnet Simple Ranged Entangling, Incendiary, Ineffective, Throwing Frag 1 Major Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Mustard Simple Ranged Entangling, Slow, Smoke, Throwing Frag 1 Major Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Piss bomb Simple Ranged Alien, Ineffective, Toxic, Throwing, Volatile Frag 1 Unique Mortar 1 + PB yards of via Plasma Simple Ranged Punishing, Slow, Throwing, Volatile Energy 1 Major Mortar 1 + PB yards or via Smoke bomb Simple Ranged Ineffective, Smoke, Throwing Frag 1 Middling Mortar 423 ARMOR & SHIELDS mostly for handling small arms fire and grenade blasts.

Armor exists in the Dark Astral in many different formats. MESH: Mesh armor is the modern answer to ringmail, Wrought from plastics and other synthetic leathers, it form composed of thermal-plastic rings formed into a cloth de- fits to its users. Those comprised of adamantium and harder signed to dissipate impact. materials look akin to armors from the dark age of technolo- gy, with a cacophony of stirring and whispering coming from CARAPACE: Carapace armor is made from molded plas- its many mechanisms which empowers its wearers to move. tics or ceramic plates, leaving it bulky but rather protective The ancient shield has not been left by the wayside as time against most weapons. Aztlan Couatleskin is also a type of has marched on either, but instead adapted. Classical shields Carapace armor, but confers the Natural Quality. still exist, though they are often made of plastics, ceramic and glass rather than wood or metal. POWER ARMOR: Powered armor is usually bulky and unwieldy, but it can be activated via servos and hydraulics to ARMOR DESCRIPTIONS take the weight off the user while maintaining the protective The following outlines the most common armors found in aspects. Though all armor can be expanded upon, power ar- the Dark Astral. mor is extremely modular and able to integrate technology that no other armor could do. FLAK: Flak armor is made of layered materials, designed

Damage Threshold Energy Cell Encumbrance Armor Qualities Degree of Reputation Modifier Duration Value

Flak 1 - - 2 Minor Mesh 3 - - 4 Middling Carapace 5 Heavy - 6 Middling Power 6 Cell, Heavy, Powered One month 7 Major

SHIELD DESCRIPTIONS ible barrier. Mantles are, however, only designed to absorb Although not commonly carried by citizens, the police forces ranged attacks - the inertia of melee weapons is too slow to and military organizations of the vast empire bear these pro- deflect. tective harnesses into battle. RIOT SHIELD: Riot shields are designed to bash and stun MANTLES: Mantles are relatively new, using atom agita- looters, but the bash works just as well against mutants. tion technology to create an invisible force shield around a POWER SHIELD: Power shields are bulky but the height target. They come in a myriad of designs, but they all serve of defense - they are tower shields that vibrate with harmon- a similar function. When they are impacted, they briefly be- ic destruction. come visible as the force of the shot ripples across the invis-

Energy Cell Encumbrance Shield Handling Qualities Degree of Reputation Duration Value Mantle - Cell, Curtain 1 week 1 Middling Riot One-handed Cell, Defensive, Shock 1 week 1 Middling Power One-handed Cell, Defensive, Powered, Protective 1 week 2 Middling

MODIFICATIONS and armor can only have a single Scope Modification while Weapons and armor can be expanded greatly, as many con- armor can only have one Coating Modification. Mortars tain slots and rails that allow them to be customized. Weap- may only ever possess one Modifications, however. ons and armor are generally bought without Modifications Not all Modifications can be applied to all weapons or armor. (generally called Mods) affixed to them. That being said, it is pretty simplistic to install and uninstall Weapons and armor can have a maximum of three Modifi- the Modifications, requiring only a few minutes of assembly. cations on them; however, a few restrictions apply. Weapons Assembly requires at least one Skill Rank in Tradecraft. 424 RANGED WEAPON MOD DESCRIPTIONS VOICE COMMANDS: Your weapon can follow your voice The following outlines general Modifications which may be commands with a simple word from you. You can command applied to ranged weapons. a weapon to fire, change magazine types (if modded with a fire selector) and change firing modes upon its own accord BACKPACK FEEDER: Your weapon is powered by a without you holding it. backpack or feeder belt. You may carry up to 12 magazines for only 1 Encumbrance Value. RANGED WEAPON SCOPE DESCRIPTIONS As mentioned before, ranged weapons can only ever have COMPACT: Your weapon is designed for concealment and one type of Scope attached to it. stealth, reducing the Encumbrance Value by 1 but reduces the magazine size by 3 and Distance by 3 yards. MOTION TRACKER: Your weapon can predict where an enemy will move before you fire. Whenever striking Charac- EXPANDED MAGAZINE: Your weapon can have three ters who used Charge or Run on their last Turn, you gain a magazines loaded at once, which triples the normal maga- +10 Base Chance to strike and ignore the Damage Threshold zine size. Modifier they gained while Running.

FIRE SELECTOR: Your weapon can swap between dif- NIGHT SCOPE: Your weapon detects minute traces of ferent types of ammo without having to reload. The weapon light through its sight. This eliminates any penalties for fir- can contain up to three types of ammunition, but the total ing in the darkness. cannot exceed the standard magazine size. RED DOT LASER SIGHT: Your weapon is accurate at FOREARM WEAPON MOUNTING: Your weapon is firing single shots by using a laser dot to track the target. The mounted to your arm by a metallic slide, allowing you to weapon gains the Finesse quality. conceal it up a sleeve easily. You gain a +10 Base Chance to strike whenever wielding this weapon on your first Turn of TELESCOPIC SIGHT: Your weapon has a sight on it combat. which magnifies a target, making them easier to hit. Your weapon gains the Accurate Quality. LIGHTWEIGHT: Your weapon is lighter and more streamlined, able to be handled better. You may eliminate THERMAL SIGHT: Your weapon can see heat signatures the Brace Quality from the weapon that’s modded. of enemies, not requiring any visibility to hit them. This elim- inates any penalties for firing through fog, mist or smoke. MELEE ATTACHMENT: Your weapon has a bayonet, knife, axe or so on attached to the front of the barrel. This ARMOR MOD DESCRIPTIONS melee attachment has the same Qualities as an improvised The following outlines general Modifications which may be hand weapon from Chapter 7: Trappings, also possessing applied to armor. the Quality of Reach. ARCANE WARD: Your armor has been mystically en- PISTOL GRIP: Your weapon was designed to be wielded chanted, allowing your body to better Resist the perils of easily in one hand. This changes any Carbine into a Pistol for Magicks. When made the target of a Magick spell that caus- purposes of handling. es Damage, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. Upon a face “6”, increase QUICK RELEASE: Your weapon has a method for reload- your Damage Threshold by 6. ing faster than normal. This reduces the Action Point cost for HUD HELMET: Your armor has its own display and out- a Load action by 1. put system, acting as a handheld scanner that does not re- SILENCER: Your weapon’s muzzle produces white noise quire a power source. and radio interference to baffle the sound of a shot, making MOUNT: Armor can integrate a lot of common gear in its its report harder to hear at a distance. manufactured design, such as a wrist-mounted grapnel or a TRIPOD OR BIPOD: Your weapon has small metal brac- shoulder-mounted grenade launcher. Any Tool or Weapon ers in order to best aim with difficult weapons. This allows of Encumbrance Value 3 or less can be built into the armor, you to Take Aim for 0 Action Points once braced. at the Gamemaster’s discretion. The price for this mod is in addition to the normal price of the installed item. UNDERSLUNG GRENADE LAUNCHER: Your weap- on has a single-use grenade launcher attached to the bottom PRESSURIZED: Your armor is sealed tightly and is able to of the barrel. It can fire one grenade of any type before hav- filter in its own oxygen. Your armor can also act as an Environ- ing to be Loaded again for 1 Action Point. ment Suit. Your armor’s Encumbrance Value increases by 1. 425 ARMOR COATING MOD DESCRIPTIONS Encumbrance Degree of Modification Restrictions Value Reputation Only one coating may be applied to any suit of armor. How- Carapace, Flack, Ablative coating 1 Middling ever, unlike other Modifications, coatings cannot be removed. Mesh, Power Carapace, Flack, Arcane ward 1 Middling ABLATIVE COATING: Your armor is insulated and ab- Mesh, Power sorbs heat, so that some energy weapons are not as effective Backpack feeder Rifle 1 Middling Carved benedic- Any Armor or against you. Increase your Damage Threshold against Flame, 1 Middling tions Weapon Maser and Plasma weapons by 3. Ceramite coating Carapace, Power 1 Middling Carbine, Mortar, CERAMIC COATING: Your armor is outlined in ceram- Compact 1 Middling Pistol, Rifle ic, giving it a smaller outer case that breaks off easier. In- Custom grip Any Weapon 1 Middling crease your Damage Threshold against Ballistic-Pattern and Expanded mag- Carbine, Pistol, 1 Middling Gauss-Pattern weapons by 3. azine Rifle Carbine, Mortar, Fire selector 1 Middling REFLECTIVE COATING: Your armor is lined with Pistol, Rifle crystals, allowing light to reflect off you better. Increase your Flare attachment Any Weapon 1 Minor Damage Threshold against Laser weapons by 3. Forearm weapon Pistol 1 Middling mounting Carapace, Mesh, MELEE WEAPON MOD DESCRIPTIONS HUD helmet 1 Middling Power These Modifications can be applied only to melee weapons. Hypo-unit Bladed, Crushing 1 Middling HYPO-UNIT: Your weapon can automatically dispense a Lightweight Mortar, Rifle 1 Major single dose of Venom, coating the weapon with a push of a Melee attachment Carbine, Rifle 1 Minor button. A dose of Venom is then injected into the target of a Modified stock Any Weapon 1 Middling successful attack. Carbine, Mortar, Motion tracker 1 Middling Pistol, Rifle VORPAL: Your weapon has a mononuclear edge, making it Mount Carapace, Power 1 Minor sharper than a razor. Your weapon gains the Vicious Quality. Night scope Mortar, Rifle 1 Middling UNIVERSAL MOD DESCRIPTIONS Pistol grip Carbine 1 Major These Modifications can be applied to armor and weapons Pressurized Power 1 Middling Carbine, Mortar, of all types. Quick-Release 1 Middling Pistol, Rifle Red dot laser Carbine, Pistol, 1 Middling CARVED BENEDICTIONS: Your weapon is etched sight Rifle with inscriptions from your dead god-king, reminding you Reflective coating Power 1 Middling of your mission. You gain a +10 Base Chance to Intimidate Reinforced Any Weapon 1 Middling and Leadership Tests whenever brandishing your weapon. Carbine, Pistol, Silencer 1 Minor Rifle CUSTOM GRIP: Your weapon was designed specifically Carbine, Mortar, Telescopic sight 1 Middling for you to use, feeling unnatural and awkward in someone Rifle else’s hands. Anyone wielding this weapon besides you can- Thermal scope Carbine, Rifle 1 Middling not use it without suffering a -10 Base Chance to strike. Tripod/Bipod Rifle 1 Minor Underslung gre- Carbine, Rifle 1 Middling FLARE ATTACHMENT: Your weapon has a single use nade launcher flare attached to the bottom of the barrel. A flare causes no Carbine, Mortar, Voice commands 1 Middling Damage, but can signal others of your location in the sky. It Pistol, Rifle provides enough light, akin to a campfire, for one hour. Vorpal Bladed 1 Middling

MODIFIED STOCK: Your weapon fits will against your IMPLANTS shoulder, acting almost like an extension of your arm. Your weapon gains the Adaptable Quality. Transhumanism is an accepted part of Dark Astral culture. Advances in the arcane sciences have led to a transforma- REINFORCED: Your weapon is constructed of sturdy tion among its people to become posthuman - something metals and plastics. It cannot be destroyed by normal means else entirely. Implants are sophisticated technologies resul- nor acquire the the Ruined Quality. tant of this movement, which have greatly enhanced both physical and intellectual capabilities of its believers. Howev- 426 er, the danger of emerging technologies, combined with the tential use of another appendage to grapple objects with. corrupting influence of the astral, has led to deep divisions among mortalkind whether the benefits are outweighed by HYPERLUNG: You have a complicated filtration system the risk of dehumanization. Some question whether it is an implanted in your lungs, automatically giving you a perma- anathema to the gods themselves. nent rebreather.

Implants are cybernetic or bionic augmentations, in which INTERFACE PORT: You have a mechanical port in your a Character can have any number of Implants installed into body that allows you to interface directly with machines and computers. While interfacing with one of these machines, their body. Furthermore, you cannot have more than one you flip the results to succeed Intelligence Tests. of the same Implant installed. This means that a Character could not have two Blister Eye Implants. Implants are in- LOGIC PARTITION: Your mind runs as fast as a com- stalled through psychosurgery. puter, allowing you to sift through massive amounts of data in seconds. You reduce any extended mental tasks by one With each Implant, it slowly corrupts the flesh, making the third the time needed. This includes Extended Tests, which user more susceptible to chaotic influences. For each Implant now takes you only two times the normal duration instead of that a Character has installed, they make themselves weaker the normal three times required. to corruptive influences. Any time that an Implanted Char- acter suffers Corruption, they gain an additional point of MAGNETIC ARRAY: You have embedded powerful mag- Corruption equal to the number of Implants. So, this means nets under your skin, allowing you to attract any hand-held that if they suffer 4 Corruption for a heinous deed and have metal object to your hand within a number of yards equal to six implants, they suffer 10 Corruption instead (4 + 6). 3 + your Perception Bonus (PB) with a successful Incanta- tion Test. IMPLANT DESCRIPTIONS These Implants can be applied to any thinking creature. MEMORY LOGGER: You have an advanced recording suite implanted in your cranium, allowing you to instantly ANTIGRAV COILS: You have powerful electromagnets record any audio or visual stimulus you experience and al- implanted under your skin, allowing you to hover roughly a lowing for instant playback. You can record up to seven days yard off the ground for a number of minutes equal to your of footage and replay it at any time. However, it must be Brawn Bonus (BB). This can also slow any falling you may wiped before re-recording. suffer, treat it as if you had fallen into water for purposes of reducing Damage (as noted in Chapter 9: Hazards & Heal- NERVE CAPACITOR: You can use your internal energy ing). stores to attempt to charge any mechanical device that uses batteries or a power source. You may automatically suffer BLISTER EYE: You have implanted a miniaturized laser 3D10+3 physical Peril in exchange for instantly powering an in your eye, which acts like a laser pistol with a range of 1 Energy Cell held in-hand. + Perception Bonus (PB) in yards. However, you gain the ORDER IMPLANT: You have implanted circuitry in your Black Cataract Drawback upon installment. head that prevents you from revealing a certain piece of in- CRANIAL ARMOR: Your head is patchworked with met- formation, leaving a certain area, or perform a certain task. al and ceramic plates, adding 3 to your Damage Threshold If you are forced to go against the order given to you, your when struck with Called Shots to your head. brain shuts down as you are rendered Incapacitated! and un- conscious. DE-SANGUINE: You have nanobots in your blood that expedite healing from injuries. You may reduce the time it PRETERNATURAL AUGMENT: This Implant increas- takes to recuperate from Injuries by three days. es any one Primary Attribute Bonus by +1, its form taking on a different appearance by Attribute. For instance, a Brawn GEOMATRIX: You have a geographical mapping soft- Implant could be interweaved synthetic muscles, an Intelli- ware in your brain, allowing you to instantly know any in- gence Implant could represent mental circuitry and so on. formation on a planet that someone could be gained from a planetary database. This allows you to automatically succeed REPLACEMENT: You can replace a broken piece of your Folklore Tests in these cases. body with a new, mechanical version. This could be a new robotic leg, synthetic lungs and so on. This Implant can ef- HEKATONCHEIR: These are powerful mechanical arms fectively remove a Drawback caused by a birth defect or from mounted onto your torso, each with a specific use. There are an Injury, such as Black Cataract, Crop Ear, Weak Lungs or dozens of designs, but usually only two can ever be installed. a Veteran’s Boot, Hand or Leg. Having this implant grants you one Focus instantly, and po- 427 SCAN-SIGHT: This implant installs a handheld scanner outposts may not have all of them in storage or available to into your brain, allowing you to use all the abilities of one be requisitioned overlaid over your normal senses. ATMO-CHUTE: A parachute that adjusts to the atmo- SCHOLAR LIMB: One of your lower arms is replaced with sphere you are diving in, but only good for one use. a variety of recording and scribing instruments, allowing you to rapidly record information and be a better researcher in BLIZZARD GENERATOR: This is another type of jam- general. You may treat Education as a Common Skill with ming device, but it instead produces white noise that can this Implant. disrupt radio communications up to 9 miles from the device.

STEELHIDE: You have armor subcutaneously installed COMBAT VEST: This vest offers no protection, but has all over your body, granting you a permanent +1 Damage dozens of pockets, latches and so on to carry plentiful gear. Threshold Modifier. CONCEALED HOLSTER: A discrete weapon holster, VOCAL IMPLANT: You have replaced your vocal cords these are only readily available for Pistols. with synthetic ones, granting you a permanent vocal amplifier. DAMPENER: This is a small device that absorbs sound waves and dampens them, making you produce basically zero noise. Implant Degree of Reputation With a Dampener, you may flip the results to succeed Stealth Antigrav coils Major Tests while moving silently. Blister eye Major DEMOLITION KIT: This contains all the tools necessary to perform controlled demolitions, such as triggers, wires, Cranial armor Minor gum, leads, and even flint. Explosives not provided. De-Sanguine Major DIGINOCS: These are advanced binoculars that not only Geomatrix Middling magnify great distances, but can provide readouts, topo- Hekatoncheir Major graphical info, and even thermal or night vision. Hyperlung Middling DROP HARNESS: These harnesses allow for easy repel- Interface port Middling ling up and down vertical surfaces. With a Drop Harness, you may flip the results to succeed Athletics Tests to climb. Logic partition Major Magnetic array Major ENVIRONMENTAL SUIT: This suit allows survival in harsh environments, such as the frigid cold, blistering heat Memory logger Middling or even void of space. Nerve capacitor Major FIELDDOC: A hand-held device, the Fielddoc can detect Order implant Middling any Diseases, Injuries or Venoms a victim has been exposed Preternatural augment Major to - as well as give common cures and methods. Even a dense barbarian could understand the information. Replacement Minor FREQUENCY MANACLES: Self-explanatory police Scan-sight Middling manacles, though they are often quite sturdy and opened Scholar limb Middling with a radio frequency rather than a key.

Steelhide Major GHILLIE CLOAK: A cloak that adapts and camouflages Vocal implant Minor to the natural environment. With a Ghillie Cloak, you may flip the results to succeed Stealth Tests to hide in rural en- GEAR vironments. A large array of powered, high-tech tools and devices are GLOW-GLOBE: A solution to the ancient lamps, glow- available in the Dark Astral. Most gear requires an Energy globes float at head height and follow their users around. It Cell to power it. The table below outline the shelf life of an casts as much light as a lamp. Alternatively, they can be stuck Energy Cell before it must be replaced or recharged. to a surface using in-built adhesive to serve as permanent GEAR DESCRIPTIONS lamps. This gear is found galaxy-wide, although certain planets and GRAPNEL & LINE: A small, air-powered grappling gun 428 that can fire roughly 66 yards of line, allowing for vertical REBREATHER: This works much like the Respirator, ex- navigation. cept it provides oxygen to allow you to function underwater, in hostile atmospheres and in the void of astral space. HANDHELD SCANNER: This scanner can detect a myr- iad of things, from energy emissions to motion to life signs, RESPIRATOR: This mask allows you to avoid breathing in within 33 yards. any toxic chemicals or clouds.

JAMMER: This small device suppresses transmissions, both SCHADEL: Schadels are mechanized skulls, modified with vocal or data, out to a diameter of one mile - letting nothing servos and minor computer programming to serve as assis- get in or out. The people operating the transmissions will tants. They float near their owners, and can perform countless know they are being jammed. functions - though each model of Schadel can only perform one function. A Schadel can follow simple instructions, other- JUMP-PACK: The jump-pack is a low powered jetpack, one wise defaulting to following their master mindlessly. The most that gives a temporary rocket boost to increase leaping dis- common designs are those that emulate the multitool, hand- tance. When used, it triples how far you can normally jump held scanner, glow-globe, voice amplifier or fielddoc. after a Run Action. SIGNAL BUG: This is a microscopic wavelength intercep- KEYCARD: The keycard comes in multiple colors and de- tor that contains a small memory chip. It functions for up to signs, but they can generally open any standard, non-private 9 miles, and the bug can intercept vocal communication or door in the galaxy. Private doors may have specialized key- data transmission. The chip can be read on a slab-comp, and cards. it can store up to one day of recordings.

LASER CUTTER: A high-intensity but non-damaging la- SIGNAL CASTER: This radio wave device allows for the ser knife, this can be used to cut through metal, stone or plas- broadcasting of vocal transmissions, as far away as even the tics - clearing holes for breeches, opening safes and so on. upper atmosphere around planets where ships usually dock.

MAGNETO BOOTS: These rugged boots contain power- SLAB-COMP: A universal and portable tablet computer, ful magnets that allow you to scale any metal surface as if it it acts much like an archaic 21st century tablet computer. were flat ground. Many are ancient and prone to breaking down, however.

MEDKIT: This contains all the materials necessary to cre- S-WATCH: An advanced watch, it adjusts itself to the local ate and synthesize any medicine. It acts as a permanent labo- planetary time and never moves fast or slow. It also automati- ratory, set of surgicals tools and honey pot: all in one. cally winds itself, and comes in a multitude of candy-colored or MEMETIC RECORDER: This hand-held device can re- metal flake enameled faces and bands. cord audio and visual input, recording up to 99 hours that THERMAL BACKPACK: Self explanatory, but it also can be played back on a Slab-comp. comes with a temperature-adjusting sleeping bag for camp- MICRORADIO: Easily concealed behind the ear, this al- ing purposes. lows private channel communication with other microradios THERMAL GOGGLES: This eyewear allows you to see up to a distance of 99 miles. the heat signature of living creatures.

MOTION ALARM: This small alarm can be placed any- TRANSCRIBING PEN: A deceptively useful pen, it will where in a room, emitting a loud screech if a designated ob- write down anything that is dictated to it. ject is touched or a certain threshold is passed. UBERCOMPASS: This is an advanced compass that auto- MULTITOOL: This hand-held tool can turn into a mul- matically displays cardinal directions, topographical maps, lat- titude of common tools, from hammers to crowbars to even itude and so on of any planet you are on. eating utensils. VOICE AMPLIFIER: Basically a discrete bullhorn, this NIGHT VISION GOGGLES: These allow you to see im- amplifies the voice to be heard from roughly a mile away. ages at night, eliminating any penalties for darkness.

429 Energy Cell Degree of Energy Cell Degree of Gear Gear Duration Reputation Duration Reputation Atmo-chute - Middling Laser cutter 1 day Middling Blizzard generator 1 day Middling Magneto boots 1 day Middling Combat vest - Middling Medkit - Minor Concealed holster - Middling Memetic recorder 1 week Middling Dampener 1 day Middling Microradio 1 month Middling Demolition kit - Major Motion alarm 1 day Middling Diginocs 1 month Middling Multitool - Middling Drop harness - Minor Night vision goggles 1 week Middling Energy cell - Minor Rebreather 1 day Middling Environment suit 1 day Middling Respirator 1 day Middling Fielddoc 1 month Middling Schadel 1 month Middling Frequency manacles - Minor Signal bug 1 day Major Fuel cannister - Minor Signal caster 1 day Middling Ghillie cloak - Middling Slab-comp 1 month Middling Glow-Globe 1 day Minor S-watch - Minor Grapnel and line - Middling Thermal backpack - Minor Handheld scanner 1 month Middling Thermal goggles 1 week Middling Jammer 1 day Middling Transcribing pen - Middling Jump-Pack 1 week Middling Ubercompass 1 month Major Keycard - Middling Voice amplifier 1 week Middling

430 WORLD BUILDING Sub-ethnic groups exist within their own culture. In the most extreme of cases, demihumans may even be interred in Most Gamemasters are entering ZWEIHÄNDER with camps of their own, closely monitored by Human oppressors their own ideas about what setting they want to use. Beyond and organized pogroms may spread to the wilderness in an here lay several ideas that can help lay out common standards attempt to exterminate that which doesn’t fit into humanity’s for your campaign world. While none of these are hard and neat little model. Demihuman enslavement may even be an fast rules, they should provide some inspiration of how to accepted ideology among humanity. In some cases, this sort shape up your adventures to reflect a living, breathing world. of anti-demihumanism may lead to groups of demihumans creating their own anti-human groups, ones which under- HUMANOCENTRISM stand that only violence will urge humanity to more read- ily accept their kind. For instance, in Andrzej Sapkowski’s Humans are oftentimes the most prolific race in a grim & Blood of Elves, a radical terrorist group has retaliated against perilous campaign world. Their cultural values are far more humanity, gathering other demihumans among their ranks. widespread than those of the demihumans, their religion Such groups may readily exist in your own campaign world. readily-recognized while their race the most populous. Hu- man concerns, their politics and interests color most adven- In the case of demihuman player Characters, you may wish tures, as they’re relatable to the player’s human experience. to keep this in mind during their interactions. Feel free to From a role-playing perspective, this may stem from human- award those who wish to play as a Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, ity’s widespread influence over the world, stomping out that Gnome or Ogre an additional Racial Trait, but always as- which doesn’t fit into their vision of speciesism or human sume they have no Social Class. When interacting with oth- superiority and proliferation of their values by way of assim- ers outside their race, however, assume that they are always ilation into a humanocentric monoculture. However, it begs of the opposite Social Class (as discussed in Social Intrigue the question - where do the other races come into play in later in this chapter). your assumed campaign world? On the other hand, you may simply handwave away any pen- It is up to you to determine how large of a role demihumans alty for playing a demihuman, and let the players define their should play in your campaign world. Excluding monsters race’s role within the world. Demihumanity may simply be from the bestiary from being too inhuman is obviously quite upon the edge of collapse, and their race may be a protected easy, but the main issue arrives during Character creation and class (seen as the “children of the gods”). These so-called elder the choices presented therein with race. Races have always races’ lands may lay in ruin, or have been abandoned in lieu of played an important part in many fantasy worlds, but not all destruction at the hands from the forces of chaos. The choice of them bring these races to the forefront of the story. In fact, is ultimately yours with how you intend to handle the demi- many modern fantasy stories such as George R.R. Martin’s human races. A Song of Ice and Fire and Glen Cook’s The Black Compa- ny are firmly set in human-only worlds. There are strengths RULERSHIP and drawbacks to this - it is often easier to simply pose hu- Different nations rule their people by different ways, but mans as the only racial choice afforded to players, having there are certain patterns to rulership. Most states still func- them focus more on building Characters based on real world tion under an almost feudal system - many countries are di- tropes rather than a hypothetical racial background. On the vided into provinces, states or districts, each ruled by a nom- other hand, it does detract generally from the fantasy of a inal leader with titles ranging from duke to baron to marquis. game, making the world slightly less mystical in a sense. These rulers are usually free to govern their own lands, but RACIAL ANTIPATHY they must default to the law and leadership of the head of state, whoever that may be. Another option would be to include demihuman races, but to ensure that the players understand their Characters are Only recently have states become more than just squab- not a part of the norm. Assuming that the demiraces live bling kingdoms and backbiting feuds - they are now form- along the fringes of society or are in decline with the spread ing strong centralized governments, and many parts of the of humanity, player Characters who are Dwarves, Elves or population are establishing a national identity and traditions the like would likely be viewed with trepidation, fear or even that will continue on through the ages. That does not mean hatred. Likely, they’ll face persecution. Ghettos may exist everything is perfect - wars and skirmishes cause borders to within cities to collapse all demihuman races together, with- shift constantly, and fringe ideals sometimes result in civil out regard to dissimilarities between sub-ethnic differenc- wars or separatist movements. Not to mention some states es among them. Like Humans, not all Dwarves are alike. tend to cycle through rulers rather quickly, leaving the gov- The same goes for Elves, Halfling, Gnomes and even Ogres. ernment unstable at its core. At the end of the day, however, 431 these nations will stand no matter how much they burn from the same function. Though a single person is the head of the within. state, they do not hold all the power - they have a series of advisors or cabinet members that steer the state in the right The following outlines the most common forms of govern- direction. Ultimately, final decisions rest within the hands of ment you can use in your grim & perilous world, with their the monarch. own particular twist of grittiness. Monarchies used to be what seemed like the only kind of AUTOCRACY government, but they are slowly dying out. Feudalism has The autocratic government is often associated with villainy given way to the rise of guilds. As the middle class becomes and the morally-bankrupt, but this is not always the case. In more wealthy, they call for more rights and better account- an autocracy, all the power of the government is placed upon ability. Dynasties of monarchs are seeing upheaval in their a single person. How this differs from a monarchy is that kingdoms. The Aristocracy’s hold over the wealth of the state the autocrat has zero accountability - they can perform any is slowly being reclaimed by well-to-do Burghers. What few deed or action they wish, for they are THE law of the land; kingdoms remain are often zealous and isolationist, as the they hold no loyalties or responsibilities. It is easy to see how oligarchies become the norm and slowly consume the ideol- a ruler can easily be overwhelmed with the power - what ogies of their peoples. do they care about the opinions of their neighbors if they hold the destructive power of a nation’s army in the palm of OLIGARCHY their hands? The Lowborn endlessly suffer under the rule An oligarchy is the most common form of government in a of an autocrat, and Burghers have a very hard time rising grim & perilous campaign world. An oligarchy is a govern- above their station. Even Aristocrats see their wealth seized ment where the state is ruled by a group of elites - what ac- by the state, and repurposed for ventures that rarely benefit tually constitutes “elite” varies from state to state. City-states the people. which rely upon sea trade are often governed by a wealthy merchant class, and some even rise to become principalities. Autocratic rule has lead to genocides and civil war, but there Ones who enjoy deep theocratic roots will be ruled by their are minor bright spots. Many tribal cultures are autocracies priests, and still others are ruled by those who are educated. whose only concern is survival, while small nations may sim- ply just resort to isolationism in order to get by. In this form of rulership there is a strict division between the have and the have-nots. This easily sows discontent, and even DEMOCRACY if an oligarchy is at least partially benevolent, many of its citi- Democracy is a new, and a rare, form of government. Though zens will spit at its name. Chiefly, however, oligarchies are of- it traces its fundamental roots back to the dawn age, mon- ten too large - different leaders have disparate goals, causing archs see no benefit from removing power from their hands. tension in the ruling halls that leads to instability. The needs In fact, most democracies seized power from a monarch, but of the cities are oftentimes different than the needs of towns only after much blood was spilt and trade disrupted. and villages. This rift often leads to political strife, which can eventually turn to swords. Civil war are quite common in Democracy is a government run by the Aristocratic and oligarchies, and they can easily turn into monarchies or true Burgher class - they elect the rulers, vote on the laws, hold autocracies with a slight push. Anarchy, however, is usually each other accountable and so on. It is sometimes called the the outcome. “grand experiment”. To many rulers, their subjects are dumb as rodents, who can barely manage to lift a plow let alone SOCIAL STRATUM vote on an issue. Why trust a nation in the dirty palms of In a grim & perilous world, wars are sometimes waged not the Lowborn? So far, the few democratic nations that have with violence, but of poisoned words, carefully-lain social sprung up are hopeful but are honestly not doing well - the traps and scheming diplomacy. In noble courts, a well- system is only as strong as the weakest link, and easily-cor- placed rumor or juicy bit of gossip - served with a dollop of ruptible Lowborn commoners have ascended to positions of truth and guile - can undo the machinations of those large power only to shift a promising nation state into an autocrat- of moustache and high of birth. A well-written decree may ic nightmare. undo a governor’s hold over the people. Political firebrands MONARCHY may incense the public to violence, taking to arms against their masters. Guilds may be up-ended by stirring rhetoric The classic and formerly most common form of government, from its leaders, espousing the dangers of foreign, unguilded a monarchy is ruled by a single individual, who passes their workers. A whisper of a sordid affair betwixt a duke and his power along their family line. The ruler has many names - wife’s maidservant may strain relationships and break alli- tsar, sultan, king, duke, executor and so on - but they all have ances. Rarer still, a conversation between a demonologist and 432 the devil she’s summoned requires carefully-worded verbal hand. Items which have a price in gold crowns (gc), silver agreements, mired with explicit language: when the soul is shillings (ss) or brass pennies (bc) can be priced out as-is being wagered for promises of power, strict wording is im- from the book. portant. Not all foes can simply be warded away by violence. Some duels will be waged with words. And when swords TOWN and pistols cannot lead to victory, words are weapons while Towns are akin to cities, albeit with far less people. Their reputations are as shields in the eyes of the public. populations range from around 1,000 to 10,000 people. Towns are where the majority of middle class live, ruled over HUMAN COMMUNITIES by either a neighboring city within four or more days away, There are generally three types of settlements, and they all or governed on their own. Burghers come to sell their wares work in cohesion, reliant upon one another for trade and pro- in towns, while the craftsmen send their trinkets and goods tection. Settlements are often built near sources of water, ei- far off to the the city to sell. Here, the equality is roughly ther a river or a lake. If not that, they are built near some kind the same monetarily, though that varies from place to place. of natural resource such as an old growth forest or perhaps an Burghers and Lowborn populate towns, owing allegiance to iron mine. While each settlement may have its own economic the guilds of the town who pay homage to guildmasters of resources and forms of trade, they are always inevitably linked the cities. together by main roads, occupied by toll gates. Reeves, Bailiffs Landed knights or governors lord over towns from either and other lawmen gather at the gates, to patrol both the roads a fortified manors or familial castle of yore. Towns are de- nearest to the farthest-flung settlement in relation to the city pendents on the Lowborn for production. While some are they are from. populated along main roads between cities, most are easily The size of a settlement determines the most common dwell- reachable within a few days by horse. When larger cities ar- ers by Social Class. It also dictates the immediate availability en’t present, towns act akin to cities for purposes of protec- of goods and services within. tion to the villages. CITY AVAILABILITY OF GOODS A Character can acquire practically any trapping or service, The first sort of community is the city, which is often quite although local shortages may impact what is available on- large and usually contains 10,000 or more people. Cities are hand. Items which have a price in silver shillings (ss) or brass the center of rulership, diplomacy and major events - though pennies (bc) can be priced out as-is from the book. Items there is generally a large gap between the bluebloods and the with have a price in gold crowns (gc) may command two poor. Cities are also generally centers of education - many times the normal price, if available at all. colleges, temples and guilds can be found there. Not sur- prisingly, the Aristocracy rules the cities, in consideration of VILLAGE their many enterprises. Guild masters, ensconced bluebloods Villages are the home of farmers and laborers, spending their and upjumped merchants fight for political control, all while days in the fields and their nights preparing for the next day. maintaining civility in public. An air of backbiting abounds, Their populations hardly ever reach over 500 people. Villages as the Aristocracy vies both politically and sometimes vio- work and toil, re-selling their wares to the towns and the cycle lently against one another for rulership. Burghers fight for of commerce continues on. Villages are often populated most- the scraps, while the Lowborn suffer from the fallout. ly by Lowborn, with perhaps a prominent Burgher or two. Lit- A number of fortified manors and a rare castle or two dom- erally hundreds of villages - many without an assumed name inate cities, and in essence, are the lynchpin of their de- - surround cities while those near towns enjoy the prominence fense. Cities are surrounded by a number of villages within of being properly named (given that the competition is less). a day’s walk, and are solely dependent upon the city to pave Fortified manors and castles are never found in villages, as its roads, protect its borders, open its markets and so-forth. elected burgomasters or mayors run the village out of their villages within two day’s walk are largely uncultivated lands, home. Villages lay scattered around towns within a quarter and while they enjoy some of the protections of the city, they day to a full day’s walk, whereas villages lay scattered around are more or less on their own. And although it is rare to find cities within one to three day’s walk. dotting the landscape. villages in isolation within three day’s walk of a city, they are Rarely will a village be found outside of more than a day or generally within a half day to a day’s proximity of a town. two from a town, as it relies on the protection of the town AVAILABILITY OF GOODS and trade. A Character can acquire practically any trapping or service, AVAILABILITY OF GOODS although local shortages may impact what is available on- A Character can acquire practically any trapping or service, 433 although local shortages may impact what is available on- selves in the zeitgeist of culturalism but still relying on their hand. Items which have a price in brass pennies (bp) can own means. The two races don’t particularly dislike one an- be priced out as-is from the book. Items with have a price other, but they will only parlay words when absolutely nec- in silver shillings (ss) may command two times the normal essary or while thoroughly drunk - something both rather price, whereas items with a price in gold crowns (gc) may enjoy being. command three times the normal price, if available at all. Dwarves and Gnomes also find that their rulership methods DEMIHUMAN COMMUNITIES and culture are quite similar. Dwarves hold their clan in high importance - a long and extended family, a combination be- In most grim & perilous worlds, “demihumans” do not live tween a bloodline and a nation-state of sorts. Every clan has its side-by-side with Humans. Often, these beings have their own traditions, ancestors, trades and rulers that respect, which is own insular nations they tend to, away from the prying eyes important as honor is paramount to the Dwarf. Many Gnomes of humanity. Demihumans are usually just as xenophobic are paranoid and untrusting, thinking their extended family is and mistrusting as other Humans, considering they have also out to get them and exploit them. That being said, Gnomes rare- had centuries to develop fine paranoias and hatreds. ly ever throw themselves into leadership positions, preferring to be out of spotlight. They begrudgingly listen to the Dwarven Non-human races are significantly less widespread than the leaders, while cursing them beneath their rancid breath. rest of humanity, either due to their longevity and propensity to bear few children over the long years. They also live in INING CAMP isolation from other races, including their own as well. These The large majority of Dwarven settlements are large and peoples jealously cling to the “old ways”, citing the length sprawling mining camps. They are not entirely all that im- of time their culture has been around. Thus, why you find pressive, and are actually rather quite depressing at first a monoculture amid Elves and Dwarves. Halflings, on the blush. Most of the notable buildings are simply lean-tos and other hand, tend to reshape their own selves after the other shacks. Since Dwarves also have very little concept of per- races they live near. Ogres simply have no cultural values, sonal space, most of them will share a barracks of sorts, with save for vociferous appetites. Gnomes are a curiosity, howev- only the simplest of creature comforts - just the way they like er, given that they erect no shrines, gravestones or keepsakes it. Dwarves often mine for ore, with iron and bronze always of their dead. Isolation has turned them into extraordinarily being valuable in one way or another. Mining camps are usu- dour people, wishing to contribute nothing to anyone… and ally lead by a foreman, a combination between a boss and a rarely anything to their own family, either. burgomaster. The more impressive mining camps have “com- Outcasts from demihuman communities are treated with pany towns” built around them, with markets, ramshackle great disdain by their own, while racial prejudice runs rampant housing and maybe even a public square with running water. against them by humanity. Likely, adventurers will never meet TUNNEL CITY an Elf who enjoys any sort of material success amid Human settlements. Those Elves who do live among the communi- The great tunnel cities of the Dwarves used to be the lone ty band together into ghettos, and oftentimes are forced into settlement of these demihumans - but years of war and en- slave labor. A “house elf ” and “dwarf cobbler” are both symbols slavement by their enemies left them all but abandoned. of extreme wealth among the Aristocracy, generally subject- These cities were built in, around, and carved out of moun- ed to numerous abuses in private while paraded in public like tain steadfasts, leaving them partially exposed to the sky as show ponies with high society. Burghers view demihumans the rest plunged deep below the earth. However, these were with flippant attitudes, shrugging them off and dismissing not cramped quarters - tunnel cities were massive and vault- their ability to contribute anything worthwhile to society. ed, lined with statues of their elders and filled with inelegant, However, the Lowborn live in abject fear of demihumans, see- industrial architecture. The deepest parts of the cities were lit ing them as a mortal threat to their jobs and place in society’s by natural lighting, such as luminous fungi or magma tubes. pecking order. In fact, the Lowborn have lynched demihu- Everything a Dwarves could need was found within these mans at worst, otherwise casting abusive and intolerant racist massive hallways, and they were highly defensible. But, all epithets in public at them in the least. has been lost, and the Dwarves that live on today rarely call these ancient vaults home. DWARVEN CLANS & GNOME FAMILIES ELVEN KINDRED Though Dwarves and Gnomes are often loathe to admit it, they are very much similar beings. In many Dwarven settle- A large portion of Elves consider themselves archons of their ments, inscrutable Gnomes will carve out their own niche race: those who still live in their native homelands, looking or neighborhood solely for themselves, still including them- down upon humanity. This is less of a dismissal of hatred, but rather the feeling it is their duty to show “humanity’s 434 barbarians” a more enlightened age of wisdom. While few in they’ve stolen away with. That said, they are often looked number, their cities are usually quite large and soaring, made down upon by other Elves, mostly due to their travelling and of spires and towers of gold, lapis and ivory that claw at the freebooting ways. heavens. HALFLING MOOT & OGRE NOMADS Most Elven cities are built on mountainous islands replete Halflings and Ogres seem like quite the odd couple - one with plentiful forest and game, and few aside from their own race is squat and prone to jubilation, while the other is mas- are allowed to journey into them. Unlike humanity’s cities, sive and obsessed with greed. But they find a lot of common however, they are not surrounded by soaring walls. Instead, ground - many revel in gluttony and alcohol, and most take the cities blends into the natural terrain they’re borne upon. a free spirited attitude towards life. Their relationship is also While Elven cities are supported by a number of villages, symbiotic - Ogres provide protection for the relatively weak they are dissimilar in that they do not cultivate the land, Halflings, while Halflings supply Ogres with plentiful food but instead erect them where wildflowers grow, fruits of the and booze. forests blossom and root vegetables and mushrooms grow in emerald forests. Towns are a rarity, given that all trade Halflings and Ogres often live together in gladed communi- takes place within the city. A social order certainly does exist ties. There, they are lead by an either a Halfling elder or some among their own, yes, however they are far more communal sort of nominal sheriff. Halfling communities are usually only than other societies, holding the eldest of their race in high simple farming settlements, meaning they must get most of esteem above all others. their resources from outside their sprawling lands. This is an- other way that Ogres come in handy for the Halflings. Ogres ELVEN MEGALITHS are a naturally nomadic people, and even when they spend There are a subset of Elves that lives deep within isolated time in the settlement, it’s only a matter of time until they woods amid petrified trees and old growth forests. Believed pack up their bags and wander about for a while. However, to be a prehistoric link to the dawn age, the wood-dwelling Ogres usually return, and with them they bring exotic meats, Elves rarely speak. It is believed that they once sung the hor- drink, jewels, art and stories. rid dirges of the Fey, praying to the Black Lodge. However, they were cursed by the true Elven gods and began to walk SHIRE & BURROW a path of atonement. Giving up their words, they instead Shires are by far the more common of Halfling settlements. began communicate using a complicated series of gesticu- A shire is basically a large collection of interconnected holes lations and body language called Stilltongue. Although this in the ground called burrows. In fact, if you are not paying practice continues today, they are loathe to speak… but when attention, you could easily walk over a shire without even they do, it means something. noticing it! These burrows are actually quite similar to rabbit dens - they are usually carved into a hillside or canyon, and Tall and thick-limbed like the forest they live among, these can extend down quite a distance. They are quite spacious Elves live nearly-naked among massive megalithic structures and cozy, containing all manner of creature comforts a Hal- in the most isolated parts of the forest. Connected by walk- flings moot would need - subterranean fungi gardens, brew- ways, gang planks and ropes into the petrified trees around eries, small animal pens and so on. Halflings are very much them, their communities never number more than 100 in- survivalists at heart and always prepared for the worst - each dividuals. They parlay little, if at all, with others and protect burrow is self sufficient. their sanctuaries with ferocity, brooking no interlopers into their settlements unless invited. Ogres are much too large to fit within a burrow, and thus they instead form small homes inside of caves on the out- ELVEN SEAFARERS skirts of a shire. Charged with policing the land above, one A certain portion of Elven society buck their common isola- can basically assume that where an Ogre’s cave is found, a tionist ways, instead taking to the sea. They take upon mas- shire of burrows are not too far away. This is probably for the sive trips to plow trade lanes and privateer for the nation best as well - Halflings tend to be neat and orderly, while which will pay them the most. These mercenary-minded Ogres are slovenly and leave animal carcasses, droppings and Elves treat their ships almost like mobile cities - many are war trophies rotting in their caves. Shires are often said to quite massive, being able to hold nearly 200 residents com- be idyllic and bucolic, but the Halfling’s inherent skittish na- fortably while having enough cargo space to support them ture and the Ogre’s violence does not make it a place of pure for nearly six months at a time. On their decks, the captain peace. That being said, grievances are generally settled over of the vessel is styled as a supreme ruler, one who not only large meals and endless amounts of alcohol. looks for profit but his crew’s best interests. These Elves only set foot upon land to deal with others, and resell any goods 435 MAD HALFLINGS their guidance in clan matters. While this may seem tame Though most Halflings live within the shire, some do live in and understandable on the surface, there is a dark underbelly isolation. Most Halflings follows the strictures of the moot, to these petty worships. When an esteemed Dwarven elder it is still very much a “every Halfling for themselves” society. reaches their elder years (but before they perish), runesmiths Breaking these laws, such as assaulting another of your own are called upon to construct a hollow effigy from brass and moot, can lead to exile. Petty thievery abounds as well, and stone. Using intricate runes lost to time, they ensconce the can earn a lashing or two, and at worse total exile. Ordered elder’s body into the effigy and bind the soul inside, forever to leave, they must disconnect their tunnels from the shire. trapping them before they can move onto the Well of Souls. They’ll dig their way around the shire, yes, but it is consid- Permanently interred deep below the earth, these figurines are ered very shameful to speak with an exile. Living in isolation, isolated from Dwarf communities. It is not uncommon to find particularly from their own kind, can rob a Halfling from paths winding their way between where clutches of ancestral their senses. Mad as a hatter, they engaged in all manner of effigies stand to be worshipped by pilgrims. The process is not odd interests: burgling, lamb-raiding and yes, even adven- perfect - the new “ancestral hosts” are mostly silent and rarely turing. display any emotion of cognisance, their only distinction be- ing their shells that were forged in their original shape. These ALTERNATIVE FAITHS bound hosts loom as figurative sentinels over the clan’s burial grounds, but there have been rare cases where these effigies Although this book presents a number of patron gods, there have awakened, speaking of a voice long lost to time. are a number of alternative faiths which have existed. Some say that these elder gods existed long before the spread of ELVEN FAITH the other eight gods. Even demihumans worship the com- The Elves do not worship gods per se, as the folk they revere monly-accepted gods. However, they have a long history that are very much alive still. Time once told when Elves were traces back millennia, with gods who’ve become less popu- immortal, never ageing and remaining beautiful for all time. lar or simply forgotten about. Many demihumans continue However, during the coming of mankind, this all changed. their ancient traditions, holding a deep and abiding respect While some Elves can still live up to centuries, they too grow for their histories. frail, despite their hoary intellect. However, some still live Below outlines a number of alternative religions, which will beyond the bounds of mortality, venerated by the kindred later be touched upon in ZWEIHÄNDER’s future supple- as supreme leaders called the Undying. Each of the Undy- ments. ing bears a “persona” - a beautifully carved mask that illus- trates their beauty in their prime. These Elven elders sit on FOLK WORSHIP a council that dispenses advice and guidance to the kindred, Though the commonly-accepted gods are quite influential venerated for their ancient wisdom. Each of the Undying in their worship and ubiquitous, they are not the only dei- bears a specific responsibility of aspects of life, such as music, ties that people pay tribute to. In fact, the large majority of death or the hunt. The council of the Undying has reputedly people probably venerate folk gods more often than specific not changed for many many centuries. Whether they are the ones. Folk gods are generally provincial or minor gods, an- same elders all these years or if they have perished and been cient heroes or ancestors that are specific to a community replaced by someone wearing the same persona, is hotly de- or a very minor spiritual aspect, such as a certain river or bated by Elven youth. a patron god of dogs. Other parts of folk worship revolve GNOMIC FAITH around the reverence of ancestors or spirits of nature, a com- mon practice for Old Believers and those predisposed to live Gnomes are a largely atheistic culture, something that is far beyond the city walls. A final part of this type of faith quite shocking to others. Philosophers have stated how they are the practice of superstitions and other customs. Crossing have long had the short end of the stick: cursed to turn into your heart when making a promise (or crossing your fingers Kobolds, less-respected as their Dwarven and Elven cousins behind your back when you lie), tossing salt into a pot for a and possess a long history of enslavement. That being said, good meal (or throwing salt over the shoulder to ward away Gnomes do have a variety of dogma - one that deals with witches), and many more are half-remembered worships that respect of the world below them. This is not a religious de- are now treated as common sense or at the very least a way to votion to thunder gods or fervent worship of invisible mon- not run afoul of bad luck. sters, but rather a curiosity into the “mechanics” of how the underworld works. Their interests are piqued by the growth DWARVEN FAITH of fungi, the migration of crickets, the whims of underground Every Dwarven clan hold a particular ancestor or many an- river flows and the slow movements of earthen cratons over cestors they revere, making small benedictions to ask for the millennia. 436 HALFLING FAITH service to the Daemons, considered to even be more profane Out of all the demihumans, Halflings have the most sim- than necromancy and sorcery; executing unspeakable acts plistic of faiths. While most worship the common gods, they that cause even the vilest of folk to cringe. also pay tribute to an old spirit of the world they simply call ZWEIHÄNDER doesn’t cover options for your Character Mother. Mother is the patron of all things in Halfling so- to adopt Daemons as gods. Future supplements will spell out ciety - the earth, health, food, birth, tradition, death and so additional options. However, it is important to understand on. There aren’t any formal shrines to Mother, nor clerics how Daemons can influence the world your Character lives that promote the faith. Religious scholars say that Mother in, both from the shadows and in the light. is probably just an aspect of the Martyr, but Halflings shrug this off, saying “maybe she is, maybe she isn’t.” Halfling life- ANCIENT ONES style is not conducive to brooding on the movements of the Long before man crawled upon the plains or even elves stars and the whims of far-removed deities, but much more stalked the forest, six unknown beings known as the Ancient grounded in the here and now: they trust in Mother, and that Ones arrived upon the world. They say the bursting potential is all that matters to them. of the creatures of the land, and using subtle manipulation OGRE FAITH from their expertise in both Magicks and alchemy to rush evolution - with their chosen first children being the Azt- Ogres that run alongside the various Mutant races worship lan. The Ancient Ones were not only beings from beyond the Tusked One, the Daemon-god of greed, hunger and vi- space-time, but they were embodiments of order and static olence. But those that have come to the call of civilization progression - a common secondary name for them being the rarely pay tribute any god whatsoever. Some civilized Ogres Abyssal Princes of Order. Though the Aztlan worship these venerate the Halfling Mother, since they spend a lot of time beings in all they do, little is remembered about them since within that society. Others hold begrudging respect of mor- they returned to the angles between stars. They are inscrutable talkind’s many deities: the Crouching One, Leviathan and and monstrous, beings of little more than polymath, sound Winter King being popular due to their close approxima- and light who only wish for the static progression of time tions to the power of the Tusked One. Most don’t worship and the universe - one that probably ends in a heat-death. anything at all - either they are too simple minded to care or Obviously, this is more than welcome for the cold-blooded are too oriented on riches and wine to even bother with the and calculating Aztlan. natural broodings of religious matters. THE BLACK LODGE DAEMONS Before Elves came to worship their Undying ancestors, the Magick is an ancient art and many aspects of it have been Fey kindreds followed countless Daemons - viciously neutral lost to time or been hidden by the darkness of the world. spirits of the elements, plants and animals. However, as hu- A rare few exhibit arcane Magickal potential, and rarer still manity arose and slowly ate at the borders of the Fey’s earthly are those chosen by the gods to wield their divine might as lands, the fair folk saw the writing on the wall. The spirits must earthly proxies. Those who are too wicked or savage to un- be abandoned, as more earthly worships were necessary for derstand the basic precepts of Aethereal manipulation may survival. With the promotion of the Undying elders among petition forgotten or secretive demigods to lend but an in- the Elven kindred, the Daemonic spirits were left to rot in the kling of their blasphemous might. In addition to the “civi- Vault of Night for all eternity. Exiled into the Well of Souls, lized” gods, there are also inhuman and monstrous beings of the Fey recovered the Daemonic corpses and framed the im- vile power that may as well be gods. Called Daemons by the measurable Black Lodge with their bones. Though silent and religious elite, they are the deities of the Grendel, Orx and rotting, the Black Lodge still holds a terrible power that are all other manner of monstrosities. Worshippers of Daemons manifested through haunting dirges to their fallen godlings. are often written off immediately as heretics, and often for good reason - Daemons are mostly quite malevolent and of- THE GILDED PHARAOH ten have little patience for mortalkind’s society. Furthermore, The living dead did not once walk the earth, as it was only even those who are worshipped by humanoids aren’t granted centuries ago that the first breach in the Well of Souls was powers, as those who’d adopt Daemons as their god are al- pushed open. In the ancient lands of the south, a powerful ways in a state of sycophantic and groveling worship. wizard delved into the depths of research and emerged from Unsurprisingly, they are none other than immensely power- the other side speaking of a new variety of magick - Necro- ful Aethereal Spirits, demons and undead Defiler-kings, who mancy, the power of the dead. His nation exiled him for his are willing to lend a modicum of their power to subjects in blasphemies, so he took to the desert and experimented on exchange for their mortal soul. Practitioners carry out rites in himself to attain the secrets of unlife, making himself the first Defiler. He grew mad from the power and hubris, and 437 sent a plague across the land that turned his former coun- them down to become the sole ruler of the Elves. Her hu- trymen into his undead thralls. Now, the living dead of all bris caught the better of her, and despite her large backing sorts trace their origin back to the being that calls itself the of followers and Magickal might, the other ancestors struck Gilded Pharaoh. Whether it be the curse of vampirism, spir- her down and mortally wounded her. She somehow survived, its forced through the veil or bound corpses, they all see the and arose anew from death. Called the Witch-Queen from Gilded Pharaoh as their true lord. He is considered to be the there on out, She and her followers were banished far from mortal enemy of the Custodian, reviled for being the pro- the Elven kindreds, and who eventually became the modern genitor of all Necromancy and the undead. Siabra - along the way, she also cursed countless Ogres to become the foul Fomorians. The Witch-Queen still lives and THE THIRTEEN is worshipped as a god by the Siabra, but is in a near-dead Everything the Skrzzak do, they do in honor of a mysterious stasis hidden far from others. Her cult is one of both pleasure Daemon called the Thirteen. The Thirteen is believed to be and pain, of cold and blood, and of vengeance. not but one godling, but in fact an earthly host of the best of their kind - one being with multiple voices (thirteen to ABYSSAL PRINCES OF CHAOS be exact). This dark hive mind plot from the vast emptiness The Abyssal Princes are those whom priests worry over their of the Aethereal Veil, spreading change and plague through scriptures for. They are those that mothers perform nightly Wytchstone-filled revelations to the Broodmothers. Howev- blessings over their babes. They are those that chew at the er, some scholar believe the Thirteen is not many, but simply fabric of reality and see countless men die at the hands of an aspect of the Abyssal Prince of Decay - a statement that their demonic legions. They have been known as countless would cause Skrzzak to literally eat you alive. The Thirteen names throughout history - Adramelech, Asmodeus, As- exalts the virtues of destruction, plague and shadow, which taroth, Baal, Beelzebub, Belphegor, Lilith, Lucifuge, Moloch their horn-bearing priests extol at every instance they can and Naamah - yet it has always been the four (or perhaps get. That said the Thirteen have many enemies - almost every five) same. The only saving grace is that they can not influ- other Daemon sees them as threat and blight to their plans, ence material existence directly, having to use their earthly but the Thirteen also has a strong influence on the surface agents to spread their infernal machinations. world. PRINCE OF CHANGE THE TUSKED ONE The Prince of Change is an insular godling of infernal might. One of the most well known and feared Daemons is the en- He is a pact maker but never a deal breaker, as His ambition tity known as the Tusked One. He is the feared god of the is too high to rely on deception. He is associated with aspi- Goblins, Orx, Trolls, Nephilim and Ogres - as well as the ration, plotting, change, fate and Magick. His worshippers chief deity of the terrible Duergar. The Tusked One has three are almost bound to Him, often the victim of a confusing distinct aspects that are worshipped, and whether these all bargain or deal that pledges their undying soul. The Prince of belong to one being or are an alliance of creatures is up for Change deeply distrusts all the other Princes, but He partic- debate. An aspect called the Slavering Maw is one of vio- ularly despises the brute force of the Prince of Violence. He lence and greed, an engulfing toothy jaw that is favored as dwells within a confusing and ever-shifting maze of Magick the bringer of barbarity. The Endless Gullet is the aspect of and illusion, deceptive as He is. The Prince of Change has no hunger and storms, sponsoring the endless appetites of Mu- set form, always altering His body and mindset so as to be tants and their warmongering ways. Finally, the Hellfurnace unpredictable. He is often associated with the color blue, the is the aspect of fire and destruction; an ancestral god-king number nine, the element of water and crows. revered by the Duergar clans. What the Tusked One looks like has no consensus - the Slavering Maw is often depicted PRINCE OF DECAY as a massive Orx and the Endless Gullet a giant, toothed The Prince of Decay is associated with mortality, morbidity, rend in the earth. The Duergar claim a manifestation of the plague and disease. An oddly magnanimous being, His wor- Hellfurnace lies deep below their ziggurats, whose appear- shippers often refer to Him as Father or Uncle - He adores ance is ever-changing like fire. being showered with admiration. He then returns the favor, THE WITCH-QUEEN spreading the disgusting love of sickness, and worshippers help Him do just that. He holds no special hatred towards Hundreds of years ago, among the Elven kindred, an an- the other Abyssal Princes, but highly suspects the Prince of cient Witch stood out amongst the others. She was a pow- Pleasure with His false sense of carnal love. The Prince of erful magi and leader, having mastered Magicks of frost, Decay dwells within what He calls “a garden of delights”, of blood-letting and of spirits. The Crone thought herself being a rotten forest that contains every plague and disease more deserving than the other Undying, and wished to strike both real and imagined. The Prince is monstrous and bilious, 438 permanently rotting but cackling with joy and fondness for WORLDS BEYOND all things wretched. He is often associated with the color Reality as arcanists and priests know it, called the Material green, the number seven, the element of earth and flies. Realm, is not the only realm in existence. In fact, common PRINCE OF PLEASURE knowledge dictates that there are multiple worlds beyond this one. Obviously, this is only well known among the schol- The Prince of Pleasure is an inspiration to both artists and arly - the layman is only vaguely familiar with the afterlife, as torturers, prostitutes and bards. He is the youngest and least it is the only realm that directly affects them at any moment. experienced Abyssal Prince, but that does not make Him less Scholars, mages and priests attest that there are at least three dangerous. He is associated with lust, greed, pain and plea- unearthly realms, though this number often inflates depend- sure - a being of both divine comforts and blinding pain. ing on who you talk to. The three that are commonly held Nothing is too extreme for the Prince of Pleasure, and His and agreed upon are the Vault of Night, Well of Souls and worshippers push themselves far beyond the edge to feel His the Abyss. divine pleasure. The Prince of Pleasure is insular and doesn’t trust many, but particularly despises the paternal affections These realms are the standard assumed “outerworlds” in a of the Prince of Decay. The Prince of Pleasure dwells within grim & perilous setting. They can be actually real and visible, a lavish and incalculably large barge, one that holds every or mere philosophical musings of the Magickally-touched. type of pleasure and pain imaginable - much to the delight They are meant to be broad enough to allow a wide array of those who follow Him. The Prince is lustful and deceiving, of possibilities, while also staying flavorful and dark for any both an object to be wanted and feared. He is often associat- good game of ZWEIHANDER. As with anything in the ed with the color purple, the number six, the element of air book, you may have very different ideas about what your and snakes. campaign world looks like. PRINCE OF VIOLENCE VAULT OF NIGHT The Prince of Violence is perhaps the most well-known of The ever-encompassing place around the Material Realm is all Abyssal Princes, making His presence well-known in the called the Vault of Night. Punctuated by a multitude of tiny Material Realm. He embodies the powers of hatred, rage, motes of light, this vastness seemingly stretches into infinity. bloodshed and cruelty. He sees no allies in the other Princes, The Vault is the abode of the stars, the moon, the night sky rather just worthy opponents that must be struck down. He and the sun. However, scholars believe that the Vault actu- has an enmity towards Magick of all types, and bears a spe- ally contains far distant myriad worlds of such variety and cial hatred towards the Prince of Change. His worshippers strangeness as to be infinite. How to get there is a mystery are particularly brutal and sanguine, bristling at any moment - the only real proof of anything coming from the Vault of to strike down their enemies with bloody vengeance. With- Night is the presence of the Aztlan, a star-born race of liz- in Sheol, the Prince of Violence’s bronze and onyx fortress ardfolk who aren’t entirely honest about their race’s origins. roves across the torrid landscape, atop the backs of enslaved One secret they have divulged, however, is that the Tlaloc souls that sold themselves to Him in life. The stench of sul- lords of the Aztlan once built runic gates that supposedly fur and death surrounds the Prince of Violence, as he sits connected the Material Realm to endless worlds beyond atop a crumbling throne of goat skulls. He is often associated the Vault of Night. Though ruins of Aztlan gates with as- with the color red, the number eight, the element of fire and tral carvings have been found, none have been seen intact or young bulls. with any sort of power source. Perhaps that is for the better; doubtless, the the Vault of Night contains terrors and vistas THE OUTSIDER beyond any mortal imagining, an inevitable doom ready to There are rumors that a fifth Abyssal Prince, who the other pounce. It is said that within the vastness lay the Dark Astral, Abyssal Princes scorned, was cast into the darkest depths of a starless place of unending strife and torment. the void. This fifth Prince represented chaos in its purity; the concentrated efforts of all the other four Princes, and the ten- Rumors abound that even though Magick is pulled from dency of chaos to eat its own tail. He supposedly hated the the Aethereal Veil, the Vault of Night houses the Dominion other four, and would sponsor chosen mortals to strike at the Planets; direct axises where the Winds spill forth into the throats of the other four Princes. He was regarded as a rene- Vault. These heavenly bodies circle the Material Realm tan- gade and an anarchist. Called The Outsider, He was banished talizingly, twinkling in the night but remaining out of reach somewhere far in the bleakest reaches of reality. The Outsider - even by Magick. Each of these wandering planetoids are became an enemy to demons, he is not a kindly being - to named after one of the Winds, and it is rumored these places fight for him his certain death, but to resist him is certain are pure representations of the arcana. Aught else is known damnation. of them, though scholars are constantly philosophizing upon 439 their origins and purpose. To those who can manipulate the them, but they have no real sense of form or construction. Winds, they are called Binah, Chesed, Chokhmah, Da’at, However, unlike those fabled realms, the Abyss has been la- Gevurah, Hod, Keter, Malkuth, Netzach, Tiferet and Yesod. beled with structure, not only by scholars but the demons themselves. This is mostly due to the barbaric process of a WELL OF SOULS demon’s “ascension” rather than being physical locations, but Eventually, all of mortalkind will face the grim specter of that may just be semantics or demonic trickery. The higher death, and when they do, they will all return to the demesne the layer the demon sits upon, the more influence they hold of the gods: the Well of Souls. What the Well actually is over the Material Realm. belies somewhat of a mystery - the returned rarely recall the realm beyond, and the living haven’t managed to glimpse into the unfathomable dimensions within. However, it is CAMPAIGN SEEDS doubtless that all souls go to rest in the Well of Souls in Campaign seeds are threads of campaigns drawn from our purgatory… for a time. own internal game worlds. Each campaign embraces the common themes of a grim & perilous game: It is believed that when spirits take their first steps into the Well of Souls, they enter into a state of limbo: not passed  Grim Attitudes onwards, but not alive either. This realm is a grim reflection  Perilous Outcomes of the real world - a gloomy place haunted by shadows and  Ignorance & Superstition shattered memories. Here they are judged by the Custodian,  Fractured Fairytales lady of the dead. Those who did not hold the gods in their  Low Magick, Low Fantasy heart are reincarnated without memories, to “try over”. Those  Chaos’s Influence who honored the gods are washed down the river Oblivion, landing on the shores of their god’s realm. Finally, those who These seeds are intended to be jumping off points and are were cruel and chaotic are swept to the end of Oblivion and not fully fleshed out. Though future expansions may lay thrown over a massive waterfall of the dead, one that spills out additional seeds and completely fleshed out campaign forth in the lowest depths of the Abyss. guides, these are just ideas for a Gamemaster to mold to their own use. In the periphery of the Well of Souls, there exists a dark and feral wilderness known as the Black Lodge. Within histo- Each seed contains a few common strings. The first is that ry, the Lodge was populated by old gods whose names have all of them, save for the Dark Astral seed, are influenced by entered the fog of memory. In fact, the Well of Souls was a proto-Renaissance/Early Modern world, whether that be once believed to be nothing but the Lodge. However, as the one of fantasy or one grounded in the actual history of Earth. Custodian grew to become the usher of souls, Her servants That means the baseZWEIHÄNDER game requires little drove the nameless beings out of the Well. The old gods were modification and can be played right out of the gate in one cast from the Well and condemned to eternally wither in the of these. The other is that many of them are humanocen- Vault of Night. Only the mysterious Fey, a remnant race of tric. The game doesn’t explicitly say non-human races can be the forgotten gods, take up in the Black Lodge today. played, but there is very rarely any favor given to demihu- THE ABYSS mans in the campaign seeds. The details of a setting can be changed at your will, however. The final common realm has no real location - some scholars believe it lies at the mouth or the headland of the infinite You can also use these seeds as examples for constructing your river of Oblivion. This place is the endless pit of the Abyss, own setting. We have tried our hardest to make each grim & home of demons and the Abyssal Princes of Chaos. Both a perilous, and it should provide ideas on what makes a ZWEI- prison and a paradise, the deadly unfiltered chaos writhing HÄNDER setting a ZWEIHÄNDER setting. You can also within threatens to devour all of reality. Luckily, wherever it easily use published settings with this book rather easily. Re- is, the Abyss is tucked away in a far corner of existence - only member that it’s your game, and it is up to you what you make powerful Magicks can pull demons from its maw, and the of the world you set it in. awful Abyssal Princes have no ability to directly influence FORMAT the world. That being said, it still strains at its own rusted shackles and hopes to satiate its hunger for destruction. Each seed has a standard format, making it easy to under- stand and go between them. In addition to an introductory The endless pit of the Abyss is both a place and not a place, description, each seed is divided into roughly four sections, similarly to the Aethereal Veil and the Well of Souls: they as follows: are metaphysical dimensions with beings dwelling within 440 THE ENEMY WITHIN Nearly all the major players of Europe are involved in the Every nation has its own internal struggles. Whether it be conflict, and suspicions of neighbors are at an all time high. simmering class warfare, deadly diseases, suspects of here- Relations between countries have never been quite civil in Eu- sy or factional in-fighting, no state is ever safe from itself. rope, but xenophobia and even racism have begun taking the The Enemy Within section discusses potential inroads to forefront of the European mindset. Nationalism is dangerous, internal strife. The complications herein set the general tone, and has led to many dead bodies in the street just because propping common threats to the fore. You can use this sec- someone has spoken a foreign language. Further, the borders tion to set out elements for strife and conflict in the cam- are extremely dangerous and often awash with conflict. Even paign setting. the roads and rivers aren’t safe, with roaming bands of brig- ands, marching armies or even wayward pirates exploiting the THE ENEMY WITHOUT confusion of the nations.

If you are your own worst enemy, then the people surround- Diseases have also became more and more widespread, often ing you are either demons or your closest allies. War, trade, due to troop movement, foreign viruses from other lands, diplomacy, double-crossing, colonialism and other factors decaying bodies, ravaged sewers and plague animals roaming can bring stresses from the outside within. The Enemy the street unhindered. Walking down the street you can see Without section discusses potential hooks for external prob- the worst plagues man has to offer, from leprosy to the black lems in a seed. death and beyond. Hundreds of thousands live on the streets THE ENEMY BEYOND begging, or have taken as refugees in massive tent towns outside capital walls. Food is scarce, supplies even rarer, and ZWEIHANDER is a fantasy game at its heart, and while medicine is either nonexistent or so barbaric that victims most of these seeds are grounded in reality, there is an aspect would rather die. These poor wretches make easy targets for of the fantastical about them. Magick, monsters, tears in the con-artists, thieves and murderers, looking to make a quick fabric of time and blasphemous enchanted objects can all find crown off of human tragedy. their way into your setting. The Enemy Beyond section dis- cusses potential ideas for supernatural issues in a seed. THE ENEMY WITHIN ADVENTURE IDEAS The war within the borders of the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) has fractured the country at best, perhaps destroyed Each campaign seed also offers three Adventure Ideas, short it at worst. Before the rise of Ferdinand II, the HRE allowed snippets of adventuring hooks to spark a Gamemaster’s each state to chose their state religion - either Protestant or imagination. They are not very in depth, but flavorful enough Catholic. However, Ferdinand is a staunch and radical Cath- to get the ball rolling into adapting the seed into an actual olic, and mandated the whole Empire convert to Catholi- playable adventure. cism. This was the root of the start of the war, as the Prot- estant states - led by Bohemia - rebelled and created a civil THE THIRTY YEAR WAR war. Starting in 1618, the conflict continues and tears at the foundations of the Germanic peoples. The year is 1630, and Europe is ablaze in the fires of war. Most of central Germany is engaged in what would be known The Catholic states of the HRE include the Catholic League as the Thirty Years’ War. It has reached its peak of violence, - a collection of Catholic states including Bavaria, Cologne, depravity and corruption. Not only is humanity showing its Strasbourg, Worm, Mainz, Trier, Cologne and more - Austria most vile parts, unearthly calls and rituals have been heard and various other Catholic city-states. The Protestant side of from the woods, as corruptive plagues spread through the the conflict within the HRE included Bohemia, Saxony, the countryside, slumbering beasts have awoken and influence Palatinate, Brandenburg-Prussia and Brunswick-Luneburg. of witchcraft consume the land. This means that the seven elector states of the HRE - Mainz, Trier, Cologne, Bohemia, the Palatinate, Saxony and Bran- The Holy Roman Empire is not a traditional empire in a denburg - were divided against each other, meaning their sense - in fact, it is more akin to a democratic collection of influence on the Emperor was moot. states under one ruler, known as the Emperor. The current Emperor is Ferdinand II, and he has held this position since The Catholics have officially suppressed the conflict and inter- the beginning of the Thirty Years War. The Emperor is elect- state hostilities have ended, but that does not mean the whole ed from a group of German kings, and then crowned by the countryside knows. Every day, skirmishes still occur as the Pope - giving the Emperor holy authority of God. Ferdinand country tries to get itself in order. The conflicts have become is advised by his Imperial Diet and Imperial Courts, but he is particularly barbaric - farmlands have been burned and salted, a rather extremist and totalitarian Emperor. cattle have either been butchered or stolen, and trade routes 441 have been blockaded or watched eagle-like. The freelance THE ENEMY BEYOND mercenaries are the worst - they plunder the homes of villag- The common folk are obviously terrified, and many have ers, killing all but the women who they use for fouler purposes been looking for places to put the blame, to herald that these before granting them death. Many have given up allegiances are in fact the end times. Calls of witchcraft and worship of entirely, ravaging the countryside out of greed and pleasure. Satan has become more common, as inquisitors and witch THE ENEMY WITHOUT hunters burn heretics and foreigners at the stake. Not only is the Thirty Years’ War an internal conflict, but an Mystics and magicians that have long studied arcane se- external one as well. The main crux of this is the Habsburg crets are finding that at times, their efforts bear fruit. Roman Dynasty - a long lasting German dynastic line that has had Catholic priests and Jewish rabbis are finding their blessings their fingers in many imperial pies. They rule most of West- may actually have some manifested effect. Some of these ern Europe, and they also firmly have the Catholic Church people are taking scholarly approaches to these secrets of the stuck in their golden pocket. A long familial line would universe, but many hide these nascent gifts from the public. normally not be an issue, but the Habsburgs have been ex- Mystically stitching someone’s wounds closed may be objec- ploitive and paved the way for policies that only favor them, tively beneficial, but cries of Satan worship are not far be- often degrading or punishing non-Habsburgs. Thus, when hind. What’s worse is that this Magick is dangerous and un- tensions started arising within the HRE, countries and lead- stable - those you have dabbled in it have found themselves ers who have long felt the weight of this dynasty have risen mutated, summoning forces of indescribable power, or even up and intend to take back the Europe they want. becoming stranded out of time and place. Others speak of terrible beasts in the woods, creatures out of myth and legend The Habsburg allies are small in number, but are rather quite that hunger for our flesh, or the dead come back to life. This powerful. Their main ally is the Spanish Empire, whose strong all may sound ridiculous, but perhaps it is not unfounded. Catholic leanings, massive navy and hatred of the HRE’s en- Soldiers have marched through the countryside and found emies make them obvious companions. Hungary and Croa- footprints the length of three men, or entrails strung across tia are minor countries that are actually under the direct rule trees in bloody altars around butchered corpses. Many still of Emperor Ferdinand II, so they have little to no alternative remain myths and ravings of madmen, but it seems every war than to join the war effort. Denmark has recently switched ravaged town has a story involving some kind of demonic sides, having been a supporter of the anti-Habsburgs but presence - rat-like creatures that glide through the sewers swapping due to outside pressures - they remain relative- and abduct the young, spirits that haunt the sundered battle- ly neutral, but they have been funneling resources into the fields or entrancing mer-creatures that lure sailors to drown HRE. Finally is the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, an- to their deaths. other neutral power that serves as a direct barrier between the HRE and the terrible forces of the Russian Tsardom and The reason for this rise in mysticism is unknown - perhaps Ottoman Empire. They provide the HRE resources as long the bloodshed and terror of the age has caused a metaphys- as the HRE provides protection. ical swell, bringing humanities worse fears to life. Or maybe these things have always been there, lurking in dark corners The anti-Habsburgs are much more numerous, but still not to strike at the right time. Either way, it is not safe to journey as powerful. Leading the forefront is France - despite being into the wilderness at night a Catholic nation, France has gone back and forth with the HRE as being the dominant state on the continent. The only ADVENTURE IDEAS drawback is that they are pinned in on all sides by their en- FOULNESS IN WURZBURG - The party hears that emies. Sweden and its insane king Gustavus Adolphus have Wurzburg, a populous city in Bavaria, is undergoing a mas- been launching naval raids down to Spain and the HRE, sive witch trial, upon which nearly 100 supposed witches while the United Provinces strike from the west. England have already been burnt - including multiple children. The has provided marginal military aid, but they are indicating Prince-Bishop of Wurzburg has sentenced many to death they may resolve their involvement soon. Scotland is mostly for petty offenses such as ‘whistling a song with the devil’, concerned for the fate of their Princess Elizabeth, who is and he has become more and more insane with each burn- of Bohemia - they would rather she stay in the firm grip ing. Some townsfolk believe the Prince-Bishop himself is a of their homeland. Transylvania was suspicious of Catholic practitioner of the dark arts. policies, so they recruited their allies in the Ottoman Empire to help them lead an assault into Hungary. Finally, Gustavus TALE OF ONE CITY - The party finds themselves in of Sweden beseeched the Russian Tsardom for aid, and thus the city of Strasbourg, which straddles the border between they have begun strikes into the Polish-Lithuanian Com- France and the HRE. The city is under constant siege by monwealth. both sides, as they have long remained neutral in the war. 442 They lack food, supplies and medical care, but their coffers Grand Arbiter declared an official end to the war. Despite are quite deep. They will pay handsomely for whoever aids this, it brought no end to the suffering of Walstania. Apart- them, or better yet, lifts the siege by the two nations. heid was established, as the Gothric rounded up remnants of the Old Believers to be ejected back to Walsta Island while WHISPERS OF RUS - Journeying to the cold lands of interring former WLF members into labor camps. the Russian Tsardom’s capital of Moscow, the party hears whispers of a bloody coup that could potentially occur. Tsar Remnants of the WLF continue to fight, but efforts flag Michael I has long been a gentle and kind ruler, but he has with their leader imprisoned. At the center of this conflict recently grown uncharacteristically savage and cruel - his lay three provinces: Ghulistan, Walstania and the duchy of courtiers think his death may be the only way to save the New Mahal. In this campaign seed, we will touch upon each Tsardom. Michael has recently been seen wandering deep province while focusing on one of chief importance: Walsta- into the nearby woods at night, where fell chanting is heard nia. and bonfire flames can be seen - perhaps this and his new cruelty are linked? THE ENEMY WITHIN Nestled along Goth Moran’s southernmost borders stretches GOTH MORAN DIVIDED the Horn of Walstania. Traditionally rich in resources but Upon the great continent of Goth Moran, its many ethnic poor in living conditions, its inhabitant Walstanian people groups have struggled for supremacy. The Fifth House - a have roundly been made the mortar in which the bricks of dynastic theocracy of princes and counts - has long ruled Goth Moran were lain. Like their cousins, the Walstanians over the land. Through the lens of ethnocentric policy, the were born of slave stock over three hundreds years ago in lords of the Fifth House embrace the principle of isolation- the Farasemi League. As the Gothric evolved to become ism. Other nations are viewed as threats to their way of life. the Fifth House in Malaga, Ghulistan and Kahabro, the To the Fifth House, chaos is an enemy worse than evil and Walstanians remained chattel their entire lives. Whether by the true enemy towards traditional values, as taught to them the hand of their former Farasemi slavemasters or beneath by priests of the God-Emperor. the jackboots of the Fifth House, the Walstanians have been marginalized to the point where they account for less than Beyond the northern borders of Goth Moran is the king- a tenth of the entire continent’s population. The Horn of dom of Aglador. As the Aradain kings turned their eye to- Walstania is divided into three political groups: wards Goth Moran’s resources and weakness, so followed the Border War. The continent was quickly torn asunder by First, there are the occupying Gothric. They believe it is not Aglador’s Black Knight armies. Marking an end to the war, only a birthright of the Walstanians to remain indentured as the grand prince of the Fifth House was executed in the slaves, but also divine providence to be supplicant before the capital of Malaga. Following this, the duchy of New Mahal successors of the Fifth House. Their numbers can be found arose as an Aradain successor state. Lord Hampton Balthaz- throughout the Horn of Walstania, usually dwelling along ar stood as its duke, and after a short period, Aglador ceased the Basque River settlements of tiny Minuet, Vorberg and further expansion. As the Black Knight standards were lifted the river port of Swanzi. over the grand prince’s palace, the Fifth House was no more. Secondly, there is the rural lot of Walstanians called the Old From the ashes of the Border War, two clans began to vie Believers. Distinguished by their numbers, they live in either for supremacy of southern Goth Moran. First was Ghu- internment camps or villages ensconced with a Gothric over- listan, a Gothric province of tremendous influence before seer. They are the most likely to be persuaded to the cause of the war. Lead by the Grand Arbiter Luther Orlave, his chief the Walstanian Liberation Front’s fight for independence. focus was to assimilate the weaker neighboring province of Without a strong political leader, however, the Old Believ- Walstania into his own. Tensions had long existed between ers remain rudderless. The traditional port of Walstania - the Gothric and Walstanians well before the conflict. The Drach’s Landing, along with neighboring Slaughterpine, are Walstanians were a lesser clan, treated differently than those loyal to the Gothric. of Gothric bloodlines. However, without the Fifth House to Finally, there are the confederates of the terrorist organi- reign Ghulistan in, the Gothric enacted a vicious blood war zation called the Walstanian Liberation Front. Their polit- against their Walstanian cousins. Count Leto Ravilla stood ical leader, the Count Leto Ravilla, is regarded as a populist in in defiance of the Grand Arbiter, and turned the Walstani- demagogue. While he was once an influential clergyman of an Liberation Front (WLF) into a true militia. Within a few the Fifth House, he formed the WLF at the end of the Bor- seasons, however, Walstania was brought to its knees by the der War. Originally founded as a network of rogue schol- better-organized Gothric nation. Count Leto was impris- ars and politicians, the invasion by Ghulistan transformed oned in his shattered stronghold at Drach’s Landing, and the the WLF into a full-fledged militia. Its members quickly 443 found themselves trading their pens for spears and books for animalistic god to wear the skins of men but are reputedly shields. Their actions have gained some ground in the Horn other than demon-born interlopers to this world. It is spoken but oftentimes put them in the path of Gulistani soldiers that they have violet eyes which can see through the murk of and sometimes their own kin. The WLF dwells mostly on night, and speak in hisses, for their tongues are splayed like a Walsta Isle. snake. And, when the moon is full, they can take the shape of walking wolves and other horrid lycanthropes. THE ENEMY WITHOUT Occupying the center of the continent is the province of The Nameless have also been called the Carbaen, so named Ghulistan, the most populous region of Goth Moran. Its for the petrified forest they call their home. Worshipping an great tracts of uncharted pinewood forests quickly give way aspect of a Daemon lord called the Poisoned Cradle, they to swampy morass and soaring peaks. Its leader, the Grand bear wooden masks as a token of esteem and prestige. To see Arbiter Luther Orlave, rules from a city of the province’s one of the Carbaen “unburdened” with their mask is to invite namesake. While the Grand Arbiter doesn’t share any direct danger, for their gaze can turn the most resolute of men’s bloodlines to the Fifth House, he installed himself as regent innards to jelly. Terrible poisons are reputedly used to grow to a child successor of the defunct Fifth House prince Vlad- their numbers, for the Carbaen are unable to bear children. imir Rasputin. Under the pretenses to re-establish the Fifth According to stories, should one fall to the ill blackness of House dynasty in all but name, his aims are two-fold: one, to their poisoned weapons, they can cause a man to “shrug off ” supplicate Ghulistan before the Aradain lords of New Ma- their soul and become one of the Nameless. hal with the hope of being crowned king of a unified Goth Regardless of the tales - if any of them are in fact true - the Moran. And two, exploit the natural resources of Walstania Nameless are treated with close superstition and are subject to leverage against his would-be allies. To see his vision come of fear throughout Goth Moran. They seemingly pick off to fruition, he instituted a pogrom to systematically eradicate their targets in a ritualistic fashion, eating the dead. The only the Walstanian people from Ghulistan entirely. Modeling real truth of these ancient folk are the curious red-fletched his army after the Legate reeves of the distant city-state of arrows left behind by their hunters, which speaks to the fact Kahabro, their spears ran red with blood. After conquering that they may not be monsters at all. the Old Believers, his reign of terror extended far beyond Ghulistan’s borders into Walstania. ADVENTURE IDEAS

Pressing beyond the Grunwald Forest (a thickly-forested di- A FEW GOOD MEN - The Walstanian Liberation Front viding line between the two provinces) the Grand Arbiter’s has begun to recruit once more. Rumor has it that the cap- troops engaged the Walstanian Liberation Front’s forces in tured Count Leto Ravilla, founder of the WLF, is being their homeland. After a series of pitched battles, the Gothric transported from the internment camp in Drach’s Landing captured the Count Leto Ravilla, the primary instigator of to deeper territory within Ghulistan. The WLF spy network the Walstanian uprising. Only but a few of his people were has indeed confirmed a high-valued target is being trans- spared, and surprisingly, Leto Ravilla remains a prisoner of ported into Walstania, but it’s likely not the Count. Fur- war in Drach’s Landing, the former capital of Walstania. thermore, the Gothric aren’t transporting the prisoner, but Remnants of the WLF fled to Walsta Isle. instead it’s the Black Knights of Aglador.

Even after the official declaration of peace with the Walsta- BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER BASQUE - In nearby nians, the genocide hasn’t discontinued. Some Gothric balk Swanzi, two minor Old Believer houses are squabbling over at these practices, seeing the blood war between their two na- taxes on river traffic. Given that each of the noblemen in tions as futile and evil. Detractors are quickly silenced, how- question owns one half of a massive drawbridge over the ever, while some Gothric have been known to disappear and Basque River, boatmen are unsure who to pay to pass. The never return. The dented helmets that pave the road into the drawbridge is down, river traffic is backing up quickly, and city of Ghulistan speaks of the unflinching hatred the Grand Gothric troops are reputedly being sent in by Overseer Al- Arbiter has for Walstania. phonse to put both men down. Are you willing to negotiate a truce yourselves? THE ENEMY BEYOND DARKNESS FALLS - A waterside coaching station called From the depths of the ancient forests of Ghulistan arises joy- Lloyd’s Beacon is known for its sizeable rooms, comfortable less dirges and haunting voices. Occupying the black-tinged beds and tasty eel pie. Positioned just a few miles before the Grunwald Forest are a mysterious people called the Nameless. river turns into the Cataracts, a waterfall of great propor- Legends have told of strange, animalistic tribes of people who tion, the station is a place where many goods are offloaded predate even the Farasemi slavemasters of Goth Moran. The onto carts to head into both Walstanian and Gothric prov- Nameless have lost all sense of their humanity, “gifted” by their inces. However, Grunwald Forest surrounds it on both sides. 444 Strange, red-fletched arrows have been seen shivering against Kahabro is a melting pot of people and of interests. Within the trees. Old Lloyd, housekeep of ‘the Beacon, speaks that 11 districts in the city, all 41 boroughs teem with activity. the Nameless haunt the mist-laden woods and have become However, none of these districts are as important as Kings- more aggressive since the Walstanian Liberation Front has row District of the Old City. Unlike the walled gardens of taken up in the nearby ruins of Crosstimber. the New City, Kingsrow bustles with activity both above and below the streets. Splitting Kingsrow District in twain is GANGS OF KAHABRO Lamplighter’s Way. All traffic in and out of Kingsrow makes The great city of Kahabro, oftentimes called the City of its way down this cobbled thoroughfare. Lamplighter’s Way Lights, is a fog-laden metropolis of considerable size. Oc- is to Kahabro in the same sense that the Carnahk River is to cupying a river delta where the mighty Carnahk River spills all of Goth Moran; those who controls Lamplighter’s Way forth into the sea of Gehennum Depths, Kahabro is by far has their hand in nearly every pie baked or brought into the the largest city on the continent of Goth Moran. Its streets city. In essence, the fight for Kingsrow District is the fight attract merchants and travelers of all stripe, from countries for Lamplighter’s Way. And in that, six distinct gangs jockey like northern Aglador, the twin emerald kingdoms of Dun- for control. brude, the Stark Vaasa and even far-flung Ancient Zahara. THE ENEMY WITHIN Like a layer cake, the City of Lights is a labyrinth, built upon another city and built upon ruins much older than most Most prominent of Kingsrow District gangs is Bad Com- remember. Established in the First Age by the mysterious pany. Lead by a Chaldean named Cyrus, they control over Chaldean ziggurat-builders, Kahabro’s first settlement was 19 boroughs in Kahabro. Bad Company gang members are wiped out by a massive deluge as the Carnahk swelled af- unmistakable in a crowd, for they dress in unclosed eastern ter the First Cataclysm. In the Second Age, the Farasemi robes and require their members to have ebony skin or shared League occupied the ruins and raised it up to be the fore- ancestry with the Chaldeans. Over many years, they fought most port in Goth Moran, dubbed the Old City. And final- a hard scrabble war to ascend to the top. Losing nearly ev- ly, after the rise of the Gothric slaves against the Farasemi erything they held precious, Cyrus led them to the top of slavemasters, the Third Age saw Kahabro grow to such great the heap. Proclaiming himself “King” Cyrus, no other gang proportions, it broke off on its own from Goth Moran. The commands the level of respect or street ‘cred Bad Company New City was founded and the Old City left to flounder, earned. split in half through a history of violent uprising. From a borough called Slattern Row, the notorious Pawns of There is no doubt that Kahabro is the most prosperous of Kingsrow rule. Perhaps the most numerous of the gangs in cities in the known world. The great Carnahk River splits Kahabro, they wear pawn pieces affixed to a necklace, with the Old City and New City in twain, as both river-going distinctive metal gaiters over their legs. Their leader - a blus- and sea-worthy ships dock and leave its ports. However, un- tering, hairpiece-wearing demagogue named Bishop - runs like its namesake would imply, it is no shining jewel. The a citywide prostitution ring from a vegetable market called Carnahk is the lifeblood of Goth Moran, and where there Turnip Tower. In the dying light of day, the minarets that are highways, there are highwaymen. Perched like a wastrel adorn the market towers appear characteristically like phal- across a rocky outcropping, Kahabro is positioned to take luses; perhaps no great irony, given the Pawn’s line of busi- advantage of every traveler it can by imposition of tax, graft ness. and theft. To call Kahabro a dynamic place is a vast under- statement. It has its own identity, despite being a melting In Oldpool Landing, the Oldpool Bravos are recognized as pot of cultures and races. You see, Kahabro lays within the business makers and breakers. A borough known for ruinous bounds of a fallen theocracy. After the dissolution of the dy- rococo manor homes, the Oldpool Bravos are the daughters nastic Fifth House, Kahabro was unfettered entirely from and sons of disenfranchised Gothric nobles. They mock the the princes’ reign. Having long extolling their supremacy, the traditions of the old Farasemi slavemasters, wearing outland- Kahabrans took it upon themselves to break away from Goth ish costumes, dye their mustachios and carry bright paint- Moran entirely. While Goth Moran’s provinces are cleaved ed clubs. The Oldpool Bravos can usually be found at the off like a great melting glacier, Kahabro grows stronger, but Bridge of Fists, a place notorious for illegal street fighting not without some upset. Mimicking the fallen dynasty, they or the twin taverns of Pink Olyphant and Blue Bard. Divid- elected merchant-princes from their own. Yet, uncertainty ed between Bluebloods - captains of a sort, Cutters - street grips the city. Political infighting has left Kahabro without enforcers and Berks - their rank and file - they will stop at a strong leader. Promoting chaos in the streets, its people nothing to enhance their recruitment campaign. grow desperate. And where there’s desperation, there’s op- portunity. The ringing of hammers in the Anvil burough is not the only sound you’ll hear in the streets. The clanking of chains from 445 Sons of the Carnahk rattle from every street corner. Seeing patrol the streets. The Legate maintain at least one barracks themselves as doomsayers and rough trade clergymen, they in every burough, unmistakably visible on the horizon with tether all manner of chains to denote their loyalty to a mortal a red star standard flying from the parapets. In total, there man named “Saint Pious”. Viewing Pious as some sort of are over 29 barracks in the Old City, while the New City deity reborn within Kingsrow, the Sons execute his wishes sports but 12. with fanaticism and extreme discrimination. Without great surprise, the Legate are chiefly focused on The notorious Nine Men rule Oldpool South burough. Stag- policing Kingsrow District of the Old City. Gangs have ran ing their operations out of an abandoned debtor’s prison, Kingsrow for generations, but never have they posed such as their leader is called “The Gent”. He run the most well-or- threat as they do today. With Lamplighter’s Way up for grabs, ganized ring of assassins throughout the city. While their the Legate have instituted a curfew for all citizens of the Old namesake implies there are only nine of them, it is believed CIty. The truth is that the Legate have become outnumbered their numbers are far greater. However, all go by a separate by gang members, nearly five to one. They have been wait- namesake to protect their true identities. Some of the more ing for the pot of the Old City to boil over, as tensions are well-recognized members is Beggar-king, Collector, Faceless at their peak. Legate patrols have found themselves beaten Man and The Bleeder. and broken in the back alleys of Kingsrow, while several have been killed by the gangs. Magistrate Callum Killbride of the From The Court burough, so hails the Betrothed. Led by a Old City has began a massive recruiting campaign, and have Border War veteran called The Captain, the Betrothed re- only recently opened up their ranks to non-Gothric ethnic- moved their ring finger as a promise of fealty to the gang. ities. If the Legate don’t do something quick, they may lose Their home turf is nestled near the ruins of a massive indus- control over Kingsrow District entirely. trial complex called Foundry. Betrothed youngbloods seek nothing more than to make a name for themselves. Fashion- THE ENEMY BEYOND ing themselves as hired “protagonists”, they sell themselves People new to the city begin to understand that the Kahab- to troubled businessmen put to the thumbscrew by other rans are occupied with not only what happens within its criminal syndicates. They like to fashion themselves as he- walls, but also beneath its streets. There is saying in Kahabro, roes in a sense, taking action against others who use extor- “as above, so below”. The last three ages have witnessed Ka- tion and blackmail to get rich off the back of earnest citizens. habro’s changing of hands, rulership passing from the Chal- A string of other gangs also call Kingsrow District their home, deans, to the Farasemi and finally to the Gothric. And as the such as The Cabal, Sistermen, Beggars of the Bowl, The Pro- river has swelled first from a creek into a massive river flow, fessed and Southwall Janissaries. However, their numbers of- much of the Old City remains either below water, or peaks ten quickly shift, rising and falling as they are either ran off or up above the river at times. Vast underground networks of killed by other gangs in Kahabro. tunnels were built among these ruins by the Farasemi to channel waste from the city into the Gehennum Depths. THE ENEMY WITHOUT However, much of the ruinous city has been left untouched. After the Fifth House drove out the Farasemi slavemasters This place is simply called the Understair. from Kahabro, remnants of their armies remained behind. Understair is both a reference to the old escape tunnels used Prince Victor Volgorr ordered his own own personal troop by the Gothric to escape the Farasemi slavemasters, and also to occupy the city, ordered to govern and protect the Gothric as it descends into an underlayer of the city. Indigent Walsta- people. In time, these forces would evolve into the Legate. nians, outcasts, cutthroats and more dwell in the Understair. The Legate of today still retain their military and guberna- However, their lairs are always close to the surface, as some- torial roots, although their focus is less about patrolling the thing darker still lingers below. A strange lot, called the Peo- walls from threats beyond but policing within. They are the ple Under The Stairs, are said to live deeper in the lightless judiciary arm of Kahabro, their coming signaled by a char- labyrinth. “Live” within may be an inaccurate term, however, acteristic iron star upon their breast. The role of the Legate given that the People Under the Stair are unmistakably the combined those of a reeve and judge, thus avoiding situa- restless dead. Dwelling in the secret chambers and burial tions where criminals can escape punishment through their tombs of the Chaldean pyramid-builders, the dead continue barristers. The Legate try and sentence offenders on the to wander throughout the Understair and its cities. To what spot. Although they serve at the merchant-princes pleasure end they seek, no one knows. However, odd howlings have and are leal servant of either the elected magistrate of the been heard in the Lady’s Well, one of the only recognizable Old or New City, they ultimately pay homage to the body means of ingress into the Understair. No one is willing to politic of Kahabro. Every burough in the city is overseen by delve within, given the stories. However, some speak that is a single Legate constable, with a handful of regulars who is not the dead in the bottom of the well, but in fact a massive 446 sea creature who yearns to be fed. Unsurprisingly, Farasemi for the English, and their last attempt did not bear fruit. Ar- sailors often pay tribute by throwing one of nine fish from tisans are chomping at the bit to get rights for their craft, their daily catch into the well. African slaves boil under their new found enslavement, and half a world away Europe is ignited in the flames of war as ADVENTURE IDEAS the Thirty Years War begins to smolder and spark. Colonists DANCE OF THE DEAD - Morticians throughout the are strangers in a strange land, and it seems the land (and the city have recently been outlawed from vivisecting bodies. other colonists) are out to get them. In the wake of this, Vallens the Fourfinger, local scoundrel and fence, has decided to take upon a new business: grave Though this seed is focused on Jamestown, it could easily robbery. He is seeking reliable gangers to enter the Under- be transferred to any number of colonial cities. For example, stair to dig corpses out from below their graves. Vallens only the colony of Pensacola, founded roughly 50 years earlier, wants people who can keep their mouths shut… and those underwent similar problems to Roanoke and was actually also willing to face whatever threats they may unearth below. wiped off the map due to a massive hurricane. Colonialism is Doubtlessly, the People Under The Stair may not appreciate an odd event in history and often a regrettable one, but the grave robbers from entering their demesne. terror and hubris it spawns is a perfect fodder for grim and perilous gaming. THEY ALL WANT YOU - Constable Albus Bernard of the Legate has begun a recruitment campaign in Oldpool Land- THE ENEMY WITHIN ing. They’re looking for a few good blokes to help round out Within Jamestown, a new experimental form of government their numbers. His elite unit, called the Redcloaks, are notori- has but recently been founded. Called the House of Burgess- ous for their exactitude of the law and are reputedly the best- es, this legislative body was established by the Virginia Com- paid Legate in the city. With the threat of the Legate numbers pany in order to tempt settlers to come to the New World growing, the Oldpool Bravos are gathering at the Bridge of and serve as a manner of addressing colonial concerns with Fists, hosting their own recruitment campaign. Carrington the Native Americans. Theirs goals are to make living easier, Whitehall, a Blueblood of the Oldpool Bravos, is sponsoring to keep the faith of the English crown alive and to ensure the an unsanctioned footlist to find a few good Berks to fill their Virginia Company’s assets remain solid. However, like most ranks. things this is only wishful thinking as the reality is much, much worse. WARRIORS, COME OUT AND PLAY - “King” Cyrus has requested every gang to send nine unarmed delegates to The representatives of the House of Burgesses are often ei- the Written Wall memorial. There, he has promised a golden ther wealthy Burghers or the nascent Aristocrat from the dawn for Kingsrow District: a way to conquer every remain- Virginia Company. They play favorites easily with each other ing burough in the Old City by ending the turf wars. Cyrus - electing friends to council seats, pressing harshly against is calling for a peace treaty between the gangs of Kingsrow Native Americans and exploit the countless indentured ser- to see this through. However, the Pawns of Kingsrow have vants and African slaves. Further, divisions continue to wid- something else entirely planned that the gangs don’t know en in the House between the Burghers who felt they should about - shoot Cyrus, and frame another gang for it! own the land they worked on and Aristocrats who feel it is theirs by birthright. The Governor is an apathetic figurehead, LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE mostly lounging in his rich estate as the colony suffers from The year is 1619, and the English have only just begun to set- within from crop shortages, disease and Native American tle the Americas. Although there has been several attempts raids on their outlying settlements. Not to mention voting to populate, failed Roanoke and the mysteries surrounding it rights are currently only for German and English settlers, cast doubt into the minds of would-be colonists. Frightened with Polish and Slovaks being unable to vote. pilgrims speak of dark, unnatural things in the forests, as the As vile and regrettable as it is, Jamestown was one of the threat of Native American onslaught overshadows even the first English settlements to see the widespread use of African most redoubtable of pioneers. At the center of this conflict slavery. This ‘peculiar institution’ really began in this town - lay Jamestown, the first successful settlement of the Virginia this year saw the first shipment of around 50 slaves aboard Company. Yet after nearly half a generation, what happened a Portuguese slaving vessel. People are still unaware of the to the lost colony of Roanoke remains a mystery. impacts of slavery - in fact, most slaves are treated mainly as It is a time on uncertainty in Jamestown: the government is just Lowborn, instead of being outright outcastes. Still, there corrupt and uncertain, tensions run high with neighbors, and are tensions between the Africans and their captors - the it seems more and more people die or disappear daily under language and culture barrier is massive, and the actual aspect mysterious circumstances. Colonialism is a new experiment of slavery is of course a blight. Native Americans are also 447 using this knowledge against the settlers, trying to recruit The woods, salt marshes and mountains of Virginia have Africans to join their cause out of sympathy. always been dangerous places, but pioneers who dwell near Roanoke and surrounding areas have gone missing in larger THE ENEMY WITHOUT numbers as of late. Settlers are quick to blame the Natives. Jamestown and the colony of Virginia in general is surround- Should you ask the shaman of the Powhatan tribes, they ed on all sides by sometimes rivals, sometimes friends. The speak of something incredibly more dire. Called Manitou, most obvious and constant threat is the remnant Powhatan this term is used by many tribes to describe diabolical spir- Confederacy - a collection of loosely-aligned Native Ameri- itual beings and essences of the land that live beyond this can tribes that struggle to bring back together their alliance. one. They are seen as gods in some senses, demons in others. Historically, the Powhatan Confederacy is most famous for Manitou are said to dwell upon the periphery of the world birthing Pocahontas, a story many readers may be aware of. within a placed called Croatoan. Natives fear that the Man- Natives are severely restricted in their ability to move within itou are forming in great numbers since the settlers began Tidewater Virginia, as the government enforces strict border growing in Jamestown. The last time the Powhatan tribes patrol and forces them to pay English tribute yearly. sensed this, Roanoke was wiped off the map.

Tribesmen of the Powhatan Confederacy regularly attack Roanoke Island remains a great mystery. Curious settlers and outlying settlements near Jamestown, steal cattle and other adventures have led forays into the marshes that surround livestock, as well as burn tobacco fields. Within the Con- the so-called “Lost Colony”, but rare few return. Most die federacy, however, there are friendlier tribes as well (such as of drowning, curiously - much like the founder of the Ro- the Pamunkey, Mattaponi and Kiskiack), but many settlers anoke enterprise Sir Humphrey Gilbert. Those who do re- either fail or refuse to see the distance. Some tribal leaders port strange spirits haunting the island, with unearthly songs wish to once again reunite the tribe and clear Virginia of the upon the wind at dark. Reaching the island in itself has even “white man” for good, as more and more intertribal meetings been proven a massive task, with Samuel Mace being the are taking place to wipe out the entirety of Jamestown. last expeditionist who simply failed. Who and what dwells within Roanoke is unknown, and people simply do not have The other pressure is a colonial one. Both Spain and France the wherewithal or guts to investigate any further, chalking have long been rivals of England, and their massive colo- it up to supernatural events mankind is simply not meant to nies lick at the heels of Virginia and Jamestown. Though ag- know. Others look towards the churning sea, and whisper of gression is rarely outright shown, they threaten Jamestown demoniac beings living underneath the waves. with small raids conducted by the colonists of those two na- tions. Many also have much better relations with the Native Aside from the manitou, there is another dark secret among Americans, often lending them weapons, food and shelter Jamestown, and that was during the Starving Time. In 1610, to force proxy raids on the English. This has obviously lead a third supply ship was stranded in Bermuda during a storm, to reduced food supplies and sometimes even a hindrance in where the crew spent nine months building new ships. The Jamestown’s lucrative glass manufacturing. colony had a particularly bad crop harvest, and so their sup- plies were low and they were forced to starve - nearly 120 Finally, the land around Jamestown is still wild and untamed. settlers died during that cruel time. The ones who survived Deep marshes, soaring mountains and dark woods surround speak in hushed tones about the terrible things they had to the colony on all sides, and within live beasts of all stripes. do in order to live, including turning their knives on their Bears, mountain lions, eagles, poisonous plant life, disease rid- fellow man. This cannibalism has obviously been hidden den insects, sharks and even the odd crocodilian all do not from the House of Burgess and most new settlers, but the appreciate the settlers to this new land either. Not to mention older colonists sit and worry about vengeful spirits of those these beasts dwell near needed natural resources and the Na- they were forced to devour nearly a decade ago. tive’s culture of preserving animal life leaves no safe option if the colony wants to thrive and expand. ADVENTURE IDEAS THE ENEMY BEYOND GHOSTS OF ROANOKE - A group of children declar- ing themselves ghost hunters have ran away from Jamestown Nearly thirty years ago, the attempted first colony of the En- into the old ruins of Roanoke, set to investigate the presence glish - known as Roanoke - disappeared suddenly off the face of spirits and what happened to them. This happened a week of the map. Investigations have been mounted by various peo- ago, and the children still have not returned. Their parents ple, notably John Smith who reported that Powhatan - the are worried they were attacked by wildlife or maybe Powha- chief of the Powhatan Confederacy - personally launched the tans, but a few others whisper that maybe the Manitou did raid to slaughter the colonials himself. Investigations have get them in the end. turned up scant evidence of this theory, however. 448 HIDDEN SHAME - The local Harrison family, a lineage caped The Other, yes but the Hospitaliers’ prayers to Sol In- that descends from a long-line of fisherman, have recently had victus were left unanswered following their arrival. Had they a child. However, the child has not been physically seen by ventured too far beyond? Was this the Eden prophesied of? anyone since the birth roughly four months ago. Further, the Left with no choice, the Outremers followed protocols given Harrison’s shed on their fishing dock is said to release terrible to them by the godhead. Eden became their new home. noises and smells in the middle of the night, and the Harrison patriarch is sometimes seen carrying giant buckets of fish into Now, nearly 1700 years later, the massive city known as Out- the shed and then leaving. Governor Thomas Gates is becom- remer stands as a bastion in the Hinterlands around the city. ing quite concerned about this, and asks the party to intervene. Beset on all sides by mutants, the survivors try to eek out an existence devoid of Sol Invictus’s divine voice. The ruler of Ou- THE SILENT CREW - The port of Jamestown has just tremer, the Elector-Prelate, hides behind his guard of Templar come under a blockade by a small fleet of Spanish privateers, arch-knights. His supplicant Hospitalier techno-priests engi- making it hard for them to get supplies and letting the Spanish neers countless adventurers on “Crusades” into the surround- pirates run ragged over the city. The biggest threat, however, is ing wilderness for the glory of Outremer. This world is not the fleet’s admiral - Pedro Cortez, who was rumored to have safe and it is not kind, but it is the only one they know. gone down with his first ship but somehow survived, though not without a deathly pallor. The crew of his ship, Padre de THE ENEMY WITHIN Dios, all are silent - their tongues cut out to best obscure the Outremer, sometimes called the Living City, is the sole settle- tellings of their numerous crimes. ment of Eden. Housing over 100 million souls, Outremer is an enormous sprawl in a constant state of upheaval. The city DARK ASTRAL: OUTREMER spreads up, down and out - it is old and under constant stress, It is the far future, but in a not-so-distant past of the one as the archaic machines that run it constantly breaking down we recognize as the Renaissance. Following the desecration only to be patched together in an emergency. Within the city, of their garden world of Eden, the people fled in a massive social class is all important - not only does it determine one’s diaspora under the auspices of an immortal technocrat called role within Outremer society, but is often their permanent sta- Sol Invictus. In the darkness of the Astral, New Jerusalem tion in life. was built, a pinnacle of humanity’s greatness. As time pro- The megacity is divided into four sectors called Chanceries, gressed, the memory of Eden was lost to a new dawn, re- each one inhabited by a specific social class, and oftentimes garded barely as a faint echo in Sol Invictus’s convocations. even a specific race. Though each Chancery must work togeth- As humanity’s faith and culture spread to new worlds, so did er for Outremer to survive, they are constantly at each other’s the threats of an unknown universe grow. throats and will not mix in the minimum. Most of the city is An unforeseen enemy emerged from the vastness of the As- sitting on a powder keg of pent up aggression. Factories in tral. Civilization was threatened by what was simply called the city constantly suffering brownouts due to power short- “The Other”. Not even the godhead could protect the people ages, incursions from the wastes lead to murder and a general from the horrors to come. Unable to cope with the wrath of disdain amongst the populace for one another. In fact, many The Other’s legions, survivors of New Jerusalem congregated regard Outremer as less a bastion of civilization and more of in the Last Cathedral, pleading to a dying Sol Invictus for an enormous meatgrinder: people go in, and meat comes out answers. The Templars - paladins of the godhead - interpret- the other side, with the Templar force turning the handle. ed the grim omens. Humanity was tasked with a holy quest, Below the city is the sweltering bowels of Edessa, the core commanded to make pilgrimage back to Eden. Gathering of industry and power to the entire city. Here, enslaved mu- the best and brightest, a massive ark known as Outremer was tants of Eden and spirit-bound automata called Golems toil built in the few short years to follow. Housing nearly a mil- ceaselessly to keep Outremer functioning. They have no so- lion souls and three of every beast, it raised anchor, departing cial class, and enjoy little privilege save those which are af- New Jerusalem shortly before it was destroyed by The Oth- forded to them living outside the public eye. er’s infernal weaponry. It took nearly six generations for the ark’s survivors find the path back to Eden. But it was not the On the ground level is the Chancery called Old Jerusalem, Eden spoken of in the sermons. a massive sprawl of the Lowborn where the vast majority of Outremer society thrives. Criminals, lepers, laborers and An aurora of darkness surrounded Eden, an emerald jew- “sanctioned” mutants (those who’ve accepted Sol Invictus as el encircled by a haze of dark Magick. Passing through the their god) stand within the shadow of higher Chanceries, whorl of chaos, Outremer nearly disintegrated as it hurdled scraping together what few could call a life. Old Jerusalem is towards Eden. Nearly broken, remnants of the ark and a disease-ridden, full of unnamed and crumbling villages, and mere fraction of humanity survived the impact. They had es- home to gang activity. Oftentimes, a ‘Jerusalemer’s only hope 449 of upward movement is by joining a Crusade. Those are not the only hindrance to Outremer - some pio- neers have broken off from Outremer, set to create their own Further up is Tripoli, home of the Burghers. Among the state- burgs and civilizations among the world. Dubbed apostates, ly residential holdings, the inhabitants dwell with little wor- they live unhindered from the rules and morals of Outremer ries. They are service workers, craftsmen, doctors and more, society to dwell upon the fellest of Magicks and the most vile with the ever influential Hospitalier techno-priests also keep- of technologies. These heretics are probably the most dan- ing their massive churches and learning centers within. How- gerous of Outremer’s enemies, as they know the intricacies ever, affluent Burghers possess “House Golems”, branded with of their former home and how to best strike at it for maxi- personal heraldry and standards, to aid in their work. Tripoli is mum destruction. also the major training ground of Outremer’s adepts to Sol In- victus, as well as the center of the Elector-Prelate’s Crusades. THE ENEMY BEYOND

Finally at the top, among golden steeples of opulence and A strange crystal litters the surface of Eden - a sickly green in echoing chambers of governance is Antioch, the realm of in color, it pulses with an energy not of this world. Known the Aristocracy. Connected by skywalks, the soaring towers as Wytchstone, the citizens of Outremer have discovered its arise over the entire city, far above the petty squabbles and effective use as a power source - not only does it fuel the derelict Chanceries below. Residents of Antioch are almost forges of Outremer, but powers energy weaponry, fuels im- an entirely different species - they are haughty and aloof, a plants and keeps horseless carriages called Rumblebutlers in combination of decadent nobility and ranking priesthood. top performance. Antioch is also the home of the elite Templar arch-knights, Wytchstone is not harmless, though. It gives off a terrible Outremers most dangerous and highly trained military reli- radiation that often results in madness, mutation and some- gious force. Though Antioch and Tripoli are similar, Antioch times worse. Wytchstone is also used in the fledgling adepts is almost like another reality with its general cleanliness and of Magick, but whether Wytchstone is the actual source of ignorance - in fact, some Antiochian children do not even Magick or rather just a focus is up for debate. Either way, it know there are lower Chanceries. is far too dangerous and is heavily regulated to only certain THE ENEMY WITHOUT practitioners, but that does not prevent the curious from po- tentially ripping open portals in reality. When large concen- Make no mistake, though it may be the original home of trations of Wytchstone are grouped together - they bend and humanity, all Eden is wild, unpredictable and angry. Most of distort reality, allowing horrid Abyssal servants of The Other Eden is mysterious and uncharted, given that technological to slip through the seams of existence and run ragged upon advances have floundered since the destruction of New Je- the land. rusalem. One thing is an assurity - the laws of nature do not readily apply therein. One stretch of the Hinterlands may Wytchstone is the most important resource on Eden by far, it be covered in a swathe of impenetrable jungle. Vast deserts being the center of conflict between Outremer and the wild- break up the flora, consisting of scorched, irradiated sands, lands’ countless denizens. It is so important that a new class just as likely to burn one alive as to mutate them. From out of has sprouted up in Outremer - the Crusaders. State-sanc- nowhere, tundras emerge frigid and glassy, causing frostbite tioned adventurers of a sort, they come from all walks of life in a manner of minutes. Nestled within these terrible lands and are expected to head into the wastes to scavenge Wytch- lays the old cities of humanity, and within old technologies, stone, plumb for ancient technology and ruins, and eliminate forbidden lore and treasures that the Elector-Prelate believes any threats to the Outremer way of life. Joining a Crusade is may save Outremer from its own destruction. often the only way to obtain fame and glory, but the risks are numerous and the rewards faltering at best. Beings of all type stalk the lands of Eden, perched at the edge of civilization, looking for inroads. Mutants are espe- ADVENTURE IDEAS cially common, devolved creatures of little intelligence or CLARION CALL - Crusaders has been requisitioned benefit. In ruinous cities, supernaturally possessed statues to head into the Hinterlands to respond to a distress call of violent nature carry out tasks they were engineered for from the Teutonic League, a famous group of arch-knights over thousands of years ago. Plants come to life in capricious thought dead after the crash of Outremer. The beacon is malevolence, given wavering, aethereal life. All of them are faint but present, and it leads into deadly lands haunted by lost and violent, claiming Eden is theirs and that humanity mutant and beast alike. If it turns out to be a false signal, is intruding upon it. Whether they have formal states of any the Elector-Prelate would still ask for proof of the Teutonic kind of organization is yet to be seen, but more than one League’s demise. Crusader team has fallen down upon their duties due to the slavering of mutated jaws. SLOWMO - A new designer drug has ravaged the streets 450 of Old Jerusalem. Known as SlowMo, it is a depressant that force. They converted the once beautiful countryside and usually leaves the user in a mellow state. Reducing percep- soaring castles into the dour Bleak. tion to a mere fraction of a second, the user can perceive col- ors more vividly as the world slows down to a crawl around The Daemons gave their most trusted officers pieces of land them. However, bad batches have the opposite effect, incit- in the barren ruins of the countryside - fortresses in half-de- ing hyper violence and cannibalism. More and more reports molished castles, savage tribal homes in onc- sprawling cities of these bad batches are sprouting up, meaning they may be and necropoli turned into metropoli. But these new count- coming from a central source trying to collapse Outremer less kingdoms, baronies and duchies could not stand idly by from within. - as over the next ridge was a scheming rival or a murderous band who had no right to their land. The Bleak has been in a THE BLACK GEAR - A rogue band of Skrzzak have constant state of war ever since it was wiped clean. managed to tunnel into Edessa, dismantling a power mill that provides clean water to half the Chancery. The Hospi- Now it is centuries later, and those who were initially born taliers can fix most of it, but the Skrzzak took a one-of-a- out of war slowly tire of it. It is a never ending loop of entro- kind Wytchstone gear that must be recovered. Crusaders are py - one kingdom falls to only start a rebel uprising that re- recruited to venture into the Skrzzak’s tunnels and search out sults in a coup that forges a new kingdom that attacks anoth- the missing equipment. er kingdom. The land is dead and depleted of resources, and the only way to sustain these kingdoms is through raids and SLAVES TO CHAOS: THE BLEAK war. The earth cracks beneath the march of boots and water pollutes and dries up. Endless war is fueled by the Daemons Since the beginning of time immemorial, from beyond the as the world grows cold and the sun grows red and bloated. stars and in between shadows, the terrible Daemons brooded upon our world. The Daemons were once gods of a sort, the You stand at the precipice of extinction, not just of your peo- primordial creators of reality, banished into the blackest pits ple but of the entire world. You know the only thing to save by the new Gods for their foulness. There they have sat and yourself is to restore some semblance of order - clear dev- watched us, as humanity evolved from barbarism into civili- il-haunted ruins, end border skirmishes and stop the geno- zations. The eleven Daemons could not influence the world cides. But when entropy and destruction is in your very na- directly, so they influenced mortal agents to do their bidding. ture, how can you overcome your urges to save reality? Will you lead the barbaric tribes and nations into an era of civi- At first the influence was subtle and small, but as the world lized peace, or will you stand alone as the king of dust above soldiered on past wars, genocides, crusades and destruction, a valley of bones? the more the fear and the message of the Daemons became louder and louder. Bestial and monstrous servants began THE ENEMY WITHIN being summoned by mortal warlocks, while necromancers Government does not exist within the Bleak, at least on any punctured reality to pull out souls and bind them into corps- large scale. The small settlements and kingdoms, many with less es. Humanity became aware of this threat soon - but their than a mile or two of land, are ruled by any mutant with the ca- infighting and warmongering left them weak against the al- pacity to lead and gather forces can enforce borders if they like. most unstoppable forces of Corruption. Regardless, the Daemons and their followers have an alliance, Despite valiant wars and an era of true heroics, one by one though calling it shaky may be an understatement. Though cor- the forces of the Daemon grew and toppled nation after na- dially there is a peace, factionalism throughout the Bleak runs tion - butchering its inhabitants, salting its lands, mutating rampant. Each sentient being follows a Pact, something of a its animal life. As humanity died, so did the gods, as they combination between a religion, a faction and a kingdom - one had no faith to feed and thrive on. The forces of Corruption for each of the Daemons, sometimes informally called agicks. however steadily grew, as their numbers expanded and the Each Pact has different methods, goals and means. For ex- Daemons grew so heavy in power and form that they were ample, the Pact of the Prince of Violence believes that might able to manifest in this reality on their own whim. makes right and that violence is the only correct means to an This was how the world ended, not with a bang but with a end - thus, they hold ritualistic combat and war in high re- whimper. The Daemons strode across the earth, raising up gard. On the other hand, the Pact of the Black Lodge devotes their own damned fortresses and cities for their worshippers themselves to protecting the little non-corrupted wilderness to live within. They declared a total anarchy - a society free of that still exists. People of different Pacts work together, but rules where Aztlan, Grendel, Orx, Skrrzak and more could this also causes a tendency to butt idealistic heads - and in a do as they please. They have formed a broken but stable so- world of violence such as the Bleak, sometimes metaphorical ciety, one where might makes right and rulership is about head butting turns into butting axes. 451 Each Pact’s faith is led directly by one of the Viceroys, who their crusade against humanity with at least a minor alli- gives out general decrees and motives to the Pact members ance. However, bonds are becoming more and more strained, at large. Only the most trusted and proven within a Pact and whispers of rebellion and rulership abound. Many of have permission to have counsel with a Viceroy. How this is the closest consorts to the Daemons speak of the Antipater, done is a mystery, as the Viceroys like to keep their locations a position in which one Daemon reigns supreme over the a secret so as to avoid direct confrontation with any of their other ten. The shadow wars they play are both insidious and so-called allies. Some Pacts have ranking structures, but like destructive, and who is in the lead changes almost daily. most things in the Bleak, it is generally a free-for-all where experience makes the difference. There is an odd familiarity about the Antipater, however. Some scholars of daemonology believe there has been several THE ENEMY WITHOUT Antipaters before only to be overthrown, similar to the up- Though the endless warfare amongst the myriad kingdoms start kingdoms of the Bleak. It has literally been uncounted and Pacts of the Bleak is their main source of strife, there ages since mankind has fallen - some are starting to think is another threat that looms on the borders of the outlands the Bleak has simply always existed, has always been a haven - humanity. Yes, despite the Daemons benedictions and ser- for monstrosities. Others think there is no Bleak, and that no mons, not all of humanity has fallen into the flames of the one had ever breached the Abyss in the first place. Abyss. Small pockets still exist, but they are hold up and Even the Daemons are uncertain, for they view time as a fabric scared with little communication between them. Ironically, of patterns - any of the aforementioned could be true, or none they are much as the mutants and humanoids once were, of it could. The question stands on if the Bleak has been in marginalized and forced to rely on raiding and theft in order an endless cycle for all eternity, a cyclical entropy that is just to survive. now cooling down to a heat death. And if so, is there a reason The issue began with human enslavement, which was the for bands of misfits to struggle against the dying of the light? Daemon’s first solution to the question of humanity. Howev- These thoughts haunt many, and no solution is in sight. er, due to nascent guards and the total anarchy of the Bleak, ADVENTURE IDEAS several slaves had escaped and started an underground move- ment called the New Dawn. Since then, the New Dawn has TIME IS A FLAT CIRCLE - The Duke of Briarpatch, a grown, raiding slave pens and striking at mutant settlements mostly Grendel duchy in the middle of an old growth for- with reckless abandon. It is said they are lead by someone est, commissions the party to investigate a mine that was called the ‘Knight of Luminescence’, but no human has yet supposedly recently uncovered. Upon visiting the mine, they to speak under torture, death or reincarnation. uncover a group of corpses that looks shockingly similar to themselves. Now it has been suggested that all humans be killed on sight, and those still within enslavement are severely guarded, cas- TRAITOR AMONGST US - A contingent of the New trated and even at times crippled. The Daemons are especial- Dawn breaks free a chain gang, and it is the party’s job to ly fearful that the New Dawn may stumble upon some kind find where they lead the slaves. However, upon finding the of Magickal weapon in the ruins of humanity, as more than escaped slaves, they discover that they are actually Aztlan a few of those had struck a blow to the early efforts of their who have taken to living in peace with the New Dawn. invasion. New Dawn members are considered terrorists of SILENT DEATH - One of the Daemons, the Gilded the highest caliber, trying to disrupt the entropic way of life Pharoah, has gone strangely silent with those within his with the diabolical thought of ‘order’. Pact. What’s worse is that no one can die anymore - if they THE ENEMY BEYOND are struck down, they simply rise again whole. The party is hired by the most influential leaders of the Pact of the Gild- Though beings such as mutants, Skrrzak, Atzlan and Orx ed Pharaoh to investigate the Daemon’s last known location, are now the masters of the dying world, that does not mean a city sized graveyard called Muerto. they are the only thing on it. Uncontrolled beasts and un- dead monstrosities haunt the landscapes from the long wars, and they are just as willing to devour a mutant as they would have a human. They also have a tendency to be drawn to ruins of old cities and townships, which are coincidentally where many mutants try to forage for supplies.

But this is not the main concern of the supernatural, as in the realms beyond stir with anger. The Daemons began 452 APPENDIX

APPENDIX A: DAMAGE CONDITION TRACKER

Lightly Moderately Seriously Grievously Combatant Slain! Notes Wounded Wounded Wounded Wounded

453 APPENDIX B: ALTERNATIVE WEAPON DAMAGE Martial Melee Alternative Damage Battle axe CB+2 Court sword AB+2 Simple Melee Alternative Damage Estoc AB+2 Bare-handed BB Flanged mace CB+1 Blackjack CB Main gauche AB Bullwhip NONE Military lance CB+3 Cudgel CB Misericorde AB Dirk AB Morgenstern CB+2 Fire-hardened spear CB+1 Mortuary sword CB+1 Garrote NONE Pike CB+3 Improvised hand weapon BB Pole cleaver CB+3 Knuckleduster BB Sabre CB+1 Rapier AB+1 War hammer CB+3 Shiv CB Zweihander CB+3 Splitting maul CB+1 Martial Ranged Alternative Damage Staff BB Arbalest crossbow CB+2 Stiletto CB Arquebus CB+2 Threshing flail CB Composite bow AB+2 Woodsman’s axe CB Dragon pistol CB Simple Ranged Alternative Damage Dueling pistol CB+2 Blunderbus CB Flintlock pistol CB+1 Bolas NONE Longbow AB+2 Bottle bomb CB Musket CB+3 Francisca CB+1 Three-barrel pistol CB Hunting bow AB+1 Improvised throwing BB weapon Javelin CB Light crossbow CB+1 Shepherd’s sling CB Throwing knife AB

454 APPENDIX C: PIECEMEAL ARMOR

Damage Threshold Damage Threshold Armor Type Cost Armor Type Cost Modifier Modifier

CLOTHING 0 ALL - BRIGANDINE ARMOR 3 ALL 33gc

Shirt (arms, body) 0 arms, body - Jack (body) 3 body 13gc

Surcoat Leggings (legs) 0 legs - 3 arms, body, legs 29gc (arms, body and legs)

Cap (head) 0 head - Cuisses (legs) 3 legs 7gc

FUR OR HIDE 1 ALL 6gc Barbute (head) 3 head 2gc ARMOR Aketon (arms, body 1 arms, body, legs 5gc MAIL ARMOR 4 ALL 65gc and legs) Hauberk Leggins (legs) 1 legs 1gc 4 arms, body, legs 58gc (arms, body and legs) Gambeson (arms and 1 arms, body 4gc Chausses (legs) 4 legs 13gc body)

Jerkin (body) 1 body 2gc Byrnie (arms and body) 4 arms, body 46gc

Arming cap (head) 1 head 5ss Haubergeon (body) 4 body 26gc

QUILTED ARMOR 1 ALL 11gc Coif (head) 4 head 7gc

Aketon (arms, body MUNITIONS PLATE 1 arms, body, legs 9gc 5 ALL 88gc and legs) ARMOR

Leggins (legs) 1 legs 2gc Breastplate (body) 5 body 35gc

Gambeson (arms and 1 arms, body 8gc Pauldrons (arms) 5 arms 26gc body)

Jerkin (body) 1 body 4gc Schynbalds (legs) 5 legs 17gc

Arming cap (head) 1 head 10ss Aventail (head) 5 head 10gc

LEATHER ARMOR 2 ALL 20gc FULL PLATE ARMOR 6 ALL 179gc

Gaiters (legs) 2 legs 4gc Breastplate (body) 6 body 72gc

Buff Coat (arms and 2 arms, body 14gc Spaulders (arms) 6 arms 54gc body)

Jerkin (body) 2 body 8gc Greaves (legs) 6 legs 36gc

Capeline (head) 2 head 1gc Bascinet (head) 6 head 17gc

455 APPENDIX D: INJURIES

Percentile Moderate Percentile Serious Description Description Dice Injury Dice Injury Ignore Injury, keep your Ignore Injury, keep your Fortune’s Fortune’s 1 to 8 Fate Point and continue 1 to 8 Fate Point and continue Mercy! Mercy! fighting onwards! fighting onwards! Until fully recuperated, Your armor gains the you must flip the results to Ruined Quality. Until fully 9 to 16 Black Eye fail Skill Tests which rely recuperated, you cannot 9 to 16 Broken Rib on vision. add Skill Ranks to Combat, Until fully recuperated, Brawn or Agility-based 17 to 25 Bruised Ribs reduce your Encumbrance Skills. Limit by 3. Until fully recuperated, any time you fail a Skill Test Until fully recuperated, Busted Dislocated 17 to 25 that relies on Brawn or 26 to 33 you start your Turn with 1 Kneecap Shoulder Agility, you suffer 2D10+2 less Action Point. physical Peril. Until fully recuperated, Until fully recuperated, you Fractured Hyper- you must flip the results to 26 to 33 must succeed a Scrutinize Larynx 34 to 41 extended fail all Actions in Com- Test to speak. Elbow bat that rely on ranged Until fully recuperated, you weapons. Head You immediately drop 34 to 41 cannot use Special Actions Trauma whatever you are holding. in combat. Until fully recuperated, Jammed 42 to 49 you must flip the results Minor Until fully recuperated, you Finger 42 to 49 to fail all melee weapon Concussion remain Incapacitated! attacks with your primary hand. Until fully recuperated, you Until fully recuperated, 50 to 58 Shell Shock cannot add Fury Dice to Pulled Mus- you must flip the results to 50 to 58 Total Damage. cle fail all Brawn-based Skill Until fully recuperated, you Tests. Skull 59 to 67 must flip the results to fail Rattled Until fully recuperated, Fracture 59 to 67 all Skill Tests. Brain reduce your Initiative by 3. Until fully recuperated, Stress Until fully recuperated, 68 to 76 you cannot Counterspell, you cannot hold anything Fracture Sprained Dodge or Parry. 68 to 76 in your primary hand, and Wrist You are knocked Prone. must rely on your off- Temporary 77 to 85 Until fully recuperated, you hand. Paralysis Until fully recuperated, cannot move your legs. Strained you cannot use any Move- Whatever you are holding 77 to 85 Groin ment Actions asides Walk in your primary hand gains in combat. Torn the Ruined Quality. Until 86 to 92 Until fully recuperated, Shoulder fully recuperated, you Twisted 86 to 92 reduce your Movement start your Turn with 2 less Ankle by 3. Action Points. Reference the Grievous Reference the Serious 93 to 100 Misfortune! 93 to 100 Misfortune! Injury table instead! Injury table instead!

456 APPENDIX D: INJURIES CONTINUED

Percentile Grievous Description Dice Injury Fortune’s 1 to 8 Ignore Injury, keep your Fate Point and continue fighting onwards! Mercy! Until fully recuperated, you cannot move as you’re temporarily paralyzed with pain. You Butchered must undergo a successful surgery, or suffer the consequences. Once a Butchered Leg has 9 to 16 Leg undergone a failed surgery, you gain the Veteran’s Leg Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Agility. Until fully recuperated, you remain Incapacitated! and unconscious. You must undergo a Cerebral successful surgery, or suffer the consequences. Once a Cerebral Contusion has undergone a 17 to 25 Contusion failed surgery, you gain the Dunderhead Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Intelligence. Until fully recuperated, you cannot hear as you’re paralyzed with pain. You must undergo a Detached successful surgery, or suffer the consequences. Once a Detached Ear is lost has undergone 26 to 33 Ear a failed surgery, you suffer the Crop Ear Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Perception. Until fully recuperated, you cannot lift anything in your arms heavier than 1 Encumbrance, as you’re paralyzed with pain. You must undergo a successful surgery, or suffer the conse- Maimed 34 to 41 quences. Once a Maimed Foot has undergone a failed surgery, you lose 1D6-1 toes. For Foot every toe lost, you permanently lose 1% Brawn. If you lose all toes, you gain the Veteran’s Boot Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Brawn. Until fully recuperated, you remain Incapacitated!. You must undergo a successful surgery, or Mangled suffer the consequences. Once a Mangled Organ has undergone a failed surgery, you perma- 42 to 49 Organ nently gain the Eunuch Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Fellowship. Until fully recuperated, you cannot use your primary hand as you’re paralyzed with pain. You must undergo a successful surgery, or suffer the consequences. Once a Mutilated Hand has Mutilated 50 to 58 undergone a failed surgery, you lose 1D6-1 fingers. For every finger lost, you permanently Hand lose 1% Agility. If you lose all fingers, you gain the Veteran’s Hand Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Agility. Until fully recuperated, you cannot speak as you’re paralyzed with pain. You must undergo Mutilated a successful surgery, or suffer the consequences. Once a Mutilated Nose has undergone a 59 to 67 Nose failed surgery, you permanently must flip the results to fail all Skill Tests which rely on smell and taste. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Perception. Until fully recuperated, you remain Incapacitated!. You must undergo a successful surgery, or Punctured suffer the consequences. Once a Punctured Lung has undergone a failed surgery, you perma- 68 to 76 Lung nently gain the Weak Lungs Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Willpower. Until fully recuperated, you cannot use one of your arms as you’re temporarily paralyzed Splintered with pain. You must undergo a successful surgery, or suffer the consequences. Once a Splin- 77 to 85 Elbow tered Elbow has undergone a failed surgery, you can no longer use two-handed ranged weapons. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Combat. Until fully recuperated, you cannot see as you’re temporarily blinded. You must undergo a Vitreous successful surgery, or suffer the consequences. Once a Vitreous Hemorrhage has undergone 86 to 92 Hemorrhage a failed surgery, you gain the Black Cataract Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you permanently lose 9% Perception. Severed 93 to 100 An arterial spray of blood marks your doom; you are instantly Slain! Artery 457 APPENDIX E: SLAIN! Tables - BLADED

Percentile Bladed Description Dice

Your weapon carves an arc from your foe’s temple through the jaw and deep into the shoulder, causing you 1 to 8 to be showered by an arterial spray of blood.

Your weapon carves deeply into your foe’s hip and pelvis, severing the near leg from the body before bury- 17 to 25 ing itself into the far leg. They slide off your weapon slowly, dead before their body hits the ground.

Your weapon cleanly arcs through the belly of your foe, disemboweled. Fighting for air, the stomach cavity 26 to 33 opens and closes with every breath, appearing like a grim smile as they fall face first to the ground.

Your weapon cleanly severs the head of your foe from their neck. The head lands and rolls a few yards 34 to 41 away, madly working in a futile attempt to gasp for air.

Your weapon crashes into the shoulder of your foe, tearing a ragged arc through the chest cavity before 42 to 49 emerging near the hip. The flesh slips away from the ribcage like an unzipped coat, revealing musculature and viscera within.

Your weapon drives deep into the chest of your foe, fracturing ribs, puncturing a lung, and finally severing 50 to 58 the heart and aorta, showering both of you in a fountain of blood.

Your weapon drives into the inner thigh of your foe, lacerating the femoral artery. They collapse in a spray 59 to 67 of blood, which continues to spurt rhythmically for a few moments until they expire.

Your weapon drives through your foe’s shoulder and carries on into the chest cavity. Shocked, they slide 68 to 76 slowly off your blade and onto the ground in an ever-widening pool of blood, where they remain twitch- ing, until inevitable death occurs.

Your weapon drives through your foe’s shoulder and fractures the end of their collarbone. A thin wheezing 77 to 85 can be heard, as the bone penetrates into the lung. Gasping for air, they grasp at their chest until expiring, blood effervescently foaming from their nose and mouth.

Your weapon slices across and opens the abdomen, spilling entrails about your foe’s feet. They desperately 86 to 92 attempt to gather them into their hands and shove the entrails back inside. Instead, they collapse to the ground, slumping over with their hands buried wrist-deep into their belly.

Your weapon slices cleanly through your foe’s lower jaw, as several teeth are immediately broken and the 93 to 99 tongue lolls on the ground, twitching. Blood loss is significant as they expire within a few moments.

Your weapon slices deep into the side of your foe, fracturing the ribs and lacerating a kidney before finally 100 lodging in the spine. Their knees buckle, as you kick them off the end of your blade.

458 APPENDIX E: SLAIN! Tables - CRUSHING

Percentile Crushing Description Dice

Your blow crashes into the meat of your foe’s thigh, fracturing the femur and lacerating the femoral artery. 1 to 8 Your opponent crumbles in a heap, as their leg turns purple and swells visibly, right before your eyes.

Your blow lands with a resounding crack against your foe’s sternum, fracturing it and compressing the 17 to 25 heart beneath. Unbeknownst to them, the shearing force has lacerated one of his coronary arteries. As blood fills the pericardial sac, they begin to convulse violently on the ground until death.

Your blow smashes into the chest of your foe, cracking the sternal plate and tearing through the tissue of 26 to 33 the lungs. They stagger back, cough up a gout of frothy dark fluid and collapses.

Your blow smashes into your foe’s hip, driving the femur from its socket with an audible SNAP! Collaps- ing to the ground, a large, slick white bone adorned with shredded tendons protrudes gracelessly from the 34 to 41 ruins of his hip. The chest continues its ragged rise and fall in the midst of a rapidly expanding pool of blood until death occurs a few moments later.

Your foe twists to avoid your blow, but it crashes against their back, fracturing the spine. They fall to the 42 to 49 ground, both legs folding upon themselves like a rag doll.

Your weapon caves in the side of your foe’s skull with a nauseating crunch. Death is inevitable, but they 50 to 58 continue to cling on for a few more moments, convulsing in small circles on the ground.

Your weapon crashes into your foe’s shoulder, rending the humerus from its ligamentous insertions onto 59 to 67 the scapula. The limb is useless, hanging loosely by a few shredded bands of sinew and muscle, as they keel over dead a few moments later.

Your weapon crushes the pelvis of your foe, driving large shards of bone into the descending aorta. Falling 68 to 76 over into a heap, they die shortly after a brief, gurgling moan escapes their lips.

Your weapon crushes the skull of your foe like an eggshell, spattering both of you with blood and grey 77 to 85 matter. Death is immediate!

Your weapon demolishes the shoulder joint, rending bone and sinew before crashing through the ribcage. 86 to 92 They fall to the ground, convulses once and then never moves again.

Your weapon shatters your foe’s arm and carries large shards of bone and tissue through the ribcage and 93 to 99 into the lungs. Shocked, they cough up a torrent of bright red blood before finally slumping to the ground.

Your weapon smashes into the side of your foe’s head, causing immediate hemorrhaging. Surprisingly, the 100 only discernible result is a minor nosebleed. They stagger, confused for a moment, and then suddenly falls over dead.

459 APPENDIX E: SLAIN! Tables - ENERGY

Percentile Energy Description Dice

Your shot cuts through skin and bone, neatly hitting the heart and vaporizing it. The target is dead before 1 to 8 they even know what hit them.

Your shot cuts through the knee joint, cutting it off and causing blood to gush from the wound. Blood loss is 17 to 25 imminent and results in a messy death.

Your shot hits right above the groin, scything the target’s legs from their upper torso. Their legs continue 26 to 33 forward for a step or two as their body sloughs off, already dead from shock.

Your shot hits the target square in the chest, igniting them in flame instantly. Their skin crackles and their 34 to 41 eyes burst like overripe fruits, soon falling to the ground a blackened and desecrated corpse.

Your shot hits the target’s stomach, causing their internal organs to boil and burst rapidly. After a few 42 to 49 seconds of agonizing pain, the target falls over dead - a mixture of bile, flesh and blood seeping from every orifice.

Your shot ignites the skin of the target’s face, melting it off rapidly to reveal the skeleton, muscle and ten- 50 to 58 dons underneath. The character screams a blood wail before dying in pain.

Your shot ignites the skin on the arm, causing it to hiss, bubble and burst all the way done to the bone. The 59 to 67 arm will often slough off from ruined tendons, creating a sickening thump noise that accompanies the foe’s death.

Your shot impacts the targets jaw, sheering it from their head as their tongue lolls about with no control. 68 to 76 Death from shock and trauma are near instant.

Your shot neatly severs the arm at the joint, cauterizing the wound instantly due to the extreme heat of the 77 to 85 weapon. The instant shock and pain is enough to kill the target through sheer trauma.

Your shot pierces the target’s eye and enters their brain, hyper-cooking it and causing it to explode outward 86 to 92 in violent force. Their head erupts in a shower of bone, brain matter and flesh, splattering all near them. Death is instant.

Your shot rips through the pelvis and groin, creating a clear hole. Entrails spill out of the hole, still hanging 93 to 99 by muscle to the chest cavity. The target collapses in their own viscera.

Your shot vaporizes the arm instantly, turning it into a dark ash that crumbles like a burned log. Your target 100 grasps at their smoking stump, falling over dead.

460 APPENDIX E: SLAIN! Tables - FRAG

Percentile Frag Description Dice

An explosive shot to the collar causes the head and upper chest to explode, letting the torso peel away 1 to 8 almost like a banana and exposing the gruesome interior.

Shrapnel tears the arm asunder, leaving it little more than string of flesh attached to bone. The trauma is 17 to 25 so severe your target rips off more flesh in a panic, before collapsing and bleeding out.

The chest cavity explodes outward, heaving the targets partially-burned organs out onto the ground in a 26 to 33 violent and sloppy splat.

The entire arm explodes in a cloud of blood and flesh, leaving only a half-extant stump and allies covered 34 to 41 in remnants of the limb. Death is instantaneous due to shock.

The explosion occurs somewhere near the armpit, blowing the arm off at the shoulder and also leaving a 42 to 49 gaping wound in the chest. You see their ragged lungs deflate as they die in a scream of agony.

The hip joint is destroyed, leaving one leg little more than a bloody mess. The target crashes to the ground 50 to 58 as blood geysers from their leg, the blood loss killing them.

The knee of the target is blown out, causing their leg to buckle and driving their calf bones into their 59 to 67 chest, killing them from the trauma.

The lower groin is hit, causing both legs to fold outwards and the torso to rise into the air a few inches. 68 to 76 The torso falls back to the ground, its owner no longer breathing.

The shot expertly went into the target’s gullet - they instantly explode in a shower of gore, leaving no 77 to 85 trace almost as if they were vaporized.

The target’s body is completely destroyed, as their limbs and head shoot off in different directions, small 86 to 92 pieces of their insides splashing the field of battle. Death is obviously instant.

The target’s head explodes completely, leaving only a squirting stump on top of the body. The body lurches 93 to 99 forward like a zombie, before buckling its knees and collapsing.

With an odd happenstance of explosive force, a portion of the target’s spine is ejected from their back. 100 The severing is automatically fatal, and the sight of a flying backbone is a wonderful story to tell at the barrack house.

461 APPENDIX E: SLAIN! Tables - GUNPOWDER

Percentile Gunpowder Description Dice

Your shot shatters the clavicle of your target and carries through into the lung. Your foe staggers on their 1 to 8 feet until toppling over. Paralyzed by pain, your foe is as rigid as a board, struck cartoonishly dead.

Your shot tears through the subclavian artery and vein just beneath the clavicle, causing blood to spurt 17 to 25 rhythmically from the wound. Your foe collapses immediately and dies from shock.

Your shot passes through the arm and into the chest, where its passage is stopped by several vital organs. 26 to 33 Death from internal hemorrhaging is instantaneous.

Your shot smashes through the jaw and blows open the vertebral artery, causing your foe to cough and 34 to 41 choke against a torrent of blood. Slowly, your foe lowers themselves to the ground and sits, glassy eyes staring off into the distance. Here they remain, dead.

Your shot drives through the bridge of the nose, carrying fragments of bone deep into the brain. Your foe 42 to 49 collapses immediately, as death comes knocking.

Your shot penetrates the forehead, causing your foe to sway momentarily as a small rivulet of blood runs 50 to 58 down their face. Moments later he collapses, dead before hitting the ground.

Your shot enters just beneath the sternal plate and tears through the aorta, the largest blood vessel in the 59 to 67 body. Death from internal hemorrhaging is inevitable.

Your shot buries itself deep within the chest cavity of your foe, ripping through the ventricles of the heart. 68 to 76 Death from massive blood loss is instantaneous.

Your shot shatters the kneecap and lodges in the joint of the knee, causing a nauseating grinding sensation 77 to 85 as your foe feebly tries to walk forward. Suddenly, they pass out...but the grinding sound can still be heard as they work their legs back and forth like a dying animal.

Your shot tears through the internal iliac artery in the hip, causing rapid blood loss. Your foe collapses and 86 to 92 dies almost instantly.

Your shot tears through the upper leg, opening the femoral artery and fracturing the neck of the femur. 93 to 99 Death from massive blood loss is instantaneous.

Your shot instantaneously blasts the head off your foe, terribly ripped from their neck. The stump is a hor- 100 rid, smoldering mess of burnt flesh and broken bones.

462 APPENDIX E: SLAIN! Tables - MISSILE

Percentile Missile Description Dice

Your missile drives deep into the leg, tearing artery, muscle, and bone. Blood pours in torrents from the wound 1 to 8 and your foe staggers momentarily before falling face first into the ground.

Your missile enters at the bridge of the nose and buries itself in your foe’s skull. They fall backward, dead long 17 to 25 before they strike the ground.

Your missile enters the eye socket and exits the back of the skull. Their eye is completely destroyed, and likely 26 to 33 skewered upon the end of your ammunition. Screaming, they die grasping their socket.

Your missile enters the shoulder at an angle and exits at the back of the neck. Your foe sways for a moment, 34 to 41 uncertain, before their legs buckle and collapses to the ground.

Your missile fractures a lower rib and tears through the diaphragm. Your foe’s respiration is ragged and shal- 42 to 49 low as they attempts to breathe but fails.

Your missile fractures the clavicle of your foe and severs the subclavian artery before finally lodging itself in 50 to 58 the meat of the shoulder. Massive blood loss occurs as they die die a few moments later.

Your missile penetrates the sternal plate and transfixes the heart. Shocked, your foe looks down and coughs up 59 to 67 a gout of blood before crumpling to the ground, dead.

Your missile plunges deep into the belly and emerges through the spine. Your foe falls to the ground and seiz- 68 to 76 es for a few moments, and then vomits a bilious fluid before finally dying.

Your missile shatters the femur and lays open the femoral artery, which sprays a fountain of blood. Your foe 77 to 85 falters and collapses to the ground.

Your missile shatters the teeth of your foe and lodges in the back of the neck, transfixing the spinal cord. They 86 to 92 drop to the ground immediately in a heap.

Your missile sinks deep into the hip, shattering the pelvic bone. Blood loss is significant. They walk with an 93 to 99 ungainly limp, pleading with you for mercy...until death comes.

Your missile strikes the area between the shoulder and the chest, burying itself down to the fletching and 100 protruding between the ribs of your foe’s back. Their knees buckle and they fall to the ground. A soft, sucking noise emanates from the wound in conjunction with a few brief, ragged respirations. Then, all is still.

463 APPENDIX F: CHASE SCENE TRACKER

ESCAPE CONDI- TION in ROUNDS Character Name name

Brawn Bonus (BB)

Escape/ Escape/ Escape/ Escape/ Escape/ Escape/ Escape/ ROUNDS Pursuit Value Pursuit Value Pursuit Value Pursuit Value Pursuit Value Pursuit Value Pursuit Value

1

+ + + + + + + 2

+ + + + + + + 3

+ + + + + + + 4

+ + + + + + + 5

+ + + + + + + 6

+ + + + + + + 7

+ + + + + + + 8

+ + + + + + + 9

464 APPENDIX G: CHASE SCENE COMPLICATIONS

Percentile Ale House Complication Difficulty Rating Dice A desperate, aristocratic man has lost his lucky charm on the floor. It may even be 1 to 8 stuck between the floorboards. If you chose to help, you’ll lose your next Turn but (Easy +20%) have the gratitude of this fellow (which you can turn in for a favor at a later time).

A group of minstrels plays a terrible rendition of your favorite song. It’s a terrible 9 to 16 rendition, and mildly irritating. You can’t get the song out of your head! You must (Trivial +30%) succeed a Resolve Test, or else reduce your Escape or Pursuit Value by -1.

A hungry mongrel crosses your path, and begins to snarl and bite at you. It stands 17 to 25 in the way of your quarry, threatening to bite your hand off. You must succeed a (Routine +10%) Handle Animal Test, or be made victim to Stress.

As two strongly-muscled people are arm wrestling, you bump into one of them. 26 to 33 Grumbling, they demand you apologize and wrestle the winner! You must succeed (Standard +/-0%) an Athletics Test, or else lose your next Turn.

As you blunder through the taproom, you forget to hold onto your coinpurse. You 34 to 41 must succeed an Awareness Test, or 1D10+1 random coins fall from your pockets, (Challenging-10%) unable to be found again.

Someone has been stealing from the register! A thieving little snot runs at full speed 42 to 49 towards you, as the innkeep demands you stop them. You must help, or else suffer 3 (Challenging-10%) Corruption. The entire room is light by a massive candelabra. Attached tenuously by a rope, you nearly trip over it. Unfortunately, the rope comes loose and crashes down overhead. 50 to 58 (Hard -20%) You must succeed a Coordination Test, or else suffer an Injury of a Rattled Brain. Once this is resolved, candlewax explodes outwards, covering everyone in the room. Whilst rushing across the room, you blunder directly into a number of pilgrims, 59 to 67 seeking room and board. You must succeed a Charm Test, or else lose your next (Arduous -30%) Turn. You dunderhead! You’ve stumbled right into a game of chance, as cards, dice and chits go flying. A group of rather confused and angry gamblers are trying to pick 68 to 76 (Routine +10%) up what belongs to them, demanding you make recompense! You must succeed a Gamble Test, or lose your next Turn. You have accidently spilled the contents of some poor traveler’s coin purse all over 77 to 85 the ground. Unless you toss 1D10+1 brass pennies to the road-worn vagabond, you (Hard -20%) will lose your next Turn.

You have accidently spilled the contents of some poor traveler’s coin purse all over 86 to 92 the ground. Unless you toss 1D10+1 brass pennies to the road-worn vagabond, you (Standard +/-0%) will lose your next Turn. You stumble headlong into a hallway of rooms. One of them hides your quarry, but which? Choose the wrong one and you’ll end up walking in on someone in private. 93 to 100 (Easy +20%) You must succeed a Scrutinize Test, or else suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril from confu- sion and anxiety. 465 APPENDIX G: CHASE SCENE COMPLICATIONS

Percentile Decrepit Manor Complication Difficulty Rating Dice A former tenant has returned to their ancestral home. Taking measurements for rehabilitation, they ask if you’d mind waiting for them to finish their work. If you 1 to 8 (Easy +20%) choose to help, you’ll lose your next Turn but have the eternal gratitude of the watch (which you can turn in for a favor later). A rabid pack of dogs snarl and wail at you. Snapping at your clothing, they manage 9 to 16 to grab your pant leg. You must succeed an Athletics Test to escape their grasps, or (Standard +/-0%) else lose your next Turn.

As you are rushing towards the door your quarry disappeared behind, it slams shut 17 to 25 on your hand! You must succeed an Athletics Test, or else suffer an Injury of a (Hard -20%) Jammed Finger. Once this is resolved, the door rattles, falling off its hinges.

Old buildings such as these are often made both litter and warren of hundreds of 26 to 33 rats. You’ve just stepped ankle-deep into their warren below the floorboards. You (Trivial +30%) must succeed a Coordination Test, or else reduce your Escape or Pursuit Value by -1

Rushing at breakneck speed, you come to a dead stop where the floor simply gives 34 to 41 out into the yawn of darkness below. You must succeed a Resolve Test, or else be (Routine +10%) made victim to Stress.

Somehow, a wayward orphan has weaseled their way into the butler’s pantry. How- 42 to 49 ever, the rope that controls a dumbwaiter ascent is frayed, as the orphan screams for (Challenging-10%) help. You must help, or else suffer 3 Corruption.

The floorboards break beneath of you, threatening to trap your leg! You must succeed 50 to 58 (Arduous -30%) a Coordination Test, or else lose your next Turn.

The manor has become the home of a belligerent old man. Encroaching upon his living space has set him into a tirade of insults and threats. You must succeed an 59 to 67 (Hard -20%) Intimidate Test, or be drawn into a fistfight. You lose your next Turn, and move one step down the Damage Condition Threshold (albeit not suffering any Injury).

The walls of the room threaten to collapse upon you, as the sound of groaning can be 68 to 76 (Routine +10%) heard all around. You must succeed a Survival Test, or lose your next Turn.

Unruly peasants bear pitchfork and torch outside the decrepit manor home. De- 77 to 85 manding their unpaid wages, they perhaps mistake you for the tenant. Unless you (Standard +/-0%) toss 1D10+1 brass pennies to these pitiful wretches, you will lose your next Turn.

While rushing down a set of stairs, a splinter of wood catches on your clothing. Your 86 to 92 coin purse is instantly ripped! You must succeed an Awareness Test, or 1D10+1 ran- (Challenging-10%) dom coins fall from your pockets, unable to be found again You have somehow found yourself amidst a labyrinthine hallway. A number of adjacent halls leads towards other chambers; you know your quarry ran this way, 93 to 100 (Easy +20%) but which hallway did they take? You must succeed a Scrutinize Test, or else suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril from confusion and anxiety. 466 APPENDIX G: CHASE SCENE COMPLICATIONS

Percentile Undercity Complication Difficulty Rating Dice A confusing set of tunnels stretches before you, and you’re certain that your quarry 1 to 8 ran down one. But which one? You must succeed a Scrutinize Test, or else suffer (Easy +20%) 2D10+2 mental Peril from confusion and anxiety. A desperate, aristocratic bride has lost her ring, and is searching for it in the sewers. She’s sobbing, insisting that you look around (as her manor home drains directly 9 to 16 (Easy +20%) where you’re standing). If you chose to help, you’ll lose your next Turn but have the gratitude of this woman (which you can turn in for a favor at a later time). A group of hungry and downtrodden sewer dwellers attempt to accost you, demand- 17 to 25 ing coin. Unless you toss 1D10+1 brass pennies to the under dwellers, you will lose (Standard +/-0%) your next Turn.

A horrendous burbling echoes within the drainage ditch’s pipelines. A thick, sludge- 26 to 33 like fountain of water sprays upwards, covering you in sewer slime. You must succeed (Trivial +30%) a Resolve Test, or else reduce your Escape or Pursuit Value by -1.

A number of gong farmers are steadily scrubbing and plunging away at a clogged 34 to 41 sluice drain. They insist you must wait until they finish to get by, but it could be an (Routine +10%) hour until they’re done. You must succeed an Intimidate Test, or lose your next Turn.

A poor, unwashed baby has been flushed down the drain from above! Squalling, it 42 to 49 is left helpless to sewer rats that threaten to eat it. You must help, or else suffer 3 (Challenging-10%) Corruption.

A sewer inspector, otherwise a bailiff, insists you knocked their important papers out 50 to 58 of their hands into the waters. Ruined, he demands that you pay a fine. Unless you (Hard -20%) toss 1D10+1 brass pennies to the vexed tax collector, you will lose your next Turn.

A stir of disorienting echoes throws you off the trail of your quarry. You’re not really 59 to 67 certain which direction to go, unable to see your companions. You must succeed a (Routine +10%) Navigation Test, or be made victim to Stress.

Accompanied by a roar, a river of sewer water blocks your way from pursuit! You 68 to 76 (Arduous -30%) must succeed an Athletics Test, or else lose your next Turn.

Ahead of you stands a rusted portcullis, meant to keep detritus from flowing back- 77 to 85 wards into the city’s fountains. However, it seems to be slowly closing due to down- (Standard +/-0%) ward-flowing water! You must succeed an Athletics Test, or else lose your next Turn. Something wet and slippery wraps around your arm from the darkness of a nearby sewer drain! You must succeed an Athletics Test, or else suffer an Injury of a Hyper- 86 to 92 (Hard -20%) extended Elbow. Once this is resolved, you pull forth an undulating tentacle, from a beast never to be seen again. You slip and take a fall into waist deep water with night soil floating atop it. As you slosh around, trying to find your belongings, you realize your coin purse is floating 93 to 100 (Challenging-10%) beside you. You must succeed an Awareness Test, or 1D10+1 random coins fall from your pockets, unable to be found again. 467 APPENDIX G: CHASE SCENE COMPLICATIONS

Percentile Marketplace Complication Difficulty Rating Dice

A desperate, aristocratic woman has lost her child in the marketplace, but doubtlessly 1 to 8 (Challenging-10%) is nearby. You must help, or else suffer 3 Corruption.

A pedlar, dressed in brightly dyed clothing, accosts you along the way, insisting 9 to 16 nicked one of his goods. You must succeed an Athletics Test to escape his grasps, or (Standard +/-0%) else lose your next Turn. A prisoner has escaped from a nearby watchtower! They’re coming your way, fol- lowed by a number of sentries, ordering you to stop them. If you choose to help, 17 to 25 (Easy +20%) you’ll lose your next Turn but have the eternal gratitude of the watch (which you can turn in for a favor later). A Pyromancer displays a colorful fountain of flash, pyromantic green flames which 26 to 33 extends into the air. It captures both the minds of the passerbyers, and potentially (Routine +10%) you, in wonderment. You must succeed a Resolve Test, or lose your next Turn.

A strangely disgusting stench emits from where you just stepped. You realized that 34 to 41 you’ve ran right through a large amount of horse manure. You must succeed a Coor- (Trivial +30%) dination Test, or else reduce your Escape or Pursuit Value by -1.

As you rush through the city streets, you forget to hold onto your coinpurse. You 42 to 49 must succeed an Awareness Test, or 1D10+1 random coins fall from your pockets, (Challenging-10%) unable to be found again.

Between them and their quarry, a throng of doom-saying fanatics are whipping 50 to 58 themselves and others in a show of piety. You must succeed a Resolve Test, or else be (Routine +10%) made victim to Stress. The road ahead is blocked by hostlers, unloading a wagon of several hogsheads of mead. As you break between the laborers, one of the barrels begins to roll after you! 59 to 67 (Hard -20%) You must succeed an Athletics Test, or else suffer an Injury of a Twisted Ankle. Once this is resolved, the barrel breaks open, spilling forth its golden goodness in the street. While running, your attentions are captured by a rather beautiful person of a gender you find attractive. However, they’re attended by a rather beefy-looking suitor, who 68 to 76 catches you watching their significant other. You must succeed an Intimidate Test, (Hard -20%) or be drawn into a fistfight. You lose your next Turn, and move one step down the Damage Condition Threshold (albeit not suffering any Injury). While sprinting at breakneck pace, they hear a disturbance from around the corner. 77 to 85 A moment later, a runaway horse comes galloping towards them! You must succeed a (Arduous -30%) Coordination Test, or else lose your next Turn.

You are accosted by a band of beggars. Unless you toss 1D10+1 brass pennies to 86 to 92 (Standard +/-0%) these pitiful wretches, you will lose your next Turn.

You have lost sight of your quarry, and are faced with a hard choice - take the left 93 to 100 alleyway, or the right? You must succeed a Scrutinize Test, or else suffer 2D10+2 (Easy +20%) mental Peril from confusion and anxiety.

468 APPENDIX G: CHASE SCENE COMPLICATIONS

Percentile Mountain Pass Complication Difficulty Rating Dice A band of lost souls upon pilgrimage have somehow found themselves waylaid in 1 to 8 the pass. Desperate and hungry, they beg you for coin. Unless you toss 1D10+1 brass (Standard +/-0%) pennies to these wayward pilgrims, you will lose your next Turn.

A foolish yet handsomely rich merchant needs your help installing his trunks atop 9 to 16 a rented coach. If you choose to help, you’ll lose your next Turn but have the eternal (Easy +20%) gratitude of the merchant (which you can turn in for a favor later).

A loud noise echoes from the cliff side above. Rocks and a mass of small rocks 17 to 25 tumble downward, threatening your pathway. You must succeed an Athletics Test to (Standard +/-0%) escape the minor rockslide, or else lose your next Turn.

A number of hearty bushes grow between the rocks. Bare of all leaves, your coin 26 to 33 purse catches upon it, as its contents spill forth. You must succeed an Awareness (Challenging-10%) Test, or 1D10+1 random coins fall from your pockets, unable to be found again

As you quickly come around a switchback, the road nearly gives out from beneath of 34 to 41 (Arduous -30%) you. You must succeed a Coordination Test, or else lose your next Turn.

Down a precipitous slope lays a youngling mountain goat. Yelping for help, a shep- 42 to 49 herd boy nearby asks you to rescue the billy. You must help, or else suffer 3 Corrup- (Challenging-10%) tion.

From the recesses of a small cavern wanders a black-furred mountain cat. It’s hair 50 to 58 stands on end, as it attempts to threaten you with a loud growl. You must succeed a (Routine +10%) Resolve Test, or else be made victim to Stress. Hardy mountain folk dwell in these regions, and they do not brook passerbyers and other wayward folk into their camps. Invariably, you’ve drawn their ire. You must 59 to 67 succeed an Intimidate Test, or be drawn into a fistfight. You lose your next Turn, (Hard -20%) and move one step down the Damage Condition Threshold (albeit not suffering any Injury). The pathway gives out from beneath of you, as you slide down a good eight feet. Bouncing off a rock, you land on your feet. However, the boulder you rolled over is 68 to 76 now rolling after you. You must succeed an Athletics Test, or else suffer an Injury of (Hard -20%) Bruised Ribs. Once this is resolved, the boulder comes to a dead stop before con- tinuing its descent downwards. The pathway is riddled with scree and rocks. Every step you take threatens to hurt your foot. A number of pebbles have already affixed themselves into the heel. You 77 to 85 (Trivial +30%) must succeed a Coordination Test, or else reduce your Escape or Pursuit Value by -1. You are caught between a rock and a hard place. Literally. Afraid you’ll never be able 86 to 92 to free yourself, you must succeed a Resolve Test or else suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril (Easy +20%) from confusion and anxiety.

You frantically scramble up the wall of a cliff side, trying to keep your cool. If you 93 to 100 lose your grip, you’ll lag behind the others trying to climb your way back up. You (Routine +10%) must succeed a Resolve Test, or lose your next Turn. 469 APPENDIX G: CHASE SCENE COMPLICATIONS

Percentile Old Road Complication Difficulty Rating Dice A dying man waits for your help. Starving and cold, he motions towards the key; ironically, which is sitting just below the cage. If you choose to help, you’ll lose your 1 to 8 (Easy +20%) next Turn but have the eternal gratitude of the wretch (which you can turn in for a favor later).

A fork in the road ahead confounds you. You must succeed a Scrutinize Test, or else 9 to 16 (Easy +20%) suffer 2D10+2 mental Peril from confusion and anxiety.

A frightened huntsman spots you from down the road. With a fistful of rabbit fur and meat that he likely hunted in illegal territory he warns you to come no closer. 17 to 25 You must succeed a Bargain Test, or be drawn into a fistfight. You lose your next (Hard -20%) Turn, and move one step down the Damage Condition Threshold (albeit not suffer- ing any Injury). A mess of thick, choking weeds or a fallen tree bars the way. Attempting to make 26 to 33 your way through, its broken limbs and vines threatens to slow you down. You must (Standard +/-0%) succeed an Athletics Test to escape his grasps, or else lose your next Turn.

A mess of thick, choking weeds or a fallen tree bars the way. Attempting to make 34 to 41 your way through, its broken limbs and vines threatens to slow you down. You must (Hard -20%) succeed an Athletics Test to escape his grasps, or else lose your next Turn.

An unfortunate has somehow broken an axle of their wagon. As they were trying to 42 to 49 fix it, the blocks he set the axle on broke, pinning him beneath. The wailing of his (Challenging-10%) companion implores you for aid! You must help, or else suffer 3 Corruption.

As you come rushing over a hill, it takes a very steep turn, dropping precipitously 50 to 58 (Arduous -30%) down a hill. You must succeed a Coordination Test, or else lose your next Turn.

Deep in the grips of poverty and strife, weary villagers immediately throng around 59 to 67 the players, demanding coin. Unless you toss 1D10+1 brass pennies to these peas- (Standard +/-0%) ants, you will lose your next Turn.

Down the road, the howling of frothing, maddened dogs can be seen. Avoiding 68 to 76 them will be tricky. You must succeed a Handle Animal Test, or else be made victim (Routine +10%) to Stress.

Running across a narrow foot bridge, the decking breaks, sending you to the ground. 77 to 85 The contents of your coin purse spill all over. You must succeed an Awareness Test, (Challenging-10%) or 1D10+1 random coins fall from your pockets, unable to be found again.

Staring down at you is a hunter in a tree stand. Carefully aiming their weapon, you 86 to 92 fear they may have mistaken you for an animal! You must succeed a Resolve Test, or (Routine +10%) lose your next Turn.

The road is riddled with deep pits and wet, muddy tracks. It makes it hard to keep 93 to 100 your footing, particularly as wet mud holes suck at your boots as you walk. You must (Trivial +30%) succeed a Coordination Test, or else reduce your Escape or Pursuit Value by -1.

470 APPENDIX H: SOCIAL INTRIGUE TRACKER

✓ Order Chaos Player Character Social Class Social Tactic Temperament Ranks Ranks

Non-Player Character Social Class Alignment Disposition Favorable Skill Unfavorable Skill

471 APPENDIX I: TEMPERAMENTS

Successful Social Tactics Check SKILL Helpful Friendly Polite Indifferent Impolite Unfriendly Hostile

Bargain Generous Generous Civil Civil Civil Considerate Considerate

Charm Affectionate Affectionate Favorable Favorable Favorable Willing Willing

Guile Gullible Gullible Trusting Trusting Trusting Hopeful Hopeful

Interrogation Subdued Subdued Broken Broken Broken Demoralized Demoralized

Intimidate Terrified Terrified Frightened Frightened Frightened Stressed Stressed

Leadership Fanatic Fanatic Loyal Loyal Loyal Cooperative Cooperative

Rumor Gossipy Gossipy Familiar Familiar Familiar Idle Idle

Failed Social Tactics Check SKILL Helpful Friendly Polite Indifferent Impolite Unfriendly Hostile

Bargain Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Disgruntled Disgruntled Disgruntled Unhappy Unhappy

Charm Unwilling Unwilling Disdainful Disdainful Disdainful Disgusted Disgusted

Guile Suspicious Suspicious Untrusting Untrusting Untrusting Disbelieving Disbelieving

Interrogation Annoyed Annoyed Stoic Stoic Stoic Unbroken Unbroken

Intimidate Frustrated Frustrated Vexed Vexed Vexed Aggressive Aggressive

Uncoopera- Uncoopera- Leadership Defiant Defiant Defiant Mutinous Mutinous tive tive

Rumor Cautious Cautious Mistrustful Mistrustful Mistrustful Suspicious Suspicious

472 APPENDIX J: WILDERNESS TRAVEL TRACKER

Terrain Toughness Tests Threat Level Stretch Type & Type Mildly Moderate- Highly Destination 1 2 3 (Difficulty No Danger Rating) (1D6) ly (2D6) (2D6)

Role Check Results Toughness Tests Character & Role Critical Critical (Guide/Survivalist/Scout) Success Fail 1 2 3 4 Success Failure

473 APPENDIX K: WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS

Percentile Encounter Badland Encounters Dice An ancient albino boar lays beneath a rock for shade. Twelve arrows jut out from his body, as 1 to 8 Bad Boar it is Grievously Wounded. However, it seems to speak the common tongue. What does it say, and will the Characters attempt to put it out of its misery? Just off the path, a low moaning can be heard. Unmistakably the groaning of the wounded, it may attract any who are of good heart or charitable spirit. Unfortunately, it is the wind 9 to 16 Dark Hole rushing forth from a deep, cavernous hole in the ground. Perched upon its crests are strange shapes; are they shadows, imp-like monkeys or something far worse? The Characters have the extreme misfortune to bump into a band of bored, drunk and bellig- Dogs of 17 to 25 erent sellswords, lead by a grizzled old woman. Are they looking for a fight, or a new master War to serve?

For a few hours, small tornados of wind pick up dust. However, it goes from annoying to Dust 26 to 33 harmful. The Party must seek shelter, but unbeknownst to them, an anchorite dwells within Storm the nearest cave, and demands that they pay him for the trouble.

A loud bang can be heard nearby. Just behind a large hill are twelve stones, positioned in a 34 to 41 Explosion perfect circle. They are covered in scorch marks, and softly smolder. The stench of rotten eggs and sulfur wafts all around. Lain within a glade are the bones of the dead. Spread out in a circle, radiating from the center Gruesome with eight leg bones, it seems to spell trouble. Eight censors still burn incense from them, 42 to 49 Ritual which could only mean the demonologist who erected this gruesome dodecagram must be nearby... Atop a nearby plateau, a woman in ragged clothing waves her hands, yelling for the Charac- ters to approach. At the foot of the mesa lays a number of broken barrels, which smolder and 50 to 58 Hey You! burn. They can see a number of ropes dangling by her feet. What does this woman want and what’s up with the barrels? An arrow shivers, striking a nearby tree. Someone hollers outwards, yelling “incoming!”, but just a bit too late. Atop a tree stand is a person covered in furs. But upon closer inspection, it 59 to 67 Incoming appears to be a beast with humanoid hands. It takes aim one again with a bow, towards the same tree as before... For a number of hours, a pack of large rodents have followed in the wake of the Party. Picking Leader of 68 to 76 up the crumbs of their food, they even attempt to nest among the camp. Whistling, however, the Pack seems to draw their attentions. Is this for good or ill?

A massive host of armed soldiers are born upon horseback, racing across the countryside. Roving 77 to 85 Coming anywhere near their reach will enrage them, whereas walking in their wake will cause Army a massive cloud of dust to rise, choking the Party.

For several hours, a murder of crows have nested in the trees near one of the Characters. Terrible 86 to 92 What ill-omen does this tell? Dispelling such oddities would likely require climbing up the Omen tree, and speaking to the lead albino raven. Lightning may lance out, a terrible lashing rain may pour down or a freak winter storm breaks Terrible overhead unseasonably. Oppressive and torrential, this bad weather persists for several hours. 93 to 100 Weather Characters must find shelter immediately. If the Characters take cover in a cave, perhaps they stir a sleeping bear or other terrible monstrosity? You decide. 474 APPENDIX K: WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS

Percentile Encounter Haunted Wood Encounters Dice A preacher, a diabolist and a courtier walk into the forest. The preacher says something to the diabolist in a language he cannot understand, as the courtier agrees with the preacher. 1 to 8 A Terrible Joke The courtier immediately draws a knife, and puts it to the preacher’s throat. The diabolist inquires with the Characters to translate. A thin, lean tower of wood and stone dominates the nearest precipice, nearly indiscern- Crumbling ible from the tall pine trees surrounding it save its ragged banner. Once served by leal 9 to 16 Watchtower soldiers, it now plays host to refugees on the run. Likely, they will defend their position to the death, but could they be reasoned with instead? In the middle of a glade, a number of tired folk in ragged clothes dance around a wooden Dance of idol of the Crouching One. Sitting upon a log is a very aged man, with a beard down to 17 to 25 Death his boots. He plays a weather-worn violin. The dancers wordlessly continue their dance of death, despite being emaciated and near death. Will the Characters stop this, and how? Nestled along a well-worn footpath lay a graveyards. A number of mourners, armed with Garden of the shovels, are digging up a grave as a preacher watches nearby. Fresh flowers are lain before 26 to 33 Dead the tombstone, which would indicate that they must have passed recently. Upon closer inspection, they appear to perhaps be grave robbers. Are they? A pair of rough-looking bailiffs drag a poacher out of the woods. The animal he Guilty As “poached” was clearly the same animal one of the Characters took a shot at before, as 34 to 41 Charged their arrow is jutting out of the deer’s body. However, the poacher has no bow to be found. Disturbed by tomb robbers, a set of stone crypts have been opened. However, the corpses 42 to 49 Open Crypt of the would-be looters lay in a pool of their own blood, warm to the touch. A yawning darkness stands before them within the threshold. What’s inside? The roads ahead are overgrown as if a jungle suddenly sprouted from the ground. The Overgrown vines are vestigial, easily torn aside and give beneath the weight of two strong hands. But 50 to 58 Path passing into the path’s heart lay a strange pod, beating to the same rhythm of a Charac- ter’s heart. A band of poachers exit the woods. These huntsmen have all manner of game upon them; 59 to 67 Poachers deer, rabbit and even fox. They’ll agree to share their kill with the Party, providing they won’t rat them out at the nearest watch station.

Deep mud, a swamp or quicksand bogs down travel. It mires those within it, and makes 68 to 76 Quagmire travel by conveyance nearly impossible as Characters must dig themselves and their pack animals out.

Half-submerged in mud stands a knight with sword in hand. To his opposite, a pair of 77 to 85 Rogue Justice women are armed with burlap sacks full of rocks. Watching over them is a strange druid. What sort of justice is this, and will the Characters attempt to interrupt?

Half-buried, but exposed to the Party, is a cache of brass pennies, silver shillings and 86 to 92 Windfall gold crowns. The coins are contained in a box, demarcated with the sigil of a local lord or count. Do they turn it in, or keep it for themselves?

Crows fill the sky, circling the remnants of a bonfire. An odiferous, wretched stench wafts 93 to 100 Witchhammer through the air. In the center of the ashes is a thick pike, spitted upon it a smoldering corpse. Whether this is truly the mark of diablerie or not is unknown.

475 APPENDIX K: WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS

Percentile Encounter Moor Encounters Dice A wheelhouse carrying markings of local nobility is found turned over in the mud, the Abandoned horse’s throats cut and the wheels dismantled. The coachman and the passengers are 1 to 8 Carriage nowhere to be seen. Leading from the thrown open door are multiple pairs of footprints leading deep into the moor; right behind those are a pair of larger, more monstrous prints. Strange blue flowers grow in the middle of a shallow pond. This fauna is highly reputed to 9 to 16 Blue Flowers be a healing agent or aphrodisiac. Or, was it poison? Unbeknownst to them, they also mark the place where a bog wight would have been buried. As morning comes, a low groan comes from the waters, burbling as the creature moves Bog “Mon- through it. Later, as the Party settles at camp, the groaning can be heard again, but it’s 17 to 25 ster” coming from the darkness. Walking into camp is a half-naked man with a severed boar’s head in hand. He affixes it adopt the crown of his head. What happens next? The Characters encounter a raging storm, seeking a local manor for shelter. Upon gain- Demesne of ing entrance, the find the owner is an obsessed and crazed lord, believing he is eternally 26 to 33 Despair haunted by the ghost of his lover. At the stroke of midnight, the Characters hear a spectral moaning coming from the moor. As the Characters journey on, they come across a tar pit that is host to the remains of many 34 to 41 Foul Tar corpses. In the middle of the pit is a fantastically crafted sword jutting from the ichor; the Characters feel an almost siren call to reach for the blade. A dilapidated hut is found deep in the moor, its resident being an old woman and her Grandma’s feline companion. She claims to be a white witch and medicine woman, offering the Char- 42 to 49 Hut acters a strange toadstool as a token of friendship. If imbibed, the toadstool will cause both paralysis and wild hallucinations. A child is found huddling under an outcropping, dirty but unharmed. The child does not 50 to 58 Lost Child speak, but seems grateful for any assistance the Characters can offer. However, the shallow cave the child dwells within is full of humanoid bones... some rather fresh.

A herd of wild kine move at a desperate pace, attempting to escape a small but vicious dog. 59 to 67 Mooo(ve)! It yaps incessantly, but its owner isn’t anywhere nearby. Upon closer inspection, one of its eyes smolders red. What is this demon dog? A wayside inn off the beaten path welcomes the Party. Although small, its proprietor, his Pound of wife and four adult children are pleasant and welcoming. The stew is sumptuous and hearty. 68 to 76 Flesh However, a congealed mass floats within it. Is it merely a bit of thick gristle, or a mashed eyeball? For several hours, the land has turned into a swampy mess. Mud sucks at the Character’s boots, and a thick mist seems to rise ever worse as the day draws on. When night falls, 77 to 85 The Marsh twinkling motes of light seem to draw the Characters deeper into the marsh, but to what end?

Toad and the Bloated flies buzz incessantly around the Party’s foodstuffs. Large toads usually keep these 86 to 92 Blood Fly insects in check, and it is only a matter of time until they show up...

Through a copse of trees, one Character spots a proud stag: the rare and extremely lucky 93 to 100 White Hart white hart. The creature scampers off as a band of Fodderlings stampede after it, hungry for meat.

476 APPENDIX K: WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS

Percentile Encounter Old Road Encounters Dice Like an oasis in the desert stands a tall, two-story roadside inn. Wrought from thick pine, its Abandoned walls are strong and its chimneys billow with smoke. Bread bakes in the oven, and a hearth 1 to 8 Inn crackles within. But there are no inhabitants inside, save for the trappings they left behind sealed in foot chests in their rented rooms. Where is the innkeep? A playful laughter can be heard from the edges of the foliage. Beyond lay a number of Diseased 9 to 16 diseased children, running amongst a number of gravestones. An old woman seems to be Children watching, wearing a painted wooden mask.

A thin man, who’s clearly been tarred and feathered, runs towards them with arms flapping 17 to 25 Fleeing Man wildly. A trail of white feathers flutters in his wake. Is he clucking, or is is screaming about a mob in tow? Just off the road lay a strange, primitive shrine to a fertility goddess. A stone statue depicts her form, with four swollen dugs while jade piglets suckle at the nipples. Several offerings Heretic’s 26 to 33 have been made before it in a wooden bowl; a sheaf of wheat, a small cameo and even the Shrine severed hoof of a goat. Will the players choose to steal the offerings or loot the jade piglets? And if so, what curse may lay before them (or guardians will they summon)? Guarding an arched bridge is a woman in shining, silver-like armor. With her lance in hand, Knight of 34 to 41 she will not let any pass unless they best her in combat or reason with her. Sneaking by her Pedigree will be a chore, as she’ll chase down the weakest and hold them hostage.

Laying dead center of the road is the desiccated and bloated corpse of something horrific. It Mysterious 42 to 49 appears to be a man (or woman) outwardly, but the chest has burst open, revealing a green, Corpse bilious ichor. If they disturb the corpse, something writhes with the cavity. The clattering of iron pots and baying of a mule can be heard down the road. Slowly crawl- Pedlar and ing up the hill is a trader and his pony, drawing a two-wheeled cart laden with all manner of 50 to 58 Thief goods upon it. He seems friendly enough, however his counterpart wife will set to pilfering as much coin as she can from the intrepid travelers. A swift current from a creek or floodplain blocks their way forward. They must wander fur- River Cross- 59 to 67 ther to find a place to ford. Perhaps along the way they come to a bridge patrolled by cor- ing rupted reeves or even a troll?

A metallic groaning is heard, as a man marked for death is trapped inside an iron cage. Upon Rusted Gib- 68 to 76 his forehead is carved “innocent”. He will beg the Characters to release him, in exchange for bets promise of his only treasure or skills in the art of war. Various farmsteads and steadings have been ransacked, but by whom? Likely, they can be found amongst the dead, picking at whatever remains. Grisly and desperate, these cynical 77 to 85 Sacked Burg opportunists are not likely to put up with anyone else attempting to steal what is rightfully belongs to them. Settled along a makeshift stage erected aside a colorful wagon, a troupe of actors are setting Theater up for the evening. Perhaps they spin a yarn of unrequited rivalries or a former flame? Should 86 to 92 Troupe they spend too much time here, the Characters will fall asleep, only to awaken some hours later. The troupe has seemingly vanished into thin air. Wearing nothing but rags, emaciated zealots walk with crooked backs. Dragging behind Throng of them a massive wooden cross of a foreign god, they sing in low voices of the menacing threat 93 to 100 Flagellants to come. Primary of them is a woman with exposed breasts; perhaps a willing temple harlot, or even a woman accused of heresy. 477 APPENDIX K: WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS – OLD ROAD

Percentile Encounter River Encounters Dice Standing in the middle of an outcropping of land is a single humanoid babe, suckling at the teat of a fat sow of a Barrel-bellied Orc. Across the way, a number of well-dressed merchants Aporkalypse 1 to 8 with spears in hand are swimming across towards the island, with violence in their eyes. One Now among them is shaven from head to toe, as a number of human heads strong around the end of his trident. The river boat bumps into what first appears to be a dead log; however, upon closer inspection, Called to it is revealed that the log is a water-bloated corpse. The waterway ahead is littered with the 9 to 16 the Water dead, but they show little to no sign of injury. Many are dressed in the same rough-spun grey cloth, which is the garb of the Leviathan’s adherents. Dmitri The Character’s ship begins to leak. As a matter of fact, thirteen holes are flooding the boat 17 to 25 Jones’ Lock- with river water. Suddenly, something large and green can be seen swimming beneath. One of er its wet, undulating tentacles lashes the masthead, pulling itself out of the water. The Character’s come across a strange site: several remnants of ships strapped together and tethered to the shore. This platform gleams with colorful tents and haunting music, with a Dock of 26 to 33 large sign that reads “The Fantastic Gregor’s Floating Carnival”. As the party ventures past Horrors the sounds of the barkers and the food stalls, they notice all the workers have a devilish mien and the “Tent of Freaks” is a little too bizarre. Caught betwixt a swiftly-flowing part of the river and an overgrown, languid branch that Fork in the could potentially put them down river safer, which will the Characters decide to take? If they 34 to 41 River go through the roughs, it could be dangerous. However, the other fork could potentially take the down an uncharted part of the river. Swimming below deck are hundreds upon hundreds of stir pikes. They nibble at the bottom of the boat, seemingly cleaning it of barnacles. However, it is only then that they realized that It Came 42 to 49 a bloated body is beneath. Drawing the corpse to the deck shows the corpse is somehow still From Below alive. Is it a long-lost friend of the Characters? Or, perhaps it is one of the Supernatural. You decide. From a hidden cove, a band of peg-legged veterans aboard a swift-going river ship approaches. Their skiff is entirely festooned with paper lanterns as minstrels occupy the ship’s wheel. They 50 to 58 Mournlimb beg the Characters to join them to celebrate Mournlimb, the holiday of those who lost their leg, arm or nose in the war. Is this a ruse to lure in the naive, or is it an honest proposal? A fellow named Eddie is attempting to get his skiff out of an eddy on the river, but without 59 to 67 River Eddie much luck. His paddle is halfway down river, while his boat is spinning out of control, round and around. In the middle of the eddy, a strange, undulating thing of the deeps can be seen. A travelling bard troupe, all holding different instruments, is standing on the deck of their ramshackle boat that has been stuck in the mud. They ask to board the Character’s ship, as 68 to 76 River Rats they are headed the same direction. They smell terrible, smoke an acrid tobacco from pipes and stink of ale. A toll gate normally stands near the river to collect tax upon passing vessels. However, it has The Bridge- been reduced to rubble. In its place is a sign, written crudely upon a plank of wood stating 77 to 85 man Com- “RIVIR CLOTHED. PAY TOWL TROL 2 GIT INN”. A lumbering figure seems to be eth looming near it, holding a rather nasty-looking spiked club. Calling itself “Frank”, he motions for the Characters to moor their ship at a nearby sandbar. Do they comply? A strange barge from the far east is encountered by the Characters. Painted in deep colors and The Silk hauling goods such as spices and silk, they offer to trade with the Party. All the members of 86 to 92 River the barge look battle-worn, and many sport intimidating back tattoos of terrible dragons. Do these traders have honest intentions, or are they looking for something else? A band of river wardens aboard a swiftly-moving skiff are demanding they drop anchor. Beneath their tattered cloaks, the Party can see the look of bedevilment in their eyes. Are they 93 to 100 Up Yours truly bailiffs of the river, or merely Mutants playing their part? Either way, their crossbows are aimed at the Party, which could spell their doom. 478 APPENDIX K: WILDERNESS ENCOUNTERS – OLD ROAD

Percentile Encounter Taiga Encounters Dice Terrible, lashing weather overtakes the Party who are forced to find shelter. While waiting Dark Was The for the storm to pass, one Character tells the story of the Howlbear; a terrible beast whose 1 to 8 Night presence snuffs out light and who can summon terrible storms. Just then, the party’s campfire flickers out and dies... A pilgrim of the Winter King is found starving and begging for food, though he bears a Hungry 9 to 16 tattoo on his chest that reads ‘The strong shall overcome.’ Do they feed him, or let his faith Pilgrim be his nourishment? During a particularly bad storm, the Party finds refuge in a small burg beneath a large mountain. Ruled over by a charismatic but desperate lord, the lord’s child seem to hold Overlook some unknown dark power that leaves the populace terrified. No matter where the 17 to 25 Valley Characters go, the child always seems to follow them - and his father becomes more and more deranged by the minute. Could the child be the real ruler, or is something stranger happening? The Characters come across a disheveled group of northern refugees, fleeing their lands that Refugees of 26 to 33 have been overtaken by the maw of the Abyss. They beg the party to lead them to shelter. War While they converse, the characteristic bellow of warhorns echoes from the mountains. Cresting a large hill, the Characters come across a valley where a band of Humans and Sanguine Orx seem to be lining up for a skirmish, surrounded by throngs of onlookers. However, 34 to 41 Gridiron neither side bear armaments (save abusively-large spaulders) while a Hob-Kobold standing between them is holding an inflated pig’s bladder. What is about to occur? A shot rings out above the Characters; looking up the hill, they see a heavily-bearded men Smokey and leveling an arquebus at them. What is stranger is that the man has a large brown bear with 42 to 49 the Bandits him - one that seems to be wearing a collar. Suddenly the man looks panicked, and waves at the group to follow him. Journeying through a high-sided valley, the Party comes across a group of travelers who look sick and weathered. The travelers say they have been hemmed in this valley for months The Dunkle 50 to 58 and need an escort home, the look in their eyes mixed with hunger and desperation. They Party have nearly no supplies left, but they have many more caravans that what would have been needed to support such a small group... Standing in the middle of a vast plain, surrounded by no other life, is a large free standing 59 to 67 The Monolith stone of eldritch craftsmanship. It is inscribed with strange symbols and littered with offerings of offal, trinkets and coins. It exudes a malevolence - one that begs to be touched.

Those Who Coming across a clearing, the scout of the Party sees hundreds of dismembered corpses, 68 to 76 Walk in spread out to form a blasphemous tribute to devils unknown. Upon returning with the Winter Party, the corpses have disappeared. Was this a hallucination, or something more sinister? A screaming sound fills the sky as the Characters look up, spotting a ball of green flame plunging from the heavens to the earth below. The object lands with explosive force in a 77 to 85 Ubermensch nearby cluster of pines, as critters flee from the impact. A few moments later, the pines reflect the color of a sickly green glow. Is this some strange new weapon, or something from beyond the stars? The Characters encounter a clan of dwarves who say they are out to reclaim a lost clan 86 to 92 Underhome home. They beseech the party for aid, promising untold riches but warning at likely death. Do they take up the ragtag group’s offer?

After setting up camp for the night, the Characters start hearing the familiar howl of 93 to 100 Wolf Pack wolves in the distance. Over the next hour, the howls get closer and closer, until they suddenly stop. Could they have abandoned their hunt, or are they just about to start it?

479 APPENDIX L: HARDNESS THRESHOLDS

Sundries Hardness Threshold Sundries Hardness Threshold Glass chandelier 0 Heavy table 12 Lantern 0 Iron shackles 12 Padlock 0 Solid oak door 12 Thick rope 0 Solid timber wall 12 Sapling tree 0 Stone figurine 12 Wooden fence 0 Wooden statue 12 Hollow wooden door 3 Brick wall 15 Reed floor 3 Coaching station door 15 Shuddered window 3 Iron-barred window 15 Storm lantern 3 Ironwood tree 15 Thatch roof 3 Reinforced door 15 Wooden chest 3 Wood pier 15 Barrel 6 Altar 18 Locked wooden door 6 Iron chains 18 Mature tree 6 Iron door 18 Mud hut 6 Petrified tree 18 Powderkeg 6 Stone statue 18 Religious token 6 Wooden portcullis 18 Dead tree 9 Bronze statue 21 Haystack 9 Steel door 21 Improvised barricade 9 Iron portcullis 21 Leather-bound book 9 Steel grate 21 Trunk 9 Steel mirror 21 Wooden shack 9 Stone wall 21

480 APPENDIX L: HARDNESS THRESHOLDS

Vehicle Hardness Threshold Vehicle Hardness Threshold

Barrow cart 0 Large wagon 18

Dog sled 0 Longship 18

Snow sled 0 Two-masted cog 18

Fishing boat 6 Drakkar 21

Two wheeled cart 6 Knorr 21

Palanquin 9 Merchant coaster 21

Rowboat 9 Three-masted cog 21

Fancy coach 12 War Machine Hardness Threshold

Raft 12 Bolt thrower 15

River barge 15 Stone hurler 18

Galley warship 18 Cannon 21

481 APPENDIX M: CHAOS MANIFESTATIONS

Percentile Petty Effect Dice Manifestation 1 to 4 Fortune’s Mercy! Ignore Chaos Manifestation, and continue onward!

5 to 8 Aetheric Shock Magickal energy lashes you with pain, as you immediately suffering a Moderate Injury. The bones and muscles of one of your hands are frozen into an unnatural position by 9 to 12 Atrophied Hand Aetheric energy. Though this is not painful, you cannot move your fingers from their bizarre arrangement for 3 hours. Every fingernail and toenail on your body turns black and falls off. They may grow back over 13 to 16 Blackened Nails time. 17 to 20 Bloody Nose Your nose begins to bleed profusely. For the next 3 hours, you lose all sense of smell.

21 to 24 Cold Sweat All those with a few yards around you break out in cold sweat for 3 hours. Creeping Congre- Insects fill the area around you, buzzing and crawling. They do no harm and disperse within 25 to 28 gation 3 hours. Everyone within sight must succeed a Resolve Test or suffer 1D10+1 mental Peril. 29 to 32 Defiler of Flora All plant life within 3 yards of you instantly withers and dies.

33 to 36 Despoiler Within 3 yards of you, milk curdles, wine sours and food spoils immediately. Fluidic Transmog- 37 to 40 All liquids on your person instantly turn to brine. rification 41 to 44 Hairless Every follicle of hair on your body falls out. It will grow back over time. Distant, ghostly voices call your name for 3 hours. No one else hears them, save you. You are 45 to 48 Haunted immediately made victim to Stress. Boot nails pierce everyone’s feet. Everyone within 3 yards of you must succeed a Coordina- 49 to 52 Hobnails tion Test or fall Prone onto the ground. 53 to 56 Horripilation Your hair stands on end for 3 hours. Intestinal Rebel- 57 to 60 Your bowels move uncontrollably, soiling your clothing (and pride). lion 61 to 64 Mark of the Witch Your pupils turn bright red. They revert back to their original color in 3 hours. A milky film covers your eyes for 3 hours. During this time, you cannot succeed any Skill 65 to 68 Milky Eyes Test that requires sight. You tapped too deeply into the subtle warp and weft of Magick. Add a 1D6 Chaos Die to 69 to 72 Overchannel see if you cause future Manifestations every time you cast Magick over the next 3 hours. An item in your primary or off-hand goes flying off on its own accord, landing 3 miles away 73 to 76 Poltergeist from you. 77 to 80 Riches to Rags All of your clothing is instantly tattered to shreds, barely clinging to your body. Every muscle within your body tingles, with pin prick pains lancing from your fingertips to 81 to 84 Tingling Nerves your toes. Reduce your Movement by 3 over the next 3 hours. All animals who can see or smell you are spooked, and bolt off into the distance until out of 85 to 88 Unnatural Aura your sight. Your ears become plugged with a thick mucus. A successful Heal Test will help, but you 89 to 92 Waxy Ears cannot succeed any Skill Test that requires hearing over the next 3 hours. 93 to 96 Wyrdlight Your body glows with an eerie light for 3 hours.

97 to 100 Misfortune! Reference the Lesser Manifestations table instead!

482 APPENDIX M: CHAOS MANIFESTATIONS

Percentile Lesser Description Dice Manifestation 1 to 4 Fortune’s Mercy! Ignore Chaos Manifestation, and continue onward! Aetheric 5 to 8 Chaotic energies wrack your body, as you immediately suffer a Serious Injury. Backlash You are struck by the chaotic forces of this world. Your skin is turned a pale shade of yellow 9 to 12 Albino Affliction white for 6 hours. Your body shudders in both delight and horror, as you reduce your Agility to 6% for 6 13 to 16 Allure of Chaos hours. The bones and muscles of one of your arms or legs are frozen into an unnatural position by 17 to 20 Atrophied Limb Aetheric energy. Though this is not painful, you can’t move the limb for 6 hours. 21 to 24 Bankruptcy All of your coins instantly evaporate within your pockets, turning into water. You throw up uncontrollably, unable to do anything else for 6 hours. In that time, you spew Bilious 25 to 28 up much more vomit than could possibly have been contained in your stomach. You are Regurgitation Helpless during this time. 29 to 32 Chaos Imminent Roll again twice on the Lesser Manifestations Table, and accept both results. You are possessed by another entity for the passage of 6 hours. The Gamemaster Demonic 33 to 36 immediately takes control of your Character during this time. After the time has passed, Possession you have no memory of what occurred. Chaos energy wracks your body, debilitating your fortitude as you reduce your Brawn to 37 to 40 Enfeeblement 6% for 6 hours. 41 to 44 Eyefuse The winds of Magick howl around you, as you reduce your Perception to 6% for 6 hours. Hush the 45 to 48 Your breath is stolen, as you lose your voice for 6 hours. Children Lack of 49 to 52 Your will is utterly broken, as you reduce your Willpower to 6% for the next 6 hours. Willpower 53 to 56 Loadstone Every piece of metal on your body is permanently magnetized. Melanistic You are struck by the chaotic forces of this world. Your skin is turned a pale shade of blue- 57 to 60 Affliction black for 6 hours. You withdraw from everyone around you, as you reduce your Fellowship to 6% for the next 61 to 64 Mindnumb 6 hours. Overchanneled The channels of Magick within your body are set ablaze. Add 2D6 Chaos Die to see if you 65 to 68 Conflagration cause future Manifestations every time you cast Magick for the next 6 hours. Overwhelming 69 to 72 You are overwhelmed by Aetheric energy, and are now Stunned for 6 hours. Magick Storm of 73 to 76 Roll again on this table. Everyone within sight of you suffers the effects instead. Disorder 77 to 80 Stupefaction Your mind regresses, as you reduce your Intelligence to 6% for the next 6 hours.

81 to 84 The Withering Aetheric energy wracks your body, as you reduce your Combat to 6% for the next 6 hours. Anything you say for the next 6 hours comes out as gibberish, rendering use of the 85 to 88 Tongue-tied Incantation Skill impossible during this time. A strange wind rises around you, carrying every reagent you own into the sky, disappearing 89 to 92 Winds of Chaos forever. You suffer from burning pain for the next 6 hours, suffering a -20 Base Chance to all Skill 93 to 96 Wracking Pain Tests. 97 to 100 Misfortune! Reference the Greater Manifestations table instead!

483 APPENDIX M: CHAOS MANIFESTATIONS

Percentile Greater Mani- Description Dice festation Fortune’s 1 to 4 Ignore Chaos Manifestation, and continue onward! Mercy! Accidental You are acutely aware that you’ve have invited an Abyssal fiend into the material realm. You 5 to 8 Invitation suffer 9 Corruption. A layer of black-red ice covers the ground below your feet, radiating outwards for 9 miles 9 to 12 Aetheric Freeze all around. Those who stand upon it must roll 3D6 Chaos Die to see if they cause future Manifestations every time Magick is casted, until it melts 9 hours later. For a brief instant, your blood literally boils in your veins. The fever it brings temporarily 13 to 16 Boiling Blood reduces your Brawn to 3%. It restores by 3% every day thereafter. Chaos Made 17 to 20 Roll again twice on the Greater Manifestations Table, and accept both results. Flesh Dam Has You are filled with wonderment and terrifying ecstasy. You must cast a Petty, Lesser or Greater 21 to 24 Broken Spell every hour for the next 9 hours. For every hour you don’t, you suffer 9 Corruption Points. The bones of the dead arise within the area around you. They raggedly animate, and begin a macabre dance. Those who witness it must succeed a Resolve Test or begin to dance. For every Death’s Endless hour they dance, they drop one step down the Peril Condition Track. However, they receive 25 to 28 Dance another Resolve Test for every hour to stop dancing. Once they are Incapactiated! they are also Slain! where they once danced. Only after the dance is done - or 9 hours have passed - will the skeletons clatter back into a heap of bones. A wide crack splits swallows the nearest building you can see, potentially killing everyone 29 to 32 Engulfed inside. If you can hear their dying screams, you suffer 9 Corruption Points. Your hair begins to swirl as if possessed by snakes. Those whom you make eye contact with must Gaze of the 33 to 36 succeed an Awareness Test or are turned to stone for 9 hours. By closing your eyes, the gaze can Medusa be stopped. Surprisingly, your head falls off into your hands... yet you still live, able to speak, eat and Head Popped breath. Everyone who witnesses this atrocity suffers 9 Corruption Points. You can reattach it 37 to 40 Off temporarily, but any Injury you suffer causes your head to fly off just outside of easy reach. This effect lasts for 9 hours. Heretical The Abyssal Prince of Violence shows you a vision of your own death. You immediately suffer 9 41 to 44 Visions Corruption Points, but cannot remember how you’ll die. Lineage The infection of chaos permanently renders you sterile, as you gain the Eunuch Drawback. If 45 to 48 Concluded you already have this Drawback, you instead suffer 9 Corruption. Permanently reduce your Brawn by 1%, as a one inch rune is branded into your flesh. The runes spell out a contract which signs your soul away to a Higher Demon of the Abyss, whose True Name is immediately revealed to you. Once you gain 13 marks, replace your Order Alignment 49 to 52 Mark of Chaos with any one Chaos Alignment. With 13 marks, whenever you gain 10 ranks towards your new Order Alignment, you instead lose a Fate Point. If you have no Fate Point to give, you are instead Slain!, claimed by your new demonic lord. 53 to 56 Mindrot Your brain is muddled by Aetheric energies, as you permanently reduce your Intelligence by 1%. You unknowingly start the spread of a terrible plague, transmitted by voice. Everyone that hears you speak and understands your words must make a successful Toughness Test or be exposed 57 to 60 Pontypool to any Disease the Gamemaster feels appropriate. The only cure is to simply not speak, or by waiting 9 hours until it passes. 61 to 64 Power Drain With a “whoosh”, your ability to cast Magick is robbed from you for the next 9 hours. Your entire body convulses violently as the pure stuff of Aetheric chaos courses over you; you Spasmodic 65 to 68 nearly bite off your tongue. You become very difficult to understand and must flip the results to Paroxysm fail all Incantation Tests for the next 9 hours. 69 to 72 Storm of Chaos Roll again on this table twice. Everyone within 9 yards of you suffers the effects instead. A road paved with flat, black stones visible to you and anyone else who possesses at least one Skill Rank in Incantation. Travel along the road is greatly accelerated, allowing you to bridge 73 to 76 The Black Road distances by 3 times the normal speed. The road can lead to any real, possible place you desire. Should you follow it, you and anyone else walking it suffers 9 Corruption per day of travel. The road disappears after 9 days.

484 APPENDIX M: CHAOS MANIFESTATIONS

Greater Percentile Manifestation Description Dice Cont. A bright pinprick of light appears in the sky above you. Over the course of 9 hours, it grows closer and closer until it strikes the world, somewhere a safe distance from you. 77 to 80 The Hitchhiker An Abyssal hitchhiker came along for the ride, who is your sworn enemy. You gain the Nemesis Drawback. If you already have this Drawback, you simply gain yet another Nemesis.

81 to 84 Thunderstruck You are thunderstruck from the heavens, immediately suffering a Grievous Injury.

Everyone who can see you you must succeed a Resolve Test, or grow irrationally outraged Unmitigated 85 to 88 by your very presence. They all move to attack you, only to come to their senses 9 minutes Rage later. A dark, dry wind swoops down from the sky. The soil dries up and blows away leaving 89 to 92 Winds of Chaos nothing but featureless sand and stone. These grounds are left barren forever. Those who stand within 9 miles suffer 3D10+3 Damage.

93 to 96 Witherlimb One of your hands is entirely rendered useless, as you gain the Veteran’s Hand Drawback.

You are swallowed by an unearthly mouth into and endless black pit, leading into the 97 to 100 Abyssal Maw! deepest hells of the Abyss. Unless you have a Fate Point to spend, it’s time to roll up a new Character.

485 APPENDIX N: MALIGNANCIES

Percentile Malignancy Effect Dice You gain an aversion to an everyday sound or sight, such as infants or horses. Whenever 1 to 8 Abhorrence you are exposed to it, you suffer a -10 Base Chance to both Fellowship and Perception- based Skill Tests.

You gain a serious flaw in personality, such as morbidity, aggressiveness or megalomania. 9 to 16 Character Flaw You lose 3% from your Fellowship.

You cause plants to wither within one yard of you whenever you cast Magick. Every time 17 to 25 Death Aura you gain this Malignancy, you increase the radius by one additional yard.

You are rendered unnaturally weak, as your body is sapped of its strength. You lose 3% 26 to 33 Decrepitude from Brawn.

You gain an unsightly physical characteristic, such as a pulsating wart above your eyes, a 34 to 41 Disfigurement hunched back that is a hive for hornets or fur that bristles upon your palms. You lose 3% from your Perception.

You fall into fits of shaking and frothing under tense situations. Whenever you suffer Faling 42 to 49 from Fear or Terror, you must succeed a Resolve Test or fall to the ground, left Helpless Sickness for 1D10+1 minutes. If you already have this Malignancy, re-roll on this table.

You reek of an odoriferous stench when around others. It may be of sulfur, filth, rotten 50 to 58 Fetid Stench eggs or worse. You suffer a -20 Base Chance to Rumor Tests. If you already have this Malignancy, re-roll on this table.

You gain the pallor of someone freshly dug from a graveyard. You suffer a -10 Base Living 59 to 67 Chance to all Charm Tests, but gain a +10 Base Chance to Intimidate Tests. If you Cadaver already have this Malignancy, re-roll on this table. You become a carrier of a dangerous disease, such as Tomb Rot. However, you do not suffer its effects. Anytime you share intimate or violent physical contact with another, 68 to 76 Plague-bearer they must succeed a Toughness Test or become infected by it. If you already have this Malignancy, re-roll on this table. You become emaciated, deathly thin and withered. Immediately move your build type down one step. For instance, if you are corpulent, you are now husky. Once you reach frail 77 to 85 Rawboned (or are already frail), reduce your Brawn by 3% and you can never gain this Malignancy again; instead, re-roll on this table. You gain a hunger for unusual substances. It may be for grave dirt, animal viscera, Unnatural 86 to 92 humanoid waste or other terrible craving. Whenever confronted by it, you must succeed a Appetite Resolve Test or be compulsed to eat it, help Helpless for 1D10+1 minutes.

You gain an allergy to a common material, such as fur, linen or even food. Whenever you 93 to 100 Unusual Allergy exposed to it, you suffer a -10 Base Chance to both Combat and Agility-based Skill Tests.

486 APPENDIX O: TAINT OF CHAOS

Percentile Taint of Chaos Effect Dice By spending a Fortune Point, you can make an improvised ranged attack against a single foe within 1 + Perception Bonus (PB), as they suffer 1D10 + Brawn Bonus 1 Acidic Spittle (BB) Damage from acid. However, Acidic Spittle ignores a foe’s Damage Threshold Modifier from armor. A foe can attempt to Dodge Acidic Spittle, or Parry it with a shield. Acidic Spittle can be used while Engaged with enemies. 2 Albinism You suffer a permanent loss of 9% to Brawn. By spending a Fortune Point, one attack made bare-handed inflicts a single dose of 3 Arachnos spider venom. 4 Astral Implant Gain a random Implant from Dark Astral. Whenever you successfully use a Takedown, you also deal Damage as if you were 5 Barbed Spines using a bare-handed weapon. 6 Beaked Maw Attacks made bare-handed gain the Punishing Quality. Select a single one-handed Martial Melee weapon. Attacks made bare-handed are Beweaponed 7 instead treated as if you were fighting with that weapon. However, you can no longer Extremity use one of your hands, nor wield two-handed weapons. 8 Black Nails Attacks made bare-handed gains the Fast Quality.

9 Blood Substitution You can no longer be made to Bleed. Whenever you are Seriously or Grievously Injured, you cannot Dodge or Parry. 10 Bloodborne Rage However, you may add 3 to all melee Damage. Brightly-patterned 11 This is a cosmetic change only. Skin By spending a Fortune Point, one attack made bare-handed gains the Fiery Quality 12 Burning Body (but you are not harmed by these flames). Cancerous 13 You permanently gain a +2 to Damage Threshold. Protection 14 Centauroid You permanently gain 3 to Movement.

15 Chitinous Head This is a cosmetic change only.

16 Clamorous Vocals You must succeed a Scrutinize Test in order to use your normal voice. When a foe attempts to strike you with ranged weapons, they suffer penalties as if 17 Cloud Of Rot they were fighting in fog, mist or smoke. 18 Cloven Hooves This is a cosmetic change only.

19 Conehead You suffer a permanent loss of 9% to Intelligence.

20 Crow’s Legs You permanently gain 9% to Agility.

21 Crown Of Flesh This is a cosmetic change only. You permanently gain 9% to Brawn, but all melee and ranged attacks made against 22 Crystalline Body you gain the Vicious Quality. You must reduce the Distance of ranged weapons and Magicks you use by 6 yards 23 Cyclopean Eye (to a minimum of 1 yard). Attacks made bare-handed are instead treated as if you were fighting with a 24 Demonic Tentacle bullwhip. However, you can no longer use one of your hands, nor wield two-handed weapons. A non-player Character is spawned from you, sharing your same Profession and 25 Doppelganger Attributes. You gain the Nemesis Drawback. 487 APPENDIX O: TAINT OF CHAOS

Percentile Taint of Chaos Effect Dice 26 Egghead Treat the cost of anything you wear on your head as if you had a Corpulent build. Whenever you are made victim to a Called Shot to the head, you suffer an additional 1D6 27 Elongated Neck Fury Die in Damage. Whenever you use a successful Intimidate Test, one foe suffers a -20 Base Chance to all 28 Evil Eye Skill Tests for 24 hours. Eyes Without 29 This is a cosmetic change only. A Face 30 Eyestalks You permanently gain 9% to Perception.

31 Fanged Maw Attacks made bare-handed gains the Entangling Quality.

32 Fantastic Arms Attacks made bare-handed gain the Reach Quality.

33 Featherweight You may ignore the effects of Hard Terrain.

34 Feathery Coat This is a cosmetic change only. By spending a Fortune Point, you can reveal your burning head for one hour. This allows 35 Flaming Skull you to automatically succeed either an Interrogation or Intimidate Test. Floating 36 You may ignore the effects of Hard Terrain and must change your sex to male. Fatman 37 Forestwalker Increase your Movement by 3

38 Froggy Eyes This is a cosmetic change only.

39 Goat Horns Attacks made bare-handed gain the Powerful Quality.

40 Hellish Visage Whenever your face is visible, you may flip the results to succeed Intimidate Tests.

41 Horrific Stench Whenever a foe is Engaged with you, they must Resist a Stunning Blow.

42 Hunchbacked This is a cosmetic change only. By spending a Fortune Point, you can cause any one foe you can see you to remain Help- 43 Hypnotic Glare less for one minute. 44 Infantitis You can no longer use the Charge or Run Movement Actions in combat. Limb 45 This is a cosmetic change only. Transference 46 Mace-like Tail You are always equipped with a cudgel. At the end of a Run action, with a successful Athletics Test, you may jump horizontally 47 Mad Hopper three yards for every 3 points of Brawn Bonus (BB) or leap vertically three yards for every 6 points of Brawn Bonus (BB). However, you must reduce your Movement by 3 on foot. 48 Mane Of Hair This is a cosmetic change only.

49 Mangy Cur This is a cosmetic change only.

50 Manikin This is a cosmetic change only. 488 APPENDIX O: TAINT OF CHAOS

Percentile Taint of Chaos Effect Dice Whenever you fail a Resolve Test, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands on a face “6”, you are Material 51 Incapacitated! and unconscious, disappearing only to reappear where you had last stood Instability an hour later. You permanently gain 3 to Movement to swim in water, while reducing your Movement 52 Mere-form by 3 on foot. By spending a Fortune Point, one attack made bare-handed inflicts a single dose of 53 Metasoma scorpion venom. Roll 1D6 Chaos Die to determine how many features are swapped. This is a cosmetic 54 Misshapen Face change only. Monstrous 55 By spending a Fortune Point, you may provoke Fear in others. Countenance Moronic 56 You suffer a permanent loss of 9% to Willpower. Mutation By spending a Fortune Point, you can create a perfect simulacrum of yourself; Primary Attributes, Magick usage if applicable and other Traits, Talents and abilities as well. 57 Multiplication This “second self ” will do as you please for one hour, immediately turning into mist and dissipating at the end of the duration. Mutative Select any Animal and your features become an amalgam of such. This is a cosmetic 58 Chimerism change only. Mutative 59 After sleeping you recover one step positively on the Damage Condition Track. Regeneration Roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is 1-2, your hand is atrophied as you suffer a Necrotic permanent loss of 9% to Agility. If the result is 3-4, your foot is atrophied as you suffer 60 Atrophy a permanent loss of 9% to Brawn. If the result is a face “5”, you gain the Veteran’s Hand Drawback. If the result is a face “6”, you gain the Veteran’s Leg Drawback. 61 Obsidian Skin Whenever hiding in darkness, you may flip the results to succeed Stealth Tests. Octopoid 62 Whenever you climb, you may flip the results to succeed Athletics Tests. Suckers By spending a Fortune Point, one attack made bare-handed inflicts a single dose of snake 63 Ouroboros venom. 64 Petrified Limb You gain either the Veteran’s Hand or Veteran’s Leg Drawback. 65 Pinhead You suffer a permanent loss of 3% to Intelligence, Perception and Willpower. Select a single Disease. By spending a Fortune Point, one attack made bare-handed 66 Plague-borne inflicts a Disease upon your foe. 67 Prehensile Tail This allows you the use of an additional limb; treat this tail as if it were an off-hand. 68 Prominent Ears Whenever using your sense of hearing, you automatically succeed Awareness Tests. Pronounced 69 Whenever using your sense of smell, you automatically succeed Survival Tests. Snout Protean You suffer a permanent loss of 6% to either Brawn or Agility, but permanently gain 3% to 70 Growth the other. Protoplasmic Whenever you Critically Fail any Resolve or Toughness Test, you turn into a useless slime 71 Transformation for 24 hours. You suffer a permanent loss of 9% to Combat and must change to the tallest height of 72 Puny Jumbo your race. Quadrumani- This allows you the use of two additional limbs, although it does not allow you to make 73 bus additional attacks. Treat these arms as if they were an off-hand. Quadruple 74 You permanently gain 9% to Agility. Jointed At the end of a Run action, with a successful Athletics Test, you may jump horizontally 75 Roid Beast two yards for every 3 points of Brawn Bonus (BB) or leap vertically two yards for every 6 points of Brawn Bonus (BB).

489 APPENDIX O: TAINT OF CHAOS

Percentile Taint of Effect Dice Chaos 76 Rotting Flesh This is a cosmetic change only. Seemingly 77 This is a cosmetic change only. Headless 78 Shrinky Dink You permanently gain 6% to Agility, but suffer a permanent loss of 3% to Brawn. 79 Skull-faced This is a cosmetic change only. Whenever you fail a Toughness Test, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands on a face “6”, you Spiritual 80 are Incapacitated! and unconscious, disappearing only to reappear where you had last Instability stood an hour later. By spending a Fortune Point, you can make an improvised ranged attack against a single foe within 1 + Perception Bonus (PB), as they suffer 1D10 + Brawn Bonus (BB) Dam- 81 Spit Flames age from fire. However, Spit Flames ignores a foe’s Damage Threshold Modifier from armor. A foe can attempt to Dodge Spit Flames, or Parry it with a shield. Spit Flames can be used while Engaged with enemies. Swinging 82 This is a cosmetic change only. Gait 83 The Thin Man Immediately change your build to Frail and the tallest height your Race allows. 84 Thinktank You may increase any one Primary Attribute Bonus by 1. 85 Third Eye You permanently gain 9% to Perception. Translucent 86 This is a cosmetic change only. Skin Transmut- 87 You permanently gain 6% to Brawn, but suffer a permanent loss of 3% to Agility. ative Growth 88 Two Minds This is a cosmetic change only. Uncanny Re- 89 This is a cosmetic change only. semblance Uncontrol- By spending a Fortune Point, one attack made bare-handed gains the Powerful Quality 90 lable Flatu- and automatically Stun a foe (as if they had been affected by a Stunning Blow). lence Undulating 91 You permanently gain 9% to Agility. Tail Vestigial 92 This is a cosmetic change only. Twin Vitriolic By spending a Fortune Point, one attack made bare-handed inflicts an additional 93 Excretion 1D10+1 Damage from acid. Vividly-col- 94 This is a cosmetic change only. ored Skin 95 Vocal Oddity You must succeed a Scrutinize Test in order to use your normal voice. Walk On 96 This is a cosmetic change only. Hands Walking 97 You no longer have arms or hands. Head Winged 98 You can use Movement Actions to fly at a rate of 9 + Agility Bonus (AB) in yards. Horror Wytchstone You must flip the results to fail all Intelligence-based Skill Tests, but may flip the result 99 Mind to succeed Incantation Tests. Zoological 100 This is a cosmetic change only. Mutation

490 CHAPTER 12: BESTIARY

host of creatures inhabit every grim & perilous world. Both mundane and strange animals roam the wilds, preying upon the weak and charging down those who’d threaten their pack. Aberrant beasts in the throes of Ahibernation awaken from their slumber momentarily, to feed, spread havoc and sow fear. Brigands, madmen and witch hunters prowl the countryside to pursue or enforce their own twisted ideologies. Horribly misshapen folk, victims of disease and throngs of mutated creatures lurk upon the periphery of civilization. Strange whispers haunt bone-littered lich yards and abandoned villages, where disembodied spirits wander aimlessly between here and the afterlife. And deep within the pit of the Abyss, monstrous fiends of super-intelligence and craftiness await their earthly machinations to come to fruition.

This chapter outlines a number of monsters and other crea- RISK FACTOR tures you can pit against player Characters during their ad- We previously spoke about how all foes are categorized ventures. Like Chapter 11: Game Mastery, the Bestiary is by Risk Factor in Chapter 11: Game Mastery. You’ll reserved for use by the Gamemaster, and shouldn’t be refer- also note that creatures are also classified by a Notch, enced by players during the game. which helps you better understand how these creatures CREATURE FORMAT fair in a fight. Risk Factor and Notches are explicitly used for building encounters. Outside of these classi- Every creature entry has been tightened to communicate fications, this part of the creature format doesn’t refer- information you may need on-hand to effectively play ence any other game mechanics you need consider when each creature. Although the listings have been condensed, reading the Bestiary. you shouldn’t need to look up any additional rules to ref- erence when playing these creatures. Every creature in DESCRIPTION ZWEIHÄNDER is represented using this format: This entry describes the general ecology, behaviors and CREATURE NAME place the creature occupies in the world. These represent Every creature possesses a proper name. Although this is both common and scholarly views on each of the crea- mostly geared for a reference point in their description, a tures, touching upon any eccentricities and predilections creature may have several different names they’re known they possess. Although most descriptions have been by. Feel free to change these to meet the milieu of your drawn from mythology and given a unique spin, feel free campaign world. to change these assumptions as desired. TYPE PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES There are but six classifications of creatures within ZWEI- Primary Attributes covers the basics of each creature, HÄNDER: Abyssal, Animal, Beast, Humanoid, Mutant similar to how Characters are described on the Char- and Supernatural. Nested beneath each are families of acter sheet. However, you’ll note that their Primary At- creatures, which are expanded upon later in this chapter. tribute Bonus is references in parenthesis. These have A creature’s Type generally pertains to special Traits and already been accounted for in Secondary Attributes and other abilities player Characters may possess against it. Combat Profile.

491 Creatures in this book use Skills akin to how Characters do. weapons a creature may possess. Following the proper name of Each Primary Attribute has a series of Skills listed after it the weapon is the Base Chance of success to use the weapon. with either a +10, +20 or +30 value. Although they as well have been accounted for as well, should you ever have to con- DISTANCE & LOAD duct a Skill Test, you’ll add the value of the Primary Attri- Although not all creatures have both melee and ranged weap- bute and the value after the Skill. For instance, if a creature’s ons, you’ll note that the listing for Distance includes whether Agility is 50% and they have a Skulduggery of +30%, you’d it is a melee or ranged attack. Distance always includes the have a Base Chance of 80% (50% + 30%). In cases where a Short Distance listing for ranged weapons. Any Action Points creature doesn’t have any Skill Ranks in a Primary Attribute, needed to be spent to Load have also been included. you’ll see the entry for NONE. DAMAGE & QUALITIES

MONSTROUS SUPERSTITIONS & Total Damage has already been calculated for you, along with any particular Qualities a creature’s weapons may pos- KNOWLEDGE sess. However, some Damage may indicate SPECIAL. In Naturally, you may wish to keep information about a these cases, you will need to reference the creature’s Traits to creature’s habitat and general disposition secret from better understand what occurs in place of standard Damage. the players. What elements of their ecology you elect to share is up to you. Should Characters seek to learn PARRY & DODGE about creatures, it would require a successful Folklore These values are already calculated for purposes of using me- Test to understand the superstitions surrounding lee weapons to Parry and Coordination to Dodge. Should any them and perhaps their common name. For instance, a Qualities or other factors come into play with these values, creature of ancient might - the Nephilim - may simply they’ll be followed by the percent value in parenthesis. For in- be called a “frost giant” by the unwashed masses. A suc- stance, a creature may have a Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality). cessful Education Test would give Characters a more This indicates that the Natural Quality has already been cal- scholarly view, with hints as to the origin of such crea- culated into the Dodge value. tures, their place in the world’s taxonomical hierarchy and their proper name. In the case of the Nephilim, for TRAITS instance, it may lend information such as the Nephilim Similar to player Character Talents, creatures possess a num- fear Ogres, because their ancestors tore down their sky ber of Traits which can impact their general abilities, influ- castles. A Critically Succeeded Test, however, would ence the weaknesses or other non-combat behaviors of a grant information on weaknesses the creature possess- creature. Any Traits which changes a creature’s Primary and es. In the instance above, it may expose to the scholar Secondary Attributes, along with their Combat Profile, have that the Nephilim are prone to rages whenever they already been factored in. However, Traits may also commu- suffer an Injury (such as with the Trait of Unruly). nicate additional abilities above and beyond the fold. Famil- iarize yourself with a creature’s Traits as you play them. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES These rules apply roundly; meaning, whether the crea- As with Primary Attributes, the Secondary Attributes are ture is in the midst of combat or not, you’ll need to make calculated in the same fashion as a Character Sheet. How- sure that when running these creatures, you must account ever, we’ve already done the math for you. This means that for any special circumstances dictated herein. Traits and Trappings have already been factored into these numbers for you. Note that a creature’s Movement rate is Creature Traits can be found in the Bestiary Appendix at the number of yards it may move while using the Movement the end of this chapter. Action of Walk. Creatures, much like player Characters, may use other Movement Actions to augment this value (such as TRAPPINGS Charge or Run). This section outlines the suggested equipment that these creatures carry upon them. Armor and weapons have already COMBAT PROFILE been accounted for in the mechanics above. If a creature has A creature’s Combat Profile includes all calculations from no trappings, it will indicate NONE. its Primary and Secondary Profiles, along with Traits and Trappings. All factors have been included below, so you have CREATURE DESCRIPTIONS a reference point when using this creature in combat. Addi- The following outlines the statistics for the most common tional details are covered below: creatures found within a grim & perilous world, alphabeti- cally arranged by Type: Abyssal, Animal, Beast, Humanoid, MELEE & RANGED WEAPONS Mutant and Supernatural. The Combat Profile begins first with any melee or ranged 492 ABYSSAL CREATURES

he walls… they breathe all around me. They whisper of foul unknowns, the darkness beyond - the True Real- ity. They sing to me in my sleep and my wake - they sing of the pleasures of the Abyss. Unbridled creation and Tdestruction, the home of Demons: their endless forms; their endless means; their endless lives. We are but specks to these forces of reality - ones who can harness the essence of the fabric of consciousness to destroy us. Nowhere is safe, for the Abyss and its agents are everywhere. No matter how many protective runes I carve into my flesh, they never stop whispering to me. They never stop telling me what to do. Pray not for me, for I am too far gone - pray for humani- ty, as its end is surely beyond the next horizon. Suicide note of Katherine Koriskov, former Antiquarian found dead in her cell at Holloway Sanitorium

FOMORIAN (FAMILY) HIGHER DEMONS (FAMILY)  Fomori Crone ELITE  Arch Cenobite: ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR  Fomori Huscarl: INTERMEDIATE  Brass Primarch: ELITE (MID) RISK FACTOR (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR  Fomori Thrall: BASIC  Great Devourer: ELITE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR  Light-Eater: ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR HELLBEASTS (FAMILY)  NUMINA: ELITE (  Barghest: BASIC  UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Lemurian Host: ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR LOWER DEMONS (FAMILY)  Night Mare: ADVANCED  Adversary Demon: INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Pit Dragon: ELITE  Butler Demon: INTERMEDIATE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Protoplasmic Dolor: ADVANCED  Carnal Demon: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Filth Demon: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Legion Demon: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Sorrow Demon: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR

493 FOMORIAN FOMORI CRONE Ogres used to live within a massive, tribal kingdom that ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR spread across thousands of miles of plains and steppes. They Crones are the direct descendants of Ogres that were lucky fought, ate and bred while relatively unbothered by outsiders. enough to taste the sweet meats of the most vaulted of de- However, many centuries ago a massive catastrophe rendered mons - those of the Higher Demon. This caused their blood- the land barren. Some say a meteorite lay waste to their lands, lines to mutate beyond belief into the massive Crones. while others say it was done by a terrible weapon created by Ogre warlocks which backfired during wartime. No matter Crones are borderline manic beings, their exposure to demoni- the cause, the Ogres fled in a mass exodus - which of course ac energies being so high as to drive them to a near primal state. resulted in the destruction of the Nephilim and the Ogre’s They grow absurdly tall, dwelling within massive chthonic pits current status as nomads. or off the deepest ends of coastal shelves. Crones have terribly mutated bodies - their entire lower body is replaced by massive, But not every Ogre fled, too stubborn to leave their lands suctioned tentacles, their jaw and head extend out eel-like, and they had spent generations upon. As they mutated and died their bodies are lined with bioluminescent lights similar to an of starvation, their kind was almost eradicated until a myste- anglerfish. Crones rarely venture above water, instead commu- rious being known as the Witch-Queen visited their dying nicating through their Thralls and Huscarls through psychic cities. She offered the Ogres a bargain - she would provide communications. Although a Crone is traditionally female, them food, water and shelter as long as they served her. There male counterparts are just as common - they are instead called was debate among the remaining frail lords, but they eventu- “codgers”. Each Crone leads a coven, the general organization ally consented. What they failed to ask was how the Witch- of the Fomori. From their deep pits they react with an almost Queen planned for them to serve her. She offered the Ogres intelligent instinct - perhaps they are massively wise, and their ton after ton of delectable, demon-harvested meat, and as thought process so alien as to be seemingly mindless. Crones they gorged she chuckled to herself - the truth was that the are exceedingly Magickal in nature - aside from any lore they meat was damning and full of raw energy. The Ogres began know, they also possess the distinct ability to summon a hazy to mutate horribly - their eyes fused into a singular, cyclope- mist that can envelop a countryside in minutes. This haze is a an orb, and their skill became pale, cancer-ridden and tough. boon to other Fomori, as it allows them to stalk during the day They sprouted finned tails from their hindquarters, as gills without fear of injury from the sun. ripped from under their necks. When the deed was done, the Witch-Queen vanished without a trace - perhaps just a The origin and purpose of the Crone has remained a mystery, capricious act of cruelty, or the transformation was enough even to the Fomori that follow them. Crones are thought to use to her in the first place. Regardless, these surviving Ogres be direct envoys to the Witch-Queen, but their mute nature transmogrified into the now-cruel Fomorians. and mysterious wanderings leave this still up for debate. Some say Crones are just the sea serpents and krakens of ancient Fomorians are spiteful and angry, having been forced to retreat legends, given the power of telepathy and control over the Fo- to the seas to survive, only able to venture out at night as the sun mori host. Huscarls do most of the practical leading and bat- burns their putrid skin. They raid coastal and swamp commu- tles, with Crones only showing up on the direst of assaults and nities, only stopping when the villages admit defeat and begin even then rarely leaving their watery homes. What is certain is to offer the Fomori tribute, often in the form of concubines and that Crones are highly dangerous and destructive, consumed coin. The Fomorians take their largesse and toss it in the sea with a rage and frustration that leaves armies drowned, ships in an elaborate ritual. Not long after, a steaming pile of Abys- ravaged and the Fomori with bellies full of meat. sal-infused kelp washes on their shores - the only food they can PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES consume without sickening. Their cities are carved coral shoals  that are grotesque and non-euclidean in shape, with passages Combat: 50% (7) - Simple Melee +30  Brawn: 50% (6) - Toughness +20 that switch between submerged and aerated. Fomori society is  strictly divided: at the bottom are the Thralls, who perform most Agility: 50% (7) - NONE  Perception: 50% (7) - Eavesdrop +20, Survival +30 of the labor and exist really only to toil. Above them are the  Huscarls, a caste of soldier-lords who marshal under the bas- Intelligence: 50% (5) - Alchemy +30, Folklore +30  Willpower: 55% (10) - Incantation +30, Resolve +30 tardized banners of long-lost Ogre tribes. Finally, above them  are the mysterious Crones who command their covens of Fo- Fellowship: 50% (5) - Disguise +30, Guile +30, mori Thralls and Huscarls. As the chosen of the Witch-Queen, Handle Animal +10 they are mage-scholars that guide the coven in worship of their SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES creator, only for the hope that they will bring them more flesh.  Initiative: +14 Fomori covens are thankfully small in number, tending to live  Movement: 10 on foot in colder waters and in tribes of rarely more than one hundred.  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) 494  Peril Threshold: 13 (19/25/31) Huscarls are powerful and intimidating, but they do have a weakness. About once every six years, a Huscarl outgrows COMBAT PROFILE their carapace shell and must shed it. During this time, they  Acidic spittle: 50% - Distance (ranged 10 yards) - are extremely vulnerable since their new armor is not entirely Load (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE hardened and the actual process is long and tiring. It is often  Sacrificial knife: 80% - Distance (melee engaged or during this time that rival Huscarls strike, so many Thralls are 1 yard) - Damage (7) - Fast, Reach, Vicious placed on “molt duty” in order to guard against assassination.  Parry: 80% When the Huscarls emerge however, their armor is tougher  Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) and their claws even more massive. Since Fomorians are ex- tremely long-lived, Huscarls will have to go through this pro- TRAITS cess an average of a hundred times before their natural death.  ACCURSED  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES ACIDIC SPITTLE   CHAOS MADE MANIFEST Combat: 50% (7) - Simple Melee +10, Simple  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED Ranged +10, Martial Melee +20, Martial Ranged  +20 FEY SIGHT   GROSSLY PARANOID Brawn: 45% (7) - Intimidate +20, Toughness +10   Agility: 40% (4) - Ride +10 HIDEOUS MIGHT   KEEN SENSES Perception: 45% (5) - NONE   Intelligence: 35% (3) - Warfare +20 NATURAL ARMOR (4)   NEVER SAY DIE, OCCULT MASTERY Willpower: 40% (5) - Interrogation +10, Resolve +20, Survival +10  TRAPPINGS Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1)  Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Initiative: +8 Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spell (1)   Loose robes (1) Movement: 7 on foot   Damage Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) Rune stones (1)   Reagents appropriate for Magicks (9) Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  Sacrificial knife, as stiletto (1) COMBAT PROFILE FOMORI HUSCARL  Zweihänder: 70% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 yard) - Damage (7) - Punishing, Reach, Slow INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR  The Ogre bloodlines who consumed the flesh of Lower De- Arbalest crossbow: 70% - Distance (ranged 14 yards) - Load (2 AP) - Damage (7) - Fast, Punishing mons shifted to the aspect of nobility, both in power and rul-  ership. Today, they are known as the terribly cruel Huscarls. Parry: 80% (Defensive and Protective Qualities)  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) Huscarls take on a much more crustacean cast than the lesser Thralls. Their skin becomes rigid and plated, with barnacles TRAITS and starfish clinging to their bodies. Their arms end in mas-  BIG GRIM sive, briny claws, while their jaws distend and become protect-  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED ed by mandibles and mouthparts. Finally, their legs seperate  DARK SENSE into six spindly, yet powerful segmented limbs. Huscarls serve  NATURAL ARMOR (5) as military commanders and nobles, both advising the Crones  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER and leading out small squadrons of Fomori - squadrons which  STEELY FORTITUDE number usually around thirty units. They carry the flame of  SUNDERING BLOW the old Ogre kingdoms, naming their squads after lost tribes such as Irongut and Blackteeth, but ultimately it is a tradition TRAPPINGS rather than possessing any meaning whatsoever. Huscarls are  Arbalest crossbow (1) great strategists and warriors, but terrible diplomats - they are  Crossbow bolts (9) often given over to bloody rage that leave any pact making  Metal shield (1) with landlubbers an impossibility. Their pride is also immense,  War trophies (3) as they are given to infighting to prove who is the worthiest  Zweihänder (1) Huscarl of the coven. 495 FOMORI THRALL  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24)  BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) When the Ogre bloodlines consumed the flesh of the Cho- COMBAT PROFILE sen of Chaos, they obtained the imperfect instance of power.  A generation separated apart from the Abyss, their forms Shiv: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (4) - Fast, Weak were weakened and mind dulled. They became easily en-  slaved, and forever more were these people called Fomori Shepherd’s sling: 55% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) Thralls. - Load (1 AP) Damage (4) - Fast, Throwing, Weak  Parry: 55% Thralls know nothing but toil - their work is varied and hor-  Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) rid, from serving as butchers to carving the Fomorian’s native caves to being the object of cruel games by their brethren. TRAITS Their skin is rough, scaly and a putrid green, and their heads  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED take on the aspect of a cross between a batrachian and am-  DARK SENSE phibious fish-like being. They are by far the smallest of the  NATURAL ARMOR (2) Fomorians, but they still tower over most land-born human-  PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE oids. They move at less of a walk and more of a floundering flop, and they can’t survive long outside of the water. They are TRAPPINGS the ones who venture on shore to make pacts with villagers  Dirk (1) and to collect tribute. Thralls are also the only non-sterile  Shepherd’s sling (1) Fomori, but they are unable to mate with each other. In-  Sling stones (9) stead, they must mate with humanoids, and the spawn that is birthed appears as normal but slowly mutates into a Fomori HIGHER DEMONS Thrall as it grows older. This foul breeding is often included All Demons are violent by nature, being composed of pure as part of the pact for tribute. chaos and destruction down to their elemental cores. They can spend a seeming eternity - or perhaps even a literal one - When not performing labors, the Thralls often spend their fighting, dying and returning to life before it ever sees the sun- time basking at their glory of their Crone, or being thrown at kissed world. The random nature of their being ensures others forces the Fomori despise - they are the frontline troops who will naturally be born thousands of times more powerful than go forth often with little more than tridents and salt-eaten others, a sort of hyper-evolution that far outweighs anything nets. Fomori have a strange hatred directed towards the Fey natural or sane. At times a Lower Demon’s power will be - the Fey care little for them, but the Fomori often direct all leagues above anything its lesser peons could ever accomplish. their ire at the beings. Perhaps it has something to do with It has ascended, both literally and figuratively, through Abys- the Witch-Queen being a former Elf who has nothing but sal layers through murder or cunning, reaching the lands con- vitriol for those pretenders. Thralls are not particularly smart sidered holy places for these fiends, a hellish paradise where or prone to strategy, leaving all the thinking to the Huscarls only the powerful have the ability to rule. This event causes the - they just launch themselves forward like tidal waves, which Abyssal Princes to take notice, and they grant terrible size and is usually more than enough to rattle foundations and leave powers to the newly elevated Higher Demons. hundreds dead. Higher Demons are an entirely different beast from the PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Lower Demons. While a petty sorcerer could stand at least  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10, Simple a chance of controlling a Lower Demon, the Higher De- Ranged +10 mons are like that unto living gods: treated as dukes of the  Brawn: 40% (4) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, Abyss. In fact, several cults directly worship a Higher De- Toughness +10 mon as a demigod due to their immense devilish charisma  Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +10 and strength of power they can grant. They are the closest  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10 thing to a direct avatar to the Abyssal Princes - they are per-  Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE sonally commanded by their sponsoring Princes, and sum-  Willpower: 40% (5) - Resolve +10, Survival +10 moned to combat the worst threats against the Abyss. All  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Tradecraft +10 are intelligent beyond words, having gained counsel with their gods and seeing the truth of their divine plan. Not to SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES mention their powers - they all tower several dozens of feet  Initiative: +8 high and nearly crackle with Magickal energies and potency.  Movement: 10 on foot In ancient times, entire armies have thrown their weight at a 496 Higher Demon, only to be scattered like a child’s blocks and quickly becomes bored and distracted if new developments do eviscerated like sickly cattle. not interest it. Arch Cenobites tend to possess some variety of obscene beauty, an uncanny valley where their glory is so TAINT OF CHAOS high they look unnatural. They are also pierced with all man- Throughout the bestiary, you will find reference ner of weapons and stakes, their skin artfully flayed to provide to Taints of Chaos. Taints of Chaos can be found pleasure and pain. An Arch Cenobite’s body is divided in two, in the Game Mastery Appendix of the previous one side male and the other female. Four arms end either into chapter. wicked claws or boney, saw-toothed blades while their hoofed legs support sensual bodies bristling with muscle and breasts. Their heads are demonically angular, cresting in multiple horns and a terminating in a jagged maw with a barbed tongue. Summoning a Higher Demon by ritual is far more difficult than summoning a Lower Demon. Higher Demons have When an Arch Cenobite is forced into this mortal coil, the sometimes existed for millennia, having hundreds of names area around it seems to warp and struggle with potential. and titles that could be confused for their True Name. The Artists go mad, animals breed and maul their partners, and actual title is often hidden in highly guarded vaults or deep even inanimate objects vibrate with near explosive force. Arch in the most fetid of wildernesses, a quest to just receive a Cenobites are notoriously elusive in their mannerisms - they false name being a deed worthy of song and story. While a will try to seduce just as quickly as they try to kill. Emitting Lower Demon can be summoned rather quietly - given you a soporific musk, their bodies undulate with a grotesque sen- have a stern mind and reagents - a Higher Demon makes its suality. These demons exude a presence that is almost like a presence known for miles around once brought to the Ma- drug - one that shows its victims things and feel sensations terial Realm. Depending on their sponsored Prince, they can they could never feel outside the creature’s presence. Their ser- initiate blight, murder, debauched sex or deception for miles pentine tongues are barbed like a cat-o-nine-tails, easily able around as they rip through the Veil. Their physical presence to lash mortals and demons alike. The Arch Cenobite uses this pollutes water, causes blood to rain down and makes both as a boon, killing with liquid grace while their enemies are in a the heavens and earth tremble. vast stupor. Those who escape the flail-like tongue of the Arch Cenobite very rarely escape the call of the Prince of Pleasure, Higher Demons lead entire armies of Lower Demons into bat- wandering for days or killing themselves to descend to His tle, are given their every desire and are recognized by their lords. realm of diabolical delights. They only have one jealousy, and that is Dread Counts. Those pretenders are treated like spoiled children, when the High- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES er Demons are by all accounts the true spawn of the Princes.  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +20 While it is true a Higher Demon can be elevated to more “divine  Brawn: 50% (7) - Intimidate +20, Toughness +10 forms”, the existing ones know far too much about the earthly  Agility: 50% (10) - Coordination +20 realm to be disposed of by the devil gods. However, striking  Perception: 50% (5) - Awareness +30, Scrutinize +30 down a Dread Count would bring great ire from the Princes,  Intelligence: 50% (5) - Education +30 most likely resulting in being cast back into the depths of the  Willpower: 50% (8) - Incantation +20, Interroga- Abyss, forced to claw its way back up the ranks for millennia. tion +30  ARCH CENOBITE Fellowship: 55% (10) - Charm +30, Guile +30, Leadership +30 ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES The Abyssal Prince of Pleasure is not to be trusted; though  Initiative: +8 His words drip with honey and His promises are grand, He  Movement: 13 on foot is by far the most selfish and narcissistic of the Princes. His  Damage Threshold: 13 (19/25/31) Greater Demon holds all these values to the extreme - pro-  Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) viding so much pleasure it is painful, and so much pain it is pleasurable. COMBAT PROFILE  Classified by demonologists as Chaigidel, which means “con- Piercing Tongue: 70% - Distance (melee engaged or fusion of the powers of the gods”, Arch Cenobites ultimately 1 yard) - Damage (10) - Entangling, Fast, Finesse, Reach, Vicious blur the senses and cause witnesses to question what is reali-  ty and what is not. Arch Cenobites are mental manipulators, Demonic claws: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - able to seduce and slow senses with just a glance. They move Damage (7) - Powerful, Fast, Vicious  Parry: 70% almost like water, felling all in their graceful and blasted wake.  The Arch Cenobite takes great pleasure in the slaughter, but Dodge: 70% 497 TRAITS rible to behold in a fight, leaving splashes of crimson mist  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS and fields of dismembered bodies wherever they tread, their  BOTH-HANDEDNESS massive axes and whips coated with gore. Brass Primarchs  CALL OF THE ABYSS can not bare to work with demons of other Princes, as they  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST find that they are no match for their infernal might. May  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR the heavens forbid a Brass Primarch and a Light-Eater  GIFT OF DEVILS should ever encounter each other - a fight of such vitriol and  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT power could easily level an entire city. It was once said the  HYPNOTIC MUSK God-Emperor entered personal combat with a Brass Pri-  INESCAPABLE march, and the fight lasted for ten days and nights before the  IMPLACABLE DEFENSE demon was struck down; the God-Emperor was supposedly  MASTERFULLY ADROIT in a coma for five months after the battle.  POSSESSION  POTENT BLOWS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   SNIKT! SNIKT! Combat: 55% (10) - Martial Melee +30, Simple  STEELY FORTITUDE Melee +30   TERRIFYING Brawn: 50% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30,  TRUE NAME Toughness +30  Agility: 50% (6) - NONE  TRAPPINGS Perception: 50% (5) - Awareness +30, Scrutinize +20   Chaos armor, as full plate armor with the Cas- Intelligence: 50% (5) - Warfare +20  tle-forged Quality (1) Willpower: 50% (9) - Incantation +10, Interroga-  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) tion +30   Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) Fellowship: 50% (5) - Leadership +10, Guile +30  Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spell (1)  Infernal holy symbol (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Reagents for all Magick spells (9) Initiative: +8  Movement: 12 on foot, 15 while flying BRASS PRIMARCH  Damage Threshold: 16 (22/28/34)  ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) When the Abyssal Prince of Violence wages war, He ensures that His closest generals are pure engines of destruction - sanguine COMBAT PROFILE  creatures who only desire to destroy all in their path, and also have Demonic axe: 85% - Distance (melee engaged) - the capability of doing it. Damage (11) - Adaptable, Punishing, Slow, Vicious  Whip of the fallen: 85% - Distance (melee engaged Called Brass Primarchs, their order is classified by demonolo- or 1 yard) - Damage (SPECIAL) - Entangling, In- gists as Golachab, a word that means “one adorned with fire”. effective, Powerful, Reach Massive beasts of war and death, they radiate an unearthly heat,  Demonic claws: 85% - Distance (melee engaged) - one that both ignites bodies and minds. Just being near a Brass Damage (10) - Pummeling, Vicious, Slow Primarch incites violence, anger and hatred, and this aura of  Parry: 85% menace is the only thing that can keep the normally-murder-  Dodge: 50% ous Legion Demons functioning under any kind of leadership. Brass Primarchs have endless forms, but they are almost always TRAITS bathed in blood and carrying enormous and frightening weap-  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS ons. They stink of burning flesh and sulphur, the air around  BIG GRIM them shimmering from their mere presence and the call of  BLOODLUST wild beasts echoing its every footstep. Brass Primarchs look the  BOTH-HANDEDNESS most like the classical idea of a demon: massive, red of skin, a  BRUTE STRENGTH bull-headed and horned visage, as well as massive bat-like wings  CALL OF THE ABYSS which sprout from iron-hard scales.  DEMONIC AXE  DEMONIC FRENZY A Brass Primarch brings violence and storms in its wake  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT when it is summoned, causing brother to turn against broth-  HOWL OF THE ABYSS er and the sky to literally rain acid and blood. They are ter-  IMPLACABLE DEFENSE 498  PAW, HOOF OR WING Devourer does - it knows the people it kills will soon be hosts  POTENT BLOWS for new and beloved poxes, diseases and maladies.  STEELY FORTITUDE  TERRIFYING PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 50% (6) - Simple Melee +30 TRUE NAME   UNGAINLY Brawn: 50% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +30,  WHIP OF THE FALLEN Toughness +30  Agility: 50% (6) - Coordination +30  TRAPPINGS Perception: 50% (6) - Scrutinize +10   Intelligence: 50% (5) - Education +30, Warfare +30 Chaos armor, as full plate armor with the Cas-  tle-forged Quality (1) Willpower: 55% (13) - Incantation +30, Interroga-  tion +20 Demonic axe, as a great axe with the Punishing and  Vicious Qualities (1) Fellowship: 50% (5) - Guile +20, Leadership +30  Infernal holy symbol (1)  SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Whip of the fallen, as a bullwhip with the Powerful  Quality (1) Initiative: +9  Movement: 9 on foot GREAT DEVOURER  Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29)  ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR Peril Threshold: 16 (22/28/34) The Abyssal Prince of Decay is oddly gregarious, a loving pa- COMBAT PROFILE ternal figure who only wants to see His brood propagate and  flourish. Though His Filth Demons do this well, his Higher Acidic spittle: 80% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) - Demons are truly a spawn of disease and hunger. Load (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE  Demonic flail: 80% - Distance (melee engaged or Known as Great Devourers, their order is classified by demo- 1 yard) - Damage (6) - Adaptable, Entangling, nologists as Gamchicoth, a word simply meaning “devourer”. Reach, Weak Fetid, disgusting and bloated, they take jubilant pleasure in  Demonic claws: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - how every one of their movements spreads illness and dis- Damage (6) - Pummeling, Vicious, Slow ease. In their wake they leave a sickening trail of slime, of  Parry: 80% which Abyssal-born Goblins rise out of. Not to mention its  Dodge: 90% (Natural Quality) aura of disease and bile, the Great Devourer spreads sickness to all surrounding it. Great Devourers are gross and rent, of- TRAITS ten over-spilling with humors and ruptured organs and fol-  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS lowed by a dark cloud of carrion. They smell of sweet decay  ACIDIC SPITTLE and the landscape around them withers and grows foul as  CALL OF THE ABYSS they step. Great Devourers take upon the preferred form of  CAUSTIC FLESH the Abyssal Prince prince they pay tribute to. Most appear as  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST fat, bloated and decaying monsters with elk-like horns atop CHAOTIC ROT a gaunt, skeletal face. The Devourer’s wet entrails hang open-  GASTRIC ACIDITY ly from their stomach and undulate grotesquely, while their  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT skin turns like worms amid soil, sloughing off and crawling  MIASMA OF SICKNESS back over their body.  POTENT BLOWS  NATURAL ARMOR (5) When a Great Devourer appears, water and food festers in  SLIME-BORN HOST front of your eyes as maggots and flies seem to breed out of  STEELY FORTITUDE the woodwork or crawl out of living flesh. The Great Devourer  TERRIFYING forms are disturbing, but what is more grotesque is the great  TRUE NAME pleasure they take in their work. As they rend and destroy, they  UNGAINLY laugh and joke with their minions, preach delicious ironies and are extremely relaxed in their works. It uses its build-up of TRAPPINGS acids and diseases in combat, vomiting and defecating on both  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) enemies and allies - if you manage to survive its blows, the  Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) infections could very well number your days. While few other  Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spells (1) demons of the Prince of Decay relish in fighting, the Great  Demonic flail, as a threshing flail with the Entan- 499 gling and Reach Qualities (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Infernal holy symbol (1) Initiative: +8   Reagents for all Magick spells (9) Movement: 16 on foot, 19 while flying  Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) LIGHT-EATER  Peril Threshold: 14 (20/26/32) ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR The Abyssal Prince of Change trusts no one, be it demon or COMBAT PROFILE man. He surrounds himself with gibbering demons so as to  Weeping Scythe: 70% - Distance (melee engaged or not spoil his deep and intricate plans for the fall of all reality. 1 yard) - Damage (10) - Reach, Powerful, Vicious Besides his mortal champions, the only ones He trusts are  Demonic beak: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - His Higher Demons, so-named the Light-Eaters. Damage (7) - Pummeling, Punishing, Slow  Parry: 70% Their order is classified by demonologists as Sathariel, a word  Dodge: 90% (Natural) meaning “concealment of the gods”. Light-Eaters purposeful- ly deceive and scheme to leave mortals astray. They are also TRAITS terrible sorcerers, some of the most powerful arcanists that one  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS could ever fear to encounter. Not only that, but its very being is  AETHERIC DOMINATION anathema to other spells against that. It exudes a terrible aura  BATTLE FRENZY of chaos, mutating and driving mad anyone who is near these  BOTH-HANDEDNESS beasts. That said, a Light-Eater does not often draw weapons  CALL OF THE ABYSS - it would rather use trickery and false words to forbear its de-  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST sires than violence. And since all Light-Eaters can see into the  ENTRANCING past and future, they know that they will obtain what they de-  FORESIGHT sire. A Light-Eater takes on the appearance of a massive hu-  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT manoid vulture, their plumage a deep purplish-red and their  NATURAL ARMOR (2) beaks long and saw-toothed. They seem to almost crackle with  MASTERFULLY ADROIT Aetheric potential, as their wicked scythes thirsting for souls.  PAW, HOOF OR WING  POTENT BLOWS Light-Eaters are the most easily summoned of the Higher  Demons - in fact, they desire to be summoned in order to STEELY FORTITUDE  STRAFING TALONS propose Faustian pacts to their binders. Chaos precedes a  summoning of a Light-Eater - weather shifts uncontrollably, TERRIFYING  THE CHANGER OF WAYS animals jitter and morph and mortals run amok with mad-  ness. Other extreme changes include shifting colors or per- TRANSFIXED GAZE  TRUE NAME haps words even jumbling within spoken words. Light-Eat-  ers should not be underestimated in combat; though they WEEPING SCYTHE tend to be smaller than many other Higher Demons, their TRAPPINGS Magickal prowess is blasphemous to behold. Light-Eaters  will still try to forgo this route - they believe a well-placed Weeping scythe, as military lance with the Cas- tle-forged and Powerful Qualities (1) word and a promise of power causes much more ripples on  the Material Realm than simply breaking into a fit of vio- Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1)  Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) lence. And that is what may make them the most dangerous  of the Higher Demons. Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spells (1)  Infernal holy symbol (1) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Reagents for all Magick spells (9)  Combat: 50% (5) - Martial Melee +20  Brawn: 50% (7) - Intimidate +20, Toughness +10 NUMINA  Agility: 50% (10) - Coordination +30 ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR  Perception: 50% (5) - Scrutinize +30 With all the darkness and chaos inherent in the world,  Intelligence: 50% (7) - Education +30, Warfare +30 one wonders if there is even a mote of potential goodness  Willpower: 55% (11) - Incantation +20, Interroga- throughout all of reality. And there is in a sense - it takes the tion +30 form of the Numina, agents of chaos fighting against other  Fellowship: 50% (5) - Bargain +30, Guile +30, Lead- agents of Corruption. ership +10 Long ago when the world was young and humanity still 500  suckled at the tit of existence, the Abyssal Princes were five Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  in number. The fifth Prince, whose name became known as Peril Threshold: NONE the Outsider, represented all of the forces of chaos combined - He also represented anarchy in its purest form, and thus COMBAT PROFILE  bucked against the reigns of the other four Princes. After Euclidean strike: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - several near total destructions, the other four Princes banded Damage (14) - Finesse, Weak  together and banished the Outsider to the darkest realms of Hyperbolic reach: 80% - Distance (ranged 13 yards) reality. Not only that, but they ripped the souls of His wor- - Load (1 AP) - Damage (14) - Finesse, Weak  shippers from their bodies and imprisoned them with their Parry: NONE  lord. There, the Outsider brooded and planned for centuries Dodge: 90% (Natural Quality) on his revenge. Eventually, He formed the idea of recasting his worshippers into divine heralds, ones that could breach TRAITS the Aethereal Veil and enter the Material Realm to strike  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS at the forces of Corruption. Many souls volunteered for the  ACCURSED process, but only the strongest were not obliterated instant-  AETHEREAL FORM ly. Those that lived were given both beautiful and terrifying  AMBUSH TACTICS forms. Their new bodies turned into dizzying patterns of  CALL OF THE ABYSS lines, points and angles of divine proto-math. These forms CEREMONIAL RUNES coalesced into strange patterns, likened to the abstract de-  FAST ON THEIR FEET signs of a fanciful tattoo or a mad painter. Their beautiful  INCORPOREAL humanesque visages are only apparent in the remnants of  MASTERFULLY ADROIT appendages - feminine hands supporting multiple angular  MINDLESS faces, legs born atop swords and bodies composed of pul-  PAW, HOOF OR WING sating metal, twisted viscera and non-Euclidean shapes - all  TERRIFYING beating with a strange Aethereal heartbeat, as they became  TRANSFIXED GAZE less real and more inexplicably geometric. TRAPPINGS These new beings called Numina promised to serve the Philosopher’s stone (1) Outsider for all eternity - serving as his fury and hate. The Numina lost their ability to reason, only following strict LOWER DEMONS orders with unflinching, automata-like devotion. They also In the terrible sink of the Abyss lie untold numbers of crea- lost their ability to speak, their intentions and words instead tures of chaos-stuff. Demons are not creatures of flesh and appearing above them as Magickal pictographs using 22 di- blood, but rather beings composed of Aetheric energies, fu- vine glyphs. Now, with mighty divine powers as well as the eled by pure chaos to take blasphemous forms. Where all holy vengeance instilled in them, they wait on the glacial demons were originally born from is a mystery - they have commands of the Outsider. Numina are rarely seen or even always lurked upon the fringes of reality, observing the world known about, but when they manifest or awaken from their and watching the feebleness of mortal kind develop. They wish slumber, cities are leveled, pestilence comes and people are nothing more than to swarm our Material Realm and destroy turned into pillars of salt. existence as it is known, but they are far too fractured and ca- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES pricious to ever band together. Luckily, reality hates them just  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +30, Simple as much as they hate it - the structured shape of existence is Ranged +30 anathema to the chaotic nature of all demons, and very rarely  Brawn: 50% (7) - Athletics +30, Toughness +30 can they survive in the Material Realm for extended periods.  Agility: 50% (14) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 Though the northern reaches broil with both cultists and crea-  Perception: 55% (9) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop tures of the Abyss, their disjointed nature is a wall to their +30, Scrutinize +30, Survival +30 progress, at least for the time being.  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE There is only one certainty about demons, and that is that  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE  they are uncertain. Though scholars and sorcerers alike have Fellowship: 0% (0) – NONE managed to categorize demons into orders by similar attri- butes, within these orders their forms are infinitely varied, SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES complex and terrifying. It does not help that demons are a  Initiative: +12  rarity - summoning them invariably leads to corruption, and Movement: 20 on foot, 23 while flying those on this plane are either too deadly or here for too short 501 of a time to glean any information. Unlike Higher Demons, Abyssal Prince of Change to plot unhindered. Aside from the True Names of these Lower Demons need not be uttered being insane combatants, the Adversary Demon’s main pur- for Magick to affect it. Even if they are killed on this plane, pose is that their bodies are literally brimming with Magick- they only return to the Abyss to reform and rise again. How- al energies. This ability only amplifies as more Adversary De- ever, it is much easier to understand what Abyssal Prince mons gather together, so they are often summoned in small a Lower Demon worships, for many carry an infernal holy hordes rather than by themselves. Adversary Demons shift symbol denoting their loyalty. Those who do not are trusted their physical structure at a moment’s notice, but their most even less by the Abyssal legions. ‘stable’ form is often an impish, pink humanoid with a wide maw, wild eyes and four long, spindly limbs. Lower Demons are by far the most commonly ritually sum- moned, as well as the most numerous within the Abyss. Adversary Demons are most often brought to reality to serve Lower Demons begin their infernal existence in the low- as Magickal conduits, or in hopes of revealing arcane secrets est layer of the Abyss. That is where the well of raw chaos a sorcerer could not find elsewhere. If the Adversary Demon and fragments of human emotion dwell in an ever-seething can manage a moment of clarity from their manic minds they infinity. When a mote of chaos breaks off from this whorl, sometimes do just that - the Abyssal Prince of Sacrifice is of- it ascends and takes physical form in the Lower Demon. ten very generous with His powers, as He knows how easi- The new Lower Demon then must kill, devour, rapine and ly they corrupt. More often than not the Adversary Demon destroy its way up, literally scaling the Abyss and growing will fight, as their particular order can barely stand existing more powerful as they ascend layers. Most Lower Demons outside of the Abyss. These creatures are more powerful than rarely make it to become the all-powerful Higher Demons, they appear, as many mages have falsely associated madness but some do. Only a unified force of Lower Demons could with weakness. Mangled corpses and lingering sign of power- destroy a Higher Demon, and even after the fact one of those ful Magicks around summoning circles attest to the fact that demons must step forth as the one to ascend. myth is untrue.

Some demons prove themselves worthy enough, resulting PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES in one of the Abyssal Princes placing sponsorship within  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20 the Lower Demon. These demons become the personal ser-  Brawn: 45% (6) - Intimidate +20 vants of the Abyssal Princes, and they take on aspects and  Agility: 40% (5) - Coordination +20 elements of their masters. Despite this, each demon remains  Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +20 unique with its own desires, hungers and debased pleasures.  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Education +10, Folklore +20 Demons have very little if any culture - they are elemental  Willpower: 50% (8) - Incantation +20, Interroga- immortal beings whose only desires involve furthering the tion +20, Resolve +10 destruction of reality.  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Bargain +20, Guile +20

ADVERSARY DEMON SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Initiative: +8 Sitting upon His hidden throne, the Abyssal Prince of Change  Movement: 8 on foot schemes for the end times. A conspirator and hoarder of knowl-  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) edge and magic, He plays the long con when it comes to obliv-  Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) ion. Unlike the other three Abyssal Princes, the Prince of Plea- sure will further exacerbate the mutating form of the Sorrow COMBAT PROFILE Demon when it is sponsored.  Demonic claw: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6) - Fast, Vicious This new demon of nearly pure chaos steps up to join in  Parry: 65% the Adversary Demon order. Demonologists calls this order  Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) of demons Thamiel, translating to “duality in the gods”, as the Adversary Demon represent the inherent disharmony of TRAITS their forms. While almost every other order of demons has at  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS least a human level of intellect, the Adversary Demon’s minds  ARCANA OF HORROR have become so soured and warped that they are little more  BOTH-HANDEDNESS than gibbering fiends lashing out at anything that comes  CALL OF THE ABYSS their way. Their minds and bodies are at the whims of mad-  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST ness, their physical forms being able to shift before a person’s  DIVIDE AND CONQUER very eyes. All for the better, as simple minded aids allow the  FRIGHTFUL 502   HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT Initiative: +9   LIVING CHAOS Movement: 10 on foot  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22)  TRAPPINGS Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  Infernal holy symbol (1) COMBAT PROFILE BUTLER DEMON  Halitosis bite: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR Damage (7) - Fast, Pummeling When a spark of chaos breaks off through the cauldron of  Parry: NONE the bottom of the Abyss, they float off to start their hellish  Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) existence in the layers above. There, with a terrible birthing cry and the clap of Aetheric lightning, the Butler Demon is TRAITS birthed.  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS  BOTH-HANDEDNESS Their order is classified by the term Samael by demonologists;  CALL OF THE ABYSS meaning “the left hand”, demonologists accurately describes  DISEASED WRETCH the role of Butler Demons as minor servants to other demons  FAST ON THEIR FEET and arcanists alike. They are small and weak creatures - rare-  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT ly ever larger than a small child - who resort more on wiles  IMPISH DELIGHTS and trickery to survive than any kind of martial prowess. Their  KEEN SENSES forms are multitudinous: some appear as attractive sprites or  STEELY FORTITUDE fairies, others as disgusting balls of bile and others as impish  STRESS-INDUCING hellhounds. All their forms emit a horrendous stench from their mouths. Though they are weak creatures, that does not TRAPPINGS mean they are slouches - most of them possess useless wings  Bonds of servitude (1) of some sort, as well as razor sharp claws and teeth perfect for  Grimoire of chaotic deeds (1) rending.  Infernal holy symbol (1) The nature of the Abyss is an odd place - we speak of layers CARNAL DEMON and ascension, but the Abyss is not a physical place that can be navigated. It’s a realm of spirit and energy, and the layers INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR are as overlapping as they are separate. It is a relentlessly vile Being a dualistic being, the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure is an and violent place. One tactic of the Butler Demon in order entity of wild extremes. To It, pleasure and pain are just two to gain power is to actually disperse out their True Name sides of the same coin, one leading to another in a permanent through dark whispers through the Veil into the Material cycle. Realm. They do this in hopes of being bound as a familiar, When a Sorrow Demon is favored by the Abyssal Prince of where they can feed off and corrupt the energies of their Pleasure, it is welcomed into the horrible, velvety folds of summoner. Once powerful enough, they will often try to kill Carnal Demons. Demonologists classify this order as Nehe- the arcanist to release their binding, returning to the Abyss moth, a phrase meaning ‘“dark whisperer”, and these demons in order to fight their way into the ranks of the Sorrow De- specialize in whispering dark desires and thoughts into the mon. waiting ears of mortals. Carnal Demons are both dangerous PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES and beautiful - they are comely versions of any form they  Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Melee +10 take, but they always have a hidden edge that can spill blood  Brawn: 45% (4) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10 like water. They often appear as disturbingly beautiful wom-  Agility: 40% (7) - Coordination +20 en or men, their skin a bluish tinge and their arms terminat-  Perception: 45% (6) - Scrutinize +20 ing in razor sharp crustacean claws. Instead of hair, hardened  Intelligence: 50% (5) - Education +10, Folklore +20 ridges of bone sweep backwards over their shoulders.  Willpower: 40% (5) - Interrogation +20, Resolve A Carnal Demon’s main responsibility is to secretly spread +10  the word of their Prince through their demonic whispers, as Fellowship: 40% (5) - Charm +20, Guile +20, Ru- the cult of the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure is by far the most mor +20 widespread of mortal kind. They also promise fame, fortune and ability to those who pledge their loyalty, only to turn SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES around and gut them like pigs to lay claim over their souls. 503 Carnal Demons are summoned to often serve as concubines TRUE NAMES CONTINUED for bizarre sex cults, or they are used to woo and corrupt offi- cials and priests. Carnal Demons are deceivers themselves, so A True Name is an epithet written in a long-lost al- they care very little if their pacts are ever broken - either way, phabet of 22 glyphs, a primal language that is thought they were going to slay their summoner once the ritual was to be the very tongue of reality. Each glyph has a spe- complete. This is the aspect to most be wary of with Carnal cific meaning; when they are combined, it tells some- Demons - they are nothing more than liars and serpents. No thing of the demon’s origin. Demons have countless matter what they promise or how comely they appear, they common names, disguises and titles - otherwise Call will drain your very life force once they are finished with you. Names - so finding their True Name granted to them Nothing pleases them more than to watch the glint of joy in could take a lifetime of searching. It would take a someone’s eye quickly turn into pained terror. near-death situation for a Higher Demon to reveal its own True Name. However, Lower Demons may PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES willingly grant True Names of other demons when  Combat: 50% (6) - Simple Melee +20 summoned… but only if the Faustian Bargain is  Brawn: 40% (4) - Athletics +20, Toughness +20  fulfilled first. Aught else than that, a demon’s True Agility: 45% (7) - Coordination +20 Name may be buried within long-forgotten tomes  Perception: 40% (4) - Scrutinize +20  and grimoires, or secreted away by churches for fear Intelligence: 35% (3) - Folklore +20 of what may happen should it be uncovered.  Willpower: 40% (6) - Interrogation +20  Fellowship: 45% (6) - Charm +20, Guile +20, Rumor +20 AUTHOR A TRUE NAME As mentioned, every demon has a True Name. De- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES pending on which Abyssal Prince they pay homage  Initiative: +7 to, it will ultimately determine how many glyphs their  Movement: 10 on foot True Name contains. Should you wish to generate a  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/20) unique True Name for a demon, you can reference the  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) following table below. Determine first which Abyssal Prince’s host the demon belongs to. This will deter- COMBAT PROFILE mine how many glyphs you will include within their  Eviscerating pincer: 70% - Distance (melee en- True Name. From there, choose any glyphs you wish gaged) - Damage (7) - Fast, Finesse, Vicious and assemble them in any order. After assembly, it  Ragged talons: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - will determine the demon’s True Name. Damage (4) - Entangling, Pummeling, Slow  Parry: 70%  Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) INTONING A TRUE NAME A True Name must be spoken aloud to affect Higher TRAITS Demons with Magick. As mentioned in Chapter 10:  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS Grimoire, pronouncing a True Name is incredibly dif-  BLOODLUST ficult. It requires a successful (Hard -20%) Scrutinize  BOTH-HANDEDNESS Test to intone a True Name properly - even if practiced  CALL OF THE ABYSS over and over. If forced into a situation where a True  CAPTIVATING CRY Name must be spoken aloud where the speaker’s life is  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR in imminent danger, it requires a successful (Arduous  FRIGHTFUL -30%) Scrutinize Test instead. Critically Failing this  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT Test, however immediately results in 3D10+3 mental  HYPNOTIC MUSK Peril and potentially catastrophic results - such as  INESCAPABLE summoning an unknown demon to a sorcerer’s door-  SNIKT! SNIKT! step!  STEELY FORTITUDE

TRAPPINGS  Dread mementos from former lovers (9)  Infernal holy symbol (1) 504 Percentile FILTH DEMON Demon Host Glyphs Dice INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Abyssal Prince of The Abyssal Prince of Decay is a being of hunger and dis- 1 to 25 4D10+4 Change ease, one that coos at its demons and encourages them to embrace sickness and bile in order to feel His fatherly love. Abyssal Prince of 26 to 50 3D10+3 Decay When the Abyssal Prince of Decay sponsors a Sorrow De- Abyssal Prince of mon, it stabilizes its mutable form and becomes part of the 51 to 75 2D10+2 Pleasure Filth Demon order. Their order is classified by demonolo- gists as Gamaliel, a word meaning “polluted of the gods”, Abyssal Prince of 76 to 100 1D10+1 and just smelling the fetid stench of one of these beings is Violence enough to warrant the title. Filth Demons are ravaged by disease and sickness - open, weeping sores sprout from every surface, flesh sloughs of the bone only to regenerate and flies Glyph Meaning follow the sickly sweet stench of decay like a squadron of Aleph Oxen or primal energy bannermen. Filth Demons are human-sized creatures: their guts are rent and spilt, their skin is rotten and sweet smelling Beth Enclosure or house and their ambling form propped upon a rotting crutch of a Gimel Carrier stick. Daleth Door or womb Besides the spread of any number of poxes and plagues, it is also the duty of the Filth Demon to chronicle and tally sick- Heh Window or portal ness. Many of them have tally marks carved in their flesh for Vav Hook or nail each disease they carry, and it is a point of pride - and vi- olence - among the teeming hordes. When a Filth Demon Zayin Sword is summoned onto the Material Realm, they are beseeched Cheth Fence or field by summoners to spread disease or to poison enemies - an Teth Serpent activity the demons are more than happy to do. The price for meddling with a Filth Demon is often the same, inflicting Yod Open hand wasting diseases or gangrene on any pact breaker who refuses Kaph Closed hand to hold up their end of the deal. Filth Demons are neverthe- less fairly magnanimous for demons - they are gracious and Lamed Goad or whip complimenting, honey dripping from their tongues just as Mem Water much as bile. They only wish to spread the divine love and joy the Abyssal Prince of Decay fills them with, and all it takes is Nun Fish an open heart and an open wound.

Samekh Foundation or support PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Ayin Eye Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +20  Brawn: 40% (5) - Athletics +20 Peh Mouth  Agility: 45% (6) - Coordination +20  Tzaddi Fishhook Perception: 40% (5) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize +20  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Folklore +20 Qoph Back of head  Willpower: 50% (9) - Interrogation +20  Resh Face Fellowship: 35% (3) - Bargain +20, Charm +20, Guile +20 Shin Fang or tooth Tav Cross or sign SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +8  Movement: 9 on foot  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23)  Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30)

COMBAT PROFILE 505  Fetid stick: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- or to slaughter an entire township. Though Legion Demons age (5) - Adaptable, Slow will sometimes make deals with Mutants, their hatred for  Ragged claws: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - mortalkind will prevent them from forming an alliance they Damage (5) - Slow are not forced into. They will try their damndest to break a  Parry: 65% summoning circle, as their loosened bonds could allow them  Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) to carve a swathe of destruction with little consequence.

TRAITS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 50% (8) - Martial Melee +20 ABYSSAL MUTATIONS   BOTH-HANDEDNESS Brawn: 40% (6) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20,  CALL OF THE ABYSS Toughness +20   Agility: 45% (4) - Coordination +20 CORRUPTIVE BILE   DISEASED WRETCH Perception: 40% (5) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize  +20 FETID STICK   FRIGHTFUL Intelligence: 40% (4) - Warfare +20   Willpower: 45% (6) - Interrogation +20 GASTRIC ACIDITY   HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT Fellowship: 35% (3) - Leadership +20  STEELY FORTITUDE  WANTON HUNGER SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +8  TRAPPINGS Movement: 7 on foot   Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) Fetid stick, as staff with Vicious Quality (1)   Infernal holy symbol (1) Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27)

LEGION DEMON COMBAT PROFILE  INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Sword of the Pit: 70% - Distance (melee engaged The Abyssal Prince of Violence knows nothing but war and or 1 yard) - Damage (8) - Punishing, Reach, Slow, Vicious bloodshed, and only despises Magick more than He despises  the earthly realm. He is constantly thirsty for death and de- Ragged claws: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - struction, a craving that can never be satisfied. Damage (4) - Fast, Finesse, Reach, Slow, Vicious  Bull-like horns: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - When He chooses to sponsor a Sorrow Demon, its rage bil- Damage (6) - Pummeling, Reach, Slow, Vicious lows and envelops them to become a Legion Demon. Demo-  Parry: 70% nologists classify this order with the term Hareb Serapel, a  Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) phrase meaning “ravenous flock”. Legion Demons flock like a murder of crows, burning and destroying everything in their TRAITS path. Indeed, the old saying we are Legion stands true with  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS this particular batch of Lower Demons. Legion demons are  BLITZ almost alien in their appearance - their heads are long and CALL OF THE ABYSS horned, their crimson bodies rippling with herculean muscle  DEMONIC FRENZY and yellow protective scales. They brim with heat from indel-  FRIGHTFUL ible anger and fury, raising their hellblades in righteousness  HIDEOUS MIGHT while painting their bodies with the gore of their defeated en-  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT emies.  RESISTANCE TO CHAOS  STEELY FORTITUDE Legion Demons have no purpose outside of destruction  UNBRIDLED RAGE - that is what they were sponsored to do and it what they  WOAD TATTOOS strive to do. Their battlefields end up as bloody mires with the amount of viscera spilt, and their terrible rallying cries TRAPPINGS strike fear even in the hardiest generals. Legion Demons ab-  Infernal holy symbol (1) solutely abhor being summoned - they share their Princes’  Sword of the Pit, as zweihänder with Vicious loathing of Magicks of all types, as they view it as a tool for Quality (1) weaklings. If they do not instantly kill the summoner, a Le- gion Demon will often be told to join some kind of retinue 506 SORROW DEMON age (6) - Adaptable, Weak  INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Ragged claws: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dwelling in the miasma of the lower layers of the Abyss, the Damage (4) - Fast, Finesse, Weak  Parry: 65% Sorrow Demons are the true hordes of the demonic. Their  order is classified by demonologists as Thagirion, meaning Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) “those who bellow anger and tears”, and all throughout the Abyss their deathly wailing and anger can be heard. TRAITS  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS The Sorrow Demon’s order are formed in one of two ways:  BOTH-HANDEDNESS the first is if a Butler Demon manages to gain enough power  CALL OF THE ABYSS to kill another Sorrow Demon, upon which they will mutate  FRIGHTFUL and twist into their new order’s shape. The second way is  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT through corruption and mutation of humanoids. If a person  NATURAL ARMOR (1) is “blessed by the gifts” of the Abyss and found to be too vul-  PAW, HOOF OR WING nerable or weak, their bodies will wrack with pain and grow  STEELY FORTITUDE leathery, turning them into a Sorrow Demon. Most of these  STRAFING TALONS transmuted beings do not dwell within the actual Abyss, but  WEAK SPOT instead roam the countryside. TRAPPINGS Sorrow Demon forms are grotesque - while Butler Demon  Infernal holy symbol (1) are proto-beings fresh from creation and the other orders have  Pitchfork, as threshing flail without the Weak Qual- achieved sponsorship, Sorrow Demons are inundated with ity (1) energies that cause their forms to swell into fierce creatures whose back sprouts with wings. Sorrow Demons are tradi- HELLBEASTS tionally hoofed and red of skin, carrying barbed black iron The Abyss is a dark and savage place, but it is not the sole weapons while leaving fiery hoofprints in their wake. Their dominion of demons alone. In fact, many other creatures of draconic heads perch atop knotted muscled bodies, and two both small and grand providence roam the spaces of the end- sets of terrible leathery wings sprout from their shoulders. less pit. These beings are collectively called Hellbeasts, and Sorrow Demons, being the most populous of Lower Demons, their power is not to be underestimated. tend to serve as footsoldiers during raids and are almost always at the terrible whip-and-chain of a Greater Demon. When Unlike demons, Hellbeasts are often not exactly native to not enlisted in a demoniac army - such as when having been the Abyss. Many are hand-crafted by demonic sorcerers, transmuted from a human form - Sorrow Demons are wild either through forced mutation or dangerous Magickal ex- and unpredictable, trying to make sense of their new abilities, periments. Others have been placed here purely by chance, knowledge and mental state. forced to live out the rest of their days in the endless pit. Though Hellbeasts are not demons, they do tend to work PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES with them quite often - they are just as influenced by the  Combat: 45% (6) - Martial Melee +20  sway of Corruption as those fiends are. Hellbeasts are rarely Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20, intelligent at all, operating on pure instinct and unknown Toughness +20 hatred. In fact, many Hellbeasts will find employ under the  Agility: 45% (4) - Coordination +20  hand of the Chosen of Chaos, serving as loyal steeds, hounds Perception: 40% (5) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize +10 or war machines.  Intelligence: 35% (4) - Warfare +10  Willpower: 45% (6) - Interrogation +20 Hellbeasts have two main attributes that connect them all.  Fellowship: 40% (3) - Guile +20, Leadership +20 The first is the immense heat they give off - just being near one of them is enough to singe hair. It is said there are no SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES flames in the Abyss, just the sweltering atmosphere of the  Initiative: +8 Hellbeasts. The other attribute is that Hellbeasts cannot be  Movement: 10 on foot, 13 while flying permanently slain within the Material Realm. If they are  Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) ever killed, their essence is tossed back into the Abyss to  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) later reform at the behest of their master. Hellbeasts also all feel undying loyalty to their masters - if anyone besides COMBAT PROFILE their handler tries to interact with them, they will attack  Pitchfork: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- without provocation. That doesn’t mean Hellbeasts can’t 507 run loose - if their master dies, they will often rush out into PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES the wilds to survive by themselves. The rumors of unliving  Combat: 35% (4) - Simple Melee +10 horses roaming the steppes and hellhounds baying among  Brawn: 40% (4) - Toughness +10 canyons often do have more than a grain of truth about  Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 them.  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10, Survival +10  Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE Hellbeasts also have a strange ecology about them - they are  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10 still animals to an extent, and so they must breed and eat in  Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE order to thrive. Hellbeasts, whether they be reptilian or not, all give birth through eggs, which appear as pulsating sacks SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES of flesh and bile. These must be stored in extreme heat, so  Initiative: +8 either they are constantly under watch by their parents or  Movement: 13 on foot emerged in burning sand, or sometimes even magma. When  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) the Hellbeast is birthed, it rapidly grows from its infant  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) form to a full-sized adult in as little as an hour. Hellbeasts have been observed as not needing to eat, instead seeming COMBAT PROFILE to go on the hunt for sport and entertainment. They slowly  Hellbite: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- cook and eat their victims piece by piece, keeping them alive age (4) - Slow, Weak through fell Magicks. It is believed that Hellbeasts actually  Parry: NONE survive off of souls, but how they do this is a mystery.  Dodge: NONE BARGHEST TRAITS BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS “Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war” is a quite popular  FEEL THE HEAT phrase among those generals who use warhounds in their  PAW, HOOF OR WING armies. But it more often slips from the lips of Mutants and  RIPPING TEETH Demon legions, who sic their vicious Barghests to chase and rend their enemies. TRAPPINGS  Animal hide (1) Barghests are demonic hounds, created through feeding  a dog many dosages of Wytchstone Essence. The hound Animal meat (6) grows massive, their visages cut back into a permanent LEMURIAN HOST snarl. Their hair becomes coarse and grey, as spikes grow from their backs and aggression takes them over. Like ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR Night Mares, this is only the general and common form All Abyssal life starts somewhere, and the beginning of the of a Barghest. Some are skeletal hounds, others are dead- terrible hell that is demoniac existence starts in the wretched ly iron-covered juggernauts and still others are even odd- form of the Lemurian Host. er chimeras. Barghests thirst for nothing more than blood The lowest level of the Abyss constantly spits out motes of and viscera, but they are actually quite loyal and intelligent. concentrated chaos, many of which will rise through the layers Demons and those tainted by Corruption rarely keep close on hopes of reaching the status of becoming a Lower Demon. allies, but it turns out that dog remains man’s best friend Alas, not all of these motes of chaos are destined as such - even if both parties have a few extra limbs. in fact, a large majority of them will swirl endlessly around Barghests can also be created accidentally, especially if a the Abyss like dust in the sunlight. These bits of chaos often hapless pooch stumbles upon a Wytchstone cache and de- appear as flaming skulls, screaming and exuding a stench of cides to sleep near it. The mutation is often instant and sulphur or even tiny, discombobulated creatures of malice. Oc- quite painful, as the powers of Corruption seem to have casionally, they will band together - more or less - for survival terrible ways with the poor forms of mindless beasts. Even purposes, forming a Lemurian Host. Lemurian Hosts are ba- then, the Barghest retains its loyalty, and despite being a sically massive swarms of these motes, who when banded to- mutated demon will still follow its owner as a trusted com- gether can combine their essence to make new forms and ob- panion. That being said, few townsfolk would look favor- jects. Lemurian Hosts are wholly mindless - they just seem to ably upon the local child walking around with a hellhound go where violence happens and commit it themselves. Hosts from the depths of the Abyss, so the Barghest is often put have different names throughout society, such as will o’ wisps, down violently with little ceremony. sprites or cacodemons, but they are all mostly mischievous and dangerous. 508 Lemurian Hosts can’t be summoned traditionally, though favored beasts are known as Night Mares. some may creep through an Aethereal breach when a Great- er Demon is summoned. Once there, they are uncontrolla- Night Mares are not born, but rather created: spawned out of ble yet can not exist outside of the nurture of the Abyss for terrible factories and breeding pools, they are built on upon long. Lemurian Hosts can, however, reproduce rapidly and the whims of their creator and soul-bound to but one rid- have been said to grow their numbers enough that their bulk er by a phylactery. From creation, they take upon the coun- covers a whole village. Swarming like firebugs, they ignite tenance most favorable to their master. The most common houses, devour souls and leave nothing in their wake - per- form a Night Mare takes is of a demonic destrier - their fect unsuspecting shock troops for the hordes of demons that coat dark, their mane billowing like heatless flame, and their follow behind these screaming skulls. eyes ablaze. However, that’s not the only shape - some Night Mares summoned by Necromancers appear as half-decayed PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES palfries, whereas the mount of a Filth Demon may instead  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +30, Simple be a massive slug-like creature wreathed in flies, another as Ranged +30 quivering, manta ray-like floating membrane or saw-toothed  Brawn: 40% (6) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, disk of flesh. Night Mares are versatile but honestly quite Toughness +30 hard to create - they require time and effort, while the ran-  Agility: 40% (7) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 dom hordes of the Abyss split like cancers. More often than  Perception: 35% (6) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop not, an Abyssal Prince will bless a particularly faithful ser- +30, Survival +30 vant with a Night Mare, while keeping a large majority of  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE them in a personal stable for larger conflicts.  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE  Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE Night Mares are wholly mindless, but refuse to obey anyone but the master who holds the phylactery. Trying to mount SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES a Night Mare you do not own always result in you being  Initiative: +9 bucked, trampled and possibly even eaten. That being said,  Movement: 9 on foot Night Mare have been broke by particularly crafty Beast-  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) masters - even without a phylactery. Night Mares make ca-  Peril Threshold: NONE pable and strong steeds, save that you can ignore the decay- ing effect they have on your sanity, as well as the propensity COMBAT PROFILE for other natural creatures to want to attack the Night Mare,  Flesh whips: 75% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 given their hellish nature. yard) - Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Fast, Reach  Combat: 40% (5) - Simple Melee +30  Parry: 75%   Brawn: 40% (6) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +20, Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality) Toughness +30  Agility: 45% (9) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 TRAITS   Perception: 35% (5) - Awareness +30, Survival +30 ABYSSAL MUTATION  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE  CREEPY CRAWLIES   Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE DEATH ROLL  Fellowship: 0% (4) - NONE  DENSE ANATOMY HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT  MINDLESS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES THRONG OF NASTIES  Initiative: +8  SWALLOW WHOLE   Movement: 15 on foot, 18 while flying WALL CRAWLER  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24)  Peril Threshold: NONE TRAPPINGS: NONE NIGHT MARE COMBAT PROFILE  Hooves or teeth: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR Damage (5) - Fast, Pummeling The Abyss can field a mighty army, and even the greatest  Parry: NONE armies in the land are nothing without powerful and swift  Dodge: 85% (Natural Quality) mounts. In this case, the Abyss is no exception, though their 509 were probably vomited back up. Though the energies of the TRAITS Abyss have made them feral, every once in awhile a gleam  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS of their former intellect shines through. Some Pit Dragons  BAG O’BONES have been said to have moments of complete lucidity before  FAST ON THEIR FEET descending back into snarling beastdom.  KEEN SENSES  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES MINDLESS   NEVER SAY DIE Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +30, Simple  Ranged +30 PAW, HOOF OR WING   REANIMATOR Brawn: 55% (13) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30,  SKELETAL REMAINS Toughness +30  Agility: 50% (9) - Stealth +30  TRAPPINGS Perception: 50% (8) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop  +30, Survival +30 Saddle (1)   Soul-bound phylactery (1) Intelligence: 50% (5) - NONE  Willpower: 50% (8) - NONE  Fellowship: 50% (5) - Bargain +30 PIT DRAGON SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR  No creature has entered the mythos of different cultures Initiative: +11  Movement: 15 on foot, 18 while flying more than the legendary dragon. They are a symbol of might,  intelligence and rulership… or at least they once were. Damage Threshold: 19 (25/31/37)  Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) Dragons used to rule the land, sentient and highly intel- ligent creatures who would ravage farmlands and destroy COMBAT PROFILE entire cities when their wrath was piqued. They were mas-  Claws and teeth: 80% Distance (melee engaged or sive reptilian creatures, born aloft on leathery wings and 1 yard) - Damage (13) - Punishing, Reach, Vicious being lined with scales as hard as steel. In the early ages,  Lashing tail: 80% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 they were considered to be the de facto rulers of all they yards) - Damage (13) - Fast, Powerful, Reach surveyed, worshipped by frightful mortals who sacrificed  Spit fire: 80% - Distance (ranged 11 yards) - Load virginal maidens in their lair. However, legends tell of a (0 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - Shrapnel powerful warrior-princess who banished the mightiest of  Parry: 60% (Natural Quality) dragons, slaying the dragon’s brood and casting the rest  Dodge: 80% into the deep darkness of the Abyss. Once there, over the ages the dragons slowly mutated and lost their intelligence, TRAITS turning into little more than pure killing machines. Most of  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS these new Pit Dragons are luckily stuck within the confines  BROKEN WINGS of the Abyss, but an unlucky Aethereal breach can causes  BRUTE STRENGTH one to return to the Material Realm once again. Having  CORRUPTIVE BREATH lost their ability to mate and having to look upon the ruins  FIERY RETRIBUTION of the land they once ruled, many erupt in anger and once  HIDEOUS MIGHT again descend upon humanoid civilization.  HORROR FROM THE ENDLESS PIT  LASHING TAIL Pit Dragons are terribly vile and lustful brutes - their main  MASTERFULLY ADROIT weapon either being their rending claws or their trademark  NATURAL ARMOR (6) breath of flames and corruptive bile. Note that not all Pit  PAW, HOOF OR WING Dragons are the same - some may be born aloft on feathered  POTENT BLOWS wings or Magickal energies, while other may breathe toxic  SPIT FIRE miasma or even biting frost. Many myths abound about Pit  STEELY FORTITUDE Dragons, with one of the most common being their tendency  SWALLOW WHOLE to hoard treasure in their lair. This is true to an extent - Pit  TERRIFYING Dragon lairs due tend to be full of tarnished metal, broken  WEAK SPOT coins and shattered jewels, but that is only because the Pit Dragon can not digest these items, meaning most of them 510  TRAPPINGS Initiative: +8   Dragon hide (1) Movement: 12 on foot  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) PROTOPLASMIC DOLOR  Peril Threshold: NONE ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR It may seem at first glance that the Abyss is only a realm COMBAT PROFILE where demons dwell and nothing more. Quite the contrary,  Lashing tentacles: 70% - Distance (melee engaged as the Abyss is less of a location and more of a living, writh- or 1 yard) - Damage (8) - Reach, Vicious ing dimension of energy and emotion - one that is a horrid  Parry: 70% reflection of the Material Realm. One of the results of this  Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality) reflection is the Protoplasmic Dolor.

The Protoplasmic Dolor is not a demon, but rather an Abys- TRAITS sal entity that actually feeds on demons. In the Material  ABYSSAL MUTATIONS Realm in locations of high stress, emotion or violence, the  BAG O’BONES Abyss folds and reacts - splitting off like a cancer or bud. This  BRUTE STRENGTH bud is a writhing ball of violence and sadness given physical  CANCEROUS ABSORPTION form - the aforementioned Protoplasmic Dolor. These be-  FRIGHTFUL ings look like mobile mounds of putrescent and undulating  GASTRIC ACIDITY flesh, shifting in color much like an oil slick. Mouths, eyes,  HIDEOUS MIGHT ropy tentacles and extraneous organs bubble to its surface,  MINDLESS only to sink back again into the mass of meat. Dolors weep,  THRONG OF NASTIES gibber and scream from their countless mouths, a terrible cacophony to any man’s ears. Their only purpose is to eat. The TRAPPINGS: NONE gluttonous Dolor survives by absorbing the spiritual energy of anyone they encounter, although their preferred meals are the terrible energies of demons. As they feed, they become larger, more violent and crazed - they are mindless and exist only to kill and languish in their sorrow.

In addition to weighing usually a ton or more and being able to manifest all matter of natural weaponry, the Dolor’s skin is naturally acidic and eats away at flesh and steel alike. They can survive in nearly any environment, and are also surpris- ingly capable swimmers despite their lack of bones and mus- cle. Their only repulsion is generally to bright sources of light - if found within the Material Realm, they will languish in deep caves, only coming out at night to hunt in the woods. They are easy to track however - their trail of acidic slime eats through any vegetation and scours any rock they pass over. The only difficulty is actually killing the damned thing.

PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 40% (6) - Simple Melee +30  Brawn: 45% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, Toughness +30  Agility: 40% (9) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30  Perception: 35% (5) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop +30, Scrutinize +30, Survival +30  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE  Fellowship: 0% (4) - NONE

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES 511 ANIMAL CREATURES

o not kill the animal lightly, as all man once derived themselves from the beasts. What more is an Elf - or a Human or Halfing for that matter - than a creature that has learned the ways of the wheel, the flame and Dthe arrow? The spirits have gifted us with beasts of all manner, from ones that soar above us to the ones that dig deep below. They have given us the old Primeval, the oldest of the old who do speak to us and reveal mysteries. Do not fear the panther in the darkness or the shark of the depths - they are simply living, which is more than many of us could say. I will teach you to not only confront the danger, but control it. Now, open your texts to page two hundred twenty eight and let’s begin today’s lesson Jaene Sidhe, elven Shaman and Scholar of Animism at the Royal Academy of Magickal Arts and Sciences

CRITTERS (FAMILY) CRITTERS  Large Animal: BASIC Humanoids and monsters are not the only creatures that (MID) RISK FACTOR inhabit a grim and perilous world. The wilderness is host  Large Insect: BASIC to thousands upon thousands of different animals, collo- (MID) RISK FACTOR quially known as Critters.  Man-Eater: BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR The sheer variety of animals across the known world  Small Animal: BASIC would take years to describe in full; even the greatest en- (LOW) RISK FACTOR cyclopedias could never hope to reference and catalog  Swarm: BASIC them all. Explorers discover new Critters every day, and (LOW) RISK FACTOR lands once thought lost have entire life cycles of undis- covered ones. They swim in the deepest of oceans, soar through the highest clouds, thrive in the darkest of caves PRIMEVALS (FAMILY) and live other places seemingly unimaginable and inhos-  Attercap Spider: INTERMEDIATE pitable to survive in. Reptiles, birds, fish, mammals, herd (LOW) RISK FACTOR animals and insects are the most recognized broad groups,  Barrel-bellied Orc: BASIC but some other otherworldly ones straddle even these  (HIGH) RISK FACTOR lines. Critters feed through various methods; scavenging,  Death Bat: BASIC hunting, eating solely vegetation or insects, and few hav- (MID) RISK FACTOR ing a particular taste for carrion. Some may prove to be  Dire Rat: BASIC minor nuisances (such as sentient clams), whereas others (MID) RISK FACTOR could potentially run down and skewer even the fastest of  Howlbear: INTERMEDIATE runners (as with the war-like pronghorn). Yes, even the (MID) RISK FACTOR smallest blush of Critters eclipses any monstrous brood  Silverback Warg: INTERMEDIATE in variety. It is a fool’s errand to list every ant to jackal to (LOW) RISK FACTOR zebra, but touching upon some of the more exceptional  Water Panther: INTERMEDIATE Critters is both wise and necessary for survival. (LOW) RISK FACTOR Horses are Large Animal mounts in almost every coun- try; it doesn’t take an ostler to point out the differenc- es between a palfrey, rouncey, courser, hobby or destrier. However, there are two odd varieties of equines that are

512 rarely found - or only ever bred. The legendary pegasi are  Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 magnificent winged horses, almost never found in the wilds,  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10, Survival +10 rarely found outside a royal menagerie. Reputedly, their mas-  Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE sive feathered wings can support themselves, a rider and their  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10 load, but other than flight they carry the same abilities as other  Fellowship: 40% (4) – NONE horses. Unicorns are similar creatures, as they are sturdy rhi- noceros that possess a singular, bony horn jutting from their SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES heads. Contrary to myth, unicorns are not Magickal in any  Initiative: +8 way; that has not prevented their hunting to near extinction,  Movement: 13 on foot, 16 while flying however, in order to harvest their horn for reagents and fake  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) cure-all potions. Some question whether these horses even  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) exist, or merely the grotesquery of a rather imaginative ring- master. COMBAT PROFILE  Bite or claw: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) - Far in the south, where the seas are made from silt, rumors Damage (4) - Slow, Weak of great reptilian beasts the size of men return from deci-  Parry: NONE mated exploration parties. Sure-fire proof of these tales has  Dodge: NONE only been found in one type of these creatures: the komodo drake; Man-eaters, and the chosen mounts of the alien Azt- TRAITS lan and vile Siabra. Horse-sized bipedal lizards with rows of  INFECTIOUS BITE sharp teeth and massive ripping claws, komodo drakes are  PAW, HOOF OR WING imposing mounts that can do just as much violence as their  RIPPING TEETH riders. This is not the only type of komodo drake - others are giant and armored, while still others have been known to fly TRAPPINGS on plumed wings. Most of those are either rumored or rare  Animal hide (1)  Finally, far to the north where Ogres ride giant woolen ele- Animal meat (6) phants and tame long-toothed cats are the high-peaked rooks LARGE INSECT of Man-Eater raptors. Called roc, they are massive eagle-like birds, about half-again the size of a horse, that reputedly can BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR be tamed and ridden - albeit with a very low success rate. Insects are a common occurrence in a grim and perilous They are quick and intelligent, using their massive talons to world. They are mainly pests, rarely ever bigger than a per- pick up and drop boulders, or even soldiers. Myths abound son’s palm but for sure outnumber all other living creatures. that roc can live for hundreds of years, and the oldest roc However, some insects seem to grow much larger and more have intelligence on par with the greatest scholars; whether deadly than others. Whether this is the result of Abyssal in- this can be shown as true or not is up for debate. fluence, mutations brought about by insane Magick wield- ers or just natural growth is up for debate. Regardless, these LARGE ANIMAL Large Insects are nuisances and terribly dangerous, many BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR able to reach the size of a horse. They are extremely resilient Large Animals are just like Small Animals, but significantly big- creatures, surviving harsh climates and emerging from disas- ger in stature and size. Most are herd animals, domesticated or trous cataclysms unscathed. They come in a myriad of shapes otherwise, that often make a diet of grazing for food. If not that, and sizes, from spiders to ants to scorpions to dragonflies, they are often scavengers who feed off corpses of already-dead and that barely scratches the surface. Large Insects are luck- ily not as frequently encountered as their smaller brethren; animals (or travelers who died to exposure). Elk, horses, cattle, if this was reversed, the awful beasts would have long ago small cats such as the lynx, grey wolves, war dogs, condors and swarmed their earth through gift of their natural regenera- vultures are all considered Large Animals. tive abilities and pure numbers. The attributes below represent a sampling of animals and PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES all the qualities may not apply to all creatures. For example,  Combat: 45% (5) - Simple Melee +10 horses are generally not pack animals and would most likely  Brawn: 40% (4) - Athletics +10, Toughness +10 gain no bonus to attack while in groups.  Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +10, Survival +10   Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE Combat: 35% (4) - Simple Melee +10   Brawn: 40% (4) - Toughness +10 Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE 513  Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +7 SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Movement: 11 on foot, 14 while flying  Initiative: +6  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23)  Movement: 16 on foot, 19 while flying  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) COMBAT PROFILE  Bite or claw: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) - COMBAT PROFILE Damage (5) - Slow  Bite or claw: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) -  Parry: NONE Damage (5) - Fast, Weak  Dodge: NONE  Parry: NONE  Dodge: NONE TRAITS  INFECTIOUS BITE TRAITS  PAW, HOOF OR WING  BLOODLUST  RIPPING TEETH  NATURAL ARMOR (3)  STRESS-INDUCING  PAW, HOOF OR WING  THRONG OF NASTIES TRAPPINGS  Animal hide (1) TRAPPINGS  Animal meat (9)  Insect hide (1)  Insect meat (6) SMALL ANIMAL BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR MAN-EATER Creatures of all sorts roam the bogs, forests, dunes and tai- BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR gas of the world, and their variety is nearly as endless as the Man-eaters are a very real threat in the wilds, and it is why the night’s sky. The smallest animals are generally self-sufficient solitary hunter carries a bow or an arquebus at their side when and territorial, but not a very large threat in small numbers. ranging. Creatures of this size are often predators, stalking the Geese, foxes, dogs, rabbits, monkeys from the far south, jack- night and killing to feed themselves and their offspring. They daws, snakes and more are all considered Small Animals, may not always tower over men, but their animalistic strength generally coming no taller than the waist of a human. Most and natural weaponry is matchless against an unarmed travel- of these creatures will only attack when provoked; if left ler - or even usually an armed one. If given a chance, a bear will alone, they are as harmless as a sleeping babe. have no second thoughts about ripping your throat out as you attempt a blood-choked scream. These beasts can not be faulted, The attributes below represent a sampling of animals and all though; they are simply doing what they must to survive, and the qualities may not apply to all creatures. For example, un- they hold no inherent malice. Bears, large southron cats like li- less a pig is ensorcelled in someway, it is doubtful it possesses ons or jaguars, bears, sharks, great apes, giant pythons, komodo the ability to fly. drakes and more are all considered Man-eaters. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  The attributes below represent a sampling of animals and Combat: 40% (4) - NONE  all the qualities may not apply to all creatures. For example, Brawn: 35% (3) - NONE  flying jaguars are still thankfully only the providence of the Agility: 50% (5) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10  worst night terrors. Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10, Survival +10  Intelligence: 45% (5) - NONE PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +10  Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE  Brawn: 40% (5) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, Toughness +10 SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Agility: 35% (5) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10   Initiative: +8 Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +10, Survival +10  Movement: 11 on foot, 14 while flying  Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE   Damage Threshold: 3 (9/15/21) Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +10

514 COMBAT PROFILE TRAITS   Bite or claw: 40% - Distance (melee engaged) - CREEPY CRAWLIES  Damage (3) - Pummeling, Slow DENSE ANATOMY   Parry: NONE INFECTIOUS BITE   Dodge: NONE MINDLESS  THRONG OF NASTIES TRAITS  INFECTIOUS BITE TRAPPINGS   PAW, HOOF OR WING Swarm meat (3) PRIMEVALS TRAPPINGS  Animal hide (1) Man is young to this world, a mere babe in comparison to  Animal meat (3) other creatures that dwell in dark recesses of the world. Even the elder races are children to these monstrosities. Some sur- SWARM vived the cataclysm; a time before the world was settled by BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR the noble races. These survivors are known as Primeval; crea- Every traveler has heard tale of a rain of toads and fish falling tures who have existed for nearly a millennia as lone hunters, from the sky at the behest of a witch. Every fisherman can while their kin slowly grew smaller and died around them. spin a yarn or two of massive flocks of razorbills devour- The true number of Primeval that exist are unknown; they ing sacks of grain. Every Burgher can speak of the time the are far too insular, spread out and dangerous to count by any bedeviled Pied Piper came to town, to drive out a host of one person. While most of these creatures have survived the rodents (and presumably children as well). Every socialite passing of time upon their own frightening merits, some are has heard the tale of hundreds of murderous crows attacking artificial; created by foul experiments to bring them back into both children and adults alike in the sleepy village of Hitch- abundance. It is thought that they have perhaps devolved to cock. baser instincts as their lifespans have increased, as each dis- turbingly falls prey to one of the seven cardinal sins: pride, Swarms of plague-bearing, natural creatures exist throughout greed, gluttony, lust, sloth, envy and wrath. Devotion to these the known world, but is largely unknown what drives them deadly temperaments have made them even more fierce and together. Nearly incalculable in number, these Swarms gather cunning, almost Shakespearean in predilection and tastes. where civilization prospers. Destroying crops, blight and bring- ing with them disease and plague, they do great damage to At first telling, it may sound like Primeval are just large or those who’re unable to take shelter. aged specimens of ordinary creatures, but this is not so. Prime- val possess an intelligence unlike any of their cousins: they can PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  speak the common tongue - albeit in only broken fragments Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Melee +10 -, exhibit the same emotional range as mortalkind and have  Brawn: 40% (4) - Toughness +10  the wisdom of ages behind them. Old Believers - and even Agility: 40% (5) - Stealth +10 the dark Fey to an extent - used to worship these creatures as  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10, Survival +10  nature spirits or primordial gods, and would offer up sacrific- Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE es to the creatures in the form of contrition and blood. They  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE  deemed the Primeval as sacred beasts, each one a monarch of Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE the realm they dwelled within. This is not altogether untrue, as the massive size and power of these creatures would cause SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES them to be viewed as super alphas, creatures that even the al-  Initiative: +8  pha of a pack must bow to and treat as a superior. Seeing an Movement: 8 on foot, 8 while flying alpha grey wolf bring carcasses first to a Silverback Warg and  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22)  letting them have first choice of females in the pack is not an Peril Threshold: NONE uncommon practice. Thus, it is not surprising to find a host of their lessers flocking around them in the wilds. In some ways, COMBAT PROFILE  Primeval are almost god-like to their host, whether they be Swarm attack: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) - animal or humanoid. Damage (4) - Pummeling  Parry: NONE Few Primeval are resistant to the praise from their simple  Dodge: NONE brethren or the delusional cultists that continue to worship at their feet. Consistent food, an ever-loyal pack, unswerv- ing subjects and healthy mates are hard to come by, so they 515 take what they can get. When left solitary, many Primeval  Initiative: +10 are ambivalent and only wish to survive. They can plan and  Movement: 11 on foot scheme, but are driven by the same primal needs to eat, mate  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) and survive. However, being intelligent creatures, some have  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) machinations and allegiances that extend beyond their fet- id bogs and overgrown forests. Others have even fallen in COMBAT PROFILE league with armies of Mutants for one reason or another,  Mandibles: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- their purposes known only to them. age (5) - Fast, Vicious  Parry: NONE ATTERCAP SPIDER  Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality) INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR In the deepest thickets of woods, where not even elder crea- TRAITS  tures of the forest dare to venture, the sky grows dark with AMBUSH TACTICS  foliage as the ground becomes sticky with Aetheric webs of AVERSION TO LIGHT  shadow-stuff. This retreat is the home of the Attercap Spider. DARK SENSE  FAST ON THEIR FEET A massive Primeval creature who has lived in the dark copses  NATURAL ARMOR (3) since time immemorial, who has most fallen into the cardi-  POISONOUS BITE nal sin of envy. Attercaps come in as many varieties as nor-  WALL CRAWLER mal spiders, but they often reach heights of ten to fifteen feet when fully extending their eight monstrous legs. Their eyes TRAPPINGS gleam with a terrible intellect, and they speak the common  Spider hide (1) tongue in a clicky and garbled mess. Most Attercaps are fe-  Spider meat (9) male and spend a majority of time protecting their massive clutches of eggs, often sending swarms of her servant spiders BARREL-BELLIED ORC against any who disturbs her Aetheric webs. Attercaps are BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR extremely envious of other forest natives, as they inhabit the Boars and other domesticated swine are both a common land the Attercap believes is rightfully theirs by birthright sight and source of food, but the Barrel-Bellied Orc is a dif- and savagery. However, they rarely leave their cobwebs, as ferent creature altogether. they have an intense aversion to light that lends them to stay in gloom. A Primeval that embodies the cardinal sin of wrath, they are massive and ridge-backed, their tusks reaching a length of six Few have made allies or even parlayed with an Attercap; the feet and as sharp as any pike. The Orx, those terrible ravag- most notable example are the Goblinoids who have man- ing mutants, take their name from this massive swine, and the aged uneasy alliances with these conniving spiders. Make no Barrel-bellied Orc does not seem to mind much. Of all Pri- mistake, the Attercap controls the Goblins under threat of meval species, the Barrel-bellied Orc is the least intelligent, painful, nutrient-extracting death. The creature’s motives for though not through lack of adaptation. Instead, they have a dealing with the Goblins is questionable, but it’s thought as predilection for red cap mushrooms, the same toadstools that a means for the Attercap to easily expand her lair throughout send the Orx Rudeboys into their battle frenzies. Not only the forest realm. Kobold Fanatics, specifically, have become does it induce visions, but it slowly eats away at their intel- quite enthralled by the Attercap - some of them have begun lect and stratagems. When not in that red mist, Barrel-bellied worshiping the select few as gods, perhaps a manifestation of Orcs only wish to eat, scrounge and mate, doing very little The Maw or even the Black Lodge. planning for further conquest. They are surly and wrathful, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES charging at the slightest insult and maiming anyone who jeers  Combat: 45% (5) - Simple Melee +20 at them. They do not brook fools gladly, nor play games.  Brawn: 40% (4) - Athletics +10 Barrel-Bellied Orcs are often tamed as steeds for the Orx, usu-  Agility: 50% (8) - Coordination +20, Stealth +20  ally under the promise of more of the delicious red caps. Fac- Perception: 45% (7) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop ing down a fully enraged Barrel-bellied Orc is a terrible idea; +10, Survival +20  their tusks are used solely for mauling and can run a grown Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE man completely through. There is an odd bonus of slaying a  Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE  Barrel-Bellied Orc - apparently, their meat is quite savory and Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +20 full of nutrients, and a single Orc could feed a starving village for a week. Orx sometimes kill old Barrel-Bellied Orcs for this SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES purpose, and they even use every piece of the animal - more 516 than a few Orx villages, weapons and artifacts are made from between due to their predilection on killing them. shattered Orc bones, stretched hide and remnants of organs. Those that do win the Death Bat’s trust are permitted to ride PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES them, a wing on the night that few ever forget. Death Bats  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +10 will also willingly join the forces of Corruption for the pure  Brawn: 40% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, promise of warm hearts, often siding with necromongers or Toughness +10 Vampires. Death Bats are often quite intelligent and indi-  Agility: 35% (5) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 vidualist, and many would just prefer to be left alone. Like  Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +10, Survival +10 the Pit Dragons they are often mistaken for, Death Bats also  Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE have a predilection for shiny objects. The bottom of their  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10 cave floors are often littered with baubles and coins, but the  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +10 only hindrance getting to them is sifting through tons of toxic guano, venomous carrion insects and vicious plantlife. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Many have left Death Bat caves with a small fortune in trea-  Initiative: +7 sure, only to succumb to illness a few days later.  Movement: 11 on foot  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Melee +10  Brawn: 40% (5) - Toughness +10  COMBAT PROFILE Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10   Tusks: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage Perception: 45% (4) - Eavesdrop +10, Survival +10  (5) - Fast, Powerful, Vicious Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE   Parry: NONE Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE   Dodge: 55% (Natural Quality) Fellowship: 40% (3) - Guile +10

TRAITS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  BATTLE FRENZY  Initiative: +7  CHOMP  Movement: 13 on foot, 16 while flying  PAW, HOOF OR WING  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23)  RIPPING TEETH  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) TRAPPINGS  Orc hide (1) COMBAT PROFILE  Orc meat (9)  Vampiric fangs: 50% - Distance (melee engaged) -  Orc tusk (2) Damage (3) - Fast, Vicious  Parry: NONE DEATH BAT  Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR Death Bats are perhaps the most mysterious creature of all Pri- TRAITS meval creatures. Personifying the cardinal sin of lust, they dwell  DARK SENSE in the deepest caves with their broods.  INFECTIOUS BITE  PAW, HOOF OR WING They are monstrous bats the height of a small hut with a  WEAK SPOT wingspan of around twenty feet. They say little and venture out rarely, preferring to spend their time hanging from cav- TRAPPINGS ern ceilings within the colony to mate. When they go out to  Bat hide (1) hunt at night, their shadows can cover entire villages, often  Bat meat (6) mistaken as Pit Dragons from below. They snatch up their prey, taking it back to their cave where they claw open the DIRE RAT victim’s chest and devour the heart: their favorite food. This BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR meal makes them extremely virile, allowing them to mate for The Dire Rat are the smallest of the Primeval, but that does hours: their second favorite activity. Death Bat colonies are not make them any less foul. They are also the most common, enormous for this reason, filling entire cavern systems with it seeming like every major city having at least one that lords chittering and toxic droppings. Death Bats say little when over many other, small rodents. they do speak, and their active worshippers are few and far 517 About the size of a large dog, they often dwell in the sewers TRAITS  beneath a city where they search for baubles to fulfill their DARK SENSE  endless sin of greed. They are riddled with disease, and their FILTHY  teeth are long and gnarled. They are treated as pets of the PACK MENTALITY Skrzzak, specifically bred like dogs (and exhibiting some the same qualities such as loyalty and ferocity). In that capacity, TRAPPINGS they are viewed as little more than beasts trained to hunt,  Rat hide (1) rather than intelligent, elder creatures. Dire Rats feed ex-  Rat meat (9) clusively on carrion, and will often sneak onto the surface to exhume the bodies of the recently deceased. It is said they HOWLBEAR are attracted to the smell of embalming fluid, possibly a rem- INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR nant of the Skrzzak vats where they are sometimes bred (and While other Primeval have a similar appearance and man- further mutated). They are notorious hoarders; using their nerism as an existing Man-eater, the elusive Howlbear - who primitive thumbs, they collect any “shinies” they find inter- has been thrown deep into the sin of pride - are unlike any esting and take it back to their junk-strewn nests. other beast around.

Though not very strong, Dire Rats are both fairly cunning They are roughly the size of - and have many similar fea- and sneaky, surviving less on might and more on wits. When tures - to a brown bear, but the underside of their arms con- their stash of shinies is threatened, however, they will stop at nects to their torso with bird-like feathers that grant lim- nothing to protect their horde. Dire Rats also have an odd ited flight. Their eyes are also much more raptor-like than talent of being able to whistle, running air through their jag- mammalian, and their roars sound more like avian screeches. ged teeth to produce a high-pitched melodic squeal. Leg- Howlbears dwell often in taigas or mountains, though they ends tell that children are often drawn to this sound, eventu- are most often found in remote villages. All Howlbears are ally squeezing their way through sewer heads or storm drains asexual females who, upon reaching breeding season, will to find the source. Dire Rats love to capture these children, seek out a local barn and kill all the livestock within. It then and will actually treat them about as well as a half-sentient lays its eggs, ingesting the dead meat to regurgitate later in rodent could. Their real reason behind the kidnapping is to the babes’ mouths. Howlbears are extremely proud and pro- extort their family for jewels and coins, returning the child tective of their children; there is no greater danger than at- as soon as they get payment. Even though they are rats, Dire tempting to fight a Howlbear while she is roosting during Rats are surprisingly noble. the autumn. Once they hatch, the cubs are adorable but quite vicious, learning to hoot and speak only days after leaving PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES their shells. One in three of these babes survive the long cold  Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Melee +10  winter, as they are born blind and rely fully on their mother, Brawn: 40% (5) - Toughness +10 but those that do live reach adulthood in only three years.  Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10  Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop Many myths abound about the Howlbear; how they are terrible +10, Survival +10 creatures that can create storms and snuff out light. In actuality,  Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE they hunt during storms due to how hard it is for their prey -  Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE especially humanoids - to see them. Frightened peasants will  Fellowship: 40% (3) - NONE hire Slayers to drive out the Howlbears from their farms, espe- cially since their eggs are considered a delicacy. Along with that, SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Howlbear blood is regenerative and one dram can replace opi-  Initiative: +7 um in most alchemical processes. This obviously makes Howl-  Movement: 10 on foot bears extremely distrustful of humanoids.  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23)  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20  COMBAT PROFILE Brawn: 50% (11) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20,  Toughness +20 Yellow teeth: 50% - Distance (melee engaged) -  Damage (3) - Fast, Vicious, Weak Agility: 40% (4) - Stealth +10   Perception: 45% (6) - Eavesdrop +20 Parry: NONE   Dodge: NONE Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +20, Survival +20  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Bargain +20 518 SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES imal. Scripture says that the Winter King once journeyed  Initiative: +9 for many months with a Silverback Warg as a companion,  Movement: 10 on foot, 13 while flying and despite the Warg’s nature it proved a valuable ally. In  Damage Threshold: 11 (17/3/29) their arrogance, Silverback Wargs are more than aware of  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) this situation, and many will dwell near villages of the Win- ter King’s supplicants in order to exploit free meals and a COMBAT PROFILE modicum of undeserved protection from the White Wolves.  Talons & beak: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - This isn’t entirely one sided, as the Warg will often ward off Damage (8) - Powerful greater predators that threaten their village in a kind of code-  Parry: 65% pendent survival relationship.  Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20 TRAITS   BROKEN WINGS Brawn: 40% (5) - Athletics +10, Toughness +10   Agility: 45% (7) - Coordination +10, Stealth +20 BRUTE STRENGTH   LICK YOUR WOUNDS Perception: 50% (5) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop  PAW, HOOF OR WING +10, Survival +20   Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE PRIMAL SCREAM   STRAFING TALONS Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Guile +20 TRAPPINGS  SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Howlbear drams of blood (9)   Howlbear hide (1) Initiative: +8   Movement: 13 on foot Howlbear meat (12)   Howlbear eggs (3) Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23)  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) SILVERBACK WARG COMBAT PROFILE INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR  The Silverback Warg is almost never seen, as this horrid Rending Bite: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6) - Fast, Vicious creature operates from the shadows and deep in the midsts  of their packs. Parry: NONE  Dodge: 65% (Natural Quality) Displaying most the cardinal sin of sloth, the Warg is a mas- sive black wolf which a shock of silver hair running to it TRAITS tail, though its face is nearly hairless. Its enormous jaws are  AMBUSH TACTICS peeled back in a near-permanent cheshire grin, and it has  FAST ON THEIR FEET a maniacal cackle that heralds its arrival. Silverback Wargs  KEEN SENSES spend most of their time in their den, sending their hordes  LICK YOUR WOUNDS of alphas out to hunt for them and bring back tributes.  PAW, HOOF OR WING They often like to devour their prey while they are still alive,  RIPPING TEETH lounging on comfortable rocks while surrounded by females TRAPPINGS in heat. They also love games and taunting, natural tricksters  Silverback warg hide (1) that will let their prey go only to pounce on them when they  Silverback warg meat (9) turn their backs. Japes and trickery are one of the Silverback’s favorite pastimes. When the Warg gets up enough energy to WATER PANTHER fight on its own merits, its teeth and claws can rend any ar- INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR mor or flesh asunder in just a few swipes. They will then lick Of all the Primeval, the Water Panther is perhaps the most the scraps and wander back to their perches, falling asleep dangerous. Whether it has a proper name is up for debate, as until their droves of supplicant wolves bring them another “water panther” is what foolish commoners who attempt to meal. capture the beasts in mill ponds call them.

Silverback Wargs are often seen as holy creatures of the Water Panthers are massive bull alligators whose head is the Winter King faithful, beings that should be respected per- size of a cart and their scales the strength of steel. Water haps not as gods, but something greater than a normal an- Panthers were created, made thousands of seasons ago by 519 sorcerers in order to guard their island lairs. Now, remaining  Agility: 45% (4) - Stealth +20 Water Panthers lurk through swamps or glide through the  Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +20, Survival +20 fetid sewage of cities. Water Panthers have two moods: they  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE have either fed recently and thus are calm and communica-  Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE tive, or they have not eaten and are in the throes of a feeding  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Guile +20 frenzy. They will snap up any morsels that floats near them, rolling around at high speeds to rip their prey limb from SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES limb, swallowing each chunk with a hearty gulp. They are  Initiative: +7 driven by hunger in everything they do, embodying the sin  Movement: 10 on foot of gluttony, feeding when they don’t even have a desire to  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) eat. Rumors abound that a Water Panther can easily devour  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) a division of footmen in under a minute; upon hearing this, a Water Panther will often chuckle and say they’ve eaten COMBAT PROFILE things “much grander”.  Horrendous bite: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (7) - Fast, Vicious The Water Panther has long held an odd relationship with  Parry: NONE the reptilian Aztlan. Panthers have long dwelt on the na-  Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) tive lands of the Aztlan, perhaps even before those invaders arrived from the Vault of Night. Water Panthers often will- TRAITS ingly offer themselves up to the Aztlan as war machines or  DEATH ROLL moat protectors, wanting nothing in return. Perhaps this is  HARD-NOSED a variety of reptilian camaraderie that a human mind could  PAW, HOOF OR WING not understand, or the Water Panther has even more ob-  STRESS-INDUCING tuse plans than the Aztlan. Either way, the Aztlan often treat  WANTON HUNGER Water Panthers as trusted allies and mounts, though more than one Aztlan has become a midday meal for the croco- TRAPPINGS dilians. The Tlaloc at times like to claim that they brought  Water panther hide (1) up the Water Panthers out of the primordial goop, but the  Water panther meat (9) Panthers know this to be just another of a Tlaloc’s many lies.

PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 45% (7) - Simple Melee +20  Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +20, Toughness +10

520 BEAST CREATURES

a think the deadliest game abouts is a little ol’ Water Panther? My boy, ya know nuttin o’ da world. There were creatures from before the first fish climbed out of the primordial muck - the Beasts, as I like ta call ‘em. YOl’ as time itself and twice as cranky, they dwell in the lost places of the world, angry at their lowly status. Don’t treat ‘em lightly though; they didn’t get that old just by layin’ around on their arse, and some are as tricksy as any wench. But that don’t mean they ain’t killable - look at this; that’s a Siren I killed two summers past, an ugly bitch of a thing. And let me take ya to the shed - you ever hear tell of a Fodderling? Quite a handful they are, but the babes are the cutest lil’ buttons - just make sure ta watch yer hands. Henric Beartooth, famed Gameskeeper

NO FAMILY NO FAMILY  Basilisk: INTERMEDIATE These Beast creatures are not affiliated with any families. (LOW) RISK FACTOR Each should be treated uniquely.  Bog Behemoth: ADVANCED  (MID) RISK FACTOR BASILISK  Chimaera: ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR A surprising and frightening number of creatures in our  Cockatrice: BASIC dark world possess the ability to paralyze its victims, (HIGH) RISK FACTOR leaving them alive and motionless but able to feel ev-  Dragon Turtle: ADVANCED ery inch of pain inflicted. One of these beasts is the an- (HIGH) RISK FACTOR cient Basilisk, creatures so secluded that they were once  Fen Wyrm: ADVANCED thought to be a tall tale. (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Fodderling: BASIC Basilisks are massive snake-like creatures, their squa- (LOW) RISK FACTOR mous bodies extending roughly the length of a carriage  Gryphon: ADVANCED and having the thickness of an Ogre’s thigh. Their scales (MID) RISK FACTOR are mottled green and brown, and the top of their ser-  Harpy: INTERMEDIATE pentine heads are crowned with small horns. Their eyes (LOW) RISK FACTOR are a sickly green color, almost that of bile, and their  Hydra: ADVANCED gaze is what they use to paralyze their foes. Their meal (HIGH) RISK FACTOR only needs to meet their eyes, succumbing to rigor where  Jabberwocky: ADVANCED they stand. Despite their size, Basilisks do not have very (HIGH) RISK FACTOR large teeth and in fact lack fangs, unlike most pythons.  Siren: INTERMEDIATE Instead, they secrete an acidic bile from ducts in their (LOW) RISK FACTOR throat, a liquid they drip onto the still-living bodies of  Wyvern: ADVANCED their food. (MID) RISK FACTOR They then tear away melted chunks of flesh, an excruci- ating experience that their victim can not even scream

521 from. A Basilisk’s lair will sometimes be full of a dozen TRAPPINGS meals, all in various states of devoured and in various stages  Basilisk eyes (2) of life - the stench is terrible and the fear is palpable.  Basilisk hide (1)  Basilisk heart (1) Basilisks usually live alone, and when they mate, the female will kill the male for sustenance during the long incubation BOG BEHEMOTH period. It is believed there was once a campaign to eliminate ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR these beasts, as they are both prone to Corruption and are Terrible things lurk beneath the muddy waters and shallow able to produce fast-growing broods of dozens. Because of bogs of the lands. Not only caimans, snakes and man-eating this, it was long thought that they were wiped out of exis- fish, but the oddly malevolent and hidden Bog Behemoth. tence. However, recent reports of standing, half-consumed torsos and trails of acidic spittle have provided terrible evi- The Bog Behemoth has the same general form as an octopus, dence to the contrary. The best defense when fighting a Bas- but the similarities end there. They are massively grotesque, ilisk is to destroy its eyes, leaving it all but defenseless. Their easily able to rip off a foe’s head with their sharp beak. Their organs, especially their eyes, acid glands and hearts, fetch eight tentacles are as thick as logs and flail about like switch- quite a bit of money among the mystical circles - few feel es, as their ever-turning eyes twist in place. They are generally bad about hunting these beasts, and some kingdoms offer in- green in color, but they possess color-changing skin that lets centives for killing multiple of them during state-sanctioned them blend into nearly any environment. They do not need “hunting seasons”. to breathe water - as long as their skin is moist, they can survive. Bog Behemoths are stealthy hunters, hiding under PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  mud beds or as floating debris waiting for prey to walk by - Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20, Simple after which, they strike with blinding speed. Though the Bog Ranged +20  Behemoth will eat fish, beavers, alligators and so on, they Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +10, Toughness +20 are a real threat to swampers and river-going marines. Their  Agility: 45% (5) - Coordination +10, Stealth +20  tentacles are extremely strong and can crush ribs, as well as Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop toss its victims yards away with little effort. Luckily, Bog Be- +10, Survival +20  hemoths are curious creatures, and often get distracted easily Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE and can be made to retreat if exposed to fire.  Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE Myths abound that Bog Behemoths are actually intelligent, nearly sentient. Although they are stealthy, Behemoths are SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES able to coordinate with one another to set up archaic traps  Initiative: +7 and knowingly torture their food for something amounting to  Movement: 8 on foot entertainment. Luckily, they are few in number and seem to  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) all have an unhealthy fear of fire - the flames easily catch their  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) moss and lichen-ridden bodies into flame, so they go up quite nicely if they can not find a water source to dive into. That may COMBAT PROFILE not balance out their beastly strength and the tendency for  Acidic spittle: 65% - Distance (ranged 5 yards) - their muck-covered limbs to cause terrible infections, but any Load (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE concession you can take with these monsters is quite worth it.  Vile claws: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES age (8) - Pummeling, Slow   Parry: NONE Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +30, Simple  Dodge: 65% (Natural Quality) Ranged +30  Brawn: 45% (13) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +20, TRAITS Toughness +20   Agility: 40% (6) - Coordination +20, Stealth +30 ACIDIC SPITTLE   CHAOS MUTATION Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop  +20 COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED   EYES WIDE SHUT Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE   Willpower: 40% (7) - Resolve +20, Survival +20 GASTRIC ACIDITY   PETRIFYING GAZE Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE  POISON RESISTANCE

522 SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES summoners, their hearts hold the very secret to draw Aetheric  Initiative: +7 Spirits to the material plane. If a Chimaera is ever encountered  Movement: 9 on foot in the wild, they are extremely territorial and will not hesitate to  Damage Threshold: 13 (19/25/31) kill anything that threatens them. But every storm has a lining  Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) - Chimaeras are surprisingly parental, raising their egg-birthed broods very carefully for nearly a decade before releasing them COMBAT PROFILE on their own. If you think a territorial Chimaera is dangerous,  Thrashing tentacles: 80% - Distance (melee engaged imagine one that is protecting its young. or 9 yards) - Damage (13) - Powerful  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Parry: 80%   Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30  Brawn: 45% (12) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, TRAITS Toughness +30   Agility: 40% (7) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 BRUTE STRENGTH   COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED Perception: 45% (6) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop  +20, Scrutinize +30 CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR   DARK SENSE Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE   Willpower: 40% (6) - Survival +30 FILTHY   FLALING TENTACLES Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +20  FLAMMABLE  FRIGHTFUL SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Initiative: +9 HERP DERP   INESCAPABLE Movement: 13 on foot, 16 while flying  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  TRAPPINGS Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27)  Remnant trappings of undigested victims (3) COMBAT PROFILE CHIMAERA  Ragged claws: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (12) - Slow, Vicious ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  The Chimaera is a legendary beast, known most often for its Spit fire: 75% - Distance (ranged 9 yards) - Load (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE distinctively monstrous and confusing form. However, the  Chimaera is not a singular type of creature, but rather a whole Spiked tail: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- age (12) - Reach, Slow, Powerful designation of bestial creatures which display incongruent  traits found in nature. Parry: 75%  Dodge: 70% Chimaeras are thought to be the blessed avengers of the De- miurge’s wrath. The most common Chimaera has a leonine TRAITS body with goatish hind-legs, bristling with muscle, fur and  DROKEN WINGS sores. They have three heads on their broad shoulders - one  BRUTE STRENGTH which is of a angry dragon, one of a roaring lion and one of a  CHAOS MUTATION braying goat. Their long tail ends in mace-like spikes, venom  CHINK IN THE ARMOR drools from their elongated fangs while bat-like wings extend  FIERY RETRIBUTION from their shoulders. However, this is only a sampling of what  NATURAL ARMOR (1) can be - Chimaeras have been found with as many as eight  PAW, HOOF OR WING heads, possessing the body of creatures like a rhinoceros with  POISONOUS BITE the flexibility of a serpent. The heads all have their own inde-  PRIMAL SCREAM pendent brains, and they will often fight over food or mates  SPIT FIRE while not in combat - however, they work terribly well togeth-  STOMP THE YARD er when the time comes to hunt their prey. TRAPPINGS Chimaeras are the war beasts of choice for the Chosen of Cha-  Chimaera’s heart (1) os, chained and starved to be the most ferocious when brought  Chimaera’s hide (1) into battle. They also breed them, selling the brood to unscru-  Spiked tail, as morgenstern with Castle-forged pulous lords to add to their terrible menageries. For incumbent Quality (1) 523 COCKATRICE COMBAT PROFILE  BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Sharp beak: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dragons are a rarity thankfully, but that doesn’t stop the Damage (5) - Fast, Finesse, Vicious  Parry: NONE populace from declaring every vaguely reptilian beast as one  of those serpentine demons. One of the dragon-like legion is Dodge: 55% (Natural Quality) the laughable, yet still dangerous, Cockatrice. TRAITS  EYES WIDE SHUT Cockatrices are often the familiars of witches, strange hybrid  FAST ON THEIR FEET creatures that are as affectionate and loyal as any hound - al-  HERP DERP beit far more diabolical. Cockatrices are created by having a  PACK MENTALITY hen incubate a Wyvern’s egg, strangely causing the embryo  PAW, HOOF OR WING within the egg to naturally mutate. A Cockatrice eventually  PETRIFYING GAZE emerges, it’s body resembling a scaly Wyvern but its head being that of a rooster. They don’t grow much larger than a TRAPPINGS chicken, but Cockatrices are savage and prone to violence.  Cockatrice hide (1) Their vision is also extremely specialized, so much so that  Cockatrice heart (1) their gaze causes their victim to be frozen in a statue-like frigidity. This is not for nutrients, as Cockatrices often feed DRAGON TURTLE on vermin and insects - instead, it makes a convenient way ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR for their master to capture a person without all the scream- Not even the seas are safe it seems, the world antagonis- ing and general hassle of abducting an animated target. The tic enough to keep humanity culled in at every corner. One Cockatrice’s only wanted reward is raw rats and a coo of af- creature of the deeps that contributes to this is the ancient fection. Dragon Turtle.

To tell the story of the lap dog chicken-snake to Lowborn Dragon Turtles have thought to be very distantly related dirt farmers may illicit a laugh, but the adventuring-minded to dragons, hence its namesake. When spied from below know just how dangerous these creatures can be. Their beaks the surf, they are as large as a cottage; squat yet very pow- and talons are razor sharp, and if they are found in the wild, erful. Their legs are more like flippers than actual claws, they hunt in cooperative packs that can easily swarm even and their back is a spined shell that juts out of the water as the most veteran of fighters. They are fast and surprisingly they swim. Their head is smooth and beaked, with a terrible cunning, able to swoop from above or snap at tendons be- crushing power that they use with a crocodilian death-roll low. The only positive is that they are quite dumb aside from to rip their prey asunder. Dragon Turtles spend most of that, easily suffering from sensory overload if they are ever their time deep in the ocean, diving down fathoms below fallen upon on multiple sides. Cockatrices are frightening- to feed upon phosphorescent fish, squid and the occasional ly quite common, and are often pets of nascent warlocks or shark. Though they can not breathe underwater, they can wizards who have only just begun to dabble in the black arts hold their breath up to an hour with little effort. Dragon of Magick. Turtles only breach the surface to walk upon the shore in order to lay their clutch of eggs. If left alone during this PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES time, they are harmless and will return to the sea when their  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +10  brood hatches. Unfortunately for them, Dragon Turtle eggs Brawn: 40% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, so the Toughness +10  Dragon Turtle fatality count is higher than it could poten- Agility: 35% (5) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 tially be.  Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +10, Survival +10  Intelligence: 45% (4) - NONE Dragon Turtles are vicious when provoked, as well as quite  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10 intelligent. They can exhale scalding steam from their throats,  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +10 and their natural strength and armor are obviously helpful. However, they are also able to telepathically communicate - SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES not in any language, but rather in impressions and feelings.  Initiative: +7 Storms, however, seem to whip something up in their minds  Movement: 11 on foot, 14 while flying - during bad typhoons, they will sunder ships and devour  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) their crews for no reason. Some Elven scholars believe the  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) Dragon Turtles are what kept the Siabra oath breakers away from their home for so long. 524 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Wyrms are stupid and only act on instinct - further, their  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30 massive steps betray their coming from several yards away.  Brawn: 45% (12) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, Fen Wyrms favor eating large mammals and can consume Toughness +30 multiple tons of food a day without growing lethargic. Their  Agility: 40% (4) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 metabolisms are extremely high, being able to eat nearly any-  Perception: 45% (6) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop thing they can wrap their jaws around. +20, Scrutinize +30  Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE Fen Wyrms usually dwell with a mate, so where there is one,  Willpower: 40% (9) - Survival +30 there is often another. They are fiercely protective of their fam-  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +20 ilies, and will kill any other Fen Wyrm or creature if it looks appetizing enough or wanders too close. Fen Wyrms have a SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES tendency to horde the shiny objects that drop out of their prey’s  Initiative: +9 pockets, using them often as a nest for their young neonates.  Movement: 10 on foot Many have tried to attack Fen Wyrms for their hordes, mostly  Damage Threshold: 16 (22/28/34) on the rumor that they are not as powerful as aged dragons, but  Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) that has resulted in many bone-strewn mires and will-o-wisps COMBAT PROFILE fluttering near fetid cave entrances.  Snapping jaw: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Damage (12) - Slow, Vicious  Combat: 40% (6) - Simple Melee +30  Parry: 75%   Brawn: 45% (9) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, Dodge: 70% Toughness +30  Agility: 40% (7) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 TRAITS  Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop  BRUTE STRENGTH  +30 BURROWER  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE  CHINK IN THE ARMOR   Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE CHOMP  Fellowship: 0% (0) – NONE  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED  NATURAL ARMOR (4) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  INESCAPABLE   Initiative: +6 STATUESQUE  Movement: 10 on foot  STEAMING BREATH   Damage Threshold: 13 (19/25/31) SWALLOW WHOLE  Peril Threshold: NONE COMBAT PROFILE TRAPPINGS  Powerful bite: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) -  Dragon turtle egg (3)  Damage (9) - Pummeling, Slow Dragon turtle hide (1)  Parry: NONE  FEN WYRM Dodge: NONE

ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR TRAITS Bog Behemoths, brigands and disease are more than enough  AUTOTOMY to worry any man who treks through fetid swamps. But some-  BURROWER thing even worse dwells in the muck, the terrible Fen Wyrm  DEATH ROLL that scholars are not entirely convinced isn’t just a dragon  FORESTWALKER without its wings.  MINDLESS  NATURAL ARMOR (4) Fen Wyrms are draconic creatures, roughly the same size and  shape of a young dragon. Their heads are massive and broad, INESCAPABLE  PRIMAL SCREAM so heavy that their necks sweep downward rather than up-  ward. They do not possess wings, but their scales are tough SWALLOW WHOLE and naturally colored for camouflage in their murky envi- TRAPPINGS ronments. Their hide is severely ridged and slung low to the  ground, giving them a low center of gravity that makes them Poison sack, as a dose of animalbane (3)  Poison sack, as a dose of beastbane (3) all but unmoveable. They are naturally suited to their swamps  and bogs, being able to burrow through the muck and adapt Poison sack, as a dose of folkbane (3) the natural poisons into their fearsome jaws. Luckily, Fen 525 FODDERLING SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +7 BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR  One of the most bizarre beasts of the known world, Fodder- Movement: 9 on foot  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) lings nearly seem like mobile, bouncing balls of rubber from  a distance. However, when they get close, pray you are able to Peril Threshold: NONE kill them before these vicious beasts fall upon you. COMBAT PROFILE Fodderlings are bipedal, subterranean creatures that appear al-  Vicious Bite: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - most as a chimera between a mole rat and a leech. They are Damage (5) - Slow, Vicious, Weak vicious and fast, living in large broods in the deepest part of  Parry: NONE caverns. There is evidence that Fodderlings may be fungoid  Dodge: NONE creatures, but the dead are often dragged away by Orx parties before they can be examined. Fodderling breeds differ much TRAITS like a hound, identified by how many rows of teeth, color of  MINDLESS their leathery skin and prominence of their horns. Due to their  PAW, HOOF OR WING general small stature and quicksilver speed, they are the chosen  RIPPING TEETH mount of roving Kobold bands, as well as attack beasts in Orx- ish WAAAR! Hordes. Fodderlings are carrion eaters, devouring TRAPPINGS the corpses of those slain by their riders. The more they con-  Fodderling hide (1) sume, the larger they grow in size; a whelpling fodderling can be  Fodderling meat (3) no bigger than a small but vicious dog, while a full grown adult  Fodderling teeth (9) could easily support the weight of a Hob-Kobold. When not used as mounts, Fodderlings are a convenient food source and GRYPHON potential catapult ammunition. ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR Gryphons are legendary beasts in their own right, their maj- Fodderlings are unintelligent, even less so than an ordinary esty and power used as a symbol on many a military banner. herd of cattle, and nigh untrainable. They exist only to eat Some armies have even said to have tamed one as a mounts, or be eaten. The massive herds of their Kobold masters are but their ferocity could maybe prove otherwise. directed with violence, not subtle coaxing. Riders of Fod- derlings will often have to dangle food on a stick in front of Gryphons are avian creatures, roughly twice the size of the the creature’s face, just to prevent it from bucking the rider largest destrier. Their head and front legs are of those of a ma- and devouring them. Their breeding habits are odd, appar- jestic eagle, complete with plumage, razor sharp talons and a ently only breeding in the darkest parts of caves under abso- crooked beak. Their body and hindquarters are either those of lute darkness. Newborn Fodderlings are still just as vicious a lion or of an equine - those with a horse body are often called as their parents, able to devour an adult’s hand in one bite. “hippogryphs”, though the two types often interbreed. From These creatures are true pests, as their massive bulks tram- their front shoulders sprout a massive pair of eagle-like wings, ple fields and their savage attacks accidentally killing cat- easily spanning twenty-five feet from tip to tip and casting a tle. Many nations have bounties specifically on Fodderlings, huge shadow wherever they take to the air. Gryphons are sol- both in hopes to reduce the damage they cause and to waylay itary creatures who live on the highest mountain peaks, where Kobolds. It also helps that Fodderlings do taste rather good, they dwell with a mate and tend to their hatchlings. They hunt often compared to fine pork; despite that, many taverns that by swooping down on their prey, grappling them into their tal- serve it would never mention that their pig roast is actually ons and returning to the nests to feed them live to their young. Fodderling bunghole (as it is the only meat upon a Fodder- Their favored quarry are horses, cattle and other domesticated ling worth eating, the remainder tasting of bile). animals. Being noble creatures, they rarely - if ever - eat hu- manoids. But, they will defend their nests to the death. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +10 Gryphons have a natural enemy in the Harpies, who intrude  Brawn: 45% (6) - Intimidate +10, Toughness +10 upon their territory and try to steal their hatchlings. Likend to  Agility: 35% (3) - NONE pests, their mountainsides are often littered with the broken  Perception: 40% (4) - Survival +10 bodies of Harpies and the remains of Gryphon chicks, some-  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE times called “sky graveyards”. Gryphons have an upper hand  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE because they are doubly smarter than Harpies, with almost hu-  Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE man-like cleverness and sensibilities. These qualities have sent many royal Animal Tamers to wrangle a mount for their lord, 526 and some have been successful, passed down in song such as bination of an old woman and a corvid, such as a crow, jack- Greywind the Swift and Balthazar, Scourge of the Plains. But daw or raven. Their flesh is emaciated and drawn out, their this is not the norm - Gryphons are free-spirited and do not arms being underlined with oily black wings that allow them want to be caged, escaping with every opportunity if they are surprisingly quick flight. Their noses are crooked and their not provided with the freshest game and choicest of mates. eyes beady, perfectly attuned to spot and feast on small prey such as rats or snakes, only ever hunting at night. What makes PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES them most dangerous is their propensity for theft and murder  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30  - they will often swoop on travelling caravans at night to steal Brawn: 45% (7) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, up any shiny object that catches their eyes. The more heavi- Toughness +30 ly guarded treasures are dealt with more deceptively. They’ll  Agility: 40% (12) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30  sing ribald songs - though they only imitate and do not know Perception: 45% (6) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop their meaning - to attract travellers, eventually ripping at their +20, Scrutinize +30  throats and sorting through their purses for the most intrigu- Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE ing treasures. Appropriately enough, Harpies are thought to  Willpower: 40% (6) - Survival +30  be distant relatives of the Siren, perhaps from a single ancestor Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +20 that split off millennia ago.

SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Although Harpies are the bane of wanderers, they also have  Initiative: +9 a mortal enemy in the Gryphons. The two beasts often make  Movement: 18 on foot, 21 while flying nests on adjacent mountains, staring at each other in malice.  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) Often, Harpies are too busy infighting with their nestmates  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) to do anything, but will sometimes band together to steal Gryphon chicks or baubles dropped by a Gryphon’s victims. COMBAT PROFILE These aerial battles are both breath-taking and terrifying to  Talons: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage behold, as Harpies must swarm a singular Gryphon if they (12) - Finesse, Slow, Vicious wish for any chance of victory. Gryphons will generally have  Parry: NONE the upper hand, but some ravaged nests of those beasts prove  Dodge: 80% that sometimes even the Harpies win.

TRAITS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20 BROKEN WINGS   CHAMPION’S CALL Brawn: 50% (5) - Athletics +10, Toughness +20   Agility: 45% (8) - Coordination +20 CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR   DEATH ROLL Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop  +10, Survival +20 INESCAPABLE   PAW, HOOF OR WING Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE   Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10 MASTERFULLY ADROIT   NATURAL ARMOR (1) Fellowship: 35% (3) - Charm +20  PRIMAL SCREAM  SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES SNIKT! SNIKT!   STOMP THE YARD Initiative: +7   Movement: 14 on foot, 17 while flying STRAFING TALONS   WEAK SPOT Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23)  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) TRAPPINGS  COMBAT PROFILE Gryphon egg (3)   Gryphon hide (1) Ragged claw: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (8) - Finesse, Weak HARPY  Parry: 65%  INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) The only thing worse than a thief is one you can not catch. The TRAITS only thing worse than that is the Harpy, a wicked creature who  cackles and schemes for its awful treasures. AMBUSH TACTICS  BROKEN WINGS Harpies are horrific beasts, with bodies that look like the com-  CAPTIVATING CRY 527  PAW, HOOF OR WING  Initiative: +9  STRAFING TALONS  Movement: 12 on foot  Damage Threshold: 15 (21/27/33) TRAPPINGS  Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28)  Harpy’s treasures (9) COMBAT PROFILE HYDRA  Terrible teeth: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Damage (9) - Fast, Finesse, Vicious Dwelling in the coves along the ocean shores, the Hydra  Spit fire: 75% - Distance (ranged 9 yards) - Load (1 emerges rarely, often to dive into the waters to hunt for their AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE meals of Sirens and lonesome sailors. When it materializes,  Parry: 75% all along the shore flee in terror at the creature’s undulating  Dodge: 80% form. TRAITS Hydras are thick, serpentine creatures, who rearing up can  BRUTE STRENGTH easily match the height of a Nephilim. Sprouting from their  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED torsos are multiple, thick necks, each one ended in a writhing  DARK SENSE and spitting reptilian head. Their skulls look much like any  FILTHY other serpent, but their snouts are tipped with beaks instead  HARD-NOSED of soft scales. Each head of the Hydra is independent and  IN THE FACE able to attack on its own, and one can be decapitated without  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER causing the beast to fall. Supposedly, Hydras can also grow  NATURAL ARMOR (5) back any heads they lose, though the process takes multiple  SNIKT! SNIKT! years and the head is worthless while growing. In addition to  SPIT FIRE their bulk and sharp beaks, Hydras also have the capacity to  UNBRIDLED RAGE spew fire from their mouths, cooking their meal before gorg- ing themselves upon it. They are fierce predators, becoming TRAPPINGS more dangerous as they grow injured, risking every undulat-  Hydra hide (1) ing limb to simply destroy whatever intends them harm. JABBERWOCKY Hydras are insular by themselves, but have been known to be tamed and harnessed by the Chosen of Chaos to use as ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR living siege weaponry. They are terrifying and effective foes, Burbling through the tulgey wood wiffles the manxome Jab- seemingly endless in the number of heads they have and tire- berwocky, a beast so absurd that is must either be the product less in battle. Hydras are very long lived by themselves, and of random chance or a cruel trick by the gods to put people some even attack trading vessels to get at their stores of fish in a kerfuffle. in their holds. Other times, less educated communities take The only word to describe a Jabberwocky is obtuse. Their up the Hydra as a squamous god, one they shower with gifts body looks like that of an old, hairless sloth, from which and sacrifices. These worshipped Hydras are often very old sprouts their neck, four gangly limbs, a monkey-like tail and and powerful, and rather admire their position of luxury and two stunted wings. The neck is long and serpentine, crowned bounty. Not surprisingly, Hydras of this age also have the with a fish-like head possessing long antennae, donkey-teeth ability to speak the common - albeit forked - tongue. and lidless eyes. Its tail is long, furred and curls humorously, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES though it is prehensile and can be used to tangle up foes. Its  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30 hands end in long claws, but they are dull as horse hooves and  Brawn: 40% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +20, only used for grabbing and scooping - save one digit that is Toughness +20 incredibly cumbersome yet sharp and vicious. Their bipedal  Agility: 50% (9) - Coordination +20, Stealth +20 legs are much like those of a lizard, and in fact their arms and  Perception: 45% (6) - Awareness +30, Scrutinize legs are both comically scaled. They are far too heavy to fly, but +30, Survival +20 their wings are expressive and flap when the Jabberwocky is  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE excited or threatened. They prey on all manner of woodland  Willpower: 40% (7) - Survival +20 animals, but their awkward shapes and movements leave them  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Guile +30 with extended periods where they border on starvation. Jabberwocky are intelligent and capable of speech, though SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES they speak in extended nonsense soliloquies. They’ll scratch 528 cartoonish drawing inside their cavernous lairs using their  GROSSLY MUTATED “vorpal claw”, depicting humanoids engaged in all manner  KEEN SENSES of unseeming pleasures. They favor games and riddles - both  KILL IT WITH FIRE of which they are very good at - but they are quite dull in a  NATURAL ARMOR (2) debate or any other mental pursuit. Jabberwockies are hard  MENACING to kill, their skin almost rubber-like in quality while their  POISON RESISTANCE limbs able to regenerate even if sundered. There are a for-  POISONOUS BITE tunate few of them catalogued in the world, and there is no  REANIMATOR evidence that they can breed, but many will say they’ve lived  STOMP THE YARD “upteenths of turmings”, whatever that means. Jabberwock-  SWALLOW WHOLE ies are not inherently hostile, but they will lash out at anyone  UNGAINLY who refuses to entertain them with a game or riddle. Some  WALL CRAWLER have gone mad through their periods of starvation, making TRAPPINGS their bizarre forms even more alien. The only reason to ac-  Vorpal claw, as zweihander sword with Castle-forged tively hunt a docile Jabberwocky is its singular claw - legend and Vicious Quality says they can be sharpened into a vorpal sword, a blue-grey blade that can “snicker-snack” any bandersnatch or jubjub SIREN bird. Other tales of the vorpal sword seem to prefer the tried INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR and true tradition of it being used to snicker-snack a head off You only need to hear the tales of drunken sailors, commis- another, until it goes plip-plop onto the ground. erating over stories of fellow seamen diving into the ocean to never return, to at least lend credence to the myth of Sirens. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +30 Sirens are foul aquatic beings, from the waist up appearing  Brawn: 45% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, at a distance as comely maidens or men but in fact are hor- Toughness +30 rendous. These beasts play at pretending to be stranded on  Agility: 35% (4) - Stealth +30 rocks, tangled in fishing nets or caught under kelp. If a sailor  Perception: 45% (10) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop ever approaches to help a Siren, their true form is revealed. +30, Scrutinize +20 The Siren maintains the bulk of its body under the water to  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Gamble +10 belie its bestial origins. Below the water, it has a long, ser-  Willpower: 40% (4) - Survival +30 pentine tale, with manta-like wings attached to the side that  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +30 aid in swimming and short bursts of flight. Once lured in, the Siren wraps their prey within these fleshy wings, using SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES a proboscis in their abdomen to penetrate the victim’s spine  Initiative: +13 and extract their brain fluid for nutrition. The corpse of their  Movement: 7 on foot victims wash up days later, appearing as if they have drowned  Damage Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) and been dashed against rocks upon cursory glance - leaving  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) others none the wiser of the Siren’s existence. Dwelling in underwater shoals together, they generally hunt solo as to COMBAT PROFILE be more convincing. Siren are borderline intelligent, able to  Dull hoofs: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- charm and woo with their cries, but are of animal intelli- age (10) - Pummeling gence, akin to sharks.  Vorpal claw: 45% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 yard) - Damage (10) - Punishing, Reach, Slow, Vi- Sirens have long haunted the waters, singing their clarion cious calls that bring oarsmen and fishermen to their lustful dooms.  Lashing tail: 75% - Distance (melee engaged or 6 Most are found near the shore, but pods of them have been yards) - Damage (10) - Pummeling, Slow found in the most chthonic of depths. Sirens and Harpies are  Parry: 75% undoubtedly kin, and sometimes Siren are seen leaving prey  Dodge: 35% on rocky outcroppings for their brethren to pick at. Sirens are also collectors of baubles like their sisters, and bring the most TRAITS choice of treasures into their underwater cloisters. Many an  BRUTE STRENGTH adventurer have tried different erudite methods to reach these  FECKLESS RUNT caches below, but most have washed up weeks later with a  FILTHY bloated goat stomach deflated of air and a punctured spine.  FLAMMABLE 529 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Much like Gryphons, Wyverns have been tamed as mounts,  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20 though often more by Mutants than the Chosen of Chaos. A  Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +20 few famous Orx Bigbosses have ridden Wyverns into battle,  Agility: 45% (5) - Coordination +20 adorned with scrap barding and dripping with viscera. They  Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop provide a great aerial advantage, as well as fooling humans into +10, Survival +20 thinking the Mutant is borne upon an actual Pit Dragon - a  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE tactic that has won more than a few battles. Wyverns, however,  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10 are generally short lived - they lay their first clutch at about a  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Charm +20, Guile +10 year, and die naturally within ten years. They also take wounds terribly, as they possess giant weak spots in the form of their SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES wings.  Initiative: +7  Movement: 11 on foot, 14 while flying PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30 Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)   Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) Brawn: 40% (7) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +20, Toughness +20  Agility: 50% (9) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 COMBAT PROFILE   Razor fin: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- Perception: 45% (8) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop age (8) - Pummeling, Weak +30, Survival +30   Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE Parry: 65%   Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) Willpower: 40% (7) - Survival +20  Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE TRAITS  AMBUSH TACTICS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Initiative: +11 BROKEN WINGS   CAPTIVATING CRY Movement: 15 on foot, 18 while flying   Damage Threshold: 9 (15/2127) COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED   PAW, HOOF OR WING Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28)  STINGING TENTACLETRAPPINGS  Siren’s treasures (9) COMBAT PROFILE  Claws and teeth: 75% Distance (melee engaged) - WYVERN Damage (7) - Pummeling, Vicious  ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR Lashing tail: 75% - Distance (melee engaged or 3 The wretchedness of great Pit Dragons may have originally yards) - Damage (9) - Fast, Finesse  Parry: NONE grown their pattern from the natural Wyvern, a beast so close  in shape as to be almost indistinguishable to the commoner. Dodge: 80% TRAITS Wyverns have a few noticeable differences from their Abys-  BROKEN WINGS sal counterparts. The first most obvious is that Wyverns only  FAST ON THEIR FEET have two limbs, their arms instead being replaced by joint-  LASHING TAIL ed, leathery wings. Wyverns are also smaller than Pit Drag-  LICK YOUR WOUNDS ons, most the size of a large horse or panther. They are also  MASTERFULLY ADROIT much more bulky than their kin, as their necks and torsos are  NATURAL ARMOR (2) firm muscle rather than obsidian scales. Wyverns also have a  PAW, HOOF OR WING barbed tail that drips with venom, and they are also unable to  POISON RESISTANCE exhale flames. That does not make them any less dangerous -  POISONOUS STRIKE Wyverns are adroit hunters that share a lot of qualities with  PRIMAL SCREAM aerial raptors. They can solve basic problems, have excellent  STEELY FORTITUDE perception and prefer to dive bomb their meals or drop heavy  WEAK SPOT stones upon them. Some Wyverns have a taste for human- oids, but most feast on the easy and meaty livestock found on TRAPPINGS any farm. When confronted, most Wyverns will try to escape  Poison sack, as a dose of animalbane (3) - they will only fight if they have no other means of escape,  Poison sack, as a dose of beastbane (3) using intimidation first before striking.  Poison sack, as a dose of folkbane (3) 530 HUMANOID CREATURES

ifth day, second week of summer. Contracted by local noble to investigate mutilated livestock, brought along six men from the guild. Wandered into the Century Woods following cattle tracks, encountered a bandit ambush. No F casualties, but Johann has suffered a nasty gash on his leg.

Third day, third week of summer. Waded through swamp, Johann’s wound became infected - Linus has some medical training, says he may lose the foot. Come across a strange altar surrounded by cultists. Battle ensued, Kris and Rosario were killed. Surviving cultist knew nothing of cattle - tortured him to death. Toppled over altar and scattered stones.

Fifth day, third week of summer. Johann’s leg was amputated; he did not survive. Remaining members found source of bones - heavily mutated Nephilim. Killed and devoured all except me, destroyed him with trickery and a swallowed gunpowder keg. Put its eye in satchel to return as proof of deed. Excerpt from Danziger Eckhart’s daily journal, entitled “Summer, Year 201 T.A.”

AZTLAN (FAMILY) CORRUPTED SOULS (FAMILY)  Gekkota: ADVANCED  Bushwacker: BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Iguania: BASIC  Deranged Zealot: BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Lacertilia: INTERMEDIATE  Deserter Soldier: BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Tlaloc: ADVANCED  Occultist: BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Petty Thug: BASIC CHOSEN OF CHAOS (FAMILY) (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Dread Count: ELITE  Rebellious Peasant: BASIC (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Duergar Bombardier: INTERMEDIATE  Templar Fanatic: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) (LOW) RISK FACTOR RISK FACTOR  Fell Knight: INTERMEDIATE  Witch: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Havoc Magician: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR NO FAMILY  Howling Marauder: INTERMEDIATE  Nephilim: ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Siabra Corsair: INTERMEDIATE  Ogre Mercenary: INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Zoatar: ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR

531 AZTLAN address that their Lacertilia priests interpret.

Hundreds of thousands of years ago, before even the low- Aztlan society is also one of conformity, as dissidents are ex- liest worm had crawled upon the soil, the heavens yawned ecuted and entire lifespans are scheduled down to the hour. open and rained fire upon the land. Pelting the ground were Combined with their near-destruction at the hands of the perfectly spherical meteors, shod of a metal none had seen forces of chaos, Aztlan are insular and paranoid. Anyone before, supernaturally cool to the touch; pieces that were per- who intrudes on their land or breaks one of the hundreds of haps a part of an even larger machine. Crashing into fetid vague yet draconian laws dictated by the Aztlan society are jungles, these steel comets broke open with a misty hiss, and captured and brought to great bathing pools to be drained from them emerged the Ancient Ones: chthonian and cy- of their blood for the Tlaloc. Aztlan often also venture on clopean monstrosities of unfathomable shape. The Ancient “great liberations”, being massive military campaigns against Ones observed the land around them, the last survivors of a beings deemed a threat to their society. They have made vi- race met with disaster, and found the bogs and cypress trees olent contact with many creatures, but they have also been much to their liking. The Ancient Ones were patient known to ally with other humanoids against mutual threats, creatures, having lives that are far longer than conceivable, such as the hated, plague-bearing Skrzzak. and they set to work. Using their vast arcane technology, Aztlan forces are awful to behold: though their weaponry is they uplifted the lowly lizards and amphibians around them, often made of stone and bronze, their military minds and raising them from small insect hunters to sentient, human- their training of their lizard-like mounts that roam the jun- oid creatures. The creatures they uplifted viewed the Ancient gle are intimidating to say the least. If a Tlaloc decides to Ones as gods, and were more than accepting of this new des- emerge from its slumber to battle, say prayers to the gods as ignation. In the following centuries, the newly-dubbed Az- they are mighty magicians who often carry remnants of their tlan (pronounced Ahz-lahn) built up a massive civilization aged and failing technology. spread across the swamp, one that bowed heavily to their nigh-immortal lords. GEKKOTA

But all was not right, as a remnant of the Ancient Ones’ ves- ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR sel had ruptured far to the north, causing a great rift to open Aztlan cities can be massive, some ranging into the tens of to the Abyss. Demons of all sorts swarmed out and threw thousands of residents. Millions of tons of stone are used to themselves at the Aztlan. Though they managed to breach build the massive stepped pyramids and housing of the city, off the invaders through mighty Magicks, dozens of the Az- and thousands upon thousands of bushels of maize and head tlan temple cities had fallen as countless Aztlan lay dead. of cattle are needed to support the populace. The shared consciousness of the Ancient Ones snapped; they The species who make up the very infrastructure of the tem- vowed to not tolerate any threat whatsoever to the Aztlan’s ple-cities are the massive Gekkota (pronounced Gek-ko-tah). well-being, and thus became insular and fanatic. They left Filled with muscle, toughened with hard scales and roughly the Tlaloc - one of the races they uplifted - as the guard- the size of an Ogre, the Gekkota are laborers and farmers. ians of the Aztlan and retreated once again to the stars. That They inherited many qualities from alligators and other croc- brings the Aztlan to the modern day, a species who has fallen odilians, including the massive heads and fearsome tempers. into decadence and - while not inherently violent - will an- Gekkota are noticeably silent, unable to speak beyond hiss- nihilate any who dares stand in their way. ing or growling but still maintaining the cunning intellect Aztlan are divided between different species, all of which of all Aztlan. Gekkota are long lived and rarely breed, see- serve a different function in their aged society. Their culture ing their spawn as little more than an inconvenience to their is one of high regimentation and inflexibility; since their work. They spend their long lives hauling massive stones to caste is their species, they can never move up in their society. build the cities and harvesting the back-breaking step crops All Aztlan citizens are both required to be educated and be that subsist its residents. That being said, the Gekkota are a part of a militia-like unit, creating one of the most regi- the most fearsome of combatants - their massive jaws rend mented and disciplined forces across the known land. Azt- limb from limb, and their scales are so thick that they seem lan dwell within the ruins of their temple-cities, where they impervious to missiles. are lead by a singular Tlaloc (pronounced Tlah-lohk) that Though they seem disenfranchised, Gekkota carry a large they worship as earth-bound god-kings. These cities fluctu- amount of civic pride in their drudging duty. To them, they ate between different states of disrepair, as their Tlaloc are are building the palaces of the gods and feeding their ser- too brooding to send scouts for new materials. The Tlaloc vants, an honor which only they have the ability to carry out. are slow and laconic creatures who plan for decades in deep Aztlan society is organized by castes, but the only ones on meditations; it can be centuries between when one makes an a higher level are the Tlaloc - all the others carry an equal 532 burden and responsibility. The highest honor that a Gekkota TRAPPINGS can carry is being promoted to one of the Silent Guardians,  Bronze axe, as battle axe with Weak Quality (1) an elite group of Gekkota whose job involves being the per-  Bronze hammer, as war hammer with Weak Quality sonal bodyguard to Tlaloc god-kings. These few are the ones (1) that actually perform the exsanguination of captives into the  Gekkota hide (1) bathing pools. That being said, the Gekkota have the dishon-  Munitions plate armor (1) or of being the least evolved of Aztlan, chosen by the Ancient Ones for only their brute strength and nothing more. They IGUANIA can easily go feral, becoming too wild to reign in and being BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR released into the fetid swamps surrounding the city. Some Swarming the Aztlan temple-cities are the seemingly end- say that the oldest of these feral Gekkota are the mysterious less masses of the Iguania. By far the most populous of all the Water Panthers, but little proof supports this. races evolved by the Ancient Ones, the Iguania (pronounced I’gwan-ya) serve as both the commoners and military back- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES bone of the city-states.  Combat: 45% (9) - Martial Melee +30, Simple Me- lee +30, Simple Ranged +10 Iguanias are the height of an adult human, and have the gen-  Brawn: 40% (9) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, eral features of an iguana or monitor-lizard, most likely from Toughness +30 their great ancestors. Iguanias start their lives in the mas-  Agility: 50% (5) - Coordination +30, Stealth +10 sive and sweltering birthing temples, where they were laid  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +30 as eggs by their mothers, concentrated with all other eggs  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE in the city. When they hatch after a few weeks, Iguanias al-  Willpower: 40% (4) - Warfare +30 ready are birthed with knowledge of combat, how to fend  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Leadership +10 for themselves and how to survive. They are then led into massive training grounds, where they undergo rigorous and SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES regimented training in the spear, sword and bow, all becom-  Initiative: +8 ing elite soldiers - each like the last. If any Iguanias show any  Movement: 8 on foot sign of weakness or corruption while training, they are killed  Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) - thrown into the Tlaloc’s bathing pools, providing them  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) with a great service even in their inept deaths. Despite being stringent and exacting in their mannerisms, not COMBAT PROFILE  all Iguanias are the same. They come in a wide variety of col- Bronze axe: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - ors and shapes, but all possess ridges along their spines that are Damage (10) - Adaptable, Slow, Weak  popularized as status symbols. When not in training or wor- Bronze war hammer: 75% - Distance (melee en- ship of their Tlaloc, they compete in tests of strength and cun- gaged) - Damage (10) - Powerful, Slow  ning, often through bloodsport or a strange game involving a Ragged claws: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - hard-rubber ball passed through hoops. But at any moment, Damage (9) - Pummeling, Weak Iguanias will pick up their ancestral weapons and wade into bat-  Parry: 75%  tle to eliminate threats to their way of life. Iguanias are trained Dodge: NONE to kill only when absolutely necessary - their favored tactic is through fear, disarmament and capturing prisoners of war. They TRAITS then take their captives to their Tlaloc, sacrificing them and  AUTOTOMY  draining their blood to keep the lords nearly invulnerable and BIG GRIM ageless. However, “foul blooded” creatures like demons of the  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED  Abyss and the Skrzzak are to be killed without mercy, as their DARK SENSE blood is too unclean to be bathed in.  DEATH ROLL  NAUTRAL ARMOR (2, Leathery Hide) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   POISON RESISTANCE Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10, Simple  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER Ranged +10   STEELY FORTITUDE Brawn: 40% (4) - Coordination +10   UNGAINLY Agility: 50% (7) - Ride +10, Stealth +10   WANTON HUNGER Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE 533  Willpower: 40% (4) - Warfare +10 The Lacertilia and their Tlaloc lords share very similar qual-  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE ities, as they too will go into long states of meditation to brood on their intellect, their skin mirroring the patterns SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES and colors of the environment they sit within. Lacertilia are  Initiative: +8 perhaps the most important cog in the machine of Aztlan  Movement: 10 on foot, 13 while riding society, as they provide all the services that involve at least a  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) measure of skill. They are also the species who has by far the  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) most contact with the outside world - Lacertilian emissar- ies will trade with humanoid states and even form alliances COMBAT PROFILE at times. They are said to speak with the voice of the gods,  Fire-hardened spear: 65% - Distance (melee en- and thus are treated as leaders outside of their own cities. gaged or 1 yard) - Damage (4 or 5 with shield) - Unfortunately, they are also the species who has the most Reach, Weak outside contact with Aztlan enemies - ancestral memories  Javelin: 65% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) - Load (1 are haunted with five-times great grandparents falling to the AP) - Damage (4) - Throwing, Weak terrible sway of chaos, and those visions never dissipate and  Parry: 75% (Defensive Quality) always lurk in the back of their minds.  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  TRAITS Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +10, Simple  AUTOTOMY Ranged +20   Brawn: 40% (4) - Coordination +10 COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED   DARK SENSE Agility: 50% (7) - Ride +20, Stealth +20   Perception: 45% (7) - Awareness +10 POISON RESISTANCE   TRAPPINGS Intelligence: 45% (4) - Education +10, Folklore +20   Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +10, Warfare +10 Blackroot (1)   Fire-hardened spear (1) Fellowship: 35% (3) - Guile +10, Handle Animal  Folkbane (1) +20  Iguania hide (1)  Leather armor (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Initiative: +10 Javelin (3)   Wooden shield (1) Movement: 10 on foot, 13 while riding  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) LACERTILIA  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR COMBAT PROFILE All Aztlan possess a cold, alien reptilian intellect, one that  is so foreign to humanoids to be nearly impossible. This is Saw-toothed sword: 50% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 yard) - Damage (7) - Fast, Finesse, Light, Weak shown even further in the Lacertilia (pronounced La-cer-til-  i-a), the second most common species of Aztlan. Hunting bow: 60% - Distance (ranged 16 yards) - Load (1 AP) - Damage (7) - Finesse, Weak Lacertilia serve as artisans, priests and scholars, possessing  Bolas: 60% - Distance (ranged 18 yards) - Load (2 an ancestral memory that reaches back hundreds of years. AP) - Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, Lacertilia are small and slight, roughly the size of a stout Throwing Dwarf and possessing physical traits of chameleons, such as  Parry: NONE mimicry. Lacertilia are birthed and hatched only one at a  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) time so as best to raise them to be intellectuals. Not only is there knowledge passed down through their bloodline, but TRAITS as is their place in society - a Lacertilia born in a unit of ma-  AUTOTOMY sons will always be a mason, as it is the will of the Ancient  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED Ones and the universe. There is one way to elevate out of this  FAST ON THEIR FEET station: the most intelligent of Lacertilia are chosen to serve  FWIP! FWIP! by the side of the Tlaloc, serving as their interpreters and  DARK SENSE caretakers. Lacertilia are just as trained in the military arts as  PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE their Iguania brethren as well - though they serve as scouts  POISON RESISTANCE and spies rather than front-line fighters.  SILENT STALKER 534 TRAPPINGS are threats to both the Tlaloc, their people, and potentially the  Arrows (9) entire celestial sphere. Thus this leads to the Tlaloc’s current  Blackroot (1) madness - one of debauched lords who will stop at nothing to  Bolas (3) get in the way of their goals and the total elimination of their  Brigandine armor (1) enemies, all in the name of their puppet gods.  Folkbane (1)  Hunting bow (1) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Ranged +30 Lacertilia hide (1)   Saw-toothed sword, as dirk (1) Brawn: 40% (4) - Intimidate +30  Agility: 45% (4) - NONE TLALOC  Perception: 45% (7) - Eavesdrop +30, Scrutinize +30  ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Intelligence: 40% (7) - Education +30, Folklore +30, The Tlaloc (pronounced Tlah-lohk) are strangers to this Warfare +30  Willpower: 50% (11) - Incantation +30, Resolve +30 world, the original servants of the Ancient Ones brought  along to aid their labors. Tlaloc assert that they are from be- Fellowship: 35% (3) - Bargain +30 yond the heavens, riven here by some divine chariot that was annihilated over our earthly sphere. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +10 When they were abandoned by the Ancient Ones, they were  Movement: 7 on foot invested with vast knowledge and Magickal potency in order  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) to rule until the Ancient Ones returned. Though the Tlaloc  Peril Threshold: 14 (20/26/32) have a long memory, few can remember with any detail what their old homestead was like, and they often treat it COMBAT PROFILE more like a mystical locale of legend than their actual birth-  Aztlan pulser: 75% - Distance (ranged 19 yards) - ing place. Tlaloc are the de-facto rulers of the Aztlan, with Load (2 AP) - Damage (4) - Alien, Cell, Finesse, one lording over each temple city. They are voluminous and Punishing, Shock, Slow, Volatile adipose batracian creatures, very rarely journeying far from  Parry: 75% their royal palaces - only being hauled by palanquin if so.  Dodge: 55% (Natural Quality) They are unimaginably ancient - to stay alive, they bathe in massive pools of their enemy’s blood, absorbing it and pro- TRAITS longing their lifespan. Some of the most ancient Tlaloc never  ACCURSED leave their pools, as it would mean certain death for them.  AETHEREAL FORM Tlaloc also think in terms of centuries, often meditating on  AETHERIC DOMINATION problems for dozens of decades before uttering some cryptic  AVERSION TO LIGHT missive for their Lacertilia to interpret and lead their people  AUTOTOMY with.  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED The Tlaloc are treated as gods among the Aztlan lieges. And  DARK SENSE even to a layman outsider, Aztlan powers border on the god-  LUMBERING BRUTE like. They are formidable arcanists, using Magicks that some  POISON RESISTANCE argue are not even native to this world. They are highly intel-  THE CHANGER OF WAYS ligent, and their race shares a collaborative hive mind that al-  UNGAINLY lows them to communicate instantly. Tlaloc also have hidden hordes of their ancient technology, artifacts that could level TRAPPINGS forts and spread lakes of disease with just a push of a button.  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) What is stopping the Tlaloc from leading their Aztlan to con-  Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) quer the world is their inflexibility of their orders. Before the  Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spell (1) Ancient Ones left, the Tlaloc were told to remain static and  Aztlan pulser, see Dark Astral in Chapter 11: Game unmoving - at least until the stars were right and the Ancient Mastery (1) Ones returned to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. Not only  Reagents for all Magick spells (9) do they wait in this way but they can not abide unleashing the  Tlaloc hide (1) Abyss on the world through the destruction of their celes- tial engines. They believe mortals are under-evolved life forms worthy of little less than bathing pool fodder, but the Demons 535 CHOSEN OF CHAOS Nephilim to Orx to Ogres, can be found amongst the raven- The Corruption - chaos made manifest - is a looming threat, ing numbers waiting for their gods to shine favor down upon both unknown and dangerous to all of this mortal coil. Though them. There is no law in these lands, more a giant writhing the layman fear the spread of mutation and the raw, Aetheric mass of ruinous bodies who feel only the eager itch to destroy power of wizards, very few fully accept or are chosen by chaos. all that is not of the Corruption. It is insanity to behold, and These would-be Chosen of Chaos are the select few who have sure death to any outsider or empire who dares tread past the surrendered themselves fully to the Abyss, and proven them- blasphemous borders. selves worthy of their dark gifts. Though the Chosen are brutal and vile, they are not impatient; Far beyond the realms of civilization, where night last for the Abyssal Princes has waited a millennium to return to the days and the countryside is bound in an endless cold taiga, Material Realm, and they will wait many more to overtake it. are where the Chosen gather. It is spoken that a rift to the Chosen hosts are terrible to behold, as the wretched form of Abyss resides in the recesses of a vast canyon, warping the land the Chosen ride in the vanguard astride black, horses, with into an amalgamation of a desert and fetid swamp. There, the slavers in their wake piloting barbaric war machines that seem Chosen dwell amongst their blasphemous lords, laying with to have come from an insane fever dream. They will kill in- succubi and consorting with Abyssal hordes. These warriors discriminately, but also take prisoners back to serve as slaves, thirst for power, hoping that their service will elevate them concubines and sacrifices. into a terrible Dread Count to serve the beck-and-call of the DREAD COUNT four Princes of the Abyss. Chosen are often humans, though several cultures have been fully absorbed by the Corruption. ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR Dwarves given to the Corruption call themselves Duergar There are only a handful of mortal agents that the Abyssal Princ- (underdweller), whereas Elves call themselves Siabra (exile). es hold dear. They have a myriad of names: the brood-that-rules, These races are both ridden with mutations, which makes the chosen and dark champions, among others. But no matter them more creature than man. Chosen will take on aspects of what they call themselves, these Dread Counts are some of the the Abyssal Prince that shone their favor upon them, such as most terrible and powerful creatures that have ever existed, their servants of the Abyssal Prince of Decay growing bloated and potential just short of that of a Higher Demon. diseased while chosen of the Abyssal Prince of Violence have Dread Counts are a terrible hybrid of two Chosen of Cha- skin of brass and cloven hoofs. Those who seek to supplicate os: a Fell Knight and a Havoc Magician. When an Abyssal the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure have grossly monstrous sex or- Prince has decided to show favor to the chosen, the two be- gans and sultry voices while those that pray to the Abyssal ings undergo a twisted and painful ceremony. Lasting days, Prince of Change are able to grow chitinous appendages that involving self-mutilation, ingesting hallucinogens and in- resemble swords from their arms and bleed incessantly from haling Wytchstone Essence, the two lieutenants finally fuse every orifice. All Chosen are conniving and powerful, binding together into a massive mountain of demon-born humanoid alliances with other Chosen who will build their power and flesh. Their dark, infernal armor becomes permanently and breaking them just as easily. They have no sympathy or care grotesquely fused to their skin, and upon their forehead is for the peoples of the southlands, viewing them as blind chil- emblazoned a Mark of Chaos of their favored Prince. Beyond dren who have yet to see the “ultimate truth” of the lucre and that, their forms are horribly mutated, and their knowledge ecstasies in the Abyss. of both warfare and Magick unparalleled. The new Dread The northern wastes are a brutal and terrible place. Even be- Count speaks in a layered voice, its two halves both separate fore the rift to the Abyss opened and the Corruption came and as one. Dread Counts are few in number, and in fact pouring out, the land was barren and hardscrabble; thousands they only appear every handful of decades. But those that of miles of featureless tundra at the top of the world, cloaked do have the ability to unite the warring hordes to potentially in almost eternal night. Now the terrain is mutable and ever wipe the land clean of all that is right and human. If not, shifting, fueled by the taint of the Corruption. Moors and des- they often lead a horde of mutated beings all their own and erts, mountains and valleys spring in and out of existence like are treated as unto demigods - proof of the Abyssal Prince’s a willful child playing with mud. Massive standing stones of endless love. fell power jut out of the ground and fall again, as whispers and The Dread Count only aspires to higher and higher positions screams echo all around. This is a sacred place to the Cho- of power. If they do right by their Princes and slaughter for sen, the closest they can be to their gods before their trans- their satisfaction, the Prince will wrap them in their fetid em- formation. Demons dwell along the fringes, constantly at war brace and transmute them into the blessed form of a High- against each other’s servants in orchestration with the endless er Demon. However, should the Dread Count curry disfavor machinations of the Abyssal Princes. This wilderness does with the Princes, they will smite them at the wave of a hand not only attract humanoids either: creatures of all types, from 536 - throwing them down into the lowest layers as a Shimmering  STEELY FORTITUDE Mimic, cursed to spend the rest of their days as a wretched  TERRIFYING protoplasm or endure the eternal climb to demonhood at the  WINDS OF CHAOS bottom of the pit. Thus all Dread Counts will exalt the honor and actions of all the Princes - making them dangerous foes TRAPPINGS indeed.  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1)  Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) Rumor also states that at times, the Princes will invest a large  Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spell (1) majority of their power into a single Dread Count. This be-  Metal shield (1) ing, often called the Harbinger, is fabled to unite the hordes  Military lance (1) of Corruption and lead them to victory over the mortal coil.  Morgenstern (1)  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Reagents for all Magick spells (9)   Steel staff, as staff with Castle-forged Quality (1) Combat: 55% (10) - Martial Melee +30, Simple  Melee +10 Infernal holy symbol (1)   Wilderness cloak (1) Brawn: 50% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +30,  Toughness +30 Wytchstone Essence (9)  Agility: 50% (6) - Ride +30 DUERGAR BOMBARDIER  Perception: 50% (6) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize +20 INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Intelligence: 50% (1) - Folklore +20, Navigation Dwarfs are an insular, superstitious and unforgiving lot - +10, Warfare +20 when part of your society revolves around keeping a ledger  Willpower: 50% (8) - Incantation +30, Interroga- of clan grudges, their hatred can seep down through the ages. tion +10 But there is one name that Dwarves abhor above else, beyond  Fellowship: 50% (5) - Leadership +20, Handle the Elves and the Corruption - that of the Duergar, underd- Animal +10 wellers that have wholly succumbed to the call of chaos. Duergar were once a normal clan of Dwarves, who upon dig- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES ging through their mountains found a huge cache of Wytch-  Initiative: +9  stone shards. They immediately struck it out of the ground to Movement: 9 on foot harvest, and the damage was done: the energies of the arcane  Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29)  seeped into their brains, making them obsessed with the sub- Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) stance. They dug harder and deeper, passing stone and clay in search of more. They eventually dug so far they emerged in the COMBAT PROFILE  volcanic belly of the earth, but by that time they were too far Morgenstern: 85% - Distance (melee engaged) - gone. The whole clan’s minds were eaten by the Corruption, Damage (11) - Adaptable, Powerful, Vicious  their bodies warped by the Wytchstone they crave so dearly. Steel staff: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - They became xenophobic and militant, eventually becoming Damage (11) - Adaptable, Pummeling  so paranoid of their hordes of Wytchstone that they ignited Military lance: 85% - Distance (melee engaged) - a war with the ‘surface’ Dwarves that killed thousands. The Damage (11) - Reach, Vicious clan was then struck from every known history book, and they  Parry: 95% (Defensive & Protective Quality)  became forever known as the Duergar - a Dwarven word that Dodge: NONE means “underdweller”.

TRAITS Duergar have been tinged by the Wytchstone and their mag-  BIG GRIM ma-filled fortresses - their beards are black and ashen, their  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST skin dusky with the texture of basalt. Their eyes are a pierc-  EVER-CHOSEN ing red, and tusks grow from their jaws. Duergar special- GROSSLY MUTATED ize in gunpowder, as they need it to blast through the hard  IRON-LIKE SCALES rock they mine in. When Duergars do take to the surface,  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER they function as bombardiers for the armies of Corruption  NATURAL ARMOR (5) - bringing their terrible magma-driven war machines to the  OCCULT MASTERY front line to launch volleys of lava. Some Duergar may be-  POSSESSION come Havoc Magicians instead, their exposure to heat being  SHADOWBORN a natural boon. Otherwise, the Duergar stay within their ob- 537 sidian ziggurats deep underground, contemplating their next Knights become lieutenants among the Chosen of Chaos, be- move on the surface world and their false Dwarven brothers. decking themselves in spiked steel armor and carrying axes that could cleave a man in twain just by touch. They are paladins of PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  the Abyssal Princes, devoting themselves first to them and the Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Ranged +20 Dread Count they serve beneath second. The Princes look with  Brawn: 50% (5) - Drive +20  favor upon these dark templars, imbuing them with dark gifts Agility: 40% (5) - Stealth +10 of mutation and corruption. Fell Knights have all the discipline  Perception: 35% (6) - Awareness +10, Survival +10  and martial prowess of any knight of the realm, but almost an Intelligence: 40% (4) - Warfare +20 opposite set of virtues that revolve around destruction, murder,  Willpower: 45% (4) - Resolve +10  theft and rapine. To uphold these unholy tenants is to be closer Fellowship: 40% (4) - Bargain +10, Guile +10, to the Princes. Tradecraft +20 Fell Knights may be some of the most powerful of mortal SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Chosen of Chaos, but they aspire to an even greater status -  Initiative: +9 one of a Dread Count, the Abyssal Princes’ chosen children:  Movement: 8 on foot the Brood that Rules. Fell Knights will often go on what is  Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) called The Black Crusade, excursions in the world in order  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) to recover relics, people or locations that could curry favor with their Abyssal masters. They lead large bands of Howl- COMBAT PROFILE ing Marauders out of the mountains and down into the oc-  Knuckleduster: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) - cupied valleys, slaying all for terrible glory. Fell Knights are Damage (5) - Fast, Pummeling convinced that the more they maim and slaughter, the more  Blunderbus: 65% - Distance (ranged 9 yards) - the Abyssal Princes will rain blessings upon them and pos- Load (4 AP) - Damage (6) - Gunpowder, Shrap- sibly grant them a seat in the endless pit of the Abyss. And nel, Volatile, Weak given the histories of most known Dread Counts, this seems  Parry: 45% like the most likely way to achieve their dark goal.  Dodge: NONE PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 50% (8) - Martial Melee +20, Simple Me- TRAITS lee +10  AMBUSH TACTICS   Brawn: 45% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +20, DARK SENSE Toughness +20  GROSSLY MUTATED   Agility: 40% (4) - Ride +20 GUTTER RUNNER  Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +10, Survival +10  SILENT STALKER   Intelligence: 40% (4) - Folklore +10, Navigation SHOTGUN BANG! +10, Warfare +20  Willpower: 45% (6) - Interrogation +10 TRAPPINGS  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Leadership +20, Handle An-  Blunderbus (1) imal +10  Gunpowder & shot (9)  Knuckleduster (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Mail armor (1)  Initiative: +6  Vile holy symbol (1)  Movement: 7 on foot  Wytchstone Essence (3)  Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29)  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) FELL KNIGHT INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR COMBAT PROFILE At times, a Howling Marauder will rise above his peers -  Morgenstern: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - unmatched in violence and hatred, having laid waste to hun- Damage (9) - Adaptable, Powerful, Vicious dreds of the sane minded - all to exalt the Abyssal Princes.  Military lance: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (9) - Reach, Vicious The Marauders recognize the terrible power of their fellows,  Parry: 80% (Defensive & Protective Quality) and in a terrible ceremony that involves bathing the chosen in  the blood of their enemies, they knight them in the terrible en- Dodge: NONE ergies of the dark lords - turning them into Fell Knights. Fell 538 TRAITS ing up stores of power rather than carving a path of the dead.  BIG GRIM  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES CHAMPION’S CALL   GROSSLY MUTATED Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +20   Brawn: 45% (6) - Drive +20, Intimidate +20 LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER   LICK YOUR WOUNDS Agility: 40% (5) - Coordination +10, Ride +10   Perception: 35% (5) - Scrutinize +10, Survival +10 MENACING   STEELY FORTITUDE Intelligence: 40% (4) - Education +20, Folklore +20  Willpower: 50% (8) - Incantation +20  TRAPPINGS Fellowship: 40% (4) - Bargain +20, Handle Animal  Metal shield (1) +20  Military lance (1)  Morgenstern (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Initiative: +8 Munitions plate armor (1)   Vile holy symbol (1) Movement: 8 on foot  Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) HAVOC MAGICIAN  Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR COMBAT PROFILE The Abyssal Princes not only grant terrible corruption and  madness, but also the gift of fell sorceries. The Abyssal Prince Steel staff: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- of Change is even believed in some circles to be the source age (4) - Adaptable, Pummeling  Parry: 65% of all Magicks, so it’s unsurprising they give powers to their  favored thralls. Dodge: NONE

Thus is birthed the Havoc Magician, a sorcerer of unrestrained TRAITS Corruption who has been seen fit to be granted powers from  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST beyond this mortal coil. Havoc Magicians are always cloaked  DARK SENSE in an aura of mystery - while Fell Knights may remove their  GIFT OF DEVILS helm to show their true terror, Havoc Magicians are both cov-  GROSSLY MUTATED ered in heavy plate mail and dark robes - sometimes their eyes  MENACING are not even visible beneath all the fabric and metal, but the  STEELY FORTITUDE ones that are there whisper with arcane energy. Havoc Magi-  UNSULLIED cians are found worshipping all the Abyssal Princes, save for  WINDS OF CHAOS the Prince of Violence - to Him, Magick is a blasphemy and a weakness. Havoc Magicians were believed to come about TRAPPINGS through corruption due to incomplete summoning of demons  Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) - resulting in their terrible mutations and slavish worship of  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) them. Havoc Magicians are rarely alone, as they are often  Munitions plate armor (1) served by an impish familiar and a retinue of Howling Ma-  Reagents for all Magick spells (9) rauders - many even serve side-by-side with Fell Knights as  Steel staff, as staff with Castle-forged Quality (1) lieutenants beneath a Dread Count.  Vile holy symbol (1)  Wilderness cloak (1) The arcane might of the Havoc Magician is notably different  Wytchstone Essence (6) from a mortal practitioner - they draw on the dark powers of the Abyss, learning the Arcana of Pyromancy and Sorcery. HOWLING MARAUDER But these are not normal Magicks of those types - their Py- INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR romancy is ash and flowing magma, their dark Sorcery is mad Living far to the north of civilization, where both the Abyss and full of dark whisperings. Havoc Magicians are a force to and the frozen gales bite at your very soul, the Howling Ma- be reckoned with, but they often serve in a more supplemen- rauders make their savage homes. tary role on the battlefield. They also serve as ferrymen for the Chosen of Chaos, driving terribly massive battle-wagons that Born on horseback, Marauders are barbarians: women and lead the insane humanoids into the jaws of warfare. Much like men who have grown in their frost-rimed villages, while Fell Knights, Havoc Magicians also aspire to become Dread taught to hold the Abyssal Princes above all other gods. They Counts, though their game is a longer and slower one of build- are a hardy and powerful people, towering over most other 539 men and being nearly twice as strong. Composed of count-  BLITZ less tribes with individual traditions, their one consistency is  GROSSLY MUTATED their devotion to the Corruption made manifest. They raid  I GOT AXE FOR YOU defenseless northern villages often, storming walls while im-  PRIMAL SCREAM mersed in hallucinogenic-fueled rages with only a weapon  UNBRIDLED RAGE and their armor to defend them against the bite of both cold and steel. They return to their homes with riches and slaves, TRAPPINGS both to be sacrificed to myriad Abyssal abominations. This is  Bear pelt, as fur armor (1) all in hopes that their peers will look favorably upon them  Francisca (3) and invest them to rise as Fell Knight: the only thing they  Red cap mushrooms (3) desire more than glory on the battlefield.  Threshing flail (1)  Vile holy symbol (1) At first blush, Howling Marauders seem to have no culture  Wooden shield (1) aside from outright barbarism, but that is not the case. Each tribe has their own nuanced traditions, gods and ideas that SIABRA CORSAIR set them apart from their clan across a valley. Infighting INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR is extremely common, so much so that brother often runs Centuries ago, a cadre of Elven explorers looked beyond their brother through in the heat of battle. Howling Marauders homelands over the sea, longing for knowledge of what lies are also slightly open to those who have not tasted Corrup- beyond. They built powerful ships out of old growth wood tion - they don’t see them as enemies, but rather mewling and set out, never to be heard from again...until recently. babes who have yet to taste the sweet nectar of life. If some- They returned different, as the land across the sea changed one can storm into a Marauder camp, drink their weight in them - no longer Elven sailors, but instead Siabra Corsairs. mead, devour a whole boar and bed the first woman they see, the raiders will take you in as one of their own without It is said in the wild lands beyond the sea, they found the a second word. “true god” - otherwise known as the Witch-Queen. Nor- mally, the Elves would have turned and fled from this cor- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  ruption, but a terrible plague had fallen over the sea that rose Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20, Simple massive leviathans, sundering any ship that sailed beyond its Ranged +20 shore. Isolated and desperate, they followed the new god into  Brawn: 50% (6) - Athletics +10, Toughness +10  the darkness. The Witch-Queen whispered of cruelty and Agility: 40% (5) - Ride +20 hatred, and the Elves molded their culture around the calls  Perception: 35% (5) - Survival +10  for slavery and subjugation. They abandoned their name and Intelligence: 40% (4) - Navigation +10, Warfare +10 deemed themselves the Siabra, which is an ancient Elven  Willpower: 45% (4) - Resolve +10  word meaning “the exiled”. Over generations, the Siabran Fellowship: 40% (4) - Handle Animal +10, Guile culture revolved around worshipping the ones among them +10 who had captured the most thralls and gathered the might- iest of riches, and oftentimes allying themselves closely with SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES the Fomorians. The dark weather of their new home bleached  Initiative: +8  their skin to a pale white, and the only animals around to Movement: 8 on foot hunt were giant lizard creatures. The Siabra do not dress, but  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  rather bind themselves in the tanned leathers and scales of Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) these lizards, and sometimes they even ride them into battle.

COMBAT PROFILE Eventually, the Siabra learned to not only avoid the monsters  Threshing flail: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - in the sea, but control them - tying them painfully to their Damage (6 or 7 with shield) - Adaptable, Weak jet-black ships to navigate the dangerous waters. Though the  Francisca: 65% - Distance (ranged 9 yards) - Load Siabra lived for centuries in their new home, it was lack- (1 AP) - Damage (6) - Light, Throwing, Weak ing in many resources. Now, the Siabra have sailed back to  Parry: 75% (Defensive Quality) their homes to launch coastal raids on their old allies, steal-  Dodge: 40% ing food, women, livestock and weaponry. Other Elves have disavowed the Siabra, but these new dark creatures claim TRAITS that they are the true future of the Elves. Not many Siabra  AMBUSH TACTICS Corsairs live on this side of the ocean, but those who do  BATTLE FRENZY answer the call of vile needs journey north to join the ranks 540 of chaos’s chosen or embroil themselves in the ranks of the Corrupted Souls come from all walks of life. They were once Unseelie Fey. normal people living regular lives: soldiers and tailors, aco- lytes and apprentices, stevedores and excisemen, all trying PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  to make an honest living. But along the path of life, some- Combat: 45% (5) - Simple Melee +20, Simple thing within them snapped. Perhaps watching a loved one be Ranged +20 ripped apart by a pack of wolves, their familial manor being  Brawn: 45% (5) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10  forcibly evicted to serve as a noble’s new pleasure palace, or Agility: 50% (8) - Coordination +10, Pilot +20 just constant oppression and fear eating away at one’s very  Perception: 40% (6) - Survival +10  sanity. Some Corrupted Souls were never safe to begin with, Intelligence: 40% (4) - Navigation +20 as a proclivity for crime and madness are hard to escape  Willpower: 45% (4) - Interrogation +20  when it is born in your blood. Others have been ravaged and Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE broken by disease or the carrion call of the Abyss, having lit- tle alternatives. Corrupted Souls wander through life, angry SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES and disillusioned with their place in the world yet too noble  Initiative: +9  to place their blade against their own throats. They lash out, Movement: 14 on foot often violently, against perceived slights or they will become  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  fully devoted to their careers, to both their detriment and Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) near insanity. It is a great sorrow to see friends and family devolve into these blubbering wretches, and an even greater COMBAT PROFILE one to be positioned at the end of their blade.  Rapier: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (8) - Fast, Finesse, Weak Corrupted Souls are still part of their world and culture;  Siabran crossbow: 65% - Distance (ranged 12 yards) though some may be banished or outcast, their culture and - Load (2 AP) - Damage (5) - Fast, Punishing, Re- values still run alongside their homelands. Corrupted Souls peating, Weak will often stick together for protection and furthering of  Parry: NONE their cause, as made most evident by the numerous bands of  Dodge: 60% thugs that stalk alleyways and country roads. It is most dan- gerous when these numbers swell: peasants bent too much TRAITS under the lash of rulership can rise up and overthrow their  AMBUSH TACTICS count in a bloody coup, or a group of acolytes who can tap  DARK SENSE into the real power of the endless pit by supplicating them-  FAST ON THEIR FEET selves before a true Abyssal Prince. Many say man’s worst  GROSSLY MUTATED enemy is himself, and you only need to stare into the throngs  PAW, HOOF OR WING of the desperate and violent Corrupted Souls to know this  SERPEMTOME CLOAK fact to be true.  STEELY FORTITUDE  UNBRIDLED RAGE BUSHWACKER BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR TRAPPINGS Roads between cities and towns may be safer than paths  Crossbow bolt (9) through the wilderness, but that does not mean they are de-  Leather armor (1) void of danger.  Rapier (1)  Serpentine cloak (1) Creatures may keep their distance from the roads, but brig-  Siabran crossbow, as light crossbow with Repeater ands and highwaymen stalk these paths constantly, looking Quality (1) for rich marks to liberate of their shilling and give to the poor,  Vile holy symbol (1) unwashed masses. The dark forests and fetid bogs can get to even these rangers, their band of merry men being picked off CORRUPTED SOULS by both imperial soldiers and beasts alike. Driven to starva- Life is difficult for even the most steel-hearted souls. Be- tion and poverty, these once-champions of the people will tween warring nation-states, bouts of plague, destitution broaden their horizons, targeting any poor traveller that was amid the working classes and threat of the supernatural, only wandering through their territory at that moment. These the strong willed and tenacious are able to escape with a Bushwackers ambush travellers, fleecing them of gold and shred of sanity. Corrupted Souls were not one of those num- food, leaving them victim to the wilds around them. Though ber, as unfortunate as it may be. these attacks are reluctant at first, many Bushwackers start to 541 take a liking to the whole ordeal; they find themselves much DERANGED ZEALOT richer than before, and their terrifying infamy is just as good BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR - if not better - than their previous do-gooder reputation. The Gods are distant and rarely answer prayers or benedic- They become true terrors: bandits with no remorse who lust tions, but the few priests who are granted Magickal powers in their despicable duties. reinforces that they are present, no matter how disinterested Brigandry seems to be a very human profession, but more they may be. than a few Elves have also resorted to raiding supply lines But there are those whose faith becomes shaken, their doubt and trade routes. Most of these elves are backwards isola- of the divine gnaws forever at the back of their brain. These tionsists who don’t produce much of their own, so cutting unstable priests and followers start to go to immense lengths down caravans is their only way of survival. In fact, many to get glimpses of the divine, even if they are false. Self-mu- cartdrivers will hesitate to go through an old growth forest tilation, ritualistic torture of heretics and hallucinogenic spirit before they enter a wide open field. Halflings are also no- journeys bring them just to the edge, but never pushes them torious brigands at times, though they are often laughed at completely. The formerly tame worshippers become Deranged when they point a flintlock at the knee of a driver rather than Zealots, frustrated and angered that the gods evade them their head. despite their devotion. They believe the solution to this is to PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES swell their numbers and make their devotions even more ex-  Combat: 45% (6) - Martial Melee +10, Simple Me- treme. These Zealots militantly recruit others into their faith lee +10 on threat of death or torture, both usually one or both of those  Brawn: 40% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, follow if they do join the order. No religion is safe; even the Toughness +10 throngs of the benevolent Martyr have dissenters who believe  Agility: 40% (4) - Coordination +10 the only way to be blessed by Her healing is to inflict mon-  Perception: 50% (5) - Survival +10 strous pain on themselves and others.  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Folklore +10 The worst Zealots are those who worship the Daemons,  Willpower: 45% (6) - Resolve +10  those outer beings that could either be entities of pure cha- Fellowship: 35% (3) - Rumor +10 os or actual nascent godlings who strive for power. When most humans speak of ‘cults’. These are the powers they are SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES referring to. Worship of Daemons is usually outlawed and  Initiative: +8  sometimes even punished by death on the pyre. That is not to Movement: 7 on foot say that the ‘goodly’ gods can not incite violence – both the  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  God-Emperor and the Winter King seem to have their fair Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) share of fanatics, and in fact the church sometimes welcomes these maniacs into their open arms as crusaders, inquisitors COMBAT PROFILE or righteous paragons.  Battle Axe: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- age (6 or 7) - Adaptable, Slow PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Francisca: 45% - Distance (ranged 6 yards) - Load Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +10  (1 AP) - Damage (6) - Light, Throwing, Weak Brawn: 45% (4) - Intimidate +10, Toughness +10   Parry: 55% Agility: 40% (6) - NONE   Dodge: 50% Perception: 45% (5) - Survival +10  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Folklore +10  TRAITS Willpower: 40% (4) - Interrogation +10, Resolve  BLITZ +10   I GOT AXE FOR YOU Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE  PATH OF DESTRUCTION (HUMANS) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +8  TRAPPINGS Movement: 9 on foot   Battle axe (1) Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)   Francisca (3) Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Leather armor (1) COMBAT PROFILE  Threshing flail: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (5 or 6 two handed) - Adaptable, Weak 542  Rocks: 60% - Distance (ranged 6 yards) - Load (1 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES AP) - Damage (5) - Pummeling, Slow, Throwing,  Combat: 50% (5) - Martial Melee +10, Simple Weak Ranged +10  Parry: 60%  Brawn: 45% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10,  Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) Toughness +10  Agility: 40% (4) - Ride +10 TRAITS  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10  BATTLE FRENZY  Intelligence: 35% (3) - Warfare +10  HALLUCINOGENIC FRENZY  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10  STRESS-INDUCING  Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE  UNRULY  WOAD TATTOOS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +8 TRAPPINGS  Movement: 7 on foot, 10 on horse  Hammer & nails (1)  Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27)  Red cap mushrooms (3)  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Religious scriptures (1)  Rocks, as improvised thrown weapon (6) COMBAT PROFILE  Tattered rags (1)  Pike: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (5)  Threshing flail (1) - Reach  Torture device (1)  Misericorde: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (4) - Fast, Finesse DESERTER SOLDIER  Parry: 60% BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR  Dodge: 40% Since the dawn of mankind, tribes have sent capable folk to be spitted upon one another’s spears in exchange for small TRAITS parcels of land, religious freedom, or resolution of a personal  LICK YOUR WOUNDS vendetta reaching back centuries.  MAN O’WAR  MENACING The average soldier is not a veteran or decorated general; they are children, barely out of the flower of their youth who are TRAPPINGS told to take this pistol and this pike and kill someone who  Brigandine armor (1) looks different from them. They watch as their friends die  Misericorde (1) around them, trusted officials reveal themselves as gluttons  Pike (1) and rapists and they witness the light drain out of the eyes  War medal (1) of a child that reminds them of their brother back home - all while their sword is plunged hilt-deep through another poor OCCULTIST boy’s chest. It is no wonder soldiers break, routing and heading BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR off to the woods; unable to return due to fear of court-martial, Often times the vilest of souls can hide in plain sight, going and unable to go home so as not to impose shame on their through dark dealings behind closed doors and whispered families. These Deserter Soldiers are desperate people, know- halls. It is these mysterious places that the Occultist holds ing only killing and war and having to do just that to survive. sway.

While it is true some Deserter Soldiers are bloodthirsty An Occultist is rather a bit of an eccentric; a foreign mystic, bounty hunters or killers in search of coin, many are desper- a well-travelled explorer or a scholar with radical new ideas. ate, confused and angry, only wishing to melt down the med- They wish nothing more than to spread their corruption al their received for their “service” and live a life in solitude. through the upper echelons of society, harboring beneath But the world will not avail them that option, and they must their robes a diabolical devotion to Abyssal Princes. These ply the only trade they know… that of war. Some resort to intriguing strangers are sometimes invited into the home combat pits in the far south, or resort to mercenary work in and hearth of decadent nobles whose preoccupation with order to pay what bills they scrap up. They have no remorse boredom welcomes such people of questionable repute. Once in their killings, and the dead still haunt them in their sleep enfolded into their company, the Occultist begins their work. – though there are so many know they are just a faceless wall An Occultist whispers blasphemies into noble ears, swaying of sorrow. them towards enormous masked orgies, bloody banquets and 543 distasteful worship folk was not meant to practice. When an PETTY THUG Occultist is done, he leaves the famed manors in decadent BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR Corruption, feeling the town seethe with chaos as they head Cities are large, hive-like structures that have been built hap- down the highway, towards the next lordly manse. hazardly as the local lord expanded their lands. Buildings pile Though Magick is becoming more and more understood, atop one another, as blight and twisted alleyways swallow up with that knowledge also comes ignorance. The Occultist is a the poor and destitute. Children born in this setting only victim of this, believing they are too powerful or too smart to know a life of violence, one that requires you to be tougher fall under the sway of the winds of Magick, but their massive than your neighborhood and as tough as your friends. cloaks covering mutations and diseases brought about from Couple this with an influence of bawdy songs exalting the their tampering proves otherwise. Sorcery is often the easiest deeds of a life of crime, and what were once local bullies turn path for an Occultist, but others explore the more ‘tradition- into full Petty Thugs. These criminals have their hands in every al’ Magicks, if only for research purposes. Much like Zealots, enterprise imaginable, from selling illegal opium, to back-den some Occultists also fall into worship of Daemons, as their gambling and the sale of prostitutes. They form up en masse, odd traditions and fell methods are even more appealing. recruiting other poor youths to their number to engage in a PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES war over territory while threatening local city folk with vio-  Combat: 40% (4) - NONE lence and abuse. Bearing specifically-colored apparel denoting  Brawn: 35% (3) - Intimidate +10 their “set”, or neighborhood gang they owe allegiance to, they  Agility: 40% (4) - Ride +10 often convalesce in busy thoroughfares or in seedy dens to  Perception: 40% (5) - Eavesdrop +10 spend their hard-earned brass. Each member of a gang carries  Intelligence: 45% (6) - Education +10, Folklore +10 ostentatious marks of their prowess as criminals, whether it be  Willpower: 45% (6) - Incantation +10, Resolve +10 tattoos for each major crime they commit or wear dangling  Fellowship: 50% (6) - Bargain +10, Charm +10, Ru- jewelry from every lesser noble they’ve assaulted. These thugs mor +10 are also said to be foot soldiers of the real wheeler dealers in a city, with greater connections throughout the nation, making SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES them a force to be reckoned with.  Initiative: +8  Petty Thugs are often pitiful, because many are victims of Movement: 7 on foot circumstance. They are thrown into a social caste they can  Damage Threshold: 3 (9/15/21)  not escape, with the only path of progression being the one Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) of crime. Even if they try to make a better life for themselves, many of their fellow gangers see this as a betrayal to their COMBAT PROFILE  ‘family’, their neighborhood or their village. Their death rate Ceremonial knife: 40% - Distance (melee engaged) is also extremely high, and many are victims to the gunfire of - Damage (5) - Fast, Vicious, Weak  their own clan. There is a saying of ‘there is no such thing as Walking cane: 40% - Distance (melee engaged) - an old ganger’, and it is easy to see when most Petty Thugs do Damage (4) - Light, Powerful, Weak  not see their twentieth year before being swept into the cold Parry: 40% embrace of the Custodian.  Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  TRAITS Combat: 45% (5) - Simple Melee +10   CHAOS MADE MANIFEST Brawn: 40% (5) - Brawn +10   WINDS OF CHAOS Agility: 50% (5) - Stealth +10  TRAPPINGS Perception: 45% (4) - Eavesdrop +10   Ceremonial knife, as stiletto but hidden in walking Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE  cane (1) Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE   Diabolical holy symbol (1) Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE  Fine clothes (1)  SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Loose robes (1)   Prayer book with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) Initiative: +7   Movement: 8 on foot Reagents appropriate for Magicks (9)   Walking cane, as cudgel (1) Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24)  Peril Threshold: 7 (/13/19/25)

544 COMBAT PROFILE to overthrow the local government, or a rebel who has had  Cudgel: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage enough of his people being exploited for all they are worth. (5) - Light, Powerful, Weak These leaders may be little more than another farmer with a  Garrote: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage bit more charisma, but some of history’s greatest upsets have (NONE) - Entangling, Fast, Ineffective occurred at the hands of these demagogues.  Ruined flintlock pistol: 45% - Distance (ranged 7 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES yards) - Load (3 AP) - Damage (2) - Gunpowder,  Ruined, Volatile Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10   Brawn: 40% (4) - Toughness +10 Parry: 55%   Dodge: 50% Agility: 50% (6) - Stealth +10  Perception: 45% (4) - Survival +10  TRAITS Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE   MURDEROUS ATTACKS Willpower: 35% (4) - Resolve +10   POINT BLANK Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE

TRAPPINGS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Cheap necklace (2) Initiative: +7   Cheap pinky ring (1) Movement: 9 on foot   Cudgel (1) Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22)   Flintlock pistol, with Ruined Quality (1) Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Garrote (1)  Gunpowder & shot (3) COMBAT PROFILE   Snuff box (1) Pitchfork: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam-  Quilted armor (1) age (4) - Reach, Weak  Wanted poster (1)  Torch: 45% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) - Load (1AP) - Damage (4) - Throwing, Weak REBELLIOUS PEASANT  Parry: 65% (Defensive Quality) BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) The life of a peasant is hard-scrabble and often times bare. They work in the fields, raise families, pay taxes andhave TRAITS meager funerals.  PACK MENTALITY  SALT OF THE EARTH This mundanity gets to many; combined with near totali-  SNIVERLING WHELP tarian rule from their landowners, peasants strain under a constant yoke of oppression and control. When they rise TRAPPINGS up, they rise up in mass, and nothing terrifies a landowning  Pitchfork, as fire-hardened spear (1) noble more than a mutinous populace. These Rebellious  Tattered rags (1) Peasants have gone far beyond reason; grabbing pitchfork  Torch (3) and torch, they have decided to take matters into their own violent, work-worn hands. Normally overthrowing a TEMPLAR FANATIC wicked dictator would be celebrated, but mob mentality INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR rules these Peasants. They will stomp out or assault anyone Inquisitors are both a boon and a bane: they weed out witch- they see as standing in their way, and they will even con- es and devolved mutants, but seeing one in your village is a tinue on their rampages long after their burgomeister lies sure sign a friend or neighbor has been in hiding from both in a ditch. Oft times, full-fledged armies have been rallied god and country. to stomp out a sizable mob of Rebellious Peasants. It is an unfortunate fact that inquisitors fall quite easily from In war time, many peasants will take up their pitchfork or an grace: having to have burn too many mutated children or see ancestral sword in order to form militias – groups of citizens entire villages be sacrificed in a fault bid to appease an Abys- soldiers who are set to defend their home from any army. sal Prince leaves scars that never go away. These deranged Like their normal uprising, the only advantage a peasant inquisitors become Templar Fanatics, holy warriors who de- has is their sheer numbers. Every once in a while, though, vote themselves to deadly crusades. Fanatics see any small a leader will stand out amongst them and train them much sign of treachery as a sure signal of heresy. Their interroga- better in the ways of war. Perhaps this is a heretic who wishes tions of commoners go from sly to brutal and violent, and 545 they believe themselves on divine authority of their god, only TRAPPINGS answerable to them. Soon, it is not the Occultists who are  Antivenom (3) drawing the knife across a village, but the Templar Fanatic  Bandages (3) purging an innocent town in holy fire.  Crossbow bolts (9)  Flanged mace (1) The crusade is a curious thing upon first blush – a holy war  Holy symbol (1) between two religions for a god neither is entirely sure exists.  Laudanum (1) These forays into holy lands leave thousands dead, bleeding  Light crossbow (1) or defiled, while priceless holy relics are either stolen or bro-  Munitions plate armor (1) ken for their blasphemy. It’s a sad fact that many conflicts  Priest’s mitre (1) have religion driving them from the background, but that is  Torture device (1) often the way the world works. Though many consider the  Veteran’s gilded nose (1) ten gods part of a singular ‘pantheon’, there are still those  Wooden shield (1) out there that believe one is superior enough to kill over. The God-Emperor tends to breed Fanatics just as much as they WITCH do Zealots, and the priests grant them grand titles and large INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR tracks of land for the sole purpose of spreading the faith. Dark Magicks dwell deep in the primordial woods and bogs, Though it may spread, it is not of love and compassion, but where the energy of creation still pulses with power. There, of violence and hatred. nascent wizards whose Magick is too perverse and wrong PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES make their study, away from the prying eyes of kings and  Combat: 50% (7) - Martial Melee +20, Simple Me- inquisitors. lee +20, Simple Ranged +20  Called Witches - though they are not always female - they Brawn: 45% (6) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20, have supplicated to Abyssal gods in return for dark gifts and Toughness +20 abilities; they worship both the mysterious elemental deities  Agility: 40% (6) - Ride +10  as well as the blasphemous Abyssal Princes. Driven mad by Perception: 35% (3) - NONE the arcane energies that swirl around them, Witches pose  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Folklore +20, Navigation +10  as hedge-crafting “white wizards” who only wish to aid the Willpower: 45% (7) - Interrogation +20, Resolve populace of these out-of-the-way places with tinctures and +20  ointments. These remedies are foul, though; they inflict dis- Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE ease and poison on imbibers, which pleases their demonic lords greatly. Witches form covens with others, creating se- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  cret societies, but their regular allies are Mutants: they brew a Initiative: +9 Magickal stew known as “Mother Knows Best” that hypno-  Movement: 9 on foot  tizes their targets under a spell, most often a High Orx and Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) a smattering of Boogan underlings.  Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) The Fey often have a special relationship with the Witch. COMBAT PROFILE Though most Fey despise all humanoids of all types, Witches  Flanged Mace: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - pay a great deal of respect to the Black Lodge – the home and Damage (7 or 8 with wooden shield) - Powerful the god of the Fey. Fey will usually willingly carry out tasks or  Light Crossbow: 70% - Distance (ranged 9 yards) - services for a Witch – for a small fee of course – and the Witch Load (2 AP) - Damage (7) - Fast, Punishing, Weak in turn will protect the woods and dark lands the Fey stalk.  Parry: 80% (Defensive Quality) Sometimes a Witch will even take on plant like qualities like  Dodge: NONE their allies, finding odd stray twigs in their hair or toadstools growing under their arms. Some Witches end up looking more TRAITS like a compost heap than a person, and these are the ones that  CHAMPION’S CALL must be watched out for.  GROSSLY PARANOID  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Melee +10 MENACING   NEVER SAY DIE Brawn: 40% (4) - Toughness +10   Agility: 40% (4) - Coordination +10 PUNISHING ATTACK   STRESS-INDUCING Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10, Survival +10 546  Intelligence: 45% (6) - Alchemy +20, Education the ground like falling stars. What remained of the towering +10, Folklore +10 brutes spread to the four corners of the lands, a disenfran-  Willpower: 50% (8) - Incantation +20, Resolve +20 chised people who live with the guilt of losing everything their  Fellowship: 40% (5) - Disguise +10, Guile +10, Tra- ancestors built for them. decraft +20 Nephilim as a race have wholeheartedly sunk into the drink, SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES smelling terribly of ale and dead meat. They have long mem-  Initiative: +11 ories, and they wish to erase the failure of their kingdom by  Movement: 7 on foot drinking themselves into a pit. Most are wanderers, wearing  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) little clothing and carrying nothing more than their ever-pres-  Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) ent sack that contains assorted bits of food, treasure and inter- esting dead things. Though not inherently stupid, many Ne- COMBAT PROFILE philim tend to fall in league with Ogres or Orx when it comes  Sacrificial knife: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) - to smarts. Their fall from the heavens, unfortunately, has sent Damage (3) - Fast, Vicious, Weak their race into a spiral of depression and addiction to booze, a  Parry: 45% trait which is carried generation to generation. Despite being  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) in a near-constant drunken stupor, Nephilim are surprisingly perceptive and fairly quick, though they massive strides may TRAITS explain the latter. They are also obviously extremely strong and  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST vigorous - displayed by their favorite weaponry of tree trunks  GROSSLY PARANOID and boulders - but also tend towards bouts of terrible anger  WINDS OF CHAOS if they are ever harmed. They also naturally have an intense TRAPPINGS hatred of Ogres, as those creatures are the ones that sent the  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) Nephilim so low.  Loose robes (1)  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Rune stones (1)  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30, Simple  Reagents appropriate for Magicks (9)  Ranged +30 Sacrificial knife, as stiletto (1)  Brawn: 50% (14) - Athletics +30, Intimidation +30, NO FAMILY Toughness +30  Agility: 35% (7) - NONE These Humanoid creatures are not affiliated with any fami-  Perception: 40% (4) - Eavesdrop +30 Survival +30 lies. Each should be treated uniquely.  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Gamble +30  NEPHILIM Willpower: 45% (6) - NONE  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Bargain +30 Rumor +30 ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR A relic of kingdoms long forgotten, the Nephilim are fright- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES eningly tall humanoids on a decline which they will never  Initiative: +7 recover from. Massive beings that often reach heights tall-  Movement: 10 on foot er than eighteen feet, Nephilim are now a shadow of their  Damage Threshold: 15 (21/27/33) once-former glory.  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) These giants and giantesses have existed for centuries, building COMBAT PROFILE up their aged cities in the clouds long before other humanoids  knew what fire was. They prospered for many years amidst the Bare-handed: 75% - Distance (melee engage) - Damage (14) - Pummeling, Reach, Slow, Vicious mountain homes, believed to be favored by the gods, until they,  too, were struck by the same tragedy that caused the Ogre’s Tree trunk: 75% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 empire to fall and sent them on a vicious warpath. Besieg- yard) - Damage (14) - Light, Powerful, Reach, Vi- cious ing the Nephilim’s sky castles, starving and vicious Ogres as-  cended to the highest of mountains, beleaguering their lands. Hurled rock: 75% - Distance (ranged 5 yards) - They came en masse to their doorstep, demanding food and Load (1 AP) - Damage (14) - Pummeling, Slow, ale from the insular Nephilim. When the Nephilim refused, Throwing  Parry: 75% the Ogres battered down their walls and slayed the Nephilim  indiscriminately, tearing down their castles when the blood- Dodge: 35% shed was over. The Nephilim’s once-formidable castles fell to 547 TRAITS protected by a thick slab of muscle and fat. The more prodi-  BRUTE STRENGTH gious the Ogre’s gut, the more they are able to consume and  DARK SENSE they more capable they are to lead and breed. They firmly be-  DEATH BAG lieve this is both where their heart and martial spirit resides.  FEE-FI-FO-FUM Ogre violence is brutal but efficient, as breaking arms or eat-  HIDEOUS MIGHT ing a few fingers to get answers is a common tactic. Outright  NEVER SURRENDER killing their enemies, whenever they can potentially extort  STEELY FORTITUDE them for more than simply gold, is desired above all.  STOMP THE YARD  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES TERRIFYING   THEY (MIGHT BE) DRUNKEN GIANTS Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +20, Martial Me-  lee +20 UNGAINLY   UNRULY Brawn: 45% (10) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20, Toughness +20  Agility: 40% (4) - NONE TRAPPINGS   Bracelet of elven ears (3) Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +10   Intelligence: 35% (3) - Gamble +10 Heavy hides, as fur armor (9)   Hogshead half full of either cheap wine, dwarven Willpower: 40% (8) - Interrogation +20, Resolve +20, Survival +20 brew or rotgut (1)   Large sack full of rotten meat (1) Fellowship: 40% (5) - Bargain +20  Necklace of skulls (1)  SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Rocks, as improvised thrown weapon (5)   Tree trunk, as cudgel (1) Initiative: +7  Movement: 8 on foot OGRE MERCENARY  Damage Threshold: 13 (19/25/31)  INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) Boisterous and gluttonous creatures, Ogres are an often COMBAT PROFILE feared and demonized peoples for good reason. Their only  driving goal is to feed, as their massive guts require nearly Morgenstern: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - endless amount of food to keep them going. Damage (11) - Adaptable, Powerful, Vicious  Knuckleduster: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Their native lands had long ago been rendered a wasteland by Damage (10) - Fast, Pummeling, Weak a terrible disaster, so most Ogres now wander as mercenaries  Parry: 80% (Defensive and Protective Qualities) in search of coin and new meals. Ogres are gruff and self-cen-  Dodge: NONE tered, caring little for the other humanoid races; in all honesty they would make a feast of them if it wasn’t so frowned upon TRAITS in society. Couple that with their terrible smell from eating  BIG GRIM carrion, a lumbering body covered with coarse hair, and their  BROKEN GUT-PLATE tendency to wear skulls of their kills on their belts, it’s no sur-  BRUTE STRENGTH prise that many will lock their doors and bolt their shutters if  FRIGHTFUL an Ogre stomps into town in search of more gold. Ogres are  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER becoming more and more common in civilized lands, usually  MAN O’WAR dwelling with Halflings in their hovels. They are not fully civ-  MENACING ilized yet, but most tend to behave themselves  STEELY FORTITUDE  SUNDERING BLOW Ogres give off airs of their stupidity, but it is all a ruse. They TRAPPINGS are both intelligent and natural tacticians, their homeland  Animal furs (3) once being a military state that rivaled many empires in  Brigandine armor (1) power. It is spoken that Ogres of old tore down the sky cas-  Gut-plate (1) tles of the Nephilim; a victory which they still boast of today.  Knuckleduster (1) Ogres loves revealing their mental fortitude right before they  Metal shield (1) devour a skinflint general who refuses to pay them. They are  Morgenstern (1) also a highly spiritual people; their culture is centered around  Pot of war paint (3) their sizable gut, which hold almost all of their organs and is 548 ZOATAR  Willpower: 50% (10) - Incantation +30, Tradecraft +30 ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR  The world is wildly old, and with that comes creatures that Fellowship: 40% (4) - Bargain +20 have lived and gone. Ruins lay bare, odd skeletons are dis- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES covered in a peat morass, and corpses are found in ancient  glaciers. But there is one creature that is commonly thought Initiative: +10  Movement: 8 on foot to be myth, but in reality still lives to this day - the mysteri-  ous Zoatar. Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27)  Peril Threshold: 13 (19/25/31) Zoatar used to be the dominant lifeform in the Material Realm, but for some reason even they can’t remember, they COMBAT PROFILE died out and their numbers drastically reduced to the cur-  Ceremonial staff: 60% - Distance (melee engaged rent few hundred. Zoatars are centauroid hominid creatures, or 1 yard) - Damage (4 or 5) - Adaptable, Pummel- their bodies broad and furred, with a primate head atop their ing, Reach shoulders. Though many Zoatar take on the aspect of goril-  Sickle: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage las, others have been seen that look like bonobos, chimpan- (4) - Adaptable, Vicious, Weak zees and orangutans. Their two five-fingered hands are often  Parry: NONE wrapped around an intricate ceremonial staff, while they  Dodge: 55% (Natural Quality) massive four prehensile feet plod them through the moors and jungles they haunt. Zoatar are fairly intelligent creatures, TRAITS though they are most well versed in the ways of nature and  BEASTKITH the world. Zoatar maintain that they are the guardians of the  CEREMONIAL RUNES Material Realm, sworn to protect it from those who would CHAOS MADE MANIFEST wish it harm. In that way they are like the Fey, but they are a  DARK SENSE generally peaceable people unless attacked or the lands they  FAST ON THEIR FEET frequent are threatened. They are isolationists and hermits,  FIREPROOF with some Zoatar going their whole century-long lives with-  PATH OF DESTRUCTION (AZTLAN OR out encountering any of their species outside of their family GOBLINS) group.  PRIMAL SCREAM  STEELY FORTITUDE Zoatars assert they were once a powerful and peaceful civ-  SWEEPING STRIKE ilization, until the Aztlan saw fit to enslave them. After a  TELEPATHY millennium they escaped, but their numbers weakened and  WOAD TATTOOS their culture was lost to the mists of time. What remains of their zeitgeist revolves around the importance of spirits, TRAPPINGS communion with nature, rejection of technology of all sorts  Ceremonial staff, as staff (1) and veneration of ancestors. In fact, their ceremonial staff is  Prayer book with 9 Petty Magick spells (1) inscribed with the names of their forebearers, written in the  Prayer book with 6 Lesser Magick spells (1) Zoatar’s mysterious and old tongue. They are also naturally  Prayer book with 3 Greater Magick spells (1) blessed with gifts of the Demiurge, treated as favored chil-  Reagents for all Magick spells (9) dren. The Zoatar have little motive outside of protecting  Scythe, as threshing flail with Vicious Quality (1) the lands, as it is all they have left in the world. But let it be  Sacred scroll with Inscribe Magick Rune (3) known they will fight to their dying breath against any foe if it means they can save even the weakest of sproutlings.

PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +20  Brawn: 45% (6) - Intimidate +20  Agility: 45% (5) - NONE  Perception: 45% (7) - Awareness +30, Scrutinize +20, Survival +30  Intelligence: 35% (3) - Education +20, Folklore +20, Navigation +30

549 MUTANT CREATURES

nd may the God-Emperor use His divine might to shield you from the ravages of the Mutant - the heretic, the monster. For Mutants are not timeless and immortal beasts, or the automata of necromongers, but the natural Aorder of our good land ripped asunder. Do not suffer the Mutant - whether they be a hircine beast whispering of pleasures unknown or a ravaging Orx striking at our throats. They are no longer man, and man can not stand side by side with these wretches who only hunger for our demise. Now, go my children - and may His Light guide you” Excerpt of a sermon by Father Renald, High Lector of the God-Emperor, addressed to the lost Grail Knights of Gallione

DEADLY FLORA (FAMILY) (HIGH) RISK FACTOR   Bog Thing: BASIC Medusa ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR   Death Hedge: BASIC Ravenous Ghoul: INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR   Orx-spore: BASIC Troll: ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Shimmering Mimic: INTERMEDIATE ORX (FAMILY) (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Boogan: BASIC ( GOBLINS (FAMILY) LOW) RISK FACTOR   Hob-Kobold: BASIC High Orx: BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR   Kobold: BASIC Low Orx: BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR   Kobold Fanatic: BASIC Orx Rudeboy: BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR MID) RISK FACTOR GRENDEL (FAMILY) SKRZZAK (FAMILY)   Broo: BASIC Bilious Skrzzak: INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR   Equigorn: INTERMEDIATE Broodmother: ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR   Hircus: INTERMEDIATE Choleric Skrzzak: INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR   Taurus: ADVANCED Phlegmatic Skrzzak: INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR   Wose: BASIC Sanguine Skrzzak: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Tyrant Skrzzak: ADVANCED NO FAMILY (LOW) RISK FACTOR   Dragon-born Ogre: ADVANCED Warren Runner: BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Lycanthrope: INTERMEDIATE

550 DEADLY FLORA possesses an odd attribute - in the middle of its stomach is its Terrible beasts and ravaging humanoids are sadly not the massive mouth, one that appears more like a bramble patch only dangers a person can encounter upon the road. It may than a gullet. In order to feed, the Bog Thing rakes their prey seem at first glance that plants would be harmless, save the into ribbons with enormous claws, and then shovels the torn odd poison oak or cactus. However, the winds of Magick entrails into their thorny maw. They mostly feed on natural blow over all things, giving some greenery more than a hint animals of the swamp, though they have been known to eat of animalistic intelligence. Woe is the day when you realize trespassers who intrude on their territory. Curiously enough you can not sleep in a glade without worry of creepers chok- and in spite of common folk tales, Bog Things will never hurt ing your life’s breathe out of you while you slumber. These children - in fact, it is rumored they even aid children who Deadly Flora are luckily rare, but their pure existence is more become lost in the swamps. than a singular spot of worry for anyone who spends a sig- Bog Things seem to operate on a animalistic intelligence, and nificant amount of time outside the comfort of city walls. its questioned if they were ever human in the first place. They Rangers and other outdoorsy types have learned to recognize are solitary creatures, blending into the murk of the swamp these breeds as easily as they would a tree or a flower, but during the day and roaming the cypress groves at night for that does not leave the common man much safer due to their meals. Bog Things have also reportedly been seen following general ignorance. the trails of will o’wisps, though the reason why is a mystery. If The malignancy of Deadly Flora lies mainly in their simplic- left alone, Bog Things are less than harmless - but if they are ity. Plants have changed over the centuries to become more ever threatened, death is a near certainty to those that wish it appealing to animals so that creatures could easily spread harm. Bog Things are also extremely protective of the moors their seeds. Deadly Flora have seemed almost to adapt the and fens they call home - if anyone tries to use the land for same way to attract humanoids, but a willing person would peat, water or farming, they will savage the settlers and sink very rarely pick up and spread a handful of seeds unless they the buildings into the very mud which they were built on. worked a plow. Thus, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES the Deadly Flora go about bloodier, quicker methods to re-  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +10 produce. But can they be blamed? In a world as brutal and  Brawn: 50% (7) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10 distant from the gods as this, it is no surprise that even plant  Agility: 40% (4) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 life should have to resort to coldly savage ways to best survive  Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop the dangers inherent herein. Corruption could be the root of +10, Survival +10 all it - pardon the pun - but most flora withers and dies when  Intelligence: 45% (4) - Navigation +10 exposed to that type of energy.  Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +10  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE Below is only a small sampling of the most common Deadly Flora that can be found in the wilds. Rumors of even worse SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES beings held in the deepest parts of forests or the most cor-  Initiative: +7 rupt of labs are not to be discredited, but they are either van-  Movement: 7 on foot, 10 while swimming ishingly rare or hopefully simple lies.  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/1925)  BOG THING Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) COMBAT PROFILE BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Claws: 50% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage The Bog Thing is a story told to children for centuries, a (4) - Fast, Vicious, Weak warning by their parents to stay out of the fetid and dan-  Stomach maw: 50% - Distance (melee engaged) - gerous swamps of the countryside. While this is wise advice, Damage (4) - Vicious, Punishing what many do not know is that the Bog Thing is very much  Parry: 50% real and an enigma.  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) Bog Things, or more commonly called “grey men”, are thought TRAITS to be ghouls who wandered into swamps only to be swal-  lowed by the peat and morass. They are tall and humanoid in BOG STENCH  DARK SENSE shape, though their bark-like flesh sprouts with vines, moss  and twigs. Their massive paws end in elongated claws, while FRIGHTFUL  SHADOWBORN their mouthless heads are surmounted by a rack of buck ant-  lers. Aside from these obvious features, the Bog Thing also WANTON HUNGER 551 TRAPPINGS  Bog claw, as stiletto (2) COMBAT PROFILE   Remnant bodies of the dead (3) Flailing branch: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (4) - Entangling, Pummeling, Slow DEATH HEDGE  Parry: NONE BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Dodge: NONE The Death Hedge on first glance appears as a beautiful rose bush, budding with crimson-red roses. In fact, it once was, TRAITS until the corruptive winds of the Aether slowly mutated it  AMBUSH TACTICS into its current form.  MINDLESS THRONG OF NASTIES On closer study, it can be seen the land around a Death  SWALLOW WHOLE Hedge is exceedingly fertile, and moving the branches will reveal a plethora of bones of all sizes lying by its roots. The TRAPPINGS Death Hedge is an exsanguinating killer, lying in wait for  Blood rose (3) an animal to attempt to pluck its roses. It will then lash out with thorny vines, piercing and entangling their victim while ORX-SPORE it slowly drains it of its bloody humors. Though the Death BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR Hedge will often only attack small animals, it will attack a The Orx are a scourge across the land, porcine-faced mutants humanoid if it has not fed for several days. When all the that seem never ending in their numbers. Low Orx are tra- blood is absorbed, the Death Hedge drags the corpse under ditionally revived corpses, who has been given a new life by itself to decay in order to fertilize the ground they are rooted a disease called Orx-molt, which spreads from an Orx to a in. The Death Hedge also emits a sweet aroma, similar to slain victim by way of fungal spores. that of ripe strawberries, allowing them to mask the scent of the decaying bodies underneath their foliage. This fungus, known as Orx-spore, is rarely be found in the wilds, though they are almost always found in large concentrations Death Hedges have a strange place in the minds of youth, of Orxish WAAAR! Horde encampments, growing from their as it’s seen as a place of fatalistic beauty. Young lovers will droppings. The fungus appears as a pale yellow-green toadstool journey to a Death Hedge to join together near it, despite that reaches about knee height, and glows with fluorescence all the danger inherent. The Death Hedge curiously leaves under the cover of night. Orx-spore only lash out if provoked these lovers alone, only as long as one of the lovers plucks or tread upon, but every attack carries the deadly pollen that one of the roses to give to their partner as a favor. If the spreads Orx-molt. An encounter with a ring of Orx-spore will two have not heard of this crucial step, they will most likely either leave its victims coughing or painfully mutating into one die screaming in each other’s arms. This exclusion does not of the barbaric Orx. Luckily, Orx-spore can be destroyed with extend to the animal kingdom, which is the Death Hedge’s little risk of exposure through being set aflame, either by natural normal diet. Perhaps the plant has an archaic intellect, or it’s or Magickal means. Otherwise, they continually grow back and just odd biology that makes it at least semi-sympathetic to can not be harmed by any method. Woe be to the Hedgewise humanoid plights. who mistakes a ring of toadstools for a fairy ring, for Orx-spore PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES appears almost the same!  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10  A question that has long plagued naturalists and druids is Brawn: 35% (3) - Toughness +10 where exactly did the Orx-Spore originate from? Obviously  Agility: 40% (4) - NONE  it is an aberrant form of plant life, but it has no antecedent or Perception: 40% (6) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop precedent. A popular theory is that the Orx-Spore is not of +10  this earth, but instead a terrible blight that descended from Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE the Vault of Night. Thought to be an extraterrestrial fun-  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE  gus that landed thousands of years ago, it is a feasible if not Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE outlandish answer to the question of the Orx. Orx-Spore also keeps extremely poorly, dying in a matter of minutes if SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  disconnected from its native food source. This leaves little Initiative: +9 and less information on the flora, with no solutions in sight.  Movement: NONE  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Peril Threshold: NONE  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10 552  Brawn: 40% (6) - Toughness +10 mordial jelly and pushed into the lowest layers of the Abyss.  Agility: 40% (4) - NONE Whether the Abyss spawned these creatures, or if the Princes  Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop instead delight in the irony and grotesquery of the mimic, is +10 still up for debate. What is known is that Shimmering Mimics  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE are often found near portals to the Abyss or near high concen-  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE trations of Corruption. Attempts have been made to capture  Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE a Shimmering Mimic to study them, though they eat quickly through any container they are placed in. They are of particu- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES lar interest to the Choleric Skrzzak, who see much mutagenic  Initiative: +6 potential in these osmoid beings.  Movement: NONE  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24)   Peril Threshold: NONE Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20, Simple Ranged +20  COMBAT PROFILE Brawn: 40% (5) - Coordination +20, Toughness  Fluorophore: 55% - Distance (ranged 4 yards) - +20  Agility: 40% (8) - Stealth +20 Damage (NONE) - Entangling   Parry: NONE Perception: 35% (5) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop  Dodge: NONE +20  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE TRAITS   CREEPY CRAWLIES Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE  DENSE ANATOMY  MINDLESS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Initiative: +8 SPORE-SPLOSION  THRONG OF NASTIES Movement: 11 on foot  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24)  TRAPPINGS: NONE Peril Threshold: NONE

SHIMMERING MIMIC COMBAT PROFILE  INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR Pseudopod tentacle: 65% - Distance (melee en- Some say we have all come from the primordial slime, and it gaged) - Damage (8) - Entangling, Fast, Pummel- is there where we will all find our final fate. The flora known ing as the Shimmering Mimic may perhaps be that slime, or at Pseudopod glob: 65% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) least a piece of that ancient goop. - Load (1 AP) - Damage (8) - Slow, Pummeling, Throwing Shimmering Mimics are mobile slimes with animal intelli-  Parry: NONE gence, often covering a ten-foot square area. Often dwelling in  Dodge: NONE sewers, caves or on the surface of water, their main adaptation is their translucent jelly that grants them near-perfect camou- TRAITS flage and perfect mimicry of non-living objects such as chests,  AMBUSH TACTICS crates and other sundries. The Mimic will lie in wait until prey  DENSE ANATOMY touches or comes near it; once disturbed, it will lash out with  GASTRIC ACIDITY slimy pseudopods and engulf their victim. Their body then se-  MASTERFULLY ADROIT cretes digestive juices, slowly eating away at the flesh and bone  MINDLESS of their meal. Mimics have no discernable organs save its pul-  PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE sating brain, and can not be reasoned with or tamed; they are  STRESS-INDUCING beings of pure instinct, only multiplying through a grotesque  THRONG OF NASTIES budding. Not much can harm these creatures, but they shirk away from fire like an unholy light. TRAPPINGS  Remnant bodies of the dead (3) Shimmering Mimics are the only flora that can be directly  Shimmering mimic’s brain (1) traced back to the Abyss. If an Abyssal servant ever displeases one of their Princes, many are cast down back into this pri- 553 GOBLINS rags Orx use to wipe their bungholes. The most celebrated of For many centuries, scholars believed that Goblins were the these “shit-sloggers” are then elevated to maintain the dan- adolescent form of Orx, possibly born out of savage wedlock gerous Orxish war machines, piquing their former Gnomish with a Gnomish host. This fact was thankfully found false, intellects. Even the slightest hint of disrespect means the but the truth is not much more savory. The first Goblins were Goblin faces at least a beating, or potential death by suffo- said to have been mutated Gnomish children who had been cation beneath piles of excrement. Even less fortunate than abandoned to the forest; touched by the insidious Corrup- these are Abyssal-born Goblins, born among the putrid tion. Innocence is very tempting to the forces of chaos, so slime trails of Great Devourer demons... the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure sent a demonic messenger HOB-KOBOLD (called an imp) to the child. The imp, disguised as a trusted official or family member, pretended to save the child; but on BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR embrace, its diabolical essence would fold into the babe, cor- Leading vanguard for the numerous Goblin gangs are rupting them. Their skin took on an olive hue, as their teeth Hob-Kobolds. With skin leathery from lashing wind and became more jagged and their ears elongated. Their hands their frames stacked with strength, they tower over their Ko- and feet sprouted claws, as their eyes turn an angry blood bold kin. red. After the transformation, the child became a Goblin; a They rose up in the Goblinoid band through violent initia- creature of jittering teeth and maniacal laughter. tion rituals, terrible crimes and a perverse frontier justice that Taken by wanderlust, they feel compelled by an almost su- fed the demon inside of them, causing them to grow taller pernatural force to seek out fellow Goblins, to band together and broader over other Goblins. They are efficient and brutal as one. Families such as these often ride Fodderlings; living a leaders, but hesitate to kill their own as their main strength life on the road. Their characteristic jackboots ring with spurs is in their numbers. That does not mean they are above vio- while their quilted trench coats embroidered with symbols lent intimidation, however. Hob-Kobolds seem themselves of a gang, as they now live a life of an “easy rider”. They hold as untouchable, and thus will often use a sobriquet or elab- absolute disregard for any other race than their own, but take orate garb to disguise the “real” version of themselves. It is no thralls or slaves. When a Goblin finds one of these gangs said all Hob-Kobolds follow a leader called a ‘khan’, but to join, they undergo a series of initiation rituals to earn their most of them will claim that they themselves are the Khan. stripes, which is the first embroidery on their coat that des- Most scholars agree the Khan is actually an Orx Bigboss, but ignates their status within the gang. The actual rituals vary Hob-Kobolds scoff at the notion while nervously glancing between gangs, but most of them involve some sort of ritual over their shoulder. beating, a test of bravery, a proof of cunning and a final nod Unlike Goblins, they are unable to reproduce asexually. In- of approval from the gang’s head Hob-Kobold. Gaining that stead, they mate among one another, producing additional first pattern changes the Goblin, into what was once a whelp Hob-Kobold offspring. This makes them far more tethered into a true road warrior. to permanence and family. By this, it is not all that surpris- Living in a Goblin gang can be dangerous and hard-scrab- ing that Hob-Kobolds are both leaders and teachers among ble, but they are at least free to do as they please. They’ll their kind. They hold great disdain towards enslavement of sneak into villages at night from the forests, whereupon they other Goblinkind, instead working hand-in-hand with their steal chickens, break into people’s houses to burgle jewelry lower Kobold brethren to carry forward the histories of their and even set a few buildings ablaze. Goblins do have a small strange and violent peoples. Hob-Kobolds are, however, no- amount of morals, however. Since they are basically mutat- torious turncoats - allying with Orx one day, only to turn ed children, that will almost never harm or put any child at their backs and join the Duergar the next. They are liars and risk, no matter their race or creed. Goblins have also been not to be trusted, with other Goblins even acting suspicious known to occasionally ally with Dwarfs on attacks against towards them. their mutually hated enemy: the Orx. But all is not sweet; PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES life in the Goblin gang is not one of permanence. Squabbles, feuds and infighting among their own often results in being  Combat: 45% (4) - Martial Melee +10, Simple ousted from the gang, with nowhere left to turn. It is during Ranged +10 this time that a Goblin will begin to reproduce on their own  Brawn: 45% (4) - Athletics +10 asexually, in hopes of establishing their own familial gang.  Agility: 50% (7) - Stealth +10, Ride +10  Perception: 45% (6) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop Enslavement by an Orxish WAAAR! Horde results in a +10 much different fate. Orx use Goblins to slop bog houses,  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Alchemy +10, Warfare +10 shovel boar and wolf manure, scrap the bongs and clean the  Willpower: 40% (4) - Survival +10 554  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE that is what sets about Kobolds from their Orxish masters - they have seen and been through so much, that they have SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES become the pinnacle of anarchy and nihilism.  Initiative: +9  Movement: 10 on foot, 13 on fodderling PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10 Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24)   Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) Brawn: 40% (4) - NONE  Agility: 50% (6) - Ride +10, Stealth +10  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10 COMBAT PROFILE   Sabre: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE  Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE (4) - Defensive   Hunting bow: 55% - Distance (ranged 15 yards) - Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE Load (1 AP) - Damage (7) - Finesse, Weak  SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Parry: 65% (Defensive Quality)   Dodge: 50% Initiative: +7  Movement: 9 on foot, 12 on fodderling  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23) TRAITS   DARK SENSE Peril Threshold: 7 (/13/19/25)  SADDLE TACTICS  SILENT STALKER COMBAT PROFILE  Fire-hardened spear: 55% - Distance (melee en- gaged) - Damage (4) - Reach, Weak TRAPPINGS   Arrows (6) Javelin: 45% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) - Load (1  Folkbane (3) AP) - Damage (4) - Throwing, Weak   Parry: 65% (Defensive Quality) Hunting bow (1)   Leather armor (1) Dodge: 60%  Sabre (1) TRAITS KOBOLD  DARK SENSE  BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR ELVES IZ NASTY  KIP UP Whenever there is smoke, there is fire - and the acrid smoke  of the Orx WAAAR! Horde is a massive wave of gibbering, SQUABBLE AMONG THEMSELVES insane and violent Kobolds. TRAPPINGS The run-of-the-mill Kobold makes up the bulk of a Gob-  Buckler (1) lin band. These creatures are hedonistic and lackadaisical,  Fire-hardened spear (1) wandering between backwater villages to raid, drink and kill.  Javelin (3) Kobolds possess a strange sense of honor and camaraderie,  Quilted armor (1) seeing each other more as blood brothers than simply allies. That does not mean they will not turn on each other, as re- KOBOLD FANATIC spect through force is a major tenant of their brutal philoso- BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR phy. Enough disrespect leaves the Kobold ousted from their Stalking out of the shadows, wearing ratty cloaks that con- band, and liable to thralldom by Orxish WAAAR! Hordes. ceals their pale flesh from from the sun slink the Kobold Fanatics, ever following behind a rabid mob of hungry Fod- Kobolds are prone to large bouts of mischief, cruelty, and derlings. often times stupidity. They love to torture their live meals before devouring them with their sharp, filed teeth, as they Kobold Fanatics are Goblins whose main job is to care for and feel ‘wriggly’ meat is the best. Many Kobold bands will run breed the Fodderlings, the trademark mount of the Kobolds. into towns, slaughtering livestock, destroying property and Fodderlings live deep within caves, and as Kobold Fanatics crops, and stealing candy from babies all for the fun of it. If care for these creatures, the chthonic darkness changes the a Kobold is ever found alone, it is absurdly weak and little way they see the world above. They become more deranged, more than a bother to kill, but they often tend to get too big hunched over with pale skin and pupiless eyes. When they for their britches - they will curse, tease and talk a big game do enter the sun, they must wear heavy cloaks or garments even if they are being pulled apart piece by piece. Perhaps to avoid the burning light of the sun. Aside from caring for 555 Fodderlings on large pilgrimages, Fanatics are all but useless  Red cap mushroom (3) to a Goblin band during the daytime. As dusk falls, however,  Religious token (1) they remove their cloaks and are sent on dangerous - but  Tattered clothing (1) often successful - missions of espionage and assassination  Threshing flail (1) against their enemies. GRENDEL Goblin lands are notoriously spider-infested, but these The actual origin of the Grendel is something that is up for arachnids are often the size of large hounds and must be debate. Old tales speak about the beastmen of the woods, a placated lest they devour whole tribes. Kobold Fanatics are punishment of the gods, lain upon humans’ sanguine ways sometimes tasked with warding off or even caring for these - or perhaps that they were the original inhabitants of the massive spiders, often breeding them alongside Fodderlings. world, swearing revenge upon their brethren who’d learned Some even fall under the thrall of the monstrous Attercap to walk upright. Some even say that the Grendel grow their Spider - poisoned with her hallucinatory venom, they do as numbers by cajoling mortals into drinking their mutative the Attercap demands, bringing food and expanding their wine, called “Dionysian Delights”. Modern scholars agree territory. The Orx do not mind this all much, as Kobolds are that they are beasts who were corrupted by the Abyss, and easy to find and Attercap Spiders make powerful allies in while many Grendel follow the lurid call of chaos, they are their endless war machine. wholly unnatural creatures of flesh and blood. No matter PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES which tale is true, they exist and have an unending hatred of  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10, Simple humanoid society - not because of their inadequacies, but of Ranged +10 humanoids reluctance to submit to their desires.  Brawn: 40% (4) - NONE  Grendel are terrible hybrids of man and beast, taking a myri- Agility: 50% (6) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 ad of grotesque, anthropomorphic forms. Though many have  Perception: 45% (4) - NONE  traits of ungulate creatures, other bestial aspects such as avian Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE and reptiles have been observed. Most Grendel are uniform-  Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE  ly male creatures, preferring to mate with humanoid women. Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE A strange quality of the Grendel makes them oddly desirable - many scholars deem this related to their satyrian musk or SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES possibly just the primal aspect of the creatures. Entranced  Initiative: +7  women are led to their mating pen, which hold others in Movement: 9 on foot various stages of childbearing - it is not an odd sight to see  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22)  several scantily-clad men present as well. Babes born emerge Peril Threshold: 7 (/13/19/25) mostly of their mother’s race, although they display bestial attributes - fur-covered bodies, perhaps small horns, or legs COMBAT PROFILE  that end in hooves. As the child grows - and they grow fast, Threshing Flail: 55% - Distance (melee engaged or reaching maturity in about three years - they become more 1 yard) - Damage (4 or 5 two-handed) - Adaptable, and more like the Grendel. Reach, Weak  Net: 55% - Distance (ranged 5 yards) - Load (1 Their society is organized similar to a wolf pack, and are ad- AP) - Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, equately called a Wild Hunt. A Grendel’s place within the Throwing Wild Hunt is determined by how bestial they appear - the  Parry: 55% young Broo, who are nothing more than slightly animalistic  Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) humans, are last in the hierarchy. The mighty Taurus are of- ten the leaders of the pack, grotesquely afflicted with satyriasis TRAITS and drunken rage. These alphas lead the Wild Hunt on raids,  AVERSION TO LIGHT always have first pick of slaves and deal out punishment to  BATTLE FRENZY underlings. Taurus are dethroned only through cunning vio-  DARK SENSE lence, either slinking off into the rest of the pack or journeying  ELVES IZ NASTY into the woods to languish. The blood of the Grendel is of-  PATH OF DESTRUCTION (DWARVES) ten overpowering, filling the creatures with unending hedo-  SQUABBLE AMONG THEMSELVES nism. When not performing raids for women, food and wine, they hold massive orgies and drug-addled ceremonies to their TRAPPINGS god. The only warning sign they give on their drunken raids  Net, as bolas (1) are bestial braying and a terribly musky odor. Fire, death and 556 droppings are all that remain in their wake of destruction. Grendel life, is a cause for celebration - the main aspect of That is why families warn their children to stay away from the the event being a sparring bout between the Broo and its woods - a Wild Hunt could sweep by in a second, scooping up father, in order to show their assertion of dominance and their children to lead a more barbaric life. their rejection of control. Nothing makes a Grendel father prouder than to be suplexed by their son. Despite their intense celebrations, they are truly tormented creatures: victims to a foul blood coursing within their veins, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES directed by nature to do what they do. Captured Broo often  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10 lament their lives, one ripped between dual personalities of  Brawn: 50% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10 humanity and beasthood - a life they never asked for. They  Agility: 40% (4) - NONE offer prayers to their anarchic god called the Outsider, be-  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10 seeching Him for salvation from the curse of their birth. But  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE as they grow older and ascend higher into the Wild Hunt,  Willpower: 40% (4) - NONE their humanity fades away, becoming a small mote in a sea  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE of darkness. They become pure beasts… which is the fate of all Grendel. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  BROO Initiative: +7  Movement: 9 on foot BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) Grendel are not fully formed when they emerge from their  Peril Threshold: 7 (/13/19/25) mother’s womb. Amongst the squalling and the screaming is a rather humanoid-looking babe, but with a few radical COMBAT PROFILE differences.  Fire-hardened spear: 55% - Distance (melee en- gaged) - Damage (4) - Reach, Weak These adolescents are called Broo (so named for the braying  they make as they fight and eat), and they appear as human Mutated hooves: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6) - Pummeling, Powerful, Slow males covered in thick courses of hair. In addition to being  quite hirsute, Broo possess other bestial traits, though none Javelin: 45% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) - Load (1 too extreme. Depending on what sort of beast they take after, AP) - Damage (4) - Throwing, Weak  Parry: 65% (Defensive Quality) their teeth will often either be quite sharp or be squat and  flattened. Their nails grow to incredible lengths, with eyes Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) of an animalistic mein, while some will even display oth- TRAITS er traits such as small goat-like horns or hairy snouts. Broo  are eager to prove themselves, to “earn their horns”, spend- DIONYSIAN DELIGHTS  KEEN SENSES ing their days learning the ways of the Wild Hunt by wres-  tling, hunting and being mentored by the Wose. Though few PACK MENTALITY Grendel take personal possession of their children, they will TRAPPINGS often communally raise the Broo in order to raise them to  be strong and capable. The weak and sickly are abandoned, Buckler (1)  Fire-hardened spear (1) if not outright killed. There is also a special breed of Broo,  those fathered by Taurus. They are born with animalistic legs Fur armor (1)  Javelin (3) but a humanoid upper body. They tend to be tricksters and  ne’er-do-wells, the pride of the debauched Grendel packs. Jug of Dionysian Delights (1)

Broo age quickly and as they grow, their bestial traits become EQUIGORN more exaggerated and explicit. By the age of two, they appear INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR as a human in their late teens, ready to find their first mate. Grendels say that they follow the ways of Pan, one of a myriad The Broo will go about an adulthood ceremony at this time of countless deities who supposedly laid with women, men called the “first rut”, which occurs on the first full moon of and animals. Along with the countless women and occasional that year. Broo at this age are also deemed war-ready, and men in Grendel mating pens, a true animal or two - such as a take part in smaller pack raids, though they are still deemed cow or mare - if often seen. too inexperienced to join the Wild Hunt. By the age of three, a Broo is fully grown, becoming a Hircus and a full member Grendel mate too with these creatures, and the resulting birth of the Wild Hunt. This rite of passage, like most things in are the maligned Equigorn. These creatures have their legs re- placed with the entire body of their maternal animal, while 557 their upper torso sits upon where the head and neck of the (1 AP) - Damage (5) - Throwing, Weak  beast would normally be. These six-limbed creatures age much Parry: 70%  as their other Broo brothers, growing more bestial with age, Dodge: 40% but they are never fully accepted by the Wild Hunt. There is an unspoken taboo of Grendel siring offspring with a beast, as TRAITS it is believed it pollutes the blood. Though not exiled or ban-  BLITZ ished, Equigorn are often excluded from group matings, larger  CHAOS MUTATION raids, and are given burdensome tasks that no Hircus would  CHINK IN THE ARMOR dare complete. It is no surprise that Equigorn take heavily to  DINOYSIAN DELIGHTS alcohol more than other Grendel - they quaff away their pain  PACK MENTALITY and sorrow, becoming enraged as the drink brings back mem-  PAW, HOOF OR WING ories of their wretched existence.  RUSTY WEAPONS  SILENT STALKER When Equigorn are taken on raids, they are front line fight-  STRESS-INDUCING ers who use their fury to strike down all in their path, wield- ing giant axes and trampling enemies with their enormously TRAPPINGS powerful legs. Their bodies also lend themselves to speed,  Jug of Dionysian Delights (1) making Equigorn ideal messengers and scouts. Within the  Francisca (3) Wild Hunt, they are used as little more than beasts of bur-  Fur armor (1) den, hauling massive loads upon their frames. There are rare-  Jug of Dionysian Delights (3) ly more than a dozen or so Equigorn in a Wild Hunt, and  Pike (1) even they are insular from each other. Equigorn are brood- ing beasts, and even the sex slaves rarely want to mate with HIRCUS them due to their size. This is not the fate of all these tor- INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR tured souls, though; there have been reports of Wild Hunts The fate of the large majority of Broo is to grow into a Hir- composed of only these Grendel, and their alphas are truly cus, by far the most common and well-known of the Gren- terrifying creatures. del. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  As the Broo age, their body hair becomes thicker and covers Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +20, Martial their whole form, their heads become those of animals, they Melee +20  sprout tails and their legs take on a bestial shape with an invert- Brawn: 45% (8) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20, ed knee. These are the main force of the Wild Hunt, and they Toughness +20 are generally considered the betas of the pack. The Hircus is also  Agility: 40% (6) - Stealth +20  the first Grendel that truly displays their bestial heritage - while Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +20 Broo are too young to feel the call and Wose have purposefully  Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE  been castrated to control their urges, the Hircus are a differ- Willpower: 40% (8) - Interrogation +10, Resolve ent story. They are wild and bloodthirsty, resorting to ritualistic +20, Survival +20  fights, called “tussles”, in order to quell the many conflicts within Fellowship: 40% (5) - Guile +10 a Wild Hunt. Hircus also mate and cavort often, spending their free time in either the throes of passion or the depths of drink. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  The Hircus life is one filled with jealousy, one bent on proving Initiative: +7 your worth to the alpha and usurping your brothers. If a Hircus  Movement: 12 on foot  is ever deemed weak, they are outed from the Wild Hunt and Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) marked with a brand as a sign to others not to trust the wretch.  Peril Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) Hircus are wild fighters, using their hooves and horns just COMBAT PROFILE as often as their blood-rusted weaponry. They are intimi-  Pike: 70% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 yard) - dating as well, making bestial howls and screeches to herald Damage (5) - Reach their arrival, jittering from the dark just out of sight. When  Mutated antlers: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - not fighting, Hircus spend times dealing with the menial Damage (8) - Pummeling, Slow chores of the Wild Hunt - slaughtering food, standing guard  Mutated hooves: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - and scouting for new bases of operations. Wild Hunts are Damage (8) - Pummeling, Powerful, Slow semi-nomadic, settling in the choked wilderness near a town  Francisca: 50% - Distance (ranged 5 yards) - Load and picking it free of mates, food and weapons - killing all 558 the remains before packing up and moving to the next vil- conquer adversity, falling to the call of their bestial blood in lage. Humanoids always fear for the random raids of a Wild order to ascend past mere status as a beta. Hunt, and it is true that they are random - they are per- formed on a whim by the Hunt’s Taurus when he feels like it. These aged and powerful Grendel are known as Taurus, and they tower above their followers in both stature and pow- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES er. The exact moment a Hircus becomes a Taurus is yet to  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20, Simple be pinpointed, but the youngest Taurus ever slain is said to Ranged +10 have been at least twenty years old - others in their second  Brawn: 50% (9) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, centuries have been found still leading their Wild Hunts. Toughness +20 Tauruses are tall and broadly muscled, reaching nearly the  Agility: 40% (4) - Stealth +10 same heights as an Ogre: crisscrossed with scars, their bestial  Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop hoofs, polycerate horns and tails grown massive and impos- +10 ing. Few have retained the ability to speak, only commu-  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Gamble +10 nicating in growls, howls and brays that are interpreted by  Willpower: 45% (4) - Resolve +10, Survival +10 Wose. Taurus lay upon thrones of their dead enemies, sur-  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Charm +10 rounding by supplicants and slaves while fed a steady diet of food, alcohol and drugs. They rule ultimate, their worth SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES proved through combat and the strength of their seed.  Initiative: +7  Movement: 7 on foot Though a few Taurus may be contained within a Wild Hunt,  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) only one of them is favored the aforementioned luxuries of an  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) alpha. Any Taurus who believes they can serve the pack better can issue a formal challenge to the current alpha, one that cul- COMBAT PROFILE minates in tests of combat, sexual prowess and imbibing. If the  Fire-hardened spear: 65% - Distance (melee en- alpha is usurped, there is little shame in it - he was proven not gaged) - Damage (8) - Adaptable, Slow, Weak as capable, and thus submits and joins the throngs of the Wild  Mutated antlers: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Hunt once again. Motivations of the alphas are inscrutable Damage (9) - Pummeling, Slow and varied, but there is one certainty: that every Taurus’ desires  Mutated hooves: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - to show humanoids the true ways of beasthood - though these Damage (9) - Pummeling, Powerful, Slow true ways involve more than just a little slaughter and rap-  Parry: 75% (Defensive Quality) ine. The alphas dream of a world of pleasure populated sole-  Dodge: 40% ly by Grendel, and many are absorbed enough in their blood to strive towards this goal in often violent and manipulative TRAITS ways. Some will even look towards fell gods for power, bring-  BLITZ ing their entire Wild Hunt in line with the terrible wishes of  CHAOS MUTATION the Abyssal Princes, specifically the lost Outsider.  DIONYSIAN DELIGHTS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  MENACING   Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +20, Martial Me- PACK MENTALITY lee +30  RUSTY WEAPONS   Brawn: 45% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +20, SILENT STALKER Toughness +20  Agility: 40% (6) - Stealth +20 TRAPPINGS  Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +20  Fire-hardened spear (1)   Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE Fur armor (1)  Willpower: 40% (6) - Interrogation +10, Resolve  Jug of Dionysian Delights (1)  +20, Survival +20 Wooden shield (1)  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Charm +30 TAURUS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Initiative: +7 Grendel lives are often short-lived; between accidental over-  Movement: 12 on foot doses of hallucinogens, exhaustion from sexual conquest or  Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) simply dying by the sword during a raid, few Hircus see be-  Peril Threshold: 9 (17/23/29) yond their fourth year. But there are those that survive and 559 degree. Those who drink of the jug are horridly transformed, COMBAT PROFILE and eventually turn into a Wose themselves.  Battle axe: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- age (6) - Adaptable, Slow Wose carry and wear little, often possessing only a flowing  Mutated horns: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - toga and a walking staff. Few ever accompany raiding parties Damage (10) - Pummeling, Powerful, Punishing, on expeditions - those that do usually serve as morale boosters Slow shouting benedictions to their kin. That does not mean Wose  Mutated hooves: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - are defenseless, as they have undergone the first rut and the Damage (10) - Pummeling, Powerful, Slow ritual fights all Grendel must perform. Indeed Wose have less  Parry: 80% to lose, as they are incapable of mating and thus hold no po-  Dodge: 40% tential to ever become the alpha. Rumors abound that some Wose have even learned to beseech the woods and their spir- TRAITS its for their aid, and this could pose a mighty threat if these  BIG GRIM whisperings hold any merit. Above all, the Wose speaks to  CHAOS MUTATION the Outsider - the abandoned fifth Abyssal Prince who has DIONYSIAN DELIGHTS become the patron of the Grendels and undivided chaos. It  DARK SENSE is He that allows the Wose to speak to the trees, and it is He  HARD-NOSED who wishes their libations to never end.  FRIGHTFUL  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER  Combat: 40% (4) - NONE  PACK MENTALITY   Brawn: 35% (3) - Intimidate +10 PAW, HOOF OR WING  Agility: 40% (4) - Coordination +10  RUSTY WEAPONS   Perception: 40% (5) - Eavesdrop +10, Survival +10 SILENT STALKER  Intelligence: 45% (6) - Folklore +10  Willpower: 45% (6) - Incantation +10, Resolve +10 TRAPPINGS   Fellowship: 50% (6) - Bargain +10, Leadership +10, Battle axe (1) Rumor +10  Fur armor (1)  Jug of Dionysian Delights (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  WOSE Initiative: +8  Movement: 7 on foot BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) When some Broo show exceptional learning and aptitude for  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) the Grendel’s runic language, they are removed from the main bulk of the Wild Hunt to commune with the Wose. There, COMBAT PROFILE they are ritually castrated and their masculinity burned upon a  Staff: 40% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage flame. This turns the simple Broo into the Wose, the advisors (4) - Adaptable, Pummeling, Weak and scholars of the Grendel.  Mutated antlers: 40% - Distance (melee engaged) - Trained in all manners of knowledge from strategy to simple Damage (3) - Pummeling, Slow  Parry: 40% maths to the proper prayers to say to the gods, Wose are  deemed as wise sages who have been removed of their “sec- Dodge: 50% ond mind” to fully focus on their first one. A side-effect of TRAITS the castration seems to be a migration of the Wose’s bestial  features - their body hair will fall out and their claws will CHAOS MADE MANIFEST  DIONYSIAN DELIGHTS shorten, but their head shape shifts radically. Eventually, a  Wose will appear as a normal man with the head of a beast, PACK MENTALITY  SILENT STALKER and this is considered a divine blessing. Wose spend much  of their day either consulting with the alpha, caring for the WINDS OF CHAOS wives in the mating pens, or teaching Broo all the intrica- TRAPPINGS cies of beastdom. In common lore, it is the Wose who often  tempt mortals from drinking from decanters of Dionysian Diabolical holy symbol (1)  Fur armor (1) Delights. This blessed wine reputedly turns mortals into a  fledgling Grendel, but the rumors are, in fact, true to some Jug of Dionysian Delights (1) 560  Loose robes (1) stop growing. Some of the most ancient of them tower over  Prayer book with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) townhomes and towers, throwing them aside like a child top-  Reagents appropriate for Magicks (9) ples blocks. These living elementals are worshipped as gods  Staff (1) upon earth, as tribute is given in golden sacrifices and prayers poised before bloody exsanguinations. NO FAMILY PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES These Mutant creatures are not affiliated with any families.  Each should be treated uniquely. Combat: 50% (10) - Martial Melee +30  Brawn: 45% (8) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, DRAGON-BORN OGRE Toughness +30  ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR Agility: 40% (4) - Coordination +30  Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +20 The great dragons are a long-feared beast, primordial mon-  sters who dwell deep in the Abyssal pit; ancient and pow- Intelligence: 35% (3) - Education +10, Folklore +10  Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +30, Survival +20 erful beyond measure. Similar things have been said about  the Ogre; though they are far more common, they are too Fellowship: 40% (4) - Leadership +30 stupid to live but too strong to die. Perhaps that is why one of SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES the greatest living nightmares in existence is the improbable  mating of the two: the imposing Dragon-born Ogre. Initiative: +7  Movement: 7 on foot Dragons and Ogres do not cross paths very often, as dragons  Damage Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) are exceedingly (and thankfully) rare and Ogres are too indi-  Peril Threshold: 9 (17/23/29) vidualistic and spread out. However, during terrible storms, Ogres often retreat to caves for shelter. If they are unlucky COMBAT PROFILE - or perhaps lucky enough- they will stumble into a Pit  Battle axe: 80% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 yard) Dragon’s lair, with the resident in presence. What happens - Damage (11) - Adaptable, Reach, Slow, Vicious next is undoubtedly violent, confusing and smelly, but there  Thundering claws: 50% - Distance (melee engaged) are no real accounts of their copulation outside of tall tales. - Damage (8) - Pummeling, Powerful, Reach The most likely reason for this is that dragons have a ten-  Tail vertebrae: 50% - Distance (melee or 1 yard) - dency to devour their mates after breeding, as so few Ogres Damage (8) - Entangling, Pummeling, Reach have lived to tell of their “conquest”. After many months,  Parry: 80% emerging from an enormous, slimy egg is the new whelp  Dodge: NONE of a Dragon-born Ogre. These horrid children appear as a terrible centauroid amalgamation of the two parents, born TRAITS the size of a hippopotamus. Their lower bodies are massive  DARK SENSE and scaled, with its feet terminating into terrible claws with  HARD-NOSED ridges running along their back to their spined tails. Their  HIDEOUS MIGHT upper body is of a bristled Ogre torso, with enormous jaws,  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER reptilian eyes and jagged horns emanating from their skulls.  MENACING Erupting from their backs are stunted and worn wings, too  NATURAL ARMOR (4) weak to carry the monsters but intimidating enough to prove  PATH OF DESTRUCTION (ELVES) useful. Fortunate, then that only one is ever birthed at a time.  PAW, HOOF OR WING  STOMP THE YARD Dragon-born Ogres naturally heed the call of the Abyss, and  STORM RAGE their monstrous frames and abilities are more than a small  TERRIFYING boon to armies devoted to the spread of chaos. They are ele-  WEAK SPOT mental creatures of storm, calling lightning with their braying as storms gather within their presence. When a Dragon-born TRAPPINGS Ogre heeds the call of demonic hell-trumpets, they rumble  Battle axe, with the Castle-forged Quality (1) down from their mountain lair at maddening speeds to thun-  Dragon-born Ogre hide (1) der into battle. They wield wicked axes, and their rage is both  Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip with Pummeling and sung and feared by all. Dragon-born Ogres are luckily solitary Castle-forged Quality (1) creatures, unable to breed. When not at war, they remain in hibernation among war trophies and the bones of the dead. They seem to live for long ages uncounted, and almost never 561 LYCANTHROPE SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +7 INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  In even the most primal of memories, there lurk terrible hu- Movement: 9 on foot  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) manoid-beast hybrids who stalked our primordial ancestors  through frozen tundras and old growth forests - beasts that Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) were once thought to be friends and loved ones. These ter- COMBAT PROFILE rible and tragic beasts exist to this day as the cursed Lycan-  thropes. Eviscerating claws: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (5) - Fast, Finesse, Vicious Lycanthropes have directly suffered the bane of a god’s wrath,  Ragged teeth: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - usually the Demiurge. The sins they did range, but many Damage (8) - Entangling, Pummeling, Slow landmark Lycanthropes have a long history of hunting for  Parry: NONE pleasure, cruelty to animals and torture. Their hubris takes  Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) them over in a strange way - while they may appear normal on most occasions, during the turn of a moon they under- TRAITS go a horrid change. Their flesh splits and grows, course hair  ACCURSED sprouts from their bodies, their faces elongate and they bay  BANE OF LYCANTHROPES in pain as their body mutates uncontrollably. Once they have  FAST ON THEIR FEET fully transformed, they resemble a monstrous fusion between  FRIGHTFUL a man and a beast: an upright wolf with human eyes, a sleek  KEEN SENSES puma with humanoid hands, shaggy bears with muscled arms  LICK YOUR WOUNDS or even worse. Lycanthropes are at their most dangerous when  PLAGUE-RIDDEN in the sway of the cosmos - their long, black-barbed claws  SILENT STALKER drip with Tomb Rot, as their needle-like rows of teeth gnash  SNIKT! SNIKT! and slobber with a cheshire smile, possessed by an unstoppable  WANTON HUNGER hunger. When the moon sets, the Lycanthrope will revert back to it humanoid form; this is not a guarantee though, as some TRAPPINGS Lycanthropes have become so terribly mutated that they stay  Lycanthrope hide (1) in this beast form forever. MEDUSA Lycanthropes can also spread their curse to others - if the ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR victim ever obtains an Affliction while suffering from a Basilisks and Cockatrices are imposing beings, not only Lycanthrope’s Tomb Rot, they contract a Mutation called because of their monstrous forms, but also their petrifying Moon Fever and join the legions of the skinchangers. Those gaze. But what happens to their terrible statues as they suffer that do often lead double lives, quarantining themselves the wear of ages and the call of Corruption? Some of those while under the control of the full moon’s glow. They also statues turn into the hideous womanizers and seductresses tend to live together in packs, understanding each other’s called Medusa. suffering and hunting together as a group. It is rumored en- tire villages are made up of these creatures. Their forms are The Medusae were once folk petrified by the gaze of a Bas- also endless - though most Lycanthropes take on the shape ilisk or Cockatrice, only to be broken free of such shackles of bears, wolves and bats, other forms such as crocodilians, by an outside source such as dark Magicks and stink of the felines and porcine are also reported. Luckily, they all suffer Abyss. When revived, their body transforms and turns to- the same aversion to wolfsbane, despite its namesake. wards serpentine features: their eyes become almond shaped, smooth scales grow upon their lower torso and they begin PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES to speak in a sibilant - yet alluring - hiss. Their hair undu-  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +20  lates upon its own accord, each lock twisting and curling as if Brawn: 45% (8) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20, underwater. Some Medusa return to civilization in attempts Toughness +10 to reintegrate back into the populace, yet keep their lair out  Agility: 45% (6) - Coordination +20, Stealth +20  in the wilderness. They are intelligent creatures, but Medusa Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop generally feel two emotions the strongest - lust and hun- +20  ger. Medusa can come off hauntingly handsome or beautiful, Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE lulling numerous lovers into their dens with the promise of a  Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +20, Survival +10  night of passion. But once the love is over, the Medusa feasts Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +10, Handle Animal +10 upon their favorite meal - the freshly plucked eyes of their 562 lovers. Those that attempt to escape are petrified on the spot,  GIVE ME YOUR EYES and the Medusa’s lair is filled with countless statues of men  I GOT AXE FOR YOU and women in flight - as well as warriors who attempted to  PETRIFYING GAZE free the imprisoned. TRAPPINGS Medusa use their lightning reflexes and sharp vision to bene-  Arrows (9) fit their already formidable archery skills. Some Medusa have  Composite bow (1) become so horribly mutated that their entire lower body is  Mask of golden coins (1) replaced by a muscular and squamous snake tail. Their blood  Medusa’s head (1) is also highly acidic like snake venom - their heart drips a  Medusa’s heart (1) murky green, and the fluid from it is said to be able to dis-  Quilted armor (1) solve a victim’s petrification. An odd aspect of the Medusa is  Rapier (1) that there petrifying gaze seems to be a reflex rather than a willed ability - Medusa heads have been detached and have RAVENOUS GHOUL maintained their petrifying ability - administered through INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR the strategic pull of a few nerves and tendons. This pulls the There are those in this world that slave to their own vices. chaotic Aetheric winds towards the user however - becom- Ones given to gluttony can fall prey to chaos’s touch during ing more and more Corrupted with each yank of entrails. their weakest moments of overindulgence. Once upon this PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES dark path, it cannot be abandoned as the road to ghouldom  Combat: 45% (4) - Martial Ranged +30, Simple begins. Melee +20  At first, their hunger is satiated only by rich foods; thick Brawn: 50% (7) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +30 blood sausage links, lemon cakes by the baker’s dozen and eel  Agility: 45% (11) - Coordination +30  pies. Over time, the hunger grows more severe. They turn to Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize +10 darker appetites to satisfy their hunger; gruesome buffets of  Intelligence: 35% (3) - Folklore +10  honey-cured human bacon, elven ears braised with leafy veg- Willpower: 40% (7) - Interrogation +20, Resolve etables and dwarven fingerling fingers boiled with potatoes. +20  As their body begins to grow obese from overeating, in turn Fellowship: 40% (6) - Charm +30, Disguise +30, their spirit twists within. As their humanity slips away bite Guile +20 by bite, their corpulence grows as the moon moves towards its final phase. Upon the new moon’s zenith, the darkness has SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  fully possessed the poor soul. The flesh sloughs off, revealing Initiative: +7 a mutated, emaciated shape beneath. Their transformation  Movement: 14 on foot  is complete, forever damned to their gluttonous ways as a Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) Ravenous Ghoul.  Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) Oftentimes mistaken for supernatural creatures, ghouls are COMBAT PROFILE mutants given to less-than-savory predilections. These foul  Rapier: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage creatures live on the fringes of society, consumed by their (11) - Fast, Finesse, Weak insatiable lust for consumption of flesh. Traveling in packs,  Composite Bow: 75% - Distance (ranged 16 yards) - Ravenous Ghouls picaroon the countryside to sate their Load (2 AP) - Damage (11) - Fast, Finesse hungers with knife and claw and fork. They sometimes fol-  Parry: 65% low in the wake of armies, feeding upon both the living and  Dodge: 75% dead. Hunter ghouls may bide their time amidst rag pickers in the baggage train, donning disguises to hide their gro- TRAITS tesquery. Those given to wanton destruction simply lash out  AMBUSH TACTICS with abandon, possessed by their lust for flesh. Feeding this  CAPTIVATING CRY hunger is paramount, for if a Ravenous Ghoul goes without,  CHAOS MUTATION they wither and die a terrible, painful death. It is not unheard  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED of for a pack of ghouls to frenzy upon one another when  DARK SENSE times are lean, leaving only the strongest to survive.  EYES WIDE SHUT  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES FAST ON THEIR FEET   FRIGHTFUL Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +20 563  Brawn: 40% (7) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +20, like with bones so malleable that they can compress their Toughness +20 heads like a half-deflated pig’s stomach. Their malodorous  Agility: 40% (6) - Coordination +10, Stealth +20 skin attracts all manner of debris to it - rocks, sticks, foliage  Perception: 50% (5) - Survival +20 and trash. This is a great advantage to the Troll, as it gives  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE them natural camouflage and armor without them having  Willpower: 45% (6) - Resolve +20 to think too hard about it. Trolls are cruel and greedy, and  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Disguise +20 the only thing they enjoy more than feasting on the entrails of travelers is picking through their precious stores of lucre. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +8 Thus, comes the trap that many Trolls find themselves in, but  Movement: 9 on foot are often unaware of. Bailiffs and minor officials can easily  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) recruit trolls as guardsmen with the promise of cash - the  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) Troll only has to occupy dangerous passage against travelers and take a tithe as they pass. Their infamous ditty ‘“pay the COMBAT PROFILE troll toll to get in” is often sung mockingly to the Troll’s cus- Fork and knife: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage tomers, as they dance about. Even paying the toll is no guar- (6) - Fast, Weak antee the creature will let you pass, but they may be distract- Parry: 65% ed long enough to be evaded. There are a number of myths Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) circulating of Trolls and their arcane nature - one false one is that sunlight petrifies them, and that they will not abandon TRAITS their posts. There are others which are perhaps slightly truer  DARK SENSE - such as the dried member of a Troll being useful in dru-  BLOODLUST idic Magicks, their preference to skin their meals alive and  FAST ON THEIR FEET their uncanny ability to regenerate from deadly wounds. The  FRIGHTFUL thankful advantages to this are their infantile intelligence  PLAGUE-RIDDEN and their weakness to biting flames.  WANTON HUNGER PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +30, Simple TRAPPINGS  Ranged +30 Bent silver fork (1)  Brawn: 45% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30,  Fillet knife, as shiv (1)  Toughness +20 Grotesque trophies (3)  Agility: 40% (6) - Stealth +30  Stained bib and napkin (1)   Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop Tattered clothing (1) +20, Survival +20  TROLL Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE  Willpower: 40% (7) - Interrogation +10, Resolve ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR +10 Stalking the bridges, passes and forest paths of the coun-  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Bargain +20 tryside are the monstrous and terrifying Trolls. Large and strong of body, they are thankfully cut short by their utter SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES lack of concrete intelligence.  Initiative: +7  Where the first Troll came from is a bit of a mystery. It is oft Movement: 9 on foot  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) believed that they were once humanoids who fell to the lurid  powers of the Abyss, namely the Prince of Decay. As they be- Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) came more engrossed in the Prince’s thrall, their skin turned COMBAT PROFILE ruddy, gelatinous and sloughed off in great heaps, only to be  regenerated once again. Trolls like to bandy that they are the Petrified club: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6) - Light, Powerful, Weak “first big guy”’ in the Material Realm, but much more real  evidence of that can be seen in creatures like the Nephilim. Terrible claws: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (10) - Pummeling, Slow Trolls generally reach about ten feet in height, and although  stooped, they are broad of shoulder with a sharp, angular face Acidic spittle: 80% - Distance (ranged 5 yards) - Load (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE filled with razor sharp teeth. It’s hard to tell if they are even  humanoid creatures anymore - their skin is sticky and slime- Parry: 80% 564  Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) What little culture the Orx inherits from its transformation revolves exclusively around eating and fighting. Unable to re- TRAITS produce with their own, rapine is a common tactic used to  ACIDIC SPITTLE spread their numbers (save for the rare few who are born Low  BIG GRIM Orx by mutation). Members are clannish, organizing them-  CHAOS MUTATION selves into the WAAAR! Horde. It plays host to hundreds of  DARK SENSE Orx whose goal is plunder, rapine and decapitation. Orx in-  FLAMMABLE fighting is common, with a majority of casualties coming from FRIGHTFUL ravaging coups, bloody arguments and poorly-plotted mur-  GASTRIC ACIDITY ders. Unless led by semi-intelligent High Orx, these lowbrow  HARD-NOSED mutants slaughter themselves in a vicious cycle of death and  HERP DERP rebirth. Though WAAAR! Hordes will often raid humanoid  KILL IT WITH FIRE settlements, imagined slights and infighting have caused more  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER than one Orxish civil war. Orx revel in their cruelty, laughing  PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE and mocking adversaries in a broken tongue. Luckily, Orx are  REANIMATOR supremely easy to trick and beguile; attempting to parlay often  RUSTY WEAPONS leads to a death sentence.  SILENT STALKER  STOMP THE YARD Orx leaders, called Bigbosses, lead the feared Orxish WAAAR! Hordes. A Bigboss was once a High Orx, who in a fit of rage usurped the Bigboss by ripping out their still-beating heart TRAPPINGS and devouring it. The black mutation which grows within the  Bailiff ’s lockbox (1) hearts of Bigbosses finds its way inside the High Orx, turn-  Petrified club, as cudgel (2) ing their skin ebony as massive tusks worms its way from  Petrified troll genitals (1) their face. The new heart takes on aspects of a second brain,  Tattered rags (1) containing knowledge of strategy and terrible machinations.  Troll hide (1) Emerging as the new Orx Bigboss, all other Orx kneel before ORX them...but invariably, a High Orx is now plotting, biding their time to usurp the new Bigboss. If there is one menace that nearly every child knows and fears, it is that of the boar-like and savage Orx. Not to be The other mainstay of Orx culture aside violence is worship confused with the Barrel-bellied Orc, these savage mutants of the Tusked One. He is depicted as an albino, one-eyed Orx seem to spawn without end. The only blessing keeping them who stands tall as a siege tower. The Tusked One represents from overrunning the known world is their infighting and everything that a perfect Orx wants to achieve: bloodlust, inability to organize. endless hunger, countless thralls at their feet and riches un- imaginable. Many Orx leaders believe the Tusked One got It is spoken that Orx (pronounced with a hard “k” for a sin- his position by killing a god and consuming his soul. Many gular Orx) grow their numbers by a terrible mutation spread WAAAR! Horde skirmishes revolve around the fact that across the slaughtered. Victims of an Orx’s sword sometimes one Bigboss believes the other is too close to fighting “da undergo a horrendous transformation. It is known that Orx- Orx Upstairz”, and thus ascending to godhood. It is obvious ish blades grow a strange, green fungus upon them (for un- that no mortal could kill a god, but this Orxish delusion fuels known reasons). This fungus-borne disease, called Orx-molt, too much fire to be quelled. Their Orx minds simply refuses is known to flourish in fresh wounds of the dead. During the to accept this fact in a twisted instance of irony. putrefaction and decomposition phase, sickness and eventual mutation seal wounds and as the body swells with barbaric BOOGAN thew, the viscera are hardened by cirrhosis. As this happens, BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR the face of the corpse changes from its deathly pallor to a Boogan are the offspring of Orx, but that would be a gener- porcine-like image as the skin turns fleshy to coarse, thick ous term for them. Impregnated into the humanoid victims hair. And by the new moon, the victim is reborn, drawing its of savage WAAAR! Hordes, Boogans are born of sexual vi- first breath as a vile Low Orx. This process has confounded olence. even the foremost of academic minds, but there is no doubt that the seeds of corruption must first be present before this They gestate within mere weeks; unfortunately, mothers terrible fate of the slaughtered can occur, for not every victim rarely survive postpartum, but those who do are immediately of Orx savagery results in revivification into this putrid form. prepared by the Orx host for their next child. Orx in minia- ture, they are near countless in number among a WAAAR! 565 Horde. These “half Orx” are not beloved children to the Orx;  SNIVELING WHELP they are often viewed as pests, cannon fodder and even food (likened to excitable puppies at best). Boogans are barely TRAPPINGS sentient and are quick to lick their Orxish master’s boots.  Red cap mushrooms (3) It is known that Boogans do not mature like other mam-  Rocks, as improvised thrown weapon (3) mals; they remain stunted and small yet able to survive on  Shiv (1) their own. If a Boogan manages to live for a full year without  Tattered clothing (1) being eaten by other Orx, they sometimes undergo a trans- formation not unlike that which gives birth to the Low Orx HIGH ORX (although ritualized by the hand of a High Orx). BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR The Tusked One demands powerful sacrifices from the Orx- Boogans often travel in small ‘swarms’, usually up to two ish folk, and those that dare take up the challenge may as- dozen members, upon which they fall over each other, curse cend into becoming a High Orx. and fight in order to operate what an individual wishes to do. Boogans have suicidal tendencies - not due to any mental After a Low Orx makes an appropriate number of blood sac- issue, but rather due to stupidity and lack of a concept of rifices to the Bigboss, they are sometimes granted an advance- consequences. To them, jumping off of a cliff means noth- ment in rank among the WAAAR! Horde. Should the Bigboss ing, because they have no concept that jumping from a large approve, they will ritually slay a Low Orx, laying them among height onto jagged rocks will kill them. They laugh when the shallow ditches where dead humanoid mothers previously other Boogans die, feeling no sense of remorse or sorrow and used to birth Boogan are interred. While their body decom- even treating it as a game. Not only do Orx hate Boogans, poses in this grotesque “rebirthing chamber”, a Low Orx un- but so do humans - they infest humanoid camps during con- dergoes a hibernation period until the new moon rises. Thus, flicts with a WAAAR! Horde and generally do nothing but their horrid transformation begins. Their Orxish shoulders be a nuisance. In fact, in a strange sense of camaraderie, an broadened to the width of the span between a man’s hands, as Orx will even apologize for Boogan infestations - making their skin calcifies yellow and grey. Their arms take upon the these whelps the lowest of the low. appearance of corded rope, sinewy and powerful. Their head PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES swells - if only to accommodate a row of vicious teeth and  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +10 gelatinous mass to further protect their peanut-sized brain - as  Brawn: 40% (4) - NONE a massive cleft chin bristles with hair. And when the blinding  Agility: 50% (6) - Stealth +10 pain fades, they arise, having undergone a rebirth from the vast  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10, Survival +10 sickness as a High Orx.  Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE Long ago, High Orx were enslaved by the Duergar, used as  Willpower: 45% (4) - NONE a force of cheap labor and sometimes even a source of food.  Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE They soon rebelled, as High Orx knew they were capable of much more than their masters wanted of them. Intelligent SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES and brutal, High Orx serve as both front-line fighters and  Initiative: +7 lieutenants within the WAAAR! Horde. While they still  Movement: 9 on foot hold to the three cultural values of the Low Orx - birth,  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) violence and death - they also seek to exemplify the leg-  Peril Threshold: 7 (/13/19/25) acy of their clan. High Orx are visionaries and big think- ers, commanding slaves to erect towers of iron and stone, COMBAT PROFILE build statues in testament to the greatness of Bigbosses and  Shiv: 50% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (4) aid in crafting the numerous war machines of the Orxish - Fast, Weak  Rocks: 50% - Distance (ranged 5 yards) - Load (1 WAAAR! Horde. AP) - Damage (4) - Pummeling, Slow, Throwing, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Weak   Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10, Simple Red cap mushroom: 50% - Distance (melee engaged Ranged +10 or ranged 5 yards) - Damage (NONE) - NONE  Brawn: 50% (7) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10,  Parry: 60%  Toughness +10 Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality)  Agility: 40% (4) - NONE TRAITS   Perception: 45% (5) - Scrutinize +10 DARK SENSE  Intelligence: 35% (3) - Warfare +10  FECKLESS RUNT 566  Willpower: 40% (5) - Resolve +10, Survival +10 is the best and so on - is a common enough trait. Mayhaps  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Tradecraft +10 this is inherited from the Orx long wars against Dwarfs, but the small folk scoff at the idea. Maybe that is why every Low SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Orx aspires to become the Bigboss, in order to be the leader  Initiative: +8 of the only thing they can say they truly care about above  Movement: 7 on foot birth, violence and death.  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28)  Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 50% (5) - Martial Melee +10, Simple Ranged +10 COMBAT PROFILE   Rusted chains: 55% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 Brawn: 45% (6) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, yard) - Damage (7) - Adaptable, Pummeling, Reach Toughness +10   Agility: 40% (4) - Ride +10 Flanged mace: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) -  Damage (4) - Powerful Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10   Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE Parry: 55%   Dodge: 40% Willpower: 40% (4) - Interrogation +10, Resolve +10  TRAITS Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE  DARK SENSE  ONE-TWO PUNCH SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES   Initiative: +8 SHOOT FIGHTER   STEELY FORTITUDE Movement: 7 on foot  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  TRAPPINGS Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Brigandine armor (1)  COMBAT PROFILE Flanged mace (1)   Rusted chains, as staff with Reach Quality (2) Orxish cleaver: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6 or 7 with shield) - Adaptable, Slow LOW ORX  Javelin: 60% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) - Load (1 BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR AP) - Damage (5) - Throwing, Weak  Parry: 70% (Defensive Quality) Low Orx make up the largest portion of an Orx host, aside  from the countless Boogans. Dodge: 40% TRAITS Crass, violent and prone to squabbling, Low Orx prefer  DARK SENSE nothing else than wanton murder and destruction, and they  MENACING fear very little. Some scholars even hypothesize that part of  RINGEN the Orxish mutation makes them forget the concept of fear.  SQUABBLE AMONG THEMSELVES Low Orx look constantly up in jealousy at their High Orx peers and Bigboss leaders, waiting for the day when they are TRAPPINGS strong enough to take over and command the WAAAR!  Javelin (3) Horde in a bloody coup. Unlikely, however, given that Low  Leather armor (1) Orx lack the natural military mind that Bigbosses have. They  Orxish cleaver, as battle axe (1) hold very little dear, likened more to rabid beasts who un-  Wooden shield (1) derstand nothing but fighting and ploughing. Low Orx have little in the way of cultural growth, save for their hellish Boo- ORX RUDEBOY gan offspring. To them, there are only three values they can BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR attest to: birth, violence and death. Rudeboys are the demented priests of Orxish clans, canni- balistic creatures that worship at the feet of the Tusked One. The Orxish WAAAR! Horde is often the only thing a Low Orx knows. No horde is exactly the same. They have names Though both Low and High Orx consume the bodies of ranging from Thousand Spears to Black Teeth, and there is their fallen foes, they know consuming Orx flesh will drive an almost barbaric familial pride amongst the Orx. That is them into madness. This is what Rudeboys do, however; sub- not to say there is any love between brothers, but the concept sequently, their bodies burst forth with a mutative fungus, of the ‘clan’ - maintaining banners of it, attesting your clan causing it to ravage their bodies and rot them from the in- 567 side out. Most Orx cannibals are slain by this process, torn TRAPPINGS asunder from within as a punishment by the Tusked One.  Animal pelts, as clothing (1) But those who do survive live onwards as Orx Rudeboys.  Arrows (9) Blood-red toadstools grow all over their bodies, and the  Rudeboy cleaver, as splitting maul (1) Rudeboy consumes these regularly to have spirit visions with  Hunting bow (1) the Tusked One and to enter a psychedelic battle frenzy.  Pot of war paint (1)  Red cap mushrooms (3) The Rudeboy’s worship of the Tusked One is different than  Shiv (1) the rest of the Orxish WAAAR! Horde, as their murder is wanton and crazed, resulting in shouted litanies of descrip- SKRZZAK tions of brutal deaths while embroiled in their sanguine god’s Far below the hustle and bustle of the streets of mankind rage. High Orx begrudgingly accept the Rudeboy’s place lies a secret, a myth that few can determine whether is real in the clans, while Low Orx literally worship at their feet. or not. Whispers of rat-like men that control the aristocracy, Bigbosses must tolerate Rudeboys, lest they lose control of a warren filled with terrible half-human monsters and the the WAAAR! Horde. One odd aspect of Orxish biology is worship of a god lost to the annals of time are all hearsay and that they can not regulate their body temperatures well, and bedtime stories meant to scare. What is more terrifying is thus they tend to overheat quite easily. Toadstools are known these are not myths, but the truth of the Skrzzak. to reduce heat regulation, so Rudeboys literally cook their brains in their frenzies. It’s not hard to see why a majority of The word Skrzzak (pronounced skerz’sak) itself is derived Rudeboys border on the unintelligent. from the ancient languages, meaning “scourge below”; which they have taken onto their liking for perverse reasons. Skrz- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  zak are humanoids, albeit taking upon the form of mutated Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +10, Simple rats, filled with ambition, disease, low cunning and violence. Ranged +10 Their origins are a mystery: some believe an insane rat catcher  Brawn: 45% (4) - Athletics +10, Toughness +10  enchanted his quarry, while others speak that rats were giv- Agility: 40% (6) - Coordination +10 en sentience by a mysterious god during cataclysmic times.  Perception: 45% (5) - Survival +10  Skrzzak are born, certainly, but in no way a person could Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE imagine. Skrzzak are about the same size as other human-  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10  oid races, though their beady eyes, mange-matted fur, bent Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE backs and prehensile tails mistake them for nothing aside rodent-like monstrosities. Hyper-intelligent and monstrous SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES female Skrzzak, known as Broodmothers, ingest corruptive  Initiative: +8  Wytchstone Essences to alter the balance of their four hu- Movement: 9 on foot mours for both gravid and spiritual reasons. These self-af-  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  flicted mutations are meant to birth the strongest and most Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) capable Skrzzak, which take mere weeks to gestate and are birthed by the litter. These countless Broodmothers and her COMBAT PROFILE  pups make up the Great Warren, a near-lawless subterranean Rudeboy cleaver: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - empire that teems below the civilized one above. It is of great Damage (5) - Slow, Weak  surprise to those who’ve survived a Skrzzak assault that these Shiv: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (5) mutated freaks speak the common tongue. No one knows - Fast, Weak why; it simply is.  Hunting bow: 60% - Distance (ranged 14 yards) - Load (1 AP) - Damage (6) - Finesse, Weak Skrzzak society is organized into distinct Kabals: a com-  Parry: 60% plex web of confederated houses engaged in a Machiavellian  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) power struggle for control of the Great Warren. Their feudal bickering is suffused with showboating, deception and mur- TRAITS der. Only the strongest and most cunning survive whereas  BATTLE FRENZY the weak are enslaved and sometimes eaten. The Kabals do  DARK SENSE not embrace ideas such as compassion, loyalty and coopera-  HALLUCINOGENIC FRENZY tion; instead, they believe in fear, survival and assassination.  SQUABBLE AMONG THEMSELVES Each Kabal is made up of many breeds of Skrzzak, adopting  WOAD TATTOOS different philosophies and ideologies enacted by the Brood- mother’s whim. Wytchstone Essence also plays an import- 568 ant part in their society, as its Magick properties permit the from their arsenal of weaponry. Outfitted by their Choleric terrible experiments and mutations that distort both body brethren, their guns and bombs are powered by Wytchstone and mind; it also serves as a simplistic currency. Ingesting shards to devastating effect. These weapons deal casualty and this terrifying element allows them to commune with their injury, mowing through both enemy and Skrzzak alike; the mysterious anthropomorphic deity, who they simply call the Bilious do not care if they destroy friend or foe, only that Thirteen. Yet, despite their politics, the Skrzzak as a whole they destroy. Mercy is not in the mentality of the Bilious, as seek to overtake the world above, but which Kabal will final- they take no prisoners and thoroughly eviscerate those that ly sit upon the throne is up for debate. have managed to escape their barrages. They also have little sense of self-preservation and suicidal tendencies, wading Surprisingly, Skrzzak keep some allies from the world above. into hordes that are far stronger than them simply to prove Specifically, humanoid devotees to the Skrzzak’s cause, their devotion. called vivimancers, hold positions of power or advantage in the realms outside the Warren liaison with the Brood- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES mothers. They are treated as a part of the Kabal, interpreting  Combat: 45% (4) - Martial Ranged +20, Simple the Wytchstone-fueled dreams of the Broodmothers, while Ranged +20 laying them out into executable strategies for the Skrzzak.  Brawn: 40% (4) - Toughness +20 They then return to the world above to push society towards  Agility: 50% (8) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 the Broodmother’s visions, carefully articulating her plans  Perception: 40% (6) - Awareness +20 within plans using subterfuge. Vivimancer relations with the  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Education +10, Folklore +10, Skrzzak allow them to have secret access to the world above, Navigation +10 but Broodmothers are not so impatient to declare victory  Willpower: 45% (6) - Resolve +10, Survival +10, just yet. There is much still to be done, and the Thirteen has Tradecraft +20 greater machinations that It has yet to foretell to the Brood-  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE mothers. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES BILIOUS SKRZZAK  Initiative: +9 INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR  Movement: 11 on foot Though all Skrzzak will fight for their Broodmother and  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) her interests, they will very rarely purposefully die for them.  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) Skrzzak are too naturally self-preserving to fall upon their own poisoned knives, and they can easily tell when they are COMBAT PROFILE outgunned and outnumbered.  Dirk: 45% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (4) - Fast, Vicious The Broodmother needs a devoted force, one that is both ex-  Wytchfyre grenade: 65% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) tremely effective and fanatically devoted. Altering her black - Load (1 AP) - Damage (NONE) - Slow, Throwing bile through injections of Wytchstone Essence, she gives  Wytchfyre pistol: 65% - Distance (ranged 15 yards) birth to the terrible Bilious Skrzzak. Their journey does not - Load (3 AP) - Damage (8) - Finesse, Gunpowder, end there, as the new pups are shipped to the most dangerous Vicious, Volatile and vile places of the Great Warren, left alone to survive and  Wytchfyre jezzail: 65% - Distance (ranged 17 yards) adapt. They are conditioned through rigorous torture and ad- - Load (4 AP) - Damage (8) - Finesse, Gunpowder ministration of Wytchstone fumes by the Choleric doktors  Wytchfyre thrower: 65% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) to obey their Broodmother above all else. Few survive this - Load (0 AP) Damage (4) - Gunpowder, Fiery, harrowing ordeal, but those that do are merciless, fanatically Shrapnel, Volatile, Weak devoted and cruel beyond measure. They emerge a number  Tail vertebrae: 45% - Distance (melee or 1 yard) - of years later, permanently masked by strange breathing ap- Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, Reach paratuses and mutated into frighteningly fanatical monsters.  Parry: NONE  They were born in the Great Warren; molded by it. Aside Dodge: 60% from Tyrants, the Bilious are the strongest of all Skrzzak breeds, broad of shoulder and often crisscrossed with battle TRAITS  BLAM! BLAM! scars. They are constantly preoccupied with cruelty and un-  fairness, often descending into laconic depression when not BROWN DEATH  DARK SENSE actively engaged. Though stepping toe-to-toe in a fistfight  against a Bilious is dangerous, their real advantage comes FAST ON THEIR FEET  GRENADIER 569  QUICKLOAD diate future (thus making a nearly implacable foe). Though  SHARP-SIGHTED the Broodmother’s relationship with her children is appar-  STRESS-INDUCING ent, their association with vivimancers is unusual. Allowed  WYTCH-SCIENCE to bear torchlight before the Broodmother, vivimancers are faithful human servants of the Skrzzak, whose job it is to TRAPPINGS spread the interests of the Skrzzak into the “surface courts’”.  Brigandine armor (1) Many vivimancers are influential people in one way or an-  Dirk (1) other, but their reasons for aiding the ratkin are mysterious.  Plague mask (1) Perhaps it is a promise of power, wealth or eternal life, but  Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip (1) they are not aware that they are just merely pawns of the  Wytchstone essence (6) Broodmothers. True, the Skrzzak may not dwell amongst us,  Wytchfyre grenade, as improvised throwing weapon but their agents do. with no Damage, Slow and Throwing Qualities (1)  Wytchfyre jezzail, as musket with distance of 12+PB PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 50% (5) - NONE yards and Finesse Quality (SPECIAL)   Wytchfyre pistol, as flintlock pistol with distance of Brawn: 50% (5) - Intimidate +10, Toughness +10  Agility: 50% (5) - NONE 9+PB yards and Finesse Quality (SPECIAL)   Wytchfyre thrower, as blunderbus with Fiery Quali- Perception: 55% (9) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop ty and no AP required to Load (SPECIAL) +20, Scrutinize +30  Intelligence: 50% (7) - Education +10, Folklore +20, BROODMOTHER Navigation +10  ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR Willpower: 50% (9) - Incantation +30, Interroga- tion +20, Resolve +10, Survival +10 The revered prognosticators of the Skrzzak and practitioners  of warped Magicks, the Broodmother is the backbone and Fellowship: 50% (7) - Bargain +10, Leadership +30, origin of their society. Guile +30, Warfare +30 SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Each Broodmother leads her monstrous progeny in one of  Initiative: +12 the hundreds of Kabals that make up the Great Warren. Be-  Movement: 8 on foot ing the only females of the Skrzzak, they are waited on hand  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) and foot in lightless chambers by their children, treated as the  Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) royalty they rightly are. Broodmothers are monstrous crea- tures, always heavy with child and constantly expelling new COMBAT PROFILE litters as she rules from an ossein throne wrought from a Ka-  Tail vertebrae: 50% - Distance (melee or 1 yard) - bal’s enemies. Broodmothers always use the royal “we”, and Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, Reach feel that they do not need to do anything when their brood  Parry: NONE can easily handle it for them. The halls of the Broodmoth-  Dodge: 50% er are lined with supplicants, tribute, and the fetid stench of sewage and rot - darkness encompassing every stretch of TRAITS her hallowed chambers. When not issuing commands to her  AVERSION TO LIGHT children, the Broodmother is found in a Wytchstone-im-  BROWN DEATH bued stupor meant to bring them communion with the Thir-  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST teen, the Skrzzak rat god. Aside from the surface world, the  DARK SENSE biggest obstacle of the Broodmothers’ task are other females  OCCULT MASTERY - they believe only one queen can rule absolute, yet are un-  PLAGUE-RIDDEN willing to murder her usurpers. Their royal personage thus  STEELY FORTITUDE resorts to deception, assassination and doublespeak to gain  STOMP THE YARD an edge over her “beloved sisters”.  TERRIFYING  THE VIRIDESCENT PATH Broodmothers always carry a distinctive mark - such as a  UNGAINLY notched ear or a limp tail - that is present in every member of their brood. Their Kabal often uses this trait as their name, TRAPPINGS such as the Cropped Ear or Crooked Tail. Broodmothers  Arcane tome with 9 Petty Magick spells (1) rarely fight, but when they do, their Wytchstone dream-  Arcane tome with 6 Lesser Magick spells (1) states have provided them with precognition of the imme-  Arcane tome with 3 Greater Magick spells (1) 570   Kabal banner (1) Agility: 50% (8) - Coordination +20, Stealth +10   Gilded throne of bones (1) Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize +10   Hide armor (1) Intelligence: 40% (4) - Education +20, Folklore +10,  Reagents for all Magick spells (9) Navigation +10   Skrzzak litter (9) Willpower: 40% (6) - Survival +10   Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip (1) Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE  Tome of faith & disease (1)  Wytchstone essence (6) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +7 CHOLERIC SKRZZAK  Movement: 11 on foot INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) Broodmothers have foretold the birth of a special pup: one  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) who will be a “super ratling”, a Skrzzak that can go to the COMBAT PROFILE regions of prescient knowledge where Broodmothers dare  Fetid blade: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - not enter. Damage (4) - Fast, Vicious  Tail vertebrae: 65% - Distance (melee or 1 yard) - Through careful (yet imprecise) manipulation of Kabal blood- Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, Reach lines, the Broodmothers have attempted to create this superior  Parry: NONE being, whom they call the “Skrzzak Cholerach”. Although they  Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality) have failed up to this point, litters born her gravidity are extraor- dinarily different than their kindred. Wytchstone-infused elixirs TRAITS are suffused within the belly of the Broodmother, increasing her  BROWN DEATH yellow bile while filling her with exalting passions and religious  DARK SENSE babblings. The Choleric Skrzzak are her resultant children,  FAST ON THEIR FEET groomed from birth to become priests of the Kabal. The only  HARBINGER OF PLAGUES Skrzzak in the Great Warren that are closer to the Skrzzak god  PATH OF DESTRUCTION (HUMANS) than Broodmothers are the Choleric. They sell themselves en-  PLAGUE-RIDDEN tirely over to the divine worship of the Thirteen, appeasing their  RIPPING TEETH god with flagellation and the spread of disease.  STRESS-INDUCING Choleric Skrzzak appear frail and without meat on their TRAPPINGS bones, riddled with all manner of boils wracking their body.  However, they rejoice in the divine pain, as they feel bless- Fetid blade, as mortuary sword with Fast Quality (2)  Kabal banner (1) ed by the magnificent plague aspects of their god. They, too  consume Wytchstone Essence to enter similar, dream-like Skrzzak gong (SPECIAL)  Skrzzak chimes (SPECIAL) fugue states as their matrons. Through these dreams, they are  able to foretell the immediate future, much as Truthsayers Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip (1)  Tome of faith & disease (1) can from the world above. They hope that visions of count-  less threads in cause and effect among the Great Warren will Wytchstone essence (3) lead them to a true, optimum path to dominate the world PHLEGMATIC SKRZZAK above. Although they’ve been unable to see what the dis- tant future holds, they are often the ones to raise the war INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR gong among the Kabals. The Choleric Skrzzak rally armies The Broodmother oft needs council for her various machina- with blasphemous words and banners of frightening sym- tions, but the sparse vivimancers spend much of their time in bols, playing monstrous brass bells and chimes that exude a the world above, unable to serve their mistress’s immediate noxious miasma: a clarion call to the Kabal. United, Choleric needs. She needs a pup with a mind towards strategy, schol- Skrzzak wish nothing more than to spread illness upon their arship and the very physical maintenance of the Broodmoth- enemies, to watch them writhe in divine pain and die at the er’s gravidity. hand of their Thirteen’s chosen people. The matron can alter her humors to excel her phlegm to PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES monstrous levels, a predicator for the birth of Phlegmatic  Combat: 45% (4) - Martial Melee +20, Simple Me- Skrzzak. This breed is nearly as intelligent as their Brood- lee +20 mother, but in differing ways; their intellect is much more  Brawn: 45% (6) - Athletics +20 calculating and objective, while the Broodmother’s is often focused on her dream-state machinations. Phlegmatic mu- 571 tations give them lightning fast deduction, calculating infor- TRAITS  mation at alarming rates to hypothesize possible outcomes. BROWN DEATH  Not only are they a Kabal’s scholars, but they keep the apoc- DARK SENSE  ryphal histories and living histories. Phlegmatic Skrzzak are FAST ON THEIR FEET  also the primary caregivers and advisers to Broodmothers, LICK YOUR WOUNDS  often found in their chambers discussing policies while serv- MASTER OF THE LASH  ing as wet nurse or doktor. STRESS-INDUCING

Phlegmatic Skrzzak are made obvious by their massively TRAPPINGS elongated heads, as well as their almost supernaturally calm  Animalbane (1) demeanors. They are also insatiably curious scientists and ex-  Beastbane (1) perimenters. Using the arcane energies of Wytchstone, they  Leather armor (1) perform diabolical and grotesque experiments on beings of  Man catcher, as bullwhip without Ineffective Qual- all sorts. Though they prefer to inflict these bloody and vis- ity (1) ceral mutations upon humanoids, they regularly draw from  Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip (1) prisons of the Great Warren, using Warren Runners as their  Wytchstone Essence (3) lab rats. Successful results have come about from their trans- mutative tinkerings, most famously the enormous Tyrant SANGUINE SKRZZAK Skrzzak. They treat them more like beloved pets than slaves, INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR praising a Tyrant right after the beast has dismembered an Special breeds of Skrzzak are more feared than the teeming intrusive band of adventurers in the Great Warren. Brood- masses of the Kabals. Called the Sanguine, they are an in- mothers keep their eye heavily focused on this breed, as a slip dependent lot, dwelling on the fringes of the Great Warren. of their tongue could potentially cause the whole Kabal to collapse. Phlegmatic Skrzzak are too willful and confident to Like other Broodmother pups, Sanguine are born from a be ignored, and they know this full well. chemically-induced exsanguination of blood in the Brood- mother, making this breed very excitable, flighty and highly PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  dangerous. They are lithe and quick, their limbs thin and fur Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Melee +10, Simple a midnight black color; they leave no trace of their presence. Ranged +10 Sanguine Skrzzak are bred to become contract killers, car-  Brawn: 40% (4) - Athletics +10  ing little for personal possessions, save their weeping blade. Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +20, Ride +20 This sacred knife is one of deep tradition and a hallmark of  Perception: 40% (6) - Awareness +20  these warriors. They hold near-religious reverence over it, in- Intelligence: 45% (5) - Education +20, Heal +20 somuch that they only withdraw it when ready to kill. To  Willpower: 40% (6) - Survival +10  sheath a weeping blade without first drawing blood is con- Fellowship: 45% (3) - Leadership +10, Handle sidered sacrilegious, an affront to both their own honor and Animal +20 the worship of the Thirteen. Reputedly, this blade is made from their first incisor to fall out as a pup, mutating by expo- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES sure to Wytchstone to elongate and grow ever-sharp.  Initiative: +9  Movement: 10 on foot The Sanguine play a role of great importance in the Great  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) Warren and the world above. As highly experienced assassins  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) for hire, they are not only sent to eliminate troublesome infil- trators from the surface, but also to eliminate other rival mem- COMBAT PROFILE bers of the Kabals. They have countless tools at their disposal  Man catcher: 45% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 for exterminating their marks: throwing knives, jars of poison, yard) - Damage (3) - Entangling, Reach climbing ropes and their weeping blade are just a few of their  Tail vertebrae: 45% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 toys. Sanguine Skrzzak see their assassination missions as near yard) - Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, divine guidance from the Thirteen; so much so that they ingest Reach Wytchstone Essence before undertaking a mission. Sanguine  Bolas: 45% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) - Load (1 Skrzzak believe it heightens their focus and vision, allowing AP) - Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, the Thirteen to see their kills through their eyes. Throwing  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Parry: NONE   Dodge: 70% Combat: 45% (5) - Simple Melee +20, Simple 572 Ranged +20 All Tyrants were once Warren Runners, often criminals  Brawn: 40% (4) - Athletics +10 who volunteered for experimentation in order to reduce  Agility: 50% (8) - Coordination +20, Stealth +20 their sentences. What these poor wretches did not expect  Perception: 45% (6) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize +20 was the sheer torture and grotesquery of these experi-  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Folklore +10, Navigation +20 ments. These whelps were subjected to ampules of liquified  Willpower: 40% (5) - Survival +10 Wytchstone Essence, fusing Ogrish blood into their very  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE essence. The Skrzzak then amputated and re-attached mul- tiple limbs, placing nearly every known disease upon the SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES creatures. The Warren Runner would be driven to blinding  Initiative: +9 insanity by the treatments, becoming a willing thrall. They  Movement: 11 on foot then emerge weeks later from the Phlegmatic’s fetid cham-  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) bers, fully transmuted into a Tyrant Skrzzak.  Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) Tyrants - also sometimes called king rats - are massive and COMBAT PROFILE grotesque creatures, towering nearly twelve feet high and  Weeping blade: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - bristling with muscle. Their bodies are awful to behold, rid- Damage (7 or 8) - Fast, Finesse, Light, Vicious dled with tumors, patches of mismatched skin, engorged  Tail vertebrae: 65% - Distance (melee or 1 yard) - thew, withered limbs and even having pieces of metal bolt- Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, Reach ed into their very flesh. They are nearly always in blinding  Throwing star: 65% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) - pain, so much that they only have two emotions: obedience Load (1 AP) - Damage (8) - Fast, Finesse, Throw- and violence. Tyrants are terrors on the battlefield, throwing ing, Weak down foes like wretched rag dolls at the command of their  Smoke bomb: 65% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) - Phlegmatic masters. When given reprieve from the cycle of Load (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE violence, Tyrants are subjugated to heavy labor, digging the  Parry: NONE endless tunnels of the Great Warren and other strength-in-  Dodge: 70% tensive tasks. More importantly, they are the principal min- ers of Wytchstone; without them, Skrzzak society would TRAITS collapse. Their exposure to the Aetheric mineral keeps them  AMBUSH TACTICS docile while they work, but as soon as they are separated  BROWN DEATH from it, they re-enter a blinding rage of pain. The only thing  DARK SENSE that can relieve it is either by ingesting more Wytchstone  FAST ON THEIR FEET “treats” from their Phlegmatic masters or the promise of be-  GUTTER RUNNER ing drafted back to the mines.  SMOKE BOMB  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES SNIKT! SNIKT!   STRESS-INDUCING Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +30  Brawn: 45% (11) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, Toughness +30 TRAPPINGS   Balaclava mask (1) Agility: 40% (8) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30   Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +30 Dirk (1)   Folkbane (3) Intelligence: 35% (3) - NONE   Willpower: 40% (6) - Survival +30 Leather armor (1)   Smoke bomb (1) Fellowship: 40% (4) - NONE  Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip (1)  SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Throwing star, as throwing knife (6)   Weeping blade, as dirk but without Weak Quality Initiative: +7  Movement: 11 on foot and with Vicious Quality (1)   Wytchstone Essence (3) Damage Threshold: 14 (20/26/32)  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) TYRANT SKRZZAK COMBAT PROFILE ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR  The trademark monstrosities of the Phlegmatic Skrzzak’s Tyrant claw: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - vile experiments, Tyrants are a terrifying sight to behold. Damage (11) - Fast, Reach, Vicious  Tail vertebrae: 80% - Distance (melee or 1 yard) - 573 Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, Reach Ranged +10  Parry: 80%  Brawn: 40% (4) - Athletics +10  Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality)  Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10  Perception: 45% (5) - Awareness +10, Scrutinize +10 TRAITS  Intelligence: 40% (4) - Folklore +10, Navigation +10  BROWN DEATH  Willpower: 40% (5) - Survival +10  BRUTE STRENGTH  Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE  DARK SENSE  DIM-WITTED SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  HIDEOUS MIGHT  Initiative: +8  IRON GRAFTS  Movement: 10 on foot  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23)  RIPPING TEETH  Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  SNIVELING WHELP  TERRIFYING COMBAT PROFILE  Stiletto: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage TRAPPINGS (4) - Fast, Vicious, Weak  Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip (1)  Tail vertebrae: 55% - Distance (melee or 1 yard) -  Tyrant claw, as knuckleduster (2) Damage (NONE) - Entangling, Ineffective, Reach  Shepherd’s sling: 55% - Distance (ranged 8 yards) - WARREN RUNNER Load (1 AP) - Damage (4) - Fast, Throwing, Weak BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Parry: NONE The Broodmother’s brood are not always exact; not every litter  Dodge: 60% born is fit to be elevated into prominence. These offshoot pups TRAITS are collectively called Warren Runners, and are the most com-  BROWN DEATH mon of the Skrzzaks horde.  DARK SENSE  FAST ON THEIR FEET Viewed as failed experiments in creating stronger breeds, these  STRESS-INDUCING corrupted and sickly weaklings make up the largest portion of the Great Warren’s number. They are mostly factionless. For TRAPPINGS them, they are more often seen as chattel than anything; the  Folkbane (1) Kabals primarily use them for slave labor. Born into thralldom,  Fur armor (1) they are most often used as cannon fodder by the Kabal’s lead-  Shepherd’s sling (1) er to soften their enemies before the “real attack” begins. Sur-  Stiletto (1) vivors who are fit warriors are elected to lead dangerous guer-  Tail vertebrae, as bullwhip (1) rilla raids into the world above, while the indolent are granted  Wytchstone Essence (3) freedom, spending their days in a Wytchstone-induced haze, forgetting the pain of their position (or lack thereof ) in the Great Warren.

Warren Runners vary wildly in size and shape, but most are ei- ther piebald or possess only a few tufts of fur that marks them as undesirables. Though they may be weaker than any of the true members of the Kabal, Runners are still capable and fast on their feet, navigating both cramped passages and winding city streets as they tend to their labors. However, Warren Run- ners are notoriously lackadaisical, committing to tasks only when demanded at the threat of excision (the unceremonious act of having their tail removed). It is for this reason alone that Warren Runners sit at the bottom of the pecking order in the Great Warren.

PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10, Simple 574 SUPERNATURAL CREATURES

have spent years combing through ruins, learning the rites of my craft and the knowledge within, yet beings of the Supernatural still escape me in their mystery. For certain they are all beings of spirit in one way or another - Iwhether those former souls bonded to rotting corpses, forces of nature made physical, or even the cursed vampiric disease that erodes away one’s humanity. The Aethereal Veil holds many secrets, and my studies here will only increase to crack the hidden truths of reality. I pray my soul survives intact. Excerpt from the journal of Graf von Bek, former Graverobber and current Defiler

AETHERIC SPIRITS NO FAMILY  Air Sylph: ADVANCED  Defiler: ELITE (LOW) RISK FACTOR (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR  Earthen Gnome: ADVANCED  Golem: ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Flame Salamander: ADVANCED  Living Statue ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Water Undine: ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR RESTLESS SPIRITS  Apparition: ADVANCED FEY (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Dullahan: ADVANCED  Hooded One: ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Facedancer: BASIC  Phantom: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Redcap: BASIC  Red Revenant: ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Sidhe Lord: ELITE  Wailing Woman: INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR RISK FACTOR  Talking Tree: ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR VAMPIRE   Woodland Nymph: ADVANCED Lamashtu: ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Nosferatu: ELITE MINDLESS UNDEAD  (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR  Crypt Skeleton: BASIC  Rakshasa: ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Draugr: INTERMEDIATE  Succubus: ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR (MID) RISK FACTOR  Reanimated Corpse: BASIC  Vampiric Templar: ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Tenebrae: INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR

575 AETHERIC SPIRITS ingly weak to opposing elements - Water Undines cannot Demons are not the only creatures that are beings of pure journey onto land, just as Fire Salamanders disintegrate chaos, ones that live outside of the Material Realm but com- when exposed to water. pletely ingrained in its reality. There are also more simplis- AIR SYLPH tic spirits, ones that have no form or function until they are called by a wayward warlock into the flesh world. These are ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR the enigmatic and primal Aetheric Spirits. There are no such things as fairies - though common in folk- tales and myths, these little moth-winged sprites have never Aetheric Spirits are borne from the Aethereal Veil - the bor- shown any physical evidence of existing. Perhaps they were der that separates our reality from the screaming fury of the made from the rabble-rousing of Redcaps or maybe ancient Abyss. The Veil is a protective border of sorts, and it is also a Elves, but these small fanged spirits of mischievousness are prism that separates the raw fury of Magicks from the void on all accounts just rumors. However, the Air Sylph may be into the rainbow of winds that power mages of all stripes. an adaptation of, or maybe even the origin therein, of those Unlike the Abyss, it has no real form, but it is slightly more same fairy tales. composed and “safer” than the devilish pit. Aetheric Spirits are beings of pure chaos-stuff, more spirits than creatures By cooking a Gryphon’s egg, an Air Sylph can be torn from of formable flesh and blood. They represent the four ele- the Aethereal Veil. With a violent squall and a clap of thun- ments - air, earth, fire and water. These elements have been der, the Air Sylph materializes from the void from a minia- present throughout time to describe alchemy, the nature of ture cyclone. The Air Sylph is often no bigger than a child, reality, the gods, humors and much more. They are the build- though their physical form is that of a comely - and nude - ing blocks of much Magickal theorem. Aetheric Spirits may Elven woman. However, this is shadowed by seemingly insec- have originally been attuned to these elements, or perhaps tile features - they have a set of large moth wings sprouting cultural zeitgeist made them follow these forms due to col- from their backs, furry antennae sprouting from their heads, lective consciousness, but that is their current lot. Aetheric and their eyes are segmented and compounded. They kick up Spirits are not intelligent in any way, being even below some winds wherever they go, chittering incessantly in a half-whis- animals in terms of thought power. These act on simple in- pered, half-seductive tone. Air Sylphs are flighty and mercuri- stinct, following the whims and ways of their element rather al, and they often cause instinctual chaos just by purely exist- than putting any planning into anything. ing. They are also extremely quick on the wing, and even able to blend into the very winds to remain unseen. They may not While in the Aethereal Veil, these elementals have no phys- be intelligent, but that are most likely the most cunning of all ical form or any sort of identity - they swirl amongst and the Aetheric Spirits - though that honestly isn’t saying much. through each other, destroying and being reborn in seconds. Air Sylphs are slaves to the wind though - they can not jour- The only time they take form is when summoned through ney underground or over water, where their powers are slowly an eldritch Ritual known as Summon Aetheric Spirit. With drained until they are tossed back to the Veil. the expenditure of a sacrifice, an Aetheric Spirit is torn from the Veil and placed into our reality - somewhat. When they Air Sylphs probably are the most common of the Aetheric are summoned, they exist in neither their home or the Ma- Spirits to really call into question what these beings actual- terial Realm, but rather in between. This makes them highly ly are. Could ancient societies have unwillingly trod upon unstable, with only the power of the summoner being able enclaves of Air Sylphs they had mistaken for fairies, even to keep them intact. Aetheric Spirits must create their ma- though such formal Magicks had not been discovered? Or terial shell out of their element within the local area, har- are they instead adaptations of myths, taking this physical nessing air, earth, fire or water to construct a form that can form to fill a sort of metaphysical void in the consciousness manipulate the real world. They are dependent upon their of mankind? Sylphs also very highly among cultures - far summoner, able to follow commands but often interpreting to the east, they are often referred to as genies, and stories them literally. Some powerful Aetheric Spirits have managed speak that they can grant three wishes upon being released to break free of the shackles of their summoner and live in from their Aetheric prison. Perhaps this is related to the Air relatively stability in the Material Realm, but these are often Sylphs instincts to follow orders, but the myth has become just whispers. In reality, an Aetheric Spirit will crumble and so popular that many arcanists have died due to their over- return back to their home dimension if their summoner is confidence in summoning these vaporous beings, all in hopes ever killed, knocked out, or put to sleep. of a simple wish.

Aetheric Spirits are still nothing to be trifled with. They have PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +30 no sense of morals, right or wrong and embody the pure de-  structive forces of our realm. Happily, they are also exceed- Brawn: 40% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, 576 Toughness +30 rumbling and noise of shattering stone, up from the ground  Agility: 45% (10) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 burrows the imposing Earthen Gnome, covered in rot and  Perception: 35% (4) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop dirt. Earthen Gnomes are squat and disgusting, possessing +30 clearly worm-like attributes. They are putrid white-yellow  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE and ridged, covered in a carapace of diamond and rock. Two  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE groups of three small, beady eyes crowns their head, and their  Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE mouth opens four ways into a massive saw-toothed jaw de- signed for crushing stone and bone. Around their neck are SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES multiple retracting tentacles they can use to manipulate ob-  Initiative: +7 jects into their jaws. They are eerily quiet, not even making  Movement: 16 on foot, 19 while flying a noise when burrowing or eating, though they are always  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) half-submerged in the earth. Whether they have an actual  Peril Threshold: NONE hind end is up for debate, as they are instantly killed if they are ripped from their burrow. COMBAT PROFILE  Wind kick: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- Though Earthen Gnomes are threatening, they are relatively age (SPECIAL) - NONE calm and immobile compared to the other Aetheric Spir-  Elemental reach: 70% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) its, making them only slightly less dangerous. One of the - Load (2 AP) - Damage (10) - Entangling, Pum- more interesting facets of the Earthen Gnome is their name, meling which is far too similar to the humanoid Gnomes - at least in  Parry: NONE their opinion. Myths exist that Earthen Gnomes once were  Dodge: 75% (Natural Quality) actual Gnomes, who journeyed too deep into the earth and became trapped, devolving into these fat and fetid worm-like TRAITS creatures. Earthen Gnomes are also used to scare children,  ACCURSED taking on a similar role as the classic changeling of human  AMBUSH TACTICS society. Luckily, due to the Earthen Gnomes literal lack of  BROKEN WINGS intelligence, this idea bears no merit outside of a deterrent to  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR not steal from or strike other children.  ELEMENTAL WEAKNESS  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES FAST ON THEIR FEET  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +30  INCORPOREAL   Brawn: 45% (13) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, MASTERFULLY ADROIT Toughness +30  MINDLESS   Agility: 40% (7) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 PAW, HOOF OR WING  Perception: 35% (4) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop  PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE  +30 PHYSICAL INSTABILITY  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE  POISON RESISTANCE   Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE WIND KICK  Fellowship: 0% (0) – NONE

TRAPPINGS: NONE SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  EARTHEN GNOME Initiative: +7  Movement: 10 ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Damage Threshold: 17 (23/29/35) What lurks below our feet, in the cold belly of the earth, has  Peril Threshold: NONE always been a worry for land dwellers. Though Dwarves may indeed know the depths of the stone, even the most chthonic COMBAT PROFILE depths they choose to avoid. Rumors persist of massive car-  Earthen fisticuffs: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) rion worms the size of villages, who dig enormous tunnels - Damage (13) -Slow while feeding on even fouler things. Though no real sign of  Stone blast: 70% - Distance (ranged 7 yards) - Load these has ever been found, the Earthen Gnome follows these (2 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE fears closely.  Parry: 70%  A Basilisk’s eyes bring forth an Earthen Gnome, as it is dis- Dodge: NONE solved in acid and spread about the circle. With a terrible 577 TRAITS able to grow back lost limbs and cause heat fatigue by simply  ACCURSED existing. At least Pit Dragons are intelligent to an extent;  BIG GRIM Flame Salamanders function on pure Aetheric instinct, one  BRUTE STRENGTH which is no more than apex predatory urges.  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR  ELEMENTAL WEAKNESS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 45% (9) - Simple Melee +30 FEE-FI-FO-FUM   INCORPOREAL Brawn: 40% (6) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30,  MINDLESS Toughness +30   Agility: 40% (7) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 NATURAL ARMOR (4)   PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop  +30 PHYSICAL INSTABILITY   POISON RESISTANCE Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE   Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE STOMP THE YARD   STONE BLAST Fellowship: 0% (0) – NONE

TRAPPINGS: NONE SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +6 FLAME SALAMANDER  Movement: 10 on foot  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Dragons are an ancient terror whispered in the dark, and Peril Threshold: NONE there are rumors that abound of half-breeds which wreck COMBAT PROFILE as much havoc as their parents. One of these was a mythical  four-legged serpent, a small non-flying snake which haunted Gnashing teeth and claws: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (8) - Slow, Vicious loamy forests and deep caverns. Though they were long de-  stroyed by Slayers, the Flame Salamander assumes the form Spit fire: 75% - Distance (ranged 6 yards) - Load of these aged creatures whence summoned. (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE  Parry: NONE The heart of a Chimaera is used in the summoning ritual, as  Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality) it is burned, inhaled and exhaled. A wave of heat and fetid brimstone heralds its arrival, as a magma rift opens that the TRAITS beast crawls out of. The Flame Salamander takes the form of  ACCURSED a squat lizard, roughly the size of a komodo dragon and sim-  AUTOTOMY ilar in shape. Their scales are obsidian black, cut in between  DEATH ROLL with molten rock separating the plates, and their eyes burn  ELEMENTAL WEAKNESS with a yellow-red fire. Their hiss crackles with cinders, and  FEEL THE HEAT they are able to breath a searing gout of flame that melts skin  FIERY RETRIBUTION and metal the same. They are always filled with a fiery rage,  FIREPROOF one that leads them to scorch the land they trod upon. Water  FRIGHTFUL is anathema to them, thus their propensity to stay within  INCORPOREAL caves deep within the heat of the earth.  MINDLESS  POISON RESISTANCE Flame Salamanders are beings who represent the fury and  PHYSICAL INSTABILITY destructive force of flame and heat, one that has existed since  RIPPING TEETH the world was young. Since dragons are so rare, Flame Sala-  SPIT FIRE manders are often mistaken for them by those unfortunate to stumble upon ones who freely dwell in the Material Realm. TRAPPINGS: NONE And why not? They are lizards that breathe fire, have jagged teeth and exude Corruption, so they might as well be the WATER UNDINE feared wyrms. An easy defense for the Flame Salamander ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR is as simple to carrying a bucket of water with you, but they The jellyfish is a mysterious creature of the sea: it has no are so powerful and terrible you are lucky if you do not lose brain, no heart, no mouth, yet it moves and lives, undulating your possessions or your skin when you bear witness to their with its many tentacles and gelatinous body. They are found burning countenance. They are still surprisingly resistant, in the darkest recesses of the ocean, and can grow to mon- 578 strous size. No wonder that the enigmatic Water Undines - Damage (4) - Entangling, Fast, Pummeling  assumes this form whenever summoned to the Material Elemental reach: 70% - Distance (ranged 13 Realm. yards) - Load (2 AP) - Damage (12) - Entangling, Finesse, Pummeling Like all Aetheric Spirits, Water Undines are formless amoe-  Parry: NONE bas floating in the Aethereal Veil, representing the crushing  Dodge: 85% (Natural Quality) gravity of the ocean depths. Water Undines are summoned through the use of a pulsating Shimmering Mimic’s brain, TRAITS pulverized and devoured within the arcane sigil. With a blast  ACCURSED of mist and brine, the Water Undine emerges from a murky  COLD BLOODED, COLD HEARTED pool that forms within the circle. They are a shimmering  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR blue, alternating between wine dark and translucent. They  ELEMENTAL WEAKNESS are roughly the size of a humanoid and in the shape of a  FAST ON THEIR FEET jellyfish, their bell and tentacles pulsing. They have no intelli-  FWIP! FWIP! gence, only a primal instinct of survival and an almost devil-  INCORPOREAL ish contempt for the world. They are only ever mobile within  MASTERFULLY ADROIT water, and when they are they are stealthy hunters who fill  MINDLESS their prey with poison. Some believe that the pulsing colors  POISON RESISTANCE of their dome-shaped body are a sort of primitive or chemi-  PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE cal language, but their chthonic fury doesn’t leave much time  PHYSICAL INSTABILITY to contemplate their nature.  STINGING TENTACLE Under the sway of the right summoner, Water Undines are intimidating foes but useless without any sort of direction. TRAPPINGS: NONE Some do manage to escape the thrall of their masters, and FEY descend deep into the depths of the water in order to grow massive and powerful. It is thought that krakens and giant There is something primal and frightening about the deep squids are eaten by massive Water Undines, only further fu- forests of the land. Within the copse lay half-petrified trees eling the myths that Water Undines - when left to their own - older than most kingdoms - and riverbeds that have seen devices - could threaten coastal cities as they grow bigger. the blood of thousands of different cultures, and beasts with Luckily, Water Undines can not leave the water. Using their no concern of mankind’s presence. But even darker, stranger massive tentacles, they drag prey into the dark depths of the things are in residence - beings that lived before even the sea, never to be seen again. Aztlan arrived. Dwelling in remote copses and glades, these terrifyingly old and powerful beings are known as the Fey. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +30, Simple The Fey are ancient primeval spirits who worship long-for- Ranged +30 gotten elemental gods, their names lost to time. Once ban-  Brawn: 35% (3) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +30, ished from the Material Realm, their sorcerous willpower Toughness +20 has allowed them to languish in the Well of Souls with their  Agility: 45% (12) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30 memories intact, in a place menacingly known as the Black  Perception: 45% (9) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop Lodge. The Fey can easily cross into the Material Realm +30 where there are high concentrations of geomantic energies:  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE concentric circles of sapling sycamore trees, dark masses  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE of tangled underbrush or pools of black, burbling oil amid  Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE glades all serve as portals for them out of the Black Lodge. They are tied to the forest, however, and rarely venture far SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES from it before being called back by pure instinct and fear of  Initiative: +12 the mortal world. Fey generally live upon the edge of civili-  Movement: 15 while swimming zation, making sure their realm is not tampered with. They  Damage Threshold: 3 (9/15/21) are non-confrontational providing their sanctuaries are left  Peril Threshold: NONE unmolested, but interlopers are dealt with cold neutrality at best, and terrible ire at worst. Not only are all Fey Magickal COMBAT PROFILE creatures of awesome power, but they have allied themselves  Stinging tentacle: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) with the primordial Beasts of the forests - the creatures that existed far before animals trod upon the ground. 579 Fey are all cruel and capricious beings to a fault, controlled by atop Night Mares, which look like skeletal horses wreathed emotion and instinct rather than actual logic. That does not in flame; otherwise, they drive grim, gothic carriages or even mean they see eye to eye, however. Fey are split along two lines pilot river-going skiffs that rattle and quake as skulls of the of thought - one is that they are the rightful rulers of the for- dead bounce around. Nothing stops the Dullahan - they are est, with the Elves as their enforcers. The other line of thought immortal, no door is an obstacle to them, and they are only is that they they are the first people of the forest, and that the visible to a select few people. When they reach their mark only way to protect it is through destruction of all others, in- deemed by the Custodian, they plunge their vertebrae sword cluding the Elves. These have resulted in two dualistic Coterie, through their very soul, extracting it and either tossing it in the Seelie on the side of order, and the Unseelie on the side their carriage or thrown over their saddle. As the heat of the of chaos. Humans and other demi-races do not factor into the body fades, the Dullahan gallops off to deposit the newly equation - they are slain instantly. Seelie are hedonistic beings, harvested spirits into the Well of Souls. the worst of human aristocracy placed into an alien mindset. The Humans they decide to capture they mock and torture, Dullahan are not undead, but they aren’t living either - they using them as slaves and slowly eroding their humanity. The dwell within that awkward medium that all Fey do. They Unseelie, on the other hand, are little more than masochistic have no true will anymore, for sure - they are servants of animals. They hide in shadows and ravage passerby, splaying the Custodian, and they will not stop until their designated entrails and viscera across the boughs of trees. They are brood- souls are collected. That is what makes them most dangerous ing and angry spirits, quick to lash back at any perceived in- - they are tenacious and powerful, and though a Dullahan sults or malice. can be potentially slain to ward it of sweeping off a soul, soon another Dullahan will return in its place, full of ire and de- Ruling over the Coterie are the enigmatic Sidhe, beings of struction. They also share an odd connection with the Black immense power that even most members of the Coterie have Lodge that little other Fey do - they serve the destruction never seen. The Fey’s main motive in the Black Lodge is to and entropy of the Lodge, and wherever they go they bring a ascend to godhood, replacing their old dead gods with them- stench of rotting wood and dried bones. selves - and the Sidhe are at the forefront of this, a cross PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES between royalty and divinity. They have elaborate and elegant  names like Oberon and Titania, but they would be nothing Combat: 50% (8) - Martial Melee +30, Simple Ranged +20 without their huge indoctrination camps full of slaves. Re-  gardless, the Seelie and Unseelie follow the will of the Sidhe Brawn: 45% (5) - Athletics +10, Drive +30, Intim- Lords, though that will is under the interpretation of unsta- idate +30  Agility: 40% (8) - Pilot +10, Ride +30, Stealth +10 ble minds. The Coterie are constantly at each other’s throats,  and allegiances are only ever clear to the Fey themselves - Perception: 45% (7) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop +20, Navigation +20 they will stop fighting forest intruders to murder each other  if they ever come upon one another. Intelligence: 35% (3) - Folklore +20  Willpower: 40% (5) - Interrogation +20 DULLAHAN  Fellowship: 40% (4) – NONE ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR Death rides upon a pale horse; one that comes for man and SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +10 woman, rich and poor alike. The Custodian is not a chaotic  being of any sort; She simply knows that a due is owed, for the Movement: 11 on foot  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) soul the Demiurge gave must be returned to the Custodian. In  order to accomplish this, the Custodian has cursed a certain Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) brand of Fey to be Her eternal ferrymen - the Dullahan. COMBAT PROFILE Fey are Magickal and immortal, so they very rarely die out-  Vertebrae sword: 80% - Distance (melee engaged side of violence. When their spirits die in the mortal world, or 1 yard) - Damage (8) - Punishing, Reach, Slow the Custodian transforms them into the brooding and terri-  Parry: 80% ble Dullahan - a sort of petty revenge for the Fey’s rebellion.  Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) Dullahans appear as burly, cloaked coachmen, their riding leathers dark and adorned with bits of human bone. They TRAITS possess no head, yet they carry it decapitated either beneath a  BIG GRIM crook of the arm or mounted on their saddle. It can see, smell  FEY SIGHT and hear normally, but it rarely speaks outside of condemn-  FRIGHTFUL ing the mortal they have come to collect. Dullahans ride  GIVE ME YOUR EYES 580  GOLDEN DEATH away at the despair they feel, but there is no cure for a Face-  INCORPOREAL dancer’s anguish aside from continuous, ritual murder.  IN THE FACE  REANIMATOR PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 40% (4) - NONE SILENT STALKER   STEELY FORTITUDE Brawn: 35% (3) - NONE   Agility: 40% (4) - NONE UNLATCH DOORS   WOAD TATTOOS Perception: 45% (4) - Awareness +10, Scrutinize  WORD OF DEATH +10  Intelligence: 45% (4) - Folklore +10  TRAPPINGS Willpower: 40% (6) - Interrogation +10, Resolve  +10 Dullahan’s head, as storm lantern which doesn’t  require fuel (1) Fellowship: 50% (7) - Bargain +10, Charm +10,  Vertebrae sword, as zweihänder (1) Disguise +10, Guile +10, Rumor +10  Witchhunter’s coat & mantle (1)  Witchhunter’s hat (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +7 FACEDANCER  Movement: 7 on foot  Damage Threshold: 3 (9/15/21) BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Myths tell of a curse placed on a clan of people long ago Peril Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) for displeasing long-forgotten gods, a curse that would leave COMBAT PROFILE the people without identity but always longing for one. The  world is not kind or loving, and a sad yet morbid tale is to be Ritual dagger: 40% - Distance (melee engaged) - told of the Facedancer’s dilemma. Damage (4) - Fast, Finesse, Light, Weak  Parry: 40% Their unchanged faces are utterly featureless, aside from a  Dodge: 50% (Natural Quality) wide-gaped mouth with razor sharp teeth filling it. Perhaps surprisingly enough, Facedancers are not demons or any TRAITS kind of monster: they have normal thoughts and motivations  FACES OF DEATH (though normality leaning towards viciousness). Facedancers  FEY SIGHT have an endless desire to be normal again, for features and  WANTON HUNGER a reflection in the mirror, and they can accomplish this feat through a sanguine ritual. Upon skinning a humanoid vic- TRAPPINGS tim’s face, the Facedancer devours the newly-cut flesh. The  Ritual dagger, as dirk (1) Facedancer then undergoes a grotesque transformation, be-  Slingbag with faces inside (3) coming a perfect copy of their meal: a true doppelganger. Everything from physical appearance, memories, affectations REDCAP and even Magickal powers can be used by the ordinarily-frail BASIC (LOW) RISK FACTOR Facedancer. This change is not permanent nor is it perfect; At times, even the most capricious of creatures are not of the transformation only lasts until the following new moon, the Abyss at all. Skulking among the brush and loam of the while the Facedancer’s eyes are of two different colors; a forest, the mischievous Redcaps are malicious sprites, given mark of surefire deception (or as Inquisitors put it, the mark countless names from dunter to powrie to knocker to pixie. of a heretic). When a man is entwined by the charms of a Woodland It is unknown if the Facedancers are native Fey or are like the Nymph, the conniving figures of the Redcap are the rotten Dullahan and simply been adopted into its ranks. Many like fruit born from such couplings. They are born fully formed to say their mutable forms were the first to take form within and intelligent, emerging from the nymph’s sourest fruits in the Black Lodge, but other Fey laugh at this idea. Facedanc- the downturn of spring. Redcaps are born with the counte- ers feel spiritual pain while not transformed; the memories nance of old men, their backs crooked and their skin wrin- from all their assumed identities clash, driving them to mo- kled and tanned. After birth, they then disperse, donning ments of deja vu of events which never transpired. Thus, the local toadstools as primitive head coverings on their mad- Facedancer has another barbaric tool aside from their trusted dening crusade to cleanse the wood. As they grow (and so skinning knife: a waterproof bag strapped to their hip, where does their toadstool hat), their expertise comes in ambushes, they keep dried faces to consume at their leisure. This ebbs dispatching any forester, woodcutter, traveler or farmer who 581 decides their copse would make a good resource for a local  Pike (1) count.  Red cap mushroom (3)  Redcap fang (2) Redcaps are undoubtedly Fey spirits of vengeance and cha- os, beings who have inherited the worst traits of both their SIDHE LORD parents. After killing their enemies, they soak the worn toad- ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR stool cap in their blood, using it as a sort of odd sacrifice to In the darkest reaches of the primordial, spectral forests ancient devilish spirits of the forest. When not killing in- of betwixt here and the Black Lodge, the capricious Sidhe truders, their favorite activities include rolling boulders onto Lords hold court over Fey of all kinds. Little is known about travelers, setting fire to settlements and maiming of livestock. these beings, aside from the fact that they are quite mad and Assuredly, they have no interests other than general mayhem. aspirational, as well as capable. Luckily, Redcaps are vanishingly rare, congregating in small circles among ruined settlements they’ve waylain. Wiping Sidhe Lords were thought to be the original servants of the out a small group of them could clear the problem from an long dead gods of the dawn age - perhaps champions who entire forest entirely. They are also averse to the powers of were looked upon in favor, or maybe semi-divine beings. Ei- the gods, reticent of attacking priests. Redcaps are also of ther way, they were favored and not only granted immense interest to wizards and alchemists, as the red cap mushrooms power, but prolonged life amongst the fecund lands of the they grow are a potent inducer of bloodlust and their fangs Black Lodge. However, the old gods slowly started to die, and can be ground into smelling salts. with them the Black Lodge shrunk and was consumed by the Well of Souls. The Sidhe Lords used what power they could PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  to enforce their borders, but the ravages of the Well’s dark en- Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10 ergies ate away at their very minds. Soon enough, the Sidhe  Brawn: 40% (5) - Intimidate +10  Lords saw themselves as the only protectors of the Fey - the Agility: 50% (6) - Stealth +10 new gods who were destined to rise up and usurp reality as  Perception: 45% (4) - Eavesdrop +10  many know it. But the Sidhe Lords were few and far between, Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE as well as far too narcissistic and hateful - instead of working  Willpower: 40% (4) - Resolve +10  together, they broke into two Coterie which still exist to this Fellowship: 35% (3) - NONE day. Each Coterie are full of loyal Fey, fettered mortal prison- ers and the occasional Abyssal ally. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +7 Each Sidhe Lord may as well be a god to their chosen  Movement: 9 on foot people - their power is immense, as they can sing spectral  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/24) songs to nature itself to allow it to bend to their will. In ap-  Peril Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) pearance, Sidhe Lords often appear as mortalkind, though with supernatural, naturalistic aspects - a wispy maid with COMBAT PROFILE cascading water for hair, a strong Siabran warrior with stag  Pike: 55% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 yard) - horns growing from their head, or a burly barbarian made Damage (4) - Reach completely of stone and ice. They tend towards whimsical  Redcap fang and claws: 55% - Distance (melee or mystical names as well, such as Jack Frost, Morgause, engaged or 1 yard) - Damage (5) - Pummeling, Oberon, Titania, Una or the White Witchling. Many Sidhe Slow, Weak Lords also actively welcome mortals into their grand palaces,  Parry: 55% but do not be fooled. Sidhe Lords are capricious and schem-  Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) ing to a fault, mad manipulators whose benedictions and opinions shift as the seasons do. They will stop at nothing TRAITS to gain power to intrude upon the mortal world and become  BATTLE FRENZY the “new gods of the old way”, maneuvering their Coterie to  FAST ON THEIR FEET tear down the idols of false gods and erect a new tomorrow.  FEY SIGHT  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES INCORPOREAL   WILL OF THE GODS Combat: 50% (5) - Martial Melee +30, Martial Ranged +30  TRAPPINGS Brawn: 50% (6) - Athletics +10   Agility: 50% (13) - Coordination +30 Blood-soaked foppish hat (1)   Iron-shod heavy boots (1) Perception: 55% (9) - Eavesdrop +20, Survival +30 582  Intelligence: 50% (5) - Folklore +30 soul takes residence inside the tree, to live forever in a somber  Willpower: 55% (7) - Interrogation +30 and taciturn nature, watching over the relative peace of their  Fellowship: 50% (5) - Charm +30, Disguise +30, deathbeds. Talking Trees generally stay in one place, anchored Guile +30 by their roots, but they are able to walk about slowly when needed to. Their normal movements are ponderous and their SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES minds are insightful, thinking for hours upon perceived prob-  Initiative: +12 lems and riddles. Many creatures of the forest see the Talking  Movement: 16 on foot Trees as wise sages worthy of respect - in fact, Elven maid-  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) ens who follow the Martyr, worshippers known as dryads,  Peril Threshold: 13 (19/25/31) care for and tend to the trees as a sign of devotion. They are also thought to be blessed by the Demiurge, for Talking Trees COMBAT PROFILE speak as men during the day and as women at night. Talking  Ironwood bow: 80% - Distance (ranged 21 yards) Trees stand as tall as a Nephilim and are terribly powerful, - Load (2 AP) - Damage (13) - Fast, Finesse, yet their branches can be as delicate as a moth’s wing. They Punishing can appear as many types of trees, but they generally suit their  Harlequin sword: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) personality - the sad and despondent are weeping willows, the - Damage (13) - Fast, Finesse, Vicious strong and mighty are towering redwoods, those given to gra-  Parry: NONE vidity are petrified and so on.  Dodge: 90% (Natural Quality) Though Talking Trees rarely turn to violence, some do fall TRAITS towards corruption and darkness. Many Unseelie Talking  AMBUSH TACTICS Trees are known as foulroots, their bark turned black and  BEASTKITH their arboreal form given the terrible power of Sorcery. They  BOTH-HANDEDNESS often lie in wait for passserbyers, still as a tree until they  CAPTIVATING CRY grasp at their prey and rip them apart. Seelie Talking Trees  EVERYMAN are instead gifted with prophecy and divine insight, knowing  FAST ON THEIR FEET the secrets of the movements of the stars. They also actively  FEY SIGHT enforce the growth of the forest, maintaining hovels deep  FORESIGHT below the earth where they keep their workshops and raise  INCORPOREAL saplings. Seelie Talking Trees see foulroots as little more  MASTERFULLY ADROIT than dead wood, things that should be burned down and cut  SILENT STALKER in order to grow newer, healthier trees and forests.  POSSESSION  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES TRUE NAME  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30  Brawn: 50% (13) - Athletics +20, Toughness +20 TRAPPINGS   Agility: 35% (3) - NONE Harlequin sword, as court sword with Vicious  Perception: 40% (7) - Scrutinize +30, Survival +30 Quality (1)   Intelligence: 40% (6) - Alchemy +30, Folklore +30, Ironwood bow, as composite bow with Punishing Navigation +20 Quality (1)   Willpower: 45% (6) - Incantation +30, Resolve +30 Sidhe armor, as mail armor but with Natural Qual-  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Handle Animal +30 ity (1) TALKING TREE SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +10 ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Movement: 6 on foot Though Fey are terrifying and violent spiritual creatures,  Damage Threshold: 18 (24/30/36) some actually are somewhat placid beings. The most com-  Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) mon of these are the Talking Trees - they are Fey, true, but they were born and molded in the Material Realm, so their COMBAT PROFILE mind and ways are far more stable than their other spectral  Bare-handed: 75% - Distance (melee engage) - brethren. Damage (13) - Reach, Slow  Parry: 75% Talking Trees are created when virginal demihumans com-  mit suicide in or among the branches of ancient trees. Their Dodge: 35% 583 beautiful lyric. This is often used to obtain a sampling of the TRAITS Nymph’s breast milk, which has intrinsic healing properties  BRUTE STRENGTH and uses in druidic spells. In exchange, the Nymph will of-  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST ten coyly ask for the seducer’s seed. However, these parings  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR breed terrible fruit in the form of malicious Redcaps. These  FEY SIGHT slight Fey grow like apples from the Nymph’s limbs, until  FLAMMABLE they eventually fall off and burst into new life. The Red Cap  FORESTWALKER is then rumored to one day return and kill its father, which is  HARD-NOSED where the crux of the deal lies.  HIDEOUS MIGHT  HIGH MAGICK PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 40% (5) - Simple Melee +30 INESCAPABLE   NATURAL ARMOR (5) Brawn: 45% (5) - Athletics +10   Agility: 50% (8) - Coordination +10, Stealth +10 PRIMAL SCREAM   UNGAINLY Perception: 45% (8) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop  WINDS OF CHAOS +20, Navigation +20, Survival +30  Intelligence: 35% (3) - Folklore +30  Willpower: 40% (7) - Resolve +10 TRAPPINGS   Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) Fellowship: 40% (4) - Charm +30, Guile +20,  Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) Rumor +20  Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spell (1)  Reagents for all Magick spells (9) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +11 WOODLAND NYMPH  Movement: 11 on foot  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR  Probably the most well known of all the Fey are the lust- Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) ful and dangerous Woodland Nymphs. They sit among the branches and glades, calling for both seed and blood of man. COMBAT PROFILE  Branch-like claws: 70% - Distance (melee engaged Woodlands Nymphs are beautiful and comely women, slight or 1 yard) - Damage (8) - Entangling, Pummeling, of figure but large of hip and breast. Their skin color ranges Slow from greens to browns, and their hair appears to be made  Parry: NONE of vines, leaves or mosses. They are always seen around a  Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) specific tree, one that each Nymph protects like a mewling child. They keep the roots of the tree free of weeds, main- TRAITS tain their fairy rings of toadstools and tend the wildflower  AETHEREAL FORM gardens around the aged giants. The Nymphs also produce a  AMBUSH TACTICS syrupy breast milk; one they squeeze into clay jars to nour-  BATTLE FRENZY ish the tree’s roots with. Normally the Nymph is very shy  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR and modest; if they are sighted by an outsider, they will turn  FAST ON THEIR FEET Aethereal and enter the tree they tend, only emerging when  FEY SIGHT the being is gone. But do not threaten their tree or gardens in  FLAMMABLE any way, as this can only lead to death. If the plant is at risk,  INCORPOREAL the Nymph will emerge from their hiding place as the ter-  PATH OF DESTRUCTION (HUMANS) rible creature called L’wraithian (in Elvish means ”haunt”).  PERFECT CAMOUFLAGE In this violent form of nature’s wrath, their skin hardens to  SEASONS TO PASS bark, their fingers elongating into claws and they take on the  STRESS-INDUCING aspects of the seasons while exuding a hauntingly terrible  SILENT STALKER and wrathful beauty.  WOAD TATTOOS

Woodland Nymphs are not all terrible beings, as they care TRAPPINGS for animals just as much as they do their precious tree. They  Jug of breastmilk (1) are notoriously weak for musicians and singers - inviting  Red cap mushrooms (3) them to their consul in more than one way if they can spin a 584 MINDLESS UNDEAD from existence. However, some can give blasphemous life The Well of Souls: a world beyond this world, lorded over by to these inert stacks of dried collagen and marrow, creating the Custodian. It is the final resting place of all living things, Crypt Skeletons. a darkness where spirits forget their old lives and their old Most are constructed from ragtag bones of artisans and ser- existence, before they return to the cold embrace of reality. vants employed by corrupted wizards. Ritualistically slain - The Well is not a place of chaos or malevolence, but never- as to hide the inner workings of their laboratories and secret theless a realm of change and rebirth. towers - the necromancer then takes great pains to cleanse But there are those who seek to disrupt the natural cycle of the bones in acid, or let nature take its course, letting them life, death and rebirth; those who wish to enslave the souls rot in a fetid pit. Once assembled into a horrendous amalga- of the departed to do their bidding. These blasphemous peo- mation of remnant bones, stitches and tack, they are driven ple are Necromancers, practitioners of dark Magicks and the by pure Magick, with no muscle or rotted viscera to motor eternal bane of the Custodian’s demesne. Necromancers care the joints. They do not hunger, they do no sleep and they little for the dead, seeing them as more golem or automata to do not think; in short, they are perfect automatons who are be used, rather than once having housed the souls of living, able to continually revive if their bones are near to each oth- feeling creatures. They are able to rip souls from the Well, er. Skeletons have no consciousness, but can follow complex shoving them unceremoniously back into their decomposed commands to a fault. They do, however, all possess an un- bodies. These souls are confused and afraid, having lost all remitting hatred of the living. Crypt Skeleton’s victims are identity and knowledge from their time in the Well. The re- often maimed beyond belief, with remnants taken back to turned are made the unwitting slaves to their new dark lords, their necromantic lord to be recycled into new skeletons. devoid of free will. Many are morose, but victim to their in- Their only weakness is an unflinching adherence of orders: if stincts, now killing and feeding because they need to. Some told to guard a tomb, a Crypt Skeleton will never leave it - are furious upon being revived, pained by their previous even in pursuit of interlopers. They will even maintain their existence, housed in a purgatory of rotting flesh they once directive long after the death of their master. Though most sloughed off. Others are too far gone, far too entrenched in Crypt Skeletons are humanoid, there has been evidence of the Custodian’s realms and remain apathetic, dumb as a pack animals being animated through the terrible necromantic beast (and treated no better still by the necromonger). Magicks and serving the same functions. They are also ru- The Mindless Undead have no culture and no identity; both mors that in some far away lands that souls are not bound to have long been eroded into the inky blackness of the Well of skeletons, but rather brass automata run by clockwork. These Souls. They wear the tattered burial clothes they were interred are mostly just rumors, but it does not seem like much of a in, or possibly whatever regalia the egotistical Necromancers stretch to animate unliving metal when bone is little more provide them with. All Undead are extremely resistant, their than dead calcium rock. skin having long turned to leather, their viscera dried and their PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES bones calcified. When they fight, they are vicious and unre-  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10, Simple lenting, haunted by the pain of existing in a body that should Ranged +10 no longer function. Mindless Undead are never natural, always  Brawn: 40% (5) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, the result of profane Magicks and dark sorcery. They are loyal Toughness +10 only because the Magicks which bound them back to their  Agility: 35% (4) - Stealth +10 bodies tells them to be; they fight because their chaotic mas-  Perception: 40% (5) - Awareness +10 ters force them to do it through witchery. The Undead wish  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE nothing more than to return to the Well of Souls, but they  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE have been forbidden from falling upon their own blades. The  Fellowship: 0% (0) – NONE greatest mercy when encountering these foes is their total de- struction, as it is also the only way to keep their plague-ridden SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES numbers down. They long for death, and feel no remorse: in  Initiative: +8 fact, exorcists have written of hearing a jubilant sigh, as if a  Movement: 7 on foot giant weight has been lifted off of one’s shoulders, when they  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) strike down these creatures of eternal pain.  Peril Threshold: NONE CRYPT SKELETON COMBAT PROFILE BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR  Rapier: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage Bones litter the countless vaults and mausoleum of the (4) - Fast, Finesse, Weak world, collecting dust as the memory of the dead fades far 585  Ruined hunting bow: 55% - Distance (ranged intricate knots of a civilization long lost. Their war wounds 14 yards) - Load (1 AP) - Damage (1) - Finesse, are just as diverse, ranging from spear wounds inflicted with Ruined, Weak flint tips to massive cannon shots that tore through their  Parry: 65% (Defensive Quality) guts. When Draugr do speak, they speak in a variety of  Dodge: NONE tongues, yet they all seem to understand each other. They bring together thousands of years of experience, strategy and TRAITS weaponry to create both a terrifying and effective force.  BAG O’BONES  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES HOLY RETRIBUTION   MINDLESS Combat: 45% (8) - Simple Melee +20, Simple  REANIMATOR Ranged +20, Martial Melee +20, Martial Ranged  +20 SKELETAL REMAINS   STRESS-INDUCING Brawn: 40% (6) - Intimidate +20, Toughness +20  Agility: 40% (5) - Ride +20  TRAPPINGS Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop  +10 Arrows (6)   Buckler (1) Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE   Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE Hunting bow, with Ruined Quality (1)   Mail armor (1) Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE  Rapier (1) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES DRAUGR  Initiative: +6  INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR Movement: 8 on foot, 11 on horse  Damage Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) War is a sad reality of a grim and perilous world. Nations  claw at each other’s’ throats for a few tracts of land, send- Peril Threshold: NONE ing young boys to fight wars between old men - rarely even COMBAT PROFILE knowing the lord’s name of whom they fight for. Many will  march out of their villages for a lord they do not know, and Draugr blade: 65% - Distance (melee engaged) - never return to their loved ones. Damage (8) - Vicious  Parry: 75% (Defensive and Protective Qualities) Middling swordsmen end up in ditches, but reknown soldiers  Dodge: NONE are buried in hill mounts, meant to memorialize the sacrific- es of these fallen warriors. It is there where the Necromancer TRAITS will find fresh corpses to defile. Draugr are the reanimated  FRIGHTFUL flesh of these poor souls, knowing nothing but a lifetime of  HOLY RETRIBUTION war. They look akin to emaciated corpses, devoid of most its  IMPLACABLE DEFENSE flesh, dressed in full battle garb. Having been buried with  IN THE FACE their armor and their sword, these reanimated fighters stand  HARD-NOSED once again to fight battles for lords they never knew. These  KILL IT WITH FIRE souls are confused, believing they are still in a war that seems  LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER to last for an eternity. Of all the Mindless Undead, they are  MINDLESS the most formidable combatants, with particularly strong  NEVER SURRENDER Draugr often serving as a Necromancer’s right-hand confi-  PLAGUE-RIDDEN dante, recognized by exorcists as “wights of the barrow”. The  REANIMATOR only way to fell one of these wretched souls is destruction of the head; otherwise, they will continually rise again and TRAPPINGS again and again. War… war never changes. And the Draugr  Draugr blade, as mortuary sword (1) know aught else, damned to an eternity of battle until the  Mail armor (1) end of days.  Memento from their former life (1)  Metal shield (1) If one is ever unlucky enough to encounter a force of Draugr,  Tattered burial shroud (1) you can see the pattern of war across history as if someone cut through a solid layer of rock. Some may wear kabuto ar- mor of a far eastern land, while others wear tattered kilts and 586 REANIMATED CORPSE COMBAT PROFILE  BASIC (MID) RISK FACTOR Tooth and nail: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (4) - Pummeling, Slow, Weak The Reanimated Corpse is both the most savage and pitiable  Mindless Undead that necromancy can forge. Parry: 55%  Dodge: 45% (Natural Quality) The Reanimated Corpse is a shambling monstrosity, a rotting TRAITS humanoid from where viscera are visible, limbs are missing  HOLY RETRIBUTION and their ragged jaws hang agape. These creatures are created  MINDLESS from those dead who died in unnatural ways, such as by mur-  PLAGUE-RIDDEN der or poisoning. The Necromancer summons the deceased’s  REANIMATOR soul from the Well of Souls, binding it into a fetish or phy-  RIPPING TEETH lactery, placing it around their neck. They then animate the  SOUL JAR corpse, which rises and follows the commands of those who  STRESS-INDUCING hold the object containing their soul. As the Corpses do not possess a soul in their physical bodies, they are reduced to little TRAPPINGS more than beasts: they hunger for human flesh, but their un-  Fetish (1) dead form means they do not require it. They attack savagely  Memento from their former life (1) with teeth and nail, biting off chunks of flesh with a ragged  Tattered burial shroud (1) jawbone bereft of teeth and scooping out eyeballs of their vic- tims with broken, bony digits. Unless the object housing the TENEBRAE soul is destroyed, Reanimated Corpses will continually revive INTERMEDIATE (LOW) RISK FACTOR no matter how often they are slain. Aside from the object, the Tenebrae are shadow-people possessed by chaos: puppets Reanimated Corpses also have a supernatural aversion to rock which exist only to serve Corruption made manifest. They salt; they become inert if a jar of it is placed in their mouths. have no free will, essentially mindless but compelled to snuff out the “blinding light” of other living creatures. Reanimated Corpses are quite easy to raise en masse, and they are both powerful and terrifying. Across the known Often haunting places where ritual murders or excessive vi- world, you can hear countless stories of small towns being olence has occurred (particularly villages that have fallen be- swept away under a wave of these shambling monsters. The neath the blade of Vampiric Templars), Tenebrae exist only worst stories to hear from the criers are those of the weary to kill. They sit upon the threshold of the Material Realm travelers - lost in the woods, forced to hold up in a ram- and the Well of Souls, able to detect whenever living be- shackle cabin as the undead and their own paranoia claws ings are near the remains of their corpses. And as the living away at them until they are nothing more than carrion. Some are sensed, their bodies shamble and animate once more, also say that the world has become so foul and tainted that surrounded by a strange warping of light and darkness. A Reanimated Corpses are starting to rise on their own voli- shimmering shadow emanates from their body, appearing as tion, leaving graveyards empty and their villages soaked in if made from smoke, repelling them wholly from physical blood and entrails. harm unless exposed to light. They then withdraw the imple- ments from their former profession: axes, scythes, hammers PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES and the like, and take to the killing.  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +10  Brawn: 40% (5) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, Strangely, Tenebrae will recite bits and pieces of the language Toughness +10 they once spoke as a force of intimidation, although sound-  Agility: 35% (5) - Stealth +10 ing like nonsense and out of place. This strange behavior has  Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +10, Survival +10 been recorded by many an exorcist, who inexplicably state  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE that it must have been the living soul fighting against the  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE chaos, beseeching the living to put them out of their misery.  Fellowship: 0% (0) – NONE It is often intimidating and quite terrifying to see the wispy form of a Tenebrae lash out with jagged weaponry, only to SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES hear it weep openly and beg for its life to end. Tenebrae  Initiative: +7 straddle the line between flesh and spirit, and it seems even  Movement: 8 on foot the creatures themselves often do not know which realm  Damage Threshold: 5 (11/17/23) they inhabit.  Peril Threshold: NONE

587 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES of unmitigated power. Though they were combatted, the  Combat: 35% (4) - Simple Melee +20, Simple last straw came when it was discovered the dark magi were Ranged +10 searching for the secret of immortality - a taboo in their  Brawn: 40% (5) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +20, cultures which still lives on today. After being banished, the Toughness +20 necromancers delved deeper and eventually discovered their  Agility: 45% (6) - Coordination +20, Stealth +10 goal - eternal life. What they did not expect was the gnaw-  Perception: 40% (6) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop ing emptiness and void of immortality being the true cost of +10, Survival +10 power. Enraged at their hubris, they journeyed back to the  Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE once-verdant cities and conjured fell Magick; it swept across  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE the land, killing the residents and re-raising them as Mind-  Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE less Undead, as well as turning the once verdant jungles into barren dunes. Now the Defilers rule in debauchery, cackling SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES as their former enemies are forced to fight, die and be reborn  Initiative: +9 for all eternity.  Movement: 9 on foot The process to become a Defiler requires a terrible and  Damage Threshold: 20 (26/32/38) bloody ritual fueled by the darkest of Magicks. Using a ritu-  Peril Threshold: NONE ally-treated bronze knife, the Defiler eviscerates themselves, removing their stomach, lungs, liver and intestines, placing COMBAT PROFILE the organs into four large sandstone jars; otherwise called  Improvised hand weapon: 55% - Distance (melee soul jars. This leaves only their still beating heart, the pre- engaged) - Damage (4) - Pummeling, Weak sumed location of the soul, and a massive entry into their  Improvised thrown weapon: 45% - Distance chest cavity. They then pack the cavity full of salts and ritual (ranged 6 yards) - Damage (4) - Pummeling, Slow, spices to extract all their humors, finally wrapping themselves Throwing, Weak in linen to preserve the flesh. The ritual complete, their with-  Parry: 65%  ered heart glows with an unearthly black light from the Well Dodge: 65% of Souls, granting the creature the immortality they craved. Even with Magick serving to keep the Defiler able to do the TRAITS ritual, few survive to become immortal. Those that do are in-  FAST ON THEIR FEET  exorably insane, as the magnitude of pain caused their men- FRIGHTFUL tal fortitude to snap. Not only that, but to become immortal  HOLY RETRIBUTION  is to become inhuman; Defilers lose all light and connection HARD-NOSED to the Gods when they enchant their ragged hearts. What  LIGHT SENSITIVE  remains is nihilism and a black existence, an immortality of MINDLESS immense power but intense spiritual distress.  SHADOWBORN Defilers are insanely powerful Necromancers, bending life TRAPPINGS and unlife to their every whim. With a wave of their emaci-  Improvised hand weapon (1) ated hand they can re-raise an entire cemetery, send a forest  Improvised thrown weapon (1) to withering, befouled water and spread disease with their  Memento from their former life (1) breath. They form massive dynasties around themselves, de-  Tattered burial shroud (1) lusional royalty of the Mindless Undead who only seek to destroy any that have turned against them. Defilers are also NO FAMILY notoriously petty, sending their dynastic troops against other These Supernatural creatures are not affiliated with any fam- Defilers mostly out of sheer boredom and ennui. This and ilies. Each should be treated uniquely. the small number of Defilers mitigates their threat, but it is said the whole of the once-verdant kingdoms fell in a day DEFILER under the force of these crypt lords. The Defiler’s main weak- ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR ness is the four soul jars. They are always guarded heavily or Though anyone who knows the proper rituals can raise un- under the constant eye of the Defiler; should one be separat- dead thralls, the most horrendous tales of undead hordes ed from the others or destroyed, the Defiler’s power wanes from the histories lay far to the barren south in a place where immensely. Destroying all of them is the only way to kill a kings were worshipped as gods. It was home to a verdant Defiler, their soul so blackened and foul that it is destroyed civilization that was plagued by Defilers; terrible sorcerers by the Custodian instead of allowing entrance into the Well of Souls. Some Defilers are so paranoid about their soul jars 588 that they will hold them in their gaping chest cavity so that  Expensive ring (6) they are never separated.  Flail, as threshing flail (1)  Golden death mask (1) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Khopesh, as rapier with Vicious Quality (1)  Combat: 50% (6) - Simple Melee +20   Pharaoh’s armor, as mail without the Heavy Qual- Brawn: 50% (7) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +30, ity (1) Toughness +10  Phylactery (4)  Agility: 50% (7) - Coordination +20, Ride +20  Tattered rags (1)  Perception: 50% (5) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize  Reagents for all Magick spells (9) +30  Intelligence: 50% (5) - Education +30, Folklore +20 GOLEM  Willpower: 55% (11) - Incantation +30 ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Fellowship: 50% (5) - Guile +30, Rumor +20 When the dead are buried, often stakes are attached to the inside of the lid of the coffin to kill any zombified being that SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES may arise. But what happens if the corpse is exhumed and  Initiative: +8 then experimented on for foul purposes? The result is the  Movement: 10 on foot sinister Golem.  Damage Threshold: 12 (18/24/30)  Peril Threshold: 13 (19/25/31) Golems are massive humanoids, constructed out of the dead remains of multiple humanoids. Despite being made of corps- COMBAT PROFILE  es, Golems themselves are not truly undead creatures - rath- Khopesh: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- er, their bodies are infused with the mysterious “electric fluid” age (7) - Fast, Finesse, Vicious, Weak  drawn from Wytchstone shards to provide mobility. Golems Crook: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage are mismatched and stitched together, composed of some- (6) - Light, Powerful, Weak  times up to a dozen bodies of only the strongest parts. The Flail: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage sum of these parts then bristle with inhuman strength and (6) - Adaptable, Weak agility, yet retain a base level of intelligence due to an intact  Parry: 70%  brain being required to pilot the body. Golems are also re- Dodge: 70% markably well preserved, often dunked in chemical baths in between their forays into the world. Golems are often created TRAITS by Necromancers, or even those of a scientific bent who wish  AETHERIC DOMINATION to plunge into the mysteries of biology and necrosis. Given a  AWAKENING good dose of stage makeup and a burly coat, a Golem could  BAG O’BONES even walk amongst mortalkind - though as an admittedly  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST larger-than-average looking being.  DARK SENSE  HOLY RETRIBUTION Golems are naturally quite confused and prone to fits of an-  LORD OF THE DAMNED  ger - their limbs sometimes rebel against them, falling to OCCULT MASTERY muscle memory of a body that no longer exists. Golems are  PLAGUE-RIDDEN  also quite lonely and prone to melancholy, given their status POISON RESISTANCE as monsters brought back into life with no say in the matter.  REANIMATOR  They long to reconnect to a life they can not return to, as this SOUL JAR life is divided between a handful of bodies. They would love  STEELY FORTITUDE  to die to relieve their pain, but their master would probably TERRIFYING just reanimate them or construct them of even more parts.  TRANSFIXED GAZE  All they wish is to reach out to another human life, but often WILL OF THE GODS they end up crushing a person’s windpipe more often than not. TRAPPINGS  Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1) Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30   Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spell (1) Brawn: 50% (9) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30,  Crook, as cudgel (1) Toughness +30   Expensive necklace (3) Agility: 40% (6) - Coordination +30 589  Perception: 40% (7) - Scrutinize +30 cow the other eight to obeisance.  Intelligence: 40% (4) - NONE  Willpower: 45% (5) - Resolve +30 Living Statues know only toil - they build endless ziggurats,  Fellowship: 35% (3) - Disguise +10, Guile +20 monuments and obelisks for their master, ones both beau- tiful in craftsmanship and terrible in purpose. When the SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES war drums are beaten, the Living Statue picks up its pike  Initiative: +10 and shield, becoming a terrible engine of war who towers  Movement: 9 on foot over the battlefield and destroys siege engines with a sim-  Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) ple kick. Living Statues are also used to defend tombs and  Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) temples from intruders, standing still for millennia and only activating to destroy intruders. They are monsters with no COMBAT PROFILE feelings, only instincts to kill and build. Thankfully, as the  Iron-hard fists: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - sands have progressed and many Defiler kingdoms have Damage (9) - Vicious been overthrown, many Living Statues lay inert amidst the  Parry: 75% ever-changing dunes. They wait for their old masters to bring  Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality) them back to life, laying in dormancy to impotently protect- ing a tomb swallowed centuries ago.

TRAITS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  ACCURSED   Combat: 40% (7) - Martial Melee +30, Martial BOTH-HANDEDNESS Ranged +30  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR   Brawn: 45% (10) - Athletics +30, Intimidate +30, LUMBERING BRUTE Toughness +30  MENACING   Agility: 40% (10) - Coordination +30 SHOOT FIGHTER  Perception: 35% (6) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop +30, Scrutinize +30, Survival +30 TRAPPINGS   Intelligence: 0% (0) - NONE Memento of a former life (1)  Willpower: 0% (0) - NONE  LIVING STATUE Fellowship: 0% (0) - NONE

ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +9 When the Defilers overthrew the southern kingdoms and  Movement: 16 on foot raised hordes of the undead, they found that the newly de-  Damage Threshold: 18 (24/30/36) ceased had little to offer in terms of muscle power. As a solu-  Peril Threshold: NONE tion, the process of creating a Living Statue was developed - one that would breed monstrous results. COMBAT PROFILE  Living Statues are towering monstrosities, many reach- Bronze pike: 70% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 yard) - Damage (7) - Reach, Vicious ing over thirty feet in height - more than a match for any  Nephilim. They are composed of natural materials such as Bronze bow: 70% - Distance (ranged 18 yards) - basalt, bronze or obsidian, but sandstone is by far the most Load (2 AP) - Damage (10) - Fast, Finesse, Weak  Parry: 80% (Defensive and Protective Qualities) common medium. Constructed with the likeness of ancient  and terrible gods, they are imposing and powerful to behold, Dodge: NONE crowned with anthropomorphic heads. The Defiler - or any TRAITS other necromancer - animates the Living Statue by collect-  ing nine souls in canopic jars. The souls are then transferred BRUTE STRENGTH  HIDEOUS MIGHT into the form of the Living Statue, where it animates to  serve. The nine souls did not lose their personalities, as these LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER  MASTERFULLY ADROIT towering golems are at constant odds with themselves, a hive  of disparate minds trying to control a singular body. Many MINDLESS  NATURAL ARMOR (5) grow insane, but some become placid enough to be success-  fully controlled. Their controller may be able to cement one PAW, HOOF OR WING  POISON RESISTANCE personality, usually if a powerful spirit like an Aetheric Spirit  or a Fey is one of the nine inhabitants - they can generally REANIMATOR 590  RUSTY WEAPONS wish only to pass on to their final rest, and may be able to pass  SOUL JAR down secret knowledge if this boon is granted to them. Oth-  STATUESQUE ers have gone totally mad or are just plainly malevolent, feeling  SWEEPING STRIKE anathema and hatred to all living beings. Their chilling strikes can turn their enemies instantly into other Restless Spirits upon TRAPPINGS death, causing haunted locales to become more dangerous as  Arrows (9) more curious investigators fail to return. The Custodian would  Bronze bow, as composite bow with Weak Quality love nothing more than to corral all these wayward spirits, but (1) the gods have no ability to directly intrude upon the Material  Bronze death mask (1) Realm at all. Thus, why priests of the Custodian have such ire  Bronze pike, as pike with Weak Quality (1) for both the Mindless Dead and Restless Spirits - they are the  Cheap necklace (1) only instruments that can carry out their Lord’s will.  Cheap ring (3)  Metal shield (1) APPARITION  Phylactery (9) ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR  Tattered robes (1) A good majority of Restless Spirits are victims of circum- stance, simple ghosts and spectres who were unwillingly RESTLESS SPIRITS bound to the world and are unable to move past it. Even- The nature of the soul and spirit is a hard one to pin down tually, others have been trapped here due to past misdeeds, exactly. The main issue comes about on whether souls are real possessed by unmitigated rage. These Apparitions are these - is there an essence to our being that lives on after the mortal violent echoes. coil is shed? Do we keep any of our personality, or do we fade into oblivion? Though the Custodian is the god of death and Apparitions are entities that are bound to the material world knows it secrets, and supernatural creatures of all kinds es- because of a promise they broke or a curse they invoked on pouse on the existence of the Well of Souls, no mortal or sane themselves. Their grief has driven them completely mad, and eyes have seen it. Supposedly, when a person dies, their soul is it is difficult to delineate that they were even mortal before. ferryed to the Well of Souls, where it is wiped clean of mem- Apparitions have no set form, being made of pure ectoplasm ories to only reincarnate in a new body later on. But even the - instead, they appear as a dead loved one or friend to who- slightly superstitious do not believe this wholeheartedly. Ru- ever sees them. They always carry a spectral lantern, using it mors abound of souls lost to time and those who have escaped to guide their way. They tempt and call to the viewer, acting from the Well of Souls, bound to the Material Realm to be wayward and lost, until their rescuers come near enough to be ever cursed in a state of undeath. Whether these are actual lost touched and drained of their life energy. Apparitions will lie in souls or perhaps Aetheric energies masquerading as the dead wait for years to torment certain people, and they are incred- is not important, as Restless Spirits exist and are all around us. ibly malevolent and violent when their mark is within reach. They can also send up spectral hands to grasp and claw at foes Restless Spirits are echoes of the dead, with all the memo- from a distance, a fearful and dangerous ability. ries and experiences of their former selves. Some are ancient, having been trapped on earth for centuries with little hope Apparitions are hateful beings, wanting nothing more than of achieving true death. Others are new and confused, mor- to spread discord and pain. Those they strike down will arise tals previously unaware of the supernatural who are now an automatically as Phantoms, and this breeds of vicious cycle integral part of it. All humanoid mortals can become Rest- of spiritual pain. Why the two can create each other is up for less Spirits, but the vast majority are Humans - likely due debate, but perhaps it leads to a deeper meaning than first because they are the most short-lived of all the races. They thought. Could perhaps the Apparition be the abandoned are all semi-translucent and emanate an eerie blue aura, their whole of the Phantom, and the two forever stalk the world causes of death evident in their new spectral form. Restless in search of each other? Phantoms are relatively sane and do Spirits exist between the Material Realm and the Aethereal not know why they have this ability, so word from the source Veil, able to drift in and out of it to become incorporeal or is moot. That being said, an Apparition and a Phantom have near flesh. Their spectral nature also makes them immune never been seen together, so perhaps their joining is the only to most forms of attack. Only weapons anointed by divine thing that could bring them final peace. or arcane energy can find purchase, while Magick spells can PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES bring a violent end to the undead.  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +30  Brawn: 45% (8) - Intimidate +30 Restless Spirits may be slightly mad, but they are intelligent  - although often fixated on the past and their old lives. Many Agility: 40% (7) Coordination +20, Stealth +30 591  Perception: 35% (6) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop Ones wear dark and tattered cloaks that hide their wispy +20, Scrutinize +20 forms. Underneath their hood is a skeletal form, out of which  Intelligence: 45% (4) - Folklore +20 crawl grave worms as dust emanates from their mouths when  Willpower: 50% (5) - NONE they speak. Hooded Ones always carry a light with them,  Fellowship: 40% (5) - Guile +30, Rumor +20 one they use to search for the path to the Well of Souls, and SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES a wicked sickle for reaping souls. Hooded Ones are morbid  Initiative: +10 and wrathful, enjoying nothing more than terrorizing the  Movement: 10 on foot living. They can make mirror image-like copies of themselves  Damage Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) to confuse and haunt, as well as supernaturally manipulate  Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) the world around them. They also can drain life force, feed- ing upon the living. COMBAT PROFILE  Ghastly touch: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Hooded Ones are grim harbingers of death and destruction, Damage (8) - Entangling, Pummeling, Slow, Weak though they often carve out a territory where they reap their  Ghastly reach: 70% - Distance (ranged 10 yards) ghoulish harvests from. Those killed by a Hooded One will - Load (1 AP) - Damage (8) - Entangling, Ineffec- arise as one of the Restless Dead, and sometimes the more tive, Throwing ambitious Hooded Ones have raised armies of the dead in  Parry: NONE attempts to overthrow the living. Most, however, are con-  Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) demned to pilot skiffs down the River of Oblivion, where all dead are shepherded. Hooded Ones can be stopped - they are TRAITS repelled by holy symbols, as they can not stand the concept  ACCURSED of divine power that binds them to the Material Realm. They  AETHEREAL FORM also all have a True Name, which they keep hidden: one that  BONDS OF DEATH if it is revealed, weakens the Hooded One and makes them  COLD HANDS more vulnerable. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hooded Ones and  COME INTO THE LIGHT Dullahans are mortal foes - they each rebel against each oth-  FAST ON THEIR FEET er’s very nature, and their fight would be a frightening spec-  HOLY RETRIBUTION tacle if they ever encounter one another.  INCORPOREAL  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES PARALYZING TOUCH  Combat: 40% (4) - Martial Melee +20  PHYSICAL INSTABILITY   Brawn: 45% (6) - Intimidate +30 STEELY FORTITUDE  Agility: 40% (9) - Coordination +20, Stealth +20  WALL CRAWLER   Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop WILL OF THE GODS +20, Scrutinize +20  Intelligence: 45% (4) - Education +30, Incantation TRAPPINGS +20, Folklore +30  Ghostly lantern (1)   Willpower: 50% (9) - Interrogation +20 Various sundries from where it haunts (SPECIAL)  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +20 HOODED ONE SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR  Initiative: +6 Immortality has been a desire since people first new that  Movement: 12 on foot time for them was finite. Over the centuries as Magickal re-  Damage Threshold: 6 (12/18/24) search has evolved, several inroads have been made to cheat-  Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) ing death, though all of them are blasphemous - there is no greater sin in the Custodian’s eyes than to refuse Him your COMBAT PROFILE rightful soul. Those that succeed may become Defilers, but  Sickle: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage those that fail in their labors are cursed forever as Hooded (9) - Fast, Finesse, Vicious Ones.  Cold touch: 40% - Distance (melee engaged) - Hooded Ones are the unfortunates who failed to correct- Damage (6) - Pummeling, Slow, Weak  Parry: NONE ly grant themselves immortality through profane Magicks.  Now, they are destined to live forever, stalking the world in Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) a pained existence. Also called wraiths or reapers, Hooded 592 TRAITS Phantom’s aid, resolving the unchecked deeds which keeps it  ACCURSED bound to the Material Realm, they can finally find the rest  AETHEREAL FORM they seek.  BLOODLUST  COLD HANDS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES   Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +20 FAST ON THEIR FEET   HOLY RETRIBUTION Brawn: 45% (4) - Intimidate +20   Agility: 40% (6) Coordination +20, Stealth +20 INCORPOREAL   LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER Perception: 35% (7) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop  +20, Scrutinize +10 MANY FACES OF DEATH   PHYSICAL INSTABILITY Intelligence: 45% (4) - Folklore +20   Willpower: 50% (5) - NONE STEELY FORTITUDE   TERRIFYING Fellowship: 40% (5) - Rumor +20  TRUE NAME  WILL OF THE GODS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  Initiative: +10  TRAPPINGS Movement: 9 on foot   Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) Book of the dead (1)   Tattered robes (1) Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26)  Sickle, as court sword with Vicious Quality (1) COMBAT PROFILE PHANTOM  Ghostly touch: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (NONE) - Fast INTERMEDIATE (MID) RISK FACTOR  The mortal soul is highly complicated, and sometimes the Improvised thrown weapon: 60% - Distance ferrymen aren’t able to recover it properly. These aimless (ranged 8 yards) - Load (1 AP) - Damage (4) - spirits manifest into a Phantom; ghostly beings that can not Pummeling, Slow, Throwing, Weak  Parry: NONE journey to the Well of Souls on its own nor animate the body  they once lived within. Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality)

Phantoms spend their “unlives” haunting the places they used TRAITS to live. They all carry some sort of unfinished business, a symp-  ACCURSED tom of their fragmented soul that broods on a specific loss,  AETHEREAL FORM deeds undone or enemies left unchecked. This dismay and an-  BONDS OF DEATH ger causes the Phantom to lash out, tossing aside furniture,  BRUSH WITH DEATH rattling chains and frightening residents so the spirits can  FAST ON THEIR FEET chase out the living to dwell within their own sorrow. Life is  HOLY RETRIBUTION an anathema to the Phantom, and their despair cannot be for-  INCORPOREAL gotten if other living beings reside in the place of their death.  PHYSICAL INSTABILITY Because of this, they rarely take physical shape. If the living  REANIMATOR attempt to banish them or drive them away, a Phantom will  STEELY FORTITUDE manifest physically and attack for all they’re worth. Phantoms  WILL OF THE GODS will fight if they have to, and their ability to become Aethereal  WITCHBOARD and immunity to normal weapons makes them dangerous to all but the most prepared combatants. TRAPPINGS  Various sundries from where it haunts (SPECIAL) If anyone should ever be struck down by a Phantom, their spirit will arise as an Apparition - set to continue the endless RED REVENANT cycle of death and terror. Though like most Restless Spirits, ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR Phantoms do have vulnerabilities - mostly in that they are re- The threat of heretics, mutants and witchcraft is a serious pelled by all things divine, particularly by symbols of the Cus- thing along the countryside, but that doesn’t mean there ar- todian. Phantoms are not chaotic creatures to any extent - they en’t innocent victims who die by the flame of an inquisitor are tortured, confused and worried. A Phantom’s only want is due to a rumor or falsity. Sometimes, those killed by such to join their loved ones and friends in the Well of Souls, but false means come back as a terrible Red Revenant. lack the means to do it. If an outside force would come to the 593 A Red Revenant is a spirit of one who was unfairly “purged”  AETHEREAL FORM by an inquisitor or zealous township. Perhaps a girl under-  ASHES TO ASHES going her quickening is accused by her insane mother of  BONDS OF DEATH cavorting with demons, or a foreigner from a far-off land  FAST ON THEIR FEET is accused of eating strange meats and speaking in tongues.  FEEL THE HEAT When these poor souls are tied to their pyre and the flames  FIREPROOF have consumed their bodies, they occasionally do not find  HOLY RETRIBUTION proper rest and come back to haunt those that killed them.  INCORPOREAL Red Revenants look like smoldering corpses, but they only  REANIMATOR ever appear to those they are about to kill. Their hands are  SPIT FIRE bound forever with a rope and holy symbol transfixed be-  STEELY FORTITUDE tween their fingers, and they seem to appear from door-  TERRIFYING ways, windows or other portals. The smell of sulfur and tang  WILL OF THE GODS of blood is always ever-present whenever a Red Revenant TRAPPINGS makes their appearance.  Holy symbol (1)

Red Revenants are vengeful spirits, but their wrath is almost WAILING WOMAN always pointed at those that killed them. They also take plea- INTERMEDIATE (HIGH) RISK FACTOR sure in fomenting discord, causing as much terror as possible The myth of the mourning widow in the abandoned castle, or before delivering their punishment on their victims. Their the dark wraith who prowls the moors at night, abounds among claw swipes leave scorched flesh, and their footprints leave all culture. It is both a tale of the tenacity of women folk, as well the ground black. The only way for a Red Revenant to find as a slight against their frailty and dependency. But these are not rest is to have their ashes gathered into a consecrated relic so just tales to deter children or tricks of the light, but tragic spirits ensorcelled by the Blessed Sacrament Ritual. Even then, they known as Wailing Women. may find a way to be resurrected, for the families of Red Rev- enants oftentimes conspire to have their relatives continue Wailing Women are cursed aristocratic maidens who were exacting revenge upon the guilty. Unfortunately, these same killed on their wedding night, or worse violated and left for families are oftentimes consumed by the Red Revenant’s the clattering call of a Dullahan. They take on the appear- wrath as well, in the end. ance of a spectral washerwoman, bride, maiden or crone, or even more rarely a weasel or hooded crow. During the day, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Wailing Women remain partially Aethereal, dwelling in the  Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Ranged +30  homes and hills they were killed in. They do not interact Brawn: 40% (4) - Intimidate +30 with others, only mimicking mundane tasks they performed  Agility: 40% (9) - Coordination +30, Stealth +30  while alive - such as drying linens or picking vegetables. If Perception: 45% (6) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop approached, they disappear into the hills just out of sight, not +30, Scrutinize +30  to be encountered during the light hours. At night, they take Intelligence: 45% (4) - Education +30, Folklore +30 upon physical form and haunt those very hills and dales. They  Willpower: 50% (9) - Interrogation +30  wander in anguish, letting out a terribly chilling wail that eats Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +30 at a person’s very soul. Their physical form is much like their Aethereal one, though it is far more monstrous and has a per- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  manently distended jaw and face. While Wailing Women are Initiative: +6 intelligent and may be negotiated with, their despair is often  Movement: 12 on foot  too overwhelming for them to give off any sort of rational Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22) behavior.  Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) Wailing Women are more like forces of nature than ma- COMBAT PROFILE levolent spirits - they will not go out of their way to harm  Spit fire: 65% - Distance (ranged 9 yards) - Load anybody, but they will destroy anyone who treads upon their (1 AP) - Damage (SPECIAL) - NONE path. They also tend to dwell around odd weather phenom-  Parry: NONE enon - many dwell within mists near no moor or stand in  Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) the middle of storms when the sky is clear - whether this is an odd coincidence or an extension of their powers remains TRAITS to be seen. Those they kill arise as Phantoms, expanding the  ACCURSED abundance of Restless Spirits. Wailing Women will not, 594 however, harm any woman that is in distress - they do not suffer this fate are the legendary and scarce Vampires. want the poor wretch to undergo their same fate, so they will forego attacking them in favor of a less pitiable target. Though at a first glance, a Vampire may easily be classified as a living dead, they are not - instead, they are cursed human- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES oids who have been forced on way or another into damned  Combat: 35% (3) - Simple Melee +20 unlife, somewhere between life and death. Vampires come  Brawn: 45% (4) - Intimidate +20 in a multitude of forms, but they all are related to specif-  Agility: 40% (5) - Coordination +20, Stealth +20 ic bloodlines. These bloodlines represent the powers they  Perception: 40% (7) - Awareness +20, Eavesdrop gain, as well as how they obtained their terrible curses. Every +20 Vampire also suffers from debilitating weaknesses - these are  Intelligence: 45% (4) - Folklore +20 often an aversion to sunlight, the inability to cross a body of  Willpower: 50% (9) - Interrogation +20 running water, and the inability to cast a reflection. They also  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Charm +10, Disguise +20, suffer from a supernatural and uncommon hunger - one of Guile +10 either blood, flesh or a person’s very life force. This is their nourishment, and what really separates them from ever re- SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES turning to the mortal world in any real capacity. Vampires  Initiative: +10 isolate themselves, ashamed of their new forms but also rev-  Movement: 11 on foot eling in the powers it grants them.  Damage Threshold: 4 (10/16/22)  They are natural shapeshifters - able to take on human form Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) in order to deceive their prey into lowering their guards. Vampires often take on the appearance of the nobility, mag- COMBAT PROFILE  nanimous and welcoming to those they wish to dine upon. Dirk: 55% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage When they feed or manifest their powers, the true form of a (5) - Fast, Finesse, Light, Weak Vampire is revealed - a terrible bestial creature, sometimes a  Parry: NONE  hybrid of animals or simple a monstrous human form. They Dodge: 70% (Natural Quality) do not hold back when they feed, descending into a terrible bloodlust only to regain their poised composure upon finish- TRAITS  ing their meal. Most commoners are either ignorant or sup- ACCURSED plicant of the vampiric menace, though some plagued coun-  AETHEREAL FORM  trysides seem to attract head-strong youths with dreams of BONDS OF DEATH vampire slaying - a clove of garlic in one hand and a wooden  FAST ON THEIR FEET  stake in the other, both of which are just rumored weakness- HOLY RETRIBUTION es and not actual ones.  INCORPOREAL  I THEE WED The origin of the Vampire is an abounding mystery, as almost  KEENING WAIL all vampires are isolationists who hate others of their kind -  PAW, HOOF OR WING no straight story can be grabbed from them. Some prophesize  PHYSICAL INSTABILITY the first were the Nosferatu, cursed by the Abyssal Princes to  REANIMATOR be something between a demon and a mortal. Others think  STEELY FORTITUDE the first Vampire was a mutant, one who passed on a great  WILL OF THE GODS sickness that persists to this day. And others think it lies in the realm of the gods, as many Vampires also pay tribute to TRAPPINGS the Crouching One as the lord of all Vampires. Nothing is  Dirk (1) known for certain, but what is known is that Vampires are  Expensive ring (1) intelligent, cruel, and a threat to society as a whole.  Tattered wedding veil and dress (1) LAMASHTU VAMPIRE ADVANCED (LOW) RISK FACTOR Hubris is a uniquely mortal concept, one where pride in your In these dark times, even children need to be made aware own abilities comes to an ironic turn of fate. The gods love that they should not place trust in anyone, not even their irony, and they find no greater punishment than turning own family; the reason being they never know who could be someone’s gifts into their endless curse. Many different be- a dreaded Lamashtu. ings suffer from hubris, such as the immortal Defiler or any These vampires are terrible monsters and mimics, sating their Chosen of Chaos, but the most well known creatures who 595 hunger with the blood of babes. The Lamashtu is cowardly,  BLOODLUST taking flight whenever it senses danger. Able to polymorph  BROKEN WINGS its own shape, it journeys into townships seeking children  FRIGHTFUL to feed upon. Assuming the form of an elderly woman, they  MASTERFULLY ADROIT pass into villages unmolested. They can even mimic voices,  PAW, HOOF OR WING but since Lamashtu are more creature than man, it is little  PLAGUE-RIDDEN more than parroting vocal noises. The Lamashtu, now fully  SHAPESHIFTER disguised and holding the child’s trust, escorts the babe to a  STRAFING TALONS remote killing ground. Once there, the Lamashtu reveals its  WEAK SPOT true form: that of a bristling giantess, with the face of a lion  WILL OF THE GODS topped with donkey-like ears, bird-like wings and feet. The Lamashtu is most vulnerable in this form, so they only take TRAPPINGS it on to feed or when threatened.  Ritual knife, as stiletto (1)

The beast lashes its undulating, leech-like tongue down the NOSFERATU child’s mouth, where it entwines within their entrails. Over ELITE (UNIQUE) RISK FACTOR the next nine grueling hours, the tongue sucks out all the fat Every damned being of the night has an origin, and most within a child, taking another innocent life. Once finished, Vampiric lines can eventually be traced back to the venerable the Lamashtu will strangely return the babe to its crib, allow- and monstrous Nosferatu. ing it to be interned for reasons unknown. A Lamashtu will feed multiple times from a village, but taking no more than Nosferatu were once ancient Elves, part of a dark cadre who nine victims and taking each one at a time. Afterwards, the had attempted to curry the favor of the Abyssal Princes, but Lamashtu will journey to another village, only to repeat this was all for not. The Princes see little use in Elves, not even fit ritual of feeding that never ends. For some reason, some La- to be reincarnated as Lower Demons. All that effort, power mashtu ally themselves with the Duergar as long as they are and pain turns about to be worthless to the Elves, so in re- sacrificed some Duergar children - the reason is unknown, taliation they became demonologists in order to bind their but perhaps Duergar fat is tastier than human. former lords. As they gained more power, they eventually turned towards the path of the damned: the Black Magis- PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES ter. Worrisome of their growing power, the Abyssal Princes  Combat: 45% (4) - Simple Melee +30  placed a terrible curse on this group of Elves - one that for- Brawn: 40% (7) - Intimidate +20 Toughness +30 ever cursed them to stalk the earth, damaged by sunlight and  Agility: 45% (10) - Coordination +10  hungry for humanoid blood. They then became known as Perception: 50% (7) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop the Nosferatu, being hauntingly beautiful and elegant - their +20, Scrutinize +30  skin snow white and their hair raven black. They masquerade Intelligence: 40% (4) - Survival +30 as counts and barons, holding court with finely dressed aris-  Willpower: 35% (5) - NONE  tocrats and inviting others into their grand manors. But this Fellowship: 40% (4) - Charm +10, Guile +30 is all an elaborate facade - they dress up groups of Ghouls to serve as their council, as they slaver for a fresh meal. They SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES  invite people in to feed on them, ripping out their throats Initiative: +10 as they scream in pain. They dress as rulers because they are  Movement: 13 on foot, 19 while flying  megalomaniacs, enforcing their will on a local populace, Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25) fashioning themselves a lord or count worthy of worship.  Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) Nosferatu are few and far between these days, but those that COMBAT PROFILE exist are extremely powerful and nigh-unkillable. Many are  Ragged talons: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - masters of sorcery, and possess further supernatural abilities Damage (7) - Pummeling, Slow, Weak such as shapeshifting and a terrifying mien. They are usual-  Ritual knife: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - ly tended by a demonic Imp, often their only friend as they Damage (4) - Fast, Vicious, Weak despise all other Vampires. This is quite ironic, as Nosferatu  Parry: NONE are also the only vampires who can create other Vampires  Dodge: 65% (Natural Quality) - though different bloodlines can create creatures, the Nos- feratu’s deadly kiss can cause any humanoid to turn into any TRAITS other type of Vampire aside from a Nosferatu. That’s because  AETHEREAL FORM they are a dying breed, and it is hypothesized that if all of them 596 should die, all Vampires will be wiped from this mortal plane.  Fine perfume (1) However, actually killing one of these powerful monstrosities  Reagents for all Magick spells (9) is often easier said than done - and many failed Slayers lay  Sceptre, as cudgel (1) buried among the Nosferatu’s lichyard. RAKSHASA PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR  Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +20 Not all vampires relish in their power and use it for decep-  Brawn: 50% (7) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +30, tive reasons - some have become utterly feral and chaotic, Toughness +10 slavering with an endless hunger for blood and flesh. These  Agility: 50% (10) - Coordination +20, Ride +20 despicable creatures are known as Rakshasa, and they are one  Perception: 50% (5) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize of the most feared of the vampiric brood. +30  Rakshasa were humanoids who had a tendency towards Intelligence: 50% (8) - Education +30 ill-gotten gains and political corruption, though not always  Willpower: 55% (7) - Incantation +30, Resolve +20  succumbing to the sway of the Abyss. For their terrible hu- Fellowship: 50% (5) - Guile +30, Rumor +20 bris, they are reborn in their new monstrous form as a form of punishment. Rakshasa are natural shapeshifters, able to SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES blend into any crowd or high-society event, scoping poten-  Initiative: +8  tial targets for their hunger. They dress in fine regalia, and of- Movement: 13 on foot, 16 while riding ten attend masquerades and banquets with little molestation.  Damage Threshold: 7 (13/19/25)  Their true form is far more monstrous - they are sinewy and Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28) part rotted, their muscle visible striated under the skin. Their COMBAT PROFILE  head is that of a terrible lion or monkey with ragged jaws, Sceptre: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - Dam- and their long claws bend backwards into reversed palms. age (5) - Light, Powerful, Weak  They feed delicately, as their claws are perfect to tear apart Vampiric claw: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - every little morsel of meat from the bone. Ghoul attendants Damage (7) - Pummeling, Slow, Weak  tend to follow in their wake, serving at their beck and call of Parry: 70% the Rakshasa for their table scraps.  Dodge: 80% (Natural Quality) Rakshasa undergo terrible bloodlusts when hungry, but they TRAITS are naturally slow and methodical. They like to stretch out their  AETHERIC DOMINATION kills, as they believe terror makes the blood richer in iron. They  AN INVITATION… TO BLOOD only need to feed every few decades or so, and they do not marry  BLOODLUST or sire offspring. Their only true companions are Ghouls; former  CHAOS MADE MANIFEST victims fed the flesh of their loved ones by the Rakshasa, turned  CURSE OF THE VAMPIRE to the lure of darkness its wiles. Though this breed of vampire  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR seems powerful, they do harbor several weaknesses. They can  DARK SENSE not enter a home unless invited into it, though they can enter  HOLY RETRIBUTION common houses easily, and they curse anything holy. It is still  KEEN SENSES notoriously difficult to kill one: they possess a True Name, one  OCCULT MASTERY that must be uttered upon their death to prevent them from  POSSESSION rising again at the next new moon. There are rumors that bless-  SHADOWBORN ed crossbow bolts can kill one, but Slayers put such rumblings  SHAPESHIFTER to rest. Their real weakness is brass, as it burns their skin upon  TERRIFYING touch. Ironically, the Rakshasa’s mortal weapon of choice is a  WALL CRAWLER brass dagger, though it is sheathed until absolutely necessary.  WILL OF THE GODS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  Combat: 45% (6) - Simple Melee +30 TRAPPINGS   Arcane tome with 6 Petty Magick spells (1) Brawn: 40% (6) - Intimidate +30, Toughness +30   Agility: 45% (7) - Coordination +30 Arcane tome with 3 Lesser Magick spells (1)   Arcane tome with 1 Greater Magick spell (1) Perception: 50% (8) - Awareness +30, Eavesdrop  +30, Scrutinize +30 Fancy wig (1)   Fashionable clothing (1) Intelligence: 40% (4) - Survival +30 597  Willpower: 35% (5) - Interrogation +20 Succubi men, often called incubi, are broad shouldered and  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Charm +20, Guile +30 tall, a strapping image of man’s best features. A Succubus will always latch onto a certain person, taking on the aspects SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES of what that mortal sees as an ideal mate. They spend years  Initiative: +11 draining them of riches, causing mental abuse while seem-  Movement: 13 on foot, 16 while flying ingly making up for it with spectacular bouts of intercourse.  Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) However, once their victim has outlived their worth, they  Peril Threshold: 8 (14/20/26) shift into their true form - a horrifyingly mirror image of the victim, with stunted wings, long fangs and rock-hard skin COMBAT PROFILE impervious to weapons.  Poisonous teeth and claws: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6) - Slow, Vicious, Weak The Succubus will then attack, draining the remaining life-  Brass dagger: 75% - Distance (melee engaged) - force from their victim, leaving them a withered husk after Damage (6) - Fast, Vicious, Weak their hunger has been sated. They will then move on to an-  Parry: 75% other target, shifting their form to be physically appealing  Dodge: 85% (Natural Quality) to them as well. If victims ever do live long enough to birth their sires, the resulting spawn are known as cambions; be- TRAITS ings that eventually devolve into demonic Imps after they  AN INVITATION… TO BLOOD grow into maturity. Succubi may be deceiving and tempting,  BLOODLUST but rely most upon their wiles rather than physical prowess.  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR That is not to say they are not dangerous, just simply less  DARK SENSE lethal in a fight than any other of the other cursed vampiric  FRIGHTFUL brood.  MENACING  PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES PAW, HOOF OR WING  Combat: 40% (4) - Simple Melee +20  PLAGUE-RIDDEN   Brawn: 45% (9) - NONE POISONOUS BITE  Agility: 40% (9) - Coordination +10, Stealth +20  POISON RESISTANCE   Perception: 35% (3) - Awareness +10, Eavesdrop REANIMATOR +20, Scrutinize +30  STEELY FORTITUDE   Intelligence: 40% (4) - Education +30, Folklore +30 SHAPESHIFTER  Willpower: 55% (9) - Interrogation +10  TRUE NAME   Fellowship: 50% (5) - Charm +30, Guile +30, WEAKNESS TO BRASS Rumor +30  WOAD TATTOOS SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES TRAPPINGS   Initiative: +6 Brass dagger, as shiv with Vicious Quality (1)  Movement: 12 on foot  SUCCUBUS Damage Threshold: 9 (15/21/27)  Peril Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) ADVANCED (MID) RISK FACTOR Vampires are lustful creatures, full of primordial mating urg- COMBAT PROFILE es and hypnotic body movements. This is not true for every  Sharp claws: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - breed of Vampire, but is more than adequate in describing Damage (9) - Slow, Viscous, Weak the Succubus.  Parry: NONE  Succubus, plural succubi, are drawn to victims in dreams Dodge: 60% (Natural Quality) TRAITS - particularly those who are lustful, wanton and lecherous.  Their victims will have recurring dreams of a comely man or AMBUSH TACTICS  BLOODLUST maiden, one that tempts them and calls their name. Noctur-  nal emissions are often the result of such dreams. However, BRUTE STRENGTH  CURSE OF THE VAMPIRE in actuality, the damned spirit of the Succubi is feeding on  these visions to construct the perfect persona for their tar- CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR  DARK SENSE get. Succubi women are curvaceous and luscious, wearing the  finest in clothes and knowing the latest fashions and politics; DEATH ROLL 598  EVERYMAN PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES  FAST ON THEIR FEET  Combat: 50% (7) - Martial Melee +30, Simple  HOLY RETRIBUTION Melee +20  RIPPING TEETH  Brawn: 45% (6) - Athletics +20, Intimidate +30,  TRANSFIXED GAZE Toughness +30  UNLATCH DOORS  Agility: 45% (11) - Coordination +20, Ride +30  WANTON HUNGER  Perception: 40% (4) - Awareness +20, Scrutinize +10  TRAPPINGS Intelligence: 35% (3) - Education +20   Fashionable clothing (1) Willpower: 40% (7) - Interrogation +20  Fellowship: 40% (4) - Guile +30, Rumor +20 VAMPIRIC TEMPLAR ADVANCED (HIGH) RISK FACTOR SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Most Vampires are individualists, disregarding others of their  Initiative: +7 kind and going alone through their cursed existence. One  Movement: 14 on foot, 17 while riding vampiric bloodline, however, usurps this expectation and those  Damage Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) are the Vampiric Templars.  Peril Threshold: 10 (16/22/28)

The Templars were once the most feared group of Grail COMBAT PROFILE Knights - reputedly the greatest in the land - until they were  Court sword: 80% - Distance (melee engaged) - all struck down in a single night by a powerful Nosferatu Damage (11) - Fast, Finesse they were hunting. They arose from a bloody haze, victims  Vampiric claw: 70% - Distance (melee engaged) - of the Vampires they so hated, instilled with fury. A curse Damage (6) - Pummeling, Slow, Weak now ran through their veins, altering their minds. Though  Parry: 90% (Defensive Quality) they still despised all Vampire kind, they became obsessed  Dodge: NONE with becoming the perfect warriors. Wandering the land to master the martial ways, their contempt for humanity drove TRAITS them deeper into the exsanguinous ways of the Vampire.  BLOODLUST Driven by hunger, at first, they drank only from victims they  CURSE OF THE VAMPIRE spitted on their swords. However, as their dark gifts contin-  CRIPPLING CONSTRICTOR ued to evolve, they became less human and more...divine.  DARK SENSE Their hunger became greater. And as they drank, so grew  EVERYMAN their martial prowess. Thus, their descent was completed, be-  FRIGHTFUL coming the very thing they so hated.  HARD-NOSED  KEEN SENSES Vampiric Templars appear just as they did in their mortal  life, often as strong and well-disciplined soldiers. Howev- HOLY RETRIBUTION  MASTERFULLY ADROIT er, beneath the clatter of armor they are monstrously tall,  well-muscled with dark blood coursing through varicose MENACING  SHADOWBORN veins with jackal-like countenances. They slurp up the blood  they spill from their defeated goes with long serpentine SNIKT! SNIKT!  STEELY FORTITUDE tongues, and often kill in mass quantities to satisfy their  hunger. Those that fall to their terrible swords arise as Tene- WILL OF THE GODS brae, angry spectral beings that are just as violent as their sire. There is a terrible pecking order among their kind as well. TRAPPINGS  Court sword, with the Castle-forged Quality (1) Those who exhibit the most monstrous of physical attributes  are worshipped, as bitter rivalries can erupt between those Full plate armor (1)  Metal shield (1) who evolve faster than others. There is a slight possibility of  allying with a Vampiric Templar if you offer them a chance Wilderness cloak (1)  Witchhunter’s coat & mantle (1) to kill one of their own kind. That being said, a Vampiric  Templar’s word is generally considered unbreakable, as long Witchhunter’s hat (1) as one takes proper precautions and distances themselves from the Templar once the deal is done.

599 CUSTOM CREATURES to drastically reduce the competency of creatures as to not overwhelm the Characters in long and tiresome Combat En- A host of other creatures and abominations may fill your counters. By the same token, there may be times where having grim & perilous world. While the bestiary is fairly compre- a flood of less powerful foes attempt to overwhelm the adven- hensive, you can use the following rules to create a host of turing party would make sense from a narrative perspective. new and unique baddies to populate your campaign world. Known as a minion, lackey, or toadie, an Underling is the rank TAINTS OF CHAOS and file fodder for their leaders to toss in harm’s way. Given that creatures classified as Mutants and Abyssal have For instance, you may wish for a horde of armed peasants (oth- given themselves over to corruption, it is likely that they erwise Rebellious Peasants) to come knocking at a Character’s have several different Taints of Chaos. While Traits cover door, seeking to condemn a Diabolist to death for heresy. An- the chances for random mutations, you can easily add any other example may include a roaming murder of killer crows numbers of mutations to a creature in the Bestiary. (otherwise Small Animals) to flock in the midst of a cursed vil- lage. During these tense moments, it may make sense to adopt When determining how many Taints of Chaos a creature the Underling rules to increase the drama of the situation. may have, roll 1D6+1 for those of the Basic Risk Factor, 1D6+2 for those of the Intermediate Risk Factor and 1D6+3 By using Underlings, you can downgrade any creature from for those of the Advanced Risk Factor. Remember: a creature the bestiary to significantly reduce the threat a creature poses. may only possess a particular type of Taint of Chaos once. If For encounter building purposes, Underlings drop down to you end up rolling the same result, re-roll on the table. the lowest Notch within their Risk Factor. This means that a creature with an Advanced (HIGH) Risk Factor would then For any Taints of Chaos that change the cosmetic make-up become an Advanced (LOW) Risk Factor. If it is already of a creature, there aren’t any game-defining mechanics tied of the lowest Notch in its Risk Factor, there are no other to them. However, it may influence use of their Skills. For in- changes needed. stance, should a creature have an oddity of skin color (such as with Brightly-Patterned Skin), it may be extraordinarily diffi- You have the freedom to change any creature you feel best cult for them to use Stealth to shadow a Character in a crowd. appropriate into an Underling. To do so, reference these three simple changes to their tactical behavior: Similarly, a creature without a noggin’ (such as with Seemingly  Headless) may be immune to being Knocked Out. Keep this Underlings do not bank Action Points, meaning they cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry. in mind whenever you consider how a creature may act or de-  cisions it makes during combat. Underlings cannot use Misfortune Points to change the outcome of their actions. Taints of Chaos can be found in the Game Mastery Appen-  Underlings are instantly Slain! whenever they suffer dix of the previous chapter. any sort of Injury.

NATURAL SELECTION On top of this, Underlings may be more likely to fail Resolve As mentioned before, there are but six broad classifications Tests when faced with overwhelming odds, and take flight in of creatures: Abyssal, Animal, Beast, Humanoid, Mutant and the face of danger. Underlings, in these instances, may have a Supernatural. Creatures as presented in the book assume the leader they rely on for guidance. However, this leader shouldn’t most common denominator of their Type. However, you abide by the Underling Rules. may wish to empower individuals among them, further cus- Finally, it is not recommended that you adopt these rules tomizing these foes. Similarly, they can be made into lackeys, for creatures of the Advanced or Elite Risk Factors. They are servants of more powerful creatures or casters of Daemonic specifically designed to be terrifying, and nothing destroys Magick. the verisimilitude of a grim & perilous game faster than hav- The following outlines three specific, yet distinct different ing a Lower Demon immediately fall to the single blast of lines of customizations: first, reducing creatures’ capabilities to a gun. become minion-like Underlings, customizing creatures into Bosses and giving a creature the ability to use Pact Magick. BOSS CREATURES A Boss stands out among their peers as the alpha dog. They UNDERLINGS represent the best of the best, and command the admiration, Although a grim & perilous campaign world is meant to be respect and sometimes fear from their own kind. They’ve unforgiving, you may wish to “fudge” the hardships Charac- rumbled with the worst, and have crawled their way to the ters face momentarily. During the adventure, you may wish top of the heap. 600 For encounter building purposes, Bosses move up to the high- Factor, add +3 total Bonuses to all Primary Attributes. However, est Notch within their Risk Factor. This means that a creature a Primary Attribute cannot possess more than 10 total Bonuses with an Advanced (LOW) Risk Factor would then become an in Basic Risk Factor, 12 total Bonuses in Intermediate Risk Fac- Advanced (HIGH) Risk Factor. If it is already of the highest tor or 14 total Bonuses in Advanced Risk Factor. Notch in its Risk Factor, there are no other changes needed. Note that an Elite Risk Factor creature cannot be turned into For our example, the High Orx Bigboss will adjust all its a Boss, as it is already considered a “boss” already. Bonuses by +1:

Using the bestiary, we’ll convert a High Orx into a “High Orx HIGH ORX BIGBOSS Bigboss”, which already is of a Basic (HIGH) Risk Factor: BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES HIGH ORX BIGBOSS Combat: 50% (6) - Simple Melee +10, Simple Ranged BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR +10 Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Toughness +10 All foes in the bestiary were created equal. However, you Agility: 40% (5) - NONE should feel empowered to change their Primary Attributes Perception: 45% (6) - Scrutinize +10 as you like, while taking under consideration the delicate Intelligence: 35% (4) - Warfare +10 balance that’s been instilled in their creation. If the creature Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +10, Survival +10 is of a Basic Risk Factor, change any one Primary Attribute Fellowship: 40% (5) - Tradecraft +10 to a 50%, If of an Intermediate Risk Factor, change any two Primary Attributes to a 50%. If of an Advanced Risk Factor, SKILL RANKS change any three Primary Attributes to a 50%. To continue conversion, you will add Skill Ranks to the crea- ture’s Primary Attribute profile. If the creature is of a Basic While you may wish to use this to adjust their lowest Pri- Risk Factor, add 3 Skill Ranks. If of an Intermediate Risk mary Attribute, it may make sense to buff up their Combat, Factor, add 6 Skill Ranks. If of an Advanced Risk Factor, Brawn or Willpower to further augment their fighting capa- add 9 Skill Ranks. You can either assign these Skill Ranks to bilities. Be sure to reevaluate the Primary Attribute Bonuses Skills the creature already possesses, or place Skill Ranks in assigned to the creature. Should any Traits influence the Pri- those it didn’t previously have. However, a creature can never mary Attribute Bonus, you’ll need to make sure to take this have more than one Skill Rank in any one Skill at Basic Risk under consideration while redesigning the foe. Factor, two Skill Ranks in any one Skill at Intermediate Risk Using the Bigboss High Orx example as before, we’ll change Factor or more than three Skill Ranks in any one Skill at its Combat value to a 50%. This also means Combat Bonus Advanced Risk Factor. For instance, if a creature of the In- (CB) will move from a 4 to 5: termediate Risk Factor already possessed two Skill Ranks in Resolve, you could not give it another during this step.

HIGH ORX BIGBOSS Using our example, the High Orx Bigboss will gain one Skill BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Ranks in Martial Melee, one in Martial Ranged, and one PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Skill Rank in Resolve: Combat: 50% (5) - Simple Melee +10, Simple Ranged +10 Brawn: 50% (10) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, HIGH ORX BIGBOSS Toughness +10 BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Agility: 40% (4) - NONE Perception: 45% (5) - Scrutinize +10 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Intelligence: 35% (3) - Warfare +10 Combat: 50% (6) - Martial Melee +10, Martial Ranged Willpower: 40% (5) - Resolve +10, Survival +10 +10, Simple Melee +10, Simple Ranged +10 Fellowship: 40% (4) - Tradecraft +10 Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, Toughness +10 PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE BONUSES Agility: 40% (5) - NONE At this point, you’ll change a creature’s Primary Attribute Bo- Perception: 45% (6) - Scrutinize +10 nuses. If the creature is of a Basic Risk Factor, add +1 Bonus to Intelligence: 35% (4) - Warfare +10 all Primary Attributes. If of an Intermediate Risk Factor, add +2 Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +20, Survival +10 total Bonuses to all Primary Attributes. If of an Advanced Risk Fellowship: 40% (5) - Tradecraft +10 601 SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES & COMBAT PROFILE HIGH ORX BIGBOSS MUTANT Depending on the changes you made before, the creature’s BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Secondary Attributes and Combat Profile may need to be adjusted. Using our High Orx Bigboss example, here’s how PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES it would look: Combat: 50% (6) - Martial Melee +10, Martial Ranged +10, Simple Melee +10, Simple Ranged +10 Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, HIGH ORX BIGBOSS BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR Toughness +10 Agility: 40% (5) - NONE PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Perception: 45% (6) - Scrutinize +10 Combat: 50% (6) - Martial Melee +10, Martial Intelligence: 35% (4) - Warfare +10 Ranged +10, Simple Melee +10, Simple Ranged +10 Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +20, Survival +10 Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, Toughness +10 Fellowship: 40% (5) - Tradecraft +10 Agility: 40% (5) - NONE Perception: 45% (6) - Scrutinize +10 SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Intelligence: 35% (4) - Warfare +10 Initiative: +9 Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +20, Survival +10 Movement: 8 on foot Fellowship: 40% (5) - Tradecraft +10 Damage Threshold: 11 (17/23/29) Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Initiative: +9 COMBAT PROFILE Movement: 8 on foot Rusted chains: 60% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 Damage Threshold: 11 (20/26/32) yard) - Damage (8) - Adaptable, Pummeling, Reach Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) Flanged mace: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6) - Powerful COMBAT PROFILE Parry: 70% Rusted chains: 60% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 Dodge: 40% yard) - Damage (8) - Adaptable, Pummeling, Reach Flanged mace: 60% - Distance (melee engaged) - Damage (6) - Powerful TRAITS Parry: 70% BRUTE STRENGTH Dodge: 40% ONE-TWO PUNCH PACK MENTALITY TRAITS SHOOT FIGHTER STEELY FORTITUDE To enhance the creature’s abilities, you will add new Traits. Adding new traits opens up options for a creature to use in TRAPPINGS combat or new restrictions it must abide by. Choose ones that are thematically and mechanically appropriate. If the Finally, you may wish to replace the trappings the creature creature is of a Basic Risk Factor, add one Trait. If of an In- carries. Most creatures which are Animals, Beasts and oth- termediate Risk Factor, add two Trait. If of an Advanced erwise don’t carry equipment. However, most Abyssal nas- Risk Factor, add three Traits ties, along with Humanoids and Mutants carry a bevvy of trappings upon them. Feel free to equip them with a better For our example, our High Orx Bigboss will gain the Trait suit of armor and weapon befitting their new stat block. Be of Pack Mentality: sure to adjust their Secondary Attributes and Combat Pro- file following any replacement trappings. Once you replace a creature’s trappings, you’re now done. In our example, our High Orx Bigboss will now carry a zweihänder sword with the Castle-forged Quality and wear mail armor:

602 are Mutants. It is also well-suited for barbaric Humanoids, HIGH ORX BIGBOSS and those who follow uncommon gods as outlined in their MUTANT creature description. BASIC (HIGH) RISK FACTOR USING PACT MAGICK PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Combat: 50% (6) - Martial Melee +10, Martial Pacts reference existing Magicks from Chapter 10: Grimoire, Ranged +10, Simple Melee +10, Simple Ranged +10 creating collections of new spells from both Arcane and Di- Brawn: 50% (8) - Athletics +10, Intimidate +10, vine Magick. Narratively, each Pact provides different appli- Toughness +10 cations of unlike spells to make non-player Characters much Agility: 40% (5) - NONE more dangerous and unpredictable, as they have combinations Perception: 45% (6) - Scrutinize +10 of Magicks that players may not expect. Intelligence: 35% (4) - Warfare +10 Changing a creature from the bestiary to use Magick is a Willpower: 40% (6) - Resolve +20, Survival +10 very simple process. If they are in the Basic Risk Factor, they Fellowship: 40% (5) - Tradecraft +10 gain one Skill Rank in Incantation. If of the Intermediate Risk Factor, they gain two Skill Ranks in Incantation and SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES if of the Advanced Risk Factor, they gain three Skill Ranks Initiative: +9 in Incantation. Additionally, swap any two of their Primary Movement: 8 on foot Attributes, so that Willpower is favored over all. Foes who Damage Threshold: 12 (18/24/30) use Magick may be Bosses, so feel free to convert them as Peril Threshold: 9 (15/21/27) needed. COMBAT PROFILE Zweihänder: 60% - Distance (melee engaged or 1 All these Pacts are treated as Arcane Magicks, even if they yard) - Damage (6) - Punishing, Reach, Slow contain Divine Magicks spells: meaning, they all potentially cause Chaos Manifestations, and are subject to their effects. Parry: 70% Similarly, all those who use Pact Magicks effectively carry Dodge: NONE (Heavy Quality) the Black Temperament Drawback (as like Necromancers TRAITS Flanged mace (1) and Warlocks). This means they are made subject to Malig- BRUTE STRENGTH Mail armor (1) nancies whenever they Critically Fail an Incantation Test to ONE-TWO PUNCH Rusted chains, as staff use Magick. PACK MENTALITY with Reach Quality (2) The following represents merely a sampling of blasphemous SHOOT FIGHTER Zweihänder, with Cas- Pacts, but feel free to make up your own to fit into the vision STEELY FORTITUDE tle-forged Quality (1) of your campaign world: TRAPPINGS PACT OF THE ANCIENT ONES Far beyond the Vault of Night lay the originators of the Az- PACT MAGICK tlan, Daemons known as the Ancient Ones. What exactly Creatures who kneel before Daemons practice what is round- these creatures are is a mystery, as even the Tlaloc - being ly called Pact Magick. It is an amalgamation of Arcane and direct descendants of these beings - do not remember their Divine Magick: the risks of chaos gnaw at the borders of the parent’s visages. What is known is that the Ancient Ones are mind but the caster must appease a Daemon in order to avoid inscrutable, old and unflinching. They have long known the Its wrath. That being said, Pact Magick is often unbridled and power of the stars, math and seas and they have passed down wild, as its progenitors do not particularly care if their worship- this very knowledge to the chosen Tlaloc and Aztlan mages. pers kill themselves or not. Daemons are either far removed Sometimes when these mysteries are made manifest, you can from mortal concerns to entertain petty worms, or simply on hear gibbering from beyond the stars and the groaning of the verge of death themselves, floating in the Aethereal Veil very reality against itself. Certainly not all is known about where all forgotten gods rot in the emptiness of oblivion. this Magick, but it is dangerous and obtuse. PETTY MAGICK It is not unlikely that foes the players will face may possess the  ability to cast Magick. While some may reference the same Blinding Gaze (Arcana of Luminescence)  Call Lightning (Arcana of Astromancy) gods and list of Magick spells as player Characters, some crea-  tures may instead use Pact Magick. These Pacts are well-suited Law of Order (Arcana of Transmutation) for more tribal or monstrous creatures, particularly those who 603 LESSER MAGICK LESSER MAGICK  Enchant Trapping (Arcana of Transmutation)  Commander’s Vision (Prayers of the Steward)  Night’s Secrets (Arcana of Astromancy)  Spectral Form (Arcana of Necromancy)  Radiant Shield (Arcana of Luminescence)  The Invitation (Prayers of the Custodian)

GREATER MAGICK GREATER MAGICK  Astral Bridge (Arcana of Astromancy)  Omen of Death (Prayers of the Custodian)  Pillar of Brilliance (Arcana of Luminescence)  Mask of Terror (Prayers of the Steward)  Unlock Secrets (Arcana of Transmutation)  The Final Surrender (Arcana of Necromancy) PACT OF THE BLACK LODGE PACT OF THE OUTSIDER This Pact is used almost exclusively by the Fey, specifically the Every Grendel was raised from the udder on the story of the Sidhe Lords. They do not use elaborate grimoires or sacred Outsider - the forgotten Abyssal Prince of Chaos that em- rites to conjure their sorcerous power. Instead, they instead bodied all the virtues the Grendel held dear. Legend states sing haunting dirges and melodies, calling to long-dead gods the one day all of the disparate Wild Hunt will come to- who once occupied the dreaded Black Lodge. As such, they gether under one banner, and stampede across the plains in create foul enchantments while the woods bend to the Sid- total domination - wiping out all pretenders in the name of he’s Magickal whim. Make no mistake, those of this Pact do the Outsider. Those that find making a Pact to the Outsid- not summon the beauty of nature. Instead, they conjure forth er allows them to harness a strange anathema to traditional its violent, uncaring aspects: sentient vines, foam-mouthed Corruption. The Pact of the Outsider not only includes the beasts and twisted limbs of elder tree to do their bidding. Grendel, but also creatures given the gift of speech - thus their Magick touches on the chaotic nature of creatures clas- PETTY MAGICK  sified as Animals and Beasts alike. Spells of the Outsider are Bargain Bin (Prayers of the Nightfather) very shamanistic and wild, just like their wielders.  Crown of Thorns (Arcana of Elementalism)  Hare’s Speed (Prayers of the Demiurge) PETTY MAGICK  All-Seeing Eye (Prayers of the Learner) LESSER MAGICK  Inhuman Fury (Arcana of Animism)  Flimflam (Prayers of the Nightfather)   Unassailable Bulwark (Prayers of the God-Emper- Spring’s Bounty (Arcana of Elementalism) or)  Suffocating Growth (Prayers of the Demiurge) LESSER MAGICK GREATER MAGICK  Eye For An Eye (Prayers of the Learner)  Earthen Strength (Arcana of Elementalism)   Lionheart (Prayers of the God-Emperor) Eyes Without a Face (Prayers of the Nightfather)  Tongue of Beasts (Arcana of Animism)  Rage of the Primal Lord (Prayers of the Demiurge) GREATER MAGICK PACT OF THE GILDED PHARAOH  Flames of Order (Prayers of the God-Emperor) Many eons ago in the south, a man whose name has been  The Beast Within (Arcana of Animism) lost to time rose to power in a city of many ziggurats. He was  Tooth For A Tooth (Prayers of the Learner) cruel and evil, and fled to the deep jungle after being exiled by his people. There, he studied the ancient lore of death and PACT OF THE THIRTEEN oblivion, and eventually spread a terrible spell across the land Skrzzak who take upon a Pact of the Thirteen are born, not that turned the jungle into a desert, and awakened the dead made: they emerge with long and twisted horns, doubtless- from their slumber. This came at the cost of his own mortal- ly, a sign of divine favor. Worshippers of the Thirteen are ity. This man became forever known as the Gilded Pharaoh, well-trusted advisors and seers, sometimes even able to pre- the first Necromancer to breach into the Well of Souls. He is dict the past and the future. That said, though proxies of the now worshipped with godlike fervor amongst the unliving, Thirteen are powerful, they are luckily few and far between. and has lent His powers of death in all its forms to those who pledge their undying loyalty. PETTY MAGICK  Basilisk’s Spittle (Arcana of Sorcery) PETTY MAGICK  Primordial Tongue (Prayers of the Demiurge)  Beyond the Pale (Prayers of the Custodian)  Shadow Slip (Arcana of Shadowmancy)  Sanguine Restoration (Arcana of Necromancy)  Voice of the Legion (Prayers of the Steward) 604 LESSER MAGICK Pact with her, save for the tutelage of young girls to further  Mark of Chaos (Arcana of Sorcery) her worship. The Siabra oftentimes help further these means,  Thunderclap (Prayers of the Demiurge) kidnapping young girls in the name of the Crone they serve.  However, unsavory tales of her worshippers eating little chil- Two Selves (Arcana of Shadowmancy) dren do not endear her to the common populace. GREATER MAGICK  PETTY MAGICK Fury of the Wildlands (Prayers of the Demiurge)  Frostbite (Prayers of the Winter King)  Grotesque Miasma (Arcana of Sorcery)   Harvester of Souls (Arcana of Morticism) Umbral Knives (Arcana of Shadowmancy)  Spider’s Fang (Prayers of the Crouching One)

PACT OF THE TUSKED ONE LESSER MAGICK This Pact is made exclusively by Mutant races, such as the  Dearly Departed (Arcana of Morticism) Goblins, Ogres, Orx, Trolls and even sometimes the giantess-  Hand of the Murdered God (Prayers of the Crouch- es among the Nephilim. Whenever a Pact is made with this ing One) Daemon, it requires of its worshippers to call upon endless  Wolfpack (Prayers of the Winter King) hunger; not just for food, but for glory, lust, fortune, fame and GREATER MAGICK bloodshed. The Daemon-god called the Tusked One help fur-  ther all these things, with savage idols and animal sacrifices. Banish Undead (Arcana of Morticism)  Ice Storm (Prayers of the Winter King) However, this Magick is not practiced solely by a single prac-  titioner but rather an entire WAAAR! Horde’s collective will, Murderous Demands (Prayers of the Crouching focused through a chosen wise woman. The spells to summon One) the essence of the Tusked One are loud, intimidating and of- PACT OF THE ABYSSAL PRINCES ten quite sanguineous. Fortunately, their Magickal practices are a slightly retarded one: they possess little subtlety, the in- It is no surprise that Pacts are established with the Abyssal cantations require loud exaltations and plenty of blood spilt to Princes. After all, isn’t sorcery rooted in the dark hell of the summon an inkling of sorcerous might. Abyss, and thus linked to those vile demons? This is true, but each Prince also holds back some of His sorcerous might, PETTY MAGICK  granting powers to only the worthiest. The Prince of Decay Breath of the Aether (Prayers of the Leviathan) not only harms with maladies, but heals as well. The Prince  Shimmering Crown (Arcana of Pyromancy)  of Change is a master of knowledge and wisdom, while the Wolven Heart (Prayers of the Winter King) Prince of Pleasure knows illusion and mind control. The Prince of Violence abhors Magick in all forms, so no such LESSER MAGICK Pacts exist.  Battle Rage (Prayers of the Winter King)  Fireproof (Arcana of Pyromancy)  Most servants who establish Pacts are demons themselves. Seasickness (Prayers of the Leviathan) Very rare few mortal servants have the physical capacity to withstand such Corruption. Unlike other Pacts presented GREATER MAGICK above, Pact established with the Abyssal Princes should be  Dragon’s Breath (Arcana of Pyromancy) treated as having the same spells as the Arcana of Sorcery,  Kraken’s Curse (Prayers of the Leviathan) albeit with additional ones made available by patron Prince:  Roar of Winter (Prayers of the Winter King) PACT OF THE WITCH-QUEEN PRINCE OF CHANGE PETTY MAGICK The Witch-Queen is an ancient Daemon, thought to be the  Bolt of Flame (Arcana of Pyromancy) first of all witches and possibly the first servant of chaos. Con- jecture says She has two faces: that of a marvelous white queen LESSER MAGICK in winter, while the countenance of a wizened but an aged  Courage Under Fire (Arcana of Pyromancy) hag in other seasons. She reputedly travels within a chick- en-legged hut during the hot season, but spends the winter GREATER MAGICK  in a marvelous palace of ice. Crones of all stripe aspire to be Cataclysmic Inferno (Arcana of Pyromancy) like the Witch-Queen, and beseech her for Magickal prowess. PRINCE OF DECAY The Witch-Queen is a mistress of icy sorcery, the land and the dead, and passes this lore along to Her children. Unlike PETTY MAGICK  other Daemons, She requires little from those who’d make a Lay on Hands (Prayers of the Martyr) 605 LESSER MAGICK Naturally, carrying all of these treasures around may be an  Martyrdom (Prayers of the Martyr) impossibility but give players an opportunity to track down hidden riches using intimidation, interrogation or worse. GREATER MAGICK  Suppress Affliction (Prayers of the Martyr) That being said, it would be exceedingly rare to find that small treasures would be openly carried by folks. Most are PRINCE OF PLEASURE stuffed away in a chest, adorn the shelves of their dwelling or PETTY MAGICK may be affixed into shadow boxes on display.  Addle-Coved (Arcana of Shadowmancy) VALUATION OF SMALL TREASURES LESSER MAGICK Baubles are worth 3D10+3 brass pennies (bp), objets d’art  Mindwipe (Arcana of Shadowmancy) are valued at 2D10+2 silver shillings (ss) and trinkets come in at 1D10+1 gold crowns (gc). GREATER MAGICK  Mass Hallucination (Arcana of Shadowmancy) DISTRIBUTION OF SMALL TREASURES Whenever determining random small treasures, consult ei- ther the Social Class or Risk Factor of the treasure’s owner. LOOT & LUCRE For those of the Lowborn Social Class or of the Basic Risk The deep vaults and long forgotten tombs of a grim & per- Factor, they may have 3 baubles to their name. For those of ilous world have been plundered long before - grave goods the Burgher Social Class or of the Intermediate Risk Factor, and brazen chests were snatched up by money-hungry no- they may have 6 baubles and 3 objets d’art. Finally, for those bles who expanded their borders or tossed into the coffers of of the Aristocrat Social Class or of the Advanced Risk Fac- adventurers who came before. All that is left are the scraps tor, they may have 9 baubles, 6 objets d’art and 3 trinkets. - dirty and broken swords, small gewgaws that are valuable Small Treasures can be found in the Bestiary Appendix at to only a select few or ornaments of art that were too droll the end of this chapter. for the highest bidder.

Plunder in ZWEIHÄNDER is not made of massive dra- GEMSTONES & FINERIES conic hordes or piles of locked away Magickal relics, but Additional plunder may be had as well. However, they are rather small curios that can be sold to antiquarians and significantly rarer and personal. Gemstones are kept close, traders. A small brass ring or an amateur statue may seem or sealed away in familial vaults, while fineries are worn as a worthless at first glance, but strangely there always seems to symbol of affluence or favor of another. While there is cer- be a buyer for such scrap. That being said, the prices of these tainly a proliferation of costume jewelry and false glass gems goods are quite variable - it’s based on the condition of the in the world, true gems of rare stones and jewelry of fine met- item, who is selling it, where they are selling it, who is buying als are hard to discern from counterfeit. Few are surprised to it, any history of the item and a myriad of other factors. A find that the aristocracy wears a lot of fake ornamentation to finely-made wooden shield may be a pittance in a city, but accommodate their false sense of superiority. could easily be the family fortune to a Lowborn. GEMSTONES Further, most of these items are plain stolen - either rifled from hidden stores, looted off of dead bodies or from dubi- Gemstones are generally kept either under lock and key by ous tombs. Fencing goods is never easy, and selling a signet intelligent creatures, or stuffed deep in a crevasse or buried ring could result in a lot of questioning by the local constab- to hide them from would-be plunderers. However, the pro- ulary. That said, there are some legitimate treasures out there liferation of rarer gemstones should be reserved only for the that could net a small fortune if offered to the right elements. most prodigious of folk and powerful of creatures. DISTRIBUTION OF GEMSTONES SMALL TREASURES Gemstones are valued differently, depending on whether The smallest and most personal of treasures come in three they are uncut raw stones, or cut stones. We’ve included the particular varieties. The first are baubles, which are are small uncut value, but multiply these values by three when deter- tokens or bits carried for personal use. Next are objets d’art, mining their cut value. representing artistic paintings, statues and scripts. Final- ly, there are trinkets, which are more legitimate “treasures” DISTRIBUTION OF GEMSTONES that are often quite important and of value to a single owner. For those of the Lowborn Social Class or of the Basic Risk Treasures are always kept close, and if not, under lock and key. Factor, they may have 1D6-3 (to a minimum of 1) gemstones of a valuation worth no more than 1D10+1 gold crowns (gc) 606 each. For those of the Burgher Social Class or of the Inter- In all cases for fineries, however, you will need to random- mediate Risk Factor, they may have 2D6-6 (to a minimum ly determine what Social Class they originally belonged to of 1) gemstones of a valuation worth no more than 2D10+2 before they ended up in the creature’s horde. Reference the gold crowns (gc) each. Finally, for those of the Aristocrat following table: Social Class or of the Advanced Risk Factor, they may have 3D6-9 (to a minimum of 1) gemstones of a valuation worth Percentile Dice Social Class no more than 3D10+3 gold crowns (gc) each.

Gemstones can be found in the Bestiary Appendix at the 1 to 60 Lowborn end of this chapter. 61 to 90 Burgher FINERIES 91 to 100 Aristocrat Fineries range from rings, to necklaces, to bracelets and more. Made from a variety of materials, they are commonly COMMODITIES worn as a sign of affluence by society, and valued by fences You may also wish to use commodities from Chapter 7: to be thieved. Many a heist has been plotted around theft of Trappings to distribute among treasure hordes. an exquisite aristocrat’s ring, while the value of an armband given from a chief to their warriors is held in such esteem DISTRIBUTION OF COMMODITIES that they become immensely inspiring tokens of war. For those of the Lowborn Social Class or of the Basic Risk Factor, they may have 1D6 commodities. For those of the VALUATION OF FINERIES Burgher Social Class or of the Intermediate Risk Factor, The value of fineries is primarily determined by the Social they may have 2D6 commodities. Finally, for those of the Class who originally had them made. For instance, a bronze Aristocrat Social Class or of the Advanced Risk Factor, they ring owned by a Lowborn farmer is worth significantly less may have 3D6 commodities. than a silver ring by a Burgher, while both are trumped by a platinum ring of an Aristocrat. When players record fineries Commodities can be found in the Bestiary Appendix at the in their inventories, be sure to communicate what Social Class end of this chapter. the finery was originally befit for. In the case above, they’d list something along the lines of a “Lowborn’s bronze ring”, a COIN PURSE CONTENTS “Burgher’s silver ring” or an “Aristocrat’s golden ring”. Robbing others of their coin purse is an inevitability in role-playing games. Here, you can reference a rough amount DISTRIBUTION OF FINERIES of pocket change another non-player Character has upon For those of the Lowborn Social Class or of the Basic Risk them, judged by either their Social Class or Risk Factor. Roll Factor, they may have 1D6-1 (to a minimum of 1) fineries. an appropriate number of D6 Chaos Dice to determine how For those of the Burgher Social Class or of the Intermedi- many coins they may have: ate Risk Factor, they may have 2D6-2 (to a minimum of 1) fineries. Finally, for those of the Aristocrat Social Class or LOWBORN or BASIC RISK FACTOR of the Advanced Risk Factor, they may have 3D6-3 (to a  1D6 brass pennies (bp) minimum of 1) fineries. BURGHER OR INTERMEDIATE Finery Value By Social Class RISK FACTOR  1D6 silver shillings (ss)  Finery Lowborn Burgher Aristocrat 2D6 brass pennies (bp) Armband 3bp 3ss 3gc ARISTOCRAT OR ADVANCED RISK FACTOR  1D6 gold crowns (gc) Bracelet 1bp 1ss 1gc  2D6 silver shillings (ss) Brooch 9bp 9ss 9gc  3D6 brass pennies (bp) Earrings 3bp 3ss 3gc Locket 12bp 12ss 12gc Necklace 6bp 6ss 6gc Ring 3bp 3ss 3gc

607 APPENDIX

APPENDIX A: CREATURE TRAITS

Trait Name Description Abyssal Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. Whatever the die lands on indicates Mutations the number of Taints of Chaos it has (as indicated in Chapter 10: Gamemastery). Creatures with this Trait cannot be harmed by normal weapons, unless they have been imbued with Accursed Magick or are an artifact or relic. These creatures may use their breath as a ranged weapon. This allows then to strike a single foe within 1 + Perception Bonus (PB), as the foe suffers 1D10+1 Damage from acid. However, Acidic Spittle Acidic Spittle ignores a foe’s Damage Threshold Modifier from armor. A foe can attempt to Dodge Acidic Spittle, or Parry it with a shield. Acidic Spittle can be used while Engaged with enemies. Creatures in Aethereal form cannot manipulate objects, but may pass through them effortlessly. They cannot inflict Damage while Aethereal. Additionally, they are completely immune to Damage from Aethereal Form melee and ranged weapons. However, Magicks and weapons imbued with Magick can harm them. They can manifest into a non-Aethereal, physical form into the Material Realm for 0 Action Points. However, turning Aethereal once again costs 2 Action Points. Aetheric Whenever these creatures would potentially invoke a Chaos Manifestation, they must have two or Domination more face “6” on Chaos Dice to invoke it. Otherwise, ignore the results.

Ambush Tactics Creatures with this Trait roll 2D10, instead of the normal 1D10, to determine Initiative.

An Invitation... These creatures cannot enter the homes of others, unless properly invited inside. Otherwise, they can To Blood walk unabated into common houses and inns. These creatures can use a spell called Bolt of Flame from the Arcana of Pyromancy. If at least three of these creatures are standing within sight of one another, they can use a spell called Withering Touch Arcana of from the Arcana of Sorcery. If at least nine of these creatures are standing within sight of one another, Horror they can use a spell called Death’s Embrace, from Arcana of Morticism. Should a foe be Slain! by use of any of these Magicks, they are instead turned into an Adversary Demon. Finally, these creatures do not need reagents in order to utilize these Magicks. These creatures cannot be permanently Slain! unless their remains are placed into a decanter consecrated with the Blessed Sacrament Ritual. Within, they remain in a hibernative state, unless the Ashes to Ashes remains are removed therefore giving life to the creature again. Only by then placing the decanter into a font of holy water are they forever Slain!. Whenever these creatures would be Slain!, they immediately break off their tail, remaining Grievously Autotomy Wounded and can use any Movement Action for 0 Action Points. Should they suffer Damage again, they are permanently Slain! instead. Aversion to Whenever these creatures are exposed to any sort of light (as from a torch), they suffer a penalty of -3 Light to their Damage Threshold.

Anytime these creatures attempt to raise those with the Supernatural Trait from the dead using Magick and Rituals, they do not have to make an Incantation Test as it automatically succeeds. Additionally, they automatically understand how to use the Ritual of Awaken the Dead. Finally, Awakening these creatures can use any Ritual which brings Supernatural creatures under their control in one minute, instead of the normal Casting Time required (otherwise 3 Action Points during a Combat Encounter). Creatures with this Trait do not suffer Injuries, cannot Bleed and are immune to attacks made with Bag O’Bones ranged weapons. However, they cannot use any Movement Action that requires 3 Action Points.

608 Trait Name Description Bane of Whenever creatures are struck with weapons coated with a sprig of wolfsbane, they suffer an Lycanthropes additional 1D6 Fury Die in Damage. Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die to determine how many doses of red cap mushrooms they’re under effect of. If the result is 1 - 2, they are under the effects of one dose. If Battle Frenzy the result is 3 - 4, they are under the effects of two doses. If the result is 5 - 6, they are under the effect of three doses. Animal creatures, specifically Critters, will never make these creatures a target of their Attack Actions Beastkith or Perilous Stunts, until they initiate violence towards them or their allies. These creatures are able to wield any two-handed melee weapon with one hand. This also means they Big Grim may freely take advantage of the Adaptable Quality for weapons using one hand. Creatures with this Trait may spend 3 Action Points to attack twice with ranged weapons, providing Blam! Blam! they possess the Gunpowder Quality and are loaded. Whenever these creatures Charge, they gain a +20 Base Chance to strike with a melee-based Attack Blitz Action or Perilous Stunt. Whenever creatures with this Trait inflicts an Injury, they automatically restore their own Damage Bloodlust Condition Track by one step. Whenever creatures use this attack, it ignores their foe’s Damage Threshold Modifier from armor. Bloody Spittle However, it does not cause Injuries. Creatures with this Trait emit a horrific stench, causing 1D10+1 physical Peril every minute to those Bog Stench who stand Engaged with it. Creatures with this Trait are permanently bound to remain within sight of the place they died before Bonds of Death becoming a Restless Spirit. However, they can manipulate physical objects while Aethereal, unlike other Aethereal creatures. Creatures with this Trait never suffer penalties when using tools or weapons in either hand. If they ever suffer an Injury where the creature cannot use its primary hand, it doesn’t suffer penalties to use Both- their off-hand. Additionally, whenever they hold a one-handed melee weapon in either hand and fail Handedness a Martial Melee or Simple Melee Test, they may re-roll to generate a better result but must accept the outcome. Broken Gut- After these creatures are Seriously Wounded or made subject to a Called Shot to the body and suffer Plate at least 9 Damage, they suffer a penalty of -6 to their Damage Threshold

Broken Wings After Seriously or Grievously Wounded, this creature can no longer use flight to move.

Whenever creatures with this Trait inflicts an Injury with both melee and ranged weapons, the foe’s Brown Death wounds are also Infected. Whenever creatures with this Trait make a successful attack bare-handed, they provoke Fear once Brush With again but do not do Damage. Additionally, they age the foe by a year. Every time a foe is aged, they Death permanently reduce their Brawn by 1%. Unlike other melee attacks, this touch only be Dodged. Creatures with this Trait reference their Brawn Bonus (BB) for all Damage they inflict with melee Brute Strength weapons or those possessing the Throwing Quality. Additionally, they add +3 to their Brawn Bonus (BB). Finally, they ignore the Pummeling Quality of melee weapons. Creatures with this Trait do not breath, and always succeed Athletics Test to dig. Additionally, they Burrower can dig at the same rate of Movement as they can on foot. Finally, they may flip the results to succeed Resolve Tests.

609 Trait Name Description Creatures with this Trait aren’t natural to the Material Realm, and have difficulty retaining physical Call of the form while there. Whenever this creature suffers Damage and is unable to deal Damage by the end of Abyss their next Turn, roll 3D6. If all three dice show a face “6”, the creature is banished from the Material Realm back to the Abyss, until summoned once again. Whenever creatures with this Trait inflicts an Injury, they automatically restore their own Damage Cancerous Condition Track by one step. Whenever they render an enemy Slain!, they gain +3 to Brawn Bonus Absorption (BB) for one day and restore their own Damage Condition Track by three steps. Whenever foes can hear this creature, they must Resist with a successful Resolve Test or be drawn Captivating towards the sound. Should they enter a dangerous area to find the sound, they may attempt another Cry Resolve Test. Once they are able to visually see the creature, the Captivating Cry’s effects end. Whenever these creatures are struck by weapons, they gain the Ruined Quality, unless they are imbued Caustic Flesh with Magick or possess the Castle-forged Quality. Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is 1 - 3, they have three Ceremonial Apprentice Runes inscribed upon their staff. If the result is 4 - 5, they have two Journeyman Runes Runes inscribed upon their staff. If the result is a face “6”, they have one Master Rune inscribed upon their staff. Champion’s Select one foe in combat. That foe is left Defenseless to all Melee Attacks and Called Shots made with Call melee weapons the creatures make until they are defeated. They may select another foe afterwards. Chaos Made Whenever these creatures generate a face “6” with Chaos Dice, they invoke a Chaos Manifestation. Manifest Chaos Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is a face “6”, they will Mutation also have a Taint of Chaos (as indicated in Chapter XXX: Gamemastery). Whenever creatures with this Trait reduces someone to Seriously Wounded, their foe’s wounds are Chaotic Rot Infected. Whenever they render someone to Grievously Wounded, their foe contracts Chaotic Rot. Chink in the Whenever this creature’s legs are successfully struck with a Called Shot, they inflict an additional 1D6 Armor Fury Die to Damage.

Chomp Whenever foes Parry this creature’s melee attack, it may make an Opportunity Attack at this same foe. Creatures with this Trait can breathe underwater and always succeed Athletics Test to swim. Cold Blooded, Additionally, they can swim at the same rate of Movement as they can on foot. Finally, they may flip Cold Hearted the results to succeed Resolve Tests. Creatures with this Trait ignore the Damage Threshold Modifier a foe’s armor may confer whenever Cold Hands they inflict Damage. These creatures cannot be permanently Slain! unless their lantern is extinguished. Once snuffed out, Come Into The they remain in a hibernative state, unless the lantern is lit, therefore giving life to the creature again. Light Only by destroying the lantern are they forever Slain!. Whenever creatures use this attack, it ignores their foe’s Damage Threshold Modifier from armor. Corruptive Bile However, it does not cause Injuries - it instead inflicts a random Disease of the Gamemaster’s choice. Corruptive Bile cannot be projected further than three yards. Corruptive Whenever these creatures cause a foe to suffer Damage from Spit Fire, they also inflict 3 Corruption Breath as a result. Additionally, their Spit Fire ability gains the Shrapnel Quality. Creatures with this Trait can attack up to 9 foes in an Engagement with one Attack Action, and Creepy are able to occupy the same space that its foes stand within. Thus, it cannot be made subject to Crawlies Opportunity Attacks. Nor, can they be made to Bleed or suffer Injuries. Crippling Creatures with this Trait also deal Damage as if they were using a bare-handed weapon whenever they Constrictor maintain a Chokehold.

610 Trait Name Description Creatures with this Trait don’t cast a reflection. They cannot cross running water, unless by bridge or boat. When exposed to sunlight, they suffer 2D10+2 Damage from fire for every minute they remain exposed. If they are Slain! by fire, they are permanently dispatched. Otherwise, they turn into mist and immediately return to their resting place to sleep. For every hour they rest, they restore their Damage Curse of the Condition Track positively by one step. Once Unharmed, all Injuries are healed as well. Vampire However, while asleep, they may be permanently Slain! if an ironwood stake is driven through their heart and the head is removed. Finally, these creatures must also feed once a week, or else suffer from Infection. Unlike normal Infection, it cannot be treated by bloodletting; it can only be healed by ingesting nine pints of blood. Dark Sense Creatures with this Trait can see perfectly in the dark, as if it were daylight. Whenever creatures with this Trait inflicts an Injury or Critically Succeeds an attack using a melee weapon, the foe must immediately succeed a Toughness Test or immediately be thrown into a bag Death Bag over the creature’s shoulder. This functions much like a Chokehold, however the creature who used the Death Bag attack may continue using other actions in combat. Only one foe can be caught in the Death Bag at a time. Whenever creatures with this Trait generate a Critical Success or Fury Die with an Attack Action or Death Roll Perilous Stunt, they force a foe to Resist a Chokehold. Whenever these creatures are encountered, they carry a battle axe infused with the souls of other demons. Whenever they inflict an Injury, the foe is instead Slain! instead. This can only be used in the Demonic Axe hands of these creatures, otherwise useless relics to others. If picked up by anyone whose Order Ranks are higher than their Chaos Ranks, they are instantly disintegrated into ash, Slain! where they once stood. Whenever this creature’s’ Turns start, roll 6D6 Chaos Dice. If at least three dice land on face “6”, they enter a demonic frenzy. While frenzied, they can make up to three Melee Attacks during their Turn, Demonic costing 1 Action Point for each Attack. Additionally, they may make an Opportunity Attack at the Frenzy end of a Charge. However, they cannot Dodge or Parry while in a frenzied state. Finally, their frenzied state makes them more susceptible to harm, as foes add an additional 1D6 Fury Die to Total Damage when striking the creature. Dense Anatomy These creatures only suffer Damage dealt by fire or Magick.

During a Combat Encounter, creatures this this Trait can only use Attack Actions unless expressly Dim-Witted commanded to otherwise with a successful Leadership Test by their allies. Dionysian Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is 1 - 5, they are Delights Intoxicated. If the result is 6, they are not Intoxicated. Whenever creatures with this Trait reduces someone to Seriously Wounded, their foe’s wounds are Diseased Infected. Whenever they render someone to Grievously Wounded, their foe contracts a random Wretch Disease of the Gamemaster’s choice. Whenever these creatures are Slain!, roll 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is a face 1 to 3, they Divide and instantaneously split into two “minor” Adversary Demons (albeit unable to cast Magick and can now Conquer be permanently Slain!). If the result is a face 4 to 6, it bursts into a cloud of mutating energy. Those caught in a Small Template’s area of effect must succeed a Resolve Test, or gain a Taint of Chaos. Whenever a creature with this Trait is Slain!, they automatically make an Opportunity Attack against Dying Breath their nearest Engaged foe. If they successfully strike, they do not render Damage. Instead, roll 3D6 Chaos Dice. If any lands on a face “6”, they automatically inflict a Grievous Injury.

611 Trait Name Description Creatures with this Trait which are composed of elemental air cannot move underground or across Elemental water. Those which are composed of elemental earth instantly disintegrate, Slain! if detached from the Weakness ground. creatures composed of elemental fire are Slain! if they enter a body of water or caught in a heavy rain. Finally, those composed of water instantly disintegrate, Slain! if they leave the water. Whenever these creatures are facing Elves and are outnumbered 3:1, they suffer a -10 Base Chance to Elves Iz Nasty all Skill Tests. Additionally, they must succeed a Resolve Test or be made victim to Fear. When this creature uses a Transfixed Gaze, they can use other Actions while they maintain the gaze Entrancing providing they spend 1 Action Point to maintain it. Additionally, foes suffer 3 Corruption on each of their Turns while they remain immobilized. Whenever these creatures are encountered, they worship one of the Abyssal Princes (and are given a gift of darkness). Those who worship the Abyssal Prince of Decay inflicts a Disease of the Gamemaster’s choice whenever they generate a Fury Die. Those who worship the Abyssal Prince of Ever-Chosen Change may Critically Succeed casting one Petty, Lesser and Greater Magick without having to make an Incantation Test. Those who worship the Abyssal Prince of Pleasure can use their Possession ability to control a foe for hours, instead of minutes. Those who worship the Abyssal Prince of Violence add a 1D6 Fury Die to all Damage they do, regardless if it is from weapons or Magick. These creatures may take a non-assuming shape at will, able to pass themselves off as a normal Everyman humanoid. Whenever this creature’s eyes are successfully struck with a Called Shot (otherwise treated as head), it Eyes Wide Shut loses its ability to use Petrifying Gaze. Whenever these creatures consume the face of a humanoid they’ve ritualistically Slain!, they can assume their appearance, memories and perfectly mimic them. This includes the use of Magicks, if Faces of Death they possess the ability therein. The only giveaway would be their mismatched eyes. This Trait lasts until the next new moon. Fast On Their Creatures with this Trait reduce all Movement Actions in combat by 1 AP (for a minimum of 1 AP). Feet Additionally, they may Dodge both melee and ranged weapons. Whenever this creature’s Turn begins, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is a face “6”, they elect to Feckless Runt attack with a red cap mushroom or other senseless object that does no harm for their Turn. Whenever creatures with this Trait successfully uses a Litany of Hatred, affected foes also suffer Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum 2D10+2 physical Peril. Whenever foes are Engaged with this creature, they must Resist with a successful Coordination Test Feel The Heat or be exposed to Mildly Dangerous flames. Whenever these creatures are encountered, they carry a staff which buzzes with flies. Whenever they deal Damage, the foe’s wounds are also Infected. This can only be used in the hands of these creatures, Fetid Stick otherwise useless relics to others. If picked up by anyone whose Order Ranks are higher than their Chaos Ranks, they are instantly infected with Chaotic Rot. These creatures automatically spot hidden or Aethereal foes, and can see perfectly through the dark as Fey Sight if it were daylight. Fiery Creatures with this Trait can use Spit Fire as an Opportunity Attack without having to Load. Retribution Whenever creatures with this Trait reduces someone to Seriously Wounded, their foe’s wounds are Filthy Infected. Whenever they render someone to Grievously Wounded, their foe contracts Bloody Flux.

Fireproof Creatures with this Trait are entirely immune to Damage from fire, Magickal or otherwise

612 Trait Name Description Flailing Creatures with this Trait can attack up to 9 foes in an Engagement with one Attack Action. Tentacles Additionally their tentacles have the Reach Quality, able to strike foes up to 3 yards away.

Flammable Whenever these creatures are exposed to flames, they inflict an additional 1D6 Fury Die to Damage.

Whenever these creatures fail any Skill Test, they may re-roll to generate a better result but must Foresight accept the outcome. Creatures with this Trait do not suffer Injuries, cannot Bleed and are immune to attacks made with Forestwalker ranged weapons. However, they cannot use any Movement Action that requires 3 Action Points.

Frightful Creatures with this Trait provoke Fear whenever combatants first encounter them.

Creatures with this Trait may spend 3 Action Points to attack twice with ranged weapons, providing Fwip! Fwip! they possess the Finesse Quality. Whenever creatures with this Trait generate a Critical Success or Fury Die with an Attack Action, Gastric Acidity they Ruin a foe’s armor, weapon or shield.

Gift of Devils These creatures may ignore the Heavy Quality for purposes of using Incantation to Cast Magick. Whenever these creatures inflict a Moderate Injury, it is always a Black Eye. Whenever they inflict a Give Me Your Serious Injury, it is always Head Trauma. Finally, whenever they inflict a Grievous Injury, it is always a Eyes Vitreous Hemorrhage. These creatures cannot be permanently Slain! unless their eyes are pierced with a golden pin or 1 gold crown (gc) is placed beneath their tongue. During this time, they remain in a hibernative state, Golden Death unless the pins or gold crown (gc) is removed therefore giving life to the creature again. Only by then burning the head in a funeral pyre are they forever Slain!. Whenever these creatures are encountered, they have a Wytchfyre grenade. Whenever thrown, it bursts outwards. Those caught in a Small Template’s area of effect must succeed a Toughness Test or be Grenadier infected with the disease called Chaotic Rot. If used in a Combat Encounter, a Burst would affect up to 6 people in an Engagement. creatures with these grenades are completely immune to their effects. Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. if the result is 1 - 5, they have one Grossly Taint of Chaos. If the result is a face “6”, they have two Taints of Chaos (as indicated in Chapter XXX: Mutated Gamemastery). Grossly Add 3 to this creature’s Initiative. Paranoid Whenever these creatures attempt to hide in urban and underground environments, they gain a +20 Gutter Runner Base Chance to Stealth Tests. Hallucinogenic After ingesting a dose of red cap mushrooms, they also add a 1D6 Fury Die to melee weapon Damage. Frenzy Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is 1 - 5, they carry a massive gong. If the result is a 6, they carry a set of chimes. Whenever they play the gong with Litany Harbinger of of Hatred, Characters so affected also suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril. Whenever they play the chime Plagues with Litany of Hatred, Characters so affected instead lower their Damage and Peril Condition Tracks by -3 instead. These trappings can only be used by hands of these creatures who bear them, otherwise useless relics. Hard-Nosed Creatures with this Trait cannot be made subject to Knockout! and Stunning Blow.

613 Trait Name Description Creatures with this Trait are easily distracted. Whenever their Turn starts, they must succeed a Resolve Herp Derp Test or else lose 1 Action Point. Creatures with this Trait add the Reach and Vicious Quality to any melee weapon they use. They also Hideous Might ignore the Weak Quality of melee weapons. Select a single Petty, Lesser and Greater Magick spell. These creatures no longer have to make High Magick Incantation Tests to Critically Succeed casting these Magicks. Creatures with this Trait can be harmed by holy water, suffering Damage as if they were exposed to Holy moderately dangerous flames (as indicated in Chapter 9: Hazards & Healing). Once exposed, they risk Retribution being caught On Fire. These creatures cannot be made to Bleed or suffocate (as from a Chokehold) and ignore the effects Horror From of all Toxins. Additionally, any time creatures with this Trait suffer Damage from those whose Chaos The Endless Pit Ranks exceed their Order Ranks, they ignore 3 Damage. Finally, these creatures can see perfectly in the dark, as if it were daylight. Whenever creatures with this Trait successfully uses a Litany of Hatred, affected foes must Resist with a Resolve Test or be made subject to confusion. While confused, they must roll 1D6 Chaos Die as their Turn starts. If the result is a face “1”, they lose 1 Action Point on this Turn. If the result is a Howl of the face “2”, they lose 2 Action Points on this Turn. If the result is a face “3”, they elect to run in a random Abyss direction. If the result is a face “4”, they elect to attack the nearest ally. If the result is a face “5”, they do nothing. However, if the result is a face “6”, they are left Helpless. Once beneath its effects, they can attempt to Resist at the beginning of their Turn to shake it off. Foes who stand within 9 yards of this creature cannot add their Apprentice Skill Rank to all Combat and Willpower-based Skill Tests. Additionally, foes who are Engaged or stand within 3 yards of these Hypnotic Musk creatures must succeed a Toughness Test, or be unable to add their Journeyman and Master Skill Ranks to all Combat and Agility-based Skill Tests for a day. After this creature make an Attack Action with a melee weapon, they may immediately make an I Got Axe For Opportunity Attack with any one-handed ranged weapon with the Throwing Quality on the same You Turn. These creatures cannot be permanently Slain! unless their wedding ring is placed into a decanter consecrated with the Blessed Sacrament Ritual. Within, they remain in a hibernative state, unless the I Thee Wedd ring is removed therefore giving life to the creature again. Only by then placing the decanter into a large body of water are they forever Slain!. Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos die to determine what special power they can grant to allies once a day. If the result is 1 to 3, they can cause any one ally standing within 3 Impish yards of them to gain the benefits of Demonic Frenzy. If the result is a 4 to 5, they allow any one ally Delights standing within 3 yards of them to gain +20 Base Chance to a single Skill Test If the result is a face “6”, anyone standing within 3 yards of this creature must succeed a Resolve Test, or temporarily lower their Fellowship by 9% for a day. Implacable When this creature’s Turn begins, they gain 1 additional Action Point. However, it can only be used to Defense Dodge and Parry.

In The Face These creatures can only be harmed by melee and ranged weapons by using a Called Shot to the head.

Creatures with this Trait cannot Bleed, suffer Injuries or be made victim to Perilous Stunts such as Incorporeal Knockout! and Stunning Blow. Incorporeal creatures can see perfectly in the dark. When in a Chokehold, they do not have to remain immobilized to maintain, able to use other Actions Inescapable in Combat. Whenever creatures with this Trait would normally inflict an Injury, the foe’s wounds are instead Infectious Bite Infected.

614 Trait Name Description Creature with this Trait do not Bleed, and add +3 to their Damage Threshold. However, they eschew Iron Grafts all armor.

Keen Senses Creatures with this Trait automatically succeed all Perception-based Skill Tests which rely on smell. Creatures with this Trait can spend 2 Action Points to make an Interrogation Test. If successful, foes caught in a Cone radius who fail to Resist with a Resolve Test immediately suffers from Fear and Keening Wail cannot Counterspell, Dodge or Parry until their next Turn. A foe can be made victim to Keening Wail every Turn. Kill It With Only after these creature’s remains are set On Fire are they forever Slain!. Fire These creatures can Get Up during Combat Encounters without spending Action Points or having to Kip Up use a Coordination Test. Lamb To The Whenever these creatures injure their foes with melee weapon, they inflict two Injuries instead of one. Slaughter

Lashing Tail Creatures with this Trait may attempt to attack with their tail immediately at the end of their Turn.

Lick Your Creatures with this Trait can restore their Damage Condition Track positively by three steps by Wounds spending a Misfortune Point. Whenever a combatant uses Take Aim for 2 AP to shine a source of light upon this creature before Light Sensitive making their attack, reduce its Damage Threshold to the following: 5 (11/17/23). Whenever these creatures use Magick, they must roll 3D6 Chaos dice. If all land on face “6”, they are Living Chaos instantaneously Slain! where they stand. These creatures can control a number of Mindless Undead equal to three times their Willpower Bonus Lord Of The (WB), as illustrated in the Ritual of Awaken the Dead. They need not remain within sight of these Damned creatures to be controlled, as they share a telepathic bond. Finally, this Trait allows the user of Awaken the Dead to see through the eyes of all Mindless Undead they control. Lumbering Creatures with this Trait cannot use any Movement Action that requires 3 Action Points, nor can they Brute Charge or Run. Whenever these creatures are Injured, always reference the Moderate Injuries table to determine their Man O’War severity. This Trait overrides any potential for increase in Injuries due to Qualities, Traits or other Talents. These creatures can create 1D6 perfect incorporeal, mirrored images of itself. However, once a Many Faces Of mirrored image is successfully struck with any weapon or Magick, it immediately dematerializes. This Death Trait can only be used once a day. Master of the Whenever these creatures attempt to tame, ride and command creatures which are Dire Rats, Tyrant Lash Skrzzak and other rodents, they may flip the results to succeed any Skill Test related to it. Masterfully Creatures with this Trait reference their Agility Bonus (AB) for all Damage they inflict with ranged Adroit weapons. Additionally, they add +3 to their Agility Bonus (AB).

Menacing Whenever these creatures succeed an Intimidate Test, they inflict 1D10+1 mental Peril. Whenever foes stand within nine yards of these creatures, they must Resist with a successful Toughness Test or succumb to a Disease. Roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If it lands on face “1”, they contract Bloody Flux. If Miasma of it lands on face “2”, they contract Filth Fever. If it lands on face “3”, they contract Grey Plague. If it lands Sickness on face “4”, they contract Tomb Rot. If it lands on face “5”, they contract Venereal Disease. And finally, if it lands on face “6”, they contract all the aforementioned Diseases. Whether they Resisted or not, they cannot be made victim to Miasma of Sickness again, until at least a day has passed.

615 Trait Name Description These creatures do not possess Fellowship, Intelligence or Willpower Primary Attributes, and cannot Mindless be made to Resist effects which affect the mind. Additionally, they can see perfectly in the dark. Murderous Whenever these creatures make an Attack Action with a blackjack, garrote or bullwhip, their foe Attacks cannot Dodge or Parry this attack. Natural Armor Creatures with this Trait add a bonus to their Damage Threshold, equal to X. A description following (X) X describes what form the Natural Armor takes.

Never Say Die Whenever these creatures are Grievously Wounded, add 3 to their Damage Threshold.

Never Foes do not gain an advantage when they flank and surround this creature in combat. Surrender

Occult Mastery Whenever this creature Channels Power and succeed their Skill Test, they Critically Succeed instead.

One-Two Whenever these creatures Take Aim and then make a successful Melee Attack, they force a foe to Punch Resist a Stunning Blow. When three or more of these creatures with this Trait are in an Engagement, they gain +20 Base Pack Mentality Chance to strike. Whenever creatures with this Trait make a successful attack bare-handed, they deal both Damage and Paralyzing force a foe to Resist with a Resolve Test or be unable to use Movement Actions on their next Turn. Touch Unlike other melee attacks, this touch only be Dodged. Path of While attacking RACE, these creatures always add a 1D6 Fury Die to melee weapon attacks. Destruction Additionally, when facing RACE, they always succeed Resolve Tests. Finally, they never Bleed. Paw, Hoof Or These creatures use 6 + Agility Bonus (AB) on foot, or 9 + Agility Bonus (AB) for flight. Wing Perfect Creatures with this Trait force foes to flip the results to fail all Attack Actions to strike it with ranged Camouflage weapons. Whenever foes are Engaged with this creature (and the creature can see them), they must Resist with a successful Awareness Test or be petrified, their skin covered in a hardened encasement of stone, Petrifying Gaze while left Helpless. Petrified foes will eventually die from starvation unless freed. Petrification lasts until the heart of the creature is pulverized into a bloody concoction, and poured over the victim. Creatures with this Trait are naturally drawn between multiple planes of existence, and have difficulty Physical retaining physical form while in the Material Realm. Every minute a creature remains on the Material Instability Realm in physical form, roll 3D6 Chaos Dice at the end of its Turn. If all three dice show a face “6”, the creature is banished from the Material Realm, until the new moon. Whenever creatures with this Trait reduces someone to Seriously Wounded, their foe’s wounds are Plague-Ridden Infected. Whenever they render someone to Grievously Wounded, their foe contracts Tomb Rot. Whenever these creatures make an Attack Action with a weapon possessing the Gunpowder Quality Point Blank within one yard of an opponent, they inflict an additional 1D6 Fury Die to Damage. Poison Creatures with this Trait cannot be affected by poisons of any kind. Resistance Whenever creatures with this Trait generate a Critical Success or Fury Die with an Attack Action or Poisonous Bite Perilous Stunt, they inject Spider Venom into their victim (see Chapter XXX: Hazards and Healing).

616 Trait Name Description Creatures with this Trait can use a spell called Skin Guest, from the Arcana of Sorcery, without having Possession to make an Incantation Test. However, they do not have to use Concentration whatsoever. Whenever creatures with this Trait strike, their foe must flip the results to fail when Parrying their Potent Blows attacks. Whenever creatures with this Trait successfully uses a Litany of Hatred, affected foes must Resist with Primal Scream a Resolve Test or be made subject to Fear. Punishing Whenever these creatures Take Aim and then make a successful Melee Attack, add 3 Damage. Attack Whenever these creatures begin to Load a ranged weapon, make a successful Coordination Test to Quickload Load it without spending Action Points. If failed, they must spend the requisite number of Action Points to finish Loading. Whenever this creature’s Turn begins, they immediately restore their Damage Condition Track by Reanimator one step positively. Once Slain!, they immediately reanimate and heal to Grievously Wounded the following Turn. Special Rules cover how these creatures can be permanently Slain!. At the beginning of this creature’s turn, roll 1D6 Chaos Dice. They restore their Damage Condition Regeneration Track one step positively for every face “6” it lands on. However, this ability doesn’t work if the creature is already Slain!. Resistance to This creature may flip the result to succeed when Resisting the effects of Magick. Chaos These creatures penalize their foe’s ability to Resist a Chokehold and Dirty Tricks by a -10 Base Ringen Chance to their Skill Test. Additionally, whenever they use a Chokehold, add an additional 1D10 to determine how much physical Peril they inflict. Whenever creatures with this Trait generate a Critical Success or Fury Die with an Attack Action or Ripping Teeth Perilous Stunt, they force a foe to Resist a Takedown.

Rusty Weapons Whenever creatures with this Trait would normally inflict an Injury, the foe’s wounds are also Infected.

When fighting on horseback or atop a conveyance like a cart, coach or wagon, these creatures gain a Saddle Tactics +10 Base Chance to strike with melee and ranged weapons. Salt Of The Adjust this creature’s Peril Threshold by +3. Earth Whenever these creatures enter combat, they take upon a different aspect every minute which passes. Upon the first minute, they take upon the aspect of spring, gaining +3 to Damage Threshold. Upon the second minute, they take upon the aspect of summer, gaining total immunity to fire. Upon the third Seasons To Pass minute, they take upon the aspect of autumn, able to use two Melee Attacks on that Turn. Upon the fourth minute, they take upon the aspect of winter, able to Dodge and Parry for 0 Action Points. This creature may only take upon one aspect at a time, and continues to cycle every minute which passes. Whenever these creatures are encountered, they wear a cloak made from an undersea creature. It Serpentine provides a Damage Threshold Modifier of 1 when worn. It must be upkept with a slime made from a Cloak Shimmering Mimic’s brain, or else is destroyed after a week. Shadowborn Creatures with this Trait do not suffer Injuries and cannot Bleed.

Creatures with this Trait can take upon any form they please, providing it is of a Large Animal or of Shapeshifter one of the Humanoid player races. These creatures gain a +10 Base Chance to strike with ranged weapons at Medium and Long Sharp-Sighted Distance.

617 Trait Name Description These creatures ignore the Pummeling and Weak Qualities when fighting bare-handed, with a Shoot Fighter blackjack or using knuckledusters. Additionally, they may reference Brawn Bonus (BB) or Combat Bonus (CB) when inflicting Damage with these same weapons. Whenever these creatures successfully strike with a ranged weapon possessing the Gunpowder Shotgun Bang! Quality, they automatically Load their weapon for 0 Action Points. Whenever these creatures use the Stealth or Survival Skill in rural areas, they gain a +20 Base Chance Silent Stalker to succeed. Skeletal Only after these creature’s bones are spread around for one minute are they forever Slain!. Remains Whenever this creature’s Turn ends, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. Whatever the result is, a number of Slime-Born Kobold Fanatics sprout forth aside this creature. Additionally, foes who are Engaged with this creature Host must Resist with a successful Coordination Test or be unable to use Movement Actions, as they are grappled by Kobold Fanatics who cling to its body. Whenever these creatures are encountered, they have a smoke bomb. Whenever thrown, it explodes outwards. Those caught in a Large Template’s area of effect reduces their Movement by a -6 penalty, Smoke Bomb until they escape. Additionally, it provides enough concealment for the creature to use their Stealth Skill. Creatures with this Trait may spend 3 Action Points to attack twice with melee weapons, providing Snikt! Snikt! they possess the Finesse Quality. Sniveling Whenever these creatures are in combat, they only receive 2 Action Points. Whelp These creatures cannot be permanently Slain! unless the fetish or phylactery which houses their soul is Soul Jar destroyed. However, they can be made to remain in a hibernative state, left unconscious if a jar of salt is poured into their mouths. These creatures may use their breath as a ranged weapon. This allows then to strike a single foe within 3 + Perception Bonus (PB), as the foe suffers 2D10+2 Damage from fire. A foe can attempt to Dodge Spit Fire, or Parry it with a shield. Spit Fire can be used while Engaged with enemies. Spit Fire Whenever creatures with this Trait attack, it cannot be Dodged or Parried - it may only be Resisted Spore-Splosion with a successful Toughness Test. If a foe fails this Toughness Test, they are exposed to the Disease known as Orx-molt. Squabble Whenever creatures are made victim of Stress, Fear or Terror, it must succeed a Resolve Test or attack Among other Mutants on its next Turn. Themselves Creatures with this Trait do not suffer Injuries, cannot Bleed and are immune to attacks made with Statuesque ranged weapons. However, they cannot use any Movement Action that requires 3 Action Points. Steaming Whenever creatures with this Trait successfully uses a Litany of Hatred, affected foes also suffer Breath 2D10+2 physical Peril. Steely Creatures with this Trait always succeed Resolve Tests and cannot be made subject to the Intimidate Fortitude Skill. Stinging Whenever these creatures make a successful Melee Attack, they force a foe to Resist a Stunning Blow. Tentacle Whenever creatures with this Trait generate a Critical Success or Fury Die with an Attack Action or Stomp The Yard Perilous Stunt, they automatically knock their foe Prone. Additionally, they ignore the effects of Hard Terrain.

618 Trait Name Description Whenever creatures use this attack, it forces a foe to Resist with an Athletics Test or suffer 1D10+ Stone Blast the creature’s Brawn Bonus (BB) in Damage. This attack can be used against three foes at once, and cannot be Dodged or Parried. Creatures with this Trait are immune to all attacks from electricity and lightning. Furthermore, Storm Rage whenever they are struck by such attacks, it empowers them, adding a one-time bonus of +3 to Damage Threshold while enabling them to add a 1D6 Fury Die to weapon Damage for an hour. Whenever creatures with this Trait executed a successful attack while flying, they also deal 2D10+2 Strafing Talons physical Peril. Stress-Inducing Creatures with this Trait provoke Stress whenever combatants first encounter them. If these creatures roll a Critical Success with a Melee Attack, they inflict the Ruined Quality to a Sundering foe’s shield, weapon or armor (Gamemaster’s choice). Sundering Blow has no effect on Castle-forged Blow trappings, and the creature must be armed with a two-handed melee weapon. Creatures with this Trait swallow their foes whole into their stomach whenever using a Chokehold. Swallow Whole They deal Damage as if they were using a bare-handed weapon whenever they maintain a Chokehold. Additionally, foes who attempt to escape this Chokehold must flip the results to fail their Skill Test. Sweeping Whenever these creatures makes a Melee Attack with a two-handed weapon, they can strike up to Strike three foes at one time they’re Engaged with.

Telepathy These creatures can communicate telepathically with any other person they can see.

Terrifying Creatures with this Trait provoke Terror whenever combatants first encounter them. Whenever these creatures are made subject to a Chaos Manifestation, they may roll twice and choose The Changer of the most desirous result. Finally, they may Counterspell for 0 Action Points. Finally, they can use a Ways spell called Dispel Magick, from Generalist Petty Magick, without having to make an Incantation Test. Whenever this creature makes a Skill Test, they roll twice and assume the better of the two results. The Viridescent Additionally, they never suffer from Critical Failures, instead treating them as regularly failed Skill Path Tests instead. They (Might Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is 1 - 5, they are Be) Drunken Intoxicated. If the result is 6, they are not Intoxicated. Giants Throng of These creatures cannot be made victim to Perilous Stunts. However, they suffer an additional 1D6 Nasties Fury Die in Damage when subjected to flames. When this creature spends an Action Point, they force a foe to Resist with a Resolve Test. If they fail, the foe is left Helpless. The Helpless foe cannot use any Actions, but may attempt to Resist again at Transfixed the beginning of their Turn to escape. The creature cannot use any other Actions while they maintain a Gaze Transfixed Gaze. However, they may release the gaze at any time. If they suffer Damage while a foe is transfixed, they immediately relinquish the hold. Creatures with this Trait have a True Name, which gives powers to its foes. Unless a foe invokes the True Name creature’s True Name, Magick fails to affect them entirely. Whenever these creatures are Seriously or Grievously Wounded, add a 1D6 Fury Die to Damage they Unbridled Rage inflict with melee weapon attacks. Whenever these creatures are Slain! all those Engaged with it must succeed a Coordination Test or be Ungainly knocked Prone beneath of it, suffering a Grievous Injury. Unlatch Doors These creatures can automatically unfasten any lock they can see, Magickal or otherwise.

619 Trait Name Description Whenever these creatures drop down the Damage Condition Track, they must drop their Peril Unruly Condition Track by one step as well.

Unsullied This creature and its possessions it wields cannot be harmed by fire, Magickal or otherwise. These creatures can crawl upon both vertical and horizontal surfaces with ease. Additionally, they may Wall Crawler initiate a Chokehold from a Distance of 3 + Perception Bonus (PB). When in a Chokehold, they do not have to remain immobilized to maintain, able to use other Actions in Combat. Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is 1 - 5, their hunger Wanton has been sated. If the result is 6, their hunger has not yet been sated and are in a state of frenzy. When Hunger their hunger has been sated, these creatures gain a +1 to both Damage and Peril Threshold. If they are in a state of frenzy, they add a 1D6 Fury Die to all Damage they inflict. Whenever this creature’s wings are successfully struck with a Called Shot (otherwise treated as arms), Weak Spot they inflict an additional 1D6 Fury Die to Damage. Weakness to These creatures cannot be permanently Slain! unless a killing blow is rendered with a weapon made of Brass brass or bronze.

Weeping Whenever these creatures are encountered, they carry a scythe infused with the blood of mortals. Scythe Whenever they deal Damage, the foe also begins to Bleed. This can only be used in the hands of these creatures, otherwise useless relics to others. If picked up by anyone whose Order Ranks are higher than their Chaos Ranks, they are instantly disintegrated into ash, Slain! where they once stood. Whenever these creatures are encountered, they carry a bullwhip woven from the skins of Dread Whip of the Counts. Whenever they strike with the bullwhip, the foe must Resist with a successful Toughness Fallen Test or suffer 2D10+2 physical Peril. This can only be used in the hands of these creatures, otherwise useless relics to others. Will Of The Whenever these creatures attempt to use Attack Actions or Perilous Stunts against those who possess Gods the Divine Magick trait, they suffer 1D10+1 physical Peril. Whenever creatures use this attack, it forces a foe to Resist with a Coordination Test or be thrown Wind Kick 1D10+ Brawn Bonus (BB) in yards. This attack can be used against three foes at once. Whenever casting Generalist Petty Magick - at their option - these creatures may automatically Winds of succeed the Incantation Test but must lower their Peril Condition Track by one step negatively. Chaos Additionally, they must always add 1 additional Chaos Die whenever these creatures elect to Channel Power. Finally, they automatically understand how to use the Ritual of Magick Circle. These creatures cannot be permanently Slain! unless their remains are placed beneath a ouija board. Beneath, they remain in a hibernative state, unless the remains are removed therefore giving life to the Witchboard creature again. Only by successfully casting Last Rites (from the Prayers of the Custodian) over the ouija board are they forever Slain!. Creature with this Trait do not Bleed, and add +3 to their Damage Threshold. However, they eschew Woad Tattoos all armor. Whenever these creatures encounter those who are suffering from a Disorder, Disease or Grievous Injury, the foe must Resist with a successful Resolve Test or else be Slain!. However, the foe must be Word of Death able to see and hear them for Word of Death to work. If a foe succeeds this Resolve Test, they are forever immune to Word of Death. Whenever these creatures are encountered, roll a 1D6 Chaos Die. If the result is 1 - 4, they carry two Wytchfyre pistols. If the result is a 5, they carry a Wytchfyre jezzail. If the result is 6, they carry Wytch-Science a Wytchfyre thrower. If a Wytchfyre thrower is upon one of these creatures, they cannot Charge, Maneuver or Run.

620 APPENDIX B: SMALL TREASURES

Percentile Percentile Baubles Baubles Dice Dice A moth-eaten flag scrap from a venerable noble 1 51 A dull shaving razor house A rusting ring of keys, most notably one that is An eye mask like that worn by a 2 centuries-old and engraved with a motif of hour- 52 highway robber glasses and skeletons A ship manifest detailing a long-lost shipment of A tallow prayer candle embossed 3 53 goods with a night-bat 4 A scratched silver earring with a diamond inset 54 A fistful of dried seal meat A decaying leather pouch with rat skulls sewn into A waxed bag containing 2 beheaded, 5 55 it, containing a few dead flies gutted and plucked geese A water-warped copy of a local almanac, revised 6 56 A gown with smeared personal notes and changes A pewter charm in the shape of a warhammer, A wooden tambourine engraved with 7 57 strung from a leather cord necklace images of griffons A massive book entitled “Vulgar 8 A sticky bath token for a nearby coaching inn 58 Jokes for Children” 9 A gnarled bit of driftwood carved into a child’s face 59 A tiny chess board An empty bag, worn thin and floppy 10 A filthy loincloth sized for an Ogre 60 from years of use A pigskin pouch containing a hand- 11 A human skull at the end of a three foot iron chain. 61 ful of damp gunpowder A wire-frame crystal monocle with a 12 A whetstone in a leather pouch 62 cracked lens 13 A pouch of fine tobacco 63 An enormous hat

14 An odd pewter coin 64 A scout’s calling-horn A love letter penned on a piece of folded parch- A human skull with the word “mur- 15 65 ment derer” engraved into the forehead 16 A bag of mixed animal teeth 66 A quartz shard on a leather cord A pewter belt buckle etched with the image of a 17 67 An oaken bowl caked with old food river boat’s crew battling a giant octopus 18 A pocket full of dung 68 A leather purse An oaken calling-whistle inscribed with a design of 19 69 A pocket full of ash the sun. An oaken stick topped with a human skull with the 20 70 A huge iron key number “3” etched in its forehead A telescope marked with the image 21 A bit of bone on which is engraved a star. 71 of a mermaid 22 A bar of grey, greasy soap made of frog fat. 72 A pouch of herbs A flame-blackened piece of vellum A half-pound tin stamped with an odd symbol, full 23 73 on which is written a caravan’s cargo of stale tea leaves from a far away land manifest 24 A set of fortune-telling runes made of stone 74 A pigskin flask of whale oil A string of spent silver bullets, drilled through the 25 75 A jar of dark mustard center, strung on a hempen cord bracelet

621 Percentile Percentile Baubles Baubles Dice Dice 26 A meat pie 76 A small box of smoking leaf A scroll case holding a blood-stained chart of hu- 27 77 A bedroll that stinks of body odor man anatomy, with hand-written notes 28 A pewter cooking pot 78 A small tin of stinking ointment A strip of brittle parchment inscribed with ancient 29 79 A pinewood comb runes A blood-smeared bag containing a freshly severed 30 80 An iron crow-bar toe 31 A phial of blue fluid, likely a sure-fire cure 81 A string of garlic cloves

32 A horned helmet on which is engraved a tree 82 A bag full of crushed egg shells A book entitled “Duties of Bailiffs & Reeves”, de- 33 83 A decaying cat scribing standard approaches to judicial matters 34 An exotic stuffed bird 84 A pot of beeswax A yellowing human leg-bone etched with the A copper amulet shaped like a bear’s 35 85 initials U.V.E head 36 A fire-blackened astrologer’s map 86 A blood-stained blanket A crude cedar wood bracelet stamped with blas- A crude slingshot with a pocket full 37 87 phemous symbols and profane imagery of stones 38 A white handkerchief 88 A blood-flecked skinning knife

39 A large pot of green enamel 89 A set of seer’s runes made of stone A bracelet made of a string of spent 40 A coil of sausage links 90 bullets A small, empty metal tin richly en- 41 A peat spade 91 graved with a motif of suns and stars A shiny silver eating plate engraved with a motif of A greased rawhide bag containing 42 92 leaves, berries and acorns fish entrails 43 A kettle 93 A red candle A fine silver ring in the shape of 44 A rusted animal trap 94 interlocking leaves 45 A hardwood abacus with dry beans for beads 95 A mud-caked garden rake

46 A 12-gallon cask of cooking oil 96 A rawhide bag of human teeth A few sheets of dry parchment that will likely turn 47 97 Identifying papers to dust if touched 48 A braided leather headband 98 A pair of shears

49 A linen smock 99 A hacksaw

50 A jug of pickled oysters 100 A tarnished silver bell

622 APPENDIX B: SMALL TREASURES

Percentile Percentile Objets d’Art Objets d’Art Dice Dice A small bone statue depicting a warrior’s 1 A 5-by-60-foot bolt of raw canvas 51 last moments A small bone statue depicting a scholar’s 2 A bleached human jawbone with golden teeth 52 work A small bronze sculpture depicting an act 3 A blessed censer emblazoned with a spider 53 of torture. A wood carving depicting a relationship A small carving depicting a meeting be- 4 54 ending tween two foreigners 5 A carving of a thief. 55 A small drawing of a chalice. A copper sculpture depicting an ancient Ne- 6 56 A small drawing of a recurved bow. philim A a copper sculpture depicting a hyena feed- A small engraving of a flower and a hor- 7 57 ing on a human. net A drawing of a fetid pond containing a dead 8 58 A small engraving of an abandoned tower body. A elm sculpture of a swift and a humming- 9 59 A small etching depicting a court scene bird. A etching depicting Grendel enslaving hu- A small etching depicting an ancient map 10 60 mans of the world A small etching of a griffon near a foun- 11 A fresco depicting a pirate fleet. 61 tain. A lead sculpture depicting a failure involving 12 62 A small etching of a turtle. an inventor. 13 A red pine statue of a barbarian and a kobold. 63 A small glass statue depicting a a god A redwood statue depicting an act of cruelty A small glazed vase painted with a reli- 14 64 involving a warrior in demonic armor. gious scene A watercolor depicting a reunion involving a 15 65 A small lead statue of a slave. dwarf and a human A small mahogany sculpture of a an 16 A wooden statue depicting an assassin in wait. 66 animal 17 A bone sculpture of a short, wiry father. 67 A small mahogany statue of a wyvern. A clay statue that looks as if it was about to A small metal statue of a gamekeeper and 18 68 come to life his panther ally A small oil painting depicting a battlefield 19 A fresco of a trade caravan 69 in the midst of conflict A large rowan sculpture of the dead rising A small oil painting depicting a temple 20 70 from the grave that has fallen to disrepair. A small oil painting depicting a meeting 21 A large silver sculpture of a dragon 71 between a concubine and a noble. A large sketch depicting a competition involv- ing a stocky, incredibly attractive prince with A small painting depicting a jousting 22 72 blue eyes and a hat. The predominant colors competition are dark green and dark red. A medium-sized black pine sculpture of an 23 73 A small painting of a key with a false back emerald. A medium-sized drawing of a prestige college A small painting of a mountain, from 24 74 of Magick. which kobolds are descending. A small painting of a a family, most likely 25 An engraving depicting a wandering priest. 75 a portrait A medium-sized engraving of the short, 26 76 A small pastel painting of a a familial dog stocky brother of a famous queen. Percentile Percentile Objets d’Art Objets d’Art Dice 623 Dice A medium-sized mosaic of a hunter stalking a A small redwood sculpture of a a proud 27 77 chimera. sailing ship. A small sketch depicting a gamble gone 28 A medium-sized painting of a burnt stable. 78 wrong. A medium-sized pastel painting depicting an 29 79 A small teak sculpture of a wolf town succumbing to illness. A small watercolor painting of a landscape 30 A medium-sized pastel painting of a wedding. 80 of rolling hills and twisting blue rivers A small wooden sculpture depicting a 31 A medium-sized teak sculpture of a duck. 81 romance involving a halfling and an ogre. A somewhat large drawing of a military A medium-sized wall painting of a torn stan- 32 82 regiment, posing in front of the enemy’s dard on a hill. battle standard A somewhat large engraving of a murder 33 A miniscule pinewood statue of a local deity 83 scene. A somewhat large ironwood statue of an 34 A rather small brass statue of a local lord. 84 long-lost god. A somewhat large painting depicting a A rather small copper sculpture depicting a 35 85 journey home of an injured adventuring secret involving the a dead god. party. A rather small drawing depicting a period of A somewhat large painting of a regal 36 86 typhoon castle. A rather small engraving depicting a ghost A somewhat large tapestry of a familial 37 87 haunting a child seal. A rather small engraving of a vulture on a hill, A tiny but well-executed watercolor paint- 38 88 feeding upon a human skull. ing of a grand cathedral A rather small etching depicting an act of A very large wall painting of a holy sym- 39 89 cruelty involving Orx bol A very large wall painting of a hawk eat- 40 A rather small fresco of a horse. 90 ing a mouse. A rather small marble sculpture depicting an A very small drawing depicting a Defiler’s 41 91 arena fight kingdom. A rather small painting depicting a fall involving a servant girl and a waterfall near a 42 92 A very small drawing of a tiger. fountain. The predominant colors are bronze and vibrant yellow. The frame is made of brass. A very small engraving of a mountain 43 A rather small painting of a viper in the grass 93 range at dawn. 44 A rather small red pine sculpture of a unicorn 94 A very small gold statue of a corpse. A rather small redwood statue of a komodo A very small mahogany sculpture of a 45 95 drake Water Panther. A rather small sketch depicting a steamy scene A very small painting depicting a wander- 46 96 of romance ing musician. A rather small steel sculpture depicting a 47 97 A very small painting of a charm. dwarven stronghold A rather small watercolor depicting an escape A very small pastel painting of a flowered 48 98 from the Abyss field. A very small wooden statue of a goblet. It 49 A richly decorated black tabard 99 was done in an archaic style. A richly-engraved lead case containing several paintbrushes, pots of prepared watercolor An oil painting depicting a farmer and a 50 100 paints, empty cups, sponges and sheets of prized goat thick rag paper

624 APPENDIX B: SMALL TREASURES

Per- Percen- Trinkets centile Trinkets tile Dice Dice A ceremonial but rusted burial sword with a hand 1 A few bottles of sherry from a foreign vineyard 51 guard in the shape of raven’s wings and inlaid with bronze Buckled leather boots with wide cuffs beautiful- 2 52 A grey wool beret sewn with a badge ly embroidered in a maze pattern A driftwood mourner’s flute engraved with a A leather bandoleer fitted with 2 small flasks of 3 53 design of an hourglass gunpowder A small box with the image of a cannon en- A torch-wand marked with the livery of a Pyro- 4 graved on the lid. Inside, set in velvet, are several 54 mancer sticks of sealing wax and a gold signet ring A fine pair of gloves decorated with the stylized 5 55 A special weapons permit issued by a local town image of a bear’s head A barber surgeon’s leather-bound book entitled 6 56 A black shirt with a fashionably wide collar “Chirurgery”, with scabs stuck to the inside An officer’s broken sabre engraved with a city 7 57 Out-of-date identification papers seal, with a fine leather scabbard A walking stick carved with a demonic phallic 8 58 A blue velvet cape sized for a Halfling symbol of ivory A miniscule pewter box holding the mummified A floppy hat embroidered around the brim with a 9 59 finger of a witch hunter motif of spirals and loops A builder’s box with a wooden handle. Inside 10 A lead brooch in the shape of a rose 60 are carpenter’s tools including a hammer, mallet, plane, saw and iron nails A pair of silver-rim crystal spectacles with their 11 61 A pair of boots with buttoned-back cuffs own leather case A broken sword of foreign design with a sap- A richly decorated glazed pitcher marked with a 12 62 phire-encrusted sheath. seal A pigskin case containing a rusty serrated knife, 13 63 An enormous leather-bound book of recipes tooth pliers, spiked tongs and branding irons A badly dented spear with a pommel in the shape 14 An earring made of pewter with a ruby inset 64 of a dog’s head A gate-keeper’s solid coin box inlaid with moth- A jug stamped with blasphemous symbols and 15 65 er-of-pearl, with a robust iron lock. If shaken, a profane imagery few coins can be heard clanging around inside A war-beaten rod engraved with a sacred oath Red wool robes embroidered along the fringe 16 66 to serve an emperor with a motif of suns and stars 17 Empty wine bottles dressed in silver filigree 67 A fragile map of the heavens A fine white cape, the border of which has A few gold crowns that, upon closer inspection, 18 been decorated with a motif of hourglasses and 68 are probably counterfeit skeletons A floppy hat embroidered around the border 19 69 An hourglass made of wood and colored glass with a motif of spirals and loops A ruined officer’s pistol, with gothic crosses en- A large gold-encrusted urn containing the ashes 20 70 graved into the grip and a motif of skulls carved of a exorcist along the length of the barrel 21 A candelabra with a human skull at its center 71 A ten pound wheel of mouse-nibbled blue cheese A leather case of butcher’s knives and sharpen- 22 72 A two hundred pound crate of charcoal ing files 23 A set of pewter money scales 73 A few unremarkable small items A candle-seller’s ivory staff with a dozen tallows A black leather bag containing woodworkers’ 24 74 dangling off the crossbar tools

625 Per- Percen- Trinkets centile Trinkets tile Dice Dice A pair of silver-rim crystal spectacles with very A woolen bag containing stoneworkers’ hammers 25 75 thick lenses and chisels A horse’s saddle and saddlebags made of red, 26 76 A rickety hardwood hand-cart scaly leather A small driftwood box lined with red velvet, into 27 A large backpack stitched from foreign leathers 77 which is set a smoking pipe carved from a single piece of mother-of-pearl A pair of richly engraved plate gauntlets with a 28 78 A deer-hide cap blessed ribbon wax sealed to one of them A battle-ravaged leather skullcap stamped with A battle-scarred mortuary sword with prayer 29 79 the image of a laurel wreath ribbons tied around the handle and guard A leather greatcoat, the borders of which have A bundle of black tallow prayer candles embossed 30 been decorated with a motif of leaves, berries 80 with a twin-tailed comet, tied with a hempen and acorns cord An ash wood smoking pipe on which is en- 31 81 A rusted garden hoe graved a flame A deer hide case holding facial cleanser, various 32 82 A warm, wolf-hide hooded cloak colored powders, sponges and a wad of cotton An oilskin bag containing a large tent, cord, pi- 33 A ferryman’s solid toll-box with an iron lock 83 tons and a mallet A tiny beech wood box embossed with the image A human skull with the word “heretic” inscribed 34 84 of a crescent moon, inside of a which is a strip of into its forehead, wrapped in parchment scrolls dried skin once belonging to a famous holy “saint” A fine leather quiver embossed with an image of a 35 A storm lantern fashioned into a crowned skull 85 spider, containing nine arrows A saltwater-corroded foil engraved with the A few bars of soap, a toothbrush and dentifrice 36 86 maker’s mark powder An ancient bronze sword with a pommel in the 37 A mummified cat 87 shape of an eagle’s head A talisman of the symbol of the eight winds of 38 88 A home-made dress and skirts magic A red leather quiver embossed with an image of 39 89 A richly decorated oaken coffin, thankfully empty an eagle in flight, containing 10 crossbow bolts A blunderbuss-cleaning kit containing muzzle 40 rods, linseed oil, chamois, fuses, flints and spare 90 A small oaken snuff box filled nearly to the lid parts A 15-pound sack of starchy tubers, dried fruits 41 The top half of a cloven warhammer 91 and meats, half of which has rotted A salt-eaten foil and scabbard emblazoned with a 42 A coachman’s signal-horn of ivory and brass 92 sacred oath 43 A telescope with a wooden tripod 93 A spelunker’s pewter visor and candles A shiny brown leather jacket with the embossed 44 A map of the local area written upon skin 94 stylized image of a tree An ancient broken mace with a pommel in the A rugged but ruined Dwarven-crafted axe of a 45 95 shape of an eagle’s head distinctive geometric styling A blood-smeared sheet of parchment on which A diamond-quilted pair of leather leggings deco- 46 96 is penned a deed of ownership for a house rated with a family crest Weathered, muddy leather boots covered with 47 A polished steel hand-mirror 97 forbidden symbols A scratched and broken monocle rimmed in 48 98 A battered shield painted blue and yellow pure platinum A sword rack with mounts for three and weap- ons, easily fitted to or leaned against a wall as a 49 99 A lead wand etched with runes decorative and easily-accessed display of one’s arsenal. 50 A life-size steel skull 100 A soft bedroll of down, linen and soft leather 626 APPENDIX C: GEMSTONES

Gemstone Uncut Value Gemstone Uncut Value Alexandrite 3D10+3gc Jasper 1D10+1gc Amber 2D10+2gc Jade 2D10+2gc Amethyst 2D10+2gc Lapis lazuli 1D10+1gc Aquamarine 3D10+3gc Malachite 1D10+1gc Azurite 1D10+1gc Moonstone 1D10+1gc Banded agate 1D10+1gc Moss agate 1D10+1gc Black pearl 3D10+3gc Obsidian 1D10+1gc Bloodstone 1D10+1gc Onyx 1D10+1gc Blue diamond 3D10+3gc Opal 3D10+3gc Blue quartz 1D10+1gc Peridot 1D10+1gc Blue sapphire 3D10+3gc Red garnet 2D10+2gc Brown garnet 2D10+2gc Red spinel 2D10+2gc Brown spinel 2D10+2gc Rhodochrosite 1D10+1gc Canary diamond 3D10+3gc Rose quartz 1D10+1gc Carnelian 1D10+1gc Emerald 3D10+3gc Chalcedony 1D10+1gc Sardonyx 2D10+2gc Chrysoprase 1D10+1gc Star ruby 3D10+3gc Citrine 1D10+1gc Tiger eye 1D10+1gc Clear quartz 1D10+1gc Tourmaline 2D10+2gc Freshwater pearl 1D10+1gc Turquoise 1D10+1gc Golden pearl 2D10+2gc Violet garnet 3D10+3gc Green spinel 2D10+2gc White diamond 3D10+3gc Hematite 1D10+1gc White pearl 2D10+2gc Iolite 1D10+1gc Yellow corundum 3D10+3gc Jacinth 3D10+3gc Zircon 1D10+1gc

627 APPENDIX D: COMMODITIES

Percentile Percentile Commodities Value Commodities Value Dice Dice 1 to 2 Barrel of nut oil 1gc 51 to 52 Hide of a man-eater 12gc 3 to 4 Barrel of salt 2gc 53 5o 54 Hide of a small critter 7ss 5 to 6 Barrel of seed oil 7ss 55 to 56 Jar of caviar 8gc 7 to 8 Barrel of shellfish 18ss 57 to 58 Jar of cheese 8bp 9 to 10 Barrel of whale oil 5gc 59 to 60 Jar of chocolate 5ss 11 to 12 Bolt of canvas 1gc 61 to 62 Jar of coffee 7ss 13 to 14 Bolt of hemp 6ss 63 to 64 Jar of exotic meats 12ss 15 to 16 Bolt of lace 2gc 65 to 66 Jar of jam 4ss 17 to 18 Bolt of linen 3ss 67 to 68 Jar of oysters 2bp 19 to 20 Bolt of silk 3gc 69 to 70 Jar of rare spices 1gc 21 to 22 Bolt of velvet 2gc 71 to 72 Jar of smoked meats 8bp 23 to 24 Bolt of wool 2ss 73 to 74 Jar of sugar 2ss 25 to 26 Crate of ceramics 2gc 75 to 76 Jar of tea 3gc 27 to 28 Crate of charcoal 3ss 77 to 78 Keg of common dye 8gc 29 to 30 Crate of leather 4gc 79 to 80 Keg of rare dye 42gc 31 to 32 Crate of lumber 2gc 81 to 82 Sack of amber 7ss 33 to 34 Crate of metal ingots 3gc 83 to 84 Sack of ambergris 3gc 35 to 36 Crate of parchment 7gc 85 to 86 Sack of barley 2ss 37 to 38 Crate of religious icons 1gc 87 yo 88 Sack of barley flour 1ss 39 to 40 Crate of rugs 11gc 89 to 90 Sack of buckwheat 3ss 41 to 42 Crate of sheepskin 7gc 91 to 92 Sack of buckwheat flour 8bp 43 to 44 Crate of tools and utensils 6ss 93 to 94 Sack of ivory 12gc 45 to 46 Crate of vellum 2gc 95 to 96 Sack of wheat flour 2ss 47 to 48 Hide of a large critter 2gc 97 yo 98 Vial of incense 3gc 49 to 50 Hide of a large insect 5ss 99 to 100 Vial of myrrh 8gc

628 Name Age Social Class Sex Race Profession

Order Ranks Chaos Ranks 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Order Alignment Chaos Alignment CORRUPTION

Fate Points Background Disorders

Primary Attributes Skill Ranks +10 Focuses Tier COMBAT SPECIAL SKILLS INDICATED WITH * PERIL THRESHOLD Martial Melee * ADVANCE Martial Ranged * CB Simple Melee +6 +12 +18 Simple Ranged 3 + WB BRAWN Athletics Peril Condition Track Drive * ADVANCE Intimidate UNHINDERED BB Toughness Imperiled Ignore 1 Skill Rank Ignore 2 Skill Ranks AGILITY Coordination Ignore 3 Skill Ranks INCAPACITATED! Pilot * ADVANCE Ride * AB Skulduggery * TRAITS Stealth

PERCEPTION Awareness Eavesdrop ADVANCE Scrutinize PB Survival

INTELLIGENCE Alchemy * Counterfeit * ADVANCE Education * IB Folklore Gamble Heal * Navigation * Warfare *

WILLPOWER Incantation * Interrogation * ADVANCE Resolve WB Tradecraft *

FELLOWSHIP Bargain Charm ADVANCE Disguise * FB Guile Handle Animal * Leadership * Rumor Difficulty Rating Chart

TRIVIAL EASY ROUTINE STANDARD CHALLENGING HARD ARDUOUS [+30%] [+20%] [+10%] [0%] [-10%] [-20%] [-30%]

629 ENCUMBRANCE LIMIT INITIATIVE MOVEMENT

3 + BB Current Overage 3 + PB Overage Current 3 + AB Overage Current

Weapons Skill Load Handling Distance (Short/Medium x2/Long x3) Damage Quality Encumbrance Value

Armor Damage Threshold Modifier Quality Encumbrance Value Shield Quality Encumbrance Value

Talents Trappings Dodge Parry

Coordination Combat-based Skill

DAMAGE THRESHOLD

+6 +12 +18

BB + Damage Threshold Modifier

Damage Condition Track

UNHARMED Lightly Wounded Moderately Wounded Seriously Wounded Grievously Wounded SLAIN!

Injuries

DIFFICULTY RATING CHART

TRIVIAL EASY ROUTINE STANDARD CHALLENGING HARD ARDUOUS [+30%] [+20%] [+10%] [0%] [-10%] [-20%] [-30%]

630 CURRENT REWARD POINTS: TOTAL REWARD POINTS:

Profession: Trait:

SR BA SR BA SR BA 100 SR BA SR BA

SR BA RP

BASIC SR BA SR Ta SR Ta SR Ta

Profession: Trait:

SR BA SR BA SR BA 200 SR BA SR BA

SR BA RP SR BA SR Ta SR Ta

INTERMEDIATE SR Ta

Profession: Trait:

SR BA SR BA SR BA 300 SR BA SR BA

SR BA RP SR BA SR Ta

ADVANCED SR Ta SR Ta

Unique Advances

631