Madrigal 1 Chapter One Accelerant Rules

The first rule of etiquette is that abusive language Welcome or actions are not tolerated, whether they are in You are preparing to enter a game world using game or not. Language or actions that are the Accelerant system. The system is designed to derogatory or that are deemed to be harassment be simple in concept and execution, yet have a are not allowed. References to explicit sexual rich and varied set of skills and abilities with behavior or concepts, particularly violent ones, which to develop characters and stories. To do are not allowed. In game threats should be this we have created a set of Core Rules that worded so they are clearly in game. defines all of the effects of the game and presents them to you within the first chapter of the rule book. All skills and special abilities refer back to Game Actions these Core Rules, so once you have learned the The system is designed to keep the game running Core Rules you know how to react to effects as smoothly and fluidly as possible. The game from any Accelerant game, even though the skills takes place in a site full of props, buildings, and or abilities that allow a character to use those other players. The rules define how you interact effects may be very different. with the environment and other players. The game has removed actions and effects players cannot actually perform from the gameplay. Rules of Etiquette There are no creatures stepping through solid In an activity as fluid and full of unexpected walls, no flying creatures, and no activities that circumstances as live action games, it is cannot be played without interrupting the flow of important that each player attempt to follow the the game. Characters that step into rifts and turn spirit as well as the letter of the rules. Although to spirit, or characters that die and rise as spirits we have tried to create a set of rules that is as cut are still visible as they walk off. You cannot and dry as possible, there are certain rules that attempt actions such as chopping up bodies or are difficult or impossible to quantify that are breaking down doors that cannot be performed necessary to promote atmosphere or safety. These for logistical or safety reasons. rules are marked as Rules of Etiquette. These rules are difficult or impossible to quantify. We know this, and if players abuse them or become Always In Game less than graceful when using them the game will Players stay in game and in character from the suffer. We trust the player to follow the intent of start of the event to its end. There is no "out of the rules, and to be particularly careful to be game" except during emergencies. There are no graceful when dealing with Rules of Etiquette. out of game indicators such as white headbands, and no people should be wandering about unless Rule of Etiquette they are there in the actual game. The idea is to keep the game flowing so players can stay in

1 Madrigal 2 character and be immersed in the story. If you those people who are close to or involved in that have a question, attempt to word it and ask it in problem should pause so someone can get clear, game. If you feel you must leave game, walk to get up, or move away from a threat. Only those the edge of the game area in character and leave people nearby need pause until the problem the game for a time. You should never interrupt resolves. Everyone involved in a caution is still the flow of the game. responsible to the game, and should still be cautious of in game threats. They may move The system is also designed to minimize the away from the Caution or pause until the person times where you cannot act on what you see, hear has dealt with the problem. and feel. You are always in game, even if your character is unconscious, dead, or affected by a Clarification game condition that incapacitates you. Your spirit This phrase works like Caution, but it indicates still remains with you, and it can experience the that someone needs a quick explanation of what game world around you. You do not need to happened. People directly involved pause for up pretend you did not experience the game even to three seconds while someone repeats a verbal under these conditions. If your eyes are closed or quickly indicates a condition or result of then you might not see what is going on, but you something. This should be used infrequently, if will remember everything you hear, smell, and ever. It is present for new players who may be feel. Your character also will realize this and overwhelmed and confused during their first knows that sometimes dead men do tell tales. game or two. There is no information that is out of game. If Let Me Clarify you don’t want other players to know something This phrase, which can only be used by plot in game, don’t talk about it out of game. Keep approved non-player characters, indicates that your in game secrets to yourself, and if you talk any encounter information that follows should be out of game about something other players can considered true. There are times when your decide they learned that information in game if character may not trust another character. This they feel that the conversation unfairly inflicts phrase indicates that the information that the knowledge upon them they did not want to know. character, trustworthy or not, will impart is If you want in game secrets, keep out of game important and true information about how some secrets. The only caveat is if you are experienced specific encounter works. This phrase cannot be and play a different character, creature, or plot used unless the player has plot approval for that role we ask you do not transfer anything you specific encounter, and the information imparted learn to other characters. must be a clarification of some specific game effect or encounter. To keep the game flowing as smoothly as possible, we have defined the following ways to deal with problems and interruptions. Emergency This phrase should come up rarely. This means that there is some medical emergency that needs Caution attention. The game play stops, and everyone This phrase indicates some condition that may who hears the emergency should drop to a knee threaten the health of a player. A caution should to indicate that a real problem exists. Emergency never last more than 10 seconds. It indicates that

2 Madrigal 3 should only be called is there is a real problem and someone could be hurt. Carrying a Character Because the game does not allow physical Safety Restrictions contact, you may not physically carry or drag There are a number of basic safety restrictions in another person. Instead you simple tell the person the Accelerant system to ensure the safety, you are picking them up and role play carrying comfort, and enjoyment of all. them along. They must get up and walk with you while you pretend to hold their shoulders. You cannot move faster than a walk while carrying No Physical Contact someone else. If you are unable to move while You have no reason to touch another player in the being carried you walk with your head bowed Accelerant system. Physical contact is not and arms at your sides. allowed. You may contact another player with a boffer weapon in a legal attack area and you may If you are carrying a character and that character contact another player by touching a packet to is struck by an effect from a melee, missile, or their arm or shoulder to deliver a "touch cast" packet attack that is not beneficial, you will also effect. Violators will be asked to leave the game. take that effect unless you "drop" the character immediately. If you are being carried and Searching a Character someone "drops" you then you role play falling Because the game does not allow physical to the ground. If you are being carried, you must contact, you may not physically search someone role play an effect with a moan or grunt even if else. Instead you approach within searching you are paralyzed or dead to indicate you have distance and tell them in a low voice "I am been struck. If you are carrying someone who searching you." The player may simply reveal role plays an effect, and you do not know what items you have found. The player may make a the effect was, you must drop them. You may pouch available for you to reach into and take pick up a body after dropping it as soon as that items. The player may request that you describe body stops moving. your search. In this case, you must take the time to tell the player where on his or her person you Rule of Etiquette are looking for items. Items cannot be hidden in Whenever you are required to role play an effect places people might find rude or inappropriate. you must always do so in a safe manner. If you An item must actually be hidden where you say it must adjust your role play or position slightly to is. You cannot have an item in your pocket, for make the game safer for you or another player we example, and claim it was tucked in your boot. It ask you to do so. You should take care before must be hidden there. If someone searches a moving in crowded areas even if you must play general area you may request them to be more out the effect in a slightly different manner. You specific by stating "Describe that search." If you are encouraged to take the extra step or two when have an item concealed in the sole of your boot playing out an effect if it removes you from an and someone says "I search your boot" you may area that is detrimental to your health such as a ask them to "Describe that search" before giving puddle or an area with too many other players. it up. Players should not demand unreasonable searches with too much detail - a search should take no more than a minute. No Alcohol or Drugs

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You cannot consume alcohol or drugs on the avoid them. premises of the game unless the drugs are for medical use and approved by the staff. You cannot be under the influence of these while on Prop Restrictions the premises of the game. Violators will be asked You are not allowed to bring to an event any prop to leave the game. that resembles or could be mistaken for common or unique game items provided by plot without the express permission of the game staff. You Rules Restrictions cannot attempt to duplicate or forge game money, As you play the game and wander around the item props, tags, or logistical documents such as world, there is a lot you can do to affect the game character or monster cards. Any attempt to use in environment around you. Conversely, there are game means to create fakes of any items must be lots of effects that can change how you play the approved by the plot committee. game, for both good and bad. Other characters may attempt to inflict unpleasant fates upon you, You are not allowed to break, destroy, or take and you might attempt to do the same to them. apart any prop. If a prop is attached to a wall by a chain, for example, you cannot attempt to break There are three restrictions on your activities. or detach that chain in any way. The Destroy effect does not change the basic structure of a The first is an environmental restriction. When prop; it just makes the item unusable for any you come across props that represent certain game related purpose. environments, such as tarp walls representing solid walls, you must play as if that condition Most props have no in game worth. Costuming, was real. You cannot move tarp walls, you cannot jewelry, weapons, and area props cannot be walk across black pits, and you cannot enter moved from the area they are placed in except by areas marked out of game. the owner. These props provide no in game benefit and disallowing their removal ensures The second is an effect restriction. If an effect these props are not broken or lost. Props may be has been inflicted upon you, you must abide by handled but must be put back where they are the restriction of that effect until it is removed. If found unless they have a sticker. you have a Slow effect you cannot run. If you have the Maim effect you cannot use the maimed Small circular stickers indicate special rules limb. Effects can be inflicted upon you in a about handling an item. If an item has a red variety of ways. circle, it cannot be moved at all. It cannot be picked up or touched. It will not move. If an item The third is a skill restriction. If there is a skill has a yellow or green sticker, it seems to be that specifically allows you to manipulate a prop valuable. A small, yellow, circular sticker means or perform some action, you cannot attempt to the prop may be taken but it must be turned in at perform that action or manipulate that prop checkout. A small green circular sticker means unless you have that skill. You cannot pick up you can take the prop and hold on to it. Special weapons and try to fight unless you have the skill items may also have a red sticker with a rune or to do so. You cannot manipulate traps unless you number on it. These stickers indicate that have the skill to do, although you can attempt to

4 Madrigal 5 characters may not pick up or touch the item The text of the sign indicates why, in game, this unless they have a skill or ability that allows area cannot be entered. Some areas might be them to manipulate objects marked by that described as collapsed and ruined piles of rubble symbol or number. that have no real interior. Other areas might be marked as impassable swamp. Items may also be marked by attaching a short green, yellow, or red ribbon to indicate the item's Special Areas in game status. These ribbons replace the sticker Areas with special restrictions or rules will be and have the same meaning. A ribbon can be used marked by the yellow or hazard orange signs to mark small items that don't have room for a with game information printed on it. This sign sticker, such as rings, or on items where plot feels will have game information written upon it that that a ribbon would look better or be more will describe the circumstances that make the evident to the players. This ribbon may have area special. codes or markings on it in the same manner that stickers can have markings for players with Gates specific skills to recognize. Portals ringed with strings of decorative light are magical portals. These portals lead to other Some game effects will enhance an object such places. Some lead to other places in this world, as a weapon or a piece of armor. When an item some lead to places beyond this world. If a portal has been enhanced by a game effect, an effect is ringed with lights and they are not lit then you sticker will be placed upon it so long as the cannot go through that portal. enhancement is in place. Items with effect stickers are treated as though they were yellow The areas beyond gates are often marked with sticker items. If you have an effect sticker upon yellow information signs, so you should always your weapon, that prop can be stolen from you. look around after going through a gate. Gates You should bring back up props if you want to have a disorienting effect to compensate for the use item enhancements. time it takes to spot and read a yellow sign.

Game Environment White gates are open portals. If the lights are on, Games take place at a site, usually a campground. anyone may step through the gate. White gates This site defines the boundaries of the game. will always appear in ruined areas. During game play, a player may attempt to enter any area within the game boundaries unless the Colored gates are special. Only special staff area is marked with a yellow information sign. characters that control the gate may bring you Areas marked with information signs are either through a gate with colored lights. If there is no special areas with additional rules described by guide you cannot enter the gate. Some colored the sign or they are out of game and impassable. gates are free standing, with no actual area on the other side. If you enter such a gate at the request Out of Game Areas of a staff character then you will become a spirit. Areas that are out of game are marked by the You will not be affected by any attacks and you yellow or hazard orange signs with text marking must reply "Spirit" to any attack that strikes you. it Out of Game. You may not enter these areas. You cannot use any game skills or converse with

5 Madrigal 6 any one else. You are visible to others, but you cannot converse with them and you can only If you hear a verbal, your character knows what enter an area indicated by the spirit guide who happened. The verbal not only tells you the effect leads you. You must follow the spirit guide until out of game, but it represents the sight, sound and you exit through another gate and your guide feel of the attack in game. You never have to play indicates you have assumed your normal form. it dumb. The verbal "4 Damage by Fire" might represent a roar of flame. The verbal "Maim by Lightning" might represent a flash of light. The Combat verbal "Paralyze by Fear" might represent the During the course of the game, you can be the hairs rising on the back of your neck. However subject of a wide variety of attacks. Each attack you imagine it, the verbal tells you what will attempt to inflict an effect upon you. Some happened both in and out of game. effects can benefit you, and some will deliver unpleasant effects upon you. Each attack has a Verbals should not be confused with incantations. verbal that describes what the attack does and a Incantations are magical words that are used to delivery that determines how the attack is used cast a spell. These are in game magical phrases against the target. that are required for all but the most powerful mages to cast magic. Spells usually have incantations, but they also end with a verbal. Verbals Remember that there are two rules that apply to A verbal is a short phrase that is called out when all called attacks. an ability is used to explain the effect of that attack. Each verbal can have an effect and a trait • You must finish the verbal for a called attack for that attack. The trait indicates the flavor of the before launching a packet or missile attack. You attack so you may role play the effects and call out the verbal as you swing a melee attack. If perhaps use a defense to negate the attack if it there is an incantation, which is an in game strikes you. The effect indicates what the attack phrase associated with an attack, then that must does to you. be clearly spoken before the verbal. This is true for melee, missile and packet attacks. A verbal is an out of game phrase. You must call your verbal even if you are affected by Silence. If • All called hits must be acknowledged with role you hear the beginning of a verbal you must play. Many skills are consumed only if the listen to the phrase and play out the effect. recipient calls out a defense or role-plays the effects of the attack. If you don't role play the Verbals for melee attacks are called out as you effect, the attacker may assume that you were not swing your weapon. Verbals for missile and struck and the skill not used. packet attacks are called out before you release the projectile from your hand. You call out a phrase that takes the form of [Effect] by [Trait]. Traits For example, a poison that freezes you in place A trait is a label that is given to a character, an would use the verbal "Paralyze by Poison" and a attack, a defense, or an item. Traits help describe bolt of fire that causes 5 points of damage would the flavor of game effects and define how use "5 Damage by Fire" as the verbal. abilities interact with each other. There are four

6 Madrigal 7 types of traits. A character trait is any trait that is that opponent with the projectile. somehow given to a character. An attack trait is added to an attack verbal and defines the flavor It is always up to the defender to make the final of that attack. A defense trait is added to a decision whether an ability has struck or affected defense call. An item trait is added to a tagged them, and thus whether the ability has been item and gives that trait to anyone carrying that delivered. It is important that players do not item. abuse this honor system. If a player does not count legal hits, the game breaks down. An attack trait tells you which defenses can be Individuals that are reported for not counting hits used against that attack. A character or item trait will be reviewed and if necessary asked to leave can be used to determine if certain effects worked the game. against you. If you had the “Undead” trait, for example, then an attack that caused "5 Damage to Undead" would be effective against you. A Melee Attacks defense trait is generally used for flavor, but it is Melee attacks require special hand held padded possible to have skills or abilities that can be weapons to deliver an attack. Melee weapons used only if a defense with an appropriate trait is cannot be thrown. You must have both hands on a used. two handed weapon in order to use it in combat unless some game ability specifically states A character's race is always considered a trait. otherwise. These padded weapons have a strict Characters with no explicit race have the Human set of creation rules and must pass a safety trait. If you have a sub-race then both your sub- inspection at each and every event where you race and your general race will be considered to intend to use them. be traits. So a Wood Elf has the Elf trait as well as the Wood Elf trait. To add to the atmosphere of role playing, we expect our players to role play in combat. Although we allow light weapons for safety and Deliveries comfort, we ask that players keep the pace of Each ability must be delivered to its target in their swings in line with what a heavier weapon some way. These deliveries are the physical might require. Melee swings that are entirely action needed to determine whether an ability has generated by snapping or rotating the wrist or been successfully used on an opponent. forearm are discouraged. Although you are expected to role play full weapon swings where There are several different ways to deliver game the weapon moves at least 45 degrees, the actual effects, but there are three basic attack deliveries contact cannot be too hard. A tap from a weapon that are used most often in combat. Melee attacks is sufficient to deliver an attack. Melee attacks are delivered with a successful strike with a hand that are blocked by another weapon or shield held weapon. Packet attacks are delivered by wielded by a character with the appropriate skill throwing a bean bag like projectile and striking to do so are not counted. Attacks to the head, the an opponent. Missile attacks are delivered by hands, or the groin are illegal and are not throwing a special foam throwing weapon or by counted. aiming a bow and then throwing an arrow prop marked with ribbons at an opponent and striking

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Any strike that has no verbal causes 1 point of That's all you need to remember, everything else damage. These are known as "uncalled strikes" are clarifications and answers for specific because they have no verbal. Uncalled strikes questions. will cause someone to fall unconscious if they remove all Vitality, but the victim will remain • Blocked swings that contact a weapon or shield stable. A character taken down by called strikes and successful hits that contact the body are will fall unconscious and be unstable as well. counted as flurry swings. Feints and swings that do not make contact against weapons, shield, or If you are unskilled with a melee weapon you body do not count as a flurry swing. You must cannot make attacks with that weapon. If reset your flurry after you have made three someone strikes that weapon or you try to parry swings with contact. with that weapon, you must either take the blow or the weapon is ripped from your hand. If you • When we say two paces, we mean two normal do not take the blow, you must drop the weapon walking paces. If this is unclear, this is the range as if you had been affected by the Disarm effect. where you are far enough from your opponent that if you extend a full length one handed You may hold only one weapon or shield in your weapon at them only the tip will touch the closest hand during combat. If you are holding more part of their torso including their shoulders. than one item in a hand, and a melee attack strikes one of those items, then you will take the • If you are already two paces away then you blow or be disarmed of both items as if you were need only pause for the full second to reset your unskilled in their use. flurry.

Many skills work only on limb hits. A limb hit is • An opponent can't try to prevent you from a strike to the arm or leg. A torso hit includes the resetting your flurry by advancing. If you have chest from the belt up to the top of the chest. Any retreated in an attempt to increase your range to hit to the leg or buttock is a leg hit. Any hit to the two paces but your opponent's advance has arm or to the outer shoulder is an arm hit. Hits prevented you from doing so then you may reset that come down on the shoulder or that come your flurry after a full second pause. down between the shoulder and the neck are also arm hits. Neck hits are illegal. • Incidental weapon contact and aggressively engaging an opponent's weapon with beat attacks The Flurry Rule or offensive parries can make flurry A flurry is a series of melee swings delivered at determination confusing. We realize it is difficult an enemy in combat with little or no pause. You to determine if these types of weapon maneuvers can make no more than three consecutive attacks count as a strike in a flurry. As a Rule of where your weapon contacts an opponent or their Etiquette, if both your elbow and the weapon tip weapons, including their shield, before you must move forward and contact an opponent's weapon reset. To reset your flurry you must stop all then count that as one of your flurry strikes even attacks for at least a second and, if movement if it was not your intention to launch an attack. brought you closer to an opponent, reset your This might mean that both combatants use up a range to two paces. Flurry swing during incidental weapon contact.

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The Proximity Rule you are skilled in using that weapon in both You must maintain a safe distance from any hands. active opponent. If you can reach out and touch the torso of an opponent with your hand then you Like melee attacks, any missile attack that has no are too close and you must back away. If there is verbal causes 1 point of damage. Missile attacks a significant difference in the reach of two with no verbal are "uncalled strikes" and cause opponents, the opponent with the shorter reach someone to fall unconscious but stable when they may approach close enough so that they can reduce Vitality to zero. Missile weapons that use strike their opponent with their weapon so long called damage effects cause enemies to become as they cannot touch the torso of the opponent. unstable when they fall unconscious just like called melee attacks. Claws and Natural Weaponry Some characters have the ability to use claws or Packet Attacks natural weaponry instead of, or in addition to, A packet is a small bean bag filled with bird seed weapons. These weapon props are red, though that represents some sort of mystical, psychic, or some plot creatures may have props that are supernatural ranged attack form. Packets have constructed to appear to be part of that creature. strict construction guidelines. You call a verbal and throw a packet at a target to deliver the Claws are considered to be melee weapons and attack. If the packet hits the target, or any direct can be used to block melee attacks. Claws are not possession of the target, then the effect is affected by Disarm. Destroy effects delivered to delivered to the target. You cannot throw packets such weaponry will cause a Maim effect to the too hard. If you are winding up to throw the limb using the weapon. packet then you are throwing too hard.

Claws and natural weaponry are not bladed Packets are not solid objects and cannot be weapons, and cannot be used with skills or affected by Disarm or Destroy, but they are a effects that require bladed weapons. If you are visible, in game effect. If someone is carrying holding a claw that is struck by a melee or packets and you see the packets, you can assume missile attack, and you cannot legally block with they have some sort of aura that makes you the claw due to some game effect, you will be realize they are capable of something special. affected by the attack since you cannot drop the Because of this, you cannot carry or throw claw in response to the strike. packets unless you have the power to use them for something. Missile Attacks Missile attacks use special thrown weapons, If a packet clearly strikes a target and they do not projectile weapons such as bows and crossbows, acknowledge the hit with role play or by negating and streamer packets that represent arrows and it with a defense, the attributes or their equivalent bolts. If a weapon is designed as a thrown are not exhausted. If the packet misses, or you weapon or projectile, it cannot be used in melee cannot tell whether the packet hit, then attributes combat. You may only throw one thrown weapon or resources are exhausted normally. at a time, although you may fire a projectile weapon such as a crossbow from each hand if

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To deliver a packet attack, the arm that is delivering the packet must be free and the hand Special Attacks empty except for the packet itself. A free arm Special attacks are delivered in unusual ways cannot have props tucked under it or tied to it rather than using the regular melee, missile, and other than armor. You cannot deliver packet packet combat system. They represent large scale attacks if you cannot use game skills, or if the effect and atmospheric conditions. Special arm is affected by something that prevents its use attacks always begin with the person or area that such as a Maim effect or shackles. Some packet the attack affects and that is followed by a verbal. based skills have additional requirements as well. If you have a defense that works against the verbal of a special attack you can use it to negate Packet attacks cannot be used while you are that attack. Once the verbal of these attacks has being hit. Successful melee attacks interrupt your begun the effect is already delivered. You cannot, ability to throw packet attacks, forcing you to for example, retroactively turn to a spirit during wait for one full second before attempting to the verbal to negate it. The individual types are throw again. It is impossible to get off packet detailed below. attacks during the Flurry pause. Missile and packet attacks will also interrupt your verbal if Affliction they land while you are speaking it, but you may Someone delivers an effect to your immobile or begin a new verbal immediately and do not have unconscious form by touching a weapon or to wait for one second in these cases. An packet to your torso and stating "Affliction One, interrupted ability is not used up and attributes or Affliction Two, Affliction Three" clearly and their equivalent are not wasted, but you must slowly followed by a verbal. This works like a begin the verbal again. Some creatures may have Death Strike and can be interrupted in the same the ability to use packet attacks even while they manner as a Death Strike. The verbal may be a are being hit. They will indicate this by saying standard effect, or it may deliver an Inflict effect "Focused" before the packet verbal when they in which case the player will give you an effect make the attack. card. Rule of Etiquette Gaze In order to encourage the use of good costuming Someone who has met your gaze for a full three and add a little more realism, we have the seconds calls out or whispers "By My Gaze" Costume Rule. If a packet attack clearly misses a followed by a verbal. A vampire might whisper target and passes by the body, yet that packet hits "By My Gaze, Paralyze by Will." Other creatures a cloak or costuming piece after it has gone past, might cause fear or other effects. the defender can call out "costume." This rule cannot be used if the costuming is in front of the Gesture defender or if the packet has not already passed Someone points at you with a hand or a weapon the body. The rule is in place to encourage and calls out “By My Gesture” followed by a cloaks, back banners, and some directed verbal. If the effect has a duration that is not character costuming such as wings without instantaneous, then instead of the normal adding an unacceptable disadvantage to the duration, the effect lasts so long as they point at character in combat. you.

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Name taken down by uncalled melee or missile hits are Someone calls out "By Your Name," states your stable. Characters taken down by any other kind name, part of your name, or some pseudonym of damage, from called melee or missile hits, that you have used and calls out a verbal. The from firearms, from traps, from packets, or from attack is delivered to you if you recognize that anything with a verbal become unstable. name as a name you have used or a name that person might use to refer to you. Basically if you If you fall unconscious but you are stable, you know they are talking about you then you take will remain unconscious for five minutes. After the effect. that time you will wake up with 1 point of Vitality. If someone hits you with an attack for Room called damage while you are unconscious and Someone calls out "In This Room" and an effect stable you will become unstable and begin your 1 and everyone in that room will be affected by it. minute count. Other effects can be inflicted upon Doorways and gates act as room dividers. This you while you are unconscious and stable and delivery is commonly used for traps and those effects will still be active when you wake performances. The attack only works in an up. If healing raises your Vitality above 0 then enclosed room with normal doorways and you will become conscious. A death strike corridors leaving it. The attack will affect you if successfully delivered to your torso will kill you. any part of you is within the room when the verbal is called. If you are unconscious and you are unstable you are dying from blood loss and shock. You will linger for one minute before dying. A Stabilize Voice, Place effect will change your condition to stable and Someone calls out "By My Voice" or “In This you will begin your 5 minute count. Other effects Place” and an effect and everyone who hears it can be inflicted upon you while you are unstable will be affected by it. You cannot defend against and those effects will still be active if you wake Voice or Place attacks by intentionally obscuring up. If healing raises your Vitality above 0 then the sound of the verbal with loud noise or by you will become conscious. A death strike plugging your ears. Voice attacks indicate that the successfully delivered to your torso will kill you. effect is radiating from the creature calling the If someone begins to use First Aid on you, your effect. Place attacks indicate that the effect is count will be suspended until they stop the First environmental and the creature calling it is not Aid. If they call Stabilize you become stable and itself causing the effect. start your five minute count. If they do not finish the First Aid, your one minute death count will Vitality continue where it was before they started using Vitality is a count of how much damage you can the skill. take before you collapse. As you take damage, your Vitality points are exhausted. These points When you die, all active effects on your person can never drop below zero. Healing refreshes end unless an Imbue or Inflict effect specifically Vitality, and these points are also refreshed at the says otherwise on the effect card. Your remains beginning of each event. If your Vitality ever will linger for five minutes before you change to reaches zero you will collapse and become a spirit of the dead and begin to walk to the gate unconscious. Unconscious characters that are

11 Madrigal 12 of death. Only effects with "to Spirit" or with "to you have a mishap. Dead" traits will affect a spirit of the dead. Death Strike In Madrigal, each character has a number of A death strike is used to kill an unconscious or Vitality points equal to the average of the Earth immobile victim. You must touch a weapon to the attribute and the Void attribute. Vitality is always torso of the victim while saying "Death strike rounded down. Although Vitality is based off of one, death strike two, death strike three". This two attributes, they are totally separate statistics. verbal must be spoken clearly and at a normal Exhausting Earth or Void points does not affect speaking pace. You do not need to have skill with Vitality and taking damage does not reduce Earth the weapon to inflict a death strike. or Void. Only a permanent change to Earth or Void will cause your maximum Vitality to To inflict a death strike, the victim must be change. unmoving. The victim can be unconscious or unmoving because of a game effect, but you Unconscious cannot inflict a death strike on a body until it You are incapacitated and must collapse to the comes to rest after an attack, nor can you inflict a ground. You must close your eyes and you cannot death strike on a helpless but struggling victim. If move or speak while you are unconscious. You the victim can move, the victim can prevent a cannot use game skills unless a skill explicitly death strike. First you must render the victim explains that it can be used while unconscious. unconscious or unmoving, and then you may inflict a death strike.

Rule of Etiquette To interrupt a death strike, you must strike the Players who are unconscious close to combat person attempting to deliver the death strike with may open their eyes to watch for out of game a melee, missile or packet attack. You may also danger if the battle moves too close. It is interrupt the death strike by striking the weapon important for players to be able to protect used to perform the death strike with a weapon of themselves during these times. If you open your your own. You do not have to force the weapon eyes for safety reasons then we ask that anything away. A death strike that is interrupted is you see during that time remain outside the canceled and has no effect. normal knowledge of the game. The "Death" Effect Death Any effect that successfully inflicts a Death There are four ways you can die in this game. effect kills you immediately. Of all the various First, you can be knocked unconscious and game effects, only the Death effect will kill you unstable and remain that way for a full minute. outright. The Death effect may be nullified by an This is referred to as "bleeding out" and is appropriate defense. described above. Second, you can be killed if someone delivers a successful death strike to Mishaps your torso. Third, You will be killed by an attack There might be large scale traps, challenges, and with a Death effect that you cannot negate. mishaps in special areas that can cause you to Finally, special areas might cause your death if

12 Madrigal 13 perish if you are unfortunate enough to stumble that it works on a spirit of the dead then you must into them. Closing walls, deep pits, and other follow the instructions given therein. You may deadly traps might kill you outright. These areas use Resist and Purge defenses while you are a will be marked or made clear to you during the spirit of the dead if they are appropriate for an course of the game. attack that strikes or affects you.

Final Death Spirits of the Dead If the spirit cannot return from the Death area After 5 minutes of death, a dead character then the character passes beyond this world and becomes a spirit of the dead. Your spirit and is said to have taken a final death. Final death everything you still carry is drawn to a special means that you can no longer play the character area of the game marked as a Death area. Your in question, and adds an air of danger to the game spirit will even pick up your own weapons if they by threatening your in game persona. are within reach unless someone else possesses them. When you rise as a spirit you must proceed directly to the Death area. You must walk with Attack Effects your head bowed and your arms at your side. You The effect of an attack describes how that attack cannot interact with any other character unless benefits or impairs you. The effect is the first part they use an ability that allows you to do so. You of any verbal. Some effects target items rather cannot drop items. You cannot use any game than characters. Each effect has a duration, but ability. If someone tries to interact with you, curing or removing that effect will end it. reply "Spirit" and continue on your way. Timed Effects In Madrigal, the Death area is the Gate of Death. There are various effects and activities that This is the gate to the Realm of Death. When you require time before they are completed or arrive at the gate you must follow the posted removed. This time is defined in one of two instructions and ring the bell. You will wait for ways; Rest time is generally used when an effect the Reaper to arrive and call you into the gate. has some passive duration which will wear off if you have time to rest. Activity time is used when While you are a spirit of the dead, there are very you must perform some action such as repairing few effects that will work on you. The only an item or mending wounds before an effect will effects that will work are effects with "to Spirit" take place. In order to satisfy either requirement or "to Dead" in the verbal. These are Bane effects you must spend the time uninterrupted. If you are specifically designed to affect spirits. The most forced to break the conditions of Rest or Activity common is a "Speak to Dead" effect. This type of time then that attempt ends and you must start "Speak" effect will allow you to converse quietly again from the beginning. with the character who used the effect. You cannot stray from your path or use any game skill Resting time requires you to be sitting, lying, or while talking. You are not compelled to kneeling. You cannot walk or run. You can talk communicate, but you may do so. Other effects and gesture, but you cannot use game skills, used might include "Imbue to Spirit" and "Inflict to called attacks, or use called defenses while you Spirit." If the description on the effect card states are resting. You are resting if you are dead,

13 Madrigal 14 paralyzed, stunned, or unconscious. Paralyzed off a Weakness effect. During that time, Travis characters are resting even if they are standing or may also refresh his armor points. Gerard will in some other paralyzed position. Effects which still have to spend one minute of role play to require rest can overlap; what this means is that a refresh his armor. single rest time can be used for multiple effects. If you had a game skill that allowed you to reset Many attacks last until you rest for five minutes. some kind of magical defense after a minute of You must be sitting, lying, or kneeling to rest. rest, and you were affected by a Root effect, and You cannot walk or run. You cannot use any you were affected by a Weakness effect you game skills while you are resting. Effects that could rest for five minutes and apply the time to require rest will not end until you rest for five all three benefits. The Root would end, the uninterrupted minutes. You are also resting if you Weakness would end, and the skill could be used are dead, unconscious, stunned or paralyzed. to reset the defense. Paralyzed characters are considered resting even if they are standing. You cannot refresh attributes Activity time represents something that requires or skills while you are resting. your concentration. Activity time might be required to repair armor, mend wounds, or Agony meditate to remove an effect. You must spend the You are wracked with pain. You cannot attack or time role playing in a manner appropriate for the use most game skills. You may run, defend skill or ability you are using. You may talk with yourself by blocking with weapon skills and can others during this role play time if you wish so use called defenses. Agony lasts for 10 seconds. long as the skill or ability description does not have additional restrictions in its description. Cure... Activity time requires that you stay in the same The Cure effect removes effects on the target. A area as you role play the activity. You cannot Cure [Effect] will remove all instances of that walk or run. You you cannot use other game specific effect. A Cure [Trait] will remove every skills, used called attacks, or use called defenses active effect with the appropriate trait except during this time. Skills and abilities which Imbue and Inflict unless the Imbue or Inflict card require activity time do not overlap; what this specifically says otherwise. Cure will never means is that if you have two different skills that restore Vitality. Cure is a beneficial effect. require activity time to perform that time spent on one ability cannot be applied to any other Travis, for example, has been affected by the activity. You have to role play each activity time following attacks: Slow by Disease, Slow by Will, separately to use the ability. Effects that prevent and Drain by Will. A Cure Slow will remove both you from using game skills also prevent you from the Slow by Disease and the Slow by Will since spending activity time to refresh abilities. Resting they are both Slow effects. A Cure Will would time and Activity time do not overlap. remove both the Slow by Will and the Drain by Will since they both have the Will trait. Travis and Gerard, for example, each have a skill that provides armor points. Travis has a skill that If a "Cure Maim" effect references a specific requires one minute of rest to refresh his armor limb, the effect will only remove Maim effects on points. Gerard has a skill that requires one minute that limb. If the Cure Maim effect does not of activity to refresh armor. Both sit down to rest

14 Madrigal 15 specify a limb, it will cure all Maim effects active Death. Some might even restore you to life. upon the target. If an ability or skill allows you to Others might cause unpleasant effects. All of use the "Cure Maim" effect on a specific limb, these will be handled using an Imbue or Inflict you cannot use that ability as a general "Cure effect. In these cases you will be given an effect Maim" effect. card that explains the results of the Imbue or Inflict effect. A "Cure Death" effect will restore a dead target to life and leave them with 1 Vitality unless that Destroy... target has transformed to a Spirit of the dead. An item is destroyed and cannot be used for any game skill or effect until it is repaired. For most Once a character has transformed to a Spirit of melee delivered effects, the verbal is simply the dead, only the rare "Cure Death to Spirit" “Destroy” and the strike will destroy the weapon effect can restore them to life, and only if it is it hits. For missile and packet attacks the verbal used before the Spirit reaches its destination. will include the name of the item and any strike will destroy that named item. A melee attack that A "Cure [Name] Trait" effect will remove a trait strikes your shield and uses the “Destroy Shield” given to you by an Inflict, Imbue, or other effect verbal will render your shield unusable. The that is temporary. It has no effect on a permanent effect is permanent until the item is restored with trait granted by race, skill, or the like. a Repair effect. Some items may be truly destroyed if no Repair effect exists in the game to Damage restore them. The item does not crumble away or This effect removes Vitality points as described disappear; the prop represents the broken item. in the section on Vitality. Unlike typical effects, Damage is instantaneous. It removes Vitality An attack that uses the “Destroy Armor” verbal points and then the effect ends. You cannot will exhaust all of your armor points. The armor remove or dispel damage. Vitality points must be points can be refreshed or repaired normally as if restored though healing. they had been removed by damage. Melee attacks must successfully strike you to deliver a Destroy Death Armor effect. Some creatures might take some An attack with this effect kills you. You fall kind of detrimental effect when struck by this down dead, as if you had been struck with a attack. If you want to attempt to harm a construct death strike. All temporary effects upon you end directly with this effect you would call out when you are killed except for Imbue and Inflict “Destroy Form” as the verbal. effects that are not specifically removed by death. Death lasts for 5 minutes, after which you will Items without tags or safety stickers (such as rise as a spirit and travel to the Death area. This clothing, belts, pouches, and the like) cannot be process is described in greater detail in the Spirits affected by Destroy. of the Dead section. Diagnose Cure Death and certain special abilities can affect This effect is used to determine if the recipient is you while you are dead. Some strengthen your inflicted with a specific effect, trait, or game spirit so it is not weakened by the presence of condition. Skills with the Diagnose effect allow

15 Madrigal 16 you to use Diagnose to determine the presence of left hand." If you are holding a fragile or specific effects or traits with the exception of breakable prop, including an air gun, you may Imbue or Inflict effects. A skill might also allow put it down rather than drop it, but in this case you to use Diagnose to determine if the recipient you cannot pick it up for a full five seconds. is currently Stable, Unstable, Dead, or Damaged. To use Diagnose, touch the recipient with a Delivering this effect with a melee attack requires packet and say "Diagnose" followed by an effect, you to strike that weapon while calling the trait or game condition. The recipient says "Yes" Disarm effect. You do not need to specify a hand. if they are afflicted with the named effect or an The hand that is holding the weapon will be effect with the named trait, or if they suffer the affected. A melee delivered Disarm will not game condition. Otherwise they say "No." affect a shield unless the "Disarm Shield" verbal is used. You cannot disarm a shield unless a skill Travis, for example, is lying on the ground or ability specifically allows the use of "Disarm unstable and has been inflicted by a Slow by Shield." Disease and a Paralyze by Magic. Another player leans over, touches him with a packet and Disengage says "Diagnose Stable." Travis says "No." She To initiate this ability either take a step back or says "Diagnose Unstable" and Travis says "Yes." plant your feet for 3 seconds. Gesture at any She uses a Heal effect on Travis but he still number of opponents with a your weapons. You doesn't move. Puzzled, she says "Diagnose Stun." cannot move towards any target. Everyone who Travis says "No." She says "Diagnose Paralyze." is attacking you and everyone indicated by the Travis says "Yes." She has the ability to Cure gesture of your weapon must move back out of Poison, so she says "Diagnose Poison." Travis weapon range so that you cannot cross extended says "No." She decides to wait until the Paralyze weapons. Targets that are rooted or cannot move wears off. back may cross their arms and lean away from the effect instead of backing up. Once the If someone uses "Diagnose Damage" on you, you distance has been increased and the space may choose, for the sake of expediency, to indicated by the Disengage has been cleared by include in your reply the current number of all targets (or everyone has crossed their arms Vitality points that have been removed by and leaned away) the effect ends. Disengage will Damage. If, for example, you have taken two not force a target into a dangerous area. A target damage that has not been healed and someone may choose to cross arms and lean back rather uses "Diagnose Damage" on you, you may reply than stepping back into an area that will cause with a simple "Yes" or you may reply with a them some detrimental effect. Disengage is not a "Yes, two." The choice of how to respond is up to melee delivered attack and cannot be negated by you. defenses that stop melee attacks. Disarm... Drain You must drop everything in the hand indicated For a simple Drain effect, you cannot run or use by the verbal. You can pick up items immediately any game skill, including weapon and shield after they have come to rest. You may pick up an skills. If the verbal is followed by a skill or item as soon as it stops moving. The verbal will ability name then you cannot use that particular contain either "Disarm right hand" or "Disarm

16 Madrigal 17 skill. Drain can also be used to prevent entire seconds you will move on to the next closest skill headers. If a header is drained, you cannot creature. If someone else attacks you and that use any skill that falls under that header. Drain creature is more convenient than your current can be used in this manner to suppress racial target then that creature will become your new abilities and empowered named items. If an item target. The effect ends when you are rendered is named after a Drain effect then no abilities dead or unconscious. from that item can be used until the Drain ends. Only simple Drain effects prevent you from Grant... running. The Drain effect will last until you rest You gain a temporary enhancement to your for five minutes. abilities. There are five types of Grant effects as indicated by the verbal. Each type of Grant effect Expose... gives a different enhancement. All types of the The Expose effect is followed by one trait. If you Grant effect last until the end of the event, or have that trait and are subjected to this effect, you until the granted ability is used up. If you have must cry out, revealing the fact that you have the temporary imbues, boons or abilities that mimic a trait and revealing your position. You must cry Grant effect that are not technically Grant effects out as loudly as the Expose effect was called. they do not stack with similar Grant effects. Only effects with an Imbue card that explicitly states Although you may cry out softly if the Expose that it will stack with Grant effects will do so. was called softly, you still must make every effort Grant is a beneficial effect. to ensure that you are revealed to the person who called the effect. The Expose effect is audible and ... Armor you must cry out even if you are unconscious or This type of Grant effect adds additional armor under the effects of a Stun, Paralyze, or other points to your base armor, whether those armor disabling effect. Only a Silence will prevent you points are granted by physical armor or a skill. from crying out, and even then you must role These points are refreshed when your base armor play crying out even though you make no noise. is refreshed. If no number is indicated then this effect boosts your armor points by 1. The effect You are not affected if you are Dead or have the might indicate a higher number in the verbal such Spirit defense unless the Expose effect targets as "Grant 2 Armor" to indicate that a greater those specific traits. This effect is one of the few number of armor points have been granted. A that will commonly be delivered by voice. successful Destroy Armor effect destroys the armor points and completely ends this type of Frenzy Grant effect. This effect causes you to attack the closest creature to you, regardless of recognition or You may only have one Grant Armor effect consequence. You may attack with any standard active upon you, though you may choose which skill that is not beneficial, though you are not Grant effect to keep if someone uses an forced to use consumable skills in this attack. If additional Grant Armor effect upon you. you are affected by a Repel effect, or if you are not affecting the creature in question, or if you ... Protection cannot find a way to reach the creature for 10 This type of Grant effect adds additional protection points that negate points of damage.

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These protection points work in a manner similar trait, and ends with the verbal that describes the to armor, negating the indicated amount of defense. You may use the indicated defense damage regardless of the source. The number of against an appropriate attack once during the points is indicated after the "Grant" in the verbal, event. Once this defense is used the Grant effect and if no number is indicated then the ability ends. If the defense portion includes a trait then grants a single protection point. Protection points you must call out that trait when you use the are always lost after armor points. Protection defense. The defense portion of the verbal points cannot be refreshed or renewed. Once they indicates the types of attacks it can be used are used to negate damage the effect ends. against by either indicating a trait or an attack type. If there is no indication then the defense You may only have one Grant Protection effect may be used against any melee, missile or packet active upon you, though you may choose which attack. Grant effect to keep if someone uses an additional Grant Protection effect upon you. A "Grant Defense by Shadow, Avoid by Shadow" would give you one defense against any weapon ... Attribute or packet attack. You would call out "Avoid by This type of Grant effect adds to the total of one Shadow" when you used the ability. numeric attribute. Any points added with this effect are available immediately for use. Effects A "Grant Defense, Resist Poison" would give you which refresh that attribute also refresh these one defense against any attack with the Poison additional points. These extra points can be used trait. You would call out "Resist" when you used in the same manner as regular attribute points. A the ability. successful Waste effect that reduces the boosted attribute also completely ends this type of Grant A "Grant Defense by Divine, Parry melee" would effect. If the attribute indicated is Vitality then give you one defense against any melee attack. Heal effects work normally. Vitality calculations You would call out "Parry" when you used this and other secondary attribute calculations are not ability. affected by points added by the Grant effect to another attribute used in that calculation. You cannot have more than one Grant Defense effect upon you that protects against the same You may only modify a specific attribute with trait unless the skill or ability explicitly makes an one Grant Attribute effect, though you may exception. If you receive another Grant Defense choose which Grant effect to keep if someone effect that protects against a trait for which you uses an additional Grant Attribute effect that already have a granted defense you choose which modifies the same attribute. You may have to keep. You cannot, for example, have a Shield additional Grant Attribute effects upon you so Magic defense and a Resist Magic defense both long as each modifies a different attribute. from Grant effects. You would have to choose between them. Likewise, if you had a Resist ... Defense Poison effect you could not receive an additional This type of Grant effect gives you one called Grant Defense that gave you another defense defense that can be used on attacks indicated by against the Poison trait. You gain only one the defense verbal. This type of Grant effect defense per trait. Defenses with overlapping traits starts with the Grant verbal, which may include a also do not stack. If you have a Shield against

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Fear, for example, you could not also have a it restores one point. If you are unconscious with Resist against Mental. You would have to choose no Vitality then healing will restore one or more which to keep when you receive the second Grant Vitality points and you will wake immediately effect. Defenses that have no trait and work on unless some other effect is preventing you from melee, missile, or packet attacks likewise do not doing so. Heal is a beneficial effect. stack. You may only have one such effect from a Grant Defense effect. Imbue... This effect can be used in one of two ways. If the ... [Delivery] Attack Imbue effect is followed by a trait name and This type of Grant effect gives you one called “Trait,” such as “Imbue [Name] Trait” then you attack that uses the appropriate delivery. This will gain that trait for the remainder of the event. type of Grant effect starts with the Grant verbal, which may include a trait, and ends with the Otherwise, this effect is some enhancement or verbal that describes the delivery of the attack extra ability that is described on an effect card and the effect. You may use the indicated attack that is given to you after the effect is used upon only if you have the props to make an attack with you. An Imbue effect with no trait will not take the specified delivery. For melee and missile effect until you have read the effect card. Imbue attacks, the attack is exhausted and the Grant will usually give you some ability that can be effect ends only if the strike lands and the used during the current event, although the effect opponent acknowledges it with role play or card might describe some effect that lasts beyond negates it with a defense. For packet attacks the the current event. Imbue is a beneficial effect. Grant effect ends when you throw the attack. Imbue effect cards can have a wide variety of A "Grant Melee Attack by Shadow, Weakness by long term plot effects. Examples include granting Shadow" would give you one melee attack with a defense against certain types of attack, the Weakness by Shadow effect. You would call strengthening the spirit of a dead character, and out "Weakness by Shadow" when you used the similar exceptional abilities. Defenses can be ability. used to negate Imbue attacks if those defenses will stop an attack with the appropriate trait. A "Grant Packet Attack, 2 Damage by Fire" would give you one packet attack and you would If a player can use an Imbue effect, that ability call out "2 Damage by Fire" when you used the will always have some in game action that must ability. be accomplished before you can use the ability. You might need to gather and mix components. A “Grant Missile Attack, Stun by Poison” would You might need to construct some item from give you one arrow or thrown weapon attack and strange parts. These actions earn you the effect you would call out “Stun by Poison” when you card needed to use this effect. You can never use used the ability. an Imbue ability without the appropriate effect card to represent the properly prepared Heal... components. This effect restores one point of Vitality. If the effect is followed by a number, then it restores Inflict... Vitality equal to the indicated number. Otherwise

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This effect can be used in one of two ways. If the One limb becomes useless. An arm must hang at Inflict effect is followed by a trait, then you will your side and cannot be used for any game gain that trait for the remainder of the event. ability. A leg becomes unusable. You must go down on one knee - you cannot hop. You may Otherwise, this effect is some affliction or crawl using your other limbs. A Maim effect will detrimental effect that is described on an effect last for the duration of the event. If a Maim effect card that is given to you after the effect is used is delivered by a melee or missile attack, the limb upon you. An Inflict effect with no trait will not struck will be affected. If a Maim effect delivered take effect until you have read the effect card, so by a melee or missile attack strikes the torso then a character engaged in combat may not be the Maim effect is ignored. If a Maim effect is affected by Inflict effects described on Inflict delivered by a packet, the attacker can include cards immediately; they have time to retrieve the the limb in the verbal. For example, a caster effect card and read it when it is convenient and might call out "Maim Right Leg by Fire." If the unobtrusive to do so. Unconscious or dead limb is not specified, then the subject may choose characters must read the card immediately. Inflict one limb that is not already affected by a Maim. cards will give you some unusual detriment that Maim only works on arms and legs. will have an effect and a duration described on the effect card. Paralyze You must stand frozen. You cannot move, but Inflict effect cards can have a wide variety of you are aware of what is happening around you. long term plot effects. Examples include causing If you are rendered unconscious, or if someone death after a certain amount of time, causing you tries to change your pose, you will collapse to the to transform into some type of creature, inflicting ground. Paralyze will last until you rest for five you with a disease that cannot be healed minutes. You are resting while you are paralyzed normally, weakening the spirit of a dead even if you are standing. character, and similar exceptional abilities. Refresh... Defenses can be used to negate Inflict attacks if Refresh is always followed by either an attribute those defenses will stop an attack with the or a skill that has a limited number of uses. You appropriate trait. recover one or more uses of the named skill or one or more points of the named attribute. If you If a player can use an Inflict effect, that ability do not have the named skill or attribute then the will always have some in game action that must Refresh has no effect. As a default, Refresh be accomplished before you can use it. You might restores one point or use of a skill. If a number is need to gather and mix components. You might placed before the attribute or skill name then you need to construct some item from strange parts. will restore more attribute points or uses of a These actions earn you the effect card needed to skill. Skills that require attributes cannot be use the ability. A player can never use an Inflict restored directly and are unaffected by a Refresh ability without an effect card to represent the effect. Refresh will never raise you above your properly prepared components. maximum attribute or give you more uses of a skill than you would have at the start of an event. Maim Refresh is a beneficial effect.

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Refresh can also be used to restore abilities of an Silence empowered item. If the item has a unique name You cannot talk or make any in game verbal and Refresh is followed by that name then the noise. You cannot use game skills that require abilities of the item are restored. incantations. If you are affected by an Expose effect you must mime crying out but you do not Repair... make any actual noise. You must still use out of You restore one item that has been rendered game phrases as normal. A Silence effect will last unusable by a Destroy effect. For an item you are until you rest for five minutes. touching you need not specify a target in the verbal. For other types of abilities you specify a Slam target after the Repair verbal. Repair may also be Some great force knocks you back and off your used to refresh armor points from physical armor. feet. When you are struck with this effect you In this case you use the "Repair Armor" verbal. role play an extremely forceful blow or blast. You Repair is a beneficial effect. may take up to three steps backwards and fall down. The steps backward are optional. The Repel effect ends when your chest or back touches the This effect prevents you from using game skills ground. If falling to the ground is an issue due to on the attacker. You will also attempt to stay 10 ground quality, crowding or health you may opt feet away from the attacker unless doing so to instead take your steps, drop to a knee and would endanger you. If this is the case you may place both hands palm down on the ground as move to a safer position even if it takes you shake your head for three seconds. within 10 feet, so long as you then attempt once again to stay 10 feet away from the attacker. You Some Slam effects are so powerful they knock cannot use game skills on the attacker in any you back through a shield. If you hear "Shield case. The Repel effect will last until you rest for Slam" it works even if it strikes your shield. This five minutes or the attacker strikes you with any attack can be blocked by a weapon and would attack, though if that new attack is a Repel the count as a strike to the limb holding the shield. effect would be refreshed. Slow The attacker is not immune to the attacks of a You cannot run. You may only walk at a normal character affected by the Repel. That character is pace. The Slow effect will last until you rest for free to launch attacks at other creatures so the five minutes. attacker should be careful to stay clear of other potential targets and avoid attacks launched at Stabilize other characters. If you are at 0 Vitality and unstable this effect makes you stable. You start your 5 minute count. Root Otherwise you call "No Effect." Stabilize is a You cannot move your right foot from its spot. beneficial effect. You may pivot on that foot, and you may move your left foot. A Root effect will last until you Stricken rest for five minutes.

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You are unaffected by any beneficial effect unless Stun it removes the Stricken effect from you. Call "No You are knocked unconscious. Stun will last until Effect" to any other beneficial effect used on you. you rest for five minutes. You are resting while you are stunned. Another character may take a There is one exception; if someone uses First Aid full minute of role play to revive you and end this on you then the Stabilize effect will work. Only a effect. "Cure Stricken" effect or a Cure effect applied to the trait of this attack will remove this effect. An Speak effect that removes the Stricken effect from you This effect allows you to converse with a creature will not remove other effects. Stricken does not or being that cannot otherwise communicate with work on items you carry or wear and items may you. It is usually used with the Bane trait, be affected by Repair or Imbue effects. The allowing you to speak with specific types of Stricken effect will last until you rest for five creatures. The subject is under no obligation or minutes. compulsion to speak with you, but it may do so if it wishes. The Speak effect will last until a For example, if you have a Stricken by Poison participant uses another game skill or until a and a Paralyze by Poison effect upon you, a Cure participant move out of reasonable conversation Poison effect will remove the Stricken effect but it range. won't also remove the Cure Paralyze effect. A second Cure Poison would be needed to remove the Paralyze by Poison effect. Waste... Waste is always followed by either an attribute or a skill that has a limited number of uses. You lose one or more uses of the named skill or one or more points of the named attribute. Waste has no effect if you have no attribute points or skill uses left. If you do not have the named skill then Waste to that skill has no effect. As a default, Waste removes one point or use of a skill. If a number is placed before the attribute or skill name then you will lose more attribute points or uses of the skill. Skills that require attributes cannot be wasted directly and are unaffected by a Waste effect.

Wasted attribute points and skill uses can be refreshed. A Cure Waste effect will restore points or skill uses lost to Waste effects unless they have already been refreshed or restored by some other means. Once a wasted attribute or skill use has been refreshed a Cure Waste effect will have no effect on you. Attributes and skills lost to a Waste

22 Madrigal 23 effect are always refreshed before points lost out to warn your friends. through normal use. Elemental Traits Waste can also be used to remove abilities of an These include Air, Cold, Earth, Fire, Ice, empowered item. If the item has a unique name Lightning, Water, and Wind. The effect is caused and Waste is followed by that name then any by elemental power. Abilities that work against charged abilities of the item are removed as if Elemental effects will work against effects with they had been used. any of these traits. You may role play an Elemental effect by crying out or stepping Weakness backwards as the effect is inflicted. Your ability to strike with melee attacks is severely weakened. You cannot deliver any called Mental Traits effects with your melee attacks. Weakness does These include Awe, Confusion, Despair, Fear, not affect uncalled strikes or any other weapon Gloom, Inspiration, Madness, Trance, and Will. skill. The Weakness effect will last until you rest The effect is caused by some mental or emotional for five minutes. reaction. Abilities that work against Mental effects will work against effects with any of these Attack Traits traits. You may role play a Mental effect by Most attacks include a descriptive trait. This trait crying out or stepping backwards as the effect is is indicated by the second part of the verbal. The inflicted. trait of an attack adds flavor to the attack and determines whether certain defenses can be used Metabolic Traits to negate the attack. If an attack is "5 Damage by These include Aging, Air, Cold, Disease, Poison, Fire" then the trait of the attack would be Fire. Radiation, and Sleep. The effect is caused by a Metabolic reaction. Abilities that work against The "by Weapon" trait is dropped from the verbal Metabolic effects will work against effects with of normal melee attacks to reduce noise. Any any of these traits. You may role play a Metabolic melee or missile attack with no trait is assumed effect by crying out or stepping backwards as the to have the "Weapon" trait. effect is inflicted.

Most attack traits allow you to role play the Physical Traits effect. You may step back or cry out in reaction These include Crystal, Earth, Force, Ice, Silver, to the attack. If you are surprised by an attack, Thorns, Weapon, Web, and Wind. The effect is however, you cannot add additional role play to caused by a Physical force. Abilities that work the effect. For example, if you were hit by a against Physical effects will work against effects "Stun by Force" from a visible enemy then you with any of these traits. You may role play a could add the role play of crying out or Physical effect by crying out or stepping staggering back. But if someone sneaks up backwards as the effect is inflicted. behind you and calls out "Stun" with a melee attack then you should just go down. If someone sneaks up and surprises you with a spell that you honestly did not see coming, you should not cry

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Special Traits that you are the only target of the called effect. All traits not included above are Special traits. These can include, but are not limited to, Acid, Defenses Blessing, Curse, Light, Magic, Malediction, and These abilities allow you to negate abilities used Shadow. These traits are not included in any against you. Although there are a large number of general trait, so abilities must specifically include possible defenses that can be used against them. Special attacks allow no additional role specific causes and effects, all defenses can be playing; you will suffer the effect of a Special summarized as one of the following types. attack immediately. When it is possible to apply multiple defenses to Bane an attack the defender decides which defense to This is a unique attack trait that works against use. Although Elude, Guard, and Shield defense another specific trait, and targets only those must be used if an attack would affect you, it is creatures that have that trait. Instead of saying possible, for example, to use a skill that provides "by" you would say "to" and state the trait that is a Resist defense when an appropriate attack targeted. An attack that stated "10 Damage to strikes you to “protect” and Shield type defense. Undead" would be an example of an attack with You could, for example, use a Resist against Fear the Bane trait, and the attack would only affect to save a Shield against any Mental trait. creatures with the Undead trait. If you somehow lose the trait that a Bane effect targets while Elude, Guard, Shield under that effect, then the effect ends You negate the first attack of the appropriate type immediately. So, if you had a “to Dead” effect that strikes you. Although different verbals are upon you and you were brought back to life then used to indicate the nature of your defense and to the “to Dead” effect would end. Remember that add flavor to the game, all of these defenses work the race of a character is always considered to be the same way. You must call out the defense a trait of that character. Bane attacks allow no when it is used. additional role playing; you will suffer the effect of a Special attack immediately. Avoid, Parry, Resist Some effects may have both a normal trait and a You choose one attack of the appropriate type to bane trait. In this case the attack affects only negate when it strikes you. You can allow an those targeted by the Bane affect but it may be attack to affect you and negate a later attack. resisted by defenses that work against the normal Although different verbals are used to indicate trait. An attack that stated "Paralyze by Fear to the nature of your defense and to add flavor to Elf" would only affect characters with the Elf the game, all of these defenses work the same trait but it could be negated by a Resist Fear way. You must call out the defense when it is defense. used. Self Purge This trait indicates that the effect works only on You may negate an attack after it has affected the person using it. Instead of saying "by" you you. You must spend three seconds to role play would say "to Self" after the effect. This indicates this defense as you shake off the effect, during

24 Madrigal 25 which time you must remain relatively still. You negate for this reason. You cannot use game cannot use game skills while role playing the abilities unless specifically allowed to do so. You purge. You cannot use Purge while unconscious cannot speak or converse with other characters unless doing so would wake you. You cannot use unless they use an ability that allows you to do Purge when you are dead unless the skill so. If someone tries to talk with you, you may specifically allows you to use “Purge Death” in call "Spirit" to inform them that you cannot the verbal. speak. You cannot drop any items. No one may search you, nor can items that you carry be No Effect removed from your person. Nothing can be You are unaffected by the attack in question. This thrown over you. You cannot rest while in spirit indicates a defense that is not consumable. The form, and effects that last until you rest will not attack does not affect you, nor will it ever affect be removed. You cannot block doorways or you. portals. If someone tries to move through a portal that you are blocking then you are forced to Reduce, Absorb move. You are affected by the attack in question, but the effect has been mitigated, lessened, or changed Characters who have died and are traveling to the entirely. The actual reduction is determined by Realm of Death are spirits. If you gain the Spirit the skill or ability that allows you to use this trait because you have died and you have become defense. Reduce is often used to indicate the a Spirit of the Dead then you also gain the Dead effect has been lessened while Absorb often trait. Effects with the trait "to Spirit" affect all indicates that the attack had a different effect spirits, while effects with the trait "to Dead" entirely. The verbal for this defense might be affect only spirits of the dead. You must walk followed by "to" and the modified effect such as with your head bowed and your hands at your "Reduce to Maim" or "Absorb to Heal 2." You side. must role play the new effect appropriately. Some abilities allow a living character to become a spirit for a time, but these abilities usually have Reflect special restrictions or will not be absolute in their You choose one melee, missile, or packet attack protection. You might gain a trait and become of the appropriate type to rebound back at the vulnerable to attacks with that trait even though attacker when it strikes you. Call this defense to you are a spirit. Some of these skills last until negate the effects of the attack. If your attack is you move. In these cases you cannot move or reflected then you must take the attack as if your speak without ending the effect. If you turn into a melee, missile or packet had struck you. The spirit in a place which blocks a portal or doorway attack retains all of the original traits so it might then you are forced to move to allow someone not actually affect you. You may use defenses to through. Since this can end the effect you must negate the attack, including using Reflect to be careful to use these types of skills so as to not bounce it back on the original target. block confined areas. Spirit You are insubstantial and are unaffected by most attacks. You call "Spirit" to any attack that you

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attacker. The creature is struck by a "Paralyze by Defense Traits Magic." The character calls "Resist and Paralyze A defense might have a trait associated with it. by Magic" and throws a packet back at the The verbal should include the defense and the attacker. trait with a "by" between them. This can be done to add flavor to an ability, to differentiate two similar skills, or to allow other skills to key off Armor certain defenses. Armor provides points of protection that act as a buffer against damage effects. Armor points are Chained Defense removed by damage in a manner similar to A chained defense has an effect that is called Vitality. Armor points are lost before Vitality immediately after the defense. The verbal should points. The method by which exhausted armor include the defense and the additional effect with points are restored varies depending on the type an "and" between them. If the additional effect is of armor you are using and the skills and abilities an attack then that attack must be launched of the Accelerant game you are playing. immediately as the defense is called. Using the additional effect could be optional or required. If You may only have one base type of armor active the additional effect affects the character using at a time. If you try to restore or activate or wear the chained defense then the ability must use the one type of armor while you have active points Self trait and character must role play that effect from another type of armor, the armor type with as if they had been struck by it. the lower number of active armor points will be exhausted. If there is a tie, then the new armor For example, a Fire based attack strikes a Fire points will be immediately exhausted. Exhausted Elemental. The creature calls out "Resist and armor points are gone and must be restored just Heal to Self" to indicate that the attack was as if they were exhausted by Damage. negated and the creature was healed by using the defense. For example, Travis is wearing a 2 point of suit of armor. He role plays and activates a skill that For example, a strong creature can tear out of gives him 3 points of armor. The armor points some physical effects but it takes damage doing from the suit of armor are exhausted and he has 3 so. The creature is struck by the appropriate armor points from his skill. If he wants to use the attack, role plays for 3 seconds, calls out "Purge armor points from his suit of armor later, he will and 2 Damage to Self" and then role plays the have to have the armor suit repaired. damage effect. In Madrigal, all characters may wear up to two For example, a character has an ability that points of physical armor. You must be skilled in simulates a Riposte. The character is struck by a the use of armor to effectively wear any more successful melee attack, calls out "Parry and 3 than two points. You may wear a prop worth Damage," and immediately swings at the person more points without this skill, but the protection who attacked her. it will provide will be limited by your armor skill. A character with the Armor Smith skill can For example, a creature has an ability that can restore physical armor. The smith spends one shoot attacks with the Magic trait back at the

26 Madrigal 27 minute of activity time role playing this repair at the item will take the effect. a forge to fix the suit of armor. If a trap is set in a small box, chest, or other In Madrigal you must have an appropriate prop to enclosed area no larger than 3 feet in any use physical armor. You have six armor areas; dimension then setting it off will destroy your head, upper torso, lower torso, shoulders, everything inside the area. Coins, items, paper, arms, and legs. A full suit covers at least four of and everything else inside will be destroyed and these areas. A partial suit covers fewer areas and cannot be removed from the box. If any living for each area under four you wear reduce the creature has somehow crawled into an enclosed overall value of the armor by one. area no more than 3 feet in any dimension with a trap and the trap goes off then that fool will be Light armor includes light suede, thin leather, and killed instantly. There are four types of traps. furs. This type of armor provides two points. Snap Trap Medium armor includes rigid leather, and chain These traps make a snap sound when they go off. mail, This type of armor provides three points. They are represented by mousetraps, party poppers, and snaps. These traps cause 2 Damage Heavy armor includes scale mail, plate mail, or to whoever sets them off. chain mail reinforced with rigid leather or plate pieces in at least two areas. If you wear chain Buzzer Trap mail reinforced with rigid leather or plate pieces These traps make an electronic sound of some those pieces must be clearly visible to count as kind when they are set off. Sounds used for these heavy armor. This type of armor provides four traps include beepers, buzzers, and electronic points. sound effects like the moaning of a rigged welcome mat you might find at Halloween. Traps These traps cause 5 Damage to whoever sets Traps are devices or substances set to deliver an them off. effect to anyone who disturbs them or attempts to get past them. Anyone can avoid a trap, but no Verbal Trap one can attempt to manipulate a trap by moving When these traps are set off and you will hear a it, disarming it, or affecting the individual trap sound and a voice will call out a verbal components unless they have a skill that allows associated with them. Whoever set the trap off them to do so. must take the effect of that verbal. If no verbal is present, then the sound determines the type of Most traps will cause an effect to the person who trap as described above. set them off. If someone manages to trigger a trap with a thrown object, then the object will take the Gas Trap affect instead. If the trap affects the entire room As a magical trap, but the verbal will begin with or corridor, then this trick will not provide much the words "In This Room..." Everybody in the help. Some traps will work multiple times, while room will take the effect. This trap only works in some will work once. If an item is causing a trap an enclosed room with normal doorways and to go off continuously then anyone who touches

27 Madrigal 28 corridors leaving it. The trap will affect you if allows you to attempt to open a game lock on any part of you is within the room when the trap your own shackles. Shackles placed on the legs goes off. make it impossible to run and restrict movement to the extent of the shackles. A prop placed on the ankles must be constructed to allow the player to Contact Poison stand and walk slowly. This attack is represented by petroleum jelly. If you touch the jelly with bare skin, you will take Shackles can be removed by opening the lock or an effect of "5 Damage by Poison." A character by using an appropriate skill to remove them. with the appropriate skill may apply such a Each game will have a skill assigned to destroy substance directly from the vial it was created in. and remove shackles by taking a minute and using the appropriate props and role playing. Once applied to a surface, the jelly cannot be Skills that allow a character to slip out of bonds scraped off onto another object. Only a character are possible as well. with an appropriate skill may wipe the substance off a surface with a cloth or cloth like substance, but the contact poison is destroyed in the process. Verbal Modifiers There are certain phrases that can be added to An item with contact poison is considered a Red verbals to change the effect. These can modify Sticker item. The fumes and burning of the the duration or add additional effects to an attack. poison are overwhelming, even to a character For simplicity, a single attack can only be who is immune to it. The object cannot be moved modified by one of verbal modifier. from its place or handled until the poison is removed by a character with the appropriate skill Lesser to do so. Someone precedes an attack verbal with "Lesser" and calls out an effect that lasts until you rest or Shackles lasts for the entire event. That effect instead lasts Shackles are a prop that binds the wrists or legs until you rest for 10 seconds. If used with Frenzy of a character. An in game lock is affixed to each then the effect will only last 10 seconds. prop to represent the locking mechanism of that prop. The prop must be loose enough to remain Greater comfortable and, for safety, the player must be Someone precedes an attack verbal with able to easily remove the prop if an out of game "Greater" and calls out an effect with a duration. need arises. The effect will last at least for the remainder of the event. Greater effects may not be removed by Shackles can only be placed on a helpless or resting, but may still be removed by the Cure willing character if the lock is open. You place effect. the shackle prop on the helpless or willing target and close the lock. Shackles placed on the arm In Madrigal, if you end the event with a Greater restrict movement and make it impossible to use effect submit to plot a description of the effect any skill that requires that the arms must be free, and how you received it. including using weapons, using packet attacks, and using First Aid. You may use a skill that Double and Triple

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One single delivery causes multiple attacks to negate the Paralyze effect. The defense "Resist affect the target. "Double" causes two of the Weapon" would negate the Damage effect. A skill specified attack to be delivered, while "Triple" that negates one melee strike would negate the causes three attacks to be delivered. Each attack entire attack. requires a separate defense.

For example, a wizard calls out "Triple 10 Numeric Modifiers Damage by Fire" and throws a packet that hits Any skill or ability that boosts the numeric value you. You must take three "10 Damage by Fire" of another skill such as damage or armor is called attacks. "Resist Fire" would negate one of these a numeric modifier. Numeric modifiers that come attacks and you would still take two attacks. You from skills and boost static values such as armor may use multiple defenses against these attacks. or vitality are called permanent modifiers. Numeric modifiers that come from Grant effects or Imbue effects are called temporary modifiers. Chained Effects No numeric value can be modified by more than Two effects can be chained in one attack. The one permanent modifier and one temporary verbal should name the effects with an "and" modifier. If you receive an additional modifier between them. If both effects have the same trait when you already have a modifier in place you then the trait is called only at the end of the choose which numeric modifier to keep and the attack. If both effects have different traits then a other modifier effect ends. Only skills that trait is called for each effect. A defense that specifically say "This modifier stacks with..." are negates one of the effects or one of the traits if exceptions to this rule. they are different would only affect that portion of the attack. In the case where both effects have For example, Travis is wearing 3 points of armor the same trait, however, a defense that negated and has a skill that increases his armor by 1. His the appropriate trait would negate all effects. The armor is currently 4. He receives a Grant Armor attack is still considered a single melee, missile, effect and since this is a temporary modifier it or packet attack so a defense that negates a hit can be used with his skill. His armor increases to from a specific delivery such as melee, missile, 5. Later he gains a Imbue effect that increases his or packet will negate the entire attack. armor by 2. He cannot use both the Imbue effect and the Grant effect so he chooses to keep the For example, a spider calls out "Drain and Slow higher Imbue effect and end the Grant effect. His by Poison" and hits a player with a packet. The armor is 6. defense "Resist Poison" would negate the entire attack. The defense "Resist Slow" would negate the Slow effect, but the character would still be affected by the Drain effect. If the character had both "Resist Slow" and "Resist Drain" defenses then both could be used to negate the effects of the attack.

For example, a wraith calls out "Paralyze by Fear and 2 Damage" and hits the player with a melee attack. The defense "Resist Fear" would

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Chapter Two Characters

As you build your character, you will assign the player, nor will they limit your natural character points to build up your attributes and abilities. These are only a limit to the game skills your skills. You have six attributes that determine you can use. If you do not purchase a high Water, your capabilities and limitations, and your skills which represents your mobility, it in no way measure the knowledge you have amassed that decreases your chance to actually jump out of the affects the play of the game. You start with 30 way of an attack, but it does limit how many game character points to build a character, and you will skills you could use before that resource was gain more character points as you play the game exhausted. and your character progresses. The four main attributes are Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. The two special attributes are Void and Traits Karma. Air represents your mind and cognizance. Each character has traits that they automatically Earth represents your physique and stamina. Fire gain. You have the Living trait unless you are represents the strength of your passion. Water dead. Your race is also a trait you possess. If your represents your mobility. Void is your ability to race has variety then you have both your general refocus your inner resources. Karma is your race as a trait and your specific race as well. Each ability to draw on inner reserves of resolve and skill header that you purchase is also a trait. A energy beyond the scope of your normal abilities. character who has purchased the Rogue header, Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Void each begin at 2. for example, has the Rogue trait. In addition, a You may raise these attributes by spending character will have one trait based on how many character points. Karma is always set at 3, and character points they have spent on skills and you cannot raise it. You will exhaust attribute abilities. A character who has not yet spent 50 points to use certain skills. Air, Earth, Fire, Water character points to improve has the Initiate trait. and Void are fully refreshed at the beginning of A character who has spent at least 50 character each event you attend. You begin each event with points but has not yet spent 100 character points 1 point of Karma. These attributes may also be has the Experienced trait. A character who has restored by the Refresh effect. spent at least 100 character points has the Accomplished trait. Void is a unique attribute in that you can exhaust a Void point to refresh your Air, Earth, Fire, and Attributes Water. This makes Void the most important Each character has six attributes. These attributes attribute for maintaining a high level of power are not meant to measure the capabilities of you as over the course of an event. Using Void to refresh

30 Madrigal 31 your attributes does not refresh your Karma, nor does it refresh your Vitality. Skills Refreshing your attributes with Void takes 5 The measure of your knowledge and training are minutes of rest, as described in the Time section defined by skills. To simulate various levels of above. Each character should have their own skills, there are certain activities that the game personal way of refreshing their attributes with does not allow you to attempt if you do not have Void. You might meditate, stretch, practice drills the skill for it. If a skill exists for a certain type of or maneuvers, pray or chant, or a variety of other activity or to manipulate a certain type of prop, activities. You might do a combination of these then you may not attempt that action unless you things. Spending Void to use skills, use abilities, have that skill or a specific ability that allows you or cast spells does not take 5 minutes and does not to do so. refresh your other attributes. Skills are divided under headers. These headers You can spend character points to raise Air, Earth, represent basic training necessary to use the skills Fire, Water, or Void. You must spend a number of that fall under that header. Each header gives you character points equal to the new attribute value to the name of the skill set as a trait. A character with raise it one point. If an attribute is 3, you spend 4 the "Warrior Skills" header would have the character points to raise it to 4. If an attribute is 4, Warrior trait. You cannot purchase a skill under a you spend 5 character points to raise it to 5, and header unless you have purchased the header first. so on. Open skills are all the skills that do not have a header. Anyone may purchase open skills. Karma is a special attribute that is refreshed only by special plot effects. You always start each You cannot purchase a skill or spell twice, even if event with a single point of Karma. As you play you have access to that skill in multiple headers. the game, interact with plot and adventure you The exceptions: Templar and Warlock spells are may find opportunities or situations where your considered the “Weapon Delivered” version and Karma will be refreshed. Unused Karma is lost are treated as separate spells from the “Packet when the event ends. Your Karma attribute is set Delivered” version of the other spell casting at 3 so you cannot have more than 3 points at any headers. Divine spells are considered separate one time unless some rare effect actually Grants spells from Arcane spells. you additional Karma. Some skills have additional requirements that must be met before the skill is purchased, and Races these are described in the description of the skill. The Gifted Races that have settled in the northern Some skills can be purchased multiple times, with continent of Aerune are varied by culture and by each additional purchase increasing the the distinction of physical race. There are many effectiveness of the skill. These skills are marked variations even within each race, and many of the with an asterisk. You must pay the cost of the skill races have adopted certain physical characteristics each time you purchase it. Some skills will limit due to magical influences that distinguish them the number of times you may purchase that skill. and separate them from others of their ilk. The This limit will be in the description. Gifted Races are described in chapter six.

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Once you have begun to play a character, you will accumulate more character points and may The use of some information skills costs money attempt to gain additional skills. You can purchase which is submitted at check in of the next event. If any skill from this book, but skills that are not the skill requires the use of money you can pay 2 listed in this book are called hidden skills. silvers for a normal question, 5 silvers for a hard or delicate question, and 10 silvers (1 gold) for an You cannot purchase hidden skills unless you obscure or dangerous question. More money than have received training in that skill by someone this is generally wasted, though a contact may who has already purchased the skill. If you are come to you to tell you that pursuing some purchasing another level of a hidden skill you obscure or dangerous piece of information would already know you still need a teacher and that be expensive. The description of the information teacher must have purchased the hidden skill a skill will tell you if it requires this payment to use number of times no less than the level you are it. trying to obtain. You are not guaranteed an answer, and it may take Using some skills will exhaust a one or more more than one event to receive a response. points from one of your attributes If you cannot Submitting a question that is not appropriate for exhaust these points because you do not have your sources dramatically reduces your chance to enough points left then you cannot use that skill. get an answer that is meaningful. These points are removed temporarily from the attribute in question. If you submit a new question before you get an answer, then the old question will be forgotten and the sources will begin to instead pursue the new Information Skills question. Asking certain questions to Some skills allow you to pursue answers to inappropriate sources might cause trouble for you. questions between events. These skills are called Your answer will come in one of three ways; you information skills. Each information skill has a might get a written response between events, you number of in game sources that research the might get a verbal or written response at the question and provide what answers they can. Your opening of an event before it starts, or a contact question is answered from their perspective and in might come to find you in game to deliver some the best manner they can pursue it. In order to use piece of knowledge related to your question. If an information skill you must maintain a good you are seeking answers to difficult or obscure relation with these sources. questions you may have to use the skill more than once to pursue the answers. Using your sources you make a request for knowledge. You submit the question you are pursuing among your sources to plot between Open Skills events. The question must be appropriate for your sources and one that your sources could pursue. Small Weapon 0 The best way to submit questions is to email the All characters can use any type of small weapon. question as plain text in the body of the message to plot. Give plot at least two weeks before an Archery 1 event or your answer will likely be delayed.

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You are skilled in the use of bows and crossbows. at the same time. You can fire 20 arrows for uncalled damage. After 20 arrows you must spend one minute of activity Although the skill requires the use of both arms, to refresh your quiver by role playing cleaning you may use this skill on your own arm if the and fletching another set of arrows. Arrow attacks other arm can be used and you could otherwise that have a verbal due to a skill or enhancement use this skill. do not count against this total. Melee Weapon 1* Craftsman 1 You are skilled in the use of one class of weapon You have some craft that allows you to make a that must be chosen when the skill is purchased. living. Crafts provide money at the beginning of Some exotic weapon types are not included in each event. They also allow you sell props for in these groups. You may purchase this skill once for game money. Without this skill you must arrange each type of weapon you wish to learn. The to obtain goods through a Merchant before you weapon types are Blades, Axes, Hammers, Staves, can sell them for in game money. You can always Spears, Polearms, and Clubs. The ability to use try to sell tagged items if you obtain them. You Polearms does not include Glaives. may purchase this skill more than once, but you must specify a different craft for each skill. Thrown Weapon 1* You are skilled in the use of thrown weapons. You Diagnose 1 may carry up to 3 thrown weapons on your person You touch a recipient with a packet and use for each time this skill is purchased. When you Diagnose on any Elemental, Metabolic, or pick up a thrown weapon after it has been used Physical trait. You may also use Diagnose on any you must spend 10 seconds cleaning the dirt and effect except Imbue and Inflict. You can use this blood off the weapon, sharpening it, and checking skill as often as you like. the balance before you use it again. You may, however, clean all your thrown weapons in one 10 First Aid 1 second session. This skill takes one minute of activity to perform. You role play and administer medicines and Acrobat Skills 4 bandage wounds to prevent someone from dying of blood loss. This skill may also be used to repair a Maim effect. You must have both arms free to Back to Guard 2 use this skill. When you begin to use this skill, If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may you must call "First Aid" and role play the use of exhaust one point of Water to call out the skill. "Disengage" as described in the effects section.

If used to repair a Maimed limb, you must use the Celerity 3 "Cure Maim [Limb]" verbal when the one minute Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from of role playing is complete. If used to make an damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for unstable character stable you must say "Stabilize" one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These when you have finished. This skill can be used for armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 either effect, but you cannot perform both effects

33 Madrigal 34 minute. You cannot use this skill if you are carrying anything in the hand you use to catch the already protected by armor points, and these projectile or wearing any kind of extended glove. points are lost if you put on or activate any other armor or ability that gives you armor points. Limber 3 These armor points last until the end of the event You exhaust one point of Earth to avoid any or until you refresh attributes with Void. single effect caused by a physical challenge such as stepping off a platform into something nasty, Daring 2 mistakenly touching a web or other dangerous You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one attack surface, or brushing up against something you based on Confusion or Fear. shouldn't. This skill lets you avoid one effect detailed on a yellow triangle. You cannot use this Death Defying 2 skill to avoid any effect delivered by an actual Once per event you can recover from grievous player, a trap, or contact poison. The skill can be injury. If you are lying either stable or unstable used only so long as you immediately remove with no Vitality you may make a miraculous yourself from the surface or challenge by going recovery by spending one point of Earth to call back the way you came. You cannot linger in "Heal to Self." You may also use this skill by place after using this skill or you will take the spending a point of Karma instead of a point of effect. Call “Avoid” when you use this skill. Earth and adding “With Karma” before the verbal when you call it out. Spinning Strike 2 You may exhaust a point of Air to call "2 Duck For Cover 4 Damage" with a staff or one handed club up to You may exhaust 3 points of Water to negate any two times. You exhaust the attribute the first time one missile or packet attack. You must call out you throw using this effect. One use is consumed "Avoid" when you use this skill. if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. You Escape Artist 2 need not use the strikes consecutively. Uncalled You exhaust one point of Water to purge one strikes and other skills may be used between uses Paralyze, Root, or Slow effect with a Physical of this skill. Twice per event you may spin around trait. You may also exhaust 2 points of Water and or cartwheel right after you have made a spend three seconds of activity to slip shackle successful attack using this skill. If you spin all props off your body and end that effect. the way around or cartwheel that strike is not counted as consumed. Any remaining strikes are lost when the event ends or when you refresh Evasive 3 attributes. You have an exceptional ability to evade damage. The armor points you gain from Celerity are increased to 3. Staggering Strike 4 You use your speed to build momentum and deliver a strike to stagger an opponent, leaving Juggler's Dexterity 2 them weak. You exhaust 2 points of Earth to call If you physically catch an arrow or a thrown out "Weakness" and strike at an opponent with a weapon with only your hands you may call staff or a one handed club. The attribute cost is "Avoid" to negate its effect. You cannot be

34 Madrigal 35 exhausted only if the strike lands and the store up to 10 measures of elixir or catalyst at any opponent acknowledges it with role play or one time in your flask. negates it with a defense. You may use Alchemy to create simple elixirs Tumbling 4 directly into your flask, and you may use the When using the Duck For Cover skill you may Elixir Transference skill to add existing elixirs to negate any one melee attack. You must call out your flask. Once an elixir is added to your flask "Avoid" when you use this skill. you may administer it from your flask more easily than a bottled elixir. The nature of bottled elixirs Alchemist Skills 2 requires time and light for them to work. You have been trained to evoke magic using Opening the potion bottle in the presence of light magical elixirs and substances mixed from starts the alchemical reaction. Once the elixir is components that have been naturally infused with consumed it takes some small amount of time for arcane power. You gather these components by it to work its magic. The light and time required to searching for them and trading others for take out and read the potion tag represent these component they might have gathered. You processes. You can store simple elixirs in your maintain an alchemy lab that is purified and flask and administer them more quickly without prepared for you to mix your elixirs and catalysts. needing light. You simply touch a packet to the opening of your flask, touch the packet to the You may prepare an alchemical flask and an recipient, and call out the verbal for the potion. alchemy lab. An alchemy lab is a special place where you can prepare certain alchemical Pouring forth elixirs from your flask requires at substances. It is decorated with bottles and mixing least one free hand and freedom of motion, but it tools. It must be set up in an area that is at least 1' is not a game skill and can be used while under by 2'. The lab cannot be moved during an event; the effects of Drain. The process is interrupted if the lab requires the area to undergo extensive you are struck by an attack while you are trying to purification processes. administer an elixir.

An alchemical flask is a special prop that allows Many alchemical processes require Alkahest, a you to use certain alchemical skills. You must universal solvent used to mix otherwise inert prepare your own alchemical flask. The flask ingredients into many alchemical substances. must be at least 6" tall and at least 3" wide. It Alkahest is relatively easy to make, but it takes cannot be made of glass or another substance that time and a small amount of money to create it. can be broken into sharp bits. The flask is decorated with alchemical runes and symbols. The easiest way to create Alkahest is to spend time between events to create it and store the The flask is a yellow tagged item. If it is stolen substance in your Alchemy lab for your own then the prop is returned to you and you may personal use. Your alchemy lab stored up to 20 prepare a new one between events. Your flask is measures of Alkahest. Alkahest stored in your lab enchanted to hold multiple elixirs or catalysts. bubbles and froths and radiates power through all You may store them in your flask without worry your alchemical instruments. It cannot be stolen that they may mix or become unstable. You may or used by another alchemist. Even if your lab is

35 Madrigal 36 somehow destroyed the essence remains in the You can add no more than two measures of acid at purified area and can be remixed if you manage to any one time to your flask. You can pour forth the somehow restore your lab. Alkahest can also be acidic substance by touching a packet to the bottled so any alchemist can use it at any lab but opening of your flask and immediately throwing it this process requires you to use a formula to at an enemy, calling out "2 Damage by Acid." create it like any catalyst. Bottled Alkahest is Each attack consumes one measure of acid. You often traded and sold. may return to your lab when both measures of acid are used and consume another measure of Several alchemists may share a lab if space is an Alkahest to create two more measures of acid. issue or if they desire to pool their resources to make the area look extra cool. If a lab is shared Craft Alkahest 2 then each alchemist has their own pool of You spend time between events creating Alkahest Alkahest that permeates the lab. The alchemists and storing it in your Alchemy lab. You spend 1 cannot share Alkahest but they may all use the lab silver for every 10 measures of Alkahest you set up for their alchemy skills. create. Alkahest created with this skill is stored directly in your lab. It cannot be moved, stolen, or Alchemy 2* used by another alchemist. A standard lab can This skill allows you to understand alchemical hold up to 20 measures of Alkahest. You pay the formulas and use them to create catalysts, elixirs, silver at check in and your character card is and venoms. The skill can be purchased up to 4 stamped once for every 10 doses you create. You times. As your level in Alchemy increases, you must have this skill stamped to use your lab's can create more and more difficult substances. Alkahest.

Each substance requires money and alchemical Elixir Transference 1 components to create. You may make 5 bottled You may transfer bottled potions to your flask so substances per event. You can create 2 elixirs in you may more easily administer them. Potions your alchemical flask in the time it takes to create with an Imbue or Inflict effect cannot be stored in one bottled elixir, though you must still consume your flask. They are too complex to be stored in components for each elixir. The substances and such a way. Potions with a standard effect are the process are more fully described in the called simple elixirs and they may be stored in Alchemy section. your flask. You spend one minute and consume one measure of Alkahest preparing a simple elixir Caustic Reaction 3 to place it into your alchemical flask. During that You can prepare volatile acids and store them in time read the potion tag. The potion expiration your alchemical flask. You can pour them forth does not change. You will turn in the tag at check later and hurl them at your enemies. To use this out after the effect is used or the potion expires. If skill you must spend at least one minute of the potion has a side effect then you suffer that activity in preparation at your alchemical lab. You effect as you work with the potion. The potion is consume one measure of Alkahest to add two stored without the side effect. If the potion has an measures of acid to your alchemical flask. Imbue of Inflict effect it is destroyed when you start this process and read the tag.

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Enhance Alchemical Flask 2* You prepare a substance that can be applied to You are more skilled at creating and maintaining your clothing or armor to protect you from fire. your alchemical flask. You may purchase this skill You may spend one minute and consume one two times. Each level of this skill increases the measure of Alkahest preparing this substance to capacity of your alchemical flask by 5 measures place it into your alchemical flask. Touch a packet up to a limit of 20 measures. to the opening of your alchemy flask, touch the packet to your armor and call "Grant 'Shield Fire' Enhance Alchemy Lab 2* by Alchemy" to apply the oil. You may only have You are more skilled at crafting and maintaining one oil active at any time. your alchemy lab. You may purchase this skill two times. Each level of this skill increase the capacity Oil of Iron Skin 2 of your alchemy lab by 10 measures of Alkahest You prepare a substance that can be applied to up to a limit of 40 measures. your clothing or armor to protect you from weapons. You may spend one minute and Learn Formula 1 consume one measure of Alkahest preparing this You may memorize a special Alchemy formula so substance to place it into your alchemical flask. you no longer need the formula to create Touch a packet to the opening of your alchemy substances. The alchemy formula must explain flask, touch the packet to your armor and call that you can learn it for this skill to work. You "Grant 'Shield Weapon' by Alchemy" to apply the may spend time between events learning one oil. You may only have one oil active at any time. formula. You consume one use of the formula. Oil of Lightning Resistance 1 The formula is added to your formula list. You You prepare a substance that can be applied to may now make one dose of the substance per your clothing or armor to protect you from event without needing the formula or consuming lightning. You may spend one minute and uses of a formula. You may learn one additional consume one measure of Alkahest preparing this formula or to learn to make one additional dose of substance to place it into your alchemical flask. a substance each event. You must consume a use Touch a packet to the opening of your alchemy of a special formula each time you use this skill. flask, touch the packet to your armor and call "Grant 'Shield Lightning' by Alchemy" to apply Oil of Acid Resistance 1 the oil. You may only have one oil active at any You prepare a substance that can be applied to time. your clothing or armor to protect you from acid. You may spend one minute and consume one Oil of Stickiness 1 measure of Alkahest preparing this substance to You prepare a substance that can be applied to place it into your alchemical flask. Touch a packet your weapon to protect you from disarms. You to the opening of your alchemy flask, touch the may spend one minute and consume one measure packet to your armor and call "Grant 'Shield Acid' of Alkahest preparing this substance to place it by Alchemy" to apply the oil. You may only have into your alchemical flask. Touch a packet to the one oil active at any time. opening of your alchemy flask, touch the packet to your weapon and call "Imbue by Alchemy" to Oil of Fire Resistance 1 apply the oil. You must call "Shield" to negate the

37 Madrigal 38 next attack with the Disarm effect that strikes you. into your alchemical flask. You can create and The protection lasts so long as you carry your store only one measure of web at a time. You can alchemy flask and do not put down the weapon, cast forth the substance by touching a packet to but once it negates an attack it is consumed. The the opening of your alchemical flask and oil fades at the end of the event if it is not used. immediately throwing it at an enemy, calling out You may only have one oil active at any time. "Lesser Root by Web." Quicken Reaction 2 Archer Skills 3 Your alchemy lab is empowered to quicken the alchemical reactions used to create substances. You may create up to 8 substances per event The Crucial Shot 1 instead of the usual 5. You exhaust one point of Air to make a critical strike firing a bow or crossbow. You call "5 Damage" and fire the weapon. The attribute cost Timeless Flask 1 is exhausted only if the strike lands and the You may prevent elixirs in your alchemical flask opponent acknowledges it with role play or from expiring. At the end of each event choose a negates it with a defense. number of elixirs in your flask that would expire before or during the following event equal to your skill in Alchemy. You enhance these elixirs so A Disarming Shot 4 they last until the end of the following event. You are capable of precise shots that knock Present these tags at the next check in to have weapons and items from the hands of your targets. them updated. You may preserve the same expired You exhaust a point of Water, call out "Disarm elixir for multiple consecutive events. This skill [Limb]" and fire an arrow. If it hits the target, the only works for tagged elixirs. target takes the effect of a Disarm. Web Dissolution 1 Duck For Cover 4 You can prepare a solvent that dissolves webs and You may exhaust 3 points of Water to negate any store it in your alchemical flask. You can pour this one missile or packet attack. You must call out substance forth later to free people from effects "Avoid" when you use this skill. with the Web trait. You may spend one minute and consume one measure of Alkahest preparing this From Ash To Iron 4 substance to place it into your alchemical flask. You may strengthen your bow so it can be used as You can create only one measure of solvent at a a parrying device. If the bow prop has been time. Touch a packet to the opening of your approved by staff as a parrying weapon you may alchemical flask, touch a recipient and call out block melee attacks with the bow as if it was a "Cure Web by Magic" to destroy the web. melee weapon. Using it in such a manner snaps the string and makes it unable to fire arrows until Web Patch 2 you spend at least 3 seconds to "restring" the bow. You may throw a substance from your alchemical You may not under any circumstance strike an flask that quickly forms into sticky webs. You opponent with your bow prop. may spend one minute and consume two measures of Alkahest preparing this substance to place it Knowing Nature's Bounty 2

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This skill allows you to live in the wild. So long You may exhaust a point of Air to make a nerve as you do not maintain the trappings of civilized strike with a bow or crossbow shot. You call out lands, and your clothing and accessories appear as "Agony" and fire the weapon. The attribute cost is though they were scavenged out of ruins, you do exhausted only if the strike lands and the not have to pay monetary or food maintenance opponent acknowledges it with role play or costs. You cannot use this skill if you end an event negates it with a defense. with a condition that prevents the use of game skills. The Serpent's Touch 2 This skill allows you to apply and use blade Last Line of Defense 2 venoms, as described in the Alchemy section, on If you are armed with a bow you have any bladed weapon. The skill can be used on strengthened using the skill From Ash To Iron, melee weapons or thrown weapons or even you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to negate any projectile weapons that are bladed. You apply the melee attack that strikes one of your limbs. Melee blade venom with an application verbal, calling attacks that strike the torso cannot be negaged. out “Grant Melee Attack by Venom, [Venom This causes your bow to be "unstrung" as Effect]” as you apply the substance to your described in the skill From Ash To Iron. You must weapon. You call out the effect of the poison call out "Parry" when you use this skill. when you make an attack. The poison is used up only if the strike lands and the opponent Rain of Arrows 1 acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a Once per event you may steady yourself, plant defense. your feet and call out “Imbue by Archery” to fire off a volley of deadly arrows. You may call out “2 Threatening Aim 4 Damage” with each arrow you fire until you move You carry your bow with such confidence and your right foot or your quiver runs out of arrows. intensity that you can ward off foes simply by You may pivot on your right foot and you may use threatening them with your aim. Nock an arrow other called Archery attacks but using other skills and point at an opponent with the index finger of or falling unconscious ends this effect. Using your bow hand as you aim the bow at them. Refresh Quiver also ends this effect. You may also Exhaust a point of Fire and call out "By My use this skill by spending a point of Karma and Gesture, Repel by Fear" to warn them away from adding “With Karma” before the verbal when you you. You may maintain the gesture until you make call it out. an attack or change targets. If you make an attack you must pull the bow back and point it upwards Refresh Quiver 1 to show the effect has ended. You may spend a point of Earth to instantly refresh the arrows in your quiver rather than The Wind's Edge 1 spending one minute to fletch new arrows. Call If you have strengthened your bow using the skill out “Refresh Arrows by Inspiration” when you From Ash To Iron you may use a small weapon or use this skill. a medium weapon in your other hand during melee combat provided you have the skill to use Shooting the Nerve 2 such a weapon.

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You may attempt to make a crippling attack with a Assassin Skills 5 melee weapon against a foe's limb. You call out "Maim" and strike a limb. If the blow lands you Back to Guard 2 exhaust a point of Earth and the opponent will If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may suffer the effects of a Maim on that limb. The exhaust one point of Water to call out attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands "Disengage" as described in the effects section. and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. The Backup Blade 2 This skill allows you to use a dagger in your off A Knife in the Back 1 hand. You may exhaust a point of Water to make a melee attack from behind that causes devastating Celerity 3 damage. You must be behind an opponent and be Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from able to see both shoulder blades. The attack damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for causes "5 Damage" and can be made with any one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These melee weapon. The attribute cost is exhausted armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 only if the strike lands and the opponent minute. You cannot use this skill if you are acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a already protected by armor points, and these defense. points are lost if you put on or activate any other armor or ability that gives you armor points. Know Your Tools 1 These armor points last until the end of the event Once per event you may call out “Resist” to or until you refresh attributes with Void. negate one effect with the Poison trait. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma Cheap Shot 2 and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when In a pinch you can capitalize on an opponent who you call it out. is weakened by an Agony effect. If the opponent is struck by an Agony and they are role playing its Mask of Deception 3 effect you may deliver one attack using the skill If your form is hidden by dark clothing you may A Knife in the Back even if you are not behind resist attempts to expose your location. You must them. You are very good at slipping an attack into be masked and hooded to use this skill, and you someplace vital while the opponent is distracted cannot have any skin showing except for the eye by pain. You may only use this skill if you holes or eye slit in your mask or cowl. Exhaust a actually see an Agony effect strike an opponent point of Fire to silently resist one Expose effect. and if the opponent acknowledges the hit through role play. You may only use this skill once for any Shiv 5 particular Agony effect. Once the opponent purges You may rest for one minute to enter a focused the Agony, stops the role play, or attacks another state where you are more deadly from behind. You character you lose the opportunity to use this skill. may call “2 Damage” for any of your melee attacks from behind until you are struck by a A Crippling Blow 1 melee, missile, or packet attack or you are affected by an Expose effect. You must be behind

40 Madrigal 41 an opponent and be able to see both shoulder (You do not strike at the throat; the name of the blades to use this skill to increase the damage of skill is for flavor only.) your attacks. A successful melee, missile, or packet attack ends this state even if you negate it The Walls Have Ears 3 with a defense, but the Expose effect must You have learned how to use the darker side of succeed to end this state. You may reenter this society to dig up rumors and information that state at any time by resting for one minute to people may have learned in the course of refocus. "normal" business. If you spread some money around you often hear rumors or tales about the Striking the Nerve 2 things other groups have seen and jobs they might You may exhaust a point of Air to make a nerve have been hired for. This is an information skill strike with a melee weapon. You call out "Agony" that requires you to spread around money to and strike with the weapon. The attribute cost is loosen lips. You submit a question between events exhausted only if the strike lands and the as described in the Information Skills section opponent acknowledges it with role play or above. If the question is appropriate for this negates it with a defense. dangerous element you may receive knowledge appropriate to your question. The Serpent's Touch 2 This skill allows you to apply and use blade Waylay 3 venoms, as described in the Alchemy section, on This skill represents a crack on the back of the any bladed weapon. The skill can be used on head of a victim to knock the victim out. You melee weapons or thrown weapons or even must be behind an opponent and exhaust a point projectile weapons that are bladed. You apply the of Air to use this skill. This skill cannot be used blade venom with an application verbal, calling while running; your feet must be still when you out “Grant Melee Attack by Venom, [Venom use the skill. You call out "Stun" and tap that Effect]” as you apply the substance to your opponent on the back of the shoulder with a melee weapon. You call out the effect of the poison weapon. The attribute cost is exhausted only if the when you make an attack. The poison is used up strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it only if the strike lands and the opponent with role play or negates it with a defense. acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. Beastmaster Skills 2 You draw strength and magical power from your Throat Slit 4 affinity with natural beasts. You manifest powers If you are behind your opponent you deliver a by drawing on your own bestial nature. All spells slice in a manner that prevents the opponent from purchased under this header are devotion spells. calling out. You must be behind an opponent and be able to see both shoulder blades. Exhaust a point of Fire, call "Silence" and strike with the Armed as the Hunter 2 weapon. The attribute cost is exhausted only if the This skill allows you to grow and retract claws in strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it both hands with which you may attack and parry. with role play or negates it with a defense. You may fight with a claw in each hand at the same time, but you may not fight with claws and other weapons or a shield. You may use one

41 Madrigal 42 medium claw and one short claw. The time it You are skilled at protecting vulnerable areas and takes to prepare the claws or put them away is the twisting with blows to quickly recover from time it takes to grow or retract the claws. debilitating strikes. You may purge one Agony or Maim effect by role playing a painful recovery for Back to Guard 2 3 seconds and exhausting a point of Air. You must If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may call out "Purge" when you use this skill. exhaust one point of Water to call out "Disengage" as described in the effects section. Heart of the Lion 1 You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one attack Celerity 3 based on Fear. Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for Knowing Nature's Bounty 2 one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These This skill allows you to live in the wild. So long armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 as you do not maintain the trappings of civilized minute. You cannot use this skill if you are lands, and your clothing and accessories appear already protected by armor points, and these primitive, you do not have to pay monetary or points are lost if you put on or activate any other food maintenance costs. You cannot use this skill armor or ability that gives you armor points. if you end an event with a condition that prevents These armor points last until the end of the event the use of game skills. or until you refresh attributes with Void. Last Stand 1 Claw Frenzy 2 Once per event you may negate any melee attack You exhaust two points of Earth to make a critical that strikes you. Call out “Resist by Will” to strike with a claw. You call "5 Damage" and strike negate the attack. You may also use this skill by with the claw. The attribute cost is exhausted only spending a point of Karma and adding “With if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. it with role play or negates it with a defense. Nature's Renewal 1 Claws Like Lightning 2 This skill may only be used while cloaked by You may exhaust a point of Water to call "2 nature, where you are touching a tree or there are Damage" with your claws up to two times. You multiple trees between you and any visible exhaust the attribute the first time you swing buildings. While cloaked by nature you may using this effect. One use is consumed if the strike reduce the resting time to use Void to refresh your lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role attributes. You need rest only one minute to play or negates it with a defense. You need not use refresh attributes when you use this skill. the strikes consecutively. Uncalled strikes and other skills may be used between uses of this skill. No Escaping the Hunt 3 Any remaining strikes are lost when the event You exhaust 1 point of Water to hamstring your ends or when you refresh attributes. prey with your claws. You call "Slow" and strike with the weapon. The attribute cost is exhausted Combat Anticipation 4 only if the strike lands and the opponent

42 Madrigal 43 acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. Berserker Skills 4 Resilience 3 Back to Guard 2 You are tough. So long as you are conscious you If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may may spend 3 seconds of activity to role play - exhaust one point of Water to call out wiping blood from your face, shaking your head "Disengage" as described in the effects section. clear, or similar actions - and shrug off your wounds. You exhaust a point of Water and call out Celerity 3 "Heal 2 to Self" to Heal 2 of your Vitality. This Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from ability will not heal effects other than damage. damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These The Sphere of Weald 2 armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 This skill allows you to learn spells from the minute. You cannot use this skill if you are Weald sphere. These spells are purchased and already protected by armor points, and these used like skills. points are lost if you put on or activate any other armor or ability that gives you armor points. These armor points last until the end of the event Strength of the Wild 2 or until you refresh attributes with Void. You may call on the strength of the natural world one time per event for each point of Void you possess, dramatically reducing the time it takes Combat Anticipation 4 you to recovery from ill effects. This skill may You are skilled at protecting vulnerable areas and only be used while cloaked by nature, where you twisting with blows to quickly recover from are touching a tree or there are multiple trees debilitating strikes. You may purge one Agony or between you and any visible buildings. While Maim effect by role playing a painful recovery for cloaked by nature you may rest for 1 minute to 3 seconds and exhausting a point of Air. You must remove one effect that would normally require 5 call out "Purge" when you use this skill. minutes of rest to remove. You do not spend Void to use this skill; your Void is simply the limit to Critical Strike 2 how many times this skill can be used. You exhaust two points of Earth to make a critical strike with a melee weapon. You call "5 Damage" and strike with the weapon. The attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. Crushing the Shield 1 Once per event you send an opponent with a shield reeling. Using a sword, axe, or hammer that is two handed, strike an opponent's shield calling "Shield Slam" to knock them down. This throws you off balance as well. You must step back after

43 Madrigal 44 using this skill and you cannot advance on that opponent for 3 seconds. You may also use this Leveraged Block 1 skill by spending a point of Karma and adding If you are using a two handed weapon and one of “With Karma” before the verbal when you call it your arms is affected by a Maim effect you can out. still block incoming attacks as long as your other arm can still function. You cannot attack, but you A Flurry of Strikes 2 can block incoming attacks and use game skills You may exhaust a point of Water to call "2 that allow you to call out a Defense and require Damage" with a melee attack up to two times. you to be using a weapon. You must call out You exhaust the attribute the first time you swing “Reduce” when the Maim strikes you. The ability using this effect. One use is consumed if the strike to block ends if you take another Maim to the lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role same arm and you cannot use this skill again until play or negates it with a defense. You need not use that Maim is cured. the strikes consecutively. Uncalled strikes and other skills may be used between uses of this skill. Mindless Rage 3 Any remaining strikes are lost when the event Exhaust two points of Fire and call out "Resist" to ends or when you refresh attributes. negate one attack with a Mental trait. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma Heart of the Lion 1 instead of two points of Fire and adding “With You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one attack Karma” before the verbal when you call it out. based on Fear. Resilience 3 Just That Tough 2 You are tough. So long as you are conscious you You may exhaust 2 points of Earth to resist one may spend 3 seconds of role playing - wiping melee attack that strikes one of your limbs. blood from your face, shaking your head clear, or similar actions - to shrug off your wounds. You Knowing Nature's Bounty 2 exhaust a point of Water and call out "Heal 2 to This skill allows you to live in the wild. So long Self" to Heal 2 of your Vitality. This ability will as you do not maintain the trappings of civilized not heal effects other than damage. lands, and your clothing and accessories appear as though they were scavenged out of ruins, you do Strength of the Bear 2 not have to pay monetary or food maintenance You may exhaust 2 points of Water to rip free costs. You cannot use this skill if you end an event from effects with a Physical trait that are in some with a condition that prevents the use of game way restricting your movement. Role play for 3 skills. seconds to call out "Purge" and end one Slow, Root, Paralyze or Repel effect with a Physical Last Stand 1 trait. Once per event you may negate any melee attack that strikes you. Call out “Resist by Will” to negate the attack. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out.

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Strike of Fury 2 header if you have a header that gives you the Once per event you make a furious strike while Devout or Shamanic trait. wielding any two handed weapon. Call "10 Damage" and strike with the weapon. The skill is Agent of Fate 1 exhausted only if the strike lands and the Prerequisite: Aura of Healing opponent acknowledges it with role play. If the Once per event you may call out “Imbue by Fate” attack is negated with a defense, including to draw from Legacy to gain extra power. You “Spirit” or “No Effect,” the skill is not exhausted gain 10 extra pool points on top of your Aura of but you must rest for one minute before Healing and you gain 2 Fate points for one of attempting to use it again. Once this skill is your Air, Earth, Fire or Water attributes. These exhausted you may refresh it by resting for one Fate points are temporary attribute points and are minute, spending a point of Karma and calling used to cast packet delivered Divine spells that “With Karma, Refresh Strike of Fury.” require the appropriate attribute. You must use up these points when casting packet delivered Divine Got No Time to Bleed 3 spells before exhausting the underlying attribute. Prerequisite: Just That Tough These Aura of Healing pool points and Fate points If you are using a two handed weapon you may cannot be refreshed. When you invoke this skill exhaust 1 point of Earth to resist one Disarm any existing Fate points and extra Aura of Healing effect or exhaust 2 points of Earth to resist one pool points granted by this skill are lost. You may melee strike to the torso. also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when The Will To Live 1 you call it out. Once per event you survive if you are struck by an attack that inflicts the Death effect. Instead of Aura of Healing 4 being struck dead, you may exhaust this skill to You have a pool of healing energy you use to heal call out “Reduce” and collapse in an unstable state wounds. For each spell purchased under this with no Vitality. This skill does not work against a header you gain 1 point in this pool up to a Death Strike, nor will it protect you if you die maximum of 20 points. You may exhaust a point from bleed out. You may use this skill even if you from your Aura of Healing pool to touch a packet are unconscious. You may also use this skill by to an ally and call out "Heal by Faith." You are spending a point of Karma and adding “With considered to be casting when you use this ability. Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. You cannot have weapons in your hand unless you have a skill that allows you to cast while holding a weapon, and you can be interrupted by an attack. Druid Skills 3 The points from your pool may be refreshed by You are devoted to the Pale and call upon one of spending one minute in an area consecrated to the aspects of the Pale for guidance. You follow your patron. There is no limit to the number of the Green Man, the Gray Man, or one of the times you may refresh these points. The area must forgotten Pale spirits. You derive magical power be marked with an Information tag stating it is from your faith in that aspect, and you are consecrated to your patron. You may not purchase rewarded with divine powers. You have the both this skill and Aura of Vengeance. Druidic trait and all spells purchased under this header are divine spells. You cannot choose this

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Aura of Vengeance 4 if you end an event with a condition that prevents You may refresh attribute points spent delivering the use of game skills. vengeance upon the enemies of your faith. If all spells cast from a specific attribute since your last Preventive Medicine 1 Void refresh were either Evocation spells or spells Once per event, when you are struck by an attack that are not beneficial you may use this skill to with an effect or a trait that you could cure with a refresh your power. You may rest for one minute divine spell, call out “Resist” to negate that effect. in an area that is consecrated to your patron to You may also use this skill by spending a point of Refresh up to 4 points in that attribute which were Karma and adding “With Karma” before the used to cast those Evocations or offensive spells verbal when you call it out. purchased under this header. Rest for one minute in the consecrated area and call out “Refresh 4 Nature's Embrace 2 [Attribute] by Magic’ to regain your power. You When you are violently struck down you are may use this skill a number of times per event sustained by the wilderness around you. This skill equal to the number of spells you have purchased may only be used while cloaked by nature, where in this header. You may not purchase both this you are touching a tree or there are multiple trees skill and Aura of Healing. between you and any visible buildings. While cloaked by nature if you fall unstable you may Gift of Healing 3 exhaust a point of Fire as you fall to immediately Prerequisite: Blessing of Health become stable. You may use this skill to take an When you cast the Blessing of Health spell from extra step while falling down so you lay down this header you may invoke three healing effects touching the roots or trunk of a tree. instead of the two effects normally granted by the spell. You may not purchase both this skill and Nature's Whisper 3 Gift of Judgement. You enter natural lands and attempt to commune with nature to gain guidance and knowledge. You Gift of Judgement 3 may pursue knowledge about the happenings in When you cast a packet delivered Evocation spell the forests and wild lands you inhabit. This is an from this header, you gain an additional packet information skill that does not require you to pay attack for each attribute point needed to cast the money. You submit a question between events as spell. For example, when you case the Fire Storm described in the Information Skills section above. spell you gain 12 packet attacks instead of 10, and when you cast the Vengeful Energies spell you If the question is appropriate for the spirits of gain 4 packet attacks instead of 3. You may not nature you may receive knowledge appropriate to purchase both this skill and Gift of Healing. your question. Knowing Nature's Bounty 2 Spellbound 1 This skill allows you to live in the wild. So long Your destructive spells that fail to harm the target as you do not maintain the trappings of civilized are still bound by your purpose and are not truly lands, and your clothing and accessories appear expended. When you throw a packet delivered primitive, you do not have to pay monetary or spell, that spell is bound to you if it misses its food maintenance costs. You cannot use this skill target or the target calls No Effect, Spirit, or Avoid

46 Madrigal 47 to negate it. Beneficial spells cannot be bound The Weald's Blessing 2 with this skill. If you spend one minute resting, This skill allows you to hold and use any blunt during which time you role play gathering wooden weapon while you are casting spells, magical energies back to you, then you may gain overriding the restriction that casting requires back those attributes exhausted to cast spells both hands to be empty. You must have a skill bound in this manner. This skill can only be used with the weapon in question to use this ability. for spells purchased under this header that exhaust attributes; per event uses are not returned. When you rest to refresh Void you lose any bound spells Duelist Skills 4 and can no longer rest to regain those attributes. Always Prepared to Fight 3 The Sphere of Legacy 2 When you are about to engage in a formal duel This skill allows you to learn spells from the that has been accepted by all participants, you Legacy sphere. These spells are purchased and may exhaust a point of Fire to temporarily refresh used like skills. your Attribute points. The conditions of the duel must be agreed upon by all parties and cause The Sphere of Wayfare 2 blood to be drawn. There can be no one else on This skill allows you to learn spells from the your side. You must fight alone, although you are Wayfare sphere. These spells are purchased and free to duel multiple opponents. When the duel used like skills. has finished, your Attributes go back to what they were right after you spent Fire to activate this ability. If the duel is interrupted or someone steps The Sphere of Weald 2 in on either side who was not one of the This skill allows you to learn spells from the participants then the duel ends and your Attributes Weald sphere. These spells are purchased and reset. During the duel you may not use beneficial used like skills. effects on others. Beneficial effects you use on yourself end when the duel ends unless they are Tree Meld 4 Heal or Cure effects. Vitality is not affected by the You can meld with a tree of significant size to start or end of this ability. become a spirit and protect you from attacks. Touch a large tree with both hands, exhaust 2 Back to Guard 2 points of Water, and say "Imbue by Magic" to If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may activate this ability. The tree must be large enough exhaust one point of Water to call out around that your hands cannot touch thumbs and "Disengage" as described in the effects section. finger tips when wrapped around the trunk. So long as you do not move you gain the Spirit defense and become immune to most attacks. You The Backup Blade 2 gain the Plant trait and the Spirit trait. Any attack This skill allows you to use a dagger in your off that is not beneficial that is "to Plant" or "to hand. Spirit" will affect you and knock you out of Spirit form. Otherwise you will stay in spirit form until Buckler 2 you choose to move. This skill allows you to use a buckler. You cannot use a larger shield with this skill.

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A Desperate Defense 2 Celerity 3 If you are wielding a melee weapon you are Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for negate any melee attack that strikes one of your one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 attacks that strike the torso. You must call out minute. You cannot use this skill if you are "Parry" when you use this skill. already protected by armor points, and these points are lost if you put on or activate any other Flashing Blades 2 armor or ability that gives you armor points. You may exhaust a point of Water to call "2 These armor points last until the end of the event Damage" with a sword up to two times. You or until you refresh attributes with Void. exhaust the attribute the first time you swing using this effect. One use is consumed if the strike The Clumsy Shield 2 lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role If you are in a formal duel where you have used play or negates it with a defense. You need not use Always Prepared to Fight you may, once per duel, the strikes consecutively. use an opponent's shield against them. If you are not using a full sized shield and your opponent is Uncalled strikes and other skills may be used using such a shield you may avoid one attack between uses of this skill. Any remaining strikes from the opponent by using their own shield are lost when the event ends or when you refresh against them. You call out "Avoid" to negate the attributes. attack. Heart of the Lion 1 Combat Anticipation 4 You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one attack You are skilled at protecting vulnerable areas and based on Fear. twisting with blows to quickly recover from debilitating strikes. You may purge one Agony or Last Stand 1 Maim effect by role playing a painful recovery for Once per event you may negate any melee attack 3 seconds and exhausting a point of Air. You must that strikes you. Call out “Resist by Will” to call out "Purge" when you use this skill. negate the attack. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With A Crippling Blow 1 Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. You may attempt to make a crippling attack with a melee weapon against a foe's limb. You call out The Main Gauche 2 "Maim" and strike a limb. If the blow lands you Prerequisite: The Backup Blade exhaust a point of Earth and the opponent will This skill allows you to use a medium sized blade suffer the effects of a Maim on that limb. The in your off hand. attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play Mastering the Deadly Stroke 2 or negates it with a defense. You exhaust 2 points of Earth to make a critical strike with a sword. You call "5 Damage" and strike with the sword. The attribute cost is

48 Madrigal 49 exhausted only if the strike lands and the are dishonored. opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. If someone has been unjustly persecuted, or a person declared dishonored has shown proper A Sword's Shadow 2 remorse, you may also use this skill to exonerate Prerequisite: The Main Gauche them. You gather two other Duelists who must This skill allows you to use any one handed blade agree with you and empower you in the manner in your off hand. described above. If you are so empowered by a council who have discussed the situation and Unanswered 1 agree the person should be forgiven you may One should not give insult to a duelist and back touch the person so marked with the blade of your away when confronted with the prospect of a duel. sword, exhaust the use of this skill, and call out Although you might expect attitude from someone "Cure Dishonored Trait by Inspiration" to remove young and cocky, an insult from someone with the trait. You may also use this skill by spending a experience is a grave matter. If you are insulted point of Karma and adding “With Karma” before and you challenge someone to a duel to clear your the verbal when you call it out. name or your honor you hold the expectation that they would step up to duel you or arrange for a It is rumored that Duelist masters can cause those second to step in for them. If they refuse you and so condemned to break ranks, step aside from besmirch your honor you may gather at least 2 battle, or fall prey to weakness. The abuse of this other Duelists who also have this skill and skill, both in its use and in the redemption of condemn such a person for their lack of honor and someone another duelist has condemned, has on courage. You must have good reason to accuse more than one occasion caused arguments another character in such a manner. between schools and dueling masters to turn violent. Once per event you may accuse another character, declaring them dishonored. Choose one Duelist as Witty Repartee 2 the accuser in this inquiry. Each additional Duelist Once in a duel where you have used Always who has heard the evidence and supports this act Prepared to Fight you may call out your Witty touches the accuser, and calls out "Imbue by Will" Repartee incantation to refresh one point of Air, to show they have empowered the accuser. This Earth, Fire, or Water if you have used that support does not exhaust this skill. If you are the attribute in this duel. The incantation must be accuser and you are empowered by two other submitted to and approved by plot, but you can Duelists you can confront the errant cur and have more than one incantation so you can pick an reveal their base acts. appropriate retort. The incantation must take at least 3 seconds to deliver, and you must deliver it You must confront them with a short declaration with a flourish. of why they are condemned. It's all about the panache with which you accuse them. At the end With a Twist of the Wrist 3 of the accusation, point your blade at the cur and You may exhaust 2 points of Water to strike an call out "By Your Name [Name], Greater Inflict opponent's weapon with a sword and rip it free Dishonored Trait to Accomplished" to show they

49 Madrigal 50 from an opponent's hand. You must call out "Disarm" when you hit the weapon. This attack is Critical Strike 2 treated as a limb hit in that it may be negated with You exhaust 2 points of Earth to make a critical a Parry. strike with a melee weapon. You call "5 Damage" and strike with the weapon. The attribute cost is Gladiator Skills 5 exhausted only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or Back to Guard 2 negates it with a defense. If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may exhaust one point of Water to call out A Desperate Defense 2 "Disengage" as described in the effects section. If you are wielding a melee weapon you are skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to negate any melee attack that strikes one of your Blood in the Pit 1 limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can Once per event if you are unstable and you are attacks that strike the torso. You must call out about to die because your one minute death count "Parry" when you use this skill. is expiring you may choose to become stable instead. You receive the effect of a Stabilize. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Double Glaive 2 Karma. You have the ability to use a double glaive in combat. This weapon is a shafted weapon with a blade on both ends. It has a minimum length of Buckler 2 48" and a maximum length of 64". A double This skill allows you to use a buckler. You cannot glaive is constructed in a manner similar to a staff, use a larger shield with this skill. except it has a blade at both ends. Each blade must be at least 1/3 of it's entire length. The Combat Anticipation 4 double glaive can be held in the middle, and you You are skilled at protecting vulnerable areas and can choke up and hold the bladed portion if you twisting with blows to quickly recover from have gauntlets to protect your hands. You can also debilitating strikes. You may purge one Agony or block with the double glaive with one hand Maim effect by role playing a painful recovery for although you can not attack while using the 3 seconds and exhausting a point of Air. You must weapon in this fashion, and if you have a skill that call out "Purge" when you use this skill. allows you to use two weapons you can use a weapon in your other hand so long as it is medium A Crippling Blow 1 length or less. You may attempt to make a crippling attack with a melee attack against a foe's limb. You call out A Flurry of Strikes 2 "Maim" and strike a limb. If the blow lands you You may exhaust a point of Water to call "2 spend a point of Earth and the opponent will Damage" with a melee attack up to two times. suffer the effects of a Maim on that limb. The You exhaust the attribute the first time you swing attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands using this effect. One use is consumed if the strike and the opponent acknowledges it with role play lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role or negates it with a defense. play or negates it with a defense. You need not use

50 Madrigal 51 the strikes consecutively. Uncalled strikes and other skills may be used between uses of this skill. Last Stand 1 Any remaining strikes are lost when the event Once per event you may negate any melee attack ends or when you refresh attributes. that strikes you. Call out “Resist by Will” to negate the attack. You may also use this skill by Great Glaive 2 spending a point of Karma and adding “With Prerequisite: Double Glaive Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. You can use a great glaive. This two handed weapon is a double bladed polearm. The weapon Leveraged Block 1 has a minimum length of 60" and can be no more If you are using a two handed weapon and one of than 72" long. Each end has a polearm blade and your arms is affected by a Maim effect you can full 5/8" padding that covers at least 1/3 of the still block incoming attacks as long as your other total length of the blade. The middle section of the arm can still function. You cannot attack, but you great glaive must also be padded, although you can block incoming attacks and use game skills can use 3/8” padding for the grip of the staff so that allow you to call out a Defense and require long as the full 5/8” is used for the striking you to be using a weapon. You must call out surfaces. The great glaive can be held in the “Reduce” when the Maim strikes you. The ability middle, and you can choke up and hold the bladed to block ends if you take another Maim to the portion if you have gauntlets to protect your same arm and you cannot use this skill again until hands. The great glaive cannot be used in one that Maim is cured. hand. A Little Something Extra 2 Heart of the Lion 1 This skill allows you to use a small melee weapon You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one attack in your off hand. based on Fear. Resilience 3 I Know That Tactic 5 You are tough. So long as you are conscious you You exhaust 3 points of Fire to avoid any one may spend 3 seconds of activity to role play - melee attack. You become wary of any melee wiping blood from your face, shaking your head attack that delivers that specific effect. You can clear, or similar actions - and shrug off your now avoid any melee attack with that same effect, wounds. You exhaust a point of Water and call out regardless of the attack trait, by exhausting 1 point "Heal 2 to Self" to Heal 2 of your Vitality. This of Fire. You call out "Avoid by Cunning" when ability will not heal effects other than damage. negating a melee attack with this ability. Rile Up the Crowd 3 Once this ability is activated you cannot use it on You have developed a unique way to excite the a different effect; it is locked onto that effect until crowd and restore your ability to fight. You the event ends or you refresh attributes with Void. choose a unique pose and slogan that go together You can use this skill to avoid a Damage effect, and take at least 3 seconds to perform. One time but it locks onto the exact amount of Damage you you can do this move to Refresh 1 point of Air, avoided and it cannot be used on melee attacks Earth, Fire or Water. If you have the Resilience that do a different amount of damage. skill you can choose to pay its cost and use that

51 Madrigal 52 skill in the same 3 second time as part of your role colors with the Guild of Heralds you help to build play. This skill refreshes when you use Void to the legend and the reputation necessary to power refresh your attributes. your magic. The Guild of Heralds maintains a strict neutrality in its dealings. It is said that A Second Weapon 2 heralds exist on the fringes of society that help Prerequisites: A Little Something Extra spread tales for companies that worship the dark This skill allows you to use a medium sized melee gods but the College of Heralds has never verified weapon in your off hand. or acknowledged such individual heralds. The Twin Threat 2 Many of the Herald skills allow you to support a Prerequisite: A Second Weapon group of individuals called a Company. In order to This skill allows you to use any one handed melee do this you must spread tales of their deeds and weapon in your off hand. their goals to empower the magic in their name. You may become an official Herald for only one Company at a time. It is for this group that you The Will To Live 1 work your magic. When you help to form a new Once per event you survive if you are struck by an Company you must approve the Company name attack that inflicts the Death effect. Instead of with plot. The Company name will become a trait being struck dead, you may exhaust this skill to for members of your group. call out “Reduce” and collapse in an unstable state with no Vitality. This skill does not work against a To avoid confusion, the name cannot have one of Death Strike, nor will it protect you if you die the standard traits in its title. Plot may decide that from bleed out. You may use this skill even if you a proposed name is too close to an existing are unconscious. You may also use this skill by Company or group, that the name is too close to a spending a point of Karma and adding “With common trait, or that the name does not fit with Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. the flavor of the game. If a name is rejected then the Guild of Heralds rejects the name. The Guild Herald Skills 3 must often reject Company names for various You are the voice and heart for a group of reasons. individuals called a Company. A Company is a group of people that form for some common Although the official title for a Company is often purpose. Many companies are military, and some preceded by "The Company of..." when formally form to support a personage of noble bearing. introducing the group, the trait in verbals need not be lengthened to include this formality to keep Through years of excellence and faithful service verbals brief. You must create and maintain a the Heralds of the land have gained their own standard that displays the colors of the Company magic that allows them to inspire others and give in order to use standard magic. This standard must strength to members of their Company. Heralds be large enough to be visible on the battlefield also pick up skills that help groups function. You among the waves of violent chaos. If another act as organizer and standard bearer for the Herald feels your standard in inadequate they may Company. You have contacts in the Guild of file grievance with the Guild of Heralds. If you do Heralds that help you with your duties. By not belong to the Guild of Heralds you are drained registering your Company name, its goals, and its

52 Madrigal 53 of your ability to use any Herald skill and you among the Druids and Barbarians and wilder folk. lose the Herald trait. These Heralds carry on the storytelling traditions of their ancestors. Some carry banners decorated Heralds carry banners that are decorated with the with fur and bone. They call their groups Circles coat of arms or symbol of their company. These rather than a Companies. They call themselves banners are required for many of their skills. The Skalds or Ghost Talkers. The Guild of Heralds banner is presented on a pole that must be at least welcomes them and they share a common magic as tall as the Herald. The banner must run at least despite the difference in culture. As a show of half the length of the pole and wide enough to solidarity the wilder folk also carry a checkered clearly display the heraldry. When a herald is pattern when traveling outside the lands where drawn into some dangerous place that is indoors they are known, although for them it is usually a they may instead use a full length tabard or long strip that is folded and hung off their belt. surcoat displaying the colors and heraldry of the company to use skills requiring a banner. Aid Station 2 If you are carrying your battle standard with the A Herald is mystically linked to their company colors of your company prominently displayed banner. If the banner poles are padded then the you may summon energies that restore health and Herald gains the ability to touch cast beneficial vigor to your Company and their allies. Call out spells while holding the company banner. Once "Imbue by [Company]" and exhaust a point of you stop moving and plant the banner it cannot be Water. So long as you are holding your battle the target of spells and arrows unless the banner is standard you may deliver three healing effects by blocking another target. You may call “Resist by packet. You must call out "Heal 2 by Magic" for Banner” to missile and packets attacks that strike each, but you need Imbue the power only when it it. If someone has cover behind the banner or it is is first used. This magic ends when those three blocking some other target your will breaks and effects are used, when you drop the banner, when attacks to the banner affect you. you use Void to refresh attributes, and at the end of the event. You may only have one of these Heralds wear scarves or other pieces of costume abilities active at any time. that prominently display a checkered pattern. This pattern is often black and white, though Banner of Courage 2 sometimes a Herald will use the colors of the If you are carrying your battle standard with the Company in this pattern. Many honorable folk colors of your company prominently displayed will refrain from attacking Heralds unless they you may exhaust a point of Fire to cry out "By take an active part in combat. Heralds also My Voice, Cure Fear to [Company]" and give traditionally conduct parlays while displaying the them courage. checkered scarf as a makeshift flag and it is considered dishonorable to attack a Herald acting in that capacity. It can also get you in trouble with Banner of Respite 2 the Guild of Heralds and that makes your own If you are carrying your battle standard with the Herald's life more difficult. colors of your company prominently displayed you may exhaust a point of Air to cry out "By My There is a chapter of the Guild of Heralds in Voice, Stabilize to [Company]" and prevent them Locksmoor that specifically supports Heralds from bleeding out.

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Battlefield First Aid 1 Banner of Healing 4 The time required for you to use First Aid to If you are carrying your battle standard with the stabilize or cure a Maim effect is reduced to 30 colors of your company prominently displayed seconds. you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to cry out "By My Voice, Heal 2 to [Company]" to heal their Courier 3 wounds. Between events you may pay 1 silver to attempt to send letters to other characters in the world. You Carry the Fellowship Banner 1 may pay the cost and you may send an electronic You may form a fellowship of up to 10 people, copy of the physical letter to plot between events. and use your Herald skills to empower members You may also turn in a physical prop to plot if the of that group. You must submit a permanent and physical presentation has some significance. You personal fellowship name to plot when your must know where the letter must be sent. You purchase this skill. This name is submitted to the need not attempt to deliver the letter yourself; the Guild of Heralds much like your company name. Guild of Heralds sends it along to it proper place. When you use this skill you call out “Imbue There is always a chance that a letter will be [Fellowship] Trait to Self” to gain the trait and intercepted if you send it someplace dangerous or suppress your ability to empower your company. if someone is attempting to foil your attempts. If You may instead use all Herald skills to the you believe this is the case you may increase the fellowship trait instead of the company trait. You amount you pay for the delivery to help ensure its may include up to 9 others in this fellowship. safety though someone attempting to foil your Touch a recipient and call out “Imbue attempts might likewise have the ability to pay [Fellowship] Trait by Inspiration” to add someone more to intercept the letter. to your fellowship. You cannot use skills to your company while you have an active fellowship. To Ears of the Company 3 break a fellowship you must remove the You are the eyes and ears of your Company, and fellowship trait from all other members of the you are constantly gathering information with fellowship and then remove the trait from other Companies and trading knowledge with yourself. Touch a member and call out “Cure other members of the Guild of Heralds. If you [Fellowship] Trait” to remove the trait. When all spread some money around you often hear rumors other members have been removed you may end or tales about the things other groups have seen the fellowship and remove the trait from yourself and jobs they might have been hired for. This is an by calling out “Cure [Fellowship] Trait to Self.” information skill that requires you to spread Once you end the fellowship you may once again around some money to loosen lips. You submit a use your Herald skills to your company. You may question between events as described in the use this skill as often as you like, both to add and Information Skills section above. If the question is subtract members from an existing fellowship or appropriate for the Guild of Heralds and the to reform a new fellowship for various Companies they might belong to you may receive adventures. knowledge appropriate to your question.

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Fortify the Company 1 You may also use this skill to remove your If you have purchased (from another header) the Company trait from an individual who is currently Elemental Fortification or Mental Fortification in the Company. You must touch a willing or spells you can use them more effectively on your helpless character and call out "Cure [Company] Company. While holding your banner you may Trait by Inspiration" to leave them with an Inflict touch cast either Elemental Fortification or card that removes the Company trait from them Mental Fortification by replacing the trait with “to permanently. [Company]” to gain an extra casting. You may touch an additional person and call out the verbal The Herald's Nod 1 to the spell an additional time so long as they are If you see someone wearing the checkered pattern in arms reach. If you move from your spot, refresh you may exhaust a point of Air and gesture to attributes with Void, or use any other game skill them to call out "By My Gesture, Expose Herald you lose this additional casting. by Magic." This is usually done only if there is some question as to the validity of the individual Initiation 1 in question. If you do this in court to a prominent You may initiate new members and mystically Herald you might be considered a buffoon or fool, link them to your Company by empowering them but using the skill on the road or in times of with your Company name. Create an initiation danger is certainly warranted. The person must be ritual for the Company. The ritual must be at least clearly displaying the checkered pattern and in one minute long but most are longer, elaborate decent view. ceremonies. When you perform this ritual with the approval of the Company leader you gain the Now You See It, Now You Don't 2 Company name as a trait. In addition, you may This skill allows you to exhaust one point of Air empower each member that participates in the to hide one item for five minutes on your person. ritual by consuming one True Void for each The item cannot be in plain sight. If you are member. The Herald must turn in these True Void searched you do not have to reveal the presence of by the end of the event. When the initiation is the item. If the item is actually spotted by complete you touch the new group member and someone, however, this skill fails. The skill will call out "Greater Imbue [Company] Trait by work for five minutes even if you are killed Inspiration" to give the member the name of the during that time. Company as a trait permanently. You may get Imbue tags at check in or when you turn in the Strength of the Company 3 True void. Up to 20 total members can be initiated You may exhaust one point of Air, Earth, Fire, or into the Company. Seven times in your life you Water to refresh that same attribute to someone in may decide through role play that someone has a your Company. Exhaust the attribute and touch particular affiliation with the purpose or the recipient to call out "Refresh [Attribute] to composition of your Company. If you make this [Company]" to restore their strength. You may decision you may initiate this individual without either be inspired or inspirational; once you the use of True Void. You may only use this option purchase this skill you cannot be refreshed by it. seven times in your life, even if that individual is slain, leaves the Company or leaves the game. If you are using this skill on a member of your Company who has the Initiate trait and you have

55 Madrigal 56 diagnosed them with the Initiate trait earlier in the You not only are well versed in the political and event you may call out "Refresh 2 [Attribute] to social interplay of those courts, but you have the [Company]" to strengthen them. You may use this conviction that to be Gifted is to be civilized and skill to gauge the strength of willing Company rise above those who think the Gifted Races members. You may touch a willing subject to nothing more than animals. This conviction gives diagnose the Initiate trait, the Experienced trait, or you strength of will and the ability to draw on the the Accomplished trait. magic that flows between the Courts of the civilized lands. You cannot use any Highborn skill Tale of Restoration 1 if you have the Uncivilized trait. Your tales inspire those who listen to them and the entertainment can soothe their wounds. Once per You cannot be a Barbarian and take this header, event you may spend at least one minute telling an and you would not even dream of taking this entertaining story about your Company to any in a header with the Beastmaster header. Once you room who would listen. When you are finished take this header you will find yourself utterly you bow or indicate somehow that the story is incapable of fighting with claws of any kind. complete. If the crowd reacts with laughter or Some Druids and Rangers who are not aligned to applause you may call out "In This Room, Heal 2 the Gray can carry themselves with the dignity of By Inspiration" to offer your audience respite the Highborn but they cannot take the Scavenger from their wounds. You may also use this skill by skill or dress in a manner that is uncivilized. A spending a point of Karma and using “By Karma” few Liendrel elves remember the splendor of the as the trait of the verbal when you call it out. Faerie Court and can access the passion for civilized ways that this header requires. Tale of Encouragement 4 Your tales inspire those who listen to them and the To be Highborn and to draw magic from these entertainment can give them hope and strength skills is to embrace civilization; its art and culture and ease their fatigue. Once per event you may and all that is wonderful and uplifting about the spend at least one minute telling an entertaining ascent of the Gifted Races into civilization. There story about your Company to any in a room who is nothing wrong with hard work, dirt under the would listen. When you are finished you bow or fingernails and adventurous behavior so long as indicate somehow that the story is complete. one cleans themselves up. One must maintain Choose one of Air, Earth, Fire or Water. If the one's self above the baser instincts. You cannot crowd reacts with laughter or applause you may use Highborn skills unless you act and dress in a call out "In This Room, Refresh [Attribute] By civilized and dignified manner. You cannot dress Inspiration" to strengthen your audience. You to use Scavenger and expect to use any of these cannot use this skill to refresh Void. You may also skills. The Gifted Races have risen above that. use this skill by spending a point of Karma and using “By Karma” as the trait of the verbal when Being in the Know 2 you call it out. You are quite in at the various social circles within the kingdoms. As such you are able to find out tidbits of knowledge related to politics and Highborn Skills 2 nobility. If you spread some money around you The flow of social activities in the High Courts of often hear rumors or tales about the things other the various kingdoms have a magic of their own. civilized folk have seen and events they might

56 Madrigal 57 have attended. This is an information skill that Dressed to Kill 3 requires you to spread around some money to You are confident and light on your feet when you loosen lips. You submit a question between events are dressed in a civilized manner. You may spend as described in the Information Skills section 1 point of Air and rest for one minute dressing, above. If the question is appropriate for the social checking yourself in the mirror, or resting and circles you might travel in you may receive cleaning yourself up to give yourself 2 armor knowledge appropriate to your question. points. These armor points can also be refreshed by resting and adjusting your look for 1 minute. Courier 2 Choose how you role play your resting time. You Between events you may pay 1 silver to attempt to cannot use this skill if you are wearing any other send letters to other characters in the world. You type of armor, and these points are lost if you put may pay the cost and you may send an electronic on or activate any other armor or ability that gives copy of the physical letter to plot between events. you armor points. These armor points last until the You may also turn in a physical prop to plot if the end of the event or until you refresh attributes physical presentation has some significance. You with Void. must know where the letter must be sent. You need not attempt to deliver the letter yourself; the Enough of That 3 Guild of Heralds sends it along to it proper place. You may keep people quiet if they are talking out There is always a chance that a letter will be of turn. Exhaust a point of Fire, throw a packet, intercepted if you send it someplace dangerous or and call out "Enough of That, Silence by Awe" to if someone is attempting to foil your attempts. If keep someone from speaking out of turn. you believe this is the case you may increase the amount you pay for the delivery to help ensure its A Gilded Carriage 1 safety though someone attempting to foil your Once per event, if you have received a formal attempts might likewise have the ability to pay invitation to a function and you have dressed more to intercept the letter. specifically for that function you may travel to that function as a spirit after you have spent at Decorum 2 least one minute dressing and grooming for that Sometimes a Highborn is all there is between purpose. Once you are dressed and prepared with decorum and anarchy. You may cure Frenzy the invitation in hand you activate this skill at effects or attacks with the Madness trait. If you your dwelling to become a spirit and gain the are in a room, exhaust a point of Earth and call Spirit defense. You gain the Spirit trait and the out “In This Room, Cure Frenzy by Inspiration” Chimera trait and become immune to most or “In This Room, Cure Madness by Inspiration” attacks. Attacks with the "to Spirit" or the "to to restore order. If you are not indoors, you must Chimera" traits affect you and effects that are not exhaust a point of Earth and call out “By Your beneficial will knock you out of spirit form and Name [Name], Cure Frenzy by Inspiration” or end this effect. You must travel directly to the “By Your Name [Name], Cure Madness by function. You cannot tarry once you use this skill Inspiration” to free someone from that effect. on other concerns. The protection ends when you reach your destination and enter the function. Once the function is finished you may use this skill to return to your dwelling where you first

57 Madrigal 58 used the skill, but you may only do so if you some kind of conversation to focus or by haven’t left the function and you haven’t used a haranguing them. You must spend at least 10 skill or attack that created an effect that is not seconds saying something appropriately witty to beneficial. Doing either of these things ends the activate this skill. If you are unsure or unsatisfied skill. You may use this skill an additional time with your retort you will lack the confidence to each event, but only if your outfit is completely use this skill. If your verbal banter is pleasing, and different for the second use of the skill. let's face it you will know if it isn't, then you may choose a Mental trait and exhaust a point of Water I Question Your Bearing 1 to call out "Purge [Trait]" and end that effect. If you see someone claiming a noble title you may exhaust a point of Air and gesture to them to call Showing Proper Appreciation 1 out "By My Gesture, Expose Highborn by Awe." Twice per event you may show your appreciation This is usually done only if there is some question for an exceptional performance if you are as to the validity of the individual in question. Not impressed by that performer and the performance all nobles are Highborn, but you will at least evokes some sort of beneficial magical effect. To know that the individual does not share the same use this skill you thank the performer while passion for the civilized lands that many of the complimenting them on the performance. If they noble folk do. If you do this in court to a are willing to receive your praise you may touch prominent noble you might be considered a them and choose either Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. buffoon or fool, but using the skill on the road or Call out "Refresh [Attribute] by Inspiration" to in times of danger is certainly warranted. reward their art. No Time For Foolishness 1 With Noble Bearing 2 If you are in a social situation or on your way to a Your decorum is such that the base acts of Frenzy social gathering you are far more effective at and effects based on Fear or Madness are against diverting unwanted attacks and interruptions. So your very nature. If you are struck by a Frenzy long as you do not use any weapon attack or any effect or an attack with the Fear or Madness trait attack from another header you may add the you may exhaust a point of Fire and call out “Double” qualifier to any Highborn skills attacks "Resist" to negate the attack. with the Awe trait. Once you or any of your social company choose to attack you cannot use this You, Sir, Are a Cur 1 skill until you socialize for at least one minute. In the unfortunate event that another Highborn that has demonstrated skills under this header On Your Way 2 proves to be barbaric, uncivilized, or utterly Exhaust a point of Air, throw a packet, and call without honor in some civilized manner you may out "On your way, Repel by Awe" to send some gather at least two other Highborn characters who bothersome creature away from you. also have this skill and condemn that Highborn for their lack of civility. You must have good A Sharp Tongue 3 reason to accuse another Highborn in such a If you are affected by an attack with a Mental trait manner. Acts of war and even acts of treachery are you can shake it off if you are given the chance to understandable so long as they are not petty or interact with the attacker, either by engaging in uninspired. Once per event you may act as the

58 Madrigal 59 accuser in this inquiry. Each additional Highborn must call out "Resist" when you use this skill. with this skill who has heard the evidence and supports this act touches the accuser and calls out Celerity 3 "Imbue by Will" to show they have empowered Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from the accuser. Supporting an accuser does not damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for exhaust this skill. If you are the accuser and you one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These are empowered by two other Highborn you can armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 confront the errant Highborn and reveal their base minute. You cannot use this skill if you are acts. You must confront them with a short already protected by armor points, and these declaration of why they are condemned. It's all points are lost if you put on or activate any other about the panache with which you accuse them. armor or ability that gives you armor points. Point at the Highborn and call out "By Your Name These armor points last until the end of the event [Name], Greater Inflict Uncivilized Trait to or until you refresh attributes with Void. Highborn" to show they are unworthy. Chi Strike 2 If a Highborn has been unjustly persecuted, or a You exhaust 2 points of Earth to make a critical Highborn declared uncivilized has shown proper strike with a staff. You call "5 Damage" and strike remorse, you may also use this skill to exonerate with the staff. The attribute cost is exhausted only them. You gather two other Highborn who must if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges agree with you and empower you in the manner it with role play or negates it with a defense. described above. If you are so empowered by a council who have discussed the situation and agree the person should be forgiven you may Combat Anticipation 4 touch the Highborn so marked, exhaust the use of You are skilled at protecting vulnerable areas and this skill, and call out "Cure Uncivilized Trait to twisting with blows to quickly recover from Highborn" to remove the trait. You may also use debilitating strikes. You may purge one Agony or this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding Maim effect by role playing a painful recovery for “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it 3 seconds and exhausting a point of Air. You must out. call out "Purge" when you use this skill. Empathic Healing 3 Mystic Skills 3 You can channel the essence of life, transferring your life force to another without drawing blood Break Trance 2 or cutting flesh. Each time you use this skill you You have some method of snapping people out of lose a point of Vitality as damage. This damage effects with the Trance trait. You may role play for bypasses armor points. Each use of this skill heals 3 seconds and touch a packet to a recipient to call one or two points. You may call out “Heal 2 by out "Cure Trance by Will." Will” a number of times per void refresh equal to your Void attribute. Otherwise call out “Heal by Calming the Inner Self 2 Will” when you use this skill. If this removes your You have developed a sense of inner calm that last point of Vitality you fall unstable, hovering at allows you to exhaust a point of Air to negate one the brink of death. attack with the Frenzy or Weakness effect. You

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using this effect. One use is consumed if the strike Fortress of Iron Will 5 lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role You may protect yourself from harm by gathering play or negates it with a defense. You need not use your Chi and using it to ward off all danger. You the strikes consecutively. Uncalled strikes and exhaust 3 points of Air, press your palms together, other skills may be used between uses of this skill. and become motionless. So long as you do not Any remaining strikes are lost when the event move you gain the Spirit defense. Only game ends or when you refresh attributes. effects that specifically include "to Spirit" in the verbal will work on you. Any attack that is not A Spirit's Harmony 3 beneficial with "to Spirit" in the verbal that strikes When you are slain, your spirit is in such harmony you will immediately end this ability. with the world that you do not have to become a spirit after 5 minutes. You may wait for up to an Leveraged Block 1 additional 5 minutes to become a spirit, although If you are using a two handed weapon and one of you may choose to become a spirit at any time your arms is affected by a Maim effect you can after the 5 minutes has passed. You may linger in still block incoming attacks as long as your other hopes that someone Imbue your body with life or arm can still function. You cannot attack, but you retrieve a needed item before it fades with you. can block incoming attacks and use game skills that allow you to call out a Defense and require Staff of the Arcane 3 you to be using a weapon. You must call out This skill allows you to hold and use any staff “Reduce” when the Maim strikes you. The ability while you are casting spells, overriding the to block ends if you take another Maim to the restriction that casting requires both hands to be same arm and you cannot use this skill again until empty. You must have a skill with the weapon in that Maim is cured. question to use this ability. Mental Fortitude 3 The Will To Live 1 Due to your mental discipline, you may exhaust 2 Once per event you survive if you are struck by an points of Air to resist one attack based on a attack that inflicts the Death effect. Instead of Mental trait. You must call out "Resist" when you being struck dead, you may exhaust this skill to use this skill. call out “Reduce” and collapse in an unstable state with no Vitality. This skill does not work against a Setting the Blade Aside 5 Death Strike, nor will it protect you if you die You may exhaust 2 points of Fire to strike an from bleed out. You may use this skill even if you opponent's weapon with a staff and rip it free from are unconscious. You may also use this skill by an opponent's hand. You must call out "Disarm" spending a point of Karma and adding “With when you hit the weapon. This attack is treated as Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. a limb hit in that it may be negated with a Parry. Paladin Skills 5 Spinning Staff 2 You have been touched by creation, and have You may exhaust a point of Water to call "2 received power and clarify by a single instant of Damage" with a staff up to two times. You inspiration where the enormity of the Tapestry exhaust the attribute the first time you swing itself was revealed to you. You may choose to

60 Madrigal 61 walk the Path of Light and draw power from the weave, or to walk the Path of Shadow and draw Armored with Light 3 power from the shadowed places between the Paladin of Light strands of creation. Prerequisite: Armored for War 2 Once per event if you are fully armored with a 4 When you as a Paladin draw on Light, you draw point armor prop then you may imbue your armor on the manifestation of all the strands of the with the power of radiance. Call out "Armor me in Tapestry and the pattern of that weave. Light Radiance! Imbue by Light" to activate the power. draws strength from the integrity of the Tapestry, Radiant light envelops your form. You shrug off and it is strongest supporting clarity and the next 3 called melee, missile or packet attacks dedication of purpose. It is the visual that strike you. Call "Guard by Light" to negate manifestation of Creation itself. Using Light each of the next three called attacks. You may also strengthens the Tapestry. It is said that it weakens use this skill by spending a point of Karma and corruption. You may not purchase skills of adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you Shadow. call it out. When you as Paladin draw on Shadow, you slip Armored with Shadow 3 into the space between the strands of the Tapestry. Paladin of Shadow You draw on all those places that are undefined, Prerequisite: Armored For War 2 vague, or lack purpose. Shadow is the visual Once per event if you are fully armored with a 4 manifestation of the spaces between the weave, point armor prop then you may imbue your armor where mystery is strong and reality lacks form. Is with the power of twilight. Call out "Armor me in is said that much of the Realm of Shadow was Twilight! Imbue by Shadow" to activate the corrupted by the Foul, and that sometimes power. Deepest shadow envelops your form. You Paladins of Shadow who draw too deeply from shrug off the next 3 called melee, missile or that Shadow also become corrupt and go mad. packet attacks that strike you. Call "Guard by These unfortunate individuals fall and become Shadow" to negate each of the next three called Paladins of Darkness, blighted and mad attacks. You may also use this skill by spending a individuals who feed on the corruption of the point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before Tapestry and draw power from it. You may not the verbal when you call it out. purchase skills of Light.

If a Paladin of Shadow ever ends an event with Back to Guard 2 the Malediction trait they must alert plot in If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may writing with the circumstances of their affliction exhaust one point of Water to call out within two weeks of the end of the event. "Disengage" as described in the effects section. Armored for War 2* Buckler 2 This skill allows you to wear more than 2 points This skill allows you to use a buckler in combat. of armor. Each time the skill is bought, the amount of points you may wear is increased by 1 Combat Anticipation 4 up to a maximum of 4. You must have a proper You are skilled at protecting vulnerable areas and armor prop to use this skill. twisting with blows to quickly recover from

61 Madrigal 62 debilitating strikes. You may purge one Agony or you in the same manner as spells. Maim effect by role playing a painful recovery for 3 seconds and exhausting a point of Air. You must Heart of the Lion 1 call out "Purge" when you use this skill. You spend one point of Fire to resist one attack based on Fear. Darkness, My Enemy 2 You are strengthened against creatures of Heart of Radiance 1 darkness. If an enemy uses an attack or defense Paladin of Light with the "by Malediction" or "by Darkness" trait You spend one point of Fire to resist one attack against you or one of your attacks you are based on Darkness, Disease, or Despair. You empowered with two strikes that can be used spend two points of Fire to resist one attack based against that enemy. Paladins of Light call out "2 on Malediction. Call "Resist by Light" to negate Damage by Light" with each strike. Paladins of the attack. Shadow call out "2 Damage by Shadow" with each strike. If the enemy leaves your field of Heart of Gloom 1 vision or you become unsure which enemy called Paladin of Shadow on that dark power then the effect ends. You may You spend one point of Fire to avoid one attack choose to activate this skill any time an enemy based on Awe, Confusion, or Darkness. You spend calls an attack or defense against you or one of two points of Fire to resist one attack based on your attacks with one of those traits but if you are Malediction. Call "Avoid by Shadow" to negate already empowered with strikes those are lost the attack. when you reactivate this skill. Last Stand 1 A Desperate Defense 2 Once per event you may negate any melee attack If you are wielding a melee weapon you are that strikes you. Call out “Resist by Will” to skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to negate the attack. You may also use this skill by negate any melee attack that strikes one of your spending a point of Karma and adding “With limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. attacks that strike the torso. You must call out "Parry" when you use this skill. Radiant Strike 2 Paladin of Light Healing Touch 4 You exhaust 2 points of Earth to make a strike of You can imbue your touch with the healing power pure light with a melee attack. You call "5 of creation. You can cast spells with beneficial Damage by Light" and strike with the attack. The effects by touching a recipient even if you have a attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands weapon or shield in your other hand. You may and the opponent acknowledges it with role play also channel your power to heal others. Spend a or negates it with a defense. point of Water and touch a recipient with a packet. Paladins of Light call out "Heal 2 by Light." Paladins of Shadow call out "Heal 2 by Shadow." Reveal the Darkness 2 Attempts to deliver beneficial effects and healing You spend one point of Air to reveal creatures of will be disrupted by incoming attacks that strike darkness. Paladins of Light call out "By My

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Voice, Expose Malediction by Light." Paladins of The Will To Live 1 Shadow call out "By My Voice, Expose Once per event you survive if you are struck by an Malediction by Shadow." If you suspect that attack that inflicts the Death effect. Instead of infernal power is attempting to manipulate the being struck dead, you may exhaust this skill to Tapestry you may expose the Demon trait instead call out “Reduce” and collapse in an unstable state of the Malediction trait. with no Vitality. This skill does not work against a Death Strike, nor will it protect you if you die Searing Light 1 from bleed out. You may use this skill even if you Paladin of Light are unconscious. You may also use this skill by You may exhaust a point of Air to surround a spending a point of Karma and adding “With melee attack with searing light. You call out Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. "Agony by Light" and strike with the attack. The attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play Priest Skills 3 or negates it with a defense. You are a priest of one of the Gods that allow followers. You follow the White Court, the Black Court, or one of the forbidden gods. You derive Shadow's Grasp 1 magical power from your faith in that god, and Paladin of Shadow you are rewarded with divine powers. You have You may surround a melee attack with seething the Devout trait and all spells purchased under shadow and use it to weaken your foe. Exhaust 1 this header are divine spells. You cannot choose point of Air to call out "Lesser Weakness by this header if you have a header that gives you the Shadow" or exhaust 2 points of Air to call out Druidic or Shamanic trait. "Weakness by Shadow" and strike with the attack. The attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role Agent of Fate 1 play or negates it with a defense. Prerequisite: Aura of Healing Once per event you may call out “Imbue by Fate” to draw from Legacy to gain extra power. You Shield 2 gain 10 extra pool points on top of your Aura of Prerequisite: Buckler Healing and you gain 2 Fate points for one of This skill allows you to use a full sized shield. your Air, Earth, Fire or Water attributes. These You cannot throw packet delivered effects while Fate points are temporary attribute points and are you have a full sized shield in your hand. used to cast packet delivered Divine spells that require the appropriate attribute. You must use up Umbral Strike 2 these points when casting packet delivered Divine Prerequisite: Paladin of Shadow spells before exhausting the underlying attribute. You exhaust 2 points of Earth to make a strike of These Aura of Healing pool points and Fate points deepest shadow with a melee attack. You call "5 cannot be refreshed. When you invoke this skill Damage by Shadow" and strike with the attack. any existing Fate points and extra Aura of Healing The attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike pool points granted by this skill are lost. You may lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role also use this skill by spending a point of Karma play or negates it with a defense. and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out.

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others have developed contacts among the Aura of Healing 4 wandering Mendicants that watch over small You have a pool of healing energy you use to heal villages and the merchant road. The difference wounds. For each spell purchased under this between the two sources is only a matter of role header you gain 1 point in this pool up to a play; players can expect similar blessing from maximum of 20 points. You may exhaust a point either source unless the blessing is specifically from your Aura of Healing pool to touch a packet involves a matter of difference about some social to an ally and call out "Heal by Faith." You are aspect of either group. Between events you may considered to be casting when you use this ability. submit a request for aid in some upcoming battle You cannot have weapons in your hand unless you or challenge that involves your faith. If the have a skill that allows you to cast while holding a faithful can help you might receive boons and weapon, and you can be interrupted by an attack. blessing related to the task that you submit. This The points from your pool may be refreshed by skill does not guarantee response. You do not spending one minute in an area consecrated to specify the type of blessing; that is at the your patron. There is no limit to the number of discretion of the faithful that pray for inspiration times you may refresh these points. The area must to aid you. You cannot use this skill if you end an be marked with an Information tag stating it is event with a condition that prevents the use of consecrated to your patron. You may not purchase game skills. both this skill and Aura of Vengeance. There may be places of divine power where you Aura of Vengeance 4 may invoke the aid of the guardians or saints of You may refresh attribute points spent delivering that place during the game and meet whatever vengeance upon the enemies of your faith. If all conditions are required by those guardians. In this spells cast from a specific attribute since your last case you must spend a point of Air and role play Void refresh were either Evocation spells or spells asking the guardians for aid. You then leave a that are not beneficial you may use this skill to scroll with your request at that place or with the refresh your power. You may rest for one minute guardian that appears. If the guardians choose to in an area that is consecrated to your patron to honor your request you will either receive some Refresh up to 4 points in that attribute which were help from a guardian at that time or receive a used to cast those Evocations or offensive spells visitation later during the event. purchased under this header. You may use this skill a number of times per event equal to the Divine Sphere 2* number of spells you have purchased in this Choose one sphere available to priests of the god header. You may not purchase both this skill and you worship. This skill allows you to learn spells Aura of Healing. from that one sphere. These spells are purchased and used like skills. You may purchase this skill Blessings of the Faithful 4 once for each sphere available to priests of your You have developed trusted contacts and advisors god. that aid you in battles and challenges of faith and religion. You choose where you seek aid when Divine Empowerment Varies* you purchase this skill. Some priests have developed contacts in their High Church, and

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This skill gives you an ability from your patron. for spells purchased under this header that exhaust The effects vary depending on the nature of your attributes; per event uses are not returned. When patron. The cost for this ability varies. you rest to refresh Void you lose any bound spells and can no longer rest to regain those attributes. Gift of Healing 3 Prerequisite: Blessing of Health Temple Fortress 1 When you cast the Blessing of Health spell from You can protect yourself within a temple that has this header you may invoke three healing effects been consecrated to your patron. Touch a symbol instead of the two effects normally granted by the of your patron displayed in the temple with both spell. You may not purchase both this skill and hands, exhaust 2 points of Water, and say "Imbue Gift of Judgement. by Divine" to activate this ability. The area must be marked with an Information tag stating it is Gift of Judgement 3 consecrated to your patron. So long as you do not When you cast a packet delivered Evocation spell move you gain the Spirit defense and become from this header, you gain an additional packet immune to most attacks. Any attack that is not attack for each attribute point needed to cast the beneficial that is "by Darkness" or "to Spirit" will spell. For example, when you case the Fire Storm affect you and knock you out of Spirit form. spell you gain 12 packet attacks instead of 10, and Otherwise you will stay in spirit form until you when you cast the Vengeful Energies spell you choose to move. gain 4 packet attacks instead of 3. You may not purchase both this skill and Gift of Healing. Wisdom of the Faithful 3 You have developed trusted contacts and advisors Preventive Medicine 1 that give you advice on matters of faith and Once per event, when you are struck by an attack religion. You choose where you seek wisdom with an effect or a trait that you could cure with a when you purchase this skill. Some priests have divine spell, call out “Resist” to negate that effect. developed contacts in their High Church, and You may also use this skill by spending a point of others have developed contacts among the Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the wandering Mendicants that watch over small verbal when you call it out. villages and the merchant road. The difference between the two sources is only a matter of role Spellbound 1 play; players can expect similar information from Your destructive spells that fail to harm the target either source unless the question is specifically a are still bound by your purpose and are not truly matter of opinion about some social aspect of expended. When you throw a packet delivered either group. This is an information skill that does spell, that spell is bound to you if it misses its not require you to pay money. You submit a target or the target calls No Effect, Spirit, or Avoid question between events as described in the to negate it. Beneficial spells cannot be bound Information Skills section above. If the question is with this skill. If you spend one minute resting, appropriate for the devotees of your faith you may during which time you role play gathering receive knowledge appropriate to your question. magical energies back to you, then you may gain back those attributes exhausted to cast spells bound in this manner. This skill can only be used

65 Madrigal 66 Ranger Skills 5 Break Trance 2 You are a warrior and a woodsman, adept at You have some method of snapping people out of combat and survival. Rangers are particularly effects with the Trance trait. You may role play for adept at using spears. You are self sufficient and 3 seconds and touch a packet to a recipient to call skilled at survival in the wilderness. out "Cure Trance by Will." Animal Companion 5 Buckler 2 Your understanding of beasts allows you to form a This skill allows you to use a buckler. You cannot mystical link with another character who is a use a larger shield with this skill. Shoathri. Once per event you may concentrate with a willing Shoathri character for one minute A Crippling Blow 1 and call "Imbue Companion by Nature" to form You may attempt to make a crippling attack with a this link. You may only link with one Shoathri in melee weapon against a foe's limb. You call out this manner, and that Shoathri cannot already have "Maim" and strike a limb. If the blow lands you the Companion trait. So long as they are in beast exhaust a point of Earth and the opponent will form you draw strength from them. You can touch suffer the effects of a Maim on that limb. The a packet to this companion and call out "Stabilize attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands to Beast" if they are down. You can exhaust a and the opponent acknowledges it with role play point of Fire and touch your companion with a or negates it with a defense. packet to call out "Heal 2 to Beast." If you are familiar with their racial skills you may use them A Desperate Defense 2 as if you also had them, although you must pay If you are wielding a melee weapon you are any costs, abide by any restrictions, and obey skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to limits to the number of times they may be used negate any melee attack that strikes one of your when using them. You may also touch a willing or limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can helpless Shoathri and call out "Diagnose attacks that strike the torso. You must call out Companion" to see if they are linked with this "Parry" when you use this skill. skill. This ability lasts until the end of the event. A Flurry of Strikes 2 Back to Guard 2 You may exhaust a point of Water to call "2 If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may Damage" with a melee attack up to two times. exhaust one point of Water to call out You exhaust the attribute the first time you swing "Disengage" as described in the effects section. using this effect. One use is consumed if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role Battlefield First Aid 1 play or negates it with a defense. You need not use The time required for you to use First Aid to the strikes consecutively. Uncalled strikes and stabilize or cure a Maim effect is reduced to 30 other skills may be used between uses of this skill. seconds. Any remaining strikes are lost when the event ends or when you refresh attributes.

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Forego the Forge 3 pouch prop. This pouch must be at least big You can strengthen furs and use them as leather enough to hold a packet. You spend a minute armor. You can wear furs or leather as your prop gathering plants and herbs into your pouch in a for armor. You are familiar enough with this wild place where there are no buildings in sight. armor to maintain it during combat so you can At the end of the minute you spend 1 point of repair it yourself. You may spend one minute of Water to activate this skill. Once activated, you role play to repair up to two points of your own may take a packet out of your medicine pouch and leather armor. You need not remove the armor, but touch the packet to someone to use a "Cure you must rest while you are using this skill. Poison by Magic" on that person. You may only have one use of this skill active at any one time Fortitude of the Wild 4 and each use requires one minute of role play as You spend two points of Water to resist one attack you gather what you need from the woods. based on Poison. In addition, if you also have the Enmity skill then all strikes from your Flurry of Knowing Nature's Bounty 2 Strikes under Ranger are modified to 3 Damage. This skill allows you to live in the wild. So long as you do not maintain the trappings of civilized Enmity 4 lands, and your clothing and accessories appear as There is an enemy you have a particular skill or though they were scavenged out of ruins, you do passion for hunting. Choose one of the following not have to pay monetary or food maintenance foes: Aneketh, Beast, Demon, Eurvein, Fae, costs. You cannot use this skill if you end an event Hobgoblin, Human, Insect, Reptile, Troll, or with a condition that prevents the use of game Undead. You may exhaust a point of Earth to call skills. "5 Damage to [Foe]." You may only purchase this skill once. Last Stand 1 Once per event you may negate any melee attack Healing Herbs 2 that strikes you. Call out “Resist by Will” to You can use natural herbs and plants to heal negate the attack. You may also use this skill by wounds. The use of this skill requires a medicine spending a point of Karma and adding “With pouch prop. This pouch must be at least big Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. enough to hold a packet. You spend a minute gathering plants and herbs into your pouch in a A Little Something Extra 2 wild place where there are no buildings in sight. This skill allows you to use a small melee weapon Once activated, you may take a packet out of your in your off hand. medicine pouch and touch the packet to someone to use a "Heal 2 by Magic" on that person. You Nature's Embrace 2 may only have one use of this skill active at any When you are violently struck down you are one time and each use requires one minute of role sustained by the wilderness around you. This skill play as you gather what you need from the woods. may only be used while cloaked by nature, where you are touching a tree or there are multiple trees Herbal Remedy 3 between you and any visible buildings. While You can use natural herbs and plants to heal cloaked by nature if you fall unstable you may poisons. The use of this skill requires a medicine exhaust a point of Fire as you fall to immediately

67 Madrigal 68 become stable. You may use this skill to take an You are adept at fighting with a weapon in each extra step while falling down so you lay down hand and you are particularly adept at fighting touching the roots or trunk of a tree. with spears. You may use a full length one handed weapon in your off hand. If you are using a spear Reveal the Prey 1 in your off hand you can use a full length weapon Prerequisite: Enmity in your primary hand. Those you are trained to hunt are revealed to you. You may use this skill to expose an enemy you Rogue Skills 4 have selected as your prey with Enmity. Exhaust a point of Air to call out "By My Voice, Expose [Foe] by Nature" to reveal all enemies. You may Better Lucky Than Good 1 only expose enemies you have selected with the Once per event if you are unstable and you are Enmity skill. about to die because your one minute death count is expiring you may choose to become stable instead. You receive the effect of a Stabilize. You A Second Weapon 2 may also use this skill by spending a point of Prerequisite: A Little Something Extra Karma. This skill allows you to use a medium sized melee weapon in your off hand. Buckler 2 This skill allows you to use a buckler. You cannot Setting the Limb 4 use a larger shield with this skill. You have learned to quickly set maimed limbs. You must have one free and functioning hand to use this skill. You touch the recipient on the A Cloak of Shadow 4 maimed limb with a packet, exhaust a point of You may protect yourself from harm by drawing a Fire and call out "Cure Maim [Limb]" to fix the dark, hooded cloak about you and melding with limb. the shadows. You are empowered to seek shelter someplace between the shadows, becoming insubstantial to the real world so long as you do Taking Up the Chase 2 not move. The skill cannot be used during the day You may mark an opponent and then track them. or at any time that you can see daylight or You spend a point of Air, call out "Inflict Hunted something illuminated directly or indirectly by by Nature" and strike an opponent with a melee or daylight. Exhaust 2 points of Air, gather your packet attack. The opponent gains the Hunted cloak around you and call out "Imbue by Shadow" trait. You may later call out "By My Voice, to become a spirit. So long as you do not move Expose Hunted by Nature" to reveal their you gain the Spirit defense. You gain the Shadow presence. Once you have successfully marked an trait and the Spirit trait. Any attack that is "to opponent you may later expose them one time at Shadow" or "to Spirit" will affect you and, if they no additional Air cost. Each additional use of this are not beneficial, knock you out of Spirit form. skill to expose the target costs an additional point Otherwise you will stay in spirit form until you of Air. choose to move or dawn comes. Woodcraft Weaponry 2 Elusive 5 Prerequisite: A Second Weapon

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You may enter a defensive state where you dodge and weave around attacks through sheer Now You See It, Now You Don't 2 determination and focus. Spend a minute of This skill allows you to exhaust one point of Air concentration to activate this skill and empower to hide one item for five minutes on your person. your elusive state. While you remain in this The item cannot be in plain sight. If you are defensive state you may exhaust 2 points of Fire searched you do not have to reveal the presence of and call "Avoid" to negate any melee, missile or the item. If the item is actually spotted by packet attack that strikes you. This defensive state someone, however, this skill fails. The skill will ends if you become unconscious, make a melee, work for five minutes even if you are killed missile, or packet attack, or use any effect that is during that time. not beneficial. Scavenger 2 Escape Artist 2 This skill allows you to spend time between You exhaust one point of Water to purge one events scraping to gather the money and food you Paralyze, Root, or Slow effect with a Physical need to sustain yourself. So long as you do not trait. You may also exhaust 2 points of Water and maintain the trappings of the rich, and your spend three seconds of role playing to slip shackle clothing and accessories appear worn, you do not props off your body and end that effect. have to pay monetary or food maintenance costs. If you spend the entire time between events away Lockpicking 1 from civilized lands you cannot use this skill. You This skill allows you to attempt to pick game cannot use this skill if you end an event with a locks. You can attempt to pick locks that are condition that prevents the use of game skills. opened by keys and to open combination locks. For locks with keys, you must use tools and The Skeleton Key 3 actually open the lock. Only locks approved by If, after at least a minute of trying to pick a lock, the staff will be allowed in the game. For you cannot get it open you may spend 3 points of combination locks, each will be marked on the Earth to force the tumblers and open the lock. You back with a special code. Characters with the must call out "Inflict by Inspiration" and you can Lockpicking skill will be given the code open the box, door, or latch the lock is attached to translation. This code will tell you what the first as if the lock was opened. This will only open one two numbers of the three number code is. You will lock, and it will not affect traps in any way. have to play with the lock to determine what the third number is to open the lock. Waylay 3 This skill represents a crack on the back of the Manipulate Traps 1 head of a victim to knock the victim out. You This skill allows you to attempt to arm or disarm must be behind an opponent and exhaust a point traps. Without this skill you can avoid traps, but of Air to use this skill. This skill cannot be used you cannot attempt to manipulate them without while running; your feet must be still when you setting them off. In order to disarm a trap you use the skill. You call out "Stun" and tap that must actually use tools to prevent the mechanical opponent on the back of the shoulder with a melee trigger from setting off the part that makes noise attack. The attribute cost is exhausted only if the and causes damage to you.

69 Madrigal 70 strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it staff. The recipient need not remove the armor with role play or negates it with a defense. while you work on it. At the conclusion of the work call out “Repair Armor” to restore all the The Walls Have Ears 3 armor points of the recipient. You have learned how to use the darker side of society to dig up rumors and information that Boneworking 1 people may have learned in the course of This skill allows you to create and repair bone "normal" business. If you spread some money weapons. A Boneworker must agree to create a around you often hear rumors or tales about the weapon before you can bring it into game. No things other groups have seen and jobs they might bone weapon may be used during an event until it have been hired for. This is an information skill is brought to a Boneworker to be maintained. The that requires you to spread around money to weapon is considered to be Destroyed at the loosen lips. You submit a question between events beginning of each event. Repairing or a bone as described in the Information Skills section weapon takes 1 minute to perform and requires at above. If the question is appropriate for this the very minimum an anvil with various tool dangerous element you may receive knowledge props. No prop may be sharp or deemed appropriate to your question. dangerous by the staff. The time is spent repairing the weapon. The skill will fix a bone weapon that Wary of the Trap 2 has been affected by a Destroy effect, restoring it You can exhaust a point of Water to avoid the to working order. effect of one trap. You must call out "Avoid" when the trap is triggered to use this skill. The trap does Buckler 2 not affect you or your possessions, but it will still This skill allows you to use a buckler. You cannot have secondary effects such as destroying use a larger shield with this skill. containers and possibly affecting your companions. Carry the Forge 3 Prerequisite: Armor Smith Runesmith Skills 2 You are empowered to reach into the hottest forge and carry with you its very essence. Spend one minute firing the forge and hammering metal to Armored for War 2* summon this power. Call out "By the Forge, This skill allows you to wear more than 2 points Imbue by Magic" to draw that essence into your of armor. Each time the skill is bought, the hands and arms and hammer. Three times you amount of points you may wear is increased by 1 may repair armor away from the forge if you up to a maximum of 4. You must have a proper spend one minute to do so. You must take a armor prop to use this skill. hammer with you and use it to make the repairs. The armor need not be removed and you do not Armor Smith 1 need a forge prop to use this skill. The repair is You role play at a forge for one minute to repair interrupted if the recipient moves in some physical armor. This skill requires at the very significant way, engages in combat, or if you are minimum an anvil with various tool props. No struck by a melee, missile, or packet attack that is prop may be sharp or deemed dangerous by the not beneficial. If you are interrupted you do not

70 Madrigal 71 exhaust a repair but you must start the repair from This empowerment does not count towards your the beginning. You may refresh these repairs as rune restrictions. It fades at the end of the event. often as you would like by spending a minute at You may also use this skill by spending a point of your forge. Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. In the Fires of Battle 5 Prerequisite: Armor Smith Master of Runic Stamina 1* You may wield a hammer prop to fix armor Prerequisite: Rune Weaving during the chaos of battle. You spend 3 seconds to Your mastery allows you to activate additional role play the hammering, exhaust a point of Earth runes before you must rest. You may purchase tis and say "Repair Armor by Earth" to fix the suit of skill up to 2 times, and for each level of this skill armor. The armor need not be removed and you you may use up to one additional rune instead of do not need a forge prop to use this skill. The the normal limit of three before resting. You must repair is interrupted if the recipient moves in some abide by other rune restrictions. significant way, engages in combat, or if you are struck by a melee, missile, or packet attack that is One With the Blade 4 not beneficial. If you are interrupted you do not Prerequisite: Weapon Smith exhaust the point of Earth but you must start the Your feel for weapons makes it difficult to remove repair from the beginning. them from your hands. You may exhaust a point of Air to resist one Disarm effect. Learn Runestone 1 You may memorize a special runestone so you no Rearm 2 longer need the runestone to create runes. The Prerequisite: Weapon Smith runestone must explain that you can learn it for You may quickly repair weapons and shields on this skill to work. You may spend time between the battlefield. You may only be holding your events learning one runestone. You consume one hammer or tools in your hands when using this use of the runestone. The runestone is added to skill. Exhaust a point of Earth, role play the work your runestone list. You may now make one rune on a destroyed weapon or shield for 3 seconds, per event without needing the runestone or and call out either “Repair Weapon” or “Repair consuming uses of a runestone. You may learn Shield” to repair that item. one additional runestone or to learn an additional use of a runestone you already know each event. Rune Weaving 3* You must consume a use of a runestone each time This skill allows you to carve magical runes that you use this skill. cause some one time effect. You can imbue weapons and armor with special abilities by Master of Runic Power 1 carving runes into them. You may protect portals Prerequisite: Rune Weaving 4 by carving runes above them. The skill can be Once per event you may absorb the power of an purchased multiple times. As your level in the armor, flesh, or weapon rune you created as you skill increases, you can carve more difficult runes. use it. Call out “Refresh Rune” as you use a rune The substances and the process is more fully you created. The rune is consumed but you gain described in the Runes section below. the power to use the rune one additional time.

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A Steel Shell 3 Once per event you survive if you are struck by an Prerequisite: Armored For War 2 attack that inflicts the Death effect. Instead of If you are fully armored with a 4 point armor prop being struck dead, you may exhaust this skill to then your armor provides extra defense. Each time call out “Reduce” and collapse in an unstable state your armor is refreshed by spending a full minute with no Vitality. This skill does not work against a repairing it you gain the ability to call “Guard” to Death Strike, nor will it protect you if you die negate the first melee attack with the Agony, from bleed out. You may use this skill even if you called Damage, or Maim effect that strikes you. are unconscious. You may also use this skill by You only refresh this ability when you spend a spending a point of Karma and adding “With full minute refreshing your armor points. Skills Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. that refresh your armor points in less time do not refresh this skill. Shaman Skills 3 You are sensitive to the spirits of the world around True Elemental Heart 2 you. You can perceive the spirits that infest Once per event you may etch a rune onto your everything in the world, and you can weapon or armor if you are at your forge and have communicate with them. You have learned to call the runestone for that rune. Role play the carving on their aid and that is how you cast your magic. for one minute and call out “Imbue by Rune Weaving” when you have carved the rune. This The spirits you see are all connected to the exhausts one use of the runestone but you do not tapestry of fate. You see spirits of the past with need True Elements. Only you may use this rune. Gloaming, spirits of the present with Wayfare, and The power of this special rune fades at the end of spirits of the future with Legacy. You see spirits of the event. You may also use this skill by spending the dead and can call to ancestors for aid. Most a point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” shamans do not listen for spirits tainted by before the verbal when you call it out. Malediction so they are not driven mad by their dark whispers. You have the Shamanic trait and Weapon Smith 1 all spells purchased under this header are divine You role play at a forge for one minute to repair a spells. You cannot choose this header if you have weapon or shied. This skill requires at the very a header that gives you the Devout or the Druidic minimum an anvil with various tool props. No trait. prop may be sharp or deemed dangerous by the staff. At the conclusion of the work call out Agent of Ancestors 1 “Repair Weapon” or “Repair Shield” to restore the Prerequisite: Circle of Bones item to working order. Once per event you may call out “Imbue by Fate” to draw from Gloaming to gain extra power. You This skill may also be used to remove shackles gain 10 extra pool points on top of your Circle of from a character if you take 1 minute with your Bones and you gain 2 Fate points for one of your props to role play the removal. Removal in this Air, Earth, Fire or Water attributes. The Fate fashion destroys the shackles. points are temporary attribute points and are used to cast packet delivered Divine spells that require The Will To Live 1 the appropriate attribute. You must use up these points when casting packet delivered Divine

72 Madrigal 73 spells before exhausting the underlying attribute. and reforming the circle. You may not purchase The Circle of Bones pool points and Fate points both this skill and Circle of Vengeance. cannot be refreshed. When you invoke this skill any existing Fate points and extra Circle of Bones Circle of Vengeance 4 pool points granted by this skill are lost. You may You create an enchanted circle of bones and skulls also use this skill by spending a point of Karma at least 5' in diameter either alone or with other and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when shamans. Once you prepare the circle it cannot be you call it out. moved for the remainder of the event. Shamans can share a single circle but once your circle is set Break Trance 2 up for the event you cannot use another circle. You have some method of snapping people out of effects with the Trance trait. You may role play for While you are in this circle you may spend one 3 seconds and touch a packet to a recipient to call minute calling to vengeful spirits to bind one to out "Cure Trance by Will." you. You may rest for one minute in this circle to Refresh up to 4 points in a single attribute if you Circle of Bones 4 used all of the points from that attribute to cast You create an enchanted circle of bones and skulls spells from this header that are not beneficial. You at least 5' in diameter either alone or with other may use this skill a number of times per event shamans. Once you prepare the circle it cannot be equal to the number of spells you have purchased moved for the remainder of the event. Shamans in this header. If your circle is disturbed then you can share a single circle but once your circle is set must spend an addition minute purifying and up for the event you cannot use another circle. reforming the circle. You may not purchase both this skill and Circle of Bones. While you are in this circle you may spend one minute calling to the spirits to bind one to you. Death's Fearful Grin 3 This willing spirit empowers you with a pool of You empower a sacred skull to call forth terror in healing energy. For each spell purchased under your enemies. You may spend a minute of role this header you gain 1 point in this pool up to a playing to empower a skull prop with the power maximum of 20 points. You may exhaust a point of Gloaming. The prop may be part of a staff or from your Circle of Bones pool to touch a packet even affixed to your armor so long as it appears as to an ally and call out "Heal by Gloaming." You bone and it is the size of a human skull or larger if are considered to be casting when you use this it is the skull of an animal or beast. So long as you ability. You cannot have weapons in your hand touch this skull you may cast any spell with the unless you have a skill that allows you to cast Fear trait or the To Undead trait without an while holding a weapon, and you can be incantation. interrupted by an attack. Gift of Healing 3 The points from your pool may be refreshed by Prerequisite: Blessing of Health spending one minute in your Circle of Bones. When you cast the Blessing of Health spell from There is no limit to the number of times you may this header you may invoke three healing effects refresh these points. If your circle is disturbed instead of the two effects normally granted by the then you must spend an addition minute purifying

73 Madrigal 74 spell. You may not purchase both this skill and Spellbound 1 Gift of Judgement. Your destructive spells that fail to harm the target are still bound by your purpose and are not truly Gift of Judgement 3 expended. When you throw a packet delivered When you cast a packet delivered Evocation spell spell, that spell is bound to you if it misses its from this header, you gain an additional packet target or the target calls No Effect, Spirit, or Avoid attack for each attribute point needed to cast the to negate it. Beneficial spells cannot be bound spell. For example, when you case the Fire Storm with this skill. If you spend one minute resting, spell you gain 12 packet attacks instead of 10, and during which time you role play gathering when you cast the Vengeful Energies spell you magical energies back to you, then you may gain gain 4 packet attacks instead of 3. You may not back those attributes exhausted to cast spells purchase both this skill and Gift of Healing. bound in this manner. This skill can only be used for spells purchased under this header that exhaust Knowing Nature's Bounty 2 attributes; per event uses are not returned. When This skill allows you to live in the wild. So long you rest to refresh Void you lose any bound spells as you do not maintain the trappings of civilized and can no longer rest to regain those attributes. lands, and your clothing and accessories appear as though they were scavenged out of ruins, you do The Sphere of Gloaming 2 not have to pay monetary or food maintenance This skill allows you to learn spells from the costs. You cannot use this skill if you end an event Gloaming sphere. These spells are purchased and with a condition that prevents the use of game used like skills. skills. The Sphere of Legacy 2 Preventive Medicine 1 This skill allows you to learn spells from the Once per event, when you are struck by an attack Legacy sphere. These spells are purchased and with an effect or a trait that you could cure with a used like skills. divine spell, call out “Resist” to negate that effect. You may also use this skill by spending a point of The Sphere of Wayfare 2 Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the This skill allows you to learn spells from the verbal when you call it out. Wayfare sphere. These spells are purchased and used like skills. Sacred Weapon of Bone 3 This skill allows you to hold and use any blunt To Speak With Ancestors 3 weapon made from bone while you are casting You may call upon the wisdom of your ancestors spells, overriding the restriction that casting and the spirits of the past, present, and future, requires both hands to be empty. You must have a asking for guidance from them. You sequester skill with the weapon in question to use this yourself in trance and meditation and call to them ability. Only blunt weapons made from bone can for their aid as sources of wisdom. You may be used in this manner. Bone weapons cannot be pursue knowledge about shamanic matters in a brought into game unless special means are used graveyard or other sacred place. This is an to create and maintain them. information skill that does not require you to pay

74 Madrigal 75 money. You submit a question between events as described in the Information Skills section above. Sorcerer Skills 3 Characters with the Sorcerer header gain the If the question is appropriate for the spirits of Arcane trait. All spells purchased under this nature you may receive knowledge appropriate to header are arcane spells. your question. Some skills require you to construct and use an Arcane Sanctum. This is a mystical circle you The Will To Live 1 construct where you can focus your energies. The Once per event you survive if you are struck by an sanctum must have at the minimum a large 3’ attack that inflicts the Death effect. Instead of circle on the floor or wall decorated with runes being struck dead, you may exhaust this skill to and arcane symbols. To focus your energies you call out “Reduce” and collapse in an unstable state sit in the circle or, if space is tight and the circle is with no Vitality. This skill does not work against a on a wall, sit under it or close enough to be able to Death Strike, nor will it protect you if you die touch it. When resting in your Arcane Sanctum from bleed out. You may use this skill even if you you may refresh all skills associated to it with the are unconscious. You may also use this skill by same rest provided it is long enough for each of spending a point of Karma and adding “With them. You may role play with others while resting Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. within your sanctum. Skills that require an Arcane Sanctum may only be applied to Arcane spells. If you have more than one skill requiring an ornate container with arcane stones you may use, if you choose, one container holding stones with different colors for each skill. Arcane Center 3 At the beginning of the event place an ornate goblet, bowl, bag or other container in your Arcane Sanctum. Place two stones, gems, or crystals into the container for each spell you have purchased from spheres within this header. These stones are empowered with Arcane. When resting in your Arcane Sanctum you may take out and exhaust one stone to place up to 2 attribute points worth of enhancement spells upon yourself without expending attribute points. These spells are either Grant or Imbue effects, including Evocations, that you can cast on yourself. Using this skill removes any previous Grant or Imbue effects if those also came from this skill.

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Arcane Flux 1 Infusion 3 At the beginning of the event place an ornate You call forth a tempest of magical energy that goblet, bowl, bag or other container in your you can tap to cast Arcane spells. Once per event Arcane Sanctum. Place two stones, gems, or you may call out “Imbue by Infusion” to gain 2 crystals into the container for each spell you have Infusion points for your Air, Earth, Fire and Water purchased from spheres within this header. These attributes. These temporary attribute points are stones are empowered with arcane. When resting used to cast packet delivered Arcane spells that in your Arcane Sanctum you may take out and require the appropriate attribute. You must use up exhaust one stone to choose two offensive spells these points when casting packet delivered Arcane that cost 1 attribute point to cast. These cannot be spells before exhausting the underlying attributes. beneficial effects, including Evocations. You are These points cannot be refreshed with Void, empowered with the energy to cast each of these though they can be refreshed with the Spellbound spells once without attribute cost. You may choose skill. When you invoke this skill any existing to empower the same spell twice if you wish. Infusion points are lost. You may also use this Using this skill removes any previously skill by spending a point of Karma and adding empowered spells if those also came from this “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it skill. out. Cloak of Mist 1 Infusion Recovery 2 Your body becomes an insubstantial mist to Prerequisite: Infusion protect you from harm. Exhaust a point of Earth, You can rest within your sanctum to purge your clasp your hands above your head, and call out body of damaging arcane energies and recover “Imbue by Mist” to become a Spirit for 10 from the stress of using Infusion. Once per event seconds. Your hands and arms must be free and rest for one minute in your Arcane Sanctum to you cannot be holding any item or carrying a refresh one use of Infusion. shield. Once you become a Spirit you cannot move or choose to end this effect for the full 10 Spellbound 1 seconds. While in Spirit form you call out “Spirit” Your destructive spells that fail to harm the target to negate any attack that does not have an are still bound by your purpose and are not truly Elemental trait or a “to Spirit” trait. Only attacks expended. When you throw a packet delivered with an Elemental trait or the “to Spirit” trait can spell, that spell is bound to you if it misses its effect you, and if that attack is not beneficial it target or the target calls No Effect, Spirit, or Avoid will end this affect. If the spell is about to end and to negate it. Beneficial spells cannot be bound you are still in danger you may extend its duration with this skill. If you spend one minute resting, by 10 seconds by exhausting a point of Earth and during which time you role play gathering calling out “Imbue by Mist.” If you do so you magical energies back to you, then you may gain cannot voluntarily end the effect for another 10 back those attributes exhausted to cast spells seconds. Once the effect ends this skill and the bound in this manner. This skill can only be used Wizard skill Fortress of Earth are exhausted and for spells purchased under this header that exhaust you cannot use either skill again until you rest for attributes; per event uses are not returned. When one minute in your Arcane Sanctum. you rest to refresh Void you lose any bound spells and can no longer rest to regain those attributes.

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armor or ability that gives you armor points. The Sphere of Chimera 2 These armor points last until the end of the event This skill allows you to learn spells from the or until you refresh attributes with Void. Chimera sphere. These spells are purchased and used like skills. Duck For Cover 4 You may exhaust 3 points of Water to negate any The Sphere of Gloaming 2 one missile or packet attack. You must call out This skill allows you to learn spells from the "Avoid" when you use this skill. Gloaming sphere. These spells are purchased and used like skills. Fear No Storm 1 You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one effect The Sphere of Primal 2 with the Air, Lightning or Thunder trait. Call This skill allows you to learn spells from the "Resist" when you use this ability. Primal sphere. These spells are purchased and used like skills. The Fury of the Storm 2 You summon forth a maelstrom of lightning to Staff of the Arcane 3 hurl at your foes. You may only have one of these This skill allows you to hold and use any staff active at any time. You call out "Imbue by while you are casting spells, overriding the Storms" and exhaust two points of Air. You may restriction that casting requires both hands to be hurl ten bolts of lightning each causing 2 points of empty. You must have a skill with the weapon in damage. You call "2 Damage by Lightning" and question to use this ability. throw a packet when you use one of these bolts. This ability ends when those ten attacks are used, when you use Void to refresh attributes, and at the Stormdancer Skills 5 end of the event. You cannot hurl bolts of You channel the power of storms within you. lightning while you are being hit. Any successful Many of those who practice your art dwell in the attack interrupts your use of this skill. mountains above Locksmoor or high in the Griffon Peaks. You do not cast spells. Instead you Lightning Aura 3 channel the raw arcane power of the storms When using your The Fury of the Storm skill you themselves. Your powers are not spells, and most may channel your bolts of lightning through a require no incantations. You can use your powers weapon you are skilled with instead of hurling while holding a weapon in your off hand. them as bolts. Two bolts are used for each strike used in this manner. The bolts are used only if the Celerity 3 strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from with role play or negates it with a defense. damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These Of Wind and Steel 2 armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 If you are wielding a melee weapon you are minute. You cannot use this skill if you are skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to already protected by armor points, and these negate any melee attack that strikes one of your points are lost if you put on or activate any other limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can

77 Madrigal 78 attacks that strike the torso. You must call out Unleash the Storm's Fury 1 "Parry by Air" when you use this skill. Once per event you may call out “By My Voice, Agony By Thunder” to fill the air with the furious Spirit of Storms 2 sound of the storm. You may also use this skill by You exhaust one point of Fire to purge one spending a point of Karma and adding “With Paralyze, Root, or Slow effect with a Physical Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. trait. Call "Purge by Storm" when you use this ability. Whirlwind Step 2 Your passion for the storm calls winds to protect Storm Child 1 you. If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you You are empowered when the rain and thunder may exhaust one point of Fire to spin all the way move across the sky. If it is actually raining hard around and call out "Disengage by Wind" as enough that droplets fall from the leaves and described in the effects section. buildings and you are outside in the rain then your bolts from The Fury of the Storm do "3 Damage by Lightning" while it rains on you. If you Templar Skills 5 actually hear the sound of thunder then your next You have been trained by the church of one of the 3 bolts will do "4 Damage by Lightning" outdoors gods to evoke divine magic in your weapons. or not. While additional thunder might refresh this Templars are followers of the White Court, the ability, it does not actually stack. You cannot have Black Court, or one of the forbidden gods. You more than 3 bolts so empowered at any one time. have the Devout trait and all spells purchased If you actually hear thunder you may also use the under this header are divine spells. You cannot Unleash the Storm's Fury skill one additional time choose this header if you have a header that gives per event. you the Druidic or Shamanic trait. Although you practice divine magic and cast Thunderclap 2 spells, you do not cast forth bolts of divine power You may exhaust a point of Earth to make a when using offensive Templar spells. Instead you lightning strike with a melee or packet attack. You attune to your weapons and infuse divine energies call out "Agony by Thunder" and strike with the in your weapons to deliver them as melee attacks. melee attack or throw the packet. If you attempt You gain the ability to attune to your weapons and the Thunderclap with a melee attack the attribute shield and while they are attuned you may infuse cost is exhausted only if the strike lands and the offensive spells into your weapons and touch cast opponent acknowledges it with role play or beneficial spells while carrying them. You must negates it with a defense. still have a free hand to touch cast spells.

Torn by the Hurricane 5 Templar spells must be infused and delivered with Your passion for the storm calls winds to tear the weapon strikes, and only Templar spells can be weapon from an opponent's hand. You exhaust a infused using the power of this header. You may point of Fire, call out "Disarm [Hand] by Wind" purchase a spell within a sphere from this header and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the and also purchase the same spell within a sphere target, the target takes the effect of a Disarm. from another header if you wish the ability to deliver that spell by packet or weapon.

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negates it with a defense. If you have an infused You must attune to the weapons and shield you spell you may cancel that spell and infuse a new will use in battle. You spend one minute attuning spell by calling out the new incantation. This does your weapons and shield to your divine energies. not exhaust attributes of the previous spell. You cannot attune to a weapon or shield unless you have the skill to use it in combat and you If you are disarmed or lose an attuned weapon the have purchased at least one spell from spheres infused spell fades. You do not exhaust the within this header. While you are attuned to a attributes but you must call out the incantation weapon or shield you can no longer use packets to again. Remaining strikes from Evocations are not deliver offensive spells. You deliver your divine lost; the spell was already cast and is no longer offensive spells with weapon strikes. Although considered infused. The infused spell also fades you can not use any other type of offensive spell when the event ends or if you use Void to refresh you may still touch cast beneficial spells. You attributes. may spend one minute de-attuning your weapons and shield and unbinding your magical energies to Back to Guard 2 restore your ability to deliver spells by packet. If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may exhaust one point of Water to call out You call out the incantation to infuse a spell into "Disengage" as described in the effects section. your weapons. If you are struck by an attack during an incantation that spell is interrupted. If Buckler 2 you are interrupted you do not exhaust attributes This skill allows you to use a buckler. You cannot but you must start the incantation over to infuse use a larger shield with this skill. the spell. If you are successful this infusion creates a magical aura that affects all your attuned weapons. You may only have one spell infused in A Desperate Defense 2 your weapons at any time. If you are wielding a melee weapon you are skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to You cannot infuse spells with beneficial effects, negate any melee attack that strikes one of your although if you purchase them under this header limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can you may still touch cast them. Evocation spells attacks that strike the torso. You must call out purchased from spheres within this header can be "Parry" when you use this skill. infused, but at reduced effectiveness. If you infuse an Evocation spell you are empowered with one Divine Sphere 2* weapon delivered attack for every two bolts the Choose one sphere available to priests of the god spell would normally allow. This value is rounded you worship. This skill allows you to learn spells up, so spells that normally allow 3 packets allow 2 from that one sphere. These spells are purchased weapon delivered strikes and spells that allow 10 and used like skills. You may purchase this skill packets allow 5 weapon delivered strikes. once for each sphere available to priests of your god. You may swing an attuned weapon and call out the verbal for an infused spell. The attributes are exhausted only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or

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Divine Retribution 3 Once per event you may exhaust 2 points of Fire and call out “Resist by Divine” to negate one Troubadour Skills 2 melee, missile or packet attack that strikes you. Your passion for music allows you to manifest When you do so you gain the ability to reduce the magic when you perform. All spells purchased attribute cost of one attack against the original under this header are devotion spells. Spells attacker by 2. This reduction can be used for any purchased under this header do not use normal attack that is not beneficial. The reduction fades if incantations. Each spell must have a unique the reduced attack lands and the opponent musical incantation that is at least four times as acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a long as a normal spell. Your songs require 16 defense, when you use Void to refresh attributes, syllables plus an additional 8 syllables for each and at the end of the event. You may also use this character point of cost. This song replaces the skill by spending a point of Karma instead of 2 normal incantation of the spell. This song must be points of Fire and adding “With Karma,” before in period and it must include the Sphere and some the verbal when you call it out. form of the name. It must be submitted and approved by plot in the same manner as custom Heart of the Lion 1 spell incantations. You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one attack based on Fear. In addition to your spells, many of your skills require a performance before you can use them. Shield 2 Although most Troubadours perform music, any Prerequisite: Buckler performance art will work in this context. When a This skill allows you to use a full sized shield. skill requires a performance, it requires you to You cannot throw packet delivered effects while present some kind of art to a live audience. The you have a full sized shield in your hand. presentation must take at least one minute, and the audience must respond with applause. When the Storm the Temple 5 applause comes, you have fulfilled the condition Templars are often called on to destroy enemy of the performance and you may use your skill as temples and are skilled at such assaults. You may appropriate. summon your divine energy to weaken the defenses of a temple or another place of divine Act of Passion 1 power. Exhaust 3 points of Fire and cry out "By Your performance charges you with the passion to My Voice, Drain Aura of Healing by Divine" to give a little more of yourself off the stage. Once prevent enemies from using healing that is per event you may empower this skill with a refreshed in the temple. performance, as described above. Once empowered, you gain 3 points of Passion. These Tear Down the Wards 1 points may be spent on any skill or spell in place You may use this skill once, and it is refreshed of attribute points. You may spend them one at a each time you infuse an Evocation spell into your time or all at once as you see fit. These extra weapon. If one of your weapon delivered points cannot be refreshed and fade at the end of Evocation strikes is negated with a called defense the event. you regain the use of that strike.

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Awakening the Young Heart 2 3 seconds and touch a packet to a recipient to call The less experienced are said to be blessed by the out "Cure Trance by Will." fates and more easily inspired and renewed. You may role play for a minute with a character to Bringing Music to the Hearth 4 determine if they can be affected by this skill. At Your performance carries magical power and can the end of that time you may touch a willing and heal those who listen. To use this ability you must conscious recipient with a packet to Diagnose the deliver a performance to a live audience, as Initiate trait. If the recipient has the Initiate trait described above. After a successful performance you may inspire them with a performance to you may spend two points of Fire to call out "By refresh a point a Void. After a performance you My Voice, Heal 2 by Magic." exhaust a point of Water, touch the recipient with a packet and call out "Refresh Void to Initiate." Chorus of Harmonic Focus 2 You must explain to the recipient that they may One time per event you use the magic of shared only be affected by this skill once per event. performance to empower yourself with harmonic magic. Prepare a musical performance with at Aria of Courage 4 least 2 others who have this skill. The Your songs bolster courage and give aid to performance must be at least one minute in length faltering spirit. You plant your feet, exhaust two though most are longer. Each performer must points of Fire and begin to sing. So long as you have a part that compliments the others involved. sing and do not move your feet you may touch a If you perform your piece and the audience packet to a recipient and call out "Cure Fear by applauds then you may refresh 2 points of Inspiration" as part of the song you have prepared. Harmony from Song of the Arcanum and you are You may not interrupt the song to say the verbal empowered with harmonic focus. You may and you must have at least 8 words between each expend this focus to touch cast one beneficial use of the verbal. The song is interrupted if you spell without an incantation. You need only touch are struck by any hostile melee, missile or packet the recipient with a packet and say the verbal to strike. cast the spell. You cannot be empowered with more than one focus at a time. If you do not use it If two troubadours both have this skill they may the harmonic focus fades at the end of the event. work in tandem so long as both are in arm's reach and obey the restrictions of the skill. One may If someone with this skill has already used it they sing a verse while the other harmonizes by may still help you with your chorus but they can singing the "Cure Fear by Inspiration" verbal. The only benefit from this effect once per event. If you second troubadour may cure a person each time cannot find 2 others with this skill you may they sing that verbal in harmony with their partner substitute one or two other people who are willing and need not wait between uses of the skill. In this to perform with you. Exhaust a point of Air or case each troubadour need only exhaust a single Song of the Arcanum for each person without this point of Fire. skill that you include. If you already have two others involved who have this skill you may Break Trance 2 freely include others without cost if they are only You have some method of snapping people out of involved to add to the quality or scope of the effects with the Trance trait. You may role play for performance.

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above. Once empowered you may use this ability Entertainer 2 one time to purge all Mental effects. You must call You are skilled at entertaining so that you may out "Purge Mental" when this ability is used. earn a living performing between events. If you Once the ability is used, it cannot be used again use this skill between events, you do not have to until you have completed another performance. pay monetary or food maintenance costs. You You may charge this skill during a performance cannot use this skill if you end an event with a up to three times during an event, and ability to condition that prevents the use of game skills. Purge fades at the end of the event. Fortified With Music 1 Slander 1 When you touch cast either Elemental You may, between events, submit to plot small Fortification or Mental Fortification using a snippets of your lyrics or art that somehow musical incantation you gain an extra casting. You slander or trash talk some corporate, social, or may touch an additional person and call out the political figure. You are publicly attempting to verbal to the spell an additional time so long as cause the figure to lose face. This could cause a they are in arms reach. If you move from your drop in reputation, cause an increase in those who spot, refresh attributes with Void, or use any other challenge the figure, or cause others to investigate game skill you lose this additional casting. the movements of that figure more carefully. This skill will make life more difficult for the target, Legend Lore 3 but it is common knowledge who is doing the You know many of the bards and storytellers that slander so most powerful figures will attempt to travel the merchant's road, spreading tales and return the favor - usually in the form of armed gathering bits of news and lore. You may research thugs with little concern about the time of day or the legends and stories of the land to look for night. information on a particular subject or item. The more legendary the information is, the more A Song For Death 2 information this skill will return. If you spread Once per event you may gather with at least two some money around you often hear rumors or other troubadours at the Gate of Death to give tales about the things other traveling troubadours strength to a spirit and appease the Reaper of the have seen and legends they might have heard. gate as a spirit enters the gate . Three or more This is an information skill that requires you to troubadours gather and decide who is the leader of spread around some money to loosen lips. You the chorus. At least two troubadours with this skill submit a question between events as described in touch the leader of the chorus and call out “Imbue the Information Skills section above. If the Dirge by Inspiration” to empower the leader. The question is appropriate for the troubadours that leader exhausts the use of this skill and calls out travel the merchant's road you may receive “By My Voice, Imbue to Reaper” and the knowledge appropriate to your question. Troubadours begin a song that lasts no more than one minute to strengthen the Fate of the spirit. If Musical Focus 1 the Reaper is pleased by the song and the spirit Your performance charges you so that you may has no previous obligation to the Reapers then shake off Mental effects. To use this ability you that spirit may be allowed to leave the Gate must empower it with a performance, as described without weakening. More than three performers

82 Madrigal 83 may be involved in the chorus but only three need The Sphere of Legacy 2 to have the skill. If a troubadour cannot find two This skill allows you to learn spells from the others who have this skill they may substitute in Legacy sphere. These spells are purchased and another performer but the leader will have to used like skills except that the incantations are exhaust a point of Fire for each of the two longer and must have a musical or performance required and unskilled participants. Troubadours component. must begin the song when there is no other spirit waiting before the benefactor, and once the The Sphere of Wayfare 2 benefactor has touched Fate beyond the Gate it is This skill allows you to learn spells from the too late to use this skill. It is said the the Reaper Wayfare sphere. These spells are purchased and favors respectful songs that evoke the energies of used like skills except that the incantations are the Gate such as dirges. If the Reaper finds the longer and must have a musical or performance song much to his or her dislike then it is entirely component. possible that the Reaper will leave the Gate and punish or slay the performers. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding Warlock Skills 5 “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it Although you practice arcane magic and cast out. spells, and you gain the Arcane trait, you do not cast forth bolts of arcane power when using Song of the Arcanum 3* Warlock spells. Instead you infuse arcane energies You gather magical power by singing, and this in your weapons to deliver them as melee attacks. allows you to cast all sorts of spells more easily. You must have the skill to use the weapon and You can purchase this skill up to 2 times, and each you must also have the skill to cast while holding level of this skill gives you 1 point of Harmony that weapon in order to infuse the weapon with that can be exhausted instead of Air, Earth, Fire, arcane magic. Thus Warlocks cannot cast their or Water when casting spells. You can use these spells while carrying shield or while wielding points of Harmony for devotion spells learned as a weapons unless they have the skill to cast spells Troubadour, but you can also use these Harmony while holding those weapons. points to cast arcane and divine spells so long as you use song to invoke that magic. Spells cast You call out the incantation to infuse a spell into using Harmony points do not use normal your weapons. If you are struck by an attack incantations. Each spell must have a unique during an incantation that spell is interrupted. If musical incantation that is at least four times as you are interrupted you do not exhaust attributes long as a normal spell. Your songs require 16 but you must start the incantation over to infuse syllables plus an additional 8 syllables for each the spell. If you are successful this infusion character point of spell cost. This song replaces creates a magical aura that affects all your attuned the normal incantation of the spell. weapons. You may only have one spell infused in your weapons at any time. Music and lyrics for arcane and divine spells must be submitted and approved before you use this You cannot infuse spells with beneficial effects, skill to cast them. All Harmony points are although if you purchase them under this header refreshed when you use Void to refresh attributes. you may still touch cast them. Evocation spells purchased from spheres within this header can be

83 Madrigal 84 infused, but at reduced effectiveness. If you infuse "Disengage" as described in the effects section. an Evocation spell you are empowered with one weapon delivered attack for every two bolts the Blade Enchantment 1 spell would normally allow. This value is rounded You may enchant Blade, Polearm and Spear up, so spells that normally allow 3 packets allow 2 weapons to withstand arcane energies. Decorate weapon delivered strikes and spells that allow 10 the weapons with magical glyphs and runes. You packets allow 5 weapon delivered strikes. may cast and deliver infused spells using these weapons. You may also use touch cast beneficial You may swing an attuned weapon and call out spells while holding one of these weapons in the the verbal for an infused spell. The attributes are hand that is not touching the packet to target. exhausted only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or Claw Enchantment 1 negates it with a defense. If you have an infused You may enchant Claws to withstand arcane spell you may cancel that spell and infuse a new energies. Decorate the claw props with magical spell by calling out the new incantation. This does glyphs and runes. You may cast and deliver not exhaust attributes of the previous spell. infused spells using these claws. You may also use touch cast beneficial spells while holding one of IIf you are disarmed or lose an attuned weapon these claws in the hand that is not touching the the infused spell fades. You do not exhaust the packet to target. attributes but you must call out the incantation again. Remaining strikes from Evocations are not lost; the spell was already cast and is no longer A Desperate Defense 2 considered infused. The infused spell also fades If you are wielding a melee weapon you are when the event ends or if you use Void to refresh skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to attributes. negate any melee attack that strikes one of your limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can You need not attune to your weapons (as Templars attacks that strike the torso. You must call out must) to infuse spells into them. Using Warlock "Parry" when you use this skill. spells does not prevent you from using packet delivered spells purchased from other headers, The Sphere of Gloaming 2 although doing so causes infused spells to fade This skill allows you to learn spells from the from your weapons. Warlock spells must be Gloaming sphere. These spells are purchased and infused and delivered with weapon strikes, and used like skills. only Warlock spells can be infused using the power of this header. You may purchase a spell The Sphere of Primal 2 within a sphere from this header and also This skill allows you to learn spells from the purchase the same spell within a sphere from Primal sphere. These spells are purchased and another header if you wish the ability to deliver used like skills. that spell by packet or weapon. The Sphere of Wayfare 2 Back to Guard 2 If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may exhaust one point of Water to call out

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This skill allows you to learn spells from the If you are fighting with a melee weapon, you may Wayfare sphere. These spells are purchased and exhaust one point of Water to call out used like skills. "Disengage" as described in the effects section. Staff of the Arcane 3 Battlefield Repair 4 This skill allows you to hold and use any staff You spend free time gathering together scraps of while you are casting spells, overriding the armor repairing materials and learning the restriction that casting requires both hands to be intricacies of your own armor. Spend one minute empty. You must have a skill with the weapon in of activity fixing your armor to call out “Repair question to use this ability. Armor” and refresh your armor points. You need not remove the armor. You may repair your own Tear Down the Wards 1 armor as often as necessary, but you must have You may use this skill once, and it is refreshed been wearing the armor when it was damaged in each time you infuse an Evocation spell into your order to repair it. weapon. If one of your weapon delivered Evocation strikes is negated with a called defense Buckler 2 you regain the use of that strike. This skill allows you to use a buckler. You cannot use a larger shield with this skill. With the Arcane Blade 5 If you are wielding a melee weapon that you can Celerity 3 infuse with magic you may use that weapon to Your quick wits and reflexes protect you from parry packet attacks. You may exhaust 3 points of damage. You may spend 1 point of Air and rest for Fire to negate any packet attack that strikes you. If one minute to give yourself 2 armor points. These the packet actually hits the blade or striking armor points can also be refreshed by resting for 1 surface of your weapon you may reduce this cost minute. You cannot use this skill if you are to 1 point of Fire. You must call out "Parry by already protected by armor points, and these Magic" when you use this skill. You may spend a points are lost if you put on or activate any other point of Karma in place of the attribute cost by armor or ability that gives you armor points. adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you These armor points last until the end of the event call it out. or until you refresh attributes with Void. Warrior Skills 4 Combat Anticipation 4 You are skilled at protecting vulnerable areas and twisting with blows to quickly recover from Armored for War 2* debilitating strikes. You may purge one Agony or This skill allows you to wear more than 2 points Maim effect by role playing a painful recovery for of armor. Each time the skill is bought, the 3 seconds and exhausting a point of Air. You must amount of points you may wear is increased by 1 call out "Purge" when you use this skill. up to a maximum of 4. You must have a proper armor prop to use this skill. A Crippling Blow 1 You may attempt to make a crippling attack with a Back to Guard 2 melee attack against a foe's limb. You call out

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"Maim" and strike a limb. If the blow lands you Critical Strike 2 spend a point of Earth and the opponent will You exhaust 2 points of Earth to make a critical suffer the effects of a Maim on that limb. The strike with a melee attack. You call "5 Damage" attribute cost is exhausted only if the strike lands and strike with the attack. The attribute cost is and the opponent acknowledges it with role play exhausted only if the strike lands and the or negates it with a defense. opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. A Desperate Defense 2 If you are wielding a melee weapon you are skilled with, you may exhaust 2 points of Earth to negate any melee attack that strikes one of your limbs. Ranged attacks cannot be negated, nor can attacks that strike the torso. You must call out "Parry" when you use this skill. A Flurry of Strikes 2 You may exhaust a point of Water to call "2 Damage" with a melee attack up to two times. You exhaust the attribute the first time you swing using this effect. One use is consumed if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. You need not use the strikes consecutively. Uncalled strikes and other skills may be used between uses of this skill. Any remaining strikes are lost when the event ends or when you refresh attributes. Heart of the Lion 1 You exhaust one point of Fire to resist one attack based on Fear. Last Stand 1 Once per event you may negate any melee attack that strikes you. Call out “Resist by Will” to negate the attack. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. Leveraged Block 1 If you are using a two handed weapon and one of your arms is affected by a Maim effect you can

86 Madrigal 87 still block incoming attacks as long as your other arm can still function. You cannot attack, but you Steel Over Sorcery 2 can block incoming attacks and use game skills Exhaust two points of Fire and call out "Resist" to that allow you to call out a Defense and require negate one packet attack with an Elemental trait you to be using a weapon. You must call out that strikes your weapon, buckler or shield. “Reduce” when the Maim strikes you. The ability to block ends if you take another Maim to the A Steel Shell 3 same arm and you cannot use this skill again until Prerequisite: Armored For War 2 that Maim is cured. If you are fully armored with a 4 point armor prop then your armor provides extra defense. Each time A Little Something Extra 2 your armor is refreshed by spending a full minute This skill allows you to use a small melee weapon repairing it you gain the ability to call “Guard” to in your off hand. negate the first melee attack with the Agony, called Damage, or Maim effect that strikes you. Reinforced Armaments 1 You only refresh this ability when you spend a Twice per event you may resist a Destroy effect full minute refreshing your armor points. Skills that would destroy your buckler or shield. If you that refresh your armor points in less time do not are not using a buckler or shield you may resist a refresh this skill. Destroy effect that would destroy a weapon you are wielding. You may also use this skill by The Twin Threat 2 spending a point of Karma and adding “With Prerequisite: A Second Weapon Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. This skill allows you to use any one handed melee weapon in your off hand. Resilience 3 You are tough. So long as you are conscious you The Will To Live 1 may spend 3 seconds of role playing - wiping Once per event you survive if you are struck by an blood from your face, shaking your head clear, or attack that inflicts the Death effect. Instead of similar actions - to shrug off your wounds. You being struck dead, you may exhaust this skill to exhaust a point of Water and call out "Heal 2 to call out “Reduce” and collapse in an unstable state Self" to Heal 2 of your Vitality. This ability will with no Vitality. This skill does not work against a not heal effects other than damage. Death Strike, nor will it protect you if you die from bleed out. You may use this skill even if you A Second Weapon 2 are unconscious. You may also use this skill by Prerequisites: A Little Something Extra spending a point of Karma and adding “With This skill allows you to use a medium sized melee Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. weapon in your off hand. Wizard Skills 3 Shield 2 Characters with the Wizard header gain the Prerequisite: Buckler Arcane trait. All spells purchased under this This skill allows you to use a full sized shield. header are arcane spells. You cannot throw packet delivered effects while you have a full sized shield in your hand.

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Some skills require you to construct and use an in your Arcane Sanctum you may take out and Arcane Sanctum. This is a mystical circle you exhaust one stone to choose two offensive spells construct where you can focus your energies. The that cost 1 attribute point to cast. These cannot be sanctum must have at the minimum a large 3’ beneficial effects, including Evocations. You are circle on the floor or wall decorated with runes empowered with the energy to cast each of these and arcane symbols. To focus your energies you spells once without attribute cost. You may choose sit in the circle or, if space is tight and the circle is to empower the same spell twice if you wish. on a wall, sit under it or close enough to be able to Using this skill removes any previously touch it. When resting in your Arcane Sanctum empowered spells if those also came from this you may refresh all skills associated to it with the skill. same rest provided it is long enough for each of them. You may role play with others while resting Fortress of Earth 1 within your sanctum. Skills that require an Arcane Your body becomes immobile earth and metal to Sanctum may only be applied to Arcane spells. If protect you from harm. Exhaust a point of Earth, you have more than one skill requiring an ornate clasp your hands above your head, and call out container with arcane stones you may use, if you “Imbue by Earth” to become a Spirit for 10 choose, one container holding stones with seconds. Your hands and arms must be free and different colors for each skill. you cannot be holding any item or carrying a shield. Once you become a Spirit you cannot Arcane Center 3 move or choose to end this effect for the full 10 At the beginning of the event place an ornate seconds. While in Spirit form you call out “Spirit” goblet, bowl, bag or other container in your to negate any attack that does not have a Mental Arcane Sanctum. Place two stones, gems, or trait or a “to Spirit” trait. Only attacks with a crystals into the container for each spell you have Mental trait or the “to Spirit” trait can affect you, purchased from spheres within this header. These and if that attack is not beneficial it will end this stones are empowered with Arcane. When resting effect. If the spell is about to end and you are still in your Arcane Sanctum you may take out and in danger you may extend its duration by 10 exhaust one stone to place up to 2 attribute points seconds by exhausting a point of Earth and calling worth of enhancement spells upon yourself out “Imbue by Earth.” If you do so you cannot without expending attribute points. These spells voluntarily end the effect for another 10 seconds. are either Grant or Imbue effects, including Once the effect ends the skill and the Sorcerer Evocations, that you can cast on yourself. Using skill Cloak of Mist are exhausted and you cannot this skill removes any previous Grant or Imbue use either skill again until you rest for 1 minute in effects if those also came from this skill. your Arcane Sanctum. Arcane Flux 1 Infusion 3 At the beginning of the event place an ornate You call forth a tempest of magical energy that goblet, bowl, bag or other container in your you can tap to cast Arcane spells. Once per event Arcane Sanctum. Place two stones, gems, or you may call out “Imbue by Infusion” to gain 2 crystals into the container for each spell you have Infusion points for your Air, Earth, Fire and Water purchased from spheres within this header. These attributes. These temporary attribute points are stones are empowered with arcane. When resting used to cast packet delivered Arcane spells that

88 Madrigal 89 require the appropriate attribute. You must use up The Sphere of Sovereign 2 these points when casting packet delivered Arcane This skill allows you to learn spells from the spells before exhausting the underlying attributes. Sovereign sphere. These spells are purchased and These points cannot be refreshed with Void, used like skills. though they can be refreshed with the Spellbound skill. When you invoke this skill any existing The Sphere of Wayfare 2 Infusion points are lost. You may also use this This skill allows you to learn spells from the skill by spending a point of Karma and adding Wayfare sphere. These spells are purchased and “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it used like skills. out. Staff of the Arcane 3 Infusion Recovery 2 This skill allows you to hold and use any staff Prerequisite: Infusion while you are casting spells, overriding the You can rest within your sanctum to purge your restriction that casting requires both hands to be body of damaging arcane energies and recover empty. You must have a skill with the weapon in from the stress of using Infusion. Once per event question to use this ability. rest for one minute in your Arcane Sanctum to refresh one use of Infusion. Spellbound 1 Your destructive spells that fail to harm the target are still bound by your purpose and are not truly expended. When you throw a packet delivered spell, that spell is bound to you if it misses its target or the target calls No Effect, Spirit, or Avoid to negate it. Beneficial spells cannot be bound with this skill. If you spend one minute resting, during which time you role play gathering magical energies back to you, then you may gain back those attributes exhausted to cast spells bound in this manner. This skill can only be used for spells purchased under this header that exhaust attributes; per event uses are not returned. When you rest to refresh Void you lose any bound spells and can no longer rest to regain those attributes. The Sphere of Primal 2 This skill allows you to learn spells from the Primal sphere. These spells are purchased and used like skills.

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Chapter Three Magic

Arcane is the magical energy that flows from place to place. Mystery and wonder cause Arcane Using Magic to gather, while rational and logical thought Magical spells all allow you to summon a disperse it. A mage learns to shape Arcane through tremendous amount of power, but they have creativity and imagination. Casting spells is the limitations. Spells require a good deal of process of using Arcane to cause some effect to concentration to invoke. Both hands must be occur. empty and both arms must be free to move to cast spells. While certain skills might allow you to Mages speak of another realm of magic called the hold a weapon in your off hand while casting, the Arcanum from which all Arcane flows. This realm hand and arm delivering the spell must be free. is divided into seven spheres, and so Arcane is divided into seven spheres. Different types of You cannot invoke spells while you are being mages learn to manipulate Arcane from different struck by an attack that damages you. You cannot spheres. The spheres are Chimera, Gloaming, deliver spells with an arm that cannot use game Legacy, Primal, Sovereign, Wayfare, and Weald. skills. You must be able to speak to cast a spell In addition, the most depraved casters use magic unless you may cast that spell without an from the forbidden sphere of Malediction to incantation. Furthermore, spells that are delivered enslave and eat away at the very spirit. It is a by packet have all of the restrictions of that attack crime to use spells of Malediction by decree of the form. Inquisition of the High Church and by the College of Wizardry. Casting a spell requires you to recite a short phrase, called an incantation, before calling out the verbal. Only after both are completed can you Gaining Magic throw the packet. The incantation is an in game Certain skill headers allow you to purchase phrase, and if an effect prevents you from specific spheres of magic. When you purchase a speaking you normally cannot cast a spell. If you sphere of magic, you can purchase any of the are damaged or rendered unable to cast the spell spells available under that sphere. All spells during the incantation or the verbal, the spell is purchased within a sphere are also considered to ruined. You do not exhaust attributes (or the be purchased within the header under which the equivalent) if a spell is interrupted. sphere was purchased. Each spell is purchased using character points and can be used in the same Although mages create their own incantations manner as a normal skill. when they learn a spell, they cannot simply make up incantations as they see fit. An incantation

90 Madrigal 91 must be personalized, and it must be approved as it normally would, the first melee, missile or part of the learning process. The incantation packet that strikes you will miss you and this should contain the sphere of the spell and also ability will be consumed. You must call out some form of the name. The name does not have "Elude" to indicate that the attack has been to be incanted exactly, but the incantation should negated. This spell needs no effect card because it indicate at least part of the name. Priest characters cannot be cast on others. This spell ends when it is must include the name of their patron in the used, when you use Void to refresh attributes, and Incantation instead of the sphere of the spell. An at the end of the event. incantation must have a number of syllables equal to twice the cost of the spell plus 4. If a spell costs Dreams of Another 2 2 character points, for example, the incantation Once per event you may call out the dreams, length will be at least 8 syllables. perceptions, and passions of another willing character who is familiar with this spell and It has been observed that powerful casters can use understands its effect. Both you and the willing spells without incantations. This arch-magic recipient of the spell must be fully refreshed and comes when a mage is so skilled that they may set no attributes except Void can be spent when you reality aside and bind Arcane with sheer force of use this ability. You speak the incantation, will. Without the time required to speak the concentrate for one minute, and say "Imbue by incantation, this magic is quick and therefore Chimera" to activate the spell. When the spell is deadly. If you wish this level of mastery, you must activated you switch character cards and both of find the knowledge and skill during the course of you gain the Chimera trait. You gain all the skills the game. and attributes of the recipient, and they gain all your skills and attributes. Racial skills and traits, Imbued Spells manifest headers, Imbues, Inflicts, and active Some spells use an Imbue effect but specify that effects remain unchanged. Any ability that ends they cannot be cast on others. For these spells, when you refresh attributes with Void ends when since the person receiving them must know the you use this ability. While active you cannot spell there is no need for an Imbue card; the refresh attributes using Void and you are Imbue description is the spell description itself. unaffected by Refresh effects. If there is a skill on For example, Evocations do not need an Imbue the card that is unfamiliar to you it cannot be card because they cannot be cast on others. used. If there is a skill with an additional restriction on how many times it can be used during an event it cannot be used. You may end Spells of Chimera the effect by spending one minute of concentration with the willing recipient and The Displaced Image 3 calling out "Imbue by Chimera" to swap character You create an illusionary image that blurs your cards. When the effect ends the attributes of both true location. You may only have one of these characters are fully exhausted as well as any effect spells active at any time, and you cannot cast this granted by one of the swapped skills. Otherwise spell on others. You speak the incantation, call out the effect lasts until the end of the event. It is "Imbue by Chimera" and exhaust two points of common for characters under this effect to Water. This spell gives you the Chimera trait demonstrate quirks and passions of the personality while it is active. Although your form appears as of the character they have swapped with. You may

91 Madrigal 92 also use this skill by spending a point of Karma to clear their mind of falsehoods. and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. Send Dreams 1 You conjure dreams and send them forth into the Hallucinatory Terrain 1 Dream Realm to find their way to others. If you The terrain around the recipient seems to warp use this skill between events you may prepare a and twist making quick movement impossible. description of the dream to be sent to a specific You exhaust a point of Earth, cry out "Slow by recipient you know by name. This description is Confusion" and throw a packet at an opponent. If not a letter, but instead must be written as one it hits the target, the target takes the effect of might experience a dream. This dream is sent, Slow. along with the name and description of the recipient, to plot. A spirit of the Dream Realm The Illusion Exposed 1 attempts to visit the recipient and deliver the You cause creatures created or masked by illusion dream to them. You may send one dream between to cry out. You exhaust a point of Air, and cry out events. "By My Voice, Expose Chimera by Magic." As with any Expose effect, any character with the There are certain characters who, though powerful Chimera trait must respond as loudly as you cried magic or natural gifts, attract energies and spirits out. of the Dream Realm. If you convince these characters to help, you can cast this spell during A Mask of Fright 1 an event. Prepare a physical manifestation of your You insert yourself within the target's deepest dream on parchment. You must include the name fears, preventing them from attacking you. You and description of the recipient at the top of the exhaust a point of Fire, call out "Repel by Fear" dream and a description of the dream underneath. and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the The parchment and writing must be of reasonable target, the target takes the effect of Repel. quality. Exhaust a point of Air and cast this spell in the presence of a willing character so infused with the Dream Realm. You may hand the Mental Fortification 2 manifestation of the dream to them to complete You protect the recipient from mental energies. the spell. In time the dream will be sent forth into Exhaust a point of Air, call out “Grant Defense, the Dream Realm and find its way to the recipient. Shield Mental” and throw a packet at a target. If it There may be creatures and effects that can block hits the target they are granted a Shield defense or intercept attempts to Send Dreams. against attacks with any Mental trait. (Shield defenses are used against the first attack with an appropriate trait that strikes the target.) The Shattered Mirror 3 You shatter the perceptions and passions of an opponent leaving them unable to act. Exhaust 2 A Moment of Clarity 3 points of Air and speak the incantation to throw a You invoke Chimera to give a recipient a moment packet at an enemy and call out "Drain by of focused clarity where you reveal for the Confusion." briefest moment the true nature of the world. Exhaust 1 point of Water, throw a packet at the recipient, and call out "Cure Mental by Chimera"

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The Tearing of the Dream 1 casting restrictions when you cast this spell and You call magic power to rip at illusions and those each time you use one of these attacks. You masked by them. You exhaust a point of Fire, call cannot have weapons in your hand unless you out "10 Damage to Chimera" and throw a packet have a skill that allows you to cast while holding a at an opponent. If it hits the target, and the target weapon, and you can be interrupted by incoming has the Chimera trait, the target takes 10 points of attacks. damage. The World Is an Illusion 5 An Undead Visage 2 You call on the power of Chimera to step to the You create an illusionary visage that makes you very edge of the Realm of Dreams. You are appear as an undead. You must obtain a mask that empowered to seek shelter someplace in between covers your face and appears to be an undead, and realms, becoming insubstantial to the real world plot must approve this mask when you purchase so long as you do not move. Exhaust 2 points of the spell. You must use that particular mask Earth, speak the incantation and call out "Imbue anytime you cast this spell. The spell is cast in by Chimera" to prepare the way. You gain the solitude, and it cannot be cast if you are aware of Chimera trait and the ability to instantly step into anyone watching you. You must exhaust a point of the Realm of Dreams. Once empowered you may Air, speak the incantation, say "Imbue by Magic" act normally until you need to step from this and put on the mask. The act of preparing and realm. At that point you may call out "Imbue by putting on the mask represents masking your face Chimera" and clasp your hands in front of you to with illusion. You gain the Chimera trait while turn to spirit. So long as you do not move you this spell is in effect. You may end the effect when gain the Spirit defense. You retain the Chimera you choose to, but you must once again find trait and also gain the Spirit trait. Any attack that solitude and take the time to remove the mask to is "to Chimera" or "to Spirit" will affect you and, unshape the Arcane. You cannot use Void until the if it is not beneficial, knock you out of Spirit spell ends. The spell ends at the end of the event. form. Otherwise you will stay in spirit form until you choose to move. The spell only gives you the The Unweaving 3 Chimera trait until you leave Spirit form and end This an Evocation Spell. the spell. If you are empowered by this spell the You evoke a cascade of Chimera magic that you effect will end when you use it to take spirit form, expend to attack foes by unweaving their form. you refresh attributes with Void, or when the Exhaust a point of Fire and call out “Imbue by event ends. Chimera” to be empowered with three packet delivered attacks. When you want to use one of Spells of Gloaming these attacks, call out “2 Damage by Will” and throw a packet at the enemy. You may only have Contagion 3 one Evocation Spell active at a time. This spell This an Evocation Spell. ends when all three attacks are used, when you You can remove a disease effect from someone cast another Evocation Spell, when you use Void and twist its power to deliver it to another foe. to refresh attributes, and at the end of the event. Exhaust a point of Water, touch the target and call You need speak the incantation of the spell only out "Cure Disease by Gloaming" to draw the when it is first cast, but you must abide by all disease from their veins and twist it into the power

93 Madrigal 94 of Gloaming. You are empowered to cast that Gloaming." Once you have the life force you may disease forth by hurling two bolts to spread the choose to instead call "Heal 2 to Self" to consume contagion. You must call "2 Damage by Disease" the life force yourself. You can only store the life and throw a packet when you use one of these force of one person. That life force is lost, and the bolts, but you need speak the incantation of the ability to heal with it, when the event ends, if you spell only when it is first cast. This spell ends use this spell again, or when you refresh attributes when those two attacks are used, when you cast with Void. another Evocation Spell, when you use Void to refresh attributes, and at the end of the event. You A Mask of Fright 1 cannot use this spell if you do not have a diseased You insert yourself within the target's deepest target to draw the disease from. fears, preventing them from attacking you. You exhaust a point of Fire, call out "Repel by Fear" Dance of Undeath 2 and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the You may force an undead creature to be rooted to target, the target takes the effect of Repel. the spot. If you believe the target to be undead, you may exhaust a point of Air, call out "Root to Proscribe Undead 1 Undead" and throw a packet at the target. If it hits You threaten undead with eternal torment greater the target, and the target has the undead trait, the than what they already know. You exhaust a point target takes the effect of Root. of Water, call out "Repel to Undead" and throw a packet at a target. If it hits the target, and the The Dread Gaze 2 target has the undead trait, the target takes the You invoke mind-numbing fear within the target, effect of Repel. causing them to freeze in their tracks. You exhaust two points of Earth, call out "Paralyze by Fear" The Undead's Torment 1 and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the You may cause any undead to cry out in anguish. target, the target takes the effect of Paralyze. You exhaust a point of Air and cry out "By My Voice, Expose Undead by Gloaming" as loud as Eternal Rest 3 you wish. Anyone who hears the cry and has the You call on the power of Gloaming to destroy an Undead trait must also cry out. undead abomination, sending it to its final rest. Exhaust 3 points of Fire, speak the incantation, Vengeful Energies 3 throw a packet at the undead creature and call out This an Evocation Spell. "Death to Undead" to destroy it. You evoke a cascade of violent spiritual magic that you expend to attack foes with vengeful Life Steal 3 energy. Exhaust a point of Fire and call out You steal life essence from a target and store it “Imbue by Gloaming” to be empowered with within yourself to restore at a later time. You three packet delivered attacks. When you want to exhaust a point of Earth and speak the incantation use one of these attacks, call out “2 Damage by to throw a packet and call out "2 Damage by Gloom” and throw a packet at the enemy. You Gloom." If the target is affected by the damage may only have one Evocation Spell active at a you store the life force and can return it to them time. This spell ends when all three attacks are later by touching them and calling "Heal 2 by used, when you cast another Evocation Spell,

94 Madrigal 95 when you use Void to refresh attributes, and at the call out "Imbue by Magic" and exhaust a point of end of the event. You need speak the incantation Earth. You may deliver two healing effects by of the spell only when it is first cast, but you must packet. You must call out "Heal 2 by Magic" for abide by all casting restrictions when you cast this each, but you need speak the incantation of the spell and each time you use one of these attacks. spell only when it is first cast. This spell ends You cannot have weapons in your hand unless you when those two effects are used, when you use have a skill that allows you to cast while holding a Void to refresh attributes, and at the end of the weapon, and you can be interrupted by incoming event. You may only have one of these spells attacks. active at any time, and you cannot cast this spell on others. You may, of course, use the healing With the Tongue of the Grave 1 effect on others. Invoking each healing effect is You are granted the ability to converse with a considered to be casting. You cannot have spirit of the dead. You exhaust a point of Air, call weapons in your hand unless you have a skill that out "Speak to Dead" and throw a packet at a spirit. allows you to cast while holding a weapon, and If it hits the target, the target may speak with you you can be interrupted by an attack. if it wishes to. This spell does not force the spirit to speak, nor will it prevent the spirit from Divining Sight 2 continuing on it's journey. The attribute cost is Many beings are touched by the strands of Fate as exhausted only if the subject acknowledges the they move from place to place. You attempt to use of the spell with role play or negates it with a find those strands and read them, gaining visions defense. about an area you might visit. When a character comes forth to lead you someplace out of town or A Withered Limb 2 through a gate you may attempt to look at the You infect a limb with vile taint. You must strands of Fate that might cling to them. Exhaust a exhaust a point of Earth, call out "Maim [Limb] point of Air, touch a willing subject, and call out by Disease" and throw a packet. If it hits the "Speak with Fate" to whisper a question to the target, the target takes the effect of Maim. First individual. Sometimes the strands of Fate will be Aid will be useful against this spell if it is used to empowered and spirits will enter the individual cure the Maim effect. and whisper some bit of knowledge about what you might face. Your question must be short, and Wrack the Flesh 1 the whispers will generally be no more than a You force writhing pain upon the target. You sentence or two in return. The person so touched exhaust a point of Air, call out "Agony by Gloom" might remember details about the place and and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the elaborate after the spirits have left them. Some target, the target takes the effect of Agony. powerful casters can ward areas against this kind of divination, and some questions may fall on deaf Spells of Legacy ears and simply fail. The Gift of Life 5 A Blessing of Health 1 You call on Fate to return life to a dead body, but You summon energies that restore health and the journey back from the brink of death leaves vigor to their targets. You speak the incantation, the target weak. Exhaust 4 points of Fire, touch a

95 Madrigal 96 person who is dead, and call out "Cure Death and them. You may only have one of these spells Drain by Fate" to bring them back to life. Even active at any time, and you cannot cast this spell advanced casters may only use this powerful spell on others. You speak the incantation, call out a number of times per event equal to their Void "Imbue by Magic" and exhaust a point of Water. attribute. You may also use this skill an additional You may stabilize any number of people by time per event by spending 4 points of Fire and a touching them with a packet and calling out point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before "Stabilize." This spell needs no effect card the verbal when you call it out. because it cannot be cast on others. This spell ends when you use Void to refresh attributes, and Purity of Form 4 at the end of the event. Invoking each stabilize Your magic purifies the blood and flesh of the effect is considered to be casting. You cannot have recipient, cleansing their form. You exhaust a weapons in your hand unless you have a skill that point of Water, call out "Cure Metabolic by allows you to cast while holding a weapon, and Magic" and throw a packet at a target. If it hits the you can be interrupted by an attack. target, the target takes the Cure effect and all metabolic effects are removed from them unless, To Walk Death's Realm 2 of course, they are affected by a Stricken effect. You attempt to manipulate Fate by giving your blessing to a Spirit of the Dead who has begun the The Smile of Good Fortune 2 journey to the Gate of Death. To cast this spell, You call the blessings of Fate down upon you to the caster must prepare at some time before the protect you from untimely death. You may only spell is needed a written request to the keeper of have one of these spells active at any time, and the Gate of Death that the spirit be returned safely. you cannot cast this spell on others. You speak the The request must be rolled or neatly folded and incantation, call out "Imbue by Magic" and sealed with wax or ribbon. Exhaust one point of exhaust 2 points of Fire. While the spell is active, of Air, touch a willing spirit of the dead traveling you may end this Imbue effect to mitigate one to the Gate, and call out "Imbue to Spirit" and Death effect or prevent your unstable form from hand them the scroll. You must prepare the scroll dying. If you are struck with a Death effect call and use this spell before they are called into the out “Reduce” to negate the effect and instead lose Gate. Instruct the spirit that they must read the all Vitality and fall down unstable. If you are scroll to the keeper of the Gate if requested to do unstable for a minute and the Imbue effect was so, and their passion in this reading may affect the not already ended to mitigate a Death effect you decision of the Keeper. If nothing removes the may, when you are about to die due to blood loss, spell and the request pleases the keeper, the spirit exhaust the spell to become stable rather than will be allowed to negate the effects of one draw dying. This spell needs no effect card because it if they wish to do so and take a second draw to cannot be cast on others. This spell ends when it is replace it from the Deck of Fate. The spirit will used for either purpose, when you use Void to have to abide by the results of the second draw if refresh attributes, and at the end of the event. they choose to do this regardless of the result of the first draw. The Soothing Touch 2 This spell empowers you with the ability to Spells of Malediction stabilize bleeding characters simply by touching

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All Hope Gone 3 Heart of Corruption 4 You strike such devastation to the spirit that the You corrupt the essence of the target and form a very will to act is destroyed. You exhaust 1 point link of corruption to their spirit. The corruption of Fire, call out "Drain by Despair" and throw a continues to stream towards the linked character packet at an opponent. If it hits the target, the until that link is broken. Exhaust two points of target takes the effect of Drain. Water, throw a packet at the target, and call out "2 Damage by Malediction" to form the link. If the Corrupted Flesh 1 packet strikes the opponent and they acknowledge Your corrupted power sustained the Strength of it with role play the link is formed. You may undead. You speak the incantation, call out continue to throw "2 Damage by Malediction" at "Imbue by Malediction" and exhaust a point of them at no additional cost. The effect ends only if Earth. You may deliver two healing effects to one of the attacks is negated by a called defense, undead by packet. You must call out "Heal 2 to you lose consciousness, you refresh attributes Undead" for each, but you need speak the with Void, or you cannot determine who exactly incantation of the spell only when it is first cast. you have been hitting. If you miss the target and This spell ends when those two effects are used, hit someone else who did not move to intercept when you use Void to refresh attributes, and at the your attack the link is broken and the effect ends. end of the event. You may only have one of these If someone else moved to block or intercept the spells active at any time, and you cannot cast this packet you may choose to either continue to spell on others. You may, of course, use the attack the original target or change the link to the healing effect on others. Invoking each healing new target and start throwing corruption at them. effect is considered to be casting. You cannot have weapons in your hand unless you have a skill that Maleficent Destruction 5 allows you to cast while holding a weapon, and Your annihilate the unfortunate target with a wave you can be interrupted by an attack. of corruption. Exhaust 3 points of Earth, throwing a packet at the target and call out "Death by Dance Macabre 4 Malediction" to snuff out their life like a candle. You may force a spirit of the dead or an undead creature to be rooted to the spot. If you believe the Proscribe Undead 2 target to undead, you may exhaust a point of Air, You threaten undead with eternal torment greater call out "Root to Undead" and throw a packet at than what they already know. You exhaust a point the target. If it hits the target, and the target has of Fire, call out "Repel to Undead" and throw a the undead trait, the target takes the effect of packet at a target. If it hits the target, and the Root. If you believe the target to be a spirit of the target has the undead trait, the target takes the dead, then you may exhaust a point of Air, call out effect of Repel. "Root to Dead" and throw a packet at the target. If it hits the target, and the target is a spirit of the Rage of the Undead 5 dead, the target takes the effect of Root. Some say You inflict such corruption upon a dead body and that the purpose of this application is to trap the spirit that it rises as an undead and attacks any dead spirit while some more horrible magic is creature that is not obviously undead or a spirit. performed. You prepare a scroll with intricate designs of blood red circles and runes. You may request an

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Inflict card at the beginning of the event, and this spirits of the dead for the pleasure of inflicting card must be attached to the bottom of the scroll. further punishment to the spirit. You exhaust a point of Void, touch the scroll to the torso of the dead individual and say “Inflict to Dead” to use this spell. Place the scroll into the hand of the victim, and they will be compelled to read it. The body will rise as an angry undead. The undead will have only Earth to use in its rampage, and the undead will also be forced to avoid you as it remembers the torment you have inflicted upon it. The Severing 5 You tear the lingering tether between a spirit and a dead body, causing the body to immediately fade and become a spirit of the dead. Once per event you may prepare a Scroll of Maleficence and defy the will of Death to sever a spirit from a dead body. The scroll must proclaim the corruption of this spirit. You may request an Inflict card at the beginning of the event, and this card must be attached to the bottom of the scroll. You exhaust a point of Void, touch the scroll to the torso of the dead individual and say “Inflict to Dead” to use this spell. Place the scroll into the hand of the victim, and they will be compelled to read it. The spell severs the link between body and spirit, causing the victim to become a spirit of the dead and ending any hope of saving that life. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. A Spirit's Torture 3 You may inflict terrible torment upon the very spirit of the target. You exhaust a point of Fire, call out "Agony to Spirit" and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the target, and the target has the spirit trait, the target takes the effect of Agony. A practitioner of Malediction may find all sorts of twisted uses for the spell. Some use it to coerce spirits into obeying them, while others use it on

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ten packet delivered attacks. When you want to Spells of Primal use one of these attacks, call out either “2 Damage by Fire” or “2 Damage by Wind” and throw a The Drowning Foe 1 packet at the enemy. You may only have one You summon up the essence of water to choke Evocation Spell active at a time. This spell ends your foe. You exhaust a point of Water, call out when all ten attacks are used, when you cast "Agony by Water" and throw a packet at an another Evocation Spell, when you use Void to opponent. If it hits the target, the target takes the refresh attributes, and at the end of the event. You effect of a Agony. need speak the incantation of the spell only when it is first cast, but you must abide by all casting Elemental Fortification 2 restrictions when you cast this spell and each time You protect the recipient from elemental energies. you use one of these attacks. You cannot have Exhaust a point of Air, call out “Grant Defense, weapons in your hand unless you have a skill that Shield Elemental” and throw a packet at a target. allows you to cast while holding a weapon, and If it hits the target they are granted a Shield these attacks can be interrupted by incoming defense against attacks with any Elemental trait. attacks. Engulf 3 Roots Run Deep 1 You call forth the very Earth to engulf and entrap You call upon the very Earth to entrap a foe, your foes. You exhaust two points of Earth, call rooting them to the ground. You exhaust a point of out "Paralyze by Earth" and throw a packet at an Earth, call out "Root by Earth" and throw a packet opponent. If it hits the target, the target takes the at a target. If it hits the target, the target takes the effect of a Paralyze. Root effect. The Fire's Spark 1 Winter's Breath 1 You may summon forth a red light so long as you You evoke a bolt of ice to destroy a foe. You have a cylume stick as the prop for that light. The exhaust a point of Air, call out "5 Damage by Ice" light does not exhaust any attribute. It lasts as and throw a packet at a target. If it hits the target, long as the cylume stick lasts. The light may be the target takes the 5 points of Ice damage. set aside or passed to another character, but it cannot be thrown. The light is a red cylume stick, and it cannot be broken open or disguised to Spells of Sovereign appear as another type of prop or effect. It is said that some casters are able to study ways to create A Command to Step Aside 1 brighter or different colored light. You call forth magic to send away an antagonist. You exhaust a point of Air, call out "Repel by Fire Storm 4 Will" and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits This an Evocation Spell. the target, the target takes the effect of Repel. You evoke a cascade of seething elemental energy that you expend by calling on elemental Fire or Disarm 1 Wind to attack foes. Exhaust 2 points of Fire and By overriding the functions of the brain, you call out “Imbue by Primal” to be empowered with prevent the opponent from using one hand. You

99 Madrigal 100 exhaust a point of Water, call out "Disarm [Hand] casting restrictions when you cast this spell and by Will" and throw a packet at an opponent. If it each time you use one of these attacks. You hits the target, the target takes the effect of a cannot have weapons in your hand unless you Disarm. have a skill that allows you to cast while holding a weapon, and you can be interrupted by incoming Free the Mind 3 attacks. You free the recipient of all effects based on Mental traits. Exhaust 1 point of Water, call out Struck Silent 2 "Cure Mental by Sovereign" and throw a packet at You may take control of the mind and prevent a an target. If it hits the target, all effects on the foe from speaking, yelling, or making any type of target with a Mental trait are negated. verbal noise. You exhaust a point of Air, call out "Silence by Will" and throw a packet at an Imprison 3 opponent. If it hits the target, the target takes the You imprison an opponent in magical bonds. You effect of Silence. exhaust 2 points of Earth, call out "Paralyze by Earth" and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits The Swift Hand of Vengeance 4 the target, the target takes the effect of Paralyze. You call forth magic to end the victim's life. You exhaust 3 points of Fire, call out "Death by Will" Mental Fortification 2 and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the You protect the recipient from mental energies. target, the target takes the effect of Death. Exhaust a point of Air, call out “Grant Defense, Shield Mental” and throw a packet at a target. If it The Unseen Hand 1 hits the target they are granted a Shield defense Many beings are touched by the strands of against attacks with any Mental trait. (Shield Sovereign as they make deals and receive orders defenses are used against the first attack with an by someone with more purpose. You attempt to appropriate trait that strikes the target.) find those strands and read them, gaining visions from enemies about who might be ultimately Spare Not the Rod 3 responsible for their actions. When an enemy has This an Evocation Spell. been defeated and you feel that there might be You evoke a cascade of Sovereign magic that you some complex act behind their actions you may, expend in a mental assault against your foes. once per event, attempt to find strands that reveal Exhaust a point of Fire and call out “Imbue by those plans. Exhaust a use of the skill, touch a Sovereign” to be empowered with three packet helpless, unconscious, or dead subject, and call delivered attacks. When you want to use one of out "Speak with Sovereign" to whisper "Who is these attacks, call out “2 Damage by Will” and responsible for this?" to that individual. This is a throw a packet at the enemy. You may only have difficult power to use because mindless creatures one Evocation Spell active at a time. This spell and minions that have not dealt directly with the ends when all three attacks are used, when you enemy you seek will lack the strands of magic you cast another Evocation Spell, when you use Void wish to read. This skill is better used on more to refresh attributes, and at the end of the event. intelligent foes who are more likely to have an You need speak the incantation of the spell only understanding of the plans in motion and thus when it is first cast, but you must abide by all more likely to be touched by the strand of

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Sovereign you must read. Clueless minions might (Shield defenses are used against the first attack not respond, or they might call out "No Effect" with an appropriate trait that strikes the target.) and waste your use. For some enemies the strands of Sovereign will be empowered and spirits will Freedom of Movement 5 enter the individual and whisper some bit of You can free your charges from physical bindings, knowledge to you about who might be leading, ailments, and afflictions that might hamper or hiring, or empowering your enemies. Some prevent their movement or action. Exhaust 1 point powerful casters can ward minions against this of Water, throw a packet at the recipient, and call kind of divination and sometimes the strands of out "Cure Physical by Magic" to free the target Sovereign necessary for this divination are simply from all types of physical effects including those not present to read. You may also use this skill by delivered with the Weapon trait such as Maim, spending a point of Karma and adding “With Agony, and even Stun. Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. Mental Fortification 2 Spells of Wayfare You protect the recipient from mental energies. Exhaust a point of Air, call out “Grant Defense, The Broken Path 3 Shield Mental” and throw a packet at a target. If it The path beneath the recipient becomes unstable hits the target they are granted a Shield defense and treacherous. You exhaust a point of Earth, cry against attacks with any Mental trait. (Shield out "Slow by Earth" and throw a packet at an defenses are used against the first attack with an opponent. If it hits the target, the target takes the appropriate trait that strikes the target.) effect of Slow. On Your Feet Again 1 A Command to Step Aside 1 You cure one maimed limb. You exhaust a point You call forth magics to send away an antagonist. of Fire, call out "Cure Maim [Limb] by Magic" You exhaust a point of Air, call out "Repel by and throw a packet at a target. If it hits the target, Will" and throw a packet at an opponent. If it hits the target takes the Cure Maim [Limb] effect. This the target, the target takes the effect of Repel. spell will work on one maimed limb. The Clear Road 1 Seven Mile Step 4 You free someone from a Root effect. You exhaust You can slip into the spirit realm and travel for a a point of Fire, call out "Cure Root by Magic" and short distance safely before you are forced back throw a packet at a target. If it hits the target, the into the real world. The spell requires a small gold target takes the Cure Root effect. or yellow ring to represent a portal. The ring is a throwing weapon that is 6" across, although the prop for the "ring" can also be a disk or a ball. Elemental Fortification 2 Mark the ring with a red circle to show that others You protect the recipient from elemental energies. cannot touch your ring. Exhaust 2 points of Water, Exhaust a point of Air, call out “Grant Defense, throw your ring at some safe destination, and call Shield Elemental” and throw a packet at a target. out "Imbue by Wayfare" to take spirit form and If it hits the target they are granted a Shield travel to the place where the ring came to rest. defense against attacks with any Elemental trait. You gain the Spirit defense while you travel. Any

101 Madrigal 102 effect with the "to Spirit" trait that is not You weave mystical energy to protect your form beneficial will knock you out of spirit form and with unseen armor. You may only have one of end this effect where ever you were struck. So these spells active at any time, and you cannot long as a throng of characters engaged in combat cast this spell on others. You rest for a minute, do not bar your way you will travel as directly and speak the incantation, call out "Imbue by Magic" quickly to that ring as possible. Upon arriving call and exhaust a point of Air. You gain two points of out "Imbue to Spirit" to step back into this world armor. These armor points can be refreshed by to end the effect. If there are too many combatants resting for 1 minute. Choose how you role play in your way you may pause until a safe opening your resting time. You cannot use this spell if you appears for you to continue. While traveling you are already protected by armor points, and these cannot attempt to interfere with any actions by points are lost if you put on or activate any other blocking or catching attacks. If the ring passes armor or ability that gives you armor points. through any kind of Gate then this spell fails, and These armor points last until the end of the event you cannot pass through a gate while you are in or until you refresh attributes with Void. spirit form. Once you invoke the spell and throw the ring you are bound to get to the ring as Wizard's Light 1 directly and quickly as possible. If you cannot You may summon forth a green light so long as find the ring or cannot reach the ring within 5 you have a cylume stick as the prop for that light. minutes then your spirit is lost to the spirit realm. The light does not exhaust any attribute. It lasts as Your life is forfeit and you become a Spirit of the long as the cylume stick lasts. The light may be Dead and must travel to the Gate of Death. The set aside or passed to another character, but it ring you use for this spell must be yellow or gold, cannot be thrown. The light is a green cylume decorated with a unique marking, and marked stick, and it cannot be broken open or disguised to with a red circle to prevent other characters from appear as another type of prop or effect. It is said moving it. that some casters are able to study ways to create brighter or different colored light. The Soothing Touch 2 This spell gives you the ability to cause bleeding characters to become stable simply by touching Spells of Weald them. You may only have one of these spells active at any time, and you cannot cast this spell Barkskin 3 on others. You speak the incantation, call out You mark your face with at least three bark-like "Imbue by Magic" and exhaust a point of Water. stripes to gain the toughness of oak and protect You may stabilize any number of people by your form with armor. You may only have one of touching them with a packet and calling out these spells active at any time, and you cannot "Stabilize." This spell needs no effect card cast this spell on others. You rest for a minute, because it cannot be cast on others. This spell speak the incantation, call out "Imbue by Magic" ends when you use Void to refresh attributes, and and exhaust a point of Water. You gain two points at the end of the event. of armor. These armor points can be refreshed by resting for 1 minute. Choose how you role play Mystical Protection 3 your resting time. You cannot use this spell if you are already protected by armor points, and these points are lost if you put on or activate any other

102 Madrigal 103 armor or ability that gives you armor points. venom is only used if you strike an opponent and These armor points last until the end of the event they acknowledge the hit through role play or or until you refresh attributes with Void. negate the attack with a defense. You cannot use this spell if you do not have a poisoned target. Bounty of the Wood 3 Once per event you may bless a feast in a wild or Driving Off the Predator 1 sacred place and provide magical nourishment for You use the power of Weald to drive an animal all involved. At the start of the event you may get away from you. You exhaust a point of Fire, call a number of bounty tags equal to the greater of out "Repel to Beast" and throw a packet at an your Earth or Air attributes. After the feast has opponent. If it hits the target, and the target has lasted for at least one minute exhaust 1 point of the Beast trait, then the target takes the effect of Water to bless the participants of a meal. Touch Repel. each in turn and call out "Imbue by Magic" to give them the nourishment tag. The food and Elemental Fortification 2 drink will be enchanted with such nourishment You protect the recipient from elemental energies. that the next standard maintenance cost of all Exhaust a point of Air, call out “Grant Defense, involved will be waived. Each participant must Shield Elemental” and throw a packet at a target. receive an Imbue tag. If the blessing and card is If it hits the target they are granted a Shield not received, the maintenance is not waived. defense against attacks with any Elemental trait. Claw Shape 1 Frostbite 3 You will your body to assume it's primal shape, This an Evocation Spell. growing claws. You exhaust a point of Fire and You evoke a cascade of Weald magic that you prepare your legal claw props. The process takes expend in a mental assault against your foes. time, and while you are getting out your claws Exhaust a point of Fire and call out “Imbue by your body is busy growing them. You may use Weald” to be empowered with three packet these claws as if you had the skill Armed as the delivered attacks. When you want to use one of Hunter. The claws last until the event ends or until these attacks, call out “2 Damage by Cold” and you refresh your attributes. throw a packet at the enemy. You may only have one Evocation Spell active at a time. This spell Draw Forth the Serpent 4 ends when all three attacks are used, when you You can draw a poison effect from someone and cast another Evocation Spell, when you use Void change its nature to envenom your own claws. to refresh attributes, and at the end of the event. Exhaust 1 points of Water, touch the target and You need speak the incantation of the spell only call out "Cure Poison by Weald" to draw the when it is first cast, but you must abide by all poison from their veins and change it into a casting restrictions when you cast this spell and venom. You are empowered to envenom your each time you use one of these attacks. You claws, calling "2 Damage by Poison" for each of cannot have weapons in your hand unless you the two swings. You need not use these strikes have a skill that allows you to cast while holding a immediately; you can save them to use later but weapon, and you can be interrupted by incoming they fade if you refresh attributes with Void, use attacks. this spell again, or when the event ends. The claw

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Roots Run Deep 1 With the Tongue of the Wild 1 You call upon the very Earth to entrap a foe, You are granted the ability to converse with one rooting them to the ground. You exhaust a point of animal. You exhaust a point of Air, call out Earth, call out "Root by Earth" and throw a packet "Speak to Beast" and throw a packet at an animal. at a target. If it hits the target, the target takes the If it hits the target, and the target has the Beast Root effect. trait, the target may speak with you if it wishes to. This spell does not force the animal to speak, nor The Running River 1 will it prevent the animal from taking an action. You free someone from a Root effect. You exhaust The attribute cost is exhausted only if the subject a point of Water, call out "Cure Root by Magic" acknowledges the use of the spell with role play and throw a packet at a target. If it hits the target, or negates it with a defense. the target takes the Cure Root effect. Strike of the Hunter 1 You call magic to strike down the creatures of the Weald, and creatures of bestial rage. You exhaust a point of Earth, call out "5 Damage to Beast" and throw a packet at a target. If it hits the target, the target takes the 5 points of damage. The Storm's Anger 2 You evoke a bolt of lightning to destroy a foe. You exhaust a point of Air, call out "5 Damage by Lightning" and throw a packet at a target. If it hits the target, the target takes the 5 points of lightning damage. A Whispering of Leaves 1 You are granted the ability to converse with one animated plant. You exhaust a point of Air, call out "Speak to Plant" and throw a packet at an animated plant. If it hits the target, and the target has the Plant trait, the target may speak with you if it wishes to. This spell does not force the creature to speak, nor will it prevent the creature from taking action. The attribute cost is exhausted only if the subject acknowledges the use of the spell with role play or negates it with a defense.

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Chapter Four Runes

To create a rune, you must have the Runecarving You may not have more than three runes carved skill and you must obtain a runestone for that on you or your possessions at any time. Portal rune. The runestone lists the true elements and runes do not count towards this limit. carries the magic needed to empower the creation process. The runestone also lists the level of Runecarving required to use it. Each runestone Weapon Runes has a number of charges. Making a rune will These runes are etched onto weapons. You cannot consume one charge of the runestone. The etch runes onto claws or natural weaponry. The runestone will be destroyed when all charges are person intending to use the rune must be wielding consumed. the weapon and must have the skill to do so.

Runecarving takes a lot of time to prepare. You Weapon runes that enhance a strike will only submit an Runecarving Sheet with the required enhance a strike from the weapon they are etched true elements at check out to create runes between upon. When a rune is etched onto a weapon that events. At the start of the next event you present weapon is marked with a round yellow sticker the runestones at check in and you are given your decorated with a stylized glyph. The runesmith rune. Runes will last approximately one year may obtain round yellow stickers at any office before the magic fades so the must be carved into supplies store. Mark the weapon with the sticker, a surface before they are lost. call out Imbue by Runecarving, and hand the effect card to the owner of the weapon. Weapons Carving any rune takes one minute of role so etched can be stolen and are treated as yellow playing. The runesmith must have and use props tagged items so long as the rune remains on the to represent the forge where they work their weapon. magic. These props are not marked with stickers. Armor Runes They are useless to other characters and cannot be These runes are etched onto armor. The runes can stolen. The props for a forge require at the very be etched onto a piece of armor rather than a least a small table and tools. The props represent a whole suit. The person intending to use the rune very heavy workshop and cannot be moved during must be wearing the piece of armor to use the an event. rune. It does not matter if the armor has any armor points left. As long as the prop is worn, the runes Once carved, a rune cannot be moved to another can be used. The person wearing the armor carries surface. the effect card until the effect of the rune ends. If

105 Madrigal 106 the Armor is removed and put on another tracing the runes on the plaque with their fingers character the runes upon are destroyed. to pass through the portal without invoking the portal rune. Attuning others to your portal rune takes one minute of role playing, during which Portal Runes time you and the character to be attuned must be These runes are etched onto portals. They must be touching the plaque. You may attune more than placed at the edge of the doorway or opening, and one character at a time so long as all affected an official effect sign must be hung in the portal in characters are touching the plaque. After the role a clearly visible spot. The effect sign will describe playing is complete you write the name of each the effects of the rune. The prop for a portal rune character on the back of the information card. requires a plaque of runes at least 6" in length. Carving a portal rune requires one minute of role You tell them that they are attuned to the rune. playing. During this time the rune plaque is hung on the portal and an information card is hung so it The process of attunement is ruined if interrupted is clearly visible in the portal. and must be started over. If anyone involved breaks contact with the plaque then the The rune is active so long as the information sign attunement attempt ends unsuccessfully. A is hung in the portal. Anyone who passes through runesmith is always attuned to their own portal the portal will invoke the rune, even if they did rune. The process of attunement cannot be not entirely pass through. You may protect other reversed. characters from a portal rune you have carved in two ways. You may deactivate your portal rune, or Each portal rune requires a separate rune plaque. you may carve the essence of others into the rune, allowing them to pass through the portal Attuned characters must spend three seconds unharmed. tracing runes on each plaque if there is more than one rune on the portal. If an attuned character You deactivate your portal rune by spending at spends three seconds tracing the runes they must least three seconds of role playing tracing the pass through the portal before they move from the runes on the plaque with your finger or with a plaque. If they leave arm's reach of the plaque Rune Weaving tool. During this time you take then they must retrace the runes when they return. down the information sign in the doorway or opening. At this point the rune is deactivated and anyone may pass through the portal. You may Flesh Runes activate the portal rune by spending three seconds These runes are burned onto the flesh. They are of role playing to trace the runes of the plaque and painful, but when the rune is invoked it slowly hang the information card. Once this is done the fades leaving no scar. Many runesmiths find the rune is once again activated. use of Flesh runes distasteful, and disdain other runesmiths who use them. A flesh rune must be You attune other characters to the portal rune by exposed and visible when it is invoked or it will carving their essence into the rune. You take one not work. The runesmith draws the rune onto the minute to role play the carving and write their target with some type of water soluble makeup character name on the back of the information and puts the sticker onto the character's card. card. Attuned characters may spend three seconds

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When a recipient receives a flesh rune they also This rune delivers fire damage to anyone who gain the "Flesh" trait for the remainder of that steps through the portal while the rune is active. event. Flesh runes must be at least 1" in any direction. After the rune is invoked, the person Any person passing through the portal will invoke with the rune must wipe it off at their earliest the rune and take "5 Damage by Fire." Anyone convenience. Another flesh rune cannot be added standing in the portal will invoke the rune once until all faded runes are removed. per second. A creature who is healed by fire will not invoke the rune. This rune lasts until the end of the event. Level 1 Runes Weapon Rune of Fire Armor Rune of Tolerance Call "5 Damage by Fire" and strike with this This armor is attuned to the forge and does not weapon. The rune is consumed only if the strike need to be removed to be repaired. lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense.

Armor Rune of Protection This rune fades when it is invoked and at the end If your armor is not 4 or higher, Grant 1 Armor by of the event. Rune. Flesh Rune of Healing Level 2 Runes Inflict Flesh by Rune. Consume this rune to increase one of your Heal effects by 2. If the Armor Rune of Forging effect was delivered by touch you may use this You may invoke this rune by calling out "Rune of effect one additional time. You may not use more Forging" as you raise your hands high above your than 3 runes without resting. This rune fades when head for three seconds. At the end of that time, all it is invoked and at the end of the event. physical armor points are refreshed. Your hands do not need to be empty, but you cannot be Portal Rune of Alarm moving your feet or using game skills while your This rune will raise an alarm if a character passes armor refits. This rune fades when it is invoked through the portal while the rune is active. Any and at the end of the event. character who passes through the portal with an active Rune of Alarm must represent the rune by Flesh Rune of Luck yelling "Rune of Alarm! Rune of Alarm! Rune of Inflict Flesh by Rune. When you have been Alarm" as loud as they can. This noise represents Unstable too long and are about to die consume the alarm of the rune, so the player must yell this this rune. You become Stable and begin your 5 even if the character is under the effects of Silence minute count. This rune fades when it is invoked or cannot speak. This rune fades at the end of the and at the end of the event. event. Flesh Rune of Spellcasting Portal Rune of Fire Inflict Flesh by Rune. You may consume this rune instead of an attribute point when casting a spell,

107 Madrigal 108 regardless of the type of spell. You may not use than 3 runes without resting. This rune fades when more than 3 runes without resting. This rune fades it is invoked and at the end of the event. when it is invoked and at the end of the event. Weapon Rune of Venom Level 4 Runes You may apply a venom to this weapon and use the weapon freely without using the venom. This Portal Rune of Cancellation rune is consumed when the venom is consumed. This rune is carved on a portal to erase one other rune. After one minute of runecarving, the runesmith may remove one portal rune from that Level 3 Runes portal. The Rune of Cancellation and the target Rune are destroyed. The runesmith removes the Armor Rune of Countermagic rune and any information signs and places them The character wearing a piece of armor with this on the ground next to the doorway. rune may negate one attack with the Magic trait by calling out "Resist" after they are struck. The Portal Rune of Forbiddance target may choose which attack they will negate. This rune will prevent anyone from passing through the portal while the Rune of Forbiddance This rune fades when it is invoked and at the end is active. This rune fades at the end of the event. of the event. Weapon Rune of Channeling Flesh Rune of Greater Healing Consume this rune to activate one channeled spell Inflict Flesh by Rune. When this rune is without needing an incantation. You call out consumed, your next 3 Heal effects are increased "Runeweave" and the verbal instead. by 4. If the effect was delivered by touch you may use this effect one additional time. You may not Weapon Rune of Slaying use more than 3 runes without resting. This rune Grant "Death by Magic" while using this weapon. fades when it is invoked and at the end of the You may not have more than 3 runes carved on event. you or your possessions at any time. Weapon Rune of the Iron Grip Consume this rune when someone tries to use a Disarm effect on this weapon. You may call out "Resist by Magic" to negate the effect. Weapon Rune of Sharpening Activate this rune to increase your next two called damage effects with a Physical trait by 3.

One use is consumed only if the strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. You may not use more

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Chapter Five Alchemy

Alchemists have the ability to create substances Alchemical components can be found in all sorts by finding and mixing natural components that of places. Some grow wild and can be obtained by have been infused with arcane. Components are searching the woods. Others might be found gathered during game and mixed between events underground. Characters may gather and trade into elixirs, catalysts, and venom. components. Gathered components last until the end of the year. When the Night of Dreams comes to an end the magical properties of all components Using Alchemy fade. Components must be turned in at the end of Alchemy comes in small vials containing rolled the year. up effect tags. You cannot open a substance until it is used. You cannot take the tag out of the vial To create a substance, you must have the Alchemy and read it unless you have used the substance. If skill and you must obtain an alchemical formula you want to know what the substance is, then the for that substance. The formula lists the substance must be identified by the outer runes. components and carries the magic needed to empower the creation process. The formula also If it has no runes, it cannot be identified. lists the level of Alchemy required to use it. You must have a game skill to copy or memorize a If you use a substance improperly, like drinking a formula. Each formula has a number of charges. venom or smearing an elixir on a blade, the substance is destroyed with no effect. If you drink Making a substance will consume one charge of an elixir and read the tag you must accept the the formula. The formula will be destroyed when effect, although you could negate it if you had an all charges are consumed. appropriate defense. Alchemy takes a lot of time to prepare. You Some substances might have been created submit an Alchemy Sheet with the required improperly, or created with tainted components. components at check out to create substances between events. You may create 5 substances per Some of these substances will have side effects. event. At the start of the next event you present the formulas at check in and you are given your If a potion has a section labeled "Side Effect:" substances. Substances will last approximately then whoever imbibes the potion will also take the one year before the magic fades. additional effects described in this section. Complex elixirs have an Imbue or Inflict effect. Components

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Simple elixirs have a standard verbal and you may Venoms are toxic substances applied to blades. mix then directly into your alchemy flask. They are illegal in most civilized lands. Venom is You may deliver elixirs from your flask by delivered with a melee attack. You must have a touching the recipient with a packet. Using them special skill to apply and use venom. Attempting in this manner does not require light and the to apply a venom without this skill destroys the recipient is not disoriented because they have no venom. Alchemists can learn to create these tag to read. Two flask elixirs count as one substances, but it takes special training to know substance when you are determining how many how to employ them. substances you can make between events, though you must still use components and formula Using a skill to apply a venom requires you to charges for each. role play the application while calling out the application verbal. Call out “Grant Melee Attack by Venom, [Venom Effect]” to apply a venom to Elixirs your weapon. To apply a venom with the effect of These magical potions cause some strange effect Agony by Poison, for example, you would role upon the person who drinks them. Elixirs are play the application on your own blade while given out in sealed containers. To use an elixir, calling out “Grant Melee Attack by Venom, you must open the container, drink the potion, and Agony by Poison.” You have the "Venom" trait read the effect card. The nature of alchemical while you carry a weapon with a venom applied. elixirs requires time and light for them to work. The expiration date of a venom assumes it is not yet applied to a blade. Once applied, a venom is Opening the potion bottle in the presence of light delivered on the next blow with that weapon, and starts the alchemical reaction. Once the elixir is applied venom that goes unused fades at the end consumed it takes some small amount of time for of the event. A blade venom is used up only if the it to work its magic. The light and time required to strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it take out and read the potion tag represent these with role play or negates it with a defense. processes. When you use a substance, you must stop and read the tag. All of the tag. You might A venom is destroyed if its weapon is affected by think it is an Elixir of Healing, and the runes a Destroy, someone mistakenly swings the might even say it's an Elixir of Healing, but it weapon and does not call out the venom effect, or might have a side effect so it will not take effect if you leave the weapon unattended. until you read the whole description. In game, the potion will cause disorientation that is represented by the time it takes to read the effect card. Once Catalysts the container is opened, the elixir must be These substances are magical oils and powders consumed. You may feed an elixir to a willing or with magical properties that perform some other unconscious individual instead of drinking it function. Some of these substances are used to yourself. In this case you must open the potion, make other types of items, like traps, and others role play feeding it to them, and hand them the will transform or enhance items they are applied effect card. to. Each catalyst has its own purpose and use, but all catalysts take one minute of role playing by an Venom alchemist who could make the substance to use.

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Level 1 Substances Level 2 Substances You must have an Alchemy skill of 1 to use You must have an Alchemy skill of 2 to use formulas to create these substances. formulas to create these substances. Elixir of Bravery Alkahest Catalyst The effect of this elixir is Grant "Shield Fear" by This catalyst restores 5 measures of Alkahest to Magic. your lab. You must have enough free space to hold these measures. If you do not then extra measures Elixir of Minor Healing are lost when you use this catalyst. The effect of this elixir is "Heal 2 by Magic." Blue Lightning Venom Elixir of Splinting A blue paste that crystallizes in a cracked pattern The effect of this elixir is "Cure Maim by Magic." when applied to a blade. This venom strikes for "Lesser Paralyze by Poison" if you have the skill Elixir of Striding to apply and use blade venom. The effect of this elixir is "Cure Root by Magic." Intoxicant You become intoxicated. You feel good Elixir of Good Health and as you take more doses you are less and less The effect of this elixir is "Cure Disease by likely to retain good judgement. If you imbibe a Magic." Elixir of Iron Limbs The effect of this number of doses equal to your Earth you are elixir is Grant "Shield Maim" by Magic. likely to become a little wild or overly emotional. Elixir of Moderate Healing If you exceed your Earth you are likely to pass out The effect of this elixir is "Heal 5 by Magic." for a time. Real danger tends to awaken and sober you quickly. Elixir of Pain Resistance The effect of this elixir is Grant "Shield Agony" Preservative Catalyst by Magic. This oil is bottled with a component to preserve that component indefinitely. The component is Elixir of Antidotes bottled and will not fade at the end of the year. The effect of this elixir is "Cure Poison by Magic." Scorpion Sting Venom An oily black paste that smells like mint. This venom strikes for "Agony by Poison" if you have Level 3 Substances the skill to apply and use blade venom. You must have an Alchemy skill of 3 to use formulas to create these substances. Snake Bite Venom A green paste with a musky smell. This venom Amber Prison Venom strikes for "5 Damage by Poison" if you have the A golden paste that crystallizes in an amber sheen skill to apply and use blade venom. when applied to a blade. This venom strikes for

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"Paralyze by Poison" if you have the skill to apply and use blade venom. Elixir of Life Administer this elixir to a dead body. The effect of Elixir of Greater Healing this elixir is "Cure Death by Magic." The effect of this elixir is "Heal 10 by Magic." Elixir of Clarity Elixir of Courage The effect of this elixir is "Cure Mental by The effect of this elixir is "Imbue by Magic." You Magic." may call out “Shield” to negate the next two attacks with the Fear trait that strike you. This Elixir of Stone Skin counts as a Grant effect and cannot stack or be The effect of this elixir is Grant "Resist Damage" stacked with another Grant effect that targets the by Magic. Fear trait. Golden Touch Catalyst Elixir of Anti-venom This magical liquid can be applied to a small The effect of this elixir is Grant "Shield Poison" metal object between events to turn that object by Magic. into gold. The object can be no larger than a dagger, and objects so affected will become Elixir of Elemental Purity valuable ornamental items but will lose all game The effect of this elixir is "Cure Elemental by functions and magical enchantments. The item Magic." becomes solid gold and can be sold in game for one piece of gold. Some magical items will resist Red Fury Venom this enchantment. The Golden Touch is turned in A blood red paste that appears wet even when it is with the item at the end of the event when you applied. This venom strikes for "Frenzy by wish to use it. Poison" if you have the skill to apply and use blade venom.

Level 4 Substances You must have an Alchemy skill of 4 to use formulas to create these substances. Doom of Kings Venom A sparkly white powder that adheres to metal.

This venom strikes for "Death by Poison" if you have the skill to apply and use blade venom. Elixir of Supreme Healing The effect of this elixir is "Heal 20 by Magic."

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Chapter Six Races of Aerune

The lands of Aerune are home to a variety of racial skills. A more complete description of the distinct races. These people that populate Aerune culture of each races and information about races are known as the Gifted Races. There is a great that are not allowed to players follows. variation in the culture and physical distinction of these races. Some races have distinct variations or cultures. You gain your general race and your Humans specific racial variant as a trait. A Leindrel elf, for Willful and determined, humans are the most example, has both the Elf trait and the Leindrel numerous of the races. They tend to be highly trait. Some races are given additional traits in their adaptable and creative. There are six major description. Human kingdoms, and other Human cultures outside these kingdoms, each with it's own unique Each race has racial skills that they may purchase. set of viewpoints and strengths. Humans have no If the racial skill does not have a cost listed then racial make up requirements. All humans have the members of that race get it for free. following racial skill in common.

You need not purchase your racial skills but some Determination members of your race might fully expect you to You are determined to succeed where others be able to use your racial skills and might find it might back down. Once per event when one of odd if you cannot use them. You are required to your skills or spells is negated by a called defense abide by your racial make up requirements at all you may choose to use this skill instead of appropriate times. If you cannot consistently wear exhausting attributes for that ability. Call out racial make up for whatever reason then we have “Imbue by Determination” instead of exhausting included races that don't have racial requirements, attributes for a skill negated by a defense. You and others that may change into a form with may also use this skill by spending a point of heavy make up requirements and back again for Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the players that might want a race that allows for that. verbal when you call it out. Races that transform in this manner cannot use their racial skills unless they are so transformed. Energetic 1 Humans are an energetic folk filled with passion This section has a summary of the races that are and impatience. Once per event you may reduce allowed for player characters and a list of their the resting time to use Void to refresh your

113 Madrigal 114 attributes. You need rest only one minute to You are from the Kingdom of Mhurkiel, where refresh attributes when you use this skill. You may you have risen from humble beginnings to seek a also use this skill by spending a point of Karma. greater destiny. Your land exists under the watchful and powerful eye of your mysterious In addition to these skills, each kingdom and Queen, and although the common folk suffer culture has an additional skill that distinguishes it under the Slave Lords of that land the people find from other humans. ways to exist and prosper. The Six Kingdoms Defiant 1 Your people are hardened by the constant threat of enslavement or physical punishment from cruel Avanlei Slave Lords. Two times per event you may use You are from the Kingdom of Avanlei, a land that this skill in place of a point of Earth when paying stands with strong will against the shadow and for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does not despair of the Malekyrg kingdom. refresh with Void. Vigilant 1 Naporea Your people live in the Shadow of the Malekyrg You are from the Kingdom of Naporea, a land that elves, ever watchful for their treachery. Two times both lost its noble purpose and regained its per event you may use this skill in place of a point heritage. Though your folk are proud and quick to of Air when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. anger, your politics and passions are volatile and This skill does not refresh with Void. you must be prepared to respond to threat and insult. Locksmoor You are from the Kingdom of Locksmoor, and Cunning 1 your ancestors broke from the corrupted barbarian Politics and fierce pride have made you quick Blood Tribes and embraced druidic ways. Your witted and adaptable. Two times per event you people are the only kingdom that remembers the may use this skill in place of a point of Air when old ways of the Pale, and you are guarded against paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does attempts to deny your belief. not refresh with Void. Faithful 1 Rhoemurg You cling to the old ways with a fierce You are from the Kingdom of Rhoemurg, a determination that makes it difficult to sway you hardened northern land blessed with the gift for from your path. Two times per event you may use warfare and fortitude to fight the endless war this skill in place of a point of Fire when paying against the corrupted Blood Tribes to the north. for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh with Void. Steadfast 1 Your people are hardened by the constant war Mhurkiel against the Blood Tribes. Two times per event you may use this skill in place of a point of Earth

114 Madrigal 115 when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh with Void. The Elves Reclusive and magical, much has been written and speculated about the elves. It is rare for them Trechele to walk the civilized lands, and many humans go You are from the Kingdom of Trechele, the heart through their lives without ever seeing one of the of civilization blessed with fortunate bounty that fair folk. All elves have pointed ears revealing allows culture and art to flourish. their Fey heritage. There are four realms of elves in Aerune, though players cannot play one of the Passionate 1 dark Malekyrg elves. All elves have the Fae trait Your people are surrounded by the finest artisans, and share one racial skill. crafts folk, and culture to inspire your passion. Two times per event you may use this skill in Acuity of the Elves place of a point of Fire when paying for a skill, You have a keen and quick mind. Your senses are spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh with sharp. Two times per event you may use this skill Void. in place of a point of Air when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh with The Wanderers Void. The Eluviar The Barbarians You are an elf from the Kingdom of Eluviar, also You are one of the barbarian folk living on the called the Shining Lands. Your people have edge of the realm in the wilderness and mountains aligned themselves with Light and hold outside the kingdom. themselves to the ideals of Erionth, the elven hero of old. You may purchase the following skills. Durable 3 You gain one additional Vitality point. Heart of Light 2 Twice per event you may change any one of your The Gypsies skills or spells to use the Light trait. Replace the You are one of the Gypsy folk, constantly normal trait of the effect with Light. If you are wandering the land and calling no place home for using a Damage or Heal effect that already has the long. Light trait you may exhaust one use of this skill to add 3 to the effect. You may also use this skill by The Gypsy Curse 2 spending a point of Karma and adding “With You call forth a curse against someone who has Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. offended or attacked you or another Gypsy. Once per event, throw a packet, call out "By My Gypsy Remember the Light 2 Blood, I Curse You With..." and choose either The light of the Seely Court flows in your veins. "Silence by Magic" or "Weakness by Magic" to Once per event you may activate this ability by curse an enemy of your folk. calling out “Imbue by Light.” The next 2 Heal effects that are used upon you or that you use upon another person are increased by 2. If the

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Heal effects are yours you must call out the of the event. increased Heal total in your verbal. If you have during this event performed some art in front of an audience for at least one minute then the power The Liendrel of this skill is increased. Instead increase the next You are an elf among the Liendrel tribes. You are 3 Heal effects by 2. You may also use this skill by wild and reclusive, more likely to hear the voice spending a point of Karma and adding “With of the animal lords than civilized man. You may Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. purchase the following skills. The Forest Lord 3 The Kh'rewyn This skill may only be used while cloaked by You are one of the Kh'rewyn elves who followed nature, where you are touching a tree or there are Queen Delphestra into the heart of the Great Web multiple trees between you and any visible to reclaim that ancient place from corruption. buildings. Once per event, while cloaked by Your kin cultivate the Twisted Garden as a nature, you can use any Beastmaster, Druid or physical and spiritual fortress against assault. You Ranger skill with which you are familiar. You have embraced the Cinereal Thorn to protect you need not pay the attribute cost of this ability, but from the corruption of the Great Web. Your kin the skill will fade from you within 10 seconds. are constantly besieged, if not by the servants of You may also use this skill by spending a point of the corrupted Spider Lord trying to take the Great Karma. Web and destroy your folk, then by the politics and looming threat of the Kingdom of Malekyrg. Remember the Wood 2 Only the constant vigil of your kin at the edge of The nature of the Seely Court flows in your veins. the Twisted Garden staves off disaster. You may Once per event you may activate this ability by purchase the following skills. calling out “Imbue by Weald.” The next 2 Heal effects that are used upon you or that you use The Cinereal Embrace 3 upon another person are increased by 2. If the You have embraced the Cinereal Thorn, the Heal effects are yours you must call out the silvery vine that grows to form the Twisted increased Heal total in your verbal. If you have Garden. So long as you wear at least 3 feet of gray during this event performed some art for at least and silver vine as part of your costume you will one minute in the wilderness where you could see not gain the Flesh or Blood trait from effects that no buildings then the power of this skill is inflict those traits upon you, including Flesh increased whether you had an audience for it or runes. You may also exhaust 2 points of Earth to not. Instead increase the next 3 Heal effects by 2. resist any attack with the Blood, Darkness or You may also use this skill by spending a point of Malediction trait. Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. Caress of the Thorn 1 Twice per event you may take a point of damage instead of exhausting an attribute point when The Eurvein using a skill or spell. If you are not wearing at You are kin to the elements themselves, least 3 feet of gray and silver vine as part of your embracing your elemental nature to find strength costume you will gain the Flesh trait for the rest

116 Madrigal 117 and balance. You form seethes with elemental You may also use this skill by spending a point of power and many of your folk were once masters Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the of the forge when you worked your power at heart verbal when you call it out. of the world. You have been driven from the ancient halls under the world by the undead of the Ebon Throne, and now their master Lord The Eurvein of Earth Wickford sits on a throne in the heart of those You have embraced stone and metal as your ancient halls. All Eurvein share one racial skill. elemental focus. Your skin is veined with either the earthen colors of stone, or the dark gray and metallic colors of metal with deep silver Born of the Elements highlights of crystal. Some Eurvein even have Twice per event you may resist any attack with an gray hair or black hair streaked with silver. The Elemental trait that strikes you. You may refresh crystal in your skin is deep silver; you may affix a one use of this skill by consuming one True unique pattern of crystals to you face or use silver Element that matches your elemental focus. True glitter over your colored veins. You may purchase elements so consumed are destroyed and must be two skills. turned in at check out. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. Embrace the Earth 1 You have seething elemental Earth coursing through you veins. Two times per event you may The Eurvein of Air use this skill in place of a point of Earth when You have embraced wind and sky as your paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does elemental focus. Your skin is veined with the not refresh with Void. white and gray of clouds and mist, tinged with pale light blue, with clear or silver highlights of Like the Mountain 2 crystal. Some Eurvein have white hair or light You can turn your form iron hard, rooting yourself gray hair. The crystal in your skin is clear or like the mountain. Twice per event you raise one silver; you may affix a unique pattern of clear foot and stomp it down into a wide stance as you crystals to your face or use silver glitter over your call out "Imbue by Earth." So long as you do not colored veins. You may purchase two skills. move your feet you can call "Shield by Earth" to negate the next 4 called attacks with a Physical or Embrace the Wind 1 Elemental trait. You may choose to negate an You have seething elemental Air coursing through uncalled attack if you must but this uses one of you veins. Two times per event you may use this your 4 defenses. This ability ends when you move skill in place of a point of Air when paying for a your feet or you have negated 4 attacks. You may skill, spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh also use this skill by spending a point of Karma with Void. and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. The Wind's Fearsome Touch 2 You can manifest fearsome winds to force your The Eurvein of Fire enemies away from you. Two times per event you You have embraced flame and ash as your may throw a packet at an opponent to call out elemental focus. Your skin is veined with either "Slam by Wind" to knock your enemies down.

117 Madrigal 118 the red and orange and yellow of flame, or the use this skill in place of a point of Water when black and gray of ash with deep red highlights of paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does crystal. Some Eurvein even have fiery red hair or not refresh with Void. ashen gray hair. The crystal in your skin is deep red; you may affix a unique pattern of crystals to The Water's Tidal Rush 2 you face or use dark red glitter over your colored You can manifest all the power of the sea and tide veins. You may purchase two skills. to hold back a host. Once per event raise one foot and stomp it down into a wide stance as you call Embrace the Fire 1 out "Imbue by Water." So long as you do not You have seething elemental Fire coursing move your feet you can throw a packet and call through you veins. Two times per event you may "Repel by Water" or "Repel by Ice" up to 10 times use this skill in place of a point of Fire when to force opponents away from you. This ability paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does ends when you move your feet or you have not refresh with Void. thrown all 10 attacks. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With The Fire's Seething Touch 2 Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. You can manifest raw elemental fire and cast it forth to destroy an enemy before you. Once per The Aneketh event raise one foot and stomp it down into a wide You come from the outcast people that live in the stance as you call out "Imbue by Fire." So long as mountainous badlands to the north of the world. you do not move your feet you can throw a packet Once an enslaved house of a lost desert realm, or swing a weapon and call "2 Damage by Fire" your people still remember when they were noble up to 10 times to burn your opponents. This and free. You cling to your freedom fiercely, and ability ends when you move your feet or you have are adept at surviving in the harsh northern used all 10 attacks. You may also use this skill by badlands. Your people once bore the physical spending a point of Karma and adding “With signs of their enslavement, etched into their faces Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. as deep lines and wrinkles. In recent times, however, many of your folk have changed, taking The Eurvein of Water the noble appearance of your Court of the Sun You have embraced the waters of the sea, lakes, from the time when you were free. Both the and rivers as your elemental focus. Your skin is Aneketh of Sun and the Aneketh of Dust share the veined with the deep blues and greens of the sea, following two skills. with deep blue highlights of crystal. Some Eurvein even have blue hair or green hair streaked Grace of the Aneketh with seaweed. The crystal in your skin is deep Your people are graceful and quick. Two times per blue; you may affix a unique pattern of crystals to event you may use this skill in place of a point of you face or use blue glitter over your colored Water when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. veins. You may purchase two skills. This skill does not refresh with Void. Embrace the Water 1 Fortitude of a Harsh Land 2 You have seething elemental Water coursing You have chosen the badlands of the north through you veins. Two times per event you may because they are not unlike your homeland, full of

118 Madrigal 119 venomous beasts and toxic plants. You are can apply it in active combat. Once per event you resistant to such threats. Once per event you may may call "Agony by Poison" with any bladed call "Resist" to negate one attack with the Poison weapon. The liquid nature of the venom allows trait. You may also use this skill by spending a you to use it instantly without stopping to apply it. point of Karma and adding “With Karma,” before Once applied the venom is only consumed if the the verbal when you call it out. strike lands and the opponent acknowledges it through role play or negated it with a defense. You may also use this skill by spending a point of The Aneketh of Sun Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the You are one of the Aneketh that has regained the verbal when you call it out. noble bearing and visage of your people and your house. Your skin has a subtle golden sheen with golden sparkles, and your lips and eyes are etched The Ghul in metallic gold. Woman have eyes that are lined You have spent time in the Lands of the Dead to in black. the south, and your horrific existence is the price you have paid for escaping from that dread place. Vapors of Clarity 2 Although you have escaped the undead lords of You have been trained to gather the components that dark land, the land itself has bled your very to create a poison that seethes with mind altering life force and corrupted your spirit. You are one vapors. You apply this clear substance over your the the Ghul, neither living nor dead. During the golden hue, and the vapors help keep your mind day you appear to be human, but when night falls clear. Once per event you may call "Purge Mental you take the appearance of an undead with dark by Poison" to clear your mind. You may also use rings around your eyes and blackened lips. Some this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding Ghul become white or gray and have rotting skin. “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. You have the Undead trait. During the day you are weak; your Vitality is reduced by 1. At night you become stronger. At the end or your The Aneketh of Dust transformation your Vitality is instead increased You are one of the Aneketh that has retained the by 1 and the two point difference is restored to appearance of your outcast and cursed people. you. Perhaps the worst thing about Ghuls is that You skin is tan and deeply wrinkled with darker they sometimes fall into a mindless rage in the brown lines. Your eyes are circled with darker presence of the Foul. You may purchase the brown the bleeds into your wrinkles. You are a following skills, but you can only use them while reminder of the shame and suffering your house you are transformed. and people have endured, and it is common for the low Aneketh to hide their faces in wrappings. Corrupted Rage You may purchase the following skill. If you are struck by an effect with the Malediction trait you may choose to call out "Reduce to Sting of Dust 2 Frenzy" to negate the attack and allow the You react poorly to the vapors of the Aneketh of Malediction to cast you into a mindless rage. the Sun. You instead have been trained to gather the components to create a nasty venom and you Manifest Claws 4

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You grow and retract claws in both hands. You Your people are full of passion and joy. Two times may attack and parry with these claws. You may per event you may use this skill in place of a point fight with a claw in each hand at the same time, of Fire when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. but you may not fight with claws and other This skill does not refresh with Void. weapons or a shield. You may use one medium claw and one short claw. The time it takes to The Merciful Vine 1 prepare the claws or put them away is the time it Whenever you drink an Intoxicant elixir or any takes to grow or retract the claws. If you purchase substance with an Intoxicant effect you are also Armed as the Hunter or a similar ability that healed one point of Vitality. Once per event you normally gives you claws your claws are may, if you have imbibed enough Intoxicant to enhanced. You may use two full length long role play a drunken stupor, choose to refresh one claws. The maximum length for these claws is the point of Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. same as the length of a one handed sword. That Pain Is Nothing 2 Not Truly Alive 2 When you wake after a night when you where Twice per night your undead form casts off an affected by an Intoxicant at least once, role play effect that would weaken the living. You may being grumpy with a slight headache. Once during spent 3 seconds of role playing and call out that day before you sleep again you may call out "Purge Metabolic" to end an effect that might "Bah! Resist" in an unimpressed tone to negate hamper a creature that is truly living. You may one Agony effect. You may also use this skill by also use this skill by spending a point of Karma spending a point of Karma and adding “With and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. you call it out. The Shoathri The Korred You are one of the rare folk who have been This race is young in Aerune, having left the inhabited by an animal spirit that can manifest Realm of the Fey only a century ago. They left the within you. You were once human, but you are Fey realm to escape the sorrow of the war and marked by one of the Animal Lords, and you can hatred between the Seely and the Unseely court. manifest the physical features and mental The Korred were one of the Fey races who had characteristics of an animal spirit. You bear a members on both courts, and they fled that realm blood red mark on your face that appears in both rather than letting that hatred set them against your human and animal form. Choose the Animal each other. The Korred now dwell in the Lord who has touched you to determine your Whisperhaunt wood. You have pointed ears and appearance. horns protruding from your forehead. Your kin wear their hair wild and tend to wear earthy tones. You may appear as a humans with the blood red You have the Fae trait. You role play the effects of mark, but strong emotions that tap into your Intoxicant as if your Earth was 3 points higher. primal being can cause you to become more You may purchase the following skills. animal like. This emotion could be anger, fear, passion, or the desire to hunt. A Shoathri so A Korred's Passion affected will grow agitated and feel the need to be alone. You will transform during this restless and

120 Madrigal 121 animalistic state, taking the physical and mental characteristics of your animal spirit. You have the Wild Fortitude 3 Beast trait while you are in your animal form. You gain one additional Vitality point. Shoathri racial skills can be used only in their animal form. All Shoathri may purchase the following skill. Cat Bayastri is the cat spirit. Characters who choose Manifest Claws 4 this spirit will take the facial characteristics of a You grow and retract claws in both hands. You hunting cat when they change. They will have a may attack and parry with these claws. You may cat-like nose, whiskers, and cat-like stripes. Some fight with a claw in each hand at the same time, grow fangs. When they have changed they will but you may not fight with claws and other tend to move with as much smoothness as weapons or a shield. You may use one medium possible. Purring and slurring R’s is not claw and one short claw. The time it takes to uncommon. Shoathri taken by Bayastri tend to be prepare the claws or put them away is the time it extremely curious. They tend to enjoy the hunt, takes to grow or retract the claws. If you purchase even going so far as to prolong it for pleasure. Armed as the Hunter or a similar ability that You may purchase the following skills. normally gives you claws your claws are enhanced. You may use two full length long Bayastri's Grace claws. The maximum length for these claws is the The cat is graceful and quick. Two times per event same as the length of a one handed sword. you may use this skill in place of a point of Water when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill Boar does not refresh with Void. Tlorulo is the boar spirit. Characters who choose Curiosity Kills 4 this spirit will take the facial characteristics of a Once per event you may choose to be curious... or boar when they change. They will have a to be lazy. If you choose to be lazy, stretch out in blackened boar-like nose and protruding lower some warm place and take twice as long, a full 10 tusks. Many have the full, flattened nose, and the minutes, to refresh your attributes using Void. You eyebrows are often darkened and made larger. gain one extra point of Vitality for the rest of the event. If you choose to be curious you must be The character might snort. Those taken by Tlorulo entering a gate or some other mysterious and become aggressive and more easily provoked to remote area where you have no idea what to anger. They also will tend to be more stubborn, expect. You gain the ability to negate any one and tend to have more difficulty using finesse in melee, missile or packet attack by calling "Avoid" situations where a straightforward approach might but only while you are through the gate or within work. You may purchase the following skills. that area. Your curiousity, and this ability, is lost when you return to familiar territory. If you use Tlorulo's Will this skill for one purpose, to be curious or lazy, The boar is full of determination. Two times per you may also use this skill for the other purpose event you may use this skill in place of a point of by spending a point of Karma. Fire when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh with Void.

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themselves as many small valuables as possible Crow when taken by Skaleen. The character will also Choenta is the crow spirit. Shoathri in the form of tend to prefer stealth to outward aggression if Choenta will grow prominent black feathered possible. You may purchase the following skills. eyebrows and their faces will become marked with a pattern called crow’s feet. The marks consist of three thick black lines extending from Skaleen's Acuity each eye. One extends out toward the ear, one The rat is clever and observant. Two times per extends down on the cheek, and the last extends event you may use this skill in place of a point of diagonally between the two. Some Shoathri also Air when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This have darkened feathered hair or black feathered skill does not refresh with Void. sideburns when they take the form of Choenta. When changed, these Shoathri tend to cause all I Have Eaten Worse 2 types of mischief. They will switch small items to You are used to unsanitary conditions. Once per cause confusion. They will attempt to trick their event you may role play for 3 seconds and call out enemies. Some might even try to trick their "Purge" to escape one Metabolic effect. You may companions. If forced to fight many use traps and also use this skill by spending a point of Karma ambushes rather than straight combat. You may and adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when purchase the following skills. you call it out. Choenta's Acuity Wolf The crow is clever and observant. Two times per Urugar is the wolf spirit. Characters who choose event you may use this skill in place of a point of this spirit will gain the facial characteristics of a Air when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. This wolf when they change. They will have a wolflike skill does not refresh with Void. nose, and gray and white wolf-like coloration. Many have ears that are larger and pointed. Some Taking Flight 2 have fangs. The character might snarl, and howls You are difficult to trap. Once per event you may are not uncommon to express emotion, especially role play for 3 seconds and call out "Purge" to when the moon is showing. Shoathri taken by escape one Paralyze, Root, or Slow effect. You Urugar become more concerned with survival and may also use this skill by spending a point of loyalty to the pack. They will respond to threats Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the with violence, and will become very protective of verbal when you call it out. their friends. They tend to have an instinct to attack if anyone seems like a threat to them or their companions. You may purchase the Rat following skills. Skaleen is the rat spirit. Characters who choose this spirit will gain a rat-like tail, a round black nose, whiskers, and gray or brown rat-like facial Urugar's Will features when they change. Some have The wolf is known for stamina. Two times per pronounced front teeth. The character will tend to event you may use this skill in place of a point of move lower to the ground with quick nervous Earth when paying for a skill, spell, or ability. motions. The character will tend to gather to This skill does not refresh with Void.

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Strength of the Pack 2 You're tough. You love to fight. No one is You are stronger when you are with your pack. surprised that you can call extra strength when Once per event you may use this skill to lend you need it. Two times per event you may use this strength to yourself or another. You may howl like skill in place of a point of Earth when paying for a a wolf and either call out "Heal 2 to Self" or touch skill, spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh another character to call out either "Heal 4 to with Void. Beast" or "Cure Physical to Beast" and give them the pack's strength. You may also use this skill by Troll's Strength 3 spending a point of Karma and adding “With You call upon untapped reserves of strength to Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. tear free from or shake off physical effects. Once per event role play a roar and call out "Purge" to end any effect with a Physical trait. You may also The Trolls use this skill by spending a point of Karma and You are a Troll that has wandered down from one adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you of the mountain clans that dwell high above call it out. Locksmoor. Since the humans have opened the borders there have been many more travelers for your folk to trade with, raid for loot, and just bully Mountain Trolls into a good fight. You have large over sized lower Your coloration is tan and brown. Your male kin tusks protruding out and large horns. The horns of often have facial hair. Mountain Trolls can your people vary wildly in size but you pick on purchase the following skill. your kin who were cursed with smaller horns. The best horns are large horns that curve and sweep Troll's Toughness 3 back off the forehead. You are a great drinking You gain one additional Vitality point. Yeah, companion once someone gets to know you, but you're just that tough. the travelers seem somewhat touchy and ill tempered around your folk. They seem to think your clans folk are overly violent, but they are Stone Trolls lucky the Iron Trolls don't come down for a brawl. Your coloration is slate gray and black. Your male The skin of your Stone Troll kin is slate gray and kin often have facial hair, and many have unkept black. The Mountain Trolls, on the other hand, are black or gray hair. Stone Trolls can purchase the tan and brown. If any troll ever purchased the following skill. Highborn header a thousand of your brethren would storm down from the mountains and drag Stone-like Hide 3 the drunken sot away to be kicked and beaten Your hide increases the protective value of any until the rampant violence had restored them to armor you wear or armor effect you use by one, their senses. There are probably other skills you regardless of prop or limitation. Yeah, if you aren't would pick on a troll for learning but sometimes wearing any armor this skill will act as a single your kin do things like that just to be stubborn. All point of armor that can be refreshed by taking a trolls may purchase the following skills. minute to drink something strong, but come on what kind of troll are you if you can't find some Troll's Might kind of decent armor protection to soak up strikes?

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You face is marked with a pattern of deep purple crystals. Your pattern is distinct from your kin. The Wayward Although rare, some of your kin have a pattern or You are one of the Wayward, the folk that have weave of glittering purple lines rather than distinct come to this realm through the Crimson Gate, crystals. You sustain yourself with normal food, leaving their lives and memories behind them. but you also have a craving for the life force of You are trapped in this realm without knowledge other creatures. Many of your kin have chosen to of your former home, unable to pass through the set this desire aside, never to feed on the life force Gate to return to your place of origin. You know of another creature, but the desire is always there, your own name, the name of your race, and the in the back of your mind, hungering. skills you learned in your previous life. You cannot remember anything of your previous realm Your desire for life force is dangerous, and an or your life there. It has not been long since you Vorace under the effect of a Frenzy who takes have come through the Gate. Although you down a friend or foe will attempt to deliver a instinctually remember your race and your skills, death strike to the unfortunate victim before your memories are gone except for vague visions moving on to another foe. of a few details.

You may choose 1 to 3 indistinct memories you Deathwatch keep from your previous life. If another player is Once per event when you see an attack with the playing one of the Wayward you may also choose Death effect strike another creature and that to remember some kind of tie to them. They seem creature role plays the effect without negating it familiar, but why you do not know. In this place with a defense you may choose one attribute; Air, where you have been cast adrift can you afford to Earth, Fire or Water. Refresh 2 points of that forego any connection to your previous life? attribute by calling out "Refresh 2 [Attribute] by Otherwise your history is only what you have Gloaming." You may also use this skill by encountered in this realm. You have heard tales of spending a point of Karma and adding “With kinsfolk who have found relics or keepsakes from Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. beyond the Gate that have restored bits of their memory, but what precious memories you have Manifest Claws 4 are fleeting at best. You grow and retract claws in both hands. You may attack and parry with these claws. You may fight with a claw in each hand at the same time, The Vorace but you may not fight with claws and other vor-ACE weapons or a shield. You may use one medium You are one of the Wayward, the folk that have claw and one short claw. The time it takes to come to this realm through the Crimson Gate, prepare the claws or put them away is the time it leaving their lives and memories behind them. takes to grow or retract the claws. If you purchase You are trapped in this realm without knowledge Armed as the Hunter or a similar ability that of your former home, unable to pass through the normally gives you claws your claws are Gate to return to your place of origin. You know enhanced. You may use two full length long you are one of the Vorace, and you kin were claws. The maximum length for these claws is the sometimes called the shadow bound. You skin is same as the length of a one handed sword. jet black and your hair is black, gray, or white.

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more free spirited, and link with different Souldrinker 4 individuals at different times of the year. The You may feed on the spirit of dying creatures, person you link to becomes your Patron. You can consuming their life force to increase your not link to someone who is already a Patron, and strength. Call out "I consume your spirit" before you can only be linked to one person at a time. you deliver a death strike. If you successfully complete the death strike and the creature does Once per event you may role play for one minute not call "No Effect" because it is already dead you and call out "Imbue Soulbound by Will" to link call out "Heal to Self" to feed on the life force of with a willing recipient. You also gain the the creature. You must be careful using this ability Soulbound trait. This person becomes your Patron on creatures of the Foul; sometimes they will and this link lasts for the rest of the event. You inflict traits on Vorace foolish enough to feed on may choose one aspect of that person's personality their spirits. to adopt as a result of the link, but this role playing effect is not required. If either person linked by the Soulbound trait dies their final time The Shiven while this link is in place then the shadow of the SHEE-ven Tower falls on the other unfortunate individual. You are one of the Wayward, the folk that have When they learn of the death they know some come to this realm through the Crimson Gate, piece of their spirit is missing and that their next leaving their lives and memories behind them. trip through the Gate of Death will be their last. If You are trapped in this realm without knowledge you end an event linked to another character you of your former home, unable to pass through the may begin the next event still linked to that Gate to return to your place of origin. You know character if both of you agree on this before game you are one of the Shiven, divided in spirit and starts. If you are not linked to anyone your form. One side of your body is tenebrous, forever Vitality is decreased by one. changed in spirit and hue. Choose one side of your body that will be your tenebrous side. This Strength of the Shiven tenebrous side has a different hue; blood red, You draw on the spirit of your Patron for strength. midnight blue, or rarely jet black. The edge of Once per event choose one attribute; Air, Earth, your tenebrous side is a precise line down the Fire or Water. You may refresh 2 points of that center of your face and your body. Your tenebrous attribute by calling out "Refresh 2 [Attribute] to hand is clawed, so you must wear the vestigial Self." remnant of a claw on one hand.

Your spirit is stronger when it is linked to another One Bound, Twice Strong 2 being. You can link to another willing member of While you are soulbound your will is the Gifted Races, drawing strength from their strengthened. Twice per event if you are linked spirit. This calms you and makes you more you may call out "Resist by Soulbound" to negate serene. Without this link you are more abrupt, one attack with a Mental trait. You may also use more angry, and slightly more prone to make rash this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding and violent decisions. To many it may seem like “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it you are simply in a bad mood. Many Shiven link out. with only one other individual for life. Others are

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Bound in Soul, Bound in Health 1 Although the line pattern on the faces of your kin You may sacrifice some of your life force to heal are distinctive, all of them go from the hair line to your Patron. Each time you use this skill you lose the eyes and down to the bottom of your face. a point of Vitality as damage. This damage Some of you kin have patterns on other parts of bypasses armor points. Each use of this skill heals their bodies. The chin usually has a swirl pattern one or two points. You may touch your Patron that connects with the rest. You know this pattern with a packet call out “Heal 2 to Soulbound” a marks your spirit and binds you to the Ethereal number of times per void refresh equal to your Court. You can feel the tendril of spiritual energy Void attribute. Otherwise call out “Heal to extend from your form back to the Crimson Gate. Soulbound” when you use this skill. If this removes your last point of Vitality you fall Dreams of the Court unstable, hovering at the brink of death. You still dream about the Ethereal Court and carry a passion and noble bearing despite your forced Your Spirit is Safe 3 exile. Two times per event you may use this skill Your link is stronger than death. Once per event if in place of a point of Fire when paying for a skill, you are linked you may touch a packet to your spell, or ability. This skill does not refresh with Patron and call out "Cure Death to Soulbound" to Void. restore them to life. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With The Ethereal Dance 5 Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. You may entrust your spirit to the Ethereal Court, leaving your true essence in the care of that Court to protect you from death. Mark this skill and 15 The Embrech character points of skills and attributes on your EM-brek character card when you check in. You cannot You are one of the Wayward, the folk that have choose skills unless you also choose any come to this realm through the Crimson Gate, prerequisites those skills might require. You may leaving their lives and memories behind them. go to the Crimson Gate and role play for one You are trapped in this realm without knowledge minute to release your spirit into the Gate to travel of your former home, unable to pass through the to the Ethereal Court. You lose all skills, attributes Gate to return to your place of origin. You know and abilities except the 15 character points worth you are one of the Embrech, a noble folk bound in of skills you have marked on your card. Your spirit to an Ethereal Court you cannot quite Vitality remains unchanged, even if your remember. You know you are bound to this Court attributes are lower. While your spirit is in the in word and spirit, and your kin are crowned and care of the Ethereal Court you do not travel to the blooded with a regal nature. Your skin is bleached Gate of Death if you are slain. Instead, you travel white and your hair devoid of color, gray or white to the Crimson Gate up to 3 times to reform. It or black. You have a pattern of black lines upon takes 5 minutes to reform at the Gate. your face that bind your spirit to the Court. Many of your kin decorate their hair with a stripe of During this time you are a Spirit of the Dead and bright color, and the women sometimes wear must abide by the restrictions of such a state. You color on their lips to contrast your stark white may return to the Gate at any time and spend one features. minute to call your spirit back from the Ethereal

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Court and restore your skills and attributes. Upon your third death you are too weak to reform You and all your kin are bound to crystal without your full spirit and while reforming your weapons. You brought yours with you through the spirit and thus your skills are restored. You can no Crimson Gate and you guard against its theft and longer send away your spirit if you have reformed destruction. The type of the weapon is entirely up a third time. So long as you have not reformed at to you but you only get one. Don't lose it. the Crimson Gate a third time you may send your Whatever weapon you choose you must start spirit to the Ethereal Court or call it back as often game with the skill to use it, even if you must as you wish. If you die with the Malediction trait, choose a crystal dagger because you have no or gain the Malediction trait while you are weapon skills. You crystal weapon is blue with reforming you do not reform at the Crimson Gate. white diamonds or white with blue diamonds. If Your link to the Ethereal Court is cut and you go your weapon is affected by a Destroy effect you to the Gate of Death instead. also take 20 points of damage. Call out "20 Damage to Self" if the weapon is affected by a My Life Belongs to the Court 3 Destroy effect. You spirit belongs to the Ethereal Court. Once per event if you are struck by a Death effect you may Crystal Violence call out "Reduce to 5 Damage" to negate the If you name your weapon and talk to it really effect and instead take 5 points of damage. You nicely it will empower you. Each event you gain 2 may also use this skill by spending a point of points which may be spent in place of Air, Earth, Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the Fire, or Water when using a skill or ability verbal when you call it out. involving your weapon, but only if you spend some time explaining to your weapon what is going on. Otherwise it gets upset and you get The Zhuriel nothing. You are one of the Wayward, the folk that have come to this realm through the Crimson Gate, leaving their lives and memories behind them. It's All In the Head 3 You are trapped in this realm without knowledge You are immune to Madness effects no matter of your former home, unable to pass through the what anyone else thinks. Or maybe you are Gate to return to your place of origin. You know already there. In addition once per event if you are you are one of the Zhuriel, and despite your loss holding your weapon you may negate one attack of memories violence and action still brings you a with a Mental trait and take a Frenzy effect sense of joy. You have a wild nature, and it is instead. The weapon gets upset if people try to reflected in your visual appearance. Your face is mess with your head. Call out "Resist and Frenzy covered with blue swirl patterns, like traditional to Self" to negate the attack. You may also use this Celtic or Norse spiral decoration. Many of your skill by spending a point of Karma and adding kin have blue lips. You hair is wild, or maybe you “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it are completely shaven, and your kin wear many out. piercings on their body. It is not uncommon for the Zhuriel to have multiple piercings on their A Matter of Pride 2 ears and lips. Some of your kin wear ritual scars Once per event if you are holding your weapon to commemorate important victories. call out "Resist" to negate an attack with the

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Agony effect. After all the piercing and scarring adding “With Karma,” before the verbal when you your weapon would lose complete respect for you call it out. if you show that kind of weakness. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and Chapter Seven Mythos of Aerune

There are many divine and spiritual paths in the Gifted Races of Aerune. It is said that these gods realm of Aerune. The gods of the White Court are dwell in the heavenly gardens of Auralis and the most powerful and prevalent, warring with the recognize the god Aradach as their sovereign lord. forbidden gods of the Black Court. There are These gods are called the Ordained and these are those who follow the old gods, the great Pale the only gods recognized by the Church and the spirits of the Green Man or the Gray Man. Some Inquisition. Decrying these gods is blasphemy and folk are empowered to see the spirits of the past, carries with it a punishment of death for any who present, and future and they become Shamans. do not repent. The Inquisition has been tasked to Other follow Forbidden Gods that walk with no hunt and destroy the blasphemous gods and the others. Some gods accept no worshippers at all. dark knowledge that supports and empowers them. The White Court The High Church supports and lends aid to all The most powerful and prevalent mythos of worshippers of the White Court. Those Aerune consists of the gods of the White Court. worshippers who wish to be fully embraced by the These gods recognize the potential of the Gifted church seek favor so they may become Ordained Races, and they seek to guide them so that the and thus be recognized by the High Church. Gifted Races will flourish. The High Church Priests and Templars act as the spiritual advisors recognizes only these gods as truly divine. The for the High Church, and although many expect other gods are either blasphemous, such as the the Templars to focus on more militant matters Black Court, or spiritual paths that lack true this is not always the case. Some worshippers divinity, such as the Pale and the Shamanic never become Ordained, and even Priests and traditions. The High Church is tolerant of those Templars may be devout without becoming ancient spiritual paths that are not forbidden, but it Ordained and entering into the service of the High actively searches out and destroys the Church. Some priests so fully embrace the ideals blasphemous religions of the Black Court and the of their god that they become High Priests and Forbidden Gods. their divine powers grow. The church will sometimes promote their most devout to positions The White Courts consists of gods that seek to of higher responsibility, granting the title of foster the purpose and spiritual strength of the Prelate, then Archprelate, then Patriarch or Matriarch. There is only one High Patriarch or

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Matriarch for each god, and High Patriarch or gray, or black. Matriarch of Aradach acts as the spiritual voice for the entire church. Spheres Legacy, Sovereign, Wayfare Aradach The Sovereign Lord The Calm of Aradach 2 Sovereign, Honor, Volition, Justice Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack with the Frenzy effect that strikes you. You may “While it is difficult to follow the path of good rest for one minute to refresh this ability. and righteousness with an unerring step, it is harder still to lead others down that path.” Sovereign Will 3 Once per event you may deny a foe by calling Souls can be lost without guidance, and Aradach "Resist by Divine" to negate one melee, missile or provides that guidance through inspiration and his packet attack. You may also use this skill by servants. He is the patron of those who would spending a point of Karma and adding “With guide others as sovereign rulers, and he is also the Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. god of truth. As ruler of the gods, Aradach must settle disputes and his word is not questioned. With Clear Judgement 3 Though few would challenge his wisdom, it is You may dispel powers that bend the will of the certain that the unquestioned support of Myrkorim victim so that all those about you may act of their provides additional incentive to follow his own free will. Exhaust 2 points of Fire and cry out judgement. Aradach has ruled than none of the “By My Voice, Cure Mental by Magic” and all gifted races should pay twice for one crime, and who hear your commanding voice shall be free of thus when one pays for their crimes with their life any effect based on Mental traits. they are seen from that point forward as innocent in the eyes of the Ordained. Myrkorim The servants of Aradach acts as advisors to rulers The Lord of Six Blades and leaders and, when the need arises, act as Protection, Vigilance, War leaders themselves. They are expected to act as the impartial judge, and many go to the priests to “Whether you raise a sword against me, or watch settle disputes. The servants of Aradach watch for the war and do nothing, you serve the darkness in those who are leaders and provide support and either case.” guidance to them. His priests loathe deceit, but there is no greater sin than betrayal in the eyes of A war rages across Auralis and Oeruin, and Aradach. Myrkorim is always ready to fight it. He prefers a clean, honorable fight, but he knows the other side Symbol fights dirty. Myrkorim has never been bested in A gray sword wrapped with knotwork or a cord personal combat, and the other gods admit, woven of black and white. Sometimes the cord is perhaps begrudgingly, that it is Myrkorim’s tied to the pommel of the sword. The sword is usually pointed up. Priests usually wear white,

129 Madrigal 130 personal prowess and sense of tactics that has kept All called damage effects of 3 or more that the host of Oeruin at bay for so long. damage you are reduced by 1.

The servants of Myrkorim are expected to train themselves and prepare others for the war. His Naveril priests will almost always have combat related Lord of the Four Winds skills and be ready for battle, or they will have a Bounty, Inspiration, Art, Travel, Freedom good reason why not. Myrkorim does not advocate violence for the sake of violence, but he “One cannot feed a belly or a soul with virtue knows that victory is paid for with blood. alone.”

Beset from both sides by the Black Court and the The Lord of Bounty nourishes both the body and Forbidden Gods, Myrkorim has continued the war the spirit. He is the patron of material and spiritual with a stoic determination. He has visited divine wealth, and both merchants and artists pay him inspiration on the smiths of his church to create homage. Naveril promotes the concept of charity six divine blades to help his followers in times of and the concept that hard work is rewarded. The need; A great sword called Cleave, a broad sword god does not believe in decadence, has no called Defender, a polearm called Whirlwind, a patience for those who are lazy or whose greed long axe called Sunder, a spear called Impale and harms others. Passionate to a fault, he inspires a great axe called Headsplitter. It is said that the passion, and is sometimes seen as the patron of devout might seek one of these weapons in times romantic love. It is said that in the darkest of great need. moment of the War of Tears, when Myrkorim faltered and Azerial rose above him, that it was the music of Naveril that empowered his spirit Symbol and turned the tide of the dark host. He is the god An iron fist. Sometimes a gray gauntlet is used of creative energy, and those who are seeking to instead. Priests often wear blood red trimmed with create call him for inspiration. dark gray. The priests of Naveril forego the traditional Spheres temples, providing instead inns and taverns that Primal, Sovereign, Wayfare are warm, comfortable, and provide the priesthood with a good living. Although those Blood That Is Spilt 2 who are in need can find help, the priests do not All called damage effects of 3 or more from your engage in handouts and instead would try to find melee, missile, or packet attacks is increased by 1. work for those who are down on their luck. These taverns are filled with music and act to support the The Courage of Myrkorim 2 arts. The priests of Naveril sometimes travel to Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack inspire passion in others, while pursuing their own with the Fear trait that strikes you. You may rest excellence in some form of art. Still others are for one minute to refresh this ability. reserved and reclusive, devoted to their arts. Defense Of the Six 2 In recent times Naveril has left Auralis to travel to the four corners of the world. Many of his priests

130 Madrigal 131 have been inspired to do the same, traveling about Wit of the Scoundrel 1 to view for themselves the plight and condition of Once per event, you may exhaust 1 point of Air to the common folk. Naveril has come to encompass perform any skill from the Rogue or Troubadour travel and wanderlust as a result, and he has headers. You must also pay any attribute costs for gathered many new priests who act as wandering the skill in question. If the skill could normally be mendicants aiding those in need. This turns of used any time, you must choose a target upon events has not been without problems. The priests which it will be used. You will only be able to use are not entirely free of mischief, most notably in that skill upon the chosen target once. If you have Mhurkiel where Naveril priests have been already spent at least 30 character points on the sneaking into that kingdom and liberating slaves. Rogue and Troubadour headers, including the Rumors speak of a Freehold at the edge of that headers themselves, then you may use this ability kingdom that has become a haven for those freed to perform any skill listed in this book that is not a by the priests of Naveril. The High Patriarch of mythos skill or racial skill using the costs and Naveril shocked the church and High Court when guidelines listed above. You may also use this he was heard to say "With our beloved sister skill by spending a point of Karma and adding Elshea in exile someone has to pick up the slack." “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it out. Symbol Traditionalists use a gold chalice tipped to the right with gold coins spilling from the chalice. Sereness Many traveling priests use a tipped chalice of gold Princess of Dreams and Hearth Dreams, Hope, backed by a compass mark. Priests often wear Courage, Hearth green trimmed with gold. “Remain pure of spirit, for you must walk the Spheres landscape of your soul each night.” Legacy, Wayfare, Weald As the goddess of dreams, Sereness is responsible for inspiring the gifted to follow their dreams in Following the Four Winds 2 the waking world and for protecting the dreams of You gain inspiration from the travels of your lord, the sleeping. When her sister, Khelvaan, was calling on the wisdom that Naveril gains as he forced to retreat across the Dreamscape, Sereness travels the four corners of the world. Once per was given the task of maintaining that realm event you may call on the wisdom of the four against her. The Dreamscape remains divided winds to empower one of the faithful. Touch the between the Goddess of Dreams and the Princess recipient with a packet and call out “I call on the of Nightmares. Sereness inspires people to four winds, Refresh Karma by Divine” to conquer their fears and gives them the courage to empower them. create and protect in spite of their fears. She has no patience or love for apathy, jealousy, and envy. The Swiftness of Naveril 2 Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack She encourages people to find and follow their with the Root effect that strikes you. You may rest own dreams, not become obsessed with the for one minute to refresh this ability. accomplishments of others. She is also the

131 Madrigal 132 goddess of the Hearth, and she is invoked to Dreamscape. There have already been rumors of protect children and homes against invaders. skirmishes within the Dreaming. In a strange turn of events the servants of Khelvaan are likewise The priests of Sereness work tirelessly to inspire concerned by the presence of the Vesperan church and fortify the Gifted Races and are occasionally in the Dreamscape. called to the Dreamscape to serve the goddess and the Ordained. They work to inspire courage and to Symbol protect the homes of the faithful. Each night the A dream catcher with a blue feather. Some Goddess visits upon each sanctified home decorate the dream catcher or the feather with protection, through her priests, from violence and stars. Priests often wear dark blue with silver or theft during the late night hours. gray trim. Some wear stars on some small piece as decoration. With the war waged on two fronts, and Myrkorim tirelessly fighting both the Black Court and the Spheres Forbidden Gods, it has fallen more to Sereness Chimera, Legacy, Wayfare and her servants to protect the homes and lands of the faithful. As goddess of the Hearth she lends courage to her priests so they may lead by The Blessed Hearth 1 example. Her priests work to raise the spirits and Every hearth that you protect is sacred to you. the hopes of the faithful. Five times per day, once for each White Court god, you may refresh your Aura of Healing in any The priests of Sereness have grown wary in recent hearth that has been blessed with The Hearth's times of the Vesperan church. The priests of Good Fortune. You may also use the skill Temple Vespera are also steeped in Chimera and wield Fortress by touching a symbol of your goddess similar magic, allowing them to perform similar within such a hearth, but doing so uses up all tasks. Many expect the priests of Sereness to take remaining uses of this skill. This skill refreshes a less active role in the church, acting instead to once per day when you sleep for the evening. guard homes and temples. This does not sit well with the priests of Sereness who are inspired to The Hearth's Good Fortune 1 take an active role in the War of Dreams and the You may protect a hearth from harm during the fight against the evils of the waking world. It is late evening. If any of the Gifted Races sleep also said that the priests of Vespera sometimes within a building and call it home, you may walk the Dreamscape using their own Chimera empower that dwelling with the protection of magic, a fact that the priests of Sereness are not Sereness. You may empower the dwelling at any comfortable with. The High Patriarch of Sereness time, but the protection only lasts from 2:00 am to has put forth an edict that no one shall travel the 10:00 am. If you empower the dwelling during the Dreaming unless they travel with a priest of time of protection you call out "Imbue by Sereness as an advisor and guide. The church will Sereness" and hang a Dreamcatcher in a not have the War of Dreams against Khelvaan prominent place on the doorway along with a Safe endangered. Though this edict has hampered the Hearth information card. Both must be visible. If Vesperan church, it has also set the church at odds the dwelling is not lit the Dreamcatcher must be with the Sorcerers and Shamans steeped in marked with a light of some kind. If someone who Chimera magic who sometimes walk in the stays within that dwelling is familiar with this

132 Madrigal 133 ability then you may use this ability at any time Dream" to bolster one of the faithful. during the day and empower that individual to activate the power sometime after 2:00 am. In this Walking the Dreamscape 2 case you must touch the Dreamcatcher to Twice per event while you are in the Dreamscape empower it and set it aside with the Information you may refresh your Attributes to renew your Card someplace safe. The person you so strength. Call out "Sereness lend me strength in empowered will be able to call "Imbue by this place of dreams! Imbue by Dream" to refresh Sereness" and hang the Dreamcatcher and the your Air, Earth, Fire, and Water attributes. You Information Card on the doorway after 2:00 am to may also use this skill by spending a point of activate the blessing. The person who activated Karma and adding “With Karma,” before the the blessing is also responsible for making sure verbal when you call it out. that the Dreamcatcher is taken down in the morning before 10:00 am. Either way all effects The Warmth of Sereness 2 of this ability last only one night and end at 10:00 Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack am. Each day you will need to visit each dwelling with the Despair trait that strikes you. You may once again to bless it. rest for one minute to refresh this ability. When the blessing is in effect, from 2:00 am to 10:00 am, those who are staying in an area Vespera without bath facilities may touch the The Lady of Mystery Dreamcatcher during the time when this ability is Secrets, Knowledge, Mystery, Magic active and travel to the facilities in spirit form. While in spirit form you must press your palms "Have the persistence to reveal the mysteries together and keep your head bowed. You must around you, and the wisdom to know which return the same way. You do not reform, nor can secrets to keep." you linger or wander off a straight path to the bath area and back, until you return to the cabin and Vespera is the Lady of Mystery, the goddess of touch the Dreamcatcher once again. This ability both secrets and knowledge. Her priests both will not work during the time when the Blessing is reveal secrets that might endanger the Church, not in effect - you are on your own. and they guard the secrets of forbidden arts that might corrupt the spirit. Her servants are often You cannot role play while traveling back and trained in intrigue and act as spies and hidden forth to the bathroom. If an attack strikes you you agents who watch the common, merchant, noble reply "Spirit." folk of the land. Priests of Vespera tend the Veiled Library, a hidden place that holds the dark Hope and Courage 1 knowledge that presents a danger to the followers Three times per event you may either resist or of the White Court. For many years the Lady of cure effects with the Despair or Fear trait. You Mystery traveled outside Auralis gathering dark may exhaust one use of this skill and call out knowledge, but it is said she has returned from her "Resist by Dream" to negate one attack with the sojourn and her church has once again joined the Despair or Fear trait that strikes you. Alternately White Court. Priests of the Vesperan church acted you may exhaust one use of this skill to call out to save many folk during the War of the Maw, "Cure Despair by Dream" or "Cure Fear by

133 Madrigal 134 including the eldest lord of House Rouen who especially those who object to the common became a supporter of the church. practice of arranged marriages among the Kingdoms. It is not uncommon for the Vesperan The priests of Vespera are often distrusted, for it is church to act as advisors or arbitrators in matters their task to gather knowledge for the High of the heart, especially when such matters will Church, even knowledge some would rather keep interfere with noble tradition. hidden. Especially knowledge some would rather keep hidden. While many of these priests as Symbol seekers of knowledge and truths travel noble A white expressionless mask shaped like the face courts and gutters alike to observe what goes on of one of the Gifted Races. Priests usually wear there, some are tasked with finding deeper secrets dark gray trimmed with silver, although some trim and these act as scouts and spies. It is said that no their gray with purple. secret is safe from the followers of Vespera, and thus no secret is safe from the High Church. The Spheres High Patriarch of Vespera whispers directly to the Chimera, Legacy, Wayfare High Patriarch of Aradach, imparting whatever knowledge that position requires. Divine Center 3 Vespera is the patron of arcane magic, an aspect At the beginning of the event place an ornate which many mages resent. In the aftermath of the goblet, bowl, bag or other container in your fall and betrayal of the Archmage Wickford, the consecrated temple. Place two stones, gems, or High Church has been watchful of the arcane crystals into the container for each spell you have guilds. Although the High Church claims arcane purchased from spheres within this header. These magic is the providence of Vespera, many mages stones are empowered with magic. When resting objected to the interference and questioning of the in the temple under the symbol of your goddess church. The Vesperan church claims it is their you may take out and exhaust one stone to place divine right to question a source of magic and that up to 2 attribute points worth of enhancement only guilds that practiced the forbidden arts would spells upon yourself without expending attribute object to their council. The noble guilds points. These spells are either Grant or Imbue compromised by accepting an advisor from the effects, including Evocations, that you can cast on church onto their council, but many of the smaller yourself. Using this skill removes any previous guilds and guilds who lacked noble influence Grant or Imbue effects if those also came from were disbanded. Most notably, the Seven Veils this skill. You may not purchase both this skill and Guild, known for their masked mages, simply Arcane Center. disappeared when the church came to question them. Secrets That We Keep 1 You may gather at least 2 other Vesperan priests One aspect of the church that has made it popular who also have this skill to prepare a Writ of is that Vespera as the patron of secrets has become Secrets. Prepare a writ that describes some secret, a champion of unrequited and forbidden love. memory or forbidden knowledge. Have each Many priests of Vespera join the church when priest who will support you read the writ and, if their love for another is spurned. This aspect has they support this act, exhaust a point of Air to sign made the church popular among young lovers, the writ. Attach an Inflict card to the writ when

134 Madrigal 135 three others have signed it. Touch a willing or helpless victim, exhaust 3 points of Air, and call The Black Court out "Inflict by Divine" to lock their memories into The Black Court dwells in the Labyrinth of the scroll. The recipient will lose all memory of Oeruin, forever exiled from the gardens of the subject outlined on the scroll, the memories Auralis. The Black Court look on the world with locked away by divine power into the words on disdain, and see it only as way to satisfy their the scroll. The recipient is forced to carry the appetites and to bring them the power to fuel their scroll. The recipient knows that they carry the hatred and spite. The Gifted Races are as puppets scroll, but will not remember the information and slaves to them, and the Black Court locked in the scroll. The scroll cannot be opened, recognizes no potential or glory other than their unrolled, or destroyed unless the divine power is own. somehow removed. This power cannot remove actual skills, spells, or abilities. The recipient gains the Reticent trait and only effects "to Azerial Reticent" can affect this divine power. It is unclear The Tyrant, the Lord of Oeruin what happens if the recipient under this effect suffers a final death. Some say the secret is lost “The Gifted Races have not the heart nor the beyond the Gate of Death. Some say the scroll stomach to reach their true potential. Only those passes back into the realm of the living at the time with the strength and vision to rule can lead them of death. Vesperan priests often perform the last from chaos to excellence.” rites on unfortunate individuals who bear the Writ of Secrets. It takes will and power to build, and those with weak wills and lack of vision threaten the Secrets Revealed 1 progress of the world. It is the responsibility and You may unlock the secrets of the church, briefly right of the strongest to lead the flock to restoring the memories of someone carrying greatness. Each person has their part to play, and forbidden knowledge. Touch a willing or helpless Azerial’s part is to be the lord and ruler of all. He recipient with a packet and call out "Silence and is the Lord of Oeruin, the Tyrant, and the Imbue to Reticent" to allow them to remember Dominator. He leads the Dark Gods with an iron and whisper that knowledge to you. They will will and an unyielding grip. He plans the day remember the information locked away on the when he will once more rule supreme among all scroll, but they are unable to speak unless it is the Lords of Aerune, and will not rest until all pay whispering to you while this effect is in place. The homage to him. effect lasts so long as you continue to touch the person with a packet. The servants of Azerial are rulers or advisors to rulers who lead through force and power. His The Voice of Vespera 2 servants support slavery, and those who have Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack prejudices and see other castes or races as inferior with the Silence effect that strikes you. You may pay homage to the Tyrant. His priests consider rest for one minute to refresh this ability. their inferiors disposable, and they follow their superiors with great fervor until they can, one day, prove themselves to be greater by eliminating or

135 Madrigal 136 discrediting those above them who show You may request an Inflict card at the beginning weakness. of the event, and this card is given to the target when you use this ability. You must use the Symbol Affliction delivery as described in the rules by A black, scarred crown encircled with a blood red touching a weapon or packet to the target and chain. Priests wear black with red trim. saying “Affliction One, Affliction Two, Affliction Three, Inflict by Azerial.” The target is marked Spheres and gains the Enslaved trait until it is somehow Legacy, Primal, Sovereign removed. Even death will not removed the mark, although if the spirit goes to the realm of death and is weakened then the effect will likely be Divine Infusion 3 removed by those servants encountered beyond. You call forth a tempest of magical energy that you can tap to cast Divine spells. Once per event you may call out “Imbue by Infusion” to gain 2 Khelvaan Infusion points for your Air, Earth, Fire and Water Princess of Nightmares attributes. These temporary attribute points are used to cast packet delivered Divine spells that “Everyone, deep down, fears something.” require the appropriate attribute. You must use up these points when casting packet delivered Divine The Princess of Nightmares is the goddess of spells before exhausting the underlying attributes. terror, and she reveals the fears of the Gifted These points cannot be refreshed with Void, Races and feeds off despair and horror. She has though they can be refreshed with the Spellbound been charged with weakening the servants of skill. When you invoke this skill any existing Auralis by inflicting such doubt and fear that they Infusion points are lost. You may also use this fail to act against the Lords of Oeruin. She is loyal skill by spending a point of Karma and adding to Azerial and, like the Tyrant, she knows the “With Karma,” before the verbal when you call it world is in need of true guidance, which the gods out. You cannot purchase both this skill and of Auralis are unable or unwilling to provide. She Infusion from Arcane headers. also controls the dark side of the Dreamscape, and her creations roam its borders urging and coaxing The Mark of Servitude 3 sleeping spirits away from the Realm of Sereness. You may mark a helpless victim as a servant and visit pain upon them if they do not appease you. If The servants of Khelvaan serve their lady by you have marked a victim with a Mark of inspiring terror and fear and doubt to prevent Servitude, you may inflict Agony on that victim would be heroes from opposing the other servants by calling out to them “By My Voice, Agony to of the Black Court. They are sometimes brought Enslaved.” You may use this any time you into the Dreamscape to serve their lady or to recognize an individual marked by you or another, accomplish some dark mission that the gods of the and they will take the Agony effect. Black Court consider important. The priests of Khelvaan gain the Sphere of Chimera as their You may exhaust a point of Fire to deliver a Mark divine sphere. of Servitude to a helpless or willing target. Symbol

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A silver mirror framed in obsidian. Priests wear destruction. many colors, but decorate themselves with shiny or gem like materials. The servants of Murthean seek to reach their potential by fulfilling their own decadent desires. Spheres Many are willing to kill or steal for wealth. They Chimera, Gloaming, Wayfare seek the finest clothes, and richest foods, and the most exquisite wines and poisons. Second best simply won’t do. Many will attempt to reach a Walking the Dreamscape 2 level of heightened experience with poisons and Twice per event while you are in the Dreamscape drink and attempt to create art. Some succeed at you may refresh your Attributes to renew your first, but most succumb to their decadence. strength. Call out "Khelvaan grant me strength in this place of nightmare! Imbue by Nightmare" to Murthean has many unwitting servants, who serve refresh your Air, Earth, Fire, and Water attributes. him without realizing they spread his influence. Murthean has few priests, and those that The Nightmare Realm 2 consciously serve him tempt others down paths of While you are in the Dreamscape, you may excess. exhaust a point of Fire to duplicate the priest power of any other god or goddess. You may only Symbol gain one other power in this manner. If you use Green glowing eyes within ever hungry, ever this ability again, the previous use ends. The consuming black flames. Priests wear dark green power ends when you leave the Dreamscape and and black. at the end of the event. Spheres Murthean Gloaming, Malediction, Wayfare The Voracious Prince Insatiable Thirst 2 “The world is for the taking, and only those with Your divine hunger allows you to derive extra the proper appetites will be driven to take what sustenance from magical elixirs. All alchemical they wish.” elixirs give you a Heal effect, restoring one point of Vitality, in addition to the normal effect of the Murthean is the ever-hungry, a dark god who substance. believes that it is the appetites of the Gifted Races that drive them to greatness. It is only by seeking Only the Finest 1 indulgence that the gifted races may find Whenever you pay extra maintenance, you gain 2 absolution. Only the desire for what is around extra points of Vitality for the event instead of the them will drive them to change the world, and it normal 1 extra point. does not matter if that change is for better or worse. To Murthean the passion of a soul is a lie, and it is greed that drives all of the Gifted. The Wyrlok greatest show of strength is to pursue those Prince of the Beasts desires and hungers, even if it causes one’s own

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“Every being has locked deep inside a primal, Xerelos savage hunter waiting to be set free.” The Black Jester

The Prince of the Beasts is the merciless hunter, “Wisdom is in the tongue and heart of the fool and his favorite prey is the Gifted. Wyrlok does who laughs at the tragedy around him. Life is a not hunt for food or for survival – he hunts for comedy of errors, the blackest humor, for in the enjoyment. He is brutal and enjoys cruelty and end, what else can we do but look on it and slaughter, but does not always kill his prey. laugh?”

Sometimes he will twist their forms and their The Jester holds a special place in the Black minds into rampaging beasts or fill them with a Court. He is able to say things in the court none of frenzied desire to kill. Wyrlok is the progenitor of the other gods would dare say in the Black Court lycanthropes and all sorts of twisted races bent on of Azerial. Xerelos has a biting, sarcastic wit, and slaughter and destruction. Wyrlok hates the he sees the world as a dark joke. He has little animal spirits and takes particular pleasure in concern with the courts unless he can gain some killing the Shoathri. advantage or twisted amusement from some aspect of the war. He is the god of madness, he is The servants of Wyrlok are few and far between. the god of disease and deformity, and he is They are almost always violently brutal, and hunt particularly fond of visiting these torments on the for fun. A few carry more reputable facades and Gifted and laughing at their expense. stalk victims in another guise. Those priests who serve him gain the sphere of Weald as their divine The servants of Xerelos are often deformed or sphere. have broken spirits. Some are mad. Many delight in the pain of others, if only to forget their own pain for a time. The priests entertain themselves at Symbol the expense of others, even delivering pain and A brown disk with a blood red, open talon or claw death to satisfy their sardonic tastes. Jesters must striking downward. Priests tend to wear brown or be particularly careful of using dark humor lest black furs that are often stained with blood. they be accused of serving Xerelos and put to the sword. Spheres Gloaming, Weald, Wayfare Symbol A skull, quartered and painted black and white Blood Lust 3 like a Harlequin. Sometimes a skull is portrayed If you use any skill with the damage effect and the with a jester’s cap. Priests wear any number of opponent drops from it, you need not exhaust any dark colors in patterns and patches and twisted attributes for using the skill. designs in a fashion similar to a jester only darker. Violent Repercussion 1 Spheres You add 2 to all called damage effects you deliver Gloaming, Malediction, Wayfare when under a Frenzy effect. Ill Fortune of Others 3

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Watch when you affect one of the Gifted Races through the rite of resurrection, nor does she with a Slow, Agony, Drain, or Root effect. If that accept the sanctity of the spirit in Death. Her individual is taken down by someone else before priests are sure to keep an eye out for those who you break line of sight and while the effect is have not turned from their wicked ways, whether upon them, you may laugh or make a biting or not they visited the Gate of Death. remark right after they drop to refresh those attributes exhausted by your attack. If you break The secret church of Elshea has no love for the line of sight, fail to role play immediately after the Church of Vespera and considers all who worship victim drops, or the effect appears to end you her thoroughly evil and corrupt. It was the church exhaust the attributes normally. of Vespera that brought the charge that the writ of Elshea breaks the sanctity of Fate by twisting the death process. The followers of Elshea refused to The Forbidden set aside the divine right of Elshea by outlawing her writs, and many find the Vesperan Writ of Secrets far more appalling. In the ensuing intrigue Elshea the church of Elshea went against the orders of the The Huntress High Patriarch and started open warfare by destroying several churches of Vespera and “It is my divine right and duty to hunt those who slaying the priests there, using their writs to exact are undeserving of the Gifts. None shall deny my justice upon them. The church has been outlawed, birthright nor my divine sight.” and the worship forbidden.

The Huntress stalks the edges of the shadows In recent years the worship of Elshea has attracted seeking those who are unworthy of the Gifts. She a darker sort. Those who hunt for glory or money knows she is alone, but she will not set aside her have come to invoke the huntress, much to the birthright or her divine sight. Her worship is disgust of those who consider themselves true illegal; her priests are cast out, persecuted, and priests of Elshea. These bounty hunters and hunted themselves. Many have left the priesthood, bandits have further tarnished the name of the disillusioned or dissuaded by a life of hardship Huntress. In many places the priest of Elshea have and secrecy. Those that remain carry on her work turned dangerously violent, vigilantes of the or pray to her for strength in their own path of worse sort. It is said that priests of Elshea support vengeance or hunting, always staying one step the Kordova Rebellion and aid the rebellious ahead of the Inquisition and the agents of the nobles in that conflict. Goddess of Mystery. There are tales from the west, among the Winter The priests of Elshea are not well liked, especially Tribes, that the Huntress stalks evil with the Cat among the noble classes. They have been known Lord Bayustri. The barbarians sing tales of that to incite dangerous rebellion when they find a hunt and the destruction they have wrought on the ruler unjust. They are vigilantes who step in when evils of the world. It is thought that many Elshean law can or will not do so. Those criminals who are worshippers have found refuge among the Winter found innocent must still watch their backs if Tribe barbarians. Still others have entered there are those who would testify against them. Mhurkiel and hide their worship among a people Elshea accepts neither the purification of the soul who have outlawed religion.

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Place the writ into the hand of the guilty, and they Symbol will be compelled to deliver the writ to those who A tiger’s eye. Sometimes the eye is set into a disk await them beyond Death’s door. This with tiger stripes. Sometimes a Tiger eye condemnation must have the passion to convince gemstone is used. Priests often wear black with the servants of Death to judge this individual some amount of tiger striped material like a harshly. This skill cannot be used on spirits who headband or a belt. have risen to walk to Death's door. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and Spheres adding “With Karma” before the verbal when you Gloaming, Legacy, Wayfare call it out. The Persistence of Elshea 2 The Nylachia Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack The Obsidian Host with the Repel effect that strikes you. You may Lord of the Obsidian Heart rest for one minute to refresh this ability. Foul, Malediction, Undead

Strike of the Huntress 2 "The Obsidian Heart resonates throughout the Once per event you make a deadly strike with a Foul like the drums of war that call those who are melee or missile attack. Call out "Death by worthy to war against the undeserving." Gloom" and make your attack. This skill is used up only if you strike your target and the effect is When the lord of the Obsidian Heart ascended he acknowledged through role play or negated by a took for himself the Foul and all of Malediction as defense. This is the case for arrow attacks as well. his providence. As he stepped into the divine The huntress strikes true, and an arrow that misses realm his essence became a host of dark spirits or is blocked will not cause this skill to be used. and corruptors rather than a single divine being. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With Karma” before the His essence manifests throughout the lands like verbal when you call it out. grasping talons. Although many dark spirits carry his divine shadow, the Lord of the Obsidian Heart Vengeance of the Righteous 2 is the power behind them all. Each corruptor and If purification of death is not enough for a dark spirit are a set of eyes and ears bringing dark particularly vile individual, you may condemn knowledge to their lord. them for their crimes and deliver them to Death to be judged more harshly. Once per event you may The host of the Foul is called the Nylachia, each prepare a Writ of Condemnation that names the one a part of him. His divine voice is sometimes individual and lists their crimes. You may request called Nylachim. He has taken this name for an Inflict card at the beginning of the event, and himself, and it is intoned by his worshippers to this card must be attached to the bottom of the call his favor and bring him power. The Nylachia Writ. You must touch a blade to the torso of a are like a darkness across the heavens and the dead individual who has not yet turned to spirit earth, gnawing at the Tapestry where ever they and say “Inflict to Dead” to use this skill. can. The Lord of the Obsidian Heart binds them all. Everything they see, he sees. Everything they

140 Madrigal 141 corrupt brings him power. Wherever his will is greater weapons of corruption and despair. Even greatest, there the Heart can be heard beating with the mindless undead are a threat to the knights of the power of the Foul. the realms, and their desire to destroy has been tempered with a dark cunning. The three Foul It is said that the heroes of the War of the Gate Regents have called forth new types of undead, prophesied the coming of the Nylachia. Whispers and all creatures of the Foul have been blessed by say they knew the name he would take. They the Nylachia. Many undead grow in rage when prepared three Orders to war with him. Although more than three of the living are attacking them, they disappeared and faded from history, those and this makes them stronger. that remember bear the power of the Orders to honor their sacrifice. The Gifted must constantly guard against the creatures of the Foul, for destroying even one has In the War of the Gate the heroes of Shadowfane become more difficult. took up the call of the Orders and destroyed the champions of the Nylchia. Although gates of The Nylachia war with White Court. The battle is Obsidian manifested throughout the lands, there tireless, and the High Church combats the Host was no voice to call forth the dark host that and those followers where ever they appear. The hungered behind them. The Orders destroyed each priests of the Black Court also destroy the Champion in turn. In the years to follow the Lord followers of Nylachim. The Lord of the Obsidian of the Obsidian Heart has endeavored to raise new Heart has a particular hatred for Murthean, for the champions among his followers. Three first champion to rise in favor was the Ghoul individuals have risen above all others to serve the King, called the Insatiable, but with his insatiable Nylachia; The Lich King Wickford, the Banshee hunger he was lured to serve the Voracious Prince. Queen, and the Wraith King. Xerelos revels in the increased power of Malediction, stealing away that foul essence and The memory of the heroes has been honored by cursing the followers of the Nylachia with maintaining a Knight for each the three Orders, madness and corruption. Those who still secretly and each Knight has been gifted by a Gelid follow the Huntress also seek to destroy the Serpent with a symbol of power to remember their Nylachia. Despite this, many of the Blood Tribes Order. The Knight of Purification fights the Lich have united under the strength of Nylachim, and is King, destroying his corruption of the elements. it said that a full third of the Malekyrg have risen The Knight of Absolution combats the Banshee to the call of the First King. Queen, unbinding those souls she twists with regret and despair. The Knight of Forbiddance Symbol hunts the Wraithlords, barring them from A black heart, cracked by strands of deep purple. corrupting sacred places and creatures. Each Knight uses the power of the regalia of the Order, but when that power is spent the Knight passes the title and the regalia to another who is worthy. The Unaligned

With the ascension of the Obsidian Heart and its Ciarda, Fainche, & Sciath call to the Nylachia, the Foul has grown in power. Three Sisters of Fate Those abominations corrupted by the Foul wield

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“Each step, each breath, each stroke of the blade the spirits of the dead, and they appear in many or of the pen changes the weave of the Tapestry, places where violent or suspicious death is and forever affects the world.” common. As a result, there are many gates to the Realm of Death in the land of Aerune. Nielus calls Three sisters share the power of the goddess of none of the Gifted Races his servants. He is fate. They appear as three hideous old crones, served by beings called the Reapers. The Reapers Ciarda, Fainche, and Sciath. When Arcalia fell in carry out the business of their lord, act as his the War of Tears, her power was passed to her voice and, if need be, act as his hand. three children. They have taken up the tapestry of their mother. One weaves the present, one watches the past for loosened threads, and one prepares the The Elemental Lords loom for the future. They often switch positions Arasha, Lady of Air so they remain attentive to their task. All things Karakesh, Lady of Fire are recorded in the Tapestry, and only the three Qualash, Lord of Water sisters may look upon it in its entirety. Urgroth, Lord of Earth “Gentle and fierce, eternal and ever-changing, the The sisters have no priests, though seers and seething elements make up the essence of the historians sometimes call upon them for aid. world and the Elemental Lords are every bit as chaotic as their namesakes.” Those who desire to serve them travel to chronicle the events of the day. Many who are inspired by Wild, fickle, chaotic, and temperamental, the the sisters will travel into danger for the chance to Elemental Lords have inherited the power of the witness history in the making. fallen god of the primal elements, Khormed. The Elemental Lords were born when the Prince of Symbol Elements could no longer contain the conflicting Three silver needles intersecting at their midpoint elements within himself, and he was destroyed and pointing east, southeast, and south. from the effort of creating his successors. The Sometimes a scroll is behind them, and sometimes Elemental Lords grew in power quickly, and a watching eye is placed in front of the without the guidance or teaching of the older lord intersection. they became wild and untamed. They often argue among themselves, and take no part in the war Nielus unless it will bring benefit to them. The lords have The Lord of the Dead a delicate balance of power between them, and it “All things must die.” is common for one of them to aid the enemy of another to prevent the sibling from gaining too Grim and foreboding, Nielus takes no sides in the much power. The elemental servants of these war. He is the god of the dead, and he oversees the lords are constantly at war. The Elemental Lords spirits of the dead. He takes those who have died have no priests among the Gifted Races, and they from age or natural illness, but he will allow those pay little attention to the cults who follow them who have died from the hand of another of the unless their own war spills into this realm. Gifted to return to life if their spirit and will is strong enough. Gates to the Realm of death draw

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Those shamans and druids who can hear beyond The Pale the Pale guard the sanctity and freedom of the The natural world is full of free spirits. They land around them. Spirits of the Pale cannot abide dwell all around us, in everything this is not having their freedom destroyed. Fences and walls bound by the hands of the Gifted. They dwell in and borders drive them from the land. the trees, the earth, the rivers and the wind. The veil that separates this world from the spirit world Pollution of the earth or air destroys them. The is called the Pale, and there are still those druids druids and shamans must seek free and wild lands and elves which follow ancient ways, ways long to teach their craft for the spirits are not present in since discarded by the more civilized folk of the the civilized lands unless one already knows how Kingdoms. It is said, too, that the Ancestor Spirits to call them forth. of the Barbarian Tribes and the Animal Lords of the Shoathri also dwell within the Spirit world Green, Grey and Gold beyond the Pale. Of the six Kingdoms, only the The Druids, aged protectors of the ancient world, lords of Locksmoor still venerate these ancient call primarily to two Aspects of the Pale, the ways. Green Man and the Grey Man.

The druids have learned to listen and watch The Green Man is the embodiment of the Spring around them to track the spirits of the Pale. Rather and Summer months, of cool, replenishing rains than inspiring the spirits to appear to them with and warm summer days. His is the realm of song and dance and history, the druids intrigue the courage and preservation, and followers of the spirits by finding them and calling out to them Green Man are willing to work with all races, directly. They watch the heavens and world cultures, and religions toward their goals, except around them until they instinctively know where those who have cast aside their gifts and fallen to and when the Pale is thinnest. The druids spend corruption. much of their time bargaining with the natural spirits for aid, and in return they agree to keep the The Grey Man holds the Fall and Winter months, land wild and free. a natural balance to his brother and the unyielding harshness of the natural world. His is the court of The barbarian shamans instead use art and Truth and Destruction, and woe are those who sometimes dance to inspire the spirits of the Pale. seek to reach beyond their place in nature and Their spells are sometimes chanted or sung, and transgress into his world. Followers of the Grey the spirits are moved to help them. The ancestors Man tend to be wrathful and dire, full of grim of the barbarians watch over them and enlist the prognostications and uneasy tidings. They aid of the spirits of the Pale to help their tribes. In embrace only the wildness of nature, and their the sacred grounds of their tribes the most mercy is thin for any who dare to trangress into powerful shamans can even call their own their lands in number. ancestors to give them guidance or aid. The shamans remain reverent to the spirits, the land, There are deep and lasting rumors of a Third, lost and their ancestors. Brother, of the Pale, but, aside from some of the Elves, little is known of who this mysterious figure might be, and where he might have gone.

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dwelling with the protection of the Green. You In recent times there has been a resurgence of may empower the tent at any time, but the these ancient ways. There are whispers of an protection only lasts from 2:00 am to 10:00 am. If awakening, where the legendary White Spring has you empower the tent during the time of been found and empowered. There have been protection you call out "Imbue by Weald" and whispers that there are those who pursue hang an image of the Green Man in a prominent knowledge of the ancient holidays. With this place on the doorway along with a Safe Hearth awakening the Druids and Rangers of the Pale information card. Both must be visible. The Green have found inspiration. Druids and Rangers who Man image must be marked with a light of some do not have the Devout or Shamanic trait may kind. If someone who stays within that tent is embrace the Green or the Gray. A Ranger who familiar with this ability then you may use this does so gains the Druidic trait and cannot ability at any time during the day and empower purchase Devout or Shamanic headers or skills. that individual to activate the power sometime after 2:00 am. In this case you must touch the You can only truly embrace one of these paths. Green Man to empower it and set it aside with the There are rumors that there is a third path, but if Information Card someplace safe. The person you this is true it is lost and it cannot be embraced in so empowered will be able to call "Imbue by the same manner. Weald" and hang the Green Man and the Information Card on the doorway after 2:00 am to activate the blessing. The person who activated Gifts of the Green the blessing is also responsible for making sure Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger that the Green Man is taken down in the morning before 10:00 am. Either way all effects of this Health of the Green 2 ability last only one night and end at 10:00 am. Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack Each day you will need to visit each tent once with the Diesease effect that strikes you. You may again to bless it. This ability only works on tents rest for one minute to refresh this ability. within 20 feet of a tree line near the edge of town and will not work on permanent structures. Nurturing Roots 1 Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger Oak and Ash 2 If you are touching a tree you may send life Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger giving magics into the roots of that tree and into Once per event you may call on the Weald to the natural ground around you. Twice per event protect you. Your skin and clothing become you may touch the bark of a tree and call out "By hardened like bark. Call out "By the Pale, Grant 4 My Voice, Stabilize by Earth" to prevent bleeding Protection to Self" to invoke this effect. While friends from dying. You may also use this skill by you have unused Protection points from this skill spending a point of Karma and adding “With you may exhaust all remaining points to resist one Karma” before the verbal when you call it out. effect with the Fire trait. Call out “Resist by Pale” and exhaust all remaining Protection points to Pale Encampment 1 negate the effect. You may also use this skill by You may protect an encampment from harm spending a point of Karma and adding “With during the late evening. If there is a tent where a Karma” before the verbal when you call it out. follower of the Pale sleeps you may empower that

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attack need not actually affect you; attacks that are Gifts of the Gray negated by a defense can still be used to Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger determine if a future attack can be resisted. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Nature's Bite 1 Karma and adding “With Karma” before the Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger verbal when you call it out. This skill allows you to apply and use venoms, as described in the Alchemy section, on claws or any Fervor of the Gray 2 wooden weapon. You apply the blade venom with Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack an application verbal, calling out “Grant Melee with the Fear trait that strikes you. You may rest Attack by Venom, [Venom Effect]” as you apply for one minute to refresh this ability. the substance to your weapon. You call out the effect of the poison when you make an attack. The poison is used up only if the strike lands and the Gifts of the Gold opponent acknowledges it with role play or negates it with a defense. Hope of the Gold 2 Call “Shield by Divine” to negate the first attack In addition, once per event you may choose to with the Despair trait that strikes you. You may hold back the effects of a venom you have applied rest for one minute to refresh this ability. to a melee weapon so that the venom is not immediately activated. You may fight normally Perhaps I Am Well After All 2 even though a venom is upon your claw or Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger wooden weapon and use the poison later at a Once per event you may call out "Purge by critical time by calling out the effect as you Chimera" to purge any one effect delivered by a swing. Once you call the effect the venom is melee, missile, or packet attack. In reality you active, even if you miss or your attack is blocked. haven't actually purged the attack, instead you are Your swings with that weapon must use the using the power of Chimera to suppress the venom effect until the venom is used up or detrimental effect by hiding it away. This is very dispersed as normal. You may also use this skill stressful and while the effect is suppressed you by spending a point of Karma and adding “With gain the Chimera trait and take an extra point of Karma” before the verbal when you call it out. damage from any attack with a called Damage effect. You may end the suppression at any time. What Does Not Kill Me 2 The suppression also ends if you become Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger unconscious, or if you rest to refresh attributes or It is your nature to remember the lessons of the to end another effect. When the suppression ends past. Once per event you may resist one melee, the effect returns, though you lose the Chimera missile, or packet attack with a trait that is the trait and stop taking the extra damage. The effect same as an attack that previously hit you during must be valid for Purge; you cannot Purge this event. You call out "Resist by Pale" to negate Damage or Death. You may also use this skill by the attack provided you were struck by an attack spending a point of Karma and adding “With with the same trait previously during the same Karma” before the verbal when you call it out. event. Each new event resets this skill and the traits it can protect you against. The previous

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You Are Resilient, My Friend 2 Prerequisite: Druid or Ranger Once per event if you see another ally struck by an effect and you can clearly hear the trait of the attack you can bolster them against that particular type of attack. The attack need not affect them; it can be negated by a defense. Touch them with a packet and call out "Grant Defense by Inspiration, Resist " where the trait is the same as the observed attack. You cannot use this skill upon yourself. You may also use this skill by spending a point of Karma and adding “With Karma” before the verbal when you call it out.

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Chapter Eight Lands of Aerune

the capital to live out his years in the countryside. Avanlei Shortly thereafter, however, his son declared his The kingdom of Avanlei derives its beauty from love for one of the common folk, and abdicated the natural forests and decorative gardens the throne in favor of his younger sister, rather surrounding the cities. The kingdom is the than give up his love. smallest of the Six Kingdoms, built into a series of vales between the Griffin Peaks and The young Queen is known to be energetic and Whisperhaunt Wood in the northeast of the Six strong-willed, and though she is considered Kingdoms. Over the years, the people of Avanlei inexperienced by much of the court, her have maintained ancient walled gardens in the enthusiasm has won the hearts of the common sloping hills of the vale, and grow fruits and people and younger nobility. She has remained spices which are eagerly traded throughout the Six neutral with regard to the rebellion in Malekyrg, Kingdoms. and refuses to move troops over the border, though rumors persist that she is tangentially Avanlei is the only kingdom to maintain regular involved in the uprising. Her line is derived from contact with the reclusive Elven kingdom of Aradach, and she is a devout follower of the god. Eluviar, and some whisper that the royal family of The Galanar family is known as the finest knights Lirannon has the favor of the Seely Court. of Avanlei; fiercely loyal and exceptionally well- Whatever the case, Avanlei borders the Elven trained. The Galanar also maintains a religious kingdom of Malekyr, and this tiny kingdom is the order devoted to Aradach, and their priests travel first line of defense when those dark folk come the lands of Avanlei, bringing restorative magic to forth for war. her people.

The royal family of Lirannon is small, and The source of most magical knowledge in Avanlei maintains only enough knights to satisfy the is the mysterious Morbhain family. They are warriors of the immediate family. Most family known as strange folk, and do not choose to members are known as bards and storytellers. The attend court. Rather, they dwell within the Queen, Kerena Lirannon, came unexpectedly to Whisperhaunt wood, leaving only when one of the throne only a few years ago. Her father, Kylar their family is needed for advice or to provide Lirannon, was greatly beloved by his people, but magical assistance. It is whispered that the like many of the nobles of Avanlei was affected Morbhain have Faerie blood, and some claim that by the plague which had affected the land over ten this family is the last remnants of the lost years ago. As his health deteriorated, he abdicated kingdom of sorcery, Diardha. the throne in favor of his oldest son, and departed

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Elshea in her aspect of the Huntress in hidden Lochsmoor valleys and dens. Of the Black Court, little is In the northwest of Aerune is the kingdom of known, although wild creatures and bestial men of Lochsmoor and the Highlands; a kingdom only Wyrlock are constant dangers to lone travelers. recently acknowledged by the other Five. It is a While the principles of the Black Court are wild land of deep-shaded woods and towering certainly not tolerated, who can say what inroads mountains, and unlike the other Five Kingdoms, have been made since the Kingdom has been Lochsmoor is the land of the Pale; people who opened to the rest of world? live in harmony with nature and follow the ancient rites of the Green Man and the Grey Man. The political leadership of the Lochsmoor is particularly unclear to most outsiders. There is no The people of Lochsmoor live mostly in small overall leadership besides the Druid Council, the holdings scattered throughout the forest, their people of the Highlands are wild and frown upon homes constructed from stone frames with living the overtures of civilization, preferring to hunt walls of vines. Since the formal announcement of and gather in the deep woods of their lands, never peace between the Church and the Pale several taking more than they need from the bounty of years ago, the borders of Lochsmoor and the nature. At gatherings involving more than two Highlands, previously patrolled by fierce clans, rangers and druids from Lochsmoor are woodland Rangers, have been opened to often called in to officiate. Rumor has it that the commerce and trade. While they refuse to sit in clans occasionally meet around an ancient stone council with the other Kingdoms, Lochsmoor has throne hidden deep in the lands of Lochsmoor, grudgingly been called the Sixth Kingdom, and vacant since the last King of the Highland people now allow diplomatic envoys into their territory. abdicated last year, but if this is the case, no outsider has ever witnessed it. The only city in The religious leadership of the Highlands revolves Lochsmoor open to outsiders is Dun Comhghan, around the Druid Council of the Grove of currently ruled by the tanaiste Illtyd Ardgall of Lochsmoor. Undying and wise, their traditions are Clan Ardgall. Rangers and the dangers of the rumored to stretch back to the founding of the forest itself are generally enough to keep outsiders other Kingdoms and their blessing is sought when in the city proper. Leadership in that city is shared the land is threatened or new routes of commerce between three of the clans: the MacFaden, the are proposed. Recently there has been an MacTimoney, and the Ardgall. exchange of representatives with the church, with a member of the White Court allowed to sit in on Visitors to Lochsmoor inevitably hear of a second council gatherings, and an aged Arch Druid sent city, Dun Berach, somewhere near the mountains, to advise the Patriarch of the White Court. whose warriors and druids are legendary, but that city is not open to outsiders, so how much of the There is no law against worshipping the White rumors are hyperbole is anyone’s guess. Whatever Court (in truth, there are no laws in Lochsmoor, the exaggerations may be, the danger posed by the just customs and the strength of kinships to keep werebeasts that constantly roam the forests is not people together), but anyone who tries to preach exaggerated, and most of the clans claim that Dun worship of any god within the forest tends to Berach is the reason that the forest is not overrun receive a cold shoulder from most of the with them entirely. inhabitants, although small enclaves to Naveril have sprung up in various locales. Rumors also Humans are the most numerous race in place a strong fellowship dedicated to Myrkorim Lochsmoor, as in other nations. Unlike the more in the North, and the possible secret worship of

148 Madrigal 149 civilized lands, Shoathri are fairly common there, known to be the best throughout Lochsmoor, and and generally favored. Several of the clans when there is a gathering of clans they are always associate themselves with various animal spirits, called to tell the ancient legends. Their heraldry is and if a child born into the clan is chosen by the a gold harp on a blue background. spirit of that clan, the child is sure to be offered many opportunities to prove his or herself, and The Ardgall are, first and foremost, the children of can rise high in standing. Their legends tell of a Urugar. As the werebeasts in the mountains time when every person in Lochsmoor was became stronger, they followed the movement of Shoathri, and they could all support themselves the animals and moved away from those from the land without needing a roof over their mountains. It has been debated whether the clan heads, living much more in tune with nature than moved because they have so many beastmasters they do now. among them, or if they became beastmasters after they moved away from the mountains. The The people of Lochsmoor seem strangely hostile Ardgall will tell you that they have always had to Elves, compared to other races, refusing to among them those whose blood called to nature, allow them to be adopted into any clan, though since the beginning of time. Unlike the other there are a few Liendral holdings in the area clans, they accept no Humans into their ranks, around Dun Comhghan, and Eluviar traders have only Shoathri and occasional Zhuriel. Their reported no difficultly dealing with people at Dun symbol is a rising sun over the mountain. Comhghan. There are also Trolls present in Lochsmoor, though they most often form their The MacMaire clan is known for highly own villages in the mountains and have little to do specialized Rangers; circles of Stormdancers with outsiders. In recent years, Wayward, which call forth devastating powers against their especially Zhuriel and Eurvein, have both been enemies without destroying their own forces adopted into various clans depending on their (though they tend to be indifferent to the effect nature and willingness to accept the practices of their circles have on allied fighting groups). Their that holding, though neither is common. sign is a stooping falcon clutching a lightening bolt, set in white against a dark green background. The Seven Clans of Lochsmoor are distinct groups, although interlinked by many ties of The Maclaren have an odd place in the internal blood and marriage. standing of the Clans. In Dun Comhghan they are always mentioned with respect, but many from The MacFaden are a clan that tends towards deeper in the forests regard them as somewhat mystics and shamans rather than proper druids - weak and unreliable. This perception may spring the result of a fair amount of intermarriage with from the fact that many of their Shoathri follow some of the Winter Tribes (some habitually refer Choenta, and as a clan they specialize in archery, to the Barbarians of the Winter Tribes as so rarely do they take a stand in a straight-up ‘cousin’). Their sigil is a skull with a diagonally- fight. They are one of the few clans without a aligned spear behind it. clearly designated symbol, but their leaders often bear a red ribbon or band tied around their upper The MacTimoney clan often serves as arm. representatives in discussions with the other Kingdoms, but more importantly (by their way of The MacDurnan clan is seldom seen in Dun thinking), they are the skalds for the clans. Each Comhghan, but those that appear are always clan has its own skald, but the MacTimoney are shown respect (and given a wide berth). They are

149 Madrigal 150 considered a clan of excellent fighters, but they arrived to rescue the northern kingdoms from the are distinctly not famed for their wisdom, and are ravages of the Blood Tribes or the Elven kingdom always considered to be highly dangerous. They of Malekyrg. The other kingdoms also fear the greatly favor those Shoathri who are chosen by sorcery of the Queen, for it is said that she holds Tluro, and also boast a large number of berserkers many of the secrets considered lost when Diardha within their ranks. Their symbol is a charging was destroyed. How the Queen has obtained these boar. is unknown, but the fact that she appears youthful after 190 long years lends credence to these The clan Cyncad is the smallest of the seven rumors. major clans. Their Rangers are amongst the most skilled at stealth - near-untrackable - and their In recent years, one region in Mhurkiel has holdings are so well hidden that it is rumored that become a beacon of hope to those both within and no outsider has ever discovered their lands without the Kingdom who hate the Queen’s without having been guided there. Their sign is a policies. For reasons of her own, the Queen has crescent moon partially hidden behind an allowed the Free Commons of Belik Hills to evergreen tree. retain their independence. That place has afforded much opportunity for burgeoning overland trade and commerce, and, rumor has it, a stepping stone for insurgents trying to free slaves from Mhurkiel.

Mhurkiel The royal family is House Chartys, and the pale To the southeast lies the kingdom of Mhurkiel, Queen Khelaine Chartys ever keeps her Elite often called the Kingdom of Sin. It is the only Guard close. The royal family has the blood of kingdom which still permits slavery, and the Arcalia, and it is said that those with the power of Queen forbids the open worship of any god within that blood sometimes see into the past and the its borders. Where Trechele could be said to suffer future. The Queen’s art at diplomacy is as from excess, the court of Mhurkiel is openly effective as her magic, and her mood can quickly decadent, and the contrast between the rich and and without warning turn from delight to rage. the poor is great. While the Queen attends to a The power of Khelaine’s magic has not been lavish and darkened court, her people toil outside questioned since she turned it against Selarno her palace, barely able to feed themselves. Where (now Naporea) in a short skirmish some 70 years Trechele encourages freedom, Mhurkiel stifles it. ago. Art must meet the approval of the Queen’s censors, or it is immediately destroyed. Those The Thalik family serves as the Queen’s Elite who commit crimes or who cannot support Guard, and it is this family which is called upon to themselves are quickly pressed into slavery. The deal with the most difficult missions which Queen does not tolerate any race but Humans as require subtlety and swift execution. The Thalik citizens, and anyone who shows characteristics of family has some of the most skilled assassins in other races are pressed into slavery. Aerune. They carry out the Queen’s wishes wherever her gaze may fall or her wishes take The other kingdoms resent and sometimes openly them. The loyalty of the Thalik is unquestioned, challenge the policies of Mhurkiel, and the Queen and they have proven themselves loyal through all of Avanlei has a particular hate for the Queen. The manner of pain and death. ancient pact binds them, however, and more than once the deadly Elite Guard of Mhurkiel has

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The Melekite family serves as both the common support for the old royal family were killed fighting force and keepers of the peace. They are outright. also the family responsible for supplying slaves to Mhurkiel, and they are famously not particular All was changed ten years ago, when Joval about where they obtain those slaves. There is Naporea, the only son of the one surviving great hatred for the Melekite within the other member of the Naporean royal family, stepped kingdoms, but the power of the Queen keeps most forward to claim the throne. He was virtually problems in check. The Melekite take a perverse unknown at the time, the head priest of a small pleasure in that hatred, and they are extremely temple dedicated to Naveril, but managed to gain capable and paranoid as a rule. a great deal of support among the Selarno nobility, and, rumors say, among some of the other royalty The secretive family of Xerberes also serves the with true blood. When the time came to take a Queen. The family is a collection of priests and stand against the Selarno family, he delivered sorcerers. The priests rarely speak of their faith, another surprise – a ghostly army from ancient and the sorcerers do not contribute to the College Naporea returned to serve the last king with true in Trechele, nor do they share knowledge outside blood. their family. The Xerberes have very capable wizards, but some whisper that they practice and The coup was achieved with relatively little experiment their magics on live subjects. Since bloodshed. The Lord of House Selarno the departure of the House of Wickford from the disappeared immediately before fighting began, mages’ Guild Council, the Xerberes have stepped and his successor took her own life shortly forward and joined the Council with a guild of thereafter. Faced with the lack of leadership, the their own, exerting great influence over the spectacle of Joval’s ghostly army, and his offer of politics and policies of the Council. clemency to all who would accept his rule, the merchant lords of Selarno capitulated. Only a few The Queen wears a black badge with a white houses chose to resist, and were dealt with Unicorn rearing to the left. The Thalik wear no quickly. The arrival of the King actually lessened badge except in the most formal situations, and the amount of fighting on the city streets, as he then they are allowed to wear the badge of the made it clear that the inter-house wars so common Queen. The Melekite wear a black badge with a in the time of Selarno were a thing of the past. sword wrapped with a chain. The Xerberes do not The Selarno family itself fractured and wear badges or colors, but all wear necklaces or disappeared into the countryside, and though rings marked with an eyeball, and many have rumors persist that they and their lands are cursed tattoos of eyes somewhere on their persons. and ever seeking revenge on Joval, nothing has come of it in the decade since his ascension.

Naporea has been a land of relative peace since that time, although struggles between the king and Naporea the old Selarno merchant lords, and between the A few generations ago, Nachael Selarno staged a merchant lords themselves, are a daily part of life. bloody coup against the Naporean royal family, The merchant lords retain a great deal of their old one which was believed to have eliminated all of power, and it is not unusual to find them the royal family. For years, the mercenary king overstepping their authority. The King’s court also ruled the land he renamed Selarno with merciless hosts a large number of Vesperan High Priests, determination, and any who openly expressed who are anxious about the actions of the king who

151 Madrigal 152 holds Elshea’s divine blood, especially after Joval comes unwanted, and often comes at a price. offered refuge to her followers, though the Church has not formally objected to this act. The Einedes are known for their well-trained mercenary guards and soldiers. Many lords go to Several years ago, as rumors circulated that Joval the Einedes to supplement their own troops in would not marry and that the true blood would die war, and it has been said that not a war passes with him, the King quietly installed his daughter, which does not see the blades of the Einedes Arden, as his heir. Who her mother was is blooded. It was said that the crown might never unknown, and the Princess herself is seldom seen. have gone to Selarno if not for the Einedes family, Rumor has it that she travels the countryside with and they were known as the most loyal of the a meager escort, determined to discover the true houses. They have lost much since the revolution, state of the commoners to report to her father. as they no longer have the favor of the king, and Joval has been most diligent in weeding out The Noro family has long had the largest slavers from among his people. vineyards in Aerune, and their wines are the most widely tasted. Though Trechele claims more The royal Naporean family wears a golden crown expensive and, in some cases, finer wines, the of wheat on a field of purple. The Noro bear a Noro wines are by far the most widely distributed. gray rams' head on a purple field, and that symbol It is said that the Noro once dealt in other also adorns their wine. The Berellen wear the substances forsaken by all the kingdoms save talon of a hawk raised and holding a scroll, all Mhurkiel, but this is but rumor, and since Joval’s gray on purple. The Stefolare wear two gray rise they have been known strictly as wine masks of the theatre, one happy and one sad, on merchants. purple. The Einedes wear a gray dagger crossed with a gray lightning bolt, dagger pointing The Berellen family controls the shipping of the southeast, lightning pointing southwest, on a southern harbor, and owns the most caravans purple field. which make the dangerous journey to the north. The Berellen family often hires guards to protect their merchant wagons against the Blood Tribes and other dangers. There are some merchants from other kingdoms who openly wonder what it Rhoemurg is that makes the merchant trails dangerous – the The northernmost of the Six Kingdoms, Blood Tribes, or the Berellen paring down their Rhoemurg is known for her long winters and competition. sturdy peoples. The kingdom is closest to the Blood Tribes, and for many years has borne the The Stefolare are best known as the largest brunt of their raids, especially in recent years patrons of the arts outside of Trechele, but their since the rise of the Nalachim. The royal family of real money comes from their wools, cottons and Rhoemurg, House Vlariev, is of true blood and cloth dyes. Even the artists of Trechele prefer the claims a lineage to Myrkorim. The king of the cloth of Stefolare, for the color and texture is the land, Ossek Vlariev, was a general and knight, and best of the north, and some claim they use magic a veteran of many battles. His house controls the in its weaving. The Stefolare also deal in leather armies of Rhoemurg and most of his knights come and a great number of crafted goods. The from his own family. Stefolare consider themselves the protector and savior of the craftsman, but that protection often

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Two additional families serve the royal line. of mild weather, successful war campaigns, and great distance from both the Blood Tribes and the The Bjurik family handles all matters magical, Malekyrg Elves has made this kingdom the richest and is responsible for gathering and schooling the in goods, money, and culture. The royal family is sorcerers of Rhoemurg. The family is small, but a great patron of the arts, and the court in the the wizard Verrekan is said to be extremely capital of Aviogne is known for its intrigue and powerful and fiercely loyal to the Vlariev line. excess. Even warfare and combat are treated as an art, and the duelists of the court and the streets of The Ovorn have a dark reputation. They swore Trechele are respected for their skill with blade fealty to the Vlariev only a century ago, leaving and tongue. If there is a place with a true the kingdom of Selarno to do so. The Ovorn are appreciation of the arts, it is Roechere and the well-versed in Selarnian practices and court of House Mercenes. Physically, the people philosophies, and rumor has it that they are called of Trechele display wild variation, depending upon to deal with problems which need to be upon where they were born; Humans born of resolved quickly and quietly. The Ovorn keep a northern Trechele have fair hair and fair skin as a strict eye on the movements of merchants and rule, while the people from the Barony of traders within the land, and control the taverns of Kordova are dark-haired and have skin that is of Rhoemurg. deeper hue.

The people of Rhoemurg have been called bland The rise of Trechele began at the end of and dour, but truthfully the harsh winters and Adrienne’s March, a seventy-three-year war with constant danger of Barbarian raids have made the the then-Kingdom of Kordova, and within that people simple and very practical. Many of the war lay the seeds for the civil war which has now luxuries of the southern kingdoms are largely consumed much of the land. After years of bloody unavailable in Rhoemurg, and when they are conflict between Adrienne Mercenes and Herenan imported, it is at great expense. The Rhoemurg Kordova, the war ended with Trechele victory. tend to scoff at bright dyes, sugars, spices, and The Kordova family, who themselves had true other fineries. Rhoemurg is unequalled in blood going back to Sereness, swore fealty to distilling hard liquor and the kingdom has some of House Mercenes, and the Queen was immediately the best smiths outside of the Eurvein. married to the son of Adrienne just one year before the king died of old age. Thus the Even the royal house wears a sensible gray and Kingdom of Kordova became the Barony of dark green. The symbol of House Vlariev is a gray Kordova, and the two royal bloodlines were made bear rearing on a dark green field. The Bjurik use one. a gray crescent moon with three white stars in its confines on a field of dark green. The Ovorn wear The King of Trechele, Petrieve Mercenes, moves a gray dagger, point down, wrapped with a serpent through his court with a grace and confidence on the green of Vlariev. matched by no other man or woman. He is unmarried, which even in these troubled times makes him a target for many enterprising young women. House Mercenes has many knights and many artisans in its ranks. The House Kordova Trechele still serves Mercenes. In the past, it provided This large and prosperous kingdom rests in the almost as many knights to the king as the royal southwestern corner of Aerune. The combination family, though in recent years many of those stationed along the borders have defected, and the

153 Madrigal 154 loyalty of those who remain in or near the capital family also traditionally maintains the Inquisition, city is constantly being questioned. a religious organization that watches for the worship of forbidden gods within the Six Just over a decade ago, while the people of Kingdoms (although what influence they actually Trechele were still recovering from the have in Lochsmoor is unknown). The Inquisition devastation of the Blood Pools which had acts on the authority of Mercenes and has the appeared over much of the country, and as the backing of many of the other houses of the Six king attempted to mediate between all parties in Kingdoms. Their influence, and thus the influence the divided church, Kordova took the opportunity of House Rouen, is considerable, even though for to agitate for independence. At first their cries the first time in many generations, the current were ignored, but as the situation within the head of the Inquisition is not from the Rouen church became more unstable, more and more family. discontents moved to Kordova, and the king was forced to act against them. Wishing to act quickly The royal House Mercenes wears a gold crown but fairly, King Mercenes dispatched a strong above a gold gryphon on a red field. House force of his most loyal guards to Frogarre and Aquitaire wears a gold sun surrounded separated then southward to Kordova to arrest the most from its own rays on the royal red. House Rouen vocal of the insurrectionists. The move met with wears a gold ring encircling a white flame on a abject failure, as six War Golems of unknown red field. Kordova still wears its dark maroon, its origin massacred the band, leaving few survivors. symbol a gray gauntlet curled into a fist.

Since then the forces of Trechele have been in near-constant battle with the Kordovan Rebellion, adopting hit-and-run tactics to avoid confrontations with the devestating War Golems. After discovering that Orichalcum was required for the War Golems to function, the king outlawed the transport or trade of Orichalcum within the borders of Trechele, and attempted to blockade Kordova to prevent any Orichalcum from moving into that region. This has resulted in a contest between both sides to see who can hire the most skilled mages to make gates (or prevent them from being made) to transport Orichalcum to the Kordovan rebels.

House Mercenes is also served by the Aquitaire family, well known for its skill in sorcery, and the family of Rouen who are known for their devout worship of Aradach.

The Rouen family is known as the religious center of the Six Kingdoms. The priests of Aradach, sovereign to the gods, advise the various temples on conduct and religious doctrine. The Rouen

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Chapter Nine Races of Aerune

Once known as the Ebon Snake, the Stone Snake The Wanderers tribe are hunters and warriors who travel the plains near Blackthorn. The tribe is known for its warriors and shamans, all of whom are sworn to The Barbarians hunt undead. The Ebon Snake was nearly At the fringes of the Six Kingdoms uncivilized destroyed by the vampire named Shranoki, and peoples still dwell. Some are too reverent to only the heroics of the great hero Stonebones embrace civilization, preferring instead the simple saved the tribe. The Stone Snake thrived under his beauty of nature and the whispers of the spirits of leadership, and now the tribe is known for its old. Others are too wild for civilized lands, and restorative magic and its hatred of necromancy. prey upon the civilized people in raids and in war. Some minor tribes exist as part of the Winter The Winter Tribes Tribes as well, but these tribes are not well These Barbarians dwell to the west of the Six known. The Shakek is a tribe that dwells in the Kingdoms, between Urgroth’s Bones and the frigid passes and vales of the highest peaks of the Grayfang Forest. The Winter Tribes have forsaken Bones of Nalgeth, moving down the mountain in the ways of the civilized families, and still follow the winter, and returning to the peaks in the the old ways and talk to the spirits of the land. summer. Thus, they live in perpetual winter, and Although there are numerous small tribes of combat the Wendigo of the mountains. The Barbarians, two great tribes are known to exist Vaurelis are the legendary daughters of the and some seek the wisdom of their shamans. goddess Arcalia, and this tribe of warrior women is rumored to dwell in a hidden valley somewhere Members of the White Crow tribe are the in the Bones of Nalgeth. Some even claim that the descendents of the shaman known as Ghost Silver Elk tribe, long thought to have been Whisper, a legendary shaman who first called destroyed, lives on somewhere within the sacred forth his ancestors for aid and wisdom. The White plains, and protects the spirits of that place still. Crow have many seers and shamans among their number, and teach those who are trusted with the The Blood Tribes secrets of their dances. The warriors of the White No player character can be part of the Blood Crow protect the tribe, and fight against the Blood Tribes, at least to start. Any character from this Tribes. Like most of the Winter Tribes, the White area is assumed to be running from them, and no Crow are reverent and have forsaken blood magic character will be allowed to wear the mark of any and necromancy. The leaders of the tribe are a of the Blood Tribes unless they gain that mark council of shamans, and the current Speaker is a during the course of the game. The Blood Tribes woman named Yanuala. are included here so that the player understands

155 Madrigal 156 the threat and impact these tribes have had on The Burnt Skull tribe is far fewer in number, but Aerune. in some ways more ruthless. They make no noise when they fight, and they paint a black skull over It is said that the impact the Blood Tribes have their face to show their dedication to their dark had on the history of Aerune is unequalled, even god. Many are skilled in killing by stealth, and by the Malekyrg elves. The constant threat of their there are stories of entire civilized villages ruthless and merciless raids has always tempered destroyed in their sleep by this vicious tribe. The the civilized lands. While the Malekyrg may retire warriors of the Burnt Skull believe that, if they and wait for many years without interacting with kill a sleeping opponent, they may steal their their Human neighbors, the Blood Tribes are power by feeding off of their dreams. always ready to strike. In recent years, a new tribe has arisen among the The Barbarians of the Blood Tribes revel in Blood Tribes. It is called the Tribe of the Black destruction, and claim to gain strength in the Vein, and they kill in the name of the dark good deaths of their enemies. They worship dark gods Nylachim and the Nylachia host. They paint black forbidden in the Six Kingdoms, and all members lines on their faces, tracing the veins below the of the Blood Tribes wear the black symbol of their skin, and often call on their god as they fight. god on their face. The Blood Tribes take no They are perhaps the most brazen of the tribes, prisoners, and they expect and accept no quarter. sometimes advertising days in advance where they will attack next, sometimes striking without The Blood Scream tribe is known for their blood- warning, so that the towns and villages at the curdling calls to war. They paint their faces with edges of their territory are kept in a constant state enlarged mouths, either jagged (as one might of fear. carve a Jack O’Lantern), or stylized, with large teeth and a jeering snarl. The Blood Scream tribe The Gypsies occupies the western territories of the Blood Tribe Homeless wanderers, the Gypsies have learned to lands, and is often at odds with the Highlanders. stay on the move and form loyal families to The Blood Scream tribe rarely uses stealth once survive without the protection of the knights of the tribe has entered combat; they kill their the Six Kingdoms. The Gypsies are spread enemies swiftly, and claim to steal their strength throughout the land in many families, but all by devouring their hearts. Gypsies call the Gypsy Queen their only liege. In the past, all grievances were brought to the King The Shadow Wolf tribe is much more likely to be or Queen, but the current Queen, if she exists, has active at night, and their sacrifices are made by not been seen in many years. Currently, the light of the moon. Some claim that certain grievances are brought to a council of elders who members of this tribe can take on the features of gather once a year in a place known only to the the wolf, and will tear apart their enemies like Gypsies. In this way are the Gypsy families animals. Members of the Shadow Wolf can move connected. silently, but more often they emit blood-curdling howls once the hunt has begun, using terror to They tell tales of their first Gypsy King, a give them an edge. The Shadow Wolf tribe is swordsman and bard named Korianth. Hundreds marked with a black, vertical stripe over their left of years ago, when slavery was still legal in the eye, and a black wolf paw somewhere on the face. kingdom of Rhoemurg, the kingdom had fallen on hard times. The war with Trechele over the gold mines of Rouven had drained the resources of

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Rhoemurg, and when the Shadow Wolves came their actions. After much discussion, the Gypsies howling from the north, the king was hard-pressed decided to do both: and thus the first Gypsy King to stop them. The King of Rhoemurg at this time, was named, to settle disputes and to gather all the Bholin Vlariev, used slaves to produce the goods Gypsies to him when the Gypsies are wronged. needed for the war on both fronts. Mhurkiel purses grew heavy with Rhoemurg coin and many All Gypsy families pay tribute to their king, and slaves were brought to the north. the title passes from Gypsy to Gypsy, some Kings and some Queens, so that the Gypsies might have As the war drained the kingdom, the suffering of a place to bring grievances against them. There the people of Rhoemurg grew. The need for slaves have been many murmurs of worry, with the drove the king to his own prisons, not once abrupt passing of the previous King and the realizing that honest men were now enslaved for absence of the new Queen. Some rumors say that stealing bread. Worse, the slavers of Mhurkiel she was his hand-picked successor, others that she drew upon the smallest villages of Rhoemurg to was chosen by chance, others still that she is the feed the demands of the king. And so, a great puppet of the elders. The council of elders now many people of Rhoemurg were enslaved by their hold much of the authority and power that was own king, and the wanderers who would be traditionally that of the king or queen - primarily Gypsies were hit the hardest. to decide who the enemies of the Gypsy people are. To this day those who incur the Gypsy wrath From this time of great injustice rose a hero; a and are marked as Gypsy enemies suffer much wanderer who fought for the enslaved. He defied until they makes amends - such is their tradition. the king, freed many of the slaves, and gathered them unto himself - organizing them in turn to free their kin. Under his leadership, the Gypsies The Elves rose up in rebellion, and stormed the castle of Reclusive and magical, much has been speculated Vlariev to demand that the people of Rhoemurg about the Elves. It is rare for them to walk the be set free. When the king came forth and saw for civilized lands, and many Humans will live out himself the spirit of the wanderers, his heart was their lives without ever seeing one of the fair folk. moved, and he declared that slavery was to be All Elves have pointed ears, revealing their Fey ended in his kingdom for all time. The slave-pens heritage. There are four groups of elves in Aerune, were opened that very day: all of those who though players must come from the Eluviar, hungered were fed, all those who could bear Leindrel, or Kher’wyn. You must have an Air of weapons were armed, and the people of at least 3 if you with to play one of these types of Rhoemurg rose up like a wave against the Shadow Elf. Wolves. The Eluviar Once he understood their true cost, King Vlariev These Elves are dedicated to creation, and forsake abandoned the mines to Trechele, and set about the dark ways of their northern cousins. In ancient repairing the damage he has caused to his people. times, the great Elven hero, Erionth, led these The Gypsies, in turn, named Korianth their king. people out of the lands of the Malekyrg and Korianth refused, and scolded them that they towards the land that would become Eluviar, or should not be so quick to return themselves to the the Shining Land. The Eluviar remember the dark slavery of a king. He offered them their freedom ways of the Malekyrg and have set their minds instead - freedom to wander where they would, against it. The Elves are steeped in music and and decide for themselves the rightousness of other arts, and prepare themselves so that they

157 Madrigal 158 might oppose their dark cousins when war comes Some of the more prominent tribes include the once again. Each of the Eluviar are marked with Grey Thorn, the Morning Hawk, and the Moon light, which appears as a white mark or tattoo Guard. upon their face. In recent years, the Leindrel have suffered greatly. Many of the Eluviar who are descended from The Black Ash, previously one of the larger tribes, Erionth or his guard have the white, gray, or silver along with two others, the Dawn’s Thunder and hair of their people. The Eluviar are all taught at Wolf Fang, were utterly destroyed by an unknown least one art to center them and balance the force. Rumors speak of other, smaller groups of training they receive in war. Erionth proclaimed Leindrel disappearing without a trace. Though that his Elves would learn to create as well as many remember a time when they were relatively destroy, and thus each Elf practices an art. Those common on the trade roads, now they are an who do not are considered closer to the Malekyrg, unusual sight, with few venturing far from the and are watched with suspicion. perceived safety of their homes.

Every family, large or small, is called a House. The Kh'rewyn The five major houses of the Eluviar are: Gliavar, The Kher’wyn are the youngest of the Elven Maelwyth, Cyrifin, Myrandur, and Lurviol. Of races, having appeared only a short decade ago. these, Gliavar, Maelwyth, and Cyrifin are called Their origins are shrouded in mystery, athough the 'Royal' houses as they descended directly from Lady Delphestra is commonly believed to be the Erionth, but politically all five are roughly equal. first of their race. Since then they have grown in numbers, as Eluviar, Leindrel, and even Malekyrg In general, the Eluviar worship the Pale in all its chose to leave behind the race of their birth and forms, although in recent years there have been take on the sign of the Cinereal Thorn, which small groups of White Court worshippers found usually appears as a grey mark – either a web or a scattered throughout the lands. As in the Human thorny vine – on their faces. The Kher’wyn are kingdoms, worship of the dark gods is forbidden. said to live in an ancient druid grove, where they dedicate their lives to the slow untwisting of the The Leindrel forest. Each Kher’wyn is tied in some way to the Called the Wild Elves by the humans, these elves forest, though what that connection might be is came to the forests long ago, and dwell deep not shared with outsiders. within them still. The Leindrel Elves have a great affinity towards the animals of the forest, and each The Kher’wyn are currently governed by three clan follows the path of one of these animal regents, one from each of the other races of elves spirits. Much like the Shoathri, each Elf is marked (Eluviar, Leidrel, and Malekyrg), though it is with the symbol of their animal spirit (as rumored that there is a young queen, the first to be described in the Mythos), however, their marks born Kher’wyn. Delphestra was the first Malekyrg are forest-green rather than blood-red. regent, but gave up her position when she pledged her allegiance to the goddess Sereness. For a time The Leindrel are suspicious of humans and she was the bridge between the Kher’wyn and the civilization, but neither do they trust the Malekyrg, who recognized the Kher’wyn as a Malekyrg. They are friendly with the Eluviar, but separate nation several years ago. She has since they reject their more civilized ways. There are a disappeared, and the relations between the two great many small tribes of Leindrel elves, each nations have declined. with their own leader and their own animal spirit.

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The Kher’wyn are the only kingdom besides Not so anymore. In recent years the Halls of the Malekyr to allow the worship of the Dark Gods, Eurvein have been conquered by powerful most likely because of the Malekyrg influence, undead, and now it is not uncommon to see them although worship of Nalachim is strictly on surface, as they have been driven from their forbidden. Because of this, the other nations view homes. Still, most Eurvein choose not to travel, the Kher’wyn warily, although most keep a suite preferring to settle in one place with their of rooms open for any Kher’wyn ambassadors families. who might visit. Aside from the lands of the Eluviar, however, those rooms have gone unused. Once the Eurvein looked nearly human, but in their struggles against the invaders, the Eurvein Note: Players may not play a Kher’wyn who was called forth elemental energies and, aided by the formerly Malekyrg. magical substance Orichalcum, empowered themselves. Now it is rare to find an Eurvein who The Malekyrg has not embraced an elemental path, with their Although not available as a player character skin taking on the appearance of the element they option, the Malekyrg elves are included here so favor. No one seems to know how the embraced players know of these dark folk. element is chosen. It may be that the nature of the Eurvein before they are embraced has something to do with it, and it is said that the personality of The Malekyrg Elves worship the dark god embraced Eurvein is influenced by their element. Azerial, and occasionally spill from their homeland to wreak havoc on the Human kingdoms and tribes, though this has not Each group of Eurvein is called a Root, and they happened in years. All Malekyrg elves wear a have continued calling their communities such mark to signify their dedication to the god and even if they do not live under the ground their lineage, a black, eight-pointed star, anymore. The largest Roots in Aerune were the somewhere on their face. These elves are Boerule Root in the mountains above Mhurkiel, descendents of the Unseely who were banished the Aerkome Root overlooking Trechele, the from the Fey realm in times long passed. Aurei Root in the western mountains above the Winter Tribes, and the Mal’Kharad Root in the northern mountains between the Blood Tribes and In recent years, there has been a split in the the Highlanders. All of the Roots have been lost to Malekyrg, public enough that some outsiders the Lich King, and few (if any) free Eurvein know of it. It is said that one of the Lords of the remain there, though the Lich King has apparently Malekyrg has risen up in rebellion against the kept some Eurvein alive as slaves. There are also King, and that much of the country follows him rumors of small pockets of resistance spread now, although how much of that is exaggeration is throughout the Roots. unknown. The largest Eurvein communities now are found in Naporea and Avanlei, living in the foothills of the Griffon Peaks, although smaller communities The Eurvein can be found in every human nation except The Eurvein are an ancient race which once dwelt Mhurkiel (though there has been an increase in deep beneath the ground. They lived in halls and the number of Eurvein slaves found there). Many tunnels carved from the stone of the mountains, Eurvein refuse to create permanent homes, instead and once, only the most adventurous came forth. staying in temporary camps, insisting that they

159 Madrigal 160 already have a permanent home and will someday are known as the Aneketh of Dust. The lines of return to it. their faces are traced in a wide yellow and then a thin and darker brown so that each wrinkle has a Eurvein smiths are unequaled in their craft, and yellow tinge to it. Even the young Aneketh are they have a great attention to detail. They were wrinkled in this manner. In recent times, however, the first to learn Rune magic, and introduced it to Aneketh have been born which take the noble the outside world. The Eurvein as a rule love appearance from the time when they were free - gemstones, and use them in their art. The Eurvein their skin has a subtle golden sheen with golden wear elaborate jewelry and headdresses of beads sparkles, their lips and eyes are etched in metallic and gems. They tend to wear loose robes of gold, and many female Aneketh choose to outline intricate design, although the warriors do wear their eyes in dark khol. Both the Aneketh of Sun plainer clothing. Most Eurvein find wearing the and the Aneketh of Dust belong to a single family remains of other living creatures to be curious and called Uthdrasil that dwells in the mountains near somewhat barbaric, and thus shun leather armor. the Crimson Gate. They prefer to instead wear cottons, wools, metal armor, and even clothing or armor woven of living roots.

You must have an Earth of 3 and an Air of 3 to The Ghul play one of the Eurvein. In the southern lands of Aerune lies the dead, ruined kingdom of Onhur, where the last Pharoah still rules over subjects killed many centuries ago. The undead denizens of Onhur are said to fear the light of the Sun, hide during the day. Humans are taken to that place to labor as slaves, and to feed The Outcasts the hunger of the Vampire lords. When a Human The Aneketh has lived too long in the dead land of Onhur, they In the years during the War of the Gate, when the become tainted by the essence of that place. Elves Reavers waged war on Aerune and the Crimson seem to be immune to this taint, but a Human Gate was still active, the Aneketh slipped out of becomes a Ghul. Ghuls appear as a normal the Gate and fled their Reaver masters to search Human during the day, though the sunlight causes for freedom in this world. The Aneketh had long them discomfort and hurts their eyes. At night, the been enslaved by the Reavers in their own world, taint of the Ghul is revealed: the thin skin around and the refugees fled into the mountains and their eyes darkens, and their lips blacken. Many tasted freedom for the first time. The Aneketh shun the Ghul, fearful that the curse will be aided the then-Five Kingdoms and aided even the passed onto others. Malekyrg against the Reavers, and in the end their aid helped end the war and drive the Reavers back The taint of the Ghul is indeed a curse. A Ghul is through the Gate. affected by spells that target undead: they are considered to have the Undead trait, even though The Aneketh wear simple clothing with drab they live and breathe. The sun is painful to them, colors as a rule. Most of their armor in made from and they wear hoods and masks during the day to wrapped strips of leather, and when they can protect against it. The Ghul cannot have an heir construct metal armor it tends to be ornate. When once the taint has taken hold of them. Worse of they first appearred, many Aneketh appeared to all, some Ghuls have degenerated into true have wrinkled faces with yellow highlights - these undead, and become ravenous beasts that have

160 Madrigal 161 lost all compassion and reason. Any player who which is visible on both their Human and animal wishes to play a Ghul must be prepared to come, form. You must choose one of the described at any time, to a violent and terrible end. animal spirits when you create your character.

The Shoathri appear as Humans with the blood- red mark most of the time, but strong emotions The Korred that tap into their primal being can cause them to This race is young in Aerune, having left the become more animal-like. This emotion could be Realm of the Fey only a century ago to escape the anger, fear, passion, or the desire to hunt. A sorrow of the war and hatred between the Seely Shoathri so affected will grow agitated and feel and the Unseely courts. The Korred were one of the need to be alone. The Shoathri will spend time the Fey races who had members on both courts, alone in a restless state and at this time it is and they fled that realm rather than letting that dangerous to interrupt the Shoathri. They tend to hatred set them against each other. The Korred be violent and unreasonable if disturbed. They now dwell in the Whisperhaunt wood. will transform and take the physical and mental characteristics of the animal spirit chosen during character creation. During this time the player The Korred have vowed to set the sorrow of the must either don an appropriate mask, or apply Fey behind them. They are known for their wild makeup to look like the characters' animal spirit. celebrations and sometimes forget that, in this When in their animal form, the character is fully realm, their actions can have consequences. The intelligent and may use all skills and tactics, but Korred can drink a great deal of alcohol. Although roleplaying should change to match the way this their judgement becomes impaired like a human, spirit would act and react. After the source of their reflexes and physical prowess do not. This emotion has passed, the Shoathri will go off alone can cause all sorts of problems when the Korred to rest and the player may remove their “features” drink heavily. at this time. The animal makeup for this race can be elaborate, but it cannot be a full mask - the You must have a Fire of 3 to play a Korred. The character must have some human facial features Korred have pointed ears and horns protruding showing. from their foreheads. The Korred wear their hair wild and tend to wear earthy tones. Bayastri is the cat spirit. Characters who choose this spirit will take the facial characteristics of a hunting cat when they change. They will have a cat-like nose, whiskers, and cat-like stripes. Some The Shoathri grow fangs. When they have changed they will These rare folk are Humans who have been tend to move with as much smoothness as inhabited by an animal spirit that can manifest possible. Purring and slurring R’s is not within them. Although the Leindrel Elves often uncommon. Shoathri taken by Bayastri tend to be have animal guardians, they found that some extremely curious. They tend to enjoy the hunt, Humans became infused with the power of the even going so far as to prolong it for pleasure. spirit and are changed. Elves themselves do not experience this change, but Humans can Choenta is the crow spirit. Shoathri in the form of sometimes manifest the physical features and Choenta will grow prominent black-feathered mental characteristics of their animal spirit. Each eyebrows and their faces will become marked Shoathri bears a blood-red mark on their face with a pattern called crow’s feet. The marks

161 Madrigal 162 consist of three thick black lines extending from Urugar become more concerned with survival and each eye. One extends out toward the ear, one loyalty to the pack. They will respond to threats extends down on the cheek, and the last extends with violence, and will become very protective of diagonally between the two. Some Shoathri also their friends. They tend to have an instinct to have darkened, feathered hair or black-feathered attack if anyone seems like a threat to them or sideburns when they take the form of Choenta. their companions. When changed, these Shoathri tend to cause all types of mischief. They will switch small items to It is said that there are other animal spirits, but cause confusion. They will attempt trick their Shoathri of these spirits are not known and they enemies. Some might even try to trick their are not allowed as player characters. companions. If forced to fight, many use traps and ambushes rather than straight combat.

Skaleen is the rat spirit. Characters who choose The Trolls this spirit will gain a rat-like tail, a round black nose, whiskers, and gray or brown rat-like facial An ancient race newly appeared, Trolls have features when they change. Some have recently begun to wander down the mountain pronounced front teeth. The character will tend to clans that dwell high above Lochsmoor. Strong, move lower to the ground with quick, nervous loud, and often violent in their "fun", those Trolls motions. The character will tend to gather to which leave the highlands of Lochsmoor are themselves as many small valuables as possible usually young and easily bored. They are as apt to when taken by Skaleen. The character will also seek trade and pleasant company with other races tend to prefer stealth to outward aggression if as raid their caravans, and even then they possible. sometimes only attack others for the prospect of a "good fight" rather than any real interest in the spoils of war. Tlorulo is the boar spirit. Characters who choose this spirit will take the facial characteristics of a boar when they change - a blackened, boar-like All Trolls have oversized lower tusks which nose and protruding lower tusks. Many have the protrude from their jaw, and large horns - though full, flattened nose, and the eyebrows are often Troll horns seem to vary wildly in size and shape, darkened and made larger. The character might many possess large horns that curve and sweep snort. Those taken by Tlorulo become aggressive back off the forehead. The skin of Stone Trolls is and more easily provoked to anger. They also will slate gray and black; Mountain Trolls are tan and tend to be more stubborn, and tend to have more brown. difficulty using finesse in situations where a straightforward approach might work.

Urugar is the wolf spirit. Characters who choose this spirit will gain the facial characteristics of a The Wayward wolf when they change. They will have a wolflike The strange peoples who have come through the nose, and gray and white wolf-like coloration. Crimson Gate, the so-called Wayward are Many have ears that are larger and pointed. Some composed of four distinct races, all of whom have have fangs. The character might snarl, and howls spread out through the lands of Aerune. None of are not uncommon to express emotion, especially them are so populous that they have formed towns when the moon is showing. Shoathri taken by or villages of their own as of yet, though it is a rare person who has not seen at least one

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Wayward passing through. A number of Wayward many actively seek out a Patron, and claim that who came early to Aerune make a point of trying they do not feel complete without one. to help those who have just arrived to find a place to live. Little is known about the home of the Wayward, as those who emerge from the Gate find themselves with little to no memories of their The Embrech lives beforehand. The Embrech are a mysterious noble folk, which claim to be bound to an "Ethereal Court" in both The Vorace word and spirit. They report that they can The Vorace, sometimes called the "Shadow physically feel a tendril of spiritual energy extend Bound", are a dark and strange people. While they from their form back to the Crimson Gate, and sustain themselves with normal food, rumors exist believe that their connection to their Court reaches that they also have a craving for the life force of though the gate itself, back to wherever they came other creatures. Though many Vorace downplay from. this rumor, and claim to have set this desire aside, many reports exist wherein an Vorace under the They are a striking race posessed of a regal effect of a Frenzy has lost control over their nature; their skin is bleached white and their hair craving, and drained the life force of another to devoid of color (either gray, white or black). Each restore their own. has a distinct pattern of black lines upon their face which pass from their hairline, to their eyes, and They are shadowy in appearance, with jet black down to the bottom of their face - their patterns skin and colorless hair (black, gray, or white). often end in a swirl pattern at their chin. Some Vorace all have a distinct pattern on their face of even have similar patterns on other parts of their deep purple crystals or, rarely, a weave of bodies. Fond of beautiful colors, many choose to glittering purple lines rather than individual decorate their hair with a stripe of bright color, crystals. and female Embrech sometimes wear color on their lips to contrast with their stark white features. The Shiven The Shiven are a race divided, literally - one side of their body is tenebrous, different in hue (blood The Zhuriel red, midnight blue, or rarely jet black), and their The Zhuriel are perhaps the most ill-understood of tenebrous hand appears to be a twisted, vestigial the Wayard. Wild in nature, it seems that only remnant of a claw. The edge of this tenebrous side violence and constant action brings them any extends in a precise line down the center of their sense of peace or joy. Their visual appearance is face and body. similarly chaotic - their faces are covered with blue swirling patterns, and many display blue lips. They seem split in spirit as well as body - they Their hair is either wildly unkept or completely have the amazing ability to link their spirit to shorn, and it is not uncommon for the Zhuriel to another willing member of the Gifted Races, and have multiple piercings on their ears and lips. will draw strength and serenity (sometimes even Some even affect ritual scarification to personality traits) from their "Patron". An un- commemorate important victories. linked Shiven is abrupt, angry, and more prone to make rash and violent decisions - for this reason,

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All Zhuriel are bound to a crystal weapon of some sort, which they claim to have brought with them through the Crimson Gate, and they are obsessed with protecting them against theft and destruction. Many name these weapons, and will refer to them by their name - some go so far as to have conversations with their weapons, and treat them as a sentient ally.

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Chapter Ten Core Rules Fighting Props

Combat is resolved with a staged system that uses 1 - Choose Your Weapon First, you have to figure props for weapons and spells. In order to ensure out what type of weapon you are making and that these props are safe, certain guidelines on determine the length and construction their construction are necessary. requirements. The various weapon types are explained below. Two handed weapons are Weapons and packets must be checked at each and marked with a “*” in the length table. Each type every event where they might be used. You are requires its own skill, but anyone can use small responsible for the safety of any prop you swing weapons under 24” in length. or throw in combat, so you should check them yourself during the course of an event. Blades These weapons represent daggers and all types of swords. A bladed weapon has a striking Every player, both PC and NPC, is responsible for surface that covers at least 2/3 of its entire length. bringing their own weapons and packets. We will try to have weapons and packets to rent at our The weapon may have a cross guard or hand events, but we can make no guarantees about the guard, but the guard must be made entirely of pipe availability of these props. We reserve the right to foam or the equivalent. fail any weapon or packet we deem unsafe. It is not uncommon for weapons to fail or break, so Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” you should try to bring a backup weapon and Dagger 18” 24” Short Sword 25” 36” Long Sword materials to repair your props. 37” 46” Great Sword* 50” 64” Axes These weapons represent hatchets and all types of axes. Weapon Construction Constructing a weapon An axe needs padding that covers at least 1/2 of requires time and patience, but it is not that hard its entire length. The striking surface is a head of once you have practiced a bit. We describe the open celled foam at least 8" in length that extends steps to create the various weapons below, and at least 4" from the shaft, and looks like an axe include the details along the way. One problem blade. with weapon materials is that they vary wildly, even within the same brand name. If you follow Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” the suggestions, it is remotely possible that a Hatchet 18” 24” Short Axe 25” 36” Long Axe 37” weapon could fail because of a strange 46” Great Axe* 50” 64” Hammers These weapons inconsistency in the core or foam. represent maces, hammers, and all types of smashing weapons with metal heads.

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Because both ends of the staff are striking A hammer needs padding that covers at least 1/2 surfaces, the middle of the staff is aluminum and of its entire length. The striking surface is a head each end has PVC or CPVC. The staff has a of open celled foam at least 6" long that extends at thrusting tip on both ends. least 4" from the shaft, although this could be 2" on both sides for a mace. Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” Staff* 48” 64” Spears The spear is the only long Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” weapon that may be used one handed. A spear can Blackjack 18” 24” Short Hammer 25” 36” Long only be used to stab an opponent. It cannot be Hammer 37” 46” Maul* 50” 64” Glaives Glaives used to swing. A spear must have padding that and shafted weapons that have a blade on both covers down the striking end at least 1/2 of its sides of the weapon. Each striking surface covers entire length. You cannot fight a spear and another at least 1/3 its entire length, and the blade itself weapon if that weapon is longer than 36”. If you must be at least 18". The middle section of the are using a spear one handed you may not thrust glaive must also be padded, although you can use at any target above the arm pit of the opponent. 3/8” padding for the grip of the staff so long as the full 5/8” is used for the striking surfaces. Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” Spear 48” 64” Because both ends of the glaives are striking surfaces, the middle of the staff is aluminum and Polearms Covering all types of longer pole each end has PVC or CPVC. The glaive has a weapons, polearms have the advantage of reach . thrusting tip on both ends. All glaives are two A polearm must have padding that covers down handed weapons. You can choke up to one end the striking end at least 1/2 of its entire length. and grasp the blade of a glaive only if you are The striking surface must cover at least 12", and wearing thick gauntlets. If you are skilled with a must include additional padding of open celled war glaive you can hold the weapon along the foam that extends at least 1" from the shaft or shaft and block attacks with one hand. You cannot another layer of pipe foam cut in half. attack while using a war glaive used in this fashion. If you have the proper skill to can also Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” fight with a medium weapon in your other hand Polearm* 60” 72” Clubs These weapons represent while blocking. The great glaive is a two handed weapons made entirely from wood. A club needs weapon. You cannot use it with one hand. padding that covers at least 1/2 of its entire length. The striking surface is at least 6" long. It may be Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” open celled foam that extends at least 1" from the War Glaive* 48” 64" Great Glaive* 60" 72" shaft,or it could be an additional layer of pipe Staves Staves have a striking surface on both foam. sides of the weapon. Each striking surface covers at least 1/3 its entire length. The middle section of Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” the staff must also be padded, although you can Blackjack 18” 24” Short Club 25” 36” Long Club use 3/8” padding for the grip of the staff so long 37” 46” Great Club* 50” 64” Claws These as the full 5/8” is used for the striking surfaces. weapons represent some kind of natural weaponry. A claw needs padding that covers at

166 Madrigal 167 least 2/3 of its entire length. The striking surface the crossbow and bolts are painted so they are not is the padded area of the weapon above the grip. brightly colored.

Claws are not affected by Fumble effects. If a Weapon Lengths Size Minimum” Maximum” claw is affected by a Destroy effect, the character Crossbow 18” by 18” 36” by 24” Bolt 2” + 8” 2” will take a Maim effect to the limb holding the + 8” Shields Shields are defensive props used to claw. block weapon blows. They cannot be used to strike another player. They are constructed from Weapon Lengths Type Minimum” Maximum” light wood or plastic, and all exposed edges must Short Claw 25” 36” Medium Claw 37” 42” Long be protected with 5/8" thick foam piping. Most Claw 37" 46" Thrown Weapons These weapons shields use a handle and an arm strap, but light represent daggers, darts, and javelins. These shields might only have a single handle. weapons must be at least 2” in length, but larger thrown weapons such as javelins are allowed if A buckler is a small shield that cannot be more the staff deems them safe. that 24" at its longest dimension. A full sized shield cannot be more that 36" at its longest Larger thrown weapons may be weighted with dimension. birdseed, but at least 5/8” of foam must be between the birdseed and the surface. Shield Maximum Dimensions Size Maximum Dimension Buckler 24” Shield 36” 2 - Create the Weapon Lengths Size Minimum” Maximum” Core Next you must create the weapon core. For Dagger 4” 12” Dart 2” 12” Javelin 8” 36” Bows thrown weapons you skip this step. Your core These weapons use thrown type projectiles and a materials depend on the length of the weapon, prop for the bow made from padded PVC. The which you determined in step one. The weapon arrows are round, open cell foam and tape core will need to be 4” shorter than the overall projectiles with an 8” streamer. You must draw the length of the weapon. Each end must be capped arrow prop, touch it to the bow, and draw it back with a coin or strapping tape so there is no hole at to your ear. You may then throw it to represent the the end. Each pipe insulation overlap will need to arrow. be 1” and the foam thrusting tip must be 2” in length. The core materials we allow are described Weapon Lengths Size Minimum” Maximum” below. Bow 36” 48” Arrow 2” + 8” 2” + 8” Crossbows These weapons use thrown type projectiles and a 3/4” PVC This common core can be used for one prop for the crossbow made from padded PVC. handed weapons and is used with aluminum to make two handed weapons. You will want to find The bolts are round, open cell foam and tape schedule 20 PVC pipe with a thin wall. There are projectiles with an 8” streamer. You must draw the schedule 40 pipes with thicker walls that are too bolt prop, touch it to the crossbow, and draw it heavy to make good weapons. This core can also back to your ear. You may then throw it to be bent into bows by applying very hot water, or represent the bolt. The crossbow must have a softening it if you are good with the heat of a length between 18” and 36” and a bow width stove or gas burner. between 18” and 24”. We also allow NERF type crossbows if they meet the size requirements and

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1/2” PVC This core is too whippy to use for 64” weapons are a little shorter, so you can use a longer weapons, but weapons as long as 36" little more CPVC. You should use 36” of might be safe with a 1/2" core. This material is not aluminum and 27” of CPVC. With 3” of overlap good for any other type of weapon. this gives you a core that is 60” long. This leaves you room for the required 1” overlap of pipe foam 3/4” CPVC This core can be used for one handed on each end and a 2” thrusting tip. weapons and is used with aluminum to make two handed weapons. You will want to find schedule The staff should have aluminum in the middle of 20 CPVC pipe with a thin wall. There are the weapon with CPVC on either side where the schedule 40 pipes with thicker walls that are too striking ends are. You will have to cut the core a heavy to make good weapons. This core can also full 6” shorter to give room for 1” of overlap and be bent into bows by applying very hot water, or 2” of thrusting tip on both sides. The staff should softening it if you are good with the heat of a use the ratio of half its length as aluminum in the stove or gas burner. CPVC has more whip than middle and one fourth as CPVC on each side. PVC, but it can be used for weapons up to 42" in length. Some types of CPVC might be stiff Two handed weapons of different lengths should enough for slightly longer weapons, but you will use similar ratios so they are not too whippy but have to watch the whip closely or the weapon will have give at the striking end. likely fail inspection. CPVC can be used with aluminum in two handed weapons as well. .505 Ultralight The core this refers to is actually called spiral wound fiberglass tubing and can be Aluminum This material has no give, so it cannot purchased from a company called Into the Wind. be used for one handed weapons. The purpose of Intended to be used as a kite pole, the core is light, aluminum is to give two handed weapons less durable, and has give. One handed weapons use whip. Two handed weapons use a 7/8" galvanized the .505 diameter pole that sells for under $5.00. aluminum and 3/4" CPVC core. The cores should be picked so the CPVC fits snugly into the If you wish to order it, the part number is 4409. aluminum. They should overlap about three inches and be secured together with an adhesive .610 Ultralight This core is a thicker version of like Plumber's Goop or with a good amount of the spiral wound fiberglass tubing that is strapping tape wrapped around the seam. I would purchased from the company called Into the suggest both the adhesive and a small amount of Wind. It is almost twice as expensive as .505, but strapping tape. it is needed if you intend to make ultralight two handed weapons. Suggested lengths for long weapons are as follows. Ultralight two handed weapons require extra padding down one side of blade consisting of 1" 72” weapons should have 48” of aluminum and of open cell foam or an extra layer of 5/8" pipe 23” of CPVC. With 3” of overlap you have a core foam. that is 68” long. This leaves you room for the required 1” overlap of pipe foam on each end and Because ultralight weapons are so light, we are a 2” thrusting tip. especially careful to insure that those using these weapons role play their swings properly. Though

168 Madrigal 169 we allow the use of these cores, this is considered insulation. Use strapping tape to hold in the filler. a privilege and players who perpetually swing from the wrist and machine gun will lose this Once the basic padding is added, you may add privilege. Role Play your swings. extra padding to two handed weapons using another layer of pipe insulation cut in half to fit 3 - Pad the Striking Area Next you will have to over the foam. You may also use a narrow strip of add the padding to the striking surface of the open cell foam. Weapon heads are also made from weapon. The padding should be 5/8” pipe open cell foam. Attach the extra padding with insulation. Weapons have traditionally used 5/8" strapping tape to prepare it for the final layer of green Climatube 80 pipe insulation, but the parent duct or kite tape. company has discontinued that foam. Suitable replacement foam can be found through It is suggested that two handed weapons, McMaster-Carr at 732-329-3200 or online at particularly staves, cover the grip area or at least www.mcmastercarr.com. Search for polyethylene most of the grip area with a thin walled pipe pipe insulation. The product numbers for un-slit insulation to protect against accidental contact foam that fits various cores are below: Ultralight . with the grip. This is not required unless a player 410 and .505 core Part #4530K161 Ultralight .610 is reported to hit opponents frequently with the core Part #4530K162 Ultralight .750 core 3/4" grip of the weapon. CPVC 3/4" PVC Part #4530K163 1" PVC and 7/8" Aluminum Part #4530K165 4 - Add Cross Guards Cross guards and hand guards may be added to blades using pipe All wall thicknesses are _ inch which will last insulation or similar materials. longer and provide more safety padding than the Climatube 5/8". All guards must have give and be deemed safe by the staff. We discourage cross guards on other For shield edges, use part #4734K151 which is a types of weapons, but if the player can show us an slit, self sealing foam that is easy to apply around example of a medieval weapon with a similar the edges of a shield. feature we might consider it if the cross guard is deemed safe. Other weapons may have a small The pipe foam should fit snugly over the pipe hand guard if it only protects that hand. without rattling. If the foam is too big, you may add a strip of weather insulation to the core or use 5 - Add the Pommel If the weapon is a blade it strapping tape to pad out the core at three or four will need a pommel. points. We prefer to use weapons with a diameter of around 2”, but we allow a wedge to be removed Pipe insulation must extend past both ends of the from the pipe foam to be so long as the diameter core by at least 1” and the resulting hole must be of the weapon is no less than 1 and 3/4”. We filled with a rolled up bit of pipe insulation. Use reserve the right to restrict such weapons if this strapping tape to hold in the filler. proves to be problematic. 6 – Add a Thrusting Tip The tip of the striking The pipe insulation must extend past the end of surface must have a thrusting tip. This tip is 2” of every core by at least 1” and the resulting hole open cell foam. must be filled with a rolled up bit of pipe

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bands or other types of tape will be allowed on a Longer thrusting tips tend to bend. Cut the foam case by case basis, and the packet should have to cover the tip. Once the tip is in place, use duct give in any case. Packets with any other material tape or kite tape to cover the tip. Take a length of inside will not be allowed. tape and place it so it goes across the end of the tip and down both sides, attaching the tip to the The head of the packet should be between 1 and weapon. If the tip is round, use a razor to cut the 1.5 inches in diameter, and the tail behind the tape corners so the tape conforms to the tip. Now add should not be longer than 3 inches. The fabric another piece of tape so it goes across the end and must be stretchable and cannot be pulled so tight down the exposed sides of the foam tip. Use a that it no longer has give. You should be able to razor to cut the corners so the tape overlaps squeeze the center of the packet and almost touch slightly and conforms to the tip. Finally, poke your fingers together. many tiny holes all over the tip so the air can escape and the tip can contract and expand freely. .

If the weapon uses other open cell foam, you Chapter Nine Player Logistics Communicating might find that when the foam compresses that the with the Madrigal staff is a necessary and tape wrinkles as it sticks to itself. You can prevent important step in playing the Madrigal game. this by covering the open cell foam with plastic These are the most common logistical questions wrap used for food storage before taping over the and the answers explain how the logistical process foam. is handled.

7 - Cover with Tape You may now cover the entire Can I Play Madrigal? You must be 18 or older to weapon with duct tape. Kite tape is also allowed. play Madrigal. You must also be familiar with at The tape should run down the length of the least the first chapter of the core rule book so you weapon and have a slight overlap. It should not be will have some idea how to respond to the various wrapped in a spiral around the blade. Even duct game effects we use. Players who arrive without tape varies in weight and thickness, so you should any knowledge of the rule book will be taken look for a thinner, light tape. The majority of the aside until they have some familiarity of the rules, weapon should be black or gray where there is so you should read through this material before metal, and black or brown where there is wood. you arrive. Why waste valuable playing time Bright colors are not allowed as the primary color doing this? How Do I Register For Events? In of the weapon, though decorations are allowed. order to register for events you must have an active membership. You must tell us you are Packets Packets are small bean bags that are attending an event and pay for that event in thrown to represent magical attacks or special advance. Until you pay or contact us to make powers. They should be made of stretchable fabric special arrangements we can reserve a space, but and filled with birdseed. You should use only only so long as the event doesn't sell out. If the small birdseed with no larger or sharper seeds. A event fills up then those players who have paid for square of fabric is pulled around the birdseed and the event are given space over those players who its corners are gathered together to form a “tail” have registered but have not paid. and closed up with strapping tape. You may also sew a packet shut. Sealing the packet with rubber

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You can inform us you intend to play by sending Weekend Events or 7pm on Adventure Nights. email to [email protected]. You can send payments to the following address. No staff or player is allowed to park beyond the yellow rope. Do not drive anywhere but the dirt Madrigal Registration 170 Salem Street roads on the site. Drive slowly. Parking and Lawrence, MA 01843 Why Should I Pre-register driving is prohibited at all times down the South For Events? We have a limited amount of space Village Road. and often sell out events. If you are pre-registered, then you are guaranteed a place at the event. What If I Show Up After Game Starts? Game Those who preregister are also more likely to be starts at 9pm on Fridays of Weekend Events, and targeted by plot. If we don’t know you are coming at 7pm on Wednesday Adventure Nights. Once we can’t plan to include you in plots. No creation game starts it is the staff’s goal to prevent the skill or information skill requests will be prepared game flow from being interrupted for any reason. unless you pre-register for the event. It is for this reason that we strongly suggest that you arrive before game starts. If this is How Do I Check In? When you arrive at the impossible, we ask that you come to the game in campsite, you should proceed to the check-in area costume so you don't disrupt the flow of the game. that will be marked with signs. The check-in staff It is our goal to move you into the ongoing game will check to see if you are a current member. If as smoothly as possible. To this end you will be not, you will have to sign a waiver and, if asked to move into your cabin in game. necessary, bring your membership up to date. If you are pre-registered, you will receive a Players who arrive late enter game in costume as character card and any items created using game spirits and proceed to the gate within the Mage's skills. You will receive any yellow tagged items Guild. There they ring the bell and await a staff you turned in at the end of a previous event. You person to appear and check them in. This way you will also get a cabin assignment. are never interrupting the flow of the game for other players as you arrive. You should make If you are not pre-registered, then the check-in every attempt to enter and leave the game area as staff will check to see if there is room at the event your character during game play. When you have for you. If there is, you will pay at the door and checked in there is a cart to help you move your get your character card and yellow tagged items. things to the area where you will be staying.

If not, the check-in staff will be glad to check to When traveling as a Spirit you should walk slowly see if there is room for staff players if you wish to with your head tilted down and hands folded. If participate in that manner. If you are not pre- you are spoken to or attacked you should simply registered we will not prepare your creation items reply “Spirit” and continue walking. You are In for the event. Game at all times, except while you are in the bathrooms. Parking occurs in the first wooded lot before you get to the site proper. If you arrive before the start How Do I Check Out? At the end of the event of game and have a lot of gear to move, you are there is a check out area in the same place where more than welcome to pull up into the site, but check in took place. You may turn in your you should move your car to the lot by 8pm on

171 Madrigal 172 character card, make submissions, and register for check out or later via the internet. There are check future events at that time. All yellow marked out sheets for creation skills and there is a items must be turned in at check out. submission form on the web site, although an email with the appropriate information will do. What Happens During a First Event? At the The items you create are available at the beginning of your first event you are encouraged beginning of the next event for which you pre- to attend the new player orientation. register. You must show any required tags and submit required materials whenever you make an This is an in game orientation and there is no out item, or when you receive items if you submitted of game rule preventing you from leaving the the request using the internet. There may also be orientation, but players who attend this orientation opportunities to use creation skills at special times will likely have an easier time playing their first during the course of the game if you have the skill event. and the required materials are available. If you do make a creation skill request at the end of an What Is Maintenance? Maintenance is a payment event, we highly suggest that you follow up the that represents the in game cost of living. The request with an email. payment is one silver piece, although this cost may vary due to in game events. The cost is paid How Do I Use Knowledge Skills? Knowledge at the beginning of every event, and those who skills are submitted as questions pertaining to the fail to pay this cost will find themselves weaker appropriate skill after the end of an event, either at by one Void point to represent the effects of check out or later via the internet. There is a starvation and exposure to the elements. This submission form on the web site, although an reduction is cumulative for each event this cost is email with the appropriate information will do. not paid. Recovering requires you to pay all You must submit any necessary money when you previous costs. If your Void is ever reduced to 0 submit the question, or during the next event for because of Starvation you will perish and you which you preregister if you submitted it over the must visit the Gate of Death when you enter game internet. on the event that this has happened. There is no guarantee that you will receive an High maintenance is paying more money for answer at the next event, or at all, depending on maintenance. You are paying for a richer, the question and other in game considerations. If healthier, and more secure lifestyle. High the answer does come, it will come during an maintenance usually costs 4 silvers at the event through a character who will seek you out in beginning of an event rather than 1 silver. You game. We highly suggest that you mention these gain one extra Vitality point for that entire event. submissions in your summary letter.

Skills that pay for maintenance costs also reduce In order to best handle logistics in a timely and the cost of high maintenance, reducing it to 3 efficient fashion, players must submit creation and silvers. Game effects and campaign conditions knowledge skills at least one week before any may change the cost of high maintenance. event. The submission for an Adventure Night must be in before the end of the previous How Do I Use Creation Skills? Creation skill uses Wednesday, and the submission for an Adventure are submitted after the end of an event either at

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Weekend must be in before the end of the previous Friday. Monetary costs for the materials for these props are reimbursed. Players cannot get CPs for cash How Do I Get More CPs? Players earn character donations, only for donations of time. points by playing the game and helping out in various ways. Character points can be applied to - There may be ways to gain character points any of your characters, but no character may within the game itself. Characters who gain receive more than 15 character points in a year. character points in game are said to gain Character points can be used to buy new skills and Inspiration. Inspiration awards are rare, and you to raise attributes. There are a number of ways to might play for years without seeing them. gain character points. - Players may gain character point awards by - Each Adventure Weekend you attend as a player helping out in other ways. Arrangements must be or a staff earns you one character point. made on a case by case basis.

Adventure Nights are just for fun and give you no We make no guarantees about the value of character points. character points. This award is transient, since your character could die at any time. Character - If you submit a summary letter after an points are meant only to add to the flavor of the Adventure Weekend or an Adventure Night you game. The real reward for playing Madrigal is the gain 1/2 character points from it. Summary letters time you have spent at the game. must be submitted within one week of an Adventure Night and within two weeks of an How Do I Write a Summary Letter? One of the Adventure Weekend to gain this award. tools of communication Madrigal uses is the summary letter. All players are encouraged to - Staying after an event to help clean up extra submit summary letters after each event they areas will gain you 1/4 character points or 1/2 attend. Summary letters also earn you character character points if there is a lot of work that needs points if they are submitted within a certain time to be done. You must be given a task by the clean after the event. To earn character point awards, a up staff to gain this award. summary letter must be submitted within one week of an adventure night and within two weeks - Participating in a related game as a staff will of an adventure weekend. also gain you character points that can be applied to Madrigal character. You can only earn points The best way to submit a summary letter is from staffing, submitting a summary letter, and through the forms on this website. If you have clean up for that game, up to a maximum of 2 trouble submitting the forms, you can submit the character points for each event you attend. There summary letter by sending an email to is still a maximum to the number of points that [email protected]. Embed it right in the body of can be applied to your character. the message so there are no formatting or attachment problems. Although players without - Sometimes the staff posts lists of props they internet access can mail us summary letters, we need to the mailing list. They will often offer CP prefer if they are submitted on the internet as this awards for players who create these props.

173 Madrigal 174 makes it easier for us to distribute the information When writing a character history, you want to to the appropriate staff. include your motivations and the characters that have affected you in the past. Include where you For players who attended as a character, the are from and why you have some to Shadowfane. subject of your letter should say "Summary Letter:" and the name of your character and the Try to keep in mind the following. date of the event. You should answer the following questions: - Which plots were you - Submit a history that takes into account that your involved with during the event? - Which plots or starting character is not very experienced and has staff characters do you want to see more of? - limited resources. Avoid writing a history where What goals or unfinished business does your you accomplish great and heroic deeds. character have? - What actions did you take towards those goals? - Do you have any other Save that for the actual game-play. comments about the game? - What in game comments, rumors, gossip, or advice on survival - Do not write magical items or special skills into or plot might be overheard from your character? your history. Our goal is to use the answers to these questions to run a more enjoyable game. You should try to - Do not have the gods appear or contact you answer the questions with brevity, and follow up directly. the answers with any in game commentary you wish to include. We enjoy in game journals and - Do not include elements or magical effects in views and commentary and try to read it all, but your character history that would be impossible to this should be included after the answers to these represent during the actual game. questions. - Do not introduce a great destiny or prophecy that In game comments, rumors, and gossip will be involves your character unless it comes from a considered for inclusion in the "Talk of the Town" source that could be unreliable. section of the web page. These comments will not be attributed to you unless you specifically state - Do not include statistics for characters from your otherwise. We won't post comments that are history, and do not include characters that insulting or embarrassing to another character, accomplish deeds that are impossible without a although the Slander skill could be used for this very high set of statistics or skills. purpose. Chapter Ten Staff Logistics Staff players are How Do I Submit a Character History? A players who participate in the game under the character history can be submitted to direction of the plot persons who run the events. [email protected]. We prefer internet Staff players are given roles to help maintain the submissions because the information is easier for atmosphere and plot of the game. The term us to distribute to the appropriate staff. Players “Staff” includes all plot staff as well as NPC, or without internet access can submit a character non-player character, staff members. “Plot Staff” history through regular mail. members are those players who attend regular weekly meetings and have additional responsibilities including, but not limited to,

174 Madrigal 175 producing and executing plot and logistics. “NPC given a sleeping assignment. Staff “ members, or NPCs, are those players who attend events and are assigned to a Plot Staff If you are not pre-registered, then the check-in member for roles. staff will check to see if there is room at the event for you. If there is, you are welcome to Can I Play Madrigal? You must be 18 or older to participate. If not, you can play as a staff but you play Madrigal. You must also be familiar with at will have to commute to the game or provide your least the first chapter of the core rule book so you own sleeping arrangements by tenting. will have some idea how to respond to the various game effects we use. Players who arrive without Parking occurs in the first wooded lot before you any knowledge of the rule book will be taken get to the site proper. If you arrive before the start aside until they have some familiarity of the rules, of game and have a lot of gear to move, you are so you should read through this material before more than welcome to pull up into the site, but you arrive. you should move your car to the lot by 8pm on Weekend Events or 7pm on Adventure Nights. How Do I Register For Events? You must be 18 or older to play Madrigal. You must also be familiar No staff or player is allowed to park beyond the with at least the first chapter of the core rule book yellow rope. Do not drive anywhere but the dirt so you will have some idea how to respond to the roads on the site. Drive slowly. Parking and various game effects we use. Players who arrive driving is prohibited at all times down the South without any knowledge of the rule book will be Village Road. taken aside until they have some familiarity of the rules, so you should read through this material Out of Game Staff opening at Monster Camp is before you arrive. Why waste valuable playing mandatory for all staff. It occurs at Staff Camp at time doing this? You can inform us you intend to 8:30pm on Friday night. Out Of Game opening is play by sending email to [email protected]. You mandatory for staff as well as players. Out of can send payments to the following address. Game opening occurs at 9pm at the Temple of Naveril. Madrigal Registration 170 Salem Street Lawrence, MA 01843 Why Should I Pre-register What If I Show Up After Game Starts? Games For Events? Staff members who pre-register are starts at 9pm on Fridays of Weekend Events, and more likely to get good roles. We have, in the at 7pm on Wednesday Adventure Nights. We past, filled our staff sleeping areas and pre- cannot accept new staff players once game has registering guarantees you sleeping space. begun. Unfortunately we do not have the resources to properly debrief and instruct new How Do I Check In? When you arrive at the staff players once the game begins. Once game campsite, those with an up to date membership starts it is our goal to prevent the game flow from and insurance waiver can proceed directly to the being interrupted for any reason. It is for this Staff Camp. If you do not have an up to date reason that we strongly suggest that you arrive membership, you should proceed to the check-in before game starts. If this is impossible, we ask area that will be marked with signs. You will have that you come to the game in costume so you to sign a waiver and bring your account up to don't disrupt the flow of the game. It is our goal to date. Once you reach the Staff Camp you will be

175 Madrigal 176 move you into the ongoing game as smoothly as possible. To this end you will be asked to move How Do I Write a Summary Letter? One of the into your cabin in game. tools of communication Madrigal uses is the summary letter. All players are encouraged to Staff players who arrive late enter game in submit summary letters after each event they costume as spirits and proceed to the Staff Camp. attend. Summary letters also earn you character points if they are submitted within a certain time Staff, who are pre-approved to do so, may enter after the event. To earn character point awards, a game as a farmer and proceed to the Staff Camp. summary letter must be submitted within one week of an adventure night and within two weeks This way you are never interrupting the flow of of an adventure weekend. the game for other players as you arrive. When you have checked in there is a cart to help you The best way to submit a summary letter is move your things to the area you will be staying. through the forms on the Madrigal website. If you have trouble submitting the forms, you can submit When traveling as a Spirit you should walk slowly the summary letter by sending an email to with your head tilted down and hands folded. If [email protected]. Embed it right in the body of you are spoken to or attacked you should simply the message so there are no formatting or reply “Spirit” and continue walking. You are In attachment problems. Although players without Game at all times, except while using designated Internet access can mail us summary letters, we OOG staff areas or the bathroom facilities. prefer if they are submitted on the internet as this makes it easier for us to distribute the information You should make every attempt to enter and leave to the appropriate staff. the game area as a character during game play. Many of our staff develop simple characters such For players who attended as staff, the subject of as a local farmer or caravan guard to help move your letter should say "Summary Letter: Staff" around, off or onto the site when not cast in a role. and the date of the event. You should answer the If you get killed, you may walk to the parking lot following questions: - Which plots were you instead of death. involved with during the event? - Which plots or staff characters do you want to see more of? - Simply becoming a spirit and walking off the site What goals or unfinished business do your staff is not acceptable. characters have? - What actions did those characters take towards those goals? - Did you get How Do I Check Out? At the end of the event you enjoyable roles? - Did you feel you contributed to should check out at the Staff Camp. the enjoyment of the PCs? - Do you have any other comments about the game? - What in game What Happens During a First Event? At the comments, rumors, gossip, or advice on survival beginning of your first event you will attend the or plot might be overheard from any of your staff new player orientation with an assigned role. This characters? Our goal is to use the answers to these is an in game orientation and your role will be to questions to run a more enjoyable game. You attend the orientation and return to the Staff Camp should try to answer the questions with brevity, when it is done. There may be special instructions and follow up the answers with any in game for you during this time. commentary you wish to include. We enjoy in

176 Madrigal 177 game journals and views and commentary and try colder months. You should also bring lots of black to read it all, but this should be included after the socks. We do not allow clothing with designs or answers to these questions. decals. We recommend leaving all expensive watches and jewelry at home. In game comments, rumors, and gossip will be considered for inclusion in the "Talk of the Town" Other items to bring include the following: Black section of the web page. These comments will not shoes WITH ankle support Weapons (and shields) be attributed to you unless you specifically state Spell Packets (there can never be enough) Black otherwise. We won't post comments that are clothing Extra socks Gloves Toilet paper insulting or embarrassing to another character, Toiletries Towel Bug spray Sleeping bag and although the Slander skill could be used for this Pillow Blanket Water (many small water bottles purpose. seem to work better than the gallons) Food Small Flashlight with colored light filter cover Did I What Should I Bring to the Game? Because our mention socks? These items are good to bring if game system is predominately human, we rely you have them: Belts Pouches Costuming Elf ears heavily on costume and character behavioral Horns Props Makeup Makeup remover What changes to distinguish characters. Happens at Staff Camp? Plot Staff shares the responsibility of the Staff Camp desk shifts for the Playing several dominant characters within a weekend events. There will be one member of weekend event becomes a challenge to both the Plot Staff assigned to the desk at a time. Many of Plot and NPC staff. We recommend bringing your these shifts will have one or more staff members own distinct costuming if possible. We do have a who are in training. costuming section at monster camp that contains cloaks, hats, shirts and robes. You are always Please be courteous and patient as the monster welcome to ask the monster desk if they can outfit desk shift is probably the most complicated and you appropriately for a role. stressful job.

Staff are expected to provide the basic weapons The Staff Camp desk, or monster desk, will assign that they will be using during the weekend. you roles if you have any available time.

Although Madrigal will provide special weapons Monster desk will also provide you with stats, for special roles, it is left to the players to provide treasure, costuming and any props you may the weapons they will feel comfortable using for require. Feel free to ask any questions to the the majority of their roles. person at monster desk. If that person cannot immediately give you an answer, they will at least Staff are expected to provide the basic costume know how to obtain one. elements for themselves that will be used during the weekend. This includes one all black outfit Monster Camp is located within the same building and all weather shoes. We recommend wearing as Death to ease the strain of the job. As a sturdy hiking boots or combat boots that have mid courtesy to our players we request the minimum to high ankle support. We also recommend amount of noise at any given time. bringing black gloves, a black mantle and any black fleece pullovers you may have during the

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Since a player must come extremely close to Staff costume pieces for you. Once your role is finished Camp to approach the Gate of Death, once that you should return the pieces promptly to the desk. bell rings it is too late to be quiet for the player. This way the maximum amount of staff can use We recommend that you utilize your assigned the costuming to the best of our abilities. housing as a lounge to relax and unwind. Please be courteous to players who may be walking If you are interested in becoming a monster desk around your buildings and keep noise to a non- person and taking one shift during weekend intrusive level. events, please inform a campaign staff person.

Most often you will find your roles varied and She will have additional information. As always if challenging at Madrigal, but once in a while you you do not understand or have questions about may become bored or frustrated. Since the plot anything at all, feel free to ask the monster desk. staff will be single mindedly focused on the event and timeline it is often extremely difficult for us What Is Expected of Staff? At Madrigal you are to detect any problems that may be concerning expected to be in game at all times when you are our staff. Please let the monster desk know outside the bathrooms and staff areas. We try to immediately if any problems or concerns arise so maintain a serious atmosphere. Characters who that we can guarantee the best experience for all are portrayed with silly or out of game our staff. Our goal is to provide an exciting and characteristics will not be tolerated. We try to give challenging role-playing experience while you every character a purpose within the game world. staff a Madrigal event. Your desires may change Every encounter, whether you’re playing a Black over time as well, you may want a heavy fighting Sun Barbarian or a Fire Toad, will have a set of role to begin with and then wish to switch to an goals and usual behavior. intense role-playing role, or vice versa. The monster desk is designed to handle all your needs We want the staff to have fun and to provide fun to make your weekend with us pleasurable. We for the players. Everything you do in game can have designed a staff questionnaire to help us find have profound impact on the game. It is your job the roles you will most enjoy. At your first to populate this world and maintain an atmosphere Madrigal weekend the monster desk will give you that provides a suspension of disbelief and the questionnaire to fill out. This allows us to provides the players with fun. Stay in game and in assign you to roles appropriate to your desires. costume at all times. Don’t push masks up on your head. Don’t talk to other staff in an out of At some point you may be asked to either grab game manner while you are outside staff areas. It something out of the props trailer or you may is your job to watch the signs from the players. need costuming for an upcoming role. Only the Are they bored? Are they frustrated? Are they active monster desk person and certain Plot Staff having fun? Try to keep the story that is being told members are allowed to enter the trailer or the in the forefront of your mind. Ask yourself if you back rooms. We have an astounding amount of would find this fun as a player. props, lighting and costuming in a very small area. Feel free to ask the monster desk to retrieve There is a very fine line between an encounter that or place your objects back into the correct is challenging or frustrating. position. When utilizing costuming for a specific role, the monster desk person can retrieve

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Try to remember that having the stats to crush a Once your down time is up, rise slowly with your group of players is not always the correct weapons tucked under your arm or hanging response. More often it is the threat of violence loosely by your sides, keep your head bowed and that thrills the player than the actual thrashing walk in a slow manner to your regrouping they may eventually receive. It is your cool head encounter point or Monster Camp. and restraint when appropriate that makes Madrigal so fun to play. You may learn things in monster camp or while playing a role that the players have yet to One of the greatest challenges at a live action discover. All staff are required to keep what is event is the interaction between players and staff. learned as a staff character secret. We ask all staff to be cautious while in monster camp because the There will be a time where you believe you see a person next to you may play Madrigal as a player incorrectly react to a combat or roleplaying character at some point. We are gracious to all our encounter. Do not argue about rules or accuse players who volunteer to staff Madrigal on players of cheating. Arguing about hits or rules on occasion and we would not want them to unduly the field is inappropriate. Madrigal maintains an learn a big game secret and spoil their fun. As in game atmosphere at all times. well, there is a great companionship felt by all at the end of every event when the game ends and Bring up the problem to plot staff immediately the players wish to express their heartfelt thanks following the encounter, once you have returned for your wonderful performances. Please be to Monster Camp. In addition, you should do your reasonably modest and let the players have their best to defer to the players benefit at all times, moment in the spotlight. Remember that anything even if you believe the player is incorrect. a player learns out of game they know in game. So even though you might want to give them the Players at Madrigal are in game at all times, so behind the scenes story about the Hyena raid, thanking the players in an out of game manner please refrain where possible. after fights or other encounters is inappropriate.

There is time for that after the event. Stay in game. As quickly and quietly as you can, exit the encounter in the appropriate manner. This is extremely important as the players may be morning the loss of a loved one or may be attempting to resolve a highly stressful situation.

If you are killed as your role, stay down for the full five minutes. Many creatures that serve darkness will only remain down for one minute.

Try to remember to ask your staff leader for every encounter what the down time is since it is easy for us to forget what the count should be for blood tribes, undead, and other minions of darkness.

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