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    Default Fictive Hack of the Magic Realm

    The Magic Realm is a long-orphaned game originally published by Avalon Hill. These home brew rules will reference the out-of-print game components, but offers an ability to play a setting somewhat like the Magic Realm without having to find a copy of the game.

    That said, these rules diverge from the Magic Realm rules in pretty much every detail.

    Also, please note I do some weird things with a d20 ("modulus" - who remembers the % operator?) in order to get step-skewed probability distributions on the tables.

    Spoiler: Table of Contents
    Show
    Introduction
    Credits, Acknowledgements
    Intended Awesomeness
    What You Need to Start
    Characters Advance Their Motives
    Abilities Enable Advancement
    Advancement Enhances Abilities
    Abilities, Attributes, or Wounds?
    Starting Equipment and Encumbrance
    Labor, Coin, and Equipment
    Naming Your Character
    Time
    Awesome Points
    Awarding Awesomes
    Spending Awesomes
    Bribes for Control
    Specific Mechanics
    Tasks Test Attributes
    Physical Tasks
    Social Tasks
    Combat
    Arenas
    Initiative
    Sequence of Actions
    Face Dice
    Parrying Weapons
    Damage, Wounds, Healing, and Recovery
    Magic
    Calling and Binding
    Casting
    Environment
    Weather, Travel, and Terrain
    Magic and Terrain
    People and Creatures
    Particular People and Creatures
    Encounters
    Treasures
    Trade
    Templates
    Amazon
    Bard
    Barbarian
    Captain
    Dark Knight
    Druid
    Dwarf
    Elf
    Fighter
    Knight
    Magician
    Mechanic
    Peasant
    Pilgrim
    Scout
    Sorceror
    Swordsman
    Thief
    White Knight
    Witch
    Witch King
    Wizard
    Woods Girl
    Spells
    Righteous Invocations
    Pagan Rituals
    Elven Songs
    Alchemic Formulae
    Corrupt Ceremonies
    Conjurations
    Knacks
    Tricks
    General Comment
    Tables
    Weapons and Attack Rolls
    Attack Rolls and Armor
    Combat Action Sequence
    Calling and Binding Outcomes
    Seasonal Weather and Travel Table
    Sunset or Sunrise
    Traveling
    Events or Travelers

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    Default Introduction

    Spoiler: Credits, Acknowledgements
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    This edition is dedicated with many thanks
    to Andrew Shields, creator of Fictive Hack;
    to Kirin Robinson, whose Old School Hack inspired both Andrew and myself;
    to Richard Hamblen, who wrote the Magic Realm setting and rules for Avalon Hill out of Bal’mer Mayrland; and
    to “dewkid,” who wrote the RealmSpeak software that enables quick setup (and play) of Magic Realm on a computer.

    Intended Awesomeness

    Fictive Hack was designed to be low-prep, improvisational, reactive, cinematic (i.e. tightly focused on the player characters), and fast-paced. Magic Realm was designed to be goal-focused, strategic, deterministic, organic (i.e. existing independent of the player characters), and chaotic in the sense that small decisions could have huge consequences.

    This edition of Fictive Hack, for the Magic Realm, started out as a straight-up replica of Magic Realm intended mainly for Play-by-Post. Then it veered toward an exploration of the tension between the Fictive Hack or Magic Realm play styles, each very fun in its own right. Then I started tweaking the rules for Magic to make the setting a little more eldritch. Accordingly, I have hacked every aspect of both progenitive rule sets.

    Spoiler: Remember the following (design goals)
    Show
    b) Good play isn’t a win/lose kind of thing; Player characters are: d) pursuing their own agendas – they might work together, they might work against each other. The GM’s role is: b) The GM preps a map with NPCs and/or monsters. The players have their characters travel anywhere they can reach on the map, according to their own goals. c) The GM has no plan – the GM simply plays the NPCs and has them act or react based on their motivations. The players’ roles are… b) …to set goals for their characters, and pursue them proactively; c) …to fling their characters into tough situations and make hard, sometimes, unwise choices. Doing the smartest thing for your character’s survival… a) …is what a good player does; but, b) …sometimes isn’t as important as other choices. The GM’s role to the rules is… a) …follow them, almost alway. (including following house rules) BUT …ignore them in case they conflict with what “should” happen, based on common sense. After many sessions of play, during one session, a player decides to have her character side with an enemy. This is… c) …something the player and the GM should NOT have set up ahead of time. d) …only going to last until the other player characters find out and do something about it. e) …a meaningful moment, powerful and an example of excellent play. A fistfight breaks out in a bar! The details of where everything is – tables, chairs, where everyone is standing is something that…d) …isn’t really that important other than it makes the arena either Tight or Dense. In order to really have fun with this game, the rulebook is something that…d) …everyone at least should know the basics of the rules. BUT f) …Only one person needs to really know the rules and relevant parts can be explained in a couple of minutes to anyone who cares. This game runs best when the players take time to create characters that are… c) …given strong motivations and an immediate problem or crisis; d) …tied into the other characters.


    Spoiler: What You Need to Start
    Show
    Copies of the Magic Realm rules, map tiles, treasure and spell lists. Sorry, these are essential (at least when planning a campaign) in order to capture the Realm’s deterministic yet utterly surprising feel. Look around on the net, and you can find both physical and digital copies, as well as an emulator that will set up an entire game for you.

    Players. At least 2 players for good results (though solo play is possible). A GM is optional but can be helpful. Without a dedicated GM, players can control each others’ NPCs.

    Dice. Everyone needs at least one dodecahedral die. The dodecahedron is the largest Platonic solid and also is the most likely to roll fairly. Although no other die is used, these rules require only one “d20” roll (for a spell effect). Most often, “modulus” operations are used skew the results of d20 rolls. Wikipedia explains the modulus mathematical operation.
    “xd10”: in many places the rules call for xd10, which should be read as “roll x d20, each mod 10.”
    “xdy”: read generally as “xd20, each mod y.”
    “xdykz”: read as “roll x d20, each mod y, keep the z highest results.” e.g.: 3d10k2 (attack roll with a medium weapon), roll 3d20, mod 10, keep the 2 highest rolls.

    Awesome Points. These can be poker chips, d6s, or other tokens; or, online, “cookies.” Each player starts with Awesome Points equal to their character’s level, plus one Awesome for each of their character’s motives. Awesomes enable characters to do … awesome things.

    Templates. Have a copy of all available templates (if starting fresh) or all players should have a template for their existing characters. Character Sheets? Aren’t needed. Write stuff on your character’s template. Make it your own. OR just use your phone to copy and edit the file.

    Quick Reference. Everyone should be able to refer to the order of combat and basic rules.

    Dry Erase Board? (and marker and eraser). It’s a quick and simple way to sketch out arenas and keep track of where people and objects are, as well as tracking where characters are in the combat round and other details the DM may wish to note. Or use any of the many online drawing board tools.
    Last edited by Eulalios; 2014-02-14 at 09:31 AM.

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    Default Characters Advance Their Motives

    Your character is defined by a template. Choose one of the templates listed at the end of this document. Your character starts with the “inherent” ability and limitation listed on the template. The inherent ability is your character’s special piece of awesome. Limitations can help you understand the character, but they don’t have penalties and they aren’t exactly mandatory.

    Your character needs motive(s) to go out into danger! When a character acts according to all of its motives, the character gains a level.

    As in each edition of Fictive Hack, the design goal of this edition (exploring tension between cinematic action and deterministic strategy) is implemented via an economy of Awesome Points. Awesomes are gained by accomplishing motives and by gaining a level, and are spent to enable awesome feats that aid in the accomplishment of motives.

    Accordingly, a key aspect of character generation is to select motives that describe what will be Awesome for that character: finding treasure; making friends; vanquishing terrors; exploring new locations? Generally, a player should pick one motive per character level; picking more or less will alter that character’s access to Awesome.

    In the Magic Realm, characters may seek any of the following motives:
    Wealth (in 500 sp increments)
    Great Treasures
    Fame (slaying a monster or group of creatures)
    Notoriety (slaying a character or group of natives)
    Arcane Mastery (acquiring a spell)
    Worldly Power (befriending or hiring natives)
    Knowledge (finding new routes, treasure locations, etc.)
    Other (moral code, obligation, etc.)

    Each character begins with a number of Awesome Points equal to their level. For each motive that character chooses, for each active week that they survive, and for each motive that they accomplish, they gain one additional Awesome Point. Once the character has spent all their starting Awesomes (level + number of motives), and has accomplished all their motives, they gain a level along with Awesome Points equal to their new level.

    Example. A first-level Fighter who chooses to Slay a Troll and Find a Great Treasure has 3 Awesomes and a whole lotta bravado. After six weeks roaming the Realm, they may have 9 Awesomes to back up that bravado. If they spend all their Awesomes to Slay that Troll, they will immediately gain back 1 Awesome (for accomplishing that motive), which will be helpful toward Finding a Great Treasure. Another example. If that first-level Fighter somehow manages to roam around six weeks, Slay a Troll, and Find a Great Treasure, without burning up any Awesomes, they will have 13 Awesomes when they level up to second.

    Spoiler: Abilities Enable Advancement
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    At each new level, a character can gain one of: a new ability or ability enhancement, +1 to an attribute, or an additional wound (by enhancing the Tougher ability).
    If Tougher is enhanced beyond the character’s Brawn + 1, then it “stacks down” duplicate wounds from highest to lowest. For example a seventh-level character with Brawn +2, Tougher x 6, would have three wound 3, two wound 2, two wound 1.

    Each template describes abilities that a character can gain from that template. Abilities that a character has gained enable the character to do awesome things without spending Awesome Points. However, a character may spend Awesome Points for a one-time use of an ability they have not yet gained from their base template. Abilities come in many flavors:

    Difficulty to Learn. How widely available is the ability?
    Base Template Abilities. You can gain abilities from your base template without further training, and you can spend 3 Awesome Points for a single use of any base template ability that you haven’t yet gained.
    Open Abilities. Training for “open abilities” (not from your base template) is easily located, or when you level up, spend 3 Awesome Points that do not count towards leveling to automatically “figure it out” somehow with DM permission.
    Restricted abilities.* Gaining “restricted abilities” (with 1 asterisk) that are not on your base template is only possible if the DM agrees, and there are special circumstances and training (or if the DM allows you to spend 5 Awesome Points that do not count towards leveling.)
    Exclusive abilities.** Training for “exclusive abilities” (with 2 asterisks) is not possible unless the ability is on the character’s base template, or the character is a spellcaster learning appropriate magic. The DM can make an exception for extraordinary circumstances, but isn’t required to.

    Frequency of Use. How often can the character use the ability?
    Constant. The character can always use this ability, it is available any time its use is appropriate.
    Arena. The character can use this ability once per arena. If the ability involves moving between arenas, the ability is reset when it enters a new arena. The ability is only exhausted in the arena if its use is successful. The ability can be “recharged” in the same arena by spending 1 Awesome Point as a free action.
    Rested. The character can use this ability successfully once between periods of rest and nourishment. The ability can be “recharged” between periods of rest by spending 2 Awesome Points outside combat, or 3 Awesome points during combat.

    Time to Use. Are we done yet?
    Free action. This takes no time. If in doubt about when it activates, it is used on the character’s turn.
    Action. This counts as a shoot action, move action, fight action, etc.
    Focused. This starts in phase 3 and activates in phase 7 of the round if the character is not injured in that time. The ability is only exhausted if it is successful.
    Attribute Test. Some abilities enable you to test an attribute in order to do something no one else can do. Typically an attribute test will require an amount of time determined by the die roll.
    Other. Some abilities may specify they take a fixed time to perform.

    At each level, a character may gain a new ability from their base template, or from any other template. However, a character must not take more abilities from other templates than they have from their base template.

    When a character has two abilities from another template, the player can decide to switch to that template as the new base template. This can be done when leveling and taking a second ability from the template, or any ability after the second.

    From that point on, the character cannot get more abilities from other templates than possessed for the new base template (but the character may already have more abilities from other templates. Those don’t count here.)

    The character cannot use the inherent ability of the new base template, but can spend 3 Awesome Points to use any abilities not yet gained from the base template. The character can no longer spend 3 Awesome Points to use abilities not gained from the previous base template.

    If a character gets all 5 abilities from a new base template, then at their next level the character can gain the template’s inherent ability.


    Spoiler: Advancement Enhances Abilities
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    Abilities as described in the templates are subject to advancement when a character gains a new level. Aspects of an ability that can be advanced are underlined in the ability description.
    Frequency of use - rested to arena, arena to constant.
    Time to use - focused to action.
    Damage for an attack ability.
    Add +1 to hit for an attack ability.
    Add +2 to an attribute roll ability.
    Reduce Awesome Point cost by 1.
    Speed—change a focus action to a move action.

    Here are some specific guidelines for enhancing abilities.
    A ability may be advanced more than once, but only by one of each advance type.
    Players must get DM approval before enhancing an ability, to make sure the interpretation works for the DM’s game and preferred play style.
    Not every ability is subject to enhancement, and that’s fine.
    Advancing a base template ability counts as taking another base template ability, when counting abilities towards the cross-template requirement that half a character’s abilities must be from the base template.

    Enhancing an ability generally cannot:
    Increase an ability penalty to an opponent’s Attribute test, attack roll, or damage roll against the character.
    Grant Awesomes through its use alone.
    Increase a player character’s wounds (except by enhancing Tougher).
    Further enhance healing (e.g. Robust or Vigor cannot be enhanced to roll any additional dice for recovering wounds).
    If you see that advancement makes an ability more powerful and cooler, and worry about “balance,” remember that the player character gave up a whole other ability to enhance this one. And there are some really neat abilities out there. Also, whatever a player character might do, a non-player character might do something equally potent with some other ability.


    Spoiler: Abilities, Attributes, or Wounds?
    Show
    Abilities let characters do cool stuff. Attributes get tested to determine whether the character can accomplish more ordinary tasks that they attempt. Positive attributes give the character advantages.
    Awareness. Alertness, perception, insight; helps with noticing things. Each +1 is a proficiency in 1 extra spoken language (start with 1 language for free), 1 musical instrument, or 1 art. (Negative = no art or instrument, 1 spoken language).
    Brawn. Number of loads the character can carry without penalty, +1 to their max potential wounds; helps with intimidating people.
    Charm. Social aptitude, ability to inspire, persuasion, likeability, leadership. Each +1 enhances the reaction roll for newly-encountered native groups and the morale of hired followers.
    Commitment. Each +1 aids in resisting magic or healing wounds, and grants an advantage in long races or travel.
    Cunning. Stealth, deception, crafting or repairing items. Each +1 is an upward adjustment to the attack roll for Ranged weapons. Positive Cunning means the character knows how to swim.
    Daring. The character with highest Daring in an arena can choose to impose -2 on a single other character’s attack roll, or to take +2 on their own attack roll. Also, positive Daring means the character knows how to climb.

    Wounds are what keep the character alive. (I know this is kinda counter-intuitive …) They represent how much physical damage the character can sustain. Each injury “marks” one (sometimes two) of the character’s wounds. When one of the character’s two highest wounds gets marked, they must test Commitment to avoid breaking and fleeing. When both of the character’s two highest wounds have been marked, they are incapacitated and must test Commitment to avoid bleeding out. When all of a character’s wounds have been marked, they dead.

    At 1st level, each character has the inherent ability from their base template, 5 points for their attributes, and 1 wound. Many of the templates pre-assign some or all of those 5 points toward attributes, which can limit your options. However, each level gives another point to develop your character.

    Your character starts at 4th level, so they have three additional points to spend on additional abilities or attributes or wounds. How you choose to spend those points will drive the character’s future strategies.

    Although the majority of a character’s abilities must be gained from the base template, this means that a 4th level character may have one ability from another template. Additionally, the constant ability Tougher (which grants an additional wound) may be gained repeatedly from any template. A character’s highest wound cannot be numbered higher than [Brawn+1]; however, additional enhancements of Tougher will duplicate the highest wound, e.g. a character of Brawn +2 could Toughen up to have 3 or 4 wound #3s.

    Attribute points can be all put into a single attribute, or spread across several attributes. Normal humans do not exceed +5 in any attribute; beyond that, the exceptional attribute is blatantly apparent to others (hypervigilance, bulging thews, fey glamour, steely determination, uncanny braininess, daredevil demeanor). You can take an attribute to -1 for 1 more point to spend on another attribute. You can take no more than 4 negative points, and no more than 2 in any attribute.
    Last edited by Eulalios; 2014-02-14 at 09:35 AM.

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    Default Labor, Coin, and Equipment

    Many games have extensive price lists, and you are welcome to refer to those. If you want a basic guide for spending money for stuff, the paragraph immediately next may help (notice how “ordinary” stuff becomes unexpectedly expensive in an economy lacking automated manufacturing). Following paragraphs in this section sketch out a wage-based economy that presumes 1 sp as the daily opportunity cost of forsaking subsistence farming.

    Standard daily wages: 2 sp common labor, 5 sp skilled labor, 10 sp for master craft labor. Food for one adult, for a day: 1 sp. Clothing for an adult, including boots: 100 sp. A pack mule or pony: 100 sp. The backpack noted above, filled with its contents: 200 sp. A riding horse: 400 sp. A warhorse: 800 sp.

    Spoiler: Clothing
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    As rules of thumb, 6 yards of cloth can be woven in four days (20 sp for master craft to set and maintain one of several looms, 12 sp for semi-skilled labor to work it); a typical adult garment of fair quality requires 3-6 yards of cloth and about a half day of skilled work (25 sp skilled labor + material and wastage).

    Rough boots require nearer two days of skilled work (10 sp + materials; but, as will be seen, the materials tend to be the expensive part). Presume that a single unskilled laborer can herd a dozen cows, which take roughly one year (365 days) to reach adequate size for skinning. One yearling cow's hide (~40 sp) can yield leather for roughly 5 pairs of boots. Producing leather from a dozen cow hides requires about four weeks of skilled labor (140 sp / 12 cows / 5 pairs of boots ~ 2 sp per pair of boots). Total materials cost for one pair of boots: 42 sp. Fair price of a yearling cow: ~100 sp.


    Spoiler: Shelter
    Show
    A fair cottage (16x24 ft "shed" in modern First World minds) can be built in about 10 days (100 sp master craft, 60 sp skilled labor). But getting 500 board feet of wood for that shed ... ah, that takes time. A good size medieval water mill might cut 5000 board feet in a day, with two skilled workers and a master craft (16 sp). The real expense is in dropping three good-size trees with a cross cut saw - this requires a day and a half of extremely dangerous work by a master sawyer and prentice (35 sp with risk premium). Total cost: roughly 220 sp to build that cottage. Fair price, inclusive of haulage and set-up: 250 sp.


    Spoiler: Metalwork
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    A master smith can forge a Heavy sword in about four days (40 sp + materials), or a Medium or Light sword in a couple of days (20 sp); a suit of chain (Medium armor) can be made in about 15 days by a skilled worker (75 sp + materials); a suit of Heavy armor takes about 2 seasons master work (600 sp + materials). All of these items need to be carburized in a foundry kiln, a process that requires about 72 hours to get ⅜” case hardened thickness; figure semi-skilled labor to watch the kiln, and split that among the various pieces in it, depending on size of kiln and workload, this could be anywhere from 10 sp to 1 sp tacked onto the cost.

    Turning to the cost of raw iron for making these articles - figure a solid week of common labor (14 sp) to harvest a bog for a hundred pounds of iron nodules; three full days of semi-skilled labor (10 sp) to build a pit, gather wood, and burn charcoal; 4 days master labor + helper (50 sp) to build / rebuild a smelting kiln; another day master labor (10 sp) to fire that kiln; and about ten days of master + semi-skilled labor (130 sp) to pound the 50 lb bloom down to pigs. Total 215 sp labor to produce enough iron for a suit of full plate, or ten heavy or twenty medium or thirty light swords.

    Thus, the total cost of making a Heavy sword (including 5 lbs iron and four days work) would be around 60 sp (40 sp manufacturing + 20 sp materials). A Medium sword, at around half as much iron and labor, would cost about 30 sp to make.

    The Heavy armor would require iron worth about 200 sp, smithing of about 600 sp; while the Medium armor, which weighs about 30 lbs, would require about 120 sp of iron and about 75 sp work for total cost of about 200 sp.


    A good horse is generally regarded as having the same value as a cow, a suit of Medium armor, or a Medium sword, thus about 100 sp.

    Spoiler: Starting Equipment and Encumbrance
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    Brawn determines the number of heavy things (loads) your character can carry without penalty.
    Carrying [Brawn +1] loads is encumbered; fail all rolls (including combat), stagger along.
    At 0 Brawn or lower, 1 load counts as being encumbered.
    A child-sized person (e.g., Dwarf or Elf) is 2 loads. Normal person is 3 loads. Person with over 5 Brawn is 4 loads.
    Dragging something over normal ground halves its encumbrance.
    More than one person can share the weight of a burden, splitting the loads between them.
    Starting Coins. Each template lists starting coinage (in silver pieces or “sp”). 500 sp is 1 load.
    Each template also lists starting equipment including weapon(s) and armor. One or more items may be designated as a “signature item” (which will be explained in the template), or you can pick a signature item if none is designated.
    Weapon(s). Each template indicates whether the character starts unarmed, or with one or more light, reach, heavy, very heavy weapons, or ranged. Descriptions are up to you, and costs are up to the DM; those in the table at end of this document, are guidelines.

    Armor. Each template indicates whether the character starts with light, medium, or heavy armor, possibly also a shield. Describe them. Armor protects a character’s wounds as shown in the table at end of this document.
    A character choosing to Defend with a shield will reduce all attackers’ attack rolls by 2 (stacking with the -2 for defending, total -4). This also works against ranged attacks.
    A light shield can be used as a light weapon, or a heavy shield can be used as a medium weapon. The shield takes damage when it strikes, and breakage is a risk the same as if the shield were used to block.

    Backpack. Unless otherwise noted in templates, each character starts with a stocked backpack, which counts as one load. The backpack has in it the normal sorts of supplies that characters would want:
    10 yards of rope, 6 cheap waxed torches, a lantern, 1 flask oil, a bedroll, 1 change clothes, 1 week food, 3 days water, flint and steel, 12 iron spikes, small hammer, small cookpan.
    If a player wants their character to have some other handy thing, they can spend 1 Awesome Point to have it conveniently in the backpack during play. If it is bulky or not something that makes sense, 2 or more Awesome Points. The DM may deny a request to have an object handy.
    Last edited by Eulalios; 2014-02-14 at 09:41 AM.

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    Default Time

    Time in the Magic Realm is measured in rounds (about 10 seconds), minutes, turns (10 minutes or 60 rounds - also about how long a cheap waxed torch burns), hours (one hour is about how long an expensive torch or an oil lantern burns), days, weeks, and lunar seasons (each exactly 28 days long).

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    Default Awesome Points

    The game consists of characters making meaningful choices within an environment that is independent of the characters. These choices determine whether the game is awesome.

    Awesome Points give players the means to level up the characters, succeed by increasing some dice rolls, express appreciation for other players, and use abilities normally beyond their reach. Ideally, so much cool stuff is going on that players are giving each other Awesome Points constantly, and spending them rather than stockpiling.
    Awarding Awesomes
    In several situations, the DM should fork over some Awesomes.
    Just One Player
    Give 3 extra starting Awesome Points. Give more for character sketches, back story, bringing snacks, or whatever effort went into preparing.
    Fighting Without Armor
    For an active combatant (at least one attack attempted), this always is good for 2 Awesomes.
    Without armor, and unarmed, is good for 4 Awesomes.
    Thanks
    Progress! The DM may choose to award Awesomes at the conclusion of an exciting encounter.
    Pride. You like how your players and their characters are handling things, you think they’re cool, and you want them to know it. Toss out an Awesome!
    Out-of-Game Contributions. Want to reward a player for bringing snacks, or keeping the party’s map up, or doing play reports, or whatever? Give the player an Awesome for their character.
    Cruelty
    Evil Chuckle. Any time the DM chuckles evilly, or laughs maniacally, or any other variation on the theme, the DM must feed the affected character an Awesome. (This is always available, and always entertaining, so use it! You can choose whether or not to chip in when an NPC laughs.)
    Monster abilities. The first time a monster uses one of its abilities, it’s good form to pay an Awesome to the victim.
    Picking on Characters. When a target is hit and you spend 2 Awesome Points to ignore 1 Wound, one of those goes to the player whose character was “cheated” and the other goes to the Bowl. Same when the NPC inflicts an extra Wound. And if you are pulling some rude move in the game (like having a character lock himself out of his house) that’s worth a sympathy point or two also.
    Buying Time
    Pay a player character 1 Awesome to reduce 1 Wound done to an NPC, or to increase an NPC’s damage by 1.
    Attribute bidding war with PCs! They make a roll, you make it more difficult or have an NPC resist them with Awesome Points matching their own contribution, if you want to drive up the Awesome Point price or even make a target immune to their attempt.
    Entitlement
    If a player should get Awesome Points for something (like fighting without armor), it is the player’s responsibility to remind the DM. If the player does not remind the DM in a timely fashion, it is up to the DM whether or not to reimburse the player.
    Spending Awesomes
    1
    Add +2 to any attribute roll.
    Move while Shooting or Throwing.
    Use a per-arena ability again in the same arena.
    Flexibility. Change what you want to do in the round. This cannot allow you to act in a phase that is over, or to change your mind if you have already rolled dice on an action in the current round.

    2
    Roll an extra damage die after a successful attack. (But only one per round. (Except against minions.))
    Monsterslayer. Shift the result of a damage die by one wound per 2 Awesomes (max increase = Brawn).
    Dodge or shrug off one incoming wound. (But only one per round. )
    Recharge a rested ability outside combat.
    Smite Fleeing Foes. Hit a foe who was in melee with you, but flees before the attack phase.

    3
    Use an ability you have not yet gained from your base template.
    Recharge a rested ability (during combat, this is a Focused action).
    No Help to Hit. Awesome Points cannot be spent to boost the attack roll. Except by Fighters.
    Efficient Boosting. You can spend as many Awesome Points as you want to boost an attribute roll—to the point where it is successful, and not beyond. (You can’t spend more points just to level faster.)
    Bribes for Control
    If a player wants a degree of narrative control, the player can offer the DM a bribe of Awesome Points. If a PC wants to have an item that they could find or have on their person, or if the PC wants to create a new arena adjacent to existing arenas, or catch a lucky break, or whatever, the player can offer the DM Awesome Points. The DM has to agree to the request; it cannot be a demand. The DM is responsible for setting the tone of the game, and its challenge level.

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    Default Specific Mechanics

    We will start with mechanics for resolving the results of characters’ choices, then move on to mechanics for defining and moving through the environment where those choices are made. The environment mechanics are driven by the setting.

    Characters’ choices include whether to engage with or antagonize natives, combat or flee a threat, or attempt other tasks.
    Tasks Test Attributes
    The DM can decide how difficult something is on the spot, and call for an Attribute roll (which can be boosted by Awesome Points) or a blind luck roll (which can’t) to see how the attempt turns out. These suggestions are for clarification, not to bind the DM to a single way of working these challenges out. The DM is encouraged to be consistent and creative.

    Blind Luck. When there’s no basis for biasing the outcome of a competition or attempt, the player and their opponent (other player or DM) roll 1d10. A tie is a decisive win for the player character against the DM, or if between player characters, an odd tie is a marginal win for the “challenger,” an even tie is a marginal win for the “challenged.”

    Opposed. 2d10+attribute against 2d10+[adversary attribute or difficulty set by DM]. Higher roll succeeds decisively, odd tie (based on rolled dice, ignoring modifiers) is marginal success for the challenger / attempter, even tie is marginal win for the challenged / marginal failure for the attempter.
    Difficulty
    Description


    -3
    Simple.
    Routine, normal, everyday. (Calls for a roll only if distracted.)
    0
    Standard.
    Challenging, professional level.
    3
    Difficult.
    Complex, unlikely, expert level.
    6
    Amazing.
    Almost impossible, superhuman difficulty.
    9
    Epic.
    Stories should be told about this feat.
    Spellcasting; save vs. Magic. Commitment, Cunning, or Charm are tested when summoning spirits; Awareness, Commitment, Cunning, or Daring may be tested to resist a spell, as DM deems appropriate. For tests to resist a spell, the difficulty is the caster’s level.

    Time. Generally, the challenger’s / attempter’s unmodified die roll determines how many combat rounds are needed to attempt a physical task, or how many minutes are needed to accomplish a social / mental task.
    Physical Tasks
    Breaking Down a Door. A typical door has 4 wounds. Those trying to break it down by kicking or shoulder-bashing roll unarmed damage against the door and themselves. Armor soaks the damage normally.
    Hiding. Test Cunning to establish level of success; then test Awareness of each character or creature actively searching for the hidden character. The DM may bias the Awareness tests depending on lighting and activities of the hidden character.
    Pickpocketing. Cunning vs. Awareness. On failure, the lift is prevented and detected; on marginal failure, accomplished but detected; marginal success, not accomplished; on success, well, that’s pretty obvious. The DM may add difficulty (up to +3) for objects of a reasonable size bigger than a hand.
    Balance (difficulty = loads). In a high place, test Daring to move. If Daring fails, test Brawn or Cunning not to fall. If successful, test Daring to move again.
    Climbing (difficulty = loads). Test Brawn, a success moves up or down 1 arena (generally about 6 yards or so.) If Brawn fails, test Daring or Cunning, player choice, not to fall. Every 3 yards of falling is 1 Wound, give or take.
    Swimming (difficulty = [2 x loads]). Test Brawn, a success moves 1 arena in one round. If Brawn fails, the character only moves ½ arena that round. A character can try to swim for [5 x Brawn] rounds, -1 per load, before needing to rest for [Brawn] rounds or drown. Only characters with a Brawn bonus know how to swim; others can move ½ arena on a success, and on a failure, begin to drown.
    Drowning. Attempt swimming each round of drowning, +1 difficulty each round. Each failure inflicts 1 Wound. For characters who know how to swim, the first success enables floating to rest.
    Social Tasks
    Ingratiation. Test Charm against a target NPC or native group’s Cunning or Commitment (typically, 0). Gain +2 by gifting food, drink, or treasure to the group or to its leader in a value of at least 1 sp per member of the group. Marginal failure means the NPC’s reaction to the character does not change after this interaction; marginal success improves the reaction by one level just for this encounter; success improves the reaction by one level for this encounter, and offers another chance to make the improved reaction permanent; failure makes the reaction one level worse. Reactions include Allied, Helpful, Friendly, Neutral, Unfriendly, Hostile, and Belligerent.
    Allied: gain +4 to all social tasks involving this NPC. Also, discounts and gratuities when trading.
    Helpful: gain +2 to all social tasks involving this NPC. Also, discounts when trading.
    Friendly: gain +2 to all social tasks targeting this NPC.
    Neutral: meh.
    Unfriendly: gain -2 to all social tasks involving this NPC. Also, premiums when trading.
    Hostile: gain -4 to all social tasks involving this NPC. Also, no fair deal when trading.
    Belligerent: combat ensues!
    Persuasion (Bargaining; Deception). Test Cunning against the target’s Cunning or Awareness. Success means the target will acknowledge the possibility, success by more than 5 means the target believes you are telling the truth. The DM may add difficulty for outrageous or dangerous lies, and reduce difficulty for truth mixed artfully in with fiction (or calculated and edited to mislead.)
    Inspiration. Focused action to test Charm against difficulty set by DM, in order to grant target(s) +2 to Commitment rolls in the current combat.
    Intimidation. If the character did something really cool, this could be a free action that takes place during the Defend/Protect phase. If the character must show off, intimidation can be a focus action. To scare someone, choose either Brawn, Charm , Commitment, or Daring to test against the target’s Commitment or Daring (target choice). An intimidated target is -2 to all rolls until a focus action lets the target shake it off automatically. Either side may get a bonus for superior strength or numbers.

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    Default Combat, Wounds, Recovery

    Combat occurs in Arenas, and is described in a sequence of rounds. Each round consists of seven potential Actions, which are resolved in a set order within about ten seconds. Sixty rounds make one “turn.” The DM announces the actions of the NPCs, then the players say what their characters will do. Combat should be fast, cinematic, and awesome.
    Arenas
    An arena is a place you might fight in that’s different from the places around it. Characters can move around and maneuver within their arena without taking actions to do it. A move action transfers a character from one arena to another adjacent arena.

    In play, this usually looks like a bunch of ovals, squares, L-shapes, and triangles that touch each other, ideally with some scribbled in scenery or an explanation to understand what is in each arena.

    Having a variety of arenas means players can move their characters to places where they get an advantage from their weapon type, and variety helps combat be more cinematic and dynamic than standing toe to toe and gradually chewing through each other’s hit points.

    Tight. Narrow corridors, stairs, balconies, alleys, tunnels, most internal rooms; light weapons +2 to attack.
    Hazardous. Rooftops, slick rocks, ledges, rope bridges, swamps, big rooms with low furniture; reach weapons +2 to attack.
    Open. Courtyards, open water, gladiatorial arenas, fields; ranged weapons +2 to attack target here.
    An Open arena tends to be 12 feet high and about six yards on a side. On a cliff face, in the water, or with aerial combat, that’s a helpful guideline. Some monsters have an arena on their back and head!
    Dense. Shops with fragile shelving, crowded bar-rooms, thick forest, ship deck, crowd, hayloft; heavy and very heavy weapons +2 to attack (with collateral damage).
    Neutral. Anything else.

    If you want to do something cool, suggest arena possibilities next to the arenas the DM notes. Example: a character in a marketplace is faced with a dense street and tight alleyways as the guards close in. Her player asks if she can treat the awnings of the shops as a hazardous arena to get up to the rooftops, which are open. The DM may draw it in!

    Arenas can change mid-fight. If you are in a hayloft and the barn catches fire, you may go from a dense arena to a hazardous arena. If you’re in a crowd and they scatter, the arena goes from dense to neutral, then maybe a round later to open. Boundaries of arenas can change as the fighting space changes.

    The size of arenas varies dramatically. If you’re in a house, arenas will be very small; if you are riding horses out on the plains, they’ll be very big.

    There are some circumstances that come up often, so here are some typical arrangements.
    Roads. Roads tend to be about one arena wide and as many as 10 or 15 arenas long for the purposes of the encounter. They are open unless there is traffic, then they can be any arena type.
    Walls. If you can go over it or fight along its top, the wall is hazardous. If the walls hem you in, the arena is tight. If the walls mean you can’t go that way, the wall is impassible (and not an arena). If the wall seems flimsy, you can try to break it; if you do, the DM will tell you whether the rubble-strewn hole area is dense, tight, or hazardous!
    Weather. Uncleared rain, mud, snow, or ice often will render terrain hazardous, as any personal injury attorney will attest.
    Woods. Thickets of brush and saplings likely are dense, close stands of mature trees or trees with low branches tend to be tight, and an old growth forest with open understory may be neutral.
    Initiative
    Initiative is only needed when multiple characters want to act in the same phase of the combat round. Every party rolls 1d10+Awareness, highest roll goes first, and on through descending order. Those who are tied go simultaneously or dice it off again, DM choice.

    The DM always declares NPC tactics before the PCs decide what they will do. This may be a description of the NPC plan, or just announcing what part of the round they’ll use (shoot, move, attack, etc.). The DM can pay Awesomes to affected PCs in order to change NPCs’ apparent tactics.
    For example, a DM may tell players an NPC will defend or protect, but not say which, or who may be defended. Or the DM can share that information. It depends on how clearly the DM thinks the NPC is telegraphing the action.
    If this inconveniences players to the point where they complain, the DM may put Awesome Points in the bowl to pay for secrecy. It is helpful to put 1-6 down the side of the dry erase board and mark in when everyone will act. Start by putting in the NPCs, then put in the PCs.
    Sequence of Actions
    Defend or Protect. Both can counter-attack those that successfully hit you in melee combat.
    Counter Attacking Minions. When a group of minions attack, they roll once to attack so the defender can roll only once to counter-attack—not once for each minion in the group.
    Defend: Foes are -2 to hit you. (-4 with a shield.)
    Protect: Attacks in this round that target a chosen friend in your arena attack you instead.
    Shoot or Throw. Use a ranged weapon to attack someone in your arena or an adjacent arena. With a ranged weapon, there is an option within the Shoot action to Aim (shot hits during the Attack action) for better range.
    Bows or slings can shoot out to [2 x Brawn] arenas when aimed, with short bows or slings having a max range of 4 arenas, long bows 8 arenas. Crossbows can shoot to 6 arenas when aimed.
    Focus or Impede. Actions that take longer to manage.
    Focus: Announce what you are starting to do for a focus action; if unharmed until the end of the turn, it happens.
    Impede. Test your Brawn, Cunning, or Daring against someone else’s Brawn, Cunning, or Daring (each party chooses which attribute they’ll use) in order to prevent them Moving, Attacking, or Pushing anyone other than you.
    Move. From the arena you are in to an adjacent arena (or one arena further, if you spend 1 Awesome).
    If someone Impeded you, attack them; if you inflict a wound, you can move normally but cannot spend an Awesome to move further.
    Attack, Assist, or Aimed Shot. Attack anyone in your present arena, except that if you were Impeded, you only can attack that opponent.
    Attack. Roll to hit, using any applicable abilities or weapon bonuses.
    Assist. Add 1d10 to the dice rolled by an ally in the same arena; the ally keeps the top 2 rolls, so you are contributing as though you were a minion. You cannot use abilities or weapon bonuses to help.
    Aimed shots strike their targets on successful attack rolls.
    To shift your action to attack independently or to protect your ally from another attack, spend 1 Awesome Point.
    Push. Move one or more opponents to an adjacent arena. Use your Brawn, Cunning, or Daring, against their Brawn, Cunning, or Daring. Each target after the first reduces your roll by 1. Those you beat are hurled into your target arena and cannot Move on their next turn.
    Focused Actions. Focused actions go off if the focuser remains unwounded. A successfully impeded target is Cornered and cannot move next round unless they successfully.
    Face Dice
    One of the dice for an attack roll is the “face die” and if it comes up a 10 and the character also hits, then the attack does an extra 1d3 damage that is added to the normal damage. (This may not be a hit to the face, it could be any kind of critical hit, but “Face Die” is funny.) For unarmed attacks, the only die is a Face Die. This may be the only opportunity for a small character to inflict a disabling wound on larger opponents.

    Some abilities adjust the rules for attack rolls. Most notable is the Fighter’s Weapon of Choice ability.
    Parrying Weapons
    A parrying weapon must be a light or medium weapon, or a shield, and can be used only with a light, hand, or heavy weapon in the other hand (“main weapon”). When using a parrying weapon, you roll -1d10 on your attack roll with the main weapon (i.e., roll 1d10 to hit with a light or heavy weapon and 2d10 with a medium weapon). However, in each round you may choose one time for the parrying weapon to grant +2 to the attack roll or to (on a successful hit) mark your target’s lowest unmarked wound, or to impose your Daring as a penalty against a chosen foe’s attack roll.
    Damage, Wounds, Healing, and Recovery
    Each character has a number of wounds. Each die that is rolled for damage indicates a single wound to be marked. For example, if a character rolls a “4” on 1d5, their target marks off wound #4. If the rolled wound is higher than any of a character’s wounds (e.g. if the character has wounds 1-4, and the rolled wound is a “5”) then the character’s highest wound is marked.

    If a wound already has been marked, then the next lower wound is marked; if the next lower wound already has been marked, then the next higher wound is marked.

    When either of a character’s two highest wounds has been marked, they must test Daring or Commitment in order to continue combat.

    When a character’s two highest wounds have been marked, they are incapacitated and must test Commitment against the total number of wounds marked off. A failure indicates the character is bleeding out, and must mark one additional wound each round until they benefit from a successful use of a Healing ability (discussed below).

    When all of a character’s wounds are marked, they die. There is no resurrection in the Magic Realm.

    For natural recovery, a character rolls 1d5 each day, and recovers the rolled wound (e.g. a character with wounds 1, 3, 4, and 6, rolling 3, recovers wound #3). A daily roll that does not match any marked wound can be re-rolled a number of times not exceeding the character’s Commitment.

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    Default Magic

    Magic in the Realm involves casting a spell in the presence of a supernatural “color.” Colors often are made present by calling, binding, and releasing a spirit.
    Calling and Binding
    One type of spirit (the Bright spirits) can be summoned anywhere under the open sky, and under certain blessed roofs; another type (the Dark or Corrupt spirits) can be summoned only at specially blighted sites. The remainder of spirits (Grey, Gold, and Purple) can be called upon at any location within their respective terrains of Valleys, Woods, or Mountains and Caverns. Grey spirits, additionally, can be called within any built structure.

    According to the accepted theosophy of the Realm, the different colors correspond to particular thaumaturgic principles - Light for manifestations of Righteous authority; Grey for the workaday spirits of settled places; Gold for the glamorous immortal fae, who power the magic of mortal elves; Purple for the elemental energies, eternally writhing under reality; and Dark for the warping and destructive corruption of demons.
    Note this schema predates MtG by a couple of decades :).

    Typically, a complex ritual is required to call up a single appropriate spirit for the desired magic: a Righteous Invocation for a Bright spirit, a Pagan Rite for a Grey spirit, an Elvish Song for a Gold spirit, an Alchemic Formula for a Purple spirit, or a Corrupt Ceremony for a Dark spirit. Knowledge of a summoning ritual is gained as a Rested ability. Performing such a ritual takes about as long as walking a league, and successful completion requires an attribute test at difficulty 6 (for Gold spirits, Charm; for Bright spirits, Commitment; for others, Cunning). Failure, success, or marginal results produce outcomes as shown in the table at end of this document.
    Casting
    Once a spirit has been called and bound to the summoner, at any time during the spirit’s binding the caster may cast a single spell that requires magic of that spirit’s color.

    Eight different types of spell are known to the Realms. The five Greater spell types typically require knowledge similar to those for calling and binding the spirits that typically power these spells; however, some Greater spells require magic of an atypical color. The three Lesser spell types, which can make use of any color magic (this is a significant variance from the standard Magic Realm rules), include Conjurings, Knacks, and Tricks.

    Some spells in the Realm have an instant effect, so that the spirit immediately is freed. Other spells will require a spirit to linger until the next sunrise, until the next new moon, or until the next solstice (roll 1d3 at time of casting). The lingering spirit will implement the spell only while it is in its native terrain, or in the presence of a kindred spirit; at other times the spell will be dormant. A summoning ritual of the appropriate type will call forth a lingering spirit, breaking its spell, before any other spirit is raised.
    Bright spirits are in their native terrain “anywhere under the open sky.”

    Each spell that a character may cast is gained as a Focused, Rested ability. Spells are gained, and can be enhanced, just like other abilities. Unless otherwise noted, no attribute test is needed to cast a spell. Some characters have as their sole motive the acquisition of new spells from books or scrolls, or by other means; at each new level, a character may choose to gain as an ability one of the spells they have acquired.

    Unless otherwise noted, any potentially affected character may completely resist a spell by successfully testing Commitment or a more relevant attribute as determined by DM.

    Many spells, converted from the Magic Realm rules, may be found at the end of this document; many others can be found in documents such as the d20 SRD. When converting from other sources than the Magic Realm ruleset, please be thoughtful in selecting a color, type, and difficulty for any spell brought over.

    Magic and Terrain
    As mentioned above, each type of terrain has its own particular native spirits (Grey for Valleys, Gold for Woods, or Purple for Mountains and Caverns). Each of the Greater spell types includes a spell for having a native spirit call its kin. Successful performance will awaken those spirits inherent at a particular location, thus enchanting the location until the next sunrise, new moon, or solstice (roll 1d3 to learn which). Within an enchanted location, spirits of the native color hover ready to implement spells. If an enchanter would like to have one of the awakened spirits “wrapped for take out,” the ritual of binding can be attempted at difficulty 3 (instead of 6).

    All those woken-up spirits fundamentally alter the enchanted location: most roads run to different destinations; ambient lighting, weather, buildings, crops and other plants, wildlife, and people, also, are changed in appearance or effect. Moreover, at an enchanted location the Encounter tables are amended as shown by the [brackets] below. These effects go away when the enchantment dissipates and the spirits go back to sleep.

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    Default The Setting

    The characters are mighty and heroic, but they have to make their way through an uncaring world.
    Weather, Travel, and Terrain
    The Magic Realm has a calendar of thirteen lunar seasons, and four types of terrain: Valleys (relatively safe, but rife with rumors and intrigue); Woods (somewhat less safe); Mountains (not safe); and Caverns (downright scary).

    Each season has different weather, which affects travel through (and likelihood of encounters in) the different terrain types. Some types of weather can cause wounds to unprotected travelers.

    Weather is chosen at the first day of play, and at the last day of each travel period, by rolling 1d6 against the seasonal table shown at the end of this document. Results that indicate severe weather, and fewer than seven travel days, mean that the severe weather lasts long enough to make up the difference, e.g., if a Blizzard is rolled, it lasts three days, followed by four travel days before the next weather roll. Daily travel distances are estimated in leagues.

    People and Creatures
    Here is a broad typology of people and creatures, friend and foe, that exist.
    Type
    Wounds
    Description
    Examples
    Swarm
    1-5
    Little things that fight as a mass.
    Bats, Spiders.
    Minion
    1
    Normal people, soldiers, skirmishers.
    Goblins, Rogues, Woodsfolk, Wolves, Serpents, Imp.
    Tough
    2+
    Hardier person, leader, elite soldier.
    Bashkar, Company, Guard, Order, Soldiers, Patrol, Tremendous Serpent, Bears, Wild Boar.
    Monster
    3-30+
    Any sort of beast or creature.
    Tremendous Spider, Dragons, Ogres, Giants, Trolls, Lurker, Demons
    Swarms. Swarms generally remain within the Arena where they are found, and adjacent arenas. They collectively attack and deal damage as if wielding a light weapon, but take only 1d2 damage from weapon or bare-handed attacks. This makes it tough to put down a swarm with 4 or 5 wounds, but players can mark higher wounds (up to their max normal damage) by spending 2 Awesomes per wound, with a good description of how (e.g., sweeping blows with the flat of a heavy sword, and a successful attack roll, +6 Awesomes, = mark wound 5 on the swarm). Another option is to run away and return after the swarm has dispersed.

    Minions. Minions aren’t skilled or strong enough to get any kind of attack roll bonus from weapon types, and they are usually not armored. The first injury puts them out of the fight.
    Minions Fight in a Mob. Each minion rolls 1d10 to hit; in a mob of minions wielding similar weapons, keep the highest 2d10 as the mob’s attack roll. The DM may spend a single Awesome to give the mob an additional damage die. The mob combines d10 in the same way to Push, Shoot, etc. Minions can “mob up” into multiple groups for multiple dice pools.
    Plowing Through Minions. If you are fighting a bunch of minions, you can possibly hit more than one if you roll extra damage dice. Each additional minion target reduces your attack roll by 2 and requires 2 Awesome Points for an additional damage die.
    When fighting defensively and gaining a counter attack, you get 1 strike against all the minions, since they all combine to one roll to hit you.
    This only works with range attacks if they line up and the DM allows it.

    Toughs. Toughs get attack roll benefits from weapon types and usually have armor, same as (and lootable by) characters. They sometimes have 1 ability. Giving them shields helps them survive a little longer. They have Commitment +1, or +2 for leader types.

    Monsters. Monsters’ “armor” isn’t removable or usable by characters; it is inherent in their supernally tough bodies. They generally have Commitment +2, but some very terrifying monsters may have Commitment 0 or -1 as they are not accustomed to be critically wounded.

    “Skinning” these creatures is important to the feel of the game, but less important to the mechanics. Minions may look different, but have the same game mechanics. The same stats for a monster could look and feel very different described differently. These rules help improvise foes quickly for pretty simple clashes. Armor also makes a big difference in their survivability.

    Mix and Match. Mix and match types and you can have lots of different kinds of fights and some exciting scenes.
    Encounters
    The characters are mighty and heroic, but they are not alone in the world. At sunset in a dwelling, one time during night hours on the road, or each league of travel in a cavern or treasure location*, roll d9 and check the Sunset or Sunrise table at end of this document for encounters with traveling natives or with terrors of the night (rolls of 1-6). After each league of daytime travel, roll d9 and check the Traveling table for encounters along the road (rolls of 7-9). Keep in mind that d9 = d20 mod 9, thus there are 3 chances in 20 of getting a “1”, 3 chances of getting a “2”, and only 2 chances for any other number; 6:20 chance of an encounter each league along the road, 14:20 chance of an encounter at a dwelling or pre-dawn.

    The valleys of the realm are sparsely settled by generally harmless civilians, among whom roam some potentially dangerous native groups. Various native groups profess to help the civilians and to hinder the various threats to peaceful agriculture. Other native groups actively harry the peasant farmers. The woods, hills, and caverns are populous with wildlife and monsters.

    Native Groups.
    Bashkar. Pony-mounted shepherds who, when their herds are lean, emerge from the woodlands to maraud through a valley; enemies of the Guard, Patrol, and Soldiers. Bashkar 1-5 and HQ are toughs with 2 wounds, light armor, light shields, and hand swords. The ponies do not fight, but grant Charger (as Fighter) to their riders.
    Company. Neutral mercenaries looking to earn some coin by serving whoever will pay; or getting paid by anyone who would like them to leave. Company 6 is a tough with 2 wounds, light armor, heavy crossbow, hand sword. Company 5 is a tough with 4 wounds, medium armor, and a very heavy sword. Company 2-4 are toughs with 2 wounds, medium armor, and pikes. Company 1 and HQ are toughs with 2 wounds, medium armor, light shields, and light swords.
    Guard. Law-and-order types who levy toll and keep order along a derelict road; enemies of the Bashkars, Lancers, Rogues, and Woodsfolk. At their post, guards 1-2 and HQ are toughs with 4 wounds, medium armor, and very heavy swords. Two additional squads roam the ruins of the surrounding valley.
    Lancers. Neutral mercenaries mounted on warponies, claiming to collect a distant liege’s taxes; enemies of the Guard, Patrol, and Soldiers. Lancers 1-3 are pony-riding toughs with 2 wounds, light armor, light shields, reach weapons (lance), and hand swords; their HQ has 4 wounds, light armor, light shield, a reach weapon (lance), and a hand sword. When charging (moving into Arena from next adjacent Arena), on a successful attack roll the lances hit as very heavy weapons while the ponies trample for medium weapon damage. When skirmishing (not charging), the lances hit as reach weapons / the swords hit as medium weapons.
    Order. Lawful knights mounted on heavy warhorses and pledged to the service of Light. All are toughs with 5 wounds, very heavy armor, very heavy swords, and lances. They enter combat charging on warhorses; on a successful attack roll, lances deal very heavy damage and horses trample for heavy damage. After charging, on a successful attack roll, horses trample for medium damage.
    Patrol. Neutral types charged with keeping the peace in the valleys; enemies of Bashkars, Lancers, Rogues, and Woodsfolk. Patrol 1-2 and HQ are toughs with 3 wounds, medium armor, hand swords, spears (reach), and light shields. They travel and fight on horses that are not trained to fight independently.
    Rogues. Chaotic silver-grasping bastards who loiter at taverns, intent to gain wealth by threat and stealth; enemies of the Guards, Patrol, and Soldiers. Rogues 5-7 are minions with no armor and light weapons. Rogue 4 is a tough with 2 wounds and a shortbow. Rogue 3 is a tough with 2 wounds, light armor, and a hand sword. Rogues 2 is a tough with 2 wounds, light armor, and a heavy axe. Rogue 1 is a tough with 4 wounds, light armor, and a heavy axe. Rogue HQ is a tough with 2 wounds, light armor, and a hand sword. They ride horses when pushed on to the next tavern.
    Soldiers. Lawful types garrisoned by a local liege to protect their valley from all comers; enemies of Bashkars, Lancers, Rogues, and Woodsfolk. Soldier 3 is a tough with 2 wounds, medium armor, hand sword, heavy crossbow. At their House, Soldiers 1-2 are toughs with 2 wounds, medium armor, pikes. Soldier HQ is a tough with 3 wounds, medium armor, heavy sword, light shield. Two off shifts roam the valley.
    Woodsfolk. Neutral peasants fending off thieves while repossessing wealth from their oppressors. Woodsfolk 1-3 are minions with short bows and light swords. Woodsfolk HQ is a tough with 2 wounds, light armor, a longbow, and a light sword.
    Creatures
    Bats. A flying swarm with [2d5k1] wounds. Normally belligerent.
    Bears. A group of [2d3k1] toughs with 3 wounds and light armor, attacking with heavy claws and bite. Normally hostile.
    Bees. A flying swarm with [2d3k1] wounds and light armor. Will pursue at least two Arenas. Each wounded character must make a Commitment test at +2, or be incapacitated until rested.
    Cat. An unarmed minion able to vanish as a Focused action and able to evade all attacks as an Arena action. Normally evasive.
    Deer. A group of [2d3] minions, each suitable to feed forty people. Normally evasive.
    Eagle. A powerful predatory bird, which attacks from above for medium damage. Can Peer as a Rested, Focused action.
    Frog. An utterly harmless amphibian. Has Grace as an Elf.
    Lurker. A tough with 8 wounds in its body (hidden under feet of water) and light armor, attacking twice each round with tentacles as medium weapons (each of its eight tentacles has 3 wounds). Can take a Focused action, the next round after a successful attack, to subject one opponent to drowning. Must mark lowest unmarked wound each round that it is completely out of water.
    Serpents. The Serpents appear as [1d5 + 1d3] minions that attack as if with light weapons, if disturbed. Wounded characters must test Commitment or become incapacitated.
    Spiders. A swarm with [2d3k1] wounds. Each wounded character must make a Commitment test at +2, or be incapacitated until rested.
    Tremendous Serpent. A tough with 6 wounds and medium armor. Deals light damage with a regular attack, but can take a Focused action to deal very heavy damage by crushing an opponent successfully attacked in the previous round.
    Tremendous Spider. A tough with 6 wounds and light armor, dealing medium weapon damage. Wounded characters must make a Commitment test after first bite, or suffer an additional wound each subsequent round.
    Wild Boar. A tough with 5 wounds and light armor, dealing medium weapon damage with tusks. Able as an Arena action to charge (per Fighter) for very heavy trampling damage.
    Wild Goats. A herd of [2d5] minions, each suitable to feed a dozen people. As a Focused action they can climb otherwise impassable rock faces.
    Wolves. The Wolves appear as a pack of [2d5] minions that attack as if with reach weapons. As a Focused action, on a successful attack roll they can Knock Down a single target to automatically deal very heavy damage the following round.
    Monsters
    Demons. Demons have the Power of the Pit ability, 6 wounds, and medium armor. They attack with claws as heavy weapons on a first attack; on a second consecutive successful attack, they grip and rend for very heavy damage.
    Dragons. Heavy dragons have 6 wounds and claw or bite for heavy damage; as an Arena ability, they also have a Breath Weapon that can be used in the Shoot action as a light weapon (good in tight spaces) to deal heavy damage into the dragon’s own Arena and one adjacent Arena. Tremendous dragons have 8 wounds, claw or bite for very heavy damage, and have Breath Weapon as a Focused ability.
    Ghasts. Ghasts have 4 wounds and claw or bite for medium damage. Characters wounded for the first time by a ghast must make a Commitment test or be incapacitated; thereafter they are immune to the ghasts’ paralyzing touch.
    Ghosts. Ghosts have only one wound, #6. They can be touched only by spending Awesomes, or by magic. Nevertheless, they attack for heavy damage. Slain characters, unless properly put to rest, rise as ghosts at the next full moon.
    Giants. Monsters with 8 wounds, and light armor, who can attack with very heavy clubs against their own or any adjacent Arena. As a Focused action they can make an attack roll to stomp for very heavy damage against one target in their own Arena; all smaller creatures in that Arena fall prone.
    Goblins. Minions who appear in grounds of 4d3, armed with light weapons.
    Imp. A minion who can be damaged only by spending an Awesome, or by magic. It can cast [2d3] Dark or Purple spells, each as a Rested, Focused action.
    Ogres. Ogres have 6 wounds, light armor, and attack with heavy clubs.
    Trolls. Most trolls have 8 wounds, medium armor, and claw or bite for medium damage. They regenerate 1d5 wound each time they step into a shadow. The tremendous troll guarding the Vault has 10 wounds, heavy armor, and rends for very heavy damage; it regenerates as other trolls.
    Travelers
    Cleric. Chance to trade for Heal, Remove Curse, or knowledge of nearby Monsters. Will purchase magical treasures at highest price listed.
    Crone. Chance to trade for one Dark spell, one Trick, or knowledge of nearby Dwellings. Will purchase Dark Book, Beast Pipes, or spells. Wants an escort to the Shrine, the Toadstool Circle, or the nearest Cavern.
    Shaman. Chance to trade for one Grey spell, one Gold spell, or knowledge of nearby Creatures. Will purchase Scroll of Nature or Glittering Ring. Wants an escort into the Deep Woods, or to the Altar, or to the nearest Mountain peak.
    Scholar. Chance to trade small treasures or knowledge of one Great Treasure location. Will purchase pretty much anything. Wants an escort to Ruins.
    Warlock. Chance to trade for one Purple spell or one Conjuring. Will purchase Scroll of Alchemy, Book of Lore, or Enchanter’s Skull. Wants an escort to the Inn or to a Camp.
    Gypsy. Chance to trade for one Knack or one Trick. Will purchase any Book or potion. Wants an escort to the Bashkars, or to an Inn.
    Treasures
    Speaking of “plunder,” treasures are an essential aspect of the environment for any proper group of venturers. One of the most thrilling aspects of the Magic Realm is the plethora of unique and useful treasures hidden throughout - only a few of them being easily discoverable. How to replicate this? I recommend using the RealmSpeak freeware. It will set up an entire map replete with “warning chit” locations (the Smoke W, Lair, etc. that are listed above) as well as a manifest of treasures corresponding to each warning chit.
    Trade
    A pleasure of the original Magic Realm was its simple, workable table that combined a random die roll with a pre-determined relationship to define the results of player character interactions with natives. Yet in a nod to Fictive Hack’s meatier rules for Social Tasks, I will abandon that simple table for the following:
    Roll 1d5
    Belligerent
    Hostile
    Unfriendly
    Neutral
    Friendly
    Helpful
    Allied
    1-2
    Insult
    Trouble
    Sell +½;
    Buy -¼
    Sell +½;
    Buy Fair
    Fair
    Sell -¼;
    Buy Fair
    Sell -¼;
    Buy +¼
    3
    Insult
    Insult
    Sell x2;
    Buy -⅓
    Fair
    Sell +½;
    Buy -⅓
    Fair
    Sell -¼;
    Buy Fair
    4
    Battle
    Sell x2;
    Buy -⅓
    Sell x3;
    Buy -½
    Sell x2;
    Buy -¼
    Sell +¼;
    Buy -¼
    Fair
    Fair
    5
    Battle
    Sell x3;
    Buy -½
    Trouble
    Opportunity
    Opportunity
    Sell +¼;
    Buy Fair
    Boon
    When a (group of) player character(s) first meet a native group, the natives’ initial impression of the character(s) will be the “center” of the individual relationships, shifted one step toward the “face” of the group. For example, if the Lancers meet a group consisting of the Druid (Friendly), the Pilgrim (Neutral), and the Captain (Neutral), then they will initially be impressed in a Friendly way if the Druid is the face, or in a Neutral way if the Pilgrim or the Captain is the face.
    The character (or the “face” of a group of characters) may attempt Ingratiation to improve the native group’s impression of the character(s). Alternatively, they can skip this.
    Thereafter, conversation, trade, or hiring can be conducted using Persuasion or Intimidation (typically a dumb approach for hiring) to shift a column on the table above - to the right for success, to the left for failure. Marginal success or failure will respectively shift a rolled result to be more or less favorable.
    “Insult” = a last chance to Ingratiate, Persuade, or Intimidate in order to avoid Battle.
    “Battle” = Fight, or until the next full moon fail the first attempt at any Social Task.
    “Trouble” = a last chance to Ingratiate, Persuade, or Intimidate in order to avoid re-rolling one column to the left.
    “Sell or Buy” “Fair”, “+½”, “x2”, “x3”, etc. = offer to sell or buy the item at stated markup or discount from a “fair” price implied by these rules.
    “Opportunity” = a second chance to Ingratiate, Persuade, or Intimidate in order to re-roll one column to the right.
    “Boon” = gives item or service for free, but the recipient is now in their debt; or takes item as a gift, but now owes the recipient a larger gift or favor at a later time.

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Eulalios's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Steady Habit
    Gender
    Male

    Default Character Templates

    Your character is defined by a template. Choose one of the templates listed below. Your character at first level had the “inherent” ability and one additional ability, starting equipment (one item of your choice being the character’s signature item), and limitation listed on the template, as well as any attributes listed. Listed attributes count toward the character’s 5 initial attribute points. Limitations can help you understand the character, but they don’t have penalties. The templates also suggest motives, and/or pre-existing relationships with native groups, but these are optional.
    Amazon
    The Amazon is a skilled warrior and soldier, with excellent speed and fair strength.

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Lancers, Patrol, Shaman. Unfriendly: Company, Bashkars.

    Inherent - Exotic Allure. You are an attractive and powerful female in the male-dominated Magic Realm. Your combination of feminine charm and ability to defend that charm unsettles adversaries and impresses allies. +2 to all Social Tasks.
    Limitation - Princess. Secretly, you abhor icky things. You try hard to hide this, as you know it might undermine all your efforts to appear as a toughened warrior who should be taken seriously.
    Starting equipment. Short Sword (medium weapon, ½ load), Helmet and Breastplate (medium armor, ½ load), light shield (½ load).

    Abilities.
    Aim. Constant. You may make an aimed shot during the Shoot / Throw action.
    Archer. Focused. You gain +2 to an attack with a bow or crossbow. By enhancing this ability to Constant, it can combined with Aim.
    Charms.** Rested. You gain a second attempt at any failed Social task.
    Stamina. Constant. You may move an extra league during daylight, whether afoot or mounted (her stamina extends to horsemanship).
    Wiles.** Rested. You gain a second attempt, at +3, to one failed test of Awareness or Cunning.
    Bard
    The Bard walked into the Realm a while ago seeking legends to tell back at home. You found (mostly) eager audiences here, and never bothered to leave.

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Company, Patrol, Rogues, Soldiers. Unfriendly: Guard, Order.

    Inherent - Raconteur. Arena, Focused. You have plenty of tales and jingles to ply in aid of your goal to be liked. If you fail at your first attempt to Ingratiate, you get a second chance at +2.
    Limitation - Tries Too Hard. You … won’t … will you ... please … shut … up!
    Signature items. Musical instrument and fancy clothing. Starting coin and equipment. 1d5 x 2d10 sp.

    Abilities.
    Chanter.** You can summon and bind a Gold spirit, and can awaken the Gold spirits of a Woods. You can learn Elven songs as Open abilities.
    Warm the House.** Rested, Focused. Simply by playing an up-tempo tune for a number of minutes equal to your level, during the same number of minutes afterward you can grant +3 to any social task and double the effect of any other ability affecting social tasks.
    Learned.** Rested, Focused. Each time you carouse in a Dwelling, roll 1d6; on a result of 6, you wake up remember something said the night before that clues you in to the general location of the nearest Great Treasure.
    News of the World.** Arena, Focused. After studying a person for a full round, you can offer a bit of “news” that imposes -2 on all their rolls for the following round.

    Barbarian
    The Barbarian is a powerful fighting man with the strength to dispatch the largest monsters and humans and the speed to outmaneuver them. He is not fast enough to escape lighter and swifter opponents, so against them he must rely on going berserk to survive and on his robust health to help him recover from his wounds.

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Rogues, Lancers, Shaman. Unfriendly: Patrol, Guard.

    Inherent - Robust. Rested. After a rest, you can roll an extra 1d5 to recover from wounds.
    Limitation - Bloodthirsty. You really, really like killing. And drinking.
    Signature item. Great axe (heavy). Starting coin and equipment. 2d10 x 10 sp; helmet.

    Abilities
    Berserk.** Rested, Focused. You temporarily gain two additional wounds, and must continue attacking, until the end of current combat. The additional wounds from berserking are duplicates of your two highest normal wounds, and marked before them, so it takes a total of at least four hits to incapacitate you. At the end of combat, the berserking wounds go away. If at that time your two highest remaining wounds are marked, you become incapacitated.
    Captain
    The Captain is a renowned hero of many wars. His strength, weapon and armor make him dangerous when facing Medium or Heavy opponents, but he needs heavier equipment to deal with heavily armored foes. He is not really strong enough to face Tremendous foes.

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Patrol, Soldiers, Guard, Scholar. Unfriendly: Woodfolk. Enemy: Bashkars.

    Inherent - Reputation. You get a second attempt at any failed Social Task when at a Dwelling (including a campfire). This is not, however, an infinite loop.
    Limitation - Hardened. You prefer to deal sharply with unfriendly folk.
    Signature item. A favorite piece of jewelry, taken as a trophy long ago. Starting coin and equipment. 3d10 x15 sp; light sword, medium armor, heavy shield.

    Abilities
    Aim. Constant. You can take an Aimed shot during the Shoot action.
    Archer. Focused. You gain +2 to an attack with a bow or crossbow. By enhancing this ability to Constant, it can combined with Aim.
    Efficient Killer. Focused. On a successful attack roll, you can deal damage with a melee weapon as if it was one category heavier (e.g. a light sword deals medium damage, a heavy shield deals heavy damage).
    Steadfast. Rested. You know how it feels to march through the night with full encumbrance, and you will do it again if you must, for double the normal travel distance between sunrise and sunrise.
    Command. Arena, Focused. All allies in the arena and adjacent arenas gain +2 to Commitment rolls until the end of combat, and +2 to their next attack rolls. Anyone you choose may follow you to gain your travel distance.
    Dark Knight
    The Dark Knight is a deadly and feared veteran of many battlefields.

    Native Relationships: Allied: Company. Friendly: Soldiers, Crone. Unfriendly: Lancers. Hostile: Guard.

    Inherent - Feared. You gain +2 on any attempts to Intimidate.
    Limitation - Jerk. When the coin was right, you broke some heads in questionable company. Memories linger in the Magic Realm.
    Signature Item. Dark heavy armor. Starting coin and equipment. 3d10 x 50 sp. Pick one of: mace (medium weapon) and heavy shield OR heavy mace and light shield OR crossbow.

    Abilities
    Deadeye.* Focused. You gain +2 on attack rolls with a bow or crossbow.
    Haggling. Rested. You gain +2 on a single attempt to Persuade.
    Skullcrusher.* Arena. This attack only works with a mace. Attack an opponent who is not attacking you. Get +2 to hit, or roll damage as if using the next heavier weapon, decide after rolling attack.
    Sturdy. Rested. You can carry or wear 1 load more than your Brawn without being encumbered.
    Threaten. Arena. You gain a second chance to Intimidate, regardless whether your first attempt succeeded. This also allows you to Intimidate after someone else in your group has done so.
    Druid
    The Druid is an elusive magician at peace with nature.

    Native Relationships: Ally: Bashkars. Friendly: Lancers. Unfriendly: Order, Shaman. Enemy: Woodfolk.

    Inherent - Peace with Nature. When alone, you can choose whether to encounter creatures or monsters. When in a group that encounters creatures or monsters, the creatures ignore you unless you attack them.
    Limitation - Peacable. The Druid does not seek conflict.
    Signature item. Staff engraved with mystic runes. Starting coin and equipment. 2d10 sp; robes and rations.

    Abilities.
    Pagan.** You can summon and bind a Grey spirit, and can awaken the Grey spirits of a Valley. You can learn Rituals as Open abilities.
    Trickster.* You can learn Tricks as Open abilities.
    Befriend (Creature).** Focused. Without using magic, you can befriend any natural creature and bind it to be your companion. You have only one companion creature at a time, and cannot dismiss nor release your companion; it will follow you anywhere, even indoors. You cannot befriend a creature you have wounded.
    Binding of Wounds. Focused. You can grant another an immediate roll to recover wounds. This is a healing ability that halts bleeding out.
    Concealment. Arena. You gain +2 when testing Cunning to hide.
    Speak with (Creature).** Focused. You know the language of one type of creature, and can use Ingratiation, Persuasion, and Intimidation to trade for its knowledge and services.
    Walk the Woods.* Constant. You can travel off-road in woods at the same speed as on-road, without risk of getting lost.
    Dwarf
    The Dwarf is a slow and powerful fighter who is at his best in the caves, where he is respected as a master of searching, hiding and fighting the monsters that live there. Outside of the caves he is slow and clumsy. In battle his ability to duck allows him to swiftly escape enemy blows and out-maneuver the largest and slowest denizens. He must be careful to avoid the fast opponents who live outside of the caves, however, and he is extremely vulnerable to attacks made by other characters

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Company, Guard, Scholar. Unfriendly: Woodfolk, Bashkars.

    Inherent - Short Legs. The Dwarf imposes -2 on the attack rolls of human-sized opponents, and -4 on the attack rolls of opponents ogre-sized or larger. He is a slow traveler; in a day of walking, he can travel only about ⅔ as far as human-sized characters.
    Limitation - Gruff and Thirsty. Some people assert that derogatory stereotypes are no more than over-generalizations of ground truth. Regarding dwarfs, you prove them right.

    Abilities.
    Builder.* Rested. With appropriate equipment, materials, and labor, you can build any structure; test Cunning to learn how many years the structure will stand without needing any repairs.
    Craftsman.* Rested. With appropriate equipment and materials, and a successful test of Cunning (which requires a number of hours equal to the unmodified roll), you can make or repair any non-magical object at difficulty 3 to withstand medium damage; difficulty 6 to withstand heavy damage; difficulty 9 to withstand very heavy damage.
    Stone Sense.* Rested, Focused. You intuit the age, manner of creation, and most recent prior travelers of any stone building, rock face, or natural cavern.
    Sturdy. Rested. You can carry or wear 1 load more than your Brawn without being encumbered.
    Elf
    The Elf is an elusive and graceful warrior and magician. With his short bow he is a deadly match for anything less than an armored Heavy foe, and with a long bow he can face any opponent. He has the speed to escape numerous opponents.

    Native Relationships: Ally: Woodfolk. Friendly: Bashkars. Unfriendly: Order, Scholar. Hostile: Lancers.

    Inherent - Sly. You test Cunning at +4 to Hide.
    Limitation - Shy. You may relax around a campfire, but are uneasy under a man-built roof.

    Abilities.
    Chanter.** You can summon and bind a Gold spirit, and can awaken the Gold spirits of a Woods. You can learn Elven songs as Open abilities.
    Gifted.* You can learn Knacks as Open abilities.
    Grace.** Arena, Action. You can test Daring at +2 against the Daring or Awareness of any opponent trying to Impede you; marginal failure means they cannot attack you this round; marginal success means they cannot attack you, and you can leave the arena as a Focused action; success means you can move freely this round, without being attacked by anyone.
    Elven Eye.* Constant. You may roll 3d10 for attacks with bows. This works well with the Fighter’s Weapon of Choice ability.
    Glamour.** Rested. Once after a period of rest, you can roll 3d10 for any Social Task.
    Tracker.* Focused. You can discern the type, number, and direction of any creatures that have traveled through an arena within the past season.
    Fighter
    The Fighter is skilled at weapons, armor, tactics, brutality, and their application to achieve success.

    Native Relationships: none.

    Inherent—Awesome Violence. Nobody hits like you do. You can spend Awesome Points to gain up to your level as a bonus to hit. Each Awesome Point grants +2 to hit. At an odd level, you can spend an Awesome Point and get +1 to hit.
    Limitation—You Look Like a Nail. To someone with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. It is not always easy to look for non-violent solutions when violence is a matter of such expertise.

    Signature item. Awesome decorated helmet or shield. Starting Coin and Equipment. 3d10 x 10 sp. Two weapons, armor of choice.

    Abilities.
    Charger. Arena. You can act twice in a row to move and attack. You get a +2 bonus to hit or inflict +1 Wound, decide after rolling. To use the ability again, spend 1 Awesome Point or move to another arena first.
    Combat Toughened. Constant. You get +2 Wounds. Your confident experience with violence gives you a +2 on any Charm check when trying to talk someone out of fighting.
    Expert Parry.* Rested. As a free action, reduce an incoming melee or unarmed attack by 1 die to hit before the attack is rolled. This can be done a maximum of once per round.
    Fight Dirty. Constant. Any time you roll a 1 on the Face Die, you have pulled a dirty trick on your target. Maybe you hit them somewhere sensitive besides the face, or threw sand in the eyes, etc. Add +2 to hit or roll one extra damage die, decide after rolling. (You may choose not to use this ability if in a “fair fight” because it violates whatever code applies.)
    Weapon of Choice. Constant. As long as you are wielding a specified weapon, all your attack dice are Face Dice. If you take up a new weapon, a week of training will switch this ability advantage to the new weapon. (Used with “Fight Dirty” this ability allows use of a ten and a one result, but not more than one of either.)
    Knight
    The Knight is part of a feudal system trading freedom for protection in a grand, violent pyramid scheme.

    Inherent—Elite. You got the best combat training and experience available. For morale, you gain +2 to Commitment to keep fighting, and +2 to Charm to keep others fighting. For tricks in combat, you gain the Arena ability to spend a single Awesome Point to raise a single attack roll by 2.
    Limitation—Obligation. You are tangled in a net of family alliances, feuds, obligations of services and funds for lands, and requirements that you protect those who generate your livelihood, the ones below you in the feudal structure. You cannot operate independently and have honor in the eyes of your peers, family, and culture.
    Signature Items. Signet ring, tabard and shield with heraldry. Starting Coin. 3d10 silver x100. Medium armor, medium, heavy, or reach weapon.

    Abilities.
    Armor Skill. Constant. Armor you wear counts as 1 load lighter (minimum 0 loads.)
    Connected.* Rested. Your family has developed networks and friendships and enemies in a surprisingly broad context. Your signet ring and name may open doors for you. You may ask the DM for a sympathetic family ally in an appropriate situation. The DM should then prepare a family enemy for a future encounter.
    Logistician.* Constant. You understand that wars may be affected by valor and strength, but they are won with supply lines, equipment, and efficient travel. On a personal level, you can pack your equipment to reduce it by 1 load effectively. This works on carried armor, not worn armor. On a group level, you can increase a group’s travel time by 1/5. On an army level, you can either increase a column’s speed by 1/5 or increase its carrying capacity by 1/5.
    Politician.* Constant. You can see past the immediate consequences to the long-term implications of political and military decisions. You speak the special code of politics, understand and offer veiled threats and promises, and think one thing while saying another. Gain +2 to Awareness and Charm when understanding or dealing with political situations.
    Shield Skill. Constant. Your attack roll is not penalized when fighting with a shield.
    Magician
    The Magician is aptly named: you are a traveler who knows a little about a lot of different types of magic, including some that is otherwise foreign to the Realm. You eventually can cast nearly any sort of spell, but must make good use of the magic you find, as you start without the deep knowledge necessary to call and bind a spirit. (Any Rituals may be gained as Restricted abilities from another template.)

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Company, Rogues. Unfriendly: Patrol, Soldiers, Crone.

    Inherent - Dabbler. The magician has innate ability to understand many aspects of magic, and gains +2 on any roll related to magic. You can learn as Restricted abilities Pagan Rituals, Elven Songs, Alchemic Formulae, and Corrupt Ceremonies; You can learn Conjurations, Knacks, and Tricks. You are always aware of any bound spirits, as well as cast, lingering, or active spells, within your arena.
    Limitation - Dilettante. The magician hungers to learn any and every aspect of the art. You have a hard time focusing to gain deep knowledge of any single aspect of magic.
    Signature items. Robe (gaudy or plain) and ring, staff, or wand. Starting coin and equipment. 5d10 sp; one light weapon.

    Abilities.
    Big Book of Knowledge.* Rested, Attribute Test. You have acquired a magical tome, perhaps found, stolen, or given to you, which holds a great many secrets. By testing Cunning at 0 difficulty, you may learn an important fact about any given subject, either given to you by the DM or made up on the spot (per DM approval).
    (Artifact) of Spirits and Spells.** Rested, Focused. So long as the artifact is unbroken and in your possession, you may cast one spell at your level once per rest period in the presence of appropriate color magic. Enhancing this ability in the presence of appropriate color magic adds another spell (that you have found) to the artifact. You do not need to learn a spell or bind a spirit in order to add the spell to the artifact or cast the spell.
    Control Portal.** Focused. You may speak to doors or openings of any type. You can make any door unlock itself with a successful Charm check, tell you what has gone through it recently, or you can tell a single door or opening to block any entry, your Commitment against the Brawn test of anything trying to open it. You can only affect one door at a time in this way, and the affected door can be broken down in typical fashion.
    Delusion.** Rested, Focused. By successfully testing Charm vs. Cunning, you may convince one creature, whose language you speak, that any single statement is absolutely true.
    Magic Missile.** Rested, Focused. With a curt gesture, you may shoot a magical bolt that inflicts light damage against anything within your arena or an adjacent arena, no need to roll. By taking light damage yourself and spending Awesomes, you may shift the inflicted wound by one level upward per Awesome.
    Puppet Strings.** Rested, Focused. By waving about your staff, implement, or just your fingers, you can make one to three small and light objects float about. They will even dance if you hum a tune. If you successfully cast the spell in combat, it increases your armor by one category as if you had a reach weapon, until you take damage from a successful attack. This spell can be enhanced to weaponize it (making the objects deal damage as a thrown weapon) or to increase the weight of the objects (making them deal increased damage).
    Sleep.** Rested, Focused. You can speak with a particularly somber and restful tone. Doing so, you can test Charm vs. Commitment to make one monster, two toughs, or any number of minions in your arena fall asleep. They’ll sleep through any noise, but a good shake or swift kick is all it takes to wake them.
    Mechanic
    The Mechanic has an uncanny gift for working with moving parts, schematics, and machines.

    Inherent—Engineering. You can see how it works. A structure or a machine (anything constructed with moving parts) tells you how it is operated and repaired, somehow. A focus action for normal machines or structures, and a minute or an hour for more complex structures or puzzles. Either you just know, or if in doubt, test Awareness to understand how a machine or structure is built and used.
    Limitation—Mysterious Meat. People are machines too, in a way; cooling systems, joints that hinge, bone scaffolding and levers. But what’s in the skull—well, that’s a pile of squishy meat no one could be expected to figure out.
    Signature items. Toolkit, tough gloves, firestarter grip. Starting Coin and Equipment. 3d10 silver x5. One light weapon.

    Abilities
    Demolitions.* Rested. Focus action. You can see load-bearing points and weaknesses in structures and machines. Test Awareness to make a plan to bolster or collapse the structure or machine. You may not be able to bolster or collapse it, but you know how to. This ability allows you to create or use explosives, siege engines, or forceful water.
    Inventor.* Rested. Every time you level, you can spend a week making a new and unique invention. You can make 1 invention per level; you don’t have to make the invention immediately. The invention can grant +1 on a type of roll, or allow the user to spend Awesome Points up to the level you were when you built it to create a special effect once before being reset or reloaded. If the user rolls doubles while using the device, it breaks until you fix it. You can test Cunning to figure out how an unknown device works. To work out the bugs so the device can be duplicated in numbers, spend an attribute slot for it upon leveling. The DM is the final word in using this flexible ability.
    Locksmith. Constant. Locks have a complexity between 1 and 10. Each focus (can be advanced to move) action you spend on the lock reduces its complexity by 1. When you decide to roll to open the lock, add +3 difficulty to the Cunning test for each remaining complexity. Lock and tool quality affect the difficulty. Each re-try is +3 difficulty.
    Repair.* Rested. You can fix it. Whether it is the great stone wheel that operates the ancient gate, or the broken serpentine on a pistol, or a mast snapped off a ship, or a wall fallen to sappers, you have the know-how to direct a work crew, delegating as needed. Scale determines time frame; a sailing ship or wall, 1 day per task. A gate or room, 12 hours. Wagon or door, 6 hours. Hinges or wheel hubs, 1 hour. Anything smaller, 30 minutes. Halve times with ideal conditions. Confronted with an unknown device, test Cunning to figure out how it works. (+2 with “Inventor” also.)
    Trapmaster.* Constant. You are +2 Awareness to see mechanical traps and features. You can disarm them with a successful Cunning test. The difficulty is based on the quality of the trap, from 3 to 15, in increments of 3. You can also create, repair, or activate traps.
    Peasant
    The Peasant is a hard worker, salt of the earth.

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Soldiers, Patrol, Guard, Order. Unfriendly: Lancers, Bashkar.

    Inherent - Hearty. After a rest, roll an extra 1d5 to recover from wounds.
    Limitation - Dirty. You don’t get respect from your “betters.”

    Abilities.
    Git’erdun.* Rested. Once each day, you can take medium damage to get half again (1.5x) the rolled result for each in a series of Attribute tests that requires totaling up successes to accomplish a day’s job of work. This ability can not be stacked more times than the higher of your Brawn or Commitment. (e.g. Brawn +3, Commitment +2, you can gain use of Git’erdun three times each day for up to 3.375x the rolls).
    Weatherwise.* Rested. By observing the sky, plants, and animals at a location for a full day and night, you can accurately forecast the weather (gain knowledge of weather rolls) until the end of the week. (Stackable to next week, season, next season, or solstice).
    Landwise.* Rested. By observing the plants, and animals, and land at a location for a full day and night, you can accurately forecast the market value of crops or livestock that can be produced from the land within the next 1d3 years. (Stackable to 2d3, 3d3, 2d5 years).

    Pilgrim
    The Pilgrim is an adventurous cleric who can wield powerful white magic, but must choose battles (and sides) cautiously.

    Native Relationships: Allied: Order. Unfriendly: Bashkars, Company. Hostile: Crone.

    Inherent - Grace. The Demons and Imp cannot perceive you, unless you attack them.
    Limitation - Duty. You are morally obliged to aid and comfort those who cry out for assistance, as well as those who suffer silently; and to cast out evil from wherever you find it.

    Abilities.
    Invoker.** You can summon and bind a Bright spirit, or can release a Bright spirit to enchant a locale. You can learn Righteous Invocations as Open abilities.
    Gifted.* You can learn Knacks as Open abilities.
    Auras of Evil.* Constant, Focused. Above and beyond simple malevolence in someone's heart, some places, things and people in the world reek of true evil, whether they are touched by fell gods or by demonic taint. You can sense this kind of greater evil by merely taking a moment and focusing, and by taking the time to make an actual Awareness check you may be able to discern the source or nature of the evil if it is disguised.
    Binding of Wounds. Focused. You can grant another an immediate roll to recover wounds. This is a healing ability that halts bleeding out.
    Bless Weapon.* Rested, Focused. Simply by holding a weapon and making a brief invocation, you can and imbue the weapon with divine essence at the cost of a little bit of your health. When touching a weapon, you must declare a purpose for its blessing, whether for something quick or for a long-term goal. Any weapon thus touched will always mark its target’s lowest unmarked wound on a a successful attack (in addition to normal damage), but when you use this ability you take light damage and cannot recover that wound until the weapon has served its purpose.
    Inspire.* Rested, Focused. By making an impassioned speech that lasts at least five minutes, you can inspire people around you (giving them +2 to their daring or +1 to their attacks) for the next hour, or convince people of your point of view (+5 to your next Charm check if needed).
    Prayers of the Hurt.* Rested, Focused. You can invoke all that is Righteous to let another creature recover their lowest marked wound and make one immediate roll to recover wounds or shake disease. This is a healing ability that halts bleding out.
    Rebuke.** Constant, Focused. By invoking Righteousness, you acquire a holy aura. All Demons, Ghosts, Ghasts, Imps, and Spirits must test their Daring against your Commitment (at +2), or flee from your arena.
    Stalwart. Rested. On a non-travel day, you may test Commitment (at a difficulty equal to the seasonal distance from Midsummer, e.g., difficulty 6 for Desolate or Solstice) in order to travel anyway, at the on-road rate for that type of weather.
    Scout
    Somebody must risk being outnumbered, trapped, and murdered just so others know what’s ahead.

    Inherent—Military Intelligence. As a focus action, you can automatically get a rough count of everything you see. Also, you have a sense of the logistical consumption rate of individuals, armies, and communities, and travel time expectations.
    Limitation—Wary. It’s hard not to start feeling expendable when they keep sending you out up front all alone.

    Signature Items. Compass, birdcall whistle, spyglass. Starting Coin. 3d10 silver.

    Abilities.
    Birdcall.* Constant. You can imitate the calls of various local and exotic birds. These calls are generally used to communicate basic information and orders with a minimal risk of detection—those who are proficient detect the bird calls with an Awareness test difficulty 5, others with difficulty 10, and even then they don’t understand it.
    Elusive.* Arena. Focused. If you can get out of line of sight long enough, you disappear. Pursuers without special means (like scent ability or magic tracking) cannot detect you; if they even get an Awareness roll, you get an Awesome.
    Read Signs.* Rested. You can connect rising flocks of birds with movement of foes, estimate forces based on dust columns from marching armies, and predict the weather for the next 12 hours. Test Awareness to gain a fact from signs in your surroundings.
    Runner. Rested. You can lose 1 Wound to cross 2 arenas as a Move action, or to travel ⅕ further during a day.
    Survivor.* Rested. Focus action. You can shrug off 1 Wound (can be used with Sprinter). Also, the roll for when you are out of Wounds is (-1/2 your level). If the result is 0 or less, you still have 1 Wound.
    Sorceror
    The Sorceror is a master of elemental magic and conjuring. He is physically vulnerable, so he does best when he learns some of the excellent Elemental attack spells at the start of the game, which make him formidable in combat. He might be seeking for the Book of Lore or the Scroll of Alchemy, which can vastly increase the powers he can call on.

    Inherent - Aura of Power. Focused. Whatever spell or ritual you did most recently, you can do it again, right now - presuming all other conditions are met.
    Limitation - Somewhat Scary. You don’t even like you when you’re angry. Law and order types also have a hard time with you.

    Native Relationships: Allied: Lancers. Friendly: Company, Bashkars. Unfriendly: Order, Soldiers, Warlock. Enemy: Guard.

    Abilities.
    Alchemist.** You can summon and bind a Purple spirit, or can release a Purple spirit to enchant a locale. Gain one Alchemic Formula, and you can learn Alchemic Formulae as Open abilities.
    Conjurer.* Gain one Conjuration, and you can learn Conjurations as Open abilities.


    Swordsman
    Light on your feet, you excel at one thing: teaching others that they really don’t know how to use a sword. Sometimes you’ve made a living doing that. Sometimes, you’ve nearly lost your life.

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Rogues, Company, Warlock. Unfriendly: Guard. Enemy: Patrol.

    Inherent - Daredevil. Focused. Add your Daring to your next roll. If that roll is for a test of Daring, make it a Double Dare - narrate a +3 increase of difficulty to gain an Awesome if you succeed.
    Limitation - Suspect. Those who look closely see murder in your shifty eyes.
    Signature item. A light sword and a light parrying dagger; no armor. Starting coin. 1d8 x 1d8 x 1d3 sp.

    Abilities.
    Best Part of Valor.** Arena. Test your Daring against foes’ Awareness, to Move out of the arena before any foe can act.
    Deadly Thrust.* Constant. When attacking with any sword, on a roll of 20 you cause the target to mark its highest unmarked wound.
    Skillful Parry.* Constant. When using a parrying weapon, you do not take -1d10 on your attack roll. Instead, each round you may choose for the parrying weapon to grant +2 to the attack roll or to (on a successful attack) mark your target’s lowest unmarked wound, or you may impose your Daring as a penalty to each attack roll made against you.
    Super Cunning.** Constant. Any time you test Cunning, roll 3d10k2.
    Threaten. Arena. You gain a second chance to Intimidate, regardless whether your first attempt succeeded. This also allows you to Intimidate after someone else in your group has done so.
    Thief
    You are the premier expert at taking other people’s stuff. You’ll practice, sweat, and focus as hard as you must to make sure you never have to work for a living.

    Inherent—Get Paid. You live for the involuntary transfer of wealth to your pockets. Every time you steal from an unwitting (or warned and hostile) target, you get 1 Awesome Point from the Stack. If you score big, every 100 gold equivalent you take from a protected environment as someone else’s property (once safely outside the range of the defenses) gets you 1 Awesome Point from the Stack. If you are working with a group and split the take, you get Awesome Points for your share. The DM interprets this as needed.
    Limitation—Greedy. You steal things. Other people have things they want to keep. Having you around is a risk.
    Signature Items. Three empty sacks, hooded lantern, grapple hook. Starting Coin. 3d10 silver.

    Abilities.
    Arsenal.* Constant. You strap blades to your arms, legs, ribs, small of your back; you can carry as many knives as you want, and they do not count as weapons carried for encumbrance. If you carry enough knives to count as light armor, they count as 1 load.
    Backstab.* Arena. This attack only works with light weapons, medium weapons, or ranged weapons in the same arena. Attack an opponent who is not focused on you. If the opponent is aware of you, get +2 to hit or roll damage as if using the next heavier weapon, decide after rolling attack. If the opponent is not aware of you, get +2 to hit and roll damage as if using the next heavier weapon
    Bash.* Arena. Focus action. (Upgrades to Combat action.) If you are wielding a blunt weapon, you can knock a target unconscious. If you hit, do damage if you choose to (not required), then test Cunning. If you roll higher than [the target’s remaining wounds x5, +5 per level of armor on head], the target is knocked out for at least a minute. The DM can feed the bowl to increase the difficulty, or to make a target immune. You get half of those Awesome Points.
    Pickpocket.* Constant. Lift something from a target in melee range. Test Cunning against the target’s Awareness to take the object without the target noticing. If you want the object and don’t care if the target knows or not, add Cunning and Daring together. If the target is aware of your attempt, the target can resist with Daring or Cunning instead of Awareness. Difficulty may be increased by the object being tied in place, held, secured in layered clothing, etc. In combat, the attempt happens during the Shoot phase, and you may also Move.
    Super Cunning.** Constant. Any time you test Cunning, roll 3d10k2.
    White Knight
    The White Knight is famous for virtue and prowess in battle. You are among the most powerful fighters and can handle the largest and most terrible monsters, but you move slowly and fatigue easily. Against smaller and faster foes you must rely on armor to stay alive, and on vigor to recover from the fatigue and wounds he suffers.

    Native Relationships: Allied: Order. Friendly: Lancers. Unfriendly: Bashkars, Crone. Hostile: Company.

    Inherent - Vigor. Once daily, in the presence of Bright magic, the White Knight can immediately roll 1d5 to recover a wound.
    Limitation - Vows. The White Knight is pledged to devote all worldly wealth to help the helpless.
    Signature items. Very heavy white armor; heavy shield; heavy sword; warhorse. Starting coin. 2d10 sp.

    Abilities.
    Favor.* You can learn Invocations as Open abilities.
    Honor.** Constant. Your noble accomplishments and reputation make even your enemies less likely to attack you, and all of the native groups are likely to give you a little price break when you deal with them. Gain +2 on Persuasion and on Intimidation.
    Lay on Hands.** Rested, Focused. Once after a period of rest, you can enable a character to immediately roll for recovery of a wound. This counts as a Healing ability that will stop someone bleeding out.
    Smite.** Arena. Action. You can strike down with great fury upon the wicked. For a single attack roll, all dice are Face dice and your weapon deals at least its maximum normal damage.

    Witch
    The Witch is the mistress of natural and Corrupt powers. Nearly helpless in combat, she must select some spells that allow her to fight or avoid combat. She usually does best by going off by herself, preferably to some place where she can find grey magic.

    Native Relationships: Ally: Company. Friendly: Bashkars. Unfriendly: Order, Lancers, Soldiers, Shaman.

    Inherent - Canny. Add one Knack and one Trick to your base template.
    Limitation - Uncanny. People feel uncomfortable around you and about you. There is a suspicion that you know what they have done.

    Abilities.
    Familiar.** Constant. You have an (invisible) companion who can move separately from you, follow simple instructions, and inform you of what it finds. Often, this is a cat, but it also may be any other creature of the Realm. (As a Rested, Focused action, you can “ride along” on your companion’s perceptions.) (You can bind spirits and cast spells through this companion.)
    Pagan.** You can summon and bind a Grey spirit, or can awaken the Grey spirits of a Valley. Gain one Ritual, and you can learn Rituals as Open abilities.
    Defiler.** You can summon and bind a Dark spirit, or can awaken the Dark spirits of a defiled location. Gain one Ceremony, and you can learn Ceremonies as Open abilities.
    Gifted.* Gain one Knack, and you can learn Knacks as Open abilities.
    Trickster.* Gain one Trick, and you can learn Tricks as Open abilities.
    Witch King
    The Witch King is an incorporeal manifestation of magic. Although you can travel, converse, and so on, without use of transformative magic you lack physical attributes. However, you can become adept in the powerful arts of Alchemic and Corrupt spells, as well as Conjuring.

    Native Relationships: Ally: Bashkars. Friendly: Company. Unfriendly: Lancers, Scholar. Enemy: Order.

    Inherent - Disembodied. Permanently under the effects of Melt into Mist and Mystic Vision. You can summon and bind Purple or Dark spirits, or can awaken them in their proper places.
    Limitation - Disembodied. Okay, this one does have some mechanical penalties, e.g., can’t open a spellbook (or anything else) without first casting a spell.

    Abilities.
    Alchemist.** Gain one Formula, and you can learn Formulae as Open abilities.
    Defiler.** Gain one Ceremony, and you can learn Ceremonies as Open abilities.
    Conjurer.* Gain one Conjuration, and you can learn Conjurations as Open abilities.

    Wizard
    The Wizard is an elderly wanderer familiar with the ways of the Magic Realm. During your travels you have made many friends, a few enemies, and have learned many secrets of the land. In combat you are slow and weak, so you must choose battles cautiously. However, your long study of magic has granted you great power.

    Native Relationships: Friendly: Woodfolk, Patrol, Soldiers, Guard. Unfriendly: Company, Bashkars, Warlock. Enemy: Lancers.

    Inherent - Mastery. You can summon and bind Grey, Gold, and Purple spirits, or can awaken these spirits in their proper places. You can learn Pagan Rituals, Elven Songs, and Alchemic Formulae as Open abilities.
    Limitation - Old as Hell. Nobody’s quite sure how much longer you’ll be around, or what you might be capable of doing in order to prolong that time. Sometimes you’re smelly.

    Abilities.
    Experienced.** Constant. You know where the keys are. Also the hidden roads and passageways. Test Cunning at +3 to prove it.
    Genial Coot.* Constant. Is it your doddering appearance? Total strangers, and long-standing acquaintances, perceive you as charming and trustworthy, or pitiable. +3 to Ingratiation and Persuasion; -1 to Brawn.
    Wrath of Ages.* Constant. No eyes like old eyes for the cold lightning of indignation. +3 to Intimidate; -1 to other Social Tasks.
    Conjurer.* Gain one Conjuration, and you can learn Conjurations as Open abilities.
    Woods Girl
    As the elusive mistress of the wooded lands, you are an expert tracker who is deadly with the bow against opponents as big as ogres. When facing heavier opponents or overwhelming numbers, you are fleet enough to run away.

    Native Relationships: Allied: Woodfolk. Friendly: Lancers. Unfriendly: Soldiers, Warlock. Enemy: Bashkars.

    Inherent - Huntress. You can discern the type, number, and direction of any creatures that have traveled through an arena within the past season.
    Limitation - Wild Thing. You don’t like buildings or roads or farms or anything else that has that settled grey feeling.

    Abilities.
    Aim. Constant. You may make an aimed shot during the Shoot / Throw action.
    Elven Eye.* Constant. You may roll 3d10 for attacks with bows. This works well with the Fighter’s Weapon of Choice ability.
    Elusive.* Arena. Focused. If you can get out of line of sight long enough, you disappear. Pursuers without special means (like scent ability or magic tracking) cannot detect you; if they even get an Awareness roll, you get an Awesome.
    Gifted.* Gain one Knack, and you can learn Knacks as Open abilities.
    Walk the Woods.* Constant. You can travel off-road in woods at the same speed as on-road, without risk of getting lost.

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Eulalios's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Steady Habit
    Gender
    Male

    Default Spells

    Each spell is gained as a Exclusive Rested, Focused ability, but its time frame and speed can be enhanced as follows: Arena, Focused -> Constant, Focused -> Attack -> Shoot -> Free Action. Their descriptions include their names, permissible target (Region, Arena, Creature, or Object), duration (Instant or Lingering), and effect. “Region” includes all terrain contiguous with and of the same type as a target arena, creature, or object; “arena,” “creature,” or “object” include any arena or creature visible to the caster.
    Unless noted otherwise, all spells can be completely resisted by testing Commitment against the caster’s level.
    Righteous Invocations
    Consecrate. Arena, Instant.** The target arena becomes a continual source of Bright magic, and native ground for Bright spirits. Other spirits, Demons, Ghosts, Ghasts, and Imps cannot enter nor affect the target arena.
    Exorcism. Arena, Instant.** In the arena, and adjacent arenas, every Demon and Imp is killed; every spell and Curse that is in effect or that is cast this round is instantly broken; all bound spirits are released; all artifacts are destroyed. This spell is the strongest of all, and it nullifies and breaks all other spells.
    Make Whole. Creature, Instant.** All of the target’s wounds are restored and any of the target’s equipment that is damaged is repaired. Any spell detrimental to the target’s health is broken.
    Peace. Arena or Creature, Lingering. ** No character within the arena, target’s arena, or adjacent arenas, may take any aggressive action.
    Prophecy. Creature, Lingering.** Each time the target lays down to rest with a definite plan for travel, it awakens with foreknowledge of all encounter rolls for the defined plan of travel.
    Small Blessing. Creature, Special.** The target gains one of the following benefits (chosen by 1d6):
    the target’s next attack deals damage as a very heavy weapon;
    vision of nearest treasure hoard, and its chief guardian;
    lingering effect, as Peace, moves with the target;
    the target is Made Whole;
    one creature or object of target’s choice is moved to the target;
    target is removed to known location of target’s choice.
    Pagan Rituals
    Blend into Background. Creature, Lingering.** The target may test Cunning at +2 to hide. At the time of casting the caster may spend Awesomes (no more than the caster’s Cunning) to boost the bonus by +2 per Awesome.
    Curse. Creature, Instant, (GRAY).** This is a Pagan ritual that requires Dark magic. Until the Curse is broken by Exorcism or other magic, the target is affected as follows (roll 1d6):
    Eyemist: Automatically fails any activity requiring clear vision (Shooting, Searching, Awareness checks); attack rolls at -3.
    Squeak: Continually vocalizes a squeak or chirp; automatically fails at Hiding and Pickpocketing; -3 to all Social Tasks.
    Ill Health: The target may not recover wounds.
    Ashes: All creatures perceive the target’s material wealth as worthless.
    Wither: The target may not spend Awesomes and may not use abilities.
    Disgust: The target automatically fails all Social Tasks.
    Fog. Region, Lingering.** The casting arena and all contiguous areas of the same terrain type (as far as 3 leagues distant) become filled with a fog that prevents all missile attacks, prevents searching; all characters (except as Cursed) become hidden; travel in affected region is slowed to 1d3 leagues per day; both encounter tables become valid during travel hours.
    Foresight. Creature, Lingering. (PURPLE).** This spell requires Pagan training, and Purple magic. The target may wait until any stage in the combat sequence to declare their action, and may spend 1 Awesome to declare an action that requires retcon of the combat sequence.
    Geas. Creature, Lingering.** Any day that the target creature is in the presence of Grey magic, they feel a compulsion to accomplish one task designated by the caster.
    Stones Fly. Arena, Instant.** The caster designates any number of targets within the caster’s arena or an adjacent arena. Small objects hurl themselves against the targets, dealing damage as light weapons.
    Talk to Wise Bird. Creature, Instant. (GOLD).** This spell requires Pagan training, and Gold magic; the casting check is made based on Charm, not Cunning. The target gains a map of all significant locations and knowledge of key contents, within one league travel by road or off-road.
    Witch Brew. Creature, Lingering.** The target may use Pagan rites to summon Purple spirits. Any failure to cast a Trick will count as a marginal success to summon an Elven spirit.
    Elven Songs
    Call (Creature). Arena, Lingering.** On the next combat round, the specified creature appears in an arena adjacent to your own arena, as if summoned.
    Elven Grace. Character, Lingering.** As an Arena Action, the target may test Daring at +2 against the Daring or Awareness of any opponent trying to Impede; marginal failure means the opponent cannot attack the target in that round; marginal success means the target can leave their arena as a Focused action; success means the target can move freely. At the time of casting the caster may spend Awesomes (no more than the caster’s Cunning) to boost the bonus by +2 per Awesome.
    Faerie Lights. Character, Lingering.** The target may learn and cast Pagan rites as Elven spells, and if they are Gifted, they may learn and cast Conjuration spells.
    Illusion. Character or Arena, Lingering.** The target character will perceive, or all creatures will perceive within the target arena, whatever the caster describes. Test Awareness to see through the illusion.
    Lost. Character or Region, Lingering.** The target character, or all characters within contiguous terrain matching the terrain of the casting arena, can travel only in random directions.
    Persuade. Character(s), Instant.** The target character(s) become Friendly to the caster. Test Awareness to resist.
    See Hidden Signs. Character or Arena, Instant.** Either the target character, or all characters within the target arena, gain +2 to their next Awareness test. At the time of casting the caster may spend Awesomes (no more than the caster’s Awareness) to boost the bonus by +2 per Awesome.
    Alchemic Formulae
    Blazing Light. Arena, Lingering.** The target arena becomes illuminated by a bright light, which emanates from a fixed surface (cave ceiling, tree trunk, rock face, building wall). On the first round after casting, all present (other than the caster) must test Awareness in order to declare an action.
    Dark Genius. Character, Lingering.** The target character may use Alchemic formulae to cast Tricks. Any failure to cast a Conjuration will count as a marginal success to summon a Corrupt spirit.
    Fiery Blast. Arena, Instant.** Any number of creatures within the target arena suffer very heavy damage. Test Daring to reduce damage by one wound level for every 2 points of success. Each targeted creature that survives the blast gains 1 Awesome.
    Hurricane Winds. Character, Instant.** The target and all its possessions suffer medium damage and move 1d6 leagues toward a destination of the caster’s choosing.
    Lightning Bolt. Character, Instant.** The target suffers two very heavy wounds. Test Daring to reduce the damage by one wound level by every 2 points of success.
    Roof Collapses. Arena, Instant.** Every creature in the arena suffers heavy damage from falling rock or structure; characters in adjacent arena suffer medium damage. This spell can be cast only in a building or cavern. It destroys the roof or next upper floor of a building.
    Violent Storm. Region, Lingering.** Travel is impossible in all terrain of the same type contiguous to the casting arena.
    Corrupt Ceremonies
    Absorb Essence. Creature, Lingering.** The target vanishes at casting. Thereafter, whenever the spell is awakened by the presence of Dark magic (including a bound spirit, other than the target), you instantly assume the target’s form and physical abilities. When the spell dissipates, or is broken, the target appears in your arena. If this spell is duplicated, the most recently absorbed creature dominates the spell effect. If this spell was cast by an artifact, the artifact or any creature holding it assumes the target’s form and physical abilities when the spell is awakened.
    Ask Demon. Demon or Imp, Instant.** You may ask one question of any Demon or Imp that is present in your arena, and will receive a truthful answer. This spell does not otherwise affect the behavior of the target.
    Curse. Creature, Instant, (GRAY).** This is a Corrupt ceremony that requires Gray magic. The target is affected as follows (roll 1d6):
    Eyemist: Automatically fails any activity requiring clear vision (Shooting, Searching, Awareness checks); attack rolls at -3.
    Squeak: Continually vocalizes a squeak or chirp; automatically fails at Hiding and Pickpocketing; -3 to all Social Tasks.
    Ill Health: The target may not recover wounds.
    Ashes: All creatures perceive the target’s material wealth as worthless.
    Wither: The target may not spend Awesomes and may not use abilities.
    Disgust: The target automatically fails all Social Tasks.
    Defile. Arena, Instant.** The arena becomes native ground for Dark spirits.
    Hellgate. Creature, Instant.** All creatures in the target’s arena take heavy damage. Roll 2d10; a Demon appears on a total of 2, an Imp appears on a total of 20.
    Power of the Pit. Creature or Arena, Instant.** The target is affected as follows (roll 1d7):
    Demon appears and attacks; on a successful attack, demon seizes target and immediately vanishes with it.
    Each creature in the arena and adjacent arenas must test Commitment to avoid heavy damage.
    The target marks one wound (starting from lowest wound) for each load carried.
    All of the target’s armor takes medium damage.
    The target loses all bound spirits, and cannot call any spirit nor cast any spell until the next day.
    All of the target’s weapons break.
    All creatures in the target’s arena are killed by falling into a fiery chasm that immediately vanishes.
    Conjurations
    Dissolve Spell. Creature or Arena, Instant.** You instantly unmake any one lingering spell that you correctly identify as affecting the target. In the subsequent round, the dissolving spell produces magic of its color.
    Imbue Artifact. Creature and Object, Instant.** You permanently transfer to the target object one of the target creature’s abilities, or one point from one of the target creature’s attributes. In presence of the appropriate color magic, any character possessing the target object may spend 1 Awesome to use the transferred ability or attribute point, as if they were the target creature.
    Melt into Mist. Creature, Lingering.** The target, along with all its possessions, transforms to mist. It can perceive but cannot affect material objects, can call spirits and cast spells, and can be injured by spells or weapons as if it is wearing medium armor.
    Phantasm. Arena, Lingering.** You awaken a spirit to serve you as an imperceptible spy and spellcaster. The spirit remains awakened regardless whether any color magic is present. It can move separately from you, as if it were you traveling through the the terrain where it travels; it sees with Mystic Vision; and it can cast any spell you know, as if you were casting it yourself at the spirit’s location. It is distracting: you gain -2 to all rolls until the spirit dissipates.
    Spirit Ward. Creature or Arena, Lingering.** Spirits, Demons, Imps, Ghosts, and Ghasts cannot attempt to affect the target creature or arena, or any creatures within the target arena.
    Transform. Creature, Lingering.** In the presence of any color magic, the target takes on the form of a creature, which is chosen the first time this spell is cast on that target by rolling d20 against the list of creatures and monsters numbered under Encounters, above; a roll of 20 means that the target is immune to transformation, whereas the target’s successful test of Commitment just means the target avoids transformation this one time. At each subsequent casting, the target assumes the same form as the first time.
    Unleash Power. Creature, Lingering.** The target gains +1 Brawn and one level of Tougher for each bound spirit.
    World Fades. Creature, Lingering.** The target automatically hides, cannot be detected nor attack, cannot travel, and can perceive or affect the material world only by casting a spell. It can call spirits and cast spells normally.
    Knacks
    Control (Creature). Lingering.* You gain control of any of the specified creatures that are present in your own arena. This does not work on Monsters.
    Mystic Vision. Lingering.* In addition to normal perceptions, you also perceive all spirits and spells (including enchanted artifacts) that are present in your arena and adjacent arenas.
    Peace with Nature. Lingering.* When alone, you may choose whether to encounter creatures or monsters. When in a group that encounters creatures or monsters, the creatures ignore you unless you attack them.
    Peer. Instant.* You instantly perceive all characters, creatures, spells, and treasure that are present in one arena known to you by experience or description.
    Premonition. Lingering.* In each round of combat, you may choose to (a) impose -2 on all attack rolls against you, or (b) gain +2 to your attack roll and inflict one level higher of damage.
    Protection from Magic. Lingering.* You gain +3 to resist spells.
    Sense Danger. Lingering.* You are not surprised (even when sleeping) and cannot be taken unaware by any ability that requires that condition. You gain +3 to tests of Daring.
    Tricks
    Bad Luck. Creature, Lingering.* The target gains -2 to all rolls.
    Deal with (Creatures). Creature, Lingering.* The specified creatures initially respond to you as Neutral.
    Guide (Creature). Creature, Instant.* The target creature focuses on something of your choosing, other than you.
    Poison. Object, Lingering.* Wounds inflicted with the object cause the victim to mark its lowest unmarked wound each round until the victim successfully tests Commitment or Daring against the caster’s level, or receives Healing.
    Remedy. Creature, Instant.* Breaks (or restores) the most recently cast spell or curse (or the highest marked wound) that affects the creature.
    Whistle for Monsters. Arena, Instant.* Immediately roll a night encounter for the target arena, even if it is daytime.
    General Comment
    It would be especially fun to integrate the D&D Druid spell-list into these rules (where not duplicative).

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Eulalios's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Steady Habit
    Gender
    Male

    Default Handy Tables

    Weapons and Attack Rolls
    Category
    Description and Cost
    Load
    Attack Roll; Damage
    Effects
    unarmed




    1d10+Attribute; 1d3
    +2 in Tight arenas
    thrown
    shuriken, darts
    1/6
    1d10+Daring;
    1d5


    light
    dagger, hatchet (10-20 sp), baton
    1/3
    2d10; 1d5
    +2 in Tight arenas
    medium
    club, sword (50 sp),
    mace or battle axe (30 sp)
    1/2
    3d10k2; 1d5


    heavy
    bastard sword (100 sp), ogre club, heavy mace or great axe (50 sp)
    1
    2d10; 2d5k1
    +2 in Dense arenas
    very heavy
    giant club, two handed sword (200 sp)
    1.5
    2d10; 1d5+1d3
    +2 in Dense arenas
    reach
    spear (20 sp), pike (30 sp), staff
    1
    2d10; 1d5
    +2 in Hazardous arenas,
    +2 to Impede,
    -2 to one opponent’s attack roll
    ranged
    short bow (100 sp), long bow (150 sp), crossbow (200-300 sp), sling
    1
    2d10+Cunning;
    varies
    +2 against Open arenas,
    range varies
    Ranged weapons: can attack in the same arena or into an adjacent arena, and further with an Aimed shot. Arrows from a short bow or bullets from a sling deal medium damage, arrows from a long bow deal heavy damage, cross bow bolts deal very heavy damage. Loading a crossbow is a Focused action, loading other ranged weapons is a free action.


    Attack Rolls and Armor
    ATTACK ROLL
    Super Heavy
    Heavy
    Medium
    Light
    No Armor
    20+
    Full Damage
    Full Damage
    Full Damage
    Full Damage
    Full Damage
    2 Awesomes for surviving a fight unarmored
    17-19
    Wound 1








    14-16
    Wounds 1-2
    Wound 1






    11-13
    Wounds 1-3
    Wounds 1-2
    Wound 1




    8-10
    Wounds 1-4
    Wounds 1-3
    Wounds 1-2
    Wound 1


    1-7
    Miss
    Miss
    Miss
    Miss
    Miss
    Cunning Penalty
    -6
    -4
    -2




    Encumbrance
    3 loads
    2 loads
    1 load




    Description
    (cost)
    Full plate
    (1200 sp)
    Chain & plate
    (800 sp)
    Chain
    (200 sp)
    Leather
    (150 sp)
    Clothes
    A light shield costs about 50 sp and counts as half a load; a heavy shield costs about 100 sp and counts as 1 load. A character wielding a shield can interpose the shield against any successful attack, so that the damage roll is inflicted on the shield instead of the character. A light shield has 3 wounds, a heavy shield has 5 wounds. A shield is broken when its two highest wounds are marked, but until then it can be repaired.




    Combat Action Sequence
    Defend or Protect. Both can counter-attack those that successfully hit you in melee combat.
    Counter Attacking Minions. When a group of minions attack, they roll once to attack so the defender can roll only once to counter-attack—not once for each minion in the group.
    Defend: Foes are -2 to hit you. (-4 with a shield.)
    Protect: Attacks in this round that target a chosen friend in your arena attack you instead.
    Shoot or Throw. Use a ranged weapon to attack someone in your arena or an adjacent arena. With a ranged weapon, there is an option within the Shoot action to Aim (shot hits during the Attack action) for better range.
    Bows or slings can shoot out to [2 x Brawn] arenas when aimed, with short bows or slings having a max range of 4 arenas, long bows 8 arenas. Crossbows can shoot to 6 arenas when aimed.
    Focus or Impede. Actions that take longer to manage.
    Focus: Announce what you are starting to do for a focus action; if unharmed until the end of the turn, it happens.
    Impede. Test your Brawn, Cunning, or Daring against someone else’s Brawn, Cunning, or Daring (each party chooses which attribute they’ll use) in order to prevent them Moving, Attacking, or Pushing anyone other than you.
    Move. From the arena you are in to an adjacent arena (or one arena further, if you spend 1 Awesome).
    If someone Impeded you, attack them; if you inflict a wound, you can move normally but cannot spend an Awesome to move further.
    Attack, Assist, or Aimed Shot. Attack anyone in your present arena, except that if you were Impeded, you only can attack that opponent.
    Attack. Roll to hit, using any applicable abilities or weapon bonuses.
    Assist. Add 1d10 to the dice rolled by an ally in the same arena; the ally keeps the top 2 rolls, so you are contributing as though you were a minion. You cannot use abilities or weapon bonuses to help.
    To shift your action to attack independently or to protect your ally from another attack, spend 1 Awesome Point.
    Aimed shots strike their targets on successful attack rolls.
    Push. Move one or more opponents to an adjacent arena. Use your Brawn, Cunning, or Daring, against their Brawn, Cunning, or Daring. Each target after the first reduces your roll by 1. Those you beat are hurled into your target arena and cannot Move on their next turn.
    Focused Actions. Focused actions go off if the focuser remains unwounded. A successfully impeded target is Cornered and cannot move next round unless they successfully attack.


    Calling and Binding Outcomes

    Ritual
    Failure
    Marginal failure
    Marginal success
    Success
    Light
    (Commitment)
    Exorcises
    refuses to come
    imposes Wish
    binds to caster
    Dark
    (Cunning)
    attacks
    inflicts Curse
    lingers but will not bind
    binds to caster
    Grey, Purple
    (Cunning);
    Gold (Charm)
    refuses to come
    lingers but will not bind
    lingers but will not bind
    binds to caster
    “Exorcises”: at the location of calling, all lingering spells and magical items are broken, all bound spirits are banished.
    “imposes Wish”: implements the most likely helpful Wish from the Magic Realm Wish table, or if no Wish seems helpful, instantly transports the summoner to the Chapel.
    “binds to caster” - the spirit will remain with the caster until the next sunrise, until the next new moon, or until the next solstice (roll 1d3 to learn which), or until instructed to implement a spell.
    “attacks”: roll 1d3; attacks as a Ghost, Imp, or Demon. If the character is incapacitated, the character becomes possessed of the spirit and is controlled by the DM as a Ghast, until Exorcised.
    “inflicts Curse”: before departing, casts the Curse spell upon one randomly-chosen person at the location.
    “lingers but will not bind” - any spell or ritual requiring the spirit must be cast at this location, where the spirit will remain only until the next sunrise.


    Seasonal Weather and Travel Table

    LUNAR SEASON
    (roll)
    1-2 CLEAR
    3-4 SEASONAL
    5 SHOWERS
    6 STORM
    Travel
    Days
    Road Travel in Leagues (Valley or Woods);
    Mountains or Off-road; Mount Bonus
    1. SOLSTICE Light snow swirls across the frozen earth. FOOD to INN (CHAPEL). ESCORT Cleric to CHAPEL (GUARD). 6 sp/league. WHITE magic. Icy Winds: one wound per day of travel.
    Cold
    Icy Winds
    Flurries
    Snowstorm


    7
    5
    5
    4
    6; 3; +2
    5; 3; +2
    6; 3; +2
    4; 2; +3
    2. ICE Ice-crusted snow underfoot and still, frigid air. FOOD to GUARD (INN). ESCORT to INN (CHAPEL). 8 sp/league. BLACK magic. Frigid Air: one wound per day of travel.
    Cold
    Frigid Air
    Snowstorm
    Ice Storm


    7
    4
    4
    3
    6; 3; +1
    5; 1; +1
    5; 2; +1
    4; 2; -1
    3. SNOW Deep, drifting snow blankets the world. FOOD to INN (HOUSE). ESCORT to INN (GUARD). 8 sp/league. PURPLE magic. Sleet, Snowstorm, Blizzard: one wound per day of travel.
    Snowdrifts
    Snowstorm
    Sleet
    Blizzard


    5
    3
    4
    4


    4; 2; +1
    3; 1; +2
    6; 3; -2
    2; 0; 0
    4. THAW Melting snows and late blizzards. FOOD to CHAPEL (INN). ESCORT Cleric to CHAPEL (GUARD). 6 sp/league. WHITE magic.
    Cool
    Soft Ground
    Showers
    Snowstorm
    7
    7
    5
    4
    6; 3; +1
    4; 2; +1
    6; 3; +1
    4; 2; +2
    5. FRESHET Flooding as snows melt and cold rains run off. FOOD to INN (HOUSE). ESCORT to S Camp (GUARD). 4 sp/league. GREY magic.
    Cool
    Showers
    Rain
    Flooding
    7
    5
    4
    3
    7; 4; +1
    6; 3; +1
    6; 2; +2
    2; 1; +2
    6. RISING Sprouts and blossoms bloom in milder weather. FOOD to INN (GUARD). ESCORT to L Camp (HOUSE). 4 sp/league. GOLD magic.
    Warm
    Beautiful
    Showers
    Rain
    7
    7
    6
    6
    8; 4; +2
    8; 4; +3
    7; 4; +2
    5; 3; +2
    7. MIDSUMMER Full, green trees in long, sunny days. FOOD to L Camp (INN). ESCORT to S Camp (L Camp). 3 sp/league. GREY, GOLD, PURPLE, BLACK magic.
    Warm
    Nuts / Berries
    Showers
    Soft Rain


    7
    7
    7
    7
    9; 5; +2
    9; 5; +3
    7; 4; +2
    6; 4; +2


    8. HIGH SUMMER Hot, clear days. FOOD to GUARD (L Camp). ESCORT to S Camp (GUARD). 2 sp/league. GOLD magic. Heat Wave: one wound per day of travel.
    Warm
    Showers
    Rain
    Heat Wave
    7
    7
    5
    5
    10; 5; +3
    7; 4; +2
    5; 3; +2
    6; 3; +1
    9. SWELTER Very hot, humid and still air. FOOD to CHAPEL (S Camp). ESCORT to INN (S Camp). 3 sp/league. PURPLE magic.
    Hot
    Thunderstorm
    Showers
    Ball Lightning
    5
    7
    7
    4
    8; 4; +2
    5; 3; +2
    7; 4; +2
    8; 4; +3
    10. HARVEST Golden fields of ripening crops. FOOD to INN (L Camp). ESCORT to GUARD (L Camp). 3 sp/league. GOLD and GREY magic.
    Warm
    Ripening
    Showers
    Rain
    7
    7
    7
    7
    8; 4; +2
    8; 4; +3
    7; 4; +2
    5; 3; +2
    11. AUTUMN Brightly colored leaves on frosty mornings. FOOD to GUARD (L Camp). ESCORT to GUARD (S Camp). 2 sp/league. PURPLE magic.
    Cool
    Late Summer
    Showers
    Cold Rain
    7
    7
    7
    7
    7; 4; +2
    7; 4; +3
    6; 4; +2
    5; 2; +2
    12. DWINDLING Dead leaves blowing in long, cold nights. FOOD to CHAPEL (INN). ESCORT to INN (L Camp). 2 sp/league. All colors of magic.
    Cold
    Blown Leaves
    Cold Showers
    Cold Rain
    7
    7
    6
    7
    7; 4; +2
    8; 4; +3
    6; 4; +2
    5; 3; +2
    13. DESOLATE Cold rains on barren trees and ground. FOOD to INN (HOUSE). ESCORT Cleric to INN (CHAPEL). 4 sp/league. Mountains: 2 phases to enter. GREY magic. Freezing Rain: one wound per day of travel.
    Cold
    Early Snow
    Flurries
    Freezing Rain


    7
    5
    6
    5


    6; 3; +2
    5; 3; +2
    6; 3; +2
    4; 2; +3


    Sunset or Sunrise
    Roll 6.
    Flutter or Smoke M. Heavy Flying Dragon.
    Slither, Smoke C, or Roar C. Heavy Dragon or Tremendous Dragon.
    Hoard*. Tremendous Flying Dragon.
    Lair*. Tremendous Dragon.
    Altar. [Witch King if not in play.]
    Inn, Stink W. Company.
    Roll 5.
    Dank W. Serpents. [Druid if not in play.]
    Slither or Dank C. Tremendous serpent.
    Smoke M. [Sorceror if not in Play.]
    Altar*. Demon.
    Shrine*. Flying Demon.
    House, Smoke W. Woodsfolk.
    Roll 4.
    Ruins W. Wolves.
    Bones W. Ogres.
    Ruins C, Patter C, Howl C. Goblins. (waxing moon) Ghasts.
    Pool*. Lurker.
    Shrine.* [Witch if not in play.]
    Inn, Chapel, House, Guardpost. Patrol.
    Roll 3.
    Bones M, Roar M, Stink M. Giants.
    Bones C, Roar C. Trolls.
    Stink C. Goblins.
    Vault*. Huge Troll.
    Inn. [Magician if not in play.]
    Chapel, Stink W, Smoke W. Lancers.
    Roll 2.
    Stink M, Dank M, Patter M. Goblins OR Spiders OR Wolves.
    Bones V. Ghosts OR Ghasts OR Imp.
    Cairns*. Spiders OR Tremendous Spider OR Tremendous Serpent. (waning moon) Ghosts.
    Statue*. Imp OR Spiders OR Goblins.
    Chapel. [Pilgrim if not in play.]
    Stink W, Smoke W. Bashkars.
    Roll 1.
    Ruins M. Goblins OR Wolves OR Bats. (waxing moon) Ghasts.
    Flutter. Bats.
    Bones M. Ogres OR Wolves OR Bears. (waning moon) Ghosts.
    Howl M. Wolves.
    House. [Wizard if not in play.]
    NPC Dwelling. Event or Traveler.

    Traveling
    Roll 7.
    Woods. (Spring-Autumn) Woodsfolk OR Deer. (Winter) Wild Boar OR Wolves.
    [Smoke W or Stink W]. Heavy Flying Dragon.
    Valley. (Spring-Autumn) Company OR Herd of Cattle. (Winter) Patrol OR Wolves.
    [Ruins V]. Goblins OR Wolves. (waxing moon) Goblins AND Wolves.
    [Dank V]. Serpents OR Spiders.
    Mountain. (Spring-Autumn) Bashkars OR Herd of Sheep. (Winter) Eagle OR Wolves.
    [Smoke M]. Heavy Dragon.
    Roll 8.
    Woods. (Spring-Autumn) Bashkars OR Deer. (Winter) Lancers OR Wolves. [Ogres]
    Valley. (Spring-Autumn) Patrol OR Swine Herd. (Winter) Lancers OR Deer.
    [Stink V]. Heavy Flying Dragon.
    [Smoke V]. Goblins.
    Mountain. (Spring-Autumn) Company OR Bears. (Winter) Wolves OR Wild Goats. [Giants]
    Roll 9.
    [Bones V], Ruins. (waning moon) Ghosts; (waxing moon) Ghasts OR Demon.
    Valley. Event or Traveler.
    Woods, Mountain. (Spring-Autumn) Bees OR Deer. (Winter) Wild Boar OR Wild Goats. [Imp]
    Events or Travelers
    Roll d8 (remember, this is d20 mod 8 - there are at least two variants of each result, and three variants for 1-4).
    Escort Party. Use Roger G. Sorolla’s Dramatic Personae (rolesrules.blogspot.com) to generate a character in need of escort. Roll 1d6 for either the red or the black die, and for the other die use the day of the year mod 6. Destination per seasonal table.
    Food/Ale. Per seasonal table OR to the nearest Guardpost OR House.
    Crone. OR Scholar. OR Escort Party.
    Shaman. OR Warlock. OR Gypsy.
    Conquest. Rumor that the Soldiers, Guard, Patrol, and Company intend to capture or kill the Woodfolk, Lancers, Bashkars, and Rogues. OR Pillage. Rumor that the Bashkars plan to pillage at least one dwelling, and that the Soldiers and Patrol are on alert.
    Raid. Rumor that the Lancers and Woodsfolk intend to drive out the Bashkars and Rogues. OR Quest. Rumor that the Order have vowed to eradicate (1d6):
    Dragons
    Demons
    Magic users
    Goblins
    Trolls
    Giants and Ogres
    Revolt. Rumor that the Lancers, Woodfolk, Bashkars, and Rogues intend to overthrow the Soldiers, Guard, Patrol, and Company. OR War. The Soldiers, Guard, and Patrol are working to drive out the Company, Bashkars, and Rogues.
    Goblins! Rumor that Goblins have attacked travelers to the next-nearest Dwelling. OR Dragon! Rumor that a Dragon has attacked the furthest Dwelling.

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