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utward to meet the chill of the season on its own terms.

We danced, my hand on the


small of her back, yet she led me nonetheless. The music came from� somewhere.
Strings. A piano. That was all. I never saw the players, though I heard their tune.
It was a strange piece to dance to: a dirge, almost a requiem. The wind moved the
curtains. We danced and she moved in close, as if to kiss my neck. It was not a
kiss, however, but the sweetest damnation. She took my life, then, and I felt the
vitality ebb from my throat in a crimson bloom. And then she gave it back.
I had spent eight years becoming a doctor. Fresh from medical school, I took a job
under a friend of the family, a fellow doctor. Only a year into my practice, he
invited me to a party hosted by one of his patients. A special patient, he said,
one of the few upon whom he still paid house calls. It was to be a formal affair, a
white-tie party visited by the upper echelon of society. I was beside myself. After
all, I was no more than a young, inexperienced sawbones; I might as well be a quack
or charlatan as far as society was concerned. I arrived nervously but on time, and
it was there that I met the men and women � no, those others � who would be my
fellows in the eternal pageant that I was oblivio I would like to dedicate this
book to Shelly Bateman, who has clocked in many hours of watching film noir with me
over the years. I treasure all the moments we�ve spent, sitting in a dark room
while eating popcorn and watching the likes of Robert Mitchum, Lawrence Tierney,
Veronica Lake, Peter Lorre and Ida Lupino act out these stories of immorality, dark
desires and greed. And looking at the larger picture, Shelly has stuck by my
side without hesitation for over twentyone years, encouraging me to make my dream
of becoming a professional game designer a reality. That dream came true in 2002
and she has continued to be my stauchest ally since then. This is why The Big
Crime is dedicated to her. Here�s to you, Shelly. Thank you for everything you�ve
done. You�re the sultry femme fatale and the dutiful dame all rolled into one
amazing package.
Cynthia Celeste Miller us would follow. I remember Lady Moltis, a beauty from
somewhere in Europe but who had a reputation as a �black widow� (only after my
death would I learn the significance of that statement). Mr. Audelia was a queOTAL
SKILL BONUSEXAMPLE The Gamemaster: Bettan has clearly seen you. What do you do?
Player 1 (Klara�s brother Olle): I crouch down in the tall grass and try to calm
myself, but feel my heart beating even faster. Player 2 (Olle�s friend Anita): I
guess it hasn�t seen me? I try to sneak around it. The Gamemaster: Roll Sneak.
Player 2: Five dice. (Rolls dice to get at least one six.) Yes, one success! The
Gamemaster: Tell us what you do. Player 2: I sneak from tree to tree until I�m on
the other side, and kneel behind an overgrown jasmine bush. I am prepared to rush
the cyborg if it tries to leave with Klara. Player 1: Do I know anything about how
cyborgs work, how to stop them? The Gamemaster: Roll Calculate. Player 1: Two dice.
(Rolls dice.) Success! The Gamemaster: You have read a lot about robots because
your father previously worked at a job producing spare parts for robots. You know
there is sometimes a big red button on the chest for an emergency stop; if pressed
hard, the robot collapses lifeless. Player 1: Are there any rocks close by? The
Gamemaster: Absolutely. Player 1: I grab a large piece of granite and slowly stand
up. I try to spot the button and see if I can throw the stone at it. The
Gamemaster: The cyborg stands turned towards you with Klara in its arms, her face
against its chest. It strokes her hair. The button on its body is concealed by
Klara. What do you do? Player1: I slowly place the stone on the ground and talk to
it with a soft voice: �I�m her brother. I will not hurt you.�
This story is an example of what can happen when you play the Tales from the Loop
roleplaying game, which takes place in the fantastic world created by Simon
St�lenhag. A roleplaying game is a conversation where you and your friends build a
story with a beginning, a mid
dle, and an end. A typical story takes between three to six hours of play. Most
often you sit at a table and you need paper, pens, and at least ten six-sided dice.
THE TALES FROM THE LOOP
In this game, a story is called a Mystery. It deals with a group of friends who try
to solve Mysteries together. The friends are Kids, aged 10-15 years old, living in
the late 1980s. Everyday Life is full of nagging parents, never-ending homework,
and classmates bullying and being bullied. The Mysteries allow the Kids to
encounter strange machines and creatures that exist as a result of the nearby Loop,
a huge underground particle accelerator built in the late 1960s. The Kids get to
escape their everyday lives and problems and be part of something meaningful and
magical, yet also dangerous. They risk getting injured and also changed by the
Troubles they have to overcome to solve the Mysteries.
ES The final step in calculating your total skill bonuses is to add all of the
bACHERNAR KM 112 | PoC 91 This world is the home of the Achernar Central School of
Forensic Linguistics. ADAR MOUNTAINS BD 19 On the world of Copus, these mountains
are a source of Mersilin rugs. AGAVE T 141 I have been reliably informed that �the
Bestiary is under the ruins of Agave�; what the Bestiary is, or where Agave is,
these are matters on which I, for one, can shine no light whatsoever. AGLABAT KM
113 On the planet of Thamber, in Misk, it was originally a fishing village; it is
now a city behind a wall of dark brown stone. AIRY GULCH BD 94 A huge gulch deep in
the Skak Range on Boniface. ALASTOR CLUSTER GE 78 | MA 7 Even in distant parts of
the Gaean Reach, Alastor Cluster is known as the home of the starmenters. In
reality it is far more civilised that that. It is a node of thirty thousand live
stars plus unnumbered dead ones on the inner rim of the galaxy. It has the
Unfortunate Waste before, the Nonestic Gulf beyond, and
the Gaean Reach a sparkling haze to the side. It is ruled by the Connatic from his
palace on the world Numenes, and order is maintained by the Whelm, his space navy.
Still, it has to be said that the Whelm is not maintained purely to provide steady
careers for the deserving younger sons of minor landowners. Starmenters are far
more of a problem in Alastor Cluster than they are elsewhere in Gaean space. Save
perhaps for the Primarchic, and it is from the Primarchic that a proportion of the
Alastor Cluster starmenters seem to come. ALCYDON PoC 167 | L 198 To visit the
modestly renown Pan-Arts Museum (one of the few things this world is known for),
land at the Duvray spaceport. For relaxation afterwards, the editorial staff
recommends Coiry Beach. ALCYONE BD 48 This world is the home of the Pallas
Technical Institute, which is still (in spite of rumours to the contrary) located
at Pallas. ALGENIB IX BD 48 Known only as the world of origin of A. Gieselman, a
murder victim, who at the time dwelt at Longonuses for each skill. A total skill
bonus is often referred to as just a "skill bonus." For each skill, total the
values found in the various columns for that skill: Rank, Stat, Prof, Equip, and
Spec's. Record each of these totals on your Character Record Sheet in the "Total"
column of the Skill section.
Example: Charlie's total skill bonuses are listed on his Character Record Sheet.
Note that the total skill bonus for Body Development skill is also recorded as the
"Character's Hit Total."
DEFENSIVE BONUS A character's Defensive Bonus (DB) is used in combat as a
subtraction from an opponent's attack roll against the character. A character's DB
normally consists of his Quickness stat bonus and any bonus for unusual armor.
Against melee and missile attacks a character can use a "shield" (i.e., any large
object that can be held in one hand or on one arm to block attacks). Normally a
shield can be used to increase a character's Defensive Bonus against one foe's
melee and missile attacks by 25. There is a section of the Character Record Sheet
with a space for the type of armor being worn and a space for the extra bonus added
to the Defensive Bonus when the character is using a shield against an opponent.
Record this information and the Defensive Bonus.
Example: Charlie's Qu bonus is 30 (!), so his DB is 30 as well. When necessary, he
can wear his Light Body Armor, and Charlie's player records it on the Character
Record Sheet (page 38). Charlie is now outfitted, his skill bonuses are totaled,
and he is ready to enter the streets of Cyberspace!
RESISTANCE ROLL BONUSES Certain attacks occurring during play will require a
character to make a Resistance Roll (RR) to determine if or how an attack affects
the character. Examples of this type of attack include: poison, gas attacks,
disease, flash bombs, etc. The attack's level is cross-indexed with the target's
(defender's) level on the Resistance Roll Table Section S 20.0 to obtain a single
number. In order to successfully resist the attack, the Resistance Roll must be
greater than or equal to this number. Normally, Resistance Roll bonuses consist of
the character's Constitution stat bonus and any item bonuses.
HANDLING MULTIPLE APPLICABLE BONUSES GMs will discover that extensively developed
and/or experienced characters often have bonuses from several different sources
which affect a given action. These bonuses start with stats and skills, but may
also include factors such as cybernetic hardware, wetware, skill program
neurosofts, smart DNI devices, equipment quality, and drug effects. Such bonuses
may apply to the character's OBs, DB, RRs and /or maneuver rolls.
It has already been suggested that GMs may want to integrate cyber-generated rating
bonuses with a character's existing skill ranks by adding the equipment's rating to
the character's skill rank before deriving the final skill bonus. But there are
many factors which will increase stat bonuses, add directly to skill bonuses, or
any of the various rolls required by the game. The GM can use the following options
to moderate their "inflating" effects: Option 1: When two or more modifiers (or GM-
designated modifier groupings) can apply to a character's roll, the GM may
stipulate that only one (the highest) may be added. Option 2: When a character is
using a smart DNI device, he must use the device's bonus, not his own intrinsic
bonus. Option 3: Only a stat bonus (whether enhanced or not), a naturally developed
skill bonus, one cybernetic rating bonus, and one drug effect can be cumulative
when deriving a total bonus. All other factors must either be used on their own or
not at all. Option 4: GMs may set up a hierarchy of bonus priority: certain bonuses
are weighted heavily, while others count for less before calculating a total bonus.
GMs should feel free to use any one, or a combination of these options.
Alternatively, a GM may devise his own method for limiting the ways in which
bonuses may accumulate for a given skill or type of roll.
SKILL DESCRIPTIONS This section gives a description of each skill and how it is
used during play. For each skill, this section provides: the skill's category, the
type of action that the skill applies to, and the stat that applies to the skill
(Section S 4.0).
SKILL CATEGORIES The Cyberspace skills are grouped into nine categories:
Maneuvering Skills Weapon Skills General Skills Subterfuge Skills Social Skills
Cyberspace Skills Technical Skills Special Skills Secondary Skills
ACTIONS Each skill is classified as being applicable to one of the five following
actions (See the Skill List Chart in Section S 4.0): � A Moving Maneuver (MM) � A
Static Maneuver (SM) �A Vehicular Maneuver (VM) � An Offensive Bonus (OB) �ASpecial
Purpose (SP) Note: Section S 16.0 explains how the bonus for each of these skills
may be used to resolve actions and maneuver attempts. Sections S4.0 and S5.0
discuss how skills are developed.
CYBERSPACE
MANEUVERING SKILLS These skills determine how far a character can move in a round
(ten seconds); 20 meters plus one additional meter for every +5 of Skill Bonus or
double that amount if a running maneuver is successfully performed. See Section S
15.0 and S 16.0 for a complete discussion of movement and maneuvering. In addition,
Maneuvering skill is used to resolve movement which is performed under unusual
circumstances or in stressful situations (such as combat). When used for these
purposes, the skill bonus is added to a "Moving Maneuver Roll" (Sections 16.2).
Maneuvering skill must be developed separately for each of the Armor Types (ATs):
No Armor (NoA), Light Body Armor (LBA), Armored Body Suits (ABS) and Armored
Exoskeleton (AEX). The maximum number of skill ranks which may be learned is
limited by the AT: No Armor = 2 Ranks, LBA = 5, ABS = 7, and AEX = 9. Due to the
restriction of movement and weight of the armor, each AT also has a
movement/maneuver penalty associated with it. These factors are summarized in the
Armor Chart.
ARMOR CHART Max Skill Armor Type No Armor Light Body Armor Armored Body Suit
Armored Exoskeleton Rank 2 5 7 9 Maneuver Stat Penalty +0 -30 -45 -60 Bonus Ag st
st st
WEAPON SKILLS These skills determine how effective a character is in combat. The
skills must be developed separately for each of the four weapon types: Melee,
Missile, Fire, and Mounted. The Skill Bonus for each weapon is part of the
character's total Offensive Bonus (OB) with that weapon, and is added to any
"Attack Rolls" made with that weapon. In certain circumstances some or all of this
OB may be used to "parry" an opponent (Section S 17.2). Each specific weapon has
special properties as summarized in the Master Weapons Charts (Section A 7.1)
WEAPON TYPES Melee (OB, SI): This weapon type covers all weapons used in hand to
hand combat, including archaic weaponry, such as daggers, swords, axes, maces,
morning stars, etc. This skill may also be used for such modern-day equivalents as
pipes, chains, switchblades and trench knives. This category also includes forms of
unarmed combat like brawling and the martial arts. Brawling in the world of
Cyberspace is often the dirtiest form of fighting. Normally, the only weapons used
are objects close at hand. This is the skill of bare-fisted streetfighting, but at
its highest levels it may include many advanced martial arts moves. The GM may
choose to modify the melee skill bonus depending on the circumstances (e.g., the
character is wielding a broken bottle, a table leg, etc). Note: Characters using
Melee skill to attack unarmed use the Brawling Attacks and Falls Table (A 7.7),
while characters wielding weapons (e.g., knives, broken bottles, lead pipes) use
the Melee Weapon Attack Table (A 7.6) to resolve the attack. Missile (OB, Ag): This
weapon type covers thrown and bow/sling weapons which can attack from a distance.
Such weapons include: long bows, short bows, composite bows, crossbows, daggers,
throwing knives, javelins, shuriken (throwing stars), thrown grenades, etc. Fire
(OB, Ag): The fire weapon type covers all handheld energy and high-speed projectile
firearms (i.e., guns). Such weapons include: lasers, pistols, rifles, shotguns, and
the like. Mounted (OB, Ag): The mounted weapon type covers all mounted weaponry
(i.e., on vehicles and platforms), support weaponry, and weapons that fire
explosive missiles. Such weapons include: grenade launchers, rocket launchers,
recoilless rifles, machine guns, cannons, bombs, torpedoes, etc.
GENERAL SKILLS These skills cover specialized personal maneuvers as well as the
ability to operate vehicles and equipment. Drive (VM, Ag): Covers operating all
ground and water-going vehicles. One skill rank allows basic understanding of the
controls, while further ranks reflect increased ability and quickness in
maneuvering the vehicle. Possibilities include: wheeled vehicles, GEM/hover
vehicles (i.e., Ground Effect Machines), tracked tanks, sailing vessels, ships,
etc.
Pilot (VM, Qu): Covers operating all aircraft and spacecraft. One skill rank allows
basic understanding of the controls, while further ranks reflect increased ability
and quickness in maneuvering the craft. Possibilities include: helicopters, prop
planes, jets, orbital shuttles, and the myriad of starcraft (i.e., spaceships).
Environs (MM, SO): This skill is primarily a measure of the character's ability to
deal with the physical environment and with relatively mundane aspects of
negotiating that environment. It covers several subclasses of maneuvers and
activities such as: Climbing: Climbing anything from ladders (Easy) to sheer cliff
faces (Absurd). Includes going up and down ropes, rappeling, using handholds
properly, etc. Swimming: Skill rank 1 will prevent the character from drowning in
water over his head. Further ranks enable the character to make headway against
current, stay afloat for long periods of time, swim longer distances, move faster
in the water, and to make maneuvers in the water. When swimming, AT maneuver
penalties are tripled (Section S 8.1). Factors such as treacherous waters might
increase the difficulty. First Aid: Successful use of the Environs skill can
diminish bleeding by as much as 5 hits per round, or perform other tasks such as
CPR, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, splinting broken bones, etc. The skill also
covers the use of basic medical equipment (Section S 21.0).
THE SYSTEM Alien Environments: The Environs skill bonus may be used to diminish any
penalties accrued due to specific environmental restrictions. Difficulties and
penalties associated with harsh environments are: Zero-G = Absurd (-70) LowGrav=
Very Hard (-20) High Grav = Extremely Hard (-30). Underwater = Extremely Hard (-30)
Survival: The Environs skill bonus may be used to avoid the adverse effects of
unusual environments. Examples include jungle survival, desert survival, and arctic
survival. Equipment (SM, Me): Covers operating all normal equipment. One skill rank
allows basic understanding of the controls, while further ranks reflect increased
speed and aptitude in operating the equipment. Possibilities include: cameras,
communications equipment, medical equipment, sensors, scanners, etc. Operating
repair equipment normally falls into the Technical skill category. It covers
several subclasses of equipment operation such as: Electronic Warfare: Used to
operate EW and Stealth systems, for purposes of electronic countermeasures
operations. Sensor/Scanner Analysis: Used to interpret vehicular or self-contained
sensor/scanner displays of various types. Examples include Radar, Sonar, Ultrasound
and MIIS (Multiple Image Integration Systems). Computer Operation: Used to access
computer data and programs with a keyboard/terminal apparatus. Does not include
programming or computer design. Examples include word processing, computer weapon
control systems, and "Blind" Net Running (i.e. running the Net without a
CyberDeck).
SUBTERFUGE SKILLS These skills determine how well a character sneaks, tracks,
backstabs, and gains entry into secured places. Electronic Bypass (SM, In): This
skill covers neutralizing and bypassing electronic locks, electronic traps,
surveillance systems, and a host of other high-tech security devices. Devices of
various difficulty levels may be represented by appropriate subtractions from this
roll (determined by the GM).
Mechanical Bypass (SM, In): This skill covers neutralizing and bypassing mechanical
locks, and traps and other similar security devices. Locks and traps of various
difficulty levels may be represented by appropriate subtractions from this roll
(determined by the GM). Ambush (SP, none): If the character manages to move behind
an opponent (and remains undetected), he may make a maneuver roll to ambush the
opponent with a given attack. If the maneuver roll is not successful, a normal
attack may be made. If it is successful, the normal attack may be made and any
critical that results may have the Ambush skill rank (not the Bonus) added to the
roll. When used with a missile or fire weapon, this skill is called called Sniping.
When used against a vehicle, this skill is called called Mounted Weapons Ambush.
Stalk (MM, SO) & Hide (SM, SO): Stalking is the ability to move using camouflage
and shadows to conceal your presence. Hiding reflects the skill in using
camouflage, shadows, etc., to remain absolutely hidden while immobile.
SOCIAL SKILLS These skills determine the character's ability to interact with and
influence other people. The Interaction/Influence column of the Static Maneuver
Chart in Section S 16.1 is used to resolve these maneuvers. Culture (SM, Em):
Governs attempts to operate within upper-level society situations. Useful for
dealing with the "mover and shakers" of the world: politicians, aristocrats,
corporate bigwigs, movie stars, etc. Bonus applies to transactions involving a
subtilely bargained exchange of "consideration" on a sophisticated level (i.e.,
"cultured" trading). The higher the net roll is, the better the bargain. Streetwise
(SM, Em): Governs attempts to locate illicit/unadvertised persons, drugs, services,
technology, or rumors. Useful for locating "black market" sources and catching up
on the latest buzz around town. Bonus applies to one-on-one transactions involving
a bargained exchange of money or goods (i.e., trading). The higher the net roll is,
the better the bargain. Administration (SM, Pr): Applies to functioning
successfully in any environment where record keeping, personnel interaction, and
bureaucracy are pertinent considerations (such as governmental agencies or
corporate offices).
Bonus applies to transactions involving a bargained exchange of money or goods on a
corporate or normal business level. The higher the net roll is, the better the
bargain. Exploit (SM, Pr): Applies to attempts to manipulate individuals and to
take advantage of "social" situations. It covers several subclasses of manipulation
such as: Acting: Bonus applied to all manner of acting attempts, including
impersonating others, devising false identities, playing for sympathy, etc.
Conning:7he use of the Exploit skill to create a false impression of a situation or
attitude in the mind of a target individual. Interrogation: The use of the Exploit
skill to extract information from others. If the target is discomforted (physically
or emotionally), a +25 maneuver modification is applied. However, if this is done,
and the net Interrogation roll is negative, the target has suffered a major mental
or physical injury, or death. Seduction: The use of the Exploit skill to manipulate
someone emotionally, sensually, or sexually.
CYBERSPACE SKILLS These skills determine a character's ability to interact with
Cyberspace. CyberDeck Operation (SM, SD): Affects the use of a CyberDeck when
attempting to enter and "travel" through the Global Telecommunications Network,
into distant databanks or other reaches of The Matrix (See the Cyberspace Section
for further details). * One member of a group operating in Cyberspace must be
operating a CyberDeck (i.e., the "CyberDeck Operator", CDO); the other members of a
group are assumed to be "plugged into" his CyberDeck. The CDO receives a -10 combat
modification for every group member other than himself. Of course, it is not
necessary to operate in a group; each character could have and operate his own
CyberDeck and no one would receive a negative combat modification. Long-distance
travel and surveillance can be handled as Research projects (see the
Construction/Research Chart m Section S 16.5, p. 47), while other specific
activities are handled as a Static Maneuver (Section S 16.1). For more details on
Cyberspace travel, see Section C 2.0.er man who never looked anyone in the eye and
whose body curled in upon itself at his extremities. Mr. Benthis effectively grants
the merchants a monopoly on milling. Another right that is very important to
merchants is salvage. Typically, the local lord claims any cargo from a shipwreck,
but some towns have managed to gain their merchants wide rights to salvage. The
merchants of L�beck, for example, have negotiated a right to salvage in many areas
of the Baltic. Charters also include procedures for electing or appointing town
officials, such as aldermen, bailiffs, consuls, coroners, councilors, magistrates,
mayors, ministerials, portmen, rectors, and reeves. Many different systems for
choosing town officials are in use and which one is chosen depends upon the
temperament of the lord, the relative power of the town, and the town�s history.
Possible systems include election, appointment by the lord, selection by the lord
from a list proposed by the town, or (rarely) inheritance. The term of office is
usually a year and a day, but officials may be appointed for other periods
including life. Apart from the ability to make decisions that benefit themselves,
town officials are compensated for their service to the town, in the form of a wage
or additional rights; for example the right to pasture their horses in a particular
field. Women are usually excluded from office and the selection processes. Finally,
town charters usually regulate the buying and selling of land. This is banned
outright in some charters, however, and instead a rent, called tenure, is paid to
the lord. As tenure is paid in cash, rather than labor or produce, it represents a
significant improvement over the serfdom of rural peasants. Most charters, however,
do allow the sale of land, but place restrictions on to whom
it can be sold; for example, it might only be permissible to sell land to
residents, or certain groups might be prohibited from owning land. Some
ecclesiastical lords have banned the sale of town land to the Order of Hermes.
Town Governance
The governance of a town is theoretically dictated by the charter, and usually town
officials cooperatively make decisions for the whole town. Important or long-term
decisions are made at town meetings that sometimes may be attended by ordinary
citizens, even though decisions are made by the officials themselves � usually by a
council of aldermen or magistrates, possibly led by a mayor. Dictatorial systems
are rare, and even when a charter reserves substantial powers to the charter lord
or another individual, most decision-making is actually devolved to appointed
officials. Town officials also perform daily duties like assessing taxes, setting
prices, or holding criminal courts. Sometimes, officials have responsibility for
particular areas � for example, portmen are appointed to assess tolls at port,
coroners are primarily concerned with assessing the value of fines resultant from
violent deaths (which typically accrue to the crown), bailiffs hold criminal
courts, and guild-masters police the statutes of town guilds � but other officials
have wide areas of concern. The exact titles and duties of town officials depends
upon local language, local history and geography, and regional idiosyncrasy, which
should all be considered by the troupe when choosing roles for town officials. For
example, a town without a port obvi
ously has no use for portmen, but may have an official tasked with running a mine
near the town. Another town, on the route of an important pilgrimage, may have an
official who works with local churches to ensure that pilgrims are fed and housed,
without causing aggravation to the burgesses of the town. The Customs of Lorris
(see insert), the Law of Freiburg (see insert), and some of the illustrative town
profiles (see Profiles, below) include examples of how town officials are organized
in particular towns. During the 13th century, most towns are growing rapidly, and
although town officials are invariably wealthy they are not drawn exclusively from
established town-families: new townsmen are equally acceptable as officials. Town
officials may also be members of craft or merchant guilds, and in many towns the
boundary between town and guild business is very vague; indeed, town charters and
guild charters are often intimately entwined. Church representatives can sometimes
serve as town officials, even nett seemed rustic, but my hostess assured me that he
had power and money far beyond the suggestion of his simple facade. Mr. Maxwell had
arrived from Chicago and was rumored to be either one of its rising stars or its
fallen scions, depending upon to whom I spoke. A woman named Lindsay was a scandal,
having never taken a husband �in life� and who comported herself with little of the
propriety that the rest of the women maintained. Little did I know then that this
was no true party, but a panoply of monsters. Even my hindsight fails me, for when
I spent those precious few moments with Miss Lindsay, I recall none of what
happened, but I know now that the liaison was far more than mere attraction (and
that the stain at my wrist probably didn�t come from a pinching
cufflink).practitioners of magic like Hermetic magi. In places that have no other
supernatural presence, however, it is common for faeries to move in and thrive,
especially if there are human beings living nearby � human settlements in Mythic
Europe rarely go without an aura for very long, and if they do not have a Divine
aura, they usually develop a Faerie one.
fAerie AnD the Divine
While the Divine realm tends to treat other powers as either good or evil depending
on how they are used, Faerie has an additional disadvantage when compared to Magic
in that the Faerie realm is generally perceived as more alien and unnatural,
especially by followers of the Divine. Many of them believe that faeries only serve
to lead mortals into sin and temptation, and see little difference between them and
demons. Of course, the Divine actively discourages the pagan worship that tends to
go with Faerie powers. However, since the Dominion protects many places where
people experience intense emotion and concentrated belief, there are many faeries
that live within it, despite the penalties they endure there, and some faeries even
participate in Divine worship. It would seem that the Divine realm encourages this,
in some circumstances allowing such faeries to set up small Faerie auras within the
Dominion (see Chapter 1: Nature of Faerie, Traveling Auras).
fAerie AnD the infernAl
Faeries are terribly vulnerable to the power of the Infernal realm � not as much as
they are weakened by the Divine, but the Infernal actively seeks to undermine and
corrupt the power of Faerie, and once a faerie has been subverted by demonic
influences, the Divine will cease to distinguish between the faerie and the devils
that have marked it. The Infernal realm also takes grim delight in destroying
anything and everything, and faeries are often caught in the path of marauding
demons. Some faeries oppose the Infernal, and a few unite with it (many people fear
demons, and faeries can prey upon that fear), but most faeries are simply unable to
understand it. Faeries are amoral by definition; they simply play a role as it is
envisioned for them, and rarely choose a side in the struggle between Heaven and
Hell. More interesting to faeries is what human beings want, and also what they
believe. The Infernal only regards these concerns as means to turn humanity against
the Divine, and thus it tends to treat faeries the same way.
fAerie AnD mAgic
The Faerie realm has more in common with Magic than with either of the other
realms. Like Magic, Faerie rarely concerns itself with morality and immorality.
Faerie powers are more compatible with Magic, in that faeries are not penalized by
Magic auras, and in fact derive a small benefit from them. Nature of Faerie
Faeries are spirits with bodies made of incidental matter, held together with a
type of spiritual energy called glamour, and moved with stolen vitality. The bodies
of faeries are constructed as temporary vessels for interacting with humans, out of
symbolically significant matter. Each interacts with humans through a role, which
is a series of symbols that the faerie cannot change, and rules that the faerie
cannot break. The intricate mystical rules a faerie must follow are called its
glamour, and define its nature and its supernatural powers. The faerie�s glamour
also defines how the faerie must appear to humans, and how it seeks vitality.
Faeries are drawn, instinctively, to the mutable lives and passionate emotions of
humans. Faeries can borrow these capacities from people. This human energy, called
vitality by magi who study these things, allows faeries to feel, grow, learn, and
age. Many faeries do not know why they are drawn to humans: they lack a quality
that Hermetic magi call cognizance.
Cognizance: Understanding the Need for Humans
All faeries require human vitality, and seek it instinctively. This instinct to
seek humans, and catch their attention � to bask in their aliveness � is what
separates faeries from creatures aligned to the other Realms. Different types of
faerie are aware of this need to varying degrees. And faeries can be divided into
broad classes based
on their understanding of the relationship between their glamour, role, and need
for human vitality. Examples of the following strata are found in Chapter 4: Faerie
Bestiary, and each has its own Virtue, described in Chapter 3: Faerie Characters.
incognizAnt fAeries
Those faeries with the least cognizance are often the focus of very simple stories,
usually warnings and advice for methods of avoidance or propitiation. Some animals
and werewolves, as examples, demonstrate this level of cognizance. They are
completely unaware that they derive nourishment from the fear of and precautions
taken by humans, rather than from the sheep they worry to death. They usually do
not know that their bodies are held together by glamour, and may imagine themselves
to be as organic as humans. If their bodies are destroyed, incognizant faeries may
create new ones, but have no memory of their previous incarnation. This is the most
common sort of faerie encountered by humans.
Not all incognizant faeries are simple creatures. Many powerful faeries act upon
complex plans, unaware that by fulfilling any of the overt goals of their plan,
they also gain human vitality. When the Queen of Winter kidnaps a baby, and then
forces its parents to play a sinister game with the life of the child as the prize,
she is acting with this level of cognizance. She desires the child. She enjoys
playing ruthless games with terrified adults. She is unaware that this behavior is
typical of her type of faerie creature, and that she is harvesting vitality either
by gaining a child or by terrifying its parents.
nArroWly cognizAnt fAeries
Some faeries are aware that they feed on human vitality, but understand only a
single, narrow mechanism for harvesting it. Take, for example, a faerie wife who
deliberately drains the life of her husband away so that she is able to bear a
child. She is far more cognizant of her nature than the faerie queen above. Other
faeries instinctively reenact variations on a single story. They are
Where Did Faeries Come From? Members of the Order do not have a definitive answer
concerning the origin of faeries, but many speculate. Popular conjectures include:
� Faeries are angels that did not aid God during the Satanic Rebellion, but did not
actively rebel. They fell from Heaven, but did not fall all the way to Hell. �
Faeries are the descendants of Cain. When Cain was banished to the Land of Nod, he
went to Arcadia. � Faeries are the dead of the pagans. � Faeries are the spirits of
unbaptized
children. � Faeries are the spirits of those who died, incomplete, as they crossed
a border. � Faeries are the power of human dreams, art, and vision made manifest. �
Faeries are spirits that treat humans as prey, feeding on spiritual essences.
It is possible that different varieties of faerie derive from dissimilar sources,
or even that different examples of the same variety of faerie do. This book is
about what faeries do � not what faeries are.
However, Magic tends to favor subjects that are old and rooted to the natural order
of things, while Faerie often prefers those that display the vitality of youth and
fanciful notions born from imagination. Magic beings strive to improve themselves
over time, growing more powerful as they enhance their defining characteristics,
and losing their power if they stray too far into the mundane; faeries must adhere
to the rules that surround their identities, and have little incentive to change at
all, advancing themselves only by encouraging others to advance, and gaining more
power only when their defining role changes in an artistically satisfying way. Many
believe that beings of Faerie and Magic opposed each other in the past, fighting
great wars between gods and monsters such as the Olympians versus the Titans, the
Tuatha De Danann against the Fomorii, or the �sir and the Vanir versus the Jotnar.
Some think that the two realms were once a single realm, and that perhaps it was
this struggle or some other cataclysmic event that separated them. As those well-
versed in the lore of Faerie know, however, this theory is very difficult to prove
� or rather opposing theories are impossible to disprove. Faeries draw upon human
stories to form themselves, so it is not uncommon to find faeries playing the parts
of beings that seem magical, because those beings appear in the stories that
produce faeries. Just as there are thought to be faeries that resemble the ancient
gods Zeus, Lugh, and Odin, faerie versions of their fabled opponents Cronos, Balor,
and Ymir almost certainly exist somewhere in the Faerie realm as well.
Another night, another victim; that�s how I look at it. Motherfuckers don�t want to
die, all they have to do is stay out of my way. �Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,� yeah, because I�m the wickedest
sonofabitch you�re gonna find down here. I don�t draw the line at just normal
people, either. I�ll kill my own kind if I need to. What the fucking �Kindred� need
to understand is that there�s nothing more important than the place you call your
own. Oh, I�m sure they have some fancy word for me and my kind. I know their titles
and offices and all that bullshit make a big deal out of who�s responsible for what
and who needs to keep who in line, and motherfuckers like me are the reason for it
all. Someone comes beating down your door at just a few minutes past sunset, you
know you�re in trouble. Still, making it on your own is part of what this is. I
didn�t sign on for a bunch of new rules when my goddamn sire Changed me. Shit,
that�s half the reason I cut off his head and drank his soul along with his blood.
Respect, that�s what I�m saying. It�s about respect. God knows the fucking Kindred
aren�t going to give you any. You have to take it or make your own.As a player in
the Chronicles of Darkness, you explore the story and help to weave a tale through
a character you create. Your character is your means to engage with the world. As a
player, it�s your responsibility to portray your character in a way that�s
appropriate to her background and context, while fostering the kind of story you
want to see her in. Consider that moment in a horror movie where you�re at the edge
of your seat, trying to make decisions for a character who�s about to do something
dangerous. With your character, you can choose to step back away from the cellar
door, or to lash out at the monster instead of standing and screaming. Or, you can
embrace that moment of horror and jump headfirst into the awfulness you know is
coming. After all, no Storyteller can scare you the way you can scare yourself.
Creating characters is best done at the table with everyone participating. Stories
about characters with ties, whether they be social or simply thematic, will work
much better than a bunch of strangers designed with different types of stories in
mind. In game terms, you make your character through a series of traits. These
traits describe her capabilities, her weaknesses, and some of what makes her
unique. Imagine how many different characters you could describe as �paranormal
investigators,� �curious students,� or even �truck drivers.� These traits allow you
to define and refine your character�s role in the story. When coming up with your
character, work with the Storyteller and the other players to figure out what kinds
of stories you want to tell, and what characters could best serve that narrative.
If your story is about personal horror, a team of expert martial artists might not
be the best fit. However, if you want to tell an action-packed story of a village
set upon by an undead horde brought upon by biological tests gone awry, that team
could shine. As you delve into the mystery, the horror, and the drama of the
Chronicles of Darkness, your character earns Beats and Experiences, which can
improve her game traits. This allows you further customization, and lets your
character grow and develop in mechanical terms. You get these Beats through a
variety of behaviors; for example, you can get them through unfortunate events,
from executing elaborate actions, or by pursuing character goals. Just like in a
book, movie, or television show, your character grows as she interacts with the
plot. Character Creation The system for creating a character is a simple, step-by-
step process to take an initial idea for a character, and flesh her out with goals,
personality, and the game traits that determine what she is capable of. It�s
helpful to take a look at the character sheet from the back of the book. You can
fill out the sheet as you go through the steps of creating your character. Step
One: Character Concept The first step in creating a character is to develop a
general idea of who your character is. The Chronicles of Darkness, on the surface,
is much like ours. Your
The Face in the Mirror: Characters
�Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by
on their way to incredible destinations.� -Ray Bradbury, Zen and the Art of
Writing
CHARACTER CREATION 25
starting character concept can easily be someone you could meet on the street. Try
to boil this down to a simple phrase, like �bored medical student,� �single parent
trying to get by,� or �blogger obsessed with unsolved mysteries.� It doesn�t need
to be particularly complex, just a good starting point. In addition to your
concept, also consider your character�s Aspirations. These are goals that your
character wants to accomplish, or stories and events that you, as the player, want
to see happen during your character�s story. Thinking about your Aspirations early
on, as part of your character concept, helps to make sure that your character is
active, and that there are story hooks to get your character involved immediately.
You can also use Aspirations as a way to connect player characters, by giving them
similar goals. We�ll talk more about Aspirations in their own section, later in
this chapter. Step Two: Anchors Once you have a general idea and some goals for you
character, you can define a bit more of his personality. You do this by selecting
Anchors. Anchors are those things that help a character retain his sense of self
and drive his behavior. For a mortal character in the Chronicles of Darkness, his
Anchors are his Virtue and his Vice. For each of your character�s Anchors, decide
on a description of a major personality trait or motivation for your character:
something like Ambition, Honesty, Kindness, or Greed. For your character�s Virtue,
you�ll want to pick a trait that is difficult to act on or easy to ignore, but that
makes the
character feel proud when he does make the effort. His Vice, on the other hand, is
the trait that represents the easy way out, the things that bring the character
short-term comfort, but never seem to drive him to actually improve. Step Three:
Select Attributes Now you set your character�s basic capabilities. Attributes are
fundamental traits, defining how strong a character is, how well she can keep her
temper when provoked, or how quickly she can improvise a solution to a problem. A
character starts with one dot in each Attribute for free. One dot represents
someone who is below average in that capability, while two dots represent someone
average. A character with three or four dots is above average or extremely
talented, while five dots represents the peak of human ability. Attributes are
divided into the Mental, Physical, and Social categories. For your character,
consider which of the categories is most important. What sort of endeavors does
your character excel at? Once you have picked a primary category, decide out of the
remaining two which is your character�s next-best category. You�ll assign five dots
to the Attributes in your primary category, four dots to the Attributes in your
secondary category, and three dots to the Attributes in your tertiary category.
It�s worth taking a moment to consider the Attributes and how they connect to your
character concept. While picking
26 Por que Fic��o Cient�fica?
J� parou para pensar que existe um ramo todo da
cultura humana, que se extende por literatura, cinema,
teatro, televis�o, poesia, m�sica, e mais, que trata
somente de coisas que n�o existem?
A fantasia existe, talvez, por que imaginar o
imposs�vel, o inexistente, o fant�stico seja uma necessidade
humana b�sica e dentro desse universo da fantasia
n�s delimitamos uma regi�o especial e a chamamos de
fic��o cient�fica.
De alguma forma todos sabemos o que �, sem precisarmos
de uma defini��o, lendo, assistindo alguma coisa n�s
podemos dizer "isso � fic��o cient�fica".Alguns de n�s,
amamos fic��o cient�fica desde que somos pequenos, e nunca
nos cansamos dela.
N�s nos transformamos por ela.
A fic��o cient�fica � respons�vel por formar cientistas,
engenheiros, programadores, pilotos, astronautas, que
decidiram o curso de suas vidas na inf�ncia, entre p�ginas
amareladas de um livro de capa mole, ou na frente de
uma tv 14 polegadas, onde leram as aventuras de rob�s
confrontados pela sua programa��o inexor�vel. Ou assistiram naves
espacias indo onde ningu�m jamais esteve.
O qu� � capaz de atrair pessoas dessa forma? Tir�-
las de suas vidas normais e mudar seu rumo para sempre? Por
qu� esse g�nero da fic��o � t�o envolvente, t�o
transformador, t�o apaixonante?
6
Existe uma caracter�stica da fic��o cient�fica que a
torna diferente de todo o resto da fic��o: A fic��o
cient�fica � a fantasia do poss�vel.

Escrevendo fic��o cient�fica elaboramos mundos inexistentes,


mas que podem vir a ser. � o fant�stico tentando entrar
no mundo do real.
Quantas vezes j� n�o ouvimos no notic�ario as palavras
"sa�do da fic��o cient�fica"? A fic��o cient�fica
tem o dom �nico no universo da fic��o de estar
continuamente se transformando em realidade.
O cativante nas hist�rias de fic��o cient�fica � que
elas podem ser nossas hist�rias.
Characters, and resolves conflicts and actions. Hits: Accumulated pain and
bleeding, that can lead to shock and unconsciousness (also called concussion hits).
Each character can take a certain number of hits (determined by his "Body
Development") before he passes out. Level: A character's level is a measure of his
current stage of skill development, and is usually indicative of his capabilities
and power. Maneuver: An Action performed by a character that requires unusual
concentration, concentration under pressure, or a risk (e.g., climbing a rope,
balancing on a ledge, picking a lock, etc.). Maneuvers requiring movement are
called "Moving Maneuvers", and others are called "Static Maneuvers". Melee: Hand-
to-hand combat (i.e., combat not using projectiles, firearms, or missile weapons).
Non-Player Character (NPC): A character in the game whose actions are not
controlled by a Player, but instead are controlled by the GM. Offensive Bonus (OB):
The total addition to an attack roll due to the attacker's Stats, Skill, position,
weapon, and any other advantages. Open-Ended Roll: See Section 2.2; "Dice Rolling
Conventions". Parrt: The use of part of a character's offensive capability to
effect one opponent's attack. Player: A participant in a role-playing game who
controls one character (his own "Player Character")Player Character (PC): A
character whose actions and activities are controlled by a P/ayer(as opposed to the
Gamemaster). Profession: A character's profession is a reflection of his training
and thought patterns; in game terms, it effects how much effort is required to
develop skill in various areas of expertise. Resistance Roll (RR): A die roll which
determines whether or not a character successfully resists the effects of a poison,
drug, disease, or some other form of adversity. Round (RD): The time (10 seconds)
required to perform one Action. Session: A single sitting of game adventure. A
number of sessions form a Campaign. Stat: One of the ten physical and mental
characteristics which influence how effectively a character is able to perform
various Actions.
Skill: Training in an area which influences how effectively a character performs a
specifSOCIAL CLASS This section provides a means of varying and individualizing
characters with an eye toward playability and immersion in the Cyberspace genre.
The details of a character's place of origin and social status can have a great
bearing on the opportunities he is presented with in adult life. Such important
factors as observational skills, morals and ethics, and status all depend in part
on the area and social class into which a person is born. Although there is no
strict division of social classes in the Cyberspace world, these factors are
nonetheless observed in the guidelines which follow. In real life, social class
often plays a part in determining which profession a person will enter (or be
forced to enter). Since such a "realistic" system would eliminate the players'
chance of choosing his own character profession, this situation is handled in
reverse. Based upon the character's profession, a roll (1-100) on the Social Class
Chart (page 14) following determines the circumstances of his birth. If the GM is
willing, a player may simply choose a social class for his character, provided that
that social class is a possibility for the Profession in question, according to the
chart that follows. Note: The word "Family" is used rather loosely here; it refers
not only to a person's biological family, but to whatever group or organization
took care of the character as a youth. In the world of Cyberspace, as many people
are raised outside of traditional families as in them. Make a roll (1-100) and
refer to the Social Class CharHo determine your character's social class. Record
this information on your Character Record Sheet. Example: Charlie rolls 1D100 and
consults the Sneak column of the Social Class Chart. His roll is 58, which yields
LSprl (Lower Sprawl) as his social class. STARTING LANGUAGES The number of
languages that a starting character knows is based upon his social class as
indicated by the Starting Language Chart. A character's first language is known to
"degree" 5 (Section S 8.8). All other languages (if any) are known to "degree" 4.
STARTING LANGUAGE CHART Social Class Starting Languages Corporate Upper Class
(UCorp) 3 Corporate Middle Class (MCorp) 2 Corporate Lower Class (LCorp) 1 Sprawl
Upper Class (USprl) 2 Sprawl Lower Class (LSprl) 1 Res. & Ref. Zones Worker (RRWrk)
1 Arcology (Arcol) 1 Wilderness or Wastelands (Wilds) 1 Urban Homeless (UHmls) 2
Nomadic Homeless (Gypsy) 1 Space Colony (SCIny) 3
CYBERSPACE
SOCIAL CLASS CHART PROFESSIONSOCIAL CLASS This section provides a means of varying
and individualizing characters with an eye toward playability and immersion in the
Cyberspace genre. The details of a character's place of origin and social status
can have a great bearing on the opportunities he is presented with in adult life.
Such important factors as observational skills, morals and ethics, and status all
depend in part on the area and social class into which a person is born. Although
there is no strict division of social classes in the Cyberspace world, these
factors are nonetheless observed in the guidelines which follow. In real life,
social class often plays a part in determining which profession a person will enter
(or be forced to enter). Since such a "realistic" system would eliminate the
players' chance of choosing his own character profession, this situation is handled
in reverse. Based upon the character's profession, a roll (1-100) on the Social
Class Chart (page 14) following determines the circumstances of his birth. If the
GM is willing, a player may simply choose a social class for his character,
provided that that social class is a possibility for the Profession in question,
according to the chart that follows. Note: The word "Family" is used rather loosely
here; it refers not only to a person's biological family, but to whatever group or
organization took care of the character as a youth. In the world of Cyberspace, as
many people are raised outside of traditional families as in them. Make a roll (1-
100) and refer to the Social Class CharHo determine your character's social class.
Record this information on your Character Record Sheet. Example: Charlie rolls
1D100 and consults the Sneak column of the Social Class Chart. His roll is 58,
which yields LSprl (Lower Sprawl) as his social class. STARTING LANGUAGES The
number of languages that a starting character knows is based upon his social class
as indicated by the Starting Language Chart. A character's first language is known
to "degree" 5 (Section S 8.8). All other languages (if any) are known to "degree"
4. STARTING LANGUAGE CHART Social Class Starting Languages Corporate Upper Class
(UCorp) 3 Corporate Middle Class (MCorp) 2 Corporate Lower Class (LCorp) 1 Sprawl
Upper Class (USprl) 2 Sprawl Lower Class (LSprl) 1 Res. & Ref. Zones Worker (RRWrk)
1 Arcology (Arcol) 1 Wilderness or Wastelands (Wilds) 1 Urban Homeless (UHmls) 2
Nomadic Homeless (Gypsy) 1 Space Colony (SCIny) 3
CYBERSPACE
SOCIAL CLASS CHART PROFESSION
Roll 01-05 06-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-95 96-00
Sleaze UHmls RRWrk LSprl USprl Arcol LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp UCorp Gypsy SCIny
Killer SCIny Arcol LCorp MCorp RRWrk UHmls Gypsy Wilds USprl LSprl LSprl UCorp
Jockey UHmls RRWrk Gypsy Arcol SCIny LSprl USprl LCorp MCorp MCorp Wilds UCorp
Sneak SCIny RRWrk Gypsy UHmls UHmls LSprl LSprl USprl LCorp MCorp Arcol UCorp
Tech Rat Gypsy Wilds LSprl USprl Arcol RRWrk SCIny LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp UCorp
Net Junkie UCorp Arcol LSprl USprl USprl LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp SCIny SCIny UCorp
CODE DESCRIPTIONS UCorp � Corporate Upper class; "Family" is high-ranking Corporate
Officer(s). PC will have easy access to company resources and vehicles, etc. MCorp
� Corporate Middle Class; "Family" is mid-level Corporate Executive/ Director(s).
PC has limited access to company resources. LCorp � Corporate Lower Class; "Family
is low-level Corporate Administrator(s)/ Clerk(s)/Researcher(s)/etc. PC has
contacts in service levels of corporate structure. USprl � Sprawl/Inner City Upper
Class; "Family" is well known Merchant/Tradesperson. PC knows many Sprawl dwellers
as : clientele. LSprl � Sprawl/Inner City Lower Class; "Family" is urban poor. PC
knows many Sprawl dwellers as friends/associates. RRWrk � Resource and Refining
Zones Workers; "Family" is Laborer(s)/Driver(s), possibly itinerant. PC has a small
circle of loyal friends/co-workers. Arcol � Arcology; "Family" is enclosed
community. PC will always be welcome back at the Arcology (unless outcast for some
reason). Wilds � Wilderness or Wastelands; "Family" is outcast or reclusive,
subsistence very poor. PC is familiar with the topography and inhabitants of the
wilderness area he hails from. UHmls � Urban Homeless; "Family" is
Beggars/Criminals. PC is familiar with other street people from the same general
area, may have knowledge of the sewers, etc. Gypsy � Nomadic Homeless; "Family" is
Gypsy Clan. PC has a clan of comrades who will welcome his back at any time (or do
favors if asked). SCIny � Space Colony (orbital, lunar, martian); "Family" is
Explorer(s)/Astronaut(s)/ Colonist(s). PC is often able to obtain interest/favors
by speaking of his origins.
Examine the Starting Language Chartio determine how many starting languages you
know. Record this information on your Character Record Sheet in the Language
Section.
Example: Charlie receives only 1 starting language since he is from the Lower
Sprawl (on his Character Record Sheet he records English, his native tongue, at
Degree 5). He will receive Linguistic skill ranks during Adolescence Skill
Development, and he may obtain more ranks during Apprenticeship Skill Development
and each Skill Development thereafter (i.e., upon advancing levels).
If the GM is using background options (as we will assume he is in Charlie's case),
we must determine Charlie's background before continuing to Step 4 of the character
generation procedure. Consulting the Background Option Chart (Section S 9.1), we
find that Charlie receives 4 background options, and one of them must be rolled on
the Special Connections Category Chart. Charlie's player rolls on this chart first
(1D100). He rolls 04, indicating that Charlie is connected with a well-known Sprawl
Gang. The GM will determine how this will affect Charlie. The next pick is made on
the Special Equipment Category Chart.
The roll is 61, and Charlie's player decides to take a+10 Gauss Pistol. Next
Charlie's player goes for Special Wealth so that Charlie can afford some
Cyberization. He rolls 84 (Yeah!), which yields 3500 dollars plus 600 per month.
Charlie must have some sort of illicit operation going. The final roll is on the
Special Status Category Chart. A roll of 38 reveals a Guild/Union background. For
the sake of illustration we will assume that the GM also wishes to use
Idiosyncrasies (Section S 9.2). The player generating Charlie roll 1D100 to see how
many idiosyncrasies Charlie has. A 44 indicates 1 idiosyncrasy. For this trait
another D100 is rolled, and an 81 sends us to the Uncommon Idiosyncrasies Chart.
The roll is 46, and we find that Charlie has a holographic memory! Ecstatic with
this result, Charlie's player records the background information on his Character
Record Sheet. Finally, we will determine whether Charlie is ambidextrous. The
player controlling Charlie rolls 1D100 and consults the Ambidexterity Chart
(Section S 9.4). A roll of 53 indicates that Charlie is not ambidextrous and will
receive a penalty of -20 to maneuvers with the offhand. Charlie's player chooses
right handedness and records the result on the Character Record Sheet.SOCIAL CLASS
This section provides a means of varying and individualizing characters with an eye
toward playability and immersion in the Cyberspace genre. The details of a
character's place of origin and social status can have a great bearing on the
opportunities he is presented with in adult life. Such important factors as
observational skills, morals and ethics, and status all depend in part on the area
and social class into which a person is born. Although there is no strict division
of social classes in the Cyberspace world, these factors are nonetheless observed
in the guidelines which follow. In real life, social class often plays a part in
determining which profession a person will enter (or be forced to enter). Since
such a "realistic" system would eliminate the players' chance of choosing his own
character profession, this situation is handled in reverse. Based upon the
character's profession, a roll (1-100) on the Social Class Chart (page 14)
following determines the circumstances of his birth. If the GM is willing, a player
may simply choose a social class for his character, provided that that social class
is a possibility for the Profession in question, according to the chart that
follows. Note: The word "Family" is used rather loosely here; it refers not only to
a person's biological family, but to whatever group or organization took care of
the character as a youth. In the world of Cyberspace, as many people are raised
outside of traditional families as in them. Make a roll (1-100) and refer to the
Social Class CharHo determine your character's social class. Record this
information on your Character Record Sheet. Example: Charlie rolls 1D100 and
consults the Sneak column of the Social Class Chart. His roll is 58, which yields
LSprl (Lower Sprawl) as his social class. STARTING LANGUAGES The number of
languages that a starting character knows is based upon his social class as
indicated by the Starting Language Chart. A character's first language is known to
"degree" 5 (Section S 8.8). All other languages (if any) are known to "degree" 4.
STARTING LANGUAGE CHART Social Class Starting Languages Corporate Upper Class
(UCorp) 3 Corporate Middle Class (MCorp) 2 Corporate Lower Class (LCorp) 1 Sprawl
Upper Class (USprl) 2 Sprawl Lower Class (LSprl) 1 Res. & Ref. Zones Worker (RRWrk)
1 Arcology (Arcol) 1 Wilderness or Wastelands (Wilds) 1 Urban Homeless (UHmls) 2
Nomadic Homeless (Gypsy) 1 Space Colony (SCIny) 3
CYBERSPACEADOLESCENCE SKILL DEVELOPMENT Every character begins the game with a
certain number of skills which determine his effectiveness in performing certain
actions and activities (e.g., fighting, driving, repairing equipment, etc.). As the
character develops and improves a skill his "skill rank" with that skill will
increase, indicating a corresponding increase in his abilities with that skill.
This section discusses what skill ranks a character develops during his
adolescence.
SKILL RANK BONUSES A skill rank will give a character a bonus that will affect his
chances of accomplishing certain activities that use that skill. Section S 7.0 will
discuss how these bonuses are obtained and how they affect the character. THE
SKILLS The Skill List Chart in this section presents a list of all of the skills
used in Cyberspace. Section S 8.0 provides complete descriptions of all of the
skills. The skills are grouped into nine categories: Maneuvering Skills Weapon
Skills General Skills Subterfuge Skills Social Skills Cyberspace Skills Technical
Skills Special Skills Secondary Skills ADOLESCENCE SKILL RANKS The Adolescence
Skill Rank Chart indicates what skills a character develops during his adolescence
(early life). These skills are based strictly upon the character's social class,
and represent basic schooling and observational learning acquired prior to the age
of majority (generally around 18 years old). The numbers on the chart indicate how
many skill ranks the character receives in each of the pertinent skills. Some
skills are not included on the chart because they are not generally developed by
adolescents of any social class. On the Adolescence Skill Rank Chart examine the
column corresponding to your social class. Record the skill ranks indicated on your
Character Record Sheet in the "Skill Ranks" section for the appropriate skill.
Example: The player controlling Charlie consults the Adolescence Skill Rank Chart
to determine which skills he learned in his youth. Checking under the LSprl column,
he finds that Charlie receives the following ranks: Skill NoArmor Light Body Armor
IstWeapon 2nd Weapon Drive Environs Equipment Electronic Bypass Mechanical Bypass
Ambush Stalk & Hide Streetwise Exploit Mechanical Technics Body Development
Perception Linguistics Acrobatics Appraisal Drug Tolerance Falsification Foraging,
Urban Gambling Sport Subduing Trickery Ranks 2 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 4 2 1 2 2 3 1 2
4 7 1 1 2 1 2 Charlie's player wants him to be very skilled with guns, so he
chooses Fire as the 1st Weapon Skill, and Melee as the 2nd Weapon Skill. He will
have a chance to further augment these skills during Apprenticeship Skill
Development (Section S 5.0).
SKILL LIST CHART Skill Maneuver Type / Stat Maneuvering Skills: No Armor MM/Ag
Light Body Armor MM / St Armored Body Suit MM / St Armored Exoskeleton MM/St Weapon
Skills: Melee OB/St Missile OB/Ag Fire OB/Ag Mounted OB/Ag General Skills: Drive
VM/Ag Pilot VM/Qu Environs MM/SD Equipment SM / Me Subterfuge Skills: Electronic
Bypass SM / In Mechanical Bypass SM / In Ambush SP/none StalkS Hide MM.SM/SD Social
Skills: Culture SM/Em Streetwise SM / Em Administration SM / Pr Exploit SM/Pr
Cyberspace Skills: Cyber Deck Operation SM / SD Combat SP / Me Intrusion SP/ln
Utility SP/Re Technical Skills: Biological Technics SP / Em Mechanical Technics
SP/Me Electronics Technics SP/Re Software Technics SP / Re Cybernetics Technics
SP/Re Special Skills: Body Development SP/Co Perception SM / In Cyber Attunement
SM/SD Linguistics SP/none
CYBERSPACE
SKILL LIST CHART (CONT.)
Secondary Skills: Acrobatics MM/Ag Advanced Math SP/Re Appraisal SM / Re
Astrogation SM / Me Astronomy SP/Re Biology SP/Re Chemistry SP/Re Contortions SM/SD
Cybernetics SP/Re Drug Tolerance SM/Co Falsification SM / Re Foraging, Rural SM /
In Foraging, Urban SM/ln Frenzy SP/SD Gambling SM/ln History SP/Me Media SM/Re
Medical Practice SM / Em Music SM/Em Physics SP/Re Planetology SP/Re Quick-Draw
SM/Qu Sport MM/Ag Subduing SP/Qu Trickery SM/Qu
Notes for the Adolescence Skill Rank Chart: Weapon Skills: The Player may place the
given number of ranks in the following categories: Melee, Missile, Fire, Mounted;
e.g.,a character from LSprl (Lower Sprawl) environment might place 3 ranks in Melee
skill and 2 ranks in Fire skill. Body Development: Each Rank yields 1D10 extra Hit
Points. Descriptions of the Social Classes are located on the Social Class Chart
(Section S 3.0) Note that while the total number of skill ranks provided is
different for each social class, this is consistent with the way characters learn
skills in Cyberspace. For example, Gypsy class characters have to learn many skills
when young in order to contribute to their clan, while those who come from the
Wilds or Resource and Refining Zones have limited access to many of the skills.
Further, certain skills have little relative importance to some classes. A UCorp
character will always know a little math, science, and history due to formal
education, private tutoring, etc., but such skills are near-worthless to a UHmls
vagabond who relies on Streetwise and Urban Foraging for survival. The GM may
modify the number of ranks given if he feels that play balance is threatened.
ADOLESCENCE SKILL RANK CHART
Skills UCorp MCorp Maneuvering Skills No Armor Light Body Armor Armored Body Suit
Armored Exoskeleton Weapons Skills: 1st Weapon Skill 2nd Weapon Skill 3rd Weapon
Skill General Skills: Drive Pilot Environs Equipment Subterfuge Skills: Electronic
Bypass Mechanical Bypass Ambush Stalk & Hide Social Skills: Culture Streetwise
Administration Exploit Cyberspace Skills: CyberDeck Operation Combat Intrusion
Utility Technical Skills: Biological Technics Mechanical Technics Electronics
Technics Software Technics Cybernetics Technics Special Skills: Body Development
Perception Cyber Attunement Linguistics Secondary Skills: Acrobatics Advanced Math
Appraisal Astrogation Astronomy Biology Chemistry Contortions Cybernetics Drug
Tolerance Falsification Foraging, Rural Foraging, Urban Frenzy Gambling History
Media Medical Practice Music Physics Planetology Quick-Draw Sport Subduing Trickery
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 10 0 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 1 3 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 fj
2 1 0 0 0 0 8 0 2 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0
LCorp
1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 2
0 0 0 0
2 1 2 1
0 0 0 0
0 1 3 1 0
0 0 0 5
0 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0
Social Class USprl LSprl RRWrk
1 0 0 0
2 1 0
2 0 0 2
2 1 1 1
1 2 1 2
0 0 0 0
0 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 4
0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
2 1 0 0
3 2 0
1 0 1 1
1 2 2 2
0 4 0 2
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0
2 2 0 3
1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 D 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2
2 1 0 0
2 1 0
2 0 3 2
0 1 0 0
0 1 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 2 1 0 0
4 0 0 3
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Arcol
1 0 0 0 1 0 0
0 1 4 1
0 0 0 1
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 5
0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0
Wilds UHmls
3 0 0 0
2 1 0
0 0 4 0
0 0 1 2
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
4 3 0 3
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0
3 2 0
0 0 0 0
0 0 2 1
0 4 0 1
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Gypsy
1 1 0 0
3 1 0
0 0 3 1
0 2 3 3
0 2 0 3
0 0 0 0
0 1 0 0 0
2 3 0 4
0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Q 0 1 0 1 3
SCIny
0 0 2 1
2 0 0
0 3 3 4
0 0 0 0
2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 2 1 0
0 1 0 10 1 2 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
APPRENTICESHIP SKILL DEVELOPMENT Every character begins the game with a chance to
develop certain skills which determine his effectiveness in performing certain
actions and activities (e.g., fighting, driving, repairing equipment, etc.). As the
character develops and improves a skill his "skill rank" with that skill will
increase, indicating a corresponding increase in his abilities with that skill.
These skill ranks are cumulative with the character's adolescence skill ranks
(Section S 4.0) and with the skill ranks he will later develop as he gains
experience (Section S 10.0). This section discusses what skill ranks a character
may develop during his apprenticeship based upon his profession. SKILL RANK BONUSES
A skill rank will give a character a bonus that will affect his chances of
accomplishing certain activities that use that skill. Section S 7.0 will discuss
how these bonuses are obtained and how they affect the character. THE SKILLS The
Skill List Chart m Section S 4.0 presents a list of all of the skills in
Cyberspace. Section S 8.0 provides complete descriptions of all of the skills. The
skills are grouped into nine categories: Maneuvering Skills Weapon Skills General
Skills Subterfuge Skills Social Skills Cyberspace Skills Technical Skills Special
Skills Secondary Skills
DEVELOPING SKILL RANKS Whenever a character reaches a new "level of experience"
(Section S 10.0), he is given the opportunity to develop his skills (i.e., increase
certain skill ranks). A character is assumed to have just reached 1st level
immediately after his apprenticeship skill development. DEVELOPMENT POINTS The
Development Point Chart indicates how much development potential a character has
available at each "level" (i.e., stage) of development. This potential is given in
terms of "development points" (DPs) which may be allocated to increase certain
skill ranks. The number of development points available to a character is based
upon his profession (see the Development Point Chart).
ALLOCATING DPs Development points may be allocated in the following manner: � A
Skill Rank may be increased by one (and one only), by allocating one DP from the
appropriate category. � A Skill Rank may be increased by two by allocating three
DP. � A Skill Rank may not be increased by more than two Ranks at a time (per
level). � Unallocated, untransferred points are lost. TRANSFERRING DPs Development
points that have not been allocated may be transferred to another category as
follows: � If the category that the points are transferred to has an initial
development point total that is zero (e.g., Maneuvering skills for a Net Junkie),
then that category receives one development point for every four transferred. � If
the category that the points are transferred to has an initial development point
total that is not zero, then that category receives one development point for every
two transferred.
� The points being transferred may come from several categories. � Points from any
category or combination of categories may be used to develop Special and Secondary
skills (i.e., transferred on a 1 to 1 basis).
LEVEL SKILL DEVELOPMENT Apprenticeship skill development consists of allocating a
character's DPs so that he begins the game at "1st Level" (Section S 10.0). This
process of allocating DPs is repeated each time the character raises a level. Using
the Development Point Chart and the guidelines from Section S 5.1, allocate your
DPs to your various skills. Record the skill ranks developed on your Character
Record Sheet in the "Skill Ranks" section for the appropriate skill.
Example: Keeping in mind his original character conception, Charlie's player spends
his apprenticeship development points as follows: Skill Maneuvering Skills No Armor
Light Body Armor Weapon Skills 1st Weapon (Fire) 2nd Weapon (Melee) General Skills
Equipment Drive
SOCIAL CLASS CHART PROFESSION
Roll 01-05 06-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-95 96-00
Sleaze UHmls RRWrk LSprl USprl Arcol LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp UCorp Gypsy SCIny
Killer SCIny Arcol LCorp MCorp RRWrk UHmls Gypsy Wilds USprl LSprl LSprl UCorp
Jockey UHmls RRWrk Gypsy Arcol SCIny LSprl USprl LCorp MCorp MCorp Wilds UCorp
Sneak SCIny RRWrk Gypsy UHmls UHmls LSprl LSprl USprl LCorp MCorp Arcol UCorp
Tech Rat Gypsy Wilds LSprl USprl Arcol RRWrk SCIny LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp UCorp
Net Junkie UCorp Arcol LSprl USprl USprl LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp SCIny SCIny UCorp
CODE DESCRIPTIONS UCorp � Corporate Upper class; "Family" is high-ranking Corporate
Officer(s). PC will have easy access to company resources and vehicles, etc. MCorp
� Corporate Middle Class; "Family" is mid-level Corporate Executive/ Director(s).
PC has limited access to company resources. LCorp � Corporate Lower Class; "Family
is low-level Corporate Administrator(s)/ Clerk(s)/Researcher(s)/etc. PC has
contacts in service levels of corporate structure. USprl � Sprawl/Inner City Upper
Class; "Family" is well known Merchant/Tradesperson. PC knows many Sprawl dwellers
as : clientele. LSprl � Sprawl/Inner City Lower Class; "Family" is urban poor. PC
knows many Sprawl dwellers as friends/associates. RRWrk � Resource and Refining
Zones Workers; "Family" is Laborer(s)/Driver(s), possibly itinerant. PC has a small
circle of loyal friends/co-workers. Arcol � Arcology; "Family" is enclosed
community. PC will always be welcome back at the Arcology (unless outcast for some
reason). Wilds � Wilderness or Wastelands; "Family" is outcast or reclusive,
subsistence very poor. PC is familiar with the topography and inhabitants of the
wilderness area he hails from. UHmls � Urban Homeless; "Family" is
Beggars/Criminals. PC is familiar with other street people from the same general
area, may have knowledge of the sewers, etc. Gypsy � Nomadic Homeless; "Family" is
Gypsy Clan. PC has a clan of comrades who will welcome his back at any time (or do
favors if asked). SCIny � Space Colony (orbital, lunar, martian); "Family" is
Explorer(s)/Astronaut(s)/ Colonist(s). PC is often able to obtain interest/favors
by speaking of his origins.
Examine the Starting Language Chartio determine how many starting languages you
know. Record this information on your Character Record Sheet in the Language
Section.
Example: Charlie receives only 1 starting language since he is from the Lower
Sprawl (on his Character Record Sheet he records English, his native tongue, at
Degree 5). He will receive Linguistic skill ranks during Adolescence Skill
Development, and he may obtain more ranks during Apprenticeship Skill Development
and each Skill Development thereafter (i.e., upon advancing levels).
If the GM is using background options (as we will assume he is in Charlie's case),
we must determine Charlie's background before continuing to Step 4 of the character
generation procedure. Consulting the Background Option Chart (Section S 9.1), we
find that Charlie receives 4 background options, and one of them must be rolled on
the Special Connections Category Chart. Charlie's player rolls on this chart first
(1D100). He rolls 04, indicating that Charlie is connected with a well-known Sprawl
Gang. The GM will determine how this will affect Charlie. The next pick is made on
the Special Equipment Category Chart.
The roll is 61, and Charlie's player decides to take a+10 Gauss Pistol. Next
Charlie's player goes for Special Wealth so that Charlie can afford some
Cyberization. He rolls 84 (Yeah!), which yields 3500 dollars plus 600 per month.
Charlie must have some sort of illicit operation going. The final roll is on the
Special Status Category Chart. A roll of 38 reveals a Guild/Union background. For
the sake of illustration we will assume that the GM also wishes to use
Idiosyncrasies (Section S 9.2). The player generating Charlie roll 1D100 to see how
many idiosyncrasies Charlie has. A 44 indicates 1 idiosyncrasy. For this trait
another D100 is rolled, and an 81 sends us to the Uncommon Idiosyncrasies Chart.
The roll is 46, and we find that Charlie has a holographic memory! Ecstatic with
this result, Charlie's player records the background information on his Character
Record Sheet. Finally, we will determine whether Charlie is ambidextrous. The
player controlling Charlie rolls 1D100 and consults the Ambidexterity Chart
(Section S 9.4). A roll of 53 indicates that Charlie is not ambidextrous and will
receive a penalty of -20 to maneuvers with the offhand. Charlie's player chooses
right handedness and records the result on the Character Record Sheet.
Roll 01-05 06-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-95 96-00
Sleaze UHmls RRWrk LSprl USprl Arcol LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp UCorp Gypsy SCIny
Killer SCIny Arcol LCorp MCorp RRWrk UHmls Gypsy Wilds USprl LSprl LSprl UCorp
Jockey UHmls RRWrk Gypsy Arcol SCIny LSprl USprl LCorp MCorp MCorp Wilds UCorp
Sneak SCIny RRWrk Gypsy UHmls UHmls LSprl LSprl USprl LCorp MCorp Arcol UCorp
Tech Rat Gypsy Wilds LSprl USprl Arcol RRWrk SCIny LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp UCorp
Net Junkie UCorp Arcol LSprl USprl USprl LCorp LCorp MCorp MCorp SCIny SCIny UCorp
CODE DESCRIPTIONS UCorp � Corporate Upper class; "Family" is high-ranking Corporate
Officer(s). PC will have easy access to company resources and vehicles, etc. MCorp
� Corporate Middle Class; "Family" is mid-level Corporate Executive/ Director(s).
PC has limited access to company resources. LCorp � Corporate Lower Class; "Family
is low-level Corporate Administrator(s)/ Clerk(s)/Researcher(s)/etc. PC has
contacts in service levels of corporate structure. USprl � Sprawl/Inner City Upper
Class; "Family" is well known Merchant/Tradesperson. PC knows many Sprawl dwellers
as : clientele. LSprl � Sprawl/Inner City Lower Class; "Family" is urban poor. PC
knows many Sprawl dwellers as friends/associates. RRWrk � Resource and Refining
Zones Workers; "Family" is Laborer(s)/Driver(s), possibly itinerant. PC has a small
circle of loyal friends/co-workers. Arcol � Arcology; "Family" is enclosed
community. PC will always be welcome back at the Arcology (unless outcast for some
reason). Wilds � Wilderness or Wastelands; "Family" is outcast or reclusive,
subsistence very poor. PC is familiar with the topography and inhabitants of the
wilderness area he hails from. UHmls � Urban Homeless; "Family" is
Beggars/Criminals. PC is familiar with other street people from the same general
area, may have knowledge of the sewers, etc. Gypsy � Nomadic Homeless; "Family" is
Gypsy Clan. PC has a clan of comrades who will welcome his back at any time (or do
favors if asked). SCIny � Space Colony (orbital, lunar, martian); "Family" is
Explorer(s)/Astronaut(s)/ Colonist(s). PC is often able to obtain interest/favors
by speaking of his origins.
Examine the Starting Language Chartio determine how many starting languages you
know. Record this information on your Character Record Sheet in the Language
Section.
Example: Charlie receives only 1 starting language since he is from the Lower
Sprawl (on his Character Record Sheet he records English, his native tongue, at
Degree 5). He will receive Linguistic skill ranks during Adolescence Skill
Development, and he may obtain more ranks during Apprenticeship Skill Development
and each Skill Development thereafter (i.e., upon advancing levels).
If the GM is using background options (as we will assume he is in Charlie's case),
we must determine Charlie's background before continuing to Step 4 of the character
generation procedure. Consulting the Background Option Chart (Section S 9.1), we
find that Charlie receives 4 background options, and one of them must be rolled on
the Special Connections Category Chart. Charlie's player rolls on this chart first
(1D100). He rolls 04, indicating that Charlie is connected with a well-known Sprawl
Gang. The GM will determine how this will affect Charlie. The next pick is made on
the Special Equipment Category Chart.
The roll is 61, and Charlie's player decides to take a+10 Gauss Pistol. Next
Charlie's player goes for Special Wealth so that Charlie can afford some
Cyberization. He rolls 84 (Yeah!), which yields 3500 dollars plus 600 per month.
Charlie must have some sort of illicit operation going. The final roll is on the
Special Status Category Chart. A roll of 38 reveals a Guild/Union background. For
the sake of illustration we will assume that the GM also wishes to use
Idiosyncrasies (Section S 9.2). The player generating Charlie roll 1D100 to see how
many idiosyncrasies Charlie has. A 44 indicates 1 idiosyncrasy. For this trait
another D100 is rolled, and an 81 sends us to the Uncommon Idiosyncrasies Chart.
The roll is 46, and we find that Charlie has a holographic memory! Ecstatic with
this result, Charlie's player records the background information on his Character
Record Sheet. Finally, we will determine whether Charlie is ambidextrous. The
player controlling Charlie rolls 1D100 and consults the Ambidexterity Chart
(Section S 9.4). A roll of 53 indicates that Charlie is not ambidextrous and will
receive a penalty of -20 to maneuvers with the offhand. Charlie's player chooses
right handedness and records the result on the Character Record Sheet.ic Action or
activity. "Skill Rank" is a measure of the effectiveness of a specific skill.
DICE ROLLING CONVENTIONS The dice used in Cyberspace consist of a pair of ten sided
dice (or twenty sided dice with each set of digits appearing twice), which yield a
result between 0 and 9. If two of these dice are used, a variety of results can be
obtained. In general, all roll directives are written in the form "#D#"; where the
first # indicates the number of dice rolled and the second # indicates the type of
die (e.g.; "3D10" would mean a roll of three ten-sided dice, added together). � 1-
100 roll: Most rolls in Cyberspace are "1-100" rolls (also called "D100" rolls).
When both dice are rolled together and one die is treated as the "tens" die and
other as the "ones" die, a random result between 01 and 00 is acheived ("00" is
used as 100, notO). � Open-ended roll: Most "D100" rolls are "open-ended". Such a
roll can yield a result lower than 01 or higher than 100. If a roll is open-ended:
� A roll under 06 calls for a second roll to be made and subtracted from the first.
� A roll over 95 calls for a second roll to be made and added to the first. � 1-10
roll: When a result between 1 and 10 is required, only one die is rolled. This
gives a result between 0 and 9, but the 0 is treated as a 10. Such a roll is also
called a "D10" roll. � Other rolls: Other rolls are variants of the above.
DIFFICULTY LEVELS Difficulty Levels represent the inherent difficulty or ease
associated with a specific task, and translate in game terms into a bonus or
penalty which is applied to the dice roll made for the task. Often, theGM will have
to decide upon the appropriate Difficulty Level to assign to a task suggested or
attempted by the Players. This Mod is cumulative with any skill bonuses, stat
bonuses, and miscellaneous modifiers applied to the situation.
DIFFICULTY LEVELS Routine +30 Easy +20 Light +10 Medium +0 Hard -10 Very Hard -20
Extremely Hard -30 Sheer Folly -50 Absurd -70 Insane... ...-100 Note: When the
Personal Maneuver Chart is used to resolve an action, these modifiers are not
applied to the die roll; the inherent difficulties have been reflected in the
structure of the table itself.
TASK ABBREVIATIONS A "Task" is any game situation which requires some sort of die
roll to determine the degree of success or maneuver result (either Static or
Moving). There are five "Task Types", and each is associated with a specific
maneuver table or process, as noted below: CN = Construction Project (Construction/
Research Chart, p. 47) MM= Moving Maneuver (Personal Maneuver Chart, p.44) RP =
Repair Project (Malfunction/Repair Chart, p. 48) RS = Research Project
(Construction/ Research Chart, p.41} SM = Static Maneuver (Static Maneuver Chart,
p.43) Tasks presented in this text are recorded in the following abbreviated
fashion, consisting of three parts: 1) The first two letters represent the Task
Type, as shown above. This'is followed by a slash (/). 2) The second abbreviation
indicates the skill or stat(s) used to modify the dice roll. This is followed by a
colon (:). 3) The last letter indicates the Difficulty Level of the Task, as
explained above. It is always the initial letter of the DL "name" except that "X"
is used for "Extremely Hard" ("E" means "Easy"). Some examples: MM/Acrb:V = A Very
Hard Moving Maneuver modified by Acrobatics skill. CN/CybT:H = A Ward Construction
Project modified by Cybernetics Technics skill MM/St:S = A Sheer Folly Moving
Maneuver modified by Strength.
� fantasia, mas podemos tornar real. de cinza, a narrativa
obscura do jogo envolve pinceladas de cinza em cima do preto, e algumas pequenas
gotas brancas como um suspiro de al�vio - ou uma ef�mera p�tala de cerejeira. Ter
isso em mente, n�o vai deixar o clima do jogo sumir.
Honra Talvez o ponto mais conflitante do jogo, e seu foco principal. Honra em Meiyo
(que, por curiosidade, � a palavra para Honra em japon�s) significa algo como um
c�digo de conduta pessoal. Mas vai mais al�m, tendo um cap�tulo inteiro apenas para
isso. A �nica coisa que � pedida, � que se tenha na cabe�a a no��o de que o mundo
descrito em Meiyo funciona sempre num paralelo entre Honra x Desonra. Mantenha isso
em mente o tempo inteiro.
Jap�o Feudal Sujo O cen�rio onde Meiyo acontece. A era escolhida foi justamente a
era Edo, onde o Jap�o foi governado pelas m�os da fam�lia Tokugawa, e seu r�gido
regime, conhecido como shogunato (no caso de Tokugawa, pode tamb�m chamar de Boi
Chuto e/ou Balam). Foi nessa �poca que certa �paz� foi instaurada por todo o Jap�o,
fazendo com que um pa�s de guerras n�o guerreasse por cerca de duzentos anos. Com
isso, muitos samurais perderam mestres e... Renderam-se � Yakuza. � nessa atmosfera
vil que Meiyo se passa em uma Edo jidai mais sombria e suja do que fora realmente.
O Sistema Fate Este jogo, assim como OneShot, � baseado no Sistema Fate. Por�m, ao
contr�rio do jogo que escrevi para a Semana do Editor, Meiyo trabalha com regras
pr�prias dentro da versatilidade do Fate. Tento, ao longo deste playtest,
especificar todas as regras o m�ximo poss�vel, mas, n�o desaconselho � leitura de
Esp�rito do S�culo, publicado no Brasil pela Retropunk. � um livro com o sistema
bem mais detalhado do que este preview.
5
Mas... O que � RPG?! Okay, voc� leu at� aqui e n�o sabe exatamente o que � RPG? RPG
� um jogo de interpreta��o de pap�is (role-playing game, em ingl�s), onde os
jogadores contam uma hist�ria ao redor de uma mesa. Dentro desse grupo de
jogadores, existe um especial que � chamado Mestre (ou Narrador): ele � o cara que
guia os acontecimentos da hist�ria. Se RPG fosse um videogame, o Mestre seria o
aparelho em si, o jogo, e a imagem projetada na tela. Os outros jogadores s�o
exatamente isso: jogadores. Eles interpretam o papel de seus personagens, como se
os controlassem com o controle, definindo o que eles v�o fazer, como eles v�o
fazer, e reagindo aos resultados.
O que eu preciso para jogar? Para jogar Meiyo, voc� precisar� deste livro, l�pis,
borracha, folhas de papel em branco (ou uma c�pia da ficha de personagem), dois
dados (comuns, de seis lados) de cores diferentes, e um grupo de amigos com muita
imagina��o. � recomendado (para esta vers�o de playtest, apenas) que exista um
exemplar do livro Esp�rito do S�culo, publicado pela Retropunk, para dar mais
liberdade para a cria��o dos personagens. Pronto! Com isso, voc� j� pode contar
hist�rias obscuras no Jap�o feudal!
Agradecimentos Enquanto escrevo isso (a �ltima parte do livro), s�o 2:28 da manh�
de Sexta para S�bado, e est� passando Cora��o Valente na televis�o. N�o que essa
informa��o seja realmente importante. Conseguir terminar esse projeto no RPGenesis
foi ainda mais empolgante e importante do que a do ano anterior. O desafio foi
maior, porque apesar de
esta n�o ser uma vers�o completa, existia muita informa��o para ser compilada. E
foi cansativo chegar �s 21.932 palavras desta vers�o. Foi dif�cil recompilar certos
conhecimentos sobre o Jap�o de Tokugawa (que por sinal, foi o tema do meu semin�rio
na mat�ria Cultura e Civiliza��o Japonesa I), e adaptar isso para jogo. E fazer
isso ser interessante. Foi dif�cil criar as modifica��es no sistema FATE
(incrivelmente, modificar � mais dif�cil do que criar) que conseguissem agradar ao
que eu esperava do jogo. Foram noites viradas escrevendo - e algumas garrafas de
energ�tico consumidas no processo. Mas deu certo. E por isso, por ter dado certo,
eu tenho que agradecer a algumas pessoas: Em primeiro lugar, � Fernanda, minha
companheira, que participou de toda a cria��o, lendo, opinando e criticando. Que
deu opini�es at� no projeto visual do jogo. Muito obrigado. Em segundo lugar, tenho
que agradecer � galera que deu um feedback constante de tudo o que eu ia mostrando:
Pedro Netto, Otniel, Pedro Marinelli, Fernando del Angeles, Thiago Queiroz, Daniel
Trindade, Cindy �lvares, �lvaro Waite, e todos os que eu estiver esquecendo.
Obrigado pelo feedback, obrigado pelas cr�ticas e obrigado pelas sugest�es. Esse
jogo n�o teria sa�do sem a ajuda de voc�s. Em terceiro lugar, eu queria agradecer
ao pr�prio RPGenesis, e aos participantes, pela oportunidade de mostrar o meu
trabalho para tanta gente dedicada e legal, e pela motiva��o. �s vezes, quando o
cansa�o batia, era ver voc�s se esfor�ando - em especial o Daniel de Sant�Anna com
seu �Beat�em Up!�, o qual acompanhei o processo bem de perto -, que eu logo tinha
novas for�as para escrever. Em quarto lugar, eu gostaria de agradecer � Oficina de
Produ��o de Jogos � RPG Indie. Principalmente, ao pessoal que come�ou a trabalhar
em Ramos Terrestres, um dos melhores twists do tema Zumbi que eu j� vi. Se n�o
fosse por voc�s, eu n�o teria pensado novamente no Jap�o, e esse jogo n�o teria
sequer existido. Por �ltimo, mas n�o menos importante, eu agrade�o a voc�, que est�
lendo, por ter baixado, por ter sido indicado a ler. Espero que goste, e por voc�
que esse jogo � feito. Obrigado.
6
Este livro � uma mentira. As descri��es e os locais onde ele � baseado realmente
existem, mas a forma como este material desenvolve estas regi�es, � pura e simples
fic��o. Em momento algum definimos o que est� aqui como o certo ou o que realmente
aconteceu. Se quiser informa��es confi�veis precisas, v� a qualquer biblioteca e
busque livros de hist�ria ou geografia que falem de Jap�o. As informa��es aqui
apresentadas s�o referentes �nica e exclusivamente ao contexto do jogo, e
obviamente, podem entrar em contradi��o com veracidades hist�ricas. Use o que achar
correto em seu jogo. Deixo bem claro tamb�m que toda esta obra � fic��o, e deve ser
tratada como tal - e com a responsabilidade que isto demanda. Se voc� (ou seus
amigos, ou seus conhecidos) n�o tiver a capacidade de discernir fic��o de
realidade, est� na hora de parar de jogar (e procurar ajuda). � s�rio. Aviso

8
As estradas que levavam � Edo eram sempre as melhores para andar. Ao menos, era
assim que pensava Takeshi, um jovem campon�s que viajava com seu pai - um
agricultor - desde crian�a. Agora, depois da morte do velho, era ele quem tinha que
cuidar da casa, de sua m�e e de sua fam�lia. E ele nem mesmo tinha uma esposa
ainda.
Quando a noite come�ou a cair, o campon�s parou perto de um rio, buscando descansar
e relaxar na seguran�a de uma das vias mais utilizadas. Ledo engano ao achar que a
seguran�a caminha na mesma estrada que os desonrados. E, sem nem ao menos ser
avisado ou acordado, a g�lida l�mina da katana perfura seu peito, mantendo-o preso
em seus sonhos para sempre.
9
O povo japon�s
�A bandeira japonesa./O sol vermelho e redondo no fundo branco. A mentalidade �nica
de persistir no bushidou.� Miyavi, Miyavi, JPN Pride
O povo japon�s �, e sempre foi, orgulhoso de sua cultura e de seus costumes - mesmo
que grande parte destes seja importado da china. Xenof�bicos e preconceituosos,
presos em uma sociedade regrada, os japoneses nunca se permitiram ser completamente
sinceros: a palavra de um fala como a palavra de todos do mesmo cl�, e isso valia
para os 30 milh�es de habitantes. Este cap�tulo destina-se a explicar o
funcionamento da sociedade japonesa no per�odo de Edo.
Bakuhan - A divis�o de classes e o controle sobre o povo Ao contr�rio dos dias de
hoje, durante os anos do shogunato Tokugawa, as classes sociais eram muito
divididas - e normalmente, sem muito contato entre si. Esse sistema foi retirado do
Confucionismo chin�s, e modificado para atender uma na��o totalmente combativa como
� o Jap�o. Essas classes funcionam da mesma forma em cada um dos dom�nios, por
conta do Buke Shohatto (veremos depois), ent�o, ser�o tratadas de forma geral. O
sistema funciona como uma divis�o das classes abaixo da nobreza, de acordo com a
fun��o que possuem na sociedade. As classes s�o:
Guerreiros: A classe diretamente abaixo da nobreza, e com mais privil�gios dentre
os n�o nobres. Encontram-se nessa posi��o de import�ncia pelo fato de serem os
respons�veis pela seguran�a do
pa�s e de sua popula��o, mesmo que a classe fosse composta de apenas 5% da mesma. A
classe guerreira tamb�m recebia educa��o, e, em teoria, eram sempre gentis. Por�m,
na realidade, o que a classe guerreira mais fazia era passar por cima dos menos
favorecidos em busca de divers�o, n�o importando a quem tivesse que doer. Uma nota
interessante Authors: Erik Dahl (Faerie Wizardry, Touches of Faerie), Timothy
Ferguson (Nature of Faerie, Faerie Characters, Bestiary), Mark Shirley (The Faerie
Realm, Touches of Faerie, Faerie Stories) Development, eDiting, & project
mAnAgement: David Chart lAyout, Art Direction, & proofreADing: Michelle Nephew
publisher: John Nephew cover illustrAtion: Grey Thornberry interior Art: Keith
DeCesare, Kelly Hensing, Bradley McDevitt, Jeff Menges, Robert Scott, Grey
Thornberry Ars mAgicA fifth eDition trADe Dress: J. Scott Reeves publisher�s
speciAl thAnks: Jerry Corrick & the gang at the Source. first rounD plAytesters:
Mark Barltrop, Mark Lawford, David Staveley, Simon Turner; Chris �CJ� Jensen-Romer,
Kevin Sides, Luke Price, Lloyd Graney, Peter Hiley, Ben Hayes; Jason Fryer, Matt
Dyson, Emily Dyson; Donna Giltrap, Malcolm Harbrow, Aaron Hicks, Richard Love;
Angus MacDonald, Sarah MacDonald, Brian Watson, Quetta Watson, Wendell BSP Joyner,
Steve Woyach, Aja Hodge; Eric Menge, Ann Sasahara, Scott Benfield, Lynn Reed-
Kendall, Christopher Day; Nicholas Peterson, Jennafyr Peterson, Michael Pisarsky,
Kristi Pisarsky; Matthew L. Seidl; Christoph Safferling, Andrew Smith; Carlo
Veltri, Chad Vincent, Greg Palechek, Greg Rothwell seconD rounD plAytesters: Donna
Giltrap, Malcolm Harbrow, Aaron Hicks, Richard Love; Angus MacDonald, Brian Watson,
Quetta Watson, Sarah MacDonald; Matt Ryan, Alexis K. Heinz, Tobias Wheeler, Mario
Cerame, Rob Llwyd; Ulrich Willm�nder; Neil Taylor; Sean Winslow; Erik Tyrrell
Author bios
Erik Dahl lives in Davis, California, and would like to dedicate his work on this
book to his enchanting wife (who must not be named directly), to thank her for all
of her support and encouragement over the past few years. In her honor, he�d like
to get a few lame jokes out of his system: this book required some faerie hard
work, and for faerie low pay, but writing for it was ultimately faerie rewarding,
and it will likely be a faerie good read. Whew, thank goodness that�s out of the
way!
Timothy Ferguson lives on the Golden Coast of the Unknown Land in the South. He
curates collections of stories, rationing where, and when, and to whom they go. He
dedicates this work to his wife, who is even now preparing a garden for their new
familiars. He never loses a book, not even this one, and he is awake while you are
sleeping.
Mark Shirley haunts the woods near Newcastle upon Tyne. He can be distinguished
from other varieties of troll by his bright clothing and four-dimensional hat. His
Sympathy Traits include Zoology, Epidemiological Modelling, Ferrets, and
Woodcarving. His Traditional Wards are Beetroot, and the Incorrect Use of
Apostrophes. Mark dedicates this book to Richard, whose unmitigated and terrifying
whimsy has helped defined Faerie for him.
Welcome to Town!
Unless your saga is set right on the very fringes of the civilized world, the magi
and covenfolk will inevitably come into contact with urban settlements and the
activities centered upon them. Even though there may be some skilled craftsmen who
live and work in a covenant, sooner or later something will be needed that must be
bought from outside � perhaps a flawless glass candelabrum for an enchantment or a
pair of finest kidskin gloves for a maga no longer able to bear the touch of iron.
Few covenants are self-sufficient in even day-to-day commodities, and covenfolk may
be sent to purchase cheese from the local market or to order shipments of wine at
an annual fair. This book provides background information on the urban centers of
Mythic Europe, craft activities and the guilds that control them, the lives of mer
chants, and the trade that is the lifeblood of towns and cities.
The Hermetic Order in Mythic Europe
It is important to remember that the Hermetic Order is a part of the fabric of
Mythic Europe. Nobles and the Church are generally aware of the existence of the
Order, and peasants may be aware of a local covenant. Within the town, townsmen may
also be aware of a nearby covenant, particularly if the magi or grogs frequent the
market; craftsmen,
in specialized fields, may occasionally manufacture laboratory goods for magi; and
mercantile factors may deal with the covenant�s purchasing agents, or even buy
produce from the covenant. Of course, broader Mythic Europe is likely to be
misinformed, and prejudiced, about the precise details of the Order of Hermes, but
the Order is nonetheless an obscure rather than a secret group. This does mean that
it is impractical for most covenants to shun all contact with the mundane world.
Magi or covenfolk who travel to town need to make many decisions about the
knowledge they reveal, the material wealth they display, and the power they
demonstrate to the townsfolk. Covenants populated by very large numbers of grogs
(greater than 100) may even be mistaken for small towns by the mundane world.
Fortunately, many Tribunal rulings have asserted that it is possible for magi to
interact with the mundane, but by the same token, many a magus has been sanctioned
for thus �bring[ing] ruin on [his
7
Podemos sim dar um passo al�m e pisar em mundos onde
ningu�m jamais esteve.
� esse chamado que fica conosco depois de fecharmos
as p�ginas do livro, depois de desligarmos a TV.
somos desafiados a tornar aqueles mundos realidade, a
desbrava-los, a nos tornar aquilo que acabamos de
imaginar.
� essa for�a que nos atrai, que nos transforma, que d�
o rumo para a vida de tantas pessoas tocados por
ela. O mundo que vivemos hoje � o mundo da fic��o
cient�fica, ele foi moldado e construido por ela. Inspirados
por ela constru�mos carros, avi�es, computadores, espa�onaves,
realizamos avan�os na medicina, n�s fomos ao espa�o.
Esse desafio, de fazermos o mundo mudar com o poder das
nossas mentes � no final o que a fic��o cient�fica
tem de diferente.
A fantasia pede para imaginarmos mundos inexistentes.
S� a fic��o cient�fica pede para torna-los realidade.
Tiago Hackbarth, 21 de Dezembro de 2012

the face in the mirror-Characters


categories is often easy (an Olympic Athlete probably has Physical as their primary
category), sometimes picking a less obvious category can make for a more
interesting character. Step Four: Select Skills Like Attributes, Skills are divided
up into the Mental, Physical, and Social categories. However, unlike Attributes,
you do not get a free dot in Skills. Skills represent applications of your
abilities. These are things you have learned from training, books, or teachers.
Having no dots in a Skill means that you have no training with it, and are barely
capable. One dot means you have cursory training or dabble in the Skill, while two
dots means that you can use the Skill at a professional level. Three dots
represents excellent training or experience, four is outstanding, and five dots
means you are one of the absolute best in the world. Like Attributes, select a
primary, secondary, and tertiary category for your Skills. You have eleven dots to
assign for your
primary category, seven dots for you secondary, and four dots for your tertiary. As
always, consider your character and concept when assigning dots. Maybe your blogger
has two points in Athletics because he is a marathoner, or your med student has a
point in Animal Ken from volunteering at a local shelter. Step Five: Pick Skill
Specialties Skills represent broad categories of training. Someone with the Science
Skill is equally familiar with particle physics, basic chemistry, and genetics.
Skill Specialties allow you to differentiate more, focusing on a specific area of a
Skill that your character is more knowledgeable or proficient in. A character�s
Specialties say a lot about her. For example, a character with a Socialize
Specialty in Formal Events is very different from one with a Specialty in Dive
Bars. Pick three Skill Specialties for your character. The Skill descriptions will
have some suggested Specialties. Step Six: Merits Merits are important facets of
your character that do not fall under other traits. A Merit can represent a knack,
special training, people your character knows, or even things that he owns. They
add unique capabilities to your character beyond Attributes and Skills. You have
seven dots you can use to pick Merits. There is a list of Merits you can choose
from later in this chapter. Step Seven: Determine Advantages The final step in
character creation is calculating Advantages. Use the following rules to determine
the values for these traits. Willpower A character�s Willpower score is equal to
Resolve + Composure. Integrity All mortal characters start with an Integrity of 7.
Size All adult human characters are Size 5, unless modified by a Merit. Speed A
character�s speed is equal to Strength + Dexterity + 5. A character can move this
many meters in one turn. Health
You don�t know terror, whelp. All that stuff you�re talking about? That�s just
being afraid. Growing up in your safe little suburbia, how would you ever know real
terror? And now the power of the Blood makes you feel ever more invincible. Now
that you�re among the Damned, real terror will find you. You can pray that it
doesn�t, but it will. It found me. Horror � actual, visceral horror � is here in
our precious city. I never want to see it again, but that�s part of the terror,
isn�t it? I can�t control it. All I can do is hope that that thing never wants to
see me again.
She says she�s a prince. I thought that maybe that was some kind of cultural
anachronism or linguistic mistake. We don�t have �princes,� and even if we did, a
woman isn�t the right gender for a prince. �You have been wrong before, have you
not?� she asked me. �Our kind has different rules. Your kind, now.� The invisible
orchestra went sotto voce. Later that night, we received a visitor. My mistress sat
in a chair on the terrace. I was told to wait in the bedroom, but I saw and heard
the whole affair from the window that overlooked the patio. The strangest sort of
man spoke before her. His skin was translucent. I expected to see his veins beneath
it, but they were so pale I could discern them only by willing my senses to greater
acuity. His veins were empty, and if any blood were in them, it did not move. I
could not hear his heart beat. He looked up at my window and his eyes were black
orbs, no pupil at all. �I bid you good night, my Prince,� he said, once his
attentions turned back to the woman who killed me. I have been wrong before.
Impossibly quickly, she was in the bedroom, having bid the visitor farewell only
seconds before. Her hands on my waist. My lips on her lips. I have been so very
wrong before, and surely will be again.
Not all of the monsters hide themselves so prettily as that party�s guests,
however. Since becoming one of the Damned, I have had the grave misfortune of
meeting some truly horrific members of our kind. I have met those who would return
the world to the nights of kings and vassals, those who steal children from poor
homes and either slake their thirst upon them or offer them in fiery sacrifice to
gods whose names are better left unspoken. I have met fervent zealots who gorged
themselves on blood in the name of some Biblical figure, and I have spoken with
members of an Old World cult who cavort beneath nacreous moons and believe that
�this state� is merely one stop along the way to... something else. I have seen all
kinds among us, to be sure: penitent souls and unabashed terrors, scheming
aristocrats and sullen revolutionaries, godless scoundrels and those who accept no
masters other than themselves. Truly, the world of the Damned, this midnight
processional, is both rich and wayward. We are trapped in prisons of ourselves,
fighting ever against the bloodthirsty creature inside all of us, but having to let
it free now and again so that it doesn�t overwhelm us in neglect. I consider myself
one of the more reserved among this Danse Macabre, and I � well, suffice it to say
that I have committed sins for which no just God would pardon me. Yet I continue to
rise each night, for even in my doubt and sorrow, I cannot help but think that
there is some purpose to all this.
I do what I want when I want. Take tonight � went to the bar. Call me a drunk-ass
fool, but I like the way booze made me feel when I was alive, and I like it now,
though I have to take my whiskey from the vein with plenty of Old Red mixed in.
Women, though� not too many women drink whiskey. The ones who do are rough old
bitches, stinking of cigarettes and sweat and the BO of whatever shitbag rolled off
of them that evening. So I picked one of the hags at the bar and made with the
small talk. Those beasts love when you talk tough. Give them some story about
cracking some asshole�s arm or putting your thumb in someone�s eye and they�re
yours for the night. Don�t go too far, though. Even they�re not psycho enough to
get off on some fiend who kills people and drinks their blood. Anyway, I�m working
this bitch in a booth at the bar and some fucking flunky comes in, one of the
bootlicks to some bigshot Kindred in town who�s always nosing around in everyone
else�s business. You know the kind � the ones who want to keep tabs on you to make
sure you�re not somehow fucking shit up for them. Like I said, you have to take
respect or make your own. I get up from the booth and walk over to this little
cocksucker, picking up a pool cue along the way. His eyes get all squinty as he
sees me coming over and he opens his mouth like he�s going to say something smart
but then CRACK. Right in the fucking mouth, with all the juice these dead muscles
of mine can put out. Asshole�s jaw breaks clean. I can see two fractures.
Individual teeth are falling out. Fuck him. Back to the booth, where dinner awaits.
I can smell that she�s excited, too, the dirty old whore, and you know what I mean
by �excited.�
It was in a cellar in the ethnic part of town, the neighborhood where it�s so old
that all the early owners have moved to better locales and sold their families�
original homes to other interests. The neighborhoods have ghettoized, some Jewish,
some Armenian, some Czech and some even I can�t determine. A house stood above the
cellar, but my guide intimated that the cellar did not connect to the house proper
and that, indeed, the home�s owners were unaware of it hiding beneath their own
basement. My guide was one of those unfortunate souls who had tasted the Vitae of a
Kindred but was not himself Damned. Who, exactly, plied him with that blood wasn�t
my business. All I know is that he and he alone knew where this thing was that had
been plaguing my restless sleep, and I recognized him only because he had been
haunting those dreams as well. A shoddy wooden door separated a small room from the
rest of the nitrous-walled cellar. The guide carried only a single, guttering
candle; he pointed me to the door. Cautiously, carefully, I opened that door, and
chill air laden with the stench of rotting flesh surged from within. The feeble
light from my guide�s candle barely penetrated the darkness beyond the door, or
else in that instant I might have suffered seeing even more of it. I remember
amniotic, slick fur and a dozen baleful eyes all opening and focusing on me at
once. As I stood there gaping, I heard the baying of a hound, though far more
guttural than any beast I knew. Moreover, the baying came from below where we
currently stood. I slammed the rickety door, knocked my guide aside, and hurtled
recklessly back up the rough steps. I careened wildly into the night, vowing to
forget what I... hadn�t truly seen, but more felt . Bah! Now, you think me weak?
Too many habits of the living are left in your face. It shows your thoughts. I�ve
only sparked your curiosity about it, haven�t I? Even as I confide this wisdom,
still you are merely afraid of it. You don�t know real terror, yet.
Credits Concept and Design: Justin Achilli, Philippe Boulle, Bill Bridges, Dean
Burnham, Ken Cliffe, Conrad Hubbard, Mike Lee, Chris McDonough, Ethan Skemp,
Richard Thomas, Mike Tinney, Stephan Wieck, Stewart Wieck and Frederick Yelk
Second-Stage Concept and Design: Justin Achilli, Bill Bridges, Ken Cliffe, Chris
McDonough and Frederick Yelk Third-Stage Concept and Design: Justin Achilli, Bill
Bridges, Ken Cliffe, Conrad Hubbard, Chris McDonough, Mike Tinney, Aaron Voss and
Frederick Yelk Additional Conceptual and Design Assistance: Carl Bowen, John
Chambers and Matthew McFarland Vampire: The Requiem is inspired by Vampire: The
Masquerade Vampire: The Masquerade was created by Mark Rein�Hagen Written by: Ari
Marmell, Dean Shomshak and C. A. Suleiman World of Darkness created by Mark
Rein�Hagen World of Darkness co-created by Stewart Wieck Additional Material:
Justin Achilli, Carl Bowen, John Chambers, Matthew McFarland, Sarah Roark, Matthew
Rourke and Greg Stolze Developer: Justin Achilli Developmental Assistance: Bill
Bridges and Ken Cliffe Editor: Carl Bowen Art Director: Pauline Benney Layout &
Typesetting: Pauline Benney Interior Art: Samuel Araya, Daren Bader, Tim
Bradstreet, Brom, Avery Butterworth, Pauline Benney, Shane Coppage, Marko
Djurdjevic, Fred Hooper, Travis Ingram, Alex Maleev, Ken Meyer JR, Mark A. Nelson,
Michael Phillippi, Jeff Rebner, J S Rossbach, Mattias Snygg, Rich Thomas, Joshua
Gabriel Timbrook, Andy Trabbold, Conan Venus, Cathy Wilkins Cover Design: matt
milberger First- and Second-Stage Playtesters: Chastain Addington; Alan Alexander;
Demian Anderson; Sara Anderson; NilsJohnson Andreasson; David Bergkvist; Kraig
Blackwelder; James Luke Boswell; Cassandra Brackett; Ryan Brandos; Daniel Bystr�m;
Ben Chism; James Comer; Chris Cowan; Tara De Blois; Corey Dixon; J. Entsminger;
Gala Ferriere; Kevan Forbes; Douglas A. Forsyth; James Ganong; Fred Grass; Jasmine
Marie Gribble; Brent Halstead; Aaron Harmon; Robert Holmberg; Conrad Hubbard;
Julian Hubbard; Charles Kelley; Steve Kenson; Bishop Lewis; Terje Loklingholm; Chad
McGrath; Mario Meo; Krister M. Michl; Albert Mowatt; Robin Nair; Mike Nudd; Corey
Ovendale; Matthew Petosa; Chris Renfroe; Mattias Renmark; Steven Sharpe; Malcolm
Sheppard; Kearsley Shieder-Wethy; Dean Shomshak; Jeff Skagen; Justin Smith; Ted
Sunnerton; Helen E. Taylor, Ph.D.; Joseph Turner; Jarett Underwood; Rachel �Bunnie�
Winter; Jim Zubkavich Third-Stage and In-House Playtesters: Justin Achilli; Charles
Bailey; Andrew Bates; Philippe Boulle; Carl Bowen; Bill Bridges; Chad Brown; Dean
Burnham; Brad Butkovich; Raphael Castle; John Chambers; Mike Chaney; Ken Cliffe;
Lisa Eidson; Brian Glass; Paul Gregory; Conrad Hubbard; Terrence James; Becky
Jollensten; Katie McCaskill; Chris McDonough; Matt Milberger; Ben Monk; DeCarlo
Murray; Rebecca Schaefer; Mike Tinney; Aaron Voss; Adam Voss; Frederick Yelk; Diane
Zamojski
� 2004 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the
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White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Reproduction prohibitions do not apply to the character
sheets contained in this book when reproduced for personal use. White Wolf,
Vampire, World of Darkness, Vampire the Masquerade and Mage the Ascension are
registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Vampire
the Requiem, Werewolf the Apocalypse, Werewolf the Forsaken, Mage the Awakening,
Storyteller System and Storytelling System are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing,
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PRINTED IN CANADA.
Acknowledgement Thanks to the visionaries who broke boundaries and redefined
roleplaying with the previous incarnation of Vampire: Mark Rein�Hagen, Stewart
Wieck, Steven C. Brown, Tom Dowd, Andrew Greenberg, Jennifer Hartshorn, Robert
Hatch, Lisa Stevens, Josh Timbrook and the unsung contributors whose names were
never mentioned but who nonetheless know who they are. We couldn�t have done it
without the trail you blazed before us. Special thanks to you, whether you�re
joining us again after 13 years of thrills and chills or just showing up for the
first time. Game on!
Prologue: Dance of the Dead Introduction Chapter One: Society of the Damned Chapter
Two: Character Chapter Three: Special Rules and Systems Chapter Four: Storytelling
and Antagonists Appendix One: Bloodlines and Unique Disciplines Appendix Two: New
Orleans Epilogue: Strings and Piano
2 12 18 88 154 196 232 266 296INTRODUCTION Boston Unveiled is a city and regional
sourcebook that presents the signature setting for Mage: The Awakening � the city
of Boston and its environs with all its old, witchy New England atmosphere. The
sourcebook provides in-depth information on history, geography, notable characters
and the various cabals. In addition, there is a full story for beginning a Boston-
based chronicle. Boston Unveiled builds substantially on the information presented
about the city in Appendix Two: Boston of Mage: The Awakening, p. 368-389. While
that chapter provides a glance at the city, Boston Unveiled reveals the forces at
work behind the scenes, delving into the agendas and secrets driving events in the
Awakened world. This book presents a plethora of stories that can be used to drive
chronicles set in the region. Boston is an old city, one of the oldest colonial
settlements in the Americas, and it has long been fertile ground for the struggles
of the Awakened. Boston Unveiled will help you to integrate your characters into
this centuries-old tangle of alliances and enmities, to plumb the depths of this
city and discover what exists in its darkest recesses. You will meet the Awakened
inhabitants of the city and its surroundings as well as the Atlantean order
willworkers and apostates. Some may become friends to your characters, and others,
deadly rivals, but the characters must beware, as friendship is sometimes used to
conceal an assassin�s blade and open hostility may serve to cloak a potent
allegiance. Boston is a city of secrets. While secrets are in many ways the stock-
in-trade of Mage: The Awakening, Boston is truly rife with secrets such as the
Concord between the Ebon Noose and the White Putnams, the terrible truth behind the
Red Word and the identities of the sinister Shadow Chorus, just to name a few. As
mages learn more about the hidden nature of Boston, they are drawn further into the
web of occlusion and deceit that encompasses the city. Perhaps, they might even
learn why it�s best that some secrets remain unrevealed. Theme: The Past as
Prologue In the �unintended consequences� category, the first mages to arrive in
the region made compacts that still affect mages to this day. The region�s history
weighs heavily on the shoulders of any mage here, even if he�s just passing
through. Remember, in Mage, time can be measured and affected like a sculptor works
stone. Even more important here, however, is the web of fate that binds everyone �
entangling the young in the karma of the old. The strands of fate binding the
region aren�t all bad. The city did spawn the Boston Tea Party, which helped to
create a new nation dedicated to freedom and liberty. The city also saw the Salem
Witch Trials. It�s the city where Ben Franklin grew up, and the place where the
infamous Strangler stalked. In other words, it�s a place of potency. New things are
created daily at MIT, while Harvard grads figure out how to best steer the course
of society. Mood: That Old Black Magic The woods of New England and upstate New
York have a certain rep for having been haunted by devil-worshipers, witches or
creatures of the night during the time of the pilgrims and the later colonies (the
Headless Horseman, for instance). Was this all just in the imagination of the
Puritans, or is there some grain of truth here? Mages are mortal, but they see
things from an entirely different perspective than Sleepers. Mages get involved in
a wide spectrum of human and supernatural events � anything that can be detected
and dealt with using Mage Sight. In other words, pretty much anything imaginable.
There�s a world of mystery and terror out there, and it can overwhelm even a mage.
Mages must struggle just to get past the false stereotypes handed down in legend.
The mood of this book is one of ancient fear, as old horrors claw their way out of
the past to retain a hold on Sleeper and Awakened alike and dread secret alliances
move in the shadows, eager to wrest power away from the Awakened. This is not your
standard �splatterpunk� horror but instead a long, slow dread, one that evokes
feelings of lore best left forgotten: specters walking lonely roads and abandoned
hallways and gatherings of terrible purpose, in which oaths are spoken and the
blood of the firstborn is let. It is the fear of speaking the Names that bring
madness � of beholding sights meant for no mortal eye � a good, old-fashioned, New
England fear. What�s in This Book Within the pages of Boston Unveiled, you will
find everything you need to begin to craft your own adventures for the Awakened in
and around the City on a Hill. � Chapter One: Maps and Legends �This chapter
details the history of Boston and its surroundings, from both the Sleeping and
Awakened perspectives. In this chapter, the region�s many intertwined strands of
destiny are explored. Boston was once a revolutionary city, full of ideas and
promise. Its possibilities have been fading, lost in a mire of apathy and the
frantic pace of too-rapid change. What legacies continue to reach forward, out of
history, to continue to affect the present? These legacies not only give Boston�s
papoint � A trait expended to gain certain effects, such as a Willpower point or a
measurement of damage or Health. The amount of points available to spend is equal
to the parent trait�s dots. Spent points are regained over time or through certain
actions. ranged combat � An attack that sends a projectile of some sort at a
target, whether it�s a bullet from a gun or a knife from a hand. Such attacks use
the Dexterity Attribute for their dice pools. Characters� Defense cannot normally
be used against firearm attacks, although targets can penalize an opponent�s
accuracy by going prone or taking cover. reflexive action � An instinctual task
that takes no appreciable time, such as reacting to surprise or noticing something
out of the corner of your eye. Performing a reflexive action does not prevent a
character from performing another action within a turn. Resistance � Characters can
resist others� attempts to socially sway them, physically grapple them or even
mentally dominate them. Whenever applying such resistance requires a character�s
full attention, it is performed as a contested action, but more often it is a
reflexive action, allowing the target to also perform an action that turn. scene �
A division of time based on drama, such as the end of one plot point and the
beginning of another. Whenever a character leaves a location where a dramatic event
has occurred, or when a combat has ended, the current scene usually ends and the
next one begins. Skill � A character trait representing learned ability or
knowledge. Added to an Attribute to determine a character�s basic dice pool for a
task. Specialty � An area of Skill expertise in which a character excels. Whenever
a Specialty applies to a character�s task, one die is added to his player�s dice
pool. There�s no limit to the number of Specialties that you can assign to a single
Skill. Storyteller � The �director� or �editor� of the interactive story told by
the players. The Storyteller creates the plot and roleplays the characters, both
allies and enemies, with which the players� characters interact. success � Each die
that rolls an 8, 9 or 10 yields one success. (Exception: A chance roll must produce
a 10 to succeed.) In an instant action, a player must roll at least one success for
his character to accomplish a task. In an extended action, the number of successes
required (accumulated over a series of rolls) depends on the task. In an attack
roll, each success produces one point of damage. trait � An element on the
character sheet. Traits include Attributes, Skills, Merits, advantages, anchors,
supernatural powers, and more. turn � A three-second period of time. Instant
actions are observed in turns. Combat (a series of instant actions) is observed in
consecutive turns as each combatant tries to overcome opponents. wound � A marked
Health point, denoting an injury from damage.

�It�s okay, it�s not like I�m alone. Now, goodnight.� Siranush closed the door
gently, so as not to wake Alan. Mena was sweet, but� well, a lot pushier these last
few years. She crept over to the couch, tucked the blanket around Alan, and then
padded down the hall of her grandmother�s apartment. It had been sweet of him to
come help her pack after Nana passed away, and she had felt more at ease once he
arrived. There was something so cold and hostile about the apartment without Nana
living there. Cleaning alone after the wake had left her sleepless and shaking,
with an angry-looking reflection. She told herself it was because Nana�s death was
so sudden. She had looked frail in her casket, all the muscle of her vigorous age
melted away. It felt like a stranger�s funeral. But when Sira called Alan, he ran
over to keep her company, and was now snoring faintly along with the horror movie
that was supposed to help her relax. She heard a tinny scream and a loud snuffle in
the living room, and smiled. She�d taken inventory of this hallway a half dozen
times already; and there wasn�t much to do until the appraisers came tomorrow
anyway. But she was too restless to sleep. She traced the spiderweb pattern of
broken glass in Nana�s favorite mirror, and watched her reflected hand ripple along
the edges. The faster she moved, the further out of sync her reflection became.
Then suddenly, it stopped. Her reflected hand pressed against the glass, far from
where her fingers lingered. Her face looked canny and hungry and too sharp in the
low light, and Sira jumped back. She waited for her reflection to jump away, too;
for the too-slow distortion to resolve back into her own image. It didn�t. The hand
on the other side of the mirror began pounding. Silently at first, then distant and
building, until she saw the glass shake, and crack. Siranush staggered away from
the mirror and started running back down the hall. The Sira-in-the-mirror followed,
her fists cracking the glass of each window, each mirror, each pane of glass. Her
fingers reaching through the gaps where shards fell away. The hands bled where they
were cut; dark, clotting blood, swimming with the acid smell of formaldehyde. They
kept pushing through all around her, grabbing at her sleeves and threading their
fingers into her hair. Why did Nana have so many mirrors? She almost made it back
to the living room. Then her own hands pulled her back into the dark hallway, her
screams somehow dim, as though muffled by thick layers of glass. Sira-in-the-hall
pried the bloody hands of Sira-in-the-mirror off her wrist and out of her hair. And
together they teetered, half in and half out of the mirror. Both fell in, and both
climbed out of, but one Sira was forced back through. The other dusted the broken
glass from her sweater, tucked herself in next to Alan, and put a proprietary arm
around him. He startled slightly, surfacing slowly from a deep sleep. �Sira, did I
fall asleep? How did the movie end?� �Don�t worry, baby. She got away.�st an
identity but also serve, through means both mystic and mundane, to define its
future. Here, you�ll also get a look at the modern face of Boston and its environs,
the kinds of things a newly arrived visitor (or transplant) to the area might
notice or find interesting. A bit of geography, significant landmarks and the like
are to be found here, as they pertain to long-time residents, newcomers and those
just passing through. � Chapter Two: Cabals �Presented here are the cabalsof the
Awakened orders and the politics and enmities that both hold the Awakened of the
region together and threaten to drive them apart. The alliances, accords and
enmities of the Wise are explored and the major local factions of the Awakened are
discussed in depth. � Chapter Three: Renegade Mages �Of course, the Atlantean
orders aren�t alone in Boston. The machinations of rival mages abound, and this
chapter details their willworkers and their cabals: the alliances, feuds and
outright wars between these renegades as well as the ways in which they interact
with the Atlantean orders and, of course, the Sleeping world that binds all
together. � Chapter Four: Off the Map � Along lonely roads, in deep woods and on
the grounds of isolated and ancient houses, strange things lurk. Boston and its
surroundings have long known the tread of those who walk in other realms �
centuries-long hauntings, spirits both benign and malevolent and creatures unknown
to either
Table of ContentsMonstros tem�veis... Criaturas ex�ticas...Vastas riquezas...
Tesouros escondidos... Planos malignos... Terras inexploradas... O mundo
�desconhecido� tem uma magia. E algumas pessoas incr�veis s�o atra�das por essa
magia. Eles s�o conhecidos... Como Hunters.
CRIADOR DO SISTEMA : THE BLACK AGRADECIMENTOS FLAVIODOS Z� DYMI PEDRO B� MEGA
MAMUTE KANDOR MORENO #LIKEABOSS
3Outras manobras � Agarrar (ataque): O personagem deve fazer um teste de ataque
normal, onde o acerto permite que o alvo seja agarrado. � Imobilizar
(movimento): Ap�s ter agarrando, pode- se gastar sua 2� a��o para imobilizar o
alvo (Teste de For�a contra a For�a da vitima); � Primeiros Socorros (Rodada
Completa): Pode se tentar ajudar um personagem Gravemente Ferido com um teste de
Primeiros Socorros (Teste de INT Dif. 25);
Condi��es dos Personagens Muitas condi��es tamb�m restringem as a��es que voc� pode
realizar. � Agarrado: Se estiver envolvido em um agarrar (seja segurando um inimigo
ou sendo segurado) voc� pode fazer apenas uma a��o padr�o ou a��o de movimento. �
Apavorado: Se voc� est� apavorado, voc� precisa usar duas a��es de movimento em
cada rodada para fugir da fonte do seu medo. Se voc� n�o puder fugir, voc� fica
aterrorizado, e recebe -10 de penalidade em todas as jogadas. � Assustado: Se voc�
est� assustado, voc� precisa usar duas a��es de movimento em cada rodada para fugir
da fonte do seu medo. Se n�o puder fugir, voc� pode lutar; voc� recebe -10 de
penalidade em todas as jogadas. � Aterrorizado: Voc� n�o pode agir enquanto est�
aterrorizado. � Atordoado: Voc� n�o pode agir enquanto est� atordoado. � Ca�do:
Voc� n�o pode usar uma arma de ataque � dist�ncia (exceto para a besta) enquanto
est� ca�do. Suas a��es n�o s�o limitadas de outra forma. � Est�vel: Quando voc�
est� est�vel, voc� tamb�m esta inconsciente; � Fascinado: Quando voc� est�
fascinado, voc� precisa ficar parado ou sentar em sil�ncio, sem realizar a��es
exceto prestar aten��o � fonte da sua fascina��o. De fato, voc� pode usar uma a��o
padr�o durante o seu turno para se concentrar na fonte da sua fascina��o, e voc�
n�o pode se mover, nem mesmo fazer o passo de ajuste de 1,5 metro, enquanto est�
fascinado. � Fatigado: Quando fatigado, voc� n�o pode correr em sua velocidade
m�xima, mas suas a��es n�o s�o restritas de outra forma. � Imobilizado: Ser
imobilizado � como estar preso em um agarrar, exceto que voc� possui menos op��es,
n�o podendo fazer nenhuma a��o. � Indefeso: Voc� n�o pode agir enquanto est�
indefeso. � Morrendo: Quando voc� est� morrendo, voc� est� inconsciente e incapaz
de agir; � Morto: Quando voc� est� morto, seu esp�rito vai embora e seu corpo se
torna um mero objeto. Nem seu esp�rito nem seu corpo agora sem vida podem agir. �
Paralisado: Se estiver paralisado, voc� n�o pode agir; � Pasmo: Voc� n�o pode agir
enquanto est� pasmo. � Petrificado: Quando voc� est� petrificado, voc� �
considerado inconsciente; � Zonzo: Quando est� zonzo, voc� pode usar uma �nica a��o
de movimento ou a��o padr�o em cada rodada (mas n�o ambas, e voc� n�o pode usar uma
a��o de rodada completa).
10Other Chronicles of Darkness The Chronicles of Darkness isn�t just one setting,
it�s many. Outside of this book, most of the games focus on playing one type of
monster. As of this writing, there are ten, with more to come. Vampire: The Requiem
is a game of personal horror and visceral drama set in a society of predators that
exists alongside ours. Werewolf: The Forsaken tells stories of spiritual threats
and unrelenting hunters. Mage: The Awakening follows mystery-addicted willworkers
as they seek to understand the Fallen World. Promethean: The Created is about the
long road to becoming human. Changeling: The Lost explores how to reclaim your
stolen life, while defending those around you from forces they could never
understand. Hunter: The Vigil is about plain ol� humans who don�t just encounter
the supernatural� they hunt it down and make it pay. Geist: The Sin-Eaters follows
ghost-bound people given a second chance, and their efforts to put the dead to
rest. Mummy: The Curse is a game of ancient servants, awoken in the modern world to
play their long games and work their ancient magic anew. Demon: The Descent tells
stories of the fallen servants of a monstrous God, and their struggle to find their
own personal Hells. Beast: The Primordial explores what it means to discover you�re
a creature of nightmare, heir to ancient monsters like Medusa and Fenris. Lexicon
10 Again � A result of 10 on any die is re-rolled in an attempt to achieve more
successes. A further result of 10 on a re-rolled die is rolled yet again, over and
over, until no more 10�s are rolled. 8 Again � A result of 8 or higher on any die
is re-rolled in an attempt to achieve more successes. A further result of 10 on a
re-rolled die is rolled yet again, over and over, until no more 10�s are rolled. 9
Again � A result of 9 or higher on any die is re-rolled in an attempt to achieve
more successes. A further result of 10 on a re-rolled die is rolled yet again, over
and over, until no more 10�s are rolled. action � A task that takes all of a
character�s time and attention. The Storytelling system measures instant actions
(one to three seconds, taking place within a single turn) and extended actions,
taking longer (duration determined by the Storyteller). Also, there are reflexive
actions, which take no
time and do not prevent a character from performing another action within a turn,
and contested actions, in which two or more characters compete in a task or for a
single goal. advantage � A character trait such as Health or Willpower that usually
represents abilities derived from other traits. Advantages are measured in dots and
sometimes in points. aggravated (damage) � A damage point that inflicts a grievous
or supernatural wound. Vampires suffer aggravated damage from fire; werewolves
suffer it from silver. Mortals might suffer aggravated damage from a dire
supernatural power such as a lightning bolt summoned from the sky by a witch.
Aggravated wounds normally heal at a rate of one point per week. Aspiration � One
of a player's goals for her character. An Aspiration can be something the character
seeks out, or something the player wants to see happen to the character. Attribute
� A character trait representing innate capabilities, Mental, Physical and Social.
An Attribute is added to a Skill (or another Attribute in certain cases) to
determine your basic dice pool for an action. bashing (damage) � A damage point
that inflicts a nonlife-threatening wound. Bashing wounds normally heal at a rate
of one point per 15 minutes. Beat � A point gained for performing certain actions.
Five Beats becomes an Experience, which can then be used to purchase new traits,
such as Attributes, Skills, Merits, or supernatural powers. breaking point � A
trigger which causes a player to have to check for losing Integrity, Humanity, or a
similar trait. chance roll � Whenever modifiers reduce your dice pool to zero or
fewer dice, you may make a chance roll on a single die. Unlike a normal dice roll,
a chance roll succeeds only on a result of 10. Worse, a result of 1 causes a
dramatic failure. close combat � Attacks that involve hand-to-hand or weapon
fighting. Such attacks use the Strength Attribute for their dice pools. Characters
gain their Defense against close-combat attacks. Condition � An ongoing effect,
which may be physical, mental, or supernatural. For example, a character might be
Guilty or Mesmerized. Usually, a Condition modifies a character's dice pools for
certain actions. Players are rewarded with Beats when they act on or resolve (end)
a Condition. contested action � Two or more characters compete in a task or for a
single goal. The one who gets the most successes wins. Contested actions can be
instant or extended actions. damage � The points inflicted against a character�s
Health or an object�s Structure, rated as bashing, lethal or aggravated. One point
of damage inflicts one wound. Defense � An advantage trait determined by taking the
lowest of Dexterity or Wits and adding Athletics. Characters can penalize a close-
combat opponent�s accuracy by subtracting their Defense from his dice pool. dice �
The Storytelling System uses 10-sided dice to represent the element of chance. Dice
are collected to form a character�s dice pool for an action
ACERTO CR�TICO E FALHA CR�TICA A �nica forma de proteger dos efeitos de um acerto
critico � com um acerto critico. � Ataque: Acerto critico dobra o seu ATAQUE. Erro
critico reduz o seu ATAQUE a metade. � Precis�o: Acerto critico dobra a sua
PRECIS�O. Erro critico reduz a sua PRECIS�O a metade. � Defesa: Acerto critico
DOBRA a sua DEFESA. Erro critico reduz a sua DEFESA a metade. � Velocidade: Acerto
critico faz com que o jogador se esquive ou acerte automaticamente independente do
resultado. Erro critico faz com que o jogador falhe automaticamente a esquiva ou
acerto. � Testes Normais: Acerto critico faz com que o jogador tenha sucesso
automaticamente independente do resultado. Erro critico faz com que o jogador falhe
automaticamente independente do resultado. � Testes Opostos: Acerto critico faz com
que o jogador tenha sucesso automaticamente independente do resultado. Erro critico
faz com que o jogador falhe automaticamente independente do resultado.
TESTES OPOSTOS Atributo+1d20 de um personagem versus Atributo+1d20 de outro
personagem, o resultado maior vence o teste.
TESTES NORMAIS O Mestre deve determinar pelo contexto da cena qual � a dificuldade
do teste. Como base, as Classes de Desafio (CD) s�o as seguintes: � Testes Muito
F�ceis: Classe de Desafio 15 � Testes F�ceis: Classe de Desafio 20 � Testes
Normais: Classe de Desafio de 25 � Testes Dif�ceis: Classe de Desafio de 30 �
Testes Imposs�veis: Classe de Desafio acima de 30 Testes normais s�o usados em
todos os momentos em que o Mestre precisa testar os limites das habilidades dos
Personagens dos Jogadores (PdJs) em rela��o a uma tarefa que n�o envolve um
oponente. Ex: Para Escalar um muro (1d20+FOR vs. CD 15), rola-se 1d20 soma a For�a
e o resultado igual ou maior que 15. Para testes de n�veis sobre-humanos (valores
de atributos 15 a 30), basta acrescentar +20 na Classe de Desafio (f�cil 40, normal
45, dif�cil 50 ou mais). Lembre-se que se um personagem tem atributo sobre humano
(acima de 10) e o teste for de n�vel humano, ele tem +20 de b�nus extra no seu
teste. Ex.: Um personagem de FOR 10 para fazer um teste de n�vel humano, CD 10 para
levantar uma porta de ferro, tem +10 de b�nus extra (por causa do atributo sobre-
humano, e assim, tem um sucesso autom�tico para levantar a porta de ferro).
11
COMBATE O combate � feito por Turno, A ordem das a��es e determinada pela
iniciativa.
1. Iniciativa Todos os personagens rolam AGI+1d20, a ordem das a��es ser� dos
personagens com maiores resultados at� os personagens de menores resultados.
Valores iguais s�o a��es simult�neas.
2. A��es Cada personagem tem direito a um Turno (o que d� 2 a��es para ser feito
em 3 a 9 segundos). Como o jogo � narrativo, deve-se usar o bom senso. O Mestre tem
a palavra final, sempre. Rola-se o teste da a��o (que pode ser oposto ou contra uma
dificuldade determinada pelo mestre). A defesa � ativa ou passiva. Se um personagem
puder-se defender, rolar o teste oposto do ataque contra o teste de defesa
(normalmente DEFESA ou VELOCIDADE espec�fica), quem tirar maior acerta.
3. Fim do Turno A Rodada encerra depois que todos tiverem agido. O pr�ximo Turno
come�a seguindo a ordem da iniciativa. O mestre determina o final da cena de
combate.
CONCEITO DE PERSONAGEM As duas coisas mais importantes que voc� deve saber sobre
seu personagem s�o: como ele � e o que voc� quer que ele seja em suas aventuras.
Verifique qual � o tipo de jogo que o mestre planejou e os personagens que ele
pretende permitir e ent�o comece a preencher os detalhes. H� v�rias maneiras de se
fazer isto. Voc� pode escolher suas habilidades, gastar seus pontos de personagem
e construir um perfil que se encaixe nestas habilidades. Um bom personagem � muito
mais que uma cole��o de habilidades, mas �ir �s compras� destas pode ser uma grande
inspira��o. Voc� pode, ao inv�s disto, decidir primeiro quais ser�o suas
qualidades - tudo que o define como sua hist�ria pessoal, apar�ncia, comportamento,
aptid�es e habilidades. Pense em como ele adquiriu tais qualidades e ent�o gaste
seus pontos em caracter�sticas que v�o de acordo com isso (uma dica � trabalhar em
uma biografia antes, como descrito abaixo). Por fim, pode ser bem �til responder
algumas quest�es sobre seu personagem e usar as respostas para construir a
biografia antes de gastar qualquer ponto. Por exemplo:

Capitulo 1 ... PERSONAGEM Capitulo 2 ... AURA NEN Capitulo 3 ...


ORGANIZA��ES Capitulo 4 ... MUNDO HUNTER Capitulo 4 ... GREED ISLAND Capitulo
5 ... EVOLU��O Capitulo 6 ... FICHA
... PAG. 04 ... PAG. 34 ... PAG. 57 ... PAG. 67 ... PAG. 74 ... PAG. 91 ...
PAG. 94
4
PERSONAGEMHe dreams like a Master, in layers as deep and strong as the rings of an
eon-old tree. Every part of him is divided into wood-clad cells. Each one contains
a vision, a secret and a plan. His mind�s eye bores through concentric chambers
with the ease of an impossibly sharp, white-hot steel drill, down to a rotten
hollow in the pale heartwood of his mind. Behind the final layer a brick road and
sputtering streetlights frame a bleeding young man who writhes on broken bones.
Bright blotter paper crawls from his left hand at the behest of a sickly wind.
Printed bears and skulls: LSD. It�s why the bikers beat him so badly, to what
should have been death, if not for magic. The wounded man also dreams. He was Mark
Long when it all looked like this, in �68. He is the Nemean, the Master, who
crouches to inspect his younger self�s face. They�re not alone. � � � �Fuck the
Buddha.� In Cormant House, silence hits like a cleaver. Mages dodge its arc, away
from the meeting table, but drop their conversations to listen in. At one end the
monks, mages from an obscure, well-heeled Asian Legacy, discipline their
expressions, but a few tics hit after the Nemean�s insult. They shift their chairs
and smooth their robes to buy a bit of thinking time. One of them breathes his way
to a serene smile and opens his mouth to talk, but the Nemean chops the opportunity
down with one of his big hands. �Make no mistake; I�m not saying this in an ironic,
mystical �kill the Buddha on the road� vein. I want you to understand that I hate
your religion.� The monk stops smiling. �When the Buddha Sakyamuni was born, a sage
prophesied that he�d grow up either to be a great teacher or to rule the world as a
�wheel-turning king,�� says the Nemean. �Priest or emperor? What a stupid question,
to force a man to make himself a slave to win moral approval. My answer to your
proposal is no. You won�t be allowed to set up your racket�� �Monastery!� blurts
the interrupted monk. �Shut up. Ax, show them out. Drag them all the way back to
China if you have to.� Anacaona de Xaragua helps the oldest monk to his feet.
Two guests slip away early. They trade frowns all the way to the car. She traces a
rune on her bracelet before she gets in. He hits the gas, turns to her and says,
�That went well. I always wanted to make enemies in Asia.� �They�re not our
enemies. They�re his.� �He�s Hierarch.� �Not for long. We�ll meet at the Emerald
Scroll. I think tonight was the last straw. He was pointlessly rude. Did you talk
to the Arhats? Scrolls, Artifacts, money � they�d share it all for the sake of a
foothold here. Call the committee. We�ve got to use this opportunity now before he
bribes and threatens it away.� � � � �See him? See your first and greatest vision,
ripped from the gods under the shadow of death? It�s an ancient custom, to attain
Awakening with a foot in the grave.� The voice is bodiless and muffled. There�s a
familiar quality to it that irritates the Nemean. He looks around but can see
nothing out of place. It was a cold night back in �68 so he dreams himself up a
thick wool robe. �Grave or gutter, I guess,� he says. �This is your third visit,
isn�t it? Good. There�s always a revelation third time around. Like you said, it�s
the custom. It�s the way dreams work.� �Yeah, it�s about dreams. It�s time to
revisit this one: being Mark, helpless after they hurt you, blindly climbing your
Watchtower to escape and rebuild yourself.� ��Blindly?� Sure. Add �stupidly.�
Mention �luck� in there. I didn�t earn Awakening. It just happened on its own. I
searched, did the witchcraft trip. Mother Nature, free love � it was all wrong.
�That�s the trouble, Voice.� The Nemean frowns for want of a proper name. �I cast
the Stymphalian from Hierarchy and took his seat as easy as you please. I trapped a
werewolf chieftain in the Empty House, even stole a scale from the Aeon Snake. But
it means nothing; I didn�t win my Awakening with thought and will. The drug-
abusing, delusional hippie down there just fell into it, running from his voices,
from the consequences of dropping out. I can�t accept unearned rewards any more
than I can give them.� The voice laughs. �So that�s why you�re a terrible
Hierarch.�
3
�I�m an excellent Hierarch if you�re weak.� The cityscape flexes like a cold-
stiffened muscle; street wreckage wraps around a patch of nothing, clasping it in
chipped bricks, mist and car parts. He feels resistance as his will grabs something
human-shaped but invisible. �Got you,� says the Nemean. �Now it�s time for your
story, Voice.� � � � The Emerald Scroll�s full of big stainedglass tarot cards.
Nobody sits beneath the Tower. Davy Jones always talks about getting rid of the
table beneath it but he never does. Choice matters. If you can�t choose doom (or
its image) you can�t choose luck, either. Even trivial choices � symbols, seats in
very exclusive clubs � matter to the Awakened. The conspirators mutter over their
drinks and hover at a few different spots, but in the end they shove a few extra
chairs under Judgment. They hunch over a little table with bent necks and furtive
waves: the clich�d body language of guilt. The Nemean feels sorry for them but
pulls up a chair just the same. Khumeia smiles at him � well, at her cabalmate
Thanatos, as far as she knows. The Nemean copied his body for the occasion,
matching mole for mole as precisely as Life�s senses allowed. He checks his hands
and can find no errors. He closes his eyes and follows a small thread of his
crystallized desire. At the other end, the real Thanatos sleeps in a folded sheet
of Shadow. Four of the spirits called Black Magistrates snap at their chains.
They�ll punish him soon enough. Khumeia lets an hour of drunken, unstructured
griping pass before she commands the gang�s attention. �This is it, then. Nobody
thinks ejecting the Arhats was a good idea. We can ride the wave of his mistake,
move in and cut him from the Noose.� �Way too simple.� That�s Eve from the
Gravediggers. She�s probably here without her cabal�s consent. �The Ebon Noose is
tight. Even if they let the Nemean go they still have all the cards. And Ahriman is
the other Master. You want that spooky bastard running things?� �Naturally, no. But
they�ll be too busy to throw their weight around at Council.� Ah, here�s the twist,
thinks the Nemean. He covers his curiosity with a grin
5Prologue: Censorious
�Have you ever eaten a human heart, Garfield?� �No, Hierarch.� He uses my real
name. Where I come from, that�s like mocking a Sicilian�s momma. �Neither have I,
but your incompetence is making me positively famished.� He grins that big, old
lion�s grin of his, the kind where you half-expect a femur to come jutting out of
his teeth. �Yes, Hierarch.� �Cannibalism is unfortunately topical today, Garfield.�
He gestures at the thing in the cage. If you inspect the lines of its body and
squint a bit, it almost looks human. �I�m glad this creature�s with us instead of
prowling the docks, but you only caught it because it�s stupid. We wanted its
handlers. And they wanted this.� He holds up the book again: Kendall Hart�s Dark
Musings II. �We tried.� My mouth opens to say more, but I shut it. What am I going
to say? This is the Nemean, Hierarch of Boston, supreme cat-herder of the joint. I
slouch in deference, throw on my coat and think, call me, Khonsu, you bastard. � �
� Kendall Hart: A nerd�s nerd with a talent for occult trivia. He�s the most
successful author you�ve never read, unless you know what a d12 is or that the late
James �Scotty� Doohan only had nine fingers. In that case, you might have run
across articles in a few, sparsely populated corners of the Net. Trapezoid Online
and Recreational Forteana are good bets. If you belong to that acne-sprinkled
demographic, you�ve probably read things such as �Queen Cthulhu,� or �Da Vinci�s
Robots.� You could call my cabal (Ophidian Logic�s our name) Kendall Hart�s fan
club. We buy all of his books. By �all,� I mean every single copy. Having been in
the book trade before my Awakening, it fell on me to pretend to be various
distributors, independent bookstores and giggling fans. We�ve managed to corner the
market on Mr. Hart because he knows too much. Most of his articles aren�t
dangerous. They mainly explore burning questions about what dinosaurs in
Renaissance Italy would be like or whether L. Ron Hubbard�s aliens could beat up
Grays. But when he compiles a book? That�s when it gets interesting. He starts out
with collected articles, but he likes to pad them with nifty little extras like
bits of coded text and strange allusions. Then he tops it all off with a couple of
new essays and sends the book to his publisher. Those extras are the good stuff �
and the dangerous stuff. Crowley�s Bathroom describes the Temple of Chthonic
Emanations perfectly, and better than some rather aged Mysterium records. We only
dug up the Room of the White Well after he mentioned it in a sidebar.

#Contents
Martians Ate My Brain includes about half the instructions you need to activate the
Viridian Astra. Five copies of that got loose once, and that earned us a violent
little trip to Mumbai. He�s a ticking time bomb � and a goose laying golden eggs by
the basket load. I couldn�t accept the situation at first. I�m a Censor, after all.
It�s my job to stare at the rusty spigot of Truth in search of rogue drips. To
stretch the metaphor, I keep the leaks discreet; I divert them to certain
reservoirs where the right people can drink. We know a lot about Hart. He�s a
happily married bibliophile and doesn�t use the least spark of sorcery. I�ve spied
on him a couple of times. As far as we can tell, he likes to pull all-nighters for
his books. My theory is that this sleepless, creative frenzy pushes him into an
autonomic state, rendering him a fit host for certain cacodemons. (I explored the
technical details in a paper on the subject; give me the right code word, and I�ll
let you read it.) I don�t know for sure, because we�re afraid that if we cast
spells to close to him, we�ll cut him off from the source. Magic often screws up
these anomalies, or makes them more dangerous than they already are. They don�t
even let me scry his all-nighters. I�d have loved to have been in his head when he
wrote Dark Musings. He sandwiched in a description of an Imperial spell between
bits on Islamic superheroes and brains in a vat. That was a major coup for Ophidian
Logic. All we had to do to keep the book safe � and keep Hart alive � was shoot a
Guardian of the Veil in the face and give a Libertine a solid beating. My arm still
hurts when it rains. Hart�s done it to me again. My bags are tagged, and I�m on a
bus to Chicago, all to save Kendall Hart from cannibals who want his latest work �
and lunch. � � � Every mage in Chicago is a crazy bastard. Let me ask you: If you
felt your spirit soar to the heavens and managed to write your name in stars, if
you broke the shell of the Lie to grasp the lightning of Creation in your hand,
would you come back and think, That�s why I should be in a baseball team? I don�t
have time to complain about this to the Awakened Chicagoan at hand. Instead, I
manage the following: �Hey, ugh!� �Ugh� is the sound I make when an aluminum bat
hits me in the gut. Or any other kind of bat, really. The unknown god that poured
this dude into his Cubs shirt had a fine appreciation for the male physique. I
double over to an excellent view of his six-pack, straining against the cotton. A
jarring bat-smack on my back treats me to a close-up of his shoes. �Didn�t you see
our tags, Mysteryman?� His voice is an octave too high for his body. �Ugh.� I go
fetal. It hides my hands. �You�re supposed to ask permission before you enter our
territory.� I mumble; the mudra�s almost done. I smell ozone; I always do. My eyes
roll back, and I remember the Throne of the Presence. I never believed until Dad
died. We scattered the ashes, but it was windy. They blew back and stuck to my
hand. And then the ashes were gray clouds and the clouds held the Throne and there
were a thousand wings, and God�s face � and it was mine, my face, burning my eyes,
leaving the afterimage of the Shape. It falls to earth like an angry star and
lights up my ashen hands. So when the bat comes down again, I catch it in both
palms. The lightning in my fingers arcs through the metal nicely. I swallow back a
bit of puke and dust myself off. Mister MVP is lying on the pavement, twitching
adequately. �Let�s start this conversation again. My name�s Khonsu. I am indeed a
�Mysteryman.� You�re a member of the Game of Geometric Perfection. Your name is
Grand Slam. Your name, on the other hand is�� �Okay man, I�m listening!� Bo �Grand
Slam� Dodson grips the edge of the curb and looks up. �I represent members of
Ophidian Logic. Your partner, Lefty�� �Southpaw.�

#
�Whatever. We�ve dealt with her before. We�re not interested in the South Side
except for access to one particular city block. Through her, we paid you people a
lot of money for the privilege of visiting from time to time. This leads me to
wonder why the fuck this courtesy just manifested as a base hit to the ribs.� �Two
murders in the �hood, man. We usually tip off the cops, but these ones don�t leave
any psychic residue. That means one of us is responsible. You come in all lit up,
and I don�t know your face, man.� �Right, right. Okay, Slam, you need to know three
things. First of all, the killers probably aren�t Awakened, but they are some
pretty dangerous guys. Second, I can�t find my cabal. Third, we�ve now established
that I can kick your ass, so don�t get any ideas re: Point the Second. But as you
did violate a sworn agreement between our cabals, I thank you.� �How�s that?�
�You�re going to work off your debt by helping me. By the way, how�d you know my
order?� �I had a kickass prophetic dream last night, where I met a man carrying a
black book. He turned my sword east, and we journeyed to a tower there to rescue a
blind man � kind of like Homer.� Grand Slam shakes his head like one of those
shaggy dogs fresh from a swim and rises to a crouch. �The poet? That is indeed, uh,
kickass. The place we�re going is actually east of here. If you figured me out,
why�d you hit me with the bat?� �Nature of prophecy, man.� He grabs the bat a bit
warily. �Things might have unfolded badly if I secondguessed proximate causes.
Anyway, what�s the plan?� �We�re going to kidnap an obscure speculative fiction
writer to save him from a cannibal cult bent on destroying the world.� � � � In the
elevator to Hart�s apartment, it occurs to me that my old plan revolved around
Smooth Rex, who uses beguiling spells about as liberally as his cheap cologne.
Without his winning charisma (since he�s missing along with the rest of my cabal),
I have to think of another way to get Hart out of there. Kendall Hart? This large
man with a bat and I want to take you out on the town! Mr. Hart, as your biggest
fan I�d like to treat you to your first stalking. I know you�re nervous, but I�ll
try and make sure the experience helps us both grow. My mind soars through dump
mode and entertains various facetious and dumb ideas until Slam and I turn the
corner to his door. It�s decorated with a Popsicle stick sculpture of Cthulhu. It
rattles when I knock. �Who is it?� echoes through the door. �Uh, Kendall Hart? I�m
Rory, uh, Ganzfeld. I�ve got a check for you from your agent.� Click. The door
opens. Kendall Hart�s eyes are framed by big, practical glasses. He�s wearing a
Hawaiian shirt and khakis. �Ganzfeld? Like the psychic experiment? That�s unlikely.
Did Steve put you up to this? He �� Slam�s supposed to grab Hart at this point, but
he doesn�t. He points down the hall instead. I follow his lead and see a stringy-
haired woman. She�s leveling a shotgun. Right before my eyes roll up behind my head
and the angels come to serve me again, I notice that she salivates like a hungry
junkyard dog. � � � Ms. Hart is a formidable woman, or maybe she just wears shock
well. She deftly chain smokes my cigarettes as she thrusts a rolled-up towel under
Slam�s head. Slam�s lying on her dining room table, unconscious but breathing. The
cultist�s corpse is lying in her tub. She says the fresh burns on my arm look like
alchemical symbols. That�s a hell of an observation from a Sleeper. In a
traumatized monotone, Hart says, �Well, honey, I think they also bear some
resemblance to Enochian characters, huh?� Melanie Hart glares at her husband. He
gets up and starts a pot of tea. �So what you�re saying then, Rory, is that Ken�s
books are all true?� �Not every word. Just some of his late-night output. The main
thing is that you should visit family somewhere out of town for a while. Three
weeks sounds good. Dark Musings II has a section that this cult wants.�

#Contents
�Why don�t they just buy the thing then?� And that�s it. I have to explain it all.
I want to explain it all. I tell her that Kendall Hart�s total readership is five
people, plus whoever visits Milwaukee�s Athenaeum and pulls his stuff from the
shelves. I tell I tell her what an Athenaeum is in the context of the Mystery and
that I, Khonsu of the Bronze Tripod of Ophidian Logic, am a dadouchos-Censor,
first-degree adept and keeper of forbidden lore. �And that lore just happens to
include your husband�s supposed fantasies. I know you think I�m just some crazy
guy, Ms. Hart, just like I know that you�ve tried to call 911 with both of your
phones. I�m the reason they don�t work. �Plus, your husband saw me set a woman on
fire with my mind.� Slam comes around while she packs her bags. Kendall Hart
doesn�t offer me any tea, but I pour some anyway. �These guys are after me? You�ve
been watching me?� Hart�s eyes dart around. I know he�s thinking of ways to run for
it. Best to keep him interested. �Yes. In the Vast Egyptian Weirdness chapter, you
quoted what you said was an Old Kingdom inscription. We originally thought you got
it from the University of Chicago archives, maybe through your wife, but I had a
contact of mine come up empty looking for it.� He shrugs. �Well, I made it up. I
thought this Scribe of Blasphemy figure you see in a couple of coffin inscriptions
was kind of interesting. When it�s time to weigh your heart in front of the gods,
he tries to switch the papyrus that contains your sins with a forgery full of
terrible things. I thought it was reminiscent of the King in Yellow. You could have
some fun extrapolating it into�� ��an Ancient Egyptian version of those Chambers
stories. I know, Mr. Hart. But you ended up with something else, didn�t you?�
�Yeah, it never seemed like it really hit my goal for the piece.� �Well, instead of
creating a compelling fictional document, you created� well, not actually a �real�
bit of Egyptian scripture. Think of it as a possibility, like one of your
�alternate universes.� Think of the worst of all possible worlds, where torture
begins at birth and where the only miracles that exist serve to keep the victims
alive and suffering long enough to breed and continue it all, forever. Think of a
world where the only god is composed of every story of suffering in its universe,
and its thoughts are processed in a loop of time that plays back every horrific
permutation, like a computer that calculates its instructions with formulae of
pain. �Somehow, you found that god, Ken. You wrote a bit of its prayer book. That
makes it more real than it was when it was just a shell, cast into the darkness
when this world was born. There are some crazy people who want to make it real
enough to replace our world.� His eyes stop darting, and the rest comes along
quickly. I tell him about the Red Word: the cult that worships the Scribe and
collects fragments of its unspeakable history. They�re cannibals; they believe that
the act steals the victim�s place in Earth, opening a tear in the world
ATRIBUTOS DO PERSONAGEM ATRIBUTOS PRIM�RIOS
FOR�A (FOR) : Determina a for�a f�sica do Personagem, sua capacidade muscular. A
For�a n�o tem tanta influ�ncia sobre a apar�ncia quanto a resist�ncia - um lutador
magrinho de kung fu pode ser forte o bastante para quebrar pilhas de tijolos, mas
um fisiculturista musculoso dificilmente poderia igualar a proeza. O calculo de
peso m�ximo carregado pelo personagem � igual � FOR�A vezes FOR�A vezes 100.
DESTREZA (DES) : Define a capacidade manual do Personagem, sua acuidade com as m�os
e/ou p�s. N�o inclui a agilidade corporal, apenas a destreza manual. Um Personagem
com alta Destreza pode lidar melhor com armas, usar ferramentas, operar
instrumentos delicados, atirar com arco-e-flecha, agarrar objetos em pleno ar. O
calculo da distancia m�xima que o personagem pode mirar � de 5 vezes DESTREZA. Cada
5 metro a mais reduz o teste em -1. AGILIDADE (AGI) : Ao contr�rio da Destreza, a
Agilidade n�o � v�lida para coisas feitas com as m�os, mas sim para o corpo todo.
Com um alto valor em Agilidade um Personagem pode se desviar melhor dos ataques de
oponentes, equilibrar-se melhor sobre um muro, dan�ar com mais gra�a, agarrar-se em
parapeitos ou escapar de armadilhas� � importante fixar a diferen�a entre Destreza
e Agilidade para fins de jogo. O calculo de movimento do jogador � igual a
Velocidade do personagem em metros. RESIST�NCIA (RES) : Determina o vigor, sa�de e
condi��o f�sica do Personagem. De modo geral, um Personagem com um baixo valor em
Constitui��o � franzino, enquanto um valor alto garante uma sa�de vigorosa. Isso
n�o significa necessariamente que o Personagem seja forte ou fraco; isso �
determinado pela For�a. INTELIGENCIA (INT) : Intelig�ncia � a capacidade de
resolver problemas, nem mais e nem menos. Um Personagem inteligente est� mais apto
a compreender o que ocorre � sua volta e n�o se deixa enganar t�o facilmente.
Tamb�m lida com a mem�ria, capacidade de abstrair conceitos e descobrir coisas
novas. PERCEP��O (PER) : � a capacidade de observar o mundo � volta e perceber
detalhes importantes - como aquela ponta de adaga aparecendo na curva do corredor.
Um Personagem com alta Percep��o est� sempre atento a coisas estranhas e min�cias
quase impercept�veis, enquanto o sujeito com Percep��o baixa � distra�do e avoado.
ATRIBUTOS SECUND�RIOS
DEFESA (DEF) : --ATAQUE (ATK) : --PRECIS�O (PRE) : Para armas de longo alcance, a
Precis�o � o atributo usado para acertar com armas de longo alcance. Esse b�nus
varia dependendo da qualidade da arma. Miras telesc�picas, miras lazer, armas
m�gicas, armas obras primas d�o b�nus de precis�o. VELOCIDADE (VEL) : --REDUTOR de
DANO (RD) : Esse atributo n�o se encontra na planilha de personagem, sendo de
exclusivo controle do mestre. Essa � a defesa natural do personagem caso ele receba
dano, sem direito a defesa, ou use armaduras. Seu valor � igual a metade do valor
de RES do personagem.
6
DANO : O dano � resultado bruto depois da rolagem de ataque e defesa. O dano varia
tamb�m de acordo com o tipo de arma ou poder e pode ser customizado. O dano pode
ser Letal ou N�o-Letal, determinado pelo Mestre. Os efeitos do dano tamb�m s�o
determinados pelo mestre (corte, perfura��o, explos�o, �cido, etc.). HP: Health
Point representam sua habilidade corp�rea de sustentar les�es. A base de seus PV �
igual � sua RES x12. Ex.: se voc� tem RES 10 ent�o tamb�m tem 120 HP. Voc� pode
perder HP temporariamente devido a ataques f�sicos (como espadadas), ataques de
feixes (como lasers), ataques sobrenaturais, doen�as, venenos, perigos em geral e
qualquer outra coisa que pode fer�-lo ou mat�-lo. Pode-se tamb�m �queimar� HP para
fortalecer algumas habilidades Nen. � Incapacitado / Estabilizado: Se perder HP a
baixo da metade do seu valor em RES (arredondado pra cima), ir� eventualmente ficar
inconsciente (at� que recupere seu HP acima de seu valor em RES); � Gravemente
Ferido: Se perder HP a baixo da metade da sua RES (arredondado pra baixo), o
jogador ir� eventualmente ficar inconsciente, a cada 1 Hora/Rodada o jogador deve
rolar 1d20, caso caia 10 ou mais o personagem teve sucesso no teste de morte e
continua vivo, por�m, continua a fazer o teste nas rodadas seguintes. Caso o
resultado seja menor que 10, o jogador teve um fracasso no teste de morte, �
perder� 1 HP e continua a fazer o teste nas rodadas seguintes. Caso o jogador tire
20 na rolagem do 1d20, o personagem se estabiliza. Caso outro personagem seja bem
sucedido em um teste de �Primeiros Socorros�, medicina, etc. O personagem com os
HPs estabilizados e n�o � necess�rio mais testes de morte. � Morto: Caso um
personagem fique com zero ou menos HP ap�s um dano, o personagem que sofreu o dano
morre imediatamente. As les�es �s vezes s�o comparadas com m�ltiplos de seus HP;
ex.: �2�HP� ou �HP/2�. Quando este for o caso use seus HP b�sicos na f�rmula e n�o
sua quantidade atual. Para informa��es sobre os efeitos de les�es e a recupera��o
de HP, veja mais abaixo.
STAMINA: Os Pontos de Fadiga representam o �suprimento de energia� de seu corpo.
A base de sua STAMINA � igual � sua RES + FOR x3. Ex.: se voc� tem RES + FOR igual
a 10 ent�o tamb�m tem 30 STAMINA. AURA: Quantidade de aura que o usu�rio possui. A
base de sua AURA � igual � sua INT x12. Ex.: se voc� tem INT 10 ent�o tamb�m tem
120 de AURA.
TIPO DE DANO Queimadura : Fogo, Gasolina, Lan�a-chamas, Armas de Energia, Lasers,
etc. Efeitos Poss�veis de Dano de Queimadura: dano x2 caso o alvo esteja coberto em
material combust�vel, sofre Redu��o de Dano, dano/2 caso o alvo esteja molhado ou
em ambiente muito gelado, etc. Perfura��o: Espadas (golpe de ponta), Lan�as,etc.
Efeitos Poss�veis de Dano de Perfura��o: Em caso de golpe localizado (-10% a -30%
do ataque dependendo do �rg�o vital), dano x1,5 ou x2 (dependendo da �rea vital
atingida), sangramento (-1/4 do dano do ataque por rodada at� estancar ou tratar o
ferimento), sofre Redu��o de Dano por Armadura. Contus�o : Pancada, bast�o, golpe
suave, tazers, soco, chutes, cabe�ada, etc. Efeitos poss�veis de Dano de Contus�o:
o atacante pode decidir por um dano letal ou n�o letal. O dano letal faz o alvo
perder HP o n�o letal faz o perder STAMINA. Sofre Redu��o de Dano por Armadura, tem
armaduras que podem ser imunes a dano de contus�o.
7
Corte : Golpe de espada, serra el�trica, fac�o, etc. Efeitos poss�veis de Dano de
Corte: Se um golpe for localizado (-10% a -30% do ataque dependendo do �rg�o vital)
e tirar 1/2 dos PVs totais do alvo (ou o n�mero de PVs relativo ao �rg�o), o membro
� decapitado. No caso de pesco�o, se acertar em uma penalidade de -30% com um
Corte, o dano � multiplicado por dois, e se o alvo chegar a 0 o alvo � decapitado e
morre instant�nea mente. Esmagamento : Golpe de ma�a, golpe de barra de ferro, etc.
Efeitos poss�vel de Dano de Esmagamento: Se um golpe for localizado (-10% a -30% do
ataque dependendo do �rg�o vital) e tirar 1/2 dos PVs totais do alvo (ou o n�mero
de PVs relativo ao �rg�o), o membro � esmagado, ossos quebrados, etc. O alvo pode
fazer um teste normal de RES (com penalidade por ferimentos se tiver) e se n�o
passar, sofre � do dano sofrido por rodada como sangramento interno. Sofre Redu��o
de Dano por Armadura, tem armaduras que podem ser imunes a dano de esmagamento.
El�trico : Choques el�tricos, raios, pistolas de energia el�trica, magias
el�tricas, etc. Efeitos poss�veis de Dano por Eletricidade: O dano � como
Queimadura e se o personagem n�o passar em um teste normal de RES ele fica 1D10
rodadas atordoado, ou seja perde todas as suas a��es. Qu�mico : G�s, �cidos,
venenos, etc. Efeitos poss�veis de Dano Qu�mico: Depende de acordo com o elemento
qu�mico, pode ser sono, no caso de gases son�feros, corros�o, no caso de �cidos,
paralisia no caso de venenos, etc. Sofre Redu��o de Dano por Armadura, por�m certas
armaduras podem n�o defender de certos efeitos qu�micos. Explos�o : Bombas,
granadas, bazucas, bolas de fogo, etc. Efeitos poss�veis de Explos�o: Danos de
explos�o afetam uma �rea ao redor do alvo, causando queimadura, danos de perfura��o
e contus�o. Pode sofrer redu��o de dano por armadura, e mesmo em caso de erro no
ataque de explos�o, o alvo pode sofrer metade ou um ter�o do dano, se a explos�o
for perto do alvo.
Tipos de A��es de Combate Sempre que seu estilo de interpreta��o se inclinar em
dire��o � chutar portas e quebrar tudo o que se move ou em dire��o de uma narra��o
mais detalhada, as chances s�o que de voc� espere que seu personagem fa�a algumas
coisas em toda a aventura. Quando voc� compreende a terminologia e as regras
b�sicas que lidam com as a��es, voc� pode evitar muitos erros e enganos - e impedir
muitas discuss�es. Um turno � uma medida imagin�ria, n�o tem um valor exato em
tempo real: um segundo (quase sempre em situa��es de combate), dez segundos, um
minuto... n�o faz diferen�a. O importante � que um turno come�a na iniciativa do
primeiro personagem que age, e termina depois da iniciativa do �ltimo personagem.
Usando A��es Na maioria dos casos, voc� tem as tr�s seguintes op��es dispon�veis
para voc� durante o seu turno (escolha uma): � Uma a��o padr�o mais uma a��o de
movimento. � Duas a��es de movimento. � Uma a��o de rodada completa.
Turno do Personagem A��es: 1 A��o + 1 Movimento; ou 2 Movimentos.
8There are many factions in the world which a crew may cross paths with. It�s
important to make the correct decisions when faced with organizations that are
potentially more powerful than your own. For example, if a low level crew starts
ranting about the world government and starts burning flags, the marines will
annihilate you as rebels. However, picking a fight with a small organization, like
a remote marine outpost, wouldn�t present nearly as much of a threat. You have to
pick your battles carefully and try to bend the world politics to your favor.
Making an enemy of powerful organizations will make you nothing more than target
practice, unless you have the strength to protect yourself.

The World Government This organization is the largest in the world. They govern
over 100 islands and have full control over the marines. The highest authority in
the world government are the Gorosei (Elder Stars), who are an elder council of
five men. Additionally, the Celestial Dragons, also known as World Nobles, are an
important faction within the World Government. While not known for their physical
strength, they have absolute, unwavering control over the actions of the Marines.
The world government controls a large number of powerful organizations including:
The Marines, Cipher Pol, Shichibukai and Impel Down. While seemingly helpful and
benevolent on the surface, the majority of the World Government�s actions have
corrupt motives. They secretly support slavery, have exterminated civilian islands,
and have assassinated countless people in the pursuit of ultimate control.

The Yonko (Emperors) Yonko are the most powerful pirates in the world. There are
generally only four Yonko at any given time, which split up the New World into
territories and rule over them as emperors. The Yonko aren�t evil by definition,
and most are actually good people who fight to protect themselves and their nakama
rather than to destroy for the pleasure of it. While most Yonko start their journey
in search of One Piece, some end their search once they reach the New World and now
have other motivations. The Yonko who are still seeking One Piece are at a
stalemate; some mysterious force is blocking them from going any further into the
New World. Being pirates, the Yonko aren�t loyal to anyone but themselves. Turf
wars, personal grudges, and other issues affect how the Yonko treat each other. One
act of disrespect could cause two Yonko to destroy each other and their empires.

The Revolutionary Army Little is known about the Revolutionary Army forces so far.
What is known is that their movement is a threat to the stability of the world and
that they aim to go against the World Government and everything it stands for. They
are lead by a man named Monkey D. Dragon and his powerful allies. The world
government considers Dragon such a huge threat they have marked him as the most
wanted man in the world. The Army is based on an island in the Grand Line and often
deploys groups of soldiers/members to disrupt government projects and rescue people
being abused by the world government�s power.
� A��o Livre: Uma a��o livre � uma atividade que leva apenas uma quantidade m�nima
de tempo. Voc� pode fazer qualquer quantidade de a��es livres durante seu turno,
sujeitas � aprova��o do seu Mestre. Realizar uma ou mais a��es livres n�o afeta as
outras a��es dispon�veis para voc� durante seu turno. � Movimento: Um movimento �
quase qualquer coisa que n�o seja atacar ou usar magia. Em um turno voc� pode
mover-se em velocidade m�xima (veja adiante) e tamb�m executar uma a��o. Voc� pode
fazer isso na ordem que quiser (mover-se e agir, ou agir e mover-se). Voc� pode
mover-se duas vezes (o dobro de sua velocidade m�xima) e n�o realizar nenhuma a��o.
Mas n�o pode fazer o contr�rio (ficar im�vel e fazer duas a��es). Certas a��es n�o
agressivas podem ser executadas como se fossem movimentos. Trocar de arma; beber
uma po��o; jogar algo para um aliado pegar; abrir ou fechar uma porta; entrar ou
sair de um ve�culo... o mestre decide quais a��es podem ser movimentos. � A��o
Padr�o: Atacar e lan�ar uma magia s�o exemplos de a��es. Em termos pr�ticos, uma
a��o � algo que voc� faz durante seu pr�prio turno que consome tempo (geralmente) e
muda (ou tem o potencial de mudar) algo no mundo de jogo. Como uma regra geral,
voc� pode usar uma a��o apenas durante o seu pr�prio turno. Voc� pode algumas vezes
agir durante o turno de outra pessoa, mas quando voc� faz isso, isto � geralmente
uma a��o adicional para voc�, e ela n�o afeta as a��es dispon�veis para voc�
durante o seu pr�ximo turno. � A��o de Rodada Completa: Uma a��o de rodada completa
� uma atividade que efetivamente consome todo o seu tempo durante seu turno.
Consequentemente, voc� n�o pode usar uma a��o padr�o ou uma a��o de movimento (veja
abaixo) durante um turno no qual voc� usa uma a��o de rodada completa. Voc� pode,
contudo, usar o passo de ajuste de 1,5 metro durante um turno quando voc� usa uma
a��o de rodada completa. Voc� tamb�m pode usar a��es livres durante um turno no
qual voc� usou uma a��o de rodada completa. � A��es M�ltiplas: Executar mais de 1
a��o ou mais que 2 movimentos, o numero de a��es maxima do personagem e igual a
AGILIDADE + DESTREZA dividido por 2. Cada a��o extra executada pelo personagem
consome 5 de STAMINA naquele turno.

Holding a nebulous place somewhere between tribe and pack, lodges honor lesser
aspects of Forsaken society. Lodges can form around auspice or common ethos, but
tribal lodges are common as well. Some focus on one particular aspect of the
tribe�s oath or sacred prey, like the Storm Lords� Lodge of Thunder, whose members
believe that only the mightiest werewolves are worthy of leadership. Others have a
broader purview, like the Iron Masters� Lodge of Wires, whose devotees pledge
themselves to understanding the strange new spirit broods birthed from the
technological revolution. Despite being smaller than tribes, lodges have a wider
social net. A given Blood Talon likely knows (and sees at moots) most of the Suthar
Anzuth in her state, and maybe the states surrounding it, but she probably knows
every member of her lodge on the same continent � and with rise of global
communication, even beyond. As lodge members move around and spread their
teachings, they�re more likely to keep in touch. LODGE OF THE EINHERJAR Between
the secrecy and the danger that come with being a werewolf, it�s no surprise that
entire packs are frequently wiped out in battle. The Blood Talons are never ones to
shrink from a glorious death in combat, but when all the witnesses die alongside
you, who will sing the songs of your Glory? The Lodge of the Einherjar, based in
northern Colorado, devotes itself to uncovering the stories of these �lost packs�
and sharing them with the Forsaken at large. Using a combination of Insight Gifts,
spirit bargains, and good-old fashioned detective work, the Lodge of the Einherjar
hunt down forgotten tales and honor the Glorious dead. The Lodge of the Einherjar
doesn�t restrict its efforts to Blood Talon packs, either. All of the People
deserve to be remembered for their deeds. Even when werewolves of other tribes
don�t fully appreciate the Glory of a final stand, they value the lodge for
bringing them news of their brothers� fates. Of course, sometimes what the
Einherjar uncover isn�t a tale of Glory at all, but one of cowardice or betrayal.
Those stories need to be told as wCr�ditos Autor: Phil Vecchione Editor: Martin
Ralya Diretor de Arte: John Arcadian Designer Gr�fico: Darren Hardy Layout: Darren
Hardy Arte da Capa: Matt Morrow Designer da Capa: Darren Hardy Artistas: Matt
Morrow, Christopher Reach Diagrama��o: Phil Vecchione Organiza��o: Martin Ralya,
Phil Vecchione Revis�o: Robert M. Everson, Daniel Milne Capitalizador: Kurt
Schneider Em mem�ria de Eric Wujcik
Toda a arte � licenciada � 2012 por Engine Publishing, LLC, e tem todos os seus
direitos reservados e s�o usadas sob permiss�o por Pensamento Coletivo Editora �
2015.
Engine Publishing e o logo da Engine Publishing s�o marcas registradas da Engine
Publishing, LLC. O logo da Engine Publishing foi desenvolvido por Darren Hardy.
Pensamento Coletivo e o logo da Pensamento Coletivo s�o marcas registradas da
Pensamento Coletivo Editora.
Gnome Stew, The Game Mastering Blog, e o logo da Gnome Stew s�o marcas registradas
de Martin Ralya.
Agradecimentos especiais � minha Keurig e minha cadeira para �gordos�, que me
apoiaram durante minha escrita. - P.V. Men��o de produtos e servi�os �, �, ou TM
n�o pretendem desafiar a seus direitos, marcas ou seus donos. Todos esses produtos
e servi�os s�o propriedade de seus respectivos donos. Cr�ditos da vers�o nacional
Layout: Filipe G. Cunha Tradu��o: Fernando �del Angeles� Pires Revis�o: Eder
Marques e Filipe G. Cunha Publicado originalmente nos Estados Unidos por Engine
Publishing, LLC em Julho de 2012, e no Brasil pela Pensamento Coletivo Editora em
Abril de 2015.
Vers�o 1.0
enginepublishing.com PO Box 571992 Murray, UT 84157
Dedicat�ria A minha esposa Florence, por me colocar nesse caminho e apoiar todos os
meus jogos e todos os meus empreendimentos ao longo dos anos.
A meus filhos, Dante e Rose: Abracem sua criatividade em tudo que fa�am.
A meu grupo de jogo, que foram os ratos de laborat�rios de todos os retoques e
experimenta��es envolvidos neste processo. - P.V.
2

Sum�rio
Pref�cio . . . . . . . Introdu��o . . . . . . Como usar esse livro
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . .
. . . . .
. 4 . 6 . 8 11 12
Entendendo a prepara��o 1: Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras . . . . . . .
.
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
2: As fases da prepara��o . . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. 18 . 25 . 33 . 44 . 55 . 67 . 76 . 77 . 87 . 98 . 99 114 122 134 136 138 140 140
140 141
3: Brainstorm . . . 4: Sele��o . . . . . 5: Conceitualiza��o 6:
Documenta��o . 7: Revis�o . . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . . Caixa de ferramentas de prepara��o. . . . . . . . . 8: Ferramentas para
prepara��o 9: Dominando seu ciclo criativo Desenvolvendo seu
estilo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . 10: Seus modelos pessoais de prepara��o 11: A abordagem de
Prepara��o R�pida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2: Prepara��o
no mundo real . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conclus�o . . . . . . . . . .
Refer�ncias e Inspira��o . . Biografia dos Colaboradores Ap�ndices . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1: Avalia��o de Qualidades e
Fraquezas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2: Mapa de Tempo
Livre . . . . . . . . . 3: Mapa de Intensidade da Criatividade .
3

Pref�cio
4

Pref�cio
5

Introdu��o
6

Introdu��o
7

Como usar esse livro


Por que um livro sobre prepara��o de jogos?
8

Como usar esse livro


O resumo
Entendendo a prepara��o
Caixa de ferramentas de prepara��o
9

Desenvolvendo seu estilo


10

Entendendo a prepara��o
Cap�tulo 1: Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras
12

Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras


A meta da prepara��o
13

Cap�tulo 1
14

Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras O que faz uma boa prepara��o
A primeira regra da prepara��o �: N�s n�o falamos sobre a prepara��o
15

Cap�tulo 1
Voc� est� fazendo isso errado
Escrever demais
16

Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras Ferramentas ruins, ou ferramentas com as
quais n�o est� empolgado
N�o compreender seu ciclo criativo e agenda
� hora de fazer as pazes
17

Cap�tulo 2
Cap�tulo 2: As fases da prepara��o
18

As fases da prepara��o
Como isso acontece
As fases

Brainstorm
19

Cap�tulo 2
Sele��o
20 ell, even if some would prefer they stayed silent. LODGE OF THE HUNDRED DAYS
From April to mid-July of 1994, the Rwandan Genocide killed some 800,000 people.
For a hundred days, the forces of the Hutu-majority government slaughtered almost
20% of the nation�s population, and nearly 70% of the Tutsi minority. The killings
were highly organized and planned by the country�s political elite. Many of the
dead were noncombatants, women, and children.
Actions in the physical world ripple into the Shadow, and the Rwandan Genocide
produced evils enough to poison the Hisil a thousand times over. The Lodge of the
Hundred Days works tirelessly to draw that poison from the wound. Its members bind
and destroy the spirits of pain and death and terror that grew fat on the Essence
of atrocity, lay to rest the ghosts of victims and perpetrators alike, and hunt
down stranger, darker things that crawled out of the shadows in the wake of the
genocide. They cleanse the Wounds that formed during the hundred days and reunite
families torn apart by the chaos. Twenty years on, the lodge is making progress,
but much remains to be done. LODGE OF THE HOOK HAND �Let No Sacred Place In Your
Territory Be Violated.� That�s the oath every Hunter in Darkness swears, and the
tribe�s members spend a good deal of their time hunting down violators. The Lodge
of the Hook Hand, which started in rural West Virginia and has spread through much
of the South, sees in that narrative a much, much older story � the kind used to
warn children against talking to strangers or straying from the path. The lodge
finds local legends and folklore, stories of murderous ghosts and psycho killers,
and tweaks the stories to its own ends. With Gifts, rumor-mongering, and the
occasional gruesome kill, lodge members add useful details to the legends: Old Bill
can�t smell you if you hide in the boughs of a pine tree. The Coulee Ridge Cannibal
won�t go back to the cabin where he ate his whole family. That sort of thing.
Naturally, these new details are complete bullshit. What they actually do is give
the Meninna more tools for the hunt. A bunch of kids who think the Coulee Ridge
Cannibal is chasing them know the legend, so they dash for the cabin, where the
pack lies in wait. Thieving magicians carry shards of green glass bottles to
deflect the attention of the Nursery Girl and think themselves safe. Everybody
knows if you don�t leave fresh meat out for Bloody Bones he�ll drag you off to hell
� and so a wounded Uratha can eat. The Hook Hand seeds its legends across the
American South, and the nights get just a little bit darker. Fear is the first tool
of the hunt, after all. LODGE OF THE SHIELD The Iron Masters move among the human
herd, hunting their prey from the cover of anonymity. Is it any surprise, then,
that many gravitate toward law enforcement careers? After all, a badge can get you
into all sorts of places, and the police have access to information databases that
make the hunt a hell of a lot easier. Idealistic Iron Masters even point to
concepts like community policing as a perfect example of honoring their territory
in all things.
Chapter One: Howls in the Night
52It�s strange, because he�s almost forgotten he�s going to drown. He�s still
holding his breath, but the rush of the water by his ears is so steady, it�s almost
hypnotic, the drag of the hand on his foot so unyielding, it�s almost gentle.
There�s a sense of leaving the world behind, the surface, the cares, all that
breathable air. What did he need it for, anyway? Still he holds his breath, and
still he sinks deeper, and as he hears the siren call like whalesong, he�s faintly
aware that his lungs are about to burst. And then� black. Nothing but the deeps and
the end of time. People say still waters run deep. You wouldn�t know. For you, the
waters have never been still, even in their darkest depths. You were always set
apart. Maybe you lived near the water, maybe not. It didn�t matter. The rush of the
tides was always in your veins. And now that you�ve come into your own, you�re both
the force of the waves and the thing they hide, the shadow from the deep that
claims wary and unwary alike. Some other Beasts see you and shiver at the thought
of drowning on dry land. But you�re more than that. You�re not just the choking
power of the depths, not just the pounding waves and the crushing pressure, you�re
the knowledge, too. You�re a link to the drowned history of humanity, to the
knowledge that the oceans have reclaimed. To the sunken temples and lost
continents, to the ugly wreckage and watery graves. People like to forget that the
oceans dominate the planet, that the blood in their veins is just nature�s way of
letting them carry a little of it around so that they can survive in an unnatural
environment. You know better. For you and your family, the Dark Mother was the
Queen of the Deeps. She spawned you somewhere in the dark fathoms. It was only
after millennia that you joined humanity on the surface, and that you learned to
keep the ocean within and the dry husk around it. Your Family is the oldest. Sea
monsters predate everything � humanity, mammals, dinosaurs, even trees. Lives It�s
her freshman year in high school, and some of her friends feel like they�re
drowning. There�s more homework, more people, more of everything that makes life
hard. She only wishes she was drowning. The water�s where she feels alive.
Swim team would help, maybe. But who�s got time? She can�t help lashing out from
time to time, letting her real self rise to the surface. She�s afraid someone will
notice, but sometimes she wants them to. Sometimes she wants people to know that
she�s different and that they should be afraid. The swimming hole is his. Sure, in
the summer, the kids can play there. He allows that. He allows the adults to come
by and throw coins in, making a wish on a whim. But it belongs to him. Only he
knows how deep it really goes. Only he has touched the mind of the thing that
slumbers there. The thing that grants those wishes when it wants to, the thing that
makes everyone regret wanting. It�s the thing that tells him the secrets. Who wants
what. Who wants whom. And those secrets are very lucrative indeed. She likes to
think of herself as a classic. She finds remote beaches, swims out far enough, and
lures someone into the water. Sometimes she pretends to drown, while other times
she just looks alluring. Either way, she lures her prey and shows them the wonders
of the deep� for as long as their lungs will hold. And then she takes whatever they
leave on shore. Waste not, want not. She realized very young what she was. Her
parents never paid her much attention, so constant visits to the sea and long swims
in the deeps never attracted any worry. She always came back for her friend,
though, the girl with the wine-dark hair. When they were children, she hoped her
friend would become like her, would be able to share the wonders of the ocean. But
as they aged, and as friendship turned to love, she realized that her friend didn�t
dream like she had. She feels the call to her Lair, a place of safety and blissful
quiet. Still, she comes back, hoping one day her love will dream of her, and then
she�ll offer her the secrets of the depths. Stories Some South American Makara
trace their lineage not to an ancient mother of monsters, but to a being still
apparently with us today � the yacu-mama. According to these Children, the yacu-
mama is a snake-like Beast over a hundred feet long. She is the mother of all of
the creatures of the water. These Makara include other Beasts among these
creatures, for surely, life arose first in the water. Some Beasts of other Families
dismiss this as fantasy, while many Makara wonder if the Dark Mother might still be
alive in the Amazon. The sea is the ultimate source of life, and Makara are quick
to look for primordial figures there, whether the Dark Mother or some of her other
children. The goddess Ceto rouses particular
31
debate because she�s often cited as the mother of the Gorgons� and if that�s true,
that might be a link between the Makara and the Namtaru that goes beyond their
shared human heritage. Ceto was also a mother of monsters in her own right. Was,
she, perhaps, a mother of intermediate generations of Beasts, responsible for some
of the diversity seen today? To the Makara who care to discuss them, the Maori
Taniwha are particularly contentious. Like many Beasts lost to the mists of
mythology, they�ve been portrayed as both benevolent and evil, as both guardians
and kidnappers. Alleged to have the forms of whales or sharks, they�ve been accused
of kidnapping women to keep as brides under the sea. Earlier generations of Makara
were inclined to gloss over this supernatural human trafficking, while more recent
ones question whether such marriages might be consensual, or whether the Beasts of
the past were substantially grislier than one might have wished. The Japanese
Umibozu may or may not have been a Beast at all. Certainly, its form is exceedingly
monstrous, suggesting an evolution of the Beast beyond what Makara today are
familiar with. If the Umibozu was, as is sometimes suggested, a ghost, what is the
ghost of a Beast? The Horror When a Makara is unleashed in the dreamscape, it
usually brings dreams of drowning and suffocation. A dream might start innocently
enough� a cruise on a little boat, for example. But swiftly, the shore disappears,
and the depths below the boat become frighteningly apparent. There�s water all
around, but instead of openness, it creates the feeling of claustrophobia. The sea
is dark and opaque, yet the dreamer knows there are things below. The abyss seems
endless, and the creatures within of unfathomable size. The Beast might appear
itself, but never in its almost-human guise. Instead, it earns the name Leviathan,
a creature of impossible dimensions and improbable anatomy, of tentacles miles long
with the jaws of some imagined prehistoric horror. Some dreams of the Makara are
almost pleasant, though. The dreamer finds herself near a river, where a handsome
youth sits combing his hair. The dreamer tries to greet the youth, only for him to
pull away, just slightly into the water. She follows and he pulls away again,
leading her with each step into the river. With every step,
the water grows deeper, but the youth�s smile more beguiling. Soon, the dreamer
finds she can�t keep her head above water, that she is gulping it down instead of
lungfuls of air� and that she no longer cares. Lair Makara create Lairs that trap
and hurt � or even kill � victims. They are the most likely Family to have damaging
Lair Traits, combining Traits that confuse or impede movement with harmful Traits.
Suggested Lair Traits: Crosswinds, Currents, Extreme Cold, Extreme Heat, Flooded,
Jagged, Steam, Unstable, Earthquake, Engulfing, Crushing, Suffocating Birthright
Makara can suck the air from a room, impose a feeling of drowning or claustrophobia
on a victim, and make them feel as though they are being dragged down into an
abyss. Once per scene, a Makara can impose a -2 penalty on all Physical actions for
one turn on anyone within (Lair x 10) feet. She can choose not to affect certain
characters with this power. Characters that don�t need to breathe are still
affected; the Birthright only imposes the feeling of drowning, and doesn�t actually
affect airflow. Nickname: Leviathans Atavisms: Alien Allure, Heart of the Ocean,
Monster from the Deep, Siren�s Treacherous Song Stereotypes Vampire: You don�t
drown. My place, then? Werewolf: The sharks of the land, and I mean that in the
best possible way. Mage: Abyss? You�re looking at her. Promethean: You�re drowning
in an ocean of sorrow. Let me drown you someplace nicer. Changeling: You�ve seen
depths I can only imagine. When you�re ready, I�ll listen. Sin-Eater: We�re both
drawn to deep places; perhaps the nightmares we find there are not so different.
Mummy: You�ve forgotten something out there, buried deep in the desert. Something
you fear. I can wash away the sands. Demon: They�ve mistaken depth for dressing in
layers.
FAMILY: MAKARA
32 CHAPTER ONE: AFTER THE DEVOURING
He reminds himself that he didn�t follow her out here for her pretty face. It
wasn�t that kind of lure. No, she promised him what he needed, the only thing that
makes his heart still beat like it was in love. As he turns the corner though,
behind the dumpster, he sees that her face has melted away, that he�s looking at
something from an older and more terrifying world. He screams, but her hand is on
his face, scratching lightly, and the poison burns to work in his veins. Not the
poison he was after, but it will have to do. No one ever tells you that you�re
pretty: at least, not if they know what�s good for them. Beauty�s in the eye of the
beholder and you don�t respect the beholders one bit. You know what you are � a
monster. And you�re glad that everyone can see it, at least a little. Those who
call you ugly miss the point. �Ugly� is just another one of those things in the eye
of the beholder. No, you�re hideous, terrifying to normal people on a level as
atavistic as the heritage that made you a Beast. That hideousness links you back to
the earliest monsters, the ones who didn�t wear human shapes because they didn�t
care. On the hunt, you�re different from the rest of your brood. To them, the chase
is a necessity: the simple fact that if you must hunt, you must pursue. Not for
you. You enjoy the fear. You enjoy knowing that the prey is running because of you,
because you�ve captured its imagination with terror and instinctive hatred. People
tell uncharitable stories about you and the Dark Mother. They call you her shunned
progeny. They say she cursed you for some ancient slight. But once again, they�re
ever so wrong. The Mother of Monsters gifted you with a face to match your
function, a unique �beauty� that goes far more than skin deep. Lives She sculpts
statues of famous people. Even other Beasts think it�s an affectation, a callback
to the Medusa myth so well-known and well-beloved by the Namtaru. Even so, it�s
hard not to notice that the ones she keeps in her studio instead of selling to the
public are twisted in expressions of fear and agony. Truth is, she�s working up her
courage with every hammer of the chisel. It�s not a collection. It�s a hit list. He
takes on the cases no one else will. Stalking. Domestic violence. Every kind of
abuse. When people tell you the system
can�t help you, he comes in. He�s not a vigilante, at least not in the sense of
lurking in alleys and breaking the kneecaps of evil men. He�s a lawyer and he knows
how to channel every last bit of the fear he conjures into protecting his clients.
He is the monster that monsters fear, even as they hide behind the flimsy
protection of the law. She�s the last thing you�ll ever see. Not a murderess, not
an angel of death, but the night shift nurse. They keep her on nights because she
has a habit of upsetting visitors. She�s plainspeaking, rough-voiced. She offers no
comfort where it would be illusory, no word of kindness where it would be forced.
But put her on at night� and, well, some of the problems seem to go away. Whatever
it is that lives in the basement and sucks the life out of patients when they�re
nearing the end� it�s afraid of her. And so, when your time comes naturally, the
last thing you�ll see is her smiling, ugly, rough-hewn, face. He works in a clinic,
the kind where they give free needles to junkies to try and curb the spread of
disease just a little bit, even if they can�t do anything about the spread of
addiction. He doesn�t let anybody push his patients around, either, the skeletal,
odious, half-day nocturnal folks who come here to get their works. He isn�t one of
them, but he looks like he is, and he gets the same stares. When he started at the
clinic, he fed his Horror with the fears of the addicts, thinking to teach them
about the perils of using. He�s learned, though, that they don�t need his lessons.
The people who spit on them do. Stories The Namtaru hold a special place of
reverence for the original Gorgons. You see, Medusa was raped by Poseidon in the
temple of Athena. It was an ugly crime. When Medusa�s sister, Stheno, cried out for
justice, Athena gave the family an ugly blessing: Medusa and her sisters became the
chosen of the Goddess of War, given the power to bring vengeance against the
wicked. The gaze of one of these original Gorgons could freeze a man�s blood in his
veins, even turn him to stone. For centuries, Medusa and her sisters traveled the
ancient world, destroying evils no one else could touch. Medusa had always been too
kindhearted for her own good, however; when the Hero Perseus made her face the
blood on her hands, she died of grief. The Namtaru are known for their fearsome
appearances. More insidious by some standards was the legendary Kishi, who shared
the hideousness of the Family but kept it concealed. The Kishi had the handsome
face of a man and the silver tongue of a devil. He would approach young women in
the sunset, charming them with his pretty face and charming words, only to reveal
his
33
second face � that of a hyena, with jaws that clamped and devoured. Many Namtaru
can identify with hiding behind a false face, but the purely predatory nature of
the Kishi troubles them. Perhaps his actions were more from desperation than
cruelty, however, as times can be very lean for hyenas in the desert. While some
Namtaru wear faces of fear, the Arabic ghul wears any face it pleases. A
shapeshifter most comfortable as a monstrous hyena, it is revolting not for its
face or voice but for its eating habits � it prefers human flesh, a diet few
Namtaru tolerate in the present day. Some Namtaru say the ghul hunts primarily in
the dreamscape, using its Primordial Self as a deception to lure sleepwalkers away
from their camps and homes. The Futakuchi-onna is another monster you might not
want to invite to dinner. She�s a woman with a second fanged maw in the back of her
head, a mouth that mumbles obscenities and horrific advice. Folklore says that this
is a curse that falls on people not given enough to eat. Beasts, however, recognize
this as the awakening of an atavistic heritage, one that might not be so different
from their own. The Horror When the Namtaru is unleashed in the dreams of mortals,
it naturally takes the form of revulsion. A hand put in a desk drawer comes out
covered in biting maggots. A thing with a melted face stalks the dreamer through
the streets of her neighborhood, which have somehow twisted so that they never lead
home. A dreamer might �wake� to find herself paralyzed while the Gorgon hovers over
her and performs obscene operations on her body, the creature itself a presence her
eyes won�t quite focus on. Nightmares like this can seem to last for hours and
leave the dreamer with a lingering sense that her body is no longer quite right
when she wakes. Sometimes, the paralysis and terror even extends into true waking,
leaving the once-dreamer temporarily a captive in her own body. These are not the
only nightmares of revulsion. More insidiously, the Namtaru might cast the dreamer
in its own role, the hideous and hated. The power the Gorgon finds in hideousness
isn�t present here � instead, the dreamer finds herself shunned and hated by her
family, lovers, and most intimate friends. Sometimes this is because of a physical
mark, but more often the dreamer has committed some unknown sin, some crime so
horrible that it cannot be forgiven but which can never truly be known.
Lair Namtaru create Lairs that prevent recovery. Low-level extreme environments
that cause bashing injuries as fast as a human recovers them and settings that
unnerve or stress their victims are common. Suggested Lair Traits: Blizzard,
Extreme Cold, Extreme Heat, Stench, Stinging, Undergrowth, Decayed, Diseased,
Rotting, Toxic Birthright Namtaru are nothing if not revolting. To have the
attention of a Gorgon is to feel discomfited, at best. Once a Namtaru establishes
contact with a character during a scene, via touch, eye contact, or a moment of
conversation, that character�s Composure is considered one lower for all purposes
(acting as a resistance trait, calculating Initiative, as part of a Perception
roll, etc.). This effect lasts for a scene, but can be reestablished in the same
way. The Namtaru can choose not to affect a given character if she wishes.
Nickname: Gorgons Atavisms: Basilisk�s Touch, Infestation, Shadowed Soul,
Unbreakable Stereotypes Vampire: Those night terrors you leave them with, sweat
soaked and crying for their mothers�is that how you dream of me? Let�s find out.
Werewolf: Do you want them to fear you? Or does it just�happen that way? Mage:
Mysteries, you say. The uglier and more horrifying the better? Well, my place or
yours? Promethean: These people who reject you. Why do you let them? Changeling:
You hide your face, too. Sin-Eater: Your dead companion is ugly enough for the both
of you. Mummy: We both keep Lairs, but yours was built for you and I dreamed mine.
What would you choose? Demon: You�re a virus. You infect everyone you touch with
your fears and paranoia. I can�t decide if I should thank you or end you.
FAMILY: NAMTARU
34 CHAPTER ONE: AFTER THE DEVOURING
Stay with the car. That�s what they always tell you, stay with the car. Don�t set
out across the desert by your lonesome. Don�t risk the scorching days and the
freezing nights and the endless thirst tromping somewhere you might never be found.
She didn�t listen, though. She didn�t even remember. She just had to get as far
away from that wreck as she could, because she couldn�t bear to see who she�d just
lost to it. She�s been aware of the shape overhead for hours now. It�s been
watching her. It�s not a natural thing, not part of the experience of a college
student driving south for spring break. But it�s there, and she knows it�s waiting.
Finally, as the sun dips below the horizon, she lies down and lets it take her. You
ever notice how people keep their eyes on the ground in the city? More fool them.
The sky only looks empty. It belongs to you and your kind, a hunting ground that
you share with no other sapient predator. At a moment�s notice, you could plummet
from above and snatch any one of those poor bastards off the street. They really
should look up. When people dream of being naked, being exposed, being unprepared
or without the tools and skills that usually make them competent, they are simply
dreaming a more refined version of your Nightmare. In its purest form, the dreamer
is on a flat expanse with no cover to hide beneath, waiting for the Raptor�s claws.
On the hunt, you once again see the world differently from everyone else. Other
Beasts try to corner their prey, chasing them down blind alleys or following them
relentlessly until they can run no more. But you, you�re death from the skies. It
doesn�t matter to you what the terrain looks like from the ground, all that matters
is that there�s a path between up and down. Whoever else her children may have
been, you know the Dark Mother as Mama Crow. She was a creature of the skies, like
you, in the hot, sticky nights of the first cities. Her paramours were other Beasts
of the air. Some of your friends say they were angels, but any angel whose blood
runs in your veins had good reason to say �be not afraid.� Lives He has an
apartment on the third floor, but you�ll never find him there. Instead, he�s always
up on the roof, with his birds. He has friends � human friends � who raise pigeons.
It�s an eccentric hobby that reaches across lines of race and class,
but even among this select few, he�s a little strange. He raises crows, not
pigeons�yet they�re docile and come home to him at night. In his community, they
call him Papa Crow. He accepts that in tribute to the Dark Mother. To him, what
glitters is gold. Or diamonds. Rubies even. He doesn�t care. What matters is that
the objects are precious, not so much to him as to the people he takes them from.
He�s a second-story man, or perhaps 22nd-story man, using his natural gifts to
steal from those who would keep treasure for themselves. He watches his prey
carefully, since he only steals what cannot be replaced. He rolls his eyes when
they talk about chemtrails. He�s a cropsprayer by trade and he doesn�t like the
anti-science bullshit spouted by fringe elements. He particularly doesn�t like the
black marks it puts on small aviators, the ones who make modern agriculture
possible. He�s never been able to master flying under his own power, so he needs
that little plane to get up where he belongs. And he needs money to keep flying. So
when those tick-tock men come with their mysterious �fertilizer� and cryptic
instructions, he takes the payload and he takes the cash. But still, he rolls his
eyes. She thinks of herself as dead. She almost was, fading out in a hospital,
before she found her heritage. She calls it her �second wind.� To her, her flights
above the city are as a ghost, a non-person, an entity always apart from the crowds
and the forced intimacy of humanity. She gets lonely. So sometimes she�ll take
someone. A child, an old woman, a pretty man, and keep them in her aerie for a
while, just long enough for them to start to come around to keeping her company.
And then she returns them to their lives, right where they left off, because it�s
not for ghosts to hang on forever. Stories When the goddess Inanna killed her lover
Tammuz and her handmaiden Lilith in a jealous rage, they vanished away into the
underworld. There, Lilith drank the blood of predators and became one of the
screech-owls, the guardians of the boundaries between life and death. Inanna, in
her guilt, bargained with the Owls to release Lilith into the land of the living,
but in so doing, bound her to the night, never to see the day again. According to
some Ugallu, by the blood of the Owls, Lilith and her children are kin to the
Beasts. The Cherokee once told tales of the Raven Mockers. These shapeshifters took
the form of elderly men and women and hunted their victims to exhaustion on wings
of fire. They let out cries like ravens, but always with an uncanny timbre that
struck terror into the heart of their prey. When the victim finally dropped to the
ground in exhaustion, the Mocker would descend and open the
35
victim�s chest to consume his heart. With the heart eaten, the Mocker would gain a
year of life for every year the prey would have lived. Ugallu say that unknown to
humanity, there were only ever two Raven Mockers, a man and a woman. Exiled for
their atavistic traits and unable to have children together, choosing the slain was
the only way for them to preserve their heritage. The Simurgh has a special place
in Ugallu thought as one of the few Beasts of legend known for its mercy. The young
prince Zal was revealed as a Beast as a child and left to die in the wilderness.
The Simurgh took him in and taught him the ways of magic. Returning to the world of
humanity, Zal was greeted as a savior, performing great works of medicine and even
saving his wife�s life during childbirth. The son, however, became a Hero; while he
spared his father, his own child was not so lucky. On the opposite end of the
spectrum, many of the Ugallu like to claim the Phoenix as one of their own. It�s an
almost universally positive icon, being long-lived and beautiful, and even
possessing a dubious sort of immortality. (It�s arguable how immortal you are when
you have destroy your previous identity first � but then again, that�s something
some Beasts can relate to.) But the more cynical Ugallu like to raise a point of
order. For all the positivity of the myth of the Phoenix, no one�s ever quite
recorded what it ate. The Horror The nightmares of the Ugallu are nightmares of
exposure. The Raptors place the dreamer in a nightmare world without clothes or
food. The dreamer can�t even find shelter � especially not shelter from the skies.
To be in the nightmare of an Ugallu is to be completely vulnerable while something
terrible and unnatural circles overhead, never glimpsed directly, seen only by its
horrible shadow on the ground. At any moment, the creature could swoop down and
carry the dreamer away into some yet more terrifying place. It is not a mercy that
this place is never seen, for the fear of it stalks the prey�s every dreaming
moment. Everyone�s dreamed about finding themselves at school or work without
clothing, or unprepared for a test. But in those dreams, the dreamer is often the
only one aware of their exposure. Not so in the nightmares of the Ugallu. In a
Raptor�s dream, everyone is watching. Nothing hides from the gaze of the predator
and no matter where the dreamer flees, they�ll always find someone to catch them at
their most vulnerable � or something, such as a murder of crows or a wall of eyes.
Lair Ugallu create lairs that remove victims� capabilities, leaving them exposed
and vulnerable for the Primordial Self. Most Ugallu Lairs feature stark landscapes
that deny the Beast�s prey any shelter or hiding place. Suggested Lair Traits:
Crosswinds, Icy, Stinging, Thin Air, Thunderous, Exposed, Mirages, Hurricane
Birthright The Ugallu can pierce fa�ades with a glance, leaving their prey exposed
or at the mercy of the world. With a moment of concentration, a Raptor can uncover
something hidden; a lurking assassin, a cowering victim, a valuable object. This
does not require a roll or an expenditure, but the Raptor must actively search for
the hidden target. If the target is hidden with a supernatural effect, the player
must expend a point of Satiety, and the effort may provoke a Clash of Wills (p.
222) at the Storyteller�s discretion. Nickname: Raptors Atavisms: Eye of Heaven,
Needs Must, Storm-Lashed, Wings of the Raptor Stereotypes Vampire: I�ll blot out
the sun with my wings for you. Werewolf: You take the ground, I�ll take the sky. By
morning, it�s all ours. Mage: Icarus� mistake wasn�t flying. It was flying badly.
Promethean: If it�s any comfort, from up there you look the same as any of them.
Changeling: I�ll see them coming before you do. Make a deal with me. Sin-Eater: I
admit, your Underworld makes me uncomfortable. It�s so close in there. Mummy:
Everything about you is a tapestry. I can�t wait to unravel it. Then you can see
how it was made! Demon: Didn�t fall far enough, apparently.
FAMILY: UGALLU
36 CHAPTER ONE: AFTER THE DEVOURING
It�s too late. I�ve won. I own you now, and you are going to do exactly what I say.
Some monsters live to make mighty warriors feel like mere infants, alone and scared
in the dark, trying desperately to stand against something stronger and more
cunning than they. In ancient times, such Beasts were worshiped as gods. Child and
champion alike fell to their knees in awe at the mere sight of such a magnificent,
terrible creature. Not every Beast would thrive under such attention, but for the
Tyrants, the best part about being on top is looking down at all the people they
crushed to get there. Tyrants are Beasts who crave power, feeding off the act of
besting someone and proving their own superiority. They bask in the fear, respect,
and trembling worship of those beneath them, whether standing at the top of the
pyramid or controlling things from the shadows while their subjects tremble at the
thought of their unseen king. A Beast is always more than merely human; a Tyrant
thrills in reminding those below him just how powerless tiny mortals really are
against the stuff of nightmares. Should a Tyrant fail to find proper subjects
during his waking hours, his Horror stalks through the dreamscape and brings them
subjugation while they slumber. On the Hunt A Tyrant hunts in as many ways as there
are people to master. A literal hunt provides the quickest route towards satisfying
the Hunger for Power on short notice. Finding some drunken thug in a bar and
pinning him against a brick wall in the back alley while forcing him to beg for his
life is usually enough to satisfy a Tyrant�s immediate cravings, but many consider
this a inelegant approach to feeding. Not all of those who hunger for Power are so
straightforward. If a Tyrant considers himself above such brutish displays, he�ll
find other sources for what he needs. A corporate Tyrant might feed by
orchestrating his own promotion over that of a hated colleague, delighting as he
forces his former equal to polish the nameplate on the door of the Beast�s new
corner office. A Tyrant lawyer could find herself working in criminal law, feeding
from those moments where the opposing attorney realizes he�s lost the case against
her superior skill, regardless of whether the accused is guilty or innocent. An
elderly Tyrant might rule
her local homeowners association with an iron fist, making all her neighbors live
in fear of her visits. The Lessons A Tyrant teaches people their limits. The modern
narrative in many places is that people can be whatever they set out to be, but
that�s simplistic and na�ve. Some people�s bodies are weak; that�s not a moral
failing, but it does prevent them from feats of physical strength. A beneficent
Tyrant can show people alternate ways to achieve their goals or goad them into
pushing past their weakness. A more vicious Tyrant might teach through despair,
terror, and even shame � you are not strong enough to best the dangers of the world
alone. The Families Anakim are well suited to the Hunger for Power, since they make
people feel inferior by nature. They often like to get up close and personal with
their victims, holding someone down and watching from mere inches away as the fight
leaves his eyes when he realizes he�s been beaten. A Giant Tyrant�s Horror often
takes the form of a literal monstrous tyrant: a hulking cyclops wearing a crown
crafted from human bones and sinew, or an ogre queen who turns the swords of her
victims into twisted knots left strewn about her Lair. Jo doesn�t tower over her
prey � she�s short, but she�s all muscle. She enjoys letting other people challenge
her, especially men. The challenge isn�t always or even usually physical. Sometimes
they try to test her knowledge on topics they think she shouldn�t understand, or
try to explain things to her that it�s obvious she knows. She destroys them; she
knows what they know and she pokes holes in their beliefs and their facts, showing
them sides of the topic they never considered. Secretly, though, she relishes the
rare times when a man gets so mad he tries to touch her, because then she can beat
him in a way that leaves no room for argument. Eshmaki Tyrants enjoy the process of
the hunt nearly as much as they enjoy its spoils. They can be playful with their
victims, affecting belief in concepts like �fair play� and �sporting chance.� This
makes them no less brutal while feeding; they take power from their victims just as
surely as any other Tyrant, but the Nightmares of Darkness do seem to an enjoy a
labyrinthine hunt. An Eshmaki Tyrant�s Soul hunts from the shadows, its form never
fully seen; the glimpses that his victims catch reveal
37
something very nearly human�but not quite. Reynold is a health inspector for the
city. Most of the time, he does his job without complaint, but sometimes he finds
the places where horrible things have happened and left�stains. Then he finds those
responsible, and he makes them clean up their mess. Human offenders are simple.
Supernatural ones�they take a different kind of approach. Reynold doesn�t mind the
work; he doesn�t judge others for making the mess, just for leaving the stains
behind. Makara Tyrants enforce their rule with the very Lairs in which they dwell:
as masters of the depths, they have an entire sea of nightmares at their back when
they hunt. The victim of such a Tyrant may not even recognize an intelligent force
behind his misery when the world starts to work against him, only to find out at
the last minute that a keen and malevolent mind has plotted to take him out of his
element and into hers. The Makara Tyrant�s Horror rules her nightmarish oceans with
the same subtle menace, forcefully reminding her victims of how powerless they are
in the Beast�s waters. Ari drives a cab. He goes to the parts of the city that the
other cabbies won�t. He knows every bit of the city � the poor neighborhoods where
everyone looks out for each other and the rich neighborhoods where everyone�s a
stranger. When he feels his Hunger, he picks someone up and drops him in a place
the person�s never seen before, a place where just walking down the street will get
him arrested or jumped. He never lets anyone die. He just wants each little fish to
know how far from its home pond it has strayed. Many Namtaru Tyrant Horrors
resemble insects: a queen bee with mandibles that drip venom or a cloud of vermin
surrounding the
unseen master of their swarm. They may be vile, but they are also impossible to
ignore. A Gorgon who Hungers for Power must take extra care when choosing her
victims, finding people who experience the awe and humility they should, even when
bested by some hideous crawling thing. No one wants to get sent to the principal�s
office, but especially not with Ms. Blaise there. Ms. Blaise is the assistant
principal, but the real principal is just as scared of her as the kids. She has a
pet scorpion in a tank on her desk. She always feeds it when she�s talking to a kid
in trouble. Sometimes kids cry, sometimes they mumble apologies, but no one gets
sent to Ms. Blaise twice. The Ugallu already embody the nightmare of being watched;
their nature combines with the Hunger for Power to create a particularly effective
sort of Tyrant. Ugallu Tyrants becomes adept at mastering the panopticon,
convincing victims that their master always has a hundred sleepless eyes watching
their every move. Such Beasts are content to feed on their victim�s powerlessness
from afar, knowing they could swoop down at any moment and make their superiority
completely clear. An Ugallu Tyrant�s Soul often appears impressive in his own
right, a fearsome golden dragon or a giant eagle crowned in flames, but it�s the
creature�s perch atop their tall and impenetrable Lair that truly makes them worthy
of reverence and fear. Dave worked his way up. He started out delivering packages,
but then he got promoted to supervisor, went to school, got his MBA, and now he�s
got a corner office. But he�s got his sights set higher � he wants top floor. He
wants to look down at the whole city. He�s patient, though. He figures there are
about six more positions between his and the big boss, and he wants to have them
all. It�s not having the top floor that will make him happy. It�s taking it.
HUNGER: TYRANTS
38 CHAPTER ONE: AFTER THE DEVOURING
I wanted it more than he did. That makes it mine. The image of the dragon perched
upon her hoard of precious gems and gold has been written into stories for
thousands of years. Kingdoms have fallen trying to appease such Beasts with an
endless train of gifts, only to have her sights turn to their grand castles and
priceless crown jewels once everything else is gone. Even hundreds of years after
all survivors have fled her domain, the stories of legendary riches and their
fearsome guardian spread far and wide on desperate, greedy whispers, keeping a
Collector well fed for centuries to come. Whether a Collector gathers diamonds, or
gold, or priceless antiques, all of these are mere vessels for something far more
important: the worth that humans place upon things. Her greed is a reflection of
the greed of humankind, craving only those things that are already jealously
guarded by others. Nothing is quite so satisfying to a Collector as having
something that someone else wants, then watching as he scrapes and crawls and fails
to take it back. On the Hunt Though every Collector hungers for physical things,
hoards vary drastically from Beast to Beast. What they all share is that a
Collector�s hoard always holds great worth to someone other than the Beast herself,
enough that someone would be willing to risk life and limb to claim it. Gold and
precious gems are common, of course, but plenty of Collectors have found other
objects of worth. An academic Collector might prize rare books above all else,
neatly putting them away in his personal library where no one else can reach the
precious knowledge found within. Another Collector works as the principal of a high
school, confiscating little things that may mean nothing to anyone but a student
that�s broken one of her rules. Whatever the Hoard�s nature, Collectors satisfy
their Hunger by acquiring new objects. Even for a very rich Collector, this is
never as simple as going out to a store and buying a new diamond necklace. That�s
not acquiring something new, it�s merely trading one thing of value for another.
Many Collectors become thieves, planning elaborate heists to satisfy their Hunger.
Others work themselves into positions of power where they can steal from their
subordinates without giving them a chance to fight back. Still others prefer to
seek out wealth lost
for centuries, delving into ancient and forgotten places to claim old treasures as
their own. The Lessons The Collector teaches her victims that nothing is forever.
Objects, relationships, memories � all of it fades and disappears into time. A
Collector forces a target to choose between something he is fond of and something
he truly loves � what is the target willing to die to protect? What is he willing
to kill to protect? If you truly own nothing but what you can carry at a dead run,
the Collector forces her target to choose what to pick up before the running even
starts. Some Collectors let it go at that. Cruel Beasts chase down the target and
take his prize anyway. The Families An Anakim Collector hoards objects that stand
as a testament to his own strength: perhaps the weapons and armor worn by those who
have failed to defeat him, or personal mementos of great sentimental value pried
away from fallen foes. While his Lair is likely covered with odd scraps of such
riches, his most valuable pieces are worn directly on the monstrous body of the
Collector�s Soul, forcing any who would dare take them to face the Giant head on.
Zmei is a burglar�of a sort. He doesn�t creep in quietly or slip through windows.
He walks in, takes what he wants (he�s partial to silver), and leaves. If the
homeowner wants to try and stop them, they�re free to do so. If they can stop him,
Zmei feels, they deserve to keep their belongings. Eshmaki who Hunger for the Hoard
often focus on the owner, not the goods. They follow a target, letting their
presence be known just enough to cause the target to grip something a little
tighter in fear. What do they grip? A ring? A book? A wallet? That�s what the
Lurker wants to take. Some Eshmaki have more specific tastes, of course, but they
usually try and find objects that are, if not financially valuable, at least well-
guarded. Rose collects teeth. She�ll take them from a victim�s mouth, if she needs
to, but that�s messy and difficult. She�d rather take them from people � a lot of
parents keep their children�s baby teeth, at least for a while. She�s taken them
from the dead, too, and sometimes she breaks into dentists� offices. The shape of
human teeth fascinates her. Hers, after all, feel so sharp. She wonders if a
vampire�s teeth might feel more like hers, but she
39
likes most of the vampires she�s met too much to rip their fangs out. Most of them.
Makara Collectors have a knack for locating long-lost things of value, from ancient
relics to knowledge that�s been forgotten through the centuries. They are
invaluable assets to a brood that has decided to try and learn the secrets of their
world, being both capable and highly motivated to find the things they�re seeking.
Things get more complicated when the brood successfully finds something of great
worth; caught between his bonds of Kinship and his desire to hoard away every
valuable scrap, a Makara Collector faces a dilemma with every victory. Yin found a
little hollow just off the coast. She swims out there once a day with a plastic
bag. She always has something in the bag, something metal and heavy, and she always
comes back to the beach without it. Once, someone from her neighborhood decided to
grab the bag and peek in, but no one�s sure what happened after that because a
storm blew up out of nowhere. Next time anyone saw Yin, she was walking into the
water with two bags. The hoard of a Namtaru Collector is exquisitely terrifying. On
the surface it is filled with beautiful things: masterful paintings, finely wrought
jewelry, and elegant robes made from only the most luxurious materials. Look
closer, though, and it becomes impossible to miss the signs of the Nightmare of
Revulsion who owns them: the stench in the air, the mud on the ground, the creeping
trails of insects crawling over and around every glittering masterpiece.
Many Collectors hide their riches away from the world. Not Nigel. He takes
(�acquires,� if anyone asks) heirlooms, antique clothing, items of historical
significance, and then he defiles them. He smears the handstitched clothing with
blood or shit, he carves deep, uneven furrows in the furniture, and he puts it all
on display by the side of the road, under a banner that reads �SIC TRANSIT GLORIA
MUNDI.� Some of the most iconic Collectors in legend have been Ugallu, vast winged
dragons who perch in high places and look down upon the world from their glittering
hoards. They have also been amongst the most successful, littering the ground
beneath their lairs with the corpses of would-be thieves who have fallen to their
deaths. Ugallu Collectors gravitate toward objects that are inaccessible or
shameful. The murder weapon thrown into the river, the breakup letter crumpled and
thrown from a car, the diary of crimes and secrets locked up in a safe � all
Raptors can find what is hidden, but the Collectors feed their Horrors with these
things. Anya owns an apple orchard. Each tree has a ribbon tied around the top.
Some of them are red, some are yellow, some are green, and most people who visit
the orchard and buy her apples assume the ribbons correspond to the specific type
of apple the tree bears. But that isn�t it. Anya goes out into the orchard at night
and checks the ribbons, reminiscing about the day each tree was planted. The
ribbons don�t match the apples. They remind Anya what she buried when she planted
the tree. Red for something stained with blood, yellow for something stolen, green
for something never touched or tasted.
HUNGER: COLLECTORS
40 CHAPTER ONE: AFTER THE DEVOURING
Oh, you precious little thing. Why, I could just eat you up. Humans think that
they�re on top of the food chain, preying on animals that are bigger and stronger
than they are. Some part of them, though, remembers a time before they were the
ultimate hunters and knows yet more fearsome creatures see them nothing more than
the next meal. Predators remind the world�s self-declared alphas that when you
catch one of them alone at night, they�re nothing more than helpless, hairless
monkeys. Some Predators are subtle, lurking and waiting in the shadows until their
victims get close, while others prefer to chase their prey openly at a dead run
until their victims collapse. Still others use their beauty and charm to lure
victims away from the herd, all sweet songs and handsome smiles until it�s too late
for their prey to escape. Predators have the most primal and basic of Hungers: the
desire to hunt. The Hunger for Prey differs from the Hungers for Power or the Hoard
in that the victim must lose something intrinsic and personal. The Beast sates its
Hunger in the taking, not the keeping. On the Hunt Of all the Hungers, the Hunger
for Prey is perhaps the simplest. Predators do not need complex emotional states
from their victims; they don�t feed through nuanced tricks or metaphors. A Predator
hunts her prey by whatever means necessary and feeds on the results of her
predation. Some Predators are lucky, in that their Horrors can be satisfied with a
sort of catch-and-release. The prey doesn�t need to die so long as the Beast can
take some sign or trophy to show that she has completed her purpose as a hunter of
humankind. A Predator might spend a night chasing a victim down the dark alleys of
his city, let him �escape,� and then take a lock of her victim�s hair after
sneaking into his apartment while he sleeps. She might simply feed off the utter
terror in her victim�s eyes when the Beast has him pinned to the ground with a
knife to his throat. The Beast doesn�t need to kill the victim, but he needs to
have been able to do so. The victim needs to be at the Beast�s mercy. Unlike the
Hunger for Power, though, the victim doesn�t need to know it.
The Lessons Predators teach a simple lesson: mortality. Unlike the Tyrant, who
might show a victim that the climb is unsafe but manageable with the right
preparation, the Predator shows the monsters waiting at the summit. Some Predators
enforce humanity�s ignorance of the supernatural: stay out of the shadow, for only
misery waits within. They might do this by offering the victim a glimpse of the
truth and then letting him run, or by offering him up as an example and warning to
others. Predators also might teach lessons about trust; humans want to trust each
other, and they tend to believe what they are told if they are told earnestly. A
Beast who Hungers for Prey might expose this folly. The Families Anakim Predators
are towering monsters that make even the bravest humans feel puny. They are the
most inclined to hunt in the open, rampaging through the world with little thought
to who sees them or what damage they do as they run down their prey. An Anakim
Predator�s Horror might be a hulking reptilian monster like something from another
age, or a towering giant who grinds the bones of men to make his bread. Such
impossibly huge carnivores should find humans too small to be worthy of their
attention, but instead they eat them anyway. Darius took his name and his hunting
style from a werewolf he met once. He chases down his prey and breaks a bone �
finger, arm, leg, neck, doesn�t matter, as long as he can hear the crack. He
inflicts pain and fear in his prey and leaves behind a crippled, anguished
person�or sometimes just a corpse, depending on how loudly his Horror howls.
Eshmaki are nightmares of stalking, killing creatures; their Horrors demand the
nourishment appropriate to such a visceral nature. They don�t always kill, but some
kind of mark � a small cut, a bruise � is necessary to bring home the lesson.
Eshmaki Predators are often fairly subtle about the hunt itself, keeping hidden
until the last possible moment and then taking care to hide all possible traces of
the struggle at its end. Father Landon was a priest before the Devouring. He still
believes, but when he prays, he prays to the Dark Mother. He talks with other men
of the cloth, tempting them to break their vows and sin, and then watching as they
run to other priests to give confession. At times he exposes their crimes and
watches as the church either protects its own or makes examples. Father
41
Landon doesn�t really care about the punishment (though his broodmate sometimes
takes an interest) � he hunts transgression. Makara Predators plan out elaborate
tricks and traps to make their prey come to them. This may mean physical obstacles,
but just as many use more pleasant bait to get their victims out into the water.
Beautiful Makara have been luring sailors to watery graves for thousands of years
with little more than a perch on a tiny island and an alluring song. Modern Beasts
know that the classic tricks are classic for a reason. If a Makara Predator�s human
body cannot match the true aquatic terror of her bestial form, she�ll find
supernatural or technological means of enhancing her abilities for the hunt. The
Horrors of Makara Predators often resemble aquatic creatures made monstrous: deep-
sea hunters from another age brought back with extra fangs and tendrils to tear
apart their drowning prey. Brianna came to her Family early. Now in middle school,
she spends summers with her brood, traveling the coastlines. She visits beaches,
swims out too far, and waits for some poor soul to come and try to save her. Some
Predators feed on flesh and blood. Brianna feeds on altruism. She doesn�t drown her
would-be saviors � what kind of lesson would that teach? � she just dives deep and
swims away, letting them either keep looking or swim back to land thinking that she
drowned. Hunting with a Namtaru Predator can be rather disconcerting. She works
with a strange alien efficiency when set into a group and given a task, growing
even more unnerving when the task is a violent one. A Namtaru Predator�s Hunger
might require her to taste the blood from a dozen separate tiny cuts from her
victims, or feel all a victim�s ribs
break, one by one, under her hands. Of course, not all Gorgons are so vicious. Some
bite, but do not draw blood. Some kiss the sweat from their victims� brows. Some
leave a single sting, something that itches and aches but causes no last harm.
Vanessa likes blood. Her forearms cause deep gouges, as though they had serrated
blades, and anyone caught in her embrace will bleed. Vanessa doesn�t necessarily
drink the blood � she�s been known to, but just feeling it running down her body is
enough. Her favorite �bleeders� are the disinterested, the people who are aloof and
disdainful of their fellow humans. In her embrace, she knows they feel; if they
survive, they are grateful for every moment they have. Everyone wins. Ugallu
Predators are patient, or as patient as a hungry Beast can ever be. They are long-
term planners when they hunt, picking out their next meal long before they actually
feel the urge to feed again. Once an Ugallu Predator has found a target, he can
plan out a safe and efficient hunt that will be easy to implement whenever it
becomes required. Their Horrors are often slower, slinking creatures that perch in
wait for days on end, waiting until their Hunger strikes them. When they do descend
on silent wings, the results of their predation are swift, brutal, and efficient.
John Dawson owns the big, big house in the south end of town. The house has many
rooms and a high, slanted roof. John steals people, takes them away to his house,
and keeps them there long enough for their families to grow desperate. He waits
until someone accuses someone else, until the dirty laundry comes out and the grief
and fear breaks someone�and then he releases his prisoner, hungry but unharmed.
Most of the families repair themselves. John prides himself on being the one to
help them clear the air.
HUNGER
The Lodge of the Shield serves as a support network for Uratha serving in law-
enforcement. Originally it was just an informal �old-boys� network� for the dozen
or so Iron Masters in the LAPD back in the �50s, but it�s since spread to other
local, state, and even federal agencies. Need to explain to your captain why you
abandoned your patrol to go put down a Ridden killer? One of your brother officers
will cover for you. Need backup that won�t question your �unorthodox tactics� like
growling at a door till it opens? As long as you agree not to ask questions about
that non-regulation knife with the bizarre runes Detective Kowalski carries, he�ll
back your play. Technically the lodge is open to werewolves of any tribe, but so
far almost its entire membership are Red Wolf�s children. Since the late �80s, the
lodge�s Wolf-Blooded membership has actually outnumbered its Uratha contingent, and
the Lodge of the Shield is notable for the fact that Wolf-Blooded are permitted to
hold positions outranking werewolf members. LODGE OF THE ROMAN RITUAL Ever since
that movie came out back in the �70s, �exorcism� has been a pop-culture buzzword.
The Storm Lords of the Lodge of the Roman Ritual pass themselves off as inheritors
of an ancient tradition, but the truth is they were just as inspired by Max Von
Sydow as anybody else. Using
a blend of Catholic ritual and Uratha animism, they �hunt� their sacred prey not by
tearing them limb from limb but by forcibly extracting the spirits from their
victims� souls. Members of the lodge are all priests of the Roman Catholic Church
and all are authorized to perform exorcisms. They operate out of dioceses around
the world, but the heart of the organization is Rome. Lay brethren (as the lodge
calls its Wolf-Blooded members) also operate hospices where they treat the physical
and spiritual scars all too often left in the aftermath of possession. In most of
the world where the Church has a presence, odds are at least one Storm Lord has a
number she can call, and a lodge member will be there within a few days. The phone
doesn�t ring all that often � too many Storm Lords see calling for help as a
violation of their tribal oath � but when the prey is your son, your brother, or
your best friend, that call can be mighty tempting. THE EATERS OF THE DEAD Not all
Ghost Wolves are ignorant wretches, fearful of their natures and hiding behind
their human faces. Some simply seek a different truth than those offered by the
tribes of the Moon. The Eaters of the Dead � Ki Anagh � are such wolves. Their
leader, a Mongolian Rahu named Dorj Tserendjav, believes
Lodges
53Como Usar Este Livro Sangue e Fuma�a: A Cr�nica da Estirge � uma releitura do
jogo de contar hist�rias Vampiro: O R�quiem. Dentro, voc� encontrar� um jogo
completo, desde os conceitos b�sicos do mundo dos mortos para descrever as cidades-
estados dos vampiros ao redor do mundo. Voc� tamb�m vai encontrar regras completas
para jogar como um Membro, os vampiros que habitam o Mundo das Trevas. E voc� vai
saber mais sobre as Estirges. As Estirges s�o sombras famintas de sangue que
corrompem e escravizam os mortos. Eles s�o assustadores, uma amea�a alien�gena que
� capaz de destruir os vampiros e suas sociedades, tanto por dentro quanto por
fora. �s vezes, elas derrubam um domin� e assistem todos os outros ca�rem... �s
vezes elas simplesmente varrem todos os domin�s para fora da mesa, como uma crian�a
raivosa. A Fam�lia s�o os vampiros sensuais da cultura pop, criaturas de gra�a e
selvageria, a lux�ria e medo. As Estirges s�o os vampiros sangrentos do folclore,
cad�veres endemoninhados desesperadamente ciumentos dos vivos e dos Condenados
igualmente. Ao longo da hist�ria, como a Fam�lia canta seus R�quiens e movem sua
Danse Macabre, as Estirges t�m assombrado eles, atormentando-os, e at� mesmo os
possuindo. Cap�tulos Cap�tulo 1: Quem n�s somos esta noite apresenta os cinco cl�s
da Fam�lia, as linhagens de vampiros que espreitam nas sombras entre os postes.
Revela, tamb�m, as coaliz�es, as sociedades secretas de monstros que conspiram para
o conhecimento, poder e at� mesmo a salva��o. Cap�tulo 2: A Sociedade Noturna puxa
a cortina sobre um mundo justamente atr�s do nosso. Aqui n�s aprendemos o que � ser
um vampiro. Como voc� sobrevive, como se alimenta, e acima de tudo como voc� mente.
Aprendemos sobre a sociedade da Fam�lia: as gra�as que eles colocam para mascarar
as Feras que os espreitam internamente.
7Introdu��o

.
Cap�tulo 3: As Leis dos Mortos fornece regras para criar e interpretar personagens
da Fam�lia. N�s revelamos as propriedades de seu sangue, os poderes sob seu
comando, e as ru�nas que podem lev�-los ao ch�o. Aprendemos como cada vampiro luta
para ficar com seu bem mais precioso: a sua humanidade. Cap�tulo 4: Regras da Noite
descreve o sistema Storytelling, o motor que Vampiro usa para conduzir e resolver
sua a��o. Desde investiga��es em cenas de crime at� espancar um homem at� a morte,
as regras est�o aqui. Cap�tulo 5: O Parlamento das Corujas escava na tradi��o das
Estirges. Detalhamos os seus poderes e fraquezas, os estranhos ciclos de suas n�o-
vidas. N�s apresentamos um grande n�mero de exemplos de Estirge para servir como
antagonistas e catalisadores em suas hist�rias, assim como ferramentas completas
para construir o seu pr�prio. Cap�tulo 6: O Mundo Onde N�s Morremos visita dom�nios
da Fam�lia em todo o mundo. Qual religi�o secreta
governa a Miss�o na Calif�rnia? Quem s�o os meio-fantasmas aceitos como um cl� no
Raleigh? Que novas coaliz�es subiram em T�quio? Cap�tulo 7: Storytelling aborda as
porcas e parafusos que executam um jogo de Vampiro. Discutimos como usar tra�os de
car�ter para conduzir a hist�ria adiante, e apresentar um conjunto de medidas para
enriquecer coadjuvantes e agendas conflitantes para suas hist�rias. Ap�ndice 1: Os
Vivos d� diretrizes para personagens mortais em um jogo de Vampiro. Tamb�m as
regras atuais e in�meros ganchos para ghuls, os companheiros de meio Amaldi�oado
dos vampiros. Ap�ndice 2: Condi��es fornece uma refer�ncia conveniente para os
efeitos prolongados de poderes sobrenaturais e outras regras. Uma Introdu��o aos
Jogos de Storytelling As possibilidades s�o voc� sabe o que � um jogo de narrativa
- ou RPG. Mas, assim como os vampiros, adoramos conhecer novas pessoas. Ent�o, se
voc� � novo aqui, vamos falar sobre o b�sico. Em Vampiro, voc� interpreta hist�rias
seguindo um elenco principal de personagens como eles fazem seu caminho no Mundo
das Trevas, um reflexo distorcido do nosso mundo cotidiano. � muito parecido com um
drama de TV, algo como Veronica Mars ou Breaking Bad. As sess�es individuais de
jogo, geralmente durando entre duas a quatro horas, s�o como os epis�dios semanais.
Segredos ser�o revelados, os relacionamentos ser�o testados, e sangue ser�
derramado. Cerca de 2-5 jogadores assumem um membro do elenco. Voc� vai tomar
decis�es para o seu personagem - quando sua melhor amiga a trai, voc� vai tra�ar
seu plano de vingan�a. Quando outro vampiro escolhe uma luta, voc� vai decidir se
ela corre, negocia, ou desencadeia seus terr�veis poderes. Talvez o mais
importante, voc� vai contar a hist�ria de seu relacionamento cont�nuo com a vida
humana, que ela foi arrastada para longe. Um jogador, o Narrador, � respons�vel por
interpretar os personagens que n�o pertencem a jogadores espec�ficos, e apresentar
situa��es ficcionais que desafiam personagens dos outros jogadores. Pense nisso
como o elenco de apoio de nossa s�rie imaginaria de TV - que ajudam ou se op�em ao
elenco principal, e os convidados da semana que trazem problemas �nicos. Para
desafiar os jogadores, � o trabalho do Narrador para criar cenas em que os
jogadores t�m de tomar decis�es cheias de conflito e perigo. O Narrador descreve
uma situa��o, ent�o os jogadores dizem como seus personagens reagem. A pergunta
mais importante que um Narrador pode fazer �: �O que voc� faz agora?�. Quando um
personagem age, o resultado da a��o � determinado rolando um punhado de dados. Os
princ�pios s�o simples. Voc� pode adicionar alguns n�meros em sua ficha de
personagem (um mini dossi�) e rola muitos dados. Voc� vai descobrir se sua a��o
funciona, ou n�o e se o seu personagem est� em mais problemas. Enquanto que o
Narrador ser� geralmente porta-voz para o sucesso de seus personagens, o planejando
maneiras pelas quais eles podem ter sucesso, um monte de drama e divers�o vem de
quando as coisas n�o v�o bem para os protagonistas. Mais uma vez, pense em uma
s�rie de televis�o... Os epis�dios mais interessantes s�o muitas vezes aqueles em
que tudo d� errado para os personagens at� que encontrar uma maneira de dar a
volta. Dito isto, o Narrador deve fazer os personagens terem uma chance para se
recuperar em vez de constantemente despejar sofrimento sobre eles. O narrador �
respons�vel por... ... Trazer a vida ao Mundo das Trevas atrav�s da descri��o. ...
Decidindo onde as cenas come�am e o que est� acontecendo. ... Retratando
personagens que n�o pertencem aos jogadores. ... Envolvendo cada jogador e seu
personagem da hist�ria em curso. ... Colocando os jogadores em situa��es dif�ceis,
encorajando decis�es interessantes. ... Facilitando as a��es dos jogadores tomam,
enquanto certificando-se de que h� sempre complica��es. ... Certificando-se que uma
rolagem ruim afete, mas, n�o pare a hist�ria. Os jogadores s�o respons�veis
por... ... Criar seus pr�prios personagens individuais como membros do elenco. ...
Decidir quais a��es tomam seus personagens. ... A tomada de decis�es que criam
drama e ajudam a manter a hist�ria em movimento. ... Destacando pontos fortes e
fracos de seus personagens. ... Enfrentar os problemas que o Narrador introduz. ...
Desenvolvendo personalidades e habilidades de seus personagens ao longo do tempo,
contando hist�rias pessoais na hist�ria geral do jogo. Todo mundo � respons�vel
por... ... Dando aos outros jogadores as chances para poderem destacar as
habilidades de seus personagens e hist�rias pessoais, seja isso mostrando suas
for�as ou fraquezas. ... Fazer sugest�es sobre a hist�ria e a��o, tendo em mente a
autoridade dos jogadores sobre seus personagens e da responsabilidade do Narrador
que ocasionalmente causa problemas.
8 Sangue e Fuma�a
.

Meios de Inspira��o Aqui est�o alguns livros e filmes que nos deixam com vontade de
jogar Vampiro.
Vampiro na M�dia Already Dead, por Charlie Huston: A coisa mais not�vel sobre esta
novela e suas sequ�ncias � que cada uma delas � um romance policial s�lido que
seria bom, sem vampiros, mas em que a luta do vampiro-como-viciados � parte
integrante cada trama. Centra-se na luta de um cara duro em uma Manhattan esculpida
por v�rias fac��es de vampiros, bem semelhante �s coaliz�es em Vampiro. Huston faz
um trabalho incr�vel fazendo apenas Manhattan em um mundo inteiro. Carmilla, de
Sheridan Le Fanu J.: A hist�ria de um vampiro que se infiltra em lares humanos,
explorando as necessidades dos adolescentes para a companhia, se reinventando
atrav�s das d�cadas. Uma hist�ria perfeita sobre a M�scara, mas tamb�m, por vezes,
um pungente e sexy sobre amor e dor. The Hunger, por Whitley Strieber ou dirigido
por Tony Scott: O livro combina grandes flashbacks hist�ricos com pitadas de
vampiros como assassinos que devem eliminar os corpos e transformam suas casas em
fortalezas. O filme apresenta vampiros sensuais lutando com os limites da
imortalidade. Voc� vai ouvir cepas do R�quiem em ambos. Near Dark, dirigido por
Kathryn Bigelow: O lado sombrio e bestial dos Amaldi�oados apresentado mais
visceralmente do que talvez qualquer outro lugar. Tamb�m � um �timo exemplo de
integra��o de sabor local - especificamente, a paisagem americana - em sua cr�nica.
Night Junkies, dirigido por Lawrence Pearce: Este filme � totalmente focado na luta
noite-a-noite dos vampiros com a fome. Uma Londres semeada de clubes decadente,
amores dif�ceis e assassinatos movidos � inveja tem uma sensa��o �ntima escuro
apropriado para o Mundo das Trevas.
M�dias sem Vampiro Brick, dirigido por Rian Johnson: Este conjunto hist�ria de
detetive moderno em uma escola LA parece um mist�rio complexo, mas acaba por ser
uma simples hist�ria de amor e cobi�a. Material perfeito para o R�quiem. �O almo�o
� complicado. O almo�o � muitas coisas.� The Big Sleep, de Raymond Chandler: N�s
tamb�m poderia recomendar a The Little Sister ou Farewell My Lovely. Senso de
Chandler de por que as pessoas fazem coisas horr�veis � maravilhoso, e sua
linguagem � muito legal para n�s at� mesmo tentar resumi-lo, mas ele tamb�m faz
outra coisa vale a pena prestar a aten��o para: Ele faz Los Angeles ganhar
vida. E ele odeia. Go, dirigido por Doug Liman: Um filme sobre ser jovem e
cambaleando de apostas desesperadas para emo��es incr�veis para desastres terr�veis
e nunca para. A subcultura do partido da crian�a retratado aqui � um pouco datada,
mas n�s realmente n�o nos importamos. Em geral, os filmes sobre jovens imprudentes
em dificuldades s�o bons para o Vampiro. Katja from the Punk Band, de Simon Logan:
Um romance punk/industrial de crime definido em algum lugar p�s-sovi�tico na Europa
Oriental. O elenco encardido de cantores punk, viciados, policiais e traficantes
todos fazem excelentes personagens de Vampiro, e a atitude est� perfeita, tamb�m.
Livros da White Wolf Voc� tem tudo que voc� precisa para jogar neste livro, mas n�s
j� publicamos muitos outros livros de Vampiro ao longo dos anos que podem melhorar
o seu jogo. O Livro de Regras de Mundo das Trevas e sua atualiza��o, A Cr�nica do
Deus-M�quina, fornecem mais regras e exemplos, bem como regras �nicas pr�prias. As
regras da atualiza��o A Cr�nica do Deus-M�quina s�o gratuitas. Os Livros do Cl�
aprofundam as rela��es familiares dos condenados. Apresentado como uma sele��o de
artigos no mundo escritos por vampiros e humanos, que trazem o Mundo das Trevas �
vida brilhantemente, se manchados de sangue, detalhe. Eles s�o: � Ventrue: Lords
over the Damned. � Daeva: Kiss of the Succubus. � Gangrel: Savage e Macabre. �
Mekhet: Shadows in the Dark. � Nosferatu: The Beast that Haunts the Blood. A
Antologia da Cr�nica da Estirge conta com uma d�zia de hist�rias de encontros entre
a Fam�lia e os suas N�meses. Esta cole��o de fic��o � uma �tima leitura por si
mesma, e uma excelente fonte de antagonistas Estirge para o seu jogo. Damnation
City � o manual definitivo para a constru��o de sua pr�pria cidade para o Mundo das
Trevas. � cheio de exemplos de distritos, locais e mortais, bem como exemplos de
governantes e sistemas pol�ticos. � uma ajuda inestim�vel para qualquer cr�nica no
Mundo das Trevas... Vampiro ou n�o.

that somewhere in the Shadow of the vast steppes of Central Asia, he will find the
lair of a forgotten Firstborn, Isim-Ur, Ravening Wolf. If he can bind her as a
totem, the Eaters of the Dead will become a sixth tribe, equal in the eyes of the
Firstborn. Where Fenris-Ur destroys, Isim-Ur consumes, and in consuming gains the
knowledge and power of the prey. Tserendjav hasn�t produced any evidence of Isim-
Ur�s presence, or even existence, but his core of followers remains faithful.
Despite the �tribe�s� lack of a totem, Tserendjav holds his followers to an oath:
�Leave No Kill to Rot.� They don�t literally eat everything they hunt � especially
not humans � but they are obliged to utilize every kill to maximum advantage. They
claim as their sacred prey the hungry dead: As Isim-Ur consumes her prey to gain
its power, vampires and their ilk steal the power from the living. LODGE OF THE
CHRONICLE The Lodge of the Chronicle is open only to Cahalith werewolves, and is
more than 700 years old. The story that accompanies its birth is somewhat
fantastic, but given the nature of the lodge, the members believe it. The tale goes
that a young Cahalith was caught up in a Sacred Hunt that ranged across a
continent, and involved chasing down a disease-spirit (possibly an idigam, though
the lodge denies this) powerful enough to bring whole human populations to heel. It
spawned Claimed, Hosts, hundreds of minor spirits, and even traitor Uratha who
would rather live deformed than die sick. By the time the hunt was complete and the
battle was won, dozens of werewolves had died, and the lore and history of two
generations of Uratha was gone. The lodge�s founder, horrified, determined that
this should never happen again, and formed the Lodge of the Chronicle.
Crying Owl, a wise spirit with a long, piercing song, agreed to act as patron to
the lodge, and its numbers grew over time. The lodge seeks to preserve the history
and knowledge of the Uratha as a whole, and members display perfect recall and a
dazzling understanding of history and lore. They do, however, have an unfortunate
tendency to become lost in interesting stories and are therefore easily
manipulated. LODGE OF GARGOYLES This young lodge only admits Irraka, and has almost
no following outside of the New England states. Formed by a werewolf who lost a leg
in a battle with an Azlu, the Lodge of Gargoyles trains new-moon assassins in the
art of striking from above. These werewolves use long-range weapons � rifles and
bows, usually � to bring their prey low, silently and effectively. Many of the
lodge members are practitioners of free-running, enabling them to leap from
building to building with ease. The patron spirit of the lodge is Black Rat. The
story that the lodge founder tells is this: She was on the hunt one night, and
found herself sitting on a gargoyle lining up a shot at her prey. The target was
about to walk behind a door, breaking her sightline, but then a huge black rat
emerged from the shadows and startled him. Her aim was true � one bullet did the
job. The hunt completed, she found the rat�which was missing one of its hind legs.
From that odd union, the Lodge of Gargoyles was born. This lodge trains its few
members in sniping, acrobatics, parkour, and using gravity and height to best
advantage. Rumor has it that a member of the Lodge of Gargoyles cannot be killed by
a fall of any height. Darker rumors suggest that Black Rat requires a sacrifice of
flesh after a certain number of kills, and that the founder the lodge had both legs
when she met that rat.
Detective Arnie Svent was greeted with an out-of-order sign taped to the elevator
as he entered the building. The notice was so old the lettering had begun to fade.
He cursed the greedy bastard that was too cheap to fix the elevator, and speculated
on the character of the shithead�s mother. With a sigh he turned away and began to
move slowly up the tenement house�s rickety stairs. He puffed like a bellows, and
occasionally paused to wipe his streaming face and shining bald pate with a red
handkerchief that was already sodden with sweat. Svent was a large man with large
appetites for cigarettes, greasy food, and import beer. Younger patrolmen and
forensics personnel flowed around Svent up and down the stairs as though he were a
particularly large boulder in the midst of a swiftly moving stream. One young and
pretty forensics assistant passed by him with a laugh on her way back down to the
street. �Only three more floors, Detective.� �Thanks for the update,� he grunted,
and seriously considered pushing her down the stairs. When he finally reached the
fifth floor, Svent found his partner already waiting for him. Though no younger
than Svent, Detective Chris Olk had a preference for jogging, health food, and
weight training rather than fast food and couch surfing. His jet black hair hinted
at further vanity in a man that should be showing some grey. Where Svent�s suit
might have been new around the same time man invented the wheel, Olk�s outfit
looked like it had been tailored for him, and the man�s shoes were newly polished.
�Glad you could join us, Svent,� said Olk. �Fuck you, Olk,� he said. �Your mother
dress you again?� �Bet my mother could beat your fat ass up those stairs.� Svent
grunted and leaned against the wall, breathing hard. He noticed a small crowd had
gathered further down the hallway and rolled his eyes. He motioned to a uniformed
officer standing by the door. �Clear out the looky loos. Sick fucks.� �You got it,
Detective.� He watched the officer shoo people out of the hallway before
straightening up and walking inside the apartment. No more than two steps inside
the door he could already smell the blood. It was a coppery smell that lingered in
the air and caught at the back of his throat. By dint of long practice, he banished
the smell from his thoughts, rather than heave up the double cheeseburger and fries
he�d eaten for lunch. He contemplated the tub of Vicks VapoRub in his pocket. It
was an
old police trick to wipe a little of the stuff under your nose before heading into
particularly unpleasant smell. Svent decided he could do without. He�d smelled far
worse, and didn�t relish the idea of whiffing menthol the rest of the day. The
apartment was tiny, consisting of a combination living room/kitchen, a bathroom,
and two bedrooms each about the size of postage stamp. The furniture was cheap, but
looked well cared for, and the place was far cleaner than most residences Svent had
encountered, including his own. Inside the smallest of the two bedrooms, he found
the body. It hadn�t yet been moved and was partially on the bed, with its legs
hanging off the edge and its feet askew on the floor. It was a boy. No older than
ten. With an effort of will similar to that used to dismiss the smell of blood, he
turned his mind from the fact a child had been murdered, and took in the scene. The
body was dressed in the remnants of pajama bottoms, though they had been torn in
multiple places. Bite marks had gouged out bloody chunks in his arms, chest and on
his legs. Blood smeared the body�s pale flesh and had collected in pools on the bed
and floor. Another, larger, pool of blood was near the door, and was smeared
halfway across the room. Stepping carefully to avoid the blood he moved closer.
Svent checked out the bites, narrowing his eyes, and resolutely breathing through
his mouth. The bites had been made by human teeth. Anger dispelled any lingering
nausea, and, slowly, he moved his eyes up the body to look at the kid�s face.
Oddly, his face had been left undisturbed. The child�s open eyes stared at him
accusingly. Svent looked away quickly, and noticed one foot was turned just enough
to show bruising on the heel. It was far too easy to picture the kid banging it
against the floor in agony long enough to harm himself. None of the bites was deep
enough or in the right location to have killed the poor bastard. No, he�d bled out
while someone was chewing on his flesh. After taking a cursory trip around the rest
of the apartment, he walked back out to the hall and looked at his partner. �Seen
enough?� asked the other man. �Someone chewed on him like he was a midnight snack.�
�It�s a fucked up, shitty world.� Svent grunted. �Too much blood for a kid that
size. Who else was living here? Parents?� �According to the super, the kid�s name
is Brandon Faciane. Lived with his mother, one Francesca Faciane. She�s MIA. The
super said she was standoffish, but I�ll bet you 5-to-1 that just means she
wouldn�t screw him. He didn�t know anything about the father.� �The neighbors?�
asked Svent, pulling out his cigarettes and shaking one from the pack. �You can�t
smoke in here. You wanna burn the place down?� Svent ignored him and lit up. He
blew smoke in Olk�s general direction and asked again, �Neighbors?� It was Olk�s
turn to scowl. �No one saw nothing, but they did hear a ruckus and called the cops.
First officer on the scene reported that the door was partially ajar and no one was
home, excepting the victim.� �Guess we should find mom, then.�

The First Change


57
Werewolves aren�t human. Humans are taught some elementary rules from a very early
age. Don�t steal. Don�t kill. These two are the rules with some of the most weight,
and most humans follow them diligently. By contrast, werewolves simply aren�t put
together that way. If a werewolf possesses a thing � territory, a weapon, a vehicle
� he must be strong enough to keep it. As for killing, the Uratha are born hunters
and killers. Werewolves change form, heal at an astonishing rate, step into the
spirit world, and call upon powers torn into their very souls, to name a few
abilities. Their forms are all optimized for various roles in the hunt. Almost
every successful hunt ends with the prey�s violent, bloody death. THE FIRST CHANGE
The First Change � these three words carry so much weight. A young werewolf�s First
Change is a defining moment in her life. It is when she first sees the world as it
truly is. She also realizes that her body has undergone exceptional changes. Her
senses go into overdrive, and the world explodes in a dizzying palette of scents
and sounds unknown to human senses. She starts to view humans less as friends and
begins to organize them into �threat� or �prey� categories. At some point after the
Change, the young werewolf learns that an entire spirit world lies atop the
physical, �mundane� world. These revelations pale before the shock of her body
rebelling against itself. Before the First Change, a nuzusul � a werewolf about to
Change � may believe he is going insane. Depending on his auspice, a young werewolf
may catch glimpses of the Hisil, be accosted by spirits, or may start to hear or
smell things well outside of his previous experience. Intimidating figures start to
follow him as he walks to or from work or home. Gremlin-like creatures play in the
corner of his
vision. These phenomena start small, appearing infrequently. These events occur
with greater frequency the closer he comes to his Change. The nuzusul is tormented
like this until he reaches a breaking point. He either goes mad, or he must Change.
The stereotypical First Change results in the new werewolf unleashing his Rage in a
whirlwind of fang, claw, and tearing flesh. It�s a stereotype for a reason, to be
sure, but werewolves report different experiences during their becoming. While no
Change is more or less �correct� than another, the event is unique and defining for
each Uratha. What phase the moon is in has a profound effect on the new werewolf.
It determines her auspice � her defining role within the pack. A werewolf�s auspice
affects her Change more than any outside influence. FIRST TONGUE Werewolves share a
proto-language with spirits called Uremehir, or the First Tongue. Legend holds that
humans, spirits, and werewolves all used the language prior to the breaking of
Pangaea. Immediately after the First Change, a werewolf can understand Uremehir, at
least enough to get the gist of the speaker�s message. He can learn fluency in the
language from another Uratha who already knows Uremehir, or by bargaining for the
favor from a spirit. Although spirits and werewolves speak slightly different
dialects of First Tongue (due to the restrictions of the werewolves� vocal cords),
they can understand each other readily enough. For the Uratha, communication
differs by form. Hishu form can obviously speak any human language the werewolf
knows, and can communicate roughly in First Tongue. Uratha speak Uremehir most
fluently while wearing the Dalu or Gauru forms. Werewolves may still speak First
Tongue in Urshul form, but lose the facility in Urhan. Both wolf forms may
communicate with

vampire the requiem


introduction
14
Vampires: blood-drinking creatures of the night. Horrors born of darkness, whose
sole purpose in life � unlife, actually � is to slake their unholy thirst on the
blood of the living. Without doubt, vampires are monsters. Monsters, though, need
not always be unthinking, unfeeling terrors empty of remorse, or even compassion or
other human traits. Indeed, vampires can exceed their deathless curse, themselves
becoming antiheroes or even heroes. Then again, some vampires truly remain
monsters. This is the purpose of Vampire: The Requiem. What you hold in your hands
is a Modern Gothic Storytelling game, a roleplaying game that allows you to build
chronicles that explore morality through the metaphor of vampirism. In Vampire, you
�play the monster,� and what you do as that monster both makes for an interesting
story and might even teach you a little about your own values and those of your
fellows. A Modern-Gothic World The setting of Vampire borrows greatly from gothic
literature, not the smallest amount of which comes from the �set dressing� of the
movement. Key to the literary gothic tradition are the ideas of barbarism,
corruption and medieval imagery. This World of Darkness can be said to be our own
seen through the looking glass darkly. With regard to barbarism, the world of the
vampires is like our own, but with a significant upturn in violence and decay. The
streets are more brutal, with the desperate eyes of the unfortunate ever watchful
for someone more privileged from whom they can steal something to make their own
bleak lives more comfortable. Gangs are more active and violent; vagrants are
bolder or they obliviate themselves even more. Even those with vast resources are
more fearful of those who would harm them � or more jealous of those who rival
their own wealth or power. Their actions can turn fierce with the slightest
provocation. Corruption goes hand in hand with the idea of barbarism. The world is
nasty and brutish, and anyone who can get ahead had best avail himself of the
opportunity. This is a world of indulgent clergy, avaricious businessmen, cops
looking for a
Dead, your Majesty. Dead, my lords and gentlemen. Dead, Right Reverends and Wrong
Reverends of every order. Dead, men and women, born with Heavenly compassion in
your hearts. And dying thus around us every day.
�Charles Dickens, Bleak House
payoff and gangsters who have no other options than crime. Even those who don�t fit
into such neat iconic archetypes face corruption of their own, such as an unwed
mother who finds herself addicted to drugs and sells her child for a few grams of
crank, or an otherwise honest journalist who finds out that his brother has become
a bloodthirsty creature of darkness and must keep the secret for kinship�s sake.
Medieval imagery adorns all of the visual elements of the setting, and it can even
bleed over into other aspects. Buildings soar heavenward, supported by flying
buttresses, gilded when the architects can afford it and studded by gargoyles that
scare away evil spirits that are all too real. Streets have fallen into disrepair.
Even cities themselves are like medieval bastions, isolated from the outside world,
xenophobic and cut off. Anachronisms abound, from antique decorations in otherwise
ultramodern buildings to forgotten catacombs beneath bank vaults and subway
tunnels. Honest-to-goodness castles might exist in the World of Darkness where none
stand in the real world. Moss and vines cling everywhere. Torches and candles light
hallways and anterooms. Walls bear breaches, cracks or other signs of disrepair.
Ars moriendi punctuate works of art. A sense of dread and fear looms visibly on the
face of every passerby. Is it so strange, then, to believe that such a world hosts
the Damned, as well? A Timeless Curse Most vampires believe that their kind didn�t
just pop into existence one night to scare a cowering mortal populace. Most of the
Kindred, as vampires call themselves, believe, at least metaphorically if not
literally, that vampires have existed for as long as they have had men upon whom to
prey, and that they have followed mortal civilizations since humankind first formed
them. Others believe in a vampiric genesis not unlike that of Adam in the Bible,
and that the Kindred have been chosen by whatever power makes the decision to let
them stalk the night. Still others believe that vampires are part of the natural
but hidden order of the world, attaching vampiric origins to pagan beliefs and
15vampire the requiem introduction
ancient mythologies. Many vampires don�t care at all, believing the mystery to be
as demonstrably unknowable as the question of mortal life�s origin. Whatever the
case, whatever the truth, it is known that vampires have preyed upon the world
since ancient times. Kindred society�s admittedly fallible memory marks the undead
as active during the height of the Rome, if not before. Even those unreliable
stories suggest that Kindred activity might have existed further back in time.
Tradition and Breaking from It The Kindred, the unique vampires of Vampire: The
Requiem, have certain differences from the vampires you have encountered throughout
literature and popular culture. This game assumes that most stories involve a group
of vampires � a coterie of Kindred � as opposed to the more solitary stalkers of
seminal fiction. From the Dracula of Bram Stoker�s novel to Lord Ruthven of John
Polidori�s�The Vampyre,� the undead are often depicted as lone figures. On the
other hand, the vampires beneath the Theatre des Vampyres in Anne Rice�s Vampire
Chronicles functioned as a group, as did The Lost Boys and the nomadic fiends of
Near Dark. None of those visions of vampires really serves the purpose of Vampire:
The Requiem, however. Those groups of vampires are inherently antagonistic in their
stories, while the solitary vampires don�t really accommodate the group dynamic of
Storytelling games. As such, for the sake of the game, we�ve adapted the cultural
notions of the vampire to one more suited to a troupe of players. We�ve added our
own mythologies and social structures to the mix, the better to highlight the highs
and lows of the undead condition. Our � your � vampires have the selfishness of the
solitary predator, but also the social urges of creatures who fear the malaise of
being left to their own company for eternity. The result is a conspiratorial blend
of horror and suspense, a truly gothic mixture of madness, corruption, sensuality,
mistrust and violence, all set against a backdrop of livid moodiness. Clans Each
Kindred is a member of a clan. A clan is a group of vampires who all share common
characteristics. Popular Kindred mythology suggests that all vampires are assumed
to have descended from one common Kindred, the founder of that clan, though no one
knows who those founders might be. When a vampire Embraces a new Kindred, the
progeny is of the same clan as the progenitor. Certain �sub-clans� of vampires also
exist, known as bloodlines, but a vampire can never change her clan. Covenants
Covenants are like clans in that they are distinctions of vampires. The difference
between clan and covenant, however, is that one chooses his covenant. If clan is
family, covenant is political, philosophical or even quasi-religious membership.
Indeed, some vampires choose to belong to no covenant at all, acknowledging no
authority higher than themselves.
Myths and Facts Where does Vampire�s mythology diverge from popular belief? Where
do the conceits ring true? The following statements outline real-world legends of
the undead, clarifying their truth or falsity in the World of Darkness. Vampires
must sustain themselves on the blood of the living: Fact. For the Kindred, the act
of feeding becomes highly sensual. The vessel feels ecstatic when it happens, and
the feeding vampire undergoes a heady rush as well. Certain vampires sustain their
undeath by drinking the blood of animals, but rarely for long, as either their
tastes or the needs of their cursed bodies force them to seek human blood. Vampires
are �immortal�: Myth and fact. Although vampires do not appear to age, and some
survive for centuries, the Kindred use the word �undead� rather than �immortal.�
Vampirism is a curse, not a blessing. It does carry with it great power, but the
state of being a vampire also brings with it numerous detriments, not the least of
which include the internalized rage of the Beast and feeding on human blood. A
vampire�s prey becomes a vampire: Myth. You do not necessarily become a vampire if
you�re bitten or killed by a vampire. It takes a conscious act of will, known as
the Embrace, to create a new vampire. Indeed, a vampire leaves little to mark her
passing if she is careful. All a vampire must do to hide the wound left by her
feeding is to lick it when she�s done. Vampires have every manner of supernatural
power, such as turning into animals, flying and wielding the strength of a dozen
men: Fact. While these powers are not universal, vampires have unique abilities
known as Disciplines, which can grant individual undead capabilities such as these
and more. Vampires can have sex: Fact. While the act of feeding replaces all
physical urges, vampires can still indulge in sex and even take pleasure from it.
Curiously, however, the emotional aspect of sex vanishes after the Embrace. A
vampire might enjoy the physical sensation of sex, but no more than she enjoys a
particularly savory smell or the touch of a luxurious fabric. A wooden stake
destroys vampires: Myth. Vampires aren�t destroyed upon being staked, they�re held
in stasis. A vampire�s body slowly withers and turns inward while trapped in this
state, desiccating and becoming ever more corpselike. Vampires don�t show up like
normal people on camera or in mirrors: Fact. Vampires show up with their features
obscured in photographic media (including video footage) and in mirrors. They can
temporarily counteract this effect, but the �default� is a sort of occlusion. The
same is not true for voice recordings; vampires� voices are captured normally on
those. Sunlight burns vampires: Fact. As part of their curse, vampires recoil at
the touch of the sun, its vital rays scorching their undead flesh. Vampires
typically spend the daylight hours in the cold sleep of undeath, and only the most
vampire the requiem
introduction
16
resolute can shake off the weight of the day�s forced slumber for even a short
time. Garlic and running water repels vampires: Myth. Such notions are nothing more
than old wives� tales, cultural biases or perhaps the banes of certain bloodlines
of Kindred. Vampires are repulsed by crosses and other holy symbols: Myth � almost.
While such is not generally the case, the devout sometimes do affect the Kindred
with miraculous aspects of their faith. Vampires� souls are as dead as their bodies
after they become undead: Myth and fact. While a vampire might believe that he
feels an emotion, what he actually feels is the echo of mortal emotions that the
remnants of his soul apply to his current experience. That is, a vampire who feels
angry might indeed be angry at the subject of his ire, but the resonance of the
emotion actually comes from some situation the vampire dealt with in life. This
condition results in many strange situations. A vampire who has never experienced a
given emotion before becoming Kindred might be emotionally confused, while a
vampiric artist might create a work of �art� that is awkwardly devoid of any true
emotional insight. Theme and Mood While each story you and your troupe tells will
have its own unique theme and mood, Vampire itself has a certain theme and mood
built into it. While you can certainly play against type or push the overarching
themes and moods into the background, they are present nevertheless. Theme Many
Kindred define their existence as an unanswerable riddle: �A Beast I am, lest a
Beast I become.� This idea makes morality the core theme of Vampire. What will a
vampire do now that she�s become a vampire? Will she exult in the Beast�s passions?
Will she fight to retain her ties to what she knew in her mortal life? Is her
unlife a lie, played out falsely under the pretense that she never became a
vampire? Is her unlife a hellish maraud through the dark side of evil wiles
indulged? Most Kindred�s unlives fall somewhere in between. That�s the crux of the
riddle, however. How much leeway does a vampire allow her Beast in order to
acknowledge it and yet keep it from overwhelming her? Mood In some senses,
Vampire�s mood corresponds to key elements of the setting. The world is grim and
brooding, with shadows hiding ugly secrets and terrible threats. Play this up as
much as you wish � make the game a fount of boundless angst if you choose. On the
other hand, secrets and espionage are part of the setting, so a conspiratorial mood
is also very appropriate. Optimally, a blend of the two serves the game best. A
certain amount of woe regarding the Kindred condition highlights the game�s
personal horror and gothic roots, while schemes and secrets give the world a degree
of creeping horror above the personal level, revealing the true depth of its
malignance bit by bit, much like a darkening sky blanketing the world in night.
How to Use This Book This book is broken up into numerous chapters, each covering a
certain set of topics that relate to the information as it will be used over the
course of the game and in your chronicle. ThisIntroduction exists to give you a
quick bit of exposure to the world of Vampire�s Kindred, as well as a few ideas on
what the game is designed to do. Chapter One concerns itself with a greatly in-
depth look at Kindred society as well as the world in which the Kindred hide. It
examines everything from covenants and customs to domain politics and hoary secrets
of the Danse Macabre, the never-ending struggle between Kindred for supremacy.
Aspects of character are the focus of Chapter Two, from details regarding creation
of an alternate persona to the characteristics of the clans to the mechanics of the
Kindred�s unholy powers themselves. The game�s systems and dice-rolling concerns
make up Chapter Three. These mechanics govern all of the aspects of chance that
occur during the course of a story, handling everything from characters threatened
by frenzies spawned by the Beast to suffering physical damage to losing one�s
Morality and sanity, and even more. Advice is offered to the Storyteller in Chapter
Four. This includes everything from suggestions on how to handle the setting to
considerations when structuring a chronicle. The chapter includes a variety of pre-
made antagonists for use in stories as well. Appendix One comprises bloodlines and
new Disciplines. One of the features of Vampire: The Requiem is a customizable
lineage system by which characters can create their own unique broods and families
of vampires, as well as the unique powers to which they lay claim. This chapter
includes a few of the bloodlines that are already assumed to be a part of the
setting, as well as systems by which players and Storytellers can generate new
ones. Finally, a sample setting makes up Appendix Two. This chapter includes a host
of plot threads, secrets � oh, and some common knowledge, too! � regarding the
domain of New Orleans, a stronghold for the covenant known as the Lancea Sanctum.
Sources and Inspiration Vampires have been part of people�s storytelling traditions
for hundreds of years. Vampire obviously concerns itself with the gothic tradition
and a familiar modern setting, so certain sources are more influential than others.
The �Additional Inspirations� sections, below, include titles that don�t
necessarily feature vampires but that are thematically or dramatically suitable for
consideration. Fiction The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. One of modern fiction�s
most popular entries in the vampire genre, these books are probably more widely
read than their seminal forerunners. The first
17vampire the requiem introduction
three titles in the series are the most suitable for Vampire, as later books in the
series grow more epic in scale and more involved with the stranger fringes of the
supernatural world. Dracula by Bram Stoker. This is the one that started it all,
drawing on real-world history and Eastern European lore to make the vampire a
contemporary monster. �The Vampyre� by John Polidori. This short story arguably
marked the first modern usage of the vampire as a sentient creature (as previous
incarnations of vampires were little more than blood-drinking corpses). Possibly
homoerotic, this story came out of a group of friends that included Lord Byron
(upon whom the Vampyre, Lord Ruthven, is modeled), Percy Shelley and Mary Shelley,
who made no small contributions to the gothic and romantic movements themselves.
�Carmilla� by Sheridan LeFanu. A wonderful example of the idea of vampires hiding
among their prey, Carmilla (or Millarca, or...) moved in and out of the lives of
her prey, coming back and reinventing herself as their memories left her
depredations behind. �Carmilla� has sexual overtones in the same manner as
Polidori�s �The Vampyre,� further establishing the vampire as a sensual metaphor.
Additional Inspirations Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson,
Trainspotting and Filth by Irvine Welsh, The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe,
The Unburied by Charles Palliser, The Great Gatsby and The Beautiful and Damned by
F. Scott Fitzgerald. Movies Nosferatu, either the original F. N. Murnau version
featuring Max Schreck or the Werner Herzog version featuring Klaus Kinski. For
weird, unsettling vampires with their own strangeness and derangements, you can�t
beat the tale of Count Orlock. Shadow of the Vampire starring John Malkovich and
Willem Defoe. Speaking of weirdness, this movie depicts the filming of the original
Nosferatu, casting many elements of the production into question. Was the movie
cursed? Did the supernatural really plague the crew? Was Schreck really a vampire
himself? The Lost Boys starring Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim and Corey Feldman.
While it occasionally lapses into lampoon and camp, this is a horror movie at
heart, especially in regard to its treatment of the vampires. It almost single-
handedly establishes the modern vampire as a hip, cool and countercultural icon,
much like the rebels and antiheroes of the romantic movement. Near Dark starring
Lance Henriksen and Bill Paxton. Want to be scared to hell by vampires who don�t
have any moral accountability for their actions? See this movie.
The Hunger starring Catherine Deneuve and David Bowie. Bringing the vampire-as-
sexual-metaphor notion to the big screen, this is one of the most sensual vampire
movies ever made. It also opens with a cameo performance by Bauhaus, for those who
like a bit of musical counterculture with their film. The Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt film
adaptation of Anne Rice�s Interview with the Vampire deserves mention, as does
Francis Ford Coppola�s Dracula, but both works are mentioned in the fiction
section. Additional Inspirations Dangerous Liaisons, Blade Runner, Mulholland
Drive, The Manchurian Candidate, The Sixth Sense, Croupier, Casablanca, Amadeus
Music It gets touchy here: So many bands that are popular at any given moment
vanish without a trace shortly after their popularity peaks. As such, we�ll just
touch on a few musical genres and discuss their applicability, listing a few key
performers and composers. Classical: Any elder who has spent over a century among
the undead probably has a greater knowledge of classical musical than popular
music. With its intricate arrangements of instruments and careful composition,
classical music is the archetypal sound of both refinement and conspiracy spanning
centuries. As you might expect, requiems are excellent examples of these types of
music, as well. Recommended composers include Beethoven, Bach, Dvorak and Mozart.
Punk: Punk�s original sound rose out of a desire to rebel against the status quo
and be seen and heard doing it. While punk hasn�t aged particularly gracefully, it
has at least retained its hooky pop sensibilities, losing only the irony of such
accessibility. Punk bands not to miss include the Sex Pistols, the Damned, the
Misfits and Black Flag. Goth: It doesn�t get any more vampiric. Lyrics about bats,
blood and vampires flirt with religious, pagan or even blasphemous overtones, all
put up against a bombastic wall of sound that�s heavy on percussion and discordant
guitars. Key goth bands (even though many of them deny it) include the Sisters of
Mercy, This Mortal Coil, Faith and the Muse, Switchblade Symphony and Bauhaus.
Additional Inspirations Hey, who are we to tell you what music to listen to? No
doubt you have your own musical tastes and your own ideas for using a certain song
to highlight your Vampire experiences. You needn�t even confine yourself to
�vampire music.� A certain Johnny Cash or Public Enemy song might suit a certain
story or chronicle far better than Concrete Blonde�s �The Bloodletting� ever could.
Caesar has his due, yet even Caesar is but king among Men. � The Testament of
Longinus

society of the damned


chapter one
20
Evil gains work their punishment.
� Sophocles, Antigone
Try though they might, the Kindred are not, and never can be, truly a part of
mortal society. Regardless of their feelings, their wishes or their intentions,
vampires are always separate from those around them. They are wolves amid the
sheep, and their very nature prevents them from ever forgetting or ignoring that
fact. No matter how much one of the Kindred might love a mortal and wish to stay
with him, the Blood calls constantly. The Beast threatens a frenzy that all too
often results in the violent death of those held dear. The Kindred inability to
stand beneath the gaze of the sun separates them irrevocably from the greater
portion of the culture, the society and the life that surrounds them. They are
provincial creatures who think almost solely on a local level, because the greater
portion of the world is well beyond their reach. Mortals create communities, almost
despite themselves. They portion off nations, celebrating cultures that have
evolved over centuries, if not millennia. They are all a part of something greater
than themselves, even if they fail � or choose not � to acknowledge it. The
Kindred, however, are bound for the most part to the cities that the kine � the
living � have created, and each of those cities is a distinct and separate domain.
The Kindred have no nations, no overarching government; the local ruler is the only
ruler. Although a vampire retains a sense of identity or memories from her mortal
life, she does not belong. She is no longer a part of whatever greater body with
which she identified. Rather, any loyalty or sense of belonging she has is limited
to local circles: fealty to the Prince, membership in a covenant or clan. These are
the only connections the Kindred can truly maintain, the only cultures of which
they are truly a part, and it is upon them that the entirety of their society is
built. The Embrace It begins with death � a torrid rush of blood spilling from the
throat or wrist of the victim. At the right moment, the vampire tears her own skin
and places a few drops of precious Vitae on the lips of the victim. The dark magic
works its blasphemous miracle then. The vessel dies� and yet he doesn�t. While his
natural processes cease, his sire�s Vitae infuses him with the force that sustains
him beyond death. This is the
Embrace, the first step from existence as a mortal into the gothic world of the
Damned. What is the secret? What causes vampires to rise from beyond their natural
life, to consume the blood of their erstwhile mortal fellows? Even the most erudite
of the vampiric race do not know. Origin stories trace vampirism back to the Bible,
to pagan ways and witchcraft, to the infamous Vlad Dracul, to the Devil himself and
to any number of other sources. Every culture in the world has vampires in its
mythology, and likely among its populace as well. �The Kindred condition� is an
utter mystery, with an unknown number of members but no shortage of would-be
prophets and philosophers with their own dogmas, theories and heresies as to the
meaning or genesis of damnation. If anything is certain, it�s that the Embrace is
not some kind of blessed immortality. Existence as a vampire is a curse, and quite
possibly a curse handed down by God Himself. While being one of the undead
certainly has its advantages � Disciplines (the mystical and eldritch powers of the
Damned), deathlessness, the potential to transcend mortal boundaries � the
drawbacks easily outweigh them. The price of undeath is steep, as foolish romantics
infatuated by the myth of the vampire occasionally learn. One is forever apart from
the world into which he was born, unconsciously shunned by it. Indeed, he can only
pretend to be a part of it, and even that for only a short while, as the vampiric
state forces him to prey on that world. It is his sustenance now, rather than his
company. Never again shall a vampire see the light of the sun without feeling it
burn him. Never again will he know the vital pleasures of life. The Requiem is a
forced ostracism that may literally last forever. No wonder, then, that so many of
the Kindred blind themselves to it with their petty schemes and rivalries. Their
endless war, the Danse Macabre, might be the only way to escape their damnation,
and even then, it is only a distraction and not true redemption. The Requiem It is
curious, if not unfitting, that the most common name for unlife among the Kindred
is a musical reference, the Requiem. The word itself means a mass or musical
composition for the dead. In some cases, a requiem is a dirge. In other cases
21society of the damned chapter one
it is a chant intended for the dead�s repose. In still others, it is a gesture of
respect. No surprise, then, that the word has taken on its own meaning among the
Kindred. The word has connotations of its own, suggesting that the Kindred must
have adopted it in a more enlightened or sophisticated time. Tonight, however, all
but the most cloistered Kindred knows that the word bears its own specialized
meaning. The Requiem is the Kindred�s unlife, the grand, doomed waltz through which
every one of their kind dances every night, urged on by metaphorical strains of
music that represent the hidden powers that guide, manipulate and inspire them. But
Why? The reasons for Embracing are many and varied, and every Kindred who exists in
the world tonight probably has a host of her own for why she�d Embrace a childe.
First and foremost is loneliness, as becoming Kindred imposes a state of isolation
that many vampires seek to combat. Of course, the Embrace creates another Kindred �
who is then himself alien and isolated, continuing the desperate, doomed cycle.
Some Kindred Embrace to preserve a mortal�s talents, only to find that the Embrace
renders that childe unable to reach the apex of her living abilities. Other Kindred
Embrace out of a sense of duty or to prevent disaster, such as when accidentally
killing a vessel and then �saving� her with the curse of undeath � whose existence
will then possibly doom other mortals on down the road. The trend is inevitable but
irreversible. Despite its intentions, the Embrace never causes anything but
damnation, as it brings another vampire into the world. Whatever the reason, no
vampire is Embraced recklessly or without some degree of thought on the part of the
vampire making a new childe. Creating a Kindred requires an act of immense will,
and even a vampire who says she created a childe �just because� certainly hides her
own reasons. The Danse Macabre If an individual vampire�s existence is the Requiem,
the way she interacts with her fellow Kindred is the Danse Macabre, through which
any number of individual Requiems play, conflict, resolve and end. To many Kindred,
the Danse Macabre has negative connotations. Relationships between Kindred are
forced, at best, as vampires are seemingly designed to be solitary predators. The
Embrace doesn�t completely deny the urges the individual knew as a mortal, however.
Inevitably over the course of undeath, all but the most withdrawn yearn for contact
among those who might be able to understand them. Is it so unnatural to seek
fellowship among others who have experienced the same pains and sorrows inflicted
upon them (and inflicted by them) throughout the Requiem? Indeed, the notion has
undeniable risks. Although the Embrace doesn�t strip the Man from the individual,
it leaves its own mark, that of the Beast, the urges and wiles of the facet of
personality inside all Kindred that requires blood to survive and doesn�t care who
it hurts to fulfill that goal. When Kindred come in contact, they innately fear or
see each other
as a challenge. Indeed, all Kindred vie for limited resources and secrecy, and
other Kindred threaten both. In a world where Kindred must skulk and kill to
survive, how trustworthy is any other vampire? The Requiem weighs on the Kindred
soul. When one knows he will never truly die, he has no sense of urgency. Over the
course of forever, what can sustain a vampire�s interest, or even a Kindred of a
hundred years� unlife? In the interests of fighting off their own timeless malaise,
the Kindred plot and scheme against each other. Once they�ve exhausted all of the
sources that legitimately brought joy or interest to their unlives, many turn to
treachery in hopes of provoking any response at all from their jaded emotions. This
last, then, is the true Danse Macabre, the �dance of death� orchestrated by
vampires to elevate themselves above their peers socially, politically or even
physically. It is a dangerous dance, punctuated by vampiric traps, scheming elders,
ambitious neonates and ruses that can take decades, centuries or even millennia to
come to fruition. The Kindred potentially have forever to concoct their master
plans and hatch their vendettas � they have no need to rush. For many vampires,
revenge is best when left to grow cold, prompting another turn in the Danse Macabre
in response. Thus the cycle continues indefinitely. The Danse Macabre is at once a
saving grace and a resignation to damnation, for it distracts the Kindred from
their nihilistic, introspective Requiems, but only by causing conflict that
jeopardizes those very Requiems. Clans A clan is a vampiric lineage. The Kindred
acknowledge five clans, and all Kindred belong to one clan or another. The most
widely accepted theory regarding clans is that they are like �families� of
vampires. Members of clans all inherit certain mystical commonalities, from acumen
with certain Disciplines to traditional shortcomings for their particular type. One
of the failings of the �families� theory is that none of the clan progenitors are
reliably known, and only a few are guessed at with any degree of confidence.
Certainly, the clans came from somewhere � but where? In a modern context, only two
Kindred are known to have no clan, and they haven�t reliably demonstrated that
they�ve been able to Embrace over the course of their Requiems. These vampires, the
legendary Dracula and the Roman centurion Longinus are responsible for the creation
of certain covenants, not clans, but might they be on a path toward clan creation
themselves? And if the origin of clans doesn�t lie with certain progenitor
vampires, from what source do clans originate? If Longinus and Dracula have no
clan, who�s to say that other, more secretive Kindred haven�t also suffered the
curse in the same way? Tonight, the influence of the clans is felt almost
everywhere. The five clans have a presence throughout the Western world, or so it
is believed. The Kindred definitely came to the New World along with the early
colonists, suggesting that these vampires are European in origin, or that they grew
out of the civilizations that first populated the world and followed the movements
of mortal men. Oral histories and sparse records indicate that some vampiric
presence existed among the tribal
society of the damned
chapter one
22
cultures of North America before its colonization, but whether these creatures were
members of clans or solitary, unique beings � or even if they were truly vampires
at all � cannot be determined. While information on the Far East is fleeting,
members of the five clans are known to be active there, as they are in Africa,
South America and much of the Middle East. Still, little is known about how
indigenous culture shapes the understanding of clans in all these regions, and
anyone attempting to study the phenomenon is probably wise to take no
presuppositions with him. A bloodline is like a clan, but its characteristics are
not so universal. It might help to think of a bloodline as a �sub-clan.� Not all
vampires are members of bloodlines. Each bloodline has a parent clan from which it
distinctly diverges, yet claims descent. Kindred scholars have no reliable
estimates of how many bloodlines exist in the world tonight, because bloodlines can
arise at any time and few of them would stand up to be counted, even if some formal
roster of them were made. Daeva The Daeva are emotional, sensual and desirable.
Sexual predators and sensual hedonists alike populate the ranks of these succubi-
seducers. Among Kindred historians, the Daeva are suspected of being one of the
oldest clans of the Damned. Their moniker suggests a Persian mythological origin,
and their abilities suggest that they could be related to the demons from which
they take their name. A few ancient writings suggest that the progenitor of the
line was a Kindred known as Aesma Daeva, but vampiric scholars debate whether this
individual was actually undead or the writings merely draw comparisons to the
Persian demon of lust and anger. The name �Daeva� predates the commonly accepted
origin point of Kindred society, generally understood to parallel the ascension of
Rome. Certainly, some incarnation of the Daeva existed before then, but whether
they had their own society or were merely a rabble of lust-crazed revenants is
unknown. After the rise of Rome, the Daeva had become an inextricable part of
Kindred society, and vampiric history shows that they were very active in the
Camarilla, the first known social contract of the undead. Gangrel The Gangrel are
primal, hardy and savage. They embody the myths of vampires turning into animals or
otherwise changing form (wolves, bats, mist). Many Kindred believe that the Gangrel
clan is an old one, but due to the Gangrel�s bestial nature, few records exist that
can connect their origins to any specific time period. While the murky pre-history
of the Kindred contains any number of legends about bestial vampires, not all of
these tales coincide with the hallmarks of the Gangrel. Geographically, the Gangrel
seem to hail from what is tonight Eastern Europe, where they came in contact with
the nascent Camarilla and were reluctantly drawn into that society. As Rome�s
holdings moved westward, so, too did the Camarilla and thus the Gangrel. Historians
also theorize strong
Gangrel roots in what is modern Scandinavia. Since those early nights of society,
the Gangrel have chosen the outlying borders of domains for their own territories.
As such, Gangrel are often seen as pioneers, eking out an existence where domains
will later form, or as scavengers, clinging desperately to territories and refusing
to yield once domains have fallen. Mekhet The Mekhet are quick, discreet and wise.
Legends of vampires hiding in shadows, preying secretly on victims, and even
learning secrets no one else but the keeper is supposed to know probably refer to
Mekhet activities. Some of the oldest Kindred known to the vampiric world are
members of Clan Mekhet, though most spend their time harrowed by the cold sleep
known as torpor. While most are predisposed toward solitude, some have traveled
with mortal armies and are even suspected of forming undead mercenary factions of
their own. As with most other clans, nothing verifiable is known about the
progenitor of the Mekhet line. Many stories depict reclusive Mekhet cult-leaders or
masters of schools of stealthy soldiers, so the clan might have origins that abut
the Pharaohs or philosopher-kings of the Classical or Ancient worlds. The name
Mekhet itself gives some clues as to the clan�s origin, as it is an Egyptian word
for �amulet.� Some of the most venerable elders certainly bear features that might
be described as Egyptian, while a few have classical Hellenic complexions, which
isn�t surprising, considering Greece�s proximity to Egypt. The commerce between the
Egyptians and Greeks, and later the Romans, corresponds with the legendary travels
of members of this clan, as well as their formative role in the nascent Camarilla.
Since that time, the Mekhet have traveled wherever shadows have fallen, wherever
secrets lay hidden, and wherever Kindred call upon others to give them counsel.
Nosferatu The Nosferatu are stealthy, strong and terrifying. Their very presence
unnerves people, whether by physical ugliness, foul stench or nebulous personal
malignance. Studies of Nosferatu legend suggest that the clan is relatively young,
possibly originating not too long before the rise of Rome, and possibly among the
peoples it conquered. Certainly, the Nosferatu were active among the clans of the
Camarilla, but proof of their presence before then is spotty at best. And yet,
claims occasionally surface about very old Kindred who, if not Nosferatu, are
strikingly like the Nosferatu. Whether these vampires are indeed members of the
same clan, are Kindred of some �proto-clan� that became the Nosferatu, or are
entirely unrelated can only be guessed at. Legends of the nosferatu are
historically heaviest in central Europe, particularly in Germany, northern Italy
and eastern France. Early records describing what seem to be broods of Nosferatu
also originate in modern Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Greece,
with some indication of presence in north Africa as well. Like the Gangrel,
Nosferatu tend to either seek out territories before or after most of Kindred
culture bothers with them. Unlike the Gangrel, though,
23society of the damned chapter one
the Nosferatu adapt relatively quickly to the presence of other vampires, relying
on their monstrous nature to make a place for them in the society of the Damned.
Ventrue The Ventrue are regal, commanding and aristocratic. Vampires as everything
from Eastern European lords on the mountain to gentrified nobles to modern
corporate raiders belong to this clan. Surprisingly, the Ventrue are understood to
be the youngest of the clans, almost certainly originating in Rome itself, probably
in tandem with the formation of the Camarilla. While their history is relatively
short (in vampiric terms), it is also distinguished, as the Ventrue are made to
rule. Although none remember the name of the first Ventrue, various vampiric
histories do ascribe the origin of the clan, which was believed to once be a
covenant, to a single female vampire. A darker history implies that this Kindred
was not the first of the Ventrue line, but that she consumed the soul of her own
sire, and in so doing founded a new bloodline that rose to the status of a proper
clan. As might be surmised, the Ventrue have historically been strongest in Europe,
from which they grew into North and Central America, but their presence elsewhere
in the world has been relatively minor. As a clan, their numbers are probably fewer
than those of any other clan, but such things vary by domain, as one vampire
community might consist of nothing but Ventrue � likely all the preeminent
Kindred�s progeny. Coteries Decades and centuries ago, when cities were smaller and
technology far less advanced, the Kindred could afford to remain solitary
predators, moving alone through the massed ranks of humanity. Tonight, the world
has changed. Both mortal and Kindred populations are substantially larger than
anyone could have dreamed even a few score years ago. Kindred, particularly young
ones with no political clout and minimal influence in the mortal world, need allies
in ways their elders never did at their age. Combined with the lingering desire for
companionship left over from their mortal days, this need inspires modern Kindred
to gather in small social groups called coteries. The coterie, which normally
consists of anywhere from three to six Kindred, with a few unusual groups growing
as large as a dozen, has existed as an ideal for hundreds of years. In ages past,
coteries tended to assemble for a specific purpose, such as the taking of an
important road and the construction of a lair, or perhaps defending a domain
against outside aggression. The notion of a coterie that assembles and remains
together for long-term goals, or even more strangely for social purposes, seems
alien and artificial to most elders tonight. Their positions in society are already
secure, their havens well hidden from enemies and unsuspecting kine alike. They
dismiss the formation of coteries as youthful foolishness, or even worse as the
behavior of animals. For those Kindred not considered elders, however, coteries are
just common sense. Some modern coteries do assemble for a particular goal, as they
did in years past. It might be an
objective that members wish to achieve, or they might be assembled at the behest of
a Kindred leader, faction, their sires or by any others with the authority to
demand some service of the group members. In most cases, coteries are purely social
constructs, with no purpose other than the long-term benefit and mutual protection
of their membership. They provide allies and support that young Kindred haven�t yet
managed to find anywhere else. At the very least, such community provides someone
to watch one�s back, to aid in the hunt and to corroborate any accounts that might
have to be given to elders or authorities � advantages not be underestimated in the
world of the Damned. That said, coteries aren�t happy bands of friends rollicking
through a domain. The mistrust endemic to all Kindred doesn�t end with the
formation of a group. Coteries are subject to the same internal squabbling, double-
dealing and, on occasion, outright betrayal as any other Kindred institution,
especially owing to the fact that most coteries are cosmopolitan with regard to
members� origins. In fact, almost every coterie ever formed is temporary; even if
it lasts decades, it eventually falls apart. The more time that passes, the more
opportunities for advancement by betrayal (or at least abandonment) come up, and
eventually some member is almost certain to succumb to temptation. Even on the off
chance that nobody leaves or turns against the group, Kindred tend to grow
increasingly paranoid as they age. Considering the sort of society in which they
�grow up,� this reaction isn�t unreasonable. What it means, however, is that beyond
a certain age, most vampires aren�t willing to trust their former coterie-mates,
even if nobody has engaged in any direct treachery. Those coteries that don�t tear
apart due to dishonesty or ambition inevitably separate out of mistrust that
someone will turn traitor. Exceptions exist, of course. Some elders still operate
in, or at least maintain contact with, their former coteries, if only to maintain
longstanding networks of contacts, allies and the like. These long-lasting groups
are rare, though. For the most part, elders continue to mistrust the notion of
coteries � even those who, in their youth, were members of one � and, by extension,
they often mistrust those fledglings who form them. In fact, though few admit it,
many elders fear the spread of the coterie phenomenon, concerned that it will
provide future rivals with a base of power they themselves cannot exploit. Dead
Cultures The society of the Damned is a mysterious and alien thing. After all,
Kindred nature � the innate paranoia, distrust and animosity that vampires often
hold toward one another, to say nothing of their constant squabbles over hunting
territory � would seem to suggest that they were intended to be lone hunters. Some
believe that Kindred society exists now as it has for thousands of years. Legend
has it that vampires once ruled as kings and that their feudal domains have simply
passed down through the centuries. Of course, no vampire who walks the Earth
tonight, or at least none known, can truly recall the details of events so long
past. The memories of those Kindred who have slept away the decades grow uncertain,
dreams intruding on reality,
society of the damned
chapter one
24
and none of them can truly know what was from what they simply believe to remember.
Some Kindred, particularly among the neonates, believe that their society is a more
recent development, at least in historical terms. They maintain that only in the
modern era, when hiding from the kine has truly become difficult thanks to rapid
communication and other technological advancement, has Kindred isolation from
humankind become complete. Only now, they claim, has the need for a separate
society developed. The primary purpose of Kindred society, Kindred philosophers
believe, is regulation. Kindred gather not merely in physical proximity, but
socially, under a local government because enough of them recognize the need to
police their own. Were the Kindred to dwell in the crowded cities with no overt
authority, nothing would prevent the indiscrete or foolish from waging war with one
another openly, feeding indiscriminately or otherwise threatening each other�s
vitality. A figure known as the Prince (or whoever represents the local government)
is an enforcer, first and foremost. Beyond this, Kindred claim that their kind
cleave together socially for reasons far more personal and ingrained than the need
to protect themselves from each other. Kindred society grants its members something
they could never have among mortals: a sense of belonging, of community. Vampires
might despise the greater portion of their fellows and their Prince or governor �
and a great many do � but this is nevertheless their community, theircity. Where
mortals turn to family, the Kindred have clans. Where mortals form nations and
cultures, the Kindred have covenants. These social constructs allow the Kindred to
feel as though they�re a part of something, to counter the extreme isolation that
they would otherwise suffer for all eternity. The Kindred are still outsiders,
proponents of this idealized state, but at least their domains and clans and
covenants allow them to be outsiders together. Many elders, of course, consider
such theories a heap of mealy mouthed, revisionist, self-indulgent effluvia spewed
by idle childer with no knowledge of the way the world works. As they cannot
provide any evidence for their conservative, �society has always existed thus�
attitudes, however, elders aren�t likely to silence the social theorists any time
soon. And thus the Danse Macabre continues on one more front. 1�3�565�7�2 THE
COVENANTS A covenant is a social unit of vampires. Each is an artificial group
comprising Kindred with similar philosophies, ideals, political aims and even
religious notions. Vampires can usually belong to only one covenant at a time, as
members are somewhat exclusionary about their principles, but Kindred sometimes
leave one covenant to join another, evade notice of membership in multiple
covenants, or actively concoct false identities with which to spy on other
covenants. Some vampires belong to no covenant at all. While all of these groups
receive greater treatment elsewhere in this book, it helps to familiarize yourself
with some of their basic notions.
The Carthians seek to reconcile Kindred society with modern governmental structures
and social systems. In any number of cities across the world, the Carthian
experiment is in some stage of its inexorable cycle, running from na�ve idealism to
�the revolution eats its children.� The Circle of the Crone venerates a variety of
female figures as an amalgamated creator of vampires, the Mother of all Monsters.
Regarded as pagans by some of the more conservative Kindred factions, the Circle
relies more on holistics and redemption than on the penitence and guilt of other
ideological covenants. Its members are sorcerers and blood witches. The Invictus is
the aristocracy of the night. Neofeudal and corrupt from within, it is nonetheless
a powerful covenant that draws strength from tradition. The Invictus claims to
trace its roots back as far as ancient Rome, if not before. The Lancea Sanctum
looks to Biblical history for its spiritual outlook. The covenant seeks to
influence Kindred society with the strictures of Longinus, who was believed to be a
progenitor turned into one of the Damned by the blood of Christ. The covenant
practices a magic that draws on elements from Biblical times, when God�s will was
manifest. The Ordo Dracul is a neo-Victorian faction not unlike a secret society.
It commands mystical knowledge and rituals that allow members to transcend their
vampiric state. The covenant claims descent from the historical Vlad Tepes �
Dracula himself. Kindred who belong to no covenant at all are known by many names,
but among the most universal are �the unaligned� or �the unbound.� They have no
formal structure, and many just want to handle the Requiem on their own terms,
rather than those of covenants or other institutions. 1�3�565�7�2 The Body Count So
how many Kindred are there? If they�ve got a society, they must exist in pretty
substantial numbers, yet they�ve managed to keep themselves more or less hidden
from the majority of the mortals around them. The truth is, Kindred numbers vary
from city to city. In most small cities, the proportion of undead to mortals tends
to be relatively low: One vampire per 100,000 or more mortals is not uncommon. In
large cities, the ratio is usually nearer one vampire per 50,000 mortals. In some
cities that seem to draw the Kindred for whatever reason � cities such as New York,
London, New Orleans and Chicago � the ratio can be substantially higher. Most
Princes don�t particularly keep track. As long as the population doesn�t grow so
high that people take notice of the predators among them, numbers don�t matter. If
one were to take a worldwide average, the ratio is probably around the one-to-
50,000 mark. It fluctuates so thoroughly from domain to domain that one should
never assume that any given population enquanto Jorun mais parecia um homem,
definitivamente heran�a de seu pai, e ningu�m diria o contr�rio. A volva estava
ereta, com os bra�os cruzados sobre o peito, observando as montanhas ao leste quase
totalmente encobertas pela n�voa que descia vagarosamente para o vale. Um vento
frio subitamente balan�ou seu vestido de l� bordado com ouro. A princesa subiu as
pedras �midas para ficar ao lado dela, seguindo seu olhar. As duas jovens formavam
uma estranha dupla: uma vestida e armada como uma Valkyria; a outra, como se fosse
presidir um festival Yule digno dos pr�prios Deuses. No entanto, seus cabelos
tinham a mesma cor bronzeada; seus olhos, o mesmo azul; e as longas tran�as usadas
nas laterais dos rostos apenas acentuavam a semelhan�a. Qualquer um que visse as
duas juntas pela primeira vez acharia que eram irm�s; irm�s que escolheram caminhos
diferentes na vida, mas irm�s acima de tudo. Na verdade, eram apenas amigas, desde
a inf�ncia. Entretanto, algo a mais fez com que Jorun trouxesse Hild com eles. A
volva era a �nica que poderia gui�-los para o dom�nio da Senhora do Gelo, uma
feiticeira retratada nas lendas como imortal e capaz de desfazer os fios tecidos
pelas Nornas. Ou pelo menos de alterar o destino. Hild Thorbjornsdottir tremeu com
o ar g�lido. A princesa soltou o broche que prendia sua capa curta, pesada, verde e
vermelha, feita de l�, e envolveu-a nos ombros de sua amiga. Ela apontou para uma
altura vertiginosa diante delas. Notou penhascos e encostas que at� mesmo um bode
n�o poderia subir. �A senhora do Gelo est� l� em cima, n�o est�?� A jovem volva
assentiu. Jorun Hrolfsdottir j� estava costumada com a aus�ncia de palavras de sua
amiga. O sil�ncio lhe ca�a bem, assim como muitas de suas palavras que carregavam
duras verdades. �N�o consigo ver nenhum caminho para subir,� continuou a jovem
nobre. Ela temia ter que voltar e procurar por caminhos para escalar. Talvez
passando pela tribo selvagem. Desta vez, no entanto, Hild discordou com um som
emitido pela sua boca. �H� um caminho. Eu posso v�-lo.� Os olhos de Jorun tentaram
atravessar a escurid�o, mas ela n�o conseguia ver nada. Sem d�
vida estava muito escuro. Sem d�vida sua amiga conseguia ver coisas que n�o eram
deste mundo. Em todo caso, precisava acreditar nela e deu de ombros. �Se voc�
diz,� ela disse enquanto descia de volta � praia. �Est� muito escuro para
partimos agora,� disse a filha de Hrolf o Bravo, � dist�ncia. �Precisamos honrar
nossos mortos e preparar um acampamento seguro para n�o sermos atacados � noite. Eu
darei as ordens.� Hild Thorbjornsdottir n�o a respondeu, seus olhos ainda estavam
presos nos cumes das montanhas, agora perdidos na n�voa. �Sim, irm�zinha,� ela
murmurou atrav�s de seus l�bios fechados. �D� suas ordens. Acostume-se com o gosto
do sangue e com seu papel como l�der. A hora de encarar seu Destino est� chegando
t�o r�pido quanto Sleipnir, o cavalo de oito patas de Odin, cruzando a Ponte Arco-
�ris�.
9The man advanced slowly, carefully, crouching in the jungle, not making any sound.
His hand was on the hilt of his blade, the cold metal�s presence reassuring him. He
knew the jungle. He was born in it, raised in it. From the tigers and the elephants
to the monsters like the Rakshasa and the Red Hunger, he knew every single danger
lurking in it. In truth, he loved the jungle. Of course it was a place of great
perils, between the animals, the ruins of the old Kingdoms, the angry spirits of
the dead, and the treacherous terrain. But there was a beauty in it, a wonder in
being surrounding by warm, pulsating life, in not knowing what lay behind the
nearest tree, in the verdant green everywhere. There was a rhythm to it, a unique
balance of nature which bristled with vitality more than anywhere else in the
world. And he was one of its most dangerous predators. Those who approached were
ones he had never seen before. But it did not matter; any who trespassed on the
territory of his goddess would die under his blade, their blood feeding the ground
and their corpses withering away. As they drew closer he tightened his grip on his
weapon, his muscles tensing to pounce like a panther. He might well die, of course,
but not before sending many of his enemies to the afterlife, securing his own
reward from the goddess. Suddenly a hand closed on his wrist, twisted it savagely.
As he lost his weapon, a second hand grabbed his throat with the strength of a
choking serpent. He tried to scream, from pain and anger both, but the air was
trapped in his lungs.
�Well, what do we have here?� Daigotsu Bofana whispered. His eyes glowed softly
with an unnatural light as he lifted the small man off the ground. �Ruhmalite
vermin, no doubt. Don�t you know? These lands belong to the Empress. You have no
place here anymore.� His teeth flashed in a monstrous grin. �Let me show you where
you belong...� Bofana closed his hand, and the man�s world disappeared.
Aventura e magia Voc� caminha cuidadosamente pela borda do desfiladeiro, sabendo
que um passo em falso o levar� para uma queda sem fim. Silenciosamente voc� ergue
seu cajado, invocando sobre si uma magia de prote��o, pois sabe que o covil da
criatura est� pr�ximo � talvez apenas mais alguns metros, e voc� n�o quer ser pego
desprevenido quando o momento chegar. Com a escura caverna a sua frente, voc� toma
a decis�o de seguir em frente... at� que o urro da criatura ecoa por todo o lugar.
Este livro coloca as aventuras nas suas m�os, pois � em verdade um jogo de
aventuras fant�sticas. Voc� e seus companheiros de aventura � jogadores �
representam her�is em uma hist�ria colaborativa, e suas decis�es levam ao
desenrolar da trama. Seu objetivo: a constru��o da hist�ria. Voc� est� prestes a
embarcar no mundo do RPG (do ingl�s Role Playing Game, ou "jogo de interpreta��o de
personagens"). Para jogar s�o necess�rias duas ou mais pessoas, embora se recomende
um n�mero entre tr�s e seis. A uma delas � atribu�do o papel de conduzir a aventura
fant�stica, sendo chamado ent�o de Narrador. Os demais jogadores representar�o os
her�is que se empenhar�o na aventura e, para cri�-los, basta seguir os pr�ximos
passos. Voc� tamb�m precisar� de c�pias da Ficha de Her�i e alguns dados comuns de
seis faces. Preciso ler todas estas p�ginas? Em princ�pio, n�o. Se voc� for um
jogador, o que � imprescind�vel ler s�o as se��es Criando seu her�i, O que seu
her�i pode fazer e Combate (quatro p�ginas no total). Se seu her�i puder invocar
magias (seja ele um cl�rigo ou um mago), tamb�m ser� preciso ler a sec��o Magias,
mas somente as partes referentes �s magias que podem ser invocadas no momento
(C�rculos 0 e 1� para magos, C�rculo 0 para cl�rigos). Se voc� for o Narrador, h�
um pouco mais a ser lido: al�m das partes citadas anteriormente, � necess�ria a
leitura das se��es Evolu��o, Narrando, Monstros, Armadilhas e Tesouros. Contudo,
voc� n�o precisa ler todas as descri��es dos monstros logo de in�cio, pois apenas
uns cinco ou seis tipos diferentes j� bastam para uma aventura inicial �
totalizando cerca de seis p�ginas. Mais para frente, por�m, � interessante que o
Narrador leia todas estas p�ginas, a fim de que conhe�a todas as possibilidades de
aventura que existem. Sobre os dados Ao longo do texto, algumas nomenclaturas
especiais indicam a quantidade e tipo de dado a ser rolado. Dessa maneira, 1d6
significa 1 dado de seis faces, 2d6 significa 2 dados de seis faces, 3d6+4
significa 3 dados de seis faces somado a 4, e assim por diante. H�, contudo, um
caso especial: d18. d18 Este jogo utiliza dois dados de seis faces para simular a
incerteza dos eventos que cercam os her�is (num combate, por exemplo, os dados
indicam se o oponente foi atingido ou n�o). Contudo, � necess�rio modificar um dos
dados para que ele possa ser usado dessa maneira. Para fazer essa modifica��o,
basta colar pequenos adesivos nas faces de um dos dados, contendo os valores: 0, 0,
6, 6, 12, 12. Alternativamente voc� pode pintar duas faces com uma cor (digamos,
azul) e outras duas faces com outra cor (vermelha): quando o dado cair numa face
n�o pintada, ele � igual a zero; quando cair na face azul, ele � igual a seis;
quando cair na face vermelha, ele � igual a doze. Ainda, como outra op��o, voc�
pode usar um dado comum (de tamanho ou cor diferente do outro dado que voc� vai
rolar) e dizer que os resultados 1 e 2 correspondem a zero, 3 e 4 correspondem a
seis, 5 e 6 correspondem a doze. Para rolar o d18 ent�o, basta rolar o dado
modificado e um dado comum ao mesmo tempo, somando seus valores. Posso usar um d20?
Se voc� tiver um d20 (dado de vinte faces) e quiser us�-lo no lugar de rolar o d18,
n�o h� problema algum, pois as probabilidades de um e de outro s�o bastante
pr�ximas.
tr�s ra�zes profundas. Uma est� em Asgard, a morada dos Aesires: o po�o de Wyrd,
onde habitam as Nornas; A outra est� em Midgard, o mundo dos homens: a fonte de
Mimir, o gigante que possui todo o conhecimento do mundo; A terceira est� em
Niflheim, Reino dos Mortos: a fonte de Hvergelmir, de onde fluem todos os rios. Os
Aesires realizam sua thing � sua assembleia � aos p�s da Yggdrasill, no po�o de
Wyrd. Yggdrasill, o Axis Mundi, est� no cora��o dos Nove Mundos. Tamb�m � chamada
de Mimameid, a �rvore de Mimir. O esquilo Ratatosk sobe e desce o tronco de
Yggdrasill levando mensagens da perspicaz �guia Hraesvelg, cujas asas criam os
ventos que varrem o mundo, at� Nidhogg, o drag�o que r�i as ra�zes de Hvergelmir,
onde habitam as serpentes. Foi em um dos galhos de Yggdrasill que Odin sacrificou-
se e ficou pendurado por nove dias, trespassado por uma lan�a, para aprender o
segredo das runas. Yggdrasill est� sempre ligada ao Destino e � eterna natureza dos
Nove Mundos, resumidos abaixo e que ser�o detalhados no primeiro suplemento de
Yggdrasill. Midgard Midgard � o reino dos seres humanos. Seu nome quer dizer �lugar
do meio�. Tamb�m � chamado de Mannheim, o mundo conhecido e habitado pelo homem. A
Escandin�via � parte de Midgard. Asgard Asgard, o �lugar dos Aesires�, localiza-se
em uma plan�cie sempre verde. L� est� Gladsheim, o sublime lar dos deuses. Odin e
os onze deuses principais encontram-se aqui quando ele ordena. Asgard � cercada por
Midgard e alcan�ada por Bifrost, a Ponte Arco-�ris. O Valhalla, o Sal�o dos Mortos,
fica em Gladsheim. Utgard Este � o �lugar externo� � n�o apenas o mundo exterior, o
Grande Oceano Primordial, mas tamb�m um lugar perigoso, estranho e pouco conhecido,
onde a grande serpente de Midgard habita (conhecida como Midgarddorm ou
Jormungand). Essa grandiosa criatura mant�m o mundo unido, segurando seu rabo com a
boca, envolvendo Midgard e Asgard e mantendo-os juntos. Por�m, ela causar� grande
desastre durante o Ragnar�k, quando deixar� de morder o pr�prio rabo. Aqui tamb�m
se encontra Jotunheim, a terra dos gigantes (os jotnar) e suas cidadelas sob o mar.
Utgard e Jotunheim s�o separados pelo rio Ifing.
Nif lheim Este � o lar dos mortos, aqueles que morreram de velhice ou doen�as, um
mundo de n�voas e escurid�o. Essas s�o terras g�lidas que existiam antes mesmo do
mundo ser feito. Hel, deusa dos mortos e filha de Loki, reina aqui em sua cidade de
Eljudnir.
Vanaheim Os Vanires, deuses antigos, habitam Vanaheim, quando n�o est�o vivendo com
os Aesires em Asgard. Vanaheim � um para�so terrestre, verde e
A primeira trai��o dos deuses A cria��o de Asgard foi tumultuosa. Ap�s a
batalha entre os Aesires e os Vanires, um gigante apareceu e fez uma proposta aos
deuses: no intervalo de tr�s invernos ele poderia criar Asgard, um reino
fortificado que resistiria �s invas�es dos gigantes de gelo e das montanhas. Ele
queria como pagamento a deusa Freya, o sol e a lua. Ap�s uma assembleia, os deuses
concordaram, por sugest�o de Loki, na condi��o de que o reino seria constru�do em
um inverno e que o gigante n�o utilizasse nenhuma ajuda al�m de seu garanh�o
m�gico, Svadilfari (Desastre). A constru��o prosseguiu rapidamente gra�as ao cavalo
e os deuses disseram a Loki que encontrasse um jeito de quebrar a promessa,
acusando-o por ter insistido para que o gigante tivesse ajuda do cavalo. Amea�ado
de morte, naquela noite, Loki, na forma de uma graciosa �gua, distraiu o garanh�o
de seu trabalho at� o amanhecer. O furioso gigante confrontou Thor, que partiu
seu cr�nio. Assim os deuses usaram Loki para quebrar sua promessa. Ap�s aquela
noite, Loki deu a luz a um potro cinza de oito patas chamado Sleipnir (aquele que
desliza), futura montaria de Odin. Essa trai��o, a recusa de honrar uma promessa
e tentar enganar o Destino, levar� � condena��o dos deuses e ao Ragnar�k.
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
14Virtue or Vice. Definitely look to Aspirations and Obsessions for have collapsed
but life goes on. Ellis�s seedy narratives and Templesmith�s deceptively stylized
visuals reveal the kinds of characters and crimes that would be right at home in
the Chronicles of Darkness. The supernatural is never overt or confirmed, but an
eerie atmosphere and macabre rituals permeate the story. Gone Girl, by Gillian
Flynn, or directed by David Fincher. Gone Girl owes much of its mystery and
atmosphere to its unreliable narration. Both the book and the movie switch from the
perspective of Nick Dunne, who comes home one day to find his wife missing, and the
diary of Amy Dunne, the missing wife. Are memories reliable? Can one really believe
witnesses and news stories, or is everything just tabloid journalism? How well can
you ever really know a person, whether a neighbor or a spouse? Both the movie and
the novel (as well as Gillian Flynn�s other two books, Sharp Objects and Dark
Places) exemplify how a seemingly-simple situation can actually possess unexpected
depth, if only people know how to ask the right questions. The Terminator, directed
by James Cameron. Though nominally science fiction, this classic horror-action
flick is the story of a woman pursued by an implacable monster as the result of a
family curse. Pay attention to the neon-lit neonoir Los Angeles setting, and the
way an ordinary waitress becomes a hardened survivor. True Detective, created by
Nick Pizzolatto. This show, which jumps back in forth in time, follows multiple
homicide cases and conspiracies over a 17-year period. Though the series
begins with the ritualistic murder of a prostitute, it rapidly expands in scope to
include biker gangs, drug deals, politics, and a possible conspiracy involving
abuse at a now-defunct religious school. True Detective is an excellent show to use
as inspiration for a longer chronicle wherein players slowly piece together what is
really happening, while still having contained adventures in each session.
Storytelling System Books Midnight Roads revs up your game with an in-depth
exploration of the Chronicles of Darkness through America�s roads. Packed with odd
traveling companions, small-town strangeness, and hints at a greater purpose to it
all. Mysterious Places fleshes out several locales unique to the Chronicles of
Darkness. What horrors await you in a crematorium full of puppets made from bone,
or when the Empty Room stalks and abducts you? Urban Legends is the Chronicles of
Darkness treatment of all of the fears we hide behind fables and humor. It includes
several urban legends as full adventures, plus a chapter that covers everything
from tainted Halloween candy to the Mexican Pet. Hurt Locker, coming soon, is an
in-depth treatment of violence in the Chronicles of Darkness, from action-packed
options like fighting styles to exploring the grim consequences of trying to kill
another human being.
INTRODUCTION
20 Devido ao desejo de f�s brasileiros em obter materiais de Mundo das Trevas n�o
traduzidos para a l�ngua portuguesa e n�o haver previs�o alguma deste livro ser
publicado no Brasil e em l�ngua portuguesa, decidimos por iniciativa pr�pria
efetuar a tradu��o do conte�do do Blood and Smoke - The Strix Chronicle e usando as
suas artes originais, assim atendendo ao anceio de jogadores brasileiros. Todavia,
recomendamos fortemente �queles que conseguirem uma c�pia deste arquivo que venham
a adquirir o produto original referente ao livro Blood and Smoke - The Strix
Chronicle, seja impresso ou em PDF, de forma a garantir a devida remunera��o dos
autores e produtores envolvidos nesta publica��o.
Equipe do Mundo das Trevas Brasil Tradu��es Livres www.mundodastrevas.com
2 Sangue e Fuma�a
Introdu��o 6 Temas 6 R�quiem + M�scara 6 Velho + Novo 6 Piedade +
Blasf�mia 6 Como Usar Este Livro 7 Cap�tulos 7 Verdade e Mentiras 7 Uma
Introdu��o aos Jogos de Storytelling 8 Inspirational Media 9 Meios de Inspira��o
9 Vampiro na M�dia 9 M�dias sem Vampiro 9 Livros da White Wolf 9 No Church in
the Wild (Part I) 10 Chapter One: Who We Are Tonight 13 Clans 13 Daeva
14 Clan Origins 15 How to Make a Monster 15 In the Covenants 16 Gangrel 17
Clan Origins 18 How to Make a Monster 18 In the Covenants 19 Mekhet 20 Clan
Origins 21 How to Make a Monster 21 In the Covenants 22 Nosferatu 23 Clan
Origins 24 How to Make a Monster 25 In the Covenants 25 Ventrue 26 Clan
Origins 27 How to Make a Monster 27 In the Covenants 28 Lost Clans 29 The
Akhud 29 The Julii 29 The Pijavica 30 Covenants 31 The Carthian
Movement 32 The Circle of the Crone 35 The Invictus 38 The Lancea et Sanctum
41 The Ordo Dracul 44 VII 47 Broken Covenants 50
The Legion of the Dead 50 The Gallows Post 50 The Children�s Crusade 50 The
Tenth Choir 51 No Church in the Wild (Part II) 52 Chapter Two: The All Night
Society 55 Needs Must 55 All These Things That I�ve Become 55 Moving Up
56 Who am I to you? 57 The Traditions 59 The First Tradition 60 The Second
Tradition 60 The Third Tradition 61 Sinners in the City 63 The Food 63 The
Folks 63 The Fun 63 What�s Here? 63 The City as State 65 Grace of
Monsters 67 The Danse Macabre 69 The Cannibal Totem Pole 69 The Predatory Note
72 The Sympathetic Note 72 The Cannibalistic Note 73 Dead Taboos 73 Lexicon
74 No Church in the Wild (Part III) 76 Chapter Three: Laws of the Dead 79
Introduction 79 Character Creation 79 Step One: Character Concept 79 Step
Two: Select Attributes 79 Step Three: Select Skills 80 Step Four: Skill
Specialties 80 Step Five: Add Kindred Template 80 Step Six: Merits 81 Step
Seven: Determine Advantages 81 Vampire Creation Quick Reference 82 Experience
83 Beats 83 The Heart of the Beast 84 Anchors 84
Mask 84 Dirge 84 Mask and Dirge Archetypes 84 Touchstone 87 Example
Touchstones 88 Blood Potency 89 Immortality, Injury, and Mortality 90 Torpor
and Final Death 90 Tricks of the Damned 90 Blush of Life 90 Kindred Senses
90 Physical Intensity 91 Healing 91 The Cleansing 91 Predatory Aura 91 The
Cycle of Death 93 The Embrace 93 Feeding 94 Daysleep and Waking 98
Bloodlines 98 Properties of the Blood 98 About Vitae 98 Blood Sympathy 98
Vitae Addiction 99 Blood Bonds 99 Ghouls 100 Diablerie
101 Curses Great and Small 101 The Pain of Purity: Sunlight
101 The Pain of Knowledge: Fire 102 Clan Banes 103 Frenzy
103 Torpor 105 Humanity 106 Merits
109 Sanctity of Merits 109 General Kindred Merits 109
Carthian Law 115 Invictus Oaths
116 Kindred Fighting Merits 117 Human Merits
118 Disciplines 125 Using Disciplines 125
Learning Disciplines 125 Supernatural Conflict
125 Clash of Wills 125 Animalism
126 Auspex 128 Celerity
130 Dominate 131 Majesty
133 Nightmare 135
Sum�rio
3Sum�rio
Obfuscate 137 Protean 139 Resilience 141 Vigor 141 Devotions
142 Blood Sorcery 150 Cr�ac 150 Theban Sorcery 150 Rites and Miracles
151 Cr�ac Rites 152 Theban Sorcery Miracles 153 Mysteries of the Dragon 154
Coils of the Dragon 154 Scales of the Dragon 155 Mystery of the Ascendant
155 Coil of the Ascendant 155 Sample Scales of the Ascendant 156 Mystery of
the Wyrm 157 Coil of the Wyrm 157 Sample Scales of the Wyrm 157 Mystery of
the Voivode 158 Coil of the Voivode 158 Sample Scales of the Voivode 158 No
Church in the Wild (Part IV) 160 Chapter Four: Rules of the Night 163 Traits
163 Attributes 163 Mental Attributes 163 Physical Attributes 163 Social
Attributes 164 Skills 164 Mental Skills 164 Physical Skills 166 Social
Skills 167 Skill Specialties 169 Virtues and Vices 169 Speed 169
Rolling Dice 169 Roll Results 169 When to Roll Dice 170 Willpower
170 Attribute Tasks 170 Muddling Through 170 Actions 170 Argument 171
Carousing 171 Fast-Talk 171 Interrogation 171 Intimidation 172
Investigating a Scene 172 Jumping 172 Repair 172
Research 172 Shadowing a Mark 172 Sneaking 172 Time 173 Social
Maneuvering 173 Combat 175 Optional Rule: Beaten Down & Surrender 175 Down
and Dirty Combat 176 Initiative 176 Attack 176 Defense 176 Dodge
176 Unarmed Combat 177 Ranged Combat 177 General Combat Factors 178 Weapons
and Armor 178 Ranged Weapons Chart 179 Melee Weapons Chart 180 Injury and
Healing 181 Armor Chart 181 Upgrading Damage 182 Healing 182 Objects
182 Disease 183 Drugs 183 Overdose 183 Extreme Environments 184
Poison 184 Equipment 184 Availability and Procurement 184 Size,
Durability, and Structure 184 Dice Bonuses 184 Services 185 Services
(continued) 186 Game Effect 186 Mental Equipment 186 Physical Equipment
189 Social Equipment 192 Conditions 193 Improvised Conditions 193
Lingering Conditions 193 No Church in the Wild (Part V) 194 Chapter Five:
The Parliament of Owls 197 The Birds of Dis 197 Omens of Doom 198 Kindred
Spirits 199 Shadowed Past 199 Game Systems 200 Shadow Traits 200
Common Powers 204
Nine Tenths of the Law: Embodiments 204 Dread Powers 208 Doom Powers 208
Host Powers 210 Shadow Powers 210 Vitae Powers 211 A Gallery of Horrors
212 Anna Red 212 The Baron 214 The Black Cat 215 Granny 216 Hantu,
the Sorcerer 217 Lady of Shivs 218 Lord of Irons 219 Marty Baxton 221
Mother 222 Mr. Scratch 224 Ms. Gem 225 Old Man Marshe 226 Pastor
Samuel 227 The Photographer 228 The Ringmaster 229 Strix Hunter 230
Teach 232 The Thief of Masques 233 Varney the Vampire 234 No Church in
the Wild (Part VI) 236 Chapter Six: The World We Die In 239 The Polis Erebus
239 The Secret History 239 The Clans 240 The Covenants 241 Notable
Kindred 242 Notable Locations 242 Broken Things Remembered 243 The Secret
History 243 The Clans 244 The Covenants 244 Notable Kindred 244
Notable Locations 245 The Margraviate of Berlin-Brandenburg 247 The Secret
History 247 The Clans 248 The Covenants 248 Notable Kindred 248
Notable Locations 249 The Pit of the Nameless 250 The Secret History 250
The Clans 251 The Covenants 251 Notable Kindred 252
4 Sangue e Fuma�a
Notable Locations 252 The Triangle 253 The Secret History 253 The Clans
253 The Covenants 254 Notable Kindred 254 Notable Locations 256 The
Mission 257 The Secret History 257 The Clans 258 The Covenants 258
Notable Kindred 258 Notable Locations 259 Beddnerys 261 The Secret
History 261 The Clans 262 The Covenants 263 Notable Kindred 263
Notable Locations 264 The Three and Four Diamonds 265 The Secret History
265 The Clans 266 The Zaibatsu 266 The Other Factions 269 Notable
Locations 269 No Church in the Wild (Part VII) 270 Chapter Seven:
Storytelling 273 Masks and Dirges 273 Mask and Dirge Scenes 273 Mirrors
273 Twist: The Whole of the Monster 274 Aspirations 274 The Team 275
Negativity 275 Twist: The Will to Achieve 275 Blood Potency 275 Gaining
Blood Potency 275 Generational Stories 276 Twist: Blood Beats 276 Feeding
Scenes 276 Vitae Tokens 276 Twist: Above All, Feed 276 Conditions 277
Cards 277 Twist: Conditions-As-Health 277 Bruised 277 Maimed 277
Incapacitated 277
Dying 277 Disciplines 278 Personification 278 Twist: Learning Through
Suffering 278 Frenzy 278 Twist: Beast Guides 278 Touchstones 278 What
Touchstones Are 278 What Touchstones Aren�t 279 Portraying Touchstones 280
Non-Human Touchstones 280 The Black Box 280 Holding Hands 280 Time 281
Scenes 281 Flashbacks and Cutaways 281 Pacing and Urgency 281 Twist: Like
Sands Through the Hourglass 281 Climbing the Ladder 282 Confront
Vulnerability 283 Believe Someone Has Answers 283 Meet Your Maker 284 Find
Fear 284 Leave a Witness 285 Suffer Your Defects 285 Beg Someone, Anyone,
to Fix You 285 Remember Your Victims 286 Embrace a Wrong 286 Find Like
Minds 286 Seize the Night 286 Winding Up 287 Appendix One: The Living
288 Handling the Masquerade 288 Blood Dolls 288 Dressage Kine 289 Family and
Friends 289 Shadow-Crossed Lovers 289 GhoUls 290 The Ones Who Can�t Stop
290 Ghouls in the Danse Macabre 291 Ghouls and the Vampire Body 291 Society and
the Treatment of Ghouls 292 The Unique 293 The Specially Trained 294 The
Well-Connected 295 Traveling Companions 295
Ghoul Families 296 Playing a Ghoul 297 Creating a Ghoul 297 Ghoul and Mortal
Merits 298 Appendix Two: Conditions 301 Addicted (Persistent) 301 Amnesia
(Persistent) 301 Bestial 301 Broken (Persistent) 301 Charmed (Persistent)
301 Competitive 302 Confused 302 Delusional (Persistent) 302 Dependent
(Persistent) 302 Deprived 302 Distracted 302 Dominated 302 Drained
303 Ecstatic 303 Enervated (Persistent) 303 Enslaved (Persistent) 303
Enthralled (Persistent) 303 False Memories (Persistent) 303 Frightened 303
Fugue (Persistent) 304 Guilty 304 Humbled 304 Inspired 304 Intoxicated
304 Jaded 304 Languid 304 Lethargic 305 Mesmerized 305 Obsession
(Persistent) 305 Raptured 305 Sated 305 Scarred 305 Shaken 305
Spooked 305 Soulless (Persistent) 305 Steadfast 306 Stumbled 306
Subservient (Persistent) 306 Swooning 306 Tainted 306 Tasked 306 Tempted
307 Thrall (Persistent) 307 Wanton 307 No Church in the Wild (Epilogue) 308
5Sum�rio

O vento est� frio esta noite, e voc� tamb�m. Morto, mas ainda caminhando,
empurrando o seu caminho atrav�s da multid�o para encontrar as pessoas nas suas
periferias. O menino de camisa de flanela, inclinando-se solit�rio contra o lixo. A
mulher com o laptop, esperando at� muito tarde na varanda da loja de caf�. Um deles
vai para casa com voc� esta noite. � apenas uma quest�o de quem voc� levar� para se
sentir menos culpado. Vampiro � um jogo de drama visceral e horror pessoal. Vampiro
� sobre sexo e assassinato, sobre o poder e desafio selvagem. � sobre a mis�ria
urbana e o romantismo urba
no. � sobre o que h� de errado com voc� - sim, voc� - e como isso molda o monstro
que voc� vai se tornar. Vampiro � tamb�m sobre a a��o emocionante e paranoia de
roer as unhas. � sobre morrer jovem e ter uma �tima apar�ncia como um cad�ver. �
sobre como agir de todas as maneiras que imaginamos que seria, se a gente n�o
pudesse se ver no espelho. Vampiro � um jogo sobre pessoas mortas e deve fazer voc�
se sentir vivo.
A besta n�o sabe que � uma besta, E quanto mais perto um homem chega de ser uma
besta, menos ele sabe disso.
George MacDonald
Temas Vampiro � constru�do no contraste, em um lugar no Mundo das Trevas com um
branco ofuscante e um breu sombrio. Personagens tentam permanecer legais,
confortavelmente no cinza, mas n�o podem se esconder o tempo todo. E, hey, eles
ficam bem de preto. Passe as suas noites na ab�bada aperfei�oando sua
monstruosidade e voc� pode encontrar-se preso, incapaz de fugir atrav�s das massas,
quando os ca�adores derrubarem as portas.
R�quiem + M�scara O que voc� vai fazer para passar esta noite? E sobre amanh�? E
depois que as a��es tiverem sido feitas e sua barriga cheia, como � que voc� vai
viver consigo mesmo? O que voc� vai fazer com a sua condena��o que faz valer a pena
todos os pecados ao longo do caminho? Esse � o R�quiem. Isso � apenas metade da
quest�o, no entanto. Os mortais s�o o jantar, mas eles tamb�m s�o o que voc� tem
para os encontros. N�o importa o qu�o insens�vel voc� se torna, voc� precisa mover-
se entre eles. Como voc� vai manter a sua conex�o com a humanidade, mesmo como uma
farsa? Essa � a M�scara.
A m�sica e a dan�a nem sempre combinam bem. Dedique-se para redimir os pecadores
humanos e voc� pode descobrir que eles s�o as �nicas criaturas que voc� entende.
Velho + Novo Fundada em 1856. Isso � o que o cartaz da empresa diz. O propriet�rio
surgiu em 1856, tamb�m, apesar de seu terno de costura alta ter sido feito amanh�.
Ele � um dos seus rapazes. Um dos tubar�es a nadar com voc�. A Fam�lia s�o os reais
predadores da era moderna. Eles s�o o quadril para os nossos truques, mas eles t�m
uma centena de anos de hist�ria por tr�s deles. Voc� � um deles. Ent�o, parab�ns:
voc� � o ladr�o de crian�as, o portador da praga, e o tit� empresarial sem rosto
sugando a vida de sua pr�pria cidade natal.
Piedade + Blasf�mia Como � que voc� come�a a ser o que voc� �? Voc� foi uma boa
menina, que foi arrastada, esperneando e gritando do c�u? Ou um mau menino, que
voltou do tumulo, porque o inferno n�o te merecia? Um pouco dos dois,
provavelmente.

Other Chronicles of Darkness The Chronicles of Darkness isn�t just one setting,
it�s many. Outside of this book, most of the games focus on playing one type of
monster. As of this writing, there are ten, with more to come. Vampire: The Requiem
is a game of personal horror and visceral drama set in a society of predators that
exists alongside ours. Werewolf: The Forsaken tells stories of spiritual threats
and unrelenting hunters. Mage: The Awakening follows mystery-addicted willworkers
as they seek to understand the Fallen World. Promethean: The Created is about the
long road to becoming human. Changeling: The Lost explores how to reclaim your
stolen life, while defending those around you from forces they could never
understand. Hunter: The Vigil is about plain ol� humans who don�t just encounter
the supernatural� they hunt it down and make it pay. Geist: The Sin-Eaters follows
ghost-bound people given a second chance, and their efforts to put the dead to
rest. Mummy: The Curse is a game of ancient servants, awoken in the modern world to
play their long games and work their ancient magic anew. Demon: The Descent tells
stories of the fallen servants of a monstrous God, and their struggle to find their
own personal Hells. Beast: The Primordial explores what it means to discover you�re
a creature of nightmare, heir to ancient monsters like Medusa and Fenris. Lexicon
10 Again � A result of 10 on any die is re-rolled in an attempt to achieve more
successes. A further result of 10 on a re-rolled die is rolled yet again, over and
over, until no more 10�s are rolled. 8 Again � A result of 8 or higher on any die
is re-rolled in an attempt to achieve more successes. A further result of 10 on a
re-rolled die is rolled yet again, over and over, until no more 10�s are rolled. 9
Again � A result of 9 or higher on any die is re-rolled in an attempt to achieve
more successes. A further result of 10 on a re-rolled die is rolled yet again, over
and over, until no more 10�s are rolled. action � A task that takes all of a
character�s time and attention. The Storytelling system measures instant actions
(one to three seconds, taking place within a single turn) and extended actions,
taking longer (duration determined by the Storyteller). Also, there are reflexive
actions, which take no
time and do not prevent a character from performing another action within a turn,
and contested actions, in which two or more characters compete in a task or for a
single goal. advantage � A character trait such as Health or Willpower that usually
represents abilities derived from other traits. Advantages are measured in dots and
sometimes in points. aggravated (damage) � A damage point that inflicts a grievous
or supernatural wound. Vampires suffer aggravated damage from fire; werewolves
suffer it from silver. Mortals might suffer aggravated damage from a dire
supernatural power such as a lightning bolt summoned from the sky by a witch.
Aggravated wounds normally heal at a rate of one point per week. Aspiration � One
of a player's goals for her character. An Aspiration can be something the character
seeks out, or something the player wants to see happen to the character. Attribute
� A character trait representing innate capabilities, Mental, Physical and Social.
An Attribute is added to a Skill (or another Attribute in certain cases) to
determine your basic dice pool for an action. bashing (damage) � A damage point
that inflicts a nonlife-threatening wound. Bashing wounds normally heal at a rate
of one point per 15 minutes. Beat � A point gained for performing certain actions.
Five Beats becomes an Experience, which can then be used to purchase new traits,
such as Attributes, Skills, Merits, or supernatural powers. breaking point � A
trigger which causes a player to have to check for losing Integrity, Humanity, or a
similar trait. chance roll � Whenever modifiers reduce your dice pool to zero or
fewer dice, you may make a chance roll on a single die. Unlike a normal dice roll,
a chance roll succeeds only on a result of 10. Worse, a result of 1 causes a
dramatic failure. close combat � Attacks that involve hand-to-hand or weapon
fighting. Such attacks use the Strength Attribute for their dice pools. Characters
gain their Defense against close-combat attacks. Condition � An ongoing effect,
which may be physical, mental, or supernatural. For example, a character might be
Guilty or Mesmerized. Usually, a Condition modifies a character's dice pools for
certain actions. Players are rewarded with Beats when they act on or resolve (end)
a Condition. contested action � Two or more characters compete in a task or for a
single goal. The one who gets the most successes wins. Contested actions can be
instant or extended actions. damage � The points inflicted against a character�s
Health or an object�s Structure, rated as bashing, lethal or aggravated. One point
of damage inflicts one wound. Defense � An advantage trait determined by taking the
lowest of Dexterity or Wits and adding Athletics. Characters can penalize a close-
combat opponent�s accuracy by subtracting their Defense from his dice pool. dice �
The Storytelling System uses 10-sided dice to represent the element of chance. Dice
are collected to form a character�s dice pool for an action.
21 Lexicon
dice pool � The number of dice rolled to determine failure or success (and the
degree of success) for a character�s action. Dice pools are usually determined by
adding an Attribute to a Skill, plus any relevant equipment and/or modifiers. dot �
The incremental measurement of a permanent trait. Most traits range from 1 to 5
dots, but some (such as Willpower) range from 1 to 10, and others (Health) can go
higher. dramatic failure � A result of 1 on a chance roll causes a dramatic
failure, a catastrophe worse than a normal failure. The character�s gun might jam
or he might wind up shooting a friend by accident. The Storyteller determines and
describes the result. A player can also turn a failure into a dramatic failure
voluntarily in order to gain a Beat. Durability � A trait representing an object�s
hardness, based on the material from which it is made (wood has less Durability
than metal). Durability is measured in dots. An attack�s damage must exceed
Durability before the object is harmed. equipment � Characters can improve their
chances of succeeding in a task by using the right equipment. This benefit is
represented by modifiers to the dice pool, depending on the equipment used and its
quality. exceptional success � Whenever five or more successes are rolled, the
character achieves an exceptional success. This achievement sometimes provides an
extra perk over and above the effect of having multiple successes. For example, a
character who gains five successes on a fast-talk roll might allay the target�s
suspicions enough that he believes anything the character says for the remaining
scene. Experiences � A collection of five Beats, used to purchase new traits or to
boost the dots of existing traits. extended action � A task that takes time to
accomplish. Players roll to accumulate successes during phases of the task,
succeeding once they have acquired the needed total. failure � A dice roll that
yields no successes is a failure � the character does not succeed at his task.
Initiative � An advantage trait representing the character�s ability to respond to
sudden surprise, determined by adding Dexterity + Composure. A character�s
Initiative helps him get a high standing in the Initiative roster. instant action �
A task that takes place within a single turn. A character can perform only one
instant action per turn, unless he has a Merit or power that lets him do otherwise.
Integrity � A trait representing a character's mental stability. Merit � A
character trait representing enhancements or elements of a character�s background,
such as his allies or influence. Merits are measured in dots, but are not always
used to determine dice pools. Instead, they represent increasing degrees of quality
or quantity concerning their subject. modifiers � Dice pools are often modified by
a number of factors, from bonuses (adding dice) for equipment or ideal conditions
to penalties (subtracting dice) for poor conditions.
point � A trait expended to gain certain effects, such as a Willpower point or a
measurement of damage or Health. The amount of points available to spend is equal
to the parent trait�s dots. Spent points are regained over time or through certain
actions. ranged combat � An attack that sends a projectile of some sort at a
target, whether it�s a bullet from a gun or a knife from a hand. Such attacks use
the Dexterity Attribute for their dice pools. Characters� Defense cannot normally
be used against firearm attacks, although targets can penalize an opponent�s
accuracy by going prone or taking cover. reflexive action � An instinctual task
that takes no appreciable time, such as reacting to surprise or noticing something
out of the corner of your eye. Performing a reflexive action does not prevent a
character from performing another action within a turn. Resistance � Characters can
resist others� attempts to socially sway them, physically grapple them or even
mentally dominate them. Whenever applying such resistance requires a character�s
full attention, it is performed as a contested action, but more often it is a
reflexive action, allowing the target to also perform an action that turn. scene �
A division of time based on drama, such as the end of one plot point and the
beginning of another. Whenever a character leaves a location where a dramatic event
has occurred, or when a combat has ended, the current scene usually ends and the
next one begins. Skill � A character trait representing learned ability or
knowledge. Added to an Attribute to determine a character�s basic dice pool for a
task. Specialty � An area of Skill expertise in which a character excels. Whenever
a Specialty applies to a character�s task, one die is added to his player�s dice
pool. There�s no limit to the number of Specialties that you can assign to a single
Skill. Storyteller � The �director� or �editor� of the interactive story told by
the players. The Storyteller creates the plot and roleplays the characters, both
allies and enemies, with which the players� characters interact. success � Each die
that rolls an 8, 9 or 10 yields one success. (Exception: A chance roll must produce
a 10 to succeed.) In an instant action, a player must roll at least one success for
his character to accomplish a task. In an extended action, the number of successes
required (accumulated over a series of rolls) depends on the task. In an attack
roll, each success produces one point of damage. trait � An element on the
character sheet. Traits include Attributes, Skills, Merits, advantages, anchors,
supernatural powers, and more. turn � A three-second period of time. Instant
actions are observed in turns. Combat (a series of instant actions) is observed in
consecutive turns as each combatant tries to overcome opponents. wound � A marked
Health point, denoting an injury from damage.

�It�s okay, it�s not like I�m alone. Now, goodnight.� Siranush closed the door
gently, so as not to wake Alan. Mena was sweet, but� well, a lot pushier these last
few years. She crept over to the couch, tucked the blanket around Alan, and then
padded down the hall of her grandmother�s apartment. It had been sweet of him to
come help her pack after Nana passed away, and she had felt more at ease once he
arrived. There was something so cold and hostile about the apartment without Nana
living there. Cleaning alone after the wake had left her sleepless and shaking,
with an angry-looking reflection. She told herself it was because Nana�s death was
so sudden. She had looked frail in her casket, all the muscle of her vigorous age
melted away. It felt like a stranger�s funeral. But when Sira called Alan, he ran
over to keep her company, and was now snoring faintly along with the horror movie
that was supposed to help her relax. She heard a tinny scream and a loud snuffle in
the living room, and smiled. She�d taken inventory of this hallway a half dozen
times already; and there wasn�t much to do until the appraisers came tomorrow
anyway. But she was too restless to sleep. She traced the spiderweb pattern of
broken glass in Nana�s favorite mirror, and watched her reflected hand ripple along
the edges. The faster she moved, the further out of sync her reflection became.
Then suddenly, it stopped. Her reflected hand pressed against the glass, far from
where her fingers lingered. Her face looked canny and hungry and too sharp in the
low light, and Sira jumped back. She waited for her reflection to jump away, too;
for the too-slow distortion to resolve back into her own image. It didn�t. The hand
on the other side of the mirror began pounding. Silently at first, then distant and
building, until she saw the glass shake, and crack. Siranush staggered away from
the mirror and started running back down the hall. The Sira-in-the-mirror followed,
her fists cracking the glass of each window, each mirror, each pane of glass. Her
fingers reaching through the gaps where shards fell away. The hands bled where they
were cut; dark, clotting blood, swimming with the acid smell of formaldehyde. They
kept pushing through all around her, grabbing at her sleeves and threading their
fingers into her hair. Why did Nana have so many mirrors? She almost made it back
to the living room. Then her own hands pulled her back into the dark hallway, her
screams somehow dim, as though muffled by thick layers of glass. Sira-in-the-hall
pried the bloody hands of Sira-in-the-mirror off her wrist and out of her hair. And
together they teetered, half in and half out of the mirror. Both fell in, and both
climbed out of, but one Sira was forced back through. The other dusted the broken
glass from her sweater, tucked herself in next to Alan, and put a proprietary arm
around him. He startled slightly, surfacing slowly from a deep sleep. �Sira, did I
fall asleep? How did the movie end?� �Don�t worry, baby. She got away.�
the face in the mirror-Characters
24
As a player in the Chronicles of Darkness, you explore the story and help to weave
a tale through a character you create. Your character is your means to engage with
the world. As a player, it�s your responsibility to portray your character in a way
that�s appropriate to her background and context, while fostering the kind of story
you want to see her in. Consider that moment in a horror movie where you�re at the
edge of your seat, trying to make decisions for a character who�s about to do
something dangerous. With your character, you can choose to step back away from the
cellar door, or to lash out at the monster instead of standing and screaming. Or,
you can embrace that moment of horror and jump headfirst into the awfulness you
know is coming. After all, no Storyteller can scare you the way you can scare
yourself. Creating characters is best done at the table with everyone
participating. Stories about characters with ties, whether they be social or simply
thematic, will work much better than a bunch of strangers designed with different
types of stories in mind. In game terms, you make your character through a series
of traits. These traits describe her capabilities, her weaknesses, and some of what
makes her unique. Imagine how many different characters you could describe as
�paranormal investigators,� �curious students,� or even �truck drivers.� These
traits allow you to define and refine your character�s role in the story. When
coming up with your character, work with the Storyteller and the other players to
figure out what kinds of stories you want to tell, and what characters could best
serve that narrative. If your story is about personal horror, a team of expert
martial artists might not be the best fit. However, if you want to tell an action-
packed story of a village set upon by an undead horde brought upon by biological
tests gone awry, that team could shine. As you delve into the mystery, the horror,
and the drama of the Chronicles of Darkness, your character earns Beats and
Experiences, which can improve her game traits. This allows you further
customization, and lets your character grow and develop in mechanical terms. You
get these Beats through a variety of behaviors; for example, you can get them
through unfortunate events, from executing elaborate actions, or by pursuing
character goals. Just like in a book, movie, or television show, your character
grows as she interacts with the plot. Character Creation The system for creating a
character is a simple, step-by-step process to take an initial idea for a
character, and flesh her out potential changes. The character doesn�t necessarily
become a completely different person, but she�ll come out changed. Effects of
Gnosis Gnosis affects numerous factors in gameplay: � When ritual casting, Gnosis
determines the amount of time a spell takes to cast. At the lowest levels of
Gnosis, any ritual casting will take hours at least, and force a mage to stay awake
for greater spells. As Gnosis increases, ritual casting becomes quicker.
� Gnosis builds the foundation for spellcasting dice pools. Whereas a mundane
action uses an Attribute and a Skill, the �Attribute� in spellcasting is Gnosis,
while Arcanum is the �Skill.�
� Gnosis determines your character�s maximum traits. Normally, a character is
limited to five dots in Skills and Attributes. However, at Gnosis 6+, your
character can achieve higher Attribute and Skill ratings.
� Upon Awakening, a mage can only use two Yantras in a given spellcasting. At
higher Gnosis levels, she becomes able to integrate more Yantras into her casting.
� Gnosis determines how many spells your character can have active before she needs
to Reach. This is direct, onefor-one. Every dot equals a spell.
� Gnosis determines the number of Obsessions your character may have at once.
� Legacy Attainments (see p. 199) are limited by Gnosis. As the character�s Gnosis
increases, the number of potential Attainments does as well; the Arcanum limits of
the specific Attainments also increase.
� Gnosis determines the number of Paradox dice that are incurred for each Reach
above Arcanum limits.
� Gnosis allows your character to combine multiple spells into a single casting, to
get around limitations on numbers of active spells. At Gnosis 3, a mage can combine
two spells into one casting. At Gnosis 6, she can combine three. And at Gnosis 9,
she can combine four spells.
� Gnosis limits the upper limit of a mage�s Arcana. A mage�s highest Arcanum can be
three dots at Gnosis 1, four dots at Gnosis 3, and five dots at Gnosis 5. That
mage�s other Arcana are limited to a maximum of two dots at Gnosis 1, three dots at
Gnosis 2, four dots at Gnosis 4, and five dots at Gnosis 6.
� Gnosis acts as a mage�s �power trait� and adds to Supernatural Tolerance rolls.
In contested rolls to resist some supernatural powers, Gnosis adds to the dice
pool.
� Gnosis determines how much Mana a mage can contain within her Pattern, and how
quickly she can process it. The chart notes a maximum Mana, and how much she can
spend in a turn at her level of Gnosis.
� A mage�s Nimbus is partially determined by her Gnosis. See Nimbus, on p. 88, for
more on this.
� Every dot of Gnosis comes with a free Praxis. Mana Mana is the palpable,
measurable bleed of the Supernal into the material. It�s a Prime energy, a
quintessential force that comes from the energy trapped when the Abyss came into
existence, or sometimes comes into existence from the glory and greatness of the
world. In a Hallow, it can suffuse a physical object, forming tass. Mages can keep
a certain amount of Mana in their Patterns depending on their Gnosis dots.
Alternatively, tass can be physically held and carried around in whatever
quantities the mage can stockpile. A Mage�s Gnosis determines her Pattern�s
capacity for Mana storage, but it also determines how quickly she can spend it.
Consult the Gnosis chart for these numbers.
Gnosis
Ritual Interval
Trait Max Yantras Paradox
Combined Spells Obsessions
Mana/ Per Turn
Highest Arcanum Max
Other Arcana Max 1 3 Hours 5 2 1 1 1 10/1 3 2 2 3 Hours 5 2 1 1 1 11/2 3 3 3 1 Hour
5 3 2 2 2 12/3 4 3 4 1 Hour 5 3 2 2 2 13/4 4 4 5 30 Minutes 5 4 3 2 2 15/5 5 4 6 30
Minutes 6 4 3 3 3 20/6 5 5 7 10 Minutes 7 5 4 3 3 25/7 5 5 8 10 Minutes 8 5 4 3 3
30/8 5 5 9 1 Minute (20 Turns) 9 6 5 4 4 50/10 5 5 10 1 Minute (20 Turns) 10 6 5 4
4 75/15 5 5
87the awakening
Mana can be spent to: � Improvise a spell not based on your character�s Ruling
Arcana. Improvising a spell outside your character�s Ruling Arcana requires a point
of Mana.
� Reduce Paradox risk on a spell by one die per point of Mana spent.
� Attainments often cost Mana to activate, as noted in their rules.
� Some powerful spells that push the boundaries of natural physics or violate the
Lie require Mana, as explained on p. 125.
� Any Legacy Attainments based on spells that would cost 2 or more Mana require one
point to use.
� As the opposite of Scouring (see below), a mage can bolster her Pattern and heal
mentally or physically. Three Mana points can heal a level of bashing or lethal
damage. Alternatively, the mage can remove a Mental Condition (this does not offer
a Beat) or a Physical Tilt. Mages attempting a feat that requires Mana above their
Gnosis-derived spending limits may take as many Turns as needed before the action
to spend the required Mana. If they are interrupted or change their minds part-way
through, Mana spent is still lost. Gaining Mana Mages can absorb Mana through
numerous methods: � The most common method is Oblation, or targeted meditation at a
Hallow. This requires a Gnosis + Composure roll and one hour�s time. Each success
gives one Mana, up to the limits imposed by the Hallow. As well, a mage with a
Legacy can commit a special Oblation even away from a Hallow.
� Mages with three dots of Prime may use the spell �Channel Mana� (p. 168) to
absorb Mana from a Hallow without Oblation.
� If Mana is left to accumulate at a Hallow, it�ll eventually congeal and
crystallize into tass, which can be stored and accessed later. If the tass congeals
in food, it can be eaten to absorb the Mana. Otherwise, Channel Mana is required to
access tass.
� Moments of Supernal Revelation can generate Mana. This usually means fulfilling
an Obsession.
� A mage can Scour her Pattern for Mana, literally tearing apart some of the
building blocks that maintain her physical form. This shreds her mortal body, but
the resulting release produces Mana. In game terms, she reduces a Physical
Attribute (and all traits derived from it, such as Health for Stamina) by one dot
for 24 hours, or suffers one resistant lethal wound. This produces three Mana. At
Gnosis 1�4, she can Scour once per day. At 5�6, she can Scour twice. At 7�9, she
can Scour three times per day. And at Gnosis 10, she can Scour four times per day.
� Lastly, Blood Sacrifice offers Mana. In an Act of Hubris, the mage kills a living
being for Mana. Its death releases Mana from its Pattern. A small animal offers one
Mana, while human sacrifices offer as much Mana as the person had Integrity dots
remaining before the killing blow. The Mana gained from Sacrifice ignores the
spend/Turn limits on Mana if the sacrifice is part of a spell�s casting. Wisdom
Wisdom is a mage�s ability to judge the value of when, where, why, and how to use
magic. Mages commonly call this virtue sophia, but Awakened society debates
constantly on what constitutes �right� usage of their magic. Wisdom represents the
control a mage has over her magic. A character with low Wisdom runs the risk of her
magic spiraling out of control. It sometimes becomes a rampant force, and Paradox
follows quickly behind. Losing Wisdom Wisdom decays through Acts of Hubris, wherein
a mage ignores consequence in pursuit of her goals. Every mage and every
circumstance is different from a Wisdom standpoint. Two mages in nearly identical
circumstances may cast the same spell or commit the same action, but to one, his
Wisdom is safe while the other risks degeneration. Also, different levels of Wisdom
handle degeneration differently. As a mage�s Wisdom decreases, she becomes inured
to loss, and only great Acts of Hubris will risk degeneration. On the other side of
the spectrum, a mage with high Wisdom stands in a constant balancing act between
Wisdom and hubris, and any minor misstep can send her Wisdom plummeting. In the
Acts of Hubris section below, you�ll see example acts for each level of Wisdom.
These are only general recommendations. As a Storyteller, assess each action for
potential hubris, and compare to the character�s Wisdom. If the character�s Wisdom
is equal to or higher than the level you feel fits the action, the character risks
degeneration. Degeneration risks use a number of dice depending on the relative
Wisdom level of the Act of Hubris. Consult the Acts of Hubris list for how many
dice each level of Wisdom act use. Note that the dice pool depends on the action;
it doesn�t depend on the mage�s Wisdom. A mage with three dots of Wisdom and a mage
with nine dots of Wisdom both use a base pool of 1 die if they commit a Wisdom 1
Act of Hubris. Following Obsessions hurts a mage�s chance to maintain Wisdom, as
that driving power makes him ignore the implications of his actions. If the
Storyteller feels the mage commits an Act of Hubris in pursuit of his Obsessions,
remove one die from the dice pool for degeneration. A character�s Virtue can add a
die to the pool, if the act embodied hubris, but in defense of that Virtue. The
character may
88 chapter Three: supernal lore
very well understand and see the consequences of her actions, but she stands by
them because she truly, fundamentally believes her actions are righteous. On the
other hand, following a Vice as an Act of Hubris is similar to an Obsession; it
removes a die from the pool as your character indulges in what she believes is a
moral failing. Roll the resulting dice pool. Compare the results below: Dramatic
Failure: Your character not only loses a dot of Wisdom from her complete disregard
for the world around her, but she also gains a Persistent Condition pertaining to
the hubris. Take Megalomaniacal or Rampant. The normal resolution gives a Beat.
Your character may only resolve the Condition permanently by gaining a dot of
Wisdom. Failure: Your character loses a dot of Wisdom, as she fails to see the
consequences and ripples from her actions. Take the Megalomaniacal or Rampant
Condition. Success: Your character is able to examine and understand the
ramifications of her actions. She does not lose Wisdom. Exceptional Success: Your
character�s Wisdom is reinforced by examining the risk and consequences of her
actions. Take an additional Arcane Beat from the epiphany. Any time your character
risks Wisdom degeneration, she gains an Arcane Beat. Exploring the depths of hubris
can be enlightening. Additionally, some spells that attack the soul, or powers of
other supernatural creatures in the Fallen World, can temporarily reduce Wisdom
until their effects wear off. Acts of Hubris Acts of Hubris determine when a mage
risks Wisdom degeneration. While this list is not exhaustive, it�s also only a
series of guidelines. Feel free to add, take away, or adjust as you see fit. Mages
of greater Wisdom consider lesser acts to be Acts of Hubris. The greatest minds
fall the easiest. Wisdom comes in three tiers, Enlightened, Understanding, and
Falling. A character within that tier suffers when committing act within or beneath
that tier. The tier of the Act of Hubris also determines the base dice pool to
resist degeneration. Note that this is the tier of the act, not the mage. A mage at
Wisdom 8 only gets one die to resist a Falling-level act. Wisdom 8�10, High /
Enlightened (5 dice) These highest levels of Wisdom force the mage to walk a
careful line. Any minor Act of Hubris risks degeneration. At this level, any time
the mage uses a spell to accomplish something she could do through mundane methods
with little or no risk poses the chance for degeneration. When innocent bystanders
are affected by your character�s spells or actions, she is at risk as well. Wisdom
4�7, Medium / Understanding (3 dice): Most experienced and stable mages fall into
this range of Wisdom. Sometimes, Acts of Hubris happen. But by and large, the mage
acts with basic Wisdom most of the time. Allowing a Sleeper to witness obvious
magic, thus risking greater Paradox, can cause degeneration. Self-mutilating events
such as soul stone creation risk degeneration. Not attempting to contain a severe
Paradox risks degeneration as well. Forcing a sapient being (whether a
Sleeper, spirit, or anything else) to act counter to its interests, altering its
nature long-term, or binding it to a task all risk degeneration, as does deliberate
and premeditated murder and violence that leaves its victim with long-term injury.
Wisdom 1�3, Low / Falling (1 die): Hubris of this level concerns all mages. A mage
at this precipice could be lost to his magic at any time. Only the darkest, most
selfishly destructive acts risk degeneration at this point. Killing someone in a
fit of rage, destroying an Awakened soul, allowing a Supernal being to be consumed
by the Fallen World, or dealing with the Abyss can force the mage through her final
loss of Wisdom. Wisdom 0: A character with no Wisdom is forever lost. His hubris
has overcome him, and he�s become one of �The Mad.� His magic leaks into the world,
letting the Supernal out wherever he goes. He cannot control his magic; it controls
him. Inuring If a mage suffers Wisdom loss through use of a spell, she can choose
to wipe that spell from future Acts of Hubris; any future uses will not incur
Wisdom loss no matter the action. If she chooses to do this, to inure herself to
the spell�s hubris, it forever becomes a Paradox risk. From that point forward,
every use of the inured spell forces a base two-die Paradox risk. Your character
may inure herself to the effects of one spell per dot of her Gnosis. Raising Wisdom
Through effort, a mage who has become worried about his worsening Paradoxes may
turn away from the downward slide of hubris. A mage attempting spiritual self-
improvement must assign �Becoming wiser� as one of her Obsessions, working to
understand her place in the universe. After at least one story with progress on
this Obsession, the player may spend two Arcane Experiences to add a dot of Wisdom.
Nimbus Most supernatural beings in the Chronicles of Darkness are possessed of an
�aura,� a spiritual presence that tells those who are sensitive that the being is
something else. Vampires have a predatory aura; werewolves have a powerful, feral
mien about them. Mages� souls are wrapped in the stuff of the Supernal, marking
them as glorious and terrifying. This phenomenon, the Nimbus, is based on numerous
factors including a mage�s Path, Legacy, and other pieces of personal symbolism.
Her Shadow Name and her magical tools can influence its appearance, for example.
It�s wholly invisible except when spellcasting, and even then only to Mage Sight
most of the time. A Nimbus takes three forms, a Long-Term Nimbus, an Immediate
Nimbus, and a Signature Nimbus. Each comes into play in different circumstances.
The Long-Term Nimbus is a series of subtle coincidences that surrounds your
character. These are purely story-based effects, bits of strangeness that align
with your character�s Path. For example, around Thyrsus, spirits are more likely to
show up, strange pathogens might infect people, and likewise terminal diseases can
15Cr�ditos Autor: Phil Vecchione Editor: Martin Ralya Diretor de Arte: John
Arcadian Designer Gr�fico: Darren Hardy Layout: Darren Hardy Arte da Capa: Matt
Morrow Designer da Capa: Darren Hardy Artistas: Matt Morrow, Christopher Reach
Diagrama��o: Phil Vecchione Organiza��o: Martin Ralya, Phil Vecchione Revis�o:
Robert M. Everson, Daniel Milne Capitalizador: Kurt Schneider Em mem�ria de Eric
Wujcik
Toda a arte � licenciada � 2012 por Engine Publishing, LLC, e tem todos os seus
direitos reservados e s�o usadas sob permiss�o por Pensamento Coletivo Editora �
2015.
Engine Publishing e o logo da Engine Publishing s�o marcas registradas da Engine
Publishing, LLC. O logo da Engine Publishing foi desenvolvido por Darren Hardy.
Pensamento Coletivo e o logo da Pensamento Coletivo s�o marcas registradas da
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Gnome Stew, The Game Mastering Blog, e o logo da Gnome Stew s�o marcas registradas
de Martin Ralya.
Agradecimentos especiais � minha Keurig e minha cadeira para �gordos�, que me
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Dedicat�ria A minha esposa Florence, por me colocar nesse caminho e apoiar todos os
meus jogos e todos os meus empreendimentos ao longo dos anos.
A meus filhos, Dante e Rose: Abracem sua criatividade em tudo que fa�am.
A meu grupo de jogo, que foram os ratos de laborat�rios de todos os retoques e
experimenta��es envolvidos neste processo. - P.V.
2
Sum�rio
Pref�cio . . . . . . . Introdu��o . . . . . . Como usar esse livro
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. 4 . 6 . 8 11 12
Entendendo a prepara��o 1: Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras . . . . . . .
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2: As fases da prepara��o . . . . . .
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. 18 . 25 . 33 . 44 . 55 . 67 . 76 . 77 . 87 . 98 . 99 114 122 134 136 138 140 140
140 141
3: Brainstorm . . . 4: Sele��o . . . . . 5: Conceitualiza��o 6:
Documenta��o . 7: Revis�o . . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . . Caixa de ferramentas de prepara��o. . . . . . . . . 8: Ferramentas para
prepara��o 9: Dominando seu ciclo criativo Desenvolvendo seu
estilo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . 10: Seus modelos pessoais de prepara��o 11: A abordagem de
Prepara��o R�pida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2: Prepara��o
no mundo real . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conclus�o . . . . . . . . . .
Refer�ncias e Inspira��o . . Biografia dos Colaboradores Ap�ndices . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1: Avalia��o de Qualidades e
Fraquezas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2: Mapa de Tempo
Livre . . . . . . . . . 3: Mapa de Intensidade da Criatividade .
3
Pref�cio
4

Pref�cio
5

Introdu��o
6

Introdu��o
7

Como usar esse livro


Por que um livro sobre prepara��o de jogos?
8

Como usar esse livro


O resumo
Entendendo a prepara��o
Caixa de ferramentas de prepara��o
9

Desenvolvendo seu estilo


10

Entendendo a prepara��o
Cap�tulo 1: Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras
12

Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras


A meta da prepara��o
13

Cap�tulo 1
14

Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras O que faz uma boa prepara��o
A primeira regra da prepara��o �: N�s n�o falamos sobre a prepara��o
15

Cap�tulo 1
Voc� est� fazendo isso errado
Escrever demais
16

Prepara��o n�o � uma palavra de dez letras Ferramentas ruins, ou ferramentas com as
quais n�o est� empolgado
N�o compreender seu ciclo criativo e agenda
cheio de jogos. Alguns dizem que aqui encontram-se as macieiras de Iduna, cujos
frutos concedem a juventude eterna dos deuses. Alfheim Alfheim � o legend�rio mundo
dos alfar, os elfos da luz, criaturas luminosas e divindades menores dos Vanires.
Eles est�o sob a tutela de Frey e est�o vinculados � fertilidade e ao culto dos
esp�ritos da natureza. Eles raramente aparecem aos mortais, mas h� hist�rias de
amor entre humanos e alfar; certamente reis lend�rios j� clamaram esta
ancestralidade. Os rituais de sacrif�cios no equin�cio do outono, os alfablot, s�o
dedicados a eles. Nidavellir O reino dos dvergar, ou an�es, (quase sempre
confundidos com os svartalfar ou elfos negros) fica debaixo da terra e pouco sabe-
se sobre ele. Lendas concordam que nas profundezas est�o os grandes sal�es de ouro
dos famosos dvergar. � dito que est�o abaixo das Montanhas Negras, ao Norte, tamb�m
lar do drag�o Nidhogg. Svartalfheim O reino dos elfos negros (os Svartalfar ou
Dokkalfar) � pr�ximo ao dos dvergar. Como os an�es, os elfos negros tamb�m est�o
vinculados � morte, cad�veres, t�mulos e, �s vezes, pesadelos.
Muspelheim ou Muspell Neste reino de fogo, que remete ao in�cio do mundo, vivem os
dem�nios de fogo. Eles est�o sob as ordens de um jotun, Surtur, o gigante que ir�
desencadear ondas de fogo em Bifrost, a Ponte Arco-�ris, e conquistar� a vit�ria na
batalha contra o deus Vanir Frey, durante o Ragnar�k.
Os Deuses de Asgard
A Tr�ade Aesir Odin, Senhor dos Aesires �Eu sei que eu fui suspenso na �rvore
fustigada pelo vento por nove noites inteiras, ferido pela lan�a ...eu olhei para
baixo, eu peguei as runas, Peguei-as gritando, E, ent�o, eu ca�.� -- Havamal, verso
139 Odin n�o � apenas o rei, mas tamb�m o pai dos deuses de Asgard, governando de
seu trono em Gladsheim, de onde observa a a��o de todos os outros deuses. Um homem
velho, sem um olho, com longos cabelos e uma barba cinzenta, Odin � envolto por um
manto azul ou preto e esconde seus tra�os sob um chap�u de abas largas. Seu �nico
olho brilha com todo o conhecimento do mundo. Dois corvos, Hugin e Munin
(Pensamento e Mem�ria), empoleiram-se em seus ombros e viajam pelo mundo ao
amanhecer para reportar a Odin tudo o que viram. Dois lobos, Geri (Voraz) e Freki
(Glut�o), tamb�m o acompanham e ele os alimenta com a comida que lhe � dada, j� que
Odin consome apenas vinho. Odin � mais temido do que venerado. Ele � um deus
amb�guo, tem�vel e perigoso, com muitos aspectos: � Ele est� acima de toda a
soberania dos Aesires e Vanires. � o mais velho e pai de quase todos os outros. Seu
trono, Hlidskjalf, de onde examina todo o mundo, fica em Gladsheim, seu dom�nio em
Valhalla, o Sal�o dos Mortos. Os outros onze grandes deuses regularmente encontram-
se aqui com Odin para governar e tomar decis�es, ou apenas para festejar. � A lan�a
de Odin, Gungnir, e seu bracelete de ouro, Draupnir, s�o os principais s�mbolos de
seu poder. � Odin � o deus dos que morreram em combate. � ele quem conduz as almas
com seu cavalo de oito patas, Sleipnir, o garanh�o cinza. Ele envia suas filhas, as
Valkyrias, para escolher os mais valorosos guerreiros nos campos de batalha e
escolt�-los at� o
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
16
17
Valhalla. Durante as doze noites antes do Yule, ele atravessa o c�u por dentro das
nuvens, seguido por um ex�rcito de esp�ritos e Valkyrias, sua horda selvagem. No
sal�o dos mortos, Valhalla, ele d� as boas vindas a seus s�ditos favoritos,
aqueles que morreram em batalha e foram trazidos pelas Valkyrias. Esses s�o os
einherjar, �guerreiros �nicos�, aqueles que comem da carne do javali Saehrimnir,
que se torna inteiro de novo todo dia, e bebem o hidromel das tetas da cabra
Heidrun, que vive no telhado. Sob o olhar atento de Odin, eles lutam o dia inteiro
e, �s vezes, s�o mortos, mas s�o trazidos de volta � vida para banquetear toda
noite e esperar o Ragnar�k. Assim, eles estar�o ao lado dos deuses para lutar
contra o lobo Fenris e as for�as da destrui��o. Como um necromante, Odin pode falar
com os mortos e roubar o conhecimento daqueles que foram enforcados. � Deus da
vit�ria, mas n�o da guerra, Odin n�o luta. Ele decide o rumo de uma batalha com sua
ast�cia e conhecimento. Os meios necess�rios n�o lhe interessam; apenas os
resultados contam. Trai��o, tortura, nada o incomoda. Ele incita o �dio e a
destrui��o. Tamb�m � conhecido como o deus da f�ria, Yggr o Tem�vel. Seus
guerreiros sagrados, os berserkers, entram em um �xtase furioso na batalha,
tornando-se insens�veis � dor e aos ferimentos. � Odin � um grande estrategista, um
g�nio t�tico. Por conta de seus conhecimentos (ele inventou a forma��o em cunha), �
o fundador de muitas dinastias humanas. � um deus aristocrata, instru�do e
refinado. � Odin tamb�m � deus do conhecimento e intelig�ncia. Ele sacrificou um de
seus olhos para beber da fonte de Mimir e ganhar sabedoria. Tamb�m � o Aesir que
mais conhece a magia. Como deus da intelig�ncia, ele tamb�m � o deus dos
comerciantes, dos negociantes e dos mercadores. � Mestre de toda a magia, Odin � o
deus da galdr, a magia de encantamento. Com Freya, dos Vanires, ele aprendeu a
seidr, a magia ext�tica. Al�m disso, � o deus das runas e as obteve por meio de um
doloroso sacrif�cio, pendurado na Yggdrasill por nove dias. Ele tamb�m � um
metamorfo e pode assumir qualquer forma humana ou animal. � Odin tamb�m � o deus da
poesia. Na forma de uma �guia, ele roubou dos gigantes o hidromel dos skalds,
criado pelos an�es, que d� inspira��o a quem o beber. Odin continua sendo um deus
imposs�vel de se compreender totalmente. � imposs�vel confiar nele: ele est� em
constante movimento, viajando, mudando de forma e apar�ncia, indo do amig�vel ao
hostil, t�o mut�vel quanto o vento.
Alguns heiti comuns para Odin Yggr: o Tem�vel Fraridr: o Andarilho Sidgrani: Barbas
Longas Harbard: Barba Cinza Fimbulthul: o Grande Thulr Hangagud/Hangatyr: o Deus
Enforcado Hroptatyr: o Leiloeiro Sigtyr: o Que Assegura a Vit�ria Valfodr: Pai dos
Mortos em Combate Baleyg: Olho Flamejante Bileyg: Olho Perdido Grimnir: O Mascarado
Fjolnir: Metamorfo Fjolsvid: o Que Tudo V� Oski: Deus dos Desejos Ud: Amado
Hrafnagud: Deus Corvo Farmatyr: Deus das Cargas Vidrir: o Vento Itens de Odin
Gungnir, sua lan�a, cravejada de runas, um s�mbolo que consagra todas as criaturas
a Odin, trespassando-as ou passando acima de suas cabe�as. Draupnir, seu bracelete,
colocado na pira de Balder. Seus fi�is corvos Hugin e Munin, seus dois lobos Geri e
Freki. Seu corcel de oito patas, Sleipnir. A cabe�a de Mimir, que prev� o futuro.
Thor, o Matador de Gigantes
�... Ele entornou o caldeir�o, Girou o Mjolnir Contra os sanguin�rios, Os monstros
do deserto, Todos ele matou.� --Hymiskvida, verso 36
Thor � o deus mais amado entre os N�rdicos. Uma encarna��o do trov�o e o deus da
guerra, guiando sua biga puxada pelos dois carneiros, Tanngnjostr (�Dente-
amolador�) e Tanngrisnir (�Dente-exposto�), grande e imponente, sua barba vermelha
brilha e seus olhos s�o flamejantes. Thor � filho de Odin e Jord, a Terra. Thor
porta o Mjolnir, um martelo forjado pelos an�es: ele � indestrut�vel e sempre
retorna para sua m�o. Usando um cintur�o e luvas de for�a, a for�a f�sica de Thor �
inigual�vel. Thor �, acima de tudo, o deus da for�a e do combate, o defensor dos
deuses, o matador de gigantes, protetor de Asgard e quem matar� Jormungand no
Ragnar�k.
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
18
Thor tamb�m tem muitos aspectos, embora seja menos amb�guo que seu pai, Odin, e
muito mais reverenciado pelos mortais: � Thor � o deus da for�a. Suas batalhas
contra os gigantes s�o contadas e recontadas nas sagas e ele sempre � veloz usando
seu martelo. Ningu�m � mais forte que ele, ele n�o tem rivais, Thor acaba logo com
seus inimigos, sejam eles homens ou deuses. � Thor � valente, confi�vel, leal e tem
o pavio curto. � pouco sofisticado, mas amig�vel e simp�tico. � um grande beber�o e
um grande glut�o, ansioso para lutar, embora sempre defenda a paz. Ele � um deus
pr�ximo aos homens.
Draupnir Draupnir, �o que goteja�, foi criado por dois dvergar, Brokk e Sindri (ou
Eitri). A cada nove dias, oito outros braceletes gotejam dele, cada um
aparentemente id�ntico ao original, exceto que das c�pias n�o gotejam outros
braceletes. Odin colocou Draupnir na pira funer�ria de seu filho Balder e foi o
irm�o de Balder, Hermod, quem juntou suas cinzas. Odin n�o �, necessariamente, o
dono de Draupnir.
Heiti e Kennings
A poesia dos Skald tem dois meios diferentes de mudar as palavras referentes a
pessoas e objetos: heiti, que substitui o nome da pessoa ou objeto por outro com um
significado similar (ou seja, um sin�nimo), e kenning, que � um jeito mais extenso
de descrever uma pessoa ou objeto (�s vezes, como uma met�fora). Exemplos: Yggr (�O
Tem�vel�) � um heiti, ou sin�nimo, de Odin; �L�grimas de Freya� � um kenning, ou
met�fora, que se refere a ouro (de acordo com a mitologia N�rdica, Freya chorava
ouro). Claro, os deuses com mais heiti s�o os mais famosos das can��es dos skald;
Odin � o que mais possui. Mas isso n�o quer dizer que esses sejam os deuses mais
populares entre as pessoas.
� Ele � um deus benevolente. � O rel�mpago e o trov�o de Thor trazem a chuva, um
s�mbolo de fertilidade. Ele � invocado em casamentos e seu martelo � um s�mbolo de
b�n��os. Seus carneiros s�o seu alimento, mas ele os traz de volta � vida
aben�oando seus restos com o Mjolnir. Por conta de sua vitalidade transbordante,
Thor � um deus da vida e o filho da Terra. Ele representa o homem comum, o
campon�s, o N�rdico, simples e direto. Alguns heiti comuns para Thor
Fulltrui: Amigo Certo Einheri: Guerreiro Solit�rio Jotnafellir: Matador de Gigantes
Hafradrottin: Senhor dos Carneiros Hloridi: o Andarilho Barulhento Vingthor: Thor
que Brande (seu martelo) Ennilang: o de Testa Larga Itens de Thor Mjolnir:
�triturador� ou �rel�mpago�, um martelo de cabo curto criado pelos an�es. Sempre
retorna para a m�o do deus. Ele tamb�m tem um Cintur�o da For�a e as Manoplas de
Ferro que o permitem empunhar o martelo facilmente. Tyr, o deus das leis �Ainda h�
um dentre os Aesires chamado Tyr. Ele � valente e o mais corajoso, e tinha poder
sobre a vit�ria na batalha. � bom para os bravos homens invoc�-lo.� --
Gylfaginning, verso 25 Tyr, embora muitas vezes n�o seja reconhecido pelos Skalds,
� um ser primordial e criador dos homens. Seu pr�prio nome quer dizer �deus�. Um
guerreiro valente, ele lidera a thing e mant�m a paz sobre o mundo at� a hora do
Ragnar�k, quando ele lutar� contra o lobo Fenris, apesar de ter perdido sua m�o
direita. Tyr � o legitimo deus da guerra, lutando de maneira justa e de acordo com
as regras � diferente de Odin. O bravo Tyr � o �nico deus que ousou alimentar o
lobo Fenris e sacrificou sua m�o direita para reparar as mentiras dos deuses e
manter a paz no mundo. Alguns heiti comuns para Tyr Einhindi As: o Deus Maneta
19
A Tr�ade Vanir Njord, Anci�o dos Vanires �As montanhas me repugnam, N�o fiquei
muito tempo ali N�o mais que nove noites. O uivo dos lobos me parece horr�vel
comparado ao canto dos cisnes.� --Gylfaginning, verso 23 Deus reverenciado por
pescadores e navegantes, Njord controla o vento, o mar e o fogo. Ele � rico e
protege as terras e pertences dos homens que o veneram. Njord vive em Noatun
(�lugar de navios�), no mar, o que torna a vida dif�cil para sua esposa Skadi,
filha do gigante Thjazi, que prefere as montanhas Njord � o pai dos g�meos Frey e
Freya, que ele gerou com uma de suas irm�s, j� que o incesto n�o � proibido entre
os Vanires. Frey, o Senhor dos Vanires �Diga-me Frey, Pr�ncipe dos Deuses: Por que
te sentas sozinho, meu Senhor, durante todo o dia Com o cora��o pesado em tua sala?
� -- Skirnismal, verso 3 O filho de Njord, g�meo de Freya e tamb�m seu amante,
Frey, � o mais adorado dos Vanires e o segundo entre os deuses N�rdicos. Luminoso
deus das vegeta��es, da primavera, da fertilidade, da fecunda��o e da colheita, ele
tamb�m � o pr�ncipe dos alfar e vive em Alfheim. Ele traz paz
Thor � casado com a bela Sif, que era um pouco orgulhosa de seus longos, lustrosos
e dourados cabelos. Certa noite, Loki raspou a cabe�a dela e os roubou. Quando
Thor, furioso, o amea�ou com seu martelo, Loki jurou que compensaria seu ato. Ele
pediu aos dvergar para ajud�-lo a substituir o cabelo da indignada deusa por uma
cascata de ouro. Eis a origem do kenning �Cabelo de Sif�, que se refere a ouro. �s
vezes, a fidelidade de Sif � testada por Odin ou Loki.
e prosperidade. � um deus navegante. Seu navio m�gico, Skidbladnir, foi constru�do
pelos dvergar e Frey pode dobr�-lo e guardar em seu bolso. Sua biga � puxada pelo
javali Gullinbursti (�Juba d�Ouro�), que ganha de qualquer cavalo em corrida na
terra ou no mar e cujas cerdas brilham com uma luz dourada, capaz de iluminar a
mais escura das escurid�es. Ele tamb�m cavalga seu cavalo Blodughofi (�Cascos
Sangrentos�). Frey governa os ritos de fecundidade e os casamentos sagrados. At�
mesmo seu casamento com a gigante Gerd, obtido por meio da for�a, � um s�mbolo da
uni�o do deus da fertilidade com a terra fecunda. Itens de Frey Skidbladnir: seu
bote m�gico Gullinbursti: seu javali Blodughofi: seu corcel
Os deuses originalmente acolheram o filho de Loki, o lobo Fenris, em Asgard; mas,
na medida em que ele crescia, tornava-se muito perigoso, at� que apenas Tyr ousava
aliment�-lo. Os deuses decidiram prender Fenris, mas nenhuma corda continha a for�a
da besta. Odin pediu que Skirnir, servo de Frey, fosse aos an�es e pedisse que
criassem uma corda m�gica indestrut�vel. A corrente, conhecida como Gleipnir,
parecia fraca � primeira vista, pois era composta de seis materiais improv�veis: os
passos de um gato, a barba de uma mulher, as ra�zes de uma montanha, os tend�es de
um urso, o sopro de um peixe e o cuspe de uma ave. Os deuses trouxeram Fenris a uma
ilha chamada Lyngvi, no lago Amsvartnir, e pediram que ele testasse a nova
corrente, sugerindo que, se ele n�o conseguisse se livrar, n�o seria mais
considerado uma amea�a e poderia ser livre. Fenris n�o confiava neles e exigiu que
um dos deuses colocasse a m�o em sua boca como um sinal de boa f�. Percebendo o que
isso significava, Tyr aceitou e sacrificou sua m�o direita. E, at� agora, Fenris
foi incapaz de quebrar sua amarras.
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
20
Freya, a Senhora da Beleza �Folkvang � chamado, O lugar onde Freya decide Os que
ficam em seu sal�o. Dos que morrem em combate, Metade fica com ela; A outra metade,
com Odin.� -- Gylfaginning, verso 24

Freya, filha de Njord, g�mea e amante de Frey, �, acima de tudo, a deusa do amor e
da beleza. Ela � a mais bela e mais libertina das deusas e todos os deuses e
gigantes a desejam. Os Skalds a celebram constantemente. Freya possui uma fabulosa
joia forjada pelos an�es: o resplandecente colar de ouro Brisingamen, que muitos
cobi�am. No entanto, ela n�o seria uma das mais importantes divindades N�rdicas se
fosse limitada apenas ao dom�nio da beleza e do amor: � Freya, como seu irm�o, est�
vinculada � fecundidade, � fertilidade, aos casamentos, aos nascimentos e tamb�m �
morte. Ela � frequentemente reverenciada durante partos. � Freya tamb�m � uma
feiticeira. Ela criou a magia ext�tica chamada de seidr e a ensinou a Odin. Freya
extrai seus poderes dos mortos e pode prever o futuro. Algumas vezes chamada de
�Dis (ou deusa) dos Vanires� (veja abaixo mais em deusa Disir), Freya pode se
transformar em um falc�o. � Freya tem uma carruagem puxada por dois gatos. Como
deusa da guerra, ela partilha todos os mortos em batalha com Odin, de quem � muito
pr�xima e, �s vezes, amante. Freya tamb�m monta um javali de pelos dourados,
Hildisvini (�Su�no de Batalha�), similar ao de Frey. Assim Freya, reina sobre
muitos dom�nios: amor e guerra, fertilidade e magia negra, vida e morte. Alguns
heiti comuns para Freya Mardoll: Iluminadora do Mar Horn: Linho Gefn: A Doadora
Vanadis: A Dis (�Dama�) dos Vanires Itens de Freya O Colar Brisingamen A Carruagem
puxada por dois gatos O javali de pelos dourados, Hildisvini (�Su�no de Batalha�)
Outros deuses Maiores Frigga, a Amada �A Oeste de Valhalla, h� um pequeno arbusto
Que � chamado de Visco. Pareceu-me muito jovem Para eu tomar seu juramento.� --
Gylfaginning, verso 49 A esposa de Odin (e m�e de Balder e Hoder), Frigga (tamb�m
conhecida como Frigg), � a deusa do amor conjugal. Ela, sozinha, pode sentar-se no
trono de Odin. Por isso, possui o dom da profecia, mas nunca fala o que v�. Ela � a
m�e de tudo, a esposa, a guardi� do lar e preside casamentos e nascimentos junto de
Freya. Frigga � cercada por uma corte de deusas menores que a servem. O apego de
Frigga a seu filho, Balder, que ela tentou salvar da morte inevit�vel com todas as
for�as, � o exemplo perfeito do amor maternal. O lar de Frigga � o Fensalir
(�Sal�es do Brejo�), onde muitas vezes ela habita, bebendo com Odin e girando as
nuvens. Alguns heiti comuns para Frigga Hlyn: Protetora Saga: Profetiza Heimdall
�Ele pode ouvir a grama crescer na terra Ou a l� sob o carneiro, E toda coisa que
faz barulho maior.� -- Gylfaginning, verso 27 Heimdall � o vigia dos deuses. Seu
lar � onde Bifrost, a Ponte Arco-�ris, toca o c�u. Dia e noite, ele protege o
acesso � Ponte contra os gigantes das montanhas. Ele escuta tudo e pode ver a mais
de uma centena de milhas. Ele precisa estar sempre atento: ao primeiro sinal do
Ragnar�k, ele tocar� sua trombeta, Gjallarhorn (�Chifre-Berrante�). Ningu�m sabe se
Heimdall � Aesir ou Vanir. Seus la�os familiares s�o misteriosos e ele diz que �
filho de nove m�es e � irm�o de nove irm�s. Talvez seja filho de Odin com as nove
Donzelas das Ondas, filhas de Aegir. Heimdall � o mais brilhante dos deuses. Seu
cavalo � chamado Gulltopp (�Crina de Ouro�) e seu animal favorito � o carneiro. �
ele quem recuperou o colar Brisingamen quando Loki o roubou. Heimdall, ao lado de
Odin e Thor, protege o mundo contra a destrui��o. Loki � seu inimigo e
21
eles est�o destinados a lutar um contra o outro na batalha final. Alguns heiti
comuns para Heimdall Gullintanni: Dentes de ouro Hvitti As: O Aesir Branco
Hallinskidi: Chifres Curvos (carneiro) Atributos Seu chifre, Gjallarhorn (�Chifre-
Berrante�) Seu cavalo, Gulltopp (�Crina de Ouro�)
Loki
�Loki � belo ao olhar, Mas seu esp�rito � maligno E seu temperamento, mut�vel. Ele
supera todos os homens na ci�ncia Da ast�cia e da mal�cia. Ele sempre causa grandes
males aos Aesires, Mas, muitas vezes, ele os salvou Por meio de suas artimanhas.�
-- Gylfaginning, verso 33 Cruel e astuto, Loki � o mais problem�tico entre os
deuses. Ele � a origem dos infort�nios, pai do lobo Fenris, da Serpente de Midgard
e da deusa do submundo, Hel. Ele usa toda a sua intelig�ncia e ast�cia para fazer
truques maliciosos com os outros deuses. Mas Loki n�o � um deus do mal; na verdade,
ele � um agitador semelhante a Odin, de quem � irm�o de sangue e com quem partilha
algumas semelhan�as, como a ambival�ncia e a ast�cia. No entanto, algumas fontes
dizem que Loki causou a morte de Balder e insultou os outros deuses. Agora, ele
est� acorrentado acima de tr�s pedras pontiagudas, enquanto o veneno de uma
serpente pinga sobre ele. Sua esposa, Sigyn, segura um prato para juntar o veneno e
proteg�-lo, mas, toda vez que ela vai esvaziar, Loki tem espasmos de dor que fazem
a terra tremer.
Loki comandou os dvergar, os an�es, para criarem os seguintes itens m�gicos: � A
Lan�a Gungnir e o bracelete Draupnir para Odin. � O navio e o javali de ouro de
Frey � O martelo Mjolnir de Thor � O cabelo de ouro de Sif Alguns heiti comuns para
Loki Lopt: Ar, Vento Hvedhrung: Espumante
Balder, o Valente �Eu vi Balder, O deus ensanguentado, Filho de Odin, Seu destino
secreto selado.� -- V�luspa, verso 32 Filho de Odin e Frigg e esposo de Nanna, a
Brava, Balder era o mais s�bio e o mais calmo dos deuses. Ele morava em Beidablik,
a mais pura casa celestial, e seria um guerreiro formid�vel, mas foi morto por seu
irm�o, Hoder, o Cego, guiado pela maldade de Loki. Balder � o deus que foi
sacrificado antes do Ragnar�k. Os Aesires lhe deram um grandioso funeral e
queimaram o corpo de Balder em seu navio, Hrighorni. Nanna, sua esposa, morreu de
tristeza e foi colocada em sua pira funer�ria. Odin p�s seu bracelete de ouro sob
seu corpo ap�s sussurrar ao ouvido do filho; a montaria de Balder tamb�m foi
sacrificada. Thor consagrou a tudo, erguendo seu martelo, e o navio flamejante foi
lan�ado ao mar, diante dos deuses reunidos. Foi pedido � deusa Hel que Balder
retornasse ao mundo dos vivos, mas, para isso, ela disse que toda a cria��o deveria
chorar pela morte de Balder. Uma gigante, Thokk, recusou-se. Ela era, � claro, Loki
disfar�ado � e ele havia dado a palavra final para a demanda de Hel:
Sonhos de morte atormentavam Balder. Ele os contou aos outros deuses e seu pai,
Odin, consultou uma profetiza da morte para saber o que poderia acontecer a seu
filho. Muito perturbada, sua m�e, Frigga, viajou por toda a cria��o, coletando e
criando juramentos de que nada poderia ferir seu filho. Agora, invulner�vel, ele
come�ou um est�pido jogo com os outros deuses, que o atacavam com armas e lhe
arremessavam coisas, sem conseguirem feri-lo. Infelizmente, Frigga havia se
esquecido de incluir um ramo de visco quando ela coletava os juramentos para
Balder, achando-o muito jovem para oferecer perigo. Assim que Loki descobriu isso,
ele o cortou e o transformou em um dardo. Ent�o, convenceu Hoder a se juntar aos
outros deuses que estavam brincando com seu irm�o e o visgo perfurou o cora��o de
Balder.
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
22
�Thokk chorou L�grimas secas... ... Deixe Hel ter o que lhe pertence!� --
Gylfaginning verso 49
Balder e Nanna agora residem nos dom�nios de Hel. Hel �Abaixo da terra Outro
corvo canta Um p�ssaro vermelho-ferrugem Nos sal�es de Hel.� -- V�luspa, verso 43
Hel, filha de Loki e da gigante Angrboda, � a deusa do mundo sombrio, onde vivem
os mortos n�o escolhidos por Freya ou Odin. O reino de Hel n�o � um local de
puni��es, mas de n�voa e gelo, a �ltima morada dos mortos. Os estupradores, os
mentirosos e os ladr�es s�o punidos em Niflheim, fora do sal�o de Hel. Todos que
entram nos dom�nios de Hel n�o podem partir nunca mais; como o rio Gjoll, correndo
da nascente Hvelrgelmir, circunda seus dom�nios, a entrada � guardada por um lobo
monstruoso, da mesma ra�a que Fenris, e uma gigante, Modgud, que pergunta �queles
que desejam atravessar a ponte, coberta com telhado de ouro, Gjallarbru, o que eles
s�o e por que desejam adentrar os dom�nios de Hel. Dali, a estrada que leva aos
dom�nios de Hel desce para o norte. Hel � uma figura monstruosa, com a pele azul e
preta. Ela recebe seus convidados em seu imenso sal�o, Eljudnir. L�, intrusos ficam
cara a cara com seus ancestrais mortos. Os criminosos s�o devorados pelo drag�o
Nidhogg, ao sul do Reino dos Mortos, em Nastrond, a �Costa dos Cad�veres�. �L�
Nidhogg suga O sangue dos mortos.� -- V�luspa, verso 39 O pr�prio Odin designou Hel
como a absoluta governanta deste reino e somente ela pode decidir deixar algu�m
partir de seu dom�nio. Ela recusou-se libertar Balder, apesar dos apelos
desesperados de Frigga.
As deusas Disires
As Disires s�o divindades femininas da fertilidade, morte ou destino. Dis
significa �senhora�, ent�o,
Freya � conhecida como Vanadis, ou �Senhora dos Vanires�. Apesar de numerosas e
raramente nomeadas, as Disires s�o divindades maiores, a quem sacrif�cios s�o
ofertados no in�cio do inverno. Dois tipos de Disires s�o de particular
import�ncia: as Nornas, e as Valkyrias. As Nornas �Ningu�m sobrevive � noite Quando
as Nornas decretam.� -- Hamdismal, verso 30
As Nornas s�o muitas e elas presidem o destino de cada mortal. As mais
conhecidas, por decidirem o destino do mundo e dos deuses, s�o as tr�s irm�s: Wyrd,
Verdandi e Skuld. Elas vivem aos p�s de Yggdrasill e tecem o futuro do mundo,
parando apenas para cuidar da �rvore e certificando-se de que ela n�o apodre�a.
Elas vivem em um sal�o pr�ximo ao Po�o do Destino. Juntas, as tr�s representam o
destino e o fluxo do tempo. As Valkyrias �N�o te atentes para o ar Quando estiveres
em batalha.� -- Havamal, verso 129 A palavra Valkyria literalmente significa
�seletora dos mortos em combate�. �s vezes chamadas de filhas de Odin, as Valkyrias
s�o mensageiras dele no campo de batalha. Elas descem voando � procura de
guerreiros valorosos, escolhidos pelo Pai dos Deuses para adentrar ao Valhalla. Se
falham no que s�o ordenadas ou desobedecem � vontade de Odin, as Valkyrias s�o
punidas severamente, tornando-se simples mortais. �s vezes, por�m, suas puni��es
s�o mais severas. A Valkyria Brunhild uma vez escolheu um rei que n�o havia sido
nomeado por Odin, por isso, ela foi condenada a dormir no topo de uma montanha,
cercada por escudos e chamas, at� a hora em que um guerreiro a libertou e a fez sua
esposa.
23
Cultos e Rituais
A religi�o entre os Escandinavos n�o � dogm�tica. Ela n�o se baseia em revela��es,
nem em profecias e nem mesmo h� relatos de ora��es. Existem poucos templos e n�o h�
uma casta organizada de sacerdotes iniciados. O executor dos rituais, o godi, cuida
de santu�rios ao ar livre e garante que os deuses sejam respeitados, mas isso n�o �
uma ocupa��o permanente e um godi pode ser chefe de cl�, jarl ou simplesmente um
chefe de fam�lia. O godi � apenas um intermedi�rio casual entre deuses e homens:
ap�s os ritos, ele retorna a sua ocupa��o habitual. Assim, a �religi�o� N�rdica,
tal como ela �, existe apenas em ritos sociais e sazonais, como casamentos,
funerais e juramentos de lealdade. Blot, ou Ritos de Sacrif�cio A palavra N�rdica
blot est� ligada ao Ingl�s m

Marcelo Paschoalin 5
Criando seu her�i H� her�is com v�rios n�veis de experi�ncia, desde amadores at�
verdadeiros campe�es da justi�a. Para podermos comparar os her�is no que tange ao
seu n�vel de poder, estabelecemos uma escala num�rica que vai de 0 a 10. Todos os
her�is come�am no n�vel 1. Para criar um her�i, escolha seu nome, determine seus
Atributos, escolha sua Ra�a e sua Classe, selecione seus equipamentos. Atributos H�
tr�s Atributos: Fortitude (FOR), Reflexos (REF) e Vontade (VON). Para determin�-los
role 3d6 (tr�s dados de seis faces) tr�s vezes e atribua um resultado a cada
Atributo. A Fortitude � uma medida de for�a e resist�ncia. Os Reflexos s�o uma
mescla de agilidade e destreza. A Vontade representa o carisma e a intelig�ncia do
her�i. Ra�as Humanos recebem +1 em dois Atributos diferentes a sua escolha.
Opcionalmente, de acordo com o Narrador, h� a alternativa de se pertencer a outras
ra�as, como a dos An�es (recebem FOR +2), dos Elfos (recebem VON +2) ou dos
Halflings (recebem REF +2). Modificadores Cada Atributo possui um Modificador que
� igual a (Atributo-10)/2, arredondado para baixo, sendo indicado pelas
abreviaturas ModFOR, ModREF e ModVON, de acordo com o Atributo. Todos os her�is
conhecem um idioma comum ao mundo de fantasia, enquanto outros seres inteligentes
conhecem seus pr�prios idiomas. O ModVON, se positivo, indica quantos idiomas
adicionais um her�i conhece. Classes Guerreiros recebem +1 em suas jogadas de
ataque e de dano. A cada quatro n�veis, come�ando no quarto (4� e 8�), suas jogadas
de ataque e dano recebem +1 adicionais. Cl�rigos n�o podem usar armas cortantes ou
perfurantes, mas s�o capazes de invocar magias divinas � o maior C�rculo que pode
ser invocado por um Cl�rigo � igual � metade de seu n�vel, arredondado para baixo.
Um Cl�rigo pode Afastar Mortos-Vivos (2 + n�vel + ModVON) vezes por dia, sendo bem
sucedido se sua jogada de Prote��o for igual ou superior aos PVs atuais do Morto-
Vivo; caso a jogada supere em 10 os PVs, o Morto-Vivo � destru�do. Um Cl�rigo
come�a o jogo sabendo todas as magias do C�rculo 0. Magos s� podem usar armas
leves, mas s�o capazes de invocar magias arcanas � o maior C�rculo que pode ser
invocado por um Mago � igual � metade de seu n�vel, arredondado para cima. Al�m
disso, Magos podem livremente invocar magias de n�vel 0 sem custo algum. Um Mago
come�a o jogo conhecendo 2+ModVON magias do C�rculo 0 e 1+ModVON magias do 1�
C�rculo. A quantidade m�xima de magias que um mago pode conhecer por C�rculo �
igual a 4+ModVON. Pontos de Vida Cada her�i tem uma quantidade de Pontos de Vida
(PVs) igual a FOR, + 1d6 por n�vel. Toda vez que o her�i sofre dano seus PVs s�o
reduzidos, sendo recuperados quando ele se cura (de acordo com magias) ou ap�s 30
minutos de descanso sem atividades (1d6 + n�vel PVs). Equipamento inicial Determine
os equipamentos iniciais de seu her�i escolhendo um dos kits (A, B ou C) abaixo.
Voc� pode modificar algum item com a aprova��o do Narrador. Kit A: mochila, saco de
dormir, odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias, lanterna coberta, 10 frascos de
�leo, pederneira, p�, 2 conjuntos de estrepes, apito, pena e papel e tinta. Kit B:
mochila, saco de dormir, odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias, 10 tochas, 10
frascos de �leo, pederneira, giz, bast�o de sondagem, espelho, p�-de-cabra.

Aventura e Magia 6
Kit C: mochila, saco de dormir, odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias, barraca, 10
tochas, pederneira, martelo, 10 espig�es de ferro, gancho de escalada, corda. Al�m
disso, adicione os seguintes itens, de acordo com sua Classe: Guerreiro: Frasco de
�gua benta (causa 1d6 de dano contra mortos-vivos), cota de malha (CA +4), uma arma
e escudo OU uma arma pesada, 5 pe�as de ouro. Mago: Grim�rio com suas magias
conhecidas, uma arma leve, 5 pe�as de ouro. Cl�rigo: S�mbolo sagrado de prata,
armadura de couro (CA +2), uma arma e escudo, 5 pe�as de ouro. Armas, armaduras e
escudos Em combate, armas, armaduras e escudos s�o fundamentais para determinar se
um ataque atinge o oponente e quanto dano � causado. Armaduras e escudos contribuem
para a Classe de Armadura do her�i, armas indicam o dano causado. Classe de
Armadura (CA): 10 + ModREF + B�nus de Armadura. Armaduras leves (couro) possuem um
B�nus igual a +2; armaduras m�dias (cota de malha) +4; armaduras pesadas (placas de
a�o) +6; escudos garantem um B�nus adicional de +1. Quanto mais pesada a armadura
mais barulhenta ela �. Dano da arma: Ataques desarmados causam 1d6-1 de dano; armas
leves causam 1d6; armas m�dias 1d6+1; armas pesadas 1d6+2. Capacidade de carga
Her�is podem carregar uma quantidade limitada de itens, de acordo com a Ficha do
Her�i: uma arma em sua m�o h�bil, uma arma ou escudo em sua m�o in�bil, uma arma de
longo alcance, uma arma secund�ria, manoplas ou luvas nas m�os, uma armadura ou
vestimenta no corpo, um amuleto ou uma capa no pesco�o, um par de braceletes em
seus bra�os, um par de cal�ados, um elmo ou uma tiara na cabe�a, um anel em cada
m�o, um cinto ou cintur�o, 2 itens de �uso imediato� (num cinto, preso �s costas ou
similar, permitindo que seja utilizado a qualquer momento), 8 itens em uma mochila,
perfazendo um total de 23 itens. Pequenos conjuntos de itens similares (10 frascos,
20 flechas, 50 pedras preciosas, 100 pe�as de ouro) ocupam espa�o de um �nico item.
Pre�os N�o h� necessidade de se preocupar com os custos de itens comuns conquanto
que os her�is gastem dinheiro �de maneira totalmente fr�vola� (isto �, sem receber
vantagem alguma por isso). Exemplo de cria��o de her�i Para determinar os
Atributos de nosso her�i, a quem chamaremos de Cedric, rolamos 3d6 tr�s vezes e
obtemos os resultados 9, 15 e 11. Decidimos colocar o 9 em FOR, o 11 em REF e 15 em
VON. Cedric � humano, ent�o temos que colocar +1 em dois Atributos: escolhemos FOR
e REF. Com isso, n�s temos FOR 10 (ModFOR 0), REF 12 (ModREF +1) e VON 15 (ModVON
+2). Isso nos permite conhecer mais 2 idiomas, ent�o decidimos pela L�ngua dos
An�es e o Idioma dos Elfos. Decidimos tamb�m que Cedric ser� um Mago, escolhendo
para ele essa Classe. Para determinar os PVs de Cedric, somamos 1d6 � FOR. Rolando
ent�o 1d6+10, obtemos um total de 13 PVs. Sobre o equipamento, escolhemos o Kit A.
Como Cedric � um Mago, ele tamb�m tem uma arma leve (uma adaga), 5 pe�as de ouro e
um grim�rio. Vamos rapidamente olhar a se��o de magias para escolhermos quatro
(2+ModVON) do C�rculo 0 e tr�s (1+ModVON) do 1� C�rculo e ficamos com: Brilho,
Detectar magia, Ler magia, M�os m�gicas, �rea escorregadia, Enfeiti�ar pessoas e
Sono. Ele escolhe Sono como sua magia favorita at� ent�o. A CA de Cedric � 11 (10 +
ModREF, pois n�o est� usando armadura) e o dano de sua adaga (uma arma leve) � 1d6.
Sobre a carga, Cedric est� carregando uma adaga como arma em sua m�o h�bil, tem
acesso r�pido � lanterna e ao grim�rio, e em sua mochila h� um saco de dormir,
pederneira, p�, pena e papel e tinta, um odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias,
frascos de �leo, estrepes e apito.

Marcelo Paschoalin 7
O que seu her�i pode fazer? A resposta curta para essa pergunta �: praticamente
tudo o que voc� quiser. Seu her�i � como uma personagem de um filme ou livro de
fantasia, mas n�o est� preso a um roteiro: tudo o que voc� quiser que seu her�i
fa�a, desde que tenha rela��o com a aventura, com o conceito que voc� faz dele e
que seja poss�vel, ele far�. Conversar, movimentar-se, pegar e largar coisas, usar
equipamentos, invocar uma magia, entrar em combate s�o a��es normalmente poss�veis.
Para faz�-las, simplesmente diga o que seu her�i quer fazer e, a menos que o
Narrador diga o contr�rio, ele o far�. O breve exemplo abaixo mostra uma pequena
intera��o entre um jogador e o Narrador. "Eu abro a porta com cuidado" - diz o
jogador. "A porta d� para um aposento escuro. Dentro dele h� uma esp�cie de jaula
com barras de ferro bem grossas. Nela h� algum tipo de objeto brilhante que voc�
n�o consegue identificar. E h� tamb�m uma porta na parede oposta." - descreve o
Narrador. "Vou tentar for�ar as barras com minha for�a." - complementa o jogador.
"Voc� tenta, mas n�o consegue, pois s�o muito resistentes." - decide o Narrador
julgando que a a��o � imposs�vel. "H� alguma fechadura?" - pergunta o jogador.
"Voc� nota uma pequena fechadura do outro lado." - responde o Narrador. "Ent�o vou
procurar uma chave." - diz o jogador. �Onde?� � pergunta o Narrador. �Aqui, no
aposento.� � responde o outro. �N�o � f�cil encontrar algo pequeno procurando
assim. Se voc� n�o for mais espec�fico nunca encontrar�.� � explica o Narrador.
�Sei l�?... H� alguma caixa por aqui?� � indaga o jogador. �N�o, no aposento s� h�
voc� e a jaula.� � responde o Narrador. �N�o adianta eu voltar de onde eu vim. Vou
tentar a porta diante de mim.� � decide o outro. �Vai abri-la?� � questiona o
Narrador. �Vou. Est� trancada?� � diz o jogador. O sorriso nos l�bios do Narrador
evidencia a falta de aten��o do jogador: �N�o... a ma�aneta gira, mas com isso voc�
ouve um click...� �Uma armadilha?! Eu...� � interrompe o outro. O Narrador faz um
sinal pedindo aten��o e diz: �Voc� tem apenas tempo de olhar para cima e ver uma
rede caindo sobre voc�.� �Eu tento me jogar para tr�s!� � decide o jogador. Ante a
escolha feita, o Narrador explica o procedimento para resolver a a��o: �Fa�a uma
jogada de Prote��o. Voc� sabe que precisa conseguir 10 ou mais para ser bem
sucedido.� �Espero que eu tenha sorte...� � responde apreensivo o jogador rolando o
d18.
Aventura e Magia 8
Combate Quando dois ou mais grupos com objetivos opostos se encontram e palavras
apenas n�o conseguem resolver o conflito, um combate ocorre. Surpresa: No come�o de
um encontro, role 1d6 para cada lado. Num resultado igual a 1 ou 2 aquele lado foi
surpreendido e perde uma a��o no combate. Os dois lados podem ser surpreendidos ao
mesmo tempo. Iniciativa: Ap�s a determina��o de Surpresa e no in�cio de cada rodada
de combate subseq�ente, cada combatente rola o d18 e adiciona seu ModREF (ou metade
do seu DV arredondado para baixo caso seja um monstro). Os combatentes agem na
ordem de sua Iniciativa, da maior para a menor. A��es: Correr, mover e atacar (ou
atacar e se mover), invocar uma magia etc. Jogada de Ataque: d18 + � n�vel
(arredondado para cima caso seja Guerreiro ou Cl�rigo) (+B�nus por ser Guerreiro)
(+ModREF no caso de ataques � dist�ncia). Atingindo o oponente: Se a jogada de
ataque for maior ou igual � CA do oponente, ele � atingido. Um resultado igual ao
m�ximo poss�vel no dado sempre acerta e causa dano m�ximo. Ataque com duas armas
(ou dois golpes): Jogue o dano de cada arma (ou golpe) em separado e use o melhor
dos dois. Dano: Dano da arma (+B�nus por ser Guerreiro) +ModFOR (dobrado em caso de
armas empunhadas com duas m�os; igual a zero no caso de armas de disparo ou
arremesso). Inconsci�ncia: Se a soma de Ferimentos e Fadiga for igual aos PVs do
combatente, ele fica inconsciente. Morte: Se a quantidade de Ferimentos for igual
ao total de PVs, h� risco de morte. Danos adicionais reduzem a FOR do combatente,
que morre ao ter sua FOR reduzida a zero. Recuperando Atributos: Alguns ataques,
normalmente envolvendo venenos, reduzem os Atributos do her�i. Um dia completo de
descanso recupera um ponto de Atributo perdido. Recuperando PVs: Se o her�i n�o
tiver nenhum ponto de Atributo perdido, ap�s 30 minutos de descanso sem atividades
ele recupera 1d6 + n�vel PVs, enquanto uma noite inteira de sono recupera todos os
seus PVs. Exemplo de combate Cedric, o mago de 1� n�vel que criamos, encontra um
grupo de tr�s orcs nada amistosos. Como Cedric n�o vai recuar diante da amea�a, um
combate tem in�cio. Verifica��o de surpresa: Rolamos um dado para Cedric e outro
para os orcs. Cedric obt�m um 2 (fica surpreso) e os orcs obt�m um 4 (podem agir
normalmente). Iniciativa do turno 1: Cedric n�o vai agir. Jogamos um d18 para cada
orc para verificar a ordem de ataque de cada um (do maior resultado para o menor).
A��es do turno 1: Os tr�s orcs decidem atacar Cedric. Cada um deles far� um ataque
baseado em d18+1, pois +1 � seu modificador de ataque. Como a CA de Cedric � igual
a 11, os orcs precisam de 11 ou mais em suas jogadas para atingi-lo. Os orcs
conseguem 14, 11 e 12, respectivamente. Os tr�s atingem Cedric. Danos a Cedric:
Cada orc causar� 1d6 de dano. Cedric recebe 3, 2 e 3 de dano, respectivamente (um
total de 8 pontos). Como seu total de PVs � 11, Cedric possui agora somente 3 PVs.
Iniciativa do turno 2: Jogamos um d18 para Cedric (+1 por sua ModREF) e um d18 para
cada orc. A ordem dos ataques �: orc 2 (16 de iniciativa), Cedric (12 de
iniciativa), orc 1 (10) e orc 3 (3). A��es do turno 2: O orc 2 ataca primeiro.
Contudo, ele consegue apenas 7 em sua jogada de d18+1, n�o atingindo Cedric. O mago
vai em seguida e invoca a magia Sono (custo de 2 PVs em forma de Fadiga por ser uma
de suas magias favoritas). O efeito da magia � adormecer at� 4 DVs de criaturas, e
os orcs possuem, no total 3 DVs, ent�o todos podem ser afetados pela magia. A
Prote��o de cada orc � igual a d18+1, e suas jogadas s�o 8, 6 e 9, respectivamente.
T�o logo invoca a magia, os tr�s orcs largam suas armas e caem de sono,
inofensivos. Ap�s t�o dura batalha, resta a Cedric a vit�ria e 1 PV.

Marcelo Paschoalin 9 �N�o sei�, respondi tentando ver se escutava passos se


aproximando. �Mas � melhor continuar fugindo.�
Caminhamos pelo beco por mais alguns metros quando escutei um barulho. Pareciam ser
passos. �N�o � poss�vel! Ser� que eles j� nos alcan�aram?� Fiz sinal de sil�ncio
para Michelle e nos encostamos de costas � parede. Lentamente � evitando qualquer
tipo de barulho � deslizei minha m�o por dentro da cal�a jeans e saquei a arma.
Aguardamos parados, em sil�ncio. Os segundos pareciam horas enquanto eles se
aproximavam. Era quase imposs�vel saber a que dist�ncia realmente estavam. Meus
olhos percorriam os dois lados do beco enquanto pensava em um jeito de fugir. De
repente, cutuquei Michelle e sussurrei: �Se eu conseguir subir nesse muro, talvez
d� para entrar em um apartamento pela janela e abrir a porta para voc�. Eu posso
subir naquela lata de lixo e...�. Fui interrompido por um barulho estridente e uma
chuva de vidro quebrado caiu sobre n�s. Michelle gritou.
A janela de um dos apartamentos se estilha�ou e um corpo caiu � nossa frente. Era
um senhor de idade. Em meio ao sangue e cacos de vidros que se espalharam pelo
ch�o, pude ver que ele ainda estava vivo. Ele estendeu um dos bra�os em nossa
dire��o e nos olhou com tristeza. Ele havia desistido de viver. Era um olhar que eu
havia visto diversas vezes desde que este inferno come�ou.
�N�o adianta...�, ele disse, em meio a uma tosse de sangue. �Vamos todos morrer de
qualquer jeito...�. E seus olhos fecharam.
�Maldito! Se queria morrer por que n�o fez isso em sil�ncio? Agora o bairro inteiro
deve estar atr�s de n�s por causa da barulheira!�, era meu �nico pensamento.
E ent�o, o barulho de tiros me fez desviar o olhar.
Michelle, com a arma apontada para o final do beco, se preparava para disparar o
segundo tiro em um zumbi. Eu me juntei a ela, largando o corpo sem vida do velho no
ch�o.
Um. Dois. Tr�s zumbis ca�ram mortos com nossos tiros. Quanto mais criaturas n�s
mat�vamos, mais apareciam para tomar seu lugar. O beco silencioso tornou-se �cova�
para dezenas de zumbis ca�dos. Ser� que tudo acaba aqui? Depois de todos esses
meses, eu vou morrer por culpa de um velho suicida burro que pulou da janela
justamente onde est�vamos nos escondendo?
Eu sabia que em algum momento a muni��o acabaria. A luta seria breve, talvez eu
derrubasse um ou dois e ent�o o pr�ximo me morderia. Eu podia sentir a dor, sentir
a carne decomposta das m�os e bra�os me agarrando e os dentes cravando em
minha pele, rasgando a minha carne, enquanto eu berrava de dor ao ser devorado
vivo. Minha namorada gritava, sem poder fazer nada. E o mesmo aconteceria com ela,
do meu lado.
E ent�o, eu tive uma ideia.
�O corpo do velho!�, gritei para Michelle enquanto atirava em dois malditos que
vinham se arrastando pelo ch�o. Ela entendeu meu recado, foi at� o corpo do homem e
o arrastou at� os meus p�s.
�Voc�s querem carne, seus putos?� comecei a gritar para chamar a aten��o deles.
Ent�o ergui o corpo morto do velho e o joguei na dire��o das criaturas. Eu
aproveitaria o tempo em que estivessem distra�dos para agarrar Michelle e dar o
fora daqui.
Mas as coisas nunca s�o f�ceis assim, n�?
�N�o vai adiantar!� gritou Michelle enquanto atirava nos zumbis que ignoraram o
corpo do velho. �Eles querem carne fresca!�
Ent�o era isso. N�s morrer�amos ali. Merda! E eu que achava que seria algum tipo de
her�i de guerra quando tudo isso acabasse. No final, n�o adiantou em nada ser o
mais corajoso, inteligente e tudo mais. Eu seria morto do mesmo jeito que todos os
outros foram. Merda!
E ent�o, o estampido seco dos tiros da arma da Michelle cessou. Repetidos cliques
anunciavam que nosso pesadelo estava para come�ar: ela estava sem muni��o.
Eu ainda perdi alguns segundos atirando a esmo em tudo que se movia, mas desisti.
De que adiantava gastar toda a muni��o se eu acabaria morrendo? Talvez fosse melhor
matar Michelle e me matar logo em seguida. Pelo menos doeria menos.
E eles nos alcan�aram.
Pude ver o pavor nos olhos de Michelle quando o primeiro zumbi agarrou o seu bra�o,
cravando os dentes em sua pele branca. O sangue escorria r�pido, manchando suas
roupas e pintando de rubro a cal�ada a seus p�s.
�Me mate!� ela berrou, enquanto recebia a segunda mordida. �Me mate agora, por
favor!�, ela continuava berrando com l�grimas escorrendo em seus olhos, quando o
segundo a agarrou.
Eu hesitei. Se ela j� estava morta, que mal faria atirar nela? Pelo menos eu a
livraria desse pesadelo. E ent�o eles se virariam para mim. E seria a minha
Cap�tulo 1
14
Devasta��o da Terra
15
inferno na terra Ruas desertas, vidra�as quebradas, carros abandonados, buracos de
balas nas paredes dos pr�dios... Sangue, moscas e peda�os de carne humana decorando
todo o ambiente. Esse � o atual cen�rio na maioria das cidades do mundo, locais que
hoje s�o apenas cidades fantasmas totalmente devastadas. O sil�ncio � quebrado
apenas pelo gemido e andar tr�pego dos zumbis que perambulam sem rumo por en
tre as ruas. �s vezes solit�rios, �s vezes em grandes grupos. Eles ca�am, matam e
os que n�o s�o completamente devorados retornam como membros dessas turbas de
monstros. � imposs�vel encontrar um lugar seguro e esperar que eles simplesmente
desapare�am... Eles j� est�o mortos. Alguns deles eram pessoas conhecidas, amigos e
parentes, agora s�o apenas monstros esfomeados, irracionais, sujos e p�tridos.
Criaturas em perfeita harmonia com o novo ambiente, enquanto n�s, sobrevi
vez. Olhei mais uma vez em seus olhos, enquanto ela gritava. Meu corpo parecia
paralisado, dividido entre o medo e a adrenalina.
Mas se ela j� estava morta, ent�o que diferen�a faria?
Eu havia tomado a minha decis�o.
Com um �ltimo olhar para ela, abaixei a arma e a guardei de volta na cintura.
Aproveitei os segundos em que os malditos se distra�ram com Michelle e subi em um
lat�o de lixo que estava por ali, arremessando meu corpo para o outro lado do muro,
fugindo daquela cena.
Eu estava livre. Do outro lado do muro, podia escutar o grito de pavor da Michelle
enquanto os zumbis come�avam a devorar sua carne. Ela gritava por mim, mas eu havia
fugido. Eu havia abandonado o amor da minha vida em troca da salva��o.
Sei que por muitas noites gritarei seu nome. Sei que esse pesadelo me perseguir�
para sempre toda vez que olhar para uma dessas malditas criaturas. Mas no final das
contas, a vida agora n�o era apenas um jogo de sobreviv�ncia?
Eu estava sobrevivendo.
Cap�tulo 1
16
ventes humanos e a ra�a em extin��o, somos o elemento estranho. O Apocalipse Zumbi
nunca foi entendido e no fim h� mais perguntas do que respostas. Estes s�o os
�ltimos tempos dos seres vivos e simplesmente n�o se sabe ao certo o que causou
tudo isso.
a inCapaCiDaDe Da Ci�nCia N�o faz tanto tempo assim, talvez menos de um ano, era
comum a vincula��o de not�cias sobre a �nova super gripe�, e por um bom tempo era
exatamente isso que parecia ser, afinal, surtos epid�micos como esse eram comuns em
pa�ses subdesenvolvidos. A doen�a era altamente contagiosa, letal e obscura,
apresentava algumas caracter�sticas semelhantes a viroses conhecidas e ao mesmo
tempo tinha uma trama extremamente complexa, imposs�vel de ser compreendida (e isso
transparecia no rosto de cada pesquisador
� cada coletiva de imprensa). N�o havia tratamento ou forma de conten��o n�o havia
vacinas, nem rem�dios... Est�vamos longe de encontrar qualquer a cura e os
infectados estavam fadados a morte. Tudo aconteceu r�pido demais...
o Dia z O Dia Z foi o nome escolhido pela m�dia para batizar oficialmente o fim do
mundo. Quando as primeiras informa��es sobre os zumbis foram disponibilizadas na
internet, as pessoas simplesmente n�o acreditaram no que estava acontecendo. Era
inacredit�vel demais pra ser verdade. Por outro lado, o governo tentou
desastrosamente manter os bizarros acontecimentos em segredo, boicotando e
manipulando os meios de comunica��o, al�m de excluir material divulgado na
internet, que continuavam a informar a popula��o desavisada. Algumas pessoas
simplesmente se recusaram a acreditar no que alguns chamaram de Apocalipse Zumbi,
afinal, quem acreditaria nisso? Tudo Foram investidos anos e milh�es em recursos
para encontrar um tratamento adequado para minimizar os sintomas do c�ncer e da
AIDS e mesmo assim nunca descobriram uma cura... Foi tolice acreditar que os
melhores especialistas do mundo conseguiriam entender e remediar o v�rus zumbi em
tempo de salvar o mundo...
Era tudo muito surreal, tudo muito hollywoodiano, apesar de que os mortos n�o se
levantavam do cemit�rio como nos filmes...
Devasta��o da Terra
17
parecia ser sensacionalismo barato, um teaser de um filme do Romero. Poderia ser
qualquer coisa, menos realidade. A popula��o s� passou a acreditar no que aconteceu
quando meio mundo j� havia sido consumido. J� era tarde demais para qualquer
medida, apesar de que n�o havia nenhuma medida poss�vel. O p�nico foi
incontrol�vel. Aqueles que eram canibalizados levantavam-se como novos membros da
horda de mortos-vivos (A �zumbifi
ca��o� acontece de forma din�mica atrav�s da corrente sangu�nea, sendo a atividade
cerebral o catalisador para a transforma��o do cad�ver em zumbi). Os Hospitais j�
haviam ultrapassado o seu limite de interna��es, mais e mais pessoas apresentavam
sintomas da nova doen�a ou ferimentos provenientes de ataques de zumbis. As igrejas
estavam constantemente lotadas de fieis e n�o fieis em busca de salva��o... A ordem
se transformou em caos.
PANDEMIA: A NovA suPEr-grIPE Quando o mundo pensava que entraria em uma �poca de
maior controle de doen�as, nos deparamos com mais uma violenta onda de v�rus
causando problemas do lado mais populoso da Terra. As informa��es que chegam por
nossos correspondentes indicam sintomas cl�ssicos do influenza se manifestando nos
pacientes infectados, mas as consequ�ncias s�o muito maiores a medida que a doen�a
se desenvolve, desde gengivite at� chagas se abrindo na pele. As autoridades
colocaram todos os infectados confirmados em quarentena, mas esta medida cautelar
parece n�o ser o suficiente, j� que o n�vel de contamina��o est� al�m das escalas
aprovadas pela OMS. Devido ao contato direto com os infectados, enfermeiros,
m�dicos e auxiliares j� somam o n�mero de pessoas que precisam de aux�lio. Com
isso, o Minist�rio da Sa�de decretou que: a) Pessoas com sintomas de gripe que
cause, al�m de espirros e dores de cabe�a, sangramentos nasais abundantes, m�
cicatriza��o, mau h�lito e at� queda de cabelo, sejam colocadas em observa��o em
hospitais de refer�ncia no tratamento de doen�as infecto-contagiosas (DIC); b) Os
voos sejam cancelados com o objetivo de manter o contagio isolado o m�ximo de tempo
poss�vel. Resta a cren�a na ci�ncia e a esperan�a que a mesma encontre uma cura
r�pida, assim como encontraram para a gripe su�na.
Cap�tulo 1
18
panDeMia Mas tudo tem um come�o. O primeiro caso de infec��o confirmada foi o de
uma crian�a africana (denominado mais tarde como Paciente Zero), mas pouco tempo
depois houve confirma��es tamb�m na China. No in�cio, a simples troca de flu�dos
corporais (como um beijo ou um espirro, por exemplo) poderia infectar um indiv�duo
que levaria semanas (ou meses) para se transformar em um zumbi. Mas foi justamente
na China que ocorreram os surtos mais catacl�smicos. Os hospitais chineses
come�aram a lotar com novos pacientes em busca de tratamento. Em poucas semanas,
poucos infectados se transformaram em milh�es. Hoje, em poucas horas (ou minutos) o
infectado deixa de existir, dando lugar a uma criatura irracional comedora de carne
humana. O v�rus havia dr�stica e elegantemente evolu�do. N�o demorou muito para o
Minist�rio da Sa�de da China decretar estado de calamidade p�blica; as fronteiras
foram fechadas na tentativa de evitar que a doen�a se espalhasse para al�m do pa�s.
Mas, mesmo com a ajuda da ONU, era imposs�vel conter todas as evas�es pelas
estradas, aeroportos e vias clandestinas. Na �frica, a mis�ria e a falta de
higieniza��o em comunidades afastadas contribu�ram significativamente para o avan�o
da doen�a, dificultando o acesso e a conten��o dos infectados. O problema das
Devasta��o da Terra
19
fronteiras era ainda maior do que na China e a falta de seriedade do Minist�rio da
Seguran�a Africano comprometeu toda a opera��o. Mal sabiam eles que esse desleixo
tinha condenado o mundo. Focos da pandemia foram identificados em outros pa�ses.
Milhares de zonas de quarentena e centros de tratamento foram instalados, mas todos
ineficazes. A pandemia avan�ava e r�pido demais.
zonas De Quarentena Em pa�ses com casos confirmados de epidemia por V�rus Z, zonas
de quarentena eram montadas rapidamente, todas guarnecidas pelo ex�rcito, no marco
zero (onde o primeiro caso era relatado) e posteriormente nos locais onde havia
relatos de infec��o em massa. Pesquisas eram desenvolvidas, por�m, nenhum
resultado, mesmo que insatisfat�rio, foi revelado ao p�blico. At� que o mercado
negro das informa��es come�ou a funcionar. O que chegava � imprensa, apesar de que
nem sempre provinham de fontes confi�veis, eram relatos de sintomas variados da
infec��o como alucina��es cr�nicas em suas v�timas, irracionalidade e comportamento
ultraviolento. Outros relatos mencionavam especula��es m�dicas sobre a
possibilidade da doen�a ser uma muta��o aberrante do v�rus da raiva, enquanto
outros tra�avam paralelos com a cren�a sobre pessoas estarem amaldi�oadas por
entidades demon�acas.
CIENtIstA ADMItE N�o hAvEr CurA Em entrevista extraoficial com o PhD Doutor Junichi
Hasegawa, um dos respons�veis pelas pesquisas na �rea da nova super gripe
(denominada de Abolea), obtivemos respostas evasivas, grosseiras ou pouco
esclarecedoras, que indicam 99,9% que uma cura n�o ser� seja desenvolvida. Abaixo,
transcri��o editada da entrevista: Jornal: Doutor, como anda a evolu��o das
pesquisas sobre a nova gripe? Hasegawa: A passos curtos, n�o podemos deixar que
nada escape de nossa vista. J: Quais as possibilidades de cura? H: Veja bem, n�o �
poss�vel falar em cura quando n�o se sabe contra o que se esta lutando. J: Isso
ainda � objeto de d�vida? H: Esse agente pode ser qualquer coisa. Fungo, v�rus,
bact�ria e, para quem acredita, at� ira divina. J: Os leitores gostariam de ouvir
um prospecto menos assombroso. O senhor poderia nos dar uma esperan�a, mesmo que
m�nima? H: Infelizmente a ci�ncia � movida a fatos, se quiser ouvir ladainhas,
melhor procurar uma igreja.
Cap�tulo 1
20
Mas o tempo passava e as zonas de quarentena ganhavam propor��es gigantescas,
variando de acampamentos isolados a pr�dios e at� mesmo cidades inteiras. Conter a
pandemia parecia algo imposs�vel � e de fato era. Os pa�ses n�o conseguiram
controlar suas fronteiras � seja por falta de treinamento apropriado, dificuldade
de terreno ou por pura corrup��o � e isso facilitou que o V�rus Z incubado fosse
levado a outras regi�es, criando novos focos.
exterM�nio Uma esp�cie de nova ordem acabou sendo criada e os agentes de sa�de
come�aram a tomar medidas radicais � o que justificava a atitude desesperada da
popula��o de uma determinada �rea quando o grupo chegava. Ap�s identifica�
inacredit�vel, mas h� fam�lias que ainda acreditam que podem tratar os doentes em
casa... Amorda�ando e amarrando seus doentes, isolando-os em quartos fechados. Ser�
que essas pessoas n�o repararam que n�o era uma doen�a passageira? Que os doentes
j� estavam �mortos�? Teve pessoas que arrastaram o v�rus por quil�metros a frente
por que n�o queriam deixar seu ente querido para tr�s... N�s j� est�vamos na merda
e os idiotas foderam com tudo ainda mais!
Devasta��o da Terra
21
rem um surto da doen�a, isolavam a cidade, decretavam quarentena e enquanto os
m�dicos do Centro de Controle de Pragas procuravam sinais de infec��o em cada
pessoa, soldados fortemente armados mantinham prontid�o, agindo ao m�nimo sinal de
qualquer revolta popular. Pessoas inocentes morreram, e n�o foram poucas, ao se
rebelarem contra a forma truculenta do controle enquanto procuravam por respostas.
Os m�dicos chegavam trajando equipamentos anticontamina��o (grossos macac�es de
pl�stico amarelo, m�scaras de g�s e luvas de borracha) e permaneciam isolados do
resto do mundo, intimidando e causando p�nico � popula��o. Ao sinal de qualquer
sintoma da infec��o causada pelo V�rus Z, o paciente era encaminhado pelos m�dicos
a dois destinos: � capital, e de l� rumar para centros obscuros de pesquisa
avan�ada; ou ser sumariamente executado (geralmente os que apresentavam sintomas
graves ou aqueles que j� estavam completamente zumbificados eram imediatamente
execu
tados com tiros na cabe�a e depois cremados em enormes fogueiras ao ar livre �
chamadas popularmente de fornos � cuja fuma�a podia ser avistada a quil�metros de
dist�ncia � esse era esse o sinal que a popula��o das cidades pr�ximas tinha para
fugir o mais r�pido poss�vel).
CataClisMa Sabe-se que quase todos os pa�ses entre a �frica e a China apresentaram
sinais da doen�a (principalmente a Ar�bia Saudita, Ir�, Afeganist�o e �ndia), em
menor ou maior grau, mas foi na China que a doen�a tomou forma e fugiu do controle.
Os eventos mais brutais e catacl�smicos que come�aram l� (a China teve o pior e
mais violento ataque zumbi registrado com sobreviventes, mesmo que alguns
totalmente perturbados) n�o demoraram muito para ocorrerem em outros pa�ses... Em
poucos meses havia focos da doen�a espalhados por todos os cantos do mundo.
Impressionante como sentimos um apego ao que � descart�vel, ainda mais durante uma
crise deste porte! Como somos med�ocres... As pessoas ainda se preocupam com seus
equipamentos de �ltima gera��o, dinheiro, j�ias... Eles se preocupam e levar todas
essas merdas no lugar de mantimentos! Devem acreditar que enquanto tiverem
dinheiro, podem comprar qualquer coisa... A verdade � que vamos voltar a uma �poca
que o dinheiro n�o vai valer mais nada e vamos negociar favores pessoais em troca
de um peda�o de p�o amanhecido...
Cap�tulo 1
22
evaCua��o urbana E foi quando a popula��o realmente descobriu a crise. Ao verem o
mundo desabar a sua volta, as pessoas entraram em uma corrida desesperada de
evacua��o. O p�nico e desordem eram t�o colossais que foi inevit�vel que n�o
houvesse in�meros acidentes, saques, arrast�es e viol�ncia em todo os locais, desde
cidades de beira de estrada a metr�poles. As rodovias tornaram-se estacionamentos
com os engarrafamentos quilom�tricos dos carros em fuga. �nibus abarrotados,
pessoas viajando no cap� dos carros, motos com quatro ou mais passageiros,
caminh�es-ba�s lotados de pessoas e at� tratores disputavam um lugar nas rodovias.
Os dias tornaram-se est�ticos (talvez por conta de algum acidente quil�metros �
frente). Com medo das hordas de criaturas, ao longo das estradas, tornou-se comum
ver pessoas continuarem a viagem a p� com medo de morre
Ca�a �s bruxas Discursos de padres e pastores mais exaltados acusavam diretamente
os praticantes de cren�as africanas, em especial os supostos feiticeiros vudu�stas,
pela desgra�a, com isso, qualquer negro era visto como um praticante em potencial.
O racismo ressurgiu ferozmente em todas as classes sociais.
iMigra��o DesesperaDa A grande maioria dos pa�ses, principalmente os de primeiro
mundo, sempre teve problemas com a imigra��o ilegal. Nenhuma fronteira era
inexpugn�vel, havia rotas de contrabando, aeroportos clandestinos, estradas
ilegais, subornos, etc., e quando a crise atingiu seu �pice, todas as medidas
preventivas para a imigra��o ilegal se mostraram ineficazes. Era uma quest�o de
tempo at� a pandemia invadir e devastar esses pa�ses. Os membros da alta sociedade
acreditaram que conseguiram �sobreviver� confortavelmente por mais tempo em suas
�fortifica��es� escondidas por muros altos ou nos �ltimos andares de pr�dios
gigantescos. Tolos, o que era uma fortaleza de luxo acabava se tornando uma pris�o
enquanto acreditavam que o governo ainda tinha a crise sobre �controle�... Engano
cruel. J� a classe m�dia e baixa foram as que mais sofreram, principalmente nos
pa�ses subdesenvolvidos.As favelas nas periferias eram barris de p�lvora prestes a
explodir. Imagine uma enorme quantidade de pessoas aglomeradas protegidas apenas
por finas paredes de madeira ou material de baix�ssima resist�ncia... Os zumbis
eram como uma avalanche consumindo as pessoas nesses lugares.
Devasta��o da Terra
23
Magia As magias est�o classificadas em C�rculos, do menor para o maior. O maior
C�rculo que pode ser invocado por um mago � igual � metade de seu n�vel,
arredondado para cima. O maior C�rculo que pode ser invocado por um cl�rigo � igual
� metade de seu n�vel, arredondado para baixo. Invocar magias drena PVs na forma de
Fadiga que s� podem ser recuperados ap�s 6 horas de descanso. Dessa maneira, a
Fadiga � um tipo de �dano� especial, que s� � curado com muito repouso. O custo de
invoca��o de uma magia � igual a 1 mais o dobro de seu C�rculo, mas Magos que
estejam usando armaduras e/ou escudos t�m de pagar um custo adicional igual ao
B�nus providenciado pelos mesmos (lembrando que magias do C�rculo 0 n�o t�m custo
para Magos, apesar de eles terem de pagar o custo adicional normalmente). Um
invocador deve selecionar uma magia de cada C�rculo a partir do 1� (que ele seja
capaz de invocar) como sua favorita, tendo seu custo reduzido em 1. C�rculo da
magia 0 1 2 3 4 5 Custo em PVs (normal) 1 3 5 7 9 11 Custo em PVs (favorita) 2 4 6
8 10 N�vel m�nimo para um mago invocar 0 1 3 5 7 9 N�vel m�nimo para um cl�rigo
invocar 1 2 4 6 8 10
Prote��o Quando um ser � alvo de uma magia (e alguns outros efeitos) ele tem
direito a uma jogada de Prote��o para tentar evitar ou reduzir os efeitos dela
sobre si. Essa jogada � feita automaticamente, mas o alvo da magia pode optar por
n�o resistir � magia (normalmente quando o efeito � ben�fico). Prote��o: d18 + �
n�vel (arredondado para cima no caso de Magos)+ ModVON Atingindo o oponente: Se o
alvo de uma magia obtiver 10 ou mais em sua jogada de Prote��o, ele consegue
resistir aos efeitos da mesma; do contr�rio, ele sofre o efeito normal da magia. Se
uma magia que causa dano for resistida, seu efeito � reduzido � metade; outros
efeitos s�o simplesmente negados. Dura��o das magias Todas as magias t�m dura��o
instant�nea exceto quando indicado como abaixo em sua descri��o: Uma rodada: no fim
do pr�ximo turno do invocador os efeitos da magia terminam. Um encontro: no fim da
cena (conflito, combate, discuss�o, evento) os efeitos da magia terminam. At� ser
resistida: todo combatente atingido pela magia pode fazer uma jogada de Prote��o
para resistir aos seus efeitos no fim de seu turno. Enquanto for mantida a
concentra��o: quando o invocador deixar de manter mentalmente a magia (invocando
outra ou sofrendo qualquer dano) os efeitos terminam. Permanente: os efeitos da
magia perduram at� serem cancelados por outra magia. Especial: os efeitos da magia
perduram at� as condi��es indicadas na descri��o das mesmas indicarem. Lista de
Magias Arcanas Magos devem manter uma lista de magias conhecidas em seus grim�rios
(livros de magias), devendo l�-los ao menos uma vez por dia por uma hora para se
prepararem para invocar magias. Magias do C�rculo 0 � Cantrips Abrir: Abre uma
fechadura pequena (como a de uma caixa de j�ias). Brilho: Ofusca uma criatura,
reduzindo suas jogadas de ataque em -1 por uma rodada. Detectar magia: Detecta
magia e itens m�gicos. Ler Magia: L� pergaminhos e grim�rios. Luz: Objeto brilha
como uma tocha enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. M�os m�gicas: Levita��o de
objetos de at� 2,5kg enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Marca arcana: Inscri��o
permanente de uma runa pessoal (vis�vel ou invis�vel). Pasmar: Criatura human�ide
com 4 DV ou menos fica sem agir por uma rodada.

Aventura e Magia 10

Respingo �cido: Cria uma esfera que causa dano �cido. Para determinar a quantidade
de dano role 3d6, mas use o menor dos tr�s dados. Som fantasma: Cria sons fict�cios
durante um encontro. Magias do Primeiro C�rculo Alarme: Protege uma �rea por 2
horas por n�vel. �rea escorregadia: Torna uma �rea ou objeto escorregadio por um
encontro. Causar medo: Uma criatura com 5 DV ou menos foge at� ser resistida.
Compreender linguagens: Voc� entende todos os idiomas falados e escritos enquanto
for mantida a concentra��o. Enfeiti�ar pessoas: Faz com que uma pessoa se torne sua
amiga enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Identifica��o: Determina as propriedades
de um item m�gico ou encantado. M�sseis m�gicos: 1d6 de dano (m�ximo de 5); +1
proj�til a cada dois n�veis acima do 1� (m�ximo de 5 proj�teis no n�vel 9). Cada
proj�til atinge alvos automaticamente e n�o permite jogada de Prote��o. Queda
suave: Objeto ou criatura cai lentamente. Sono: P�e 4 DVs de criaturas para dormir
durante um encontro. Ventriloquismo: Projeta a voz at� uma dist�ncia igual a VON do
invocador enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Magias do Segundo C�rculo Arrombar:
Abre uma porta trancada ou selada magicamente. Comandar mortos-vivos: Criatura
obedece aos seus comandos enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Detectar
pensamentos: Permite �ouvir� pensamentos superficiais durante um encontro. Flecha
�cida: 1d6+2 de dano por 1 rodada, +1 rodada a cada tr�s n�veis. Invisibilidade: O
alvo fica invis�vel durante um encontro, mas esta magia termina automaticamente
quando ele executa um ataque. Pasmar monstro: Criatura viva com 6 DV ou menos fica
sem agir por uma rodada. Teia: Preenche uma �rea com teias pegajosas que duram um
encontro. Criaturas atingidas que resistam aos seus efeitos n�o s�o afetadas.
Tranca arcana: Tranca magicamente uma porta ou um ba� at� que o invocador decida o
contr�rio. Ver o invis�vel: Revela criaturas e objetos invis�veis enquanto for
mantida a concentra��o. Vis�o no escuro: V� atrav�s de escurid�o total enquanto for
mantida a concentra��o. Magias do Terceiro C�rculo Bola de fogo: 1d6 de dano por
n�vel numa �rea de seis metros de raio. Descanso tranq�ilo: Preserva um cad�ver por
uma quantidade de dias igual a � n�vel (arredondado para cima) dias. Dissipar
magia: Cancela magias e efeitos m�gicos. Idiomas: Recebe a habilidade de falar em
qualquer idioma enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Imagem maior: Ilus�o com
efeitos visuais, sonoros, olfativos e t�rmicos durante um encontro. Imobilizar
pessoas: Paralisa um human�ide at� ser resistida. Um human�ide paralisado possui CA
10. Respirar na �gua: At� � n�vel alvos podem respirar sob a �gua enquanto for
mantida a concentra��o. Toque vamp�rico: Toque causa 1d6 de dano a cada dois
n�veis; invocador recebe PV iguais ao dano causado. Velocidade: 1 criatura por
n�vel move-se mais r�pido ou ganha um segundo ataque durante um encontro. V�o: O
alvo voa a uma velocidade de VON metros por rodada enquanto for mantida a
concentra��o. Magias de Quarto C�rculo Armadilha de fogo: Objeto causa danos iguais
a 1d6-1, +1 por n�vel, ao ser aberto. Criar mortos-vivos menores: Cria esqueletos e
zumbis permanentemente.

Marcelo Paschoalin 11
Desespero esmagador: At� a magia ser resistida, o alvo recebe -2 nas jogadas de
ataque e demais testes; seu dano � reduzido em -2. Enfeiti�ar monstro: Transforma
um monstro em seu aliado enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Grito: Ensurdece
todos que estiverem � frente do invocador e causa 5d6 de dano s�nico. Moldar
rochas: Esculpe rochas permanentemente em qualquer forma. Muralha de fogo: Causa
1d6+2 de dano em criaturas at� uma dist�ncia igual a ModVON e 1d6-1 em criaturas
at� uma dist�ncia igual a ModVON + � n�vel. A muralha dura por uma rodada e
atravess�-la causa 2d6, + 1 por n�vel. Observa��o: Espia um alvo � dist�ncia
enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Parede ilus�ria: Cria um teto, parede ou ch�o
permanente que parece real durante um encontro, mas qualquer coisa pode atravess�-
lo. Pele de rochosa: Ignora 10 pontos de dano por ataque durante uma rodada. Magias
de Quinto C�rculo �ncora planar menor: Aprisiona uma criatura extraplanar de at� 6
DVs at� que realize uma tarefa. Dominar pessoa: Controla um human�ide
telepaticamente enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Imobilizar monstro: Paralisa
um monstro at� ser resistida. Um monstro paralisado possui CA 10. Liga��o
telep�tica: Elo permite que os aliados se comuniquem durante um encontro.
Metamorfose funesta: Transforma o alvo em um animal inofensivo permanentemente.
Modificar apar�ncia: Muda a apar�ncia de 1 pessoa a cada dois n�veis durante um
encontro. N�voa mortal: Mata criaturas com 3 DV ou menos; mata criaturas com 4-6
O que � RPG? O Rpg � jogado em volta de uma mesa por um grupo de jogadores
(normalmente entre tr�s e seis). O objetivo � criar uma narrativa compartilhada em
que cada jogador possa intervir. Assim, a maior parte de um jogo de RPG nunca �
escrita com anteced�ncia; � apenas colocada em termos gerais. O desenrolar da
hist�ria depende da inspira��o, imagina��o e capacidade de improvisa��o de cada
jogador para adapt�-la e fazer algo imprevis�vel e inesquec�vel.
Para implementar uma parte da dramatiza��o, � necess�ria a presen�a de um Mestre
de Jogo. Esse � um tipo diferente de jogador que est� bem acostumado com o cen�rio
e com as regras do jogo. � ele quem desenvolve aventuras (tamb�m conhecidas como
campanhas) para que os outros jogadores possam interpretar seus personagens. O
Mestre de Jogo (ou simplesmente Mestre) descreve eventos, locais e personagens e
arbitra as aplica��es de regras: nesse ponto, a palavra do Mestre � lei. Isso n�o
significa que os outros jogadores n�o tenham pap�is ativos para interpretar: eles
criam personagens e interpretam seus pap�is, interagindo com os eventos descritos
pelo Mestre, conversando com os indiv�duos que seus personagens encontram,
investigando mist�rios e explorando o mundo. Os jogadores sentam em volta de uma
mesa e o Mestre de Jogo come�a a contar a hist�ria. Os jogadores imaginam como seus
personagens reagiriam naquela situa��o...
Yggdrasill, o jogo de RPG Yggdrasill, o jogo de RPG, lhe permite viver aventuras
excitantes em um cen�rio detalhado e fascinante. Permite-lhe ser um her�i na
lend�ria Escandin�via, na��o dos �tr�s reinos� da Dinamarca, Noruega e Svithjod (a
moderna Su�cia). Intrigas, combates, aventuras, magia e criaturas m�ticas esperam
por voc�! Como um her�i em busca de aventuras, gl�ria e imortalidade, voc� far�
parte de grandes batalhas que lhe guiar�o das plan�cies nevadas de Jylland aos
sal�es dos reis. Talvez seus her�is sejam recebidos pelo pr�prio Odin, o
Formid�vel, em seus sal�es no Valhalla, em um suntuoso banquete, enquanto aguardam
a batalha final contra os gigantes e seus semelhantes, o Ragnar�k, que marcar� o
fim dos tempos, das lendas e talvez dos pr�prios deuses. Mercen�rio ou hirdman,
berserker ou nobre, profeta ou feiticeiro, o Destino ir� gui�-lo pelas praias
congeladas dos fiordes, por mares profundos em expedi��es perigosas e por florestas
assombradas por monstros. Os skalds cantar�o suas proezas atrav�s dos s�culos que
vir�o!
Homem do Norte! A lenda come�a aqui! Yggdrasill e a Precis�o Hist�rica Quando
estudamos documentos hist�ricos e sagas da antiga Escandin�via dos s�culos em que
esse jogo de passa (IV ao VI), somos confrontados por um grande problema que todos
os historiadores que se especializam nessa �poca encontram: n�o existem escritos
originais desse per�odo e os que existem s�o de fontes posteriores, baseadas em
tradi��es orais, �s vezes contradit�rias e, muitas vezes, pouco confi�veis.
Al�m disso, quer�amos criar um jogo heroico, cheio de a��o, durante a excitante
�Era Viking�, e nem todo o material hist�rico era inspirador ou ao menos completo.
Portanto, tivemos que preencher alguns buracos em branco e primar por um jogo
divertido e heroico, ao inv�s de um com precis�o hist�rica. Deixemos que os
arque�logos descubram a verdade hist�rica nos pr�ximos anos. Dito isso, faremos
nosso melhor para respeitar as fontes e manter o esp�rito das sagas e poesias dos
skalds. Quando necess�rio, faremos certas escolhas e comprometeremos alguns pontos
da precis�o hist�rica para dar ao jogo o escopo heroico que ele merece, os
sentimentos das sagas que a realidade hist�rica raramente transmite. Voc� n�o �
obrigado a seguir essas semelhan�as. Voc� pode ignorar nossas modifica��es, se
quiser jogar um jogo absolutamente hist�rico. Voc� tamb�m pode acrescentar seus
pr�prios elementos para construir o plano de fundo ideal da sua �Era Viking�. Este
jogo � seu: use-o para viver seus sonhos e lendas. Fa�a-o �nico. Aqui est�o alguns
pontos hist�ricos que fazem o fundo de Yggdrasill: � O termo Viking: os N�rdicos
n�o s�o �Vikings� como tal (a era dos �Vikings� estende-se do fim do s�culo VIII ao
s�culo XI). A palavra �Viking� foi um termo muito usado que n�o designava um grupo
particular de pessoas ou popula��o, mas certamente tem sua origem em um termo do
Antigo N�rdico (a l�ngua escandinava da �poca) �fara i viking�, partir em uma
expedi��o. N�s nos referimos aos �tr�s reinos� da Escandin�via pelos nomes
Dinamarca, Noruega e Svithjod (hoje Su�cia). N�s n�o usamos a palavra Su�cia, j�
que � um nome pertencente a uma era posterior � era Viking. Usamos os termos Homens
do Norte, N�rdicos e Escandinavos para descrever o povo de Yggdrasill, pois � assim
que eles chamavam uns aos outros.
Introdu��o
10
Criando seu her�i H� her�is com v�rios n�veis de experi�ncia, desde amadores at�
verdadeiros campe�es da justi�a. Para podermos comparar os her�is no que tange ao
seu n�vel de poder, estabelecemos uma escala num�rica que vai de 0 a 10. Todos os
her�is come�am no n�vel 1. Para criar um her�i, escolha seu nome, determine seus
Atributos, escolha sua Ra�a e sua Classe, selecione seus equipamentos. Atributos H�
tr�s Atributos: Fortitude (FOR), Reflexos (REF) e Vontade (VON). Para determin�-los
role 3d6 (tr�s dados de seis faces) tr�s vezes e atribua um resultado a cada
Atributo. A Fortitude � uma medida de for�a e resist�ncia. Os Reflexos s�o uma
mescla de agilidade e destreza. A Vontade representa o carisma e a intelig�ncia do
her�i. Ra�as Humanos recebem +1 em dois Atributos diferentes a sua escolha.
Opcionalmente, de acordo com o Narrador, h� a alternativa de se pertencer a outras
ra�as, como a dos An�es (recebem FOR +2), dos Elfos (recebem VON +2) ou dos
Halflings (recebem REF +2). Modificadores Cada Atributo possui um Modificador que
� igual a (Atributo-10)/2, arredondado para baixo, sendo indicado pelas
abreviaturas ModFOR, ModREF e ModVON, de acordo com o Atributo. Todos os her�is
conhecem um idioma comum ao mundo de fantasia, enquanto outros seres inteligentes
conhecem seus pr�prios idiomas. O ModVON, se positivo, indica quantos idiomas
adicionais um her�i conhece. Classes Guerreiros recebem +1 em suas jogadas de
ataque e de dano. A cada quatro n�veis, come�ando no quarto (4� e 8�), suas jogadas
de ataque e dano recebem +1 adicionais. Cl�rigos n�o podem usar armas cortantes ou
perfurantes, mas s�o capazes de invocar magias divinas � o maior C�rculo que pode
ser invocado por um Cl�rigo � igual � metade de seu n�vel, arredondado para baixo.
Um Cl�rigo pode Afastar Mortos-Vivos (2 + n�vel + ModVON) vezes por dia, sendo bem
sucedido se sua jogada de Prote��o for igual ou superior aos PVs atuais do Morto-
Vivo; caso a jogada supere em 10 os PVs, o Morto-Vivo � destru�do. Um Cl�rigo
come�a o jogo sabendo todas as magias do C�rculo 0. Magos s� podem usar armas
leves, mas s�o capazes de invocar magias arcanas � o maior C�rculo que pode ser
invocado por um Mago � igual � metade de seu n�vel, arredondado para cima. Al�m
disso, Magos podem livremente invocar magias de n�vel 0 sem custo algum. Um Mago
come�a o jogo conhecendo 2+ModVON magias do C�rculo 0 e 1+ModVON magias do 1�
C�rculo. A quantidade m�xima de magias que um mago pode conhecer por C�rculo �
igual a 4+ModVON. Pontos de Vida Cada her�i tem uma quantidade de Pontos de Vida
(PVs) igual a FOR, + 1d6 por n�vel. Toda vez que o her�i sofre dano seus PVs s�o
reduzidos, sendo recuperados quando ele se cura (de acordo com magias) ou ap�s 30
minutos de descanso sem atividades (1d6 + n�vel PVs). Equipamento inicial Determine
os equipamentos iniciais de seu her�i escolhendo um dos kits (A, B ou C) abaixo.
Voc� pode modificar algum item com a aprova��o do Narrador. Kit A: mochila, saco de
dormir, odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias, lanterna coberta, 10 frascos de
�leo, pederneira, p�, 2 conjuntos de estrepes, apito, pena e papel e tinta. Kit B:
mochila, saco de dormir, odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias, 10 tochas, 10
frascos de �leo, pederneira, giz, bast�o de sondagem, espelho, p�-de-cabra.

When Ikoma Katsuru, the first Governor of the Imperial Colonies, arrived in the
Second City, much had already been done to ensure he was met with familiar
surroundings. The layout and conventions of the city�s court, indeed the entire
nature of the Imperial district itself, were carefully crafted to mirror the life
and courts of Toshi Ranbo. It was as if the colonists had directly lifted the
Imperial Court from its place in the heart of Rokugan, carried it across a vast
distance of barren sands and hostile tropics, and placed it at the center of the
sparse frame of the Second City. To Katsuru, such a court was the final key element
of the Second City, the lifegiving water that nourished the seeds of Rokugani
culture in the Colonies and allowed them to take root and slowly grow and flourish.
The city�s Imperial District maintained a very traditional air under the first
Governor�s rule. The rest of the Colonies from the beginning adapted much more
readily to their surroundings, picking up the new ways required by the strange
environment and developing a culture somewhat distinct from the mainland. Within
the Imperial District of the capital, however, the traditions of Rokugan were at
first carefully preserved. After the unexpected death of the first Governor, the
same care was taken to preserve this tradition in anticipation of the arrival of
his successor. Hand-chosen by the Empress herself, this new Governor would find
herself in a mirror of the Imperial City in Toshi Ranbo, and life would continue as
normal. However, the new Governor was not who they expected her to be. Otomo
Suikihime did not want to live in the same
city she had left behind on the mainland. She did not aspire to re-create the same
traditions, the same culture, or the same society as in Rokugan. She hoped to find
something new, something the world had never seen before. When she arrived in the
Second City and saw how the traditional ways had been preserved, she decided she
would have to play a more direct hand to bring about her dream. Her first act was
to restructure the entire court. After all, the city itself was planned; architects
had seized the opportunity to break convention, to prevent the complications that
unplanned expansion had caused to other cities of the Empire. She reasoned she
should follow suit on the political side. The court itself would be planned and
restructured, rebuilt to more efficiently suit the needs of the fledgling
civilization in the Colonies. Many of the advisors to the previous Governor were
appalled. They left in protest, returning to the Empire with their topknots severed
in shame. Only a few were accepted back into their respective clans; the rest
joined monasteries and lived out their lives as monks. Some even committed seppuku
in defiant protest of the Governor�s violations of precedent. However, many others
were intrigued by what the new Governor was trying to do. They were quick to assist
her with all she needed. Thus, in practice she had no real opposition to her
actions � the courts of the Second City became a blank canvas before her brush. She
was free to recreate them into whatever image she desired. What she created was
called the �Ivory Court.�
Aventura e Magia 6
Kit C: mochila, saco de dormir, odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias, barraca, 10
tochas, pederneira, martelo, 10 espig�es de ferro, gancho de escalada, corda. Al�m
disso, adicione os seguintes itens, de acordo com sua Classe: Guerreiro: Frasco de
�gua benta (causa 1d6 de dano contra mortos-vivos), cota de malha (CA +4), uma arma
e escudo OU uma arma pesada, 5 pe�as de ouro. Mago: Grim�rio com suas magias
conhecidas, uma arma leve, 5 pe�as de ouro. Cl�rigo: S�mbolo sagrado de prata,
armadura de couro (CA +2), uma arma e escudo, 5 pe�as de ouro. Armas, armaduras e
escudos Em combate, armas, armaduras e escudos s�o fundamentais para determinar se
um ataque atinge o oponente e quanto dano � causado. Armaduras e escudos contribuem
para a Classe de Armadura do her�i, armas indicam o dano causado. Classe de
Armadura (CA): 10 + ModREF + B�nus de Armadura. Armaduras leves (couro) possuem um
B�nus igual a +2; armaduras m�dias (cota de malha) +4; armaduras pesadas (placas de
a�o) +6; escudos garantem um B�nus adicional de +1. Quanto mais pesada a armadura
mais barulhenta ela �. Dano da arma: Ataques desarmados causam 1d6-1 de dano; armas
leves causam 1d6; armas m�dias 1d6+1; armas pesadas 1d6+2. Capacidade de carga
Her�is podem carregar uma quantidade limitada de itens, de acordo com a Ficha do
Her�i: uma arma em sua m�o h�bil, uma arma ou escudo em sua m�o in�bil, uma arma de
longo alcance, uma arma secund�ria, manoplas ou luvas nas m�os, uma armadura ou
vestimenta no corpo, um amuleto ou uma capa no pesco�o, um par de braceletes em
seus bra�os, um par de cal�ados, um elmo ou uma tiara na cabe�a, um anel em cada
m�o, um cinto ou cintur�o, 2 itens de �uso imediato� (num cinto, preso �s costas ou
similar, permitindo que seja utilizado a qualquer momento), 8 itens em uma mochila,
perfazendo um total de 23 itens. Pequenos conjuntos de itens similares (10 frascos,
20 flechas, 50 pedras preciosas, 100 pe�as de ouro) ocupam espa�o de um �nico item.
Pre�os N�o h� necessidade de se preocupar com os custos de itens comuns conquanto
que os her�is gastem dinheiro �de maneira totalmente fr�vola� (isto �, sem receber
vantagem alguma por isso). Exemplo de cria��o de her�i Para determinar os
Atributos de nosso her�i, a quem chamaremos de Cedric, rolamos 3d6 tr�s vezes e
obtemos os resultados 9, 15 e 11. Decidimos colocar o 9 em FOR, o 11 em REF e 15 em
VON. Cedric � humano, ent�o temos que colocar +1 em dois Atributos: escolhemos FOR
e REF. Com isso, n�s temos FOR 10 (ModFOR 0), REF 12 (ModREF +1) e VON 15 (ModVON
+2). Isso nos permite conhecer mais 2 idiomas, ent�o decidimos pela L�ngua dos
An�es e o Idioma dos Elfos. Decidimos tamb�m que Cedric ser� um Mago, escolhendo
para ele essa Classe. Para determinar os PVs de Cedric, somamos 1d6 � FOR. Rolando
ent�o 1d6+10, obtemos um total de 13 PVs. Sobre o equipamento, escolhemos o Kit A.
Como Cedric � um Mago, ele tamb�m tem uma arma leve (uma adaga), 5 pe�as de ouro e
um grim�rio. Vamos rapidamente olhar a se��o de magias para escolhermos quatro
(2+ModVON) do C�rculo 0 e tr�s (1+ModVON) do 1� C�rculo e ficamos com: Brilho,
Detectar magia, Ler magia, M�os m�gicas, �rea escorregadia, Enfeiti�ar pessoas e
Sono. Ele escolhe Sono como sua magia favorita at� ent�o. A CA de Cedric � 11 (10 +
ModREF, pois n�o est� usando armadura) e o dano de sua adaga (uma arma leve) � 1d6.
Sobre a carga, Cedric est� carregando uma adaga como arma em sua m�o h�bil, tem
acesso r�pido � lanterna e ao grim�rio, e em sua mochila h� um saco de dormir,
pederneira, p�, pena e papel e tinta, um odre com �gua, ra��es para quatro dias,
frascos de �leo, estrepes e apito.

Marcelo Paschoalin 7
O que seu her�i pode fazer? A resposta curta para essa pergunta �: praticamente
tudo o que voc� quiser. Seu her�i � como uma personagem de um filme ou livro de
fantasia, mas n�o est� preso a um roteiro: tudo o que voc� quiser que seu her�i
fa�a, desde que tenha rela��o com a aventura, com o conceito que voc� faz dele e
que seja poss�vel, ele far�. Conversar, movimentar-se, pegar e largar coisas, usar
equipamentos, invocar uma magia, entrar em combate s�o a��es normalmente poss�veis.
Para faz�-las, simplesmente diga o que seu her�i quer fazer e, a menos que o
Narrador diga o contr�rio, ele o far�. O breve exemplo abaixo mostra uma pequena
intera��o entre um jogador e o Narrador. "Eu abro a porta com cuidado" - diz o
jogador. "A porta d� para um aposento escuro. Dentro dele h� uma esp�cie de jaula
com barras de ferro bem grossas. Nela h� algum tipo de objeto brilhante que voc�
n�o consegue identificar. E h� tamb�m uma porta na parede oposta." - descreve o
Narrador. "Vou tentar for�ar as barras com minha for�a." - complementa o jogador.
"Voc� tenta, mas n�o consegue, pois s�o muito resistentes." - decide o Narrador
julgando que a a��o � imposs�vel. "H� alguma fechadura?" - pergunta o jogador.
"Voc� nota uma pequena fechadura do outro lado." - responde o Narrador. "Ent�o vou
procurar uma chave." - diz o jogador. �Onde?� � pergunta o Narrador. �Aqui, no
aposento.� � responde o outro. �N�o � f�cil encontrar algo pequeno procurando
assim. Se voc� n�o for mais espec�fico nunca encontrar�.� � explica o Narrador.
�Sei l�?... H� alguma caixa por aqui?� � indaga o jogador. �N�o, no aposento s� h�
voc� e a jaula.� � responde o Narrador. �N�o adianta eu voltar de onde eu vim. Vou
tentar a porta diante de mim.� � decide o outro. �Vai abri-la?� � questiona o
Narrador. �Vou. Est� trancada?� � diz o jogador. O sorriso nos l�bios do Narrador
evidencia a falta de aten��o do jogador: �N�o... a ma�aneta gira, mas com isso voc�
ouve um click...� �Uma armadilha?! Eu...� � interrompe o outro. O Narrador faz um
sinal pedindo aten��o e diz: �Voc� tem apenas tempo de olhar para cima e ver uma
rede caindo sobre voc�.� �Eu tento me jogar para tr�s!� � decide o jogador. Ante a
escolha feita, o Narrador explica o procedimento para resolver a a��o: �Fa�a uma
jogada de Prote��o. Voc� sabe que precisa conseguir 10 ou mais para ser bem
sucedido.� �Espero que eu tenha sorte...� � responde apreensivo o jogador rolando o
d18.

Tesouro .................................214
Conex�es ..............................214 Objetos Encantados ...........215
Rel�quias ...............................219
Besti�rio ................................222 Uma Caixa de
Estat�sticas .................222 Descri��o das Criaturas .....225
Acorrentado .........................225 Alcatr�o Vivo .......................226
An�o.......................................226
Anfisbena .............................226
Animais .................................227
Apari��o ...............................228 Aranha Grande ...................228
Assombra��o .......................229 Aut�mato ..............................229
Barghest ................................229 Barrete vermelho ...............230
Basilisco .................................231
Boggart ...................................231 Bruto
F�ngico ......................231 Cad�ver Animado ..............232
Capuz.....................................232
Carni�al ................................233
Catoblepas ...........................233
Cavalo ....................................233 Cavalo de Guerra ...............233
Centopeia Escavadora ......234 Changeling ...........................234 C�lios
Rastejantes ...............234 Cocatriz .................................235
Coletor ..................................235
Construto .............................236 Coro Sinistro .......................237
Dem�nio ...............................238 Donzela Apodrecida .........241
Drag�o ...................................241
Dragonete .............................242
Dr�ade....................................242
Elfo .........................................242 Enguia
Estridente ..............243 Enxamin�deo .......................243
Espreitador ..........................244 Felino Grande .....................245
Flecheiro Esmeralda .........245 F�ria .......................................245
G�nio .....................................245
Gigante ..................................247
Goblin....................................248
Golem ....................................249
G�rgona ................................249
Gosma ...................................250
Gremlin .................................250
Grifo ........................................251 Guarda de
Ossos..................251 Hag ..........................................251
Halfling .................................252
Harpia....................................252
Hobgoblin ............................253 Homem-Fera .......................253
Homem-Lagarto .................255 Lanterna Espectral.............255 Larva do
Vazio .....................256 Lechy .....................................256 Lobo
Atroz ............................256 M�e Pavorosa .......................256 Manes
....................................258 Manticora .............................258
M�quina de Ossos .............258 Monstro.................................259
Morcego Vampiro ..............260 N�voa Assassina ................260
Nisse .......................................261
Oculus ...................................261
Ogro .......................................262
Orc ..........................................262 Ossos
Sangrentos ...............263 Poltergeist .............................263
Prometeico ...........................264
Reen .......................................264 Servo da Sepultura ............265
Sombra ..................................265
Spriggan ................................266 Su�no
Infernal .....................266 Tecel� de Sombras .............266 Troca-
Peles ...........................267 Troglodita .............................267
Troll ........................................268
Urso ........................................268
Vampiro ................................268 Verme das Pedras ...............269
Vinha Estranguladora ......270 Vulto do Sepulcro ..............270
Zumbi ....................................270
Personagens .........................271 Personalizar criaturas .......274 Modelos
de Personagens ..276 Criaturas por Dificuldade 278 �ndice
Remissivo ................280 Apoiadores ...........................283 Ficha de
Personagem .....286 Ficha de Magia ..................287

Aventura e Magia 8
Combate Quando dois ou mais grupos com objetivos opostos se encontram e palavras
apenas n�o conseguem resolver o conflito, um combate ocorre. Surpresa: No come�o de
um encontro, role 1d6 para cada lado. Num resultado igual a 1 ou 2 aquele lado foi
surpreendido e perde uma a��o no combate. Os dois lados podem ser surpreendidos ao
mesmo tempo. Iniciativa: Ap�s a determina��o de Surpresa e no in�cio de cada rodada
de combate subseq�ente, cada combatente rola o d18 e adiciona seu ModREF (ou metade
do seu DV arredondado para baixo caso seja um monstro). Os combatentes agem na
ordem de sua Iniciativa, da maior para a menor. A��es: Correr, mover e atacar (ou
atacar e se mover), invocar uma magia etc. Jogada de Ataque: d18 + � n�vel
(arredondado para cima caso seja Guerreiro ou Cl�rigo) (+B�nus por ser Guerreiro)
(+ModREF no caso de ataques � dist�ncia). Atingindo o oponente: Se a jogada de
ataque for maior ou igual � CA do oponente, ele � atingido. Um resultado igual ao
m�ximo poss�vel no dado sempre acerta e causa dano m�ximo. Ataque com duas armas
(ou dois golpes): Jogue o dano de cada arma (ou golpe) em separado e use o melhor
dos dois. Dano: Dano da arma (+B�nus por ser Guerreiro) +ModFOR (dobrado em caso de
armas empunhadas com duas m�os; igual a zero no caso de armas de disparo ou
arremesso). Inconsci�ncia: Se a soma de Ferimentos e Fadiga for igual aos PVs do
combatente, ele fica inconsciente. Morte: Se a quantidade de Ferimentos for igual
ao total de PVs, h� risco de morte. Danos adicionais reduzem a FOR do combatente,
que morre ao ter sua FOR reduzida a zero. Recuperando Atributos: Alguns ataques,
normalmente envolvendo venenos, reduzem os Atributos do her�i. Um dia completo de
descanso recupera um ponto de Atributo perdido. Recuperando PVs: Se o her�i n�o
tiver nenhum ponto de Atributo perdido, ap�s 30 minutos de descanso sem atividades
ele recupera 1d6 + n�vel PVs, enquanto uma noite inteira de sono recupera todos os
seus PVs. Exemplo de combate Cedric, o mago de 1� n�vel que criamos, encontra um
grupo de tr�s orcs nada amistosos. Como Cedric n�o vai recuar diante da amea�a, um
combate tem in�cio. Verifica��o de surpresa: Rolamos um dado para Cedric e outro
para os orcs. Cedric obt�m um 2 (fica surpreso) e os orcs obt�m um 4 (podem agir
normalmente). Iniciativa do turno 1: Cedric n�o vai agir. Jogamos um d18 para cada
orc para verificar a ordem de ataque de cada um (do maior resultado para o menor).
A��es do turno 1: Os tr�s orcs decidem atacar Cedric. Cada um deles far� um ataque
baseado em d18+1, pois +1 � seu modificador de ataque. Como a CA de Cedric � igual
a 11, os orcs precisam de 11 ou mais em suas jogadas para atingi-lo. Os orcs
conseguem 14, 11 e 12, respectivamente. Os tr�s atingem Cedric. Danos a Cedric:
Cada orc causar� 1d6 de dano. Cedric recebe 3, 2 e 3 de dano, respectivamente (um
total de 8 pontos). Como seu total de PVs � 11, Cedric possui agora somente 3 PVs.
Iniciativa do turno 2: Jogamos um d18 para Cedric (+1 por sua ModREF) e um d18 para
cada orc. A ordem dos ataques �: orc 2 (16 de iniciativa), Cedric (12 de
iniciativa), orc 1 (10) e orc 3 (3). A��es do turno 2: O orc 2 ataca primeiro.
Contudo, ele consegue apenas 7 em sua jogada de d18+1, n�o atingindo Cedric. O mago
vai em seguida e invoca a magia Sono (custo de 2 PVs em forma de Fadiga por ser uma
de suas magias favoritas). O efeito da magia � adormecer at� 4 DVs de criaturas, e
os orcs possuem, no total 3 DVs, ent�o todos podem ser afetados pela magia. A
Prote��o de cada orc � igual a d18+1, e suas jogadas s�o 8, 6 e 9, respectivamente.
T�o logo invoca a magia, os tr�s orcs largam suas armas e caem de sono,
inofensivos. Ap�s t�o dura batalha, resta a Cedric a vit�ria e 1 PV.

Marcelo Paschoalin 9
Magia As magias est�o classificadas em C�rculos, do menor para o maior. O maior
C�rculo que pode ser invocado por um mago � igual � metade de seu n�vel,
arredondado para cima. O maior C�rculo que pode ser invocado por um cl�rigo � igual
� metade de seu n�vel, arredondado para baixo. Invocar magias drena PVs na forma de
Fadiga que s� podem ser recuperados ap�s 6 horas de descanso. Dessa maneira, a
Fadiga � um tipo de �dano� especial, que s� � curado com muito repouso. O custo de
invoca��o de uma magia � igual a 1 mais o dobro de seu C�rculo, mas Magos que
estejam usando armaduras e/ou escudos t�m de pagar um custo adicional igual ao
B�nus providenciado pelos mesmos (lembrando que magias do C�rculo 0 n�o t�m custo
para Magos, apesar de eles terem de pagar o custo adicional normalmente). Um
invocador deve selecionar uma magia de cada C�rculo a partir do 1� (que ele seja
capaz de invocar) como sua favorita, tendo seu custo reduzido em 1. C�rculo da
magia 0 1 2 3 4 5 Custo em PVs (normal) 1 3 5 7 9 11 Custo em PVs (favorita) 2 4 6
8 10 N�vel m�nimo para um mago invocar 0 1 3 5 7 9 N�vel m�nimo para um cl�rigo
invocar 1 2 4 6 8 10
Prote��o Quando um ser � alvo de uma magia (e alguns outros efeitos) ele tem
direito a uma jogada de Prote��o para tentar evitar ou reduzir os efeitos dela
sobre si. Essa jogada � feita automaticamente, mas o alvo da magia pode optar por
n�o resistir � magia (normalmente quando o efeito � ben�fico). Prote��o: d18 + �
n�vel (arredondado para cima no caso de Magos)+ ModVON Atingindo o oponente: Se o
alvo de uma magia obtiver 10 ou mais em sua jogada de Prote��o, ele consegue
resistir aos efeitos da mesma; do contr�rio, ele sofre o efeito normal da magia. Se
uma magia que causa dano for resistida, seu efeito � reduzido � metade; outros
efeitos s�o simplesmente negados. Dura��o das magias Todas as magias t�m dura��o
instant�nea exceto quando indicado como abaixo em sua descri��o: Uma rodada: no fim
do pr�ximo turno do invocador os efeitos da magia terminam. Um encontro: no fim da
cena (conflito, combate, discuss�o, evento) os efeitos da magia terminam. At� ser
resistida: todo combatente atingido pela magia pode fazer uma jogada de Prote��o
para resistir aos seus efeitos no fim de seu turno. Enquanto for mantida a
concentra��o: quando o invocador deixar de manter mentalmente a magia (invocando
outra ou sofrendo qualquer dano) os efeitos terminam. Permanente: os efeitos da
magia perduram at� serem cancelados por outra magia. Especial: os efeitos da magia
perduram at� as condi��es indicadas na descri��o das mesmas indicarem. Lista de
Magias Arcanas Magos devem manter uma lista de magias conhecidas em seus grim�rios
(livros de magias), devendo l�-los ao menos uma vez por dia por uma hora para se
prepararem para invocar magias. Magias do C�rculo 0 � Cantrips Abrir: Abre uma
fechadura pequena (como a de uma caixa de j�ias). Brilho: Ofusca uma criatura,
reduzindo suas jogadas de ataque em -1 por uma rodada. Detectar magia: Detecta
magia e itens m�gicos. Ler Magia: L� pergaminhos e grim�rios. Luz: Objeto brilha
como uma tocha enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. M�os m�gicas: Levita��o de
objetos de at� 2,5kg enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Marca arcana: Inscri��o
permanente de uma runa pessoal (vis�vel ou invis�vel). Pasmar: Criatura human�ide
com 4 DV ou menos fica sem agir por uma rodada.

Aventura e Magia 10

Respingo �cido: Cria uma esfera que causa dano �cido. Para determinar a quantidade
de dano role 3d6, mas use o menor dos tr�s dados. Som fantasma: Cria sons fict�cios
durante um encontro. Magias do Primeiro C�rculo Alarme: Protege uma �rea por 2
horas por n�vel. �rea escorregadia: Torna uma �rea ou objeto escorregadio por um
encontro. Causar medo: Uma criatura com 5 DV ou menos foge at� ser resistida.
Compreender linguagens: Voc� entende todos os idiomas falados e escritos enquanto
for mantida a concentra��o. Enfeiti�ar pessoas: Faz com que uma pessoa se torne sua
amiga enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Identifica��o: Determina as propriedades
de um item m�gico ou encantado. M�sseis m�gicos: 1d6 de dano (m�ximo de 5); +1
proj�til a cada dois n�veis acima do 1� (m�ximo de 5 proj�teis no n�vel 9). Cada
proj�til atinge alvos automaticamente e n�o permite jogada de Prote��o. Queda
suave: Objeto ou criatura cai lentamente. Sono: P�e 4 DVs de criaturas para dormir
durante um encontro. Ventriloquismo: Projeta a voz at� uma dist�ncia igual a VON do
invocador enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Magias do Segundo C�rculo Arrombar:
Abre uma porta trancada ou selada magicamente. Comandar mortos-vivos: Criatura
obedece aos seus comandos enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Detectar
pensamentos: Permite �ouvir� pensamentos superficiais durante um encontro. Flecha
�cida: 1d6+2 de dano por 1 rodada, +1 rodada a cada tr�s n�veis. Invisibilidade: O
alvo fica invis�vel durante um encontro, mas esta magia termina automaticamente
quando ele executa um ataque. Pasmar monstro: Criatura viva com 6 DV ou menos fica
sem agir por uma rodada. Teia: Preenche uma �rea com teias pegajosas que duram um
encontro. Criaturas atingidas que resistam aos seus efeitos n�o s�o afetadas.
Tranca arcana: Tranca magicamente uma porta ou um ba� at� que o invocador decida o
contr�rio. Ver o invis�vel: Revela criaturas e objetos invis�veis enquanto for
mantida a concentra��o. Vis�o no escuro: V� atrav�s de escurid�o total enquanto for
mantida a concentra��o. Magias do Terceiro C�rculo Bola de fogo: 1d6 de dano por
n�vel numa �rea de seis metros de raio. Descanso tranq�ilo: Preserva um cad�ver por
uma quantidade de dias igual a � n�vel (arredondado para cima) dias. Dissipar
magia: Cancela magias e efeitos m�gicos. Idiomas: Recebe a habilidade de falar em
qualquer idioma enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Imagem maior: Ilus�o com
efeitos visuais, sonoros, olfativos e t�rmicos durante um encontro. Imobilizar
pessoas: Paralisa um human�ide at� ser resistida. Um human�ide paralisado possui CA
10. Respirar na �gua: At� � n�vel alvos podem respirar sob a �gua enquanto for
mantida a concentra��o. Toque vamp�rico: Toque causa 1d6 de dano a cada dois
n�veis; invocador recebe PV iguais ao dano causado. Velocidade: 1 criatura por
n�vel move-se mais r�pido ou ganha um segundo ataque durante um encontro. V�o: O
alvo voa a uma velocidade de VON metros por rodada enquanto for mantida a
concentra��o. Magias de Quarto C�rculo Armadilha de fogo: Objeto causa danos iguais
a 1d6-1, +1 por n�vel, ao ser aberto. Criar mortos-vivos menores: Cria esqueletos e
zumbis permanentemente.
Marcelo Paschoalin 11
Desespero esmagador: At� a magia ser resistida, o alvo recebe -2 nas jogadas de
ataque e demais testes; seu dano � reduzido em -2. Enfeiti�ar monstro: Transforma
um monstro em seu aliado enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Grito: Ensurdece
todos que estiverem � frente do invocador e causa 5d6 de dano s�nico. Moldar
rochas: Esculpe rochas permanentemente em qualquer forma. Muralha de fogo: Causa
1d6+2 de dano em criaturas at� uma dist�ncia igual a ModVON e 1d6-1 em criaturas
at� uma dist�ncia igual a ModVON + � n�vel. A muralha dura por uma rodada e
atravess�-la causa 2d6, + 1 por n�vel. Observa��o: Espia um alvo � dist�ncia
enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Parede ilus�ria: Cria um teto, parede ou ch�o
permanente que parece real durante um encontro, mas qualquer coisa pode atravess�-
lo. Pele de rochosa: Ignora 10 pontos de dano por ataque durante uma rodada. Magias
de Quinto C�rculo �ncora planar menor: Aprisiona uma criatura extraplanar de at� 6
DVs at� que realize uma tarefa. Dominar pessoa: Controla um human�ide
telepaticamente enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Imobilizar monstro: Paralisa
um monstro at� ser resistida. Um monstro paralisado possui CA 10. Liga��o
telep�tica: Elo permite que os aliados se comuniquem durante um encontro.
Metamorfose funesta: Transforma o alvo em um animal inofensivo permanentemente.
Modificar apar�ncia: Muda a apar�ncia de 1 pessoa a cada dois n�veis durante um
encontro. N�voa mortal: Mata criaturas com 3 DV ou menos; mata criaturas com 4-6 DV
se a jogada de Prote��o falhar, do contr�rio causa 1d6 de dano; criaturas com 7 DV
ou mais recebem 1d6 de dano. Perman�ncia: Torna certas magias permanentes. O
procedimento leva todo um dia. Recipiente arcano: Permite a possess�o de outra
criatura durante uma rodada. Teletransporte: Instantaneamente transporta o alvo a
milhas de dist�ncia. Magias Divinas Cl�rigos devem rezar para seus deuses ao menos
uma hora por dia para poderem ter acesso �s magias. Magias do C�rculo 0 � Ora��es
Consertar: Faz reparos m�nimos num objeto. Criar �gua: Cria 2 gal�es por n�vel de
�gua pura. Curar ferimentos m�nimos: Cura 1 ponto de dano. Detectar venenos:
Detecta veneno em uma criatura ou objeto. Guia: Recebe +1 em uma jogada por uma
rodada. Purificar alimento: Purifica 30 cm� por n�vel de comida ou �gua. Romper
mortos-vivos: Causa 1d6 de dano em mortos-vivos. Virtude: Alvo ganha 1 PV
tempor�rio durante um encontro. Magias do Primeiro C�rculo Aben�oar �gua: 1 frasco
de �gua por n�vel se torna aben�oado permanentemente. Arma m�gica: Arma ganha b�nus
de +1 e � considerada m�gica durante um encontro. B�n��o: Aliados ganham +1 nas
jogadas de ataque e resist�ncia contra medo durante um encontro. Curar ferimentos
leves: Cura 1d6+1 de dano +1 por n�vel (m�ximo de +5). Detectar mortos-vivos:
Revela a presen�a de mortos-vivos. Detectar o mal: Revela criaturas, magias e
objetos mal�ficos. Escudo da f�: CA +2 durante um encontro; CA +3 no oitavo n�vel.
Santu�rio: Oponentes n�o podem atac�-lo enquanto voc� n�o atacar. Magias do Segundo
C�rculo Aug�rio: Descobre se uma a��o ser� boa ou ruim. Curar ferimentos moderados:
Cura 2d6+2 de dano +1 por n�vel (m�ximo de +10).

Aventura e Magia 12

Encontrar armadilhas: Percebe as armadilhas no campo de vis�o. Proteger outro:


Invocador recebe metade do dano do alvo durante uma rodada. Remover paralisia:
Liberta 1 criatura por n�vel de efeitos de paralisia ou lentid�o. Retardar
envenenamento: Impede os efeitos de envenenamento durante 1 hora por n�vel.
Sil�ncio: Anula o som num raio de 6m durante um encontro. Zona de verdade: Alvos
num raio de VON metros do invocador n�o podem mentir durante um encontro. Magias do
Terceiro C�rculo C�rculo de prote��o contra o mal: Numa �rea de 3m de raio por
n�vel todos recebem +2 em sua CA contra criaturas mal�ficas, todo controle mental
por tais criaturas � desfeito e elementais e criaturas extraplanares s�o repelidas
durante um encontro. Criar alimentos: Alimenta tr�s humanos (ou um cavalo) por
n�vel. Curar ferimentos graves: Cura 3d6+3 de dano +1 por n�vel (m�ximo de +15).
Falar com os mortos: Cad�ver responde a 1 pergunta a cada 2 n�veis. Localizar
objeto: Sente em qual dire��o um objeto (espec�fico ou tipo) est�. Muralha de
vento: Desvia flechas, pequenos animais e gases por uma rodada. Remover doen�as:
Cura todas as doen�as que afetem o alvo. Remover maldi��o: Liberta objeto ou pessoa
de uma maldi��o. Magias do Quarto C�rculo Curar ferimentos cr�ticos: Cura 4d6+4 de
dano +1 por n�vel (m�ximo de +20) Discernir mentiras: Revela inverdades deliberadas
enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Expuls�o: For�a uma criatura e retornar ao
plano de origem. Imunidade � magia: O alvo � imune a 1 magia a cada quatro n�veis
por uma rodada. Neutralizar veneno: Imuniza o alvo contra veneno durante uma rodada
e desintoxica envenenamento no alvo. Repelir vermes: Insetos, aracn�deos e outros
vermes se mant�m afastados por um encontro. Restaura��o: Restaura drenos de n�vel e
Atributos. Transfer�ncia de poder divino: O alvo pode invocar as magias que voc�
conhece durante uma rodada. Magias do Quinto C�rculo Cancelar encantamento: Liberta
alvos de encantamentos, altera��es, maldi��es e petrifica��o. Coluna de chamas:
Fogo divino causa 1d6 por n�vel de dano. Comunh�o: Entidade responde a 1 quest�o
por n�vel com um sim ou n�o. Curar ferimentos leves em massa: Cura 1d6+1 de dano +1
por n�vel em VON criaturas. Penit�ncia: Remove o peso de erros passados de um alvo.
Reviver os mortos: Restaura a vida a um alvo que tenha morrido at� 1 dia por n�vel.
Santificar: Designa o local como sagrado por um encontro. Vis�o da verdade: V�
todas as coisas como s�o de fato enquanto for mantida a concentra��o. Magias
revers�veis As magias, se pass�veis de agirem de forma revers�vel, assim poder�o o
ser. Dessa maneira, um mago que conhe�a a magia Velocidade pode decidir aprender
tamb�m a magia Lentid�o (efeito revers�vel da mesma magia), que teria como
resultado afetar 1 criatura por n�vel com redu��o de sua velocidade ou faz�-la
atacar somente uma vez a cada duas rodadas durante um encontro. Personalizando
magias Um Mago ou Cl�rigo pode personalizar suas magias, alterando seus efeitos
visuais (e mesmo seu nome) sem modificar o equil�brio de jogo. Sendo assim,
enquanto um Mago dispara proj�teis esverdeados quando usa M�sseis M�gicos, outro
pode disparar pequenos raios de luz.

Marcelo Paschoalin 13
Evolu��o Os her�is ganham Pontos de Experi�ncia (XP) de tr�s maneiras poss�veis:
combates, gastando dinheiro de maneiras totalmente fr�volas, e contribuindo para a
hist�ria. Combates Cada combate em que o her�i tomar parte e vencer resultar� em
ganho de XP proporcionais � quantidade de her�is envolvida (arredondada para cima).
Adicione +1 XP para cada vez que a quantidade de inimigos dobrar (exemplo: 1 orc =
1 XP, 2-3 orcs = 2 XP, 4-7 orcs = 3 XP, 8-15 orcs = 4 XP). Gastando dinheiro de
maneiras totalmente fr�volas Quando o her�i gasta dinheiro com doa��es, bebidas,
banquetes, e coisas do tipo sem receber quaisquer tipos de vantagens por isso, ele
receber� 1 XP para cada 100 pe�as de ouro assim gastas. Contribuindo para a
hist�ria O her�i tamb�m ganha XP (normalmente entre 1 e 5) toda vez que contribuir
para o bom andamento da hist�ria, seja resolvendo enigmas, representando bem o
her�i etc. O valor dessa recompensa fica a crit�rio do Narrador. De maneira geral,
essa recompensa em XP pode ser calculada da seguinte maneira: Participa��o: 1 XP
autom�tico por ter participado da aventura. Representa��o: 0 a 3 XPs por ter agido
conforme a concep��o original do her�i. Inova��o: 0 a 1 XP por empregar novas
id�ias na resolu��o de problemas e/ou encontrar a resposta para algum enigma de
maneira inteligente (superando com engenhosidade o desafio proposto pelo Narrador).
Avan�ando n�veis Quando o total de XP for maior ou igual ao n�vel atual do her�i
multiplicado por 20, ele avan�a um n�vel e seus XPs voltam ao 0. Exceto sob
circunst�ncias realmente extraordin�rias, um her�i n�o pode avan�ar mais de um
n�vel por aventura. A cada avan�o de n�vel, seu m�ximo de PVs aumenta em 1d6. Nos
n�veis divis�veis por quatro (4� e 8�) o her�i ganha 1 ponto para aumentar um de
seus Atributos (� escolha do jogador). Nos n�veis divis�veis por quatro (4� e 8�)
Guerreiros adicionam +1 ao seu dano e as suas Jogadas de Ataque. Cl�rigos ganham
acesso a C�rculos maiores nos n�veis pares (2�, 4�, 6�, 8� e 10�). Magos ganham
acesso a C�rculos maiores nos n�veis �mpares (3�, 5�, 7� e 9�). Exemplo de ganho de
XP e avan�o de n�vel Quatro her�is de primeiro n�vel enfrentam e derrotam uma
aranha gigante. O valor de XP da criatura � 5 que, dividido pelo n�mero de her�is
que o enfrentaram, resulta em 2 XP para cada her�i (lembre-se que o arredondamento
� para cima). Ao final da aventura, um desses her�is acumula 20 XP. Como seu n�vel
� 1, ele acaba de avan�ar para o n�vel seguinte e, como tal, recebe ent�o um
acr�scimo na quantidade m�xima de PVs que ele tem em 1d6: ele rola o dado de seis
faces e consegue 3 no resultado � seus PVs ent�o aumentam em 3. Al�m disso, caso
ele seja um Cl�rigo, estando agora no segundo n�vel ele tem acesso �s magias de 1�
C�rculo. Por fim, os XP desse her�i s�o reduzidos a zero novamente, finalizando o
processo de evolu��o do primeiro para o segundo n�vel.

Aventura e Magia 14

Narrando Ser o Narrador � ter em m�os o destino da aventura: o Narrador cria a


hist�ria, escolhe os desafios e julga as a��es dos her�is e das demais personagens.
Mas acima de tudo, h� uma coisa muito importante: o Narrador � respons�vel pela
divers�o de todos - inclusive de si mesmo. Criando a hist�ria Os her�is precisam de
um motivo para se aventurar e a hist�ria deve levar isso em conta: talvez o l�der
de uma vila tema o crescente ataque de monstros e pe�a aos her�is que ataquem seus
covis, ou um exc�ntrico feiticeiro precise de um ingrediente m�stico raro mas n�o
possa deixar sua torre, ou ainda um bar�o tenha tido sua filha seq�estrada e
precise de um pequeno e desconhecido grupo para lidar com a situa��o. Al�m disso,
algum tipo de recompensa, mesmo que moral, sempre � esperada, e deve ser
proporcional aos desafios enfrentados. Escolhendo os desafios Os her�is n�o t�m
muita chance de derrotarem criaturas muito mais poderosas que eles, assim como
poderiam ser facilmente aniquilados por armadilhas muito perigosas. Por outro lado,
inimigos muito mais fracos e armadilhas inofensivas n�o geram tens�o alguma. Sendo
assim, � dever do Narrador providenciar um desafio adequado aos her�is em suas
aventuras. Para ajud�-lo, h� a indica��o nas se��es de Monstros quantos XP s�o
ganhos ao serem superados: de maneira geral, se a quantidade de XP do desafio for
igual � soma dos n�veis dos her�is, ele ser� equilibrado. Julgando as a��es Quando
um her�i tenta executar uma a��o h� dois modos de se decidir se h� sucesso ou
fracasso: automaticamente e realizando testes. Se uma a��o for simples demais ou
dif�cil demais, o Narrador pode automaticamente dizer que foi bem sucedida ou n�o.
Contudo, nem todas as a��es podem ser resolvidas dessa maneira: �s vezes as
habilidades do her�i precisam ser levadas em conta (ser� o her�i forte o bastante
para arrombar a porta, �gil o suficiente para agarrar o �dolo de cristal antes que
caia, ou inteligente a ponto de perceber que est� sendo enganado?). Quando isso
ocorrer, basta realizar um teste. Para realizar um teste, o Narrador determina o
Atributo a ser testado e a dificuldade do teste (4 para a��es f�ceis, 8 para
m�dias, 12 para dif�ceis, 16 para her�icas, e 20 para lend�rias). O jogador ent�o
rola d18 e soma o Modificador do Atributo relevante, sendo o total comparado com a
dificuldade. A a��o � bem sucedida se o resultado for maior ou igual � dificuldade.
E quando em d�vida... Se, durante uma aventura, os jogadores tentarem algo que n�o
estiver coberto pelas regras, o Narrador deve usar seu bom senso para decidir o
resultado. Se ainda houver d�vida, o Narrador deve rolar o d18 (com b�nus ou
penalidade de �2 de acordo com o tipo de a��o tentada) e, num resultado maior ou
igual a 10, determinar que a tentativa � bem sucedida. Pequenas dicas Este � um
jogo de RPG � moda antiga, ou seja, combates s�o perigosos e devem ser evitados,
porque o objetivo do jogo � conseguir tesouros, e n�o matar monstros. Mais do que
isso, incentive os jogadores a pensar como seus her�is: se eles quiserem arrombar
uma porta, como o far�o? N�o resolva tudo com rolagens de dados, e sim com
imagina��o e criatividade. Lembre-os de que podem tentar fazer tudo o que seus
her�is sejam capazes � e, enquanto o sucesso nunca � garantido, n�o h� uma regra
que os impe�a de tentar assim mesmo. Estas regras s�o apenas ferramentas para o
Narrador: use-as somente para a divers�o de todos.

Marcelo Paschoalin 15
Monstros A lista abaixo cont�m uma pequena rela��o de monstros que podem ser
utilizados pelo Narrador em suas hist�rias. Note, por�m, que esta lista n�o �
restritiva, sendo evidente que h� falta de muitas criaturas das florestas,
subaqu�ticas e extraplanares. Al�m disso, podem ser considerados �monstros�
personagens criados pelo Narrador que sirvam de antagonistas aos her�is, portando
ou n�o itens m�gicos ou encantados. Formato da descri��o Nome XP Pontos de
Experi�ncia; CA Classe de Armadura; DV Dados de Vida; PV Pontos de Vida m�dio; AT
Tipo de ataque e b�nus (dano do ataque); E Informa��es especiais (dano especial, se
for o caso) Descri��o. Esqueleto XP 1; CA 13; DV 1; PV 3; AT arma +1 (1d6); E imune
a magias de sono e enfeiti�amento, morto-vivo Esqueletos s�o corpos descarnados
animados com uma magia n�o muito bem vista pelos cl�rigos, pois impedem o descanso
do corpo ap�s a morte. Eles obedecem a um simples comando de cada vez, seja guardar
um local, atacar inimigos ou mesmo transportar um objeto. Esqueletos de animais
possuem CA 15 e causam dano por mordida +1 (1d6). Orc XP 1; CA 14; DV 1; PV 3; AT
arma +1 (1d6) Orcs s�o human�ides pouco maiores que um homem, mas com pele verde-
arroxeada e tra�os bestiais, geralmente com caninos protuberantes. Atacam
normalmente em bando e procuram torturar v�timas que se rendam. Zumbi XP 2; CA 11;
DV 2; PV 7; AT garra +2 (1d6+1); E imune a magias de sono e enfeiti�amento, sempre
perde a iniciativa, morto-vivo Quando um cad�ver est� ainda nos primeiros est�gios
de decomposi��o, caso seja a ele imbu�da a ess�ncia de uma amaldi�oada p�s-vida,
ele se ergue como um zumbi, mas, por n�o estar ainda acostumado com sua nova
condi��o, seus movimentos s�o sempre lentos. Carni�al XP 3; CA 14; DV 2; PV 7; AT
duas garras +2 (1d6 cada+1), mordida +2 (1d6+1); E toque paralisante; humanos
mortos por carni�ais revivem como novos carni�ais em 24 horas, morto-vivo Carni�ais
possuem uma pele ligeiramente azulada e cheia de hematomas, mas sua principal
caracter�stica � o cheiro f�tido de carne em decomposi��o e as unhas tortas e
compridas. Seu g�lido e pegajoso toque causa paralisia at� ser resistido (jogada de
Prote��o) ou at� sofrer novo ataque f�sico, o que ocorrer primeiro, e seu �nico
objetivo � se alimentar de carne fresca. Dr�ade XP 3; CA 12; DV 2; PV 7; AT adaga
+2 (1d6+1); E enfeiti�amento Dr�ades s�o esp�ritos da floresta destinadas a
guardar uma �rvore espec�fica, que t�m como morada. Sua apar�ncia doce lembram a de
uma jovem donzela, mas sua pele possui a textura da madeira e seus cabelos �
formado por um arranjo de flores que muda a cada esta��o. Sua habilidade de
enfeiti�ar pessoas normalmente � usada para proteger sua �rvore. Ogro XP 4; CA 16;
DV 4; PV 14; AT arma +4 (2d6+2) Ogros s�o human�ides com o dobro do tamanho de um
homem, fortes e teimosos, geralmente servidos por orcs ou por outras criaturas por
eles escravizados. Aranha gigante XP 5; CA 14; DV 4; PV 14; AT mordida +4 (1d6+2);
E veneno (1d6+2 FOR) Aranhas gigantes medem cerca de dois metros de comprimento e
chegam a um metro de altura, possuindo olhos vermelhos que nunca se fecham. Seu
veneno enfraquece suas v�timas, mas a t�tica usual em combate � fazem com que caiam
em suas fortes teias, que demoram um dia para ficarem prontas, o que impede que as
usem ativamente em combate. Elemental XP 5; CA 16; DV 4; PV 14; AT encontr�o +4
(2d6+2); E imune ao seu pr�prio elemento, causa 1d6 de dano a mais se a v�tima
estiver em contato com seu elemento Elementais s�o criaturas feitas totalmente de
um dos quatro elementos b�sicos (terra, fogo, �gua e ar) e podem assumir a
apar�ncia que desejarem � vontade (embora prefiram algo vagamente human�ide). Em

Aventura e Magia 16

combate, procuram levar a v�tima para perto de seu elemento (um riacho, por
exemplo, quando � um elemental da �gua que ataca), para que seus ataques sejam
intensificados. G�rgula XP 5; CA 16; DV 4; PV 14; AT duas garras +4 (1d6+2 cada),
mordida +4 (1d6+2), chifres +4 (1d6+2); E voa G�rgulas aparentam ser est�tuas de
pedra de dem�nios alados, podendo ficar im�veis o quanto desejarem (normalmente
para surpreender inimigos). Mant�cora XP 7; CA 16; DV 6; PV 21; AT duas garras +6
(1d6+3 cada), mordida +6 (2d6+3); E voa, arremessa seis espinhos da cauda +6 (1d6+3
cada) por rodada, 24 espinhos no total Mant�coras s�o criaturas com corpo leonino,
asas de morcego, cabe�a vagamente humana (barbada) e uma cauda espinhosa. Sua
t�tica em combate � sobrevoar seus inimigos e disparar voleios de espinhos para
somente ent�o atacar com suas garras e mordida. Apari��o XP 8; CA 15; DV 5; PV 17;
AT toque +5 (1d6+2); E imune a magias de enfeiti�amento, sono e aprisionamento,
imune a armas n�o-m�gicas, drena 1 n�vel por acerto, criaturas reduzidas a 0 n�veis
revivem 24h depois como apari��es, n�o possui poder algum sob a luz do sol, morto-
vivo Apari��es s�o criaturas incorp�reas trazidas ao mundo pela ess�ncia das trevas
ou pelo toque de outras apari��es. Normalmente possuem uma apar�ncia sombria que
vagamente lembra a forma que tinha no momento em que se transformaram em apari��es.
G�rgona XP 8; CA 15; DV 6; PV 21; AT arma +6 (1d6+3); E olhar transforma em pedra,
olhar em outra dire��o penaliza ataques em -4 e d� um b�nus de +2 para os ataques
da medusa G�rgonas s�o criaturas que se assemelham fisicamente a mulheres, embora
tenham a pele ligeiramente escamosa como pequenas cobras e a cabe�a coberta por
serpentes. Fitar seus olhos transforma a v�tima em pedra, a menos que seja bem
sucedido numa jogada de Prote��o. M�mia XP 9; CA 17; DV 6; PV 21; AT encontr�o +6
(2d6+3); E maldi��o do apodrecimento se atingir (impede cura), imune a armas n�o-
m�gicas e frio, imune a magias de enfeiti�amento, sono e aprisionamento , morto-
vivo M�mias s�o seres trazidos � vida novamente por poderosos rituais que envolvem
a remo��o de todos os �rg�os de um cad�ver e a prote��o da carne por longas tiras
de tecido. O toque de uma m�mia amaldi�oa a v�tima, impedindo que possa se curar
normal ou magicamente � tal maldi��o pode somente ser removida se a v�tima banhar-
se com �gua benta. Wyvern XP 9; CA 17; DV 7; PV 24; AT mordida +7 (2d6+3), ferr�o
+7 (1d6+3); E ferr�o venenoso (1d6+3 FOR), voa Wyverns s�o grandes r�pteis do
tamanho de cavalos, mas possuem membros superiores transformados em asas fortes.
Sua forma preferida de ataque inicial � mergulhar em dire��o a sua vitima com as
mand�bulas abertas, fazendo com que ela se proteja, e subir repentinamente,
atingindo-a com seu ferr�o venenoso. Gosma das sombras XP 15; CA 10; DV 10; PV 35;
AT encontr�o +10 (2d6+5); E apesar de ser vulner�vel somente a fogo, quando
atingida por qualquer outro meio (inclusive magias n�o baseadas em fogo) se divide
em duas, mantendo todas as caracter�sticas exceto a quantidade de PVs restantes,
que � dividida igualmente (arredondada para cima) Gosma das sombras � o nome dado a
uma criatura amorfa que se move lentamente por locais escuros e �midos, dissolvendo
o que estiver em seu caminho. Homem-tigre XP 16; CA 16; DV 14; PV 49; AT duas
garras +14 (1d6+7 cada), mordida +5 (2d6+7); E licantropia, surpreende inimigos em
1-4, imune a armas n�o-m�gicas (exceto prata) Homens-tigre s�o afligidos por uma
maldi��o muito antiga que faz com que homens normais se transformem em criaturas
h�bridas com fei��es felinas assustadoras quando a lua minguante pode ser vista nos
c�us, apesar de que tamb�m possam voluntariamente assumir tal forma. Quando um
homemtigre atinge um humano este deve fazer uma jogada Prote��o e, se falhar,
transformar-se-� em um licantropo na pr�xima lua minguante (respeitado um m�nimo de
sete dias). Se um her�i for

Marcelo Paschoalin 17
transformado em licantropo, o controle da personagem passa para o Narrador enquanto
durar a transforma��o. Golem de pedra XP 18; CA 26; DV 14; PV 49; AT dois
encontr�es +14 (2d6+7); E imune a armas n�o-m�gicas, imune a magias, curado por
eletricidade Est�tuas de pedra podem ser animadas por magias antigas e agir como
seres semi-conscientes. Todo golem de pedra possui uma pedra preciosa bem protegida
(CA 30) em alguma parte de seu corpo que, se quebrada (7 PVs), o destr�i por
completo. Drag�o de cristal XP 24; CA 26; DV 18; PV 63; AT duas garras +18 (2d6+9
cada), mordida +18 (3d6+9); E voa, sopro de gelo (9d6+9) paralisante, imune ao frio
Drag�es de cristal s�o criaturas enormes e reclusas, semelhantes a grandes lagartos
alados, mas com escamas feitas de uma pedra cristalina. Seu sopro de gelo, al�m de
causar dano, tamb�m paralisa suas v�timas, que ficam cobertas por uma fina camada
de cristal. Criando monstros O Narrador pode se valer da lista de monstros acima,
mas pode tamb�m criar seus pr�prios monstros. Para cri�-los, basta determinar os
dados relevantes do monstro, seguindo o disposto abaixo: Escolha um nome; designe
um n�vel; DV = n�vel; PV = 1d6 por n�vel; B�nus de Ataque = n�vel; Dano 1d6
(garras, mordidas e armas comuns), 2d6 (grandes mand�bulas e clavas gigantes), 3d6
(mordidas de drag�es e similares), com b�nus de +1 a cada dois n�veis; CA = 10 +
prote��o (compar�vel com armadura); escolha habilidades especiais conforme o n�vel
da criatura. Ataques especiais agem como ataques m�gicos contra a defesa
apropriada. A Prote��o dos monstros � igual a d18 + � n�vel (arredondado para
cima). Monstros e demais seres n�o t�m Atributos, exceto quando s�o personagens
criadas pelo Narrador para servir como antagonistas, valendo tantos XP quanto forem
seus n�veis. Notas sobre o valor de XP de um monstro XP base: DV CA 18 ou maior: XP
+1 Dano autom�tico por rodada: XP +1 Dano m�ximo maior ou igual a 3d6 (18): XP +1
Baforada (causa � DV em dados de dano): XP +1 Drena n�veis: XP +2 Envenena (dano
causa redu��o de Atributo): XP +1 Voa: XP +1 Imune a energia (fogo, frio, �cido
etc.): XP +1 Imune a armas n�o-m�gicas: XP +1 Imune a magia: XP +1 Paralisa, engole
inimigos: XP +1 Petrifica: XP +2 Regenera: XP +1 Usa habilidade como se fosse
magia: XP +1 Exemplo de cria��o de monstro O Narrador decide criar uma esp�cie de
lobo monstruoso, que ele denomina Lupens. Tendo escolhido o nome, ele determina que
o lupens � um monstro de n�vel 4, o que indica que ele tem 4 DVs, sua Prote��o �
Magia � igual a 14 (10 + n�vel) e seu B�nus de Ataque � igual a +4 (n�vel). Ele
tamb�m considera que sua mordida causa 2d6 de dano e que sua pelagem � t�o
resistente quanto uma armadura m�dia, devendo ter 14 de CA (10 + prote��o). Por
fim, ele decide que o lupens � imune a magia. O valor total de XP do lupens � ent�o
5: 4 (base) + 1 (imune a magia). Ele poderia ser descrito da seguinte maneira:
Lupens XP 5; CA 14; DV 4; PV 14; AT mordida +4 (2d6+1); E imune a magia Sobre o
Dreno de n�veis Apari��es s�o mortos-vivos que possuem um ataque tem�vel: o dreno
de n�veis. Cada n�vel drenado efetivamente reduz o n�vel do her�i em 1 e seus XP
pela metade (arredondado para baixo), somente sendo recuperado ap�s ganho normal de
XP. Opcional: Dreno tempor�rio Se o dreno permanente de n�veis for uma puni��o
muito dura, h� a op��o de faz�-lo tempor�rio. Um her�i atingido por um dreno de
n�veis recebe 1 de penalidade cumulativa em todas as suas rolagens de dado (exceto
dano), recuperada ap�s uma quantidade de dias igual aos DVs da criatura que drenou
o n�vel.

Aventura e Magia 18

Armadilhas Seja dentro de um labirinto, masmorra, caverna ou mesmo um antigo


mosteiro de uma ordem m�stica perdida, os aventureiros podem se ferir e mesmo serem
mortos mesmo sem encontrar nenhum monstro, pois muitos desses lugares est�o
repletos de armadilhas debilitantes e letais, preparadas para manter ca�adores de
tesouros afastados. Dentre os mais diferentes tipos de armadilhas, ressaltamos:
Alavancas que abrem uma porta ou causam dano el�trico, ou abre um al�ap�o cheio de
cobras; Animais aparentemente inofensivos mas possuem o mesmo poder que monstros;
�rvores cujos frutos causam sono, ou arremessam nozes, ou atacam com seus galhos;
Becos sem sa�da pr�ximos a monstros, impedindo que os her�is fujam; Escadas cujos
degraus se transformam em rampa; Esqueletos que arremessam seus ossos; Est�tuas com
partes faltando e que invocam uma magia ben�fica sobre os her�is quando completas,
ou que os atacam; Est�tuas que apontam para um corredor cheio de armadilhas quando
os her�is se aproximam; Fossos com estacas, ou que s�o fundos o bastante para
atrasar os her�is; Fossos que teleportam quem neles cair para outros fossos; Itens
e ba�s com compartimentos falsos que escondem itens de maior valor ou poder; Itens
que quando usados atraem monstros; Monstros aparentemente comuns mas possuem o
poder de outros monstros; Monstros que surgem sem cessar de um determinado portal;
Paredes que disparam flechas, tetos que soltam redes ou itens que invocam magias;
Po�os que concedem desejos de acordo com os itens neles atirados; Portas com
batentes que falam e cujos enigmas devem ser resolvidos para que sejam abertas;
Portas que s� podem ser abertas pelo lado de fora da sala; Salas com ilus�es; Salas
cujo ch�o desce at� o n�vel inferior da constru��o, com portas fechadas por magia;
Salas cujos m�veis s�o animados por magia e atacam os her�is; Salas que giram
lentamente quando os her�is entram, fazendo com que saiam pelo mesmo corredor que
chegaram, a menos que sigam na dire��o da mesma porta de onde vieram; Tesouros
�escondidos� como partes de monstros (pelagem valiosa ou chifres de material
precioso). Situa��es especiais Algumas armadilhas possuem algumas particularidades
na forma pela qual causam dano, e devem ser tratadas separadamente. Contudo, em
quaisquer das situa��es elencadas abaixo, caso o her�i seja bem sucedido em uma
jogada de Prote��o, ele sofrer� apenas metade (arredondada para cima) do dano
causado. Quedas: Cada 3 metros de queda causam 1d6 de dano, at� um m�ximo de 20d6
numa queda de 60 metros ou mais. Caso haja lan�as, pedras pontiagudas ou cristais
no local da queda, o dano � aumentado em +1 a cada dado, limitado a +10. Isso
significa, por exemplo, que uma queda de 12 metros em um fosse com lan�as causa
4d6+4 de dano. Temperaturas extremas: Se n�o houver equipamento adequado, a cada
dez minutos o her�i sofre 1d6 de dano. Falta de oxig�nio: Um her�i pode prender a
respira��o por uma quantidade de segundos igual a sua FOR x 10. Ap�s esse per�odo,
o her�i inspirar� o que houver (seja ar envenenado ou mesmo �gua) � caso esteja se
afogando, ele sofre 1d6 de dano e 1d6 de Fadiga a cada dez segundos; caso esteja
respirando ar envenenado, ele sofre uma redu��o de 1d6 em sua FOR a cada dez
segundos.

Marcelo Paschoalin 19
Tesouros Um dos principais objetivos dos her�is ao se aventurar � encontrar
tesouros e, como tal, eles esperam que ap�s derrotarem seus inimigos, eles tenham a
possibilidade de saque�-los e tomar para si os bens que antes pertenciam aos seus
oponentes. H� tr�s tipos b�sicos de tesouros: riquezas, itens m�gicos e itens
encantados. Riquezas Em geral, as criaturas ao longo do tempo acumulam tesouros,
seja em forma de moedas de ouro ou mesmo j�ias. Contudo, s�o poucas as que carregam
toda a sua riqueza consigo, normalmente depositando-a em algum lugar de seu covil.
� importante lembrar, por�m, que quando transportadas pelos her�is, 100 moedas (ou
50 pedras preciosas) ocupam o espa�o de um dos oito itens que cabem em uma mochila
� her�is que carregam muitas riquezas podem vir a n�o ter como usar outros itens.
H� tr�s tipos de moedas: ouro, prata e cobre. 1 moeda de ouro vale 10 moedas de
prata, ou 100 moedas de cobre. Conseq�entemente, 1 moeda de prata vale 10 moedas de
cobre. Itens m�gicos Itens m�gicos s�o aqueles que possuem um �nico uso e ent�o se
tornam itens comuns ou s�o consumidos pela magia. Exemplos incluem po��es
(consumidas ao serem bebidas), pergaminhos (incendeiam-se ao serem lidos, tanto
para invoca��o como para c�pia) e runas (desaparecem ao serem ativadas). Itens
encantados Itens encantados possuem poderes permanentes. Exemplos incluem armas
m�gicas (como uma espada encantada com a magia Causar medo), armaduras ou partes de
armaduras (um elmo com a magia Vis�o no escuro) e bolas de cristal (com a magia
Detectar pensamentos), mas em verdade n�o h� limita��o para o tipo de item a ser
encantado, exceto o fato de precisar ser de alt�ssima qualidade e beleza. Por sua
natureza, s�o muito mais raros que os itens m�gicos descritos anteriormente. Todo
item encantado foi alvo de uma das mais poderosas magias que um mago pode invocar,
e isso faz com que ele tenha uma hist�ria, um lugar especial no mundo de aventuras.
Quando o Narrador decide colocar um item encantado numa hist�ria, ele deve ter
algum valor que transcende o monet�rio � ningu�m vai manter aberta uma loja de
compra e venda de itens m�gicos. Em certas ocasi�es, o item encantado pode at� ser
o foco principal de uma aventura. Determinando o conte�do do tesouro O valor m�dio
de tesouros, em moedas de ouro, de uma criatura � igual ao seu valor de XP
multiplicado por 50. Se houver alguma raz�o para a criatura portar riquezas
consigo, ela ter�, em m�dia, 3d6 moedas de ouro, mas dificilmente um monstro
carregar� suas riquezas aonde for. H�, por�m, uma chance de que a criatura
derrotada possua consigo algo mais valioso ainda. Para fazer essa verifica��o, role
o d18: num resultado menor ou igual ao valor de XP da criatura adicione um item
m�gico ao seu tesouro. Se houver um item m�gico presente no tesouro, h� uma
pequena chance de que, na verdade, ele seja um item encantado. Para saber isso,
role o d18 outra vez: num resultado menor ou igual � metade do valor de XP da
criatura (arredondado para baixo) ela carregar� consigo um item encantado no lugar
do item m�gico. Esp�lios Al�m dos tesouros, os her�is tamb�m poder�o encontrar os
esp�lios de combate: tudo o que os inimigos derrotados tiverem consigo � incluindo
armas e armaduras � fica � disposi��o dos vencedores. Sendo assim, se os her�is
derrotarem um grupo de seis Orcs armados com espadas, al�m da riqueza usual eles
poder�o tamb�m tom�-las para si. Por isso, � necess�rio certo cuidado ao armar
inimigos com equipamentos muito poderosos, pois se eles forem derrotados, todo esse
equipamento passar� para as m�os dos her�is, que poder�o dele fazer o que bem
entender.

Aventura e Magia 20
The Lion Clan .............33 Akodo Rokuro .................33 Akodo
Yobu ....................34 Ikoma Asa ....................35 Kitsu
Hisashi .................36 Matsu Agoro ..................37 Matsu
Mieko ..................38 Matsu Mikura .................39
The Mantis Clan ...........40 Kitsune Iwarou ................40 Moshi
Amika ...................41 Moshi Kiyomori ...............42 Tsuruchi
Etsui .................43 Tsuruchi Shisuken. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Yoritomo
Emoto ................45 Yoritomo Yoyonagi ..............46
The Phoenix Clan ..........47 Agasha Miyoshi ...............47 Asako
Kinuye .................48 Isawa Mizuhiko ................49 Isawa
Takashi .................50 Isawa Yoriko ..................51 Shiba
Takeshi ..................52 Shiba Rae .....................53
The Scorpion Clan ..........54 Bayushi Arashii ................54 Bayushi Azumamoru
...........55 Bayushi Irezu .................56 Bayushi Kahoku ...............57
Shosuro Atesharu ..............58 Soshi Tishi ....................59 Yogo
Fujitani ..................60
The Unicorn Clan ..........61 Horiuchi Nobane ...............61 Ide
Kin .......................62 Iuchi Tsung ...................63 Moto Jin-
Sahn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Moto Ogaru ...................65 Shinjo
Dun ...................66 Utaku Mu-Dan ................67
Table of Contents
The Spider Clan ............68 Daigotsu Akihime ..............68 Daigotsu
Chaozhu ..............69 Kokujin Buncho ................70
M�rika .......................71 Ninube Onchi ..................72
Omigawa .....................73 Udo ..........................74
Ronin ....................75 Hidekazu .....................75 Kincho the
Sixth ...............76 Seppun Tashime ................77
Non-Humans .............78 Mak�irtch .....................78
Mat�check .....................79 Pep�trchek .....................80
Zin�tch .......................81 Chutoburo .....................82
Hitaka .......................83 Pokku ........................84

Primeira aventura Esta � uma pequena aventura para um grupo de 3 a 5 her�is de 1�


n�vel, indicada como o ponto de partida para as futuras aventuras desse grupo de
her�is. Nestas duas p�ginas h� tudo o que o Narrador precisa para conduzir a
aventura, sendo ent�o solicitado a quaisquer jogadores que n�o as leiam a fim de
n�o prejudicar a divers�o (afinal, n�o haveria desafio se os jogadores j� souberem
o que seus her�is ir�o encontrar). Recomenda-se ao Narrador que leia esta aventura
inteira e retome os pontos de eventuais dificuldades quanto �s regras antes de
convocar os her�is � aventura. Se houver d�vidas principalmente acerca de como se
opera o Combate, � imprescind�vel que sejam sanadas antes que o primeiro dado seja
rolado. Templo sob trevas A hist�ria tem in�cio quando os her�is s�o abordados por
uma jovem sacerdotisa chamada Cerillya que lhes pede ajuda: o templo de To�rak, ao
norte tem sido maculado pelas trevas, n�o havendo uma �nica vela que permane�a
acesa no lugar. Ap�s uma pequena investiga��o, ela descobriu que a cripta sob o
solo sagrado havia sido perturbada, e precisaria ser aben�oada novamente. Quando um
valoroso aventureiro se ofereceu para ajudar ela encomendou um pergaminho especial
com a magia B�n��o e o entregou a ela, mas depois de um dia sem not�cias ela
decidiu buscar por outros her�is. Ela n�o pode oferecer muitas recompensas, mas
garante aos her�is que curar� todos os seus ferimentos quando voltarem de l�, al�m
de dizer que tudo o que encontrarem de valor lhes pertencer�. Acompanhando os
her�is at� a entrada da cripta, ela os adverte de que devem encontrar o pergaminho
e utiliz�-lo somente quando a luz do sol puder ser vista na cripta, pois s� assim a
magia aben�oar� de verdade o local. Importante: Como o templo e a cripta est�o
maculados, tentativas de Afastar mortos-vivos n�o surtir�o efeito. Somente com o
fim das trevas do templo � que os cl�rigos poder�o novamente usar de seus poderes
contra os mortos-vivos que restarem (mas n�o diga isso aos jogadores: deixe que
eles descubram isso quando for tarde demais). Al�m disso, mesmo com tochas, a vis�o
na cripta � limitada a cerca de quinze metros (tr�s quadrados no mapa acima).
Terrores da cripta: Para cada dez minutos passados na cripta, role 1d6. Num
resultado igual a 1, 1d6 esqueletos surgem das trevas, prontos para atacar os
her�is � esses esqueletos n�o carregar�o nenhum tesouro consigo. Portanto,
tentativas de descansar para recuperar danos (que demoram cerca de 30 minutos),
precisam de tr�s jogadas sem o surgimento de um esqueleto para que sejam efetivas.
Entrada: pela porta de ferro no sul que leva � sala 1. Sala 1: H� um cad�ver de um
guerreiro, ainda com sua armadura de couro e espada curta, diante da porta de
madeira mais ao norte, coberto de espinhos (havia uma armadilha que o guerreiro
disparou sem saber). Entre suas outras posses h� um pergaminho com letras douradas
com a magia B�n��o. Nessa sala h� tamb�m um incens�rio apagado e outro pergaminho
com os dizeres �A morte vem do alto�. A outra porta de madeira, mais ao menos no
centro da parede leste, est� intocada.

JOGADORES TESTE Jane, John A, Scott Acker, Jordan Adams, Michel Aech, Dan
Alexander, Danny Alexander, Jens Alfke, Carl Anderson, Alexandre Antonov, Devon
Apple, Mark Arndt, Arrghus, Michael Atlin, Wille Backman, Kevin Bates, J B Bell,
Richard Bellingham, Garrison Benson, Michael R. Bernstein, Billchuck, Don Bisdorf,
Peter Blake, Ron Blessing, Adam Blinkinsop, bodhranist, McKay Bonham, J�r�mie
�Blacky� Bouillon, Brett Bowen, Michael Bowman, Guy Bowring, Ezra Bradford, Mick
Bradley, Fabrice Breau, Jean-Baptiste Breton, Bill Burdick, Francisco Bustos, Jason
Campbell, Sean Carroll, Nick Carter, Richard Chilton, Krzysztof Chyla, Coboney,
Bill Collins, Cameron Corniuk, Danni Coy, Creature, cthos, Josh Culbertson, Patrick
Curtin, Carsten Damm, Darryl, James Dawsey, Thomas Deeny, Martin Dickson, Rob
Donoghue, Droqen, Lukasz Dziubczyk, E�rdil, Manuel Echevarria, Jason Eley, Johan
Elmquist, James English, Epimetreus, Thomas Erskine, Ian Evans, Dustin Evermore,
John Faludi, Keith Fannin, Jarrod Farquhar-Nicol, Christian Fasy, Olman Feelyus,
Antaeus Feldspar, Fenikso, Chris Flipse, Ben Flood, Brook Freeman, Emlyn Freeman,
Josh French, Gauth, GhostBob, D Gilbert, Ed Gonzalez, Mikhail L. Gordin, Oliver
Graf, Tim Graham, Tim Gray, Michael Guerra, Jack Gulick, Gwathdring, Roland
Gyarmati, Dan Hall, Rob Hanz, Craig Hargraves, Se�n Harnett, George Harnish, John
Harper, Jon Harrison, Julien Harroch, Christopher Hazell, M. Herzog, Magnus Lie
Hetland, Bruce Hill, Rob Hipskind, Jonathon Hodges, Brian Hoffmann, Troy Holaday,
Stephen C. Holland, Jeff Hoskinson, Robert M. S. Huether, Link Hughes, Casey
Hunten, Blake Hutchins, Hypersmurf, Justin D. Jacobson, Kent J. Johansen,
johnoghue, Stephen �SDJThorin� Johnson, Andrew Kampen, Jack Kelly, Dave Klempa,
Jeremy Kostiew, Darth Krzysztof, Steve Kunec, Mark Kung, Steve Kyer, Jonathan Lang,
Alec Lanter, Shai Laric, Gee Lawrence, LDK, David Leaman, Josh Leavitt, PK Levine,
Adam Longley, Eliot Lyon, EK Lytle, Edward MacGregor, Joshua Madore, Ergodic Mage,
Ville Makkonen, James Malaspino, Erin McBride, Jon T. McCarty II, Robin McCollum,
Robert McCowen, Shawn McDaniel, Colin McMillen, Dylan Mikus, Earl Miles, Agustin
Miranda, Tom Miskey, Jim Montgomery, Jacob Mooney, Sean Mulhern, Mysterious and
Pedantic Stranger, Peter Netzer, Sarah Newton, Brian K. Nielsen, Koji Nishiuchi,
Iain M Norman, Selene O�Rourke, Daniel Paarmann, Lisa Padol, Addramyr Palinor,
Andrea �Lord Lance� Parducci, Johnny Peng, Michel Perrin, Jonathan Pierson, Nick
Pilon, Alexander Puterbaugh, Scott Pyle, Rob Rendell, James Ritter, Brian Rock,
Mike Roddewig, RolHypnos, Roman, Garrett Rooney, Rosque, RPG Geek, Christopher
Ruthenbeck, Carrie S., Norman Sager, Michel Sands, Philippe Saner, Christoph
Sapinsky, John Savage, Ernie Sawyer, Evan Sayre, SC, Torge Schmidt, Jason
Schneiderman, Adam Schwaninger, Tim Seiger, Alfredo Send�n, Mike Sergio, Andrew
Shore, shosuko, Josh Simmons, Scott Slater, Robert Slaughter, Jon Smejkal, Ruben
Smith-Zempel, Tess Snider, Paul Snow, Soren, SQLCowboy, Jan Stals, starwed,
Sterling, David L. Stewart, Jaap Stoel, Lane Stroud, Joe Stroup, SwiftOne, Ricardo
Tavares, David Thackaberry, John Tobin, Tom X. Tobin, Alan Tsang, Joshua Turton,
Carrie Ulrich, Shea Lafayette Valentine, Leroy Van Camp III, Kevin Veale, Paul
Vermeren, Nathan W., Ralf Wagner, Josh Ward, John Weber, Greg Weir, Marko Wenzel,
Beat Wieland, Mitch A. Williams, Jan Willms, Gordon Wincott, Xavon Wrentaile,
wusemajor, Savage Yinn, Kris Zaragoza, Jacob Z-Dawg Zimmerman, zombiecalypse
�NDICE
O
B�sico ............................................................................
..................1 Bem-Vindo ao
Fate! .............................................................................
...1 O Que Voc� Precisa Para
Jogar ........................................................2 Jogadores e
Narrador do Jogo .........................................................3 A Ficha
de
Personagem ......................................................................4
Realizando
A��es .............................................................................
......7 Pontos de
Destino ...........................................................................
.....10 Come�ando a
Jogar! ...........................................................................1
3 Estruturando o
jogo ........................................................................15 O
Que � Necess�rio Para Uma Boa Partida de Fate? .............15 Estruturando Seu
Jogo .......................................................................17
Adaptando o Cen�rio ao
Fate..........................................................17 A Grandeza do Jogo
............................................................................18
Quest�es de
Ambienta��o ................................................................19
Rostos e
Lugares ...........................................................................
.......22 Criando
Personagens .......................................................................
..23 Cria��o de
Personagens ................................................................25
Criar Personagens �
Jogar ...............................................................25 A Ideia de
Personagem .....................................................................26
As Tr�s
Fases .............................................................................
............33
Per�cias ..........................................................................
............................41 Fa�anhas e
Recarga ...........................................................................
.42 Estresse e
Consequ�ncias ................................................................44
Tudo
Pronto! ...........................................................................
...............46 Cria��o R�pida de
Personagem .....................................................46 Aspectos e
Pontos de Destino .....................................................49 O Que �
Um
Aspecto? .......................................................................49
O Que S�o Pontos de
Destino? ......................................................49 Tipos de Aspectos
...............................................................................49
Para Que Servem os
Aspectos? .....................................................52 Criando Bons
Aspectos .....................................................................54 Se
Empacar ..........................................................................
.................57 Invocando
Aspectos ..........................................................................
..61 For�ando
Aspectos .........................................................................
...64 Usando Aspectos na
Interpreta��o ..............................................69 Removendo ou
Alterando um Aspecto .......................................70 Criando e
Descobrindo Novos Aspectos em Jogo ..................71 A Economia de Pontos de
Destino ...............................................73 Per�cias e
Fa�anhas ........................................................................77
O Que � Uma
Per�cia ..........................................................................7
7 O Que � Uma
Fa�anha.......................................................................78
Criando
Fa�anhas ..........................................................................
......79 Lista de
Per�cias ..........................................................................
..........87 A��es e
Resolu��es ......................................................................12
1 � Hora da
A��o! .............................................................................
.......121 As Quatro
Resolu��es .......................................................................1
24 As Quatro
A��es .............................................................................
....126
Desafios, Disputas e
Conflitos .....................................................137 Foco na
A��o ..............................................................................
.........137
Desafios ..........................................................................
........................137
Disputas .........................................................................
.........................141
Conflitos .........................................................................
.......................145 Trabalho em
Equipe ..........................................................................16
4 Conduzindo o
Jogo .......................................................................167 O
Que
Fazer .............................................................................
.............167 Durante a Cria��o do
Jogo ..............................................................171 Durante o
Jogo ..............................................................................
......174 Criando a
Oposi��o ..........................................................................
199 Interpretando a
Oposi��o .............................................................208 Cenas,
Sess�es e Cen�rios ...........................................................211
Certo, e
agora? ............................................................................
..........211 O Que � Um
Cen�rio ..........................................................................2
11 Crie
Problemas .........................................................................
............212 Perguntas
Narrativas ........................................................................
.217 Estabelecendo a
Oposi��o .............................................................219
Organizando a Primeira
Cena ........................................................221 O Que � Uma
Cena? .........................................................................223
O Cen�rio em
Jogo ...........................................................................227
Resolvendo o
Cen�rio ......................................................................229
Criando
Campanhas ......................................................................231
O Que � Um
Arco? .............................................................................
231 O Que � Uma
Campanha? ...............................................................231
Construindo um
Arco .......................................................................232
Construindo
Campanhas.................................................................233
Evolu��o e
Altera��o .......................................................................23
3 O Que � Um
Marco?.........................................................................234
Evolu��o do
Mundo ...........................................................................24
1
Extras.............................................................................
.................247 O Que S�o
Extras?............................................................................
.247 A Regra de
Bronze ............................................................................
247 Criando um
Extra .............................................................................
..248 Extras e
Evolu��o ..........................................................................
....253 Mais Exemplos de
Extras ................................................................253 Planilha
de Resumo ......................................................................269
Guia do
Veterano ..........................................................................
.271 Especial:
Personagens .................................................................273
Ficha de Cria��o de Personagem ..............................................287
Ficha de Cria��o de
Jogo ...........................................................288 Ficha de
Personagem: Esopo .....................................................289 Ficha de
Personagem: Fr�keline ...............................................290 Ficha de
Personagem: Bandu, O Oculto ................................... 291 Ficha de
Personagem ..................................................................292
�ndice
Remissivo .........................................................................
..293

cap�tulo 1
BEM-VINDO AO FATE!
Se voc� nunca jogou um jogo de interpreta��o antes, aqui est� a ideia principal:
voc� e um grupo de amigos se re�nem para contar uma hist�ria interativamente sobre
um grupo de personagens que voc�s criaram. Voc� dir� quais os desafios e obst�culos
que esses personagens ir�o encarar, como eles reagir�o, o que eles dizem e fazem e
o que est� acontecendo com eles. Mas n�o � apenas na conversa, �s vezes voc� usar�
dados e as regras presentes neste livro para criar imprevistos na hist�ria e tornar
as coisas mais excitantes. Fate n�o vem com um cen�rio padr�o, mas funciona bem com
qualquer ideia que inclua personagens proativos e capazes que vivem vidas
dram�ticas. No pr�ximo cap�tulo mostramos diversas maneiras de trazer � tona essa
caracter�stica para temperar seus jogos.
PARA VETERANOS
Voc� talvez esteja lendo este livro por estar familiarizado com outros jogos que
usam o Fate, como Esp�rito do S�culo ou The Dresden Files Roleplaying Game. V�rios
outros jogos do mercado como o Bulldogs! da Galileo Games ou Legends of Aglerre, da
Cubicle Seven�s, tamb�m usam Fate.
Marcelo Paschoalin 21
Sala 2: Tr�s esqueletos se erguem e atacam quando os her�is entram na sala. H� uma
pilha de ossos no canto nordeste da sala com uma sacola de dinheiro escondida,
contendo 176 pe�as de ouro. As quatro portas dessa sala s�o feitas de pedra, e
somente a for�a de dois her�is juntos � capaz de abri-las ou fech�-las. Sala 3: H�
uma grande fonte seca no meio dessa sala. As duas portas da parede oeste s�o feitas
de metal e possuem armadilhas: quando houver uma pessoa de cada lado da porta
(paradas ou a atravessando), labaredas m�sticas surgem de pequenas aberturas no
teto, causando 1d6-1 de dano por magia (que pode ser reduzido � metade num sucesso
numa jogada de Prote��o). Sala 4: Dois zumbis est�o parados olhando para um grande
espelho na parede leste. Se forem perturbados eles atacar�o, do contr�rio ficar�o
onde est�o. Se o espelho for quebrado, os her�is encontrar�o 750 moedas de prata
(equivalentes a 75 moedas de ouro) atr�s dele em grandes pilhas. As portas de
madeira grossa n�o t�m armadilhas, mas a porta oeste est� emperrada e n�o pode ser
aberta sem uso da for�a. Sala 5: Cordas presas ao teto, � maneira de forcas, est�o
espalhadas por toda a sala, e alguns cad�veres delas pendem. As portas de metal
est�o bastante enferrujadas, e a porta leste leva a uma pequena c�mara com vasos
cheios de �leo para lamparina. Sala 6: Um zumbi tenta arranhar a porta de madeira e
escapar, surpreendendo e atacando o primeiro que entrar na sala. Entre os tapetes
rasgados e pu�dos, os her�is encontrar�o 50 moedas de ouro espalhadas. Sala 7: As
duas portas de metal est�o emperradas, precisando da for�a de dois her�is juntos
para abrilas. Na sala tr�s esqueletos se encontram presos � parede oeste com
grandes correntes, trajando cada um uma cota de malha e portando cimitarras, mas um
deles possui um colar de pedras preciosas (aparentemente valendo 300 pe�as de ouro,
mas na verdade � um item encantado que confere um b�nus de +1 � CA de quem o
estiver usando). Se algum dos her�is se aproximar dos esqueletos eles tentar�o se
erguer e atacar os her�is. Sala 8: Esta sala est� completamente vazia, e sua porta
de pedra est� toda trincada. Contudo, ao entrarem nessa sala, os her�is poder�o ver
que h� uma mensagem escrita na parede oeste, ao lado da porta (sendo, portanto,
somente vista por dentro): �Quando as trevas se esvaecerem os quatro cantos dever�o
receber a divina b�n��o�. Sala 9: As portas de madeira est�o pu�das pelo tempo,
escondendo uma sala cheia de pilhas de livros, a maior parte deles parcialmente
queimados. H�, no entanto, tr�s pergaminhos com as magias Sono, Comandar mortos-
vivos e Vis�o no escuro, mas todos est�o protegidos por uma runa m�gica (qualquer
um que ler os pergaminhos para invocar ou copiar as magias sofrer� os efeitos da
magia Pasmar naquele momento a menos que seja bem sucedido em uma jogada de
Prote��o). Sala 10: Um pequeno altar est� no centro dessa sala de teto alto e muito
escuro, cercado por inscri��es arcanas. Se investigarem o altar, ver�o que ele na
verdade ele serve como tumba, havendo um cad�ver mumificado coberto por pedras
preciosas que equivalem a 500 moedas de ouro. Contudo, ao se aproximarem, uma
g�rgula descer� da escurid�o do teto e atacar� o grupo de her�is. Com a morte da
g�rgula, a escurid�o do teto se dissipar� e por diversas frestas a luz do sol
penetrar� no lugar, permitindo que os her�is novamente aben�oem a cripta com o
pergaminho encontrado no corpo do aventureiro. Se n�o tiverem o pergaminho (ou o
tiverem usado anteriormente) eles t�m a possibilidade de tentarem eles mesmos
aben�oarem a cripta, precisando para isso invocar a magia B�n��o nos quatro cantos
da sala � do contr�rio, uma nova g�rgula surgir� quando a noite cair e a m�cula das
trevas ainda estar� sobre o templo. Ep�logo: ao fim da aventura, se a m�cula das
trevas tiver sido dissipada, cada her�i dever� receber 3 XP e a sacerdotisa
Cerillya os curar� de todos os ferimentos � al�m de serem sempre benvindos ao
tempo; se n�o, cada um receber� apenas 1 XP, e Cerillya polidamente pedir� que
deixem o templo e n�o retornem t�o cedo � ainda assim, ela invocar� a magia Curar
ferimentos leves em cada um dos her�is antes de se despedir.
� Elmos com Chifres: os N�rdicos nunca usaram elmos com chifres ou asas; este mito
vem de elmos encontrados em escava��es, feitos de couro ou pe�as de metal que
poderiam parecer com chifres, mas que eram usados em cerim�nias e rituais. Em todo
caso, elmos com chifres s�o pesados, volumosos e perigosos, e os pr�ticos
guerreiros do norte nunca adotariam um acess�rio estranho como esse em batalha. �
Beber em cr�nio humano: os N�rdicos nunca beberam dos cr�nios de seus inimigos.
Este erro vem de uma m� tradu��o de um kenning (uma met�fora po�tica), em que Odin
convida um her�i para beber do �ramo curvo de um cr�nio�, ou seja, um chifre. Os
N�rdicos bebiam de chifres de touros. � Os drakkar n�o s�o navios: o termo dreki
quer dizer drag�o em N�rdico e refere-se � proa de seus barcos, esculpidas para
amedrontar at� os esp�ritos das terras que eles alcan�avam. A palavra �drakkar� �
uma inven��o do s�culo 19 e n�o quer dizer nada no contexto Escandinavo. O barco
Escandinavo tinha v�rios nomes: knorr ou knarr, snekkjar, ferja, e assim por
diante. Sempre que poss�vel, tentaremos dar uma vis�o realista destes guerreiros
N�rdicos; intr�pidos e vorazes talvez, mas certamente n�o est�pidos, brutais ou
saqueadores sem sentido, como s�o descritos pelas cr�nicas crist�s.
Tr�s conceitos para se interpretar um N�rdico �Se algu�m viola a paz de outrem, ele
fere automaticamente seu mannhelg, j� que suas ra�zes encontram-se na mesma paz que
a deles.� --Walter Baetke �Jovem eu era E caminhava sozinho; Ent�o, perdi meu
caminho; Rico me senti Quando encontrei outra pessoa O homem se alegra Na presen�a
do outro� -- Havamal, verso 47 Tr�s conceitos s�o vitais para entender o esp�rito
N�rdico em Yggdrasill: o papel essencial do Destino; a no��o de mannhelg, a
inviolabilidade do indiv�duo; e a import�ncia da fam�lia e do cl�.
Falaremos muito sobre Destino, porque ele � onipresente nas lendas e a aceita��o
do Destino � a mar
ca de um her�i. N�o reconhecer seu Destino � um erro grave.
O mannhelg � o que a thing e as leis protegem. Isso garante que um homem livre,
um bondi, seja protegido em seus direitos, seguran�a e paz. Crimes, insultos,
mutila��es e cal�nias s�o atos que ferem o mannhelg e demandam puni��o. Um homem
que viola o mannhelg de outro, viola ao seu pr�prio. Este conceito por si s�
justifica a vingan�a, a repara��o ou o banimento.
Quanto � import�ncia do cl� e da fam�lia, os N�rdicos conhecem suas fraquezas
diante de suas duras condi��es de vida e o calor que o contato humano proporciona �
acompanhado de seus problemas. O banimento � algo pior que a morte para um N�rdico.
O homem se alegra na presen�a do outro, ent�o, qual a raz�o de viver daqueles que
n�o t�m amigos?
Claro, voc� � livre para interpretar um berserker sanguin�rio, saqueando amigos e
inimigos, respeitando apenas seu machado favorito. Mas este jogo lhe d� outras
op��es; sinta-se livre para us�-lo como quiser - Yggdrasill � o seu jogo.
Deixaremos voc�s com as palavras da profetisa, uma voz ressoando atrav�s das
eras: �Sil�ncio, pe�o a todos. Seres sagrados, Grandes e pequenos, Eu contarei Os
antigos contos dos homens, Os mais antigos de que me lembro.� --V�luspa, verso 1
11
O Caos Primordial
�Foi durante a primeira era Quando n�o havia nada; Nem areia, nem mar Nem bruma
gelada; Terra n�o havia, Nem c�u acima existia, Somente o vazio bocejava, E nenhuma
grama crescia.� --V�luspa, verso 3
No princ�pio, como contam as profetizas, n�o havia nada, apenas o vazio � o
Ginnungagap. Ao Norte, estava o mundo inferior, Niflheim; ao Sul, Muspelheim, um
mundo de chamas. Um rio separava esses dois mundos. Na fonte de gelo onde os dois
mundos se encontravam, nasceu Ymir, o gigante hermafrodita, alimentado pela vaca
Audumla, tamb�m nascida do gelo. Audumla lambeu o sal das pedras e, fazendo isso,
deu vida � ra�a dos gigantes, que, por sua vez, deram vida aos primeiros Aesires:
Odin, Vili e Ve, que mataram o gigante Ymir. A carne de Ymir se tornou a terra
s�lida; seu sangue, os lagos e o mar; seus ossos, as montanhas; seu cr�nio, o c�u;
seu cabelo, as �rvores. Fagulhas de Muspelheim criaram as estrelas no firmamento.
Sol, a filha de um gigante, fugiu em sua carruagem, perseguida pelo lobo Sk�ll e
precedida pelo lobo
Hatti, que perseguia Mani, a lua, irm�o de Sol, assim como a noite precede o dia.
Nesse novo mundo, a partir do tronco de um freixo e outro de um olmeiro, os Aesires
deram origem ao primeiro casal humano: Ask e Embla. O pr�prio Odin lhes deu o sopro
da vida. Os Aesires e Vanires Outra fam�lia de deuses, os Vanires, habitava o novo
mundo. Na alvorada dos tempos, ocorreu uma guerra entre os Aesires e os Vanires,
talvez devido � tortura infligida pelos Aesires a um dos Vanires: Gullveig, uma
feiticeira obcecada por ouro. As duas fam�lias divinas se reconciliaram ap�s uma
troca de ref�ns e, desde ent�o, Aesires e Vanires vivem juntos e em harmonia em
Asgard. Os Vanires representam os deuses primordiais e elementares da fertilidade e
adivinha��o. Eles n�o est�o sujeitos �s leis dos Aesires.
Yggdrasill e os Nove Mundos �Eu conhe�o o freixo que se ergue chamado
Yggdrasill, ...que cresce eternamente verde sobre a fonte de Wyrd.� --V�luspa,
verso 19
Yggdrasill, o freixo gigante, a �rvore-Mundo, cujos ramos dominam os c�us, � o
eixo do mundo, o Axis Mundi. Tr�s nascentes erguem-se de suas
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tr�s ra�zes profundas. Uma est� em Asgard, a morada dos Aesires: o po�o de Wyrd,
onde habitam as Nornas; A outra est� em Midgard, o mundo dos homens: a fonte de
Mimir, o gigante que possui todo o conhecimento do mundo; A terceira est� em
Niflheim, Reino dos Mortos: a fonte de Hvergelmir, de onde fluem todos os rios. Os
Aesires realizam sua thing � sua assembleia � aos p�s da Yggdrasill, no po�o de
Wyrd. Yggdrasill, o Axis Mundi, est� no cora��o dos Nove Mundos. Tamb�m � chamada
de Mimameid, a �rvore de Mimir. O esquilo Ratatosk sobe e desce o tronco de
Yggdrasill levando mensagens da perspicaz �guia Hraesvelg, cujas asas criam os
ventos que varrem o mundo, at� Nidhogg, o drag�o que r�i as ra�zes de Hvergelmir,
onde habitam as serpentes. Foi em um dos galhos de Yggdrasill que Odin sacrificou-
se e ficou pendurado por nove dias, trespassado por uma lan�a, para aprender o
segredo das runas. Yggdrasill est� sempre ligada ao Destino e � eterna natureza dos
Nove Mundos, resumidos abaixo e que ser�o detalhados no primeiro suplemento de
Yggdrasill. Midgard Midgard � o reino dos seres humanos. Seu nome quer dizer �lugar
do meio�. Tamb�m � chamado de Mannheim, o mundo conhecido e habitado pelo homem. A
Escandin�via � parte de Midgard. Asgard Asgard, o �lugar dos Aesires�, localiza-se
em uma plan�cie sempre verde. L� est� Gladsheim, o sublime lar dos deuses. Odin e
os onze deuses principais encontram-se aqui quando ele ordena. Asgard � cercada por
Midgard e alcan�ada por Bifrost, a Ponte Arco-�ris. O Valhalla, o Sal�o dos Mortos,
fica em Gladsheim. Utgard Este � o �lugar externo� � n�o apenas o mundo exterior, o
Grande Oceano Primordial, mas tamb�m um lugar perigoso, estranho e pouco conhecido,
onde a grande serpente de Midgard habita (conhecida como Midgarddorm ou
Jormungand). Essa grandiosa criatura mant�m o mundo unido, segurando seu rabo com a
boca, envolvendo Midgard e Asgard e mantendo-os juntos. Por�m, ela causar� grande
desastre durante o Ragnar�k, quando deixar� de morder o pr�prio rabo. Aqui tamb�m
se encontra Jotunheim, a terra dos gigantes (os jotnar) e suas cidadelas sob o mar.
Utgard e Jotunheim s�o separados pelo rio Ifing.
Nif lheim Este � o lar dos mortos, aqueles que morreram de velhice ou doen�as, um
mundo de n�voas e escurid�o. Essas s�o terras g�lidas que existiam antes mesmo do
mundo ser feito. Hel, deusa dos mortos e filha de Loki, reina aqui em sua cidade de
Eljudnir.
Vanaheim Os Vanires, deuses antigos, habitam Vanaheim, quando n�o est�o vivendo com
os Aesires em Asgard. Vanaheim � um para�so terrestre, verde e
A primeira trai��o dos deuses A cria��o de Asgard foi tumultuosa. Ap�s a
batalha entre os Aesires e os Vanires, um gigante apareceu e fez uma proposta aos
deuses: no intervalo de tr�s invernos ele poderia criar Asgard, um reino
fortificado que resistiria �s invas�es dos gigantes de gelo e das montanhas. Ele
queria como pagamento a deusa Freya, o sol e a lua. Ap�s uma assembleia, os deuses
concordaram, por sugest�o de Loki, na condi��o de que o reino seria constru�do em
um inverno e que o gigante n�o utilizasse nenhuma ajuda al�m de seu garanh�o
m�gico, Svadilfari (Desastre). A constru��o prosseguiu rapidamente gra�as ao cavalo
e os deuses disseram a Loki que encontrasse um jeito de quebrar a promessa,
acusando-o por ter insistido para que o gigante tivesse ajuda do cavalo. Amea�ado
de morte, naquela noite, Loki, na forma de uma graciosa �gua, distraiu o garanh�o
de seu trabalho at� o amanhecer. O furioso gigante confrontou Thor, que partiu
seu cr�nio. Assim os deuses usaram Loki para quebrar sua promessa. Ap�s aquela
noite, Loki deu a luz a um potro cinza de oito patas chamado Sleipnir (aquele que
desliza), futura montaria de Odin. Essa trai��o, a recusa de honrar uma promessa
e tentar enganar o Destino, levar� � condena��o dos deuses e ao Ragnar�k.
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cheio de jogos. Alguns dizem que aqui encontram-se as macieiras de Iduna, cujos
frutos concedem a juventude eterna dos deuses. Alfheim Alfheim � o legend�rio mundo
dos alfar, os elfos da luz, criaturas luminosas e divindades menores dos Vanires.
Eles est�o sob a tutela de Frey e est�o vinculados � fertilidade e ao culto dos
esp�ritos da natureza. Eles raramente aparecem aos mortais, mas h� hist�rias de
amor entre humanos e alfar; certamente reis lend�rios j� clamaram esta
ancestralidade. Os rituais de sacrif�cios no equin�cio do outono, os alfablot, s�o
dedicados a eles. Nidavellir O reino dos dvergar, ou an�es, (quase sempre
confundidos com os svartalfar ou elfos negros) fica debaixo da terra e pouco sabe-
se sobre ele. Lendas concordam que nas profundezas est�o os grandes sal�es de ouro
dos famosos dvergar. � dito que est�o abaixo das Montanhas Negras, ao Norte, tamb�m
lar do drag�o Nidhogg. Svartalfheim O reino dos elfos negros (os Svartalfar ou
Dokkalfar) � pr�ximo ao dos dvergar. Como os an�es, os elfos negros tamb�m est�o
vinculados � morte, cad�veres, t�mulos e, �s vezes, pesadelos.
Muspelheim ou Muspell Neste reino de fogo, que remete ao in�cio do mundo, vivem os
dem�nios de fogo. Eles est�o sob as ordens de um jotun, Surtur, o gigante que ir�
desencadear ondas de fogo em Bifrost, a Ponte Arco-�ris, e conquistar� a vit�ria na
batalha contra o deus Vanir Frey, durante o Ragnar�k.
Os Deuses de Asgard
A Tr�ade Aesir Odin, Senhor dos Aesires �Eu sei que eu fui suspenso na �rvore
fustigada pelo vento por nove noites inteiras, ferido pela lan�a ...eu olhei para
baixo, eu peguei as runas, Peguei-as gritando, E, ent�o, eu ca�.� -- Havamal, verso
139 Odin n�o � apenas o rei, mas tamb�m o pai dos deuses de Asgard, governando de
seu trono em Gladsheim, de onde observa a a��o de todos os outros deuses. Um homem
velho, sem um olho, com longos cabelos e uma barba cinzenta, Odin � envolto por um
manto azul ou preto e esconde seus tra�os sob um chap�u de abas largas. Seu �nico
olho brilha com todo o conhecimento do mundo. Dois corvos, Hugin e Munin
(Pensamento e Mem�ria), empoleiram-se em seus ombros e viajam pelo mundo ao
amanhecer para reportar a Odin tudo o que viram. Dois lobos, Geri (Voraz) e Freki
(Glut�o), tamb�m o acompanham e ele os alimenta com a comida que lhe � dada, j� que
Odin consome apenas vinho. Odin � mais temido do que venerado. Ele � um deus
amb�guo, tem�vel e perigoso, com muitos aspectos: � Ele est� acima de toda a
soberania dos Aesires e Vanires. � o mais velho e pai de quase todos os outros. Seu
trono, Hlidskjalf, de onde examina todo o mundo, fica em Gladsheim, seu dom�nio em
Valhalla, o Sal�o dos Mortos. Os outros onze grandes deuses regularmente encontram-
se aqui com Odin para governar e tomar decis�es, ou apenas para festejar. � A lan�a
de Odin, Gungnir, e seu bracelete de ouro, Draupnir, s�o os principais s�mbolos de
seu poder. � Odin � o deus dos que morreram em combate. � ele quem conduz as almas
com seu cavalo de oito patas, Sleipnir, o garanh�o cinza. Ele envia suas filhas, as
Valkyrias, para escolher os mais valorosos guerreiros nos campos de batalha e
escolt�-los at� o
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Valhalla. Durante as doze noites antes do Yule, ele atravessa o c�u por dentro das
nuvens, seguido por um ex�rcito de esp�ritos e Valkyrias, sua horda selvagem. No
sal�o dos mortos, Valhalla, ele d� as boas vindas a seus s�ditos favoritos,
aqueles que morreram em batalha e foram trazidos pelas Valkyrias. Esses s�o os
einherjar, �guerreiros �nicos�, aqueles que comem da carne do javali Saehrimnir,
que se torna inteiro de novo todo dia, e bebem o hidromel das tetas da cabra
Heidrun, que vive no telhado. Sob o olhar atento de Odin, eles lutam o dia inteiro
e, �s vezes, s�o mortos, mas s�o trazidos de volta � vida para banquetear toda
noite e esperar o Ragnar�k. Assim, eles estar�o ao lado dos deuses para lutar
contra o lobo Fenris e as for�as da destrui��o. Como um necromante, Odin pode falar
com os mortos e roubar o conhecimento daqueles que foram enforcados. � Deus da
vit�ria, mas n�o da guerra, Odin n�o luta. Ele decide o rumo de uma batalha com sua
ast�cia e conhecimento. Os meios necess�rios n�o lhe interessam; apenas os
resultados contam. Trai��o, tortura, nada o incomoda. Ele incita o �dio e a
destrui��o. Tamb�m � conhecido como o deus da f�ria, Yggr o Tem�vel. Seus
guerreiros sagrados, os berserkers, entram em um �xtase furioso na batalha,
tornando-se insens�veis � dor e aos ferimentos. � Odin � um grande estrategista, um
g�nio t�tico. Por conta de seus conhecimentos (ele inventou a forma��o em cunha), �
o fundador de muitas dinastias humanas. � um deus aristocrata, instru�do e
refinado. � Odin tamb�m � deus do conhecimento e intelig�ncia. Ele sacrificou um de
seus olhos para beber da fonte de Mimir e ganhar sabedoria. Tamb�m � o Aesir que
mais conhece a magia. Como deus da intelig�ncia, ele tamb�m � o deus dos
comerciantes, dos negociantes e dos mercadores. � Mestre de toda a magia, Odin � o
deus da galdr, a magia de encantamento. Com Freya, dos Vanires, ele aprendeu a
seidr, a magia ext�tica. Al�m disso, � o deus das runas e as obteve por meio de um
doloroso sacrif�cio, pendurado na Yggdrasill por nove dias. Ele tamb�m � um
metamorfo e pode assumir qualquer forma humana ou animal. � Odin tamb�m � o deus da
poesia. Na forma de uma �guia, ele roubou dos gigantes o hidromel dos skalds,
criado pelos an�es, que d� inspira��o a quem o beber. Odin continua sendo um deus
imposs�vel de se compreender totalmente. � imposs�vel confiar nele: ele est� em
constante movimento, viajando, mudando de forma e apar�ncia, indo do amig�vel ao
hostil, t�o mut�vel quanto o vento.
Alguns heiti comuns para Odin Yggr: o Tem�vel Fraridr: o Andarilho Sidgrani: Barbas
Longas Harbard: Barba Cinza Fimbulthul: o Grande Thulr Hangagud/Hangatyr: o Deus
Enforcado Hroptatyr: o Leiloeiro Sigtyr: o Que Assegura a Vit�ria Valfodr: Pai dos
Mortos em Combate Baleyg: Olho Flamejante Bileyg: Olho Perdido Grimnir: O Mascarado
Fjolnir: Metamorfo Fjolsvid: o Que Tudo V� Oski: Deus dos Desejos Ud: Amado
Hrafnagud: Deus Corvo Farmatyr: Deus das Cargas Vidrir: o Vento Itens de Odin
Gungnir, sua lan�a, cravejada de runas, um s�mbolo que consagra todas as criaturas
a Odin, trespassando-as ou passando acima de suas cabe�as. Draupnir, seu bracelete,
colocado na pira de Balder. Seus fi�is corvos Hugin e Munin, seus dois lobos Geri e
Freki. Seu corcel de oito patas, Sleipnir. A cabe�a de Mimir, que prev� o futuro.
Thor, o Matador de Gigantes
�... Ele entornou o caldeir�o, Girou o Mjolnir Contra os sanguin�rios, Os monstros
do deserto, Todos ele matou.� --Hymiskvida, verso 36
Thor � o deus mais amado entre os N�rdicos. Uma encarna��o do trov�o e o deus da
guerra, guiando sua biga puxada pelos dois carneiros, Tanngnjostr (�Dente-
amolador�) e Tanngrisnir (�Dente-exposto�), grande e imponente, sua barba vermelha
brilha e seus olhos s�o flamejantes. Thor � filho de Odin e Jord, a Terra. Thor
porta o Mjolnir, um martelo forjado pelos an�es: ele � indestrut�vel e sempre
retorna para sua m�o. Usando um cintur�o e luvas de for�a, a for�a f�sica de Thor �
inigual�vel. Thor �, acima de tudo, o deus da for�a e do combate, o defensor dos
deuses, o matador de gigantes, protetor de Asgard e quem matar� Jormungand no
Ragnar�k.
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Thor tamb�m tem muitos aspectos, embora seja menos amb�guo que seu pai, Odin, e
muito mais reverenciado pelos mortais: � Thor � o deus da for�a. Suas batalhas
contra os gigantes s�o contadas e recontadas nas sagas e ele sempre � veloz usando
seu martelo. Ningu�m � mais forte que ele, ele n�o tem rivais, Thor acaba logo com
seus inimigos, sejam eles homens ou deuses. � Thor � valente, confi�vel, leal e tem
o pavio curto. � pouco sofisticado, mas amig�vel e simp�tico. � um grande beber�o e
um grande glut�o, ansioso para lutar, embora sempre defenda a paz. Ele � um deus
pr�ximo aos homens.
Draupnir Draupnir, �o que goteja�, foi criado por dois dvergar, Brokk e Sindri (ou
Eitri). A cada nove dias, oito outros braceletes gotejam dele, cada um
aparentemente id�ntico ao original, exceto que das c�pias n�o gotejam outros
braceletes. Odin colocou Draupnir na pira funer�ria de seu filho Balder e foi o
irm�o de Balder, Hermod, quem juntou suas cinzas. Odin n�o �, necessariamente, o
dono de Draupnir.
Heiti e Kennings
A poesia dos Skald tem dois meios diferentes de mudar as palavras referentes a
pessoas e objetos: heiti, que substitui o nome da pessoa ou objeto por outro com um
significado similar (ou seja, um sin�nimo), e kenning, que � um jeito mais extenso
de descrever uma pessoa ou objeto (�s vezes, como uma met�fora). Exemplos: Yggr (�O
Tem�vel�) � um heiti, ou sin�nimo, de Odin; �L�grimas de Freya� � um kenning, ou
met�fora, que se refere a ouro (de acordo com a mitologia N�rdica, Freya chorava
ouro). Claro, os deuses com mais heiti s�o os mais famosos das can��es dos skald;
Odin � o que mais possui. Mas isso n�o quer dizer que esses sejam os deuses mais
populares entre as pessoas.
� Ele � um deus benevolente. � O rel�mpago e o trov�o de Thor trazem a chuva, um
s�mbolo de fertilidade. Ele � invocado em casamentos e seu martelo � um s�mbolo de
b�n��os. Seus carneiros s�o seu alimento, mas ele os traz de volta � vida
aben�oando seus restos com o Mjolnir. Por conta de sua vitalidade transbordante,
Thor � um deus da vida e o filho da Terra. Ele representa o homem comum, o
campon�s, o N�rdico, simples e direto. Alguns heiti comuns para Thor
Fulltrui: Amigo Certo Einheri: Guerreiro Solit�rio Jotnafellir: Matador de Gigantes
Hafradrottin: Senhor dos Carneiros Hloridi: o Andarilho Barulhento Vingthor: Thor
que Brande (seu martelo) Ennilang: o de Testa Larga Itens de Thor Mjolnir:
�triturador� ou �rel�mpago�, um martelo de cabo curto criado pelos an�es. Sempre
retorna para a m�o do deus. Ele tamb�m tem um Cintur�o da For�a e as Manoplas de
Ferro que o permitem empunhar o martelo facilmente. Tyr, o deus das leis �Ainda h�
um dentre os Aesires chamado Tyr. Ele � valente e o mais corajoso, e tinha poder
sobre a vit�ria na batalha. � bom para os bravos homens invoc�-lo.� --
Gylfaginning, verso 25 Tyr, embora muitas vezes n�o seja reconhecido pelos Skalds,
� um ser primordial e criador dos homens. Seu pr�prio nome quer dizer �deus�. Um
guerreiro valente, ele lidera a thing e mant�m a paz sobre o mundo at� a hora do
Ragnar�k, quando ele lutar� contra o lobo Fenris, apesar de ter perdido sua m�o
direita. Tyr � o legitimo deus da guerra, lutando de maneira justa e de acordo com
as regras � diferente de Odin. O bravo Tyr � o �nico deus que ousou alimentar o
lobo Fenris e sacrificou sua m�o direita para reparar as mentiras dos deuses e
manter a paz no mundo. Alguns heiti comuns para Tyr Einhindi As: o Deus Maneta
19
A Tr�ade Vanir Njord, Anci�o dos Vanires �As montanhas me repugnam, N�o fiquei
muito tempo ali N�o mais que nove noites. O uivo dos lobos me parece horr�vel
comparado ao canto dos cisnes.� --Gylfaginning, verso 23 Deus reverenciado por
pescadores e navegantes, Njord controla o vento, o mar e o fogo. Ele � rico e
protege as terras e pertences dos homens que o veneram. Njord vive em Noatun
(�lugar de navios�), no mar, o que torna a vida dif�cil para sua esposa Skadi,
filha do gigante Thjazi, que prefere as montanhas Njord � o pai dos g�meos Frey e
Freya, que ele gerou com uma de suas irm�s, j� que o incesto n�o � proibido entre
os Vanires. Frey, o Senhor dos Vanires �Diga-me Frey, Pr�ncipe dos Deuses: Por que
te sentas sozinho, meu Senhor, durante todo o dia Com o cora��o pesado em tua sala?
� -- Skirnismal, verso 3 O filho de Njord, g�meo de Freya e tamb�m seu amante,
Frey, � o mais adorado dos Vanires e o segundo entre os deuses N�rdicos. Luminoso
deus das vegeta��es, da primavera, da fertilidade, da fecunda��o e da colheita, ele
tamb�m � o pr�ncipe dos alfar e vive em Alfheim. Ele traz paz
Thor � casado com a bela Sif, que era um pouco orgulhosa de seus longos, lustrosos
e dourados cabelos. Certa noite, Loki raspou a cabe�a dela e os roubou. Quando
Thor, furioso, o amea�ou com seu martelo, Loki jurou que compensaria seu ato. Ele
pediu aos dvergar para ajud�-lo a substituir o cabelo da indignada deusa por uma
cascata de ouro. Eis a origem do kenning �Cabelo de Sif�, que se refere a ouro. �s
vezes, a fidelidade de Sif � testada por Odin ou Loki.
e prosperidade. � um deus navegante. Seu navio m�gico, Skidbladnir, foi constru�do
pelos dvergar e Frey pode dobr�-lo e guardar em seu bolso. Sua biga � puxada pelo
javali Gullinbursti (�Juba d�Ouro�), que ganha de qualquer cavalo em corrida na
terra ou no mar e cujas cerdas brilham com uma luz dourada, capaz de iluminar a
mais escura das escurid�es. Ele tamb�m cavalga seu cavalo Blodughofi (�Cascos
Sangrentos�). Frey governa os ritos de fecundidade e os casamentos sagrados. At�
mesmo seu casamento com a gigante Gerd, obtido por meio da for�a, � um s�mbolo da
uni�o do deus da fertilidade com a terra fecunda. Itens de Frey Skidbladnir: seu
bote m�gico Gullinbursti: seu javali Blodughofi: seu corcel
Os deuses originalmente acolheram o filho de Loki, o lobo Fenris, em Asgard; mas,
na medida em que ele crescia, tornava-se muito perigoso, at� que apenas Tyr ousava
aliment�-lo. Os deuses decidiram prender Fenris, mas nenhuma corda continha a for�a
da besta. Odin pediu que Skirnir, servo de Frey, fosse aos an�es e pedisse que
criassem uma corda m�gica indestrut�vel. A corrente, conhecida como Gleipnir,
parecia fraca � primeira vista, pois era composta de seis materiais improv�veis: os
passos de um gato, a barba de uma mulher, as ra�zes de uma montanha, os tend�es de
um urso, o sopro de um peixe e o cuspe de uma ave. Os deuses trouxeram Fenris a uma
ilha chamada Lyngvi, no lago Amsvartnir, e pediram que ele testasse a nova
corrente, sugerindo que, se ele n�o conseguisse se livrar, n�o seria mais
considerado uma amea�a e poderia ser livre. Fenris n�o confiava neles e exigiu que
um dos deuses colocasse a m�o em sua boca como um sinal de boa f�. Percebendo o que
isso significava, Tyr aceitou e sacrificou sua m�o direita. E, at� agora, Fenris
foi incapaz de quebrar sua amarras.
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
20
Freya, a Senhora da Beleza �Folkvang � chamado, O lugar onde Freya decide Os que
ficam em seu sal�o. Dos que morrem em combate, Metade fica com ela; A outra metade,
com Odin.� -- Gylfaginning, verso 24

Freya, filha de Njord, g�mea e amante de Frey, �, acima de tudo, a deusa do amor e
da beleza. Ela � a mais bela e mais libertina das deusas e todos os deuses e
gigantes a desejam. Os Skalds a celebram constantemente. Freya possui uma fabulosa
joia forjada pelos an�es: o resplandecente colar de ouro Brisingamen, que muitos
cobi�am. No entanto, ela n�o seria uma das mais importantes divindades N�rdicas se
fosse limitada apenas ao dom�nio da beleza e do amor: � Freya, como seu irm�o, est�
vinculada � fecundidade, � fertilidade, aos casamentos, aos nascimentos e tamb�m �
morte. Ela � frequentemente reverenciada durante partos. � Freya tamb�m � uma
feiticeira. Ela criou a magia ext�tica chamada de seidr e a ensinou a Odin. Freya
extrai seus poderes dos mortos e pode prever o futuro. Algumas vezes chamada de
�Dis (ou deusa) dos Vanires� (veja abaixo mais em deusa Disir), Freya pode se
transformar em um falc�o. � Freya tem uma carruagem puxada por dois gatos. Como
deusa da guerra, ela partilha todos os mortos em batalha com Odin, de quem � muito
pr�xima e, �s vezes, amante. Freya tamb�m monta um javali de pelos dourados,
Hildisvini (�Su�no de Batalha�), similar ao de Frey. Assim Freya, reina sobre
muitos dom�nios: amor e guerra, fertilidade e magia negra, vida e morte. Alguns
heiti comuns para Freya Mardoll: Iluminadora do Mar Horn: Linho Gefn: A Doadora
Vanadis: A Dis (�Dama�) dos Vanires Itens de Freya O Colar Brisingamen A Carruagem
puxada por dois gatos O javali de pelos dourados, Hildisvini (�Su�no de Batalha�)
Outros deuses Maiores Frigga, a Amada �A Oeste de Valhalla, h� um pequeno arbusto
Que � chamado de Visco. Pareceu-me muito jovem Para eu tomar seu juramento.� --
Gylfaginning, verso 49 A esposa de Odin (e m�e de Balder e Hoder), Frigga (tamb�m
conhecida como Frigg), � a deusa do amor conjugal. Ela, sozinha, pode sentar-se no
trono de Odin. Por isso, possui o dom da profecia, mas nunca fala o que v�. Ela � a
m�e de tudo, a esposa, a guardi� do lar e preside casamentos e nascimentos junto de
Freya. Frigga � cercada por uma corte de deusas menores que a servem. O apego de
Frigga a seu filho, Balder, que ela tentou salvar da morte inevit�vel com todas as
for�as, � o exemplo perfeito do amor maternal. O lar de Frigga � o Fensalir
(�Sal�es do Brejo�), onde muitas vezes ela habita, bebendo com Odin e girando as
nuvens. Alguns heiti comuns para Frigga Hlyn: Protetora Saga: Profetiza Heimdall
�Ele pode ouvir a grama crescer na terra Ou a l� sob o carneiro, E toda coisa que
faz barulho maior.� -- Gylfaginning, verso 27 Heimdall � o vigia dos deuses. Seu
lar � onde Bifrost, a Ponte Arco-�ris, toca o c�u. Dia e noite, ele protege o
acesso � Ponte contra os gigantes das montanhas. Ele escuta tudo e pode ver a mais
de uma centena de milhas. Ele precisa estar sempre atento: ao primeiro sinal do
Ragnar�k, ele tocar� sua trombeta, Gjallarhorn (�Chifre-Berrante�). Ningu�m sabe se
Heimdall � Aesir ou Vanir. Seus la�os familiares s�o misteriosos e ele diz que �
filho de nove m�es e � irm�o de nove irm�s. Talvez seja filho de Odin com as nove
Donzelas das Ondas, filhas de Aegir. Heimdall � o mais brilhante dos deuses. Seu
cavalo � chamado Gulltopp (�Crina de Ouro�) e seu animal favorito � o carneiro. �
ele quem recuperou o colar Brisingamen quando Loki o roubou. Heimdall, ao lado de
Odin e Thor, protege o mundo contra a destrui��o. Loki � seu inimigo e
21
eles est�o destinados a lutar um contra o outro na batalha final. Alguns heiti
comuns para Heimdall Gullintanni: Dentes de ouro Hvitti As: O Aesir Branco
Hallinskidi: Chifres Curvos (carneiro) Atributos Seu chifre, Gjallarhorn (�Chifre-
Berrante�) Seu cavalo, Gulltopp (�Crina de Ouro�)
Loki
�Loki � belo ao olhar, Mas seu esp�rito � maligno E seu temperamento, mut�vel. Ele
supera todos os homens na ci�ncia Da ast�cia e da mal�cia. Ele sempre causa grandes
males aos Aesires, Mas, muitas vezes, ele os salvou Por meio de suas artimanhas.�
-- Gylfaginning, verso 33 Cruel e astuto, Loki � o mais problem�tico entre os
deuses. Ele � a origem dos infort�nios, pai do lobo Fenris, da Serpente de Midgard
e da deusa do submundo, Hel. Ele usa toda a sua intelig�ncia e ast�cia para fazer
truques maliciosos com os outros deuses. Mas Loki n�o � um deus do mal; na verdade,
ele � um agitador semelhante a Odin, de quem � irm�o de sangue e com quem partilha
algumas semelhan�as, como a ambival�ncia e a ast�cia. No entanto, algumas fontes
dizem que Loki causou a morte de Balder e insultou os outros deuses. Agora, ele
est� acorrentado acima de tr�s pedras pontiagudas, enquanto o veneno de uma
serpente pinga sobre ele. Sua esposa, Sigyn, segura um prato para juntar o veneno e
proteg�-lo, mas, toda vez que ela vai esvaziar, Loki tem espasmos de dor que fazem
a terra tremer.
Loki comandou os dvergar, os an�es, para criarem os seguintes itens m�gicos: � A
Lan�a Gungnir e o bracelete Draupnir para Odin. � O navio e o javali de ouro de
Frey � O martelo Mjolnir de Thor � O cabelo de ouro de Sif Alguns heiti comuns para
Loki Lopt: Ar, Vento Hvedhrung: Espumante
Balder, o Valente �Eu vi Balder, O deus ensanguentado, Filho de Odin, Seu destino
secreto selado.� -- V�luspa, verso 32 Filho de Odin e Frigg e esposo de Nanna, a
Brava, Balder era o mais s�bio e o mais calmo dos deuses. Ele morava em Beidablik,
a mais pura casa celestial, e seria um guerreiro formid�vel, mas foi morto por seu
irm�o, Hoder, o Cego, guiado pela maldade de Loki. Balder � o deus que foi
sacrificado antes do Ragnar�k. Os Aesires lhe deram um grandioso funeral e
queimaram o corpo de Balder em seu navio, Hrighorni. Nanna, sua esposa, morreu de
tristeza e foi colocada em sua pira funer�ria. Odin p�s seu bracelete de ouro sob
seu corpo ap�s sussurrar ao ouvido do filho; a montaria de Balder tamb�m foi
sacrificada. Thor consagrou a tudo, erguendo seu martelo, e o navio flamejante foi
lan�ado ao mar, diante dos deuses reunidos. Foi pedido � deusa Hel que Balder
retornasse ao mundo dos vivos, mas, para isso, ela disse que toda a cria��o deveria
chorar pela morte de Balder. Uma gigante, Thokk, recusou-se. Ela era, � claro, Loki
disfar�ado � e ele havia dado a palavra final para a demanda de Hel:
Sonhos de morte atormentavam Balder. Ele os contou aos outros deuses e seu pai,
Odin, consultou uma profetiza da morte para saber o que poderia acontecer a seu
filho. Muito perturbada, sua m�e, Frigga, viajou por toda a cria��o, coletando e
criando juramentos de que nada poderia ferir seu filho. Agora, invulner�vel, ele
come�ou um est�pido jogo com os outros deuses, que o atacavam com armas e lhe
arremessavam coisas, sem conseguirem feri-lo. Infelizmente, Frigga havia se
esquecido de incluir um ramo de visco quando ela coletava os juramentos para
Balder, achando-o muito jovem para oferecer perigo. Assim que Loki descobriu isso,
ele o cortou e o transformou em um dardo. Ent�o, convenceu Hoder a se juntar aos
outros deuses que estavam brincando com seu irm�o e o visgo perfurou o cora��o de
Balder.
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
22
�Thokk chorou L�grimas secas... ... Deixe Hel ter o que lhe pertence!� --
Gylfaginning verso 49
Balder e Nanna agora residem nos dom�nios de Hel. Hel �Abaixo da terra Outro
corvo canta Um p�ssaro vermelho-ferrugem Nos sal�es de Hel.� -- V�luspa, verso 43
Hel, filha de Loki e da gigante Angrboda, � a deusa do mundo sombrio, onde vivem
os mortos n�o escolhidos por Freya ou Odin. O reino de Hel n�o � um local de
puni��es, mas de n�voa e gelo, a �ltima morada dos mortos. Os estupradores, os
mentirosos e os ladr�es s�o punidos em Niflheim, fora do sal�o de Hel. Todos que
entram nos dom�nios de Hel n�o podem partir nunca mais; como o rio Gjoll, correndo
da nascente Hvelrgelmir, circunda seus dom�nios, a entrada � guardada por um lobo
monstruoso, da mesma ra�a que Fenris, e uma gigante, Modgud, que pergunta �queles
que desejam atravessar a ponte, coberta com telhado de ouro, Gjallarbru, o que eles
s�o e por que desejam adentrar os dom�nios de Hel. Dali, a estrada que leva aos
dom�nios de Hel desce para o norte. Hel � uma figura monstruosa, com a pele azul e
preta. Ela recebe seus convidados em seu imenso sal�o, Eljudnir. L�, intrusos ficam
cara a cara com seus ancestrais mortos. Os criminosos s�o devorados pelo drag�o
Nidhogg, ao sul do Reino dos Mortos, em Nastrond, a �Costa dos Cad�veres�. �L�
Nidhogg suga O sangue dos mortos.� -- V�luspa, verso 39 O pr�prio Odin designou Hel
como a absoluta governanta deste reino e somente ela pode decidir deixar algu�m
partir de seu dom�nio. Ela recusou-se libertar Balder, apesar dos apelos
desesperados de Frigga.
As deusas Disires
As Disires s�o divindades femininas da fertilidade, morte ou destino. Dis
significa �senhora�, ent�o,
Freya � conhecida como Vanadis, ou �Senhora dos Vanires�. Apesar de numerosas e
raramente nomeadas, as Disires s�o divindades maiores, a quem sacrif�cios s�o
ofertados no in�cio do inverno. Dois tipos de Disires s�o de particular
import�ncia: as Nornas, e as Valkyrias. As Nornas �Ningu�m sobrevive � noite Quando
as Nornas decretam.� -- Hamdismal, verso 30
As Nornas s�o muitas e elas presidem o destino de cada mortal. As mais
conhecidas, por decidirem o destino do mundo e dos deuses, s�o as tr�s irm�s: Wyrd,
Verdandi e Skuld. Elas vivem aos p�s de Yggdrasill e tecem o futuro do mundo,
parando apenas para cuidar da �rvore e certificando-se de que ela n�o apodre�a.
Elas vivem em um sal�o pr�ximo ao Po�o do Destino. Juntas, as tr�s representam o
destino e o fluxo do tempo. As Valkyrias �N�o te atentes para o ar Quando estiveres
em batalha.� -- Havamal, verso 129 A palavra Valkyria literalmente significa
�seletora dos mortos em combate�. �s vezes chamadas de filhas de Odin, as Valkyrias
s�o mensageiras dele no campo de batalha. Elas descem voando � procura de
guerreiros valorosos, escolhidos pelo Pai dos Deuses para adentrar ao Valhalla. Se
falham no que s�o ordenadas ou desobedecem � vontade de Odin, as Valkyrias s�o
punidas severamente, tornando-se simples mortais. �s vezes, por�m, suas puni��es
s�o mais severas. A Valkyria Brunhild uma vez escolheu um rei que n�o havia sido
nomeado por Odin, por isso, ela foi condenada a dormir no topo de uma montanha,
cercada por escudos e chamas, at� a hora em que um guerreiro a libertou e a fez sua
esposa.
23
Cultos e Rituais
A religi�o entre os Escandinavos n�o � dogm�tica. Ela n�o se baseia em revela��es,
nem em profecias e nem mesmo h� relatos de ora��es. Existem poucos templos e n�o h�
uma casta organizada de sacerdotes iniciados. O executor dos rituais, o godi, cuida
de santu�rios ao ar livre e garante que os deuses sejam respeitados, mas isso n�o �
uma ocupa��o permanente e um godi pode ser chefe de cl�, jarl ou simplesmente um
chefe de fam�lia. O godi � apenas um intermedi�rio casual entre deuses e homens:
ap�s os ritos, ele retorna a sua ocupa��o habitual. Assim, a �religi�o� N�rdica,
tal como ela �, existe apenas em ritos sociais e sazonais, como casamentos,
funerais e juramentos de lealdade. Blot, ou Ritos de Sacrif�cio A palavra N�rdica
blot est� ligada ao Ingl�s moderno �blood� (sangue) e �blessing� (b�n��o) e
significa �sacrif�cio� � exatamente o que consta que os ritos sazonais eram.
Geralmente realizados em equin�cios e solst�cios, os tr�s ritos principais s�o: �
Em meados de outubro, durante as �Noites de Inverno�, ou vetrnaetr (veja a caixa de
texto), o fim da colheita � celebrado com o sacrif�cio de outono. �s vezes, ele �
dedicado a Frey, mas tamb�m a criaturas sobrenaturais como os Alfes (o alfablot) ou
as Disires (veja acima) (o disablot). Esses ritos de sacrif�cios s�o sempre ligados
a encontros excepcionais da thing. � No meio do inverno, durante o solst�cio, os
Escandinavos celebram o Jol (�Yule�) e um sacrif�cio � feito para as colheitas
futuras. Esse � um rito de fertilidade e fecundidade, endere�ado a todos os deuses,
mas tamb�m de reconhecimento a antepassados perdidos. Muitas liba��es s�o feitas em
mem�ria a eles. � Ao fim de abril, durante as primeiras noites de ver�o, o
sumarblot � feito. Consagrado � guerra, tamb�m � chamado de �Sacrif�cio da Vit�ria�
(o sigrblot); o objetivo � dar for�a aos guerreiros. O nove � um numero sagrado. A
cada nove anos, ritos especiais de sacrif�cios s�o realizados. Sacrif�cios podem
ser feitos a qualquer hora, quando se precisa da boa vontade dos deuses. No
entanto, n�o devem ser feitos em demasia; os deuses podem achar sacrif�cios
irritantes e podem n�o responder se sua ajuda for solicitada a todo instante.

� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o


24
O objetivo dos blots � �compelir� um deus, aumentando seu poder por meio do
sacrif�cio e do sAlthough Otomo Kaoichihime and Otomo Nazeru sought to undermine
the loyalty of the Imperial Guard, their efforts did not make much headway. It was
only when the Seppun saw the Emperor murder his own mother in open court, in the
most monstrously dishonorable fashion imaginable, that they finally turned against
the threat to the Empire that was Hantei XVI. Most of those who did so committed
seppuku soon afterward, for they considered themselves traitors to their own duty.
Since their actions were erased from the later histories of the Empire (along with
the details of Hantei XVI�s reign itself), future generations of Rokugani never
learned the names of these doomed heroes. The Minor Clans
Although some of the Minor Clans fared reasonably well during the era of the Steel
Chrysanthemum, for the most part they stuck to their own lands and stayed out of
the way. Hantei XVI did not see the minor clans as a threat and generally ignored
them, a policy which they wisely did not try to alter. Two clans, however, are
worthy of special mention. The sPaRRoW clan �I cannot stand by as you torture an
innocent man, my lord. I must object! Please, do not do this!� � Last words of
Suzume Kirako Hantei XVI respected the Sparrow Clan from the moment he met one of
their number while traveling through their lands. He motioned for a field worker to
give him directions and was astonished to discover that the �peasant� was wearing a
katana and a samurai topknot. Okucheo was fascinated that the Sparrow samurai
worked alongside their peasants and later made an effort to befriend the daughter
of the Sparrow daimyo himself. Suzume Kirako eventually became one of his advisors,
much to the chagrin of many of the Great Clans, and the Sparrow Clan received more
Imperial support during the reign of Hantei XVI than it ever had before or since.
Kirako spent much of her time traveling the Empire, learning what she could about
conditions in different regions and
helping wherever she could. She was greatly beloved by the common folk, although
often snubbed (as much as they dared) by samurai. However, Kirako�s duties meant
she was largely oblivious to the increasingly horrible realities of Hantei XVI�s
rule, and when she finally encountered his cruelty first-hand she spoke out �
resulting in her death. After Kirako was tortured to death (and declared the
Fortune of Torture), the Sparrow Clan was cut off from all Imperial help.
Thankfully for them, however, the Emperor otherwise forgot about their existence.
The ToRToise clan The Tortoise Clan was largely ignored during the reign of Hantei
XVI, although many of their samurai were recruited into the Steel Magistrates.
Since few pay attention to the movements of Minor Clan samurai, these Magistrates
were able to gain information others could not. Although those samurai perished
when Hantei XVI had the Steel Magistrates purged, the clan was left untouched and
suffered little backlash even after the Emperor�s death � after all, most samurai
already believed them to be dishonorable scum.
Notable Personages of the Steel Chrysanthemum Era
The two angue, for�ando-o a retornar o mesmo poder aos mortais. Realizando um Blot
Os ritos come�am com um sacrif�cio: um ser humano (muito raramente) ou um animal
(vaca, porco, cavalo, �s vezes ovelhas), dependendo de qual deus o suplicante
deseja honrar. O sangue � recolhido em um recipiente para esse prop�sito. O
executor dos ritos, o godi, realiza um press�gio, mergulhando um ramo de salgueiro
no sangue e o aspergindo sobre os participantes, sobre o altar em que o sacrif�cio
foi feito e nas paredes (se for um templo) ou nas pedras em volta (a c�u aberto).
Algumas vezes, o godi coloca peda�os de madeira inscritos com runas sobre os
respingos de sangue, interpretando os significados. Mesmo assim, a aspers�o com
sangue possui maior import�ncia. A terceira parte do rito � o banquete. O jarl
providencia isso e ningu�m mais al�m dele pode trazer comida ou bebida. A carne �
fervida em grandes caldeir�es e consumida por todos os participantes, assim como a
sopa feita no templo (que tamb�m serve como sal�o de banquetes) ou em um local
pr�ximo a ele, conhecido como ve, ou ainda na pr�pria casa do godi. O godi
(normalmente o jarl ou rei) aben�oa os caldeir�es e o recipiente contendo o sangue.
Depois,
consagra seu chifre sobre o fogo antes de beber e passa-o adiante. Os participantes
bebem cerveja e hidromel em grandes quantidades, ao ponto da embriaguez, mas
dedicando cada bebida aos deuses: Odin a princ�pio, para futuras vit�rias e o poder
do cl� ou reino; ent�o Njord e Frey, por fecundidade e paz. Os ancestrais n�o s�o
esquecidos e muitas bebidas s�o oferecidas em honra a eles.
O Festival das Noites de Inverno Por tr�s dias, no fim de Outubro, o in�cio do
inverno � celebrado. Pode parecer estranho celebrar o in�cio de uma esta��o t�o
severa, mas � importante lembrar que este � o fim da esta��o da colheita e tamb�m
do fim dos penosos trabalhos nos campos. O gado � conduzido de volta aos est�bulos
e o excedente que n�o pode ser conservado at� a primavera � abatido para alimentar
o povo. � um tempo de descanso, por isso a celebra��o. Tamb�m � durante essas
noites que Odin corre furiosamente pelos c�us, seguido por suas Valkyrias e uma
hoste de almas dos mortos � a chamada �Ca�ada Selvagem�. A Ca�ada segue tempestades
e � bom n�o estar do lado de fora durante essa �poca, nem mesmo olhar para o c�u.
Muitos andarilhos desafortunados t�m sido carregados com os mortos para nunca mais
voltarem.
Sacrif�cio Humano O sacrif�cio humano � uma realidade, mas n�o � muito comum.
Normalmente, os inimigos s�o sacrificados aos deuses ao fim de uma vit�ria, ou para
garantir uma antes da batalha come�ar. Enforcamentos ritual�sticos podem ser
dedicados a Odin, mas �s vezes as v�timas t�m suas gargantas cortadas antes de
serem imersas em um p�ntano sagrado. Existe ainda um antigo costume escandinavo
que pede a execu��o do pr�prio rei como �ltimo recurso durante per�odos de fome,
para garantir uma boa colheita, para parar uma epidemia ou trazer a paz. No
passado, muitos reis lend�rios de Svithjod tiveram suas gargantas cortadas ou foram
enforcados ou queimados vivos, o que trouxe �s suas terras longos per�odos de
prosperidade. Esse costume pode ser surpreendente, mas n�o se pode esquecer que o
konung, o rei, � escolhido �para um ano fecundo e para paz�. Se ele n�o conseguir
realizar sua fun��o em vida, deve pagar com sua morte! A �guia de Sangue ou Blodorn
Este sacrif�cio especificamente s�dico foi abandonado h� muito tempo na
Escandin�via, mas ainda persiste em alguns lugares por circunst�ncias espec�ficas.
A vitima � amarrada e colocada de bru�os. Dois cortes s�o feitos em suas costas e
suas costelas s�o quebradas. Os pulm�es s�o retirados por esses cortes e dispostos
como asas de �guia. Sem d�vida, esse ritual � dedicado a Odin, como muitos
sacrif�cios humanos; mas, como a crueldade n�o se faz necess�ria em ritos
sacrificais, esse blot, que j� era raro, caiu em desuso.
25
ocasi�o em que heran�as, designa��o de herdeiros e transfer�ncias de poderes s�o
tratadas. A fam�lia bebe em mem�ria ao morto e o skald canta um hino f�nebre.
Somente ap�s essa �ltima cerim�nia � que o herdeiro do morto pode assumir sua nova
posi��o.
Juramentos Sagrados Irm�os de Sangue
Dois homens que desejem entrar neste juramento de irmandade devem jurar sempre
proteger um ao outro, mas tamb�m adotar o papel de irm�o em caso de incidentes
(como doen�as, morte, heran�a e tudo mais que caiba a um irm�o biol�gico cumprir) e
vingar a morte um do outro se necess�rio. Os dois que ser�o irm�os cortam duas
tiras de capim do ch�o e as erguem em forma de um V invertido, sustentado por uma
lan�a. Depois de fazer um corte em seus pulsos e deixar seu sangue pingar na terra
nua, eles devem avan�ar juntos sob o arco de capim e, uma vez do outro lado,
declarar aos deuses que eles s�o irm�os de sangue (fostbraethr).
Locais Sagrados Um local sagrado, tamb�m conhecido como ve, geralmente localiza-se
ao ar livre. A palavra tamb�m pode descrever a morada de um deus; o ve � um
santu�rio em que a ess�ncia e o esp�rito de um deus residem. Por fora, um ve �
marcado por estacas de madeiras de aveleira conectados por uma corda. O mesmo �
feito em qualquer lugar onde haver� um duelo ou tribunal. O templo, ou hof, � raro
e sempre fica pr�ximo a um bosque, monte, p�ntano ou floresta. Os templos s�o
grandes e retangulares e s�o os locais onde os participantes encontram-se para os
banquetes sacrificiais. Nos templos, placas feitas de metais preciosos relacionadas
a votos s�o encontradas em frente a est�tuas feitas de ouro ou prata,
representando a que deuses o templo destina-se, normalmente Odin, Frey e Thor.
Divindades da natureza, como os landvaettir e os mortos, possuem seus pr�prios
lugares de adora��o, localizados em bosques, em frente a �rvores, montes, ou pedras
que acredita-se serem suas casas.
Ritos F�nebres Quando uma pessoa morre, as outras �cuidam� do falecido. Isso
significa fechar seus olhos, boca e nariz com cera para evitar que seu esp�rito
fuja e assombre os vivos. O corpo � lavado, o cabelo arrumado e as unhas cortadas
curtas; cabelos e unhas s�o ent�o queimados, pois as pessoas acreditam que as unhas
das m�os e dos p�s dos mortos ser�o usadas para construir Nagflar, o navio que os
gigantes usar�o para atacar os deuses no Ragnar�k. Ent�o, o corpo � colocado em um
ata�de e um buraco � feito na parte de tr�s da casa do falecido, para que seu
esp�rito possa deix�-la. Esse buraco � fechado logo em seguida.
Homens importantes s�o enterrados em montes nas terras da Dinamarca, mas em
Svithjod e na Noruega eles s�o geralmente cremados. Se enterrado em um monte, bote
ou um navio maior, o morto � posto em posi��o fetal com suas armas, sua roupa mais
fina e seus pertences mais preciosos em sua volta. �s vezes, seu cavalo ou animal
de estima��o preferido podem segui-lo na morte. Quando uma pessoa importante morre,
seus escravos s�o sacrificados para servi-lo na p�s-vida. Ent�o, tudo � enterrado
ou cremado em uma pira, para que o morto leve seus pertences com ele. Uma pedra com
runas � colocada no monte para indicar a localiza��o da tumba.
Os mais pobres contentam-se com uma cova coberta por pedras, �s vezes gravadas. O
banquete f�nebre, conhecido como sjaund (literalmente, �cerveja do funeral�),
geralmente acontece uma semana ap�s os ritos f�nebres. Essa � a
Existem muitos exemplos famosos de irm�os de sangue nas sagas. Os mais
famosos s�o Gunnar e Hogni, que fizeram seus juramentos com Sigurd. Hjalmar o her�i
sueco, fez seu juramento com o noruegu�s Orvar-Oddr (na saga Hervagar). Lendas
contam que Odin e Loki tamb�m eram irm�os de sangue.
� Sombra de Yggdrasill Mitos e Religi�o
26
Imagine que voc� � uma �guia. Uma majestosa ave de rapina, um mestre incontest�vel
dos c�us, fazendo seu ninho nas montanhas mais altas da Noruega. Ou melhor, imagine
que o poderoso Odin lhe permitiu cavalgar Sleipnir, seu magn�fico cavalo de oito
patas capaz de correr sobre as nuvens. Voc� lan�a-se acima das nuvens; logo, as
�ltimas casas s�o afundadas em um oceano de florestas. Enquanto voc� sobe, avista
as velas de um longo navio, abarrotado com guerreiros armados, navegando em dire��o
ao seu destino e levando um esp�lio conquistado com sangue. Voando sobre o Mar
B�ltico, a Escandin�via � seu lar � desvela-se diante de seus olhos. Voc� a v� como
nenhum outro mortal jamais viu: como um mapa gigantesco, em que voc� se esfor�a
para localizar pontos familiares. O que voc� v�? Vis�o Geral da Escandin�via

T�o longe quando seus olhos podem ver, grandes extens�es de florestas cobrem a
maior parte da Escandin�via. Nos pontos mais altos predominam as con�feras, a
maioria pinheiros, mas a diversidade de madeira encontrada aqui � capaz de
satisfazer qualquer artes�o exigente, ou pelo menos aqueles que desejam se
aventurar nos lugares mais in�spitos do pa�s: a vegeta��o aqui � densa e as �rvores
cobrem com um manto verde as encostas das montanhas,
cujos topos est�o cobertos de neve. O ch�o, coberto pelas folhas ca�das dos
pinheiros, parece um tapete de pequenas agulhas marrons, perfurado aqui e ali por
pedras pontiagudas, como se os gigantes do passado as tivessem semeado
aleatoriamente. Nas colinas baixas, ao longo do litoral e dos planaltos, crescem
principalmente �rvores de folhas caducas, como o lari�o, a faia, o carvalho, o
cedro, o olmeiro e a b�tula, fornecendo madeira para a constru��o e o aquecimento.
Por�m, essas �reas arborizadas e selvagens s�o o lar de uma vasta fauna, tanto de
predadores quanto presas, e criaturas hostis ao homem. A vegeta��o sob as �rvores,
um verdadeiro labirinto silvestre, torna-se cada vez mais densa conforme se adentra
na mata. Muitos lugares s�o consagrados aos deuses: nascentes brotando de fissuras
na pedra, bosques de �rvores retorcidas e assustadoras, grandes menires erguidos e
abandonados por antepassados j� esquecidos... Outras �reas not�veis s�o o lar de
horr�veis entidades nascidas da magia de Midgard, ou que escaparam de um dos Nove
Mundos entrela�ados nas ra�zes de Yggdrasill. Aqueles que procuram uma grande
ca�ada, mateiros e outros exploradores devem tomar cuidados e restringir seus
trabalhos �s margens das florestas. Na verdade, alguns lugares n�o podem ser
acessados por terra. N�o h� caminhos para os ousados viajantes nesse labirinto de
plantas. Portanto, quando o povo da Escandin�via quer viajar, ele prefere o mar. A
presen�a do mar � sentida em toda a Escandin�via, de norte a sul, de leste a oeste.
Uma fonte de riquezas para as comunidades costeiras, que domina a vida daqueles que
vivem ao longo da costa. Mesmo as �reas do interior est�o sujeitas a sua
27
influencia: com�rcio, expans�o territorial, rela��es entre reinos, comunica��es...
tudo depende diretamente do mar, � ele que perpassa o cora��o da Escandin�via. Na
verdade, o mar � parte integral do funcionamento da sociedade escandinava; os
habitantes da regi�o contam com um grande n�mero de navegantes e muitas vezes
possuem habilidades incompar�veis na constru��o de navios e na arte da navega��o.
Para o Povo do Norte, o mar � ao mesmo tempo um aliado, que lhes fornece transporte
e recursos, e um advers�rio que eles nunca dominaram totalmente. Tempestades s�o
comuns no mar, tornando-se, muitas vezes, violentas; o clima pode mudar rapidamente
e at� mesmo o mais habilidoso dos navegadores teme encarar uma tempestade vinda das
montanhas, trazendo ao mar um frenesi e cercando seu navio em poucos minutos. A
chuva, muitas vezes acompanhada de fortes ventos, piora a visibilidade. A costa
irregular da Escandin�via, principalmente na Noruega, oferece bons abrigos, mas �
preciso conhecer os muitos caminhos por entre os recifes escondidos sob a
superf�cie. Quantos navios foram destru�dos? Quantos perderam cargas e tripula��es?
Muitos estreitos, muitas ilhas, algumas formando pequenos arquip�lagos, e baixios
escondidos fazem a viagem por mar perigosa, sem contar as �guas assombradas por
terr�veis monstros das profundezas, como o mortal kraken. Qualquer um que se
aventure nas �guas do B�ltico deve ser um navegador habilidoso e tais homens s�o,
com certeza, muito procurados. No oeste, o oceano � a
fronteira final, sobre a qual muitos navegadores sonham testar suas habilidades.
Grandes penhascos contornam as margens da Escandin�via. Alguns t�m poucos metros de
altura, outros s�o verdadeiras torres sobre o mar. Imensas col�nias de p�ssaros
fazem ninhos nesses lugares, seus cantos podem ser ouvidos a milhas de dist�ncia.
Aproximar-se dos penhascos traz perigo devido a suas pedras submersas, algumas
apenas percebidas pela �gua branca em torno de suas pontas. Algumas ba�as tornam-se
para�sos marinhos, penhascos erguendo-se nos dois lados; esses s�o os fiordes.
Aqui, o mar � calmo e, �s vezes, essas prote��es naturais abrigam alguns portos, se
a natureza de seus terrenos permitirem. Fiordes s�o mais comuns na costa oeste da
Noruega, onde os cl�s batalham contra tribos selvagens da floresta e gigantes
reinam sobre as altas montanhas. Uma imensa cadeia de montanhas separa os reinos da
Noruega e Svithjod. Muitos caminhos as atravessam, mas as condi��es do clima e o
terreno dif�cil significam que s�o pouco usados. Adicione a isso v�rias criaturas
monstruosas, tribos hostis e alcateias famintas, e descubra porque muitos
viajantes, sabiamente, preferem confiar no mar. As jornadas podem demorar um pouco
mais, mas as chances de alcan�ar o destino s�o bem maiores. As regi�es montanhosas
da Escandin�via possuem uma pequena presen�a humana por conta da natureza de
Escandin�via
28
sua terra; comunidades isoladas vivem dentro das florestas, ou pr�ximas a minas a
c�u aberto, de onde eles extraem ferro, cobre, minerais, e outros metais, incluindo
ouro e prata. Os picos, cobertos de con�feras, s�o os lares de bestas selvagens e
outras entidades mais temidas. Na maior parte, os topos s�o cobertos de neve e
inacess�veis durante todo o ano, com vastas geleiras formando armadilhas naturais,
fendas rochosas e encostas acidentadas. Os picos do extremo norte s�o conhecidos
por abrigarem gigantes do gelo, formid�veis inimigos da humanidade, guerreiros
ferozes protegendo zelosamente seus dom�nios in�spitos. Descendo ao sop� da
montanha, a paisagem vai ficando densamente arborizada. Em todo lugar, vales
estendem-se entre as alturas das grandes montanhas. N�o � surpresa que esses s�o os
lugares mais acolhedores para o povo escandinavo. No sul, plan�cies gramadas
permitem que os habitantes engordem seu gado e pratiquem uma agricultura produtiva.
No norte, os homens precisam primeiro derrubar as �rvores antes de poder arar a
terra. Nos vales pr�ximos aos rios, a terra � mais pantanosa. Turfeiras s�o
importantes recursos para as vilas, mas a morte sempre espreita aqueles incautos
que desconhecem o perigo, como a areia movedi�a e os rios enganosamente profundos
que anualmente engolem sua cota de viajantes tolos. Vilas e cidades s�o constru�das
quase sempre � beira-mar, nas fozes dos rios ou em sua extens�o, permitindo o
tr�fego fluvial que apenas o gelo do inverno interrompe e, mesmo assim, por um
curto per�odo. Embora as cidades tenham seus pr�prios mercados, o com�rcio em larga
escala � feito pelos postos comerciais. Nesses lugares permanentemente ou em
temporadas, mat�rias-primas e produtos manufaturados s�o negociados. A maioria s�o
centros de produ��o onde madeira, ferro, pedra-sab�o, ossos ou couro s�o
trabalhados; o posto comercial de Birka � um dos mais famosos e atrai mercadores
dos tr�s reinos, das terras dos Godos e de outras regi�es pr�ximas. Ele ocupa um
local privilegiado no reino de Svithjod, nas margens do Lago Malar. Ribe, na costa
oeste de Jylland, tamb�m � importante devido a sua feira bianual. Helgo, em
Svithjod, cumpre o mesmo papel para outras partes da Escandin�via. Alguns postos
comerciais duram por apenas uma esta��o, como Kaupang, na Noruega, sempre ligados a
atividades locais (neste caso, pesca de baleias, mas, em outros locais, podem ser
festivais religiosos ou a temporada de ca�a). Mercadores intr�pidos muitas vezes
transportam suas produ��es a outras regi�es: o estabelecimento de postos comerciais
al�m da fronteira escandinava, como entre os Sax�es, Anglos ou at� mesmo os Sami,
est� tornando-se muito comum. Como as t�cnicas de agricultura est�o melhorando, a
quantidade de terra cultiv�vel est� aumentando e a popula��o nas cidades est�
crescendo. Entretanto, existem muitas terras que n�o foram conquistadas e est�o
longe das autoridades de reis e jarls.
Uma Terra Governada pelo Frio

Aqueles que habitam as partes mais setentrionais da Escandin�via vivem em um clima


severo e frio. Em alguns lugares o solo nunca derrete, mesmo no �pice do ver�o, que
� pouco mais que uma curta pausa entre os intermin�veis per�odos de inverno. Pelo
meio do ano, essas regi�es s�o mergulhadas em uma escurid�o g�lida; o resto do
tempo, um sol p�lido mal afugenta o crep�sculo que pesa sobre essa fronteira de
Midgard. Ao longo da costa, em dire��o ao sul, o clima melhora gradativamente. A
diferen�a entre as esta��es � mais marcante e a presen�a do mar alivia o quase
sempre violento clima. Em Jylland, os ver�es s�o agrad�veis e normalmente secos; ao
norte fica mais gelado e a chuva mais abundante. O inverno � gelado em toda a
Escandin�via e h� nevascas que cobrem a terra. Os rios sempre congelam
completamente, prendendo navios nos portos. No B�ltico, icebergs tornam a navega��o
ainda mais perigosa. A primavera e o outono s�o sempre acompanhados por repentinas
e adversas mudan�as na temperatura. Com a mudan�a das esta��es, os ventos crescem
em for�a e varrem a costa oeste. Essa parte de Midgard, embora n�o t�o severa
quanto Niflheim, imp�em dif�ceis condi��es de vida aos habitantes. Os N�rdicos s�o,
por natureza, fortes, resistentes e tolerantes.

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