Rules

Abilities Deprivation & Fatigue

Each of the three abilities are used in A PC deprived of a crucial need (such as
different circumstances (see saves, below). food or rest) is unable to recover HP or
ability scores.
Strength (STR): Used for saves requiring
physical power, like lifting gates, bending Anyone deprived for more than a day adds
bars, resisting poison, etc. Fatigue to their inventory, one for each
day. Each Fatigue occupies one slot and
Dexterity (DEX): Used for saves requiring
lasts until the PC can recuperate safely for
poise, speed, and reflexes like dodging,
a full night, after which they recover all
climbing, sneaking, balancing, etc.
occupied slots.
Willpower (WIL): Used for saves to
persuade, deceive, interrogate, intimidate, PCs can also gain Fatigue by casting
charm, provoke, manipulate spells, etc. spells or through events in the fiction.

Saves Armor
A save is a roll to avoid bad outcomes Before calculating damage to HP, subtract
from risky choices and circumstances. the target’s Armor value from the result of
PCs roll a d20 for an appropriate ability damage rolls. Shields and similar armor
score. If they roll equal to or under that provide a bonus defense (e.g. +1 Armor),
ability score, they pass. Otherwise, they but only while the item is held or worn.
fail. A 1 is always a success, and a 20 is No one can have more than 3 Armor.
always a failure.
Shields, gauntlets, and helms may provide
Example: Bea encounters a group of heavily- additional benefits according to their use.
armed Goblins standing guard before a tunnel
entrance. Her player carefully plots a course,
recognizing that her 13 DEX makes sneaking NPCs
past the guards the best option. She rolls a d20, Reactions
and resulting in a 10 – a success! When the PCs encounter an NPC whose
reaction to the party is not obvious, the
Healing Warden may roll 2d6 and consult the
Resting for a few moments and having a following table:
drink of water restores lost HP but leaves
the party exposed. Ability loss (see page 14) 2 3-5 6-8 9-11 12
can usually be restored with a week’s rest Hostile Wary Curious Kind Helpful
facilitated by a healer or other appropriate
source of expertise. Some of these services Morale
are free, while magical or more expedient Enemies must pass a WIL save to avoid
means of recovery may come at a cost. fleeing when they take their first casualty
and again when they lose half their number.
Some groups may use their leader’s WIL
in place of their own. Lone foes must save
when they’re reduced to 0 HP. Morale
does not affect PCs.

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 Wealth & Treasure Casting Spells
The most common coin is the gold piece Anyone can cast a spell by holding a
(gp), which is equal to 10 silver pieces Spellbook in both hands and reading its
(sp) and 100 copper pieces (cp). contents aloud. They must then add a
Fatigue to inventory, occupying one slot.
Treasure is highly valuable, usually bulky,
and rarely useful beyond its value. It can Given time and safety, PCs can enhance a
be a lure, taking PCs to exotic and even spell’s impact (e.g., affecting multiple
dangerous locations, and is often under targets, increasing its power, etc.) without
the protection of intimidating foes. any additional cost.
Villages, strongholds, and ports of call If the PC is deprived or in danger, the
barter and trade based on the local rarity Warden may require a PC to make a WIL
and value of an item or commodity. save to avoid any ill-effects from casting
the spell. Consequences of failure are on
Hirelings par with the intended effect, and may
result in added Fatigue, the destruction of
PCs can hire hirelings to aid them in
the Spellbook, injury, and even death.
their expeditions. To create a hireling,
roll 3d6 for each ability score, then give
them 1d6 HP and a simple weapon (d6), Relics
then roll on the Character Creation tables Relics are items imbued with a magical
to further flesh them out. Hirelings cost spell or power. They do not cause Fatigue.
between 1-3gp per day, or a share of Relics usually have a limited use, as well
whatever treasure the party obtains. as a recharge condition. A few examples:
Honeyclasp, 3 charges. A rusted ring that
Spellbooks & Scrolls shrinks the bearer to 6”tall. Recharge:
Spellbooks contain a single spell and take place in a thimble-sized cup of royal jelly.
up one slot. They cannot be transcribed or
created; instead they are recovered from Falconer’s Friend, 1 charge. A bolt-shaped
places like tombs, dungeons, and manors. wand carrying the Haste spell. Recharge:
fire from a crossbow and recover.
Spellbooks sometimes display unusual
properties or limitations, such as producing Staff of Silence, 1 charge. This blackened
a foul or unearthly smell when opened, rod temporarily disables all magic within
possessing an innate intelligence, or being 50ft. Recharge: bathe in the light of a full
legible only when held in moonlight. moon.
Spellbooks will attract the attentionof Leycap, 1 use. Anyone ingesting this
those who seek the arcane power within, green-flecked mushroom loses a Fatigue,
and it is considered dangerous to display but is then required to make a WIL save to
them openly. avoid its addictive properties. A fail leaves
Scrolls are similar to Spellbooks, however: the PC deprived and unable to focus until
� They do not take up an inventory slot. they can eat another leycap, providing
� They do not cause Fatigue. only a brief reprieve from the addiction.
� They disappear after one use.

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Combat
Rounds Attack Modifiers
The game typically plays without strict If fighting from a position of weakness
time accounting. In a fight or circumstance (such as through cover or with bound
where timing is helpful, use rounds to keep hands), the attack is impaired and the
track of when something occurs. A round attacker must roll 1d4 damage regardless
is roughly ten seconds of in-game time and of the damage die used during the attack.
is comprised of turns.
If fighting from a position of advantage
Actions (such as against a helpless foe or through a
On their turn, a character may move up to daring maneuver), the attack is enhanced,
40ft and take up to one action. This may be allowing the attacker to roll 1d12 damage
casting a spell, attacking, making a second instead of their normal die.
move, or some other reasonable action.
Dual Weapons
Each round, the PCs declare what they are If attacking with two weapons at the same
doing before dice are rolled. If a character time, roll both damage dice and keep the
attempts something risky, the Warden calls single highest result.
for a save for appropriate players or NPCs.
Blast
Turns Attacks with the blast quality affect all
The Warden will telegraph the most likely targets in the noted area, rolling separately
actions taken by NPCs or monsters. At the for each affected character. Blast refers to
start of combat, each PC must make a DEX anything from explosions to huge cleaving
save to act before their opponents. onslaughts to the impact of a meteorite. If
unsure how many targets can be affected,
Example: Bea has accidentally stumbled onto
the stomping grounds of a massive Wood Troll. roll the related damage die for a result.
In order to make a move before the Troll, she Critical Damage
makes a DEX save. She fails, and the Troll gets
to attack first. Damage that reduces a target’s HP below
zero decreases a target’s STR by the amount
Attacking & Damage remaining. They must then make a STR save
The attacker rolls their weapon die and to avoid critical damage. Additionally, some
subtracts the target’s armor, then deals the enemies will have special abilities or effects
remaining total to their opponent’s HP. that are triggered when their target fails a
Unarmed attacks always do 1d4 damage. critical damage save.
Example: The Wood Troll roars, swinging its Any PC that suffers critical damage cannot
club at Bea, who has 5 HP. The club does 1d10
damage and the Warden rolls a 4. They subtract do anything but crawl weakly, grasping for
1 to account for Bea’s leather armor, leaving Bea life. If given aid and rest, they will stabilize.
with 2 HP remaining. If left untreated, they die within the hour.
Multiple Attackers Scars
If multiple attackers target the same foe, When damage to a PC reduces their HP to
roll all damage dice and keep the single exactly 0, they are sometimes changed
highest result. irrevocably. See the Scars table on the
following page for more.

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Ability Score Loss Detachments
If a PC’s STR is reduced to 0, they die. Large groups of similar combatants fighting
If their DEX is reduced to 0, they are together are treated as a single detachment.
paralyzed. If their WIL is reduced to 0, When a detachment takes critical damage, it
they are delirious. is routed or significantly weakened. When it
reaches 0 STR, it is destroyed.
Complete DEX and WIL loss renders the
character unable to act until they are Attacks against detachments by individuals
restored through extended rest or by are impaired (excluding blast damage).
extraordinary means. Attacks against individuals by detachments
are enhanced and deal blast damage.
Unconsciousness & Death
When a character dies, the player is free Retreat
to create a new character or take control Running away from a dire situation always
of a hireling. They immediately join the requires a successful DEX save, as well as a
party in order to reduce downtime. safe destination to run to.

Scars
When an attack reduces a PC’s HP to exactly 0, they are uniquely impacted.
Look up the result on the table below based on the total damage taken:
1 Lasting Scar: Roll 1d6 | 1: Neck, 2: Hands, 3: Eye, 4: Chest, 5: Legs, 6: Ear.
Roll 1d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.
2 Rattling Blow: You’re disoriented and shaken. Describe how you refocus.
Roll 1d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.
3 Walloped: You’re sent flying and land flat on your face, winded. You are deprived
until you rest for a few hours. Then, roll 1d6. Add that amount to your max HP.
4 Broken Limb: Roll 1d6 | 1-2: Leg, 3-4: Arm, 5: Rib, 6: Skull.
Once mended, roll 2d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.
5 Diseased: You’re afflicted with a gross, uncomfortable infection. When you get over
it, roll 2d6. If the total is higher than your max HP, take the new result.
6 Reorienting Head Wound: Roll 1d6 | 1-2: STR, 3-4: DEX, 5-6: WIL.
Roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your current ability score, take the new result.
7 Hamstrung: You can barely move until you get serious help and rest. After
recovery, roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your max DEX, take the new result.
8 Deafened: You cannot hear anything until you find extraordinary aid. Regardless,
make a WIL save. If you pass, increase your max WIL by 1d4.
9 Re-brained: Some hidden part of your psyche is knocked loose.
Roll 3d6. If the total is higher than your max WIL, take the new result.
10 Sundered: An appendage is torn off, crippled or useless. The Warden will tell you
which. Then, make a WIL save. If you pass, increase your max WIL by 1d6.
11 Mortal Wound: You are deprived and out of action. You die in one hour unless
healed. Upon recovery, roll 2d6. Take the new result as your max HP.
12 Doomed: Death seemed ever so close, but somehow you survived. If your next save
against critical damage is a fail, you die horribly. If you pass, roll 3d6. If the total is
higher than your max HP, take the new result.

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