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©Tom Parkinson-Morgan 2021

Art, layout, and writing by Tom Parkinson-Morgan
Please feel free to print or share this book if you include this credits page.
v 1.2, 8/07/2021

Forewor
Hello!

Many of you may know me from the other Massif Press RPG, Lancer, or from my webcomic Kill Six
Billion Demons. This is a free play test of the next game I intend to publish after completing our Lancer
kickstarter content. My ethos is to give people content, then ask them to pay for it later if they like it, so
this test is entirely free to play and distribute. Much like Lancer, the final product will have a free version
with all player facing content.

This game was born from my love of fantasy. I love that old-school mysterious, enormous-world fantasy
vibe that is reproduced so well in animation, comics, and games. This game is inspired by the feeling I
think you might get when you look at the main cover. I took inspiration from anime, the works of French
comic artist Möebius, studio Ghibli, and video games like Shadow of the Colossus, Dragon’s Dogma, and
the legend of Zelda.

I love tactical combat and strategy games, but also more freeform narrative games. Here I have mashed
the two together. You can use either or both. The narrative portion is a more stripped down version of the
action system of Blades in the Dark, by John Harper, which I think is an excellent lightweight system and
probably my favorite game currently.

Feedback
This is a play test and hasn’t been hammered out quite yet. It was written, illustrated, and formatted by
one person. There might be spelling or formatting errors. stuff that doesn’t work, feel good, or certain
combinations of abilities that are too strong, weak, etc. You can send feedback to
[email protected]

Work on this game will be slow while I finish Lancer content and it probably won’t receive publishing for
a little while so there is plenty of time to test it. There’ll be regular but slow content for it.

Character sheets
I include character sheets as more of a proof of concept/for visual learners than anything. They might be a
little rough so I apologize in advance. There’s a separate .zip file you can download.

Links and support

You can find my other work at http://lancerrpg.com and http://www.killsixbilliondemons.com
If you like this playtest and want to support my work, please consider supporting me over at my patreon:
http://patreon.com/killsixbilliondemons.

Thanks for playing! I hope your games are enjoyable.

- Tom “Abbadon” Parkinson-Morgan

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 Foreword 2

ICO 6
Legacy of The Arkenlords 6

Playing the game 8

Rolling Dice 8

Setting and Tone 9

GETTING STARTED 10

Narrative Pla 12
The Action Roll 12

Action Ratings 12

Clocks 15

GM Principles 16

Complications and Consequences 17

Combat In ICON 19

Chapter 20

Player characters in Narrative Play 21

Play Example 22

Choosing your bond 25

Folk of Arden Eld 25

Cultures of Arden Eld 27

BOND 31
The Path nder 31

The Seeker 32

The Mighty 33

The Wolf 34

The Harlequin 35

The Bright 36

The Brave 37

TACTICAL COMBA 38
Combat, step by step 39

Attacks 41

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N
S
fi
y
T
 Abilities and traits 45

The Battle eld 47

Vigor, Elixirs, Camping, and Healing 48

Combat Glossary 49

Choosing your job 51

Relics 51

JOB 53
CLASS: Stalwart 54

Bastion 56

Demon Slayer 59

Head Lopper 62

CLASS: Vagabond 65

Fool 67

Freelancer 70

Shade 74

CLASS: Mendicant 77

Harvester 79

Sealer 83

Seer 87

CLASS: WRIGHT 91

Enochian 93

Geomancer 97

Spellblade 101

RELIC 105
Advanced Combat 110

Expeditions, camps, and interlude 112

THE CAM 117
Advancement and Rewards 123

FOE 127
GLOSSARY OF FOES 131

Elite 135

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S
S
S
fi
P
s
 Monstrosity 137

FACTION 142
Relict 142

Ruin Beast 143

Scavenger 145

IMPERIAL 146

DEMON 148

LOWLANDER 150

JOTUNN 152

DEEPTOWE 155

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S
R
 ICON

plowed over the skeletons of ancient war

Legacy of The machines. Cities are few and far between, and
connected over the long stretches of idyllic
Arkenlord wilderness by crumbling roads dotted with the
caravans of traveling peddlers and traders.
Long ago, the cruel and prosperous Arken
The era is peaceful and pastoral. The land is fertile
Imperium crushed the nations of Arden Eld. With
and good, and the land is broad and beautiful.
its military might and its command of magitech
Trade is flourishing between towns and war is, for
and ancient etheric sorcery, it slew the Titans who
the most part, a distant memory of a darker time.
held up the four pillars of the world and cast then
down, proclaiming itself an eternal empire. It
spread itself from sea to sea, altered the land itself The Shado
with great projects, raise mighty cities of iron and
stone, and bent the elden magics to its will, setting The people of Arden Eld, such as they are, live in
its sights on the seat of the makers themselves. era of contentment and prosperity. Yet at the
The Arkenlords became swollen with power that edges of their lives, the shadow of the past looms.
drove them far beyond the concerns of petty men,
and made them blind to their own rapidly The paths through the wilderness between towns
approaching doom. When it finally came, it was as are treacherous, sometimes dangerous. The ruins
rapid as it was inevitable. A great inexorable of the Arkenlords are everywhere, jutting out of
destruction wracked the empire, shattering it, and the land and riddling the earth itself. For the most
scouring the land. In its wake, monsters crawled part, the ruins are quiet, a mournful reminder of a
from great pits to feast on its remnants, and in forgotten and terrible past. Occasionally, however,
time retreated to the deep earth, leaving only the ruins will disgorge creatures of the old world -
smoldering ruins. monsters born of the Doom or the strange
energies harnessed by the empire. Left
The Green Ag unchecked, these Blights can endanger the roads,
fields, and forests of the world above - sometimes
becoming threatening enough to imperil whole
A thousand years have passed. The land settled,
towns.
and healed, and a gentler, greener age slowly
dawned over the land. The shattered, labyrinthine
Quite often an entire ruin will surface, pushed up
ruins of the old empire now lie entombed in the
and out of the earth by some unknown seismic
verdant earth, their depths occasionally
force or elden magic. These surfacing ruins are
disgorging monsters, mysteries, and ghosts of the
often more active than their long-dead
old world, but over and around them the world
counterparts and will rarely burst from the earth
has recovered. Forests have grown over ancient
very close to villages or in the middle of cities,
galleries, floral meadows have sprung up covering
causing great destruction.
old battlegrounds, and sparkling streams now
flow through the collapsed and teetering stones of
Deep within the ruins themselves lurk the Relict
old aqueducts and overpasses.
remains of the old empire, the undead fragments
of its servitors and sorcerers - and deeper within,
Over the ruins and in their shadows, life has
greater prizes. When the Doom befell the Arken, it
flourished, as it always will. Now towns and
shattered the land so quickly that entire chambers
villages dot the landscape, nestled in glades and
were sunk deep into the earth, or buried in
valleys and surrounded by farms and fields

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 underground caverns or passages mostly intact. Many in your position use it to plumb the depths
Within these preserved ruins is also buried the of the old world in search of treasure and fame.
Arkentech of the old empire - magical and Others use it to drive back the Blights and protect
technological creations and devices of terrifying the villages of the Green from the specters of the
import. The ruins themselves are so seeped in the past, or keep the roads and ways safe for the
elden sorcery of the old lords that they exude Dust young and old alike. Some work as mercenaries
- the essence of condensed raw magic highly for the city guilds and take to the sky in great
sought after by the wrights and technological airships, while others wander the land helping the
artisans of the world above. lost or forgotten. Some use their power to kill to
cut away threats to the world, others to defend
Brave or daring adventure seekers or treasure those they hold dear.
hunters often venture into these ruins in search of
wealth or power, and are frequently rewarded, Will you defend the Green Age? Will you help
despite the terrible danger that these expeditions usher in the Churning Age? Or will you cast all
pose. aside to turn the great wheel of history and allow
its stagnant blood to flow again? Whoever you are,
it is your decisions that make you who you are,
The Churning Ag and cement your place in the Tale of Ages.

Now, the world stands at the edge of a new age -

the Churning Age. You are an Icon.
More and more adventurers plumb the ruins of
the old world in search of its treasures. Factions of
the trade guilds and city councils now turn their
eyes to the terrible potential of arkentech, and
seek it greedily. Great Aetheric airships, built with
the power scraped from the ruins, now soar into
the sky in search of crumbling spires or ancient
catacombs to plunder. In response, the ruins
themselves have become more active - disgorging
more monsters, becoming more unstable, and
more often rising up from the earth itself in
terrifying seismic displays.

The Churn threatens to throw the Green Age into

tumult. A treasure fueled sickness has made its
way into the hearts of Kin. There are even those
who whisper, more and more openly, about the
legacy of the Arkenlords, of the need for strength,
wealth, power, and war banners to be hoisted
once again. Cities eye each other with suspicion.
Travelers grip their cloaks tightly and tighten
their sword belts, and for the first time, banditry
has sprung up over the stones and passes of the
old imperial highways.

At the very edge of this age is you.

You belong in this world, and you are tied to its
fate. You are cursed to wield great power, but how
you choose to wield it is up to you.

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 (1-4, 5-8, 9-12). Each chapter represents a

Playing the game different scale of power, and enemies, challenges,
and stakes will increase in severity accordingly.
ICON is a role playing game for two or more Moving on to the next chapter is a decision taken
players. An ideal group is 3-5. One player will act by the players, who can choose to stay in a certain
as the game master (GM) who will adjudicate the chapter as long as they like (but will have a cap on
rules and help create and move the narrative their power as they cannot level up past the
forward. chapter limit).

This game assumes you know what a role-playing

game is. If this is your first RPG and you’re
Rolling Dic
unsure, there are plenty of resources available
online to bring you up to speed. In ICON, there are different dice rolls for
narrative play and tactical combat.
Two modes of pla
In narrative play, characters use d6s.

ICON has two modes of play: narrative play, When the outcome of an action is unclear, risky,
and tactical combat. The rules for these or contested, a character names their goal and
modes are different and there is next to zero makes an action roll, rolling a number of d6s
overlap between them. It’s entirely possible to equal to an action rating on their sheet and
run a game of ICON entirely in one mode or the choosing the best result. The GM tells the player
other, and rules are provided to play the game before they roll the effect and risk of their
only in narrative mode if you so desire. Typically action. On a 1-3 the character fails to accomplish
games will start in narrative play and remain their goal and suffers the risk, on a 4-5 they
there whenever there is storytelling, free role succeed but may suffer the risk anyway, take some
playing, or a need to move the story somewhere. other consequences, setback or reduced effect,
When there’s a point of tension that can only be and on a 6 they succeed with no complications.
decided through the drama and violence of There’s many more details on on action rolls in
combat, then the game swaps to a grid-based the section on narrative play.
tactical game, with more clearly defined turn
order and more structured rules. In tactical combat, characters mostly use
d20s.
Expeditions and Interlude
The two rolls in tactical combat are attack rolls
In ICON, characters are adventurers that go on and saves.
expeditions in order to accomplish a goal. On an
expedition they can camp to restore their lost Characters usually make an attack roll when they
health and ease their minds. After the expedition take a hostile action against another character
finishes, they can pause the action to take an with the attack tag. For an attack roll, a
interlude, a longer pause in the action. character rolls a d20 (and may also roll a number
of d6s, or add another number), then compares
Some goals are more long term than a single the final result to their target’s defense, beating it
expedition. Any goal that takes multiple if they match it or roll higher.
expeditions to complete is called a quest.
Characters make saves to avoid or end harmful
Chapte ongoing effects, such as dragon breath, poisonous
gas, being stunned by a boulder, or something
Campaigns of ICON are split into 3 chapters. Over similar. For a save, a character rolls a d20
the course of their adventure, characters will (usually with no modifiers). On an 10 or higher,
become increasingly more powerful, represented they save against the effect successfully, ending or
by levels. Every chapter represents four levels avoiding it.

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 There’s many more details on attacks, saves, and that defeated means dead. You can decide if you
tactical combat in the rules in that section. want to run a game with a different tone that
players can decide whether to defeat or kill an
Boon and Curs enemy they reduce to 0 hp, if an enemy is always
killed when reduced to 0 hp, or if an enemy is
Some abilities give rolls boon or curse. These never killed when reduced to 0 hp unless
modifiers represent situational modifiers that can characters take some extra action.
happen during a dangerous and chaotic
adventure. Many character abilities will give Here are the game’s other setting elements:
boons built in and many enemy effects will give
curse. Setting conceit

For narrative play, when a roll has a boon, add an The game takes place in a world called Arden Eld
additional d6 to the roll for each boon. When a (old Arden).
roll has any curse, subtract a d6 for each curse.
Arden Eld is old, wild, and untamed. Where
For tactical combat, when a roll has a boon, roll civilization exists, it is green, pastoral, and
an add a d6 to the total d20 roll for each boon. If idyllic, except for the cities, which are few and
more than one boon is added to a roll, choose the far between. There are no nations the way we
highest d6 result, no matter how many rolled. For think of them today, but there are tight knit
curses, do the opposite (subtract 1d6 per curse, communities and city states.
subtracting the highest for multiple curses).
Arden Eld is post apocalyptic, and full of
Boons and curses cancel each other out, 1 to 1 ruins, dungeons, caverns, and other unexplored
(don’t even roll). and dangerous spaces. There was an ancient,
cruel, and technomagically advanced empire
For example: that collapsed under its own hubris, irrevocably
- A character makes an attack roll with two boons changing the land. In these deep and perilous
and +0 to the roll. They roll 1d20, and gets a 13. spaces there is great treasure in the form of lost
They roll 2d6 (one for each boon), and gets a 3 magic and technology.
and a 4. They take the highest boon result (a 4)
and add it to the total, for 13+4 = 17. Arden Eld is a fantastic world. The technology of
Arden Eld is roughly medieval, but the existence
- A character makes a save with 2 curses and 1 of arkentech means there are firearms, automata,
blessing. The blessing cancels one curse. They roll skyships, and other ancient machines all over the
1d20, and get a 12, then roll 1 remaining curse and place. High technology tends to be rare,
get a 4. Their total result is 12 - 4 = 8, a failure. coveted, and buried.

Arden Eld is full of monsters that pour forth

from the ruins, but those monsters are never
Setting and Ton people. People may contest, thwart, fight, or
even try to kill the characters, but their violence
ICON’s setting is kept relatively loose for you to is always motivated.
adapt to your game. Several aspects of narrative
play and tactical combat are kept loose for you to Game conceit
decide what is important to you in your game.
When a section of the game does this, it’ll mention ICON is a game about playing heroic
it directly, and give you some options or characters that fight for their ideals. They go
examples. on expeditions to fight monsters, explore
ruins, and gather power. During interludes,
For example, non player characters that are they build, heal, and learn. Eventually they may
reduced to 0 hit points in tactical combat are end up changing or saving the world. Heroic in
defeated. By default, the game does not assume this context doesn’t necessarily mean

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 ‘altruistically motivated’ but fated, or larger than Characters in ICON are measured by their level,
life. starting at level 1 and max out at level 12. Each 4
levels constitutes a chapter.
ICON fits into a ‘mythic fantasy’ or ‘high fantasy’
type of game, where the heroes can perform feats Players can make their character by choosing a
of incredible strength, speed, or magic, and the Kintype, a Culture, a Bond, and putting 4 dots
beliefs and ideals of the heroes are central. in actions for narrative play (page XX). Then they
pick a combat job and two abilities (page XX).
Changing these conceit
Characters get a free fixture for their camp (page
As a game master you are welcome to change, XX) and can fill out some more details about their
add, or tweak any of this content for your own group.
setting or use. Certain aspects of ICON, however,
are core to the game and before running a game There’s more details on all of this in the
using this system, think carefully about these forthcoming sections. I’ve included the
aspects. advancement table here for ease of reference but
it is repeated again in the advancement and
If you want to run a game that is more grounded rewards section on page XX.
or low technology, it will probably not fit with the
base tone and setting of this game. Characters are
heroic and powerful and have many abilities that
give them a lot of narrative agency. Magic and
technology is everywhere.

ICON does not care about minutely tracking time,

supplies, detailed wounds, etc., nor does it care
about tracking currency for the most part, except
when it matters.

Players always have the initiative in ICON,

especially in narrative play. Running a slow, tile-
by-tile dungeon crawl with traps, puzzles, etc is
not well suited to ICON without modifying the
way you think about these challenges. The game
prefers to move through these aspects narratively
and quickly.

If you want to run a nonviolent social game with

little combat, it is possible, but ICON’s focus on
monster fighting, battles, and exploration of
dangerous spaces (even if done narratively) is a
core part of the game.

GETTING STARTE
The GM should read through the narrative play
and tactical combat sections. Players should
also give them a read, especially if they’re jumping
into tactical combat in the first session.

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 Character Advancemen
Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Narrative Benefit
Choose a Bond, a Bond power, and gain 4
1 1 Choose a job and two abilities
dots to improve actions
2 1 Unlock Limit Break and first relic Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
3 1 Gain a Bond power
Choose a second job OR gain a
4 1 Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
mastery point. Unlock first gambit.
2- Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
5 Improve an action
Stat up! master talent for an ability
6 2 Unlock second relic Gain a Bond power

7 2 Improve an action
Choose a third job OR gain a mastery
8 2 point. Unlock second gambit. Special Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
if you only have one job!
3-
9 Unlock third relic Gain a Bond power
Stat up!
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
10 3 Improve an action
master talent for an ability
11 3 Improve an action
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
12 3 Gain a Bond power
master talent for an ability

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 Narrative Play

Narrative play is the default mode of play of If you roll with 0 total dice, roll 2d6 and pick the
ICON. Whenever you’re talking, exploring, lowest as your final result. This means you can
investigating, or on the move, you’re probably in never get a critical hit with 0 dice.
narrative play. It covers pretty much everything
outside of tactical combat. In Narrative play, the Bonus dic
primary goal of the players and the GM is to play
to find out what happens in the story, and the You might get bonus dice or dice penalties on a
story itself is the medium of play. roll from allies helping you, in the form of Boons
(+1d6) and Curses (-1d6). These cancel each other
Players typically say what their characters do and out 1 to 1.
say, and the game master tells them how the
world or other characters respond to them. It’s a These are sometimes written as +1d or -1d for
bit like a conversation back and forth between the simplicity.
GM and the players.
The most important rule to remember is that you
Narrative play can be very loose and unstructured, can’t get more than +2 or -2 additional dice on
and you can play a long time without touching any any roll, no matter how many dice you get
dice. However, when the outcome of an otherwise.
action is unclear, difficult, dangerous, or
contested, a player makes an action roll.
Action Rating
The Action Rol When an action roll is required, players decide
which rating best fits their action.
To make an action roll, players state their
intent, then pick an action on their character • Sneak - Move with stealth and silence. Perform
sheet that they think best describes their action. actions without notice. Spring an ambush.
Based on the action chosen, the GM judges the • Excel - Act with concentrated precision or skill.
risk and effect of that action. Then the player Hit a tiny target at range. Catch a falling coin.
makes an action roll, rolling 1d6 per dot of the Balance on a narrow wire. Squeeze through a
chosen action and picking the highest result. For tight space.
actions with a rating of 0, players roll 2d6 and • Survey - Scan and assess a broad area or
pick the lowest. situation. Spot at a distance. Look for tracks,
clues, paths, or hidden things.
Check the final result: • Channel - Sense, talk to, understand, or attune
with magical forces or creatures. Interact with,
• 1-3: The character fails to accomplish their goal alter, or dispel magical forces or constructs.
directly and suffers the full consequences Hold a ritual.
• 4-5: The character is successful, but at a cost • Charm - Sway with charisma, appeals, or
• 6: The character is successful diplomacy. Call in favors. Cause distraction or
• 6,6: - Critical Hit! The character is successful misdirection. Lie to someone’s face.
and has increased effect • Command - Use force of will and presence to
lead or intimidate. Strong-arm or intimidate
Rolling with someone. Lead or organize a group of people.

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 • Tinker - Interact with, understand, or use play in ICON lies. Players can use their creativity
alchemy, magitech, or other technology. Fix, to form approaches to problems, and the GM acts
pick, or break locks or mechanisms. Craft, as the judge to set the stakes.
deconstruct, improve, or alter technology.
• Study - Look at something or someone up close
and with great detail. Discern someone’s
Risk and Effec
intentions. Perform research.
When a player suggests a course of action and
• Recall - Dredge up useful lore, history, rumor,
names their goal, the GM decides how risky the
or memory. Remember important details about
action is and how effective it’s going to be, based
monsters or ruins.
on the narrative.
• Traverse - Climb, swim, leap. Run swiftly.
Chase or flee. Pilot a vehicle or ride an animal.
Risk can be controlled, risky, or desperate.
• Smash - Overwhelm with physical or magical
Effect is usually weak, normal, or powerful.
force. Hurt someone. Throw a punch or blast
down a door with a magic spell. Wreck an object
By default, all actions are risky and have normal
or obstacle.
effect. Risky means there is some degree of
• Endure - Push yourself to your limits. Power
consequence if a character fails - this is usually
through pain, cold, heat, or harsh environments.
the case! Normal effect just means that there’s an
Lift or drag something enormously heavy.
expected outcome, i.e. what the player expects to
happen will happen.
• When you want to move quietly past the Wyrm
without it noticing you, you’re probably
Controlled risk means there are few or weaker
Sneaking.
consequences for failure. When a situation or
• When you want to kick down the heavy dungeon
action is controlled, the character usually has a
door, you’re probably Smashing it.
good position, plenty of time, or relative safety.
• When you want to figure out how to dispel the
Desperate risk means great or dire
ward over the door, you’re probably
consequences for failure. When a character finds
Channeling.
themselves in a bad situation or throws
• When you want to cut the drawstrings of the
themselves into one for a faint hope, that’s
guard’s trousers with a swipe of your sword,
desperate.
you’re probably Excelling.
When effect is weak, it’s less effective than the
You’ll notice that some of these actions have a
player expects. For example, a character tries to
little overlap, but are flavored differently. For
tinker a gemstone loose that’s powering a
example, taking someone’s purse from them could
magical trap, but only succeeds in prying it out
be cutting it from their belt (with Excel) - quick
half way, making them have to take additional
but not necessarily quietly. Alternately, it could be
action. When an effect is powerful, it’s more
taking it quietly with Sneak. You could even
effective than expected. For example, a character
perhaps Charm them to divert their attention
trying to recall or survey a way out of a maze
while you take it off them. A heavy dungeon door
with powerful effect may figure the whole thing
could be tinkered (if it has a lock). Alternately, it
out and gets the party out in one roll.
could be smashed with a fireball, or perhaps
someone could endure lifting and holding it
open for the group to pass through. No effect and superpowere

All of these different situations have different Sometimes the GM can judge an action can have
narrative outcomes and might be more risky or no effect at all. For example, the GM might decide
more or less effective depending on the situation. trying to charm monsters to persuade them that
The key thing is that players always choose the your actions are just may not have any effect.
approach and the action they want to use. The Trying to traverse by leaping up a 50 foot wall
GM is free to suggest actions, and also to decide probably doesn’t have any effect unless it’s already
whether an action is riskier or even been established your character can jump that
effective. This is where the meat of narrative high.

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 weather? Is the town elder busy today? How rocky

Sometimes an action has extraordinary effect, is are the river rapids up ahead?
heroic or outsized in scale, or pushes beyond
mortal limits. This level of effect is called Judging risk, effect and setting ton
superpowered. Characters can get a
superpowered effect by pushing their effect These two tools together - risk and effect - are
beyond powerful through their abilities or getting kept slightly loose for a reason. They let you set
a critical hit on a powerful action. A superpowered the tone of the game you want to play, and also
effect can accomplish feats that we normally give the GM tools to judge situations based on the
wouldn’t think possible - like traversing that 50 story.
foot wall in a single leap, smashing a tower to
rubble with a blow of your sword, sneaking How much can a powerful or super powered
through a whole army, or supernaturally action do in your game? Can a superpowered
recalling the exact words of an ancient emperor, smash destroy a boulder or a whole tower? Does
lost to time. changing the mind of the enchantress take a
powerful charm or a normal charm? Can a
Fortun character command a whole army by themselves
with normal effect or is that effect weak without
When a character is trying to accomplish a task aid?
that isn’t particularly dangerous or doesn’t have
obvious consequences, but the action is difficult Which actions end up being more or less risky and
or the outcome is unclear, they can make a the consequences of character action also sets the
fortune roll. This a roll that uses actions as tone. If a character attempts to leap across a wide
normal, but the outcome is slightly different, chasm, is that a desperate action, or merely
based on what the character is trying to do: risky? Can a character even jump across a chasm
that wide unaided, or will they have no effect
• 1-3: Poor result or outcome without a superpowered action?
• 4-5: Expected or average result or outcome
• 6: Good result or outcome Might and Magi
• 6,6: Excellent result or outcome
One last note - you might notice that there are no
The most common application of these rolls is explicitly magical effects in the actions. The
when gathering information about a situation, outcome of the actions and the type of action is
or during interludes. For example, a character what’s important. Whether in the story your
surveys a group of monsters from a distance. The character is using their skill, physical strength, or
GM judges that it’s too far for there to be any magical forces to perform the action makes no
danger, so the player makes a fortune roll and gets difference - all heroes are ICONs, after all, and all
a 4, getting average information. equally capable of great feats. However you flavor
the action is up to you - you choose which action
Researching and working on long term projects rating you think best fits your activity in the story.
are usually all fortune rolls. Tests of ability can be Survey could be your character using magically
a fortune roll - a character can roll traverse to enhanced eyesight to scout a situation, or just
see how fast they show up at a scene, for example, your character’s keen senses. You could sneak on
or endure to win a drinking contest . Tests of your own two feet or with a magical cloaking spell,
knowledge are also usually fortune rolls. A or you can recall by consulting an arcane tome
character might roll recall to see how much they instead of your own memory. You could even
remember about the corrosive properties of Wyrm channel by using your own senses, awareness,
bile, or they might roll tinker to test their and intuition, instead of magical ability.
familiarity with a magitech device.
Player initiativ
The GM can also make a fortune roll if they want
to leave a situation up to chance. How’s the In ICON narrative play, the Game Master
never rolls (except maybe to make a fortune roll

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 here and there, as stated above), and players character’s history, or the task is far below their
always have the initiative. Non-player characters, skill).
traps, hazards, etc are not treated like individual
entities with their own ‘turns’ or action ratings, Sometimes a task is too complex or daunting to be
but rather like a part of the scene or story, with completed in one roll. Sometimes a task might
the story itself being the most important thing! take more time, or multiple steps, to complete,
Characters take action, and the GM responds by and doing everything in one roll just doesn’t feel
narrating what happens next. right.

The only way players can take consequences is In all these cases, it’s best to use a clock!
through their own actions. The extent of those
consequences are up to the GM, however, which When you have a clear challenge or goal, you can
could include them ‘losing’ the initiative by set out a clock with an even number of segments
forcing them to react to a situation. In tense (4, 6, 8, 10, 12). You can draw out an actual clock,
situations, a GM can always turn things back on split into segments, or use a tracker, or simply tick
the players and force them to react, even when off check marks if you like. The longer the clock,
players have a successful roll. Always look to ask the more complicated or challenging it will be to
the question “What do you do?” fulfill. Name the clock after the challenge or goal,
not necessarily the method. For example, you can
One Rol have a clock that says ‘Guards’, ‘Traps’, and
‘Alarm’.
Most tasks can be accomplished in one roll, but
you can decide how far one roll goes in your game. When characters take action related to a clock
that would further it in some way, they will fill in
• Will one roll let you sneak into the castle, or will segments on that clock with their actions on a
you need to take a series of actions? successful roll equal to their effect:
• Will one roll let you convince the knight of your • Fill in 2 segments for normal effect
worthiness, or will you need to prove your • 1 for weak,
mettle to them with further actions? • 3 for powerful,
• Will one roll let you fight your way out of the • and 5 for super powered actions.
monster infested flooded passage, or will you
play out tactical combat to get out instead? When the clock fills up completely, the task or
challenge it represents is complete or
Stretching the value of a single roll can let you surpassed. No further action is necessary from
control the tone of the game and how it’s framed - the characters.
how much time and action is covered - and you
can vary it from scene to scene. In the previous example, we could set out a single
clock (maybe a longer one, such as 10 segments)
for the whole castle, called something like ‘The
Clock Castle’. Alternately, we could set out a few
(shorter) clocks representing each major obstacle
as the characters come across them - like ‘Guard
Let’s think about sneaking into the castle in the
in the hallway’, ‘Big complex lock’, ‘Hidden
section above - there may be several discrete tasks
Trapped Room’, judging the characters successful
or obstacles that need to be cleared - guards,
if these smaller clocks are filled in.
locks, trapped doors, you name it. One roll may
not feel right for the purposes of this task. If the
Clocks abstract out a whole task, scene, or series
journey in doesn’t particularly matter, a character
of events. It’s certainly possible to just use a series
could make a single roll to sneak in and have to
of normal rolls for many complex tasks (and a lot
figure out how to get out. Or, if this is something
of tables will play that way). However, using
we want the story to brush past or montage
clocks to represent complicated tasks ensures
through without much further consideration or
you’re only rolling when there’s persistent
consequence, we could do the whole thing in a
narrative tension, constrains the number of rolls
single roll (perhaps this is a scene from the

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 made for any given task, and creates clear whenever a PC fails a roll and fill in a single
parameters for success. It allows the story to segment as a complication if they roll a 4-5.
progress and means you don’t have to waste time
lingering on tasks that would otherwise require a
lot of rolling, all of which we find extremely GM Principle
effective for speeding up play. You can use them
to move more quickly and efficiently through Heres some basic principles for the GM to follow
narrative scenes. If you’d prefer to keep things when running ICON:
looser, then don’t worry over making clocks for • Keep away from ‘no’. ‘Yes, and…’, and ‘Yes,
every little thing. but…’ keep the story moving and keep things in
the player’s hands. You can always tell a
Project clock character an action isn’t possible given their
approach without denying them completely.
You can easily use clocks to track progress on a Offer alternative approaches or suggestions to
long term project, especially the kind that problems, and let player creativity be rewarded.
characters might try to work on during an “You can’t open that door by smashing it down
interlude. by yourself, it’s too heavy. If you could find
something strong to use as a battering ram
Progress clock though…”.
• Let players choose how to move the
You can also use clocks to track the status or time action forward. Give players choices and let
pressure of a larger ongoing situation in the world them choose how to proceed. Players should
or campaign, such as a war, a spreading Blight, a nearly always be the ultimate drivers of action in
faction’s political influence, or an assassination your story, not your NPCs, plots, or events. You
plot. These progress clocks tend to move by can always force the players to react by throwing
themselves. Tick segments on these clocks when something unexpected on at them if you want to
the story or campaign moves forward. A good mix it up. “Railroading”, or taking away player
time to do this is after an interlude. When ticking agency, only typically becomes a problem when
these clocks, tick one segment if the situation you deny players the chance to take action or
progressed a little, two if it progressed as normal, intervene in a situation.
and three if there was great progress. For • Play to find out what happens. It’s perfectly
example, if you have a clock tracking the progress fine to have a plan or outline for a session or
of a war and it’s drawing to a close, you might tick expedition. If there’s a scene or event you really
three segments on that clock at the end of want to happen, however, and the players totally
downtime. avoid it, then let it happen! You can find a way
to introduce it later. Players will often deviate
Failure state from the path you lay out for them, and the
story is often better for it.
You can also create clocks that fill up as a result of • Foreshadow consequences and threats. If
failures, rather than successes, establishing fail you’re going to shoot someone with a crossbow,
states for situations. These clocks get filled in as show the players a glint of it from a window
consequences of failed rolls or complications of first. If the fall off the mountain is going to
Risky or Heroic rolls. For example, if a group of inflict critical harm, you should probably tell
PCs were trying to flee from a band of players how steep and dangerous the mountain
mercenaries, you might set out two clocks: one path looks. The game has a very easy way to
that represents the PCs’ safe escape and one that foreshadow threats built in with risk.
represents the mercenaries catching up to them • Make characters look good. Characters are
and forcing a fight. The Escape clock fills up when heroes. If they fail, they should never fail due to
PCs successfully put some distance between them incompetency.
and their pursuers, while the Capture clock fills
up when they either fail those actions or have to
make trade-offs. You might fill in two segments

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 under a heavy boulder, give them an annoying

Complications and hanger-on at the party, blow out all the
torches and make the room pitch black
Consequence 6. Make them lose initiative - The character
misses a window of opportunity or loses
valuable time. They lose sight of the thief
Characters take some sort of consequences or
they’re pursuing, a door slams shut on them,
complications for their actions on any final action
or they are late to the peace summit. Put them
result except a 6 - something that will happen
on the back foot.
fairly often!
7. Reduce effect - Give characters less effect on
a successful action, perhaps making them
Consequences are typically narrative in nature
have to roll again.
and will depend on the nature of the action that
8. Inflict strain, as established - Inflict
the character is taking in the fiction. For example,
strain. There’s more on strain below. For a
a character trying to leap a chasm might fall,
risky action, inflict 2, for a controlled action, 1.
stumble, or find themselves clinging to the edge if
For a desperate action, inflict 4 strain, or in
they don’t get a full success. The severity of
rare cases, inflict critical strain.
consequences should depend on the risk of the
action that a character is taking, with more
severe consequences the worse the risk Foreshadowing consequence
was. For a controlled action, consequences are
minor, for a desperate action major, and for a It’s good practice as a GM to foreshadow or hint at
standard risk action they should be somewhere in the possible consequences behind a character’s
the middle. In the previous example, a character actions. This is especially important for
might fall completely into the chasm if the action consequences with hard outcomes, such as strain.
was desperate (probably getting majorly hurt!), Establish consequences in the story first. This is
find themselves clinging to the edge on a risky pretty easy and intuitive to do:
action, and maybe drop something on the way
over in a controlled action but otherwise make it • “The robber levels their dagger at your chest. It
over safely. looks pretty sharp.”
• “You can take a shortcut to get ahead of the
Here’s some broad suggestions for the GM when fleeing courier, but you’ll lose sight of her -
inflicting consequences. better hope you catch up.”
• “You can definitely sneak past the sleeping
1. Put someone in a bad spot - Increase the giant, but he’s sleeping lightly and the slightest
risk of their next action. Put them in a worse noise will probably wake him up.”
position than before, like teetering on the edge
of a cliff, separated from the group, sliding off Sometimes players will even suggest possible
a rooftop, or in the middle of a crowded guard outcomes or consequences for their own actions -
post. in which case you should run with it. You can also
2. Start a ticking clock - Start a ticking clock communicate this pretty easily by setting risk for
for a much worse consequence. Perhaps a actions. Don’t worry too much about doing it
character knocks a pillar, now the whole room every time, just try to remember when you inflict
is about to collapse. hard or severe outcomes to communicate the
3. Tick an existing clock - Tick 1-2 segments possible outcomes before the character takes the
for a partial success, tick 2-3 for a failure. If action - and allow players to back out of their
the action was desperate or controlled tick ideas if they want. This helps the game feel fair.
more or less.
4. Offer a hard choice - Make characters Strain and Burden
choose between two harder outcomes - do you
want to recover the key to the ancient door or When a character is physically hurt, mentally
let the treasure chest fall into the abyss? drained, or narrowly avoids injury from a
5. Weigh them down - Present characters with situation, they take strain.
a sudden obstacle or hindrance - pin them

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 get the regular benefits of pushing or gaining aid,

In base ICON, characters are heroic and larger just the ability to act normally.
than life. Only the stresses and stakes of tactical
combat can truly hurt characters. Outside of When a character breaks, they clear their strain
combat, they take strain. Taking strain boxes and take a burden, and at the end of the
represents the mental and physical effort a scene they cease to be broken and can act
character must put into avoid serious bodily normally.
injury, taking injury anyway and pushing through
the pain, taking mental stresses, or suffering A burden is more long-term strain to a character
through a difficult situation. Strain can represent and represents the mental and physical ordeal of
everything from actual bodily injury to the adventuring life. How much a burden
exhaustion, enervation, tiredness, or exposure to interferes with a character is up to that character’s
the elements. Strain taken is 1, 2, or 4. Characters player, but they get xp for letting it do so. When
can also take critical strain. you take a burden, write the nature of the burden
underneath it. It could be a long term injury of
Average strain is 2, usually taken as a result of some kind that the character ignores, scars, a
risky actions. This is usually something like change in attitude, tiredness, sickness, etc.
getting swiped at by an average monster, a short
but painful fall, slashed at by a weapon, eating Possible burdens (not an exhaustive list, just
something poisoned, exhausted from a long trek, examples):
frozen in the blinding wind, falling over from a • Injuries: broken leg, broken arm, gashed ribs,
lack of sleep, etc. monster bite, etc
• Corruption: Infection, disease, illness, dark
Minor strain is 1, usually taken as a result of magic
controlled actions - still enough to be painful. • Negative emotions: Anger, resentment,
Bad bumps, scrapes, minor wounds, animal bites, jealousy, rage, hatred
tiredness, sickness, etc. • Exhaustion: tiredness, ennui, sadness

Major strain is 4, usually taken as a result of Invoking Burden

desperate actions. Major strain is something If a character has any burdens, they can invoke
very painful or hurtful, like a long fall, getting their burdens in narrative play. The GM chooses
smashed by a boulder, smacked around by a large one of the following, based on the nature of the
monster, burned by a fireball, going days without burden.
sleep or food, getting badly sick or poisoned, shot • Get into trouble - the character starts trouble,
in a vital place with an arrow, etc. requiring some action to get out of it
• Increase the risk of their actions this scene
Critical strain is something that a normal (typically to desperate)
person probably wouldn’t survive, such as falling • Reduce the effect of their actions this scene to
off a cliff, getting crushed in the jaws of a wyrm, weak
falling into lava, riddled with arrows, etc. You’ll
survive - you’re an ICON after all, but in order to For example, a character has the ‘Broken Leg’
do so, you’ll have to push through a lot. burden and chooses to invoke it when their party
is doing a scene to climb a mountain. The GM
Breaks and Burden decides that this characters actions will be more
risky during this scene because of the leg.
Characters have a limited number of strain boxes,
usually 4. If they would tick a box and their ‘Get into trouble’ means starting trouble where
boxes are already full, or if they take critical there is none. For example, a character with the
strain, they break and are too hurt or ‘exhausted’ burden decides to get into trouble.
overwhelmed to continue in the current scene, The GM decides this character wanders off, not
unable to move or act on their own. A broken aware of their surroundings, while the party is
character only act by pushing or receiving aid (see traversing a monster-infested tunnel. A character
more on stress below). When they do, they don’t with the ‘anger’ burden decides to get into trouble

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 - the GM decides that the character acts out at an second half of this book. This system is only for
inopportune moment. when the stakes or the tension are high and must
be resolved through combat. In tactical combat,
When getting into trouble or invoking a burden characters can actually be hurt or killed, and
means changing a character’s behavior or making they are going to use the full extent of their
them act out-of-character, the GM can say what might - all their destructive magical and physical
happens but it can be up to the player to act it out. power. If the scene doesn’t warrant that, or the
characters don’t have the ability to go all out, it’s
If you invoked a burden at least once during a not worth tactical combat. For most situations
session get 1 xp at the end of that session per involving violence, assess whether it’s important
separate burden you invoked. enough to dip into tactical combat. If you get into
other situations, it might be better to play it out as
Healing Burdens and strai a narrative scene, using clocks. This is a way you
can set the tone and pacing for your game.
Characters can heal all strain when they camp
or when they finish an interlude. • Is a bar brawl a tactical combat, where the
stakes are high and characters will use the full
Burdens can only be healed during an interlude, extent of their powers and abilities, or is it a
during the special Heal Burdens step. Burdens narrative scene using Excel, Smash, Endure,
are represented with a clock of 4, 6, or 8 and Command to overwhelm and outwit your
segments, and characters can only heal them rowdy opponents?
slowly. Characters can fill in any burden they like • If the local militia shows up to arrest the
when they take one. players, is that a tactical combat or a
negotiation? Can it degrade into a tactical
3 burden combat or can players make other rolls to avoid
fighting?
• If the characters find a large Arkogre guarding
A character with 3 burdens can still break,
the entrance to a dungeon, can they talk to it, or
clearing all strain, but doesn’t mark an extra
will they have to fight it in tactical combat if
burden. Instead of recovering and returning to
they fail to sneak past?
themselves at the end of the scene, however, they
remain broken until the expedition is over (they
Transitioning into tactical combat is usually done
can still push or receive aid to act normally).
smoothly out of narrative scenes or as a tension
break when things go sour. When the characters
A character with 3 burdens is in bad shape
fail to sneak past the Relict, when they burst into
emotionally and physically and can often be
the baron’s hall hell bent on confronting them, or
‘retired’ or take a break from adventuring - they
when they stand in defense of the town as the
can still heal burdens during interludes and can
wave of monsters approaches.
return to expeditions after healing.

Narrative Comba
Combat In ICO
As an alternative or companion to tactical combat,
ICON has a tactical combat system, but this you can play combat scenes out exactly like you’d
system doesn’t have to get used to represent every play out any other narrative scene - using action
occasion when violence breaks out. You have a rolls, clocks to track challenges, etc.
couple options, including not playing with tactical
combat at all! Combat action
If using narrative combat, you can use a
character’s combat ratings when they inflict
Use tactical comba violence in narrative play. There are three ratings:
By default, ICON assumes GMs and other players
will be using the tactical combat system in the

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 • Skirmish: Act with mobile, fast, and quiet Chapter is a rough approximation of power level
violence. Powerful against numerous foes, but in ICON, and narrative play is no exception. The
Weak against larger, tougher, or armored foes. following rule applies for Chapter in narrative
• Snipe: Act with long range, precise, but slow play:
violence. Less Risky at a distance. More Risky
up close. When the players come across a challenge, assign
• Crush: Act with strong, loud, and close a Chapter to it. Chapter 1 is for threats and
violence. Powerful against larger, tougher, or challenges characters could be expected to handle
armored foes. Weak against numerous foes. as beginning adventurers. Chapter 2 is for
established adventurers, and Chapter 3 is for
Characters start with one rating at 2, one at 1, legendary adventurers.
and one at 0, and can improve them like any
other action rating. The flavoring and theming of Character’s actions are more effective and less
a character’s action and attacks is up to the player, risky against threats and challenges 1 chapter
and any rating could be used for physical or lower than them. Against threats and challenges 2
magical combat. chapters lower than them, characters can surpass
them without rolling at all, or in one roll.
In a narrative combat situation, characters don’t
have to just use combat ratings, but can use any The opposite is true. Character’s actions are less
action to progress a clock, as long as its effective. effective or more risky (or both!) against
challenges 1 chapter higher than them, and have
In this situation, don’t treat monsters or foes like reduced effect twice and increased risk against
you would in a traditional rpg, but instead use challenges 2 or more chapters higher, which could
clocks, risk, and effect to represent them. The GM mean they have no effect at all!
can adjudicate or adjust these based on the
qualities of the foes characters are facing, deciding Characters can tackle higher Chapter threats by
which actions in the moment would be more or mitigating risk and effect as normal, such as
less effective. through using Superpowered actions.

For example, characters are fighting a Wyrm in In the above example with the Wyrm, the GM
open combat. The Wyrm itself might be might rule that the Wyrm is a Chapter 2 foe, a
represented with a 10 or 12 segment clock (a powerful monster, and players will be less
pretty powerful foe!) with segments filled in as effective against it (and take more risky actions) if
characters take actions against it. A character they want to tackle it now. Or they could rule it’s a
flinging daggers at a mighty armored wyrm with legendary monster and players have no current
Skirmish might have no effect, or be a weak and recourse against it without special preparation or
desperate action. A different character trying to superpowered actions.
hit that wyrm’s weak scale with a snipe action
might have normal effect and the action might What constitutes chapter appropriate depends on
merely be risky. However, another character using the tone of your game, and what superpowered
Survey might try and spot openings for the effect can do in your game. Here’s some examples
rapier-wielding player, changing their effect, or a for a game I’d run, however:
character might use Smash to topple a pillar onto
the Wyrm to immobilize it, Endure to grapple its Chapter 1
jaws and hold its attention, Charm to distract it, • Fighting a small band of bandits or an average
etc. All these actions can key into each other and monster
all of them could potentially fill out the Wyrm’s • Scaling a high manor wall
clock to defeat it. • Swimming across a river
• Surviving in the wilderness for a few weeks
• Sneaking into a camp undetected
Chapte • Charming a merchant into better prices
• Commanding a few lackeys
• Deciphering odd runes from a ruin

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 character, you’ll choose the Bond you’ll have for

Chapter 2 the rest of the game, with some exceptions.
• Fighting a large group of well trained soldiers
• A tough, intelligent, or powerful monster Bonds all have some variation of the following
• Scaling a huge castle wall features:
• Sneaking into a guarded castle • Ideals
• Riding a monster without a saddle • Stress
• Forging a new set of armor in a night and a day • Bond Powers
• Creating a new legendary alchemical formula
• Enduring a fall off a high peak
• Riling up an entire crowd into revolution
Ideal
These short sentences or activities can be ticked if
Chapter 3
you performed them during a session at least
• Commanding an entire army
once. At the end of a session, if you ticked at least
• Fighting a whole regiment of soldiers by
one, get 1 xp. If you ticked all of them, get 2 xp.
yourself
• Traverse by flying through the air
• A legendary monster Stres
• Scaling an epic peak with your bare hands All Bonds have a certain number of stress boxes
• Swimming across an ocean channel (usually 3). By default, stress can be used in the
• Stealing the crown off the king’s head while he following ways:
holds court
• Surviving being hurled into a hostile dimension • Push: Tick 1 stress to add +1 Boon (+1d6) to
for a few weeks any action roll or improve its effect (normal >
• Charming an ancient sorcerer into aiding you powerful) for example
• Making ground-breaking discoveries in • Aid: Tick 1 stress to help another character.
magitech. Forging new forms of magic. They get +1 Boon on their action, but you also
share in any consequences of their action
You can absolutely adjust this up or down. (strain, bad situations, etc). A character can only
Perhaps Chapter 3 actions are less heroic or high benefit from aid once on an action roll.
fantasy and require superpowered effect to • Resistance: Tick 1 stress to reduce strain
accomplish. suffered as a consequence of your actions by 1.
Can only be taken once per roll.
• Team Action: You make an action as a group.

Player characters in Choose a leader, who spends 2 stress. The leader

makes an action with increased effect and the
outcome or consequences apply to the whole
Narrative Pla group. For example, a Team Sneak can get a
whole group of characters through a difficult
In ICON, every character has a unique drive - situation. A team narrative combat action (like
something that represents how they move through Snipe or Skirmish) lets a whole group fight at
and interact with the world. This is called their once.
Bond. You can think about it like a character
‘class’ or archetype, except your character’s Bond Some characters have more or less stress boxes, or
is purely for narrative play. Think about how your can use stress in different ways.
character acts around other people, what
motivates them, and what ideals they hold near - If a character is maxed out on stress, they’re
that’s your Bond. stressed out. A stressed out character can’t
spend any more stress and some Bonds may get
Each Bond gives you bonuses to certain actions bonuses when they’re stressed out.
and powers that help you play to that archetype or
give your own unique spin on it. When you make a Stress Relie

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 Characters relieve all stress when they finish an

Interlude or when they camp. They can also Knack
heal it any time by fulfilling their stress relief
triggers, unticking a box each time this happens. Some powers give you a knack. A knack is a skill
These are different for each Bond, and can only or area of expertise or knowledge, usually specific.
trigger once in the same scene. They sometimes When you can apply your knack to a roll, get +1
get you into trouble. Boon (+1d6) on the roll.

Using stress while broke Set u

If you’re broken in a scene (you maxed out on All characters can make an action roll to set up
harm and took a burden), if you push or receive another character - for example by distracting the
aid, you can act normally for a single roll. You merchant while your ally sneaks up behind them,
don’t get the bonus die or effect, however. studying a monster for a weak point, or charming
a mercenary your ally wants to hire. Your roll has
Bond Power no effect by itself, and you can still take
consequences, but your ally gets +1 boon or
increased effect on the action you set up if your
Bond Powers are special abilities that either give
roll is successful. Some bond powers give more
you the ability to do something without rolling, or
powerful set ups or key off setups.
boost your existing actions or abilities. They are
very powerful and help distinguish your character.
You can further define what your characters’
specific powers look like and where they come
Play Exampl
from.
Here’s a quick play example.
• Scene: Some powers or Bond features (like
stress relief) apply until the end of the current Play example: The hall of deat
scene, or can only trigger once a scene. A scene
is a contiguous series of events where we don’t The GM is playing with two players, Alice and
‘cut away’ from the action. When we enter a new Marco. Alice’s character has the Bond of the
sequence of action or dialogue (like a new room Mighty, James’ character has the bond of the
in a dungeon, a new challenge, a different Pathfinder.
conversation happening in a different place) the
previous scene is over. This is pretty easy to The character are exploring a ruin and reach a
judge naturalistically. hallway. The GM knows this hallway is trapped
• Limited Powers: Certain Bond Powers can with pressure plates (on the floor) which will
only be used by spending Stress, and many can cause poison darts to fly out from the far wall. A
only be used a certain number of times per tough scenario!
game session. You get these powers back at the
start of a new session. The GM can do a couple things here. If characters
• Range: A few powers have a loose effect range - take action without checking the hallway out, the
these are hand (within hand’s reach), close traps end up being an obvious consequence for
(within speaking distance), far (within shouting their actions, and their actions are probably risky,
distance), and vision (within distance of vision) if not desperate! If characters take a moment to
survey the hallway and get good information, the
Gambit GM can make their actions more effective or more
controlled moving forward, since they know about
Normally you can only take powers from your the traps.
own Bond. However, once you have four powers
from your own bond (including your starting The GM can also decide to let the whole thing get
power), you can take a Gambit, which is a power covered in one roll. Or, if the trap is more
from any bond.

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 dangerous or complicated, they can set up a clock The scenario plays out as above, but the risk for
for it. Alice’s character’s action is now controlled, since
she knows about the trap. Now she only takes 1
The GM can use good practices and foreshadow strain when she’s hit by the darts, which she
threats here by showing the players that the hall spends resistance to ignore.
might be trapped.
Using a Clock, gathering information
Let’s see some permutations of each of these
scenarios. The GM decides this trap is a bigger threat,
something they want to spend a short scene on.
The introduction: They set out a 6 segment clock to represent the
GM: You come to a long stone hallway, chocked hall.
with dust, and probably only wide enough for one
person at a time to move down. It’s pretty long Marco: I have a bad feeling about this hall. I’m
and the far end is too dark to see. Propped against going to get closer to study the stonework
the wall on your side is an old rusty breastplate, a GM: Ok, give me a roll. It’s a little riskier to study
piece of armor long abandoned, as though since you have to get close, but I’ll say its more
someone took it off in a hurry. It’s pock-marked effective. I’ll say its still controlled.
with small holes. Marco (rolls study, gets a 1 ): Ok, I’ll take it. I
have 0 in survey so I’d rather use study. Ah, a 1.
One roll, players don’t gather information: GM (Inflicting strain): Oh yeah, it’s definitely
Alice: I forge ahead, carefully. trapped. A flurry of darts shoot out through the
GM (taking the initiative): Ok! There’s a click as darkness right at you. Since your action was more
you step on a pressure plate. You hear the soft powerful, I’m giving you some progress on this
hiss of air at the other end of the room, and you clock (The GM ticks 2 segments on the clock.
see a flurry of darts heading your way! What do Normally they’d tick 1 or none on a ‘1’ roll).
you do? Your action is probably going to be pretty However, you’re still getting shot, for only 1
risky. strain, and you’re sure there’s more plates in the
Alice: Damn. Ok… I’m going to bring my shield up hall.
and try and endure the darts. Marco: I’ll take it.
GM: Great, I’d say that’s pretty effective but Alice: Can I boost Marco’s character on my shield
desperate. to get them across the hall and give them a bonus
die?
Alice rolls 3 dice for her character’s Endure action GM: Sure. You can make a roll to set up Marco if
and rolls a 1,2, and 5, a mixed success. Darts shoot you like, or just tick a stress to aid him.
into her character, inflicting 3 strain on her. Alice: Ok. I’m going to roll for it. Is… excel a good
Alice’s player chooses to spend 1 stress for action for this?
resistance to reduce the strain by 1. The darts GM: Probably, or smash, I think, since you’re
having activated, the hall is clear and the using force.
characters can move on. Alice: My smash is better, so I’ll use that.
GM: Ok, it’s going to be controlled risk for you I
One roll, gathering information: think
Alice: I’m going to check this hall out. Alice (rolling a 4): A 4.
GM: Ok, give me a fortune roll for that, since you GM (putting her in a worse spot): Great, you
seem safe where you are. boost Marco in the air. However, you have to take
Alice (rolls survey, gets a 4): I’m going to survey a couple steps forward, and now you’re in the
the hall for threats. A 4. middle of the hallway. Anything you do from here
GM: Squinting your eyes, you can just make out is going to be way more risky.
strange cracks in the floor ahead of you. It’s hard Marco: Let’s do this. I’m going to traverse by
to tell, but you’re pretty sure this hall is trapped, kicking off the walls. I’m also going use my
with pressure plates. pathfinder power Windrider to push myself for
another die and choose to not touch the floor.

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 GM: Great, that’s two bonus dice, one from Alice’s Think about how this scenario might change
character and one from your push, and you have depending on the tone of game you want to run.
better effect from your cool power. I’ll say since In a more grounded game, maybe getting riddled
you don’t have to touch the floor, your action is with darts is more strain, or even critical strain on
going to be less risky, so instead of being risky it’s a desperate action. Maybe diving down the
going to be controlled. hallway, bouncing off the walls, isn’t possible
Marco (Rolling 1,2,2,3): Great. Oh shit, a 3. without powerful or superpowered effect (Marco
GM: No problem. You still get two ticks on the did use an ability there to justify it, so keep that in
clock from your better effect (The GM ticks two mind).
more segments, bringing the clock to 4/6).
Marco: Ok, but I’m a dead man, right? If the characters are in a higher chapter than the
GM (offering a choice): Your action was treat, a hall like this, in the fiction, may not pose
controlled thanks to your power, so you don’t get much of a threat. The GM can ignore it, make it a
riddled with darts, but you’ve got a tough choice. single roll, or make it a shorter clock. If the
You don’t make it quite down the hall, and you’re characters are in a lower chapter than the hallway,
close enough to see the mechanism. Do you try maybe it poses a huge threat and is super risky,
and leap forward disable it now, and maybe get and the character’s actions are less effective.
poisoned for your trouble, or do you try and make
another roll? I’ll let you finish the clock right now
if you want.
Marco: I’m going for it.
GM: Ok! You dive forward and jam your blade
into the mechanism. A vaporous cloud of poison
pours out from the dart holes as the trap
deactivates. You’re going to take 2 strain from the
poison.
Marco: Ouch. That would give me a burden.
Alice: Can I use my stress ability to take the strain
instead by pushing Marco aside?
GM: Yeah… but you’re not close enough - you
were put in a bad position, right?
Alice: Ah, ok. Can I just throw my shield and
smash the mechanism before it manages to poison
Marco?
GM (Avoiding saying ‘no’ to this creative
solution): Sure, I think that would reduce the
strain, but give me a roll. Risky, since you’re
trying to do it quickly from far away!
Alice: Ok, I’m going to use 1 stress to push this.
(Rolls 2, 3, 6). A 6!
GM: Cool. You hurl your shield and crumble the
wall, sealing off the vapor. Marco only takes 1
strain.
Marco: Nice.

Flexibility and ton

You can see each of these scenarios changes both

the narrative weight of the scene, and the number
of actions players need to overtake it. For
example, a player with powerful or superpowered
effect could take care of the clock in the third
example with just one or two rolls!

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 Choosing your bond

To make the narrative part of your character in
ICON:

1. First choose what kind of Kin they are, then

choose what Culture they’re from. Get an
action bonus based on your culture.
2. Pick a Bond that you think represents your
character narratively. You can choose one
bond power, take the Bond’s basic actions,
and can fill in 4 more dots on actions,
taking none higher than 3 right now. If you’re
using narrative combat, fill in combat ratings
(2,1,0).

You’re done! You’ll make the tactical combat part

of your character next. In the first session you can
choose something for your camp with your group
and set out on your first expedition.

Folk of Arden El
The collective peoples and folk of ICON are
collectively referred to as Kin. Kin have lived in
Arden Eld since time immemorial.
Thryn
When you make a character, choose what Kintype
you are. There’s no statistical or mechanical The Aethrynn, or Thrynn (most commonly) are
differences in game terms for whatever Kin you found everywhere across Arden Eld. They are an
pick. It’s true, for example, that Troggs as a whole adaptable, diverse people with a strong sensitivity
are larger and stronger than most Thrynn. to Aether and a strong connection to arkentech,
However, each individual is different, and more some say because they are direct descendants of
importantly you are a hero. the Arken that survived or fled the Doom and the
dark age that followed. They make up a large part
Your bond is more important for determining the of airship crews and captains in the great Guilds
kind of person you are. If you want to play up the due to their potential for aether sensitivity making
unique attributes of your Kin, you can pick a bond them excellent pilots.
that fits that fantasy, and pick actions that fill out
what you want your character to be strong at. A Thrynn are made up of a dazzling swathe of
strong, physically powerful Trogg may want to backgrounds that span the continent. They tend to
pick the Mighty Bond. An agile Xixo who is an live in clans that cluster into villages, towns, and
excellent swimmer may pick the Pathfinder bond. city associations. Symbology and culture of the
ancient Thrynn clans, called the Seven Families,
Broadly speaking members of all Kin can be found are present in many modern cultures of Arden
in every part of the world and every walk of life in Eld, and some draw strength and purpose from
ICON, and none have any ancestral nation, their ancient texts and teachings.
‘homeland’, or monoculture, especially due to the
ancient influence of the Arken Empire. Some Thrynn will occasionally have small glowing
‘star-marks’ on their body, especially when
attuned to or channeling strong sources of Aether.

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 These can form constellations of stars or twisting with tails. The Troggs reproduce slowly, have few
branch-like patterns under their skin. children, and treasure them greatly. Trogg
Occasionally these marks are strong enough that children spend a long time maturing and only
even being near to a strong source of Aether is reach adulthood around forty years old.
enough to light them up.
Like other Kin, Troggs are hugely diverse in their
Very rarely, Thrynn are born with delicate backgrounds and cultures but due to their small
vestigial insect-like wings, not capable of flight. number tend to be loners or outsiders to the
Children born this way are given special attention, communities they join. In legends, they are
having been divinely marked, and often have roles supernaturally tolerant of heat and can handle
in the community leadership or priesthood even molten metal with their bare hands, though
prepared for them. They may grow into these how much this holds up in real life varies from
roles or eventually reject them. Trogg to Trogg. Very traditional Troggs worship
the Elden Flame, the primal force of creation, and
give themselves over to the study of smithing or
the aetherial arts. Since Trogg artisans live a long
time, they can accumulate several lifetimes of
knowledge that Kin from a similar background
could accumulate.

Trog
Troggs, also called Ogres, are horned demi-giants
that are few in number but outsize in stature.
Legend has it that the Troggs descend from the
Titans who originally kept the four pillars of the
world stable before they were slain by the Arken,
Beastfol
or at least have some titan blood running through
their veins. Adult Troggs typically stand anywhere
The variety of animal-like Kin found across Arden
between six and eight feet tall, and never stop
Eld can be broadly called Beastfolk. They are the
growing throughout their very long lifetimes,
most common Kin and the most diverse
sometimes living four or five hundred years and
physically. There are many clans of beast folk:
growing to truly enormous stature. All have horns
of various size and shapes, and some are born

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 • The Lopen are cat or rabbit-like folk originally

from the great plains.
• The Garou are wolf or dog-like folk from the
deep forest and islands.
• The Goblins or Vodya are amphibious river-
dwelling kin.
• The Lorito are feathered, birdlike kin
originally hailing from the high steppe.

Beastfolk tend to be shorter in stature than

Thrynn, though some are taller and hardier.
They live around the same time as Thrynn and
typically (but not always) have large families.
Beast folk are present in every culture, from
desert dwelling nomads, to pastoral farmers, to
city guilds.

Traditional Beastfolk have a strong connection

to the earth and the forest. They are strong
woodsfolk, hearty eaters, and excellent hunters.
They have better senses than other Kin and are
sensitive to the changes in wind, moisture, and
earth that signal the weather, the crops, or the
changing of the seasons. Their excellent sense of
taste and smell lead a lot of beastfolk to become
excellent cooks (or picky eaters).
Cultures of Arden El
Xix
When you make a character, choose what their
The insectile or crustacean-like Xixo (ZIK-zo) are cultural background is. Unlike your ancestry,
a group of water-dwelling kin that can these do give you +1 to two specific actions as
traditionally be found as traders up and down the they represent your background, upbringing, or
waterways of Arden Eld. Xixo are excellent skills.
swimmers and can hold their breath for long
periods of time (up to an hour). They vary widely Culture is far more important than Kintype. A
in physiology, though they are unique in that Trogg and a Xixo from the same village are far
during spawning season they can change sex, and more alike than two Troggs from different part of
many Xixo swap around throughout their lives. the world.
Though they can have weak eyesight, they are
highly sensitive to smell and chemical signals and These are the six broad cultures of Arden Eld and
Xixo can communicate simply emotions or moods don’t necessarily represent every culture present
to each other through pheromonal markers, in the world. Every type of Kin is present in every
leading to the stereotype that they can read each culture in varying degrees.
other’s minds.
Yeoki
Though individual Xixo live much shorter lives
+1 to two: Survey, Traverse, or Endure
than other Kin, typically living until their mid 40s,
they have perfect memories, able to recall
The vast majority of people in Arden Eld live in
everything in their lives with absolute clarity. A
the Green, the swathes of peaceful farmland,
common understanding among the Xixo is that
villages, townships, and trading posts in between
other Kin are terribly cursed - living twice as long
the arkenruins. Life in the villages is hard work
as the Xixo, but eventually forgetting a large part
but generally pleasant, and organized around the
of their lives.

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 yearly harvests. Neighboring villages tend to commerce with the mainland. Islanders have
depend on each other for trade, safety, and strong taboos about going back on promises, and
information, and come together for festivals (of value someone’s word very strongly.
which there are many, especially in the summer
months). The villages typically are run by a city Respect for strength, a healthy sense of
elder, or a council of elders and have a strong humor, reliability, and independence are all
connection to nature and its cycles. Faithful strong values for Islanders. Outsiders can
villagers tend to pay their respects to the spirits or sometimes see them as insular, surly, or loud.
the Titans at local forest shrines or holy sites such
as pools or groves.
Leggi
+1 to two: Excel, Tinker, or Survey
Villagers tend to be proud of their local traditions,
festivals, and gods. Most villages have a regional
The villages of the Green rely on a healthy
cooking or craft specialty, and people will often
network of trade caravans, peddlers, crafts-kin,
visit from many towns over just to sample them.
menders, and healers of all kinds. Parts of these
One village might specialize in iron and smithing
networks are made up of local farmers and
work, another might be known for the quality of
traders, but over time some of the caravans have
its steamed buns, and another might have miles of
grown into permanent residences and a quasi-
beautiful grazing pastures and be known for the
religious way of life for the people that crew them,
quality of its milk and dairy products.
who have come to be known as the Leggio. Their
massive, colorful caravans make seasonal
Regional village councils sometimes will gather a
rotations around Arden Eld, stopping in the cities
militia to defend against a surfacing ruin or a
to resupply, and are broadly welcome wherever
blight, and those towns very close to the ruins
they show up, since it means a chance to buy,
typically have a wall to keep out roaming
repair, and indulge in all the necessities and
monsters. Many villages, especially those deep in
luxuries so sorely missed. The Leggio always eat
the wilderness, will train some or most of their
well and trade fairly with the towns, and will often
members in old and secretive martial arts
take on travelers who are seeking safe passage to
techniques unique to each village that can be used
the next village, post, or city.
to defend the village in times of crisis.
Nearly all Leggio have some sort of family trade or
Community, hard work, respect for nature,
skill they are specialized in (sometimes multiple),
and family are strong values for Yeokin.
and many famous or legendary artisans, smiths,
Outsiders can sometimes see them as parochial,
and weapon makers come from old Leggio
stubborn, and uncultured.
families. Leggio Grand Caravans can be two (or
sometimes three!) stories high and are carved
Islande with family histories. They are pulled by draft
+1 to two: Smash, Endure or Command beasts and sometimes captive monsters, who are
kept docile by Leggio beast tamers.
The islands around Arden Eld are an oddity, in
that most of the arkenruins out there are sunken Leggio are nearly all armed and trained in fighting
beneath the ocean. Unfortunately, this has only since they were young as they often have to pass
made them more active. The island chains are through dangerous or blighted areas in order to
beautiful, sun-soaked places that seem paradise- reach a town in need. They regard their duty to
like to many Kin, but the people that live there are keep towns supplied as sacred and pray to the
tough and disciplined, having to constantly Titan of chance to give them safe passage.
defend their idyllic-seeming homes from horrors
that rise unendingly from the sea. Islanders are Craft, sociability, discipline, and
prolific sailors, strong drinkers, and prodigious hospitality are all strong values for Leggio.
fighters. They tend to have a dark sense of humor Outsiders can sometimes see them as brash,
and more than a touch of bravado. Most of their overly friendly, or nosy.
living is made through fishing, carpentry,
mercenary work, and through trade and

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 Dependability, hustle, professionalism,

Churne and caution are highly valued by Churners.
+1 to two: Sneak, Charm, or Traverse
Outsiders can sometimes see them as deceptive,
opportunistic, or exploitative.
A sporadic, nomadic culture, churners live a
dangerous and daring existence, especially
compared to most people of Arden Eld. In their Chronicle
caravans and camps, they follow around +1 to two: Study, Recall or Channel
Arkenruins as they surface, and make their living
off them in whatever way they can. Sometimes The ancient monasteries of the Chroniclers dot
this involves venturing into the ruins themselves Arden Eld, overlooking its deep valleys from
(though never too far for most Churners, they mountain perches, or buried deep in the rifts of its
leave that up to the adventurers and the canyons. Within is buried ancient knowledge -
foolhardy), and scraping Dust from the ruins, or and sometimes dangerous secrets.
searching the surface levels for fragments of
Arkentech. Most of the time this involves directly Chroniclers are a unique, isolated culture - a
servicing the adventurers themselves who venture quasi-religious society of monks and acolytes built
into the ruins by supplying them with necessary around the Chambers - the great monasteries of
food, supplies, arms and armor, and elixirs. When the continent, whose building predates the Arken
a new ruin is discovered or surfaces from deep and survived their fall. There are twelve of these
beneath the earth, it is not uncommon for a ancient edifices, and they are typically located in
Churner camp to appear at the edge shortly after, extreme or hard to reach locales, requiring them
like a spray of brightly blossoming flowers over a to be self sufficient. Small monastery towns and
grave. trading posts grew up around them over time,
forming a tight-knit communities that revolved
Especially brave Churners will sometimes set up around and intermeshed with monastery life -
shop within the surface levels of a dungeon, moving with their festivals, rituals, and traditions.
sometimes maintaining large crops of herbs,
fungi, or other staples that will only grow in the The Chambers are part temple, part archive, and
dust-soaked environment of the arkenruins. The part prison. As legend goes, they were built to
more daring of them will hire themselves out as protect the great secrets of the making of the
guides, tinkers, or hirelings for wealthier world. Some of their inner vaults now lie empty,
adventurers. Due to their unique living and three of the Chambers are broken and hollow
circumstances, most Churners tend to know more ruins, whatever was contained within long
about monsters than any other culture, mostly disgorged into the world. The inner passages and
their spoor, habits, and how to avoid them. halls of the Chambers are rumored to be full of all
kinds of secret knowledge, ancient weaponry, and
Churners are a highly itinerant culture, and while old and powerful evils - though none can say for
some travel together, they tend to congregate only sure.
when a new dungeon surfaces and the old sites
dry up. Many of them are former adventurers who As for the Chroniclers themselves, they live in a
have settled out of obligation or necessity and strict, hierarchical, and somewhat spartan society,
seek a slightly more respectable existence, but but one which values justice, education, equality,
others are skilled merchants, crafts-kin, cooks, and honesty. Ascending up the ranks of the
smiths, and suppliers that come from old families priesthood takes a long time and a lot of
of Churners and run their tents and wagons with a ceremony, and only the most senior monks are
high respect of the Churner Code (honesty, safety, allowed into the central halls of a Chamber.
convenience). Recently, due to the increasing ruin
activity, the number of Churners has been rapidly It is not uncommon at all for monks to dip and
increasing, and a lot of the old and more out of the priesthood in order to have families,
respectable families complain of grifters, explore the world, or go on missions of utmost
swindlers, and ill-intentioned shady merchants import for the monastery. Junior temple acolytes
sullying their reputation. wishing to become higher members of a
Chronicler order are often required to leave the

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 temple for a while to find purpose in the greater

world. Cities are the centers of technology and magic in
Arden Eld and are the chief drivers of the hunger
Chroniclers highly value knowledge of all kinds, for Dust and arkentech, which the technomagical
and tend to be highly educated. This drive often institutes and Guilds use to produce mechanical
pushes traveling chroniclers to explore ruins, and magical wonders. Citizens of the great cities
challenge authorities, or pry where they don’t of Arden Eld are the most diverse in background
belong, often getting them into danger. and profession, and tend to enjoy a higher
standard of living than those in the Green, with
Truth, justice, discovery, and tradition are access to many conveniences such as rail and
important values to Chroniclers. Outsiders can see airship travel, running water, and arkenlamp
them as secretive, old-fashioned, or stiff. lighting. However, they also are the most unequal,
with many Kin languishing crammed into hot and
overcrowded residences in the increasingly
Guilde mazelike city depths, while the Guild Barons at
+1 to two: Command, Channel, or Study
the top scrape most of the benefits off for
themselves while claiming to be acting for the
There are no nations in Arden Eld, but its cities
benefit of all. Some predict the coming of the
are growing in both size and influence. Their
Churning Age will extend this way of life even out
cobbled streets and teetering towers are
to the Green, and fear what that portends.
expanding and stretching to the sky, and the fires
of industry and arkentech burn deep in their
Guilders tend to be more educated, more
bellies.
knowledgeable about Aetheric principles and
more connected to magic and science than other
Those that live in the cities are known as Guilders,
Kin, who they may see as backwards. They also
and often belong to one of the great Trade Guilds,
tend to be very tolerant and welcoming, and the
loose and oligarchical organizations that regulate
most worldly of Kin.
the trade and production of certain items between
cities and act as informal government associations
Tolerance, patience, drive, and
of sorts. Cities are often ruled by the guilds or
friendliness are highly valued by Guilders.
their proxies and to most people of Arden Eld are
Outsiders can sometimes see them as haughty,
chaotic, overcrowded, wondrous, and very smelly
know-it-all, or pampered.
places where the food is greasy, the markets are
bright and burgeoning, and the sights are as
incredible as they are strange.

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 BOND
The Pathfinder
Discover new things, meet new people, learn new • Freesoul - You can escape from any restraint,
things. The Pathfinder is always looking to grab, shackle, hold, or prison cell without
horizon. They’re the first to clamber up the rolling. You can conceal this ability if you wish.
mountain, leap across the river, or dash down • Lay Burdens - 1/session, When you enter a
the slope. The road is their friend and they can’t populated location, tick 1 segment on up to two
wait to see what’s around the corner. burdens of your choice.
• Airfeel - When you camp or start an
+2 Traverse expedition, you can ask any of the following
questions about the next day or so of travel and
Ideal get a yes or no answer from the GM:
- I addressed challenges with curiosity, discovery, • Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous
or understanding journey?
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • Is the journey defended or contested?
through my actions • Are you currently being pursued, tracked,
- I saw, heard, or tasted something truly unique or hunted?
• Colortongue - You can understand and speak
Max stress: 1 all languages and read all scripts.
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you enter a • Horizon Sweeper - When you’re outside, your
new scene. survey actions have increased effect and aren’t
Stress special: Leading traverse or sneak affected by weather or time or day.
actions doesn’t cost stress for you • Memory of the Sole - Name a location you
Strain: 4 last set up camp. The GM will determine the
difficulty of the journey there by answering the
questions below. When the next scene starts,
POWER you and up to ten other willing people can
• Saddleborn - Get a knack for riding animals choose to be safely there if you take 2 strain for
or piloting vehicles each ‘yes’ answer, which could cause you to
• Windrider - When you push yourself to take a break. Work backwards to figure out how you
traverse or sneak action, you also get got there (the scene doesn’t necessarily have to
increased effect and choose one of the following take place the next hour or day, for example).
for the action: you don’t touch the ground, you • Is it a long, dangerous, or arduous journey?
don’t make a sound, you can’t be touched while • Is the location defended or contested?
moving. • Are you currently being pursued, tracked, or
• Dabbler - Get +1 point to put in any action hunted?
rating. At the start of an interlude, you must • Lightspeed - 1/session - Your next traverse
swap this point around to a new action. It can’t action has superpowered effect
take any rating higher than 4. • Gambit of Momentum (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond

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s

 The Seeker
Uncover forbidden knowledge, untangle people, • Darksight - You can see in the dark, which
teeter on the edge of sanity. The Seeker wants could make your risk and effect better. Your
answers - about the world, about magic, about study and channel actions get increased effect
monsters, about themselves - all of it. Their keen in darkness.
wits let them cut through any situation, even if • Unhinge - Your desperate actions have
they may not like what they uncover. increased effect
• Dark Clarity - 2/session - Close your eyes and
+2 Study study the ambient emotional state of someone
in close distance from you (make a roll). If your
Ideal action is successful, your next action against
- I addressed challenges with investigation, that person gets +1 boon and increased effect. If
intuition, or instinct your action fails, take 1 strain and regain a use
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs of this ability.
through my actions • Possession - 2/session - Ask a presence inside
- I questioned my own understanding of the world you for advice. The GM will answer. Get +1d on
the next action to follow the advice as if the
Stress: 2 presence aided you.
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you discover • Instinctive - 2/session - Describe a course of
something hidden, forbidden, or secret. action to the GM you plan to take in the same
Stress special: When stressed out, you get +1d scene. You will receive an answer that is
on study, channel, or recall and can aid in those truthful, if unclear, that comes from a feeling.
actions without spending stress. The GM can choose from the following options:
Strain: 4 Wheel (good/positive outcomes), Stone (bad/
negative outcomes), and Chaos (a mix of good
and bad outcomes).
POWER • Geist - When you touch someone skin to skin
and tick 2 stress, even if you break contact, you
• Heartsight - 1/session - Close your eyes. You can see through their eyes and experience their
can view a location within far distance for 1 sensations and ambient emotional state, though
minute as if you were there as an invisible you can do little but observe, and they are not
observer, hearing and seeing everything. You aware of your presence. The effect lasts until the
cannot move your point of vision, and your body end of the scene, or until you use this ability
is immobile and vulnerable while taking this again, and while you’re concentrating on it, you
action, and you can end it any time. You don’t cannot do anything yourself except sit in quiet
have to be able to see the location you’re trying focus, otherwise the effect breaks. A player
to view. character must be willing.
• Library Organ - 1/session - Get +1d on study, • Living Tome - 1/session - Increase the effect of
channel, and recall actions for the rest of the your next Recall or Study action to
scene, but -1d on all other actions Superpowered
• Argus - You get a knack for sensing danger, • Gambit of Knowledge (requires 4
hidden traps, or ambushes, and can use this powers): Take a power from another Bond
knack on any action when surprised.

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 The Mighty
Use your prodigious physical or magical that (you have 3 burdens for example) this effect
strength to destroy obstacles and help your ends at the end of the scene.
friends. The Mighty revels in strength and • Iron jaw - You can’t suffer critical strain (take
power, and presents an unbreakable front to the 4 strain instead)
enemy, but uses that power not to oppress and • Volcanic - 2/session - When someone or
control, but to protect the vulnerable and stand something harms an ally in your presence, you
against evil. can trigger this ability to get +1d or increased
effect (choose) on all actions against them for
+2 Smash the rest of the scene
• Hammersoul - Your Smash actions have
Ideal increased effect when you’re stressed out
- I addressed challenges with strength, leadership, • Overpower - You can push by taking 2 strain
or force instead of spending stress for Endure and
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs Smash actions
through my actions • Stoneskin - The first time you take strain in a
- Someone challenged me or my friends and I session, reduce it to 0
didn’t back down • Force of Will - 1/session - You can choose to
automatically treat your next Command action
Stress: 2 roll against another character as a 6. The GM
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you take strain can decide a character is too strong willed for
for others, or take strain while aiding others this to work on them, but if they do, heal 2
Stress special: When an ally close to or closer stress.
suffers strain, you can take the strain for them. • Half Light - When you gather information
You can resist it as normal. about violence or possible threats, you can use
Strain: 5 Endure, Smash, or Command
• The Wall - 1/session - This scene only, reduce
all strain suffered by 1, to a minimum of 1
POWER • Make Total Destroy - 1/session - Increase the
effect of your next Smash action to
• True Grit - When you break, you remain in superpowered
control of your character for the rest of the • Gambit of Strength (requires 4 powers):
scene. If you would remain broken longer than Take a power from another Bond

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 The Wolf
You are a tough exterior covered in scars. Your • Blood Scent - You get a knack for tracking or
competency makes you strong, but you also can’t intimidating anyone or anything that’s wounded
let anyone see where you’re vulnerable. The wolf • Go for a Walk - 2/session - When you act
stands strong alone, but can’t forget that they completely alone, you can trigger this ability to
ultimately rely on the pack. get +1d or increased effect on your action
• Cornered - When you are clearly outnumbered
+2 Excel in a hostile situation, reduce all strain you suffer
by 1, to a minimum of 1
Ideal • Viper - If there’s any question about who acts
- I addressed challenges with precision, coldness, first in a scene, its you. If there’s multiple
or intimidation characters with this power, roll off.
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • It’s Nothing - During Heal Burdens, heal 2
through my actions extra ticks on a burden of your choice if nobody
- I let my mask crack helps you heal burdens. Heal 1 tick on two
burdens if someone does help you heal, instead
Stress: 4 of just one burden. You can’t help other people
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you fix heal burdens.
someone else’s mistakes. • Crack Shell - When you’re stressed out, you
Stress special: You cannot take or benefit from can benefit from aid actions and team actions
aid or team actions. normally, and can take aid actions without
Strain: 4 spending stress.
• Bishop - When you set someone up, that
person gets both +1d and increased effect on the
POWER set up roll.
• Clarity - If you break, clear all stress, and you • Wick - 1/session - Increase the power of your
can push your next action for free next Sneak action to superpowered
• Scarcoat - +1 max strain per Burden you have • Gambit of the Fang (requires 4 powers):
Take a power from another Bond

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 The Harlequin
Trick, humiliate, and dance around the powerful. • Mockingbird - You get a knack for mimicking
The Harlequin despises those who take sounds or voices
themselves too seriously, and delights in slipping • Fast Friends - 2/session - You can choose to
in and out of conversations, roles, and situations. automatically treat your next charm action roll
as a 6. If you do, its effects only last a minute
+2 charm until its target(s) realize they were manipulated.
• The Big Show - Critical hits on excel,
Ideal charm, or sneak actions relieve 1 stress for all
- I addressed challenges with cunning, subterfuge, party members who witness your feats
or deceit • Habitual Line Stepper - 2/session - You
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs instantly disappear from sight and re-appear
through my actions somewhere nearby in close distance. You don’t
- I talked my way out of a charged situation have to see your destination, but you are
shunted back to your starting point if it’s
Stress: 3 occupied or obstructed (like trying to hop into
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you get in solid rock, for example).
trouble with someone or something powerful • Quickfingers - 1/session - Name an object
Stress special: When you’re stressed out, get nearby that you can see that could fit or carry in
+1d on sneak one or both hands. By the start of the next
Strain: 4 scene, you have possession of it. If you stole it,
the person you stole it from will find out within
the hour
POWER • Ridi Pagliacci - You can invoke each of your
burdens instead of spending a stress, once a
• Mirrormask - You can always tell if someone session for each burden
is lying if you can see their face, though the • Exuent - When you lead an action to flee or
nature of the lie is unclear escape trouble, don’t spend stress.
• Mercurio - You can change your appearance • Tongue of the Bards - 1/session - Increase
completely by spending 1 stress, including the power of your next Charm action to
height, weight, gender presentation, etc. You superpowered
must appear as Kin (a person), but you could be • Gambit of the Laughing Titan (requires 4
a different Kintype, and otherwise everything powers): Take a power from another Bond
else is up to you. This effect lasts until you
camp, or until you eat or drink something, and
while active you get a knack for impersonation.

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 The Bright
You gather your group with cheer and good effect with or against characters or creatures
attitude. You use your power to fix, heal, and that trust you.
mend. You can be quiet, but when you’re loud, • Untangle - When you help someone else lift
people listen. burdens, you increase their segments healed by
+1, and heal 1 segment yourself
+2 Command • Pangloss - When you fail a desperate action,
your next action can be pushed for free.
Ideal • A Better Way - When you channel to
- I addressed challenges with diplomacy, understand how something or someone is hurt
positivity, faith, or empathy or broken, get +1d and increased effect
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • Mender - 2/session - You can channel or
through my actions tinker to heal someone’s strain. Check the final
- I defused a potentially violent situation result:
• 0-3 - Characters can gain 1 stress to heal 1
Stress: 5 strain
Stress relief: You can’t relieve stress outside of • 4-5 - Character heals 1 strain
camps or interludes. • 6 - Character heals 2 strain
Stress special: You can relieve someone else’s • 6,6 - Character heals 4 strain
stress by 1 by spending 1 stress. • Encourage - 2/session - Spend a use of this
Strain: 4 ability to use aid without spending stress or
exposing yourself to consequences
• Push through - You can spend 1 strain instead • Take Hope - When you critical hit on an action
of spending stress to take aid actions roll, you can tick a segment on one of your or a
• Divine Luck - When you take strain as a single ally’s burdens
consequence, roll a 1d6 fortune roll. On 6, • Gaia - 1/session - Increase the effect of your
reduce the strain suffered to 0. next Channel or Command action to
• Illuminate - Your Charm, channel, and superpowered
tinker actions have +1 boon and increased • Gambit of the World Soul (requires 4
powers): Take a power from another Bond

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 The Brave
Use your courage, luck, and wits to smash head aided you or were in a team action) also reduce
on into problems. The Brave is always at the incoming strain by the same amount
front line, hurling themselves at problems, and • Luck as a Constant - When you critical hit,
hoping their allies will pick up the pieces. They’re lose 1 stress and 1 strain
at their best when relying on fate, teamwork, and • All in - Using Aid to help a character taking a
the power of perseverance. desperate action costs 0 stress for you
• Joyluck Wind Thrower - When you take a
+2 Endure desperate action, you can take +1d on the
action. If you do, you can’t resist, gain aid, or
Ideal reduce or transfer strain suffered in any way.
- I addressed challenges with perseverance, • The Sun- 1/session - Gain increased effect on
friendship, and passion all actions for the rest of the scene
- I expressed my heritage, background, or beliefs • Coordinate - Aiding you on team actions costs
through my actions 0 stress
- I trusted someone with my life • Heart of Hearts: 1/session - You can flash
back to a scene from your past or hometown and
Stress: 3 describe how your memory of that time inspires
Stress relief: Relieve stress when you charge you in the current moment. You can treat your
forth without a plan next roll as though you rolled a critical hit (6,6).
Stress special: When you lead a team action, get You can only use this ability three times ever,
+1d on the action and when you expend its third use, replace this
Strain: 4 power with another one.
• Team Player - When any ally sets you up,
you have increased effect on your next roll
POWER • Brave Destiny - Your critical hits have
• Strike the road - The first team action you superpowered effect
lead in a session costs you 0 stress • Gambit of the Wheel Smashing King
• Stronger Together - When you reduce (requires 4 powers): Take a power from
strain (from resistance or otherwise), allies another Bond
that suffer strain from the same action (if they

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 TACTICAL COMBAT

When you go into a situation in ICON where high- alternate taking turns. When everyone (allies and
stakes violence is about to break out, it’s probably foes alike) have taken their turn, a round passes,
time to go into tactical combat. Combat is ICON is and a new round begins.
for answering the tensions or questions that
words alone can’t solve - when the outcomes are This section is basic combat rules. For
important, and true mettle is tested. Typically advanced combat rules (with more detailed
heroes fight against the monsters and horrors that explanations of some statuses, effects, and each
clamber within and without the sunken chambers section), you can see further down this section.
of the arkenruins, but sometimes you may find Each class and subclass has the combat rules,
yourself fighting against other people when an statuses, and effects most relevant to it explained
argument can’t be solved any other way. at the start of its section.

In combat, the non player characters, including

the foes, are controlled by the game master, and
Your characte
there is usually (but not always) an objective of
Like your Bond, your character has a Job, chosen
some kind.
at level 1. Your job has a class (basically an over-
job, a category of sorts) and gives you your basic
When to go into comba
game statistics and abilities which you can use
in combat. Let’s go through them quickly.
Go into tactical combat when the tension and
the stakes of the story can’t be resolved • Health: Determines how healthy your
except through battle. character is. Multiply health four times to get
your Hit Points. When you gain vigor (a
When you go into combat, establish the stakes - shield that goes over your health, usually from
what each side wants out of the combat. This can healing) it’s equal to a multiple of your health
be as simple as survival. If you can’t get a clear value. Other effects can heal you equal to your
answer, then there’s probably no reason to play health value, so it’s a quick shorthand.
out tactical combat! • Hit Points (HP): 4x your health, representing
your character’s physical state, energy, and
ability to avoid damage. Once you run out and
Combat in ICO go to 0, you are defeated. You’re
incapacitated (can’t do anything, need help to
Tactical combat in ICON is a game that is get up) and take a wound. Certain abilities care
intentionally an abstraction. It’s a different about if a character is bloody, which is below
mode of play to narrative play, and has more 50% hp.
tightly constrained rules. • Wound: When you take a wound, fill in 25% of
your hp (a value equal to your health value),
Tactical combat in ICON is grid based (a square lowering your maximum hp and
grid is used, with each square representing 1 space maximum vigor. You normally get wounds
= 5 feet on each side) and turn based. On your from being defeated. You can’t typically recover
turn, you can move up to your speed and take two or heal a wound until you take an interlude. If
actions. Sometimes you will take both actions to you accumulate 4 wounds, you die.
do something. You may also use Interrupts off • Elixirs: Outside of combat, a character can take
your turn, if you have them. Allies and enemies a few moments to drink an elixir to heal hit

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 points by 50%. Characters all start any

expedition with 2. That isn’t to say there isn’t power to be found in
• Defense: How hard it is to land a blow on you gear and weapons, but ICON only cares about the
in combat. A hostile character must beat or truly legendary stuff. During your adventures, you
match your defense with a to-hit roll to hit you will recover and unlock powerful Relics, ancient
with an attack (and you have to do the same to magic that can take the form of armor, weapons,
them) or enchanted items. These relics must be leveled
• Armor: Subtract all damage taken by your up alongside your character by infusing them with
armor (unless that damage ignores armor). Dust, which you can recover as a reward from
• Speed: Affects how far you move when you your exploits. Dust can also be used to empower
take a standard move, run, or dash. your group as a whole by investing it into your
• Size: How many spaces (square) you take up on Camp, or infused into more temporary items of
the battlefield. Player character are all size 1. power, called Arkentech.

• Attack bonus: Depends on job. Add this Boon and Curs

number to your attack rolls to see if you hit.
• Damage: Damage in ICON depends on your During combat, you’ll often make use of Boons
job, and comes in different degrees. Every class and Curses. Here’s a refresher: for each boon, roll
has a damage die (d6, d8, etc) and a fray 1d6, pick the highest total result, then add it to
damage value (a low, fixed amount). your d20 roll total. For each curse, roll 1d6, pick
• Saves: When you make a save, roll 1d20, and the highest, and subtract it from your d20 total.
save against the effect on an 10+. Boons and curses cancel out each other, 1 to 1.
• Resolve: Resolve is a resource you build up
slowly over combat and you must spend to use
your most powerful abilities, called Limit Combat, step by ste
Breaks.

• Traits: Passive abilities, based on your job, The Golden Rule(s

class, or your relics, that always apply to your There are two general rules that apply to this
character. These are unique to your job and section
class. 1. Specific beats general. Armor usually
• Abilities: The actions you can take in combat, reduces all damage, however the pierce
based on the jobs you have taken. You can have tag, which says it ignores armor, takes
six abilities active on any expedition, and one precedent, because it’s more specific.
Limit Break. All abilities have talents which are 2. Round up to the nearest whole number.
unlockable improvements to each ability. All
abilities, even Limit Breaks, have a master Turn orde
talent which further improves the ability.
• Gambit: One of your abilities (just one, A player character always takes the first turn in
typically) can be taken outside your class. any combat in ICON (players can decide which).
Once their turn is finished, the game master will
Strength of Spiri choose a hostile character to take their turn.
Players then choose another player character or
You may notice that unlike other RPGs, in ICON, allied npc to go, then the game master chooses a
your health, defense, attack bonus, armor, and hostile character, then so on and so forth,
even damage are determined by your job, not alternating. Once there is only characters of one
your gear. In general, this game expects in tactical side left, they take their turns one after the other
combat for your character to be as well armed and in any order. The round then starts with a
armored as they possibly can, given their training, character from the opposite side that ended the
background, and powers. The armor, weapons, last round (so if the round ends with a player
and look of your character is up to you. If you’re character turn, it will start with an npc turn).
not well armed and armored, then don’t go into
tactical combat! Slow turn

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 You cannot break up movement with actions. You

At the start of a combat, at the start of any round, can stop at any point during a movement to take
or if they are forced to (because they become an action or interrupt, but if you do, the
inflicted with the slow status, for example), movement ends. There are exceptions to both
characters can take a slow turn. Slow turns follow these rules but unless specified all movement in
the same rules for every other turn (they alternate ICON works this way.
ally-enemy-ally-enemy), except slow characters
take their turns after all other non-slow You can’t move through obstructions that block
characters have acted (imagine it like its own your movement (by default foes or terrain), unless
mini-round). Some abilities get powered up when an ability allows you to do so. You can move
used on a slow turn, or you may choose to take through allied characters but not end your turn in
one for a tactical advantage. their space.

The Gri If you try to exit a space next to a hostile

character, it costs +1 more space. This is called
Combat in ICON is fought on a square grid, with engagement.
equal space representing 5 ft on each side. The
grid is an abstract of the battlefield, so it’s not Moving through certain terrain on the battlefield
necessary to translate everything perfectly. When can also slow your movement. Difficult terrain,
measuring distances and range, measure from the like mud, snow, or swamp, increases the cost to
edge of the origin space (or character). exit a space by +1 space.

Characte Moving up elevation costs +1 space to enter per

difference in height.
Any entity that can take action or takes up space is
called a Character. These effects can all stack.

If movement would cost too much to even make a

On your tur move (exiting a space next to an enemy in the
snow might cost 3 spaces for example), then the
On your turn in any combat, you can move up to movement can’t be taken.
your speed, then take two actions. Some
abilities cost both your actions to perform. You Dashin
can only use one ability with the attack tag per
round, no matter what, and you can only use Dashing is a special form of movement. When you
each action or ability once on your turn (no dash, your movement ignores engagement, and
duplicate actions). also doesn’t trigger interrupts (so other
characters can’t take advantage of it to attack or
Movin harm you).

A character can make a single standard move

action on their turn at any point during their
Basic Action
turn, moving spaces up to their speed. All
characters get this action for free on each of their Tactical combat is a highly structured game in
turns. ICON. Activities that are not specified here or
covered by the rules here can’t be taken by
All movement in ICON, whether granted by an character in tactical combat, the same as in any
ability or effect, must be taken orthogonally (in board game or video game you might enjoy. If you
compass directions, no diagonal movement), want to improvise, be creative, or add a flourish to
unless specified. You can change directions during your abilities, you can do it within the constraints
movements without issue. of your character’s abilities and actions - there are
plenty to choose from!

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 Run (1 action): Move half your speed, rounded attacks, which are melee or ranged depending on
up. job.
Dash (2 actions): Dash your speed.
Interact (1 action): Interact with something on To make any attack, including basic attacks,
the map that takes more than a few moments, choose a hostile character in range and line of
such as pulling a lever, opening a heavy door, sight. Roll 1d20 plus any boon or curse, plus
picking up a heavy object, etc. your attack bonus. This is called a to-hit roll.
Rescue (1 action): Help an adjacent defeated If your total equals or surpasses your target’s
ally. They end the incapacitated state on defense, you hit. If not, you miss. Attacks have
themselves and heal to full hit points, minus any different effects depending on hit, miss, or critical
wounds they’ve taken. hit.
Basic attack (1 or 2 actions): Make a basic
light or heavy attack Attack weigh
Whack (1 action): Kick, punch, or throw
something from the environment. Deal 1 physical Attacks can be light, heavy, and superheavy.
damage as an effect to a character in range 3.
Basic Attack
That’s it! These actions seem rather limited • Light attack (1 action): On hit: deal light
because all characters in ICON, including the foes damage. Miss: 1 damage
you will face, also have powerful abilities they • Heavy Attack (2 actions): On hit, deal heavy
can use. If you do want to improvise, use the damage. On miss, deal light damage.
constraints of the rules offered here or in your • Superheavy attack (2 actions + move): The
abilities. For example, if you want to knock over a same as a heavy attack, except you must also
heavy boulder so it smashes into your enemy, the spend your standard move - your whole turn! -
GM might rule that it’s a basic heavy attack. to use it.
• If you roll a 20+ on any attack, your attack is a
No repeat critical hit! On a critical hit, boost your
damage to the next level. By default, light
When you take an action, you can’t repeat it in attacks become heavy damage, and heavy and
the same turn. You can only run, rescue, or superheavy attacks become critical damage.
whack once on a turn regardless of how many
actions you have left, for example! This also Let’s break down attacks a little more:
applies to all abilities.
Targeting and Rang
Free and limited Action
You can only make attacks against foes in range
Some abilities take Free Actions. These abilities and line of sight, unless specified. Range can be
don’t take an action slot to use and must be used measured in any direction, including diagonally.
on your turn, but still follow the No Repeats rule.
Attacks can be either ranged or melee.
Other actions, often free actions, are limited. • For ranged attacks, a character must be at
These abilities are written as X/turn or X/ least partly within the listed range of the attack
round (like 1/turn, 2/turn, etc). These abilities to be a valid target. Make ranged attacks with
can break the no repeats rule but can only be +1 curse if there’s a foe adjacent to you.
used a specified number of times a turn or round Ranged attacks also care about cover
instead. • For melee attacks, a character must be
adjacent to be in range for an attack, unless a

Attack higher range is specified. Melee attacks ignore

cover. Adjacent means in any adjacent space,
even if that space is higher or lower
You can only make one action with the attack • Characters get terrain advantage: +1 boon
tag per round in ICON, no matter what the against targets standing on lower terrain than
action cost is. Every character can perform basic them, and ranged attacks gain +1 range for

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 every level of height. If a character attacks a Increasing Damag

target on higher terrain, get +1 curse instead. If an ability lets you increased damage, it will
either grant you bonus damage or boosted
Line of sight means you can see and interact damage.
with the character. This is pretty self explanatory • For bonus damage, roll one more die than
but has more specificity in the advanced combat normal each time you gain bonus damage, then
section. choose the highest 1, 2, or 3 dice based on the
damage you are dealing. For example, with a
Cover and Line of Sigh damage die of d6 and gaining bonus damage
All terrain in ICON has height (more on terrain twice on a light attack, you would roll 3d6 (3, 5,
shortly), from 1-3. Player characters are size 1, but 2), then pick the highest single die, because it’s a
other characters such as monsters can be larger or light attack (5 damage).
smaller. • A few abilities will boost damage to the next
• If character is behind and adjacent to terrain the category (light > heavy for example). If critical
same height as it, it can draw line of sight to damage is boosted, gain bonus damage for each
other characters past that terrain, and other time its boosted past critical, and it becomes
characters can draw line of sight to it, but it Godly.
gains cover from them. The character adjacent
to terrain gains resistance to damage from any Fray damage cannot be boosted or benefit from
ranged attack that they have cover from. bonus damage.
• If a character is behind and adjacent to terrain
that is higher than it, it cannot draw line of sight Critical Hi
to any characters past that terrain, and you can’t
draw line of sight to it. A critical hit triggers on any total attack roll of
20+. By default, a critical hit boosts all damage,
Damag but certain abilities can also give it other effects.
Damage in ICON is based on job and has two
values, fray damage, and a damage die (like Attack, Ability, and Effec
d6, d8, etc). Attack abilities and actions often have two
components: attack and effect. Together, this
• Fray damage is a fixed value. When you deal makes up an ability.
fray damage, deal the damage listed, (you don’t • The attack component often requires a to-hit
need to roll anything!). roll, requires a primary target, and has different
• Other damage values are set based on your triggered effects based on hitting, missing, or
damage die. These are light, heavy, and critical hitting. Effects that trigger on hit, on
critical damage. miss, or on crit only apply on attack.
• When an attack tells you to deal light damage, • The effect component of any ability or attack
roll one of your damage dice, and apply the simply happens, though it might prompt
total result as damage. For heavy damage, roll saves or rely on the attack hitting first. There’s
two, and for critical damage, roll three. more on this in the advanced combat rules.
Simple! • The ability refers to the whole thing (attack and
effect)
Physical, magical, and godl
Attacks and damage can be physical, magical, The important thing to remember is that any
or godly. Some characters and monsters might be ability or effect that empowers or triggers off an
stronger or weaker against one of the other, attack only counts or empowers the attack
having resistance against it (halving all component (the to-hit roll part) and not the
damage). effects, unless specified.

Nothing is strong against godly damage. Godly If an ability triggers off or empowers an ability, it
damage ignores all armor, resistance, and empowers the whole action (attack and effect).
vigor. For example, and ability that gives you bonus
damage on your next ability increases all damage.

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 Sav
Some attacks or effects require a save from the
character they target to avoid some nasty effect,
like extra damage or a status. To make a save, roll
1d20. On an 10 or higher, you save successfully,
usually ignoring the effect.

Characters typically save for every status (a

negative effect) on them at the end of each turn,
ending them on a success.

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e

 Area of Effect (AoE AoE pattern

Some attacks and abilities specify an area of effect
(AoE). If that’s the case, you can target any Most AoEs have a listed pattern, sometimes
character or any space on the ground in range, combining the two. Unless specified, the origin
including allied characters. Area of effect attacks space is the one of the spaces of the original
have an attack space and area spaces. ability user . When placing an AoE, it cannot
• For a character in the attack space, make an overlap its origin space unless it that origin space
attack, with a to-hit roll, and apply the attack is (self).
part of your ability. • Line: A line of X spaces long, with at least 1
• For a character in the area space apply the listed space adjacent to the origin space. Cannot be
area effect. placed diagonally. Attack space is the first
• Some AoEs have additional effects. If so, apply character other than the caster in the area.
them to all spaces. • Blast X: A central space, with x spaces around
This might mean that an AoE attack doesn’t it in every direction, placed in the range listed
actually end up having an attack component and from the origin space. Attack space is the
doesn’t make any to-hit rolls (you can target it so central space.
that only area spaces hit characters), so choose • Close blast X: A blast that must be placed so
your targets carefully! that at least one space of the total area is
adjacent to the origin space
Area effects triggered by abilities or effects • Arc X: X contiguous spaces, with at least one
only have area spaces. They merely apply area directly adjacent to the origin space. If it has a
effects (such as a save) to the whole area. listed range, can be placed in range. Spaces
cannot be placed diagonally and cannot overlap,
but otherwise can be placed in any pattern.
Attack space is the final space.

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 • Cross X: X spaces in every orthogonal in the job descriptions and in the advanced
direction, drawn from the origin space. Attack combat section. Non-attack abilities can only be
space is the first character (attacker’s choice used on specified character in range and line of
if there’s a tie) or the origin space if the attack sight (the same rules as attacks).
has a listed range.
A character can only take 6 available abilities and
If the origin space is not listed, or is listed as one limit break with them on any given
(self), the origin space is the user of the ability. expedition, even if they’ve learned more abilities.
Abilities with no listed range or a target of They can swap them out before each expedition if
(self) don’t affect the caster. If the ability has they choose, so some characters may choose to
a range, the origin space can be anywhere in that have a larger tool kit available to them.
range, and the ability can affect the caster, so be
careful! Targetin

Combined AoE Abilities will specify targets: Self, Foe, Ally,

If an ability has a combined effect area, the Characters, Summon, or any combination of
combined area is placed in the attack space of these.
the first pattern. For example, an area that is line • Self: You! Abilities can’t target yourself unless
3 + cross 2 would be a line 3 area with cross 2 specified.
radiating out from its attack space. If patterns • Allies: An allied character other than you
overlap, they extend the area and don’t affect the • Foe: A hostile character.
overlapped area twice. • Summon: A character controlled or owned by
another character (summoner). Hostile
The secondary area of a combined AoE does not summons can be targeted as normal. Allied
have an attack space, but extends the total area summons can only be targeted by abilities and
effect. only count for abilities if the ability specifically
mentions it can target or count summons.
Cover and AoE
If an ability merely specifies ‘characters’, it
When determining cover from AoEs, if they’re a means allies, foes, or summons, (all of the
ranged attack, determine it from the origin above except self).
point (usually the user of the ability), not the
attack space. Like attacks, all abilities require line of sight
unless specified.

Abilities and trait Effect

Each job has traits from both their class Many abilities apply effects, including some
(Stalwart, Vagabond, Mendicant, Wright) and attacks. Effects simply take place when specified
their job. Traits are passive abilities that are and don’t require a to-hit roll. Even if abilities
always active. They are unique to your job and deal damage, they don’t count as attacks unless
class and depend on the current job you have they have the attack tag.
equipped.
Some effects can take place out of turn, and
Every job also has abilities, including additional don’t take an interrupt slot to activate, making
light or heavy attacks, specified in each job. them quite powerful.
Each ability can only be taken once per turn,
and only one attack can be made per round. Statuses and Blight

Abilities have an action cost, a listed range, and Many effects apply a status or force a save to
might have tags, indicating special properties avoid gaining a status. Statuses apply ongoing
(such as inflicting a status or dealing damage), or negative effects to a character.
the type of ability they are. These tags are all listed

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 Blights are similar to statuses but are more you play and can draw again at the start of your
elemental in nature and cause certain abilities to turn.
become stronger. Characters take damage equal to
the number of unique blights (burning, poisoned, Like they sound, interrupts have a trigger which
frostbite, electrified) they are affected by at the interrupts any action currently being taken, and
start of their turn, ignoring armor. This damage then immediately apply effects.
cannot reduce a character past 1 hp.

Unlike statuses, blights cannot be cleared

Resolve and Limit Brea
automatically and last until the end of combat, or
Limit breaks are the most powerful abilities in
until they are removed by abilities.
ICON. Every character unlocks limit break at level
2.
Ongoing statuses cannot be removed and are
usually caused by an ability you used yourself.
Limit breaks are abilities (with an action cost, etc)
that may or may not be attacks, and don’t count
Clearing Statuse
against number of abilities taken. All Limit Breaks
cost a unique resource, called Resolve, to use.
At the end of any characters own turn, they can
make a save against each status currently affecting Resolve is split into two pools, party and
them, ending them on a successful save. personal resolve. Party Resolve goes up by 1
after every round in combat, and depletes to 0
% chance and random d after combat ends

Some abilities and many relics have a % chance Personal resolve is gained at a rate of 1 after every
for something to occur. When that happens, use a combat, and resets to 0 after you camp. You
random number generator to generate a number might want to push on instead of resting in order
between 1 and 100. The effect happens on the % to get the most out of your abilities.
number or less. You can also roll 2d10, taking one
d10 as the ‘10s’ and one as the digits, ie rolling a 6 When you spend Resolve to use a limit break, you
and a 3 would be 63. can use any combination of party or personal
resolve, but party resolve is shared between all
Some abilities ask you to roll a random d6 to see if members of the group, so any use of it must be
an effect occurs. If that’s the case, it occurs on the used with the consent of your your team
listed number or higher (4+ effects would happen members. Resolve is always spent at the
on a 4, 5, or 6 for example). beginning of the action.

Special State
Victory and Defea
There are two special states that also can’t be
removed and don’t count as statuses - bloodied When any character (hostile or player character)
(when a character is under 50% hp), and is reduced to 0 hit points, they are defeated.
incapacitated (when character is reduced to 0 Defeated characters clear all statuses, marks,
hp) vigor, and other effects on them.

Defeated player characters are incapacitated

Interrupt
(can’t do anything), don’t cause engagement, are
immune to damage, gain a wound, and remain
Some abilities are called interrupts and can be
that way until someone uses the rescue action to
used off your turn. You can use each interrupt a
bring them back to their feet. If a player character
number of times indicated by the tag (Interrupt 1,
with 3 woulds would become defeated and gain a
Interrupt 2, for example) between your turns, only
4th wound, they instead die.
one interrupt during any turn (yours or another
character’s) and get them all back at the start of
any of your turns. Imagine them like a card that

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 Defeated foes are incapacitated, don’t cause Impassable - Blocks movement of all kinds
engagement or obstruction, and are immune to except phasing, and always blocks line of sight.
damage and effects. Depending on the tone of Could be a pillar or a solid rock wall that goes to
your game or the scene, defeated could mean slain the ceiling.
or killed, or merely beaten and unable to fight any Terrain - Categorized by height, 1-3. Blocks
longer. Battles in ICON typically aren’t to the movement. Provides cover if you’re the same
death, unless monsters are involved. height. Blocks line of sight if you’re smaller.
Characters can move up and stand on top of
When any character (player character or NPC) terrain. Costs +1 movement per difference in
would be damaged by an action or ability, they height to move up a level but not down a level.
can instead surrender, becoming immune to all Terrain can represent a large object or obstruction
damage and effects from that action or ability and on the map, such a cart, a boulder, a chunk of
immediately becoming defeated for the rest of ruin, or just something like a hill.
combat. Player characters that surrender can’t Destructible terrain - By default terrain is not
be rescued, but don’t suffer a wound. destructible. If you want terrain to be
destructible, give each space 10 hp per height,
Character’s can also flee the battlefield by and attacks automatically hit.
spending 1 space of movement at the edge of the
grid, as long as there aren’t any foes adjacent to When measuring range, measure it flat even if the
them. terrain is elevated (don’t worry about doing
Pythagorean math!).
Combat ends when every character of one side is
defeated, dead, or has fled the battlefield. Size
Battlefields should be around 10x10, 15x15, or
If all player characters are defeated or dead, they 20x20 or so. Battlefields that are too large will
are totally defeated as a party. The outcome of slow the game down significantly.
this will depend on your GM and the tone of your
game, if you’re totally defeated, you’re at the Terrain advantag
mercy of your foes, but it’s up to the GM whether • Cover: Characters gain resistance to damage
your foes use the opportunity to escape, teach you from ranged attacks while they are in cover
a lesson, leave you tied up, dump you in a pit • Height advantage: +1 boon on any attack
somewhere, or merely attempt to finish you off against a target on lower elevation than you, and
(perhaps unsuccessfully). increase range of ranged attacks by +1 space for
each level of height.
Monsters and Ki • Height disadvantage: If you attack a
character in higher elevation than you, get +1
Foes in ICON are split into Monsters, which fight curse
to the death typically, or Kin, which fight for a
reason. Kin typically don’t fight to the death - Difficult terrai
they’re people and value their own lives. More
details on this in the Foes section. Difficult terrain represents mud, snow, swamp, or
water. It could also be something like a river, deep
The Battlefiel water, or rubble.

Interactable
Each space on the battlefield has a type: You can rule that certain terrain objects or spaces
are interactable, like levers, switches, heavy doors,
Ground - Flat, no special effects. force fields, traps, etc. Interacting with them (as
Difficult Terrain - Costs +1 space of movement an action) changes some part of the map or has
to move out of. some effect, such as dealing light damage in an
Dangerous - Take piercing damage equal to the area, creating cover, creating new terrain, or
chapter number for each space you move into. summoning foes or allies.

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:

 Alternate victory condition

There’ll be more on this in the final game, but Flying characters can cross but not end their turn
having alternate victory conditions can make your in an edge area.
combats more interesting and interactive. Here’s
a few for you: As an optional rule, the edge rule can also apply to
• Escort: Characters have to escort an ally or the edge of the battlefield, with every edge of the
object, who is an intangible object or ally, to the battlefield that is a possible exit being treated as
other edge of the map and flee off the edge by an edge.
ending their turn there. The ally or object can be
‘picked up’ by a character as an interact action. Creating an interesting battlefiel
While carried by a character, that character
cannot attack, run, or dash, but can take other Battlefields that have cover, interactables,
actions. They can drop the character or object in objectives, terrain of different heights, difficult or
a free adjacent space as a free action, and also dangerous terrain, or odd shapes will be far more
drop them when they are hit by an attack or interesting than a plain empty field.
reduce to 0 hp. Enemies can also pick up the Asymmetrical battlefields can also be more
object or ally. Characters fail if they haven’t interesting than perfectly symmetrical ones. Try
taken their escort to the goal in six rounds. to fill at least half your battlefield with points of
• Control: Mark three zones in three different interest.
parts of the map. At the end of the round, a side
(ally or foe) scores 1 point if they have more
non-summon, non-mob characters in the point Vigor, Elixirs,
than the other side. Elites count for two
characters, monstrosities count for four. Most
points at the end of round 6 wins.
Camping, and Healin
• Holdout: Characters must try and survive. Use
2x the point budget for a normal fight. Deploy In ICON, it’s rare to heal in combat. Instead,
the normal budget of enemies at the first round, characters that heal (for example, from the Cure
then bring in half at the start of the third round, ability) often gain Vigor, which is a temporary
then half more at the start of the fourth. If shield that goes over your hit points. Damage goes
characters aren’t totally defeated by the fourth to vigor first when you take it. Vigor gained is
round, they win. always some multiple of your health value (1x, 2x,
3x, etc), and any vigor shield gained replaces the
last shield instead of stacking with it. You lost all
Fallin vigor at the end of every combat. For a little more
If a character is shoved or moves so that they on vigor, see the advanced combat rules.
would move down more than 1 space of terrain,
they take physical damage for every space they fall Between combats, characters can either drink
(2 or 3 damage). Characters fall immediately. an elixir to heal 50% hp, or camp regain all of
their hp. Camping is limited, and characters only
Edg embark on an expedition with 2 elixirs by default.
The GM might rule that a certain area of the map Some camp upgrades or abilities allow you to heal
is an edge, like a pit or a cliff. Characters that end wounds, but generally wounds are only fully
any turn off an edge are removed from play. They healed when you end an expedition and enter an
can avoid this by passing a save, placing interlude.
themselves at the closest non-edge space.
Otherwise, remove them from play for the rest of
the round. If they’re a player character, they can
return to play as close to where they moved off an
edge at the start of their next turn. If they’re a foe
or NPC, the GM can rule whether they come back
or not, re-entering the battlefield at the start of
their next turn. Mobs (weak foes) never come
back from getting shoved off an edge.

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e

 Elixir - Heal 50% hp outside of combat per elixir

Combat Glossar drank. Start with 2 by default.
Fly - A flying character has melee evasion and
There are more details on combat in the advanced ignores all terrain effects and movement penalties
combat section, including detailed explanations of (including vigilance) from non-flying characters,
action order. terrain, and objects. Can move over but not end
their turn in edges.
You don’t need to memorize all these specific Fray damage - Low fixed damage.
rules - they are placed here for your convenience Immune to X - Not affected by X in any way. A
(these rules are the rules used by every single character that’s immune to damage or effects
job!). The most relevant rules are summarized doesn’t even count as taking them.
with each class.. Intangible - Can be targeted, but immune to all
damage, effects, conditions, and blights. Doesn’t
cause obstruction.
Combat Concept
Mark - Place your mark on a specific character.
You can only place one mark at a time on each
Resistance to X - Take 1/2 damage from X,
enemy or ally and each ability can only place one
rounded up
mark. If you place a new mark on a character with
Armor X - Reduce all incoming damage by X
a mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
AoE - Area of effect, usually has a specific
which to discard.
pattern. Only one space in an area of effect is the
Obstruction - Can’t move through something
attack space and requires a roll, the others apply
that causes obstruction. By default this means
area effects automatically.
foes and terrain.
Auto-hit - This attack doesn’t require an attack
Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
roll but automatically hits.
through, but not end your turn in, terrain or
Charge - When used on a slow turn, this ability
characters.
becomes more powerful.
Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
Cleanse - A character that’s cleansed can either
spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
remove all blights, end a mark, or save against all
would move into another character’s space, or a
statuses
piece of terrain, they Collide and stop, taking
Combo - Actions with Combo have two or more
fray damage.
versions. When you use any combo action, all
Slay - An effect that triggers when this action
your combo actions use the next part of their
reduces a character to 0 hp or forces them to
combo when next used. Combos loop back to their
surrender. Can only trigger once per action.
first part after their last part. Combos carry over
Slow - Go after all other characters. If multiple
between turns.
characters take slow turns, it takes the same order
Cover - Gain resistance to ranged damage from
as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
any attack you have cover from
Stance - Ongoing effect. A character can only
Cure - A character that’s Cured gains Vigor 1
have one stance active at a time and can drop a
Damage - Every class has a damage die. Damage
stance by taking a new stance or as a free action at
comes in three varieties, light (1 die), heavy (2
the start of their turn. When a stance refreshes,
dice), or critical (3 dice).
regain its effects.
• Bonus Damage - Roll one more damage die
Summon - A character controlled by its
each time you gain bonus damage and choose
Summoner. Abilities that target allied characters
the highest 1, 2, or 3, depending on the base
cannot target summons unless specifically
damage.
mentioned. Summons don’t cause engagement,
• Boost Damage - Increase damage to the next
take turns, actions, or movement on their own
level (light>heavy for example). If boosted past
unless specified. By default, summons have
critical, becomes Godly
defenses and health equal to their summoner’s
• Godly damage - Cannot be reduced by armor
and hp equal to 50% of their summoner’s. When
or resistance, and ignores vigor
reduced to 0 HP, they are removed from the
Dash - Special movement that ignores
battlefield instead of becoming defeated. They are
engagement and doesn’t trigger interrupts
also removed if their summoner is defeated.

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 Teleport - Instantly move to a free space within Counter - Deal fray damage to your attacker
range X. You cannot teleport while winded or if after being attacked, hit or miss.
your speed is 0. Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
Terrain effect - Something that creates or reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove this
modifies the terrain spaces on the battlefield. effect.
Dodge - Immune to all damage and effects on
Blight miss or successful save. Resistant to damage from
The Blights are Burning, Electrified, Poisoned, non-attack spaces of area effects.
and Frostbite. A character takes piercing damage Evasion - Roll a d6 when targeted by an attack.
at the start of their turns equal to the number of On a 4+, the attack automatically misses. Check
unique blights they are afflicted by (up to 4). before the attack roll.
Abilities become stronger when used against a Guardian - Special interrupt. When an ally you
character suffering from these blights, depending can see in range 3 is targeted by an attack, you can
on the ability. Blights can only be cleared by dash up to 2 spaces towards that ally, ignoring
Cleanse or other abilities that specify they can vigilance. Then, if you’re adjacent, you can change
clear blights. Blights cannot reduce a character the target of the attack to you.
past 1 hp. Pierce - Ignores armor.
Regeneration X - Gain vigor X at the end of
Statuse your turn
Blind - Can only target adjacent spaces Skirmisher - Can move diagonally
Dazed - +1 curse on attacks Stealth - Cannot be directly targeted except from
Hatred of X- When taking actions against a foe, an adjacent space. Breaks on taking or dealing
must include X character as a target for the action damage.
to be valid, as long as that character is in line of Sturdy - Immune to shove, daze, stagger, and
sight and in range 3 of either you or your target. stun
Winded - Cannot dash, teleport, or fly True strike - Ignores dodge, evasion, and does
Pacified - Max damage reduced to 1. Breaks on not trigger guardian
taking damage from an ability or action. Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses and can’t
Stunned - Take 1 less action. Unlike other be shoved.
statuses, automatically clears at the end of Vigilance - Foes can’t dash in your engagement
your turn. Doesn’t stack. and can’t move through your space
Staggered - Attackers gain +1 Boon against a Vigor X - Gain a shield that goes over your hit
staggered character points, equal to X times your health value.
Slow - Must take slow turns Damage goes to Vigor before Hit Points. Vigor
Vulnerable - All damage taken increased by 1 does not stack, and when you gain Vigor you can
choose to keep the old value or gain the new
value. Lose all vigor at the end of combat.
Special state
Bloody - Under 50% hp
Incapacitated - Speed reduced to 0, can’t take
actions, movement, or use abilities. Immune to all
damage. Characters that are defeated and
incapacitated by default when reduced to 0 HP.
Player characters take a wound when they’re
defeated.

Ongoing Statuse
Ongoing statuses cannot be purged or removed
(for example, by becoming sturdy or
unstoppable).

Positive effect

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 Characters can learn 3 jobs (one per chapter) and

Choosing your jo can learn every ability in the jobs they unlock
given the choice, so they have high degree of
To make the tactical combat part of your flexibility.
character, pick a Job. You get two abilities from
your job at level 1 and can pick up more as you Traits and Limit Break
level up. Your traits are unique passive abilities or unique
actions that you get from both your job and class.
You get all the traits from your class (basically a Your traits and Limit Break are unique to your
meta-job, of which there are 4), plus the traits active job only, so think carefully when selecting
from your job itself. You can then pick two your jobs.
abilities from your job. If you’re unsure, pick the
first two abilities listed, you’ll have plenty of
opportunities to choose others. Talent
When you gain xp, at 4 and 8 xp you’ll be able to All abilities have 2 talents that can be unlocked
pick new abilities and strengthen your current to improve them instead of taking a new ability at
abilities through talents, although you can only 4 and 8 xp. Talents can be unlocked in any order.
equip six abilities at a time to take on Abilities and limit breaks also have Master
expeditions. Talents, which can only be unlocked by getting a
mastery point. You get a few from leveling up, and
even more by choosing not to take additional jobs
Gambits at level 4 and 8.

When you level up, you will eventually get the

opportunity to pick another job. This allows Relic
you to swap from Expedition to Expedition to
At level 2, then at levels 6 and 9, characters pick
different jobs as needed. You can take abilities
up a Relic.
from your new job and use them just as you would
your primary job abilities, however you can only
Relics represent extraordinary or powerful
equip abilities that are from the same class as
artifacts from the old world, lost with its ruin.
your job with one or two exceptions, called
They might be enchanted weapons, magitech
your Gambits.
armor, or something similar. There’s a suggestion
for each Relic as to the form it takes, but this can
A gambit allows you take an ability from any job
be loose. It’s up to the player to decide how they
you have unlocked, even if that job isn’t in your
came across the relic in their adventures, or
class.
whether it’s something they are working on
creating themselves. They don’t have to take any
For example, if your job is Bastion, your class is
action to receive the relic, but will have to work on
Stalwart. You can only mix and match abilities
it by infusing Dust into it to unlock it’s benefits.
from other Stalwart jobs you have unlocked, such
as Demon Slayer. However, when you unlock your
Relics start with one rank unlocked and provide
gambit at level 4, you could pick a job out of class,
powerful passive bonuses to a character in
like Spellblade. This would allow you to take one
combat, no matter what job they currently have.
Spellblade ability you have learned and use it
They have three additional unlockable levels, with
while you’re a bastion, or vice versa.
each level giving increasing benefits. Some Relics
give a % chance for certain effects to occur (use a
You unlock your first gambit slot at level 4, and
d100 or a d% dice to check for them). Relics can
your second at level 8. A second gambit allows
be leveled up by infusing them with Dust, which is
you to take two abilities from your off-class job, or
the magical essence sought after by the powerful
potentially mix three classes together!
factions of Arden Eld.

Aspect

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The fourth level of a Relic is called an Aspect, and

provides more powerful benefits. Aspects can be
unlocked either with their (high) Dust cost or by
completing a task listed in the Aspect as part of an
expedition. If the Aspect task is completed once
by any character, aspecting the same relic costs
only 4 dust from that point onwards.

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 JOBS
CLASS: Stalwart 54

Bastion 56

Demon Slayer 59

Head Lopper 62

CLASS: Vagabond 65

Fool 67

Freelancer 70

Shade 74

CLASS: Mendicant 77

Harvester 79

Sealer 83

Seer 87

CLASS: WRIGHT 91

Enochian 93

Geomancer 97

Spellblade 101

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 CLASS: Stalwart Class STATS

Chapter 1:
Weapon master and unparalleled soldier Health: 6
HP: 24
Stalwarts are sturdy and tough warriors, with Elixirs: 2
heavy armor and abilities that let them stand their Armor: 2
ground, protect their allies, and control space. Defense: 8
Stalwarts largely eschew the use of ranged attacks Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
and magic but are mythic soldiers and gods of the
battlefield, able to perform incredible feats of Attack bonus: +1
physical prowess and resilience. Fray damage: 2
Damage: D6/2d6/3d6
Stalwarts boast the Guardian ability, allowing Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Physical Range
them to take hits for their allies, Daze, which 3
makes it harder for enemies to land attacks, and
Vigilance, which makes it much harder for Chapter 2:
characters to move around them. They are also Health: 8
the only class that can become Sturdy normally, HP: 32
making them totally immune to stun, shove, and Elixirs: 2
other nasty effects. Armor: 3
Defense: 10
Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
Class Traits
Vigilance: Foes can’t dash in your engagement Attack bonus: +2
or move through your space for any reason. Fray damage: 2
Bash (1 action): Shove an adjacent character 1 Damage: D8/2d8/3d8
space Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Physical Range
Toughness: Start every combat with vigor 1. 3
Guardian (Interrupt): Once a round, if an ally
in range 3 is targeted by an attack, you may dash 2 Chapter 3:
spaces towards that ally if you’re not adjacent to Health: 10
them, ignoring vigilance. Then, if you’re adjacent, HP: 40
you may swap the primary target to you instead, Elixirs: 2
even if you’re not in range. Armor: 4
Defense: 12
Meter: Heroic Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
Stalwarts can perform Heroics, more powerful
versions of their regular abilities. They get one Attack bonus: +3
free Heroic use of an ability per combat, Fray damage: 3
however, other abilities may allow additional uses Damage: D10/2d10/3d10
of Heroics. Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Physical Range
3
Stalwart Gambit
If you take a Stalwart ability as a non-Stalwart
class, you get Heroics

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 MOST RELEVANT RULE Damage goes to Vigor before Hit Points. Vigor
does not stack, and when you gain Vigor you can
Resistance to X - Take 1/2 damage from X, choose to keep the old value or gain the new
rounded up value. Lose all vigor at the end of combat.
Armor X - Reduce all incoming damage by X Vulnerable - All damage taken increased by 1
Bloody - Under 50% hp
Charge - When used on a slow turn, this ability
becomes more powerful.
Counter - Deal fray damage to your attacker
after being attacked, hit or miss.
Dash - Special movement that ignores
engagement and doesn’t trigger interrupts
Dazed - +1 curse on attacks
Defiance - Prevents hit points from being
reduced past 1 hp. When this triggers, remove this
effect.
Winded - Cannot dash, teleport, or fly
Elixir - Heal 50% hp outside of combat per elixir
drank. Start with 2 by default.
Hatred of X- When taking actions against a
hostile character, must include X character as a
target for the action to be valid, if the character is
in range 3 and line of sight.
Guardian - Special interrupt. When an ally you
can see in range 3 is targeted by an attack, you can
dash up to 2 spaces towards that ally, ignoring
vigilance. Then, if you’re adjacent, you can change
the target of the attack to you.
Regeneration X - Gain vigor X at the end of
your turn
Shove X - Move a character involuntarily X
spaces in a straight line away from you. If they
would move into another character’s space, or a
piece of terrain, they Collide and stop, taking
fray damage.
Slow - Go after all other characters. If multiple
characters take slow turns, it takes the same order
as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
Stance - Ongoing effect. A character can only
have one stance active at a time and can drop a
stance by taking a new stance or as a free action at
the start of their turn. When a stance refreshes,
regain its effects.
Sturdy - Immune to shove, daze, stagger, and
stun
True Strike - Ignores evasion, dodge, and
guardian
Unstoppable - Immune to all statuses and can’t
be shoved.
Vigilance - Foes can’t dash in your engagement
and can’t move through your space for any reason
Vigor X - Gain a shield that goes over your hit
points, equal to X times your health value.

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 forgotten hero’s code, an old oath to stand

Bastion against chaos in all its forms.
Proud and unbreakable knight
Traits:
The Bastions are the shield lords of Arden Eld, Momentum: When you shove one or more
larger than life figures that tread the ancient characters with an ability, you can dash after one
imperial roads with their heads held high and of them the same number of spaces you shoved
armor gleaming. From town to town they act as them as an effect, ending adjacent to them if
errant knights and mercenaries, protecting the possible.
weak and vulnerable, and driving back the Bull’s Strength: When you shove a foe and
Blights with hammer-like blows from their trigger Collide, they must save or also become
greatshields, which they throw like a discus with dazed. If that foe is already dazed, they are also
incredible force. The imperious and mighty stunned. When you trigger Collide on a foe with a
presence of a Bastion in town is a stabilizing non-Heroic ability, your next ability is empowered
force and can become an event for a whole and becomes Heroic
village. All Bastions follow an ancient and long- Black Rock Punisher: Once during your turn,
when you take an action that shoves, dazes, or

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 stuns a character that’s immune to that effect they pass through take fray damage and are
(such as from sturdy or unstoppable), deal light shoved 1.
damage to them as an effect.
Rook: Allied characters can use you for cover SHIELD SLAM
Heavy Physical Melee Attack
Abilitie
Crash your greatshield into the earth, sending up
devastating shockwaves.
HERACULE Attack: On hit: Deal heavy damage. Miss: Light
Light Physical Ranged Attack damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
Range 3, True Strike Effect: All characters adjacent to your target take
light damage, then are shoved 1. Then shove your
Hurl your shield as a discus with irrepressible target 1.
force. Heroic: Increase the range of the effect area to
Attack: On hit: deal light damage. Miss: 1 all characters in range 2 of your target
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
Effect: On hit: Shove 1. A different foe in range 3 Talents
from your target is also shoved 1. I. Charge: Primary target must also save or
Heroic: All ranges and shoves from this ability become winded
increased by +1 II. If Shield Slam’s effect shockwave shoves 2 or
more characters, gain vigor 1.
Talents:
I. Charge: Increase all ranges by +1, deal bonus Master talent: LAND WASTE
damage, and the primary target must save or Before Shield slam’s effect triggers, you tear up
be dazed the very ground, creating a terrain effect of a
II. Trigger Heracule’s effect +1 times when it height 1 piece of terrain in range 3 of you. This
triggers. terrain lasts until the end of combat.

Master talent: ETERNAL DISCU VALIANT

Heracule’s effect triggers even on miss, and the
2 Actions
effect now deals fray damage
Charge forth, with your shield held before you,
BATTERING RAM battering aside foes.
1 Action Effect: Dash in a line AoE equal to your speed
+2, phasing through characters.
Use your shield, weapon, or armored fist and Area Effect: Foes you pass through take fray
send your foe flying. damage and must save or become dazed, then
Effect: An adjacent foe is shoved 2 spaces shoved 1 to either side.
Heroic: Increase shove to 4 Heroic: Daze the first enemy in the area of effect,
then shove them to the end of the line, moving
Talents them with you. They can save to avoid this effect.
I. Effect: If your target collides, they release an
explosion, dealing fray damage as a blast 1 Talents
area effect centered on them I. Charge: Increase the dash by +2
II. Effect: Shove all adjacent characters to your II. Effect: You may repeat the dash effect back to
target’s final position 1 space your starting point, but don’t trigger any other
effects. If you pass through 2 or more
Master talent: GATE SMASHE characters with any part of this move. gain
Battering Ram’s target can pass through vigor 1
characters while being shoved instead of
triggering collide (you can choose for each Master talent: MARATHO
character). If collide isn’t triggered, characters Heroic valiant costs 1 action and moves speed +4

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 attack. If the attack misses, deal light magical

LIVING FORTRESS damage to your attacker as an effect.
1 action, stance
Master talent: MANGONE
Become as the castle, unmovable and Catapult becomes Interrupt 2
unbreakable. Arrows crash against your skin
and you laugh.
Stance: While in this stance, your max speed Limit Break: HELIO
becomes 0 and you cannot dash or teleport, but 2 resolve
you become sturdy, gain cover, and for allies 1 action
count as both a character and a height 1 piece of
terrain for movement, cover, obstruction, and Your shield becomes the sun: a discus of light and
abilities At the start of your turn, you can refresh motion, shattering enemy ranks and spurring
this stance until the start of your following turn, allies forth.
or exit it. Additionally:
• Living Fortress ends if you attack. Effect: You hurl your shield, and every foe on the
• Any characters standing on you when you exit battlefield in line of sight is shoved 1 space in a
this stance are shoved into an adjacent space as direction of your choice. Then you may shove all
an effect allies and allied summons 1 space in a direction of
Heroic: Gain Regeneration 1 in Living Fortress. your choice.

Talents Master talent: PERFECTED HELIO

I. Grant sturdy to any allies while they are You can repeat this effect once on either allies or
adjacent to you in Living Fortress enemies.
II. Gain counter while in Living Fortress

Master talent: IRONSKI

When you exit Living Fortress, become
Unstoppable until you take at least 1 damage to hp

CATAPULT
Interrupt 1

Use your shield as a springboard to set up ally

maneuvers or to deflect projectiles
Trigger: An ally moves into an adjacent space
Effect: Shove that ally 3 spaces in any direction.
If they collide with a character, they take no
damage, deal fray damage to that character, and
can dash 1 as an effect.

Heroic: The shoved ally is shoved 5 spaces and

deals light damage on colliding instead

Talents
I. Your shield becomes a valid target for allied
ranged non-AoE attacks. When targeted, you
can expend Catapult to retarget the attack
from your position to a new valid target in
range 3.
II. You can trigger catapult when targeted by a
magic attack to gain evasion against the

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 forbidden techniques, arcane arts, and oversized

Demon Slayer weaponry that normal Kin would quake at
Monster hunter and dark knight wielding. They organize themselves into loose
orders and train and hunt together, sharing tales
Warriors of impossible strength and insane and trophies of the colossal horrors they have
bravado, demon slayers are warriors that slain. Some say in order to fight their quarries,
specialize in fighting the largest and most the slayers must ingest demon blood to gain their
dangerous monsters to crawl out of the pits that strength, giving them dark and forbidden power
riddle the land. They relish in fighting against that makes other Kin fear and respect them in
impossible odds, training themselves in equal measure.

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 Effect: You hurl your weapon in a line 3 area

Traits: effect, dealing fray damage to characters it passes
Wind Up: Foes save against the effects of any through. Place your weapon at the end of the line,
charged action with +1 curse or as close as possible. Your weapon becomes a
Demon Strength: Once on your turn, you can piece of terrain (height 1) while it’s out. You can’t
make any ability Heroic. If you do, you can’t attack while it’s out. When you move into an
attack or use Heroics on your following turn. adjacent space or start your turn there, you may
Hissatsu: If you don’t attack during your turn, pick the weapon up, ending this effect. Any
your next attack ability gains +1 boon, boosted characters standing on your weapon when you
damage and all damage becomes Godly. This pick it up are shoved to the side of their choice.
effect ends after you attack, hit or miss. Effect: At the start of your turns, you may
True Horn: You are sturdy from the start of each teleport adjacent to your weapon.
round until the start of your turn. Heroic: Your weapon releases a blast 1 explosion
as an area effect when it lands. Characters
caught in the area must save or take light physical
Abilities damage.

DEMON CUTTER Talent

Light Physical Melee Attack I. When you pick up your weapon, your next
Line 3, True Strike, Combo attack deals bonus damage
II. Effect: When you pick your weapon up, deal
You slash your weapon in a deadly swing fray damage to an adjacent foe and shove 1
sending cutting shockwaves out that rip through
enemy armor. Master Talent: SINGING BLAD
Attack: On hit: deal light damage. Miss: 1 If you choose, your weapon automatically returns
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage. to you at the start of your next turn, no matter the
Area effect: Fray damage distance, drawing an Arc between you by the
Effect: Your attack target must save or become shortest route possible. Characters it passes
vulnerable through are shoved 1 to either side, and you pick it
Heroic: Against foes larger than you, boost up when it returns to you.
damage and gain pierce
DRAKEN CROSS
Combo: DEMON SPLITTER Heavy Physical Melee Attack
Change effect area to Arc 3 Cross 2 (self)

Talent Fill the air with the flurry of blades.

I. Charge: Action deals bonus damage and you Attack: On hit: Deal heavy damage. Miss: Light
can dash 1 before making it damage. Critical hit: Boost damage
II. Effect: If you catch 2 or more foes in the area, Area effect: Light damage
gain vigor 1 after this ability resolves Charge: Deal bonus damage and increase area of
effect to cross 4 (self)
Master Talent: BLOODY SWATH Heroic: Dash 1 and repeat the area of the attack,
You may increase or reduce the size of Demon applying only the area effect. This ability can’t hit
Cutter and Demon Splitter by 2 when you use the same character more than once.
them
Talent
COMET I. If this ability only catches one character in its
1 action, Line 3 area, boost attack damage to critical damage.
II. This action deals bonus damage against
Your weapon becomes like a meteor, burning vulnerable targets
through the air as you smash it into the earth
Master Talent: WICKED WEAV

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 Gain Effect: Dash 1 and repeat the attack area,

applying only the area effect. Stacks with the Bat aside every strike at you with supernatural
Heroic version. precision.
Stance: When you take this stance, the next time
WEAPON VAULT you take damage from a foe’s attack, reduce it to
1/turn, Free action 0. When you end a turn, refresh this stance if you
didn’t attack.
Use your great weapon as a vaulting pole, and Heroic: Gain counter while in Royal Guard.
soar into the sky.
Effect: Fly to any space next to an adjacent foe. Talent
That foe is shoved into the space you just left. I. When you reduce damage with Royal Guard,
Weapon vault can’t be used on any turn you deal bonus damage with your next ability
attack, and you can’t attack on any turn you use II. You can spend Royal Guard on damage
weapon vault. sources targeting adjacent allies
Heroic: You may dash 1 before and after Weapon
Vault triggers. Master Talent: DEMON SKI
Royal Guard stacks twice. When it refreshes, add 1
Talent stack.
I. When you weapon vault, save against a status
or end a blight or mark.
II. Charge: Foe also must save or become Limit Break: SPLIT
winded.
HEAVEN AND HEL
Master Talent: DEMON DANC 3 resolve
Weapon vault becomes 3/turn Free Action

OVERKILL Sever Divinity and cut through the threads of

1 action possibility. Pour all your rage into one blow and
topple the Gods.
Time to end this.
End your turn. Your next attack gains On hit: End your turn and charge up a God Cutting
Your attack slams your foe’s defenses and leaves Blow. While you’re holding this blow, you are
them wide open. Your foe loses all armor and slow (ongoing) and have resistance to all damage.
resistance after the attack resolves. This effect This effect ends when you take an attack. Your
ends after they are next damaged by an attack or next melee or ranged attack gains +1 boon, gains
ability. true strike, deals bonus damage, deals Godly
Charge: Your target must also save or become damage, and additionally releases a shockwave as
vulnerable a line area effect that is 3 spaces wide and goes the
Heroic: You can dash up to 3 spaces before length of the battlefield, passing through and
releasing the overkill attack. including the primary target of your attack and
phasing through all terrain or obstructions. All
Talent characters it sweeps through take light godly
I. While holding Overkill, you can dash 2 as an damage as an area effect and are shoved 1 directly
effect after taking damage away from you.
II. Your Overkill attack also deals bonus damage
Master Talent: BURY THE LIGH
Master Talent: BRAVE Deal godly fray damage once to the final character
When you take Overkill, you are unstoppable until hit by the shockwave for every hostile character
the start of your next turn. the blow passes through before hitting them, up to
six times.
ROYAL GUARD
1 action, Stance

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 offer in tribute to Arenheir in fierce hope of

Head Lopper resurrecting their god.

Ferocious followers of Arenheir, the Wolf Titan, Head Loppers seek glory and challenge through
the Head Loppers are a martial order of battle, and will often go for only the absolute
berserkers, pankrationists, and warriors that strongest warriors and monsters, heedless of
reaches across all of Arden Eld. They travel their own safety. They fight with wild abandon
throughout the land seeking powerful foes, and and unconventional techniques that would make
taking trophies to return to their great lodges to even the dirtiest Knave raise an eyebrow.

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 Traits: II. Charge: Character saves with 1 curse

Furious Berserk: When you’re bloodied, you
are sturdy and deal bonus damage with all Master: GIANT KICKE
abilities. At 25% hp, you may fly +2 more spaces with
Burning Blood: You can take a wound to make Dropkick and Dropkick becomes a line 2 area
an ability Heroic and double the distance of any effect.
flight, dashes, or shoves made as part of that
action. Takedown
Heart of Arenheir: Start every combat with Heavy Physical Melee attack
Defiance. After every combat scene, heal one
wound if you used Burning Blood. Attack: On hit: Deal heavy damage. Miss: Light
Great Leap: When you move onto a lower damage. Critical hit: Critical damage.
elevation from a higher one, gain flying until your Effect: You and your foe must each save or
movement finishes. become stunned.
Slay: Gain vigor 1
Abilitie Heroic: Only stuns your target

Talents
Valkyrie I. If you’re suffering from a status or blight when
Light Physical Melee Attack you take this ability, it gains true strike
II. If you takedown an already stunned target,
Attack: On hit: deal light damage. Miss: 1 boost damage
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage
Effect: Attack target must save or become Master: NECK SNAPPE
winded. If you’re at 25% hp or lower, the damage from this
Effect: You can fly 1 towards your target before ability becomes godly.
making this attack.
Heroic: Fly 2 instead and character gets +1 curse
on the save.
Colossus
1 Action
Talents
Effect: Smash the battlefield, creating a height 1
I. Charge: Increase flight by +1
space of terrain in an unoccupied space in range
II. Gain true strike if you started this ability from
3. This terrain lasts until the end of combat, or
higher elevation
until you use this ability again, in which case it
crumbles to dust.
Master talent: VALHALL Heroic: Characters adjacent to the terrain take
Attack gains Slay: gain flying until the end of your fray damage and are shoved 1 away from it when
next turn. the terrain space appears.

Dropkick Talents
1 Action I. When the terrain crumbles, create difficult
terrain in its space.
Effect: Fly 1. When you end your movement, you II. If you're bloody, create an additional terrain
and an adjacent foe must both physical save or space. Both crumble if you use this ability
take light damage and become dazed. again. A character can only be affected by the
Effect: If you fly from a higher elevation, increase heroic portion of this ability once.
the daze to a stun (on both of you).
Heroic: Fly 2 instead and foe is shoved 1 on a Master Talent: WOLFHEAR
failed save. Colossus becomes a 1/turn free action if you’re at
25% hp or less.
Talent
I. Dropkick deals boosted damage to flying foes Great Suplex

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 2 Actions they haven’t acted yet this round, they

automatically fail the save.
Effect: You pick up an adjacent foe. You may fly
up to 3 spaces, carrying your foe with you, and Even if that character saves successfully, you grab
slam them into the ground. You and your foe both them, and you both soar into the air. Remove both
take light physical damage. Place your target in of you from the battlefield. At the start of that
any adjacent unoccupied space. character’s turn, you come spinning back to earth,
Heroic: Decrease action cost to 1 slamming that character into the battlefield in an
unoccupied space in range 3 of your original
Talen location. You take 25% of your hp in physical
I. If you’re suffering from a status or blight when damage. Your character takes 50% of their max hp
you take this ability, damage becomes godly. as godly damage, or 25% on a successful save.
II. Charge: Increase base flight distance by +1
Master Talent: Blood of the Wolf Sou
Master: TITANHEAR
You can target two adjacent foes with this ability This ability works on monstrosities, but can only
deal 25% of their maximum hp.
Blood rage
1 actions, stance

End your turn and gain Stance: While in this

stance you deal bonus damage. When you enter
this stance, or when it refreshes, boost the damage
of your next attack ability. After using that ability,
you are inflicted with dazed.
You can keep this stance even if defeated. Refresh
this stance:
• If you are reduce to 0 hp
• If you are reduced below 50% hp
• If defiance triggers
Heroic: Gain defiance when entering blood rage.

Talent
I. While in blood rage, all attacks gain slay: fly 1
as an effect
II. If you’re bloody, your Blood Rage attack also
gains true strike

Master: Steppenwol
1/combat, you may reduce yourself to 1 HP when
entering Blood Rage. If you do, gain vigor 3.

Limit Break: GIGANTAS

CRUSHE
2 actions
3 resolve

Effect: You grab an adjacent non-monstrosity

character. That character must physical save. If

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 CLASS: Vagabon Class Statistic

Chapter 1:
Rogue, Scoundrel, and Blade for Hire Health: 6
HP: 24
Vagabonds are the mercenaries and wanderers of Elixirs: 2
Arden Eld. They know how to slip a knife through Armor: 0
the chest plate of a knight or the armor of a Defense: 12
monster, how to move quietly and quickly, and Speed: 5 (Run 3, Dash 5)
how to fling a knife with deadly precision.
Attack bonus: +2
Vagabonds boast high damage and even higher Fray damage: 2
mobility. Extended Dash and Skirmisher lets Damage: D8/2d8/3d8
them move faster and further than other classes, Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Physical Range
while Dodge lets them avoid damage unless 4
targeted directly. They make use of Stealth,
Blind, Evasion, and Finishing Blow to crush Chapter 2:
weak enemies and avoid their counterattacks Health: 8
HP: 32
Class Traits Elixirs: 2
Extended Dash - Your dash action can be taken Armor: 0
for 1 action. Defense: 14
Prowl (1 action) - Gain Stealth Speed: 5 (Run 3, Dash 5)
Skirmisher - You can move diagonally
Dodge - You are immune to all damage and Attack bonus: +3
effects from missed attacks. You become immune Fray damage: 2
to all damage and effects when you save Damage: D10/2d10/3d10
successfully against something. You have Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Physical Range
resistance to damage from area effect spaces. 4

Chapter 3:
Meter - Finishing Blow Health: 10
Your actions with Finishing Blow become more HP: 40
powerful when they include a bloody foe as a Elixirs: 2
target. Armor: 0
Defense: 16
Vagabond Gambit: Speed: 6 (Run 3, Dash 6)
If you take a Vagabond Ability as a non-Vagabond
class, you get Finishing Blow. Attack bonus: +4
Fray damage: 3
Damage: D12/2d12/3d12
Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Physical Range
4

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 MOST RELEVANT RULE reduced to 0 HP, they are removed from the
battlefield instead of becoming defeated. They are
Blind - Can only target adjacent spaces also removed if their summoner is defeated.
Bloody - Under 50% hp Teleport - Instantly move to a free space within
Dash - Special movement that ignores range X. You cannot teleport while winded or if
engagement and doesn’t trigger interrupts your speed is 0.
Dodge - Immune to all damage and effects on
miss or successful save. Resistant to damage from Blight
non-attack spaces of area effects. The Blights are Burning, Electrified, Poisoned,
Elixir - Heal 50% hp outside of combat per elixir and Frostbite. A character takes piercing damage
drank. Start with 2 by default. at the start of their turns equal to the number of
Evasion - Roll a d6 when targeted by an attack. unique blights they are afflicted by (up to 4).
On a 4+, the attack automatically misses. Check Abilities become stronger when used against a
before the attack roll. character suffering from these blights, depending
Fly - A flying character has melee evasion and on the ability. Blights can only be cleared by
ignores all terrain effects and movement penalties Cleanse or other abilities that specify they can
(including vigilance) from non-flying characters, clear blights. Blights cannot reduce a character
terrain, and objects. Can move over but not end past 1 hp.
their turn in edges.
Intangible - Can be targeted, but immune to all
damage, effects, conditions, and blights. Doesn’t
cause obstruction.
Mark - Place your mark on a specific character.
You can only place one mark at a time on each
enemy or ally and each ability can only place one
mark. If you place a new mark on a character with
a mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
which to discard.
Phasing - Can ignore obstruction and pass
through, but not end your turn in, terrain or
characters.
Pierce - Ignores armor.
Skirmisher - Can move diagonally
Slay - An effect that triggers when this action
reduces a character to 0 hp or forces them to
surrender. Can only trigger once per action.
Slow - Must take a slow turn
Stance - Ongoing effect. A character can only
have one stance active at a time and can drop a
stance by taking a new stance or as a free action at
the start of their turn. When a stance refreshes,
regain its effects.
Stealth - Cannot be directly targeted except from
an adjacent space. Breaks on taking or dealing
damage.
Summon - A character controlled by its
Summoner. Abilities that target allied characters
cannot target summons unless specifically
mentioned. Summons don’t cause engagement,
take turns, actions, or movement on their own
unless specified. By default, summons have
defenses and health equal to their summoner’s
and hp equal to 50% of their summoner’s. When

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 Some people fear the Fools, calling them self-

Fool interested thugs or anarchic cultists of the
Laughing God. They may not be entirely wrong,
Fools are dedicated defenders of the common but none can deny their flair for the theatrical.
people of Arden Eld, part folk hero, and part
hired killer. They have no official organization, They are feared rightly by all would-be tyrants,
and cover their faces with masks to hide their under-barons, and aspiring imperial lords.
identity, wearing bells and motley to cover their Wherever kin labor under oppression, someone
collections of deadly weapons and explosives. will take up the mask and knives.

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 Core:
Tumbling: You can phase through characters. Talent
Moving up or down elevation costs 0 extra I. If you start the movement from a higher
movement for you. elevation, fly instead.
Curse the Eyeless: You have evasion against II. Critical Hit or Slay: Character explodes in a
blinded or slow characters blast 1 area effect, inflicting burning to
Cheap Trick: When an attack misses you, you characters other than you
can teleport 1 space in any direction.
Stack Dice: When you score a finishing blow, Master: CORAZIERR
the next random d6 you roll as part of an ability Charge: You may change the dash effect to dash 1
becomes a result of 6. This ability doesn’t stack or dash 5
with itself.
Spinning Top
Abilitie 1 action, stance
Death
A blur of cape, a flash of color, the gleaming of
Light Godly Ranged Attack
blades.
True Strike
Stance: When you take this stance, or when it
refreshes, roll 1d6+1 and immediately move that
A shard of primal elden magic, summoned with a
far. You can interrupt this movement with other
snap of the finger.
actions.
Effect: Target a line 6 area. Roll a d6, then count
When you slay a character or score a finishing
the squares out from you. The space rolled is the
blow, refresh this stance, rolling again.
attack space. Other spaces have no effect.
Attack: Autohit: deal light godly damage and
inflict burning. Talents
Finishing blow: Boost damage to critical. I. When a finishing blow refreshes this stance,
roll 1d6+3 movement instead of 1d6+1
II. You gain phasing for characters in this stance,
Talent
and moving through characters’ spaces with
I. Slay: Character releases a blast 1 explosion
movement from Spinning Top costs 0
around them, inflicting light godly damage
movement
and burning to all characters
II. If there’s a burning character in the area, roll
2d6 and pick either result. Master Talent: VORTICE DI FOLL
If you end the movement from this stance stance
adjacent to a piece of terrain, refresh this stance.
Master: ULTIMA DEAT
This effect can only trigger once a turn.
You may deal damage equal to to 25% of a non-
monstrosity character’s max HP instead.
Bamboozle
1 action, mark
Cavaliere
Heavy Physical Melee Attack
They can’t hit what they can’t see.
Mark: A foe in range 5 must save or be marked
It is not enough to rudely and plainly strike your
by you. While adjacent to your marked foe, you
foe down. One must make it entertaining.
have evasion against their attacks and ignore
Attack: On hit: deal heavy damage, Miss: Light
engagement from them. At the end of their turn,
damage. Critical hit: Critical damage.
they can repeat this save to clear the mark and all
Effect: Before attacking, dash exactly 3 spaces in
effects.
a straight line with phasing. The attack can only
target characters in cardinal directions.
Effect: The attack target and all foes you pass Talents
through must save or become slow I. While adjacent to your marked foe, you can
Finishing Blow: Boost damage teleport to any space adjacent to them by
spending 1 space of movement.

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 II. Effect: Your critical hits blind your marked burning. You are immune to damage and effects
foe from your own decoys.

Master: BORRACHI Talents

While you’re adjacent to your marked foe, you I. If a character is already burning, they fail the
have evasion against all characters save and are also slowed
II. When you’re bloody, this becomes Interrupt 2
Pole Trick
1 action Master: PINNOCHI
The triggering character must save or gain hatred
Watch this. of the decoy until its destroyed
Effect: You hop on top of another adjacent
character the same size or larger, sharing their
space. You can no longer move independently in Limit Break: CURTAIN
any way, but move when they move.
CAL
A foe can pass a save at the end of their turn to 3 resolve
end this effect. If you are hit by an attack or you or Heavy Attack
your target are forcibly moved apart (such as from True Strike, Godly
shove), this effect ends. It also ends if either of
you are defeated. You can also end it at the start of Bring out the fireworks. Fire up the elden magic.
any of your turns. Time for a showstopper.
Effect: Target a line area of 1d6+3 spaces.
Characters can only be affected by one pole trick Teleport adjacent to the first foe in that line, then
at a time, and a character can’t use pole trick on a deliver a killing blow, dealing godly damage. This
character in pole trick. ability has different effects depending on their
position on the line.
Talents
I. When Pole trick ends, you can fly 3 as an Damage from this ability cannot be boosted and
effect. has innate 1 bonus damage. Roll damage once,
II. If you Pole Trick on an allied character, that then apply it the listed number of times.
character gains the benefit of your tumbling
and skirmisher traits while you’re still in this 4 spaces: Inflict burning, refund resolve
stance 5-6 spaces: Deal light damage twice, inflict
Burning
Master: IL GRANDE MAG 7-8 spaces: Deal light damage three times, inflict
While in Pole Trick, gain stealth at the start and Burning
end of your turn. 9 spaces: Deal light damage four times, inflict
burning, and the character is stunned.
Disappearing Act
Interrupt 1, Summon Master TALENT: FINAL
Slay: Character explodes, dealing godly fray
What they thought was you was merely a damage and inflicting burning to all foes in the
magical mockery battlefield, regardless of range or line of sight.
Trigger: A character misses you with an attack
Effect: Teleport 2 spaces and summon a decoy in
your original space, or as close to it as possible.
Summon: A decoy is a magical illusion of
yourself. It’s an intangible summon. When
targeted by an action or ability, it explodes and is
destroyed. Characters in a blast 1 area around it
must save or become blinded and become

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 Freelancers have their history in an ancient

Freelancer disgraced knightly order from one of the Seven
Divine punisher, wielder of the Holy Families of the Thrynn. They wield a bright
Chamber metal six gun or long rifle with extreme skill, the
bullets of which they infuse with raw Aether.
Freelancers are free-roaming exorcists and hired Each gun is a relic passed down from master to
guns, roaming the land and fighting blights, student over the years, and can only be won in a
demons and bandits in the name of justice. They duel with another freelancer. The freelancer’s
tend to act as wild cards: highly independent, ultimate weapon is the Astral Chain, a holy
highly effective, and sticking to their codes of gauntlet which they use to purge and bind
honor. demons and rogue spirits into their service as
Seraphim.

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 Traits: on hit and count the seraph’s space as the origin

Aether Shell: Every third attack you make space for cover and effects.
upgrades any hit into a critical hit. • When you trigger a Finishing Blow with an
Divinity Bullet: If your attacks critical hit, they attack against a character in range 3 of the
deal bonus damage Seraph, they may teleport adjacent to that
Run and Gun: You can split up and interrupt character and deal godly fray damage
any movement you make with ranged attack
abilities. The seraph lasts until you use this ability again, or
Deadeye: Gain +1 Boon on to-hit rolls against until reduced to 0 hp.
marked characters of any kind, even if they were
marked by another character. Talent
I. Allies can also ricochet attacks off the seraph
Abilitie II. If your seraph is in range 3, you can use your
standard move to teleport to any free space
STRAFE SHOT
adjacent to it.
Light Ranged Physical Attack
Range 3
Master: ARCHANGE
A flash of gun smoke, and the shine of gleaming Effect: When you ricochet a shot off the seraph,
steel. after the attack resolves it shoots a flurry of divine
Attack: On hit: deal light damage. Miss: 1 bolts, dealing piercing fray damage to all marked
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage. or electrified targets in range 3 of it.
Effect: You may dash 2 before or after the attack.
Critical Hit: You may dash 2 after the attack ASTRAL CHAIN
Effect: Inflict electrified on your target. If they’re Heavy Ranged Magical Attack
already electrified, deal bonus damage Mark, Range 3
Finishing blow: Boost damage
With your heavenly chain skillfully whirling
Talents through the air, you dispense divine justice.
I. Gain flying while dashing as part of this action Attack: On hit: Deal heavy damage. Miss: Light
II. Effect: After this action, you may electrify a damage. Critical Hit: Critical Damage.
character in range 3 Mark: Your foe is marked, hit or miss. As long as
your foe is marked by you, at the start of your
turn, if they are in range 3, they take piercing
Master: SIDEREAL RODE
magical fray damage from you as a bolt of divine
Increase the distance of all dashes by +2 as part of
lightning shoots between you.
this action
Critical Hit or Hit against electrified foe:
You may shove your target 1 space towards you.
ASTRAL GUARDIAN Finishing blow: Boost damage and you may
1 action, summon shove your target 1 space towards you

Calling out their true name, in a flurry of

Talents
celestial wings, you summon your bound spirit.
I. Gain evasion against your marked foe while
Summon: Summon an astral seraph in range 3,
they’re in range 3 of you
a phasing, flying summon that trails after you.
II. Your attacks against your marked target may
• At the end of your turn, you can teleport your
gain shove 1, but they can only be shoved
seraph to a space in range 3 of you, otherwise it
towards you
takes no action or movement on its own.
• You can target your seraph with a ranged attack.
If you do, the seraph takes no damage or effects, Master: ASTRAL PUNISHE
but re-directs the attack to a new target in range When Astral Chain’s damage or shoves trigger,
3 of the seraphim, using your attack roll, line of they also triggers on all hostile characters within
sight, and effects from the new location. Attacks range 2 of your target
that the seraph re-directs electrify their target

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 HOT CHAMBER The world goes still, and is split by a bolt of

Interrupt 1 lightning.
End your turn and gain Stance: Your next hit
Fan the hammer. is upgraded to a critical hit on hit. When you
Trigger: You score a critical hit critical hit, this stance ends.
Effect: Fire up to 1d6 shells from a sidearm at Finishing Blow: Refresh this stance
foes in range 3 of you, each dealing 1 godly Effect: Roll a d6 after the attack resolves. On a
damage. Each foe can only be hit by one shell. 4+, gain stealth

Talents Talent
I. If you fire 4 or more shells, gain stealth after I. After the Ace attack resolves, roll 1d6. On a 6,
this interrupt resolves the stance refreshes.
II. Electrified characters can be hit by three shells II. When Ace refreshes, you can eject the bullets
from your gun and deal 1 godly damage to a
character in range 3 as an effect
Master: VERTIGO BULLE
Hot chamber inflicts electrified and has a range of
4 Master: SUPERNOV
Your Ace attack causes a blast 1 explosion around
your target as an area effect. Characters inside,
DIVINE BINDING
including your target, must save or become
1 actions, mark
blinded.
You lash out with Aetherial cords, lassoing your
enemy in an inescapable web.
Mark: Mark a foe in range 3 of you and lash to
Limit Break: AETHER
them with an astral chain, then end your turn.
If that target ends their turn further away from
OVERDRIV
range 3 from you while marked, the chain snaps. Heavy Ranged Physical Attack
That foe must save or they take piercing fray 3 resolve
damage and become blinded. The mark then ends, Godly
even on successful save.
If you score a finishing blow or critical hit Become one with your weapon. Smite your foes
while your target is marked, shove your marked with high caliber justice.
target 1 away from you
Empty your gun to deal godly fray damage to each
Talent foe in line of sight and range 4. then Go Beyond
I. Gain evasion against your marked foe while Gun.
the chain is intact.
II. You can plant your end of the chain in the When you Go Beyond Gun, you draw on raw
space where you stand when you take this Aether to pull bullets from nothingness. You can
action. fire an extra shell at any foe in range 4, dealing
godly fray damage. This can be the same or a
Master Talent: RIDE THE LIGHTNIN different foe. You can then choose to keep firing
Interrupt: When the chain snaps, you can fly as shells at the same or different foe, one at a time.
an interrupt in an arc AoE as far as possible Before you fire each shell past the first, roll a d6.
towards your foe until you are adjacent to them, On a 2+, you can fire normally, on a 1, your gun
by the shortest possible route. Every character you jams and overheats. This ability continues until
pass over takes piercing fray damage as an area you overheat or have fired 6 shells. If your gun
effect. overheats, you cannot attack until the end of your
next turn.
ACE
Master Talent: ULTIMA OVERDRIV
1 action, stance

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Go Beyond Gun has the range of the battlefield

and can fire up to 8 shells.

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 day, they must fast and train their shadow to
Shade obey them, transforming them into assassins and
Nocturnal Assassin spies of the highest order.

The legends say Shades make a deal with the The Shades say the stories are rumors, and they
Weeper, the dead Titan queen of night and air, to get along with their Darksides. They do have a
split their soul in two. Their shadow becomes tendency to appear when least expected, in
animate, bestial and hungry. Over a week and a uncanny and unsettling ways.

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 Traits: frostbitten and at the start of your turn you may

Shadow walk: While in stealth you have phasing teleport to any space in range 2 of that character
Soul Freeze: Attacks deal bonus damage to as an effect. If your marked character dies, you
characters inflict by Frostbite can attempt to transfer the mark to a new
Darkside: When you teleport for the first time character in range 3 of you as an interrupt (save
on your turn, you leave a shadowy twin behind avoids).
you in the space you left. Your darkside is a size 1
intangible summon. It doesn’t take actions or Talents:
movement on its own, but when you make an I. Gain stealth after you teleport
action that targets another character, you can II. When you teleport, deal 1 godly damage to
make it from either your location or the twin’s your target
location. When you teleport again, you can choose
to either replace your old twin or keep it. Master talent: TWINTAI
Meld: You can spend your standard move to You may throw an additional dagger at a different
swap spaces with your shadow twin, teleporting. foe, marking both. You may teleport and deal
You can make this move even if your speed is 0. damage to one or both foes when this ability
activates.
Abilitie
DEATH BLOSSOM
UMBRA
Heavy Physical Melee Attack
Light Ranged Magical Attack
Close blast 1
Range 4.
From beneath a cloak, out from flying sleeves, or
By the power of darkness.
hidden in coils of hair - infinite blades.
Attack: On hit: deal light damage. Miss: 1
Attack: On hit: Deal heavy damage. Miss: Light
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
damage. Critical Hit: Boost damage
Effect: You may teleport to an adjacent space to
Area Effect: Light damage
your foe after the attack.
Effect: Attack target must pass a save or become
Effect: Inflict frostbite. If your target already has
blinded.
frostbite, deal bonus damage.
Finishing Blow: This ability inflicts frostbite
Finishing Blow: Boost damage
and deals bonus damage to all characters

Talents
Talents
I. Critical Hit: Instead of teleporting adjacent to
I. Critical hit: Increase blast size by +1. This
your foe, you may attempt to swap places with
could cause it to overlap your space (you are
them, teleporting. They can save to avoid this
immune).
effect.
II. After this attack, you may teleport to any
II. You may teleport to any space in range 2 of
adjacent space to an affected character
your target instead of adjacent.
Master talent: SHUKUCH
Master talent: NINJUTS
You can teleport 3 spaces before and after using
Has the range of the battlefield against blinded or
this ability.
frostbitten characters.

VEIL
SHRIKE
1 Action, stance
1 Action, Mark
Draw down a veil of shadows to mask your
With the flick of a wrist, you hurl a spectral
countenance. Harden your heart.
blade, marking your foe with an umbral seal.
Stance: Gain stealth. Your next attack, hit or
Effect: Flick a dagger at a character in range 3
miss, inflicts frostbite and forces a save or your
and line of sight. That character must save or
target is blinded. This stance ends after you
become marked. While marked, that character is
attack.

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 Finishing blow: Repeat this effect without

Talent rolling.
I. Finishing Blow: Refresh Veil
II. Increase the range of all teleports by +1 under Talents
the effects of veil I. Finishing Blow: Deal light damage instead
II. After Danse Macabre resolves, you may
Master talent: CENTIPEDE TECHNIQU teleport adjacent to any affected character.
Gain phasing with veil, and moving through
terrain or other character’s spaces with Veil costs Master talent: LIZARD TECHNIQU
0 spaces of movement. Deal fray damage once to the final foe targeted by
this ability for every character you teleported to
NOCTURNE prior to them, up to three times.
Interrupt 1

You capture a thin silver thread of spilled life

Limit Break: ABYSSAL
force of a foe and use it to tear open a space of
night and cold. ECSTAS
Trigger: You slay a foe. 1 Action
Terrain Effect: Mark a blast 1 area around that 2 Resolve
character, then create a terrain effect in that area.
This cloud of shadow does not create cover or A prayer and a drop of blood, and soothing
block line of sight, but inside the zone, all darkness cloaks the battlefield.
characters (including you) have permanent Effect: Yourself, all allies and allied summons
stealth. The area disperses at the end of the next gain stealth, and all foes are blinded. These effects
round. If you trigger this interrupt again, you can end if a character takes or deals damage, or saves
replace the zone or keep it. against them with a save at the end of their turn.

Talents Master Talent: ULTIMA ECSTAS

I. When you score a finishing blow, refresh The stealth effect from this ability does not break
the duration of your Nocturne zone until the on you when you take or deal damage, but instead
end of the next round. lasts 1 round. Extend this by 1 round when you
II. Keep stealth even if you leave the zone slay a foe.

Master talent: SPIDER TECHNIQU

When a foe is defeated in the zone, increase its
size by +1, up to a maximum of blast 3

DANSE MACABRE
1 action

You step through the air, emerging from the

shadows of your foes, where they find only
gleaming knives.
Effect: Teleport adjacent to a character or
summon in range 3.
• If they’re an ally or allied summon, repeat this
effect.
• If they’re a foe, you may deal fray damage to
them, then roll 1d6. On a 3+, repeat this effect.
• Characters can only be targeted once as part of
this action

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 Health: 6
CLASS: Mendican HP: 24
Wandering Healer and Storyteller Elixirs: 2
Armor: 1
Mendicants are the wandering healers of Arden Defense: 10
Eld. They travel from town to down, healing Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
sicknesses of the body and soul, cleansing the
damage dealt by the Blights, consulting with local Attack bonus: +2
spirits, and setting up wards against evil. Fray damage: 2
Damage: D6/2d6/3d6
Many mendicants are highly learned scholars, but Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Magical Range 4
others come from folk practices, temple monks,
green witch circles, or town priesthoods. Chapter 2:
Health: 8
Mendicants are the only class that can HP: 32
consistently heal by giving out Vigor with Cure Elixirs: 2
and also end negative effects, blights, and marks Armor: 1
with Cleanse. They have many alternate ways to Defense: 12
trigger these powerful effects, as well as the very Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
potent statuses Staggered and Pacified.
Attack bonus: +3
Fray damage: 2
CLASS TRAITS:
Damage: D8/2d8/3d8
Cure: 1 action, range 3 - Self or an ally gains
Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Magical Range 4
vigor 1.
Cleanse: 1 action, range 3. Target self or an
Chapter 3:
ally and choose one of the following:
Health: 10
• End all blights
HP: 40
• End a mark
Elixirs: 2
• That ally immediately saves against all effects.
Armor: 2
Bless: 1 action: Grant a blessing token to an ally
Defense: 14
in range 3
Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
Resilience - Make all saves with +1 Boon
Succor - You can use Rescue at range 5 instead of
Attack bonus: +4
adjacent.
Fray damage: 3
Damage: D10/2d10/3d10
Meter - Blessin Basic Attack: Physical Melee or Magical Range 4
Certain actions give characters a Blessing token.
Characters can only carry one Blessing at a time,
and all blessings are discarded at the end of
combat. Different Mendicant jobs interact with
Blessings in different ways.

Mendicant Gambit:
If you take a Mendicant Ability as a non-
Mendicant job, you get Bless and Blessing.
Characters can spend your blessings to Cure or
Cleanse themselves as an action.

Class Stat
Chapter 1:

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 MOST RELEVANT RULE Teleport - Instantly move to a free space within

range X. You cannot teleport while winded or if
Resistance to X - Take 1/2 damage from X, your speed is 0.
rounded up Terrain effect - Something that creates or
Auto-hit - This attack doesn’t require an attack modifies the terrain spaces on the battlefield.
roll but automatically hits. True strike - Ignores dodge, evasion, and does
Charge - When used on a slow turn, this ability not trigger guardian
becomes more powerful. Vigor X - Gain a shield that goes over your hit
Cleanse - A character that’s cleansed can either points, equal to X times your health value.
remove all blights, end a mark, or save against all Damage goes to Vigor before Hit Points. Vigor
statuses does not stack, and when you gain Vigor you can
Combo - Actions with Combo have two or more choose to keep the old value or gain the new
versions. When you use any combo action, all value. Lose all vigor at the end of combat.
your combo actions use the next part of their
combo when next used. Combos loop back to their Blight
first part after their last part. Combos carry over The Blights are Burning, Electrified, Poisoned,
between turns. and Frostbite. A character takes piercing damage
Cure - A character that’s Cured gains Vigor 1 at the start of their turns equal to the number of
Elixir - Heal 50% hp outside of combat per elixir unique blights they are afflicted by (up to 4).
drank. Start with 2 by default. Abilities become stronger when used against a
Mark - Place your mark on a specific character. character suffering from these blights, depending
You can only place one mark at a time on each on the ability. Blights can only be cleared by
enemy or ally and each ability can only place one Cleanse or other abilities that specify they can
mark. If you place a new mark on a character with clear blights. Blights cannot reduce a character
a mark from you, you can choose which to keep or past 1 hp.
which to discard.
Pacified - Max damage reduced to 1. Breaks on
taking damage from an action or ability.
Slay - An effect that triggers when this action
reduces a character to 0 hp or forces them to
surrender. Can only trigger once per action.
Slow - Go after all other characters. If multiple
characters take slow turns, it takes the same order
as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
Staggered - Attackers gain +1 Boon against a
staggered character
Stance - Ongoing effect. A character can only
have one stance active at a time and can drop a
stance by taking a new stance or as a free action at
the start of their turn. When a stance refreshes,
regain its effects.
Summon - A character controlled by its
Summoner. Abilities that target allied characters
cannot target summons unless specifically
mentioned. Summons don’t cause engagement,
take turns, actions, or movement on their own
unless specified. By default, summons have
defenses and health equal to their summoner’s
and hp equal to 50% of their summoner’s. When
reduced to 0 HP, they are removed from the
battlefield instead of becoming defeated. They are
also removed if their summoner is defeated.

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s

 Tsumi is the protector of cycles, and so the

Harvester Harvesters also perform fertility blessings,
oversee harvest festivals, and see to the
Servants of Tsumi, the Moon Titan, the cultivation and protection of the land and nature.
Harvesters are the death priests of Arden Eld.
They travel from land to land, sanctifying burial This dual nature makes Harvesters fierce
sites, performing funeral rites, and helping warriors, able to make the battle bloom or rot
lingering spirits move on. with a single swipe of their greatscythes.

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 Traits Attack: On hit: Deal light damage. Miss: Light

Mark of Tsumi: Your attacks gain on hit: After damage. Critical hit: Critical Damage
the attack resolves, deal 1 godly damage as an Effect: On hit: foe is staggered
effect to all foes marked by you, and bless all allies Area Effect: Bless and cleanse allies in the area
marked by you. (choose one). Foes take light damage and are
Soul Cycle: When you attack, you may first staggered.
consume all blessing tokens on allies or allied
summons in range 2 of your target, gaining bonus Talents
damage on your attack for each blessing I. If you are bloody, you may cast as Arc 6
consumed. If 4+ blessings are consumed, II. Critical Hit: Cure all allies in the area as well
additionally boost the attack’s damage.
Gardener of Kin: You can stack 2 marks on Master: FULL MOO
characters Ability gains range 3 (it’s still a melee attack).
Balance: Your attacks gain slay: cure an ally in
range 3 BLOOD GROVE
2 actions
Abilitie
The wilderness boils with explosive growth, fed
SOW
by the blood of the battlefield.
Light Magic Ranged Attack
Terrain effect: Grow a blast 1 area of
Mark, Combo
undergrowth. Allies and allied summons inside
Range 3
gain cover from all directions and the area is
difficult terrain for foes. The area disappears at
You throw out a poison seed that bursts into
the end of the next round, or if you use this ability
thorny death.
again.
Attack: Auto hit: Inflict poisoned on your target
Effect: If a foe is slain inside, extend the duration
Effect: Mark your foe.
of the zone until the rest of combat. Any character
Effect: Bless an ally in range 3 of your foe
can also extend it by taking damage equal to 25%
of their maximum hp while inside.
Combo: REAP
Light Physical Melee Attack
Talents
Pierce
I. The zone also grants dodge to affected allies
Attack: Auto hit: Light damage
II. Enemies also treat the terrain as dangerous
Effect: You can make this melee attack against
your marked target regardless of distance or line
of sight. Master Talent: Hungry grov
When the zone’s duration is extended, also
increase its size to blast 2
Talents
I. If Sow hits an already poisoned foe, it deals
piercing fray damage KINCHEWER
II. If you are bloody, increase the range of Sow to 1 action, summon
6.
Vines coil from the earth into a fanged and
Master Talent: KIN CUTTE flowered nightmare.
Reap travels in an arc area effect between you and Summon: Summon a carnivorous plant in
your target, by the shortest route possible, unoccupied space in range 5, a sturdy size 1
avoiding obstructions. Characters caught within companion (hp= 2x health, health and
take piercing fray damage. defense=yours). When you summon the plant,
and as a 1/turn free action on any subsequent
turn, you can direct the plant to bite an adjacent
HARVEST foe. That foe must save or take piercing fray
Heavy Physical Melee Attack damage, become marked by you, winded, and
Arc 3, Pierce have their speed reduced to 0 while marked as the

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 plant chews on them. They can repeat the save to

end all these effects at the end of their turn. It also Leaves shrivel. Hair Curls. Wounds fail to heal.
ends if the plant is defeated or the mark ends. The Mark: Mark a foe in range 3. That foe must save
plant lasts until defeated, or until you use this or become poisoned while marked, and at the end
ability again to summon a new one. of its turn, loses all vigor. The foe can then repeat
the save to clear the mark and this effect.
Talents
I. Foes being devoured take bonus damage from COMBO: REGENERATE
abilities Mark: Mark an ally in range 3. While marked,
II. If a foe is slain while being devoured, the plant that character has regeneration 1. This effect and
grants a blessing to all allies in range 2 mark ends if they take at least 1 damage to hp.

Master: Deeproo Talents

If a foe is slain while being devoured, the plant I. If you’re bloody, also gain regeneration 1
uproots itself. It gains vigor 2 and at the start of while your ally is marked by regenerate
your turn it can move up to 3 spaces. Foes take +1 II. Rot cannot be saved against if your target is
curse on saves to avoid its devour effect. bloody (it can be cleansed normally).

GROWING SEASON Master: WILD GROWT

1 actions, mark, summon When you cure or cleanse any character, summon
a vine thrall in an adjacent space to either your rot
Blow magical spores in the air, which are or regenerate target. You can have up to 4 vine
disturbed by the chaos of combat. Where they thralls at once.
fall, the fruit of life and death blooms. Summon: Vine thrall, size 1 summon, 1 hp,
Mark: Mark an ally or foe in range 3. While health=yours, defense=yours. At the start of your
marked, after that character makes an attack, turn, all vine thralls can move up to 3 spaces and
summon a sprouting edenfruit in an adjacent deal piercing fray damage to an adjacent foe as an
unoccupied space. effect.
Summon: An edenfruit is an intangible summon
with a blessing token on it. Yourself or allies that
pass through the space can pick up the blessing Limit Break: DEATH
token and be cleansed. The fruit is then destroyed.
Foes that pass through the space destroy the fruit SENTENC
but are poisoned and staggered. 1 action
Fruits last until the rest of combat or until 3 Resolve
destroyed.
A flash of the scythe, and the line between life and
Talents death is blurred.
I. Foes that pass through a fruit must also magic Summon: You slash an adjacent foe with your
save or become pacified. scythe, knocking their soul out of their body.
II. Roll a d6 at the end of a marked character’s Draw a line 4 area effect from your foe facing
turn. On a 5+, summon a fruit in an adjacent directly away from you and place the soul in the
space. last available space. The soul is an intangible
summon placed by you. It takes no action or
Master: BOUNT movement.
When fruits are destroyed, they pop in a blast 1
area effect. Yourself and allies in the area are While they have their soul knocked out, foes can
blessed and cleansed, enemies are poisoned and act normally. However, the soul can be targeted
staggered. by abilities and actions, and has the same stats as
the body. The soul doesn’t take damage or effects,
ROT but instead transfers them to the body, no matter
1 action, combo, mark the distance or line or sight. Damage becomes

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 godly. Abilities that are able to target both the

body and soul of the foe (such as AoEs) can hit
both.

A foe can end this effect and re-unite with their

soul by moving back into its space. It also snaps
back to them, ending the effect, at the end of the
next round, or if they are defeated.

Master: LUNAR BECKONIN

At the end of any of your turns, as an effect you
can teleport the soul to an adjacent space to you if
it’s in range 3 of you. In addition, when your foe
reunites with their body, they teleport to their
soul’s location (instead of their soul snapping
back to them).

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 for the will of the local spirits. They often travel

Sealer with many blessed relics of the deities of the land
Warrior monk and purger of evil or even portable shrines on their back.

Traveling priests, monks, and mages, the Sealers In their other role, Sealers are legendary
roam the world from village to village, monster hunters and exorcists of unbelievable
performing necessary rituals, marriages, prowess and unshakeable faith. Whenever an
ceremonies, and yearly festivals. They are a especially bad blight or an arch demon appears,
welcome sight in most villages, and most the Sealers are usually there to drive it back with
perform the important function of traveling ancient sealing magic, blessed brands, and
judge, acting as an impartial party translating flaming weapons.

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 Add a third part of the combo.

Traits: Combo: FISTS OF HEAVEN AND HELL
Blessed Weapon: Characters can spend your True Strike
Blessings when they use an ability to give that Attack: On hit: deal light godly damage. Miss: 1
ability bonus damage and +1 boon on any attacks. godly damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
Mantra of Sealing: When you hand out a Effect: Inflict burning. If your target is already
blessing token, set out a d6 at 1 or tick it up by 1 to burning, deal bonus damage.
a maximum of 6. You can spend it for the Effect: On hit: your target is staggered and a
following effects when you make an attack: character in range 3 of you is blessed.
• Cloud Riding: Reduce your Mantra by 2.
Teleport 2 before making the attack. BURNING SEAL
• Seal: Reduce your Mantra by 3. Gain effect: 1 action, Mark
attack target must save or become pacified after
the attack. Bind an enemy in an astral seal, condemning
• Smite: Reduce your Mantra by 6. Your next them and crushing them under the weight of
attack inflicts burning and its damage is their own evil.
boosted. Mark: A foe in range 3 becomes pacified. It can
Break Meridians: Your attacks against pacified end this condition on itself any time, including
targets are critical hits on hit. directly after this action, as an effect, but must
Martial Arts: You have dodge then immediately save or become staggered and
burning. If it’s already burning, it takes light
Abilitie magic damage instead.

Talents
GOD HAND I. Charge: Increase range to 6
Light Physical/Magical Melee Attack II. Bless all allies adjacent to the marked foe
Combo when it chooses to end the effect
Divine energy infuses you, allowing hammer-like
Master: MILK SUTR
blows that would fell a demon with even your
Interrupt 2
bare hands.
Trigger: A foe chooses to end this mark,
Attack: On hit: deal light physical damage. Miss:
Effect: You may pass it to a new foe in range 3 of
1 damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
that character. You can take this interrupt more
Effect: On hit: an ally in range 3 of you is
than once a turn.
blessed.

Combo: DEVIL HAND MATSURI

Attack: On hit: deal light magical damage. Miss: Heavy Melee Magic Attack
1 damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
Effect: Inflict burning. If your target is already Swing your weapon in a flaming arc that sends
burning, inflict bonus damage. sprays of fire in bright displays, lighting up the
Effect: On hit, your foe is staggered sky.
Attack: On hit: Deal heavy magic damage. Miss:
Talents Light Damage. Critical hit: Boost damage
Effect: Inflict burning. If your target is already
I. God hand can Cure your ally instead of Bless
burning, deal bonus damage.
them. If it does, it deals 1 Godly damage
Slay or critical hit: Bless all allies in range 2 of
instead.
your target
II. Devil hand inflicts Burning on your target and
all adjacent foes.
Talents
Master Talent: FISTS OF HEAVEN AND I. Critical hit: Allies in range 2 of your target
may teleport 1 space.
HEL
II. Charge: +1 boon on the attack

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 area persists until you take this action again or

Master Talent: Blood Festiva until the end of combat.
The first time you hit with Matsuri in a combat, it
deals boosted damage and all its damage becomes Talents
Godly. I. Charge: Increase area to blast 2
II. Allied characters save in the area with +1
JUSTICE boon.
Interrupt 1, Combo
Master Talent: ELDEN SAL
Invoking the spirits of the land and air, you move Sanctify inflicts light damage and burning as an
at impossible speed, doling out blows faster than effect to hostile characters in the area when you
the eye can see. take this action, and hostile characters must
Trigger: You score a critical hit or slay a foe immediately save or become pacified.
Effect: Teleport adjacent to every character in
range 2 of you in any order. Foes become burning, ENSHRINE
allies are blessed. 1 Action, mark
You place a holy seal over your ally, enveloping
Combo: JUDGEMENT them in divine protection.
Interrupt 1, True Strike Mark: Mark an ally in range 3. While marked,
Trigger: You score a critical hit or slay a foe foes that attack your target must save or become
Effect: Roll a d6 for every foe in range 2 of you. pacified after the attack resolves. The effect ends
On a 1, that character is struck by a fiery bolt from at the end of the marked ally’s turn. The marked
heaven and takes light godly magic damage. Roll ally can extend the duration of this effect until the
becomes a 1-2 against burning characters. end of their following turn by spending 1 blessing
token.
Talents Effect: Burning characters get +1 curse on this
I. Also roll a d6 for allied characters with save
Judgement. If they roll a 6, they are cured and
blessed. Talents
II. You can teleport 1 space after triggering I. Your ally can teleport 1 as an effect after being
justice or judgement but before applying the attacked
effect II. Your ally gains Counter while marked

Master Talent: GRAN JUDICAT Master Talent: SHROUD FROM HEAVE

Add a third part of the combo: Your ally also gains stealth after being attacked

Combo: GRAN JUDICATA

Interrupt 1 Limit Break: PASSAGE
Trigger: You score a critical hit or slay a foe
Effect: Cure and Cleanse every bloody ally in TO THE AFTERLIF
range 3. Deal light godly magic damage to every
5 resolve
non-bloodied foe in range 3.
Heavy Magical Melee Attack
True Strike, Godly
SANCTIFY
2 actions You unleash the supreme Sealer war art,
shattering the connections of your foe’s vital
You throw out a handful of glittering salt, energy to their body and hurrying on the
scorching the spiritually impure. transmigration of immortal souls.
Terrain Effect: You scatter salt in a close blast 1
area. Foes that start or end their turn in the area Attack: On hit: Deal light damage three times.
must save or become pacified and burning. Allies Miss: Deal light damage twice. Critical hit: deal
that end their turn in the area are cleansed. The light damage five times

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 This damage can’t be boosted, and has innate 1

bonus damage. Roll once and apply damage the
number of times listed.

Effect: You may teleport adjacent to the target

before the attack if they’re in range 3. Every allied
character in range 3 of the target can also teleport
adjacent to your target. Your target then takes
additional godly fray damage from each adjacent
ally once.

Master Talent: REACH HEAVEN THROUGH

VIOLENC
The teleport effect has the range of the battlefield
for both allied characters and yourself. If your
target is at or under 25% hp, they take fray
damage twice from each ally instead.

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 Great Arcana, the esoteric practice of reading
Seer destiny itself, the Great Wheel of Arden Eld that
A fortune teller and unparalleled master of determines the final fate of all things.
fate
Through ritual, ceremony, and unrelenting
The Seers are made up of all the orders of hedge practice, Seers gain the ability to predict and
witches, stargazers, corner prophets, folk even defy a person’s fate, using their Aether
healers, shamans, and all manner of individuals infused card decks to influence the turning of the
that find themselves attracted to reading the Great Wheel and empower their allies with
foresight, precision, and uncanny accuracy.

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 Bend Fate: You can discard any number of cards

Traits: when you roll a random d6 as part of any action to
roll an extra die per card discarded and choose
The Wheel of Fate any result.
Set up a deck made up of one suit of a 52 card Skein (1 action): Draw two cards
deck (so 13 cards). At the start of any combat, Karma: Allied characters caught in your area
draw up to 5 cards if you have less. Your hand and effect spaces are resistant to their damage and are
deck persist through combats. Discarded cards go Cleansed after the action resolves. If they’re
in a discard pile. Once you draw through your caught in the attack space, they are immune to the
deck, shuffle the discard pile and draw it as your damage and effects and are Cured instead.
new deck (meaning there’s no replacement and
you will eventually draw through the deck). Abilitie
Foretell: Allies can discard 1 blessing token any
time to allow you to tell their fortune as an effect.
ASTRA
Heavy Magic ranged attack
You can discard a card from your hand and
Combo, Line 4 + cross 2
immediately apply the effects to your target, no
matter the distance or if you can see them or not.
You call down the heavens themselves on your
If you have no cards in hand, draw the top card of
foes.
your deck instead, apply its effects, then discard
Attack: Auto hit: Deal light damage, inflict
it.
frostbite, and stagger your foe
Area effect: Light damage and inflict frostbite.
THE GREAT WHEEL
Effect: Frostbitten characters take bonus damage
2 - The Fool - Ally must immediately dash 3
towards the nearest enemy and gains hatred of Combo: Fortuna
that enemy until end of their next turn. Close blast 1
3 - The Scepter - Teleport your ally to an Attack: Auto hit: Fray damage
adjacent space to you. Area Effect: Bless all allied characters in the
4 - The Ewer - Cleanse your ally and all area. All foes are staggered.
characters adjacent to them, hostile or allied.
They choose which effect to trigger. Talent
5 - The Devil - Ally gains 3x vigor but gains a I. Staggered characters take bonus damage from
wound. If this would kill them, they are stunned Astra.
instead and gain no vigor or wounds. II. Charge: Increase area of effect for all areas by
6 - The Sword - Ally’s attacks gain Pierce until 1
the end of their next turn, but their max armor is
reduced to 0 for the same duration. Master Talent: STARSHIEL
7 - Death - Ally gains Defiance. After you use Astra or Fortuna, roll 1d6. On a 1
8 - The Chariot - Ally’s movement ignores nothing happens. On a 2-5, a shield of floating
engagement and terrain penalties until the end of stars may surround you or an ally in the area of
their next turn. effect after the ability resolves, granting them
9 - The Papessa - Ally becomes pacified and resistance to all damage of the next attack they are
gains regeneration 1 while pacified. hit with, then dispersing. On a 6, the shield
10 - The Emperor - Ally gains stealth manifests over both you and your chosen ally.
J - The Star - Ally saves with +1 Boon until the
end of their next turn. WILD CARD
Q - The Moon - Ally gains Evasion until end of 1 Action, Summon
their next turn
K - The Sun - Ally gains Counter and cannot gain You flick a beautifully illustrated ethereal card
or benefit from stealth until end of their next turn onto the battlefield, laden with the threads of
A - The World - Ally becomes Unstoppable until potential.
the end of their next turn Summon: Summon an intangible wild card onto
the battlefield in range 5. When it’s hit by an allied

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 area of effect action, it explodes in a blast 1 aoe, You crook a finger, and pull on the threads of
extending the area effect space of that AoE to fate, casting an irrevocable curse.
encompass its area and destroying the card. Wild Mark: Mark a foe or ally in range 6 with a
cards can be triggered by other wild cards. magical card, which pulses with astral energy. At
the end of any of the marked character’s turns,
Talents you roll a d6. On a 6, the card explodes in a blast 1
I. Effect: After a Wild Card explodes, Bless an area effect centered on that character. This
ally in range 3 of the card becomes 4+ for frostbitten characters. A character
II. You can throw a Master Card instead of a can pass the card off to another adjacent character
regular card. It’s not destroyed when it (allied or hostile) as an action on their turn. The
explodes, but using this ability again will card also explodes if the character is slain.
replace the last card created.
When the card explodes, characters in the area,
Master Talent: WILD GAMBL including the primary character, must save or take
When you trigger a Wild Card with an AoE, roll fray damage and become staggered. The primary
1d6. On a 1, nothing happens. On a 2-5, it inflicts a character takes light damage instead and
random blight on all affected characters (2 automatically fails this save
burning, 3 electrified, 4 frostbite, 5 poisoned). On
a 6 it inflicts all blights. Talent
I. If you hit the target with a critical hit, the card
Sleight of Hand immediately explodes
II. If a character is defeated while under the
Light Magic Ranged Attack
effects of Doom, the card may pass to a new
Range 4
character of your choice in range 3 of the
defeated character.
A flash of bright color, and a card is stuck to your
foe, bursting with power.
Attack: Auto-hit: You attach a magical card to a Master Talent: SEAL FAT
foe in range When Doom is passed at least once, it deals heavy
Area Effect: The next attack against the target damage instead of light to its primary target.
gains +1 boon. The next time an ally hits the
target with an attack, the card explodes in a blast 1 POLARIS
area effect for light damage and grants that ally a 1 action
blessing. The triggering ally is immune to all
damage from this ability. A distant glint in the heavens, portents of the
devastation to come.
Talent Effect: Choose a space on the battlefield in range
I. You can target an allied character with this 5, which becomes visible to all characters. At the
attack to attach the card to them instead, end of every turn that passes after yours (allied or
marking them. It triggers on any attack, not foe), roll 1d6. On a 6, a meteor lands in that spot,
just allied, and they’re immune to its damage exploding for a blast 1 explosion, dealing light
II. You can throw a card in an arc 3 area effect damage as an area effect and inflicting Frostbite.
when you throw it, dealing fray damage to Frostbitten characters must also save or become
characters it passes through before it hits its winded. This effect ends at the start of your next
target. turn.

Master Talent: PERFECT HAN Talent

You throw two cards with this move at two I. You can choose to make the meteor check on
separate targets only allied or enemy turns (pick one) when
you cast it. If you do, it checks at 5+
II. Also check for the meteor falling at the end of
DOOM your turn.
1 action, mark

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 Master Talent: GRAN POLARI

The meteor check becomes 1 easier for every turn
that passes (6 to 5+ to 4+ to 3+ and so on, down
to 2+)

GRAN REVERSA
1 action, stance

Causality unmakes itself around you, as wounds

heal instantly.
Stance: While in this stance, the first time on a
turn any character in range 3 of you takes
damage, roll a d6. On a 5+, they are Cured
afterwards as an effect. This applies to foes and
allies alike.

Talents
I. Allies gain a blessing if this effect triggers.
II. Foes this effect triggers on must also save or
become pacified.

Master Talent: FATAL REVERS

If a character or summon (foe or ally) in the aura
is reduced to 0 hp, roll a d6. On a 5+, they
immediately gain and lose Defiance, immediately
triggering it, and are returned to 1 hp instead.

Limit Break: HIGH

PROPHEC
Free action, 3 resolve

A burning third eye of pure aetheric energy

appears on your forehead. Possibilities unfurl
before you, laid out like infinite gleaming
threads.

Become slow (ongoing) until the end of your next

turn. Until the start of your next turn, every d6
you roll for boons, curses, or random d6s as part
of abilities is either a 6 or a 1 (you choose).

Master Talent: THOT

5 resolve
This effect also extends to all characters in range 4
of you.

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 If you take a Wright ability as a non-wright class,

CLASS: WRIGH you get Aether.
Mage, thaumaturge, and master of the
arcane arts Class Statistic
Chapter 1:
Wrights are those who have mastered the Health: 6
manipulation of the raw power of creation: HP: 24
Aether. All souls are connected to Aether, and Elixirs: 2
everyone is able to connect to it and feel it to some Armor: 0
degree. Those with training, potential, and ability Defense: 8
can learn to form and shape Aether as natural as Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
they move their own flesh and blood. Wrights
wield terrifying power - and they know it. Attack bonus: +1
Fray damage: 1
Wrights become stronger the longer fights go on Damage: D8/2d8/3d8
by the power of Aether, able to unleash some of Basic Attack: Magical Melee or Magical Range 6
the most spectacular attacks in the game, which
they can use to Infuse their abilities. Wrights Chapter 2:
focus heavily on Blights and Area of Effect Health: 8
abilities. HP: 32
Elixirs: 2
Class Traits Armor: 0
Aether Rage: All Wrights have an empowered Defense: 10
ability that triggers off high amounts of Aether Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
Grand Levitation: Ignore difficult terrain, and
can move but not end their turn over edges. Attack bonus: +2
Slip (1 action): Teleport 1 Fray damage: 2
Wrightcraft: Wrights add flat damage to their Damage: D8+1/2d8+2/3d8+3
damage as they level up. Basic Attack: Magical Melee or Magical Range 6
Aetherwall: Wrights gain automatic cover
against all attacks that originate outside of range 2 Chapter 3:
from them. Health: 10
Chain Reaction: 1/round, if you catch 2 or more HP: 40
foes in an an abilities’ area of effect, gain 1 Aether. Elixirs: 2
Armor: 0
Defense: 12
Meter: Aethe
Speed: 4 (Run 2, Dash 4)
All Wrights gather Aether during combat,
passively gaining 1 at the start of their turn,
Attack bonus: +3
starting with 0. Other abilities and Chain
Fray damage: 3
Reaction will generate Aether when used. Use a
Damage: D8+2/2d8+4/3d8+6
die to track Aether. Aether has a maximum of 6
Basic Attack: Magical Melee or Magical Range 6
normally but can be pushed beyond with certain
abilities. All Aether disperses at the end of
combat.

INFUSE X:
Many spells have upgraded versions that can only
be cast by Infusing them by spending X Aether.
Aether is consumed at the start of the action.

Wright Gambit:

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 MOST RELEVANT RULE Abilities become stronger when used against a

character suffering from these blights, depending
AoE - Area of effect, usually has a specific on the ability. Blights can only be cleared by
pattern. Only one space in an area of effect is the Cleanse or other abilities that specify they can
attack space and requires a roll, the others apply clear blights. Blights cannot reduce a character
area effects automatically. past 1 hp.
Charge - When used on a slow turn, this ability
becomes more powerful.
Cover - Gain resistance to ranged damage from
any attack you have cover from
Cure - A character that’s Cured gains Vigor 1
Elixir - Heal 50% hp outside of combat per elixir
drank. Start with 2 by default.
Fray damage - Low fixed damage.
Mark - Place your mark on a specific character.
You can only place one mark at a time on each
enemy or ally and each ability can only place one
mark. If you place a new mark on a character with
a mark from you, you can choose which to keep or
which to discard.
Obstruction - Can’t move through something
that causes obstruction. By default this is hostile
characters and terrain.
Pierce - Ignores armor.
Slay - An effect that triggers when this action
reduces a character to 0 hp or forces them to
surrender. Can only trigger once per action.
Slow - Go after all other characters. If multiple
characters take slow turns, it takes the same order
as regular turns (ally/enemy/ally)
Summon - A character controlled by its
Summoner. Abilities that target allied characters
cannot target summons unless specifically
mentioned. Summons don’t cause engagement,
take turns, actions, or movement on their own
unless specified. By default, summons have
defenses and health equal to their summoner’s
and hp equal to 50% of their summoner’s. When
reduced to 0 HP, they are removed from the
battlefield instead of becoming defeated. They are
also removed if their summoner is defeated.
Teleport - Instantly move to a free space within
range X. You cannot teleport while winded or if
your speed is 0.
Terrain effect - Something that creates or
modifies the terrain spaces on the battlefield.

Blight
The Blights are Burning, Electrified, Poisoned,
and Frostbite. A character takes piercing damage
at the start of their turns equal to the number of
unique blights they are afflicted by (up to 4).

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s

 they work for to support them. Those that work

Enochian on contract with guilds, armies, or mercenary
Unbridled Destruction companies tend to value their independence.

The Enochian Orders of wrights are the most The power that condenses inside an Enochian is
chaotic of the mage orders. They have no official related to the element of fire, a wild spark that
organization, most of their members being hedge grows and wanes with their emotions and
wizards or self taught. Many Enochians disdain energy, but with control can be focused into
authority and work for hire, sleeping and eating power that can carve mountains, scorch forests,
where they can and relying on the communities and boil rivers. In times of desperation, the

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 Enochians can feed this power with their own life

force, a dangerous practice that the other orders Master Talent: MAX EXPLOSIO
of wrights look down upon. The Enochians, for Infuse 6: MAX EXPLOSION
their part, see other wrights as stiff and Becomes a superheavy attack. Increase range to
uncreative. They’d rather do it their way, after 10, and radius to blast 2.
all.
ELDEN RUNE
Traits: 1 action
Inner Furnace: Enochians can burn their own
life force instead of paying the Infuse cost for You carve a burning rune of power into the very
abilities. They take 1 wound for every 2 Aether ground beneath you.
gained. Any Aether gained as part of Inner Terrain Effect: Inscribe an Elden Rune on the
Furnace is lost after the action resolves. terrain space underneath you. While standing on
Embersoul: Gain defiance at the start of each an Elden Rune, the range of your magic attacks
combat. Heal 1 wound at the end of each combat if with a listed range is extended by 3 spaces. The
Inner Furnace was used. rune lasts until the end of the scene. A foe can
Phoenix Rage: If you take damage that would scrub out an Elden Rune by moving over it.
reduce you to 0 hp, release a blast 1 explosion
around you dealing light damage and triggering Talent
Chain Reaction, then spend all Aether. 15% I. You can spend your standard move to teleport
chance per Aether burned you are instead up to 5 spaces into or out of an Elden Rune
instantly returned to 50% hp instead of becoming space.
incapacitated, ignoring all damage. II. While standing in an Elden Rune, the infuse
Apocalypse: If you don’t attack during your costs of your spells are reduced by 1, to a
turn, for your entire following turn, your abilities minimum of 1
that cause blasts have their size increased by 1.
Master Talent: ARKENRUN
Abilitie The size of your Elden Runes extend to a blast 1
area, they can only be scrubbed out with an
PYRE action, and their benefits extend to any allies
Heavy Ranged Magic Attack standing in the area.
Range 6, blast 1
LANCE
Power curls into a writhing ball in your hand, Light Ranged Magic Attack
before it’s unleashed on your enemies. Line 6, Pierce
Attack: On hit: Heavy damage. On miss: Light
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage. A flash scorches the eyeballs, and a thin line
Area effect: Light Damage burns through rock, flesh, and armor
Effect: Inflict burning on your attack target. If Attack: On hit: deal light damage Miss: 1
your target was already, burning, deal bonus damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
damage. Area Effect: Deal fray damage.
Effect: Inflict burning on your attack target. If
Infuse 3: EXPLOSION your target was already, burning, deal bonus
Becomes a superheavy attack. Increase range to 8. damage.
Inflicts burning on all targets, hit or miss.
Infuse 2: VOLVAGA
Talent Gain Effect: This attack ignores vigor completely
I. Effect: If the attack target is burning, it causes and goes straight to hit points
a secondary explosion, dealing fray damage to
all affected characters Talent
II. Chain Reaction: Shove all affected characters I. This attack ignores cover
1 away from the center space

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 II. Infuse 1: Extend line effect by +3. You can with an attack, they release a burst of flame,
repeat this infusion multiple times. dealing fray damage as a blast 1 area effect
centered on them. They can save to remove the
Master Talent: DRAGON SLAV mark and all associated effects.
DRAGON SLAVE
Infuse 5 Talent
Superheavy ranged magic attack I. Characters affected by the flame burst are
Line 10, pierce shoved 1 away from the marked target.
Attack: On hit: deal heavy damage. Miss: Light II. The flame can be released as a close blast 1
Damage. Critical Hit: Critical Damage area instead.
Area Effect: Light damage
Effect: After the attack resolves, every character Master Talent: ELDFLAM
in the area also releases a blast 1 explosion that A character marked with Immolation takes godly
deals light damage as an area effect. A character fray damage at the start of their turn even if the
can be hit by multiple explosions. mark or blight ends. This effect cannot be saved
against or cleansed and only ends when the
SOUL BURN combat ends or if you end it as an effect.
1 action, stance
AETHERSHARD
You stoke the furnace with the very essence of 1 action, summon
your being.
Stance: Burn your own life force into a protective You crystallize ambient Aether with force of will,
shield of magical energy and gain regeneration forcing it to take a useful form
1. Refresh this stance until the end of your next Summon: Spend 1 Aether to summon an
turn if you trigger a Chain Reaction or if you Aethershard in a free space in range 6.
slay a foe. Otherwise this stance ends at the end Aethershards are intangible size 1 Summons. They
of your turn. When this stance ends and it’s not count as foes for the purposes of Chain Reaction.
the end of combat, lose 25% hp. This could cause When you target an Aethershard as part of any
you to go to 0 and become defeated. attack, they release a pulse of energy, releasing a
blast 1 explosion dealing fray damage as an area
Infuse 2: INCANDIUS effect, then roll a d6. On a 1, they disintegrate and
Your attacks deal bonus damage while you’re in are destroyed. Otherwise they remain until the
Soul Burn end of the combat.

Talent Talent
I. When Soul Burn ends or refreshes, shove all I. When you take any action that spends Aether,
adjacent characters 1 you can first teleport any of your Aether
II. While in Soul Burn, foes that hit you with a shards 3 spaces in any direction.
melee attack gain burning II. You may summons aethershards as height 1
terrain pieces instead of intangible. They still
Master Talent: MAX INCANDIU count as summons and still trigger chain
While in Incandius, you also have counter and reaction. They cannot be moved or teleported
dodge. if summoned this way.

IMMOLATION Master: LEY LIN

1 Actions, Mark Blasts and lines can be supercharged if they hit an
Aethershard. Any blast effect that hits an
Use your target’s own life force to spark a Aethershard increases its radius by 1. Any line
terrifying flame. effect or attack that passes through an
Mark: A foe in range 5 and line of sight must save Aethershard doubles its length. The Aethershard
or become marked by you. While affected by this is always destroyed if activated this way.
mark, they are burning and when you hit them

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 Limit Break:
GIGAFLAR
Superheavy ranged magic attack
4 resolve
True strike, Godly

Let the air become death. Ignite, and send them

to Hell!
Area Effect: Deal light magic damage to every
character and summon, hostile or allied, on the
battlefield, ignoring cover and line of sight.
Characters in range 2 of you are exempt from this
ability’s AoE.

The damage from any version of this ability

cannot be boosted and has innate 1 bonus
damage. Roll damage once, then apply it the
number of times listed.

Infuse 5: TETRAFLARE
5 resolve
Deal light damage twice instead.

Master Talent: METEO

Infuse 8: METEOR
6 resolve
Superheavy ranged magic attack
You can pay the resolve, aether, and action cost of
this spell with your life force, dying as part of this
action.
Deal light damage four times instead.

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 the very earth itself. They consider themselves
Geomancer physicians of the highest order - their patient
Guardian of the Pure Earth being the eternal land of Arden Eld.

Geomancers belong to an old order of mystics, These studious wrights attune themselves to
alchemists, and esoteric martial artists called the earth Aether, aligning the energy channels of
Keepers of the Elden Gate. These scholarly their body to crystalline perfection with vigorous
wrights are concerned with health and the flow exercise and sometimes bizarre health regimes.
of energy, not just through the body, but through In battle, the land itself is their ally, spitting forth

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 poisonous gases, cavernous upheavals of earth, Master Talent: TOXI

and great spires of rock to crush their foes. Infuse 4: TOXIC
Superheavy attack
None are more concerned with the Churn than Line 6 + cross 4
the geomancers, who view it as the greatest Attack: On hit: Deal heavy damage. Miss: light
sickness known to Kin, and will take any damage. Critical hit: Critical damage
opportunity to fight or study it with exuberance. Area effect: Light damage
Effect: All characters are poisoned and must save
Traits: or become slow, immediately lose all vigor, and
Aftershock: When you use any attack ability become unable to gain vigor until the end of their
with an area of effect, you can cause an next turn.
aftershock. Mark the attack space of the AoE. You
become slow (ongoing) until the start of your next EARTH
turn, but at the start of that turn, the aftershock Heavy Ranged Magic Attack
area explodes in a blast 1 area around the marked Arc 4 + blast 1
space, dealing light damage to all characters
within. You are immune to damage from your The stomp of a foot or the slap of a palm is
own aftershocks. You can only aftershock one area magnified a hundred fold into rumbling death.
at once. Attack: On hit: deal heavy damage. Miss: Light
Resonance: If your aftershocks catch a piece of damage. Critical hit: Critical Damage
created terrain in the area, boost their damage to Area Effect: Light damage
heavy and gain 1 Aether. Effect: Attack target must save or become slow.
Stone Flesh Rage: When you start your turn Terrain Effect: Create a height 1 piece of terrain
with 6 Aether, at the end of that turn, reduce your anywhere in unobstructed space in the affected
Aether to 0 but become unstoppable and reduce area after the attack resolves.
all incoming damage to 1 until the start of your
next turn. Infuse 3: RAMPANT EARTH
Stone Double: The first time you teleport on a Create 2 terrain pieces instead.
turn, create a height 1 piece of terrain in the space
you vacated. Talent
I. When you create a terrain piece, deal piercing
BIO fray damage to an adjacent foe
Light Ranged Magic attack II. Terrain pieces can be created underneath
Cross 2, Range 6 characters, moving them up.

The earth splits, excising poison from its depths, Master: CHAOS EART
belching poisonous metals and gases. Infuse 4: Chaos Earth
Attack: On hit: Deal light damage. Miss: Deal 1 Attack gains On hit: foe is inflicted with all
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage. blights.
Area effect: Fray damage
Effect: Inflict poisoned on your attack target. If Dragon Dive
your target was already, poisoned, deal bonus
1 action, mark
damage.
The earth is an old friend to geomancers, and
Infuse 2: SALTED EARTH
will allow them passage as easily as slipping into
Attack area becomes difficult terrain for the rest
water.
of combat.
Mark: Choose a foe in range 5 and become slow
(ongoing). At the start of your next turn, you dive
Talents
into the earth and explode upwards adjacent to
I. Charge: Attack gains pierce
that foe, teleporting to that space and ending the
II. Deal bonus damage to characters with any
mark. They don’t have to be in range or line of
amount of vigor.
sight.

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 Area Effect: When you explode upwards, release MIDAS

a blast 1 (self) explosion, dealing fray damage to Interrupt 1
all characters. If only one foe is caught in this
explosion, increase damage to light piercing In a flash, flesh becomes unyielding stone.
damage and gain vigor 1. Trigger: You take damage from an action or
ability from a foe
Infuse 3: FATALIS Effect: You transmute yourself into solid stone,
The mark doesn’t end on your foe. Instead, you metal, or gemstone. You are immune to all
can repeat the effect against your foe as a free damage from the triggering action. After the
action 1/turn on your turn. action resolves, you cease to become a character
and become a height 1 terrain piece. At the start of
Talents your turn, roll a d6. On a 4+, this effect ends and
I. While your foe is marked, gain cover from you become a character again, otherwise you
them from all directions remain a terrain piece until the end of your turn,
II. You can teleport 1 space before or after when this effect ends and you turn back into a
Dragon Dive resolves character. You can spend 1 Aether to re-roll this
die (you can do this any number of times).
Master: DOUBLE DRAGO While a terrain piece, you’re immune to all
You can mark up to two characters with this damage and effects, you are incapacitated, and
ability. When it triggers, you can teleport to them you are not targetable by anything that targets
in any order. characters. You can still save to end statuses and
this doesn't end any statuses or marks currently
VOLCANISM on you.
1 action, stance
Talent
The inner channels of a geomancer’s etheric I. When the effect ends, you may release a blast
power are able to compress under stress, 1 (self) explosion, dealing fray damage as an
rebounding with truly terrifying effect. area effect and shoving characters 1.
Stance: While in this stance, store up power, II. When Midas expires naturally (without you
setting out a counter, starting at 0 and going to 6. rolling to clear it), gain vigor 1 and clear all
You can tick the counter up by 1 at the start of statuses.
your turn, and you can tick it up by 1 each time
you take damage from a foe. You can release the Master: STONE REBIRT
stored power as an interrupt: This effect also ends if you catch yourself in an
area of effect caused by one of your abilities or
Eruption traits.
Interrupt 1
Trigger: A foe damages you with an action or TERRAFORMING
ability 2 actions
Effect: Release a blast (x) self area effect, where x
is half your charges. Deal piercing fray damage to The key of creation is turned, and the land is
all characters in the area and shove them 1. shaped like clay, as the Titans once did.
Effect: Target a blast 2 area in range 5 and
Talent choose two of the following effects. You can select
I. At 3 or less charges, also teleport 1 space. the same effect more than once:
II. At 6 charges, also reduce all damage from the • Create two height 1 pieces of terrain
incoming action or ability to 0. • Raise or lower the height of all created terrain in
the area, down to height 0 or up to height 3
Master: EARTHQUAK • Create a space of impassable terrain
Characters in the affected area also become slow. • Create a line 3 area of difficult terrain in the
Summon two height 1 pieces of terrain in the area. area

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 These effects last until the end of combat. counter, and vigor 3 until the end of your next
turn. At that point, or if this vigor is replaced, it
Infuse 2: EARTHBLOOD explodes off you, dealing light godly damage in a
Sink into the ground, remerging and teleporting blast 2 (self) area effect.
to any space in the area after the ability resolves.

Talents
I. Charge: You may cause characters in the
affected spaces to save or become slow
II. You can also create up to 3 spaces of
dangerous terrain in the area as a choosable
effect

Master: ANCIENT ERUPTIO

When you use Geoforming, you can pick up to 4
effects at once, repeating effects if you like.

Limit Break:
CATACLYS
3 resolve
1 action, godly

The geomancers have dedicated their lives in

service to the earth. When they ask for truly dire
aid - it listens.
Effect: End your turn. You dive into the earth
and off the battlefield. Remove yourself from play.
You must take a slow turn next round.

Target a line area 3 spaces wide from one side of

the battlefield to the next. All characters are aware
of the space.

Effect: At the start of your next turn, you causing

a rolling wave of earth to sweep across this area,
from one side to the next. Non-flying characters
within take light godly damage as an effect and
are shoved 1 in the direction of the line.
Effect: After the first effect resolves, all created
terrain in the area explodes, destroying it for a
blast 1 area effect, dealing light godly damage as
an area effect. Characters can be hit by more than
one exploding terrain piece.

When this ability resolves, place yourself in any

unoccupied space in the area.

Master Talent: MOLTEN COR

After taking this move, you emerge with a shield
of molten rock covering you. You gain sturdy,

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 Spellblade The lightning Aether that the spellblades wield is

Swordmaster, Wind Dancer highly volatile, and requires intense training and
focus to control. Once a spell blade has learned
Spellblades are a martial order of highly trained their craft, however, the speed, power, and
wrights. Many of them come from the Guild precision at which they can act is intoxicating,
Academies in the great cities of Arden Eld, where crossing great spans of space in an instant,
they often take prestigious posts in the local riding the Aetherial currents with a flash of
militias and city watch. gleaming steel.

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 Traits: Effect: After the attack resolves, you may teleport

Aether Deflection: Interrupt 1: Trigger: You to any space in the attack area
are targeted by an attack. Effect: Immediately
gain Evasion and dodge against that attack. You ODINFORCE
can spend 1 Aether to regain this interrupt. 1 Action, Stance
Static Charge: The Infuse cost of your abilities
is reduced by 1 for every electrified enemy in You thrust your weapon skyward, and pierce the
range 2, to a minimum of 1. heavens.
Storm Hilt Rage: If you start your turn at 6
Aether, during that turn your teleports have the Stance: Shoot a flurry of lightning bolts into the
range of the battlefield and you can teleport to any air. While in this stance, when you teleport,
visible space as an effect before taking any action. Odinforce has a chance to come down. Roll a d6
At the end of that turn, reduce your Aether to 0. each time you teleport. On a 5 or 6, a bolt
Klingekunst: Every third ability you use with a descends and hits a foe in range 3 of you, dealing
line, arc, or cross effect has all those effects light piercing magic damage as an effect and
increased by +3 electrifying them. Odinforce ends when three
bolts have come down.
Abilitie
Talent
I. Every third Odinforce bolt that comes down,
BOLT the affected character must also save or
Light Ranged Magic Attack become stunned.
Line 6 II. Triggering any slay effect adds +3 more bolts
to Odinforce
A bright lance of lightning shoots from your
weapon or hand, piercing your foes with a Master Talent: NOTHUN
hundred shards. Odinforce’s maximum bolts becomes 6

Attack: On hit: deal light damage Miss: 1 LEVINBLADE

damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
Heavy Melee Magic Attack
Area spaces: Deal fray damage
Arc 3
Effect: Teleport 1 before or after the attack.
Effect: Electrify your attack target. If your foe is
You summon a blade of pure lightning energy,
already electrified, deal bonus damage.
sweeping it in a shining arc.
Infuse 2: LEVINCROSS
Attack: On hit: Heavy damage. Miss: Light
Increase attack area to line 6 + cross 2. Electrify
damage. Critical hit: Boost damage.
all characters in the area.
Area effect: Light damage
Effect: Teleport 1 before or after the attack.
Talent Effect: Electrify your attack target. If your foe is
I. Slay: Teleport 4 already electrified, deal bonus damage.
II. Gains pierce against electrified foes Terrain Effect: The attack area becomes
difficult terrain for the rest of combat, or until you
Master Talent: create terrain with this ability again.
Infuse 5: Gungnir
Superheavy ranged magic attack Infuse 3: FREYA
True Strike Increase effect area and teleport by +2
Line 10 + cross 4
Attack: On hit: Heavy damage. Miss. Light Talent
Damage. Critical Hit: Critical Damage I. Electrified characters treat this difficult
Area Effect: Light damage terrain as dangerous
Effect: Electrify all characters in the area

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 II. When you pass through at least 1 space of this Talent

terrain with any movement, gain flying until I. Effect: The marked character takes 1 damage
you take damage. for every electrified character other than itself
in range 2 at the start of its turn
Master Talent: LICHTSCHIL II. This mark can be placed on allies. If it it, they
Levinblade’s terrain effect grants cover to allies. don’t need to save and aren’t electrified.
Electrified characters treat it as impassable
terrain and take piercing fray damage if they end Master Talent: DOOM BOL
their turns adjacent. However, this terrain can’t Your ranged attacks against the target while
be drawn if it would completely enclose a marked deal bonus damage and ignore cover.
character in a way that would prevent them from
leaving. STURMREITEN
2 Actions
ÄTHERWAND
1 Action You transmute yourself and your gear into pure
lightning Aether, coursing through the
You summon the highwinds to batter your foes. boundaries between worlds in a moment.

Terrain Effect: Swipe your weapon to create a Effect: Dash in a line 6 area. You gain phasing
line 3 area of crackling winds in range 3. The area and intangible while dashing. Foes you pass
is difficult terrain for foes and foes that attempt to through for the first time on your turn take fray
move into or start their turn in the wall’s space damage and are electrified. Electrified characters
must pass a save or be unable to move into the take light damage instead.
area and shoved 1 spaces back away from it. The
area lasts until the end of the scene or until you Infuse 3: Instant Transmission
use this ability again. Becomes a free action, but cannot trigger chain
reaction.
Infuse 2: Äthersturm
Area becomes line 5 Talent
I. Moving through terrain or the spaces of
Talent electrified characters costs 0 movement
I. The area provides cover to allies II. Every character you pass through increases
II. Electrified characters take +1 curse on the the movement remaining from Sturmreiten by
save and are shoved 2 spaces instead 1. This effect only triggers once for each
character per use of this ability.
Master Talent: HELLERWIN
Allies that pass through the area for the first time Master Talent: MJÖLLNI
on their turn can fly 3 as a free action. Dash in an Arc 8 area instead.

ELECTROMAGNETISM
1 Action, Mark Limit Break: GRAN
You charge your target with unstable magnetic LEVINCROS
energy, causing unstoppable attractive force. Heavy Ranged Magic Attack
3 resolve
Mark: A foe in range 3 must save or become Cross 6, Range 6, Godly
marked, and electrified while marked. The area
adjacent to but not under the marked character is Cut through the walls between worlds and
difficult terrain and characters that end their turn unleash a roaring cataclysm.
within range 2 of the marked character must save
or be shoved 1 towards them. Effect: Deal light godly damage and inflict
electrified on all characters in the area, then

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 teleport all characters out of the affected area into

the nearest free space. Characters can pass a save
to choose which side they end up on. Area
becomes impassable terrain until the end of the
next round.

If any version of this ability has no valid space in

which teleport a character to, still deal damage,
but this ability doesn’t create impassable terrain.

Infuse 4: GIGA LEVINCROSS

Effect: Increase the size of the cross area to the
entire map, splitting it into four sections of any
size. You must have line of sight to the origin
point.

Master Talent: GÖTTERDÄMMERUN

Infuse 8: Götterdämmerung
Effect: Instead of the regular cross area, create a
cross of sections going across the whole map, then
a cross of sections going through each quarter of
the map created by the first section. Increase
damage to heavy.

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 RELIC ERYS
A horned helm or fur mantle with a demonic
pattern
I. Every third attack you make shoves 1, or
Relicts start with 1 level and take 6 dust each to
shoves +1 if it already shoves
unlock levels II and III. Infuse 1 dust into a relic of
II. Immune to shove
your choice when you complete a tactical combat.
III. Shoves shove +1 when you’re at or under 25%
Characters gain a relic at level 2, 6, and 9. Once a
hp
Relic is level 3, it can be Aspected by either
Aspected: Increase threshold of III to 50% hp
infusing 10 dust or completing a legendary task.
These tasks are suggestions and can be adjusted
Aspect quest: Take the horns of a legendary beast
by the GM to fit your game. Once at least
as your trophy
character has completed an aspect quest for a
relic, other characters can complete it for 4 dust.
MAIDEN
Here’s some additional rules about relics: A statuette of the Weeping Titan, impaled by
• Relic colors are thematic - any job can take any spears
relic. I. At 25% hp or lower, gain counter
• Relic actions that require a % dice to activate II. Counter also applies on adjacent allies
roll a d100. III. After being damaged by a hostile attack, gain
• Relic actions that are ‘every X’ actions carry over counter until the start of your next turn.
between combats. Aspected: Counter stacks twice

Aspect quest: Gather and reforge true iron nails

APE GOD from the sarcophagus of a Relict Emperor
An elaborately carved, studded, and oversized
gauntlet, incredibly heavy
I. Immune to stun
ORPHEO
A cracked mirror, set on a pendant or into a
II. When you stun a character you can also shove
shield or weapon hilt
them 1 in any direction
I. Gain defiance at the start of each combat. If
III. Every sixth attack stuns on hit (no save).
you would already gain defiance, instead
become unstoppable until the end of the first
Aspected: Every third attack forces a save, hit or
round.
miss, or your foe is is stunned
II. When defiance triggers, you may deal light
godly damage as an effect to a character in
Aspect quest: Climb the highest peak in Arden Eld
range 3
III. Every third time you attack, gain defiance. If
CRIMSON KING you already have full instances of defiance,
A blood red gem, similar to an Elixir Stone, set trigger it and replace it.
into your weapon or armor Aspected: Defiance stacks twice
I. At full health, gain +1 boon on all saves
II. When you lose a health segment or gain a Aspect quest: Bathe in the water of the river that
wound (by spending it or losing it in combat), leads to the underworld
10% chance to immediately regain the
segment and ignore the wound.
III. Every sixth time you attack, gain 25% hp. If
UNGOLIANT
A massive weapon carved from the fang of an ur-
you’re at full hp, gain vigor 1.
spider.
I. Charged attacks gain +1 boon
Aspected: Every time Crimson King III triggers,
II. Charged attacks deal bonus damage vs slow
heal a wound.
targets
III. Every third attack forces a save, hit or miss,
Aspect quest: Quench your relic in the abyssal
or your foe becomes slow.
fiery blood of a powerful demon

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 Aspected: Every third charged attack can be III. After a blind target targets you with an action,
taken during a normal turn when that action resolves you can shove them
1 in any direction.
Aspect quest: Weave the aethersilk of an ancient
Ur-spider into your relic Aspected: Any foe that starts their turn adjacent
to you and no other characters is blinded and
takes piercing fray damage.
WYRMTOOTH
This weapon or armor is carved from pure
Aspect quest: Find a source of True Darkness,
dragonbone.
deep underground, and capture it with needle and
I. Take maximum 1 damage a turn from blights
thread
II. When afflicted by a status or blight, gain +1
boon on attacks
III. Also deal bonus damage HERMES
Aspected: At the start of any combat, you can Intricate, curling silver wings have been carved
choose to inflict all blights on yourself. into this artifact, weapon, or armor
I. Every third action you take that dashes, you
Aspect quest: Carve the skull or horns of a wyrm may teleport instead
and incorporate it into your relic. II. Increase range of all teleports as part of your
abilities by 1
III. Every third teleport action you make has its
ARENHEIR
range additionally increased by +4
This weapon or armor has the imagery of a great
Aspected: Increase Hermes III to every other
fierce wolf on it
teleport action
I. +1 boon on attacks against vulnerable targets
II. Piercing attacks deal bonus damage
Aspect quest: Weave a strand taken from the
III. Every third attack you make gains pierce
cloak of the Titan of trickery, the Laughing God,
Aspected: All attacks gain piercing against
into your relic
bloodied characters

Aspect quest: Find the burial tomb of Arenheir’s MISTBORN

master, the ancient Berserker Titan, the Sundered This weapon is made from seeping mist, and
Queen, and pray there doesn’t seem to be entirely present
I. Every third attack you make, gain stealth after
making the attack.
GLADESONG
II. Attacks from stealth deal bonus damage
A weapon carved from supple but durable gaia
III. At 25% hp or lower, gain phasing, and gain
wood, sharper than any metal
stealth at the start of your turn.
I. Your attacks against foes standing next to an
Aspected: Increase threshold of III to 50% hp
allied summon gain +1 boon
II. Your summons gain vigor 1 when summoned
Aspect quest: Sail to the edge of the world and
III. 10% chance to duplicate a summon when first
bathe your relic in the mists there
summoned
Aspected: Increase III chance to 25%
RUIN
Aspect quest: Drink from the primeval Gaia pool A weapon, bow, or stave carved from ancient
stone, a heavy slab of a thing.
I. Immune to pacified
GLOAM
II. You may trade in 1 boon, once per attack, for
This cloak or clothing appears to be made out of
bonus damage.
woven shadow. The cloth is richly textured.
III. Your first attack ability in any combat gains +1
I. Your attacks against bloodied characters blind
boon and deals Godly damage
them on hit.
Aspected: Your first attack also gains true strike,
II. +1 boon on attacks against blind targets
and its listed ranges are increased by +2

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 Aspect quest: Gather rubble from the pillars of the Aspect quest: Take command of an army, militia,
oldest Arkenruin or regiment in battle

SLEIPNIR ESPER
Odd wooden armor carved with the image of an This gem is a void of space within. If you stare
eight legged horse. long enough, you can see stars.
I. Every third action you take that dashes, you I. Every third turn in combat, you can cast Cure
may fly instead as a free action, targeting an allied character
II. Increase all flight as part of your abilities by in range 3
+1 II. Increase range of all Cures by 3
III. When you start a flying movement, any III. Cures can target foes and deal light magic
adjacent allies can also fly 1 as an effect damage as an effect.

Aspected: Gain flying every third turn from the Aspected: Cures against foes gain true strike
start until the end of that turn
Aspect quest: Find a shrine of the Titan of death,
Aspect quest: Tame a titansteed, one of the the Weeper, and survive the trials there
enormous legendary wild horses
MERCY
BYRAX This gold-filagreed choker or torc is surprisingly
Goat horn engravings adorn this armor, light, and includes imagery of grasping hands
weapon, or cloak, curling into intricate runes I. When you use Rescue on a character, Cure
I. When you refresh a stance, dash 1 them as a free action
II. When you refresh a stance, immediately save II. When you Cure another character with an
against a condition or end a blight affecting ability that costs 1 or more actions, gain vigor
you. 1
III. 25% chance of a stance automatically III. First Cure you cast in combat has its efficacy
refreshing at the start of your turn doubled

Aspected: You can hold +1 more stance than Aspected: First Cure you cast grants a character
normal Defiance

Aspect quest: Find the resting place of the Aspect quest: Find and incorporate a twig of the
Hundred Sword Titan, take a splinter of one of his eternal world tree into this relic
weapons, and reforge it.
SCHEHEREZADE
ERENBRASS This weapon emits a faint singing tone that can
A burnished metal helm, gauntlet, or mantle, only be heard in a quiet room
bright in the sun. I. At the start of combat, and every third turn,
gain a blessing token on yourself. You can
I. At the start of your turn, all allies marked by spend blessing tokens on yourself to grant
you can move 1 space, ignoring engagement yourself +1 boon on a save.
II. Every third turn, at the end of your turn, you II. You can also spend blessing tokens on yourself
can mark all allies unmarked by you, then to also grant +1 boon on an attack
move all marked allies 1 space, ignoring III. When you gain a blessing token or grant a
engagement blessing token to any character, 10% chance to
III. Erenbrass I and II become teleports also Cure your target as an effect

Aspected: Erenbrass works on any marked ally, Aspected: Increase III chance to 25%
regardless of whether the mark was place by you
or not. Aspect quest: Recover a genuine page fragment of
the legendary Tale of Ages

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 DOMAIN
STORM LORD A sceptre, weapon, or helm embedded with a
This armor is wrapped in knotted holy cords and deeply inset gem.
imagery of the sea during a storm. Gain trait: Domain: Characters are valid for
I. When you use a combo version of an ability, Domain if they are in, on, or adjacent to your
you may deal fray damage to all adjacent foes terrain effects or created terrain.
II. When you use the combo version of an ability, I. Gain +1 boon on attacks against foes in your
dash 1 Domain
III. When you cast the base part of a combo, 10% II. Foes that start their turn in your Domain take
chance to immediately perform the second 1 godly damage.
part of the combo as a free action. This can III. 10% chance when you create a terrain effect to
ignore the 1/attack per round limit. double its size. 10% chance when you take an
action that creates terrain to create twice as
Aspected: Chance of Stormlord III becomes 25% much terrain.

Aspect quest: Ride the lightning to the palace of Aspected: Increase III chance to 25%
clouds and learn from the teachings of the long-
dead Battle Titan, the Storm Lord Aspect quest: Gain a gemstone for your Domain
relic from a ruler (dead or living).
VESSEL
This weapon or armor seems surprisingly CLOUDPIERCER
hollow, despite how durable it is. It’s cold and This bright metal weapon crackles with latent
heavy. power
I. Cure’s effect on you increased to vigor 2 when I. +1 boon on attacks against electrified foes
you’re at or under 25% hp II. When you electrify a foe, you may electrify a
II. When a foe breaks your vigor, deal piercing different foe in range 3
magic fray damage to them as an effect. III. When you hit an electrified foe with an attack,
III. Cure has no maximum range when targeting deal piercing fray damage to all other
you and doesn’t need line of sight electrified foes in range 2 of that character

Aspected: 1/round, when you’re cured, duplicate Aspected: Increase III range to 4
it on an ally in range 2
Aspect quest: Survive a day in the Hundred Year
Aspect quest: Split a part of your soul into your storm
relic at a deep shrine of the Black Blood Titan, the
Holy Body HUNTRESS
This supple leather bracer has been crafted with
APOPHIS images of Gaia, the Hunter Titan
Coiling serpents cradle the hilt of this weapon or I. Gain dodge against marked characters
curl around the base of this necklace II. Attacks against marked characters deal bonus
I. At the start of your turn, deal fray damage to damage
all poisoned foes in range 2 of you III. When you hit a marked character with an
II. Your attacks against poisoned foes gain Slay: attack, teleport 1 in any direction
Gain vigor 1
III. Your attacks against poisoned foes deal 1 Aspected: When you hit a marked character with
additional godly damage on hit an attack, teleport them 1 in any direction
Aspected: Your attacks against poisoned foes
ignore vigor and go straight to hit points Aspect quest: Take the pelt of a legendary beast
and incorporate it into your relic
Aspect quest: Infuse your relic with three scales of
the ancient Wyrm Nidhogg PLEIADES

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 A set of six star-diamonds, flickering with a Aspect quest: Climb to the highest floor of the
distance light, set into earrings or a neck piece. incredibly dangerous dungeon the Tower of Barbs
I. At the start of your turn, inflict frostbite on all
adjacent characters
II. The area adjacent to you is also difficult
terrain for frostbitten characters
III. When you inflict frostbite on a character for
the first time in a round, they are also shoved 1
space away from you, or 1 space toward you if
they are not adjacent.
Aspected: When you inflict frostbite on a
character, they also become winded if they’re
bloodied (save avoids).

Aspect quest: Find and learn from the observatory

of the Stargazer Titan.

SKIPJACK
This gem-incrusted gauntlet is intricately made
and seems heavy, but is oddly light to wear.
I. Increase the range of ranged and melee
attacks against burning foes by +1 (melee
attacks with no listed range can be made
within range 2).
II. You can bounce ranged or melee attacks off
allies or foes, inflicting no damage or effects
but retargeting them to a new character in
range 3 of the original target, drawing effects
from the new location
III. 1/round, when you bounce an attack, 10%
chance that you may bounce it to a second foe
in range
Aspected: Increase III chance to 20%

Aspect quest: Find and use the workshop of the

Forge Titan in the heart of Arden Eld

TOWER OF BARBS
Coiling thorns have been set into this ranged
weapon. The barbs sometimes curl towards your
flesh.
I. Deal bonus damage if a character is at
maximum range of your ranged attack or line
or arc area effect
II. Range of ranged attacks and area of arcs and
lines increased +1
III. Every third ranged attack ignores cover

Aspected: Every third ranged attack, line, or arc

ability you use, you can set its exact range from
1-6.

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 Advanced Combat When taking damage, apply any multiplications

or additions on the attackers end first (such as
These are some of the more unique or tighter double damage), then the defender applies armor
combat rule explanations for ICON. or other reductions, then any multiplications or
divisions on their end, such as from resistance.
For an example, an incoming attack that deals 4
Attack and Effec
damage against a character with 1 amor and
resistance would do 4-1 = 3 damage from the
Effects that improve an attack only apply to or
armor, halved to 1.5 then rounded up to 2.
trigger off the ‘attack’ portion of an ability that
require an attack roll. Effects that empower the
Vigor takes damage before hit points, and armor
whole ability apply to everything. Effects never
and resistance apply normally to it.
trigger or inherit effects meant for hits, misses, or
critical hits (unless specified).
Vigor and wound
Adjacent character
Taking a wound reduces your max hp by 25%,
including the max amount of vigor gained. Even if
Characters that are in adjacent spaces are
you gain, for example, vigor 3 (75% of your hp) at
considered adjacent, even if they are on higher or
2 wounds, you will only gain vigor 2 since you
lower elevation. For example, a character on a
have only 50% max hp.
height 3 space could be attacked by a melee
attacker, even if that melee attacker is at ground
level or doesn’t have enough movement to move Thinking about height in ico
up. They still get +1 curse to attack. We assume
they climb or scrabble up a little ways to take a In ICON, you can’t move straight up, just along
swipe. A character on height 3 with an adjacency the ground. Even flying characters are always
aura would still affect a character on height 1. treated as reachable by melee characters - we just
don't track vertical space. If something is too high
to be reached in tactical combat, either don’t
Effect and Interrupt Orde
include it, or make it a flying object or character.
Unless specified, effects happen in the order they
are listed, and interrupts resolve with the most Valid spaces for summoning or
recently triggered interrupt first. For example, if a teleportin
character’s effect deals damage to an enemy, and
the enemy has an interrupt that reads ‘when this For a space to be valid for summoning,
enemy takes damage’, the enemy’s interrupt teleporting, or creating terrain pieces, unless
would trigger first (even if they are killed by the specified it must be free and unobstructed, and
damage), then the damage would be applied. you also need line of sight.

If a character owns multiple effects, and there’s Shove

ambiguity in the order in which they trigger, they
can determine the order. Shoves are not optional, and also cannot shove
characters off the edge of the map unless you’re
‘May’ effect playing with the optional Edges rule.

Unless an effect says you may do something, the Characters must be shoved in straight lines. If
effect is not optional. For example, an effect that shoved on a diagonal, you can choose which line
says ‘dash 1 and repeat the attack area’, you must they follow as long as it moves them further away
dash and repeat the attack area unless it says ‘you from you.
may dash 1 and repeat the attack area’
line of sight
Damage orde

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s

 For all targeting there must be line of sight (you require a hit or happen automatically go through
have to be able to see your target) and line of evasion.
effect (your ability has be able to trace a clear path Dodge is a potent combo with Evasion because it
to your target). For example, if you can see a allows a character with Evasion to ignore missed
character through a transparent magical forcefield attacks completely and also take lower damage
or a window, that forcefield or window still blocks from AoE spaces which can go through evasion.
your line of effect, so they can’t be targeted.
Counte
Immunity and intangibilit Counter deals damage as an effect and triggers
Intangible characters can be targeted, but don’t even on ranged attacks or if the character with
take damage or effects unless specified. counter can’t see their target.
Characters that are immune (to damage, effects, a
condition, etc) follow the same rule. If an effect Pacifie
relies on dealing damage, or hitting with an Pacified only breaks on taking damage from an
attack, for example, unless specified it won’t ability or action, ie taking blight damage or
trigger off an immune or intangible characters damage from terrain won’t break it.
since they can’t take damage or effects.
Stealt
Specific tag rule
Characters with stealth cannot be targeted directly
Comb except from an adjacent space, but could still be
hit by an area effect, or effects that hit a certain
Combo actions can be interwoven. For example,
range from a character. It’s a good combo with
Ability A and B both have combo. I use ability A,
dodge, since dodge allows characters to ignore
and when I next use ability B I will use its combo
areas effects.
version, since I already used a combo move with
A. This carries between turns.
Vulnerabl
Any ability with a 3 part combo can only be used Vulnerable applies +1 damage every time a
when two combo abilities of any kind are used character takes damage, for each separate
previously. If I used ability A’s base and combo instance of damage. For example, if as part of an
version, for example, I can use ability B’s 3rd action character takes light damage, then fray
combo. Alternately, I could use ability A, ability B, damage as an effect, they would take 2 extra
then ability B again to get the same effect. damage (1+1). It is not a separate instance of
damage, but increases the damage dealt.
Mark
Any number of marks from different characters
can be on one character, but each character can
only mark another character once, and only one
mark per ability causing it. For example, if I use
the ability Immolate, which marks an enemy, the
next time I use Immolate on a different character,
the mark on the first character will fade. If I use a
different mark ability on my immolate target,
immolate will end on my target.

The same applies for allied marks (using one will

override any existing mark placed by you).

Evasion and Dodg

Evasion only applies to the attack component of
an ability, turning it into a miss. Effects that don’t

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o

 For example, you could leave a place of safety

Expeditions, inside of a city and remain there while you travel

to confront the Ruin Barons, or solve the mystery
of the murders by the docks, or something similar.

camps, and
If you’re expecting to encounter opposition,
danger, or uncertainty, you’re probably heading
into an expedition.

interlude
All expeditions have a clear goal at the start, even
if that goal changes.

Campin
Expedition
During an expedition, you can momentarily pause
Sessions of ICON are focused around the action to camp. Camping allows everyone in
Expeditions. Whenever you leave a place of the group to recuperate and eat and drink, healing
safety with a clear goal in mind, you’re on an all strain, statuses, blights, stress, and hit
expedition. points. It only takes an hour or so and a place of
relative safety for characters to be able to camp.
Typically in ICON this involves leaving the safety
of a village, town, or city, and setting out into the Characters can only camp a certain number
wilderness to explore some ruin, claim some of times per expedition, and when characters
artifact, or stop some force from causing harm, camp they lose any resolve they accumulated.
but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that simple.

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g

 At camp, if characters have gained 4 or 8 xp, they it? Will the heroes track down and stop the
can also unlock abilities or talents for their mysterious stranger who has been stealing from
abilities (a sort of mini level up). the village shrine? Will the heroes put a stop to
the brewing fight between the towns of
The Camp shee Barrowglade?
Characters can upgrade their camp, name their
group, and set group ambitions when they camp 2. Define the number of camps. Before
or go into an interlude using the camp sheet. characters embark on an expedition, the GM sets
the amount of times characters can camp.
Think of the camp like a character sheet for the Supplies to camp in the wilderness are limited,
whole party - everyone benefits from it. and time is usually short. Camping lets characters
heal and fully recuperate. For a short or time
Interlude limited expedition, characters won’t be able to
camp. For other expeditions, characters should
When the goal of an expedition is accomplished, gain the ability to camp once for every 3 combat
abandoned, put on pause, or no longer relevant, encounters the GM expects them to go through
and you return to a place of safety, the (so once for 1-3 encounters, twice for 4-6, etc), or
expedition is over, and you go into an if there is no tactical combat, about once for every
interlude. An interlude is a longer period of three major obstacles GMs expect them to have to
more narrative time in which characters can rest, go through. Characters can camp at any time they
relax, and recuperate. have a few hours and enough safety in which to do
so.
During an interlude, characters can get
rewarded for their adventures, spend xp and 3. Set your job and abilities, if you expect
dust to level up or improve, can heal burdens tactical combat. Pick which combat job and
and pursue ambitions, and can freely role- which abilities you are using (up to 6). If you have
play. any bonuses from your group (see the section
below, such as elixirs or cooking), apply them
now.
Returning to an expeditio
4. Define rewards. All expeditions normally
Interludes should always aim to come back to an
reward 6 xp and 3 dust if they’re successful. If
expedition at the end of each interlude, creating a
there are extra rewards possible, define them
loop of expedition > interlude > expedition.
here. If an expedition’s not long enough to prompt
rewards, it’s probably not an expedition!
Starting an expeditio
When you set out on an expedition, take the 5. Set out! Don’t worry about how you get there,
following steps: or over-planning. Get your feet on the road and
cut to the action.
1. Define your goal. What are you hoping to
accomplish? What are you setting out in search Why Expeditions
of? Who are you trying to stop? You can pose this
as a question if you like, phrased like ‘Will the Expeditions are used in ICON so that characters
heroes do X?’. We play to answer this always have goal they are working towards, and
question. If you’re a GM, you don’t need to have they can expect the story to move at a certain pace
an answer yet, just an idea of how players might and with a certain amount of tension. When we’re
get there. on an expedition, things are probably dangerous
or uncertain. There might be combat involved.
Example goals: Will the heroes recover the Certain activities, like healing, can only be done a
mysterious arkenrelic from the ruins that’s limited amount inside an expedition (it’s not safe
rumored to be able to destroy an entire town? Will enough, or there’s not enough time!), and certain
the heroes discover what is causing monsters to actions, like getting rid of burdens, can’t be taken
pour out of the oak hill dungeon and put a stop to in expeditions at all!

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 with each expedition’s goal being to explore one

Expeditions don’t have to take a single session to part of the dungeon.
complete (and might often take multiple).
When you complete a quest, not only do you get
Time and safet the xp and rewards for all expeditions in the
quest, but you also get additional xp equal to two
Camping doesn’t have to mean staying in a village, times the number of expeditions you took to
town, or city. It could just be a safe and clear spot accomplish the quest, up to 12 xp.
for the characters to get the time and space to rest
and recuperate. There could be a sanctuary in the This can allow a GM to set more long term goals
middle of the wilderness, or a dungeon. for the characters. You can work on multiple
quests at once.
Alternative and Extra reward
INTERLUDE
During play, the GM can always offer additional
rewards for going after extra treasure, completing Interludes are the spaces between adventures -
tasks for characters, slaying an especially the kind of freeform narrative play that most role
powerful monster, etc. These rewards can be in playing games get into when characters aren’t
the form of additional xp, dust, Arkentech, or actively pursuing a quest or goal. They are the
might be something more substantial like camp spaces between expeditions when characters have
upgrades or Aspected Relic upgrades (each time to pursue their personal goals, gather
Aspected relic has a little hook for a task players information, do more casual roleplaying,
can complete to upgrade them without paying shopping, etc. Every adventurer needs a break
dust). from the grind of fighting against the encroaching
darkness.
Abandoning an expeditio
When you end an expedition, you go into an
Characters can always abandon an expedition if interlude right away, and all interludes should
they’re too hurt to continue or if the goal has end with the aim of launching another expedition.
changed. Leaving an expedition unfinished Certain actions can only be taken in an interlude,
abandons the original goal the characters had in like healing burdens or pursuing ambitions.
finishing it, which may now be beyond their
grasp. Whatever the case, if characters return to While you’re in an interlude, it’s typically for
the expedition, the situation should have changed. couple days but you can decide how much times
passes - if you want to play things out in a more
Quests strict, granular way, or if you want to ‘montage’
through events and have time move quickly.
Sometimes you have a longer or more complicated Interludes stereotypically take place in a town or
task or goal, like exploring a large dungeon, going city, but don’t necessarily have to - characters
on an epic journey, or unseating a despot, in could take an interlude in the wilderness if they
which case you’re on a quest. like, as long as they have relatively safety to do so.

Quests take more than one expedition to Each time you go into an interlude, fully heal all
complete. You can take interludes in the middle of strain, stress, hit points, and wounds. If
a quest or take on other expeditions. characters were successful during their
expedition, they get rewarded (xp, dust, or
Each expedition can represent a small part of the other rewards). Characters can then spend xp
quest (a leg of the journey, a wing of the dungeon, and dust to level up and improve their job,
gathering allies to fight the king, etc), and bond, or relics.
characters can take interludes normally in
between. For example, characters could take a Characters always do this at the start of an
quest to explore a large dungeon. The GM decides interlude, and for more details on payout and
this will take about three expeditions to complete, leveling see the section below.

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 character has to give up working on their own

All characters then get to do the following ambitions.
activities, in any order or combination:
You can write new ambitions any time, but if you
Heal Burden change or abandon an ambition, clear any
segments on the clock that’s representing it. An
Each character can heal burdens, ticking off a ambition must be a clear goal or project, and the
total of 3 segments on any of their burden clocks length of the goal (which clock it represents) is
(4, 6, 8). If a clock is filled out completely, the determined by the GM. You only have room for
burden is lifted and no longer bothers the one ambition of each length. If you want to write a
character. If you like, play out a healing scene to new minor ambition (4 segments) and already
describe what characters are doing to heal their have one, for example, you have to change your
burdens (there are prompts for this on the current one.
character sheet). If you like, you can forgo your
own healing to help someone else heal their Clearing ambitions rewards 1, 2, and 3 xp
burdens, allowing them to tick 1 extra segment respectively. Clearing a group ambition rewards
on any burden. Each character can only be helped 1-3 xp to the whole group.
once.
Ambitions are typically projects or long-term
Pursue Ambition goals, like gathering information, researching,
crafting, or organizing. It could be something like
When you have a clear goal or project in mind, or plotting revenge on a rival, learning a new skill,
you want to obtain something (power, allies, dust, fixing up an old aethership, finding a secure route
access, information), you can write it as an into a dungeon, deciphering old texts, or learning
ambition. The GM decides if the ambition is about your mysterious parentage.
possible, or if a reduced version of it is possible
instead. If your ambition is to become king, for Aside from the xp for clearing ambitions, the GM
example, the GM might decide that’s too large of a is free to give you some concrete benefit for
step for now, but you might be able to pursue completing them, like dust 0r camp upgrades.
becoming a knight instead. They are also free to tick segments on your
ambition clocks if they feel like your actions
Then they decide how hard the ambition will be to further the goal, even if they weren’t taken as a
accomplish and chooses which of the ambition Pursue Ambitions action.
clocks on your sheet it will take up (short,
medium, long), and what filling that clock up will If a goal is complicated or world changing it may
represent. The clocks are 4, 6, and 10 segments take multiple ambitions to complete. Alternately,
long. it may require an expedition or quest to complete,
in which case completing the ambition clock
During an interlude, each character can pursue represents the preparation for that expedition or
ambitions by doing a scene or a montage quest. When it’s full, you’re ready to take it on
describing how they’re pursuing their goals, then with your group.
making an action roll, filling out 1 segment on a
1-3, 2 segments on a 4-5, 3 segments on a 6, and 5 Freepla
on a critical roll. Characters can work on the same
ambition if they like, even if that ambition is Play out any scenes or role-playing activities you
another character’s, but won’t share in the xp. like! Interludes are meant to accommodate more
relaxed role playing.
When you make your characters, and during any
camp or interlude, you can also write group In general, Interludes are meant to represent an
ambitions, which reward everyone for working area of relative peace and quiet. However, lot of
on them. A group ambition can only be worked on groups may get into trouble during an interlude,
once during an interlude, and to work on one a and the situation might change. Characters might
go bargain with the thieves’ guild only to try to

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 double cross them, wander a little too far out into

the wilderness, or open a dangerous magitech
device.

If characters get into trouble, you can play out a

narrative scene or tactical combat to resolve the
situation. If it’s more complicated than a scene or
two, you’re probably heading into a surprise
expedition!

If characters took strain, stress, or wounds during

an interlude, they can heal them when an
interlude ends. In general, characters are
intended to start an expedition with all their
resources at their disposal.

Bringing it bac

Interludes should always aim to launch the

characters into a new expedition of some sort. The
characters leave a place of safety with a clear
goal in mind.

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 Aetherpearls
THE CAM Purchase: 6 Dust
Upgrade: 3 Dust

This small set of pearls are aetherically linked

together, and can be inset into armor or worn as
Adventurers in Arden Eld often get around on
jewelry. There are always just enough for all
enormous aetherships, traveling wagons, vehicles,
player characters and no more.
or caravans. They bring with them all kinds of
supplies: portable shrines, elixir cauldrons,
Every character can add +1 to their channel,
cooking pots, vittles, and lengths of rope for
charm, or command ratings.
traversing caverns. The camp can be any of these
things. It’s representative of the gear, supplies,
While wearing a pearl, characters can talk to any
and transportation that the characters keep in
other character wearing a linked pearl within a
common, and may take with them on an
mile. They must talk out loud and hear the other
expedition.
person’s voice in their ear.
When you start a group of characters at level 1,
Upgrades:
also start a camp sheet. Camp sheets have the
• Extended pearls: Up to 6 additional pearls
following:
can also be given to NPC allies. Pearls can also
be linked to any other pearl network within
1. Group Name: You can name your group if
their range, connecting them together.
you like, or leave it blank until later.
• Resonant pearls: When in a populous
2. Ambitions: Write 1-3 long term goals for
location with an aetheric field (like a city) the
your group. If you accomplish an Ambition
pearls don’t have a maximum distance
during an interlude, everyone in your group
• Silent pearls: Within the same room (or a very
gets 1 xp, then write a new ambition. You can
short distance) anyone wearing a linked pearl
leave these blank for now if you like.
can communicate telepathically, without
3. Camp fixtures: The various pieces of gear,
speaking out loud
shelter, and accoutrement that your group
keeps around camp. Fixtures apply their
benefits to everyone in the group and anyone Aethervault
can spend dust to purchase, upgrade, or use Purchase: 3 Dust
them. Start with 2 of your choice. Upgrade: 3 Dust

Fixture You can keep up to 6 Dust inside this crystalline

prism, where it is safely stored. Characters can
deposit or withdraw Dust from it by touching it.
Here at the various camp fixtures and their
Only characters attuned to the prism (your group,
upgrades. When you make your characters, start
and any NPCs you choose) can withdraw or
with two. Additional upgrades and fixtures can be
deposit dust, and it is practically indestructible
bought during an interlude and take effect at the
unless you hurl it into an high powered
end of an interlude. Anyone can spend dust on
Aetherforge.
them.
The vault has a clever but slow acting condenser
If camp upgrades are nested (bulleted below each
inside. At the end of each interlude, if there is at
other), you need to take the previous upgrade to
least 1 Dust inside the Vault, it attracts more
get the one under it.
Aether, adding 1 Dust to the vault. If there’s no
room in the vault, not more Dust is generated.
• Upgrade 1: Characters need to take this
upgrade…
Upgrades:
• Upgrade 2: … before they can take this one!

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 • Empowered attunement: Dust can be • Power flask: A character can drink a power
withdrawn or deposited into the Vault from flask to gain +1 boon and bonus damage on all
anywhere. actions until the end of their next turn.
• Aether Sapphire: Increase the vault’s capacity
to 12 GMs can offer flask ingredients as rewards for
• Aether Ruby: Increase the vault’s capacity treasure collected during an expedition, or side
to 16 tasks. If that's the case, forgo the dust cost for
• Upgrade condenser: If it’s at least half full, brewing a flask if you have the ingredients.
the vault condenses 2 dust instead of 1.
Upgrades:
• Flask belt: Characters can hold on to two
Cabinet
flasks
Purchase: 6 Dust
• Improved flask belt: Characters can hold
Upgrade: 6 Dust
on to up to three flasks
Add the following to your flask brewing by taking
This dusty cabinet or traveling trunk allows you to
an upgrade for each. They cost increased dust to
keep additional gear with you.
brew and take rarer ingredients.
• Flask of Godly Speed: 3 dust. Until the end
During camp, you can swap out your abilities at
of your next turn, double your speed and gain
will.
evasion
• Flask of Godly Strength: 3 dust. Double the
Upgrades:
damage of your next action
• Soulstone: Characters can also change jobs at
• Flask of Godly Health: 3 dust. Clear all
camp
blights and conditions and gain vigor 2
• Great Soulstone: Characters are now able • Flask of Divine Grace: 2 dust. Increase the
to take a second Gambit for their Bond.
effect of your next narrative action to
• Elden Soul-stone: Characters can choose superpowered.
one ability from any job, even one they don’t
have. They can take this ability as a gambit,
and they may swap this ability out when Cooking Pot
they level up. Purchase: 6 dust
Upgrade: 3 dust
Cauldron
When you embark on an expedition, or when you
Purchase: 6 dust
camp, one character can cook a meal for everyone.
Upgrade: 3 dust
A character’s cooking skill is a unique action,
A heavy iron cauldron and apothecary where
starting at 1d6. A character can improve their
characters can brew flasks.
cooking by investing 2 xp to improve their
cooking skill by 1, up to a maximum of 4. Xp
Characters can brew one of the following flasks
invested in cooking has to be spent when you gain
during an interlude by spending 1 dust. Flasks
xp and not from your bar.
can be drunk instead of taking an action roll (in
narrative play) or as an action in combat.
Roll 1d6 per level of cooking skill and choose any
Characters can only hold on to one flask at once.
die as the final result.
• Flask of Action: A character can drink a flask
to gain +1 boon and increased effect on their
Meal effects apply to the very next combat you
next narrative action
get into.
• Phoenix flask: An incapacitated character can
spend a full turn to drink a Phoenix Flask to
Rescue themselves at the end of that turn. D6 Result
• Cleansing flask: A character can drink this
flask to cleanse themselves (clear all blights and 1 Burnt meal - No effect!
immediately save against all effects).

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 D6 Result • Memories of purpose: Once a session, all

characters can relieve 1 stress merely by taking a
2 Nutritious meal - Ignore terrain moment to breathe.
penalties for difficult terrain and moving • Memories of hope: When using memories
up terrain of purpose, characters also heal 1 strain
• Memories of home: All characters gain
3 Refreshing meal - Saves are successful +1 stress box and +1 max strain.
on an 8+ instead of a 10+
4 Invigorating meal - Deal bonus Elixir Stone
damage in the first round of combat Purchase: 6 dust
Upgrade: 3 dust
5 Healthy Meal - Start combat with Vigor
1, or Vigor +1 if you already start with This unsettling and extremely valuable blood red
Vigor. stone, found in the very deepest depths of the
6 Hearty Meal - Resistance to all damage arkenruins, is condensed Dust and life essence in
in the first round of combat its purest form. When exposed to Aether, it bleeds
a substance that can be condensed into elixirs.

Upgrades: Characters embark on an expedition with +1

• Foraging: Your group can forage or shop for elixir.
ingredients during an interlude. Roll 1d6. You
can hold on to that number until used during Upgrades:
cooking. If you roll and save a 1, you can use it • Elixir Brewing: When they camp, characters
as insurance. Discard it when you roll a 1 can replenish 1 elixir by spending 1 dust.
cooking result to re-roll, taking the second • Deep Elixir Stone: When they camp,
result as final. characters can heal 1 wound by spending 1
• Improved ingredients: When you cook, dust and 1 elixir. This also heals the HP lost.
you can keep any 2 dice and combine their • Clarity: Characters can drink an elixir to heal 3
effects. strain instead of hp
• Variety: If a different character from the last
one cooks each time you camp or go into an Fishing Pole
interlude, roll +1d6 when cooking.
Purchase: 6 Dust
• Masterclass: If you get a critical hit on a
Upgrade: 3 Dust
cooking roll, the effects apply to every combat
until you camp or go into an interlude.
Once an expedition, if there’s a water source
nearby, one character can fish. A character’s
Campfire fishing skill is a unique action, starting at 1d6. A
Purchase: 6 dust character can improve their fishing by investing 2
Upgrade: 3 dust xp to improve their fishing skill by 1, up to a
maximum of 4. Xp invested in fishing has to be
Your camp has a bright and well fed fire. It’s easy spent when you gain xp and not from your bar.
to take a load off and talk around the fire, and it
burns brightly even in dark moments. Roll 1d6 per level of fishing skill and choose the
highest result as the final result.
During Heal Burdens, characters can tick a free
segment on a burden of their choice.
D6 Result
Upgrades:
1 Line Snapped - No result
• Commonality: Characters that help others
heal their burdens instead of healing their own 2 Got away - No result. Next time you fish,
tick 2 segments instead of 1 add +1d to your roll.

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 D6 Result
Portable Library
3-5 Common Fish: Collect 2 of these fish
and they can be sold at market for 1 dust. Purchase: 6 dust
Dungeon guppies, cave carp, and Upgrade: 3 dust
Arkentrout are all pretty common
examples. A collection of well-worn tomes, manuals, and
scrolls.
6 Rare Fish! - Roll 1d6. Can be sold at
market for 1 dust.
Every character can add +1 to their tinker, study,
1: Glibfish - Eat to gain +1B and
or recall rating.
improve effect on all command and
charm rolls for a scene
Upgrades:
2: Musclefish - Eat to gain +1B and
• Training Manuals: At the end of each
increased effect on Endure and Smash
interlude, each character gets +1 xp.
actions for a scene
• Focused Training: Instead of healing
3: Wrightfish - Ask the fish for advice.
burdens, characters can train to gain + 1 xp.
If you follow it, gain +1B and improved
Stacks with training manuals.
effect on your next narrative action.
• Arkentomes: Characters can make rolls to
4: Elixir Fish - Can be drunk as an elixir
recall or gather information about dungeon or
5: Panaflounder - Eat as an action to
monster lore at +1 dice
cleanse and cure self
6: Golden Gizzet: Can be sold at
market for 3 dust Shrine
Purchase: 3 dust
6,6 Super rare fish! This super hard to Upgrade: 3 dust
catch fist can be sold for 2 dust at market.
Roll 1d6. Shrine to the Titans, the slain precursors. Grants
1-3: Wishfish - The fish is infused with Divine Mercy. When characters would take their
reality warping Aether. You can use the last wound and die, roll a d%. 50% chance that
fish to perform one action roll as they ignore the wound instead and miraculously
superpowered, expending it. heal all wounds and hit points. Divine Mercy can
4-6: Godfish- This magnificent only occur once for a character ever in their life
specimen sells for 3 dust at market. time.
Alternately, its scales are so tough it can
be used as a shield. At the start of combat, Upgrades:
expend the fish to give a character vigor • Commune: Once a session, a single character
3. can pray at the shrine and ask a yes/no question
about a person, place, or object. The GM will
Upgrades: answer with one of the following: Wheel (yes,
• Bait: You can spend 1 dust to add 1d6 to a positive), Stone (no, negative), or Chaos (mixed
fishing roll any number of times. outcome).
• Absolution: A broken character with 3
• Improved tackle box: Gain 1 free use of
bait an expedition burdens can pray at the shrine during camp to
• Beginner’s luck: If a character fishes that was recover from being broken.
different from the previous time, they fish with • Resurrection: A dead character (someone
+1d who took 4 wounds and died) can be returned to
• Trophy board: If you catch a super rare fish, life during an interlude by burning 10 dust, as
everyone gains 2 xp. long as they died in the last year. The character
• Catch and release: If you release a fish you is living on borrowed time as the dust is
caught back, all characters can tick 1 segment on animating their body and must undergo a
a burden. journey or expedition to make things
permanent. The GM can set up an expedition or
an ambition for this.

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 • Intimidate (1 action): A character in range

Spirit Idol 3 must save or be staggered or dazed (spirit’s
Purchase: 6 dust choice).
Upgrade: 3 dust • Dash (1 action): The spirit dashes 2 spaces
• Spirit mark (2 actions): A character in
You can pray at this shrine to summon it’s range 3 must save or become marked. While
aetheric spirit - usually in the form of an animal, marked by the spirit, allies have +1 boon to
small creature, or fairy. The spirit is friendly to attack the target.
your group, and can be played two ways: either as • If defeated in combat, the spirit disperses
an NPC, or as a character (for a player to and reappears in a space in range 3 from an ally
control). at the start of the next round with full hp.

The spirit can only be summoned as a character if Upgrades:

it’s controlled by someone who is not already • Empowered spirit: The spirit gains +1 stress
playing a character, including the GM. Playing a and its combat ability as an NPC can be used
spirit for a group is a good way for someone not twice a battle instead
familiar with role playing games, guesting for a • Great spirit: As character the spirit can choose
session, or calling in remotely for a session to to become Size 2 when it starts battle. If so, its
participate, since it is relatively simple. speed is reduced to 2, but it also becomes Sturdy
and deals 1d8 damage with its attack instead of
As an NPC, the spirit has the following powers: 1d6
• Narrative: The spirit has 2 stress, regains all of • Spirit vengeance: As a character, the spirit
it when you camp, and can burn it to give can do each of the following once a session: take
someone aid. It doesn’t take strain and doesn’t a superpowered action, and deal double damage
take actions otherwise. with its next attack
• Combat: The spirit is not a unit in battle, but
can be invoked any time by a character as an Survival Gear
interrupt to aid someone, giving them +1 boon Purchase: 6 dust
on any attack or save. This ability works once Upgrade: 3 dust
per battle.
Knives, tanning racks, cooking spits, climbing
As a character, the spirit has the following powers: gear, and supplies for wilderness survival.
• Narrative: The spirit has 2 stress, 2 strain, and
rolls 1 dice for all actions. It heals all stress and Every character can add +1 to their traverse,
strain at camp. If the spirit takes maximum smash, or endure rating.
strain, it must disperse for a scene and can take
no more action, then re-enters the next scene Upgrades:
with 0 strain. It can do everything a player can • Rangers: Increase health by 1 for all characters
do otherwise. • Toughened: All burden clocks are 1 shorter
• Combat: The spirit is a size 1 allied character • Footwork: All characters can make up to 1
with 10 hp, [10+chapter] defense, 0 armor, 4 square of diagonal movement on their turn
speed, and no bonuses to saves. It heals to full • Advanced footwork: All characters can
HP after each combat. The spirit’s attack bonus make up to 2 squares of diagonal movement
is equal to twice the chapter number. It can take on their turn
a standard move and the following actions:
• Spirit slash (light magic melee or Thieves’ Gear
ranged attack, range 3): Make an attack Purchase: 6 dust
roll, adding power. Deals 1d6+chapter Upgrade: 3 dust
damage on hit, or chapter damage on miss.
• Push (1 action): An adjacent character must Lockpicks, cloaks, keys, sacks for carrying loot,
save or be shoved 1 space and magitech devices for spying or listening.

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 Every character can add +1 to their sneak, excel,

or survey ratings

Upgrades:
• Skeleton Key: 1/session you can make any
action roll to open, unlock, or activate a device
or door superpowered in effect.
• Shadow cloaks: For the first combat after you
embark on an expedition, start with stealth.
Lose stealth at the start of the second round if
you gained it this way.
• Whisper cloaks: Also gain this benefit after
you camp.

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 2. Completed at least one tactical combat

encounter - 2 xp
Advancement and 3. Accomplished an ambition (group or
personal) - 1-3 xp

Reward 4. Invoked Burdens - 1 xp per Burden invoked

Choosing new job

The power of characters in ICON is measured by If you choose a new job at level 4 and level 8, you
their level. Characters start at level 1 and level up get the following benefits:
to a maximum of level 12. • If you chose a job from the same class, gain an
ability of your choice from that class for free
Chapter • If you chose a job from a different class entirely,
gain three abilities of your choice from that class
Levels are split into three chapters (1-4, 5-8, for free
9-12), and moving forward in a chapter is the This is to compensate for the fact that you can
decision of the players. Until the chapter passes, only use one out of class ability as a gambit and
characters cannot level up past the cap of each gives you a head start on your second job. Better
chapter, and characters that are maxed out get to it!
on xp can donate it to any character. This is
to allow characters to catch up on experience if GAMBIT
they’re behind, invest Dust they have earned, and
also allows them to set the pace of the game, since Characters unlock a gambit slot at level 4 and
foes become slightly stronger in higher chapters of level 8. If they picked a job in the same class as
the game. their first job at level 4, the gambit won’t matter.

Moving up a Chapter increases everyone’s THE ONE JO

combat statistics, including those of the
foes you face. If you decline to pick another job at level 4 and
level 8, you gain an extra benefit for your hyper
Experienc focus. You get the following benefits:
During their adventures, characters earn • You get mastery points at level 9 and 11,
experience points, filling out an experience bar. At • At level 10, pick a signature ability. That ability
certain breakpoints in the bar, they will unlock deals bonus damage and gains +1 boon on any
new abilities or talents. attack rolls. If it forces a save, foes get +1 curse
on the save.
The xp bar is 12 ticks long. At 4 and 8 xp gained,
during an interlude or at camp characters can Alternate X
unlock a new combat ability in any job they
have, or gain a new talent for an ability they If you want to set a different pace for your
already have. campaign, you can set escalating xp tracks. In
chapter 1, all tracks are 12 xp long, with talents/
Once the bar is full (12 xp), they can clear all xp at abilities at 4 and 8 (default). In chapter 2, they are
the end of an interlude to increase their level 15 long, with new talents/abilities at 5 and 10. In
by 1. Certain benefits are only gained on level up. chapter 3, they are 18 xp long, with new talents/
abilities at 6 and 12.
Characters gain xp the following ways.
When you start an interlude, immediately You can play with slower xp (using the 15 or 18
gain xp for any expedition or quests you finished track in lower chapters) but it will mean
(6 for expedition, 2 per expedition for a quest) characters will take a while to fill out their
Check at the end of a session : abilities.
1. Did you fulfill at least one of your ideals? 1 xp.
All your Ideals? 2 xp
Dus

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 example here, and a few more used in Deeptower,

Dust is the currency of Arden Eld and measured the example expedition, but you can use it as your
in abstract units. It is so prevalent in the own jumping-off point.
arkenruins that merely venturing into them, small
amounts can be scraped from the fingernails or
the bottom of boots. It is primarily used to
upgrade character’s relics and their camp. Dust is
earned in the following ways:

1. Completing a combat encounter infuses 1 dust

into a relic of your choice.
2. The GM can offer dust rewards for retrieving
extra treasure, artifacts, items, or completing
extra tasks during an expedition, usually 1 or 2
dust. This dust can be carried on you and used
in whatever way you like.
3. Finishing an expedition or quest rewards dust
concurrent with how dangerous the quest is.
By default this is 3 dust per player for an
expedition, and 6 for a quest.

Characters can’t personally carry more than 8

dust on them.

Dust can be spent in the following ways:

1. Upgrading a relic costs a total of 6 dust per
level.
2. Upgrading a relic to an Aspected relic requires
a level 3 relic and a total of 12 dust.
3. Buying a camp upgrade or fixture costs 3-6
dust.
4. Dust can be used to buy benefits from the
camp or additional uses of arkentech.

Arkentec

Arkentech offers a way for GMs to offer additional

minor rewards other than xp or dust.

Arkentech is a loose term for anything powerful

that is scavenged from the dungeons and ruins of
Arden Eld, whether it’s a magitech wonder or
something carved from a monster or beast.
Arkentech is a little less powerful than Relics,
however, having limited use and eventually
running out of magical power and crumbling.
Each piece of Arkentech has a number of uses,
and the effect when it’s used.

Characters can hold on to and use three pieces of

Arkentech at once. Arkentech can usually be sold
for Dust equal to its charges remaining.There’s a
limited amount of arkentech in this playtest as an

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 Lvl Chapter Combat Benefit Narrative Benefit

Choose a Bond, a Bond power, and improve
1 1 Choose a job and two abilities
four actions
2 1 Unlock Limit Break and first relic Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
3 1 Gain a Bond power
Choose a second job OR gain a
4 1 Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
mastery point. Unlock first gambit.
2- Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
5 Improve an action
Stat up! master talent for an ability
6 2 Unlock second relic Gain a Bond power

7 2 Improve an action
Choose a third job OR gain a mastery
8 2 point. Unlock second gambit. Special Improve two actions or gain a Bond power
if you only have one job!
3-
9 Unlock third relic Gain a Bond power
Stat up!
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
10 3 Improve an action
master talent for an ability
11 3 Improve an action
Gain Mastery Point to unlock a
12 3 Gain a Bond power
master talent for an ability

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Example Arkentec
Tech Description and Effect Uses
Spend an action to wreath your ammo in shimmering frost. For
Entropy Ammo 2
the rest of combat, your ranged attacks inflict frostbite on hit
Wrap this cloak around you and blink in and out of existence to
Displacement Cloak 3
use your standard move to teleport instead
An ancient Relict weapon that still barely functions, shooting
bolts of lightning. You can make a light attack with it (line 5,
Relict Arbalest 1
heavy damage, secondary effect: light damage, effect: electrifies
all targets)
Venom from a howler beast. You can apply it as an action. Your
Howler Venom next physical attack gains bonus damage, piercing, and the effect: 1
Inflicts poisoned and dazed on hit
Wrap your armor in tough howler hide. Apply before an
Alpha Howler Hide 1
expedition. This expedition, you start every combat with vigor +1
Strap on a piece of decaying armor for extra protection. As an
interrupt when you’re hit by any attack but before damage is
Decayed Plate 2
applied, you can expend the plate to gain 6 armor against the
attack.
Point this stave at a space on the ground in range 3 as an action
Stave of Flame to release a spark of flame as an effect, inflicting burning and fray 3
damage to all characters in a blast 1 area.
Use as an action to splash the oil about, reversing gravity and
Drift Oil drifting into the air. Gain flying but also reduce max speed to 0. 3
You can use this action again to end the effect.
Step on the screecher gland as an action to make a horrible
Screecher gland screeching noise. Characters in a blast 2 (self) area, including 1
you, must save or become stunned

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 survival, or a supernatural desire for destruction.

Monsters can’t be bargained with and have
simple motivations for violence (food,
territory, aggression, or survival). In many cases
(but not all), monsters will fight to the death.

Ki

The ruins draw all kinds of adventurers and

contenders, seeking wealth and glory, and not all
of them are pure in intent. Even outside of the
ruin, in the cities and towns of the world, people
of all kinds plot to exploit, hurt, or deceive their
fellow Kin for personal gain.

Banditry and highway robbery is becoming

increasingly high in the Churning Age, with the
large number of blights and the decreasing safety
of the roads. Mountain bandit, lowlander, or

FOES
coastal pirate clans will often organize and
maintain large hideouts, where they will
periodically raid nearby towns for loot and
captives. In the ruins themselves, some
The ruins that litter Arden Eld and churn beneath adventurers make a living not only off the ruins,
its surface are sometimes peaceful, hollow affairs - but also off robbing their fellow adventurers. In
full of dust and destroyed monuments to a dead the cities, wealthy criminal syndicates, sometimes
empire. More often than not, however, they are masquerading (or acting openly!) as guilds,
host to innumerable monsters that slither, crawl, pursue enrichment at all costs, running
and stalk through their hallways, born of the kidnapping schemes, forcing labor, or using debt
Doom that befell the Arken Empire and the grand to control large numbers of people.
technomagical projects they undertook. These
ruins can be deadly places despite the riches they Mistrust has reached the point that some towns
offer, and occasionally when a ruin surfaces, it and cities have begun eyeing the legacy of the
disgorges monsters continuously that boil over Arkenlords, arming themselves for what they see
into the surface world, called a Blight. Minor as a coming grand conflict between Kin. War
blights can deform and destroy the landscape and between city states or towns, so rare between Kin
threaten nearby villages, towns, and cities, and in the Green Age, is becoming more common and
every few decades a blight surfaces that can increasingly severe in scale. Some powerful towns
threaten large portions of the world. or city states see themselves as inheritors of an
imperial legacy, with the warlords helming them
Monster titling themselves a new Emperor, seeking to
unite the cities by force into Arden Eld’s first
The creatures that stalk the halls of the ruins are a nation. The ambitions of these self-styled
mix of mundane beasts that have been warped by Imperials remain unfulfilled - for now.
the ruins’ influence, native fauna that have grown
accustomed to dungeons, terrifying horrors from When Kin commit or threaten violence, it’s
beyond the realms of understanding, and the always motivated. Kin can be bargained
remnants of the old empire, animated by the with (even if that bargain on your end is giving
ruins’ magic. up all your money or throwing down your
weapons in surrender!), they’re people after all.
Monsters are dangerous and beyond reasoning Kin will almost never fight to the death and
with. Though some have some shred of will often flee or surrender if their lives are
intelligence, they are motivated by hunger, pain, threatened.

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n

 acid, or something similar. This flexibility allows

Monsters and Ki you to fit the ‘fantasy’ of the foes you are thinking
of in your story and fit them to statistics that help
In combat, there are two rules to apply to them perform that role in combat.
monsters and kin:
There are four classes for foes, with numerous
1. Kin always have reasons to fight. If their jobs inside. Each class grants every job its general
demands or desire are met, then they are willing statistics must like player jobs. When those
to bargain or avoid a fight. statistics are different from the usual, it’s listed in
2. Kin will surrender or flee, potentially each job’s stat block.
ending a tactical combat, if they have suffered
heavy losses or see there is no chance they will • Heavy: Slower, melee focused enemies that
win. Typically this is easy to judge as a GM, but defend their allies with their higher hp and
make a call when Kin are outnumbered 2 to 1 or traits like Guardian, Vigilance, and True Strike.
more than half their forces have been defeated. • Skirmisher: Fast, mobile, short ranged
Sometimes Kin have a special flee condition. enemies that deal high damage but are fragile
3. Kin won’t kill without a reason. themselves. Have many traits like Stealth,
Evasion, Finishing Blow, and Dodge.
The most important rule to stick by is that • Leader: Foes that improve the combat
monsters are never people, and people are capabilities of their allies or heal them. Have
never monsters. If monsters are intelligent, or traits like Cure, Shelter (bonuses to saves), or
can bargain, or are characters in their own right, auras that improve or move their allies
treat them like Kin. • Artillery: Long range, slow enemies that
become powerful if left alone by either creating
or summoning more allies, or simply dealing
How to use this sectio more damage. Deal the highest damage but
relatively little defense or health. Have traits like
In tactical combat, foes in ICON have statistics Pierce, Overdrive, Aetherwall, and inflict Blights
such as HP or armor, abilities, and actions just
like player characters. On their turn, they can take Special foe rule
2 actions and move, also just like player
characters. Unlike player characters, they are Foes can all make a standard move like heroes,
limited to the actions in their profile, and and can all run, dash, or interact with
they are also much simpler. something. They cannot make basic attacks,
rescue, or whack.
Foes in ICON aren’t listed out in individual detail,
like in some role-playing games. Instead, there are Foes have some special rules, tags, and traits that
classes and jobs for foes, much like for player apply only to them:
characters, which informs how they function in
tactical combat. A monster that’s a soldier and a • Repeatable X: This action is repeatable X
Thryn soldier will function much of the same (an number of times in a turn, ignoring the no
up close fighter that gets more powerful when repeats rule, including the 1/round attack limit!
adjacent to an ally). The jobs are not strict • Multiattack X: This action can make attack
definitions and can be ‘flavored’ any way you like. rolls against up to X characters in range instead
For example, if you need a flying monster that of just 1
harasses enemies, you probably want a Hellion. If • Recharge X+: After this ability is used, it can’t
you want to represent a guard with a crossbow, be used again until it recharges. Roll a d6 at the
you can choose an Archer (for a more mobile start of the foe’s turn. Recharge abilities when
option) or an Arbalest (for a long range, slow, the recharge die number is at the listed number
high damage option). The Hellion could just as or above.
well represent a soldier using a magitech device to • Foes can never choose to take a slow turn unless
fly around, however, and an Archer could specified
represent a monster that launches spines, spits

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 • Foes save against effects on a 12+ instead of a For example, a size 2 foe can ignore height 1
10+. They’re not as fated as the heroes. terrain and a character would have to be at
height 2 to gain terrain advantage against them.
Foes may have additional or unique tags, such as
Autocure or Prowl (see jobs for more details!). Faction

Special classe You might feel that having every ‘soldier’ type
There are a few special classes for foes in ICON enemy fit one template will make things feel a
that change the gameplay of foes up slightly: little same-y, but to distinguish foes from another,
there is one more component to Foes in ICON,
• Mob: Mobs are weak, numerous enemies with 1 which is Faction. Faction allows you to put a
hp. They can be used for a more ‘heroic’ feeling ‘template’ on top of enemies to give them bonus
game where characters cut down enemy after traits, change their statistics, or grant them a
enemy. They can overwhelm characters in choice of additional actions. These faction
numbers. When you take an enemy turn, you templates help create a sense of unity among foes
can take a turn for up to 5 mob-type foes. Mobs of different jobs and can change the experience of
only have one type of damage (no light/heavy/ fighting them completely.
critical, etc) which can’t be boosted, are
removed from the battlefield when defeated, Foes can only take one faction template at
and don’t trigger slay effects when defeated. once.
• Elite: Elites are more powerful foes that take
additional turns and have increased hp. They Traits with the same name (such as those that
are akin to ‘mini-boss’ encounters in a role boost armor or hp) do not stack. For example,
playing game, representing a more powerful or foes with the Tenacious trait (+25% hp) that gain
skill enemy. it again don’t gain any additional benefit.
• Monstrosity: The most powerful foes in ICON.
Monstrosities are fights worthy of an entire Open informatio
group, and meant to represent huge or
legendary monsters, such as wyrms, giants, or All the following information about a foe is open
elder demons. They take multiple turns, have to the players if they ask:
phases (different actions and abilities based on • Job, class, and faction
different situations), have attackable locations • Special class, like mob, elite, monstrosity
that can disable or weaken their attacks, deal • Traits
high damage, and have high hp. • Effects when a player is marked by a foe
• Triggered effects, like interrupts, when they
Large Foe trigger
Some foes have the Large or Enormous trait, • If the foe is bloodied or not
making them size 2 or 3. These foes have the • If a monstrosity changes phase
following rules:
• AoE abilities they use can count any of their You can elaborate on this information if you like
spaces as an origin space. Bigger foes can choose as long as you get the basic information across. “It
whether to be affected by any of their area looks like this Knuckle is keeping an eye on you
abilities specifically. That means even his allies are going
• AoE abilities used against a large foe can only to get counter and vigilance against you”.
affect them once, even if two of their spaces are
hit. For example, a large character hit by an You can play with full information if you wish,
attack and area space of an AoE ability is only especially if some players have already fought a
affected by one or the other (the ability owner foe before. Some groups feel like this can take
can choose). some of the mystery out of fighting a powerful foe
• Large foes gain terrain phasing for terrain that for the first time, while other groups prefer having
is lower than their size, can end their turn in better tactical decision making available to them.
those terrain spaces, and ignore terrain
advantage for any terrain lower than their size. Making foes and balancing encounter

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 To make a foe, pick which job you think

represents it, then choose one of the faction
templates to apply to it. If there are optional
actions, choose one or two.

Balancing encounters for ICON is very simple.

Count the number of players, then add 1. This is
the point total for your encounter.

• 5 mobs is worth 1
• 1 regular foe is worth 1
• 1 elite is worth 2
• 1 monstrosity is worth the number of players.

For example, if I have 3 players, I can run 4

regular foes against them, or one elite and 2 foes,
or 20 mobs.

To balance up or down, add or remove 1 or 2

points from the encounter budget. The most
important balancing factor is action economy - ie
how many fighters are on one side or another. If
your players outnumber your foes, no matter how
powerful their enemies are, they will typically win!

Using the chapter syste

Both foes and player characters increase slightly
in stats each chapter. This system is here to let
players that are behind on experience catch up
and let players set the pace of their game. You can
use this to do a couple of things:
• Increase the difficulty of combat encounters by
adding foes from later chapters
• Decrease the difficulty of combat encounters by
lowering a foe’s chapter
• Keep foes in certain locations ‘frozen’ at a
certain chapter to give players a sense of
progression
• Keep foes at certain locations ‘frozen’ at a higher
chapter to give players a potential challenge.

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 vigilance. Then, if you’re adjacent, you can change

GLOSSARY OF FOE the target of the attack to you.
Vigilance - Foes can’t dash in your engagement
and can’t move through your space
Mo
Soldier
Basic melee fighter, stronger in groups
Chaff
HP: 1
Traits: Guardian, Toughness
Speed: 4
Rank and File: Gain true strike and +1 boon on
Defense: 6+chapter
attacks if adjacent to an ally
Attack: +1
Damage: 2+chapter
Slash (1 action, attack): On hit: deal light
Mob: This character doesn’t trigger slay effects
damage. On miss: deal fray damage.
Bash (1 action): An adjacent foe is shoved 1 and
0 armor, run 2, dash 4
must save or become winded. Collide: Foe fails
Scrabble (2 actions, melee attack): Deal 1
the save.
damage as an effect. If an ally is adjacent to the
Fortify (1 action, stance): Stance: Count as in
target, make an attack, dealing damage on hit.
cover and grant cover to adjacent allied
characters, but cannot dash or run. End if shoved,
Needler dazed, staggered, or stunned.
HP: 1
Speed: 3
Impaler
Defense: 6+chapter
Shoves around characters and keeps them
Attack: +1
pinned.
Damage: chapter
Mob: This character doesn’t trigger slay effects
Traits: Toughness
0 armor, run 2, dash 3
Pike (2 actions, melee attack). On hit, deal
Piercing Shot (2 actions, ranged attack 4):
heavy damage and shove 1. On miss, deal fray
Deal 1 piercing damage as an effect. If an ally is
damage.
adjacent to the target, make an attack, dealing
Impale (2 actions, melee attack, true
piercing damage on hit.
strike, recharge 5+): On hit: foe takes light
damages and is shoved 3. The Impaler dashes
Heav after the target, following it. Collide: foe is also
dazed and winded. Miss: light damage
Health: 5/6/7
HP: 20/24/28
Brute
Speed: 4, run 2, dash 4
Large foe that becomes more effective when foes
Defense: 5+ chapter
are dazed.
Armor: 1/2/3
Attack: +0/+2/+4
Traits: Guardian, Toughness, Slow, Vigilance
Fray Damage: 2/3/4
Poise: Sturdy when bloody
Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
Tenacious: +25% hp.
3d6+chapter
Poor amor: Max armor is 0
Damage type: Physical
Large: Increase size to 2
Common traits:
Sweep (1 action, melee attack, Arc 3
Toughness: Start combat with 1 vigor
repeatable 2): On hit: Light damage, inflict
Guardian - Special interrupt. When an ally you
daze. If a character is already dazed, they must
can see in range 3 is targeted by an attack, you can
save or also be stunned. Area effect: Fray
dash up to 2 spaces towards that ally, ignoring
damage

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 Shove (1 action): Adjacent foe is shoved 1, and HP: 20/24/28

must save or be shoved 1 again. Collide: also Speed: 4, run 2, dash 4
dazed. Defense: 9+ chapter
Walllop (2 actions, true strike, recharge Armor: 0
4+): An adjacent foe makes a save or takes heavy Attack: +2/+4/+6
damage and becomes winded and are shoved 2. Fray Damage: 1/2/3
On a a successful save, they take light damage and Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
are shoved 1 3d6+chapter
Damage type: Either
Knuckle
Heavily armored foe that defends allies Common traits:
Run 1, dash 2 Prowl: Gains stealth at the start of their turn
Traits: Guardian, Toughness, Slow, Vigilance Finishing Blow: Deal bonus damage if
Improved armor: +1 armor character is bloody
Poise: Sturdy when bloody Extended Dash: Can dash as 1 action
Skirmisher: Can move diagonally
Overpower (1 action, melee attack,
multiattack 2, true strike): On hit: light Assassin
damage. Miss: fray damage.
Shove (1 action): Adjacent foe is shoved 1, and Traits: Skirmisher, Extended Dash, Dodge,
must save or be shoved 1 again. Collide: also Prowl, Finishing Blow
dazed. Nimble: Has evasion unless suffering from a
Fortify (1 action, stance): Count as in cover status
and grant cover to allied characters, but cannot
dash. End if shoved, dazed, staggered, or stunned. Bolt (1 action, ranged attack 4, +1 boon):
Mark of Vigilance (1 action, mark, recharge On hit: light magic damage.
4+): Mark a foe in range 3. The Knuckle and all Stab (1 action, melee attack, +1 boon): On
allies of the knuckle gain counter and vigilance hit: deal light physical damage. Boost damage and
against the character. Foe can pass a save at the gains pierce if the target has no allies adjacent.
end of their turn to clear the mark. Deumbra (1 action, repeatable 2): Teleport 2
Lunge (2 actions, melee attack, recharge
Sledge 6): May dash 4 before attack. On hit: Heavy
Armored foe that crushes enemy defense physical damage. Trigger finishing blow if
Traits: - character is blinded or has no adjacent allies.
Improved armor: +1 armor
Flank: Loses all armor if 2 or more foes are Shortbow
adjacent.
Poise: Sturdy when bloody Traits: Skirmisher, Extended Dash, Dodge,
Prowl, Finishing Blow
Wind up (2 actions): Next Slam costs 1 action
and gains +1 boon. Lose this effect if they move. Strafe shot (1 action, ranged attack 5): On
Bash (1 action): An adjacent foe is shoved 1 and hit: deal light damage. Can interrupt movement.
must save or become winded. Collide: Foe fails Pepper (1 action, repeatable 2): Deal piercing
the save. fray damage to a character in in range 5.
Slam (2 actions, melee attack): +1 curse. Riddle (2 actions, ranged attack 5,
Pierce. On hit, deal heavy damage and character recharge 6): On hit: Deal fray damage five
must save or become vulnerable. times. Miss: Two times.

Berserker
Skirmishe Traits: Skirmisher, Extended Dash, Dodge,
Health: 5/6/7 Finishing Blow

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 Nimble: Has evasion unless suffering from a HP: 20/24/28

status Speed: 4, run 2, dash 4
Revenge: Has counter when bloodied Defense: 7+ chapter
Armor: 0
Vengeful Slash (Interrupt 1): When damaged Attack: +1/+3/+5
for the first time a round, Berserker deals light Fray Damage: 1/2/3
damage as an effect to a random adjacent Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
character (foe or ally). 3d6+chapter
Damage type: Either
Furious Slash (1 action, melee attack,
repeatable 2): On hit: Light damage. Critical Common traits:
hit: Character must save or become vulnerable. Shelter: Adjacent allies get +1 accuracy on saves
Charge (1 actions, recharge 4+): Dash 4, then Autocure (free action, 1/turn): May grant
deal light physical damage as an effect to an vigor 1 to a bloodied ally in range 3
adjacent character.
Incanter
Hellion
Traits: Shelter, Autocure
Traits: Skirmisher, Extended Dash, Dodge, Purity: Immune to Blights
Finishing Blow
Winged: Gains flying at start of their turn. Loses Counter Curse (Interrupt): The Incanter or
flying if dazed, winded, staggered, or stunned. an ally in range 3 gains evasion against an
incoming magic attack
Stab (1 action, melee attack, +1 boon): On
hit: deal light physical damage. Boost damage and Smite (1 action, melee attack): On hit: light
gains pierce if the target has no allies adjacent. damage and character is blighted. Miss: Fray
Swoop (1 action, recharge 6): End turn and damage
leave the battlefield. Return to the battlefield in a Punishment (1 action): A foe in range 4 must
free space at start of next turn. save or become staggered. If already staggered,
Dive (1 action): Fly in a line 3 area effect. Once they become slow.
character within the area must save or take fray Purge (1 action, recharge 4+): Cleanse ally in
damage, be shoved to the end of the line, and range 3
become blinded. Incantation of protection (1 action,
stance): Allies in range 3 gain +1 boon on attacks
Skulk and either magic evasion, sturdy, or true strike
(choose one, each one replaces the last each time
Traits: Skirmisher, Extended Dash, Prowl, this stance is chosen). These effects do not apply
Dodge, Finishing Blow to the incanter.
Slippery: Gain evasion under 50% hp
Zealot
Stab (1 action, melee attack, +1 boon): On
hit: deal light physical damage. Boost damage and Traits: Shelter, Autocure
gains pierce if the target has no allies adjacent. Improved armor: Armor +1
Cheap trick (1 action): An adjacent foe must
save or become blinded Holy (2 actions, close blast 1): Attack: On hit,
Sprint (1 actions): Dash 6 deal heavy damage. Area effect: Deal fray
damage. Effect: Characters must save or become
staggered or blinded (Zealot’s choice)
Succor (2 actions, recharge 4+): Target
Leade defeated ally, return them to life with the summon
type and 25% max hp.
Health: 5/6/7 Shield of Faith (2 actions, mark): Allied
character in range 3 becomes marked and

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 resistant to all damage while marked. This mark

ends if they are dazed, winded, staggered, or Artiller
stunned, or the zealot uses this ability again.
Health: 4/5/6/
Commander HP: 16/20/24
Speed: 3, run 2, dash 1
Traits: Shelter, Autocure Defense: 7+ chapter
Improved armor: Armor +1 Armor: 0
Command Aura: Allies in range 3 have +1 boon Attack: +2/+4/+6
on attacks. Fray Damage: 2/3/4
Tactics Aura: Staggered, Winded, Dazed, or Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
Stunned foes in range 3 are also Vulnerable 3d6+chapter
Counter Strike (Interrupt): The commander Damage type: Magic
or an ally in range 3 gains evasion against an
incoming physical attack Overdrive X: Deals boosted damage if the
current round is X or higher
Leader’s strike (1 action, melee attack, Aetherwall/Arrowsense: Cover from ranged
repeatable 2): On hit: deal light damage and an attacks further away than range 2
ally in range 3 can dash 2 spaces. Blightboost: If targeting a blighted character,
Commander’s mark (1 action): A foe in range gain an increased effect.
4 must save or become marked. While marked,
they lose and cannot gain stealth, and attacks Illwright
against them gain true strike. They can repeat this
save at the end of their turns to end this effect. Traits: Overdrive 4, Slow, Aetherwall
Forced march (1 action, stance): When Resonance: Attacks deal boosted damage if they
Commander takes this stance, and at start of each hit 3 or more foes.
of the commander’s turns, the commander and all Power overwhelming: If overdrive has
allies in range 3 can dash 2 in the same direction. triggered, gain flying and vigor 1

Cantrix Blast (2 actions, superheavy ranged

attack 8, blast 1): On hit: Heavy magic
Traits: Shelter, Autocure damage and inflict blight. Miss: Light magic
Aetherwall: Cover from ranged attacks outside damage. Area effect: Light damage. Blightboost:
range 3 Increase to blast 2.
Flash (1 actions): A character in range 8 must
Chant of investiture (1 action, stance, save or take magic fray damage and be blighted
recharge 4+): An ally in range 8 is marked by Aethersup (1 action, 1/round): Tick down
the Cantrix and gains resistance to all damage, Overdrive counter by 1
sturdy, and +1 boon on all attacks and saves while
in range 8 of the Cantrix. While in this stance, the Siegewright
Cantrix reduces their speed to 0. It ends if the
Cantrix is shoved, winded, stunned, dazed, or Traits: Overdrive 3, Slow, Aetherwall
staggered, or if it takes this action again.
Slumber (1 actions): A character in range 8 of Lob (1 actions, ranged attack 8): On hit:
the Cantrix must save or become pacified. If Light magic damage. Pierce, ignores cover, inflict
already pacified, the character is also slow. blight. Miss: Fray damage. Blightboost: repeat the
Dissonance (1 actions, recharge 4+): A attack. The new attack does not have blightboost.
character in range 8 of the cantrix must save or be Fell Shot (1 action, repeatable 2): Mark 2
shoved 1 and drop all stances. unoccupied spaces in range 8. Foes or allies that
Escape (1 action) : The Cantrix swaps place pass through these spaces take piercing magic fray
with its marked ally damage as an area effect. At the start of the

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 siegewright's turn, any spaces created by this Traits: Overdrive 3, Slow, Arrowsense
ability disappear.
Entrench (1 action, stance): Aetherwall grants Hurried shot (1 action, ranged attack 4): +1
damage immunity to ranged attacks instead of curse. On hit: light damage.
resistance. Ends if the wright moves, is shoved, Aim (2 actions): Boost damage of next ranged
dazed, staggered, or stunned. attack, and double range.
Heart Seeker (2 actions, range 5, pierce):
Attack: On hit: heavy physical damage. Miss:
Alchemist
light damage. Cannot target adjacent characters.
Traits: Overdrive 3, Aetherwall
Improved armor: Armor +1
Acid Splash: Attacks deal piercing fray damage
on hit or miss to all foes in range 2 of the target as
Elit
an area effect
Insulated: Ignores dangerous terrain, difficult
terrain, and terrain effects
Archo
Spray (1 actions, ranged attack, close
blast 1, repeatable 2): On hit: piercing fray Health: 6/7/8
damage and inflict blight. Miss: fray damage. HP: 48/56/64
Area effect: fray damage. Blightboost or Speed: 4, run 2, dash 4
Overdrive: increase all damage to light Defense: 6+ chapter
Sticky solution (1 action, arc 3recharge Armor: 2/3/4
5+): Area becomes difficult terrain for the rest of Attack: +0/+2/+4
combat. Fray Damage: 2/3/4
Flash (1 actions): A character in range 8 must Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
save or take magic fray damage and be blighted 3d6+chapter
Damage type: Physical
Summoner
Traits: Defiance, Guardian, Vigilance
Traits: Overdrive 3, Aetherwall Elite: Takes 2 turns
Strength: All attacks have shove 1
Bolt (1 action, ranged attack 4, +1 boon): Poise: Sturdy when bloodied
On hit: light magic damage. Rage: Under 25% hp, gains unstoppable
Summon (1 action, repeatable 2): Summon
two mobs (of any type, by default the chaff mob) Head Crack (1 action, repeatable 2): Effect:
with the summon type in unoccupied space in Deal fray damage to an adjacent foe. They must
range 3 of the Summoner. They take a normal save or be dazed. If a foe is already dazed, increase
turn this round. If overdrive has triggered, damage to light.
summon 4 mobs with this action instead. Great Fortify (1 actions, stance): Reduce max
Puppetmaster (1 action, stance): An allied speed to 0, but gain cover and sturdy, and apply
summon in range is marked. While marked, it to all allies while adjacent. Ends at the end of their
gains vigor 1, regeneration 1, pierce and boosted next turn.
damage on all its abilities, and doubles its speed. Great Bash (1 action): Dash forward up to 3
Great Summon (2 actions, recharge 6): spaces, then an adjacent foe must save or take
Summon a soldier with the Summon type and light damage and be be shoved 3 spaces. Collide:
25% max hp. Summon can act as a normal foe of foe is winded.
its type on the next round. Becomes 1 action if Blackheart (1 action, melee attack): On hit:
overdrive has triggered and has no recharge. Deal heavy damage. Miss: light damage. Effect:
Gains +1 boon and true strike if character is
Arbalest stunned, dazed, or winded.

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 Great Holy (1 action, ranged attack 4, blast

Rogu 2): Attack: On hit: Light damage. Miss or area
effect: Fray damage. Effect: Foes inside must save
Health: 4/5/6 or be staggered.
HP: 24/30/36 Seal (1 action): A foe in range 5 must save or
Speed: 5, run 3, dash 5 become pacified and slow.
Defense: 9+ chapter Punishment (1 action): A foe in range 4 must
Armor: 0 save or become staggered. If already staggered,
Attack: +2/+4/+6 they become stunned.
Fray Damage: 2/3/4 Immaculate (1 action, recharge 4+): An ally
Damage: 4+chapter/7+chapter/10+chapter in range 5 becomes Intangible to foes until the
Damage type: Both end of its next turn.
Gran Succor (2 actions, 1/combat): All
Traits: Skirmisher, Prowl, Dodge, Finishing Blow defeated characters in range 3 are returned with
Elite: Takes 2 turns the summon type and 25% hp. They can act as
Evasion: Permanent evasion normal starting with the next round.

Wicked Slice (1 actions, melee attack, +1

boon, multiattack 2): On hit: light physical
Eldenwrigh
damage. Effect: Boost damage vs blind characters.
Vile (1 actions): A foe in range 5 must save or Health: 5/6/7
become blind and blighted HP: 40/48/56
Danse Macabre (2 actions, recharge 5+): Speed: 3, run 1, dash 1
Target a close blast 2 area. Teleport three times. Defense: 7+ chapter
May deal light damage as an area effect to an Armor: 0
adjacent foe each time. Must choose a different Attack: +2/+4/+6
hostile character each time unless every character Fray Damage: 3/4/5
has been hit at least once. Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
Deumbra (1 action, repeatable 2): Teleport 2 3d6+chapter
spaces Damage type: Magic

Traits: Overdrive 5, Slow, Aetherwall

Archpries Elite: Takes 2 turns
Resonance: Attacks deal boosted damage if they
Health: 5/6/7 hit 3 or more foes
HP: 40/48/56 Unstable reality: 1/any turn, After being
Speed: 3, run 2, dash 2 damaged by an attack or effect, teleport 1 in any
Defense: 7+ chapter direction.
Armor: 1 Power overwhelming: If overdrive has
Attack: +1/+3/+5 triggered, gain flying and vigor 1
Fray Damage: 2/3/4
Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/ Annihilate (2 actions, superheavy ranged
3d6+chapter attack 10, blast 1, +1 boon): Attack: On hit:
Damage type: Both Heavy damage and inflict blight. Miss: Light
damage. Area effect: Light damage. Blightboost:
Traits: Defiance, Autocure Increase to blast 2. After attack resolves, summon
Elite: Takes 2 turns a height 1 space of terrain in the area.
Great Shelter: Adjacent allies gain +1 boon on Liminal Arrows (1 action, recharge 5+):
saves. At the start of the arch priest’s turn, all Mark all foes in line of sight and range 10. At the
adjacent allies can cleanse a blight, end a status, end of those character’s turns, they take heavy
or clear a mark. magic damage if marked and not in cover from
the Eldenwright, then the mark ends.

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 Fell Shot (1 action, repeatable 2): Mark 2 Armor: 2/2/3

unoccupied spaces in range 10. Foes or allies that Attack: +0/+2/+4
pass through these spaces take piercing magic fray Fray Damage: 2/3/4
damage as an area effect. At the start of the Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
eldenwright's turn, any spaces created by this 3d6+chapter
ability disappear. Damage type: Physical
Great Slip (1 action): Teleport 5
Aethersup (1 action, 1/round): Tick down Traits: Vigilance
Overdrive counter by 1 Enormous: Size 3
Monstrosity: Takes 1 turn after every player
character turn. If slow, only one of its turns is
Monstrosit affected.
Colossus: Has phasing for characters and terrain
Monstrosities are built to be worthy foes for a smaller than it and can end turn in those spaces.
whole party of characters. They have high hit Ignores engagement from smaller characters.
points, abilities that can hit the whole party, and Ignores movement penalties for terrain.
take turns after every player character turn. They Juggernaut (1/round, free action): Once a
have a few special rules: round, at the start of its turn, can save against all
• Due to their complexity, monstrosities can statuses and marks and clear all blights as a free
take templates (Beast, Demon, Relict, etc) but action.
can’t take sub-templates (Wight, Ghoul, Monstrous strength: All attacks have shove 1.
Armor Demon, etc). Instead, re-flavor their 1/round after attacking a character, create a space
abilities as you see fit. of height 1 terrain adjacent to the target.
• Monstrosities have phases, which change up
their available actions and traits. Phases trigger Body parts:
based on set factors. When a phase triggers, the Head (10 hp) - Demolisher becomes blinded
Monstrosity becomes immune to all damage (ongoing)
and effects until the start of its next turn. Lash (10 hp) - Demolisher loses its lash attack
• Monstrosities have targetable body parts Armament (10 hp) - Demolisher gets +1 curse
that can disable or weaken certain abilities. on all its melee attacks. Destroyed Demolisher
Body parts have the same defenses as the armament can be sold for 2 dust.
monstrosity but a separate pool of hit points,
which doesn’t affect its main hit points. Phases: Starts in Lumbering. Phase change
However, any damage taken to body parts when triggers instantly when bloodied.
they are reduce to 0 ‘spills over’ to the main
body. Body parts are treated like a separate Phase 1: Lumbering
entity sharing the monstrosity’s space for Swat (1 action): Adjacent foe must save or be
targeting. You can either effect the body part or shoved 3 and staggered. Collide: also Stunned
the main monster (aoe attacks don’t hit both, for Lash (1 action): The Demolisher whips a chain,
example). hook, or tongue around a foe in range 5. They
must save or be shoved 3 or as far as possible
towards the demolisher.
DEMOLISHE Lumber (1 action, 1/round): Dash 6. All
characters it passes over must save or become
shoved 1 to either side.
The Demolisher is pure strength and rage
Pound (1 actions, multiattack 2): Melee
personified. It can be used to represent
attack, range 2. On hit: Light damage. Miss: fray
particularly colossal demons, giants, or huge
damage. Boost damage against staggered, winded,
armored beasts.
dazed, or stunned characters.
Wind up (1 action, combo): End turn, become
Health: 6/7/8
resistant to all damage. Can use Roar.
HP: [24/28/32] x number of player characters
• Combo: Roar (1 actions): End turn.
Speed: 3, run 1, dash 3
Characters in range 3 take physical piercing
Defense: 6+ chapter

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 damage, become winded, and are shoved 1

towards the Demolisher. Can use smash. Nocturna
• Combo: Smash (2 actions, superheavy
melee attack, close blast 1): On hit: The Nocturnal relies on extreme mobility and fear
critical damage, and character is stunned. to strike down its foes. It can be used to represent
Miss: Heavy damage. Area effect: Light winged demons, gargoyles, bat-like beasts, or
damage. End turn and combo returns to other vicious predatory and cunning monsters of
Wind Up. the night.

Phase 2: Rage mode (50% hp or under) Health: 4/5/6

Tantrum: Gain hatred of character that HP: [16/20/24] x number of player characters
triggered phase change. Swap to the closest Speed: 4, run 2, dash 4
character at the start of each following turn. If Defense: 9+ chapter
multiple characters are evenly close, the Armor: 0
demolisher can choose Attack: +2/+4/+6
Rage: Gain unstoppable at 25% hp. Fray Damage: 2/3/4
Charge (1 action, 1/round): Dash 6. All Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
characters it passes over must save or become 3d6+chapter
shoved 1 to either side and winded. Collide: Daze. Damage type: Either
Swat (1 action): Adjacent foe must save or be
shoved 3 and staggered. Collide: also Stunned Traits: Skirmisher, Dodge, Finishing Blow
Lash (1 action): The Demolisher whips a chain, Large: Size 2
hook, or tongue around a foe in range 5. They Monstrosity: Takes 1 turn after every player
must save or be shoved 3 or as far as possible character turn. If slow, only one of its turns is
towards the demolisher. affected.
Rage Pound (1 actions, multiattack 3): Colossus: Has phasing for characters and terrain
Melee attack, range 2. On hit: Light damage. smaller than it and can end turn in those spaces.
Miss: fray damage. Boost damage against Ignores engagement from smaller characters.
staggered, winded, dazed, or stunned characters. Ignores movement penalties for terrain.
Wind up (1 action, combo): End turn, become Juggernaut (1/round, free action): Once a
resistant to all damage. Can use Smash. round, at the start of its turn, can save against all
• Combo: Smash (2 actions, superheavy statuses and marks and clear all blights as a free
melee attack, close blast 1): On hit: action.
critical damage, and character is stunned.
Miss: Heavy damage. Area effect: Light Body parts:
damage. End turn and combo returns to Head (5 hp) - Nocturnal always has the Blood
Wind Up. Scent trait (phase 3) active.
Back (10 hp) - Nocturnal loses its Clinging Mists
trait in phase I. Back spines can be sold for 2 dust
if broken.
Wings (10 hp) - Nocturnal loses its ability to fly.
Its Rake action becomes a dash instead.

Phases: Phase change triggers at the start of each

round. The Nocturnal starts in phase II and can
shift up or down one phase (so it can’t shift from I
to III for example). It must shift phases.

Phase I: Slasher
Hunter: Deals boosted damage to characters
with no adjacent allied character or summon

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 Clinging mists: The Nocturnal is intangible and physical damage. On a failed save, they are
not visible on the map unless in range 3 of a foe or reduced to half their current hit points, or 1
summon controlled by a foe. hp, whichever is higher, and the Nocturnal
Rake (1 action, repeatable 2): Fly in a line 4 gains vigor 1.
area effect. Characters along the path take fray
damage.
Amygdala (1 action, recharge 4+): A
character in range 3 must save or be forced to flee, Brood Lor
become Vulnerable, Winded, and shoved 4 in a
direction of the Nocturnal’s choice.
The Brood Lord represents a monster that
The Horror (1 action, melee attack,
commands a legion of lesser minions, such as an
pierce): Attack: On hit, deal light damage. Miss:
enormous spider, a Relict Necrolord, or a insectile
fray damage. Effect: May teleport up to 3 spaces
Demon.
towards target before the attack.
Health: 5/6/7
Phase II: Night lord
HP: [10/12/14] x # of player characters
Take to Wing: Flying in this phase
Speed: 3, run 2, dash 3
Rake (1 action, repeatable 2): Fly in a line 4
Defense: 7+ chapter
area effect. Characters along the path take fray
Armor: 1/2/3
damage.
Attack: +1/+3/+5
Amygdala (1 action, recharge 4+): A
Fray Damage: 2/3/4
character in range 3 must save or be forced to flee,
Damage: 1d6+chapter/2d6+chapter/
become Vulnerable, Winded, and shoved 4 in a
3d6+chapter
direction of the Nocturnal’s choice.
Damage type: Either
Great Fell Shot (1 action): Mark 2 unoccupied
spaces in range 8. Foes or allies that pass through
Traits: Shelter, Autocure
these spaces take piercing magic fray damage as
Large: Size 2
an area effect. Disappear at the start of next
Monstrosity: Takes 1 turn after every player
round.
character turn. If slow, only one of its turns is
Blood drain (2 actions, melee attack): On
affected.
hit: Heavy damage. On miss: Light damage.
Colossus: Has phasing for characters and terrain
Effect: If made against a character with Vigor,
smaller than it and can end turn in those spaces.
removes all Vigor before applying damage.
Ignores engagement from smaller characters.
Ignores movement penalties for terrain.
Phase III: Blood frenzy
Juggernaut (1/round, free action): Once a
Blood scent: Gains Hatred of bloody characters
round, at the start of its turn, can save against all
Frenzy: 1/turn, when hitting with an attack,
statuses and marks and clear all blights as a free
gains +1 action.
action.
Swat (1 action): Adjacent foe must save or be
Legion: The Broodlord starts combat with 5 of its
shoved 3 and staggered. Collide: also Stunned
unique summons per player character, which can
Death Grasp (1 action, range 4): A foe in
be placed in any space on the battlefield not
range must save. On a failure, they take light
within range 2 of players.
magic damage and are shoved up to 3 spaces
towards Nocturnal. On a successful save, shove
Brood Minions: The Brood Lord creates unique
them 1 space.
summons with its abilities. It can summon any
Blood drain (1 action, melee attack.
combination of the following minions, which all
Combo): On hit: Heavy damage. On miss: Light
have defense 7+chapter and 1 hp by default. They
damage. Effect: If made against a character with
can move 3 spaces when the Brood Lord takes
Vigor, removes all Vigor before applying damage.
their turn, otherwise cannot take actions by
Gains a combo in phase 3
themselves unless specified.
• Combo: Embrace (2 actions): Adjacent
• Clawing Brood: Foes treat spaces adjacent
character must save. On a successful save,
clawing brood as engagement
they are shoved 1 and take light piercing

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 • Grappler Brood: Characters that start their Phase 2: Despoiler

turn next to an Grappler brood must save or be
shoved 2 in a direction of the Brood Lord’s Spawn (2 actions, 1/round): The Brood Lord
choice spawns new unique minions per character in any
• Crusher Brood: 1/1/2 armor. Characters that space on the battlefield that’s not in range 2 of a
start their turn adjacent to 1 or more crusher player character.
brood must save or become dazed, winded, or Brood assault (free action, 1/turn): Up to 2
staggered (Brood Lord’s choice). brood minions make a melee attack, using the
brood lord’s attack bonus. On hit: deal light
Body Parts: damage. Gain pierce if two other brood are
Brood Control (15 hp): Brood can only move 1 adjacent to the target.
space instead of 3, and brood assault becomes 1 Shadow spines (1 action, close blast 1): Area
action. effect: Piercing fray damage. Allies are immune.
Spines (10 hp): Shadow spines lose pierce and Great Puppeteer (1 action): Up to three allies
become line 3 in range of the Brood Lord can dash 4
Possession Gem (20 hp): Possession costs 2 Possess (1 action, stance): Stance: An allied
actions. Characters can sell a possession gem for 4 character or summon in range 10 of the Brood
dust. Lord gains +1 action, +1 boon on attacks and
saves, and vigor 1 (using the brood lord’s health).
Phases: The Brood Lord can switch phases at the Can only possess one character at once.
start of each round. It can be forced to switch Screaming spire (2 actions): The Brood Lord
phases if it loses all its minions, in which case it summons a height 1 terrain piece in any free space
happens instantly. It can start in either phase. not adjacent to a player character. Foes in range 2
of the spire take boosted and godly damage from
Phase 1: Darklurker summons, and allied summons have dodge in the
same area. Attacks automatically hit the spire, and
Lurk: The Brood Lord is intangible in this phase it is destroyed after taking 10 damage. The Brood
and cannot summon new minions. If all its Lord can only create one spire at once.
summons are destroyed, it is immediately forced
into phase 2.
Looming Shadow: The Brood Lord’s space is
difficult terrain for hostile characters and allied Wyr
characters spend 0 movement to cross spaces in
the area. A Wyrm is a flying serpentine monster famous in
Brood assault (free action, 1/turn): Up to 2 legend and myth, a lesser god of destruction that
brood minions make a melee attack, using the wreaks havoc on towns and villages.
brood lord’s attack bonus. On hit: deal light
damage. Gain pierce if two other brood are Health: 4/5/6
adjacent to the target. HP: [12/15/18] x number of players
Shadow spines (1 action, close blast 1): Area Speed: 4, run 2, dash 4
effect: Piercing fray damage. Allies are immune. Defense: 7+ chapter
Great Puppeteer (1 action): Up to three allies Armor: 2/3/4
in range of the Brood Lord can dash 4 Attack: +2/+4/+6
Possess (1 action, stance): Stance: An allied Fray Damage: 2/3/4
character or summon in range 10 of the Brood Damage: 3+chapter/6+chapter/10+chapter
Lord gains +1 action, +1 boon on attacks and Damage type: Magic
saves, and vigor 1 (using the brood lord’s health).
Can only possess one character at once. Wyrmscale: Immune to pierce when not
Evolve Brood (2 actions, recharge 4+): bloodied.
Destroy one brood summon and replace it with an Rage of Arenheir: Overdrive 6
Impaler, Sledge, or Skulk. This new unit has the Enormous: Size 3
summon type and only 25% max hp.

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 Monstrosity: Takes 1 turn after every player Rake (1 action, repeatable 2): Fly in a line 3
character turn. If slow, only one of its turns is area effect. Characters along the path take fray
affected. damage.
Colossus: Has phasing for characters and terrain Spitfire (1 action): Mark a character in range 6.
smaller than it and can end turn in those spaces. At the end of that character’s turn, if that
Ignores engagement from smaller characters. character is still marked, the Wyrm shoots a blast
Ignores movement penalties for terrain. of blight at them for a blast 1 explosion area effect.
Juggernaut (1/round, free action): Once a Characters within must save or take light damage
round, at the start of its turn, can save against all and be blighted. The ball destroys any rock spires
statuses and marks and clear all blights as a free in the area.
action. Scorch (2 actions, ranged attack 8, blast 1):
Blightheart: Wyrms deal one of the four blights On hit: light damage: Miss or area effect: light
exclusively, except for in their God of Destruction damage. Blightboost: Increase all damage to
phase. Pick one when creating the Wyrm. heavy.
Tail Lash (1 action, melee attack, Arc 4):
Body Parts Attack: On hit: Heavy damage. Miss: Light
Wings (15 HP): Cannot fly (all flying turns into damage. Area effect: Light damage and Shove 1.
dashes) Must target a character in its area. Destroys any
Heartscale (10 HP): Loses all armor. rock spires in the area.
Horns (15 HP): Wyrm gains permanent hatred
of the player that destroyed the horns Phase III: God of Destruction
Tail (15 HP): Tail lash costs 3 actions. The Wyrm loses flying in this phase
Characters can sell a Wyrm tail for 4 dust.
Pulse of Destruction: The Wyrm’s max speed
Phases: is 0 this phase. Every turn but the last turn this
Enters a new phase at the start of every round, in phase, the Wyrm must take the radiance and
order (looping back to phase I after phase III). spitfire actions. The Wyrm is unstoppable and has
Since the Wyrm enters God of Destruction the resistance to all damage in this phase. The
round its Overdrive triggers, characters should Wyrm’s last turn is slow, and it always takes Elden
aim to end the fight by then. Chaos and Aftermath in order.

Phase I: Dominant Radiance (1 action): All characters not in cover

Cataclysm: At the start of each of its turns, from the Wyrm take light piercing damage as an
create a rock spire, a height 1 terrain piece in area effect.
range 3 of a player character. Spitfire (1 action): Mark a character in range 6.
Snap (1 action): Up to 3 characters in range 2 At the end of that character’s turn, if that
take piercing fray damage character is marked, the Wyrm shoots a blast of
Swat (1 action): Adjacent foe must save or be blight at them for a blast 1 explosion area effect.
shoved 3 and staggered. Collide: also Stunned Characters within must save or take light damage
Eruption (1 action, recharge 5+): A Rock and be blighted. The ball destroys any rock spires
spire in range 5 emits a pool of blight, covering in the area.
every adjacent space to the spire. The space is
dangerous and difficult terrain, and characters Elden Chaos (1 action, ranged attack): The
that end their turn in the space are blighted. Wyrm breathes a beam of pure ancient chaos. The
Tail Lash (1 action, melee attack, Arc 4): beam is a 3 wide line area effect that crosses
Attack: On hit: Heavy damage. Miss: Light through all obstacles, terrain, and goes across the
damage. Area effect: Light damage and Shove 1. whole battlefield. Still count cover. Attack: On hit,
Must target a character in its area. Destroys any deal heavy magic damage three times and inflict
rock spires in the area. all blights. Miss or area effect: Deal light damage
twice and inflict all blights.
Phase II: Soaring Aftermath (1 action): All characters except the
Take to Wing: Flying in this phase wyrm are dazed and winded. Destroy all rock
spires and clear all eruptions.

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 FACTION Defiant Spark: All Relict have Defiance

Monsters: Relict do not flee or negotiate.
Faction Blight: Electrified
Shuffle: Relict can move 1 space forward at the
start of their turn. When they do this, they can
also move any relicts that are contiguously
Relict connected to them via adjacency. When shuffle
activates for mobs, it activates for all five
simultaneously.

Relicts all have the Wight template applied to

them by default:

Wight
Networked: +1 boon on all attacks if another
Relict is adjacent to their target
Deathblow: When defiance triggers, deal
piercing magic fray damage to an adjacent
character

For every 1 points worth of Wights in an

encounter, one of the following templates can be
applied to an enemy instead:

Heavies or Leaders
Idol
Some Relict are walking statues powered by an
amalgamation of feeble souls.
Large: Increase size to 2
Combat subroutine: Has hatred of the closest
foe
Dire Hide: Resistant to physical damage when
Relict are the most common danger that not bloody
adventurers face in the ruins of Arden Eld. They Imbued strength: All melee damage is boosted
are the spectral remnants of the Arken Empire, and gains shove 1.
souls bound in an Aetheric network that runs Shambling: Permanently staggered, slow and
through the ruins by an ancient Eldmage as a winded
last ditch effort to save a dying people. The Heavy: Immune to shove.
process was technically successful, but most relict
have been left mindless husks - souls harnessed
Fused
and stored in lightning powered sarcophagus-
Some relict have become fused due to damaged
like nodes nestled throughout the ruins. Relict
networks. The result is a large, fused mass of
armor sits eerily still, or crumpled into a corner,
tormented souls.
until its a node senses intruders, the Relict within
Tenacious: +25% hp.
rippling out through conduits to manifest in
Large: Increase size to 2
crackling undeath.
Deadsoul: Has evasion and dodge vs magic
Shambling: Permanently staggered, slow and
There are some Relict - a priest class - that have
winded
retained more sense of themselves and work at
Release passengers: When defeated, summon
dark purpose to resurrect the old empire and
4 relict chaff mobs in its space.
bring back the arkenlords.

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 Skirmishers or Artillery The ruins are full of wildlife that has adapted to
Ghoul their unique environment over time - or have
been changed or warped by it.
Some relict have learned to survive by absorbing
their brethren to boost their sense of self.
Monsters: Beasts do not flee or negotiate.
Sparkfeed (2 actions, 1/combat): The relict
Faction Blight: Poisoned
absorbs an adjacent defeated relict, destroying its
Ferocity: On the first round of combat, beasts
ally, gaining vigor 1, and doubling its speed for the
double their speed.
rest of combat.
Flank: While two or more beasts are adjacent to
Electrostatic death: When destroyed, this
a character hostile to them, that character takes
character explodes in a blast 1 area effect for light
+2 damage from their attacks
damage. If it used sparkfeed, boost this damage to
Feral: Always have hatred of the character that
heavy.
damaged them last, or the closest character (can
choose either).

Beasts have no restricted sub-templates. Instead,

choose a type of beast, which gives it some
additional traits and limits its job selection.

Heavy Beasts:

Stone Lizard
Thick hides and stony camouflage make these
large beasts almost impossible to tell from
boulders.
Dire Hide: Resistant to physical damage when
not bloody
Heavy Armor: Immune to Pierce when not
bloody. Cannot dash or run.
Rolling Boulder: Gains character phasing, and
when moving through foes for the first time in a
round, they are shoved 1 to the side and take fray
damage
Flank: If two or more hostile characters are
adjacent, lose all armor

Halitoad
Wraith: The enormous and foul-smelling Halitoad uses its
Tethered to the network, relict can float on the long tongue to strangle and digest its prey.
air with eerie grace, flickering in and out of Large: Increase size to 2
existence. Stench: Melee attacks have +1 curse. Characters
Immortal rage: When defeated, instead become starting their turns in an adjacent space are
Intangible for one round. At the end of that poisoned.
round, evaporate from the battlefield. Tongue lash (1 action): A foe in range 5 must
Ethereal: Flying, phasing, and intangible unless save or be shoved 4 towards the Halitoad
there’s a foe in range 2. Reduce hp by 50% Tongue Constrict (2 actions, stance,
Slip (1 action): Teleport 3 recharge 4+): Adjacent foe must save or have
max speed reduced to 0, be stunned, and take
light piercing damage at the start of the beast’s
Ruin Beas turns. Beast cannot move while in this stance and
it ends if beast is stunned, staggered, winded,

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 dazed, or shoved. A character can also repeat the

save at the end of their turn to end this effect. Stalker
This reptilian creature will follow parties for
Horned Beast days, and has the uncanny ability to mimic
Large omnivores that use their horns to tear up speech.
dungeon stones and get at the roots and insects Ambush: Attacks that break stealth gain true
within. strike and deal boosted damage.
Large: Increase size to 2 Chameleonic: When ending its turn adjacent to
Gore (2 actions, recharge 4+): The Horned cover, gains stealth
Beast dashes up to 5 spaces. An adjacent character Decoy (Interrupt 1, recharge 6): When hit by
must then save or take light damage and be an attack, turns that hit into a miss and teleports
shoved for each space the beast moved, or half on 3 spaces to an unoccupied space it can see, which
a successful save. is its ‘real’ location.
Strength: All attacks gain shove 1
Leader Beasts
Howler
Part ape, part wolf, the Howler is a hyper Aethertick
aggressive monster with a bad temper. This slow moving bug absorbs ambient Aether
Howl (2 actions, recharge 6): All non-howler from its Environment.
characters in a blast 1 must save or be stunned Aether-fatted: Permanently slow. Rewards 1
Rage: Gains unstoppable at 25% hp or lower dust after the fight if characters fought at least one
Sonic screech (1 action): A character in range Aether tick.
3 must save or become dazed. If already dazed, Absorb Aether (1/round, interrupt 1):
shove 2 and deal light magic damage Trigger: A magic attack is used in range 3. Effect:
Gain vigor 1.
Skirmisher beasts Rune skin: Resistant to magic damage when not
bloodied.
Burrower Frail: All physical damage against this foe is
A heavy clawed mammal that chews up and Godly.
digests raw stone into a slurry which it uses to Disperse Aether: Increase all vigor granted by
make its lair. +1 if the tick has any amount of vigor.
Burrow (1 action, recharge 4+): Mark a
character in range 8. At the start of the beast’s Ruin Ape
next turn, if that character is still marked, it Small and intelligent simians that form
teleports to a space adjacent to that character, symbiotic, if slightly one-sided, relationships
dealing light damage. If the character is flying, with other monsters.
they take no damage. If the character is alone, Small: +1 curse on all saves. Shoves shove +1
they take heavy piercing damage instead and must against this character
save or become vulnerable. Latch: Starts combat sharing the same space as
Digging Claws: Attacks gain pierce if a character another ally the same size or larger (can be
has no adjacent allies targeted separately), reducing the ape’s speed to 0
but moving when its mount moves, and gains
Ironfeather cover while latched on. Knocked off if shoved,
This greedy avian’s feathers are spine-like and dazed, winded, staggered, or stunned. Can latch
can be shot like quills at range. on to a new allied character in range 3 with 1
Winged: Gain flying at the start of their turn. action, teleporting to its space.
Lose flying if shoved, stunned, dazed, or Spur (1 action, recharge 4+): The character
staggered. the Ruin Ape is latched on to dashes 4 in a
Feather spray (1 action, recharge 4+): direction of the Ape’s choice and can make an
Characters in a close blast 1 area take fray damage attack that takes 1 action or less as an interrupt
twice as an area effect and must save or become
vulnerable. Yellow Creeper

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 This parasitic creature has a symbiotic fungus easier to have others do the hard work for them,
that it uses to control other creatures. then rob them blind on the way out.
Spore (1 action): The Creeper puts down two
intangible summons in free spaces in range 3. Kin: Scavengers are kin, can be bargained with,
Characters that pass through these spaces gain and will flee or surrender if heavily outnumbered
spore infestation for the rest of combat. While or heavily losing a fight
they have a spore infestation, they are staggered • Motivations: Scavengers are typically after the
and gain regeneration 1 if bloody. Spore wealth in the ruins and won’t fight if terms can
infestations can be Cleansed (even from foes). be reached
Spore detonate (2 actions, recharge 6): A • Flee: If a Scavenger has 4 or more valuables
character with a spore infestation explodes, tokens, they attempt to flee the battlefield,
dealing heavy damage in a blast 1 area as an area fleeing successfully if they start their turn in an
effect. Characters within the area can save to edge space of the battlefield with no hostile
reduce damage to light damage. The host fails this characters adjacent
save. The spore infestation on the targeted Faction Blight: Any
character then ends. Valuables: If fighting scavengers, place 3
Puppet (1/turn, free action): A staggered valuables tokens on the battlefield. Valuables are
character (foe or ally) in range 5 is shoved 3 intangible tokens that can be picked up by any
spaces in a direction of the creeper’s choosing. character by moving over their space. Characters
drop them when defeated, or can drop them
Artillery Beasts voluntarily as 1 action. At the end of an
expedition, all characters gain 1 dust for every 2
valuables tokens the party has as a whole.
Ruin Centipede
These huge, man sized insects are a potent
All scavengers have the ruffian template by
symbol of bad luck in most villages.
default:
Acid Splash: Attacks deal piercing fray damage
on hit or miss to all foes in range 2 of the target as
an area effect Ruffian
Toxic spines (1 action, recharge 6): A Corner fighting: At the start of their turns,
character in range 5 must save or become ruffians can dash 1 as a free action
poisoned and instantly lose all vigor. Bounty (free action, 1/combat): A foe in
range 5 gains a valuables token
Greed: Deal +2 damage against characters with
Gulper
at least one valuable token
This amphibian exudes a thick layer of slime
when threatened, which it can spit as a weapon.
For every 1 points worth of Ruffians, one of the
Slime Lob (1 action, recharge 6): The Gulper
following templates can be applied to any job
creates a blast 1 area of difficult terrain.
instead:
Characters in the area when it’s created must save
or become winded. The area lasts for the rest of
combat, or until the Gulper uses this ability again. Toe-taker
Slippery: Gains evasion when bloodied. Dust congregates under the fingernails and toes
Venomous: Inflict poisoned on any adjacent of travelers in the ruins, with predictable
character that damages them influences on the truly desperate.
Drop valuables: When reduced below 50% hp,
toe takers drop 1 valuables in an adjacent space,
Scavenge plus any valuables they are already carrying.
Consumptive Greed: Toe Takers have hatred of
any character with a valuables token and deal
Scavengers is a particular term in Arden Eld,
boosted damage against them.
referring to the scions of the Churning Age -
those who rush into the ruins in search of relics to
extract for a quick profit. Many find that it is Looter

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 Kin that care little for what they carry out, only • Motivations: Imperials have orders they are
that it glitters. following from whatever guild master, warlord,
Loot sack: When defeated, a looter drops any or under-baron they serve. Usually this is to
valuables they have, plus 2. capture a location, object of power, or person of
Mug (2 action, recharge 4+): An adjacent interest. If characters can work around those
character must save or become stunned. On a orders, Imperials can usually be bargained with
failed save, the Looter also steals all valuables or even be helpful.
from the character +1. • Flee: When the commanding officer of an
Imperial detachment is defeated, there’s a 20%
Quickfinger chance at the start of each round the remaining
Trained thieves from city guilds often find imperials will attempt to flee or will surrender
comfortable homes with scavenger bands. on the spot.
Prowl: Gains stealth at the start of their turn • Faction Blight: Burning
Decoy (Interrupt 1, recharge 5+): When hit • Commanding Officer: Designate one foe the
by an attack, turns that hit into a miss and commanding officer of the imperial detachment.
teleports 3 spaces to an unoccupied space it can They get a special template.
see, which is its ‘real’ location.
Pick pockets (1 action, recharge 4+): An Special Mob: Auxiliary
adjacent character must save or become dazed as
their loose change is pilfered. The quick finger
Auxiliary
gains 1 valuables, even on a successful save.
Made of of levies pressed into service from
captured villages and towns and armed with
Shank heavy arquebuses.
Rough and tumble street fighters, come to the HP: 1
ruins to turn a quick guilder. Speed: 3, run 1, dash 2
Backstab: When a shank makes an attack Defense: 8
against a character adjacent to one of their allies, Attack: +1/2/3
their attacks gain true strike or pierce (they can Damage: 2+chapter
choose). Mob: This character doesn’t trigger slay effects
Sucker punch (1 action): An adjacent
character must save or become winded. They drop Firelance (2 actions, superheavy ranged
1 valuables, plus any valuables they were carrying. attack): Attack: On hit, deal 1 damage. Increase
to full damage if in the command aura of an
IMPERIA imperial officer.

Special template: Imperial Officer

The great cities of Arden Eld are growing, Any job
stretching at their limits. Some have crowned Poise: Sturdy when bloodied.
kings, dictators, or patricians. Other set their Arkentech Power armor: Start combat with
ambitions higher - to create a nation, or recreate Vigor 1. Immune to blights, difficult, and
the old empire - a terrible endeavor indeed. The dangerous terrain
leaders of the Imperials are single-minded people Command Aura: Allies in range 3 of the
in love with regalia, the war-banner, the factory, Imperial officer have +1 boon on attacks. Other
and the clang of steel. They worship the musket. Imperial units may gain bonuses while in any
Their soldiers on the ground are less enthusiastic, Command Aura (this trait, or a trait with the same
but given the chance, they will trample the Green name).
into mud and ashes none the less.
Imperials all have the Legionnaire template
Kin: Imperials are kin, can be bargained with, applied to them by default:
and will flee or surrender if heavily outnumbered
or heavily losing a fight
Legionnaire

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 Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in teleports 3 spaces to an unoccupied space it can
range of a command aura, it recharges all its see, which is its ‘real’ location.
abilities.
Rifle (2 actions, recharge 6): Ranged attack, Imperial Demolitionist
range 8. On hit, deal light piercing damage and Laden with explosives, demolitionists blow doors
inflict burning. in ruins, gatehouses of cities, or collapse tunnels
below armies.
For every 1 points worth of Legionnaires, one of Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in
the following templates can be applied instead: range of a command aura, it recharges all its
abilities.
Heavy Imperials Arkentech mine (1 actions, recharge 6): The
Praetorian Demolitionist places an intangible size 1 summon
Armed with Arkentech armor, these heavy in a space in range 3. If any character moves or is
imperial troops are a fearsome sight. shoved more than 1 space over or adjacent to the
Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in mine, it explodes for heavy damage in a blast 1
range of a command aura, it recharges all its area effect and inflicts burning.
abilities. Detonate mines (2 actions): All mines laid by
Improved armor: Armor +1 the demolitionist explode as if triggered.
Heavy Armor: Immune to pierce when not
bloodied. Cannot dash or run. Leader Imperials
Flank: If adjacent to 2 or more foes, lose all
armor
Drillmaster
Flame hurler (1 action, recharge 6): Line 3.
Retired officers that sometimes go into battle to
True strike. Inflict fray damage and burning as an
complete the training of levies and legionnaires
area effect on all within.
with brutal discipline.
Tactics Aura: Staggered, dazed, winded, or
War Beast stunned enemies in range 3 take +2 damage
This large, bear-like imperial beasts are bred for Discipline (Interrupt 1): Trigger: an ally in
war and fitted with armor. the tactics aura misses with an attack. Effect: The
Improved armor: Armor +1 Drillmaster can use this interrupt to cause them
Large: Increase size to 2 to re-roll the attack with +1 boon, taking the
Frenzy: 1/turn when hitting with an attack, second result as the final result.
immediately gain +1 action.
Leashed: Designate another character the
Artillerist
handler. Can only take 1 action maximum, loses
Furnished with the latest scopes and tech,
all armor, and cannot trigger frenzy unless
Artillerists bring the imperial firepower to bear.
adjacent to the handler or in a command aura.
Firing Drills: The ranged attacks of allies in
range 3 ignore cover
Skirmisher Imperials Spotter (1 action, recharge 4+): Mark a
character in range 8 and line of sight. That
Imperial Spy character becomes Vulnerable (ongoing) to
Top line imperial operatives, trained at a guild ranged attacks while marked and cannot gain
academy stealth. A character can repeat the save at the end
Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in of their turn to end this effect.
range of a command aura, it recharges all its
abilities. Artillery Imperials
Disguise (1 action, recharge 6): A foe in
range 5 must save. On a failed save, the Spy
Imperial Sniper
switches places with them, teleporting both
A college-trained wright or gunwright with a
characters.
pedigree in precision combat
Decoy (Interrupt 1, recharge 5+): When hit
by an attack, turns that hit into a miss and

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 Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in Special Mob: Natal
range of a command aura, it recharges all its Natals are immature demons, smooth, pale-
abilities. skinned humanoids. Wherever demons appears,
Brace: When adjacent to cover, increase the breaching the veil between worlds, they
range of all ranged attacks with a listed range by inevitably pour forth.
+3, and increase all line attacks by +3
Deploy cover (1 action, recharge 6, 2/
Natal
combat): The sniper creates a space of height 1
terrain in an adjacent space
HP: 1
Speed: 3, Run 1, dash 1
Imperial Powdermage Defense: 5
Imperial wrights are often fitted with the latest Attack: +0
in powder technology - rotary six guns that Mob: This character doesn’t trigger slay effects
mimic the Holy Chambers wielded by the Summon: Natals disappear when reduced to 0
Freelancers. hp and don’t cause engagement.
Receive orders: When this unit starts its turn in
range of a command aura, it recharges all its Void vomit (2 actions): Deal 1 piercing damage
abilities. as an effect to a character in range 3.
Pistol (1/round, free action): The powder
mage fires a pistol at a character in range 5, Demons have no restricted sub-templates.
dealing piercing fray damage as an effect. Instead, pick a type of Demon, which limits its job
Pistol flurry (2 actions, recharge 6): The selection and gives it some traits and actions.
powder mage uses Pistol on all visible hostile
characters in range 5.
Heavy Demons

Starving Demon
DEMO These skeletal demons swell to enormous size
when they absorb their defeated foes.
The origin of Demons is a mystery, but most Flesh Hook (1 action, recharge 4+): A
scholars agree they appear to be closely related character in range 4 must pass a save or be shoved
to the Doom. They are among the most towards the demon as much as possible
dangerous and fearsome creatures that lurk in Cleave (1 action, repeatable 2): Deal piercing
the deep levels of the Arkenruins, existing fray damage as an effect to an adjacent character.
seemingly only to destroy. Whenever they Feast: Devour only costs 1 action for this Demon,
appear, they drive other creatures to the surface and it can dash 1 before using it
in a Blight. Engorge: Increase size by 1 and gains +1 action
for the rest of combat if it feasted.
Monsters: Demons do not flee or negotiate.
Faction Blight: Any Armor Demon
Legion: When fighting demons, at the start of These knight-like demons fight with no sense of
combat, place three Natals on the map in self preservation and crush all before them.
unoccupied space somewhere outside of range 2 Traits: Vigilance, Slow
of players. These don’t count for the total Improved armor: Increase armor by +1
encounter budget. Heavy Armor: Immune to pierce when not
Devour (2 actions, 1/combat): The Demon bloodied. Cannot dash or run.
devours and absorbs an adjacent Natal or another Flank: If adjacent to 2 or more hostile characters,
defeated Demon, healing 25% hp. A Natal lose all armor
devoured this way is destroyed. Crush Bones (1 action, mark): Choose an
Banish: A character can disintegrate an adjacent adjacent foe. If that marked foe is adjacent to the
defeated demon as an action, returning it to the Armor Demon at the end of any of their turns,
void from which it came. they take heavy piercing damage as an effect.

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 Gaping Demon This demon is full of holes that make a high

This demon is almost all mouth, teeth, and pitched shriek when it moves.
tongue, which nearly splits its body in two. Large: Increase size to 2
Large: Increase size to 2 Terror: Non-demon characters that attempt to
Feast: Devour only costs 1 action for this Demon, move into an adjacent space to the demon for the
and it can dash 1 before using it. first time on their turn or star their turn there
Engorge: Increase size by 1 and gains +1 action must pass a save or treat spaces adjacent to the
for the rest of combat if it feasted. Demon as impassable terrain. If they start their
Swallow Whole (2 actions, recharge 5+): A turn there and fail a save, they are shoved 1
adjacent character must save or be swallowed. Shrieking: When the Screaming Demon attacks,
While swallowed, they share their space with the characters in range 2 of it must save or lose any
Mouth Demon, they are intangible and stances they are holding
untargetable to characters other than the Mouth
Demon, their max speed is 0, they can only use Leader Demons
actions that target the Mouth Demon,. At the start
of each of their turns, they take light godly Bulging Demon
damage, and at the end of their turn they can save This demon’s grayish skin shifts and bulges
against this effect. Saving against this effect places unnaturally.
them in a free adjacent space. It also ends if the Regenerator: Regeneration 1. Reduce hp by
Demon is defeated. 50%.
Large: Increase size to 2
Skirmisher Demons Disgorge: When vigor is broken, summon a
natal in range 2
Hollow Demon Last Revenge: When reduce to 0 HP, explodes
This demon is barely there, a hole in reality that in a blast 1 area effect. Non-demons in the area
sucks in the air at the edges. Hands occasionally are blighted. Summon 2 Natals in the area.
grip the edges of the hole. Venomous: Inflict poisoned on any attacker if
Ethereal: Flying, phasing, and intangible unless struck by a melee attack
there’s a hostile character in range 2. Reduce hp
by 50% Cutter Demon
Void Touch: Inflicts blight with all attacks, hit or This demon’s arms end in cutting blades with
miss black, reflective edges.
Pure Void: When a Hollow is destroyed, create Void rift (1 action, recharge 4+): Create a
impassable terrain in its space. At the end of each line 3 area of difficult terrain in range 5. This area
round, summon a Natal in an adjacent space to lasts until the end of combat or until the demon
the void. Destroy the void after combat. It can be uses this ability again. Demons can use it for cover
targeted and automatically hit by attacks and is and ignore its difficult terrain
also destroyed after taking 10 hp. Void Slip: The Cutter Demon can spend 1 space
of movement when moving out of a void rift to
Prowling Demon move into to the space of any other void rift.
This bestial demon has the ability to become Detonate rifts (2 actions, recharge 6+): Any
insubstantial, retreating to the void from whence foes standing in or adjacent to a void rift must
it was spawned when in danger. save or take heavy damage, be shoved 1, and
Traits: Defiance, Prowl become inflicted with frostbite. All rifts then
Phase slip: After being damaged for the first disappear, and the Cutter Demon cannot make
time in a turn (any turn), become intangible until any more rifts this combat.
the start of the following turn
Void shift (2 actions, recharge 6): Teleport Puppeteer Demon
to a visible space This silent demon is made up of woven strings,
and can unweave itself to link to the vital forces
Screaming Demon of other creatures

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 White Strings (1 action, close blast 2): All Distort space: All Natals in range 3 are
demons and allied summons in the area can dash intangible (they cannot be devoured while
2 spaces as an effect. All foes in the area are intangible).
shoved 1.
Black Strings (1 action, recharge 5+): A
character in range 5 must save. On a failed save, LOWLANDE
they teleport up to 3 spaces to the nearest ally and
deal light damage to them as an effect. A society of rejects, survivors, and outcasts,
Detonate Natal (1 action, recharge 5+): A lowlanders are a relatively new development in
natal in range 3 is destroyed, and explodes for a Arden Eld - those that make their homes in the
blast 1 explosion area effect. Characters in range maze of dungeons under the blightlands - the
must save or take light godly damage. areas around long-emerged and active
arkenruins that are inhospitable to life and full of
Artillery Demons monsters, where the very ground might be
poison. They often live in squalor and constant
Lurking Demon danger from their harsh environment, and band
This reptilian demon’s skin constantly shifts to together for survival into loose clans.
match its surroundings.
Dodge Those that live in the blightlands are often
Chameleonic: When ending its turn adjacent to pariahs, exiled from society, for real or perceived
cover, gains stealth transgressions. Families and children are
Void rift (1 action): Create a line 3 area of practically nonexistent, and there’s usually
difficult terrain in range 5. This area lasts until the tragedy behind their stoic facades.
end of combat or until the demon uses this ability
again. Demons can use it for cover and ignore its Lowlanders are nearly all raiders, using the
difficult terrain blight as a natural barrier, attacking the towns,
farms, and lands outside when they need to
gather supplies and retreating into the blight
Unstable Demon
when pursued. Some principled lowlander clans
This demon is a barely controlled chaos, it svery
may try to avoid bloodshed and take only what
form constantly twisting and warping
they need, but the villages they take from would
Implode: If the Unstable Demon reaches its
nearly all see it differently.
overcharge counter, it explodes, destroying the
demon and dealing light godly damage as an area
Many lowlanders have developed a semi-
effect to all non-demon characters on the
religious respect for the dungeons that in its
battlefield.
worse forms can manifest as cult-like reverence.
Chaos: Unstable demon attacks inflict all four
blights
Kin: Lowlanders are kin, can be bargained with,
and will flee or surrender if heavily outnumbered
Color Demon or heavily losing a fight
This demon is a color that cannot be named. • Motivations: Lowlanders nearly always fight
Looking at it too long hurts. for territory or supplies. Negotiating for them
Distorted Soul: for passage through their territory usually
• When not bloodied, gain resistance to all involves doing a favor or payment, and they
physical damage and gain flying. All magical typically respect fair deals. They prefer to take
damage against this demon is godly. captives in battle and ransom them back later.
• When bloodied, gain resistance to all magic They are survivors and won't hesitate to back
damage and gain Absorb Aether. All physical down from a fight they know they will lose -
damage against this demon is godly. conversely, they won’t hesitate to exploit
• Absorb Aether (1/round): Gain 1 vigor weaknesses.
when a magic ability is used in range 3. Faction blight: Poisoned

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 Terrain expert: Ignores terrain disadvantage, Lowlanders tasked with carving and preparing
difficult, and dangerous terrain. monster meat for consumption, an important
Lowlander Toxin: All attacks by lowlanders task in every clan, leaving their frames corded
gain on hit: inflict lowlander toxin. A character with muscle.
afflicted by lowlander toxin loses 1 hp at the start
of their turn, ignoring resistance, armor, and Round Slash (1 action, recharge 5+): All
vigor. This effect cannot be cleansed and only characters adjacent to the butcher must save or
ends when combat ends, or a character is become vulnerable.
defeated. Does not stack. Relentless hacking: 1/round, when the butcher
Suddenly!: Once a round, at the start of any hits a foe with an attack, they mark that foe. This
Lowlander turn, the GM can spring a lowlander mark cannot be cleared, and stacks indefinitely.
trap in any unoccupied space not in range 2 of a For each stack of this mark, the butcher deals
player character. The trap is a size 1 intangible boosted damage to that character. All stacks of
summon. Choose one of the following traps: this mark mark immediately end on one character
• Snare trap - A character in range 3 of the trap if the butcher hits and marks a different character
must save or be shoved towards the trap until with an attack.
adjacent and have their speed reduced to 0 until
the trap is disarmed. Mule
• Stake trap - Trap creates difficult and Strong or burly lowlanders that carry supplies
dangerous terrain in adjacent spaces. through dangerous terrain over a long distance.
• Poison trap - Trap creates dangerous terrain They can do the same with captives.
in adjacent spaces. Characters that end their Kidnap (2 actions, recharge 4+): The mule
turn in the area are poisoned and inflicted with dashes in a straight line 3 spaces, phasing through
lowlander toxin. characters. The first foe it encounters must save
or the mule moves into that foe’s space. That foe’s
All traps can be disarmed by a character taking maximum speed is reduced to 0, it shares the
the interact action adjacent. The trap remains on mule’s space, and it moves while the mule moves.
the field, but its effects are no longer active. The kidnapped foe can repeat this save at the end
of their turn to end this effect, placing them in an
Lowlanders are not affected by their own traps, or adjacent free space. It also ends if the mule is
their effects. Traps remain even if deactivated. stunned or shoved.

Lowlanders often come with tame monsters.

Skirmisher Lowlanders
You can use the Ruin Beast template to represent
this. Tamed monsters are immune to lowlander
traps, and will flee if lowlanders flee. Viper
Scarred lowlanders that dip their blades and
All lowlanders have the raider template by arrows in the pure toxic ground of the blights.
default: Trueblight (free action, recharge 5+): This
turn only, foes damaged by this character’s
actions are poisoned and must save or become
Raider vulnerable.
Dirty fighting: Gets +1 boon on attacks when Pit Poison (1 action, 1/combat): Next attack
inside difficult or dangerous terrain. ability deals godly damage, and character must
Raider kick (1 action): Shove an adjacent save or lose all vigor, stances, and marks.
character 1
Thresher
For every 1 points worth of raiders, one of the
A master way finder and close-range fighter,
following templates can be applied instead:
Threshers are tasked with wrangling captive
monsters.
Heavy Lowlanders Grappling hook (1 action): Teleport adjacent
Butcher to a lowlander trap in range 4.

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 Wrangle (1 action, recharge 5+): Effect: lowlander toxin on them is tripled and they are
Teleport 1, then shove a foe 1. Repeat this effect slow.
three times. Noxious World: When overdrive triggers, the
entire battlefield becomes dangerous terrain.

Leader Lowlanders Monster Hunter

Wrights and hunters that track monsters great
distances to strike them down for the clan. They
Ruin Speaker
get very limited opportunities to strike at their
Some superstitious lowlanders are changed by
foes.
spending too much time in the Blightlands. This
can manifest in strange powers.
Monster slayer (2 actions, end turn):
Boost the damage of the monster hunter’s next
Call Ruin (1 action, recharge 4+): The Ruin
ability once for each condition that is satisfied:
speaker chooses a space in range 6, that becomes
• The monster hunter is standing in difficult or
known to all characters, and becomes slow
dangerous terrain
(ongoing). At the start of the Ruin speaker’s next
• The monster hunter is more than 3 spaces from
turn, a ruin chunk surfaces in that space, a height
a foe
2 piece of terrain. Spaces next to this terrain are
• The monster hunter is on higher elevation from
difficult. Any character occupying the space is
their target
pushed up on top of the ruin chunk but is also
• Their target is inflicted with lowlander toxin
stunned (no save).
Welcome (1 action, recharge 4+): The Ruin
That ability also gains +1 boon.
Speaker re-arms all lowlander traps in range 3,
then immediately re-triggers the effects of all
lowlander traps in range JOTUN
Apothecary
Distant cousins of the Troggs, Jotunn were born
The healers of the Lowlanders, potent in their
of Titan blood when the world was young. A
knowledge to ease sicknesses and ills - but
variety of peoples, they are united only by their
equally potent in their ability to inflict them
extreme age, prodigious strength, and enormous
stature. Most Jotunn stand twice the height of
Great Purity: Immune to blights. Conveys this
other kin, some as big as a small building.
immunity to adjacent allies.
Bitter Root (1 action): The Apothecary marks a
Jotunn are immortal, seem virtually immune to
character in range 4. That character must save or
disease, and do not age, though they can still be
become marked, and vulnerable, winded, and
slain by a powerful enough foe. They do not
poisoned while marked. They fail this save
reproduce, but burst forth from the earth fully
automatically if they are suffering from lowlander
formed wherever titan blood crystallized. There
toxin. They can repeat it at the end of their turn to
are therefore a limited number of them in the
clear the mark and all these effects, even if they
world (though many have yet to emerge), and
are suffering from toxin.
eventually their age will pass. This is something
many Jotunn are keenly aware of.
Artillery Lowlanders
Jotunn have long but very fallible memories, and
Boil the ancients remember the Arken and the Doom,
Alchemists tasked with extracting the most toxic and have witnessed the sins of Kin throughout
venoms from the plants and monsters that grow the age. This tends to make them melancholy,
in the blight lands. distrustful, or resentful. At their best, they are
burdened by the weights of their long lives.
Catalyze (1 action, mark, recharge 4+): A Many ancient Jotunn wander the land or stand
character in range 5 must save or become marked guard over crumbling titan ruins, following the
by the Viper. While marked, the effect of edicts, patrol routes, and tasks given to them by

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 their ancient lords, so long ago that even they Jotunn have no restricted sub-templates. Instead,
have forgotten. Others seek out the cities and pick a type of Jotunn, which limits its job
towns of Kin, finding purpose in labor, learning, selection and gives it some traits and actions.
or battle.
Heavy Jotunn
The slaying of the titans scattered their blood
across the land, where it sunk smoking into the
earth. The Jotunn that have emerged from the Beastblood Jotunn
earth in the millennia since then have all Jotunn born of beast titans are part or at least
emerged insane, and driven only by the pain and wholly of animal form, fanged, and blessed with
rage of their dying progenitors, going on freezing breath.
rampages until they are slain or collapse dead Ferocity: On the first round of combat, double
from exhaustion. this foe’s speed
Frost breath (1 action, recharge 5+): Target
Older Jotunn often seek out their insane kin in a close blast 1 area. Characters within are inflicted
order to put them down or out of some faint hope with frostbite and must save or become winded.
for salvation, hoping for some final end to their Winded or frostbitten characters also take light
pain. piercing damage.

Kin: Ancient Jotunn are kin, can be bargained Stormblood Jotunn

with, and will flee or surrender if heavily losing a Martial Jotunn skilled in wielding weaponry
fight larger than any kin.
• Motivations: Jotunn are motivated strongly by Comet (1 action, 2/combat): The Jotunn hurls
their negative emotions (sadness, anger, a spare weapon in a line 3 area, where it comes to
distrust, ennui, hunger, etc). Appeasing them or rest as a height 1 terrain piece. Characters
appealing to their feelings can soften them and adjacent to the weapon when it lands take fray
make them open to negotiation. damage and are shoved 1 space. Spaces adjacent
• Flee: Jotunn typically don’t flee but value their to the weapon are difficult terrain.
lives and will surrender if they see no chance of Split the earth (1 action, 1/combat): The
winning a fight Jotunn creates a line 3 area that becomes an Edge
Monsters: Newer Jotunn are infected with the for the rest of combat. Characters standing in the
Blood Rage. Born of the slaying of the Titans, they edge when it’s created must save or fall in.
are driven only by their pain and rage. Treat them
like monsters - they do not flee or negotiate. It Skirmisher Jotunn
might be possible to cure the Rage.

Faction blight: Frostbite Nightblood Jotunn

Elite: All Jotunn have the Elite type if they don’t A pale titan born of the tears or blood of the
already have it. They’re worth 2 points in an Weeper. At a distance, these jotunn look corpse-
encounter budget and take 2 turns. Double HP if like and scarily thin.
not elite.
Titanblood: Increase size to 2 Soul Freeze: +1 boon and deals bonus damage
Titanfall: When defeated, roll 1d6 and assign a on attacks against frostbitten characters
compass direction (1 - none, 2- N, 3-E, 4-S, 5-W, Sweep of Night (1 action, recharge 6): The
6- GM choice). The Jotunn falls into a close blast 1 Jotunn sweeps it’s cape, targeting all characters in
area to its space. Size 1 characters inside must range 3, then teleports to any free space in range
save or take heavy physical damage, or light 8. It can then teleport every character it targeted
damage on a successful save. Push all characters to any space in range 3 of its new location. Foes
out of the area and place the defeated Jotunn can save to avoid this effect.
there.
Deep Water Jotunn
This Jotunn is made of the churning water of the
deep ocean.

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 Polaris (1 action): Mark a visible space. At the

Amorphous: Instead of a 2x2 space, this Jotunn end of each turn past this one (foe or allied), roll a
occupies an Arc 4 space that can be placed in any d6. On a 6, a meteor smashes into the space,
configuration. When it moves, move either end inflicting light damage and frostbite to all
space of the Arc, then re-place the Arc in any valid characters within.
configuration. It can make attacks or use abilities
from any of its spaces. Hunter Jotunn
Reform: Starts combat with defiance. A jotunn born of Gaia, with great antlers and
hooves
Leader Jotunn
Blackblood Jotunn Titanforged greatbow: Ranged attacks, even
This Jotunn was born from the regenerative AoE, have shove 1 and deal piercing damage.
blood of the Holy Body. It has a regal, if cold Ricochet (1 action, recharge 6): The next
bearing. non-aoe ranged attack from this Jotunn gains on
hit: this attack can be repeated against another
Brittle Flesh: Starts combat at only 50% hp, foe in range 3 of the initial target
with vigor 2.
Miracle (1/round): When its vigor is broken,
inflict frostbite on adjacent foes and grant 1 vigor
to an ally in range 3

Wildblood Jotunn
This arboreal titan is more plant than kin,
shaggy with leaves and bark.

Traits: Slow
Brittle Flesh: Starts combat at only 50% hp,
with vigor 2
Adaptive bark: While it has vigor, magic
damage becomes godly and become resistant to
physical damage. While it has no vigor, physical
damage becomes godly and becomes resistant to
magic damage.
Growing Season (1/round): When damaged
by an ability or action, drops a fruit, an intangible
summon in a space in range 2. Self or allies can
pass through the space to be cleansed (end all
blights, end a mark, or save against all
conditions). This destroys the summon. Foes can
pass through the space and destroy the fruit, but
are poisoned and staggered.

Artillery Jotunn

Starblood Jotunn
A jotunn born of the multicolored blood of the
Outsider, the observer titan. Tend to be avian in
appearance.

Winged: Gain flying at the start of their turn.

Lose flying if shoved, stunned, dazed, or
staggered.

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 DEEPTOWE
Deeptower is a simple expedition for level 1 or The top of the tower broke off and was lost
level 2 characters. Try it at level 2 if you want to somewhere during its ascent from the deep earth,
test limit breaks and for characters to have more but the bottom half is still intact. The Chroniclers
options. You can use it as a jumping off point to who noted the event on their seismographs have
get people into the game and write your own named the sinister ruin Deeptower.
material.
Persons of Interest and hook
REWARDS: 6 xp, 3 dust. There’s some extra Here are some folk that players might run into in
arkentech and dust possible, and camp upgrade. town, and a quick description of each. You can use
CAMPS: 1 any or all of them as hooks for players to go to the
tower.

The Tow Elder Yu:

Beastfolk (goblin), Yeokin, he/him
Oxbridge is a small, tight-knit farming A wizened goblin beast folk who is the town elder.
community, a collection of twenty or homesteads, He speaks slowly and his great age is apparent. He
barns, and a small town square surrounded by has two foster sons and has kept the town safe for
fields of green and small town shrine to the local two decades or so.
spirits. Ruins haven’t surfaced near here for Hook: Elder Yu may get a boy to approach
generations, and the valley surrounding the town characters as they come into town, imploring
is quiet, bucolic, and peaceful. It’s a cozy town, them to see him, or may have called them in the
with a welcoming, peaceful, and friendly vibe. The first place. He’s in a desperate state. His foster son
thatch of the houses is overgrown with grass, Gwyn has been missing for several days after
neighbors sit outside in the evenings and gossip, staying out later for work, and his other foster son
and the gardens and windowsills are lush with Cado is in a terrible depression because of it.
wildflowers and vegetables. Everyone knows each There are also lights in the tower, making the
other. Elder think that people are camped there, or
worse. He suspects that Gwyn’s disappearance
There’s also the eponymous Ox bridge, just was connected to the tower or people who have
outside of town, where the local herders drive come to plunder it. Yu will promise payment in
their cattle before coming into town to trade. It’s dust if characters can find what happened to his
old, perhaps pre-empire, massive, and made of son and bring him back… or his body.
red stone that has weathered the rest of time.
Cado
Thrynn, Yeokin, he/him
The Towe A teenager. Anxious and quiet, and gangly. Won’t
talk to the players without some prodding or
There’s an undercurrent of anxiety running
action on the part of the players to get him to
through the town. Just three days ago, an
open up. Players might see him acting
Arkenruin surfaced about half a day by foot, up in
suspiciously around town.
the foothills. This is probably the reason the
Hook: Cado and his foster brother, Gwyn, heard
players are here. The ruin is close enough to the
about the riches in the tower from Quell, the
town that it presents a significant danger if left
Churner who was passing through town. Quell
unexplored, and there is doubtlessly still a strong
promised to pay them handsomely if they could
concentration of Dust and arkenrelics within for
bring her back something from the ruins, and
the adventurous or greedy - which will doubtlessly
while exploring, they were ambushed by Relict
draw scavengers.
and split up. Cado fled, leaving Gwyn, and has felt

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 so guilty about it he can’t tell his foster father

what really happened. He’ll tell characters this out
of some sense of guilt and even take them to the
ruins, but will refuse to come with them further
without extreme convincing.

Quell
Trogg, Churner, she/her
Quell is a Churner, a traveling merchant who was
in town for the night when the tower surfaced.
She has a dark sense of humor and keeps her true
intentions hidden.
Hook: Quell knows towers like this can have
powerful arkenrelics hidden deep inside, and paid
Yu’s sons to go scout it out, not expecting them to
actually enter the tower. She felt so terrible about
what happened that she pulled some strings and
hired a mercenary band, Carel’s Brigadiers, to go
get the kid out. The band is still at the tower and
hasn’t returned. She’s genuine in her remorse, but
secretly has also promised the band she’ll fence
any relics they find as payment. She’s not
planning on actually selling the relics, but intends
to split town as soon as she gets her hands on
anything. She might get the characters to go fix
her problem for her, promising payment.

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 157 of 165


 158 of 165


 The Towe
Setting out for the tower is not a particularly hard
journey, though a lot of it is uphill. The tower,
when it comes into view, juts out of the
mountainside like a broken fang, the top split off,
leaving part of it open to the air. The earth around
its base is torn up and characters who linger in the
area will occasionally feel minor seismic tremors
in the earth.

There are several areas that characters could enter

the tower (if you want to check for this
information, you could have a character make a
fortune roll to gather information). The first and
most obvious route is through area 1 at the gate. A good mix of Heavies with ranged attackers will
The second is an open gallery on the second story, make a more satisfying fight. The summoners and
area 5, that looks like it would take some climbing illwrights, if included, stay back.
to get to. Cado can tell the players that he entered
this way with his brother. The third, and least At the start of the fight, the main gate starts to
obvious (requiring some looking to notice) is a close. Characters can prevent this for a round if
windowed part of the tower jutting down the cliff more player characters than hostile characters
face (area 9) that characters could climb through, stand in the objective zone at the center of the
a difficult and more dangerous proposition, and map. If the gate closes for three rounds, it remains
the open part of the wall around from there, area so permanently (for the meantime) and characters
11, which takes some further climbing. will have to find another way around.

2B. THE GALLERY, MAIN LEVE

1. THE GATE This room is overgrown with dark, leafy greenery
COMBAT ENCOUNTER: GATEKEEPER already and lit faintly from above during the day
with thin shafts of sunlight. A dark pit in the
The main tower gate is open but not undefended. center of the room is a shaft that descends all the
Relict stand undying watch over it, their empty way to the pit entrance (area 3). There are stairs
shells eerily still until the presence of life causes that lead up to level 2A and down to 2C.
them to hiss and spark into motion.
The door to area 4 is jammed closed but could be
For every two players, add one of either: opened with one or two actions from the players.
Wight Soldier It makes a lot of noise and could alert Carel and
Wight Impaler his men in area 7 on failure.

4. The Knigh
Then fill the remaining with the following
enemies depending on your players and
preferences: A crumpled figure in ancient arkentech amor has
collapsed on an altar at the end of the room here,
lit by a sunbeam. Adjacent to the altar is a stair
Fused Brute leading down. Rows of stone pews mark the way
Wight Summoner there.
Wraith Illwright
Wraith Skulk A dark miasma has seeped from the knight’s
helmet, a curling black mist that seeps across the
floor and sinks low across the stone, which looks
corroded.

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 Carel
It’s a 6 or 8 segment clock to try and move across Thrynn Guilder, he/him
this room safely and deal with the knight Well dressed, callous, calculating
somehow without touching the life-leeching • Carel is willing to talk and negotiate with the
miasma, which can inflict harsh strain on the players, especially if Quell sent them.
players. Removing the helm will cause the body • Carel knows that Gwyn is somewhere down in
within and the armor to collapse into dust. the lowest level - he can hear the boy calling out
for help sometimes.
Rewards • Carel knows there’s a patrol of Imperials from
The helm is a dangerous arkenrelic worth 2 dust if the city Encross that landed by airship about a
players take it out. It can be investigated with an day away and have entered the lower levels
action or two from the players to learn that the somewhere. He’s deciding whether it’s worth
helm is broken. It can be fixed as a minor risking his men’s lives to tussle with the
ambition during an interlude to gain the imperials. If characters can deal with the
following: imperials, he’ll let them use the key he has to get
into the pit.
Helm of Mist • Carel is planning to double cross Quell and Yu
Arkentech and try to ransom Gwyn back to the town. He
Effect: Activate this arkentech to start a combat might let this slip accidentally, or if the players
with Stealth presss him.
Uses: 3 • Carel has the key to the door to the Pit, rather
conspicuously around his neck. He also has a
The stairs lead down to area 11: THE WELL key to the cell in area 7 where Marat is being
kept.
2A: THE GALLERY, UPSTAIR • Carel and his men have already clearly looted
the top levels of the ruins
The top of this room is open to the sky and
elements. Greenery has poured in over the edges If negotiations go poorly, he’s not beyond
over the last few days. There’s a narrow corridor attempting to rob them blind (of any dust they’re
going to area 6. This room has a couple of grates carrying), knock them out, and kick them out of
with bars in them, behind which is darkness. the tower. If Carel’s band is defeated, he’ll
Investigation of the spaces shows that they were surrender and leave the tower if asked.
empty but once may have served as cells. One of
them has someone inside (7). If characters use the key to get into the pit, Carel
and his men will attempt to ambush the
5. OLD GATEHOUS characters on the way out. They will demand any
A second gatehouse juts out of the building here. treasure the players found as a finders fee,
It’s a little climb up. Climbing without alerting the fighting the players if they refuse. Canny
Relict in area 1 or Carel in area 6 is probably a 6 characters can also get away before they’re cut off.
segment clock that could end in a fight or a
confrontation. Cado is happy to point the ENCOUNTER: CAREL’S BRIGADIER
characters here.
Carel is an elite and takes up 2 points:
The gatehouse door is ajar and voices can be Shank Rogue
heard from behind it. Crumbled pillars have
almost sealed it off, but there's enough space to The rest can be filled from the following, at 1 pt
squeeze through. each:
Ruffian Arbalest
6. CAREL’S BRIGAD
Looter Sledge
The mercenary scavenger Carel and his men are Shank Assassin
here, camped out across the bridge. Ruffian Incanter

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 If fought in area 6, the levers on the map can be One of the lords very obviously held a key in her
pulled with the interact action (1 action) to raise hands, but that key is missing (Carel in room 6
or lower the bridges on the map. has it).

7. MARAT, THE TRADE The entrance to room 9 is barricaded and will take
Inside this cell is a Xixo Leggio trader (upbeat, muscle to get through unless the barricades are
talkative, they/them), named Marat. They don’t removed from the other side. Characters
seem particularly concerned about being locked in attempting to get through the barricades might
a cell, telling characters they can get out any time. alert the imperial patrol in room 9.
In fact, Carel locked Marat in here after catching
them in the ruin just yesterday. 9. THE FIFTH ENCROSS LEGIO
A patrol from the Fifth Encross Legion has set up
Marat has some extra elixirs, will trade them for 1 here after landing their airship a day or so away
dust (1 dust, or 1 dust worth of goods for 1 elixir), and marching in on foot. Encross is a large city-
and will loudly try and get characters to buy, state with a cruel patrician and ambitions to
possibly alerting Carel in room 6. They will also become a nation-state. Fortunately, it is rather far
constantly hint to the characters about Carel and away, and this is only a scout patrol.
his band in room 6 and ask if they come across a
key to return and let them out (it’s no trouble, The gallery is open to the air at points. Characters
really). can climb in down the cliff face and through the
window, but it might be a tough endeavor
2C: SUBLEVEL (probably a 4 or 6 clock at least). Complications,
This level is dark, with little light penetrating it. other than falling or slipping, could involve
Sprawled across the landing here are desiccated, alerting the imperials.
skeletal remains. The stair down is blocked by
debris and climbing safely to area 3 will require The imperials arrived a day ago, trying to make it
some action by the players. down to the bottom chamber in order to retrieve
the artifact they suspect is there. They have no
The hall to the east (that would go to area 11) is idea about Cado and Gwyn, though they are aware
blocked by debris that could be cleared by a of Carel and his men. They lost a soldier to the
superpowered action. The hall to the west is open, armor demon exploring area 10, and after
but the heavy stomping of armored feet can be checking out area 11 have determined there may
heard down it. be a way down to the lower level through the well
there.
8: THE COURTYAR
The commanding officer of the patrol is Hela
Valstrakker.
In the center of this courtyard is a huge statue of
imperious looking Arkenlords, decayed over time.
Hela
Braziers set into of the stone in this room glow
Beastfolk (garou), Guilder/Imperial, she/her
with artificial green fire.
Ambitious, patriotic, confident, disdainful.
Hela wears a suit of arkentech power armor which
At the pinnacle of one of the arkenlord’s staffs is a
gives her a bulky frame and an oversized sense of
massive looking ruby, which nobody seems to
confidence.
have noticed it. Grabbing it, it can be sold later for
2 dust. On investigation, the hollow eyes of the
Hela’s orders are to secure the tower and retrieve
statues are trapped and will shoot beams of
the artifact from its lower levels at all costs. She’s
lightning at characters that venture close. It’s easy
willing to talk to the players, but may try and get
enough to skirt around the edge of the room to
them to stand down or surrender first, attacking if
avoid the traps. Climbing up the statue without
they refuse. If she defeats the players, she’ll
falling, making a ton of noise, or activating a trap
capture and interrogate them, but probably let
in the room is fairly risky, and requires a clock.
them go. If defeated, she’ll try and retreat with her

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 men to the airship and return to Encross if

allowed. Here’s what she knows: This room is light by bright sunlight coming in
• She’s frustrated and upset after losing a man in through the cracked wall during the day.
her initial forays, and after discovering Carel’s Characters can climb here from outside, or climb
band, the group is deciding whether they need up to the entrance from here, but it’s a long and
to mount an assault on the mercenaries or not. difficult climb.
• The well in room 11 probably leads to a way
down but is blocked by some sort of monster. If There’s muffled, deep snoring coming from the
characters can deal with it, she’ll deal favorably enormous well, which is coated in a thin layer of
with them and send some men to accompany slime and has an absolutely otherworldly stench
them. coming from it. Characters that get close without
• Area 10 has a dangerous monster in it, some waking it up can see that the well is clogged by a
sort of demon, but it seemed to also house a Halitoad. It’s possible for creative players to find
relict node, which could contain dust. other ways past the toad (luring it away from the
• Demons means this tower might disgorge more well, setting a distraction, etc) but failure means it
parts of itself, and ultimately a blight, if not will immediately wake up and attack them.
quieted.
• If told about Gwyn, her posture towards the COMBAT ENCOUNTER: WELL BEAS
characters will soften, and she’ll promise to help
the players out of they help her, and they let her The creature in the Well is a Halitoad, a huge
get out with the relic. beast monster. Its noise attracts other monsters to
• If they promise to deal with Carel and bring the fight from the outside.
back his key, Hela will scoff but gladly accept.
Halitoad Brute
ENCOUNTER: ENCROSS PATRO
Fill out the rest with any combination of the
Hela has the following profile:
following, but save 1 point.

Officer Knuckle
Ironfeather Shortbow
Howler Impaler
Fill out the rest of the encounter with the
following options, costing 1 point each: Gulper Siegewright

4x Auxiliaries After two rounds, a Stalker beast enters the fight.

Legionnaire Soldier
Stalker Berserker
Legionnaire Siegewright
Artillerist Commander Clearing the toad from the well reveals a set of
Imperial Spy Shortbow stairs going down.

The pools of oil (difficult terrain) on the map can 10. BATTLE CHAMBE
be ignited by damaging them with any magic
attack (attacks auto hit) or attack that inflicts The sounds of heavy footfalls echo through this
burning. They become difficult and dangerous room, which is filled with the crumpled skeletal
terrain. remains of warriors, and the broken armors of
Relict.
Alliance: If they promise to help clear out the
courtyard for the Imperials or fight Carel for his The center of the room has a sunken
key and are successful, Hela will accompany the Sarcophagus-like structure, the relict node. A
characters in their fight with the Nocturnal. statue atop this node once held a huge gleaming
mace, almost as big as a man, but it has been torn
11. THE WEL

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 off by the demon in this room. The node is

damaged. The node has a chamber full of 2 dust, which can
be retrieved after combat, or with an interact
A massive armor figure treads the room in a action in combat.
circle. Occasionally, a relict will flicker to life only
to get swatted aside and disperse. The figure is an The armor demon’s mace can be taken as
Armor Demon, which has been trapped here in a Arkentech. It can barely be swung by a normal
nonstop battle for centuries. person, requiring magical infusion to
supernaturally lighten it.
The demon will immediately attack upon noticing
the characters. Without its attention, the node Dread Mace
roars to life and summons Relict. Arkentech
Uses: 1
COMBAT ENCOUNTER: DREAD KNIGH Use for Obliterate
Superheavy physical melee attack
Armor Demon Archon Attack: On hit: deal critical damage and target
must save or become stunned. Miss: Heavy
damage. Critical Hit: Critical godly damage and
Also joining the fight are Natals, which the armor character is stunned.
demon can consume to heal itself.
3. GREAT SEA
3x NATALS
The very bottom of the tower is sealed by a
Along with the demon are Relict, which can be circular door. Inspection shows it has been
chosen from the following: inscribed with arkenrunes of sealing. The door is
sealed with an extremely powerful mechanism. A
Wraith Illwright long clock or a superpowered action could serve to
get it open, or the key from Carel in area 6 could
Ghoul Skulk
be used to open it right away. Opening it reveals a
Ghoul Berserker yawning void, with a narrow staircase descending
downwards against the wall. It’s a long fall.
At the start of round 2, summon two more relict.
12. Collapsed roo
The Relict are not allies of the armor demon, nor
is it allies of them. They will generally attack This room’s exits and entrances are all blocked by
whatever is closest. rubble, except the exit to room 14. Normally
characters won’t enter this room unless Room 10
The four pillars in the room can clearly be collapses into it. If they enter this room, Room 10
attacked and destroyed (10 hp each). If 2 or more hasn’t collapsed, and the archon is still alive, with
pillars are destroyed, or at the start of round 3, the some light they can see its heavy footfalls shake
whole room collapses into the second combat dust from the ceiling. If the room above has
map, room 12, which is adjacent to the Pit room. collapsed, characters can climb up out of it again
All characters without dodge take light damage as with only a little effort.
an effect and are dazed (save ends).
13. Bottom of the Wel
Rewards:
The relict node in the room is damaged and can The staircase that leads down here from the well
(unusually) be disabled. It’s fairly difficult, but the breaks off about 15 feet from the floor, requiring
aetheric network in the area can be shut down, characters to take some action to get down safely.
disabling the Relict at the gate (area 1) and also in
the room. Characters that discover this can spend The room is pitch black without light. The well is
an entire turn during combat to accomplish this dry, having drained during the tower’s ascent
effect.

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 from the deeps, but there’s still a thin film of which will allow characters to enter the room
water and clinging on the floor here. before attacking if it notices them.

A shoe, belonging to Gwyn, is stuck in the mud, THE WRETCH

close to the entrance to area 14. If characters Demon Nocturnal
make enough noise here, Gwyn will call out for
help with a hoarse voice from the adjacent area.
Also joining the fight are Natals, which the
nocturnal can consume to heal itself.
14. THE PI
5x NATALS
This is the lowest chamber in the tower, a circular
chamber with recesses in the walls inset with iron
On the map there are four braziers. A brazier can
bars, like prison cells. It stinks of stale air and
be lit with an action, or stifled with an action by a
rotting meat.
Natal or the Nocturnal. Torches emit a blast 1 area
around their own spaces. They count as friendly
In one of these cells is Gwyn, the adoptive son of
summons for the Nocturnal’s clinging mists
the Elder, and Cado’s adoptive brother.
ability, and the Nocturnal is vulnerable (ongoing)
in their light.
Gwyn
Beastfolk (Lopen), Yeokin, he/him
Characters can flee from the fight, taking Gwyn
Gywn is a very tired, hungry, and frightened
with them, if it’s going poorly. The Nocturnal is
teenager, only a little older than Cado. He’s been
repulsed by even a thin sliver of sunlight coming
trapped down here for days by the Nocturnal after
down either the well (in area 13) or the stair out of
fleeing from monsters. He managed to squeeze
the pit or way out of the collapsed room (area 3
through the bars in one of the cells, which seem to
and 12) and will not follow the characters out of
be anathema to the demon, and has only been
its chamber.
drinking what little rainwater has seeped down
here. He hasn’t seen the sun in days.
Rewards:
In the center of the chamber is a plinth with a
In the area, set into the central plinth that was
blood red stone inlaid into it, and a set of pitons,
trapping the natal, there is a precious Elixir
that used to pin a pair of iron shackles to the
Stone, a powerful relic and camp fixture.
plinth. The pitons have been torn free in the
Characters that can make it out with the stone get
tower’s ascent. The shackles are around the wrists
the fixture for free at the start of the next
of a colossal, batlike demon that will unfurl itself
interlude, or can sell it for 4 (total) dust.
from the shadows and attack the players at a point
of its choosing after they enter the room, or if they
notice it, starting a combat encounter. Sneaking in Camping at the towe
and out without alerting the demon is possible but
probably requires superpowered effort, or a Characters will have the opportunity to camp
difficult clock (10 or 12 segments). once, which only takes an hour or two. Leaving
the tower and camping safely outside is always
possible. If characters are on good or neutral
COMBAT ENCOUNTER: THE WRETC
terms with Carel or the Encross Imperials, or have
gotten them out of the way, they can safely camp
Gywn, with some convincing can be freed from his on their levels. Camping on the lowest level is
cage with the Interact action in combat. He is too impossible.
weak to walk. Treat him like an intangible ally
that can be picked up with Interact. While
Leaving the towe
carrying Gwyn, characters cannot dash, run, or
attack.
Characters that get out safely (or flee) will find the
This room is the former prison of The Wretch, a following, depending on the situation:
Nocturnal demon, a powerful monstrosity,

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 • If Carel and his band haven’t been defeated, and If you can deal with it, the patrician will pay you
the imperials are still active, they’ll give up and personally.
split town, taking their loot with them • The second part of the tower surfaces nearby.
• If Carel is still around but the imperials are not • Marat finds your band and has a proposal: bring
a factor, he’ll let characters leave with Gwyn, but them back to their Leggio family, a few days
demand they cut him and his brigade in on the from here. There’s a big problem though -
valuables, including the elixir stone. He can be Marat has a terrible price on their head.
convinced otherwise with a lot of effort (or
healthy intimidation), otherwise he will attack.
• If Hela and the Imperials are around and on
good terms with the players, and Carel has left,
she’ll let them go with their valuables and Gwyn,
but demand the Elixir stone before they leave,
or she’ll order her soldiers to take it by force.
She can be convinced otherwise, but it’s
difficult.
• Neither Carel nor Hela will kill player characters
if they can help it. If players are defeated, they’ll
be dumped somewhere outside the tower, with
Gwyn. Carel will rob them and split town, Hela
will take the stone, leave them with 2 dust, and
leave.

Aftermat

Returning Gwyn to the town will make his foster

father extremely happy, and Quell very relieved.
Characters can collect payment (6 xp and 3 dust
per player). Quell will pay characters an extra 1
dust per player if they know the true story to keep
quiet. If players try to indict Quell and offer
convincing evidence, Yu will kick her out of town
after some deliberation, banning her for a year.
Quell won’t be that upset about it.

Marat safely escapes from the tower, regardless of

if characters free them or not.

Hook

The game can safely go into an interlude

(probably in town) at this point. If you want to use
this as a jumping off point for another expedition,
here’s some hooks you can use:
• Carel’s mercenaries have purportedly set up
shop robbing passerby at the Ox Bridge, and
they’ve joined forces with another, much nastier
band of scavengers, the Skull Kickers. Elder Yu
calls a town council to convene.
• Hela reports back to Encross, who reaches out
to your band with a proposal: there’s been a
blight near the border, and crossings aren’t safe.

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