<INSERT ART #; HOW TO PLAY; 1/2H>

Game Rules
In Shadow of the Weird Wizard, you and your friends
come together to tell stories in a world of high
adventure. In these stories, you explore the setting,
fight strange monsters, solve mysteries, uncover
secrets, and interact with others to gain aid,
information, and access, all while portraying the
imaginary character you create using the rules in
this book. Your character is a member of a group of
individuals who find success through cooperation.
As you play through adventures, your character
becomes more experienced and thus more powerful
and capable. In time, your group of characters
might become the most powerful people in the
Known World.
All of this play takes place under the guidance of
the Sage, a role sometimes known as the game
master. You or one of your friends gets to be in
control of the story, presenting challenges and
deciding what happens in response to the decisions
the other players make. More information on being
the Sage comes later in this book.
Whether you’re the Sage or a player representing
a character, you all make use of the same set of
rules, which are presented in this chapter. As a
group, you refer to the rules to help you decide what
happens in the game as a result of a certain activity
performed or happenstance that occurs in the story.
It’s crucial to remember that the rules serve to
facilitate game play, but they should never dictate
what happens in the game. The Sage can change a
rule or ignore a rule if it makes the story better. The
Sage has the final say and any disagreements should
be saved for after the game ends.
This chapter contains rules for just about
everything. You don’t need to know everything in
this chapter, right away. You should feel free to skip
around, looking at the information you need or that
interests you and come back later when you need to
know how something works. Be sure, though, to
take a close look at the Game Play Basics section,
since those rules are the foundation on which
everything else stands.

1
Game Play Basics
that serve, perform tasks for, and, possibly,
accompany you on your adventures. Companions
This section explains the simplest concepts behind might be hirelings employed to do something
Shadow of the Weird Wizard. specific, can be granted from talents you gain, or
created by spells you cast.
Unless the description says otherwise, the Sage
Dice controls the companion and makes all decisions
The game uses a twenty-sided die, a d20, and six- about what the character does, says, and behaves.
sided dice, d6s. In all cases, the higher the number However, if the companion is your ally, the
rolled, the better the result. companion follows spoken orders that you give to it.
Some activities might be beyond a companion, as
Double Damage and Half Damage the Sage decides. Mindless undead do not avail
Sometimes the rules instruct you to double damage themselves of attack options, for example, and
or halve it. In both cases, you roll damage as normal probably cannot perform the help activity.
and then either multiply the roll by 2 or divide it by A companion uses its own rules as noted in its
2, rounding a fraction down to the nearest whole description. A companion can take damage and lose
number. Health, heal damage, and regain Health. If a
If more than one effect tells you to double the companion becomes incapacitated, it usually dies,
damage or halve the damage on the successful unless the rules say otherwise. A companion created
attack you just made, you perform the operation by a spell ends the spell when you or it becomes
only once. incapacitated.
For more information, see Companions in
Level Combat, below.
Level describes the overall durability or potency of a
creature, an object, or an effect. A character that you
create typically starts at level 1/2; as you play the
Acting in the Game
game and finish adventures, your level increases to You and each other player control one or more
1, 2, and so on, up to 10. Level provides an easy way characters and the Sage controls everything else.
to discern the power of something your encounter. Having control means you decide what your
A level 3 spell has a more potent effect than does a character does, says, thinks, reacts, and more. Some
level 2 spell. A level 5 enemy is more dangerous than effects take control away from the Sage or a player,
is a level 1 enemy. Generally, the player characters but such effects are rare.
stop advancing when they reach level 10, but the Restrictions on what your character can do in the
Sage has rules for expanding the game beyond this game exist. You might imagine your character doing
level. all kinds of things, but if those activities lay outside
what’s possible for the character, they don’t happen.
Generally, your character can do anything you can
The Sage do, plus, perhaps, a bit more. You can walk around,
One person playing this game assumes the role of eat, talk, buy and sell things, look around, listen, and
the Sage, sometimes known as a game master or do other routine things without needing any special
referee in other games. This person presents the rules to tell you that you can. As your character
world, the story, and situations in which you and develops, you find the options available to you grow
your friends find yourself as you play the game. For and you can cast spells, attack with deadly weapons,
more information on the Sage, see Chapter $@. and perform stunts and other activities that would
be almost impossible in real life.
Player Characters and Groups When you describe something you want your
Everyone playing the game who is not the Sage character to do in the game, the activity happens or
assumes control of a player character, one created it doesn’t. If it’s reasonable, it probably happens. If
using the rules in this book, or that has prepared for it’s unreasonable, it doesn’t. Often, the Sage will
them. The player characters together form a group decide the activity could happen, in which case the
that goes on adventures where they have the chance Sage might call for an attribute roll.
to make the world a better place by confronting
darkness and evil, solving mysteries, and recovery
fabulous artifacts from lost civilizations. Attributes
All characters under the players’ control and most
Companions other creatures those characters encounter have
In addition to the player characters, your group four attributes—Strength, Agility, Intellect, and
might include companions, secondary characters

2
Will—that describe their basic physical and mental resist the activity. Otherwise, the target number is
capabilities. 10.
Each attribute is expressed as a score and a Attribute Modifier: The rules or the Sage tells
modifier. Its score is a number from 1 to 20, and its you which attribute to use for a roll.
modifier (often given after the score in parentheses) Resolve the Roll: You resolve an attribute roll
is equal to the score minus 10. For instance, if you with these steps: Roll a d20, add your modifier for
have a Strength score of 12, you have a +2 modifier. If the attribute, and then compare the result to the
you have an Agility score of 9, you have a –1 target number, getting a success if you equal or
modifier. exceed the target number and a failure if you don’t.

Strength Boons and Banes

Your Strength score represents your character's A task you perform by making an attribute roll
muscle power, durability, certain forms of athletic might be more difficult than it normally would be
ability, and overall fitness. You use your Strength to because of an affliction you suffer, or it might be
resist effects that force you to move or that restrain easier than usual because you're getting aid from
you, as well as when you perform activities that someone else. The influence of other factors that
relate to physical feats such as climbing, swimming, might apply when determining the outcome of an
attacking with most melee weapons, kicking down a activity Is represented by additional modifiers called
door, or overpowering another creature. You also boons and banes.
use Strength to withstand or fight off the effects of A boon is an advantageous circumstance, one that
pain, injury, poison, or infection. improves your chance of success. For each boon that
applies, you roll a boon die, which is a d6. You then
Agility add the highest number rolled on any one of the d6s
Agility represents poise and dexterity, balance, aim, to your attribute roll.
speed, and reflexes. You use Agility when you A bane is a disadvantage, something that reduces
maintain your balance, either because someone your chance of success. For each bane that applies,
shoves you or you are moving across challenging you roll a bane die, which is a d6. You then subtract
terrain, when you would perform an activity that the highest number rolled on any one of the d6s
requires manual dexterity, such as when you pick a from your attribute roll.
lock, disarm a trap, or perform sleight of hand, Boons and banes cancel each other out on a one-
chase, and flee. for-one basis before any d6s are rolled. If you have 2
boons and 1 bane on the activity you're attempting,
Intellect you make the roll with 1 boon. If you have 1 boon
Intellect describes intelligence, wit, memory, and 3 banes, you make the roll with 2 banes.
knowledge, and the ability to use logic to solve Boons and banes are counted separately only if
complex problems. You use Intellect when you they come from different sources. If one ability you 1
would thwart an effort to deceive you, solve complex boon and a different one grants you 1 boon, you
problems, or deceive or outwit another creature. You make the roll with 2 boons. Similarly, you might
also use Intellect for using some forms of magic. become weakened from the poison smeared on the
arrow that struck you and then become Strength
Will impaired by a diabolical spell, you would make
Will describes courage, willpower, resolve, and Strength rolls with 2 banes, one from the weakened
mental fortitude. You use Will to resist efforts to affliction, and the other from the impaired
erode your confidence, manipulate your emotions, affliction. See Afflictions for more information
or terrify you. You also use Will to fight off some about how these states work.
mental effects and to use some forms of magic.
Making Rolls
Attribute Rolls The rules often refer to you or others making rolls. When you
see this instruction, whoever controls the acting individual
You make an attribute roll when the Sage calls for makes the roll. (Obviously, creatures and characters controlled
one or when the rules instruct you to do so. The roll by the Sage aren’t rolling dice themselves. The rules use this
determines whether an activity you attempted using language as a shorthand way of expressing who rolls the dice
that attribute succeeds or fails. and when.
Target Number: Every attribute roll has a target
number. If you make a roll as a result of performing Success and Failure
an activity in opposition to another creature or If you get a success, the rules or the Sage tell you
object, such as when you attack an enemy, the target what happens as a result. Similarly, if you fail, there
number is the score of the attribute or trait used to might also be a result. If you succeed on a roll to

3
attack a foe, your attack deals damage. If you He’s looking for a 10 or higher, but he rolls a 4. Jeff gets hit with
succeed on a roll to cast a spell on an enemy, you the dart and must also contend with the poison smeared on its
tip!
might deal damage, apply an affliction, or
something else might happen. Similarly, if you fail a
roll, you might take damage, gain an affliction, or Traits
find that the activity you attempted is, for now at Many creatures and objects possess traits. A trait
least, beyond your capabilities to accomplish. respects an aspect of the creature or object that is
innate to its being. A creature that has wings likely
Fritz Swings a Sword has the Flier trait, which lets that creature fly for as
Fritz, a soldier played by Dustin, faces a bandit in combat. long as it remains in that form. Common traits are
Dustin decides Fritz swings his sword against his foe. Fritz has a
described below.
12 Strength. Dustin rolls a d20 and gets a 14. He adds his
modifier, which is +2, giving him a total of 16. The bandit has a
Defense of 12, so Fritz hits the bandit and deals damage to it. Defense
Every creature and object has a Defense score,
Phoebe Picks a Lock which ranges from 0 to 25. The higher the number,
Phoebe, a criminal played by Elise, comes to a locked door. She the more difficult it is to harm the creature or object
decides she will use her lockpicks to open it. The Sage decides with an attack.
this is a hard activity and imposes 1 bane on the roll. Phoebe has Typically, a creature's or object's Defense score
an 11 Agility. She rolls a d20 and gets a 12 on the die. She adds
her Agility modifier, which is a +1, and then subtracts whatever
equals its Agility score. A number of factors,
she rolls on the bane die, which happens to be a 3, bringing her however, can affect the score. The most common
total down to 10. Since no one is resisting Phoebe, she needs a improvement comes from wearing armor, but some
10 or higher, which she gets and so she succeeds in unlocking traits, talents, magical effects, and equipment can
the door. also increase or decrease a creature's or object’s
Defense.
Luck Rolls
Not every situation can be resolved using an Health
attribute. Sometimes, it falls to pure chance to All creatures and objects have a Health score, a
determine what happens and what doesn’t. Do you number that describes the overall durability or
escape the worst of the trap that detonates in your resilience of a creature or object. The number also
midst? When you listen at a door, do you do so at represents the amount of damage the creature or
exactly the right time to catch the speaker saying object can take before it dies or is destroyed. As
something important? Can you survive one more Health determines the limit on the amount of
round even as you inch closer to death? These and damage you can have, you always ignore any
other situations are resolved by making a luck roll. damage in excess of your Health score. For more
Just as with attribute rolls, you resolve a luck roll information on damage, see page $@@.
by rolling a d20, but, aside from boons and banes, A harmful effect can cause you to lose Health,
you don’t add any modifiers to the roll. The target which lowers your Health score by the indicated
number of a luck roll is always 10. amount. Similarly, a beneficial effect can grant you a
(Luck Ends): When an effect includes the (luck bonus to Health, which increases the amount of
ends) designation, you can attempt to end the effect damage you can take for as long as it lasts.
by making a luck roll at the end of your next turn. An effect might let you regain Health you have
On a success, you end the effect. On a failure, the lost. To do so, add the amount regained to your
effect continues and you can try again at the end of Health score, up to your maximum.
your next turn. Typically, (luck ends) applies to You normally regain lost Health during
afflictions and other harmful effects such as downtime. See chapter $$ for details.
catching fire or being magically restrained by a
spell. The designation might also allow you to Common Traits
regain the use of an ability. Many traits appear with great frequency that the
rules simply name them. Common traits and their
Jeff Takes a Dart in the Face rules appear here.
Jeff, a magician played by Bobby, walks down a passageway in a
tomb he and his friends are exploring in hopes of finding Senses
treasure. Because neither Jeff nor any of his companions Night Vision The creature treats dim light as bright light and
inspected the corridor before strolling down it, the Sage faint light as if it were dim light.
determines that Jeff stepped on the pressure plate, which True Vision # The creature needs no light to see and can see
sends a dart flying toward his face. The Sage calls for a luck roll out to the indicated number of zones as if those zones were
from Bobby to see if he can avoid the dart. Bobby rolls a d20. lit and unaffected by obscurement. In addition, the

4
 creature can see through all disguises, recognize illusions Plant/Fungus This creature ignores an effect that would put
for what they are, and see clearly into the Spirit World. it to sleep.
Scent # The creature can find any creature within the listed Summoned Magic produced this creature or object and it
number of zones without needing to see it. remains until the magic ends or the creature or object is
Awareness # The creature can find each creature and object destroyed, at which point, and in either case, the creature
within the listed number of zones without needing to use disappears to return to the place from which it came.
senses. Undead The creature is not alive and ignores hunger, thirst,
sleep deprivation, cold and heat exposure, and infection.
Appearance
Fearsome The creature causes fear in its enemies. Resistances
Incandescent This creature sheds bright light. [source]proof The creature ignores the damage from the
Leader Allies in this creature’s zone make rolls to attack with listed source.
1 boon. Fearless The creature ignores fear effects.
Magic Resistance The creature takes half damage from
Movement magical sources, imposes 1 bane on rolls made against it
Amorphous The creature can move through openings large using magic, and makes rolls to resist or end magic effects
enough to permit the passage of liquid and cannot be with 1 boon.
grabbed, knocked prone, or immobilized. Unstoppable The creature cannot be immobilized.
Climber The creature can move up, down, and across vertical
surfaces and overhangs freely.
Fast When the creature runs, it moves one additional zone.
Flier # The creature can move in any direction, up to the
Paths
indicated number of zones, and remains in the air if it
When your character reaches level 1, you can choose
stops moving and does not stand on a solid surface. The a path to follow, known as a novice path. Your
creature ignores any challenging terrain over which it can choice provides your character with certain benefits
fly. While flying, it can make melee attacks against any that reflect the sort of individual you want to
enemies in its zone. Finally, outside combat, the creature portray. At levels 3 and 7, you choose an expert path
can fly a number of miles per hour equal to ten times the and then a master path, which further define the
Indicated number.
(hover) The creature cannot fall unless it becomes qualities that your character embodies. At all other
incapacitated. levels, you gain benefits from one of your previously
Immobile The creature cannot move under its own power. chosen paths, as summarized on the Level Benefits
Mount The creature is trained to bear a rider. table.
Silent Makes no noise when moving. Paths offer a wide range of capabilities. Their
Slippery The creature does not trigger free attacks from
benefits can improve your attacks, might enable you
moving.
Swimmer The creature can move freely in liquid-filled zones. to learn spells, and can grant you traits or other
Teleport # The creature can use a move to teleport to an abilities, known as talents, that let you do things no
empty space within the listed number of zones. one else can. For more about paths, see chapter 2
and the following chapters where all the paths are
Size
Huge The creature receives 1 boon on rolls to attack targets
detailed.
lacking this trait and imposes 1 bane on rolls to attack it LEVEL BENEFITS
made by creatures and objects lacking this trait. In
Level Benefit
addition, a huge creature takes half damage from attacks
1 Choose a novice path (see chapter $#) and gain the
made by sources that are not also huge.
level 1 benefits from that path.
Tiny The creature receives 1 bane on rolls to attack targets
2 Gain the level 2 benefits from your novice path.
lacking this trait and grants 1 boon on rolls made to attack
it by creatures and objects lacking this trait. In addition, a 3 Choose an expert path (see chapter $#) and gain the
tiny creature takes double damage from attacks made by level 3 benefits from that path.
huge sources. 4 Gain the level 4 benefits from your expert path.
5 Gain the level 5 benefits from your novice path.
Type 6 Gain the level 6 benefits from your expert path.
Amphibious The creature can breathe water and air. 7 Choose a master path (see chapter $#) and gain the
Animated Object This object behaves as if it was a creature. level 7 benefits from that path.
Aquatic The creature ignores suffocation while submerged 8 Gain the level 8 benefits from your master path.
in water, but suffers suffocation when not submerged in 9 Gain the level 9 benefits from your expert path.
water. 10 Gain the level 10 benefits from your master path.
Elemental This creature ignores aging, cold and heat
exposure, hunger and thirst, sleep, and suffocation.
Faerie This creature ignores the effects of aging and Talents
infection. Talents are special capabilities that distinguish one
Immortal This creature ignores the effects of aging. kind of character from another. Some talents
Multitude Many smaller creatures work together as one. A provide constant benefits, while others let you
multitude takes half damage from weapons. If perform activities beyond those spelled out in the
incapacitated, the multitude disperses into harmless
individuals. Combat rules, found on page $@. Some activities
are magical or supernatural. A magical activity

5
functions as a spell and can be affected by effects Incapacitated
that interact with spells. Supernatural activities When your damage total reaches your Health score,
come from the gods or other powers and function as you become incapacitated. While you’re
minor miracles unaffected by effects that interact incapacitated, you are unconscious. If you take any
with spells. damage while incapacitated, you lose Health equal
to the damage you took and then reduce your
Damage damage total so that it equals your new Health
score.
Damage represents attrition suffered during your At the end of the round, make a luck roll. On a
adventurers. You take damage from attacks, from success, you heal 1 damage. On a failure, you lose
spells, and from other effects such as fear and Health equal to 1 + your level. You die if your Health
mental trauma. Most harmful effects cause you to score drops to 0.
take damage while some beneficial effects heal
damage. When you take damage, you add the Benford’s Bad Day
amount of damage to your damage total. When you Benford, an acolyte played by Andrew, is having a bad day.
heal damage, you subtract the amount of damage Benford has 14 Health, but his damage total just reached 14,
from your damage total. which caused poor Benford to become incapacitated. At the
end of the round, Andrew rolls luck for Benford and gets a 7.
Sources of Damage Since Benford is level 1, he loses 2 Health for failing the luck roll.
This drops his Health to 12 and his damage total to 12.
Most times, the source of damage has little effect on game
No one could get to Benford before the end of the next
play. Taking damage from lightning has the same effect on you
round, so Andrew rolls luck again and this time gets an 11, which
as taking damage from an arrow fired from a bow. Some
is a success. Benford heals 1 damage, so his Health is 12 and his
creatures have special traits that cause them to take less
damage total is now 11. Since his damage total is less than his
damage or no damage from certain sources. Generally, the
Health, Benford is no longer incapacitated.
source of the damage is obvious, but if not, it falls to the Sage
to decide.
Damaging Creatures
Damage Total Creatures take damage just as protagonists do, but
Your damage total starts at 0 and it cannot exceed when their damage total reaches their Health, they
your current Health score. If you would take usually die or are destroyed unless the Sage decides
damage in excess of your Health score, you lose an that the creature heals 1 damage after a few minutes.
amount of Health equal to the amount by which the You can also attempt to knock out a creature
damage first exceeded your Health score and then without killing it provided you use appropriate
reduce your damage total to equal your current weapons or spells. Using blunted weapons instead
Health score. of edged or piercing weapons can result in knocking
a creature unconscious, if desired.
Gilda Takes Damage For damaging objects, see page $@.
Gilda, a gambler played by Chris, has 12 Health and 0 damage. A
barbarian whacks her with his weapon, causing her to take 6 Harm
damage. Gilda’s damage total increases to 6 and her Health The game uses harm as a shorthand for any effect that would
score stays the same. deal damage, cause you to lose Health, bestow an affliction, or
subject to any other harmful effect.
Gilda Becomes Incapacitated!
Unfortunately, another barbarian strikes her with his weapon
causing her to take 8 damage. Adding 8 to her damage total
Afflictions
brings it to 14, which is more than her Health score. Chris Afflictions are conditions gained as a result of,
subtracts the excess damage, 2 points, from Gilda’s Health and usually, harmful effects. You either have an
reduces her damage total to her new Health score so that Gilda affliction or you don’t. If you have an affliction and
has 10 Health and 10 damage. She’s now incapacitated and in you would gain that affliction again, you suffer the
danger of dying if she takes another hard hit. affliction’s effects just once, though both afflictions
must be removed to rid yourself of their effects.
Injured Sometimes an affliction comes with an additional
You are injured if your damage total equals or effect that persists for as long as the affliction
exceeds half your Health score. Typically, you suffer persists. Once you remove the affliction, you also
no effects from being injured, but certain talents, remove any additional effects it creates unless the
spells, and other effects used against you might affliction says otherwise.
interact with this state.
Cursed
You make luck rolls with 1 bane.

6
[Attribute] Impaired your Health rises above 5. While weakened in this
You make rolls using the specified attribute with 1 way, you cannot stand up and can move only by
bane and you grant 1 boon on rolls against the crawling. In addition, the Sage might deem frostbite
specified attribute. claims unprotected extremities—ears, nose, lips,
fingers, and toes.
Weakened Death
You make attribute rolls with 1 bane, and you grant 1
boon on rolls against your Defense or any of your You die when your Health score drops to 0. Unless
attributes. the cause of death destroys your body, you fall prone
and become an object with 20 Health. A tiny
creature becomes an object with 4 Health, while a
Immobilized huge creature becomes an object with 100 Health. If
You cannot move by normal, nonmagical means. your body was made of organic material, it
You cannot walk, crawl, or run, for example, nor can gradually rots away, losing 1d6 Health every day
you use moves for other movement-related until nothing remains.
activities.
Dismemberment
Dazed The sudden loss of a limb makes certain activities
You cannot use reactions, and you grant 1 boon on and forms of movement difficult, if not impossible.
rolls against your Defense or any of your attributes. Using prosthetics, such as those described in
chapter $@, can mitigate the effects of
Stunned dismemberment. The effects of limb loss ought to
You cannot use actions or reactions, and you grant 2 be obvious, such that the loss of a leg makes it
boons on rolls against your Defense or any of your difficult to stand up and the loss of a hand or arm
attributes. prevents the use of that limb for holding large
weapons.
Unconscious
You cannot move, use actions or reactions, or receive Fear
input from your senses. You make all attribute rolls Foul demons from the Void, bloodthirsty fiends,
with 3 banes, and you grant 3 boons on rolls against undead, spirits, as well as horrifying places and
your Defense or any of your attributes. Time spent situations all cause fear. Whenever you encounter
unconscious counts as resting for the purpose of something that causes fear, you must succeed on a
healing damage (see "Resting" below). Will roll or become frightened. You make the roll
with 1 bane if you see two or more fearsome things.
Other Common Dangers While frightened, you make attribute and luck
rolls with 1 bane, grant 1 boon on rolls against you,
In addition to afflictions, you might face any of the and you must succeed on a Will roll at the end of
following other perils and effects. each round or take 1d6 damage. The effect lasts until
the end of a round in which you can no longer see
Aging the source of your fear and you are at least two
Natural aging has no effect on your capabilities; you zones away from it. You can also end the effect by
can play a character of any age you like. Sudden, successfully performing the overcome activity.
rapid aging, however, causes you to become
weakened. The affliction persists until you return to Heat Exposure
your normal age or by using a downtime activity to Places of extreme heat can sap strength and vitality
become adjusted to your new, advanced age. from those in it. At the end of each hour that you
Immortal creatures such as faeries, fiends, and spend exposed to heat, you must succeed on a
spirits ignore the effects of aging. Strength roll or lose Health equal to half your level
(minimum 1). If the heat drops your Health to 5 or
Cold Exposure lower, you fall prone and become weakened until
Cold temperatures can kill when people lack your Health rises above 5. While weakened in this
adequate protection. At the end of each hour that way, you cannot stand up and can move only by
you spend in extreme cold, you must succeed on a crawling.
Strength roll or lose Health equal to half your level
(minimum 1). If the cold drops your Health to 5 or
lower, you fall prone and become weakened until

7
Hunger and Thirst A creature possessing another creature perceives
Most living beings need food and water. If they go from the host’s space and uses the host’s rules in
without, they suffer hunger and thirst until they place of its own, except for its Intellect and Will,
expire. Normally, provisions and waterskins can which it retains, and any spells it has learned.
keep these effects at bay, but if you run out of water Unless the source of the possession says otherwise, a
or someone makes off with your food, you might be host remains aware of everything that happens to it
in trouble. while possessed.
Each day you go without drinking sufficient
amounts of water, you lose Health equal to your Sense Deprived
level (minimum 1). Every two days you go without Some effects might cause you to lose access to your
eating, you lose Health equal to half your level senses. If you’re deafened, you can’t hear. If you’re
(minimum 1). If your Health drops to 5 or lower, you blinded, you can’t see. Lacking the sense makes it
fall prone and become weakened until your Health impossible for you to perform activities entirely
score increases above 5. While weakened in this way, dependent on the sense and might impose 1 or more
you cannot stand up and can move only by crawling. banes on rolls at the Sage’s discretion. Blindness, in
particular, makes it more difficult to strike foes. For
Mikal Goes Hungry more information, see the "Combat" section.
Alice plays a level 2 human adventurer named Mikal with 18
Health. In the adventure, Mikal was ambushed and robbed of Sleep
his water and provisions. Left on his own to travel through a
barren landscape, he can’t find food or water, so at the end of
You are unconscious when you sleep. If a noise
the first day, Mikal’s Health drops to 16. At the end of the next sounds in your zone, roll luck. You automatically
day, Mikal’s Health drops to 12, dropping 2 from hunger and 2 succeed if the noise is equivalent to at least a shout.
from thirst. On a success, you waken and are no longer
unconscious. You automatically waken from sleep if
Infection you take any damage or lose Health.
Infection results from exposure to a virulent disease, You need sleep to refresh yourself. Unless your
parasites, a poison, or something else. Exposure ancestry says otherwise, you need at least six hours
might result from drinking contaminated water, of sleep every day. If you go a day without sleep, you
eating spoiled food, or being in proximity to become weakened until you do sleep. Every day you
someone suffering from a disease. If you’ve been go without sleep thereafter, you take damage equal
exposed to infection, note the exposure on your to your level (minimum 1).
character sheet. At end of the adventure or
downtime period, roll Strength. On a success, you Suffocation
shake off the effects of infection. On a failure, you You are subject to suffocation if you cannot breathe.
become infected and lose 2d6 Health. While subject to suffocation, you are weakened,
You are weakened for as long as you are infected. cannot talk, or perform activities that require
In addition, at the end of each adventure or period speech, such as casting spells. In addition, at the end
of downtime, you must succeed on a Strength roll or of each round in which you could not breathe, you
lose 2d6 Health. If your Health drops to 10 or lower, take damage equal to 1 + your level.
you fall prone and cannot stand up. You can move
only by crawling. If your Health drops to 5 or lower, Transformation
you also become unconscious. If you succeed on a Some effects can transform your body so that you
total of three Strength rolls, you fight off the become someone or something else. Unless noted
infection. otherwise, the following rules apply when you
Some forms of infection have additional or even transform.
nastier effects. Attributes: You use the Strength and Agility of
the new form, while retaining your Intellect and
Possession Will.
Some creatures can take possession of other Defense and Health: You use the Defense and
creatures and objects. Health scores of the new form. You ignore any losses
A creature possessing an object perceives from to Health from your old form, but your damage total
the object’s space and uses the object’s rules in place remains unchanged.
of its own, except it retains its own Intellect and Size: If the new form has the Huge trait and you
Will. The object gains the Animated Object trait, if it did not, destroy any clothing you wore when you
doesn’t have it already, and might have a natural transformed. If you were bound by ropes or
weapon depending on its construction. manacles, you shed them.

8
 If the new form has the Tiny trait and you did not,
all of your clothing falls to the ground around you. Rounds
Possessions: Anything you were holding in your Combat tracks time in rounds, each being a period
hands or that was strapped to your body falls to the of about 10 seconds.
ground in your space. Effects with 1-round durations last until the same
Speech: If the new form would normally be point in which they were produced during the next
capable of speech, you can speak. If not, you cannot. round. For example, say produce an effect that lasts
Talents: You retain all talents gained regardless of for one round, the effect persists until just before
your current form unless the form specifically you could take your turn during the next round.
prevents you from performing activities that talent Similarly, say you take a turn after the enemies take
grants or modifies. their turns and produce an effect that lasts 1 round,
then the effect persists until after the enemies take
their turns during the next round.

Stacking Effects Minutes

You can be affected by an effect from a particular
source just once. The effect persists until it ends. If Some effects last one minute. Typically, a minute
covers enough time for a combat to begin and end.
you would be affected by an effect again from the
same source, the original effect ends and the new If you cast a spell that lasts one minute, you can just
instance of the effect begins. For example, if assume it lasts until the combat ends or something
someone casts a spell on you to increase your ends the effect early.
Strength for 1 hour, and, 30 minutes later, someone
else casts the same spell on you, the first instance of Hours
the spell ends and new one begins, resetting the More powerful and important effects last 1 hour or
duration to 1 hour. longer. Generally, you use hours when resting, since
you benefit from resting for each hour you rest. An
Resting hour lasts long enough for you to play through
about three scenes. The Sage might allow an effect
You can rest if you are in a comfortable zone and to extend longer than three scenes or reduce the
you refrain from strenuous activity, which includes number of scenes if a substantial amount of time
anything that requires the use of an action or a passes between them.
reaction, or that involves running, climbing,
swimming, or any other kind of concerted
movement. You can be moved while resting, such as
in the back of a wagon or being pulled in a travois. If
Environments
The world contains many different environments.
you perform a strenuous activity during a rest, the Each environment represents a specific region
time spent resting is wasted and you must start over unified by common features. Forests, hills,
from the beginning. mountains, cities and towns, lakes, and oceans all
For each full hour you spend resting, you heal act as environments. Environments can be any size,
damage equal to 1 + your level. Some other from an entire ocean or to a keep and surrounding
resources might be regained from resting for a town on the borderlands.
particular period of time, such as 8 hours. Environments have features determined by
prevailing terrain, climate and weather, and hazards
Time one might encounter in them. Such features might
make travel more difficult, subject you to heat, cold,
Time passes at whatever rate the Sage deems and inclement weather, as well as fantastical
appropriate. A scene involving roleplaying could features created by the environment’s magical or
play out at more or less the same rate as it does in otherworldly nature. The Sage has rules for
reality. A combat scene might move faster or slower, environment features.
while the Sage might summarize a month of travel
in a few minutes of description. The rules often
reference durations measured in rounds, minutes, Travel
and longer, so some ideas about how long such You travel whenever you move through one or more
increments take in the game can be helpful. environments to reach a destination. Many times,
travel plays no significant part in the story, in which
case the Sage just narrates what happens during the
journey.

9
 But there might be occasions when travel 3. Spotted Wood
functions as part of the adventure, such as when you 4. Nameless Village
5. Broken Hills
need to reach a destination in a hurry, are being
6. Fetid Wash
pursued by enemies, or, maybe, you strike out in a 7. Tomb of the Mold King
direction to see what’s out there. The following rules
are designed to handle those circumstances.
Travel Days
A journey unfolds over one or more travel days,
Destination during which time you walk, ride, or fly toward the
The first step in traveling is deciding where you milestones and, ultimately, your destination. At the
want to go. Choose a destination. Sometimes a start of each day, you and your friends make a few
journey’s destination doesn’t reveal itself right away; decisions. Use the following procedure to determine
you could just pick a direction and go until you find what happens during the travel day.
something interesting or until you turn back the
way you came. But, it’s usually a good idea to have a Choose your Pace
sense of where you want to go before setting out. Choose a pace: cautious, normal, or hurried. The
A destination must be a place you know, shown
pace determines how many dice you roll to
on a map, known to a guide, or that can be seen. For
determine progress.
example, you could travel toward a mountain you
see in the distance, use a map to get to the spot
marked X, follow a guide through the Dark and
Determine Progress
For each day you travel, you roll dice and add them
Dreadful Forest until you come out the other side,
or head back to the village you call home. to the progress you have made so far. The number of
dice you roll depends on your pace and other
factors. When the total progress equals the
Preparation milestone score, you cross off the milestone and any
Travel can be dangerous and so the more excess progress applies to the next milestone.
preparations you make, the better off you will be.
You need food, water, and might consider tents and DICE FOR PROGRESS
bedrolls. You might also purchase steeds and a Condition Dice
Cautious 2d6
wagon, hire a guide, find a map, and so on.
Normal 3d6
Provisions reduce or eliminate the need to spend Hurried 4d6
time hunting and foraging, while steeds can speed Steeds +1d6
up the rate of travel, and wagons can carry Paths +1d6/2
additional supplies. Roads +1d6
Flying +1d6 for each point of Flier trait of slowest flier
Milestones Boat 4d6

Most times, milestones stand between the starting

point and the destination and travel requires
Complications
You might run into one or more complications as
reaching each milestone. Once you know the
you travel. The Sage checks each die rolled for
destination, work with the Sage identify the
progress and if the number rolled is less than or
milestones between and arrange them in a
sequential list. When you reach a milestone, you equal to the environment’s threat, which is a
number determined by the Sage, you suffer a
cross it off the list.
complication. The Sage determines the
complications you face, such as an ambush, loss of
To the Tomb of the Mold King supplies, inclement weather, and so on.
After discovering a map showing the way to a place called the
Tomb of the Mold King, Dani and her friends decide to travel
there. The group starts their journey in Edgewood, a large town Camping
where they have spent the last few months. Looking at a map, At the end of each travel day, you can make camp,
they see their journey takes them through the farmland around during which time you and your fellows rest and
the town, across the Plains of Pendarm, and through the
Spotted Wood until they reach a nameless village marked on
recuperate for as long as you wish.
the map. From there, the group has to travel over the Broken
Hills and then down into the Fetid Wash, a vast marshland in Forced Marching
which the Tomb supposedly stands. If you travel by any means other than by boat or
The Sage assembles a list of milestones as follows:
flying, you can choose to force march. When you
1. Farmland around Edgewood
force march, you push on through the night and
2. Plains of Pendarm starts another travel day, as described above. At the

10
end of this extra travel day, each traveler must
succeed on a Strength roll or lose Health equal to
their level (minimum 1).

11
Zones
door is in your zone or you can reach the fallen
sword.
Environments contain two or more zones. Each
zone represents a specific place inside the Exploring Zones
environment. Zones might describe a patch of field The Sage reveals pertinent information about zones
or a hilltop rising from a range of hills. They can you encounter. If you want more information about
also represent locations inside buildings such as a the zone, you need to explore it. This means you
regent’s throne room or the antechamber of a need to look around, listen, sniff the air, touch
haunted tomb. They make up spaces inside of things, and so on. The more you examine your
vehicles and, sometimes, other creatures. A ship’s surroundings, the more information the Sage
hold might be a single zone, while the gullet of a reveals until there is either nothing more of interest
deep worm contains several zones. to be revealed or you stop exploring.

Size and Shape Using Your Senses

Zones have size and shape. A zone’s size is normally Almost all creatures have similar capabilities for
confined to its boundaries, such that the walls of a perceiving their surroundings, though some have
cave, tavern, antechamber, and so on mark the keen eyesight, sharper hearing, or some other
zone’s edges. When there are no natural boundaries, enhancement of their senses. This section assumes
such as an open field or forested area, each 30-foot- that you have the normal complement of senses. If
by-30-foot-by-30-foot cube of that open space counts you have enhanced capabilities because of your
as a zone. ancestry or some other reason (such as the Keen
Vision trait of an elf or the Keen Hearing trait of a
halfling), adjust the information accordingly.
Borders and Adjacency
Zones count as being adjacent when they share a Hearing
border. The border between the zones might be Your distance from the source of a sound
open, obstructed, or closed. determines if you can hear it. You can hear a sound
An open border means you can freely move from as soft as a whisper if It comes from a source you
one border to the adjacent border. can reach. You can hear normal conversation
An obstructed border indicates that something coming from a source as far away as an adjacent
prevents movement, such as a closed door, lowered zone, and a sound as loud as a shout from up to four
gate, or partial wall. Dealing with the obstruction zones away.
might be easy—open the door, lift the gate—or Any obstacle that lies between you and the source
difficult, requiring you to make a Strength roll to of a sound reduces the range of your hearing by one
climb over the rubble or an Agility roll to squeeze zone. For example, people whispering behind a
through the crack. closed door in your zone would make no sound you
A close border only warrants mentioning since it could hear. Normal conversation through such a
marks an impassible edge. Magic or work with tools door would, however, reach you. If you listen at a
might turn a closed border into an open one. For door marking the edge of a zone, you obviously not
example, a spell might close a border with a wall of hear whispering and you might not hear sounds of
stone. Until that wall is destroyed, the border normal conversation, but you could certainly hear
remains closed. shouting.
When listening, the Sage might call for a luck roll
Range and Distance to see if you happen to listen at the right time to
Distance can be expressed in real world terms of hear something interesting or useful.
measurement or in abstract terms. Real world units
of measurement help for describing things, but the Sight
fluidity of the action make hard measurements Under normal circumstances, you need light to see.
impractical. Instead, when something is close If you have no light source nearby, you are blinded
enough for you to touch it, you can reach it or it is unless you have some exceptional way of seeing
within your reach. When something’s out of your (such as the Night Vision trait). The degrees of
reach, it’s sufficient to say that it’s somewhere in illumination are bright, dim, and faint.
your zone. If it’s further away, you describe distance Bright light originating from a point in a zone
as a number of zones. The bandit, for example, illuminates that zone and every zone adjacent to it,
stands in a thicket two zones away from your or the provided a closed border or some other obstacle
doesn’t prevent the light from spreading.

12
 Dim light illuminates only the zone in which the hidden last. If you find the secret door or the
source is located. pressure plate, they are no longer hidden from you.
Faint light illuminates a 3-foot-radius area If the enemy steps out from behind the column or
centered on the light source. you move to a position where you can see the
Seeing Outdoors: A typical creature with normal enemy, the enemy stops being hidden from you.
vision can see out to a distance of about three miles Once you have awareness of something, it cannot
in bright daylight, though atmospheric conditions normally be hidden from you unless the creature or
and obstacles in the terrain can often reduce this object moves to some place and you cannot or do
range. At night under a full moon not obscured by not observe its movement. For example, a thief
clouds, a creature can see out to half that distance. might spring out of the darkness and attack you, but
Under a moon that is less than full or is shining then sneak off to another pool of shadows and hide.
through cloud cover, a creature can see only You know the thief is somewhere nearby, but not
throughout the creature's zone, as if that zone was where, and thus the thief is hidden from you again.
dimly lit by its own light source. However, once you find the secret door, you
Seeing Light Sources: You can see a light source always know where to find that secret door provided
from almost any distance provided you have an the secret door doesn’t sprout legs and wander off.
unobstructed path to it. Also, you can usually see Typically, you cannot attack or otherwise target
some features of the zone where the source is creatures or objects hidden from you.
located. For more information on hiding and finding, see
Hide and Find under the combat rules later in this
Obscurement
chapter.
Fog, snow, heavy rain, smoke, gas, dust, and similar
environmental effects provide obscurement, which
reduces the intensity of light in the zone by one step. Knowledge
When you reduce light’s intensity, bright light Knowledge encompasses information that you have
becomes dim light, dim light becomes faint light, learned or discovered and can recall. A piece of
and faint light becomes darkness. Multiple information can be either common, uncommon,
instances of obscurement have a cumulative effect, rare, or exotic, depending on how widely known it
such that two instances obscurement reduce the is. You are assumed to have common knowledge
brightness by two steps instead of one. about most topics and uncommon knowledge
For example, a torch normally emits dim light, related to your profession.
which is enough to illuminate the zone around it. Common: Information universally known,
Fog rolls in and creates obscurement in the zone. whether instinctual or acquired, is common
While the fog lasts, the torch emits faint light while knowledge. Common knowledge enables you to
in the affected zone. Then, a spell sends shadows take care of yourself, find your way around the place
spooling into the zone, creating another instance of you live, and communicate with others. You can
obscurement to block all light. recognize symbols of the major religions and
Invisibility understand the most basic elements of their
Darkness renders creatures and objects in a zone doctrines, you know who’s in charge in your
invisible, while some spells can make a creature or community, and you know how to perform all the
object invisible for a time. usual tasks related to keeping yourself alive and
Rolls against creatures that cannot see the source well.
are made with 3 boons. Rolls against creatures or Uncommon: Knowledge that you glean from
objects that cannot be seen, but whose position is basic training and education is uncommon
generally known by other factors, are made with 3 knowledge. If you are an artisan, for Instance, the
banes. knowledge of your tools and methods is considered
Being invisible does not mean one is uncommon. Uncommon knowledge related to
automatically hidden. An invisible creature can still religion might enable you to recall detailed
make sound, retains their normal substance, weight, information about the tenets and beliefs of the
and texture. Invisible creatures displace water and major faiths and to identify the symbols that belong
vapor. Those capable of movement leave signs of to minor faiths. If you have uncommon knowledge
their passage or not as normal. about magic, you can recall information about the
names and functions of level 3 and lower spells you
Hidden see being cast or that have created persistent effects.
A secret door in a zone, a silent foe hiding behind a Similarly, you can understand magical effects
column, or a pressure plate on the floor all count as created by creatures of level 3 and lower.
being hidden. The state of being hidden persists Rare: Expertise and specialization lead to the
until the circumstances that allow the thing to be acquisition of rare knowledge. You might gain rare

13
knowledge of an academic nature from spending
years researching a particular topic such as history, Flying
theology, metaphysics, magic, or alchemy. You might You can fly only if you have the Flier trait. For more
gain rare knowledge of a practical nature from information, see the Flier trait and flying in combat.
honing your craft until you master it, enabling you
to produce wonders with your labors. Teleportation
Exotic: Few in the world have exotic knowledge Teleportation transports you, along with whatever
on a topic, because such information is often kept you are wearing and carrying, from one place to
secret, known only to those who are true masters in another in an instant. When you appear in the new
the field. Often, exotic knowledge must be won or location, you do so in the same orientation and
discovered after undergoing difficult work, making posture had when you left the previous position. So,
its acquisition a reward in its own right. if you were prone, you remain prone after
teleportation. If an effect teleports multiple targets,
Knowledge Rolls each appear in the same positions they had relative
As a rule, you either know something or you don’t, to each other before they moved. Finally, movement
but sometimes the certainty of your knowledge by teleportation does not trigger free attacks (see
might be called into question—you try to recall page $#).
information of a subject close to but not exactly in
your field of expertise or you suffer from some
mental malady such as being Intellect impaired. In Creatures
these and similar situations, the Sage might call for During adventures, you are bound to encounter
an Intellect roll, imposing 1 or more banes based on other creatures, some of whom might be friendly or
the nature of the information you hope to recall. On indifferent, and many who are unfriendly to you.
a success, the Sage reveals what you know. On a You might communicate with other creatures, either
failure, you cannot recall anything about the to befriend them, get information from them, or
subject. You can, however, try again if you perform drive them away, or you could fight them.
the education downtime activity (see chapter @). Sometimes the choice of interaction is outside your
hands. The Sage has rules for creatures you might
encounter during your adventures.
Movement
You can move by walking or running. Other modes Objects
of movement might be possible, depending on your Anything that’s not a creature counts as an object,
ancestry. When not in combat, you can move where whether it’s alive or not. This means rocks are
you wish by whatever means are available to you. If objects and so are trees, swords, vines growing on a
time or distance are important, you can walk about stone wall, and the molds staining the dungeon
30 feet per round or run 60 feet per round. This walls. Objects, unless they have the Animated
means you can walk from one zone per round to Object trait, take no actions and do not, usually,
another or run from one zone to one within two move. Objects capable of performing activities and
zones of you. moving function as creatures.
Smaller and larger creatures might move a bit Attributes: An object’s attributes reflect its
slower and a bit faster, but the differences are capabilities. An object incapable of exerting force
modest enough to have no bearing on movement lacks a Strength score. An object incapable of
rules. movement lacks an Agility score. Only rare objects
have sentience, so most objects lack Intellect and
Falls Will scores. If an object has an attribute score, it can
A fall happens whenever you drop more than a perform activities related to it. Otherwise, the object
distance you can safely jump. When you land, you lacks the means to perform these activities and has
lose 1 Health for every foot you fell. You can roll 0s in each attribute.
luck, though and you lose half as much Health on a Defense: Unless the object has some means to
success, or no Health if you roll a 20 or higher. If you avoid harm, it has a Defense of 0. An object worn or
roll a 0 or lower, you lose all your Health and die. carried uses the Defense of whatever wears or
If you fall onto a liquid surface, you ignore the carries it. Vehicles with drivers or pilots grant the
first 30 feet when calculating how much Health you objects they operate a Defense equal to half the
lose from landing after the fall. driver or pilot’s Agility score. If an object can move
under its own volition, it has a Defense score equal
to its Agility score.

14
 Health: An object has 20 Health. If it’s tiny, less impose 1 or more banes, or just render the task
than half the size of a human or smaller, it has 4 impossible.
Health. If it’s huge, it has 100 Health or more. Dropping Objects: When you drop an object
Objects might have traits to protect them from made of some hard material, the object falls and it
certain damage sources, as described below. Also, takes damage from landing and deals the same
objects might be divided into smaller parts whose damage to whatever it lands on. If an object would
destruction does not, necessarily, indicate the fall on a creature, the creature can roll luck and, on
destruction of the entire object. Destroying a section a success, the creature moves out of the path of the
of wall, for example, does not topple the whole wall. falling object and takes no damage when it lands.
Objects that lack the Animated Object trait lose
Health instead of taking damage. When an object Hazards
takes damage from a source that can harm it, reduce Zones might contain dangerous features called
the object’s Health score by the amount of damage it hazards. These features include obvious dangers
has taken. An object reduced to 0 Health is such as infestations of toxic mold, fire, caltrops
destroyed, ruined and nonfunctional. Animated scattered on a floor, poison gas, and open pits.
objects, though, take damage as creatures do.
Objects might be vulnerable or immune to Buried
certain sources of damage. A stone wall might be You become buried when something covers you and
scorched by fire, but take no real damage from it. A prevents you from moving, such as a cave-in or a
wooden wall, though, takes damage from the flames collapsing ceiling, but also when inhumed in the
and might catch fire. A glass window, being fragile, ground. If the falling debris creates a space large
takes double damage from heavy objects, whether enough to contain you, you can freely move around
they’re made of wood, stone, or metal. A cloth object in that space. Otherwise, you cannot move.
takes no damage from a blunt weapon, but takes While buried, you cannot see anything outside of
double damage from an edged weapon. the space in which you are trapped. Nothing from
In all cases, the Sage makes the final outside your space can target any part of you that is
determination using common sense to determine covered in the debris. You can hear a shouting
the outcomes. creature in your zone, but hear nothing else outside
Breaking Objects: You can break an object of the space in which you are trapped. You might be
without having to damage it, such as when you kick subject to suffocation, at the Sage’s discretion.
down a door, put your fist through a pane of glass, You might be able to dig yourself free. Doing so
or burst free from rope bonds. Breaking an object normally entails rolling Strength with 1 or more
requires a successful Strength roll. The material banes, with a success allowing you to make progress
from which the object is made might impose 1 or toward escape. Depending on the degree of
more banes or simply make the attempt impossible. coverage, you might escape after one success or
On a success, the object loses all its Health. several successes.
Secured and Unsecured: A secured object
indicates it is held fast in some way, such as being
Fire
bolted in place, tied down, or otherwise affixed to a
Fire deals 1d6 damage, once per round, to anything
surface. An unsecured object has nothing to keep it
that comes into contact with it. Flammable creatures
in place and can be picked up and moved.
and objects might catch fire from exposure to fire
Lifting, Shoving, and Dragging: You can lift,
and, if so, take 1d6 damage at the end of every round
shove, or drag unsecured objects. As a general rule,
until the fire is extinguished. The creature can drop
a creature can lift a number of pounds equal to its
prone and use an action to roll around to put out the
Strength score times 10. If you have the Huge trait,
flames or another creature can use an action to
triple this weight. If you have the Tiny trait, halve it.
smother or douse the flames.
This said, rather than track specific weights of
thing, the game relies on common sense to
determine what can moved in these ways. You could
Wind
push a wagon provided it has wheels, but if it Winds of 20 miles per hour or more produces the
doesn’t, it’s weight might mean you can’t budge it. following effects. Each round the wind blows
Similarly, you might topple a statue, but you’re not through a zone, it extinguishes unprotected flames,
likely to be able to push a wall down without serious causes protected flames, such as those inside
help. If you attempt to lift, shove, or drag a heavy lanterns, to flicker and dance. Wind clears away
object, the Sage call for a Strength roll to see if you smoke, vapor, mist, and gas, and also kicks up dust,
can. The weight and bulk of the object might while scattering small, lightweight, and unsecured
objects. Wind imposes 3 banes on rolls made to
attack with ranged weapons. It also counts as an

15
obstacle for the purpose of hearing and it fills the Common, but remains widespread language in the
zone with challenging terrain for fliers as well as ruins of that land.
those on the ground. High Archaic: Without the Church of the High
One, High Archaic would certainly have died out for
Traps it is an ancient language rooted in the Holy Empire
In addition to hazards, you might contend with consumed by the Devastation long ago. The Church
traps. A trap is a hidden mechanical object designed keeps the tongue alive in its liturgies. Outside of its
to either alert someone or slow, hinder, or harm role as a religious tongue, historians, mages, and
whatever triggers it. Finding a trap requires intellectuals study the language. Oddly, demons
searching the zone that contains it. The Sage might speak in High Archaic, if they bother to speak.
also require you to make a successful Intellect roll to Native: People living in the New Lands have a
find it when searching if there is some kind of common tongue of their own, one known as Native.
special camouflage that would prevent its detection It is the tongue spoken by indigenous folk and it
by looking at it. competes with Common.
Once found, a trap can usually be avoided. If not, Goblinese: A language foisted on the outcast
you can try to use tools to disarm it by making an faeries by their master, the Goblin King, Goblinese
Intellect roll. You might have 1 or more banes for the uses the vocabulary, grammar, and scrip of Sylvan,
roll depending on the trap’s complexity. but all jumbled up, with some words meaning
entirely different things and script aways written in

Interaction the passive tense.

Maridian: The musical tongue of the marids, the
language belongs almost exclusive to this people.
As you play the game, you interact with your fellow
players and the Sage, often outside the context of That it shares no common vocabulary, grammar, or
the game, but also during play when you portray alphabet reinforces this people’s alien nature.
your character. You can describe (as yourself ) what Runic: One of the oldest languages, it either
your character says and does if you prefer, or you comes down to the present from early kingdoms of
can speak as your character, if you’re comfortable the dwarfs, from the trolls, or some proto-society
doing so. that predates both. The language has a harsh sound
In the game, interaction is covered by rules for full of hard consonants and uses a blocky runic
languages (how characters and creatures script.
communicate), disposition (how they feel toward Sphinx: An ancient token spoken by the people of
each other), social situations (when they come the same name, its pictogrammatic writing appears
together for a purpose other than combat), and in old temples and other ruins. Few outside of the
contacts (characters who can provide aid when sphinxes use this tongue.
needed). Sylvan: The Sylvan tongue, sometimes called Fair
Speech or Elvish, originated with the faeries. Sylvan
has a musical sound and flowing script that lacks
Languages punctuation, which makes it difficult for some to
Communication between peoples requires them to master. The language remains the primary tongue
have a language in common. A great many of the faeries.
languages exist in the New Lands, with many more Triton: The Triton language has no spoken form.
prevalent in the ruins of the Old Country and the Instead, people versed in it make hand gestures that
Devastation. Most civilizations use a language that match the signs of the written form. A complex
either evolved naturally or that evolved from a language with nearly 1,000 gestures and symbols,
previous or neighboring civilization. few outside of the tritons have been able to master
Common: The Common tongue originated with a it.
seafaring people and became an important tongue Undertongue: The pictogrammatic language of
for facilitating trade. It became the dominate the ghouls sees little use outside of their
language in the Great Kingdom and it has spread to subterranean communities. To those unfamiliar
the New Lands from the lips of the refugees pouring with the language, words and phrases all have an
across the borderlands. incomprehensible hissing sound. Ghouls often etch
Old Tongue: The language of the Great pictograms into stone that can be read by feel.
Kingdom, the Old Tongue traces its roots to a
conquering people who swept into the continent Secret Languages
from across the Endless Ocean to found the Great Most secret languages belong to specialized
Kingdom. It lost prominence with the rise of organizations and secret societies who prefer to
guard their communication. Other such languages

16
have been guarded for being dangerous to learn, method to communicate your ideas. Sometimes,
either because speaking the words aloud can have this might require the creature with whom you
serious repercussions or because profane concepts communicate to make an Intellect roll to get the gist
can be communicated only in these tongues. of what you say, but simple concepts such as food,
Arcane: The principal language used for magic- water, danger, and can be readily communicable.
use, one often encounters it in magical tomes,
inscriptions, and other writings about magic. Magic-
users speak in Arcane when they cast spells. Arcane
Disposition
qualifies as a secret language, despite the many Creatures have one of three dispositions toward
people who know and use it, largely because the other creatures: friendly, indifferent, or unfriendly.
knowledge of the language comes down from Friendly: A creature acts with goodwill toward
teacher to student and the language belongs to no anyone with whom it is friendly, might aid the
specific people or culture. person, reveal information, and share confidences.
Druidic: An ancient society of thinkers, prophets, A friendly creature might be convinced to take risks
and oracles, the druids have manipulated the course for the person it likes.
of history since mankind first awakened. Druids use Indifferent: A creature has no strong feelings one
their language for magic and to invoke favor from way or another to anyone to whom it shows
the gods, but also to communicate the mysteries of indifference. An indifferent creature might be polite
their secret society. The druids consider the or rude, depending on personality, expects
teaching of the language to outsiders to be a terrible compensation for any favors, and is unlikely to offer
betrayal and put to death any who reveals its secrets assistance unless doing so advances its own
to an unauthorized student. interests. Most people are indifferent to strangers.
Elemental: Knowledge of the Elemental tongue Unfriendly: A creature dislikes or hates anyone
largely belongs to the alchemists who discovered it toward whom it is unfriendly. Such a creature will
after dealing with the elemental spirits from whom be rude, suspicious, and, maybe, combative. In any
they sometimes learn secrets. Alchemists and others event, it might not lend aid even if offered
interested in the elemental magic guard this compensation. An unfriendly creature might
language as it’s believed to contain the secret names become an active enemy.
of things.
Finger-Talk: A sign language expressed by the Changing Dispositions
movements and positions of fingers, hands, and Roleplaying and attribute rolls can change a
arms, it was invented to help the mute creature’s disposition to the better or for the worse.
communicate, but others find it useful for A change in disposition lasts until circumstances
communicating without drawing attention to would alter the creature’s perspective. You might use
themselves. magic to make an indifferent creature friendly, but
Ranger Signs: Rangers, scouts, and other that creature might become unfriendly—hostile
travelers through the wild devised a language of even—when the spell wears off.
signs and markings to communicate with other
travelers who come after them. Such signs indicate Allies and Enemies in Combat
danger, aid and comfort, different kinds of animals, In a combat scene, any character or creature actively
and safe places to make camp. Halflings use these fighting on your side is your ally, and anyone
signs to communicate with other bands when fighting against your side is your enemy. This
traveling through the wildernesss. determination is independent of the creature's
Thieves’ Cant: The Thieves’ Guild developed this normal disposition toward you, and vice versa. One
language as a means to speak freely about criminal of your allies might be indifferent or even
activities without arousing suspicious. Effectively a unfriendly toward you in everyday life, but when
form of double-speak, speckled with lingo and battle is joined, you overlook your differences and
jargon, people who understand the base language act as if you were friendly toward each other.
can understand the words but not the meaning. If an effect causes someone else to treat you as an
Either the phrase sounds like nonsense or it means ally, that character or creature will fight on your side
something other than what the speaker intends. for as long as the effect lasts even if it's not normally
friendly toward you.
Pantomime
When you try to communicate with a creature
incapable of understanding the language you use,
Social Situations
you might still be able to get the idea across. You If you try to convince someone to do something that
might use pantomime, drawings, or some other they wouldn’t ordinarily do such as divulge a secret,

17
give aid, betray a friend, accept a bribe, or Information: An information contact provides
something else along those lines, the outcome of you with information you need to complete an
your social interaction could become uncertain. As activity.
with any situation, when it’s not clear what happens Patron: A patron contact pays for you to have a
next, the rules or the Sage can call for an attribute comfortable lifestyle.
roll to see what happens. You typically make an Professional: The contact has profession useful to
Intellect roll against someone else's Intellect when you. This contact might share your profession, so
you are trying to deceive, trick, or use logic to win you can work together to do something you
over someone. You roll Will against Will when you wouldn’t be able to do alone, or could belong to an
use the force of your personality to convince, gain entirely different profession, thus opening up new
trust, or threaten someone. The Sage might let you possibilities for yourself.
substitute Strength for Will if you are using brute Resource: A resource contact provides you with a
force to back up your arguments or might have you specific kind of resource.
roll against a different attribute when it makes Security: Security contact offers you protection
sense. Boons and banes apply at the Sage’s from your enemies.
discretion or if they come from talents. Other: The Sage might provide you with other
A successful result usually means the target of kinds of contacts with specialized capabilities.
your interaction behaves in the way you wanted.
The target trusts you, accepts your bribe, or gives Nemeses
you a big discount on an item or service. A failure In addition to contacts, you might gain one or more
means you don’t get the outcome you desired. The nemeses, individuals who actively work against you.
target refuses to help you, doesn’t view you in a A nemesis typically has a type normally associated
better light, or withholds information from you. with contacts, but uses its resources to counter your
Sometimes an exceptionally good or a terrible contacts or make your tasks and activities more
outcome might have additional effects. If you get a difficult. The Sage has rules for using nemeses in
result of 20 or higher when trying to intimidate a the game.
prisoner, the character might reveal more
information than you were asking for. Or, on a result
of 0 or lower, your attempt to seduce the barman
could make him unfriendly.
Combat
When you use violence to resolve conflict or
challenges, combat begins. Since the stakes are at
Contacts the highest, combat uses special rules to track time
and to make sure everyone has a chance to
During your adventures and downtime periods you
participate. A combat lasts until one side defeats the
might make contacts of people, organizations, and
other. The defeated side might succumb to their
institutions. A contact can provide assistance to you
injuries, surrender, or flee.
in times of need. You could turn to a contact to loan
you the coin you need to save a struggling business,
to get you an audience with a local lord, or to Battlefield
provide you with room and board when you come Combat takes place on a battlefield, which includes
to town. Once you make a contact, you retain it until all the zones in the scene leading up to the combat’s
you do something to break it such as by becoming start as well as other zones that might be revealed as
involved in a scandal, betraying a contact, or the battle unfolds. The Sage determines starting
exploiting the contact too much. positions for all combatants based and notes any
The Sage might define the contact or solicit your pertinent features in the battlefield’s zones that
help in building the contact’s identity. could play a part in determining the battle’s
outcome.
Contact Types and Benefits
Contacts have different functions and capabilities, Engagement
as shown below. When two or more opponents can reach each other,
Financial: A financial contact can give you a loan they count as being engaged or involved in an
or help you pay off your debts. engagement. Any creature that moves to reach an
Influence: An influence contact can make engagement joins the engagement. A creature can
introductions, open doors, and pressure people to move out of an engagement, but risks provoking a
do what you want them to do. free attack.

18
 Gregor Engages the Enemy
Greg’s character, Gregor, moves to engage the barbarian. The End of the Round
two can now reach one another. They remain engaged until one Certain effects occur or are resolved at the end of
moves away or one becomes incapacitated. Later in the same
the round, after all combatants have had a chance to
round, Christi’s character, Bogwon, moves into engagement
with these two and is considered engaged with Gregor and the take a turn. First, the Sage tends to any characters
barbarian. and creatures not controlled by the players, in any
order the Sage desires, resolving any effect that
normally occurs, starts, or ends at the end of the
Rounds in Combat round. Then, the players do the same for their
Combat unfolds in rounds. Each round, everyone characters, after which the action continues with
involved in the combat takes a turn. Once each the start of another round.
combatant has taken a turn, the round ends and a
new one begins. The cycle continues until the Companions in Combat
combat ends. In combat, companions count as a player for the purposes of
when they take their turns. You can order a companion to take
Turns the initiative or not, but regardless of at what point the
companion takes a turn, it does so last, after all of the other
Each combatant takes a turn during the round. A player characters have taken their turns. If there are multiple
combatant can usually move and use an action to companions, they take their turns in whatever order the players
perform an activity. You can move and then use an choose. Typically, companions can make use of the move
action or use an action and then move. In addition, options and activities described here. The Sage might disallow
you might act out of your turn by using a reaction to some using common sense.
do so. See "Using Reactions" below for more
information.
End of Your Turn: An effect might begin or end
Moves
When you move on your turn, you can choose one
at the end of your turn (after you have had an
of the basic means of locomotion described below.
opportunity to move and use an action). If multiple
Other options for movement might be available to
effects begin or end at the end of your turn, you
you from talents, spells, and other effects.
must resolve harmful effects first, in any order you
choose, and then other effects, again, in any order
you choose. Walk
You move at a walking pace to a location in your
Turn Order zone or an adjacent zone. Typically, you can move
Each round, all the combatants under the Sage’s about 30 feet by walking on your turn.
control take their turns first, acting in any order the
Sage chooses. Each combatant must complete its Run
turn before another can take its turn. The Sage can You move at a running pace to a location in your
change the order in which these combatants resolve zone or a location within two zones of you.
their turn each round. Typically, you can move about 90 feet by running on
Once all combatants under the Sage’s control your turn. If you move by running, you make
have taken their turns, the players can take their attribute rolls with 1 bane until the end of your next
turns. Players can declare they are taking their turns turn, and you impose 1 bane on rolls made to attack
in any order they like each round. Once a player you for the same length of time.
declares they are taking their turn, the others
players must wait until the acting player finishes Crawl
their turn. If two players would act at the same time, If you are prone, you can reach a different location
and cannot decide who goes first, the Sage decides in your zone by crawling. If you crawl a second time,
for them. you can move into an adjacent zone. Typically, you
Taking the Initiative can move about 15 feet by crawling on your turn.
If you’re aware of the enemies when a new round
starts, you can choose to take the initiative and act Sneak
before your enemies do during that round. To do so, When you move by sneaking, you walk or crawl
you must give up a move or an action on your turn. slowly in a way that makes little sound. You can
If you and other allies all take the initiative, you sneak halfway across current zone, a distance of
decide among yourself who goes first as normal, or about 15 feet) if you're walking or a quarter of that
the Sage does if no one can decide. distance if you’re crawling. If you sneak a second
time, you can move into an adjacent zone.

19
 Noisy Surfaces: Broken glass, gravel, twigs, dry jump a great distance, say to reach a ledge far over
leaves, and the like all make noise when you step on your head, or across a wide chasm, the Sage might
them. If the area you want to sneak through has call for a Strength roll to determine if you reach the
such a surface, you must make an Agility roll. On a ledge or safety.
success, you reduce the sound of your movement to
a whisper. Squeezing
This rule also applies if you're wearing armor that You can move through a tight space by squeezing.
makes noise when you move, or if your footwear The space must be at least twice as wide as the
makes noise whenever you don't tread carefully (for diameter of your head. While squeezing, you move
instance, when your hard-soled boots make contact at half your normal speed and you cannot dodge.
with a stone floor). You might be able to squeeze through tighter spaces
with a successful Agility roll.
Fly
If you have the Flier trait, you can move by flying, Swimming
up to a number of zones indicated by the value of You can swim in just about any liquid, though
the trait (Flier 1, Flier 2, and so forth). While you are swimming in acid or toxic goo is never a good idea.
flying, you must use a move each round to continue You can swim about 20 feet per round. In rough
flying, or you fall. When you use a move, you can conditions, you might have to roll Strength with 1
either fly in place or move in a direction of your bane or more. On a failure, you make no progress
choice. and on a 0 or lower you sink beneath the surface
If you become prone while flying, you and face suffocation.
immediately fall a distance of one zone. If you don’t
hit a solid surface and you are not immobilized, Riding
stunned, or unconscious, you then make a luck roll. You can ride on any creature that is larger than you
On a success, you are no longer prone and can and is willing to bear you as a rider. The ridden
continue to be airborne. On a failure, you fall a creature becomes your mount. A trained steed
distance of one more zone. Repeat this process until moves as you direct it, while an independent mount
either you hit something, and suffer the can move in whatever manner it wishes. In any
consequences of the fall, or you succeed on a luck event, you take full advantage of the mount’s
roll. movement traits, if it has any.
In combat, special rules apply. For more
Special Forms of Movement information, see "Mounted Combat."
You can also climb, jump, swim, ride a steed, or
drive a vehicle. Sometimes you’ll use these special Vehicles
forms of movement as part of other movement. For The smallest vehicles are single zones, each one
example, you might walk up a wall and start capable of moving or being moved. Carts, wagons,
climbing or leap over a hazard while running. Rules carriages, and small boats, which have a limited
for these forms of movement follow. capacity for carrying passengers and cargo, fall into
this category. Other, larger vehicles might be large
Climbing enough to contain multiple zones. You can easily
You can climb about 15 feet per round provided you move aboard or disembark from a stationary
climb a surface that offers you handholds and vehicle, and you can move around while aboard if
footholds. Example surfaces include ladder, walls its size permits. If a vehicle is moving when you try
studded with pitons, a knotted rope, or a steep to board it or leave It, the Sage might call for a
staircase. For more difficult surfaces, you might Strength roll or Agility roll, with a failure resulting
have to make a Strength roll with 1 or more banes (at In a fall and damage (see "Falls" above).
the Sage's discretion) to see if you make progress up, Driving and Piloting: A vehicle, whether moving
down, or across the surface. Climbing imposes 1 or stationary, is either controlled or uncontrolled. In
bane on rolls you make to perform activities other a controlled vehicle, someone is in a position on or
than moving. inside the vehicle from where it can be driven or
If you roll a 0 or lower on a roll made to climb, piloted. Controlling a vehicle in motion requires the
you slip and fall. If you are harmed while climbing, driver or pilot to use an action to cause the vehicle
you must succeed on a Strength roll or fall. (or the creatures responsible for drawing It) to move
as the controller directs. If the Sage decides a roll is
Jumping required to operate the vehicle, you might use
You can jump up, across, or down as part of your Strength or Agility.
movement without needing to roll. If you would

20
 An uncontrolled vehicle is usually stationary. If a Being Moved
vehicle becomes uncontrolled while moving, it stops An effect that would move you moves you in the
eventually when it encounters sufficient resistance. direction and distance indicated until you
A sailboat that loses its pilot might drift with the encounter an obstacle that would prevent you from
wind and the current until it runs aground or movement. If being moved would move you into
crashes into some rocks. peril, such as over the edge of a cliff or into a fire,
Movement: A vehicle can move if it has you can roll luck and, on a successful roll, you fall
something to propel it, such as creatures to pull it, prone at the edge of the danger.
winds to push it, or fuel for its motor. Once in Being moved does not trigger free attack.
motion, a vehicle can maintain a certain speed, slow
down, or speed up, as dictated by its controller. Challenging Terrain
Collisions: A collision occurs when a vehicle's Challenging terrain includes rubble, ice, grease, and
movement brings it into contact with a creature or other difficult surfaces. Challenging terrain can
an object. If the creature or object is smaller than cover one or more surfaces in a zone, such as a wall
the vehicle, the vehicle slows down but continues and floor, or might be an area inside a zone, such as
moving. If the creature or object is the same size as a steep staircase or rubble pile. Challenging terrain
the vehicle or larger, the vehicle stops moving. counts as an extra zone, but only for the purpose of
When a collision occurs, the vehicle, its movement across it and thus range is not usually
occupants, and whatever was hit take damage if the affected.
vehicle is moving at speeds of 10 miles per hour or For example, if you would cross the rubble
faster. When the collision occurs, the object struck covering the floor of a zone, you would have to walk
takes damage equal to half the speed at which the twice to get to the other side or risk running across
vehicle is moving. The vehicle takes half this the terrain (see below), If a staircase in your zone
damage if it continues moving or twice this damage ascends to another zone, you could walk to the stairs
if it stops. Anyone inside of a vehicle that has and then climb the steps as a separate move.
stopped from a collision must roll luck, taking the Normally, challenging terrain covers the walls and
same damage as taken by the vehicle on a failure, ground, but strong winds and turbulent waters
half this damage on a success, or no damage on a might count as challenging terrain to fliers and
roll of 20 or higher. swimmers, respectively.
The Sage might decide there are other If you try to run across challenging terrain, you
consequences from a collision—occupants might be must roll Agility, possibly with 1 bane or more. On a
thrown from the vehicle, fall off the vehicle, or failure, you fall prone somewhere in the zone.
become trapped inside. .

Other Uses for Moves Use an Action

In addition to the standard uses for movement You use an action to perform one activity. An activity
described above, you might use moves for other could be making an attack, casting a spell, helping
things. Some examples follow. an ally perform an activity, and so on. The most
Stand Up: If you are prone, by choice or common activities are presented here.
otherwise, you use a move to stand up.
Mount and Dismount: You use to a move to ATTACK
climb onto the back (or elsewhere) of as friendly Effect You use a weapon, a natural weapon, or an
mount or off it. You can combine mount with a run, unarmed strike against a target. See Making Attacks,
but you move half as far as you normally can before below, for more information.
mounting.
Take Control of a Vehicle: If you are on or CAST A SPELL
Effect You cast a spell you have learned, that you read
adjacent to a vehicle that isn’t controlled, you can from an inscription, or from an object that contains the
use your move to take a position that gives you spell. For the spell to take effect, you must speak,
control of the vehicle. gesture, and expend the casting. You then resolve the
spell’s effects as explained in its description. Simply
Movement Complications follow the instructions. If you would target something
other than yourself with a spell, refer to the targeting
Several complications might restrict your rules described under Attacking.
movement. For more information about casting spells from
inscriptions, see Casting Spells below.

DEFEND

21
Effect Until the start of your next turn, you impose 2 Example 2: Boris darts across the open door to move to a
banes on rolls against you, but you make rolls against different hiding place, one that happens to be on the other side
other creatures with 2 banes. If you become dazed, of the door. Since Boris is moving from one hiding place to
stunned, or unconscious, this effect ends. another and no one is observing him, he could reach the new
place without trouble. However, the Sage decides one of the
DISARM guards (a speaker) happens to be facing the open door, and so
calls for Chris to roll luck. Chris gets a success and the guard
Requirement You must be wielding a melee weapon.
looks away just as Chris sneaks past the open door.
Target One creature in reach
Example 3: Later, Boris’s companions get into a fight with
Roll Strength or Agility with 1 bane against Defense
the guards. At the start of combat, Boris is hidden from the
Success The target drops one object it holds in its hands.
enemies and so, when he takes his turn, he springs out of hiding
20+ If you have a hand free, you can snatch the object and attacks. The next round, the surviving guards are aware of
out of the air. Boris, so Boris cannot hide from them until he moves
Failure You grant the target 1 boon on rolls against you somewhere that they cannot see him and then sneaks off so
until the start of your next turn. that can no longer observe him.

FIND HINDER
Target Your zone Target One creature in your zone
Effect You search the target zone for a hidden creature, Effect You impose 1 bane on the next attribute roll made
object, or some other feature. If it’s there and you can by the target before the start of your next turn.
perceive it, you find it.
INTERACT
HELP Target One creature in reach
Target One creature in your zone Effect You interact with the target—you pick something
Effect You grant the target 1 boon on the next attribute it off the ground, kick in a locked door, light a torch, or
makes before the start of your next turn. open a lock. The Sage determines if an attribute roll is
required.
HIDE
Requirement You must have a hiding place, which can be OVERCOME
any space where others cannot perceive you such as Requirement You must be frightened, have an affliction
under a bed, inside a wardrobe, or behind a boulder. other than the cursed affliction, or be suffering some
Effect You become hidden from creatures not observing ongoing effect.
you. A creature that watches, hears, or is otherwise Roll Attribute determined by the Sage. Guidance for
aware of you counts as observing you. A creature that which attribute might apply follow.
has no idea you are present in a zone, even its own
zone, or suspects you might be but has no evidence • Roll Strength to remove the immobilized affliction from
from its senses to confirm or deny this doesn’t count as yourself or to fight against toxins coursing through your
observing you. body.
Nothing from which you are hidden can target you • Roll Agility to put out flames, wriggle free from
with attacks, spells, or other effects. You also count as bindings, or regain your feet.
being invisible for the purpose of attacking a target • Roll Intellect to see through illusions, to free your mind
from which you are hidden. from delusions or false emotions, and anything else
If the hiding place can no longer hide your or you do that could be overcome using logic and reason.
something to reveal your position such as by making a • Roll Will to stop being frightened, to break another’s
loud noise or attacking, the effect ends in regard to control over you, and overcome any other effect using
creatures who observe you. sheer willpower.
Special If you’re hidden in a hiding place and move to a
different one, you can remain hidden provided no one Success You stop being frightened, remove the affliction,
is observing you when you move. If potential observers or end the effect.
are not looking your way when you move, you might
have to sneak from one hiding place to another.
PREPARE
Effect You wait for the right moment to act. Choose one
activity you would normally use an action to perform,
Hiding Examples such as attack or defend and then describe what event
Many talents, spells, and other effects depend on being hidden has to occur for you to undertake it. If the triggering
and interact with the rules for hiding, sneaking, and the like. event occurs before you take your next turn, you use a
Here are some examples to help you put these rules into reaction to perform the activity. You make any roll
practice.
required by the triggered activity with 1 boon.
Example 1: Chris’s character, Boris, sneaks down a
passageway and comes to an open door. From the opening,
Boris hears several raised voices. The Sage rules that Boris is RETREAT
hidden from the guards since Boris has a hiding place (the Requirement You must be engaged with at least one
corridor) and the voices’ owners are not aware of him (their enemy and not on challenging terrain.
own conversation is louder than Boris’s sneaking footsteps).

22
Effect You end engagement with all enemies and move a Generally, you can perform two minor activities
few feet away from them. on your turn per round, or one if you take the
initiative. If you attempt to perform multiple minor
RUSH activities, the Sage might require you to use an
Effect You can move one additional time. action to perform them all.
You can perform a minor activity at any point
STABILIZE during your turn.
Target One incapacitated creature in reach
Effect The target heals 1 damage.
Using Reactions
STEAL You can use a reaction once each round to perform
Requirement You must have one hand free one of the following special activities. Each activity
Target One object you can see carried by a creature in includes a trigger, which describes the event that
reach and that is not carried in the creature’s hands
Roll Agility against Agility; if you are hidden from the
has to occur in order to use the reaction. In addition
target, you make the roll with 1 boon to the options presented below, you might use
Success You take the target object. talents and cast spells using reactions as noted in
their descriptions.
THROW Unless the trigger says otherwise, you resolve the
Requirement You must be holding something in one use of the reaction before any dice are rolled.
hand or both hands
Target One creature, object, or space in an adjacent or DODGE
closer zone Trigger You would make an Agility roll to avoid an effect
Effect You throw the object you are holding. If you are or mitigate a harmful effect.
throwing a weapon, resolve this activity as if you were Effect You make the roll with 1 boon.
making a ranged attack.
Roll Strength against Agility
Success The thrown object hits the target, with the effects
DROP PRONE
Trigger At any time.
determined by the object thrown. For acid, oil, and
Effect You fall to the surface below you. Until you stand
similar objects, see their descriptions in Chapter @:
up, you impose 1 bane on rolls made to attack you with
Equipment.
Failure The object misses and lands 1d6 feet away from ranged weapons from outside your zone and grant 1
boon on rolls made to attack you using melee weapons.
the target—behind it if you rolled an even number, or
in front of the target if you rolled an odd number.
WITHSTAND
USE AN ITEM Trigger You would make a Strength roll to avoid an effect
or mitigate a harmful effect.
Effect You use an item that you wield such as a gadget,
Effect You make the roll with 1 boon.
trinket, or piece of gear. The item tells you what
happens as a result. Some items can be used without
having to use an action—a use might count as a minor FREE ATTACK
activity, for example. Requirement You are wielding a melee weapon.
Trigger An effect instructs you to make a free attack, an
DO SOMETHING ELSE enemy leaves your engagement without first using an
action to retreat, or an enemy you have engaged makes
Effect The activities described above represent the most
common performed in combat, but they are not a ranged attack or casts a spell.
Target The triggering enemy
exhaustive. You might, for example, attempt to taunt an
Roll Strength against Defense
enemy into attacking you or issue a nasty threat to
demoralize your foes or yank down a tapestry to cover Success The target takes 1d6 damage or the damage dealt
by the weapon if less than 1d6.
your opponents. It falls to the Sage to interpret how to
resolve these activities, but they involve, typically,
making an attribute roll or enabling targets to make an
attribute or luck roll.
Making Attacks
You make an attack whenever you would physically
harm a creature or object. Normally, you use a
Minor Activities weapon to attack, but you might also use a natural
Activities that use an action require significant effort weapon if you have one, an unarmed attack, or an
and attention, which is why they take up most of object you hold in your hands. An attack made in a
your turn. Some activities you perform take a mere round represents you best chance to land a telling
fraction of the effort. Some examples include blow against the target you choose.
dropping something you hold in your hands,
drawing a weapon from a scabbard, opening an
unlocked door, and so on.

23
Weapon Attacks Effect Spend 1 Attack Die and make a melee attack or an
unarmed attack. Until the start of your next turn, you
If you hold a weapon in your hand or hands, you impose 1 bane on rolls made by the target to attack you.
can attack with it. The weapon entries in Chapter @: If you are wielding a shield, the number of banes
Equipment tell you how to resolve attacks using increase to 2. This effect ends immediately if you
weapons, but they all use the following format. become dazed, stunned, or unconscious.

WEAPON HIT AND RUN ATTACK

Property, Property Effect Spend 1 Attack Dice and make a melee attack,
Requirement Any requirement for wielding the weapon. ranged attack, or unarmed attack. After the attack, you
If the weapon lacks a requirement, this entry is absent. gain a move, which you must use immediately or it’s
Special Any special rules related to using the weapon. If lost.
the weapon lacks any special rules, this entry is absent.
Target What you can target with your attack. LUNGING ATTACK
Roll The attribute you use for your roll and the target Effect Spend 1 Attack Die and make a melee attack
number you roll against, such as Strength against against one target in your zone that’s outside your
Defense. reach. The target does not become engaged with you.
Success What happens when you succeed on the roll.
20+ If the total of your roll is 20 or higher and succeed,
you attack might have an additional effect. If not, this OFF-HAND ATTACK
entry is absent. Requirement You wield two weapons and one of them
Failure What happens when you fail the roll. If nothing has the off-hand property.
happens, this entry is absent. Effect Spend 1 Attack Die and make two attacks, one with
each weapon you wield, dividing remaining Attack Dice
Attack Dice between them.
Your paths grant Attack Dice. You spend Attack Dice
to improve attacks, either by making use of options UNBALANCING ATTACK
available in the weapon or from using attack Effect Spend 1 Attack Die and make a melee or unarmed
attack. On a success, the target must succeed on an
maneuvers. You must spend Attack Dice before you Agility roll or fall prone. A huge target is affected by
roll for the attack. this maneuver only If you also have the Huge trait.

Echo Swings a Sword Natural Weapons

Justin plays Echo, a level 2 human warrior with 2 Attack Dice.
Justin takes his turn and uses an action to make a melee attack Some ancestries grant natural weapons, such as
using his sword against the bandit he’s fighting. He succeeds on claws and teeth. A natural weapon is part of your
the roll and he spends Attack Dice to deal 1d6 extra damage per body and thus you count as being always armed.
Attack Die spent for a total of 2d6 extra damage. The natural weapons granted by a talent include all
the rules for using it.
Attack Maneuvers
Attack maneuvers offer ways to produce effects Unarmed Attacks
beyond damage. You might lunge at a foe out of If you lack weapons, you can always attempt an
your reach or strike the foe to send it sprawling. unarmed attack to punch, elbow, kick, or headbutt a
Whenever you make an attack, you can choose to target. Common unarmed attacks follow.
perform a maneuver by spending Attack Dice as
noted in the maneuver’s description. You can UNARMED STRIKE MELEE
perform just one maneuver per attack. Special You can use a reaction and spend 1 Attack Die to
make an unarmed strike on your turn.
DRIVING ATTACK Target One creature or object in reach.
Effect Spend 1 Attack Die and make a melee attack or Roll Strength against Defense
unarmed attack. On a success, you move the target to a Success The target takes damage equal to your Strength
different place in your zone and you can move with it to modifier (minimum 1).
stay engaged. A huge target is affected by this maneuver
only if you also have the Huge trait. SHOVE MELEE
Target One creature or unsecured object in reach
FAR ATTACK Roll Strength against Agility; you make the roll with 1
Effect Spend 1 Attack Die to increase the range of your bane if the target is huge and you are not or if you are
ranged weapon by two until the end of the round. tiny and the target is not; if you ran before you shove,
you make the roll with 1 boon, which negates the bane
GUARDED ATTACK for running.
Success You push the target out of reach.

24
 20+ The target falls prone. Attack Modifiers
Attack modifiers reflect the various circumstances
TACKLE MELEE that make attacking harder or easier. The Sage
Requirement You have both hands free. might also grant boons and impose banes
Target One creature or unsecured object
Roll Strength against Strength; you make the roll with 1
depending on other circumstances.
bane if the target is huge and you are not or if you are
tiny and the target is not; if you ran before you make a Surrounded Target
tackle, you make the roll with 2 boons. When you attack a target engaged with two or more
Success You and the target fall prone. enemies and that has no allies in its reach, you make
Failure You fall prone. the roll against the target with 1 boon.

GRAB MELEE High Ground

Requirement You have a hand free. You make a roll to attack an enemy with a weapon
Target One creature or object in reach. with 1 boon when you attack from above, such as
Roll Strength against Agility; you succeed automatically from the back of a steed or on a higher step of a
against an immobilized target; you make the roll with 1
bane against a tiny target if you yourself lack this trait.
staircase.
Success If you are huge or the target is not huge, the target
becomes immobilized until the end of your next turn. Poor Visual Conditions
Otherwise, when the target moves, you can choose to Falling rain and snow, smoke, and other
move with it or end the effect. The effect also ends if atmospheric conditions impose 1 or more banes on
you can no longer reach the target, or you become rolls against targets you can see.
dazed, stunned, or unconscious.
Invisible Targets
DRAG MELEE If you can’t see the target, but have a general idea
Target One creature or object you have grabbed (see about the target’s location, you make the roll with 3
Grab). banes.
Roll Strength against Strength; you make the roll with 1
bane against a huge target if you are not huge.
Success You and the target move to any space within one Covered Targets
zone. A target positioned behind an obstacle imposes 1
bane on rolls against its Defense and Agility, and
WRESTLE MELEE makes Agility rolls to avoid harmful effects with 1
Target One creature you have grabbed (see Grab). boon.
Roll Strength or Agility against the higher of Strength or If a target is fully behind an obstacle, you cannot
Agility; you make the roll with 1 bane against a huge target it with an attack or an effect unless the effect
target if you are not huge; you make the roll with 1 boon says otherwise. Instead, attacks against the target
against a tiny target if you yourself lack this trait. strike the obstacle. If the covering object is
Success The target becomes immobilized until the end of destroyed by damage, any excess damage applies to
your next turn or until you can no longer reach the whatever is behind and in reach of it. For example,
target, or until you become dazed, stunned, or
you fire a crossbow at a curtain behind which you
unconscious. In addition, apply one of the following
effects to the target: rightly suspect hides an assassin. If the damage
from your attack punches through the curtain and
• The target takes damage equal to your Strength he excess damage then applies to the assassin.
modifier (minimum 1).
• The target becomes weakened until the end of your Friendly Fire
next turn. When you make a ranged attack against a target
engaged with one or more of your allies, you risk
striking an unintended target. For each ally engaged
Unarmed Attacks against Objects
Some objects might be immune to unarmed attacks at the
with the target, you make the roll with 1 bane. If you
Sage’s discretion. Shoving a secured column likely has no effect fail the roll and the total of your roll is 0 or lower,
and punching an iron wall is not going to do anything more than you strike an ally of the Sage’s choice instead.
hurt yourself. The Sage might disallow unarmed attacks against
objects and animated objects or impose 1 bane or more on rolls Called Sh0ts
against them. Furthermore, such attacks could have harmful When you would strike a target, you can aim for a
consequences for the attacker.
particular part of the target’s body. Doing so
imposes 1 bane on your roll, but if you succeed, the
target becomes impaired until you take your next

25
turn. The attribute impaired depends on the strike. reach of your mount if no space has been
If you aim for a vital organ, the target might become designated. On a failure, you and your mount fall
Strength impaired. If you aim for a wing or limb, the prone and you must succeed on an Agility roll or the
target might become Agility impaired. If you aim for mount falls on you, which causes you to take 2d6
the head, the target could be Intellect impaired. damage and become immobilized by the mount’s
Generally, you cannot cause a target to become Will body until it stands up or is moved off you. You can
impaired with a called shot. attempt to wriggle free with a successful Strength or
Agility roll made with 1 bane.
Improvised Weapons
If you’re holding an object made of some hard or
sharp material such as a frying pan or a broken
Casting Spells
bottle, you can attack with the object as if it were a You can cast any spell you have learned or in written
weapon, but you make a Strength roll to attack with form as an inscription once and then the spell is
it and do so with 1 bane. If the total of your roll is lost. You replenish castings of spells you have
less than 0 or greater than 19, the object breaks. A learned when rest for 8 hours.
success with an attack made using an improvised
weapon deals 1d6 damage. NAME LEVEL #
This entry tells you the name by which the spell is
commonly known and its level.
Mounted Combat
You can ride any creature that has the Mount trait Special A description of special information related to the
and that is willing to bear you as a rider. If you spell.
would ride a different creature, you must first grab it
before you can mount it and then you must use an Extra Castings Some spells grant you additional
action on each of your turns to hold onto the castings or, even, unlimited castings. For spells that
creature you would ride or fall off. In combat, riding have unlimited castings, you can cast them over and
a mount uses the following special rules. over, but, if an effect would have you expend a
Defense: You use the lower of your Defense score casting, you can expend a casting of this spell, but
and that of your mount. you then cannot cast this spell again until you
Health: Add half the mount’s Health as a bonus to normally regain expended castings.
your Health. If you become incapacitated while on Requirements You must meet all the
the mount, you fall off the mount. When you stop requirements in order to spend the casting. If not,
being mounted, divide the damage total and the lost this entry is absent.
Health between you and the mount. Reactions Some spells let you use a reaction to
Attributes: When you make an attribute roll, you cast them under specific conditions. If not, this
use the higher score between you and your mount. entry is absent.
Similarly, when an enemy rolls against one of your
attribute scores, you use the higher of your and your Target What the spell can affect.
mount’s scores. Unless the spell says otherwise, you must be able to
Traits: You benefit from any traits the mount see a target and be able to draw a line between
possesses. yourself and it. In other words, you need an
Weapons: Creatures that have the Mount trait unobstructed path between you and the target.
also grant you access to their weapons, which use Spells tend not to move around corners and other
the following rules regardless of the mount. obstacles unless the effect says otherwise
If the spell would affect only you, the range line is
MOUNT WEAPON MELEE absent.
Special If you attack, you can spend 1 Attack Die and use a # Creatures and/or Objects: The spell targets up
reaction to attack with this weapon at any point before to the listed number of creatures, objects, or
the end of your turn. creatures and objects. You can always choose fewer
Target One creature or object in reach targets than the spell allows. Also, if a spell would
Roll Strength against Defense target a creature and you are a creature, you can
Success 1d6 damage plus 1d6 damage per 2 Attack Dice
you spend. target yourself with the spell.
A spell might specify allies or enemies, in which
Prone and Falls: If an effect would knock you case the spell can affect only your allies or your
prone while you ride a mount, roll luck. On a enemies. You count as your own ally.
success, you fall off the mount and land prone in an Spaces: The spell targets a space inside a zone.
empty spaced designated by the effect or within The spell effect always conforms to the available
space. For example, if you cast a spell that would

26
affect a 20-foot-wide area in a 7-foot-wide corridor, castings, increase damage, range, or do something
the area affected is just as wide as the corridor and else. Once you reach the indicated level, you benefit
no wider. from the improvement from that point forward.
Zones: The spell targets one or more zones. If the
target line instructs you to choose contiguous zones,
each target zone must share a border with at least
Combat Developments
one other target zone. Although many combats take place in stable
environments between you and your foes, situations
Effect A description of what happens when you cast the might arise that can tip the scales in your favor or
spell. against you.
The effect has a duration, which is how long the
spell lasts. A spell might last until the start or end of Zone Features
your next turn, 1 minute, 1 hour, or longer. Many Many zones include features with which you can
spells are instantaneous, in that they end once you interact. Doors can be opened and closed, tables
resolve their effects, while some spells might have flipped to provide cover, and curtains can be pulled
permanent effects. Finally, many spells have down to briefly tangle up enemies. Using zone
durations expressed as (luck ends). See page $# for features in creative ways can give you and your
details how this works. friends an edge against difficult opponents.
Rolls: Some spells allow targets to mitigate their
effects with a successful rolls as noted in their Hidden Features
descriptions.
As mentioned previously, many zones have hidden
Roll Attribute against Defense/Attribute
features that must be discovered by searching or
If the spell does not require an attribute roll, this stumbling across them. A hidden door could
line is absent. provide you with an escape route from an
Sometimes, the roll line includes additional unwinnable fight, while stepping on a pressure plate
information, such as granting 1 or more boons on might send a barrage of arrows through the room, a
the roll. pit to open under you, or an alarm to sound that
If a spell has multiple targets and calls for a roll, alerts other nearby foes. Hidden features that rely
you make the roll for each target separately. on being triggered take effect immediately when
Cover: Cover applies when an obstacle partly triggered and their ongoing effects, if any, resolve at
blocks the path between the source of the spell the round’s end when the Sage resolves end of
effect and the target and only if you are rolling round effects.
against a target’s Defense or Agility.
Changing Circumstances
Success What happens on a success A fiery blast might dispatch a band of goblins, but it
For spells that deal damage, you roll the damage could also set fire to everything in the room.
separately for each target. If the damage source Booming thunder might cause an unstable ceiling
becomes important, such as cold or fire or thunder, to start falling in and shattering a wall with
you can derive the source of the damage from the tremendous force could cause it to crumble and
spell description. release the waters it held back. Sometimes your
Nested Durations: Sometimes, an effect created activities can have unexpected consequences that
by a success or failure lasts for a period of time. might aid you or make things worse.
Such durations follow the normal rules concerning
durations. Reinforcements
The sounds of combat might draw reinforcements
20+ What happens if the total of your roll is 20 or or other enemies into the battle, causing more foes
higher
to appear at the round’s end. The Sage places new
If a spell does not have an additional effect for a combatants on the revealed zone from the greatest
result of 20 or higher, this line is absent.
concentration of combatants in the direction from
Failure What happens, if anything, on a failure
which they come.
This line is absent if a failure produces no effect.
Chases
Level-Based Improvements You or your enemies might try to run away.
Level 1/2, 1, 2, and 3 spells have improved effects Assuming no one follows, the fleeing party escapes.
when you reach levels 3, 5, 7, and 9 respectively. If one or more creatures take off after them, a chase
These improved effects might grant additional begins between the pursued and their pursuers.

27
 When a chase begins, the Sage decides how much pursuers lose track of the pursued, give up, or do
of a lead the pursued have on the pursuers. The lead something else.
is measured in zones, and each round the pursued
spent fleeing adds 1 to the lead. So if the pursued
fled 2 rounds before the pursuers follow, the lead
becomes 2, for example. The pursued, then, try to
increase the lead, while the pursuers work to lessen
it. The pursuers can abandon the chase at any time,
at which point the chase ends.
Like combat, the chase takes place over a series of
rounds. Unlike combat, the pursued take their turns
and then the pursuers take their turns. The round
ends and a new round begins until the chase ends.

Pursued Turns
Every creature in the group being chased in the
group is assumed to be running (see Run on page
$@). Each running creature rolls Agility. If half or
more succeed, the lead increases by 1. If fewer than
half succeed, the lead is unchanged. A pursued
creature can do something else such as cast a spell
or hide, but that creature leaves the group of
pursued. In addition, creatures in this group might
split up into smaller groups or as individuals. Those
not pursued get away.

Pursuers Turn
Each group chasing the fleeing creature is also
assumed to be running and each rolls Agility. If half
or more succeed, the lead decreases by 1 and
nothing happens if more than half fail. During the
chase, individual pursuers might split off to chase
creatures that have gone off in a different direction,
in which case the Sage treats these as separate
chases. Finally, the pursuers can also take other
actions—attacking, casting a spell, or something
else, but this usually means the creature falls
behind.

Chase Complications
The chase takes the pursued and the pursuers
through zones, which might introduce
complications as the fleeing creatures might
scramble over rubble, leap over pits, or lead the
pursuers into dangerous places. Some challenges
might require an attribute or a luck roll to continue
to give chase at the Sage’s discretion.

Extended Chases
If a chase goes on for one minute or longer,
participants must roll Strength at the round’s end.
On a failure, the participant becomes Agility
impaired until the chase ends.

Ending the Chase

The chase ends when the lead drops to 0, in which
case the pursuers catch up with the pursued, or the

28