Rite Publishing Presents

Lords of Gossamer And Shadow

Author: Jason Durall

This work is dedicated to many folks, to the wonderful patrons who made it possible, and to the memories of Erick Wujcik and Roger Zelazny. Additional thanks go to my wife and daughter for their love and support; to Steve Russell for his persistence and patience; to Eric Todd and Edwin Voskamp of Diceless by Design; to the Zelazny Estate; to the authors listed at the end of the book for their creative inspiration; and to the Amber community for keeping the flame alive these many years. Additionally, an immense debt of gratitude goes to Kit Kindred who served as an invaluable aid, informal editor, and sounding board throughout the writing of this manuscript. Special thanks to our patrons: [insert patron names here!]

Consulting Developer: Editor: Cover Artist: Interior Artists: Cartography: Cover Layout Artist: Interior Layout Artist: Trade Dress Graphic Designer: Powered by Erick Wujciks Diceless Roleplaying Logo: Publisher: Dedications:
Perry Grosshans Jason Rainville Jason Rainville Jonathan Roberts Marie Small Steven D. Russell

Christopher Kit Kindred

James Devin Night Hazelett

James Devin Night Hazelett Claudia Burgos

Lords of Gossamer and Shadow Copyright 2012-2013 Steven D. Russell All rights reserved. Erick Wujciks Diceless Role-Playing and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Diceless by Design Publishing, LLC, and are used under license. See http://Rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=1447 for more information on Erick Wujciks Diceless Role-Playing.

Early concept art.

Introduction
Lords of Gossamer & Shadow is a new diceless role-playing game based on the system presented in Amber Diceless RolePlaying (1991), written and designed by Erick Wujcik and based on the ten-volume Chronicles of Amber novels by Roger Zelazny. Ericks revolutionary design had an important influence on contemporary game design, more than earning the dedication diceless gaming has achieved. Signature aspects include a character generation system open to player creativity and creating intense player rivalry, a quick and immersive tactical conflict resolution system, and an evocation of deep role-playing and player involvement during gameplay that carries on between game sessions. Interestingly, according to Erick, the game didnt start out diceless. In the long and difficult road that led to Amber, Erick originally began with dice, but began paring them out of the design when they werent necessary. At a certain point, Erick realized they were entirely irrelevant for the gameplay he was striving for, and that the use of dice actively worked against his goals. His publisher disagreed, and after a friendly parting of ways, Erick published it himself through his new imprint, Phage Press. Thus was born the first official diceless role-playing game. Since its publication, Amber Diceless Role-Playing has been immensely popular, with regular conventions across the globe and an insanely dedicated fan base. It was followed by Shadow Knight (1993), a series of twelve Amberzines (1992-2005), and little else. Phage Press ambitious publishing schedule never materialized, with several projects cancelled, stalled indefinitely, or never getting started. The license changed hands more than once, and it seemed unlikely that Ericks brilliant design would see print again. Lords of Gossamer & Shadow reverses that trend. In 2010, Steven Russell, head of Rite Publishing, approached Jason Durall about a new game, with an original setting, using Ambers critically-acclaimed diceless system. Jason had almost two decades of experience with Amber: he worked on Shadow Knight; contributed to Amberzine; co-created, wrote articles for, and provided art for an Amber fanzine called Trump Call; and he wrote the unpublished Rebma sourcebook for Phage Press. Jason was more-than-eager to pay tribute to the debt he owed Erick and Ericks creation of Amber Diceless Role-Playing. What you see here is the result of that collaboration, a game using Ericks brilliant system with a setting designed specifically to evoke the same sense of wonder, player investment, and wild experimentation that Amber Diceless Role-Playing did two decades ago. Unfortunately, Erick Wujcik left this world all-too-early at the age of 57. He left a legacy of incredible games and innovative design, his work inspiring countless game players, writers, and designers. He was an inspiration, a mentor, and a friend. This game is dedicated to Ericks memory.

Chapter One: The World Of Lords Of Gossamer & Shadow

Imagine your world, in all of its sprawling complexity and simplicity. Now know that it is but one of countless many, an infinitude of parallel-but-different existences, each real to those who dwell within it but made more substantial only by the intervention of true magical power. However, all of these many worlds are but veils of the faintest, most ethereal matter... as if made of gossamer. For this reason they are called the Gossamer worlds. Between them is only shadow and emptiness... utter nonexistence. True power is what makes the Gossamer real, and lends substance to that which is without. There are two great and everopposed forces in the universe: stasis and entropy. Know these powers by their true names: Eidolon and Umbra. The Eidolon is form, the ideal structure of the universe a sublime organization of form. The Umbra is its opposite, a shifting, entropic disorganization which is pure chaos and ultimately destruction. All of our world and all parts of the countless otherworlds exist solely through their collision and their collusion. Because of the sheer, unimaginable power of these forces and their intricate interplay, the Gossamer worlds are both similar and dissimilar, and echoes of them ripple from one to the next, twist and grow strange, or echo with familiarity. For this reason, Gossamer worlds may resemble their neighbors in all but the most minute details, or they may bear no similarity at all. Those folks with power may occasionally glimpse other Gossamer worlds. The veils between them may be weak, and those worlds that inhabit your myths, come from your legends, even your flights of fancy... those places may be Gossamer worlds glimpsed and visited countless times throughout history and in the time before history. Now imagine an immeasurably long, unimaginably complex, forked and branching staircase, a span of steps and landings and halls, corridors and by-ways of near-infinite complexity. That is the Grand Stair. All along it are Doors... Doors that open into the Gossamer worlds. The Grand Stair connects all of the Gossamer worlds through the Doors: some Gossamer worlds have many Doors opening into it, while some have few or but one... and some Gossamer worlds have no Doors and cannot as of yet be reached. Between the Gossamer worlds lies the Shadow, an unfathomable depth of void and emptiness... and the Shadow is active, claiming Gossamer worlds sometimes temporarily, sometimes forever. It is not known whether the Grand Stair was always there, unknown and waiting for the first beings able to pass through its Doors and walk upon it between worlds, or whether it was made within recorded time. Its mysteries are yet to be unlocked, but its use was readily apparent. The Doors of the Grand Stair opened occasionally, allowing random souls to wander its span... sometimes a simple step between one world and another, sometimes affording a fragment of a glimpse of the myriad of worlds it accesses. To those who could recognize what it represented, the Grand Stair represented the universe! Before the Grand Stair made itself known, passage between the Gossamer worlds meant crossing the veil of Shadow, a rare and near-impossible feat, or an extraordinary freak occurrence. Now other worlds could be visited reliably, allowing privileged voyagers to amass secret knowledge about the hidden infrastructure of infinity. The greatest of discoveries soon followed, outstripping even the notion of other worlds... these adepts became aware of the Eidolon and the Umbra, and earned the power to change reality itself by those dualistic, opposed principles. Quaint, barelyfunctional magical traditions were given newfound potency, and powers such as Invocation, Wrighting, Cantrips, and Sorcery were codified and improved. The dross of one Gossamer world could be priceless in another, and items and creatures with nothing remarkable about them revealed immense power in other worlds, artifacts to be sought, quested for, or wars waged to possess. The most amazing benefit conferred by the Grand Stair was of a personal nature. Those who traveled its length were forever changed... they grew stronger, reflexes quickened, life-spans increased, and magic ability and force of will were magnified considerably. These gifts were sometimes passed along bloodlines, sometimes appearing anew with no prior heritage, but the constant was that it was the first walk upon the Grand Stair which activated this higher state of being. Those who could walk the Grand Stair appointed themselves the Wardens of the Grand Stair, and they used it to explore the countless other worlds it linked to, ruling as sovereigns of Gossamer and Shadow. It would have been easy for these lords and ladies (self-dubbed the Gossamer Lords) to become the masters of the multiverse, but they were opposed... by the Dwimmerlaik, terrible savants of the Shadow. The Dwimmerlaik stalked the lengths of the Grand Stair, warring against its self-appointed Wardens, and sought to rule the Gossamer worlds themselves. The Dwimmerlaiks ways were strange, their motives unfathomable, and they had access to the same powers the Lords and Ladies of the Gossamer worlds had unlocked... and, perhaps, other secret disciplines. For millennia now the battle between the Dwimmerlaik and the Gossamer Lords has continued. Though other threats have arisen, mysteries emerged, and secret wars raged across the infinite worlds, the defining conflict is the cold war between Dwimmerlaik and those who ward the Grand Stair. The Gossamer Lords have grown strong, created safe Domains within the manifold worlds, and alternately seek allies to aid against the Dwimmerlaik (or their own, more private enemies), or they actively strive against one another to achieve dominance throughout the Grand Stair. Some of these sovereigns began as

legends in their own worlds, the truth of their origins unguessed at, while others have become legends, their reality reflecting like ripples across the Gossamer worlds. It is into this setting your character has been plunged, and must survive against unimaginable, unfathomable enemies and challenges.

A Door has opened... will you walk through?

This glossary covers a number of terms unique to diceless roleplaying and gamemastering, and provides some quick definitions of the concepts original to the Lords of Gossamer & Shadow setting. Adventure: A story created by the gamemaster for players to experience and solve, containing elements of threat, story, setting, and some sort of resolution. Sometimes these are called scenarios. Adventures can be highly structured or loosely improvised. Generally, an adventure presents players with a rising threat, a mystery, or another conflict that must be resolved by the end. An adventure may take multiple sessions to play through, and one or more adventures can make up a campaign. Attributes: Characters abilities are described numerically in terms of four primary Attributes: Psyche, Strength, Endurance, and Warfare, which are ranked highest to lowest. When characters come into conflict with one another, the ranks of their Attributes are compared. In a simple contest, the higher-ranked Attribute wins. Making that contest less simple is the heart of diceless role-playing. Attribute Auction: At character creation, players have a budget of points they can use to bid against one another to determine their initial Attributes. This builds player rivalry and determines initial ranking on the Attribute Ladder. Attribute Ladder: A listing of all character (player and nonplayer) Attribute values ordered from highest (1st) to lowest. A character is considered to be superior in that Attribute to everyone below them on the Ladder, no matter what the actual Attribute values are. The Attribute Ladder is used to resolve conflicts using the same Attribute and determines the cost of Attribute advancement. Campaign: A long adventure or series of adventures linked together to form a story using the same group of players and characters. Like a story, a campaign has a beginning and a middle, though the ending is much farther off. A campaign usually ends with a huge goal accomplished, but can continue for a few weeks to years in length. Cantrips: Minor, instantaneous spells used to achieve quick, direct, and simple effects. Cantrips are usually powered by Psyche and cannot easily be countered, hence their usefulness. Character: The players representation in the game. There are two kinds of characters: player characters and nonplayer characters. Player characters are controlled and (usually) created by the players, while nonplayer characters are usually controlled

Terms And Concepts

and created by the gamemaster. Player characters are described in terms of Attributes, Powers, and other aspects. Important nonplayer characters are usually described in those terms, while extremely minor nonplayer characters may only be a name and a quick physical description. Players can sometimes control minor nonplayer characters in casual situations. Contribution: Players can earn more points to build their characters by agreeing to make campaign contributions. These can range from in-character journals, artwork, session logs, fiction or poetry, or other tangible efforts towards the actual experience of players gathering to play the game. Death: Characters (player characters and nonplayer characters alike) can die in the course of gameplay. Unlike other games, death in diceless role-playing is always the result of direct conflict or controlled entirely by the gamemaster. It is never a random outcome for a situation. If a player character dies, it is time to see if death can be thwarted in some fashion, or to create a new character. Diceless: Most role-playing games use dice (or some other random determiner like cards or a resource pool) to determine the outcome of character action or conflict. In diceless roleplaying, outcomes of actions or conflicts are determined through comparing Attributes, powers, Stuff, role-playing, or a combination of those factors. Door: Linked to normal doors, Doors (capital D) are entrances to and from the Grand Stair, allowing access to the infinite myriad of Gossamer worlds. Doors are used primarily by the Wardens of the Grand Stair, though the Grand Stair itself occasionally allows others to wander its corridors and steps. Doors can be created, destroyed, and manipulated by Wardens. Dwimmerlaik: A mysterious and ancient race striving for sovereignty over all of the Gossamer worlds. Magically powerful and monolithic in their desire to control the Grand Stair, the Dwimmerlaik are the most powerful enemy faced by the Gossamer Lords. Eidolon: The primal symbol of order, the Eidolon is essentially the cosmic blueprint underlying all of matter and energy. It permeates all reality and all change in the universe is a result of interplay between the Eidolon and the Umbra, the symbol of entropy and change. Characters manipulate the Eidolon with the power of Eidolon Attunement. Gamemaster (GM): The gamemaster (GM) is a combination of director, writer, and orchestra conductor. The gamemaster runs the game, oversees character creation, devises the scenarios (and campaigns), describes the setting and environment, plays the part of the nonplayer characters, adjudicates conflicts, and determines rewards for play. Gossamer Worlds: The infinite parallel universes accessed by the Grand Stair, brought into being through the interplay of the Eidolon and the Umbra. Every mythical place, fanciful otherworld, alternate history, every possible alternate universe is one of the Gossamer worlds. Our own world is one. Grand Stair, The: An infinite network of hidden staircases and linked corridors, lined with magic Doors on either side,

linking all of the Gossamer worlds. Wardens of the Grand Stairs are attuned to it and can activate or deactivate new Doors or manipulate existing ones. Icon: A magic device or symbol used for communication through and across the Gossamer worlds. Icons are created through the use of the Wrighting power. Icons come in many forms: paintings, cards, electronic images, statues, stained-glass windows, figurines, etc. and are idiosyncratic to their creator. Invocation: A magic power concerned with the use of True Names, summoning and binding beings of power, or using their True Names to compel and manipulate them. Player: The players of the game. Anywhere from one to a dozen or more players can play: usually a group consists of somewhere between three and seven players. Points: Players are given a budget of points with which to build their characters. Points are bid in the Attribute auction and later to adjust ranking on the Attribute Ladder, and are spent on powers, artifacts, creatures, and other benefits. Players are given further points as a reward for completing scenarios and campaigns, and can use these points to improve their characters. Rank: Characters are rated by their Attributes, with rank described in terms of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc., on a ladder-style hierarchy. At the bottom of the Attribute Ladder are three base levels, called ranks: Paragon, Peak, and Human (lowest). Characters at the same rank are functionally equal. Session: A single instance of play, when the players and the gamemaster assemble in person or online, for the purpose of playing through all or part of an adventure. Sessions can be short

(an hour or two) or very long (six or eight hours), and occur on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or other basis. Shadow: The dark void between the Gossamer worlds, a murky, howling and infinite emptiness. Parts of the Grand Stair span areas of the Shadow, and if one tears the veil of a Gossamer world without linking it to another Gossamer world, they will see only shadow void between. Sorcery: A magical power concerned with basic spellcasting, allowing sorcerers to create, store, and cast spells, as well as creating magic countermeasures. Sorcery also assumes a knowledge of spellcasting traditions, providing lore and information about different types of spellcasting. Stuff: A game value roughly akin to karma, luck, or favorability. Good Stuff is a positive value and affects the character in a positive fashion, as if the universe likes them. Zero Stuff is neutral, while Bad Stuff means that the character has bad luck and is generally regarded as suspicious or even sinister. Umbra: The primal source of entropy in the universe. The Umbra represents the decay and eventual disorganization of all matter and energy into base, chaotic forms. It permeates all reality, and all change in the universe is a result of interplay between the Umbra and the Eidolon, the symbol of stability and order, which opposes it. Characters manipulate the Umbra with the power of Umbra Mastery. Wrighting: A minor magical power concerned with the creation of enchanted artifacts and creatures, and the magical communication means called Icons.

Dwimmerlaiks overrun a Door.

Chapter Two: Creating Your Character

All role-playing games are ultimately about the characters you and your friends play, and for this reason youll first need to create characters to play Lords of Gossamer & Shadow. This section presents a simplified version of the character creation process.

Overview of Character Creation

Warden Of The Grand Stair, Eidolon Attunement, and Umbra Mastery, and the minor Powers are Invocation, Wrighting, Cantrips, and Sorcery. Costs and descriptions of the powers are on pages XX-XX, with full descriptions in Chapter Four: Powers.

Youll begin with a budget of 100 character points. With these points, youll buy Attributes, powers, items, creatures, allies, etc. You dont have to spend them all, and there are ways you can get more points, but 100 points is the starting budget. With that in mind, here are the ways you spend those points.

Step Four: Extras

Step One: Concept

This is the most important step of the entire process: deciding what sort of character youd like to play. This can be an idealized version of yourself, or someone you think would be fun to play as. Is the character clever or impetuous? Fierce in battle, or a methodical user of mystic power? A leader, or a follower? Is the character inspired by someone from myth, history, or fiction? If so, whats different? What sort of personality does this character have? You might want to write a short list of qualities the character will possess, or even write a sentence or two. The character you create can have many facets, but its best to come up with a strong, clear impression to hang everything else from. No need to limit yourself at this time, but dont leave yourself without any idea where to go! Concept doesnt cost any points. You can read more about Concept in the section on Lords and Ladies of Gossamer and Shadow on page XX.

Extras include things like special items, powerful creatures, allies, and even worlds your character owns. These are not normal possessions that can be taken, lost, or replaced: theyre fundamental parts of your characters being, things that the character will be known for and can always get back. Costs and descriptions of artifacts, creatures, allies, and Domains are on pages XX-XX, with full descriptions in Chapter Five: Creatures And Artifacts and Chapter Six: Domains.

Step Five: Balancing

Add up the points you spent on Attributes, powers, and all extras. If you lowered an Attribute, you can add the amount to the 100 character points you have to spend. You can also earn more character points by pledging character contributions. You may have to reduce the cost of some of your extras, or go without something you wanted. Any points you have left over become Good Stuff and are the equivalent of luck, or positive karma. Any points youre short become Bad Stuff which usually means misfortune and woe. Character Contributions are described on page XX, and Stuff is on page XX.

Step Two: Attributes

Step Six: Finishing Touches

Your character is defined with four Attributes: Psyche, Strength, Endurance, and Warfare. You can spend some or all of your 100 character points in the Attribute Auction, bidding against the other players, or you can purchase ranks in these Attributes later, secretly. You can also reduce your starting Attributes to gain more points, but youll be at a disadvantage. Attributes are the way your character is measured against everyone else, and remember that youve got to buy powers and extras with the same budget. You must stick to any bids you make in the Attribute Auction, so spend wisely. Attributes and the Attribute Auction are described on pages XX and XX, and in Chapter Two: Creating Your Character and Chapter Three: Attributes.

Heres where you turn everything into an actual character, establishing background, skills or past history, any non-special gear, appearance, personality, and goals. Like concept, these elements dont cost any points, and make up the character of your character. To read more about these finishing touches, read Background on pages XX.

Attributes

Step Three: Powers

Powers determine what sort of amazing supernatural abilities your character has or can access. Powers are how your character uses the primal forces shaping all of reality. The big powers are

Your character is special, picked by fate or birth and endowed with immense power, destined to be a mover and shaker in a struggle across all of the Gossamer worlds. Because of this, your character begins with physical and mental gifts that set him or her apart from the rest of humanity, and are rated against others of their generation by Attributes, which are organized on the Attribute Ladder (described in more detail on page XX). All player characters begin with Paragon-level Psyche, Strength, Endurance, and Warfare for free. You dont need to pay for those ranks, and you can spend points to improve them

in an Attribute Auction or later. You can also lower any of those Attributes (if you havent spent points on them in the Attribute Auction) by reducing them to Peak or Human rank. All of those ranks are described below, described from worst to best. Human Rank. This ranking describes everyone whos merely mundane human-level in capability, from a toddler to Joe Average. It seems like a broad spectrum, but Human rank is the bottom of the barrel to those with real power, barely worth worrying about. Selling an Attribute down to Human rank is a huge vulnerability, a weakness that will be exploited by any enemies who learn it. You can sell an Attribute down to Human rank to earn 25 extra character points. Peak Rank. This rank represents the pinnacle of human perfection, along the lines of Olympic athletes, prodigies, or freaks of nature. The worlds greatest military leader might have Peak rank in Warfare, and a professional power-lifter would have Peak Strength. A character with Peak rank in an Attribute will dominate almost any mortals they contest with, but will be at a disadvantage against anyone with Paragon rank. For a rule of thumb, a Peak ranked Attribute performs half again (1.5 times) as good as Human Rank. You can sell an Attribute down to Peak rank to earn 10 extra character points. Paragon Rank. This is the default rank for player characters, and is pretty incredible compared to normal humans and even most of the denizens of the Gossamer worlds. Basically, an

Attribute at Paragon rank puts your character in a class better than anyone in the world can naturally aspire to. Paragon rank is roughly equivalent to twice as effective as Human rank. Your character automatically begins with Paragon rank in all Attributes, for free. Ranked. If you spend any points on an Attribute in the Attribute Auction (or later), your character is considered ranked in that Attribute. That means that your character is better than Paragon in that Attribute, and has a place on the Attribute Ladder, an ordering of Attribute ranks from highest to lowest. A character with even a single point more in an Attribute than another character is simply better, and all things being equal, will always win in any straight-out contest of those Attributes. A good rule of thumb is that the lowest rank of an Attribute is equivalent to four times as good as the equivalent Human rank. You can read more about the Attribute Ladder on page XX. Secret Rank. After the Attribute Auction is complete, you can spend points secretly to increase one or more of your characters Attributes from Paragon rank or above. You can raise an Attribute up the Attribute Ladder by spending more points on it equal to the difference between your current rank and the desired rank, but if you match points with someone else who bid in the Attribute Auction to earn a rank on the Attribute Ladder, your characters Attribute is considered slightly below it.

Lords and Ladies of Gossamer & Shadow

Once you have the system-related aspects of your character defined, it is time to think of the character as more than the sum of their ranks, powers, possessions, and territory: its time to think of them as a Lord or Lady of the Gossamer worlds, better than mere humankind, able to traverse worlds... a player in a game of universal consequence. You can choose to have your character be a relative newcomer, newly come into powers, experiencing the worlds of the Grand Stair with fresh eyes, or you can choose to play a character who has been around for a while (centuries, even!), with allies aplenty, knowing the ins and outs of infinity, a willing participant in the struggle for supremacy. You can even play a complete outsider, a creature alien to humankind from one of the Gossamer worlds, with your own agenda. With the gamemasters approval, there is no reason your character cannot be nine feet tall, six-armed, and covered with shimmering blue scales, or even a being resembling a race from myth or literature, such as elves, kappa, spider-centaurs, vampires, Morlocks, superheroes, even angels or demons. All of these races exist in some form among the Gossamer worlds, and there is no reason to constrain your choices to human when it comes to your appearance or origin. The only restriction on this is that any special abilities you think your character might have based on an exotic race are only usable on your Gossamer world of origin. This extends to poison, water breathing, shape-changing, wall-crawling... all of it! However impressive that wingspan is, those wings just wont work away from home. Attributes and powers are the only eternals, working pretty much as they should across all of the Gossamer worlds (and even then with some exceptions). Your character may be a hulking rock troll, but if you only gave your character Human rank in Strength and Endurance, she will be a pushover for someone with a higher-ranked Strength. Any of these wild character options are valid choices, and can bring exciting role-playing possibility to the table. Ultimately, though, this game is about the Gossamer Lords, a group of unique and powerful individuals and their struggles to survive and prosper in and across the worlds linked by the Grand Stair. Politicking between these sovereigns can be deadly, though it is the least of the challenges your character may face. Powerful beings from the Gossamer worlds scheme for domination and magical knowledge, taking no prisoners and offering no quarter. And beyond that... the ancient race known as the Dwimmerlaik may have returned, seeking to destroy those challenging their supremacy over the infinite worlds.

You cannot spend points to put yourself partially between one rank and another once the Attribute Auction is complete: you can only match each rank on the Attribute Ladder by spending accordingly. For example, Christopher spends the points for his character Lowen to become equal with the 2nd ranked Attribute on the Attribute Ladder. Lowen is considered 2.5th in rank, better than 3rd rank, but not quite as good as 2nd. You cannot spend points to make yourself first (or Dominant) in an Attribute. The best you can start with is 1.5 if you didnt bid first in the Attribute Auction. Secret doesnt necessarily mean that no one knows what your characters true rank is, but this is the only way to have a rank on the Attribute Ladder without anyone knowing. However, if the character (nonplayer or player) inhabiting the Dominant rank does not spend any points to advance that rank in the future, the gamemaster may allow an ambitious character who keeps spending advancement points to purchase above rank 1.5, eventually exceeding the Dominant rank. For more information on Advancement Points, see page XX. Dominant Rank. Also called First rank, this Attribute is at the top of the Attribute Ladder. The dominant ranking character will always win any contests with this Attribute versus lesser opponents, even if the difference is a single point. Characters with Dominant rank are simply better than all other characters (player and nonplayer) when it comes to this Attribute. Only external forces, strategy, or unusual circumstances will allow someone else to overcome that Attribute. There is nothing above the Dominant rank: any additional points spent simply increase the cost for others to try to match (or beat) First rank, or the gamemaster can allow players to begin climbing any rungs on the Attribute Ladder held by nonplayer characters. Tied Ranks. When the Attribute Ladder is determined, all player character and nonplayer characters are assigned Attribute rankings based on the points they have spent. The gamemaster should evaluate any nonplayer character Attributes that may be identical to those of a player character and determine which of them is holds the actual rank and which is the .5 (slightly behind) ranking.

Lucian, Lord of Gossamer online option is to handle an Attribute Auction through instant messaging or in a chat room, with all of the players present.

Auction Rules

The Attribute Auction

The Attribute Auction is a bidding war where you and the other players will use your budget of 100 character points to establish a pecking order when it comes to Attributes. Each of the four AttributesPsyche, Strength, Endurance, and Warfareare bid for separately, in whatever order the gamemaster desires. Ideally, all of the players will be present for the Attribute Auction. Missing out and spending points later gives you some more control over your characters place on the Attribute Ladder, but you lose the ability to dominate your rank and must wait until character advancement (page XX) for the chance to pull ahead of someone at that rank. A gamemaster can potentially handle an Attribute Auction through e-mail or on a message board set up for the game, but this should be handled carefully to prevent missed bids. An easier

Following are the rules to all Attribute Auctions, face-to-face or online. The gamemaster should explain these rules before running an Attribute Auction so there will be no confusion later. 1. All Players Begin with 100 Character Points. There are three ways to begin with more points: Reducing Attributes. You can reduce an attribute from Paragon to Peak for 10 points, or from Paragon to Human for 25 points. If you have reduced an Attribute, thats where it stays for the duration of the Attribute Auction. You cannot reduce an Attribute that has been bid on. Attribute rank descriptions are provided in the previous section. Volunteering Contributions. You can offer to do things to help the play experience for the gamemaster and other players by offering Contributions. These range from in-character diaries, art, poetry, campaign logs or blogs, websites, fiction, or even mundane things like providing food or drink, handling background music, or something else. Contributions are described fully on page XX. Taking Bad Stuff. You can give your character some bad karma right off the bat by giving them Bad Stuff on a point-for-point basis. This is a devils bargain: extra

points are always useful, but Bad Stuff can affect your character throughout all aspects of play, often more than the advantages the points may have provided. The gamemaster may put a limit on how many points of Bad Stuff you can start with, but keep in mind that every point increases the nature of the bad mojo coming your characters way. Stuff and its role in the campaign is described on page XX. 2. Every Bid is Permanent. Unlike a traditional auction, where only the winner has to pay, everyone who bids must pay. If you spend points on an Attribute in an Attribute Auction, thats where that Attribute starts. If you bid it, you bought it. 3. Once Bid Upon, an Attribute Cannot Be Sold Down. You can raise the Attribute later during character creation by purchasing a Secret Rank (see above), but you cant lower that Attribute or sell it down once you have bid on it. 4. Everyone Bids For Themselves. Only players present for the Attribute Auction can bid. The gamemaster can potentially bid on Attributes for an absent player, but its generally discouraged out of fairness to those present. 5. The Attribute Auction Winner is the Best. Among the player characters, the winner of the Attribute Auction is the undisputed champion in any contests relating to that Attribute. No one can spend points after the Attribute Auction to make themselves 1st rank... the best they can do is 1.5th rank. 6. The Attribute Auction Determines the Ranks on the Attribute Ladder. Once the Attribute Auction is complete, the gamemaster should organize all of the final bids from highest to least. Next to each bid, number them, starting at the top. The highest bid Attribute is ranked 1st, then 2nd, 3rd, etc. all the way down to Paragon (0 points), then Peak, and finally Human rank at the bottom. If two players in the initial silent round of bidding bid the same amount for an Attribute, and do not increase their bids during the Attribute Auction or later, then those characters are at the same rank until one of them spends more points on that Attribute and moves up the Attribute Ladder. For character creation and throughout the rest of the campaign, character advancement follows the values set by bids on the Attribute Auction. Matching each rank (or rung) costs the difference between that rung and the rung below. For example, the Endurance Attribute Ladder ends up like so: 1st (32 points), 2nd (19 points), 3rd (17 points), 4th (5 points), and 5th (1 point). Marvs character Harrison, who came in 4th at 5 points, wants to increase his characters Attribute after the Attribute Auction, so the cost to increase the rank is set at those point costs. Marv cannot spend points to have Harrisons Attribute anywhere between those ranks. Marv must spend points in addition to the 5 hes already spent. Working his way up the Attribute Ladder, for 12 more points Harrison can become 3.5th rank, for 14 more points he can become 2.5th rank, and it will cost 27 more points for Harrison to become 1.5th rank.

Even if a character is no longer in the same place on the Attribute Ladder, the rank and point value remain intact throughout the entirety of character generation. When all final Attribute purchases have been complete, the gamemaster should re-number the player ranks according to the new totals, keeping the information secret from the players. Page XX features a worksheet for the gamemaster to summarize the Stuff and Attributes of the nonplayer character Gossamer Lords and the player characters, including spaces for Attribute values and rank. Read in order of 1st rank to last, this worksheet can serve as the Attribute Ladder.

How to Run An Attribute Auction

Attribute Auctions run pretty much like normal auctions, but if the gamemaster and players arent familiar with how auctions go, heres a quick primer. All players and the gamemaster will need paper and something to write with, to keep bids straight and to record the final bids.

Step One: The Introduction

The gamemaster should announce the Attribute being auctioned and explain what the Attribute covers. Its the gamemasters job to sell the Attribute, by making it seem as if its the most important Attribute and that every player should want some. The descriptions of the Attributes on page XX provide all of this information. The gamemaster may wish to summarize the advice in Bidding Tips (below) for the players benefit.

Step Two: Silent First Round

The opening bid is silent, where all players write them down on paper before saying anything. This gives everyone a chance to put in an initial bid, rather than one player instantly setting the amount to beat.

Step Three: First Round Results

When all players have completed their first bid, the gamemaster checks the results and announces the totals. The highest opening bid is where the rest of the Attribute Auction begins. If you arent going to bid any more on that Attribute, youre done, and your bid is your Attribute score (for now).

Step Four: Open Bidding

The gamemaster should announce Bidding is now open! Everyone who wants to bid can now speak up. The opening bid must be higher than the highest bid from the silent first round. Each subsequent bid must be higher than the last, so everyone should pay attention to whats being bid. Its the gamemasters job to announce periodically what the high bid is, so no one loses track. Its a good idea for the players to write down what their bids are for each Attribute, both to keep track of the running total and also get a sense of where character points are being spent. If the bidding is too fast and furious, the gamemaster should call a quick time-out to get a sense of the current bids, announcing where everyone is at.

Step Five: Final Results

When bidding has petered out for a particular Attribute, the gamemaster should announce the final bidder and total bid, saying something like Christopher, with 48 points, is the high bidder for Strength. Strength is going once... going twice... going... going... going... gone! Christopher is first in Strength at 48 points! At the end of each phase of the auction, the gamemaster should announce the totals for all players for that Attribute, in order from highest to lowest (or no bid). The highest Attribute is ranked first, the next is ranked second, etc. all the way down to those who did not bid or sold their Attributes down. Players should keep track of what theyve spent. The Attribute Auction continues through each Attribute, until all four have been bid upon to completion. When all Attributes have been auctioned, the Attribute Auction is done. Players should mark their final bids, and total the points spent.

Bidding Tips

Not everyone knows what theyre doing in an Attribute Auction, and sometimes its possible to end up spending points in a way youre not happy with, or end up not spending points when you wanted to. Following is some useful advice to keep in mind when participating in an Attribute Auction. Think Before You Bid. If you have a strong character concept in mind from Step One of character creation (described on page XX), dont jeopardize it with bidding foolishly on an Attribute you dont want to focus on. Dont get carried away and overspend, and dont enter the silent bidding round so cautiously youre priced out of the running for future bids. Know What You Want. If youve got a strong character concept in mind, or even know what powers youll want your character to use and excel with, spend points to support those powers. A character heavily invested in powers will need a high Psyche and a good Endurance, while a character whos low on powers but is physically dominant will need a high Warfare, Endurance, and probably Strength. Nothing is worse than having a power but being unable to use it effectively due to a weak Attribute. Bid Early or Hold Your Points. The silent first round of bidding is the absolute best time to get a toehold into the Attribute Ladder cheaply, without spending a lot of points. If you want a low ranking in an Attribute, this is the time to bid, because it will only get more expensive. Cautious players may wish to bid 1 point just to be above Paragon rank without getting caught up in the subsequent bids. You Bid It, You Bought It. If you bid in an auction, youve spent those points. This is the only real difference between an Attribute Auction and a normal auction. Your bid purchases your rank, no matter where it is in the overall list of bids. Keep Your Options Open. Anything can happen in

Eidolon Adept the course of an Attribute Auction, and sometimes an unexpected opportunity arises in a relatively low-bid auction. Being first in any Attribute is an incredible advantage, and if an auction is not very high, swooping in at the last minute might be worth the trouble to change plans. Remember that at this point, all youve committed to are the points youve bid, so you might rethink your character concept if an opportunity presents itself to be the best at something. All Bids are Final. You cant take back points spent on an Attribute Auction, or sell down an Attribute youve bid on. They cant be traded on something else, or shifted to another Attribute. Page XX of Chapter Ten: Gamemastering contains further advice and techniques to help the new and experienced gamemasters with running Attribute Auctions, including variations and additional options for advanced play.

An Example of an Attribute Auction

The gamemaster has gathered Sarah, David, Scott, Margaret, Christopher, Stratton, Kit, Morgan, and Marv together for an Attribute Auction. This is the first auction, for the Psyche

Attribute, one of the most popular Attributes for players who wish to do a lot with powers. Gamemaster: Welcome, everyone! Psyche is the first of the four Attributes well be auctioning. As you know, you have 100 points to spend between your four Attributes, powers, and other things like artifacts, creatures, personal worlds, and allies. Any bids you make are binding, and the top bid will be the highest-ranked character among you. Each Attribute begins at Paragon rank, and you can sell Attributes down for more points. Margaret: Only if we havent spent points on that Attribute, right? Gamemaster: Correct. You can also take Bad Stuff if you need to make up for over-spending, or do player contributions. So, back to the Attribute. Psyche is pretty important. Its the driving Attribute for almost all powers, and is the go-to attribute for psychic conflict. Any power involving force of will, psychic contact, or a struggle of minds calls for Psyche. Therefore, Psyche is clearly the most important Attribute. With that said, are you ready? The players all agree.

Gamemaster: Remember to write down your bids as you make them. Lets do the first round as a silent auction, with everyone writing down their bid and announcing it. Okay, lets go. Stratton: Five points. Sarah: No bid. Scott: One point. Morgan: Twenty-five points. Gamemaster: Wow! An impressive first bid. Everyone else? David: Only ten points. Kit: Thirty-seven points! Margaret: Man... I bid twenty-one points. Marv: Ten points. Christopher: No bid. Gamemaster: Okay, then in low-to-high order, we have: no bid, no bid, 1 point, two bids for 10 points, a bid for 21 points, one for 25, and the highest bid is a thunderous 37 points. Is everyone cool with letting Kit be the highest ranked Psyche? Margaret: No. Thirty-eight! Morgan: Thirty-nine. Gamemaster: Do I hear 40 points? Anyone? Kit: Forty-two.

An Alternative to the Attribute Auction

Character creation using the Attribute Auction is the default system for Lords of Gossamer & Shadow. Attribute Auctions usually create player characters with good knowledge of one another, and they are hard to beat for instilling a sense of fierce competition between players and their characters even before roleplaying begins. If the auction is eliminated, the gamemaster should allow players to spend points on Attributes freely, with the following guidelines: Players are given 100 points to spend, as if an Attribute Auction were being conducted. Players can spend these points among Attributes as desired, as if it were the silent auction stage of a normal Attribute Auction. This process can be done as a preliminary to further character creation, or the process can be combined with the rest of character creation (purchasing powers, items, Domains, Allies, etc.). Points spent on Attributes at that time are final. There is no round of secret advancement. When players have assigned points to their Attributes, the gamemaster creates an Attribute Ladder based on the amounts of points spent. Attributes and their ranks on the Attribute Ladder are not announced to the player group. Because there is no subsequent round of points spent to secretly advance Attributes, the .5 designation for ranks is not used, and player character Attributes can be tied on the Attribute Ladder. Secret or entirely-silent auctions work well for creating characters when the players cannot meet for an auction, or when the focus of the game is not character conflict. This method is also ideal for generating characters who are strangers and whose abilities are secret. Without the competitive nature of the auction, this style of character creation can also foster a more cooperative play style.

An Alternative to Rank-based Attribute Advancement

It is possible also to do away with the rigid advancement structure of rungs (ranks) on the Attribute Ladder, with the following guidelines: When it is time for advancement, the gamemaster may allow players to spend whatever they want on Attributes, allowing free advancement up the Attribute Ladder. When advancement wish lists are prepared, the gamemaster should simply ask players to be specific about how many points will be spent to advance any given Attribute, rather than asking players to spend points blindly to advance ranks whose costs are unknown. Once advancement points are spent, the gamemaster should adjust the Attribute Ladder based on the new Attribute totals. Ranks will generally become more fluid at each advancement, with player character Attributes bypassing one another on the Attribute Ladder without the need to match the Rank ahead. This method will also allow Attributes to increase incrementally rather than a rank at a time.

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David: Forty-three! Marv: Forty-four. Gamemaster: Christopher, Stratton, Sarah, Scott... youre being left behind. You want to jump in while its still relatively cheap? Stratton: Are you kidding? No way. Scott: I have other plans. Christopher: Im saving my points for now. Sarah: Ill pass. Gamemaster: So where were we? Right... 44 points from Marv. Anyone for 45? Morgan: Forty-five. I want this. Gamemaster: Its still neck and neck! A few points more and any of you could be back on top. David: Forty-six! Kit: Forty-seven! Margaret: So much for my retirement... forty-eight points. Marv: Fifty! Gamemaster: Thats the spirit! Want to take it up to 55 or 60, anyone? Kit: I hate you. Fifty-one points. David: Fifty-two! Kit: Sixty! Marv: Dude! Gamemaster: Kits on top for Psyche at 60 points. Anyone want to top that? Anyone? Okay, going once... anyone? The players all pass. Gamemaster: Going twice... and done! Let me check the notes here. The final wrap-up is Kit with 60 points, David at 52, Marv at 50, Margaret at 48, Morgan at 45, then way down to Stratton at 5 points, Scott at 1 point, and Christopher and Sarah at no bid, or Paragon rank. After the auction, you can spend more points to climb the ranks, which means that youll have to spend enough additional points to match the bid above yours. Youll be sort of the .5 rank: almost, but not quite, as good. Here are the end results of the Psyche Attribute Auction, prior to player advancement which might increase the characters upward.

Umbra Master Since Sarah and Christopher spent no points on Psyche, they are the only players out of this group that can sell Psyche down to Peak or even Human rank, gaining additional points to spend on other Attributes or other beneficial aspects.

Powers

Player
Kit David Marv Margaret Morgan Stratton Scott Christopher Sarah

Character
Jessamyn Grendel Harrison Natasha Moreltheus Reevard Taltos Lowen Cordelia

Points
60 52 50 48 45 5 1

Rank
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Paragon Paragon

Once youve completed the Attribute Auction, the next step is selecting your characters Powers. While the Attributes determine how powerful your character is relative to other player characters, nonplayer characters, and the denizens of the Gossamer worlds, Powers represent the mystic abilities your character has, abilities that can affect the very nature of reality. The three most significant Powers in the universe are: the Eidolon and the Umbra, great forces of order and entropy; and the Grand Stair, the multidimensional pathway through the infinite Gossamer worlds. Eidolon Attunement is the ability to manifest and control the Eidolon, the metaphysical blueprint that underlies all of creation. The Eidolon is about restoration, refinement, and alignment, allowing those attuned to it to guide matter into its underlying, highest forms. Eidolon Attunement costs 50 points.

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Opposing the Eidolon is the Umbra, the utmost force of entropy and annihilation. Users of the Umbra are Umbra Masters, and their powers concern the deterioration of order, weakening of the stuff of reality, and destruction of matter itself. Umbra Mastery costs 50 points. Those attuned to the Grand Stair are able to find and traverse its mysterious passages and steps, with countless Doors that open throughout the Gossamer worlds in secret, hidden places. The lesser version of the Power is Warden Of The Grand Stair, costing 10 points, and Master Of The Grand Stair, the advanced version of the Power, costs 35 points. Other Powers exist, less primal in their importance but arguably just as useful. Invocation is the ability to name and bind living beings from throughout the Gossamer worlds by determining and utilizing their True Names, a Power that costs 20 points. Wrighting allows for the creation of magic talismans known as Icons, imbuing them with the ability to speak across worlds, at the cost of 30 points. At a cost of 15 points, Sorcery governs basic spell-casting, and Cantrips are easy-to-use words of power that cost 10 points for an initial array. Powers are described on pages XX-XX of the following section. Future expansions to Lords of Gossamer & Shadow may introduce additional powers, or advanced versions of existing Powers such as Eidolon Attunement and Umbra Mastery.

Artifacts and Creatures

Once Attributes and powers have been determined, the next step is to equip your character with artifacts or creatures to aid in facing the immense dangers the Gossamer worlds may present. Artifacts and creatures can be weapons, armor, mythical beasts, neat tools, resources, and loyal followers, or even immense armies. Examples of artifacts or creatures from myth, fiction, and pop culture abound: King Arthur has his sword Excalibur, Thor his mighty hammer Mjolnir, Robin Hood his Merry Men, and the Lone Ranger his white stallion, Silver. Not all characters need such trappings, but they can be invaluable tools and will bestow a certain style to those who possess them. Though your character can pretty much begin play with almost any item or animal that can be found in our world or the Gossamer worlds, these items will, whatever quality they possess, be less effective when taken from their world of origin, and may be lost, stolen, broken, destroyed, or even co-opted and used against their owner. Things and beings are just stuff, transitory elements that can be lost or replaced without effort. Paying points for these things turns them into artifacts or creatures, powerful and eternal elements that are attached to your character as surely as their own limbs. If an artifact is somehow separated from your character, it will be a simple matter to recover it. It cannot be destroyed or easily turned against your character, and cannot be claimed by anyone else. Players can pool their points to purchase shared artifacts or creatures, using the Named & Numbered (or higher) quality to have multiples for double the base cost of the original item. Guidelines for creating artifacts and creatures are in Chapter

A tablet can be used as an Icon. Five: Creatures And Artifacts.

Domains

The power to walk the Grand Stair and visit the infinitude of Gossamer worlds lets your character do as others have and seek out realms to make their own. These worlds or lesser places are uniquely tied to the owner, and are called Domains. A Domain is a place of power, attuned to its masters every whim, ranging in tone from a sanctuary where peace and solace might be had; a mythical kingdom owing total fealty to its lord or lady; to a bolthole filled with death-traps and lethal defenses. Many Domains are a mix of all of these aspects. Characters can share Domains, pooling points and jointly determining their characteristics and ruling them together, but control and ownership over the Domain is proportionate to the points spent: a character spending more points has more authority over the Domain, and can even use aspects of it against the other owners. Unless your character has the Warden of the Grand Stair, or some other means of breaching the veils between the Gossamer worlds, they will have no easy egress to or from their Domain, and will be stranded there. Domains are described fully in Chapter Six: Domains.

Allies

No character needs to be entirely alone: even the newest Gossamer sovereign has personal history, complete with friends

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and possibly even family to support them. You can spend a few points on one or more allies for your character, choosing from the types below. Gossamer World Ally [1 Point]. This is exactly what it sounds like, someone (or something) from one of the Gossamer worlds who owes your character a favor, or feels strongly enough about your character to offer aid and hospitality when needed. This might be an old childhood friend, a distant relative, a coworker, a sworn blood brother, an ex-lover, a loyal supporter, an old teacher, or even a ruler. This allys influence is limited to their world, and they will almost never be encountered outside of that home base. Mentor [2 Points]. Someone who taught or otherwise instructed your character, whether a counselor, a teacher, a former master, a wise old uncle, or even a former commander. Like the Gossamer world ally, the mentors influence is linked to their world of origin, but they are considerably more powerful, and have a stronger bond of affection or loyalty. A mentor may even risk life and limb to aid your character based on the circumstance. Gossamer World Devotee [3 Points]. A Gossamer world devotee is, as the name suggests, someone prominent from one of the Gossamer worlds who is devoted to your character, willing to go to great measures to help them. This connection can be a devout friend, a lover, or even a blood relation. If this ally is publicly known, others may assume that your character has a familial or other intrinsic connection to one or more of the Gossamer Lords. Partisan Support [3 Points]. Your character is backed by an entire group possessing some measure of power, either political, social, magical, or tactical. This could be a political party, a secret society, a religion or magic tradition, or an army. Alternately, this group possesses or controls some thing to be reckoned with: a single artifact of incredible power; a supernatural being at the level of a god; or a place with considerable magical properties. Unlike an artifact or creature, this group supports your character overall, but this does not necessarily mean it is always reliable or consistent in support. Dwimmerlaik Ally [4 Points]. Incredibly, your character has made an ally, or holds some relation to one of the strange and mysterious Dwimmerlaik, the powerful race of beings at war with the Gossamer Lords. Perhaps the character has encountered one of these beings before and found a common purpose, or has entered into an alliance to oppose a shared enemy. It may even be that the character is descended from, or related to, the Dwimmerlaik, and this lineage is known to them and the character. The character is unlikely to be able to freely call upon or discuss this connection, as it could cause instant distrust among fellow characters and others. This is perhaps the most tenuous and unreliable of the Allies

in this section, as an encounter with this Dwimmerlaik does not guarantee an acknowledgment of the alliance. The gamemaster is encouraged to develop the details of this ally in secrecy, or with minimal consultation with the player. Lord Of The Gossamer Worlds [5 Points]. A Gossamer Lord ally is one of the movers and shakers of the universe, one of the mightiest beings in creation. Taking this ally means that your character is either the child of one of these powerful personages, or has been adopted as such, though this does not necessarily mean that the ally is the same as the parent. For one reason or another, the particular lord or lady has taken an interest in your character, and is willing to bring tremendous resources to bear to aid and abet your character if need be, defending when possible and offering extraordinary levels of aid. The gamemaster should work out which nonplayer character this is, if it is not a parent. Note that while being the offspring of a Gossamer Lord does not necessarily grant any special bloodline or ability, Gossamer Lords are more-than-likely to aid their children in achieving power greater than that of mere mortals. Unfortunately, the identity of these characters is not up to you, the player. Nothing in the Gossamer worlds is certain, and someone who presents as a loyal friend may in fact be a deadly enemy, and someone who seems hostile may be a close but unknown relative. The gamemaster gets to decide the identity of each of your allies, but will not make it obvious about who it is, and may even lie outright to you or your character. Players cannot pick other player characters for Allies in this fashion.

Stuff

The universe does not treat everyone equally: some Gossamer Lords are luckier, more fortunate, or just better-perceived than their peers, while other of their number seem cursed, with illluck following them. These less-fortunate souls are beset by petty maladies and are generally regarded less favorably by those who do not know them. In Lords of Gossamer & Shadow, this is due to the characteristic called Stuff, a value measured in points... the same points used for purchasing Attributes, powers, artifacts and creatures, allies, and Domains. Characters are defined as either having Good Stuff (positive points, paid for with character points), Bad Stuff (negative points, assigned when the player spends too many character points), or Zero Stuff (the character is balanced, with no positive or negative points). Stuff is not, however, an indication of good, neutrality, or evil. An evildoer can have plenty of Good Stuff, while a saint can have an abundance of Bad Stuff. Stuff measures how the outside universe interacts with the character, not what they have inside them. Stuff has three major purposes. Firstly, it serves as an equalizer, balancing character point budgets. Secondly, it determines how luck will favor the character. Thirdly, it serves as an indicator of

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the way the universe (in the form of other people and the great powers) views the character. Good Stuff. Characters who have Good Stuff are almost blessed, as if a metaphorical beam of golden sunlight were always shining on them. People who encounter a Good Stuff character will think of them as being nicer, more appealing, and will take comfort or inspiration from their presence. In a group of average people, people will tend to gravitate towards the highest Good Stuff character, making them the center of attention, regardless of any leadership qualities or personality traits. If an event has a potentially random outcome, the Good Stuff character will benefit from it. In person, the Good Stuff character isnt more attractive than anyone else, but theyll just look more appealing due to an indefinable quality. Simply put, the universe likes the Good Stuff character better. Enemies will initially want to behave honorably with the character, and the enemy may have a hard time finding allies to oppose them. The character may get compliments from strangers, they will always have exact change, and others will usually give them the benefit of the doubt. For example, if a Good Stuff character is begging (however unlikely), in a relatively short time the character will earn some money, be given some food and shelter, be provided with clean clothing or other offers of charity, and may even make a few friends. Zero Stuff. A character with Zero Stuff is essentially neutral to the rest of the world, judged by their words and actions rather than hunches or initial impressions. They win some, they lose some, and for the most part theyll have nothing exceptional happen, or a balance of negative and positive events. The rest of the world views a Zero Stuff character without preconceptions, so their behavior may be judged more carefully than their Good or Bad Stuff compatriots. Players might prefer Zero Stuff characters because they arent guided towards a particular tone for an encounter, and like to keep their options open. Nonplayer characters meeting the Zero Stuff character may be more guarded, or cautious around them, letting the character show their cards first. For example, if a Zero Stuff character is begging, they may end up with a little money, or none at all. The character may not even get noticed. Bad Stuff. A Bad Stuff character is one that has a slightly sinister or unlucky cast. Think of it as a metaphysical storm cloud following the character. In an average group of people, the Bad Stuff character would be standing on the outside of the group, sulking in a corner, or just avoided by the others. Whenever a situation could take a turn for the worst, it will do so for the Bad Stuff character. Bad Stuff characters get blamed for the misdeeds of others, and their actions are almost always viewed in the least charitable light. They will have random bad luck, and it seems as if their normal gear is always breaking or getting lost. Their enemies will be legion, and will find powerful allies and means to strike at the character. They will be lousy at gambling, and will usually be constantly on the day late, dollar short track of life. Frequently, when a Bad Stuff character meets someone for the first time, the

Dwimmerlaiks are not the only problem for Bad Stuff characters. other person is suspicious and quick to become antagonistic. For example, a Bad Stuff character trying to beg will have miserable luck at it, earning no money. People will cross the street to avoid passing the character. The weather overhead may turn lousy and rain (or be excessively hot and sunny). Other beggars may become irate at the Bad Stuff character, and the begging may even attract the attention of the police.

Assigning Stuff

When a character has leftover character points, those points become Good Stuff. Some players choose to reserve some points just to make sure their character has Good Stuff. When a player spends exactly the allotted character point budget, without any unspent points, the character has Zero Stuff. Any future character points earned will go into Good Stuff until spent, and any leftover points will end up as Good Stuff. When a player spends too many points, the difference between the budget and the points spent becomes points of Bad Stuff. Characters learning new powers in the course of play, deciding to buy new Allies, Domains, Artifacts or Creatures, will pay for those things in the form of points applied towards their current total of points in Stuff. If one of those things is somehow permanently lost, the gamemaster may choose to refund the points spent, and these points will be applied to the Stuff point total. For obvious reasons, a character either has Good Stuff, Zero Stuff, or Bad Stuff, and can never have more than one type.

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Amounts of Stuff

How many points of Stuff can your character have? Thats a question up to each individual gamemaster to answer, and to communicate to the players before the Attribute Auction and the purchase of any powers, etc. The gamemaster may choose to put a hard-and-fast limit on the amount of Stuff (Good or Bad) the players can end up with, or the gamemaster can simply let the players spend what they will and let the players set the range. A reasonable limit is 10 points of Stuff (Good or Bad), as characters with more extreme Stuff totals will become dramatically unbalanced: high Good Stuff characters may have fewer powers and lower Attributes, while high Bad Stuff characters may end up with higher Attributes, more powers, etc. In these cases, it is up to the gamemaster to manage the way Stuff is handled, with dramatically appropriate turns of fortune and luck evening the scales, which is significantly more work than dealing with more modest Stuff values. Page XX of Chapter Ten: Gamemastering has additional information on handling Stuff in the course of play.

Player Contributions

The gamemaster does a lot of the work when running the game, including coming up with the story, the nonplayer characters, describing everything, and judging how conflicts are resolved, but players can offer to help out in other ways. Contributions are creative or helpful activities players can achieve between or during game sessions. As mentioned on page XX, players can pledge to make regular contributions to the campaign for additional points to spend on character creation. Here are ways players can contribute to the game and the suggested point rewards each should merit: Diary [10 Points]. The player contributes a diary written from their characters point of view chronicling the events from each session or even events occurring outside the game. Diaries must be kept up-to-date and substantial enough to merit the point reward. Diaries provide an excellent source of documentation, as well as giving insight into the characters own personality. Usually a page or so of notes will suffice, though diaries could also be blogs, emails, letters, or an actual journal where the player fills in a blank journal such as those found in stationery shops and bookstores. The player and gamemaster should decide whether diaries will be shared amongst all of the players. Campaign Log [10 Points]. Less formal and personal than a journal, a campaign log covers all of the events that occur each session from a general sense, providing an invaluable record of what happened. Once created, this is shared amongst players, either emailed, a handout, or as a blog. Art [10 Points]. Art can add tremendously to a campaign, helping visualize characters, places, and events to a degree that words cannot. Players with artistic talent can provide

character (and nonplayer character) illustrations (Icons or otherwise), scenes, or places visited in the campaign. These can be scanned and emailed, shown at each session, or put on an online gallery for all players to enjoy. One image should be created per session. Fiction Or Poetry [10 Points]. Players can write fiction or poetry set in the world of Lords of Gossamer & Shadow, concerning their characters or other characters. One such work should be provided per game session. Quote Lists [5 Points]. Game sessions can frequently generate unusual, humorous, or incongruous quotes, and players often enjoy reading them as a greatest hits overview of a session. An ongoing quote list can be kept online, on paper, or as an addition to another contribution. Other Contributions [Variable]. The gamemaster should also allow contributions in the form of bringing snacks and drinks to game sessions, preparing dinner for everyone, technical assistance if the game has a website or blog, making copies of handouts, providing a game space, or even driving vehicle-less players to-and-from game sessions. Any of these can be worth a few points in contributions, assuming it the effort is regular and reliable. Players should be able to switch the form of contributions theyre offering, assuming its all right with the gamemaster, and the values of the contributions are equivalent.

Limits to Contributions

Players are not required to do any contributions, but they can pledge up to a maximum of 20 points, no matter how much additional work they choose to do! Additionally, contributions are primarily for campaigns or multi-session games where players will meet more than once. It is not recommended that they be used for one-shots.

Managing Contributions

A potential problem with contributions is that players may miss sessions, not have the time to do them, or may even turn in contributions that dont represent significant effort. Contributions, in many ways, are like homework. The gamemaster should give the player a friendly warning for a missed (or poor) contribution, and give a chance for a make-up. If the situation doesnt resolve itself, the gamemaster can apply a point or two of Bad Stuff to the character (subtracting from Good Stuff, if any), for each time the contribution is missed, removing the Bad Stuff when the contribution is made up. If the problem persists, the gamemaster should just ask the player to take Bad Stuff up to the amount of the contribution and remove the pledge for the contribution. Ultimately, contributions are meant to be fun, a way players can add to their own experience in the game and to increase the enjoyment of everyone. However, life happens, and sometimes players arent able to spend as much effort on their entertainment as theyd like. If the gamemaster is forced into the position of

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policing players and demanding past contributions, its time to reevaluate the pledges for contributions and let people off the hook for contributions in return for an amount of Bad Stuff, perhaps reduced based on past contributions.

Incremental Contributions

An alternate means of handling contributions is as a reward, where the gamemaster simply awards the player a single point (or a half-point) for each contribution as it is turned in, given in a steady stream throughout the campaign, or in little clumps once 5 or 10 points are earned. In this case, players dont need to pledge contributions during character creation, and instead just earn them as the game goes. Its far easier to simply say Nice drawing, Margaret. You get 1 point! than it is to demand past contributions for players who have missed sessions or been unable to provide them. The gamemaster should be clear about which actions merit contributions and which dont, and should try to be fair so theyre awarded appropriate to the level of effort. A player who spends hours on an in-character journal should get more of a reward than the player who gave the gamemaster the last beer, for example. It is recommended in this case that the gamemaster only award one point in contributions to each player per session, with two points reserved for a truly exemplary effort. Incremental contributions may lead to a greater power climb in the campaign, with players who make the effort outstripping their less-industrious companions, and even causing the gamemaster to adjust the Attributes and abilities of nonplayer characters in the campaign to keep them in line with player growth. For this reason, incremental contributions are only recommended for gamemasters who want to keep a steady eye on the numbers, and the gamemaster should warn players who dont want to bother with contributions that their characters may be quickly outclassed, point-wise, by the characters whose players are willing to do them. These points can be given out during regular advancement times, or at the end of major campaigns or adventures, and are in addition to normal points rewarded for character advancement.

Vala, Lady of Gossamer cant pick who they were. You dont get to decide whether they are alive or dead, or how they feel about your character. Your characters parents may be among the movers-and-shakers of the Gossamer world, or humble nobodies. Hopefully, something more interesting than the latter... Allies: You can choose the nature of your characters allies, such as Partisan Support or Mentor but the gamemaster is the one who names and defines the identity of that nonplayer character. And guess what? The gamemaster doesnt necessarily have to tell you who that is, and may have a nonplayer character out there who behaves in exactly the same manner, but is not in fact the actual one you have points designating. Gamemasters are sneaky like that. History And Background: This is one of those things that most gamemasters will let players run with, and for the most part it is a good idea to give players control over this. But in some cases, the gamemaster may need to veto aspects of a characters background, or introduce other elements. In each case, these should be for the good of the overall campaign.

Gamemaster-Controlled Aspects of Your Character

Alas, you are not in charge of every aspect of your character. The gamemaster has some control over certain details of background and history, and will create those in secrecy or with your consultation. This level of creative surrender is done for reasons important to the campaign or adventure, and to allow the gamemaster to provide dramatic hooks, potential elements that plot elements and conflict can be connected to. What the player and the character knows do not always have to be in synch, either. You as a player can know things that character doesnt, or you may know that your character is wrong about something. This is fantastic fuel for role-playing, as long as it is not abused. Parents: You can pick your characters view of their parents, whether they were loved or despised, but you

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 Effects Of Stuff: You can certainly decide, though character creation, how much Good or Bad Stuff your character has, or whether your character walks the line of Zero Stuff. However, thats all you can do when it comes to Stuff. Your gamemaster decides how it manifests in the course of game play, and how nonplayer characters and the environment reacts to your character. Your character may come to rely on Stuff behaving in a certain fashion, but as a player, its all out of your hands. Secrets: You may decide there are secrets about your character, and gamemasters are encouraged to work with you to develop these and integrate them into the campaign, but gamemasters are also the arbiters of what knowledge your character doesnt have. Your character might have an artifact that has unguessed at power; a creature or Domain with an ancient and hidden origin; or you might not know that your character is the inheritor of an ancient curse, the sole hope of a dying mystic order, or the prophesied one to oppose the rule of the Dwimmerlaik. The most important thing to consider with all of these aspects is that the player should know whatever the character would reasonably be expected to know, and if the player has information that is contradictory to the truth, it should be for an extremely good reason. This isnt a means for the gamemaster to add humiliating back-story or some means of invalidating the character concept: instead it should be viewed as a method of providing surprise, depth of character, and new revelations during the course of play.

Calais, Lord of Gossamer things. Thats 88 points, then. You can pick the specific Cantrips later. What else has she got? Sarah: I gave her a sword with Deadly Damage and Mold Gossamer Matter, for a total of 5 points. I figured the sword is a famous one from her home world, and it lets her do minor things like open locks to normal doors, start fires, change coins from one type to another... those sorts of things. Its covered with runes that light up when she does that sort of magic. It made sense to buy a suit of armor with Resistant to Firearms for 2 points. Also, I wanted her to have some sort of psychic defense, so I picked a metal crown that has Psychic Barrier and Confers Quality on Wearer, for a total of 9 points. Gamemaster: Any Domains or Allies? Sarah: I picked Mentor, for 2 points. Someone who showed her the ropes of using the Grand Stair. No Domain. Shes a wanderer. Maybe someday, but not now. Gamemaster: Great! Let me add that up... Thats a total of 106 points. Youre over-budget by 6 points. Want to take the rest as Bad Stuff? Sarah: No way! I want people to think shes one of the good guys, so Im going to do a player contribution to earn 10 points. The Fiction or Poetry kind. I want to write a short story every session about what happened, told as if shes the main character... sort of pulp adventure versions of whatever happens. Gamemaster: Thats awesome! You have 4 points left. Sarah: Slide that right into Good Stuff. Gamemaster: Great! You can figure out the rest, such as what she looks like, how she speaks, you know... the character bits. I cant wait to see her in action!

An Example of Character Creation

At the end of character creation, the gamesmaster sits down with Sarah and reviews her character. Gamemaster: So, Sarah, tell me about your character. Sarah: Her name is Cordelia, and Im picturing her as sort of a Valkyrie or an Amazon, a powerful warrior from a martial culture on one of these Gossamer worlds. Shes proud, impetuous, and enjoys life to its fullest. She was a mighty hero and wanderer in her own world, like Red Sonja or even Conan. In one of her adventures, she destroyed a wicked sorcerer who was tormenting the people of his land, and in his tower she found a strange magic door... she opened it, and found herself on the Grand Stairs. She began exploring, and since then shes learned a few things more and hasnt turned back. Gamemaster: Great concept! Now lets talk points. Sarah: Well, from the Attribute Auction she has Paragon-rank Psyche, 20 points in Strength, 16 points in Endurance, and 32 points in Warfare. Definitely more a doer than a thinker. Gamemaster: Thats 68 out of the 100 points you have to start with. What did you do with those points? Sarah: I didnt see her as much of a powers person, but I picked up Warden of the Grand Stair for 10 points, and Cantrips for another 10. Gamemaster: Great! Good idea about the powers. With Paragon-rank Psyche, shed be best to focus on the combat side of

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