Trespasser RPG Playtest Version 1.2

Trespasser
Dark Fantasy Tactics
Playtest Version 1.2

Copyright © 2022 Tobias Hartranft
All rights reserved.
Version
Playtest v 1.2, 8/3/2022
Writer & Designer

Tobias Hartranft
Playtesters
Carmen P, Dan B, Isaac H,
Jesse B, John A, Mike M,
Mikey S, Nick A
Disclaimer
All fonts are used with permission of the creators, and
all art is original or belongs to the public domain.
Contact
To request permissions or provide playtest feedback,
please contact the author at [email protected].
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Table of Contents
Introduction … 4 Buying Supplies … 43
Spellcasting … 118
The First Day … 5 Peasants … 44 Learning Spells … 119
Gameplay … 6 Creating a Peasant … 45 Casting a Spell … 120
Dice … 6 Alignment Tables Class Spell Tables … 121
Basic Rules … 7 Social Group Spell Descriptions … 123
Peasant Combat … 48
Attributes … 8 Strongholds … 135
Profession Lists … 49
Checks … 9 Stronghold Attributes … 136
Skill Bonus … 9 Adventurers … 53 Stronghold Level … 137
Potency Die … 9 Character Advancement … 54 Investment
Skills … 10 Leveling Up … 55 Population Rank
Character Sheet … 12 Themes Skill Bonus
Exploration … 15 Actions Concurrent Projects
Talents The Stronghold Sheet … 140
Supplies … 16
Upgrades Features … 142
Fatigue … 17
Experience … 55 Freeholds … 148
Resting … 18
Ventures Warfare … 154
Travel … 19
Classes … 58
Combat … 21 Campaigns … 166
Brigand
Space & Distance … 23 Cleric The Doom … 167
Initiative … 23 Invoker Overlords … 168
Movement … 23 Knight Three Chapters … 172
Actions … 26 Magician The Journey's End … 173
Targets & Range Occultist Handling Death … 174
Damage Thief Dungeons … 176
Areas of Effect Warrior Encounters … 178
Secondary Actions … 29 Themes … 79 Designing Dungeons … 179
Effort … 30 The First Day … 182
Themes List … 82
Effort Costs The Laughing Hound … 183
Blood
Class Features
Brawling Treasure … 197
Gaining Effort
Curses Magic Items … 200
Hit Points … 32
Defense Magic Weapons … 201
Recovery Dice
Earth Artifact Weapons
Defeat & Dying
Flames Magic Armor & Shields … 203
Engagement … 33
Frost Artifact Weapons & Shields
Flanking
Leadership Magic Accessories … 205
Maneuvers … 33
Melee Magic Objects … 209
Conditions … 34
Prowess
Sustaining Effects Monsters … 213
Range
The Delay Phase Playing the Enemies … 214
Sorcery
Conditions List Peril … 215
Storms
Equipment … 37 Swiftness
Monster Entries … 217
Weapons … 38 Monster Index … 218
Treachery
Weapon Effects Wilderness
Weapons List Wind
Armor … 41 Wrath
Armor Class
Encumbrance
Armor Dice
Armor List
Shield List
-3-
Introduction
Things are getting worse out there.
It's clear even from your place of rustic isolation.
Hideous beasts run roughshod through the
countryside, roving bands of marauders reduce
settlements to smoking rubble, wide-eyed
prophets babble madly at the sky, and common
folk like yourself live in a constant state of terror.
Well, you've had just about enough of it. No more

tilling the fields in obscurity. The cracks are
forming, and time is running out to live life on
your own terms.
Your ambitions are great, but the breastplate must

be donned before the crown. To bring this land to
heel, you're going to need a few things: food,
water, and shelter, to start. You'll also need an
iron fist, a silver tongue, a wagonload of copper
pieces, and all the magic items you can pry out of
skeletal hands. After that comes a defensible
stronghold, an inner circle you can trust, and a
stable of devoted underlings inspired or terrified Players take on the roles of adventurers, exploring
into subservience. Only then, at long last, can you dungeons, slaying monsters, and winning power
return some semblance of order to this benighted and treasure for themselves. One other acts as the
land and exact vengeance on the depraved and Judge, describing a world and playing the parts of
apathetic Overlords that preside over its final the other creatures therein. The world of Trespasser
hours! is one nearing its end, a rotting land rife with dark
magic and terrible beasts.
Of course, that's all assuming you survive your
first day. Trespasser is a game of acquisition and craven
survival. You begin play as a handful of peasants
who have chosen to plant their pitchforks in the
Trespasser: Dark Fantasy Tactics is a roleplaying ground and take up the arms of adventurers. Merely
game about peasants-turned-adventurers seeking securing unspoiled food and safe shelter will be first
safe refuge amid the long collapse of their dying among your goals.
world. Designed for player-driven, sandbox style
campaigns of survival and dungeon crawling,
Trespasser borrows principles of early tabletop:
power is low, battles are deadly, and adventurers are
self-interested. It pairs these concepts with a robust
tactical combat system inspired by 4th Edition
Dungeons & Dragons.
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The First Day No Land of Heroes
The adventuring party is forged in a harrowing Life is cheap and presents few opportunities for
ordeal called the First Day, a bloody adventure that heroics. Strike from your imagination any notion of
other games term a 'funnel session' or 'meat grinder.' a golden-haired knight in shining armor pressing his
For the first session only, you and each other player lance into the breast of a fire-breathing dragon.
will control four randomly generated peasants.
More likely you will find a ragged and rusted figure
Though most will meet a gruesome death, at the end
atop a starving steed, an aimless bannerman whose
you will choose one of the survivors to be your
chivalric virtue has long since curdled into cruelty.
character.
The folks of this realm lack hope and purpose.
You will then choose a class and theme that define Civilization has fragmented into small, fearful,
your role within the party and your approach to ignorant communities, and perilous wilderness has
battle. Thus, the nature of your personage is reclaimed the space between.
somewhat arbitrary, for who among us is not
The heroes of old sought glory and valor. They
beholden to the whims of capricious fate?
considered themselves soldiers in a war between the
peaceful order of good and the violent chaos of evil,
The Campaign setting aside their own interests to rescue the
innocent and lend aid to townships in need.
The campaign begins once the First Day has drawn
to an end and the party has been forged. The Judge Daily peril affords little time to cultivate such vain
shall facilitate your journey, but it is up to you to idealism. In this age, an adventurer's motivation is to
choose a heading and set goals for yourselves. see the next dawn. Most folk follow their instincts
and stay loyal to none but a trusted few, and
As a party, you must decide together how best to opportunism, cynicism, and greed are prevalent.
tame this hostile world. You can work
to establish a defensible stronghold,
scrounge up what few allies you can,
and accumulate wealth and influence.
In time, you may even turn your blades
upon the deranged Overlords and seize
their blood-stained thrones for
yourselves. You will meet deadly
adversity in pursuit of these ends, for it
is the dark work of the Judge to litter
your path with fanatical death cults,
murderous thieves, vicious beasts,
cunning mages, lethal traps, cursed
treasures, and old gods malevolent and
mad.
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Two Modes of Play Dice
Like the games that inspired it, Trespasser has two Dice do the work of fickle fortune. You will need
modes of play: out-of-combat and in-combat. The dice with four, six, eight, ten, twelve, and twenty
party's time out-of-combat will be spent exploring, sides. You will roll the twenty-sider most often. In
making plans, and interacting with NPCs. There are the game text, a die will be specified by the letter d
fewer rules and less overall structure to this side of and its number of sides. Thus, a d6 refers to a normal
the game; the Judge will govern the narrative flow, six-sided die.
addressing each player's actions, describing their
Advancement
outcomes, and playing the parts of the characters
they encounter in the world. When necessary, the
Judge will call for an attribute check, and you will
You will advance through nine experience levels as
roll a die to see how you fare in your exploits.
you adventure. Increasing your level makes you
Gameplay changes significantly when a combat heartier and more competent, but it can only be
encounter begins: a map of the environment is done by venturing into the dark recesses of the
drawn on a grid, figures are placed upon it, and the world and confronting the danger therein.
game becomes one of turn-based tactical combat.
You advance to higher levels by reaching certain
Most of the rules and character options pertain to
thresholds of experience points (xp). These are
this side of the game.
awarded for defeating enemies and exploring, but
mostly for looting treasure.
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Basic Rules
-7-
Attributes ATTRIBUTE M O D I F IE R
You possess six attributes, numerical values that 3 (MIN) -4

represent your physical and mental aptitude. A score
4-5 -3
of 10 is considered average. Attributes cannot be
lower than 3 or higher than 18. 6-7 -2
STRENGTH (STR) represents your muscle mass and 8-9 -1

athleticism. It allows you to wield heavy weapons
10 - 11 +0
and carry more in your pack.
12 - 13 +1
AGILITY (AGI) represents your physical speed,
balance, and precision. It makes you harder to hit in 14 - 15 +2
combat.
16 - 17 +3
VIGOR (VIG) represents your physical health and
18 (MAX) +4
stamina. It helps you endure pain and allows you to
wear heavier armor.
KNOWLEDGE (KNW) represents your education and

ability to learn. It grants you additional skills. S UMMARY OF A TTRIBUTES
CUNNING (CNG) represents your creativity,
 Required to wield heavier
problem-solving, and the ability to think quickly. It weapons and shields
aids you in social interaction and lets you act sooner STRENGTH
 Every point grants an
in combat. inventory slot
RESOLVE (RES) represents your willpower, your  Modifies your Armor Class
sense of identity, and the conviction of your beliefs. AGILITY  You can make one reaction for
It helps you recover from injury. every five points
 Required to wear medium and

heavy armor
VIGOR Your base hit points are equal
Modifiers 
to this score or 10, whichever is
Each attribute has an associated number called the higher
modifier. When you roll dice, you often add one of
 You know one class skill for
these numbers to the result. Throughout the game
every four points
text, modifiers are written as three-letter KNOWLEDGE  You know one extra spell for
abbreviations: STR, AGI, VIG, KNW, CNG, RES. every four points, if you are a
spell-caster
CUNNING  Modifies your Initiative roll
 Modifies your number of

RESOLVE
recovery dice
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Bonuses & Penalties
Checks Circumstance and preparation can influence a
When you attempt a task with a chance of failure, check, and the Judge might express this by granting
you will have to roll dice to see if you succeed. The you a bonus or penalty on your roll. For example, an
Judge will call for a check, choosing an attribute that adventurer attempting to open a rusted sewer grate
is relevant to the situation. For example, if you tried might gain a bonus for using a crowbar instead of
to lift a very heavy object, the Judge would call for a their bare hands.
Strength check. The Judge also chooses a number
called the challenge number in secret based on the
difficulty of the task. Skill Bonus h
You make a check by rolling a d20 and adding the Your skill bonus is a measure of your general
modifier for that attribute. The Judge compares competence, and it slowly increases as you level up.
your result to the challenge number to decide the When you make a check and know a skill relevant to
outcome. the task at hand, you can add your skill bonus to the
roll. You also add it to some checks you make in
ABJECT FAILURE – If you fall short of the
combat, such as initiative rolls and action rolls.
challenge number by 5 or more, you fail to a dismal
Your skill bonus is often represented in the game
and possibly catastrophic degree. You may have
text with a pentagram.
destroyed a tool vital to the completion of the task,
hurt yourself, or set back the efforts of the party in
some other way.
Potency Die %
NARROW FAILURE – If you fall short by less than Like your skill bonus, your potency die slowly
5, your efforts just barely fail to accomplish your increases as you level up. It affects the damage of
goal. At the very least, you have not made the your attacks and determines the size of your
situation worse. recovery dice, the dice you roll to recover from
injury and overcome harmful conditions. Your
NARROW SUCCESS – If you meet the challenge
potency die is represented in the game text with a die
number exactly or beat it by less than 5, you succeed,
symbol.
but sometimes it may be at the cost of some setback
or complication chosen by the judge; lost, a broken
tool, or a minor injury, for example.
XP LEVEL SKILL BONUS POTENCY DIE
TOTAL SUCCESS – If you exceed the challenge
0 +2 d6
number by 5 or more, your attempt succeeds with
1 +2 d6
flying colors.
2 +2 d6
3 +2 d8
DIFFICULTY CHALLENGE NUMBER 4 +3 d8
Tricky 10 5 +3 d8
Difficult 15 6 +3 d10
Challenging 20 7 +4 d10
Near-Impossible 25 8 +4 d10
9 +4 d12
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Skills
LETTERS represents literacy and education. It is
required to read and write.
Attribute checks are a measure of natural ability, but  Interpret a difficult text
your skills also play a role in deciding success or you  Know a scientific or historical fact
will likely learn three to five of them throughout  Forge a document
your career, depending on the choices you make.
The Judge will sometimes link a skill to an attribute MYSTERY represents knowledge of arcane secrets
check, making it a skill check. These work just like and the occult.
attribute checks, but you also get to add your skill  Discern a magical effect
bonus (h) if you know the relevant skill.  Interpret a strange ritual
 Identify an aberrant creature
For example, if you tried to identify some strange
animal prints in the snow, the Judge might ask for a
Knowledge (Nature) check. You would make the NATURE represents knowledge of flora and fauna
normal Knowledge check and also add your skill and the ability to survive in the wild.
bonus if you possess the Nature skill. Skills are not  Hunt, fish or forage
linked to a particular attribute; if the check were  Discern the effect of a plant or poison
testing your ability to stay mounted on a panicking  Identify, tame, or ride an animal
horse, the Judge might ask for an Agility (Nature)
check instead.
PERCEPTION sharpens your senses and helps you
notice minute details.
ACROBATICS aids you in feats of agility and grace.  Spot something hidden
 Leap across a gap  Search around an area
 Climb a wall or steep surface  Notice strange behavior
 Dive past a trap
SPEECH aids your attempts to persuade, intimidate,
ATHLETICS helps you perform acts of strength and and deceive.

endurance.  Lie through your teeth
 Push or lift something heavy  Rally a crowd into action
 Carry or drag a fallen ally
 Give chase to a fleeing enemy STEALTH helps you spy on, sneak past, and steal
from others.
FOLKLORE represents knowledge of traditions,  Move without being noticed
customs, and legendry.  Perform sleight of hand
 Recall a local legend
 Understand a strange custom TINKERING aids you in tasks that involve fine
 Recognize the tenets of a religion motor skills or mechanical inclination.
 Pick a lock
 Craft or repair an object
 Disarm or reset a trap
- 10 -
Requisite Skills Joint Efforts
Most of the time, you can attempt a check whether There will often be challenges that can only be
or not you possess the relevant skill; obviously, you overcome with cooperation. When you want to pool
can still try to lift a heavy iron portcullis even if you your efforts with your fellow adventurers, the Judge
lack expert knowledge of Athletics, and you can may call for a joint effort.
attempt to sneak up on a sleeping troll even if you've
Each player makes the check. These rolls are
never been trained in the art of Stealth.
counted either as successes or failures; there are no
Other times, the Judge may require you to have a degrees of success for these rolls. To decide the final
certain skill just to attempt a check, because the task result of the joint effort, the Judge compares the
is one that requires specific knowledge to even have number of successes to the number of failures.
a chance of success. This is often true in the case of
Folklore, Letters, and Mystery, skills that represent
specialized fields of study. A character without the
Mystery skill, for example, would have zero chance
ROLLS FINAL RESULT
to succeed at deciphering an ancient magical text.
All Failures Abject Failure
Literacy Mostly Failures Narrow Failure

Half/Mostly Successes Narrow Success
You are only able to read and write if you possess the
All Successes Total Success
letters skill.
Former Profession
Your former profession can also be used like a skill.
For example, for a check made to cross a rain-slick
rooftop, the Judge might allow a former dancer to
add their skill bonus because of the implied balance
and grace developed in that line of work.
- 11 -
Combat Information
The Character Sheet The largest box is in the top right, and it houses all
For visual learners, looking at the character sheet the information useful to combat. There are larger
can be the best way to learn about a game. It may workspaces at the top for hit points, recovery dice,
appear daunting at first, but most of the little details and effort. You can slide a paperclip up and down
only exist to make things easier for the player. You the right side of the page to make use of the effort
can follow along with the sample character sheet on tracker, since you will be changing this number
the next two pages as you read this breakdown. The frequently in combat.
descriptions here are organized in the same This box is also where you list your equipped items.
positions as they are on the character sheet. Weapons you write down in your two weapon slots
are easy to access, worn at your side or on your back.
Character Information You can use the slots for a main weapon and a back-
The top left box contains the most basic info about up weapon, or for two one-handed weapons, if you
the adventurer: their name, level, experience points, prefer to fight that way.
class, acquired themes, former profession, and
Your six armor slots are listed in this box, too- they
aspects.
aren't as complicated as they look. Each piece of
armor has a weight, a bonus that gets added to your
Attributes armor class, and an armor die. You can spend the
The second box down lists the six attributes in dice in combat to reduce damage you take. There is a
order. The first two columns are for the score and checkbox next to each die, so you can keep track of
modifier of each attribute. The third column lists which ones you have spent.
the skilled bonus, which just means the modifier +
There is also a small space to track your conditions,
skill bonus h. Almost any time you roll the dice,
effects that last for several rounds. There are four
you will be adding a number from the second or
countdown trackers, but it is unlikely you will ever
third column. If you prefer to avoid mental math,
need all four. Most of the time you will only have to
having them all written out in advance makes them
deal with one or two conditions, if any. There is
easy to reference.
another vertical tracker here if you would prefer to
use a paperclip.
Skills
The third box down just contains the ten skills. You Features & Talents
can check off the ones you have learned.
This box is a blank slate for you to write down the
abilities granted by your class. Each class has one or
Inventory two features and a small list of talents that you pick
This bottom-left box contains 18 lines, but you can from as you level.
only fill an amount equal to your Strength score. In
the example sheet, the player has drawn a line to Other Abilities
indicate the cutoff. Your equipped weapons and
Magical items such rings and amulets can grant
armor are not counted here- they are written down
special abilities much like the features and talents
in the combat information box, and you only write
offered by your class. If you are a spellcaster, this is
an object down in one place on your character sheet.
also where you can write down your spells.
- 12 -
- 13 -
The Back Page Left Column - Basic Actions
The back of the character sheet is just used to track The rest of the left column is where you write down
your combat actions. There are three tiers of action your basic actions. The first three slots are already
(basic, special, and mighty) and they are presented in filled in with three actions that every adventurer
three different columns on the sheet. It is not knows: strike, shoot, and rally.
necessary to show the whole page; the rest is mostly
filled with empty boxes identical to the ones you can Middle Column - Special Actions
see above. The middle column has six large slots for special
actions. Special actions have check boxes to track
Action Rolls how many times you use them, since they become
The top left box has space to list all your action rolls. more costly with each use.
Whenever you take an action, you make a skilled
attribute check. In the example sheet above, the Right Column – Mighty Actions
player has just written down the bonuses for The right column starts with three slots for mighty
Strength, Agility, and Cunning, since they only actions, your most powerful and rare combat
know actions that use those rolls. abilities. These also have check boxes for tracking
This box also has space to write down your critical how many times you use them.
hit effects. You always add an extra damage die The rest of the right column has three more generic
when you land a critical hit, but you gain more action slots. You can use these to write down actions
effects as you level up. granted by magic items or other sources.
- 14 -
Exploration
- 15 -
Much of your time as an adventurer will be spent in
exploration. In this portion of the game, you will
travel the realm in search of food, water, and safe
refuge, investigating points of interest as you go.
You will venture into deep caverns, ruined castles,
and long-undisturbed tombs in search of treasure
and powerful magic to aid you. You will meet
eccentric strangers in your travels; a few may pledge
themselves in service to you, and others you will
leave behind as corpses to rot in the sun.
Supplies
One of the main reasons to explore is to collect
supplies. You will perish quickly if you cannot locate
new sources of unspoiled food and drinkable water.
Beyond these elemental needs, you'll need sturdy
equipment for yourself: basics, like a weapon and
armor, but also light sources, rope, and anything else
you can think of that might come in handy while
adventuring.
Carried Items
Your inventory has a number of item lines equal to
your Strength score. Equipped weapons and worn
armor are not in your inventory and do not count
Treasure
toward your limit. Each other item you carry takes You can carry 500 copper pieces per line, as long as
up one or more item lines. you have a bag or other means of carrying them.
Other treasure may have different dimensions and
value- for example, a painting may take up two or
Bulky Equipment three lines but be worth several thousand cp.
Some tools of the trade are heavy. Two-handed
weapons take up two inventory lines, and armor
pieces take up lines equal to their AC bonus,
Consumables
minimum 1. Adventurers prize their instruments of death, but
strong blades and solid shields litter the earth in
disuse, clutched by the bones of those who failed to
Tiny Objects find nourishment.
Very small objects – hand-sized or smaller, such as
Four consumable supplies are abstracted into units:
balls of yarn, pieces of chalk, figurines, and loose-
leaf papers – can be written on the same line as long  Food
as there is space. Write small.  Water
 Ammunition
 Light Sources & Fuel
Each unit of a consumable takes up one line in your

inventory.
- 16 -
Depletion Checks
After you use one of your consumables, you must
Fatigue
make a depletion check to see if a unit is depleted. Your fatigue score represents hunger, thirst, and
Roll a d6. On a 1 or 2, you must erase one unit from weariness. As long as your basic needs are met, this
your inventory. score stays at 0. Every 24 hours, you gain +1 fatigue
for each of the following that are true:
Food & Water  You failed to eat at least once

You must eat food and water every day to avoid  You failed to drink at least once
fatigue, making a depletion check for each. Usually  You failed to take a rest
this is done each time you rest.
You can also gain fatigue in a few other ways, such
as keeping watch during a rest or traveling at a
Ammunition grueling pace. These are described on the next few
After each combat encounter, if you used a ranged pages.
weapon, you must make a depletion check for the
ammunition.
Light Sources & Fuel Penalties of Fatigue

You must make a depletion check when you first Fatigue hinders your ability to fight and to recover
light a torch or lamp and every 30 minutes while from injury. Your base effort and your total number
using it. After failing, the light source stays lit for of recovery dice are reduced by an amount equal to
another 30 minutes. Torches are erased when your fatigue score. These mechanics are described in
depleted, while lanterns and lamps consume the Combat chapter.
separate units of fuel.
Death by Deprivation
A very high fatigue score represents starvation,
dehydration, and extreme exhaustion. If your
fatigue score ever surpasses your Vigor score, you
die.
Recovering From Fatigue

Your fatigue score returns to 0 once you spend a full
day in which you eat, drink, take a rest, and do not
travel.
- 17 -
Keeping Watch
Resting One or more adventurers can keep watch to avoid
Resting allows you to recuperate from injury and being surprised during a rest. If you choose to keep
regain your stamina. Taking a rest means spending a watch, you still gain the benefits of the rest, but you
period of eight hours in undisturbed downtime. must pass a Vigor check vs. 20. If you fail, you gain
During this period, you can sleep or perform a light +1 fatigue upon finishing the rest.
activity, such as cooking a meal or studying an
ancient text. You gain the benefits of resting only You can divide up the watch into multiple shifts,
when you finish the rest, and you must start over if with a different person taking each shift. Each
you are interrupted by any noisy disturbance or adventurer who takes a shift needs to make a Vigor
forced to perform tiresome physical activity. check, but the challenge numbers are lowered by 5
for each shift added:
Benefits KEEPING WATCH

SHIFTS CHALLENGE NUMBERS
When you complete a rest, you gain all the following
1 20
benefits:
2 15, 15
 You regain all hit points 3 or more 10, 10, 10, etc.
 You regain all recovery dice
 Your effort costs are reset
- 18 -
Animals
Travel Beasts of burden can allow you to travel faster and
The rules for overland travel presume the Judge is carry more items and supplies.
using a hex grid, but any mapping system works, as
long as it can indicate distance between locations.
The table below uses six-mile hexes as the base unit ANIMALS
of measurement, but the Judge can use any other
ANIMAL MOUNT INVENTORY
unit instead- all that matters is that the relative
Donkey --- 12
distances traveled given each terrain type are left
Goat --- 8
intact. Horse Yes 16
Mule Yes 14
The following table indicates how much ground the Ox --- 18
party can cover in one day at a normal pace: Pony --- 10
HEXES TRAVELED BY TERRAIN Pack animals

TERRAIN ON FOOT MOUNTED Any trained animal can be used as a pack animal.
Cavern 1 1 Used in this way, an animal has an inventory with
Deserts 2 3 (+1) the number of lines specified above.
Forests 1 1
Hills 2 2
Mountains 1 1 Mounts
Plains 2 3 (+1) Most animals on the list can be used as a mount, but
Roads 3 5 (+2)
only horses and mules confer a bonus to travel
Ruins 2 2
Swamps 1 1 speed: +2 hexes each day on roads and +1 hex on
Woodlands 2 3 (+1) deserts, plains or woodlands.
Supporting a rider uses ten inventory slots, so an

There are ten types of terrain. When traveling
animal can still carry a few supplies while used as a
several hexes, you may reach the edge of a rougher
mount.
terrain type and still have spare hexes to travel. The
Judge decides whether you can make it to the next
hex or need to stop in your current one. Vehicles
Animals can also be used to haul carts and wagons.
Hurried Pace When used in this way, an animal has no inventory.
Instead, the vehicle has an inventory of a size equal
You can reach your destination faster by traveling at
to the combined inventories of the animals hauling
a hurried pace. You travel twice as many hexes each
it, plus an extra bonus. For example, a small wagon
day, but you also gain +1 fatigue each day.
pulled by a donkey and a mule would have an
inventory of 36 (12 + 14 + 10).
Grueling Pace
In dire circumstances, you can even travel for an
entire 24-hour period without any rest. You travel VEHICLES
three times as many hexes, but you gain +3 fatigue VEHICLE ANIMALS INVENTORY
each day: +2 for the pace, and +1 because you won't Cart 1 Animals + 5
have taken a rest, either. Small Wagon 2 Animals + 10
Large Wagon 4 Animals + 20
- 19 -
Encounters Impassable Terrain
Usually, the Judge will check for an encounter each Some features of the terrain, such as wide rivers or
day while the party is traveling. Though bandits and jagged peaks, may prove impassable by travel on the
beasts do lie in wait to ambush travelers, encounters ground. The Judge decides when this is the case and
are not necessarily enemies. The nature of an how these regions can be crossed.
encounter depends on the environment: it could be
an ill omen or other phenomenon, evidence of
Weather
another group's recent passing, an abandoned site to
explore, or a run-in with other travelers. More Extreme weather doesn't rule out travel completely
information and sample encounters will be found in but could make it very unwise. In general, the party
future versions of the game. moves -1 hex each day in poor weather (for example,
rain, snow, or a heat wave) and -2 hexes in severe
weather (heavy rain, a blizzard, a sandstorm, etc.) to
a minimum of 1 hex per day.
- 20 -
Combat
- 21 -
Battle is nothing glorious- it is dirty and deadly, and The Judge may consider other end conditions for a
those reluctant to die painfully should endeavor to conflict. For example, if the enemy force has a
avoid it at all costs. The adventurers who survive the specific goal in mind, they may begin to withdraw as
longest are like cats in the night, creeping silently soon as they have achieved it or choose to surrender
around their slumbering foes and plucking treasure when it becomes impossible.
from their lairs without a need to draw steel.
Sadly, it is a reality of this fading land that violence

is sometimes unavoidable: dishonorable folk will
Space & Distance
desire your valuables, ravenous monsters will desire At the beginning of a combat encounter, the Judge
your flesh, and only a sharp edge or scorching spell- should draw up the scene on a grid map. Each square
fire will deter them. encompasses an area five feet to a side, and each
creature of approximately human size occupies one
Typically, a combat encounter begins the moment square. Walls, pits, and other notable features of the
one creature attempts to harm or physically subdue environment should also be represented on the map,
another, and it ends when one side of the conflict and it should be updated throughout the encounter
has escaped, been eliminated, or surrendered. to reflect changes that occur to the environment.
- 22 -
Combat Rounds P HASES OF THE R OUND
The sequence of events is tracked more carefully in
combat than in exploration. The Judge divides the Start-of-Round Players make initiative rolls.
time into individual rounds that represent ten
seconds in-game. Within each round, each Players who rolled high
Opening Phase
combatant takes their own turn, making attacks on initiative take turns.
against one another, supporting their allies, and
Enemy Phase Enemies take turns.
working to ensure that the conflict unfolds in their
favor. Players who rolled low
Closing Phase
on initiative take turns.
Initiative
The enemy, whether a lone creature or a group, Turns
possess a fixed initiative score that represents how On your turn you can move and take one action, one
quickly they act. This number is public information minor action, and a handful of free actions. You
known to the players. At the start of each round, the may do these things in any order and may choose to
players each make an initiative roll of 1d20 + h + do only some or none of them.
CNG to find out if they act before or after the enemy.
Those who meet or surpass the enemy's initiative
score act before them, and those who roll lower act Movement
after.
You can move on your turn, traveling a distance up
During the opening phase of a round, players who to your speed. An adventurer has a natural speed of
rolled higher may take their turns in any order they 30 ft., equivalent to six squares on the battle map.
choose. Next, in the enemy phase, the Judge takes a Moving out of one square and into an adjacent one
turn for each enemy, in any order. Finally, in the uses 5 ft. of movement. You can move diagonally,
closing phase, the remaining adventurers take their but every other diagonal movement is counted as 10
turns in any order. Then the round ends, a new one ft. instead of 5. This movement can be split between
begins, and initiative is rolled again. the other things you do on your turn: for example,
you could take a minor action, move 10 ft., take an
Critical Rounds action, and then move another 20 ft.
If you roll initiative and the number on the die is a You can move through any square with sturdy and
20, you have a critical round. You take two turns walkable ground. You cannot move through squares
this round, one in the opening phase and another in occupied by enemies or
the closing phase. large obstacles. You can
pass through ally-occupied
squares, but you must
Surprise always end your
If one of the sides is caught by surprise, those movement in an
creatures are delayed for the first round, meaning unoccupied square.
they take their turns at the very end. The delayed
condition is described later in the chapter.
- 23 -
Difficult Terrain Push, Pull & Slide
Squares that are possible to cross but taxing in some Some abilities allow you to forcibly move other
way – such as thick brush, waist-high water, or a creatures. When you push a creature, every 5 ft. you
banquet table – are considered difficult terrain. move it must send it further away from you. When
Entering a square of difficult terrain uses twice as you pull a creature, every 5 ft. you move it must
much movement. bring it closer to you. When you slide a creature, you
can move it in any direction. Forced movement
Shift follows the same rules as normal movement: you can
push a creature through its allies, but not through
Creatures can employ other forms of movement obstacles or its enemies, etc.
through actions or class features. A shift is cautious
movement that ignores engagement and does not
provoke attacks of opportunity. You cannot shift
Shove & Drag
over difficult terrain. Creatures can also be shoved and dragged with some
actions. When you shove a creature, you push it and
Jump then shift towards the creature the same distance-
every 5 ft. step must bring you closer to the creature.
A jump represents flight, extremely fast physical
movement, or magical teleportation. During a jump You drag a creature by doing the opposite: you shift
you can pass through obstacles and other creatures, a distance, then pull the creature the same distance
and you also ignore engagement, difficult terrain, toward you.
and field effects.
- 24 -
- 25 -
MISS – If you roll lower than the challenge number,
Actions you miss. Nothing happens.
Actions represent various attacks, spells, and tricks HIT – If you roll the same or higher than the
employed in combat. You can take one action every challenge number, you hit. You deal the damage or
turn in combat. confer the effects described on the Hit line of the
action.
There are three tiers of action: basic, special, and
mighty. Basic actions can be used all the time and SOLID HIT – If you hit and the number on the die
make up the foundation of your fighting abilities. is even, you land a solid hit. The hit gains the
Special and mighty actions use up a resource called additional benefit or effect listed on the Solid Hit
effort, described later in the chapter. line.
CRITICAL HIT – If the number on the die is a 20,

Themes
you land a critical hit. The action counts as a solid hit
Actions are learned from themes, groupings that on every target, and you add an extra potency die %
represent a certain fighting style; Brawling, Flames, to the damage, if any. You add more effects as you
and Leadership are examples of themes. You start gain combat themes.
with a single theme but unlock two more as you level
up.
Basic Actions
Action Rolls All adventurers know the three actions shown here,
so they are automatically filled in on the character
When you take an action, you must always make an sheet.
action roll to see how well it works. This is a skilled
attribute check (d20 + h + modifier). The attribute
you use is specified by the action. Strike Basic
STR ATTACK – MELEE OR FREE HAND

Attack Rolls
Target 1 creature
If the action has the attack keyword, the roll counts Hit Deal $ + STR damage.
as an attack roll, and the challenge number is the Solid Hit Confer weapon effect.
Armor Class (AC) of each target.
If an attack targets multiple creatures, make just one Shoot Basic

attack roll and compare the result to each enemy's
AC. It is possible to miss some creatures and hit AGI ATTACK – RANGED
others with the same attack. Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $ + AGI damage.
Support Rolls Solid Hit Confer weapon effect.
If the action has the support keyword, the roll

counts as a support roll, and the challenge number Rally Basic
is always 10.
RES SUPPORT – NO IMPLEMENT
Outcomes Target personal
An action roll has four possible outcomes: a miss, a Hit Gain 2 effort; or make a recovery 2.
hit, a solid hit, or a critical hit. Solid Hit You can do both.
- 26 -
Keywords Range
The range of an action is determined by the weapon
The keyword line shows the basic details of an
or implement you are using. Each of a weapon's
action. For example, the keywords of the strike
keywords specify a range. For example, a spear has
action on the previous page indicate that it is a
the keywords melee 10 ft. and ranged 30 ft. You
Strength-based attack that can be made with a melee
could use it to take a melee action against a target
weapon or unarmed.
within 10 ft. or a ranged action against a target
The first two keywords always indicate the action's within 30 ft.
attribute and whether it is an attack or support. The
next ones listed are implement keywords. Finally, Line of Sight
attack actions may list a damage type keyword.
You must see a creature in order to target it. If you
can draw a straight line from any part of your square
Implement Keywords to any part of the intended target's square without
Actions usually require a weapon or other tool to passing through a wall or an obstacle, that target is
perform. To use an action, you need to be holding an within your line of sight.
implement that shares one of its keywords.
Allies never block line-of-sight, but enemies block
 Melee- requires a melee weapon line-of-sight if they are size large or larger.
 Ranged- requires a ranged weapon
 Conjury- requires a conjury weapon Targeting Yourself & Allies
 Unarmed- requires a free hand
You do not count as your own ally, and you cannot
 Artifice- uses a tool from your pack
target yourself with an action that specifies an ally.
 No Implement- requires no implement
You do count as a creature, however, so you can
target yourself with actions that target creatures.
Damage Types
Attack actions may have a keyword that specifies a Damage
damage type. If a damage type is not specified, the
When you hit with an attack action, you usually
attack deals physical damage.
need to roll damage. Damage is written in the game
 Cold- damage from frostbite text as a mathematical expression:
 Fire- damage from heat and burning
 A sword $ means weapon damage die
 Lightning- damage from electrocution
 A die % means potency die
 Mental- damage from mind-altering magic
 Three letters (STR, KNW) mean a modifier
 Necrotic- damage from rot and sickness
 Poison- damage from toxins Roll all the dice listed and add them together along
 Spectral- damage from raw magical energy with the listed modifier. The total is the damage
dealt to the target and subtracted from its pool of hit
Targets & Range points.
The target line describes what creature or area is

affected by the action. You can target any creature or Multiple Targets
area you can see that falls within the range of the When you hit multiple targets, roll damage once and
weapon or item you are using for the action. deal the same amount to each target.
- 27 -
Areas of Effect
Some actions affect an area. Actions like this target
each creature inside the area unless they specify that
they only affect enemies or allies. You only need
line-of-sight to one of the squares when you place
an area effect, but if the action is an attack, any
targets that are out of your line of sight gain a +2
bonus to AC.
BLAST – A blast affects a square-shaped area of the

map. At least a portion of it must fall within your
range. The footage indicates the length of one side
of the blast: a '15 ft. blast' indicates a 3x3 area of the
grid. A close blast must be placed adjacent to you or
overlapping your position.
BURST – A burst affects a radius around the acting

creature or another chosen creature. Use movement
rules to determine how far a burst can reach.
LINE – A line originates at any point in the user's

square and travels in a straight trajectory to the end
of weapon range. It only affects squares that it
passes directly through, intersecting both the close
and far sides or corners.
Obscuring fields block line-of-sight in and out,
PATH – A path is a snaking connection of 5 ft. meaning a creature outside of a field cannot target a
squares. At least one of the squares must fall within creature inside or on the opposite side of it. Within
your range. Paths must be connected edge-to-edge an obscuring field, creatures have line of sight to
(no diagonals) and cannot form a 10 ft. square at any each other.
point.
Auras
Fields An aura is a lingering effect centered upon a
A field is an effect that lingers in an area after the creature that emanates in a radius around it, like a
action is finished, such as a cloud of smoke or a pile burst. If the emanating creature moves, the aura
of rubble. Unless otherwise stated, a field remains moves with it.
until it is overwritten or the encounter ends. A
square can only be affected by one field at a time;
placing a new field overwrites any older ones in
Obstacles
those squares. Sustained fields remain until the An obstacle, such as a stone pillar, blocks movement
creator stops sustaining them. and line-of-sight through the affected squares. It
also stops line-of-effect, meaning a blast will be
Some fields deal movement damage: a moving blocked, a line will not pass through the other side,
creature suffers a field's movement damage each etc. Squares with obstacles are not affected by fields.
time it enters a square within the field, whether by When you create an obstacle, slide any creatures in
choice or by being forcibly moved. the area out by the shortest route; if there are
multiple shortest routes, you choose.
- 28 -
Secondary Actions M OVE A CTIONS
Aside from your one main action, you can perform CAUTIOUS Rise to your feet, ending the prone
STAND condition.
a number of smaller tasks each turn:
Move up to twice your speed in a
MOVE ACTION – Move actions use up the time you
straight line. Your next melee
would normally spend moving. You can forego all CHARGE
attack this turn is accurate. You
your movement for the turn to take a move action gain unguarded 1.
instead.
MINOR ACTION – Minor actions require just a few

M INOR A CTIONS
seconds to perform. You may take one minor action
on your turn each round. Try to extinguish yourself or an
adjacent creature with the burning
FREE ACTION – Free actions take almost no time at EXTINGUISH
condition. Check Agility vs. 15. On
all. You can do a handful of them on your turn; be a success, the condition ends.
reasonable.
End the prone condition quickly,
REACTION – Reactions can be used on another QUICK
provoking attacks of opportunity
creature's turn in response to a triggering event. You STAND from engaging creatures.
can make one reaction per round for every five
points of Agility you possess. STOW Stow a held item in your inventory.
Armor Dice RETRIEVE

Retrieve an item from your
inventory.
You often use your reactions to spend armor dice.
TAKE Pick up an item within arm's reach.
Each piece of armor you wear grants a die. When
you are dealt damage, you can spend a reaction to roll
one of your armor dice and reduce the damage by
that amount. The Equipment chapter has more F REE A CTIONS
information about armor and armor dice.
If you are acting in the Opening
HOLD Phase, you can take this action at
ACTION the start of your turn to delay your
turn until the Closing Phase.
Drop a held item in your own

DROP ITEM
or an adjacent square.
FALL PRONE Drop into a prone position.
R EACTIONS
When an enemy breaks
ATTACK OF engagement with you, you can
OPPORTUNITY make an immediate strike action
against them.
When you are hit by an attack, you

SPEND can roll one of your armor dice
ARMOR DIE and reduce the damage by that
amount.
- 29 -
Class Features & Talents
Effort Using a class feature or talent also takes effort. Each
Effort is the resource you spend to use special ability tells in its description what its base cost and
actions, mighty actions, and class features. Your increase values are: for example, Effort Cost 2/+1
base effort is equal to 4 plus half your level; this is means the base cost is 2, and it increases by +1 each
how much you have at the start of each encounter, time you use it.
as long as you've had a minute or two to catch your
breath since the last one. In combat, your amount of
effort is changing all the time, so the character sheet
Gaining Effort
includes an effort tracker you can use with a paper- There are a few different ways to gain effort. It is
clip. possible to exceed your base effort score during
combat, but you cannot carry the excess between
Effort Costs encounters.
You must pay an effort cost to use a special or

Rally
mighty action:
One way to gain effort is the rally basic action
 Special actions have an effort cost of 1, described earlier in the chapter. Landing a hit or
which increases by +1 with each use. better allows you to gain 2 effort.
 Mighty actions have an effort cost of 2,
which increases by +2 with each use.
The No-Hit Rule
The cost of an action increases each time you use it, Failure increases your determination. At the end of
whether or not the attempt succeeds. Effort costs your turn, if you didn't land a hit with any action,
only reset when you complete a rest. you gain 1 effort. You gain this benefit whether you
missed with your action or didn't take an action at
To keep track of your effort costs, put a check mark
all.
next to an action or feature each time you use it. The
action slots on the character sheet include check
boxes for this purpose.
Maximum Cost
After using an ability three times, its cost does not
rise any further.
- 30 -
- 31 -
Granting Recoveries
Hit Points When you grant a recovery to another creature, you
Your hit points represent your will to carry on in the can contribute any number of your own dice to the
face of pain and injury. Being dealt damage causes recovery roll.
you to lose that many hit points from your total.
While at your full total, you are unharmed and able
to perform at your best. When you only have a few
hit points left, you have nearly succumbed to your
Defeat & Dying
wounds. You cannot have more hit points than your You are defeated when reduced to 0 hit points. You
total or less than 0. gain a special condition: dying 3. If this condition
runs out, you die.
Your base hit point total is equal to your Vigor score
or 10, whichever is higher. This total increases each While dying, you fall prone and stop sustaining
time you level up by an amount determined by your effects. All you can do on your turn is make a
class. If your Vigor score increases, your hit point recovery 1 as you try to cling to life.
total increases with it. If you can get back to 10 hit points, you lose this
Hit points are recovered by spending recovery dice condition safely and can act as normal on your next
and by resting. turn. Allies can grant you recoveries to help you
reach this threshold.
Recovery Dice Your other conditions, including those that deal

ongoing damage, still affect you while you are dying.
You can spend recovery dice throughout the day to For example, you will continue to take damage from
regain hit points or end harmful conditions. They burning or being poisoned, possibly resetting your
are the size of your potency die %, and the number progress as you try to get to 10 hit points.
you have is determined by your class. When you are
out of recovery dice, you can replenish them by Executions
completing a rest.
You can forego taking an action on your turn to
Outside of combat, you can spend recovery dice at instead finish off an adjacent dying creature, an act
any time, as long as it has been a few minutes since that provokes attack of opportunity. Most enemies
the last encounter and you are not engaged in a very will not start executing dying adventurers unless the
demanding or dangerous situation. whole party has fallen; it generally makes more
sense to focus on the threats that are still standing.
Inside of combat, only certain actions and effects
allow you to make a recovery. The number that
follows indicates how many dice you are allowed to
spend: for example, if an effect grants you a
recovery 2, you can roll up to two dice, add up the
total, and recover that many hit points.
Ending Conditions
When you make a recovery, you can choose to
forfeit some or all of the regained hit points to end
harmful conditions instead. This happens at a 2:1
ratio: for every 2 hit points of healing you forfeit,
count down one of your conditions by 1 turn.
- 32 -
Engagement Maneuvers
A creature wielding a melee weapon engages all You can perform maneuvers to gain an advantage in
enemies within its range. While engaged by an combat. When you perform a maneuver, you make a
enemy, you are locked in combat and cannot easily strike action, but you cause an effect instead of
escape. dealing damage. On a solid hit, the effect is stronger.
These are just a few examples; you can try all sorts of
Attacks of Opportunity maneuvers for different results if the Judge allows
it.
While engaged, you can move safely as long as you
stay inside the creature's weapon range. If you 'break
engagement' by moving out of weapon range, the
engaging enemy can make an immediate strike EXAMPLE MANEUVERS
action against you. This is called an attack of
HIT SOLID HIT
opportunity.
The target cannot
Knock the target prone.
Only normal movement provokes an attack of stand up next turn.
opportunity. You do not provoke if you shift out of Confer delayed 2. Confer delayed 4.
engagement or if you are forcibly moved, such as by
being pushed, pulled, or slid. Confer provoked 2. Confer provoked 4.
Confer unguarded 2. Confer unguarded 4.

Flanking
The target cannot escape or
Confer grappled.
If two enemies are engaging you from opposite take control next turn.
sides, you are being flanked. You have a -2 penalty
to AC against attacks by those creatures.
You and an ally can also flank an enemy. To be in a

flanking position, you must be able to draw a line
between the center of your squares that passes
through the opposite sides or corners of the enemy's
square. On the diagram below,
the dark lines indicate possible
flanking angles, while the dotted
line indicates no flanking.
- 33 -
Cancelling Out
Conditions Some conditions, like accurate and inaccurate, have
Many actions confer a condition. In the game text, direct opposite effects. Instead of tracking both,
conditions are printed in bold with a number that turns of these conditions cancel each other out
indicates their duration in turns: "blinded 3." when they are applied to the same creature. For
Actions that say to 'confer' a condition give it to each example, if a creature is guarded 4, conferring
target, while actions that say to 'gain' a condition just unguarded 2 would just count down two turns of
give it to you. guarded instead.
At the end of your turn, any condition you've had
since the start of your turn counts down: decrease Unique Conditions
the duration by 1. A condition ends immediately
Some actions create unique conditions; the rules for
when its duration reaches 0 or if the encounter ends.
them are described at the bottom of the action.
When you make a recovery, you can forgo some or
all of the healing to end harmful conditions instead.
For every 2 hit points of healing you forfeit, count
Sustaining Effects
down one of your conditions by 1 turn. Some actions create a sustained condition or other
effect. These effects can last the entire encounter, as
long as you keep them going. You don't have to take
Stacking Durations any action to sustain an effect, but you can only
If you have a condition and the same condition sustain one at a time- if you start sustaining a new
would be applied again to you, you instead add the one, the previous one ends immediately.
new duration to whatever is remaining. For
example, if you have poisoned 3 and an enemy
confers poisoned 2 to you, the two durations stack
The Delay Phase
to poisoned 5. This can be very dangerous, since the Creatures who are delayed act in the delay phase,
severity of a condition is sometimes based on its which takes place at the end of the round, after all
duration. non-delayed creatures have acted. Within the delay
phase, adventurers always act before enemies.
- 34 -
C ONDITIONS
ACCURATE You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls. Cancels out inaccurate.
When you take damage, remove that many turns from this condition instead of
BARRIER reducing your hit point total. After this condition is removed by damage, any excess
damage is dealt to your hit point total.
You suffer [duration] physical damage every 5 ft. you move or are pushed, pulled, or
BLEEDING
slid.
BLINDED You have a -2 penalty to attack rolls and AC, and you do not engage.
You suffer 2 x [duration] fire damage at the start of your turn. At the end of your turn,
BURNING this condition counts up instead of down. You or an adjacent ally can spend a minor
action to check Agility vs. 15. On a success, this condition ends.
You must roll 1d6 on your turn and perform the indicated task:
1: do absolutely nothing on your turn
2: suffer 2d6 damage, then act normally
DELIRIOUS
3: try to make a strike action against the nearest creature
4: try to move until there are no creatures within 30 ft.
5 - 6: act normally
When reduced to 0 hit points, you fall prone, stop sustaining effects, and gain 3 rounds
of this condition. If the duration runs out, you die. On your turn, all you can do is make
DYING
a recovery 1 as you try to cling to life. If your hit point total reaches 10 or higher, you
lose this condition and can act as normal in the following round.
You do not roll initiative; instead, you take your turn in the Delay Phase at the end of
DELAYED
the round. Within this phase, adventurers act before enemies.
GUARDED You gain a +2 bonus to AC. Cancels out unguarded.
You cannot move or be moved from your square except by jump. The grappler may
shove or drag you as part of their movement. You can spend an action to make a STR or
GRAPPLED
AGI check vs. the grappler's Strength score, ending this condition on a success. If you
use STR, you may also confer this condition to the grappler on a success.
IMMOBILIZED You cannot move or be moved from your square except by jump.
C ONDITIONS
INACCURATE You have a -2 penalty to attack rolls. Cancels out accurate.
POISONED You suffer [duration] poison damage at the start of your turn.
You have a -2 penalty to attack rolls and AC, and your speed is reduced by half. You
PRONE do not engage. You can stand up as a move action to end this condition. You can
stand up quickly as a minor action, but this provokes attack of opportunity.
PROVOKED You have a -2 penalty to attacks that do not include the provoking creature as a target.
SLOWED Your speed is reduced by half, and you cannot shift or charge.
You fall prone when you gain this condition. You do not act on your turn. This
SLUMBERING condition ends immediately if you suffer damage or if an adjacent ally spends their
action to wake you.
STAGGERED You can only make basic actions. You cannot take minor actions or reactions.
STRENGTHENED Your attacks deal [duration] extra damage. Cancels out weakened.
UNGUARDED You have a -2 penalty to AC. Cancels out guarded.
VULNERABLE You suffer [duration] extra damage from attacks.
WEAKENED Your attacks deal [duration] less damage. Cancels out strengthened.
Equipment
- 37 -
Tools of the Trade
Every profession incorporates certain tools of the If you cast conjuries, a rod or wand can increase
trade. For an adventurer, chief among them is a your range. If you make powerful melee attacks, a
weapon. Even mages, whose destructive spells may two-handed weapon will make the most of them.
be wrought by empty hand, prefer implements to
To use an action, you need to be wielding a weapon
coalesce and amplify the strange energies of magic.
or implement that matches one of its keywords: a
The armor that safeguards against such tools of melee weapon can be used for melee actions, a
killing is just as essential. Often, a stout shield or ranged weapon can be used for ranged actions, etc.
sturdy helm is all that stands between an adventurer
Some weapons have multiple keywords. In this case,
and the warm earth's awaiting maggots.
each keyword has its own range. For example, a staff
may be used for melee actions at a range of 5 ft. or
Weapons conjury actions at a range of 20 ft. Weapon damage
is represented by a die, as shown on the table later in
You can use any weapon if you have enough the chapter. Damage dice are represented in the
Strength, but your style of fighting may dispose you game text with a sword symbol $.
to certain armaments.
- 38 -
Weight & Required Strength
Weapons are sorted into three weight categories:
light, medium, and heavy. Anyone can wield a light
weapon effectively, but your ability to use a medium
or heavy weapon depends on your Strength.
Medium weapons require a Strength score of 12, and

heavy weapons require a score of 14. While using a
weapon for which you lack the required Strength,
you do not add your skill bonus to the action roll.
Weapon Effects
Melee and ranged weapons also have a weapon
effect. This is applied when you land a solid hit with
certain attacks, such as the basic strike and shoot
actions.
Artifice
Melee Weapons Actions with the artifice keyword use special tools,
such as caltrops or tripwire. You need a free hand to
Melee weapons are the most common. Aside from reach into your pack when you perform an artifice
polearms, all melee weapons have a range of 5 ft., action. All artifice has a range of 20 ft. and otherwise
meaning they can used against targets in adjacent works like a conjury.
squares.
Two-Handed Weapons
Ranged Weapons
Most weapons take up one hand, but those with the
You can double your range for a ranged attack by
2-handed quality require both hands to wield. All
taking a -2 penalty to the attack roll. Ranged
weapons with this keyword have an extra line added
weapons are also hard to use while fending off
to their weapon effects: "Add % damage."
melee aggressors: you take a -2 penalty to attack rolls
if you are being engaged. On your turn, you can hold your two-handed
weapon in one hand to free up the other for actions
Conjury or retrieving items from your pack.
You can use a free hand to perform conjury at a

range of 20 ft., but your range can be extended by Two Weapon Fighting
using a rod, staff, or wand. Unlike a ranged weapon, You can wield two melee weapons at once if you
you cannot take a penalty to double the range of your meet the Strength requirement for both.
conjuries, nor do you take a penalty to conjury while
While two-weapon fighting, you always use the
engaged by enemies.
shorter range and the larger of the two weapon
damage dice. You also combine the weapon effects:
Unarmed Fighting for example, while wielding a flail and warhammer,
Actions with the unarmed keyword can only be used your weapon effect knocks the target prone and
with a free hand. They have a range of 5 ft. confers inaccurate 2.
- 39 -
W EAPONS
NAME DAMAGE $ WEIGHT KEYWORDS WEAPON EFFECT
Battle Axe d8 M melee Confer vulnerable 2.
Crude Weapon d4 L melee Add +2 damage.
Cudgel d6 L melee Knock prone.
Crossbow d8 M ranged 50 ft., 2-handed Add % damage. Confer slowed 2.
Dagger d4 L melee, ranged 20 ft. Confer bleeding 2.
Flail d8 M melee Knock prone.
unarmed 5 ft., artifice 20 ft.,

Free Hand 1d4 --- ---
conjury 20 ft.
Greataxe d10 H melee, 2-handed Add % damage. Confer vulnerable 2.
Greatsword d10 H melee, 2-handed Add % damage. Confer unguarded 2.
Halberd d8 M melee 10 ft., 2 handed Add % damage. Knock prone.
Hatchet d6 L melee, ranged 15 ft. Confer vulnerable 2.
Longbow d8 H ranged 50 ft., 2-handed Add % damage. Confer bleeding 2.
Longsword d8 M melee Confer unguarded 2.
Mace d6 L melee Confer inaccurate 2.
Maul d10 H melee, 2-handed Add % damage. Confer inaccurate 2.
Morning Star d8 M melee Confer delayed 1.
Pike d8 M melee 10 ft., 2-handed Add % damage. Push 10 ft.
Rod d6 L melee, conjury 30 ft. Confer delayed 1.
Shortbow d6 L ranged 40 ft., 2-handed Confer bleeding 2.
Shortsword d6 L melee Confer unguarded 2.
Sickle d6 L melee Confer bleeding 2.
Sling d4 L ranged 30 ft. Confer delayed 1.
Scythe d8 M melee 10 ft., 2-handed Add % damage. Confer bleeding 2.
Spear d6 L melee 10 ft., ranged 30 ft. Push 10 ft.
melee, conjury 30 ft.,

Staff d8 L Add % damage.
2-handed
Wand d4 L conjury 40 ft. ---
War Hammer d8 M melee Confer inaccurate 2.
- 40 -
Armor Class (AC)
Armor Armor Class is a measure of your overall defense
Sturdy equipage will not keep hunger or illness at against both weapons and magic. Your base AC is
bay, but it may at least preserve a beating heart from 10 + AGI, but each piece of armor you wear can
the lucky thrust of a scoundrel's knife. increase it further.
You can wear up to five pieces of armor on your
person: on your head, your body, your hands, your Encumbrance
feet, and an outer layer. You may only wear a single
Medium and heavy armor limit how much of your
piece of armor on each body part. Armor worn in
Agility modifier you can add to your AC. While
pairs, such as gloves or boots, are counted as a single
wearing any medium armor, you can only add up to
piece.
+2, even if your modifier is higher. While wearing
any heavy armor, you do not add your Agility
Weight & Required Vigor modifier at all.
Armor pieces are sorted into three weight
categories: light, medium, and heavy. Anyone can Armor Dice
receive the full benefit of light armor, but your
Most pieces of armor grant an armor die. When you
ability to make effective use of medium and heavy
suffer damage from an attack, you can spend a
armor depends on your Vigor score.
reaction to use one of your armor dice. You roll the
Medium armor requires a Vigor of 12, and heavy die and reduce the damage by that amount, and that
armor requires a Vigor of 14. While clad in an armor die is lost for a time.
piece for which you lack the required Vigor, you still
During exploration or downtime, you can stitch, tie,
gain the bonus to AC, but you do not gain the armor
reinforce, or beat your shield and armor back into
die.
shape. Your spent armor dice are refreshed at the
start of each encounter, as long as it has been a few
minutes since the last one.
Breaking Armor Dice

Some enemy attacks will 'break' one or more of your
armor dice. When this happens, you must choose a
number of your unspent dice. They are immediately
lost from your pool. If an attack that breaks armor
dice also deals damage, you can still spend a
different die to reduce the damage.
- 41 -
ARMOR
PLACEMENT NAME ARMOR CLASS ARMOR DIE WEIGHT
Hat +0 d6 L
Cap +1 d6 L
HEAD
Helm +1 d8 M
Great Helm +1 d10 H
Quilted +0 d6 L
Leather +1 d6 L
BODY
Chainmail +2 d8 M
Plate +3 d10 H
Gloves +0 d6 L
ARMS Bracers +1 d8 M
Gauntlets +1 d10 H
Boots +0 d6 L
LEGS High Boots +0 d8 M
Greaves +1 d10 H
Cloak +0 d6 L
OUTER Heavy Cloak +0 d8 M
Longcoat +0 d10 H
Shields S HIELDS
NAME AC ARMOR DIE WEIGHT
A shield functions like a sixth piece of armor, but it
occupies one hand and has a Strength requirement, Buckler +1 d6 L
just like a weapon. While lacking the strength
Round Shield +2 d6 L
requirement of your shield, you gain the bonus to
AC but not the armor die. Heater Shield +2 d8 M
Kite Shield +2 d10 H
- 42 -
Buying Equipment C OMMON S UPPLIES
Observe that the tables earlier in the chapter do not
give a monetary value for each weapon or piece of Beer, 1 gal. 5 cp Lantern 25 cp
armor- doing so would imply that these items are
Bell, Iron 5 cp Lantern Oil 10 cp
easily purchased. In truth, skilled artisans are rare
and getting rarer with each day, and with the Belt 3 cp Lock 75 cp
exception of treasures lying in abandoned places, Book 65 cp Lock Picks 25 cp
most functional weapons and armor are owned by
someone and see regular use. Violence and scarcity Boots, Traveling 20 cp Manacles 50 cp
are rampant in the world, and thus, the tools of Bottle 5 cp Mirror 125 cp
violence are themselves scarce.
Camping Gear 50 cp Mule 600 cp
Candle 1 cp Fine Outfit 40 cp

Buying Supplies Cap 3 cp Simple Outfit 15 cp
Presume that little coin circulates the ruined land: Cat 12 cp Paints 15 cp
the palaces of the past are now lonely, hollow, and
Chain, 10 ft. 25 cp Parchment 25 cp
crumbling, their gold and silver plundered long
ago, their opulence now a distance memory. Chalk 2 cp Playing Cards 5 cp
Scarcely is an object traded for more than a Chess Set 40 cp Pouch 1 cp
handful of copper pieces.
Chest 20 cp Simple Meal 3 cp
Given the rarity of coinage, barter is a widely used Cloak 4 cp Fine Meal 8 cp
means of commerce. Traders may not be willing to
Crowbar 4 cp Quill 2 cp
surrender their merchandise for anything short of
the exact items they seek in return. Further, Dice 2 cp Rucksack 3 cp
merchants who will accept currency have no
Dog 30 cp Rope, 50 ft. 10 cp
professional code of ethics and will do or say
anything to convince their customers to relinquish Doll 4 cp Shoes 15 cp
a bit more coin. Fishing Rod 5 cp Shovel 10 cp
All of this is to say, place little stock in the given Flint & Steel 3 cp Soap 4 cp
prices on this page; they are merely presented to Grappling Hook 5 cp Spyglass 400 cp
provide some sense of the relative worth of various
Healer's Kit 35 cp Strongbox 100 cp
conventional goods in the world.
800
Horse Torch 2 cp
cp
Hourglass 230 cp Vial 3 cp
Ink 5 cp Waterskin 3 cp
Instrument 25 cp Wax 2 cp
Kettle 6 cp Whistle 2 cp
Ladder, 10 ft. 6 cp Wine 20 cp
- 43 -
Peasants
- 44 -
The first event of a new campaign is the First Day. 2. ROLL ATTRIBUTES – Roll 3d6 six times in
In advance of this session, each player will have to order to find each of your six attributes: Strength,
randomly generate four peasants using the rules laid Agility, Vigor, Knowledge, Cunning, and Resolve.
out in this chapter. The First Day will be a bloody Then write down the modifier next to each score.
ordeal, and most of these poor souls will not escape
with their lives. Yet out of the chaos and death
adventurers will be born, and a party will be forged.
ATTRIBUTE SCORE (3d6) MODIFIER
Peasants possess very little health and begin the
game with just a single crude weapon, but in great
3 -4
numbers even they can overwhelm and defeat a
powerful adversary. 4-5 -3
Creating a Peasant 6-7 -2
1. ROLL LINEAGE – Roll 1d6 to determine a 8-9 -1

lineage:
10 - 11 +0
d6 LINEAGE 12 - 13 +1
1-3 Human 14 - 15 +2
4 Elf
16 - 17 +3
5 Dwarf
6 Orc 18 +4
- 45 -
3. ROLL ALIGNMENT – Your alignment is a set of
two dominant traits. Roll 1d10 on the table below to
determine an alignment type. Then roll 2d10 to
acquire virtues, vices, or oddities as instructed. The
two adjectives you end up with are the peasant's
alignment.
If you get the same trait twice or get an opposed

virtue and vice by rolling doubles, you have a bizarre
alignment instead. Scrap those traits and roll two
oddities.
d10 ALIGNMENT TYPE d10 V IRTUE V ICE
1 Daring Cowardly
1 WICKED Roll two vices.
2 Deliberate Impulsive
Roll one vice 3 Dutiful Unruly

2 UNHINGED
and one oddity.
4 Generous Greedy
5 Honest Deceitful
Roll one virtue
3–8 BALANCED
and one vice. 6 Humble Arrogant
7 Kind Cruel
Roll one virtue
9 ECCENTRIC
and one oddity. 8 Calm Wrathful
9 Trusting Paranoid
10 NOBLE Roll two virtues.
10 Hopeful Despairing
O DDITIES
d8, d6 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Addictive Steadfast Altruistic Haunted Crude Naïve
2 Whimsical Imperious Observant Grandiose Self-Righteous Vile
3 Anarchic Eloquent Jaded Imaginative Blunt Tedious
4 Gentle Delusional Capricious Nonchalant Valiant Merciful
5 Destructive Loyal Sarcastic Obsequious Ethical Devout
6 Callous Tense Seductive Fair-Minded Spirited Miserly
7 Slothful Gloomy Clumsy Heartless Theatrical Erudite
8 Stoic Cheerful Regal Ambitious Disloyal Vengeful
- 46 -
4. ROLL FORMER PROFESSION – All peasants 5. WRITE DOWN HIT POINTS – Your hit point
live in rustic squalor, but some may have enjoyed total is equal to 10 or your Vigor score, whichever is
privilege before falling upon their present higher.
circumstances. Roll 1d20 to determine a social
group, then roll on that table at the end of the
6. WRITE DOWN EQUIPMENT – You have a
chapter to determine your former profession. Gain single crude weapon, a one-handed melee weapon
the indicated skills and attribute increases. that deals 1d4 + STR damage on a normal hit and adds
+2 damage on a solid hit. Your weapon is typically a
repurposed tool of your profession; you decide.
1d20 SOCIAL GROUP You start with no armor, giving you an Armor Class
of 10 + AGI and zero armor dice.
1-3 Outcasts
If you are a fallen noble, you still carry a few shabby
4-6 Laborers
relics by which to remember your high station. You
7-9 Farmers begin with quilted armor which provides an armor
10 - 12 Artisans die of 1d6. You also have a single weapon of any
13 - 15 Merchants type, provided you meet the Strength requirement.
It may have once been a glorious instrument of
16 - 17 Soldiers
masterwork quality, but today it is degraded and
18 - 19 Servants functions as an utterly mundane weapon.
20 Fallen Nobility
- 47 -
Maneuvers
Peasant Combat Peasants can make combat maneuvers like those
During the First Day, each player controls their own described in the Combat chapter.
group of four peasants. Outside of combat, you can
designate specific peasants to perform tasks.
Critical Hits
Initiative A peasant adds 1d6 damage when they land a critical
hit on an attack.
You only make one initiative roll for your peasant
group, and they all share the same turn in the same
phase. Your group's initiative roll is d20 + h + CNG.
Instant Death
Use the highest Cunning modifier among your Peasants lack the grit and determination that keeps
peasants; this may change during the First Day as hardened adventurers alive. A peasant reduced to 0
they are slain. hit points is instantly killed.
Actions Option: Grouped Peasants

Peasants tend to freeze up in dangerous situations. Controlling each peasant individually can be a hassle
On your turn in combat, any two of your peasants for some groups. You can use these variant rules to
can move and take an action. The only actions save a bit of time at the cost of realism:
available to a peasant are the basic attacks available
to all creatures: Space & Distance
All four peasants huddle into a single 5 ft. square
Strike Basic
during combat. You control the group as if it were a
STR ATTACK – MELEE OR UNARMED single creature with a movement of 30 ft. When one
peasant moves – or is forcibly moved – the whole
Target 1 creature
group moves with it.
Hit Deal $ + STR damage.
Solid Hit Confer weapon effect.
Actions
You select two of your group's peasants to take
Shoot Basic
actions each turn.
AGI ATTACK – RANGED
Target 1 creature Who Gets Hit?
Hit Deal $ + AGI damage. When your group is attacked, you must randomly
Solid Hit Confer weapon effect. determine which peasant is the target of the attack
by rolling a d4. Attacks that target an area target each
peasant in a group – ouch!
Effort
Peasants do not have or gain effort.
Conditions
Grouped peasants are immune to conditions that
affect movement, such as slowed, prone, or
Recovery Dice immobilized, as long as at least one other peasant is
Peasants have no recovery dice. They only regain available in the group to drag or carry the injured
their hit points when they complete a rest. party. Other ailments are suffered normally.
- 48 -
OUTCASTS
1d20 PROFESSION EXTRA SKILL ATTRIBUTES
1 Pig Thief --- +2 Strength, +2 Cunning
2 Runaway Folklore +2 Agility
3 Beggar Folklore +2 Cunning
4 Urchin Stealth +2 Agility
5 Burglar Stealth +2 Cunning
6 Highwayman --- +2 Strength, +2 Agility
7 Scavenger Tinkering +2 Knowledge
8 Hermit Nature +2 Knowledge
9 Grifter Speech +2 Cunning
10 Fraud Letters, Speech +2 Cunning
11 Gambler --- +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
12 Pickpocket --- +2 Agility, +2 Cunning
13 Thug --- +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
14 Deserter Athletics +2 Strength
15 Drunkard Folklore +2 Vigor
16 Leper Folklore +2 Resolve
17 Doomsayer Mystery +2 Resolve
19 Lockpicker Tinkering +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
18 Expelled Acolyte Letters +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
20 Failed Apprentice Mystery +2 Knowledge, +2 Resolve
LABORERS
1 Gongfarmer --- +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
2 Dock Worker Athletics +2 Strength
3 Sailor, Rigger Acrobatics +2 Agility
4–5 Sailor, Deckhand Perception +2 Strength
6 Sailor, Navigator Nature +2 Knowledge
7 Ferry Keeper Athletics, Folklore +2 Cunning
8 Shipwright Tinkering +2 Knowledge
9 Stable Hand Nature +2 Agility
10 Ditch-Digger Athletics +2 Strength
11 Rat-Catcher Stealth +2 Cunning
12 – 13 Tavern Guard Folklore +2 Strength
14 Driver Athletics, Folklore +2 Strength
15 Gravedigger Athletics +2 Resolve
16 Miner Perception +2 Vigor
17 Woodcutter Nature +2 Vigor
18 Thatcher Acrobatics +2 Agility, +2 Vigor
19 Stonemason Tinkering +2 Strength, +2 Knowledge
20 Stable Keeper Nature +2 Vigor, +2 Resolve
- 49 -
FARMERS
1 Wheat Farmer --- +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
2 Barley Farmer --- +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
3 Potato Farmer --- +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
4 Carrot Farmer --- +2 Vigor, +2 Knowledge
5 Cabbage Farmer --- +2 Vigor, +2 Knowledge
6 Onion Farmer --- +2 Vigor, +2 Cunning
7 Rutabaga Farmer --- +2 Vigor, +2 Cunning
8 Miller Tinkering +2 Vigor
9 Egg Farmer --- +2 Vigor, +2 Knowledge
10 Shepherd Nature +2 Vigor
11 Cowherd Nature +2 Vigor
12 Swineherd --- +2 Strength, +2 Knowledge
13 Fowler Perception +2 Agility
14 Butter Churner --- +2 Vigor, +2 Resolve
15 Fisherman Nature +2 Vigor, +2 Resolve
16 Horse Trainer Nature +2 Knowledge
17 Trapper Tinkering +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
18 Hunter Stealth +2 Agility, +2 Cunning
19 Hound Keeper Nature +2 Agility, +2 Cunning
20 Beekeeper Nature +2 Knowledge, +2 Resolve
ARTISANS
1 Carpenter Tinkering +2 Strength
2 Cobbler Tinkering +2 Agility
3 Cartwright --- +2 Strength, +2 Agility
4 Glassblower Tinkering Agility, +2 Vigor
5 Hatmaker Speech +2 Cunning
6 Cook Nature +2 Knowledge
7 Vintner Nature +2 Vigor, +2 Knowledge
8 Tinsmith Tinkering +2 Knowledge
9 Cooper --- +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
10 Brewer --- +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
11 Soap-Maker Nature +2 Vigor, +2 Knowledge
12 Tailor Tinkering +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
13 Basket-Weaver --- +2 Agility, +2 Cunning
14 Candle-Maker Nature +2 Knowledge
15 Fletcher Nature +2 Agility
16 Whittler Folklore +2 Agility
17 Butcher Nature +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
18 Carver Tinkering +2 Vigor, +2 Cunning
19 Jeweler Tinkering +2 Agility, +2 Knowledge
20 Blacksmith Tinkering +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
MERCHANTS
1 Smuggler Mystery +2 Knowledge
2 Haberdasher Tinkering +2 Agility
3 Street Hawker Speech +2 Cunning
4 Peddler Folklore +2 Vigor
5 Fishmonger Athletics +2 Vigor
6 Grocer --- +2 Vigor, +2 Resolve
7 Fortune Teller Folklore, Speech +2 Cunning
8 Tavern Server Folklore +2 Agility
9 Pie Seller --- +2 Agility, +2 Cunning
10 Fruit Seller --- +2 Agility, +2 Vigor
11 Fur Dealer --- +2 Agility, +2 Vigor
12 Spice Merchant Speech +2 Knowledge
13 Shopkeeper Speech +2 Resolve
14 Bookseller Letters +2 Knowledge
15 Moneylender Letters +2 Cunning
16 Tax Collector Letters +2 Resolve
17 Caravanner Athletics +2 Strength, +2 Resolve
18 Jeweler Tinkering +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
19 Innkeeper Folklore, Speech +2 Vigor, +2 Resolve
20 Ship Captain Perception +2 Cunning, +2 Resolve
SOLDIERS
1–3 Mercenary Stealth +2 Strength
4–6 Guard Perception +2 Strength
7–8 Scout Perception +2 Agility
9 – 10 Messenger Letters +2 Agility
11 – 12 Foot Soldier Athletics +2 Strength
13 – 14 Rider Nature +2 Agility
14 Banneret Speech +2 Resolve
15 Siege Engineer Tinkering +2 Agility
16 Archer --- +2 Strength, +2 Agility
17 Sergeant Athletics +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
18 Marshal Letters +2 Strength, +2 Resolve
19 Lieutenant Athletics, Speech +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
20 Captain Athletics, Letters +2 Strength, +2 Vigor
- 51 -
SERVANTS
1 Minstrel Speech +2 Resolve
2 Dancer Acrobatics +2 Agility
3 Singer Speech +2 Resolve
4 Barber Speech +2 Cunning
5 Apothecary Nature +2 Knowledge
6 Physician Letters +2 Knowledge
7 Gardener Nature +2 Vigor
8 Chef Nature +2 Knowledge
9 Scrivener Letters +2 Knowledge
10 Valet Athletics +2 Vigor
11 Novitiate Letters +2 Resolve
12 Librarian Letters +2 Knowledge
13 Bodyguard Athletics, Perception +2 Strength
14 Herald Speech +2 Resolve
15 Pigeon Fancier Nature, Perception +2 Agility
16 Painter Perception +2 Resolve
17 Philosopher Letters, Speech +2 Knowledge
18 Astrologer Nature +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
19 Poet Folklore, Letters, Speech +2 Knowledge
20 Jester Acrobatics, Speech +2 Agility, +2 Cunning
FALLEN NOBILITY
1–2 Diplomat Letters, Speech +2 Cunning
3–4 Tutor Folklore, Letters +2 Knowledge
5–6 Advisor Letters, Mystery +2 Knowledge
7 – 10 Noble – Lady, Lord, etc. Letters +2 Vigor, +2 Resolve
11 – 12 Noble – Duchess, Duke, etc. Letters +2 Vigor, +2 Cunning
13 – 14 Noble – Baroness, Baron, etc. Letters +2 Knowledge, +2 Resolve
15 – 16 Noble – Countess, Count, etc. Letters +2 Knowledge, +2 Cunning
17 – 18 Royal – Princess, Prince, etc. Letters, Speech +2 Vigor, Cunning, Resolve
19 – 20 Royal – Queen, King, etc. Letters, Speech +2 Knowledge, Cunning, Resolve
- 52 -
Adventurers
The First Day will be a bloody affair, but no doubt 1. IMPROVE ATTRIBUTES. Reaching first level
one or two of your peasants will make it through to awards four attribute points. You can distribute
the other side. Select one of these survivors to them as you like between your six attribute scores.
become your adventurer. From this point on, they Attributes can never exceed 18.
are a peasant no more, and you will play as this
character alone. 2. PICK A CLASS. Your class is a calling that
establishes your abilities and role within the party.
Advancing to First Level Pick one of the classes found later in the chapter.
Write down the class features it grants you.
Any remaining survivors become available for other
players to claim, and you are free to claim one of 3. INCREASE HP. Your class increases your hit
theirs if none of your survivors suit your tastes. point total by a fixed amount each level.
Whatever you choose, you must now take several
steps to transform your lucky peasant into a tried- 4. PICK SKILLS. Select one of your five class skills
and-true adventurer: for every four points of Knowledge you possess.
5. PICK A TALENT. Select one talent from the list

available to your class. Talents are minor bonuses
and combat abilities.
6. PICK A THEME. Select one of the five starting

themes available to your class. A theme is list of
actions that represents a style of fighting.
7. PICK ACTIONS. Select two basic actions, one

special action, and one mighty action from your
chosen theme- the lists are in the Themes chapter.
C HARACTER A DVANCEMENT
BASE ATTRIBUTE ACTIONS
LEVEL XP h % PROGRESS
EFFORT POINTS
BASIC SPECIAL MIGHTY
0 --- +2 d6 --- Peasant --- --- ---
Class, Talent,
1 100 +2 d6 4 4 2 1 1
First Theme
2 2000 +2 d6 5 5 Talent 2 2 1
3 4000 +2 d8 5 6 Upgrade 2 3 1
4 7000 +3 d8 6 7 Second Theme 3 3 2
5 10000 +3 d8 6 8 Talent 3 4 2
6 14000 +3 d10 7 9 Upgrade 3 5 2
7 18000 +4 d10 7 10 Third Theme 3 5 3
8 24000 +4 d10 8 11 Talent 3 6 3
9 30000 +4 d12 8 12 Upgrade 3 6 3
- 54 -
S UMMARY OF A TTRIBUTES
 Required to wield heavier weapons and shields (p. 38)
STRENGTH
 Every point grants an inventory slot
 Modifies your Armor Class
AGILITY
 You can make one reaction per round for every five points
 Required to wear medium and heavy armor (p. 40)

VIGOR
 Your base hit points are equal to 10 or this score, whichever is higher
 You know one class skill for every four points

KNOWLEDGE
 You know one extra spell for every four points, if you are a spellcaster
CUNNING  Modifies your Initiative roll (p. 16)
RESOLVE  Modifies your number of recovery dice (p. 25)
Themes
Leveling Up You also acquire more themes at higher levels.
Exploring dungeons, slaying monsters, and looting Unlike your first theme, your second and third are
treasure will award you xp. Reaching certain xp not restricted by class- they can be any theme in the
thresholds will advance you to the next level. game. Each theme you unlock also adds an effect to
your critical hits.
As you level up, your skill bonus h, potency die %,
and effort increase, as shown on the table at the start
of the chapter. You also gain attribute points and hit
Actions
points, as well as new themes, actions, talents, and You learn actions as you level up, as shown on the
upgrades. table at the start of the chapter. You can learn actions
from any theme you know, even if you unlocked the
theme that very level.
Attribute Points
You gain four attribute points at first level and one Each time you gain a level, you can also retrain an
more point at each level thereafter. These can be action. To do this, choose an action you know and
distributed any way you choose between your six replace it with any other action of the same type
attributes, though no attribute can exceed 18. (basic, special, or mighty). The new action can be
from any theme you have acquired.
Improving a score can change the modifier and
other values associated with that score. For example,
you know one class skill for every four points of
Talents
Knowledge you possess, so increasing your score You also learn talents from your class list as you level
from 11 to 12 would grant you another skill. up. Some talents are passive, meaning they provide a
permanent bonus that is always in effect. Others are
minor actions or reactions that have an effort cost.
Hit Points
Your base hit point total is equal to 10 or your Vigor
score, whichever is higher. Each level you have
Upgrades
gained increases this total by +4, +5, or +6 points, Every third level, you choose a permanent upgrade
depending on your class. for your class feature. Each feature lists the possible
upgrades after the description.
- 55 -
V ENTURES Experience
DESCRIPTION REWARD As an adventurer, you seek not only wealth, but
REPEATABLE VENTURES power. To achieve it, you must journey out into the
wider realm to cut your teeth against the dangers of
 Find treasure. 1 xp per cp
this fading land and investigate its accursed secrets.
 Find a magic item. 100 xp
 Explore a perilous place. 300 xp The Venture List

 Slay a terrible foe. 500 xp A venture is any activity, notable deed, or moment
of triumph that grants experience. A few basic
 Vanquish an Overlord. 1000 xp ventures are pursuable goals (find treasure, secure a
ONE-TIME VENTURES stronghold), but most are more likely to come about
naturally over the course of the game (learn a dark
 Survive the First Day. 100 xp
and horrible truth, find an ally where least
 Secure a stronghold. 1000 xp expected).
 Gain a group of devoted followers. 400 xp The venture list provides the party with an abstract
 Rescue an ally from near death. 400 xp
roadmap for what they might want to accomplish
during the campaign. The list presented here offers
 Answer treachery with vengeance. 400 xp a model for a traditional dark fantasy sandbox,
 Glimpse that which lies beyond. 400 xp though the Judge may wish to create a venture list
tailored to their own setting and campaign.
 Find an ally where least expected. 500 xp
 Carry out a meticulous plan. 600 xp The First Day

 Thwart a devious scheme. 600 xp During the First Day, peasants can only complete
 Dispel a pernicious curse. 800 xp one venture: survive the First Day. Doing so awards
100 xp, enough to reach level one. Only the peasants
 Triumph over great misfortune. 800 xp chosen to be adventurers gain this experience; any
 Trade words with an ancient being. 1000 xp other survivors remain peasants.
 Learn a dark and horrible truth. 1000 xp

Completing Ventures
 Spare a community from utter ruin. 1000 xp
Between play sessions, the players and Judge should
 Acquire an artifact of great power. 1000 xp consider what ventures the party has completed.
 Gain authority over a settlement. 1000 xp The Judge will announce when a specific venture
has been completed, but you are also free to make a
 Conquer a neighboring power. 2000 xp
case if you feel you've fulfilled one that the Judge has
 Unveil a profound magical secret. 2000 xp not recognized.
 Visit a strange and distant place. 2000 xp

One-Time Ventures
 Carry out the will of a deity. 2000 xp
Most ventures can only be fulfilled once. When a
 Restore order to a realm. 2000 xp
one-time venture is fulfilled, every member of the
party gains the experience reward.
- 56 -
Repeatable Ventures FIND A MAGIC ITEM – When you add a magic
item to your personal collection, you gain 100 xp.
The first five ventures are repeatable: adventurers The objects in question may be weapons, armor, or
will always gain xp for finding treasure and magic any other permanently enchanted object or device.
items, exploring perilous places, slaying foes, and Potions, scrolls, and other consumables do not
vanquishing the Overlords. For treasure and magic count.
items, you only gain xp for the portion of the loot
you personally get to keep, while for exploration and EXPLORE A PERILOUS PLACE – You gain 300
slaying foes, every party member who participates xp when you plumb the depths of a lonesome,
gains the full amount of xp. forgotten, dangerous setting: a dungeon, a cave
system, a ruin, a crypt, an ancient forest, and so on.
FIND TREASURE – When you add treasure to your
Ducking your head in isn't enough- the Judge
personal hoard, you gain xp equal to the value in decides when a place has been sufficiently explored.
copper pieces. Only coinage, precious stones,
jewelry, paintings, and other valuable trifles grant SLAY A TERRIBLE FOE – You gain 500 xp when
experience in this way; practical supplies and you help bring an end to a powerful enemy. Regular
equipment do not. The treasure must be newly enemies don't count- it must be a paragon of its
acquired, so relieving a dead party member of their kind, brandish a devastating artifact, command the
valuables will not award any xp. undead, or pose some other unique existential
danger to the adventurers.
VANQUISH AN OVERLORD – You gain 1000 xp

when you annihilate one of the mighty and depraved
entities that preside over this realm. Their cruelty
and negligence has brought about ruin; they must be
undone.
- 57 -
C LASS D ESCRIPTION
Classes Brigand A bloodthirsty marauder who flies into a fury in battle.
A class is a character theme that
Cleric A pilgrim who can call upon the gods to perform miracles.
grants hit points, skills, and
special features that set you Invoker A channeler of the elements who can cause wild surges of magic.
apart from the others in your
party. There are eight classes in Knight A resilient front-line combatant given to protecting allies.
total. Some are inclined toward Magician A spellcaster who can sculpt new conjuries out of raw magical energy.
close and direct combat, while
others prefer subtlety or the Occultist A dark sorcerer who can call upon a demon to fight at their side.
power of magic. The following

Thief A quiet scoundrel who can slip into the shadows to ambush foes.
pages describe each class in
detail. Warrior A practiced fighter who can unleash attacks in quick succession.
- 58 -
Hit Points
The Brigand Your hit point total increases by + 6 with each level.
In this time of strife, those who make violence their
occupation can do quite well for themselves.
Recovery Dice
Whether they be ex-guards, military deserters, or
former sell-swords with some amount of martial You have 9 + RES recovery dice.
knowledge, many who have held a blade in the past
turn to marauding or theft when they find their Class Skills
other prospects failing. Though you may not be as
You know one class skill for every four points of
well-trained or disciplined as a traditional warrior,
Knowledge you possess. If you've learned all of
you are unafraid to employ intimidation, deception
them, you can choose any other skill instead.
and force to achieve your ends; and this fact may
make you far more dangerous.  Acrobatics
 Athletics
 Folklore
 Letters
 Perception
 Tinkering
Starting Theme
Choose one of the following to be your first theme.
Only your first choice is limited; your second and
third themes can be any in the game.
 Brawling (STR)
 Melee (STR)
 Swiftness (AGI)
 Treachery (CNG)
 Wrath (RES)
Fundamentals Brigand Talents
When you make a strike or shoot action, you can You start with one talent and gain more as you level
use your best attribute modifier in place of Strength up. Choose them from the following list.
or Agility on the attack and damage rolls.
Confidence
When your attack reduces one or more enemies to 0
Rising Fury hit points, you may make a recovery 2. You can only
make one recovery per turn this way.
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. You gain a special
condition: fury h.
Deadly Charge
After you make a charge, the first melee attack you
Your attacks deal [duration] extra
damage to each target. At the end of make that turn deals % extra damage to one target.
FURY your turn, if you dealt attack damage
to an enemy, the duration counts up Determination
by +1 instead of down. When your attack reduces one or more enemies to 0
hit points, gain 1 effort. You can only gain 1 effort
Every three levels, choose one upgrade for this class per turn this way.
feature:
Devastate
Rapid Fury Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Whether or not it
You also add your fury duration to your initiative hits, your next attack this turn creates a 15 ft. square
rolls. field of difficult terrain centered on one target of the
attack.
Finisher
When you deal attack damage, you can choose to Fleet of Foot
triple your extra damage from fury. If you do, the Your speed increases by +10 ft., and you ignore
condition ends afterward. difficult terrain.
Greater Fury Hurl Insults

Your fury counts up by +2 instead of +1. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Confer provoked
2 to each enemy in a 10 ft. burst.
Momentum
Reaction. When you miss with an attack roll, you Proficiency
can spend a reaction and 2 turns of fury to reroll. You can wield all weapons and wear all armor,
You must keep the second result. ignoring Strength and Vigor requirements.
Relentless Fury Send Flying

You also add your fury duration to your recovery Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Whether or not it
rolls. hits, your next attack pushes one target 20 ft. On a
solid hit or better, you also knock that target prone.
Unbreakable Fury
You also add your fury duration to your armor die Shrug Off
rolls. Reaction. Effort Cost 0/+1. If you would take
damage, roll % and reduce the amount by that much.
- 60 -
The Cleric
To many, the wretchedness of the world gives lie to
the promise of the divine. In this land of the
faithless, those who cling to the words of the silent
gods are called foolish or mad. Yet despite this, look
out upon the high roads and you will see them dotted
with strange travelers, pilgrims all, in search of
religious revelation or on missions to spread their
mad faith. Are these processions the products of
desperation and madness, or do folk truly once again
glimpse the divine?
Hit Points
Your hit point total increases by + 5 with each level.
Recovery Dice
You have 8 + RES recovery dice.
Class Skills
 Athletics
 Folklore
 Letters
 Mystery
 Nature
 Speech
Starting Theme
 Blood (VIG)
 Curses (CNG)
 Leadership (RES)
 Storms (CNG)
 Wilderness (VIG)
- 61 -
Spellcasting Cleric Talents
You are a student of magic. You learn one spell at You start with one talent and gain more as you level
each level. You also know an extra spell for every up. Choose them from the following list.
four points of Knowledge you possess. You learn
them randomly from the cleric spell list found in Composure
the Spells chapter.
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Roll %. Remove
that many turns of harmful conditions from you.
Restoration Concentration
Effort Cost 1/+1. Minor Action. Clerics can You can sustain up to two sustained effects at the
invigorate allies with the power of belief. As a minor same time instead of just one.
action, you can grant a recovery 3 to yourself or an
ally in sight. Every three levels, choose one upgrade Faith in the Flesh
for this class feature: When you make or grant a recovery, you or the
recovering creature can re-roll any number of the
Barrier of Faith dice, keeping the second result.
If the target is restored to full hit points, any excess
hit points restored become that many turns of the Guiding Hand
barrier condition. Reaction. Effort Cost 0/+1. When an ally in sight
rolls a d20, you can spend a reaction to grant that roll
Greater Restoration a +1d6 bonus.
You grant a recovery 5 instead.
Unshaken Faith
Lingering Ward When you gain effort from missing with an attack,
You also confer guarded 3. you can grant it to an ally in sight.
Practiced Restoration Perseverance

Reduce the effort cost to 0/+1. You gain 4 more recovery dice.
Second Verse Proficiency

You can grant a recovery 3 to a second ally in sight. You can wield all weapons and wear all armor,
ignoring Strength and Vigor requirements.
Mass Orison
Pronounce Judgment
You can spend +1 effort to grant a recovery 3 to
each ally in a 20 ft. burst instead. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Confer
vulnerable 2 on an enemy in sight.
- 62 -
The Invoker
Magic is often pursued through ravenous study, but
not every magician learns the art hunched over a
dusty tome; you always preferred the harsh lectures
of the wilderness. When you called out to the wind
and rain, you were answered. In time, the wrath of
the natural world will be yours to command, its
wisdom is yours to learn, and its needs yours to
supply or to ignore. To whatever end you use this
power, take caution: invocation is a blunter practice
than the precise methods of scholarly magic, and
such primal forces demand a soul as hale and
unflagging as the land itself.
Hit Points
Recovery Dice
Class Skills
 Acrobatics
 Letters
 Mystery
 Nature
 Perception
 Stealth
Starting Theme
 Earth (STR)
 Frost (KNW)
 Storms (CNG)
 Wilderness (VIG)
 Wind (AGI)
- 63 -
Spellcasting Calamity
You confer the elemental effect to each target of
You are a student of magic. You learn one spell at
your attack instead of just one.
each level. You also know an extra spell for every
four points of Knowledge you possess. You learn
them randomly from the invoker spell list found in Draw Strength
the Spells chapter. When you use this ability, you can also make a
recovery 2.
Greater Invocation
Invoke Elements Choose two elements. You confer the greater effect
Effort Cost 0/+1. Minor Action. As a minor action, when invoking those elements. You may take this
you can invoke the elements to strengthen your next upgrade multiple times.
attack this turn. If you hit, change the damage type
of the attack and apply the elemental effect to one
Weave Elements
target.
You can spend +1 effort to invoke a second element.
You learn two different elements at first level and The attack deals damage of whichever type is more
learn another element every odd level thereafter. effective and confers both elemental effects.
Every three levels, choose one upgrade for this class
feature: Wild Calling
You can choose to reduce the effort cost by 1. If you
do and roll a natural 4 or less, the elemental effect is
conferred to you instead.
INVOKE ELEMENTS
ELEMENT DAMAGE TYPE ELEMENTAL EFFECT GREATER EFFECT
Earth Physical Deal +1d10 damage. Deal +2d10 damage.
Flames Fire Confer burning 2. Confer burning 4.
Frost Cold Confer slowed 3 Confer immobilized 3.
Light Spectral Confer blinded 2. Confer blinded 4.
Shadow Umbral Confer unguarded 2. Confer slumbering 2.
Push 20 ft. Knock prone. The

Wind Physical Push 10 ft. Knock prone. target cannot stand up next
turn.
- 64 -
Invoker Talents Pierce Resistance
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. The next attack
You start with one talent and gain more as you level
you make this turn ignores each target's resistances
up. Choose them from the following list.
and immunities.
Cinder Step
Sudden Stone
Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. When you move
Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Create a stone
this turn, you leave behind cinders in each square
wall in a 20 ft. path within 20 ft. It counts as an
you pass through These are fields that deal h fire
obstacle.
movement damage.
Guiding Wind
Concentration
Reaction. Effort Cost 0/+1. When an ally in sight
You can sustain up to two effects at a time.
moves, you can spend a reaction. Until end of the
turn, that ally shifts instead of moving normally.
Perseverance
You gain 4 more recovery dice. Frost Grasp
Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+1. When an enemy in sight
moves, you can spend a reaction to make that enemy
slowed until the end of the turn.
- 65 -
The Knight
In the distant past, knighthood represented
strength, honor, courage, and self-sacrifice, and it
stood for a bond greater than coin or even blood.
Knights were said to be loyal servants of nobility
and steadfast guardians of the commoners within
their demesne. Today, warlords and petty
criminals wear the title to satisfy their vanity and
justify any number of imperious cruelties. You
may share their aims, or your reasons for calling
yourself may be yours alone. While you may not
have the holdings or virtues to back up the title, you
do possess knighthood's most important trait: you
have an unbreakable spirit, and you will not fall
without a fight.
Hit Points
Recovery Dice
Class Skills
 Athletics
 Folklore
 Letters
 Perception
 Speech
 Tinkering
Starting Theme
 Defense (VIG)
 Leadership (RES)
 Melee (STR)
 Prowess (KNW)
 Wrath (RES)
- 66 -
Fundamentals Knight Talents
Advance
Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. If your next melee
Knightly Stance attack this turn hits, shove one target up to 20 ft.
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. As a minor action,

Challenge
you can enter a knightly stance for the rest of the
encounter or until you are defeated. You gain one Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1.. Confer provoked
bonus armor die of size % that replenishes at the end 5 upon an enemy in sight.
of each round while this ability is active. You also
count as an obstacle for enemies, blocking line of Composure
sight and line of effect. Every three levels, choose Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Choose a harmful
one upgrade for this class feature: condition affecting you. Roll % and count it down
by that many turns.
Awareness
While in your stance, you can make one additional Confidence
reaction each turn. When your attack reduces one or more enemies to 0
hit points, you may make a recovery 2. You can only
Ever Vigilant make one recovery per turn this way.
Reduce the effort cost to 0/+1.
First Aid
Intercede Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Grant an adjacent
ally a recovery 3.
When you spend your bonus armor die, it reduces
the damage dealt to each target of the attack, instead
of just you. They can still spend their own armor Interposing Step
dice on top of this. Reaction. Effort Cost 0/+1. When an ally within 20
ft. is targeted with an attack that doesn't target you,
No Escape you can spend a reaction to shift 15 ft. toward them.
The attack targets you instead of that ally.
While in your stance, your attacks of opportunity
are accurate and reduce the enemy's speed to 0 for
the rest of the turn. Proficiency
You can wield all weapons and wear all armor,
Perfect Guard ignoring Strength and Vigor requirements.
When you spend your bonus armor die, you can
choose to triple the result. If you do, your knightly Quick to Act
stance ends. Free Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. After you make an
initiative roll, you can choose to re-roll it. You must
keep the second result.
- 67 -
The Magician
You shall be a scholar of the great
mystery- the Warped Art. Through
rigorous trial and tireless study of the
arcanists that came before you, you
will learn to harness elusive energies
that few others can comprehend. The
hidden workings of the mortal mind,
the strength of will to bend physical
law, knowledge of the many worlds
and their denizens- these things come
at a great and inevitable cost. Only true
obsession can yield insight into such
power.
Hit Points
Your hit point total increases by + 4
with each level.
Recovery Dice
Class Skills
You know one class skill for every four
points of Knowledge you possess. If
you've learned all of them, you can
choose any other skill instead.
 Folklore
 Letters
 Mystery Spellcasting
 Nature You are a student of magic. You know one spell for
 Stealth every four points of Knowledge you possess, and
 Tinkering you learn one more each time you gain a level
(including first level). You learn them randomly
Starting Theme from the magician spell table found in the
Spellcasting chapter.
 Earth (STR)
 Flames (RES)
 Frost (KNW)
 Sorcery (KNW)
 Wind (AGI)
- 68 -
Crafted Conjury LESSER ARCANA
Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Magicians are able to
PREFIX EFFECT
design their own powerful signature conjuries. You
gain an additional special action that you craft Blazing… Confer burning 2.
yourself by combining a form with a lesser and
greater arcana. Cloudy… Create an obscuring field.
Your crafted conjury always uses your best attribute Crashing… Push the target 10 ft. Knock prone.
for the attack and damage.
Drifting… Slide the target 20 ft.
Whenever you complete a rest, you can make
changes to your crafted conjury, swapping out its Enfeebling… Confer weakened 3.
components for other ones that you know.
Faltering… Confer delayed 2.
At first level, you learn two lesser arcana, two greater
arcana, and two forms. At each level thereafter, you
Flickering… Jump 20 ft.
learn one additional form or arcana of your choice.
Every three levels, choose one upgrade for this class Mighty… Add % damage.
feature:
Scarlet… Confer bleeding 2.
Breadth Create a field that deals

Shattering…
Your forms that target an area increase in size. Lines h movement damage.
and paths increase by 10 ft., while blasts and bursts
increase by 5 ft. Spiraling… Confer unguarded 3.
Warding… Gain barrier 10.

Efficacy
After rolling damage with your crafted conjury, you
may choose to re-roll any number of the dice. You
must keep the second result.
GREATER ARCANA
SUFFIX EFFECT
Elegance
…of Dreams Confer slumbering 2.
Reduce the effort cost to 0/+1.
…of Madness Confer delirious 2.

Mutability
Upon completing a rest, you may design two crafted …of Power Add %% damage.
conjuries instead of one. When you use this feature,
…of Starlight Confer blinded 3.
select either of those actions to attempt. You may
take this upgrade multiple times.
…of Stasis Confer immobilized 3.
Precision …of Torment Confer vulnerable 3.
Instead of affecting all creatures, your forms that

…of Venom Confer poisoned 5.
target an area now affect enemies only.
- 69 -
Arc Form Lance Form
BEST ATTRIBUTE ATTACK – CONJURY BEST ATTRIBUTE ATTACK – CONJURY
Target 30 ft. path Target line to weapon range

Deal %% damage. Deal %% + MOD damage.
Hit Hit
LESSER ARCANA. LESSER ARCANA.
Solid Hit GREATER ARCANA. Solid Hit GREATER ARCANA.
Blade Form Mist Form

Target 1 creature within 5 ft. Target 25 ft. blast

Deal %%% damage. Deal % + MOD damage.
Hit Hit
LESSER ARCANA; or GREATER ARCANA. LESSER ARCANA.
Solid Hit You confer both ARCANA instead. Solid Hit GREATER ARCANA.
Bolt Form Orb Form

Target 1 creature Target 15 ft. blast
Deal %% + MOD damage. Deal %% + MOD damage.

Hit Hit
LESSER ARCANA; or GREATER ARCANA. LESSER ARCANA.
Solid Hit You confer both ARCANA instead. Solid Hit GREATER ARCANA.
Breath Form Wave Form

Target 15 ft. close blast Target 10 ft. burst
Deal %%% damage. Deal %% damage.

Hit Hit
LESSER ARCANA. LESSER ARCANA.
Solid Hit GREATER ARCANA. Solid Hit GREATER ARCANA.
- 70 -
Magician Talents
Pierce Resistance
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. The next attack
you make this turn ignores each target's resistances
and immunities.
Composure
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Roll %. Remove
that many turns of harmful conditions from you.
Concentration
You can sustain up to two sustained effects at the
same time instead of just one.
Intensify
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Double the
durations of any conditions you confer with your
next conjury this turn.
Magnify
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Increase the area of
effect of your next conjury this turn. Bursts and
squares are increased by 5 ft., lines and paths by 20
ft. A single-target action becomes a 10 ft. blast.
Skillful
Learn two skills of your choice.
Spell Shroud
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Grant 2 spell
shrouds (d8) to a creature in sight. These function
as extra d8 armor dice that last until end of the
encounter. When spent to prevent damage from a
conjury, roll twice as many dice instead.
Teleport
Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Choose a creature
in sight. It jumps 20 ft. to the square of your choice.
This talent costs +1 effort if you use it to target an
enemy.
- 71 -
The Occultist
A menagerie of untold spirits awaits
beyond the edges of the visible world.
Realms beyond sight or knowing are
home to beings who challenge mortal
comprehension. Some ravenously
seek entrance, promising great and
warping power to any who will grant
them ingress. Occultists are those
mortal students of magic daring and
foolish enough to lay such invitations
upon the bargaining table.
Hit Points
Your hit point total increases by + 4
with each level.
Recovery Dice
Class Skills
You know one class skill for every
four points of Knowledge you
possess. If you've learned all of them,
you can choose any other skill
instead.
 Folklore
 Letters
 Mystery
 Nature
 Speech
 Stealth Spellcasting
You are a student of magic. You know one spell for
Starting Theme every four points of Knowledge you possess, and
you learn one more each time you gain a level
(including first level). You learn them randomly
from the occultist spell list found in the
Spellcasting chapter.
 Blood (VIG)
 Curses (CNG)
 Flames (RES)
 Sorcery (KNW)
 Treachery (CNG)
- 72 -
Demonic Servant
Effort Cost 2/+2. Minor Action. You begin
summoning a powerful demon to an empty square
in sight. At the end of the round, it appears in that
square or the nearest empty one. In later rounds, the
demon takes a turn in the same phase as you. You
control its actions directly, though you can only
order it to move 30 ft. and make a strike action. It
can make two reactions per round. It has no recovery
dice of its own, but it can use yours whenever it
makes a recovery.
When you first summon a demon, roll the indicated

dice to establish its hit point total. You must also roll
on the species table to determine what type of
demon appears. Each species causes a different
demonic effect upon scoring a solid hit with its
attack.
As you advance in level, you summon higher-tier

demons. They have progressively more hit points,
higher AC, a greater attack bonus, and more damage
on hit. Every three levels, choose one upgrade for
this class feature:
SPECIES
D6 SPECIES DEMONIC EFFECT
Beckon the Mighty 1 Buzzing Confer inaccurate 2.
You can spend +1 effort to summon a demon one 2 Creaking Push 10 ft. Knock prone.
tier higher than normal.
3 Glowing Confer poisoned 4.
Demonic Frenzy 4 Laughing Confer burning 1.
Your demon's strike action targets a 5 ft. burst; 5 Weeping Confer slowed 2.
enemies only.
6 Silent Confer weakened 3.
DEMONIC SERVANTS BY TIER

LEVEL TIER HP AC ATTACK HIT SOLID HIT
1–3 I 4d6 12 +4 Deal 1d6+2 damage. Add 1d6 damage. Confer species effect.
4–6 II 6d6 14 +5 Deal 1d8+2 damage. Add 1d8 damage. Confer species effect.
7–9 III 8d6 16 +6 Deal 1d10+2 damage. Add 1d10 damage. Confer species effect.
--- IV 10d6 18 +7 Deal 1d12+2 damage. Add 1d12 damage. Confer species effect.
- 73 -
Hybridize Occultist Talents
Roll 2d6 for demonic species. If you get two
different results, the summoned demon confers
both species effects on a solid hit.
Doorway of Flesh
Profane Endurance
When a creature in sight is reduced to 0 hit points,
Your demonic servant has +3d6 hit points.
you can use your demonic servant ability in that
square as a reaction. When you do, the effort cost is
Rapid Ritual reduced by 1.
Your demonic servant appears immediately and can
act in the phase that you summon it. Occult Command
Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. The next action
Ritual Mastery you take this turn is performed by your demonic
Reduce the effort cost to 2/+1. servant instead. The demon uses your attack roll and
damage dice but otherwise counts in all ways as the
creature performing the action.
Spell Shroud
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Gain 2 spell
shrouds (d8) or grant them to a creature in sight.
These function as extra armor dice that last until end
of the encounter. If rolled to prevent damage from a
conjury, double the result.
Transpose
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Choose two
friendly creatures in sight. They swap places.
Warp Time
Free Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. After rolling
initiative, you may choose to swap any two of the
rolls.
Word of Anguish
Reaction. Effort Cost 0/+1. When an ally in sight
hits with an attack, you can spend a reaction to grant
the attack +1d4 extra damage to each target.
- 74 -
The Thief
For most in this dismal world, prosperity lies beyond
a locked door. For those willing to relieve others of
their hard-earned possessions, this statement can
sometimes be literal. Why accomplish with endless
toil what could be done with a single great act of
subterfuge? Coin is no more useful burdening the
pockets of the wealthy than it is collecting dust in the
vaults of the dead. And once those misers have
perished, would it not be better off in the warmth of
your living hands?
Hit Points
Recovery Dice
Class Skills
 Acrobatics
 Letters
 Perception
 Speech
 Stealth
 Tinkering
Starting Theme
 Brawling (STR)
 Prowess (KNW)
 Range (AGI)
 Swiftness (AGI)
 Treachery (CNG)
- 75 -
Vanish Thief Talents
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1 You gain a special You start with one talent and gain more as you level
condition: hidden 4. up. Choose them from the following list.
You gain a +2 bonus to AC, and you Ambush

shift instead of moving normally. If In the first round of combat, roll initiative twice and
HIDDEN
you make an attack, you lose this take the better result. If you act in the opening phase,
condition immediately afterward. your attacks deal % extra damage to one target.
Diversion
Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+1. When an ally within 20
Backstab ft. makes an attack roll, you can spend a reaction.
If you start your turn hidden, the first attack you That ally gains a +4 bonus to the result.
make deals % extra damage to one target. Every three
levels, choose one upgrade for this class feature: Evasion
Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+1. When you are targeted
Assassin with an attack, you can spend a reaction to jump 10
The extra damage increases to %%. ft. You gain a +4 bonus to AC against that attack.
Phantom Fleet of Foot

If you miss with an attack while hidden, you Your speed increases by +10 ft., and you ignore
remain hidden. difficult terrain when you move.
Poisoner Leap
You also apply poisoned 4 to one target. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. You jump instead
of moving normally for the rest of the turn.
Shadow Walker
You start every encounter with hidden 4. Thief's Poison
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. If your next attack
Terror this turn hits, confer poisoned 4 to one target.
The extra damage applies to each target of your

attack. Second Try
Free Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. When you miss with
an attack action, you can reroll. You must use the
second result.
Skillful
Learn two skills of your choice.
- 76 -
The Warrior
One needs not live by the sword to die by it.
You do not know the methods of magic, and
your powers of deception are confined to that
which you can accomplish with a weapon on
the battlefield; it is naught but the iron in your
hands that has kept you alive thus far. The
quick, straight-forward aggression of a well-
practiced fighter is enough to keep pace with
the ornate machinations of the learned, the sly
deceptions of the clever, and ferocious hunger
of the beastly. Will their trickery avail your foes
when your sharpened edge is pressed to their
necks?
Hit Points
Your hit point total increases by + 6 with each
level.
Recovery Dice
Class Skills
You know one class skill for every four points
of Knowledge you possess. If you've learned all
of them, you can choose any other skill instead.
 Acrobatics
 Athletics
 Letters
 Perception
 Speech
 Tinkering
Starting Theme
Choose one of the following to be your first
theme. Only your first choice is limited; your
second and third themes can be any in the
game.
 Defense (VIG)
 Melee (STR)
 Prowess (KNW)
 Range (AGI)
 Wrath (RES)
- 77 -
Fundamentals Warrior Talents
Aim to Kill
Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Your next attack
Extra Attack this turn deals % extra damage to each target.
Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Make a strike or

Catch Your Breath
shoot action. Every three levels, choose one upgrade
for this class feature: Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Make a recovery 3.
Fighting Rhythm Demand Attention

When you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points, this Free Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Confer provoked 3
feature costs 0 effort for the rest of the turn. upon an enemy you dealt damage to this turn.
Flurry Determination
Strike actions you make with this feature target all When your attack reduces one or more enemies to 0
enemies in a melee burst. Shoot actions target all hit points, gain 1 effort. You can only gain 1 effort
enemies in a 15 ft. blast. per turn this way.
Practiced Swing Proficiency

Your extra attacks deal $ extra damage to each You can wield all weapons and wear all armor,
target. ignoring Strength and Vigor requirements.
Follow Up Riposte
After you make the attack roll, you can choose to Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+1. When a melee attack
re-roll. You must keep the second result. misses you, you can spend a reaction to make a strike
action against that target.
Strike In Passing
Second Try
You can shift 20 ft. before or after you make your
extra attack. Free Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. When you miss with
an attack action, you can reroll. You must use the
second result.
- 78 -
Themes
- 79 -
A theme is a list of combat actions that represent a
certain fighting style; for example, the Flames
theme lets you learn fire magic, while the Range
theme lets you learn actions specific to ranged
weapons.
When you advance to level one, you must pick a first

theme out of the five starting themes offered by
your class. Each theme makes use of a certain
attribute, so you want to match your first theme to
one of your best scores. The table on the next page
shows the starting themes for each class.
When you advance to level four, you get to choose a

second theme; this one can be any theme in the
game. The same is true for your third theme, chosen
at level seven.
THEMES
THEME ATTRIBUTE DESCRIPTION
Blood Vigor You wield magic that manipulates the living essence for weal and woe.
Brawling Strength You strike and throw enemies with your bare hands.
Curses Cunning You torment adversaries with devious maladies and magical afflictions.
Defense Vigor You are a well-armored fighter who shields your allies from harm.
Earth Strength You wield the element of earth, shaping stone and causing earthquakes.
Flames Resolve You conjure magical fire, lighting enemies aflame.
Frost Knowledge You employ water and ice magic, freezing enemies in their tracks.
Leadership Resolve You inspire allies with clever strategy and unshakeable determination.
Melee Strength You are an adept fighter with melee weapons.
Prowess Knowledge You are an expert duelist, practiced in forms and stances.
Range Agility You specialize in taking out foes from a distance.
Sorcery Knowledge You manipulate raw magical energy to turn reality against your foes.
Storms Cunning You call down lashing rain and terrible lightning upon the battlefield.
Swiftness Agility You are a nimble melee combatant, blinding enemies with your speed.
Treachery Cunning You fight dirty, employing poison and deception to gain the upper hand.
Wilderness Vigor You harness the secret magic of nature to channel its kindness and cruelty.
Wind Agility You can control the fickle element of wind, sending enemies flying.
Wrath Resolve You are a wild melee fighter who favors brute force.
- 80 -
STARTING THEMES BY CLASS
THEME BRIGAND CLERIC INVOKER KNIGHT MAGICIAN OCCULTIST THIEF WARRIOR
Blood (VIG)  
Brawling (STR)  
Curses (CNG)  
Defense (VIG)  
Earth (STR)  
Flames (RES)  
Frost (KNW)  
Leadership (RES)  
Melee (STR)   
Prowess (KNW)   
Range (AGI)  
Sorcery (KNW)  
Storms (CNG)  
Swiftness (AGI)  
Treachery (CNG)   
Wilderness (VIG)  
Wind (AGI)  
Wrath (RES)   
- 81 -
Blood Run Cold
VIG ATTACK – CONJURY – COLD
Basic
You are studied in organic applications of the

Target 10 ft. blast
Warped Art, manipulating the very fluid of the
living essence. At best, your magic is benevolent, Hit Deal % + VIG damage.
restoring vitality and health. At worst, it is among Solid Hit Confer inaccurate 2.
the greatest profanities of nature. Most blood
actions have the conjury keyword, meaning they
must be used with a bare hand or an implement,
Blood Mist Special
such as a wand, rod, or staff. Blood conjurors excel
at granting recoveries to injured allies, and can even VIG ATTACK – CONJURY
restore defeated allies to good health. Target 20 ft. close blast; enemies only
Hit Deal %% damage.

Vigor
Your living essence imbues your magic with its Solid Hit Add % damage.
vitality. When you use an action from this theme, Grant a recovery 2 to any number of
roll 1d20 + h + VIG. After
creatures in the area.
Critical Effect
When you land a critical hit, you also grant a Transfusion Special
recovery 4 to one creature in sight.
VIG ATTACK – CONJURY
Target 15 ft. close blast; enemies only

Deal %% + VIG damage. Transfer a
Incision Basic Hit condition from one creature in the area
to another.
VIG ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY
Transfer a second condition between
Target 1 creature Solid Hit
the same or different creatures.
Hit Deal $% damage.
Solid Hit Confer bleeding 2.

Sanguine Shield Special
VIG ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY
Leech Basic
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $% + VIG damage.
Target 1 creature
Solid Hit See below.
Deal %% damage.
Hit
Grant a recovery 1 to a creature in sight. Confer barrier 10 to one creature in
After sight, or to two creatures if you scored a
Solid Hit Grant a recovery 2 instead.
solid hit.
- 82 -
Mass Wounds Special Vitality Font Special
VIG ATTACK – CONJURY VIG ATTACK – CONJURY
Target 20 ft. close blast Target 1 creature

Deal %% + VIG damage. Deal %% damage.
Hit Hit
Confer bleeding 2. Confer vitality font 2.
Solid Hit Add % damage. Solid Hit Add % damage.
Condition. Whenever the affected

Vitality creature is dealt attack damage, the
Exsanguinate Special Font attacker regains hit points equal to the
lowest damage die rolled.
Target 1 creature
Back from the Brink Mighty
Deal %%% damage. Restore that many
Hit hit points, divided as you choose, to VIG ATTACK – CONJURY
allies in a 10 ft. burst around the target.
Target 10 ft. burst on self or ally; enemies only
Solid Hit Add % damage. Hit Deal %% + VIG damage.
Solid Hit Add % damage.
Boiling Blood Special Grant the ally a recovery 5. If they have

After not acted yet this round, they can take
VIG ATTACK – CONJURY their turn after yours.
Target 15 ft. blast
Deal %% damage.
Hit
Confer berserk 1. Blood Puppet Mighty
Solid Hit Confer berserk 2 instead.
Target 1 creature
Condition. On its turn, the affected
creature must move to the nearest Deal %% + CNG damage.
Berserk Hit
creature and make a basic attack against Confer blood puppet.
it. Solid Hit Add % damage.
Sustained Condition. You can spend a

Blood minor action to do one to the affected
Puppet creature: slide 10 ft.; knock prone; or
force it to deal %% damage to itself.
- 83 -
Brawling Spin Kick
STR ATTACK – UNARMED
Basic
You don't need magic, clever tricks, or even a

Target 5 ft. burst; enemies only
weapon- you're deadly with your bare hands. You
Hit Deal % + STR damage.
may have had some formal training, but it's more
likely you've picked up the art of barehanded Solid Hit Push 5 ft. Knock prone.
fighting from the school of hard knocks. All
brawling actions have the unarmed keyword,
meaning they must be used with a free hand at a Sucker Punch Basic
range of 5 ft. Brawlers excel at breaking enemies'
STR ATTACK – FREE HAND
defenses and knocking them prone.
Target 1 creature (5 ft.)
Strength Hit
Deal % + STR damage. Add % damage if
the target has all their hit points.
Muscle determines the steadiness and force of your
blows. When you use an action from this theme, roll
1d20 + h + STR. On attacks of opportunity, you can use
Special
this attack in place of a strike action.
Critical Effect
When you land a critical hit, you also confer Bounce Back Special
vulnerable 4 to one target.
Bell Ringer Basic Hit Deal %% + STR damage.
STR ATTACK – UNARMED Solid Hit See below.
Target 1 creature Make a recovery 3, or a recovery 5

After
if you landed a solid hit.
Hit Deal %% damage.
Solid Hit Confer vulnerable 2.
Special
On attacks of opportunity, you can use Fling Special
this attack in place of a strike action.
Target 1 creature
Hauling Grab Basic Deal %% + STR damage.

Slide target 20 ft. If the target ends
STR ATTACK – UNARMED Hit adjacent to other enemies, those
Target 1 creature creatures take the damage too. Knock all
damaged creatures prone.
Deal %% damage.
Hit
Drag 10 ft. Creatures knocked prone cannot stand
Solid Hit
up next turn.
- 84 -
Haymaker Special Leaping Tackle Special
STR ATTACK – UNARMED STR ATTACK - UNARMED
Target 1 creature On Use Jump 20 ft.

Deal %% + STR damage. Add %% Target 1 creature
Hit damage if the target has all their hit
Deal % + STR damage. Knock prone.
points. Hit
Confer grappled.
Solid Hit Confer staggered 2. Solid Hit Add % damage.
High Kick Special Stone Breaker Special

Target 1 creature Target 1 creature

Deal %%% + STR damage. Deal %%% damage.
Hit Hit
Knock prone. Confer vulnerable 3.
Solid Hit The target cannot stand up next turn. Solid Hit Add % damage.
Iron Grip Special

Comet Leap Mighty
Target 1 creature
On Use Jump 30 ft.
Deal %% + STR damage.
Hit Target 5 ft. burst; enemies only
Confer grappled.
Deal %%% + RES damage.
Add % damage, and the target cannot Hit
Solid Hit Push 10 ft. Knock prone.
attempt to break the grapple next turn.
Creatures knocked prone cannot stand
Solid Hit
up turn.
Kick Up Dust Special

STR ATTACK – UNARMED Stone Shatter Mighty
Target 15 ft. close blast; enemies only STR ATTACK – UNARMED
Deal % + STR damage. Target 1 creature

Hit
Confer blinded 3.
Deal %%% damage.
Solid Hit Add % damage. Hit
Confer vulnerable 5.
Solid Hit Add %% damage.
- 85 -
Curses Poison Vapor
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY - POISON
Basic
You are a student of dark magic that stains the fabric

Target 10 ft. blast
of reality, and baleful conjuries allow you to sicken
Deal % + CNG damage.
foes and rob them of their strength. Curse actions Hit
Confer poisoned 3.
have the conjury keyword, meaning they must be
Solid Hit Confer poisoned 5 instead.
performed with a free hand or an implement such as
a wand, rod, or staff. Practitioners of curse magic
excel at weakening their enemies with debilitating
magical effects. Enfeeblement Special
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY – NECROTIC
Cunning Target 1 creature

Clever minds better grasp the devious intricacies of Deal %% + CNG damage.
Hit
dark magic. When you use an action from this Confer weakened 3 or vulnerable 3.
theme, roll 1d20 + h + CNG. Solid Hit Confer both instead.
Critical Effect
Falter Special
When you land a critical hit, you also confer
weakened 4 to one target. CNG ATTACK – CONJURY
Target 1 creature
Deal %%% damage.

Hit
Torment Basic Confer delayed 2.
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY – MENTAL Solid Hit Add % damage.
Target 1 creature
Deal % + CNG damage.
Hit Add +1 turn to the target's Sickening Cloud Special
harmful conditions.
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY - POISON
Solid Hit Add +3 turns instead.
Target 20 ft. blast
Hit Deal %% damage.

Wound of Weakness Basic Solid Hit Add % damage.
CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY - NECROTIC Create sickening cloud, a sustained
Target 1 creature After obscuring field that confers poisoned 3
to creatures that start their turn inside.
Hit Deal $% damage.
Solid Hit Confer weakened 3.

Drain Essence Special
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY – NECROTIC
Target 1 creature
Deal %% + CNG damage.

Hit
Make a recovery 4.
- 86 -
Spiral Hex Special Alter Fate Mighty
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY – MENTAL CNG SUPPORT – PERSONAL
Target 15 ft. blast Target personal
Deal % + CNG damage. Roll 2d20 and record each result. Until
Hit the end of the encounter, when a
Confer delirious 2.
creature in sight makes a d20 roll, you
Hit
Solid Hit Confer delirious 4 instead. can spend a reaction to force that
creature to use one of the results instead
of rolling. You can use each result once.
Malevolence Special Solid Hit Roll 3d20 instead.
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY – SPECTRAL Miss Roll 1d20 instead.
Target 20 ft. blast

Hit Add +2 turns to the target's Threefold Curse Mighty
harmful conditions.
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY – SPECTRAL
Solid Hit Add +4 turns instead.
Target 1 creature
Deal %%% damage.
Hit Confer one of the following: delirious
Wave of Terror Special 3, vulnerable 3, weakened 3.
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY – MENTAL

Solid Hit Confer all three conditions instead.
Target 10 ft. burst
Deal %% damage.
Hit
Confer vulnerable 2.
Solid Hit Confer vulnerable 4 instead.
- 87 -
Defense Make Way
VIG ATTACK – MELEE
Basic
On the battlefield, you hold one pursuit above all

Target 1 creature
others: stay alive, and make sure your allies do as
Deal $ + VIG damage.
well. Taking the best possible advantage of your
Hit An adjacent ally may shift to any other
armor, you stand fast between the enemy and your square adjacent to you.
less resilient companions, foes' weapons falling
before your unbreakable guard like autumn leaves
upon the earth. Most defense actions have the melee
keyword, meaning they must be used with a melee
weapon such as a sword or warhammer. Protection
Challenging Cleave Special
fighters excel at recovering their armor dice and VIG ATTACK – MELEE
provoking foes to draw them away from their allies. Target melee burst; enemies only
Deal $% + VIG damage.
Vigor Hit
Confer provoked 2.
Fortitude is essential both to wear armor and use it Solid Hit Confer provoked 4 instead.
effectively. When you use an action from this
theme, roll 1d20 + h + VIG.
Drive Off Special
Critical Effect VIG ATTACK – MELEE
When you land a critical hit, you also gain barrier 10. Target 1 creature
Hit
Shove 15 ft. Confer weapon effect.
Mark of Challenge Basic Solid Hit Add % damage.
VIG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Target 1 creature Elephant Stance Special

Hit VIG ATTACK - MELEE
Confer provoked 3.
Target 1 creature
Solid Hit Add $ damage.
Hit Deal $% + KNW damage. Knock prone.

Covering Strike Basic After Gain elephant stance.
VIG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED Sustained Condition. If you would be

Elephant
Target 1 creature pushed, pulled, or slid, you may ignore
Stance
that forced movement.
Hit Confer guarded 2 to an ally
adjacent to the target.
- 88 -
Faltering Cleave Special Grudge Match Mighty
VIG ATTACK – MELEE VIG ATTACK – MELEE
Target melee burst; enemies only Target 1 creature

Deal $% + VIG damage. Hit Deal $% + VIG damage.
Hit
Confer delayed 2.
Solid Hit Confer delayed 4 instead.
After Confer grudge match 3.
Condition. The enemy cannot make

Grudge
Field Triage Special attacks that don't include you as the
Match
target.
VIG SUPPORT – UNARMED
Target 1 adjacent creature

Hit Grant a recovery 4.
Steel Yourselves Mighty
Target melee burst; enemies only
Hold Fast Special Hit Deal $% + VIG damage.
VIG ATTACK – MELEE Solid Hit Add $ damage.

Target 1 creature You and each ally within 20 ft. may
Hit Deal $% + VIG damage. After regain one spent armor die, or two if you
scored a solid hit.
Confer guarded 2 to yourself and each

After ally within 20 ft., or guarded 4 if you
scored a solid hit.
Shining Armor Special

Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $% + VIG damage.
Regain up to 1 spent armor die, or 2 if

After
you scored a solid hit.
- 89 -
Earth Rusting Ray
STR ATTACK – CONJURY
Basic
Your skill with magic and muscularity lets you

Target line to weapon range
command the element of earth, toppling enemies
Hit Deal % + STR damage.
and keeping them down. Many Earth actions have
the conjury keyword, meaning they must be Solid Hit Confer vulnerable 2.
performed with a free hand or an implement such as
a wand, rod, or staff. Earth conjurors excel at
shielding allies and at creating obstacles and Stone Strike Basic
difficult terrain.
STR ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY
Target 1 creature
Strength Deal $ + STR damage.
Earth magic demands great muscularity. When you Hit Push 10 ft. Create difficult terrain in
use an action from this theme, roll 1d20 + h + STR. each square the creature leaves.
Solid Hit Push 20 ft. instead.
Critical Effect
When you land a critical hit, you also knock one
Mudslide Special
target prone, and that creature cannot stand up on
their next turn. STR ATTACK – CONJURY
Target 20 blast; enemies only

Hit Deal %% damage.
Dust Cloud Basic Solid Hit See below.
STR ATTACK – CONJURY Create mudslide, a sustained field of

difficult terrain, and choose a cardinal
Target 10 ft. blast
After direction. At the end of each round,
Hit Deal % + STR damage. creatures within slide 10 ft. in the chosen
direction and fall prone.
Create dust cloud, a sustained field.

After Creatures that start their turn inside are
inaccurate for the turn.
Cleave the Earth Special
STR ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY
Target 15 ft. close blast

Earth Spike Basic Deal $%% damage.
Hit
Knock prone.
Creatures knocked prone cannot stand
Target 1 creature Solid Hit
up next turn.
Hit Deal %% damage.
Solid Hit Knock prone.
Create earth spike, an obstacle. When

you create an obstacle, slide creatures
After out of the area by the shortest route- if
there are multiple shortest routes, you
choose.
- 90 -
Stone Armor Special Crystal Lance Mighty
STR ATTACK – CONJURY STR ATTACK – RANGED OR CONJURY
Target 15 ft. close blast; enemies only Target 1 creature

Hit Deal %% damage. Deal $%% + STR damage.
Hit
Push 20 ft. Knock prone.
Confer barrier 10 to one creature in the
After blast, or barrier 20 if you rolled a solid
hit.
Earthquake Mighty
Sandstorm Special Target 20 ft. blast
STR ATTACK – CONJURY Deal %%% damage.
Hit
Knock prone.
Target 15 ft. blast
Solid Hit Targets cannot stand up next turn.
Deal %% + RES damage.
Hit
Confer blinded 2. Create earthquake, a sustained field
After that deals % damage and knocks
Solid Hit Confer blinded 4 instead.
creatures prone at end-of-round.
Wall of Stone Special

Target 30 ft. path
Hit Deal %% + STR damage.
Create wall of stone, an obstacle. When

you create an obstacle, slide creatures
After out of the area by the shortest route- if
there are multiple shortest routes, you
choose.
- 91 -
Flames Swelter
RES ATTACK – CONJURY - FIRE
Basic
Your magic lets you command the element of fire,

Target 5 ft. burst
lighting enemies aflame and showering cinders
Hit Deal % + RES damage.
upon the battlefield. Most Flames actions have the
conjury keyword, meaning they must be performed Solid Hit Confer inaccurate 2.
with a free hand or an implement such as a wand,
rod, or staff. Flame conjurors excel at harming
multiple creatures, conferring the burning Firebolt Basic
condition, and showering the battlefield with
RES ATTACK – RANGED OR CONJURY - FIRE
damaging cinders.
Target 1 creature
Resolve Hit Deal $% damage.
Flame conjury is fueled by the intense passions of Solid Hit Confer burning 1.
the heart. When you use an action from this theme,
roll 1d20 + h + RES.
Cauterize Special
Critical Effect RES ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY - FIRE
When you land a critical hit, you also confer Target 5 ft. burst; enemies only
burning 2 to one target.
Hit Deal $% + RES damage.
Flame Blade Basic Grant a recovery 3 to one creature

After
in the burst.
RES ATTACK – MELEE– FIRE
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $ + RES damage. Fireball Special
Solid Hit Confer burning 1. RES ATTACK – CONJURY - FIRE
Target 15 ft. blast
Hit Deal %% + RES damage.

Cinder Beam Basic
Solid Hit Confer burning 2.
Target line to weapon range Create cinders, a field that deals h fire
After
movement damage.
Deal % + RES damage.
Hit
Create cinders.
Heat Metal Special
Create cinders, a field that deals h fire
After
movement damage. RES ATTACK – CONJURY - FIRE
Target 1 creature
Deal %% + RES damage.

Hit
Confer weakened 3 or vulnerable 3.
- 92 -
Heat Wave Special Firebrands Mighty
RES ATTACK – CONJURY - FIRE RES ATTACK – CONJURY - FIRE
Target 10 ft. burst Target 15 ft. burst; enemies only.

Hit Deal % + RES damage. Hit Deal % + RES damage.
After Gain heat wave.
Confer firebrand 2 to yourself
After
Sustained 10 ft. aura. Deal h + RES and each ally in burst.
Heat
damage to creatures in the aura at the
Wave
end of your turn. Condition. Your melee and ranged
weapon attacks deal % extra damage to
Firebrand
one target. Those attacks deal fire
damage.
Leaping Flames Special
On Use Jump 20 ft. Inferno Mighty

Target Each creature passed through
Hit Deal %% + RES damage.
Target 20 ft. blast
Solid Hit Confer burning 2. Deal %%% damage.
Hit
Confer burning 3.
Create cinders in each square you left
After during the jump. It is a field that deals h Solid Hit Add %% damage.
fire movement damage.
Create cinders, a field that deals h fire
After
movement damage.
Wall of Flames Special

Target 30 ft. path

Deal % + RES damage.
Hit
Confer burning 2.
Create wall of flames, an obscuring

After sustained field that confers burning 2 to
creatures that enter.
- 93 -
Frost Icicle
KNW ATTACK – RANGED OR CONJURY - COLD
Basic
Your magic lets you command the element of ice,

Target 1 creature
freezing enemies in their tracks and creating clouds
of snow and fields of ice. Frost actions have the Hit Deal $% damage.
conjury keyword, meaning they must be performed Solid Hit Knock prone.
with a free hand or an implement such as a wand,
rod, or staff. Frost conjurors excel at slowing and
immobilizing creatures, keeping them at bay to Freezing Cloud Special
render them useless.
KNW ATTACK – CONJURY - COLD
Knowledge Target 15 ft. blast

Deal %% + KNW damage.
Frost conjury requires a tranquil and collected mind. Hit
Confer slowed 2.
When you use an action from this theme, roll 1d20
Solid Hit Confer immobilized 2 instead.
+ h + KNW.
Create freezing cloud, a field of
After
obscuring difficult terrain.
Critical Effect
immobilized 2 to one target. Frost Armor Special
Target 10 ft. burst on ally

Chilling Wind Basic Deal %% + KNW damage.
Hit
Grant frost armor to the ally.
Target 20 ft. path Solid Hit Add % damage.
Hit Deal % + KNW damage. Frost Condition. Sustained. The ally reduces
Armor all non-fire damage taken by h.
Solid Hit Confer slowed 2.
Ice Flow Special

Frost Ray Basic
Target 40 ft. path
Deal % damage. Hit
Hit Knock prone.
Confer slowed 1.
Create ice flow, a field of difficult
After terrain. Creatures that enter must check
AGI vs. 10 or fall prone.
Ice the Wound Basic

Deal % + KNW damage.
Hit
Grant a recovery 1 to an ally in the area.
- 94 -
Rime Daggers Special Blizzard Mighty
KNW ATTACK – CONJURY - COLD KNW ATTACK – CONJURY - COLD
Make this attack 3 times against the Target 25 ft. blast

Special
same or different creatures in range. Deal %% + KNW damage.
Hit
Target 1 creature Confer slowed 3.
Hit Deal % + KNW damage.
Create blizzard, a sustained field of
After obscuring difficult terrain. It deals %
damage at end of round.
Snowball Special
Ice Prison Mighty
Hit Deal %%% damage. Push 10 ft. KNW ATTACK – CONJURY - COLD
Solid Hit Add % damage. Target 1 creature

Deal %%% + KNW damage.
Create snowball, a sustained obstacle. Hit
Confer ice prison 2.
On your turn, you can spend a minor
After
action to slide it 15 ft., shoving creatures Solid Hit Confer ice prison 4 instead.
in its path the same distance.
Condition. The affected creature
cannot act and is immune to damage. It
Ice Prison
counts as an obstacle. Any effect with
the fire keyword erases this condition.
- 95 -
Leadership
Your strategic mind and commanding presence

inspire your allies and terrify your enemies, letting Inspire Basic
you control the battlefield like so many pieces on a RES ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
board. Leadership actions have the melee and
Target 1 creature
ranged keywords, meaning they can be used with
Deal $ + RES damage.
any type of ranged or melee weapon. Leaders are Hit
Grant a recovery 1 to an ally in sight.
excellent at supporting their allies, granting them
extra movement and even attacks.
Resolve Call to Arms Special

Your ability to command others hinges upon your VIG SUPPORT – NO IMPLEMENT
strength of will. When you use an action from this
Target 15 ft. burst; allies only
theme, roll 1d20 + h + RES.
Each target deals % extra damage with
Hit
Critical Effect their next attack this round.
When you land a critical hit, you also grant a strike Solid Hit They deal %% extra damage instead.
or shoot action to an ally in sight.
Commanding Strike Special

Guiding Strike Basic RES ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
RES ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED Target 1 creature
Target 1 creature Hit Deal $ + RES damage.

Hit Solid Hit Confer unguarded 2.
Grant accurate 1 to an ally in sight.
Solid Hit Add % damage. One ally in sight can make a strike or
After
shoot action.
Reposition Basic
Forward March Special
RES ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Target 1 creature
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $ + RES damage.
One ally next to the target
After After Each ally in sight may shift 15 ft.
may shift 10 ft.
Weak Point Basic

Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $% damage.
- 96 -
Halting Word Special Strike True Special
RES ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED RES ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Deal $% + RES damage. Deal $% + RES damage.

Hit
Confer delayed 2. Hit Grant accurate 2 to each ally
within 15 ft.
Solid Hit Grant accurate 4 instead.
Rousing Blow Special Decisive Command Mighty


Hit
Solid Hit See below. Confer vulnerable 2.
Grant a recovery 3 to an ally in sight, Solid Hit Confer vulnerable 4 instead.

After or to up to two allies if you scored a
solid hit. Two allies in sight can make a strike or
After
shoot action.
Inspiring Strike Special

Wide Open Mighty
Target 1 creature
Target 1 creature
Deal $% + RES damage.
Hit
Solid Hit See below. Confer wide open 2.

Grant the effort you spent on this action
After to an ally in sight, or that much plus one Condition. The next time the affected
if you scored a solid it. creature is hit or solid hit by an attack, it
Wide
suffers damage and effects as though it
Open
were critically hit. Then remove this
condition.
Stand Strong Special
VIG SUPPORT – NO IMPLEMENT
Target 15 ft. burst; self and all allies
Hit Confer barrier 5.
Solid Hit Confer barrier 10 instead.
- 97 -
Melee Martial Dash
STR ATTACK - MELEE
Special
You are a pragmatic, effective fighter in front-line

On Use Jump 30 ft.
combat. You don't need tricks or magic to defeat
Target each enemy jumped through
your enemies; your hard-earned skill with a weapon
Deal $ + STR damage.
is enough. Actions of this theme all have the melee Hit
Confer weapon effect.
keyword, meaning they must be used with a melee
weapon, such as a sword or warhammer. Specialists
of melee combat learn actions that deal heavy
damage and make use of the weapon effects
intrinsic to their weapons. Martial Strike Special
STR ATTACK - MELEE
Strength Target 1 creature

Deal $$ + STR damage.
Physical might is essential for close combat. When Hit
you use an action from this theme, roll 1d20 + h +
STR.
Critical Effect Numbing Blow Special

When you land a critical hit, you also add $ damage.
STR ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
Hit
Advancing Edge Basic Confer weakened 3.
STR ATTACK - MELEE

Solid Hit Confer weakened 5 instead.
Target 1 creature
Hit
Shove 10 ft. Pommel Strike Special
Solid Hit Confer weapon effect. STR ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
Hit
Cleave Basic Confer unguarded 2.
Solid Hit Confer unguarded 4 instead.
STR ATTACK - MELEE

Hit Deal $ + STR damage. Rend Special
STR ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
Deal $$ damage.
Raise Guard Basic Hit
Confer vulnerable 3
STR ATTACK - MELEE Solid Hit Confer vulnerable 5 instead.
Target 1 creature
Hit
Gain guarded 1.
- 98 -
Topple Special Martial Blow Mighty
STR ATTACK - MELEE STR ATTACK - MELEE
Deal $$ + STR damage. Knock prone. Deal $$$ + STR damage.

Hit Hit
The target cannot stand up next turn. Confer weapon effect.
Solid Hit Add $ damage. Solid Hit Confer staggered 2.
Twin Strike Special Iron Tempest Mighty

STR ATTACK - MELEE STR ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature Target melee burst; enemies only
Hit Deal $ + STR damage. Deal $$ + STR damage.

Hit
Solid Hit Confer staggered 1.
Repeat this attack one time against the
After
same or a different enemy.
Whirlwind Special
STR ATTACK - MELEE

Hit
Push 10 ft.
- 99 -
Prowess Balancing Blow
KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Special
Unlike the mass of cutthroats and murderers to

Target 1 creature
brandish a blade, you have learned to wield yours
Deal $% + KNW damage.
with grace and dignity. You are a student of Hit
Gain guarded 2 or accurate 2.
tradition, a fencer of forms and geometries; iron
Solid Hit Gain both instead.
becomes lightning in your hands. Prowess actions all
have the melee keyword, meaning they must be used
with a melee weapon, such as a sword or
warhammer. Prowess fighters excel at dueling single Guarded Finish Special
opponents and can adopt stances that last for the KNW ATTACK - MELEE
encounter. Target 1 creature
Deal $%% damage. If you are
Hit
Knowledge in a stance, end it and gain barrier 10.
Prowess is attained by hard-learned lessons, not raw Solid Hit Add % damage.
physique. When you use an action from this theme,
roll 1d20 + h + KNW.
Forte Finish Special
Critical Effect
KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
staggered 2 to one target.
Deal $%% damage. If you are
Hit in a stance, end it and gain
Advance Basic strengthened 4.
KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $ + KNW damage. Shove 10 ft.
Solid Hit Confer weapon effect. Flesh Wound Special
KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
Lead Away Basic Deal $% + KNW damage.
Hit
KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Confer weakened 3 or slowed 3.
Target 1 creature Solid Hit Confer both instead.
Deal $ + KNW damage.

Hit
Drag 10 ft.
Solid Hit Confer weapon effect. Lion Stance Special
KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
Perfect Strike Basic
Hit Deal $% + KNW damage. Push 10 ft.
KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
After Gain lion stance.
Special This attack is always accurate.
Hit Deal $ + KNW damage. Lion Sustained Condition. Your attacks
Stance push one target 10 ft. on a hit.
- 100 -
Peregrine Stance Special Final Flourish Mighty
KNW ATTACK - MELEE KNW ATTACK - MELEE

Hit Deal $% + KNW damage. Shift 20 ft. Deal $%% damage. If you are in a
stance, end it and confer any one:
Solid Hit Add % damage. Hit
blinded 4., immobilized 4,
After Gain peregrine stance. or weakened 4.
Peregrine Sustained Condition. Your speed Solid Hit Add % damage.

Stance increases by +10 ft.
Rampart Stance Special

KNW ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature

Hit
Gain barrier 5.
After Gain rampart stance.
Rampart Sustained Condition. Add h to your

Stance armor die rolls.
Unicorn Stance Mighty

KNW ATTACK - MELEE

Hit
Confer inaccurate 2.

After Gain unicorn stance.
Sustained Condition. Engaged enemies

Unicorn
provoke an attack of opportunity from
Stance
you when they miss you with an attack.
- 101 -
Range Piercing Shot
Basic
You prefer to fight at distance, using your expertise

with ranged weapons to take down foes before they
ever reach you. Ranged actions all have the ranged Hit Deal $ + AGI damage.
keyword, meaning they must be used with a ranged Solid Hit Add $ damage.
weapon, such as a bow or thrown hatchet.
Specialists of ranged combat learn actions that target
multiple enemies and make use of the weapon
Split Shot Basic
effects intrinsic to their weapons.
Agility Target 2 creatures within 10 ft. of each other

Ranged combat hinges upon precision and speed.
When you use an action from this theme, roll 1d20 Solid Hit Confer weapon effect.
+ h + AGI.
Critical Effect Barrage Special

When you land a critical hit, you also add $ damage. AGI ATTACK – RANGED
Target 20 ft. blast

Deal $ + AGI damage.
Hit
Confer unguarded 3.
Eagle Eye Basic Solid Hit Add $ damage.
Special Double your range for this attack.

Target 1 creature Covering Fire Special
Hit Deal $ + AGI damage. AGI ATTACK – RANGED
Solid Hit Confer weapon effect. Target 20 ft. blast


Make Distance Basic
Create covering fire, a sustained field.
AGI ATTACK – RANGED After
Enemies within are inaccurate.
You can use this action without penalty
Special
while engaged.
Target 1 creature Double Up Special
Deal $ + AGI damage. Shift 10 ft. away
Hit AGI ATTACK - RANGED
from the target.
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $$ damage.
Repeat this attack one time against the

After
same or a different enemy.
- 102 -
Fiery Shot Special Meteor Shot Mighty
AGI ATTACK – RANGED AGI ATTACK – RANGED

Deal $$ + AGI damage. Deal $$$ + AGI damage.
Hit Hit
Confer burning 2. Confer weapon effect.
Solid Hit Add burning +1. Solid Hit Confer staggered 2.
Hobble Special Rapid Fire Mighty

RANGED – ATTACK
Target 1 creature
Make this attack once against each
Deal $$ + AGI damage. Special
Hit creature in weapon range.
Confer slowed 3.
Target 1 creature
Solid Hit Confer immobilized 3 instead.
Hit Deal $$ + AGI damage.

Impaling Shot Special

Deal $$ + AGI damage.
Hit
Confer bleeding 2.
Solid Hit Confer bleeding 3 instead.
Martial Shot Special

Target 1 creature
Hit
Martial Volley Special

Target 30 ft. path; each creature

Hit
- 103 -
Sorcery Spectral Lance
KNW ATTACK – CONJURY – SPECTRAL
Basic
By rigorous study, you have learned to harness the

spectral energy of raw magic to suit your needs on
the battlefield. Your conjuries warp your foes' Hit Deal % + KNW damage.
realities, debilitating them and altering their Solid Hit Confer unguarded 2.
physical and mental states. Sorcery actions all have
the conjury keyword, meaning they must be
performed with a free hand or an implement, such Enthrall Special
as a wand, rod, or staff. Sorcerers excel at warping
the minds of their enemies, enthralling them,
putting them to sleep, or driving them into a Target 1 creature
delirious fervor. Slide the target 20 ft. It makes a basic
Hit attack against a creature in its range. It
deals % extra damage.
Knowledge
Solid Hit It deals %% extra damage, instead.
The elusive art of sorcery can only be learned
through rigorous study. When you use an action
from this theme, roll 1d20 + h + KNW.
Gravity Well Special
Critical Effect KNW ATTACK – CONJURY – SPECTRAL
When you land a critical hit, you also confer Target 20 ft. blast
delirious 2 to one target.
Hit Pull 10 ft. toward center of the area.
Confer immobilized 1.
Solid Hit Add +1 immobilized.
Drowse Basic
Purify Special
Target 10 ft. blast
Hit Deal % + KNW damage. KNW SUPPORT – CONJURY
Solid Hit Confer slowed 3. Target 15 ft. burst

Remove one harmful condition from
Hit
each friendly creature in the area.
Magic Bolt Basic Solid Hit Remove all harmful conditions instead.
Target 1 creature
Shining Gaze Special
Hit Deal %% damage.
Solid Hit Confer inaccurate 2.
Target 1 creature
Hit
Confer delirious 2.
Solid Hit Confer delirious 4 instead.
- 104 -
Spell Shroud Special Conjure Chaos Mighty
KNW SUPPORT – CONJURY KNW ATTACK – CONJURY – SPECTRAL
Target 20 ft. blast Target 20 ft. blast; all creatures

Distribute 3 spell shrouds (d6) to Deal %%% damage.
Hit
creatures in the area. Confer a random condition to each
Hit
target (1d4) – weakened 2, vulnerable 2,
Solid Hit Distribute 3 spell shrouds (d10) instead.
delirious 2, slumbering 2.
These last for the encounter and
Spell function like extra armor dice. If rolled Add +2 to the duration of each
Solid Hit
Shroud to prevent damage from a conjury, condition you apply.
double the result.
Slumber Mighty
Starfall Special
KNW ATTACK – CONJURY – MENTAL
Target 20 ft. blast; all creatures
Target 20 ft. blast
Hit
Hit Deal %% + KNW damage. Confer slumbering 2.
Solid Hit Add % damage. Solid Hit Confer slumbering 4 instead.

Create starlight, a sustained obscuring
After field. Creatures that start their turn
inside gain delirious 1.
Unravel Special
Target 1 creature

Hit Erase each condition on the target. Add
% damage for each condition erased.
Add %% damage for each condition

Solid Hit
erased instead.
Warding Circle Special

Hit Deal %% damage.

Create warding circle, a sustained
field. When you create this, push all
After enemies out of the area by the shortest
route. You and allies within suffer h
less damage from attacks.
- 105 -
Storms Vital Shock
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY - LIGHTNING
Basic
Exerting magical will over the wild power of nature,

you can alter the weather, summoning clouds, rain,
Hit Deal % + CNG damage.
and even lightning to harm your foes. Your shocking
attacks blind and stagger your enemies. Most storm Solid Hit Add % damage.
actions have the conjury keyword, meaning they Grant a recovery 1 to one creature in the
After
must be performed with a free hand or an blast.
implement such as a wand, rod, or staff. Storm
conjurors use lightning shocks to blind and delay
their foes while revitalizing their allies. Brilliant Sky Special
Cunning Target close 20 ft. square
Controlling the unpredictable power of the storm Deal %% damage.
Hit
requires intense mental alacrity. When you use an Confer blinded 2.
action from this theme, roll 1d20 + h + CNG. Solid Hit Add % damage.
Critical Effect
When you land a critical hit, you also confer blinded
Intensify Special
2 to one target. CNG ATTACK – CONJURY - LIGHTNING
Target 15 ft. blast; enemies only

Hit Deal %% + CNG damage.
Flashing Blade Basic Solid Hit See below.
CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY - LIGHTNING Choose a condition on one creature

After in the area. Add +3 turns to it, or +5
turns if you rolled a solid hit.
Hit Deal $ + CNG damage.
Solid Hit Confer inaccurate 2.

Slashing Rain Special
Thunder Strike Basic Target close 20 ft. square; all creatures
CNG ATTACK – CONJURY - LIGHTNING Hit Deal %% + CNG damage.
Target 1 creature Solid Hit Confer staggered 1.
Hit Deal %% damage.
Create slashing rain, an obscuring field
Solid Hit Confer delayed 2. After
of difficult terrain.
- 106 -
Spark Javelin Special Effulgence Mighty
CNG ATTACK – RANGED OR CONJURY - LIGHTNING CNG ATTACK – CONJURY - LIGHTNING
Target line to weapon range Target 1 creature

Deal $%% damage. Deal %%% + CNG damage.
Hit Hit
Confer inaccurate 2. Confer blinded 2 or staggered 2.
Solid Hit Confer blinded 2 instead. Solid Hit Confer both instead.
Thunderstorm Special
Target close 20 ft. square; all creatures
Hit Deal %% damage.
Create thunderstorm, a sustained field.

At end-of-round, it deals %% lightning
After
damage and confers inaccurate 1 to a
random creature inside.
Vital Surge Special


Hit Deal %% + CNG damage.
Grant a recovery 3 to one creature in

After
the blast.
- 107 -
Swiftness
Blinding Speed Special
Speed is your greatest advantage. You are an agile
close combat fighter who soars effortlessly through AGI ATTACK – MELEE
the battlefield, sending others off kilter as you go. On Use Jump 30 ft.
Most swiftness actions have the melee and ranged
keywords, meaning they can be used with a variety
of weapons. Those who employ swiftness excel at Hit
Confer blinded 2 to one target.
battlefield mobility, bleeding their enemies, and
Solid Hit Confer blinded 2 to each target, instead.
disabling their slower adversaries.
Agility
The nimbleness of your blade is limited by that of
your hands and feet. When you use an action from Dizzying Dance Special
this theme, roll 1d20 + h + AGI. AGI ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Target close 20 ft. square; enemies only

Critical Effect Hit
Confer unguarded 2.
Solid Hit Confer unguarded 4 instead.
bleeding 3 to one target.
After Jump to any empty square in the area.
Dash Attack Basic

Follow My Step Special
AGI ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
On Use Shift 15 ft.
Target 1 creature
Target 1 creature in range during the shift
Hit Deal $ + AGI damage. Hit Deal $$ + AGI damage.
Solid Hit Confer weapon effect. Solid Hit Confer weapon effect.
After Gain follow my step.

Sustained 15 ft. aura. You and allies in
Razor's Edge Basic Follow
the aura ignore difficult terrain and
My Step
AGI ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED movement damage.
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $% damage.
Jester Stance Special
Target 1 creature
Sudden Sweep Basic Hit Deal $$ + AGI damage.
AGI ATTACK – MELEE Solid Hit Confer weapon effect.
Target melee burst; each enemy After Gain jester stance.
Hit Deal $ + AGI damage. Jester Sustained condition. You jump instead
Solid Hit Knock prone. Stance of moving normally.
Shift 5 ft. for each creature you

After
hit with this attack.
- 108 -
Precise Strike Special Impossible Speed Mighty
AGI ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED AGI ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
After you make the attack roll, you can Target 1 creature
On Use choose to re-roll it. You must keep the Hit Deal $$ + AGI damage.
second result.
Target 1 creature
After your current turn ends, take
Hit Deal $$$ damage. After another turn. You cannot use mighty
actions for the rest of the encounter.
One Thousand Cuts Mighty

Running Razor Special
AGI ATTACK – MELEE
On Use Jump 30 ft.
Make a separate attack roll against
Special
Target each enemy jumped through each target.
Deal $$ + AGI damage. Hit Deal $$ damage.
Hit
Confer bleeding 2 to one target. Solid Hit Confer bleeding 2.
Confer bleeding 2 to each target Jump to any empty square adjacent to
Solid Hit
instead. After
one of the targets.
Faltering Flurry Special


Hit
Confer delayed 2 to one target.
Solid Hit Confer delayed 2 to each target instead.
- 109 -
Treachery Pouch of Sand
CNG ATTACK – ARTIFICE
Basic
Honor has no place on the battlefield; you are an

Target 1 creature
expert at dirty fighting, using any cruel ploy at your
disposal to eke out a small advantage. Treachery Hit Deal % + CNG damage.
actions encompass a variety of tactics and can have Solid Hit Confer blinded 2.
the melee, ranged, or artifice keywords.
Treacherous fighters excel at misdirecting,
debilitating and poisoning their enemies. Confound Special
CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Cunning
Target 1 creature
Treachery actions governed by Cunning. When you
use an action from this theme, roll 1d20 + h + CNG. Deal $% + CNG damage.
Hit
Confer confounded 1.
Solid Hit Confer confounded 2 instead.

Critical Effect
When you land a critical hit, you also confer Condition. When the affected
poisoned 4 to one target. creature attacks, you may change one
Confounded
target to any other creature in range.
Other targets are unaffected.
Hamstring Basic
CNG ATTACK – MELEE
Exposing Strike Special
Target 1 creature CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Deal $ + CNG damage.
Hit Target 1 creature
Confer slowed 2.
Deal $% + CNG damage.
Solid Hit Confer slowed 4 instead. Hit
Confer unguarded 3 or vulnerable 3.
Solid Hit Confer both instead.
Misdirect Basic
CNG ATTACK – MELEE Grappling Hook Special
Target 1 creature
CNG ATTACK – ARTIFICE
Hit Confer provoked 2, choosing an ally Target 1 creature within 20 ft.
within 20 ft. as the provoker. Deal %% + CNG damage.
Hit
Solid Hit Confer provoked 4 instead. Pull 15 ft. Knock prone.
Poisoned Edge Basic

CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED – POISON Nightshade Powder Special
Target 1 creature CNG ATTACK – ARTIFICE – POISON
Hit Target 15 ft. blast
Confer poisoned 3.
Solid Hit Confer poisoned 5 instead. Hit
Confer poisoned 5.
- 110 -
Smoke Bottle Special From Every Shadow Mighty
CNG ATTACK – ARTIFICE – POISON CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Target 20 ft. blast Target 1 creature
Deal %% damage. Deal $ + CNG damage.

Hit Hit
Confer blinded 2. Confer vulnerable 1.
Solid Hit Add % damage. Solid Hit Confer vulnerable 2 instead.
After Create smoke cloud, an obscuring field. Repeat the attack h more times. You
After
may jump 20 ft. between each attack.
Smokescreen Special
Victimize Mighty
CNG ATTACK – ARTIFICE – POISON
CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED
Target 5 ft. burst
Target 1 creature
Deal %% damage.
Hit Hit Deal $% + CNG damage.
Confer blinded 1. Jump 20 ft.
After Confer victim.

After Create smoke cloud, an obscuring field.
Sustained Condition. Your attacks deal
Victim
% extra damage to the affected creature.
Tripwire Special
CNG SUPPORT – ARTIFICE
Target 20 ft. path of empty squares
Create tripwire, a field that deals %%

damage and knocks prone the first
Hit
creature that enters it. Then the field is
erased.
A creature knocked prone by the

Solid Hit tripwire cannot stand up on its next
turn.
Viper Strike Special

CNG ATTACK – MELEE OR RANGED - POISON
Target 1 creature
Deal $% + CNG damage.
Hit
Confer poisoned 4.
- 111 -
Wilderness Twisting Roots
Basic
The secret magic of the wilderness has been made

Target 10 ft. blast
known to you. You can channel the ferocity of
beasts and cause plants to grow and decay at your Hit Deal % + VIG damage.
whim. Wilds actions have the conjury keyword, Solid Hit Add % damage.
meaning they require a free hand or an implement Create roots, a lasting field of
After
such as a wand, rod, or staff. Conjurors of the wilds difficult terrain.
can grant recoveries to allies, poison foes, change
the battlefield, and alter the forms of friends and
foes alike. Blooming Wave Special
Vigor
Wilderness actions are governed by Vigor. When
Hit Deal % + VIG damage.
you use an action from this theme, roll 1d20 + h +
VIG. Solid Hit Add % damage.
Grant a recovery 2 to any number of

After
Critical Effect creatures in the area.
When you land a critical hit, you also grant 2 effort

to a creature in sight.
Cocoon Special
VIG SUPPORT – CONJURY
Spit Venom Basic Target 1 creature
Hit Confer cocoon 3.

VIG ATTACK – CONJURY – POISON
Target 1 creature Solid Hit Confer cocoon 5 instead.
Hit Deal %% damage. Condition. The affected creature gains

a +2 bonus to armor class. Grant it a
Solid Hit Confer poisoned 4. Cocoon
recovery 2 at the start of each of its
turns.
Sunbeam Basic
VIG ATTACK – CONJURY – FIRE Dire Toxin Special
Target line to weapon range; enemies only VIG ATTACK – CONJURY – POISON
Deal % + VIG damage. Grant a Target 1 creature

Hit
recovery 1 to one ally in the line.
Deal % + VIG damage.
Hit
Solid Hit Add % damage. Confer poisoned 6.
- 112 -
Invigorate Special Twisting Briars Special
VIG SUPPORT – CONJURY VIG ATTACK – CONJURY
Target 15 ft. burst; allies only Target 20 ft. blast
Hit Grant 1 effort to each target. Hit Deal %% damage.
Solid Hit Grant 2 effort instead. Solid Hit Add % damage.
Create briars, a lasting field of difficult

After
terrain that deals h movement damage.
Ensnaring Vine Special

Toad Form Mighty
Create ensnaring vine, a sustained
obstacle, in one empty square adjacent VIG ATTACK – CONJURY
to the target. It engages enemies. It

On Use Deal %% + VIG damage.
makes the following attack when it Hit
Confer toad form 2.
appears and whenever a creature breaks
engagement with it, using your bonus. Solid Hit Confer toad form 3 instead.
Target 1 creature Condition. The affected creature

shifts 15 ft. instead of moving normally
Hit Deal %% damage.
and cannot take any actions or reactions.
Toad
Solid Hit Confer immobilized 1. It suffers hits as though they were one
Form
grade lower (critical hits count as solid,
solid hits count as normal, and normal
hits count as misses).
Springtide Special
VIG SUPPORT – CONJURY
Target 20 ft. burst; allies only Stinging Swarm Mighty

Hit Grant a recovery 3. VIG ATTACK – CONJURY – POISON
Solid Hit Grant a recovery 5 instead. Target 15 ft. square; all creatures
Deal %%% damage.

Hit
Confer poisoned 5.
Thorn Skin Special
VIG ATTACK – CONJURY – POISON
Create stinging swarm, an obscuring
Grant thorn skin to a creature in range. sustained field that deals h poison
After
On Use Then make the attack in a 10 ft. burst movement damage. You can shift the
centered on that creature; enemies only. swarm 15 ft. as a minor action.
Hit Deal %% damage.
Solid Hit Confer poisoned 4.
Sustained condition. The affected

Thorn creature deals hh physical damage
Skin to any enemy that hits it with a melee
attack.
- 113 -
Wind Wind Whip
AGI ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY
Basic
Your magic lets you command the element of air,

Target 20 ft. path
soaring across the battlefield and sending enemies
flying. Wind actions have the conjury keyword, Hit
Slide 5 ft. (same direction for all targets)
meaning they require a free hand or an implement
such as a wand, rod, or staff. Wind actions have the Solid Hit Add % damage.
conjury keyword, meaning they require a free hand
or an implement such as a wand, rod, or staff.
Conjurors of wind can push and slide enemies and Air Blast Special
grant free movement to allies.
AGI ATTACK – CONJURY

Agility On Use Erase all field effects in the area.
Wind actions are governed by Agility. When you use Deal %% damage. Add +2 damage for
an action from this theme, roll 1d20 + h + AGI. Hit every square of field effects that you
erased. Push 20 ft.
Critical Effect Solid Hit Add +3 damage per square instead.
When you land a critical hit, you also slide one target
20 ft.
Steal Breath Special
Gust Basic Target 1 creature

Deal %%% damage.
AGI ATTACK –CONJURY Hit
Confer staggered 1.
Solid Hit Confer staggered 2 instead.
Deal % + AGI damage.
Hit
Push 10 ft.
Updraft Special
Grasping Gale Basic Target 1 creature
AGI ATTACK – CONJURY Hit Confer updraft 1.
Target 1 creature Solid Hit Confer updraft 2 instead.
Deal %% damage. Condition. Remove the affected
Hit
Pull 10 ft. creature from the map. When this
condition expires, it returns to the
Updraft square it occupied, suffers %%%
damage, and falls prone. Creatures it
lands on take the same damage and are
Slashing Winds Basic pushed out its space.
AGI ATTACK – MELEE /CONJURY
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $% damage.
- 114 -
Wind Sphere Special Aegis of Air Mighty
AGI ATTACK – CONJURY AGI SUPPORT – CONJURY
Target 15 ft. blast; enemies only Target 1 creature
Deal %% + AGI damage. Push 10 ft. Hit Confer aegis of air 3.

Hit
from the center of the area. Solid Hit Confer aegis of air 5 instead.
Solid Hit Add % damage. Condition. The first time the affected
Aegis of
Create wind sphere, a sustained field. creature would be dealt attack damage
After Air
Allies are guarded while inside. each round, prevent it.
Wings of Wind Special Churning Winds Mighty

AGI ATTACK –CONJURY
Target 10 ft. burst; enemies only Target 20 ft. burst; enemies only
Hit Deal % + AGI damage.
Hit Deal %% + AGI damage. Push 10 ft.
Confer wings of wind to one After Gain churning winds 3.
After
creature in the burst.
Sustained 20 ft. aura. As a minor action, you
Churning
Wings of Sustained condition. You jump instead can deal %% damage to a creature within the
Winds aura and slide it 10 ft.
Wind of moving normally.
Zephyr Step Special

AGI ATTACK – MELEE OR CONJURY
On Use Jump 30 ft.

Hit Deal $% + AGI damage.
Solid Hit Slide 10 ft.

Allies you jumped through
After
can shift 10 ft.
- 115 -
Wrath Wild Swing
RES ATTACK – MELEE
Basic
You may lack refinement, but your reckless anger

and refusal to submit make you as deadly as any
formally trained warrior. Wrath actions have the Hit Deal $ + RES damage.
melee keyword, meaning they must be made with a Solid Hit Knock prone.
melee weapon, such as a longsword or warhammer.
You may erase an obstacle from one
Wrathful fighters excel at dealing heavy damage to After
square in weapon range.
groups and single targets and staggering enemies
with incredible force.
Break Through Special

Resolve
RES ATTACK - MELEE
Wrathful fighting is fueled by the flames of passion
Jump 30 ft. Erase any obstacles and field
and the burning will to survive. When you use an On Use
effects from squares jumped through.
action from this theme, roll 1d20 + h + RES.
Target each enemy passed through
Critical Effect Hit Deal $$ + RES damage.

When you land a critical hit, you also gain
strengthened 4.
Brutalize Special
RES ATTACK - MELEE
Bash Basic
Target 1 creature
RES ATTACK – MELEE
Hit Deal $$$ damage. Push 10 ft.
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $$ damage. Push 10 ft.
Special On a miss, deal $$ damage.
Cry Havoc Special

Dazing Strike Basic
RES ATTACK - NO IMPLEMENT
RES ATTACK – MELEE Target 20 ft. burst; enemies only
Target 1 creature Hit Confer inaccurate 3; or vulnerable 3.
Hit Deal $$ damage. Solid Hit Confer both instead.
Solid Hit Confer delayed 2.
Dizzying Blow Special

Impact Basic
RES ATTACK - MELEE
RES ATTACK – MELEE Target 1 creature
Target 1 creature Deal $$ + RES damage.
Hit
Hit Deal $$ damage. Confer delayed 2.
Solid Hit Add $ damage. Solid Hit Confer delayed 4 instead.
Special On a miss, deal $ damage.
- 116 -
Rough Landing Special Tumble Special
RES ATTACK - MELEE RES ATTACK - MELEE
On Use Jump 20 ft. Target 1 creature

Target melee burst; enemies only Deal $$ damage. Push 20 ft.
Deal $$ damage. Movement damage is doubled for this
Hit Hit
Knock prone. push. The target takes 2 damage for
every 5 ft. it could not travel.
Solid Hit The targets cannot stand up next turn.
Solid Hit Push 30 ft instead.
Hurl Object Special

Annihilate Mighty
RES ATTACK - ARTIFICE
RES ATTACK - MELEE
Target 10 ft. blast
Deal %% + RES damage. If you are next Target 1 creature
Hit to an obstacle, you can erase it to add % Hit Deal $$$$ damage. Push 20 ft.
damage.
Solid Hit Add $$ damage.
Special On a miss, deal $$$ damage.
Create rubble, a lasting field of
After
difficult terrain.
Indomitability Mighty
Martial Cleave Special RES ATTACK - MELEE
Target melee burst; each enemy

RES ATTACK - MELEE
Hit Deal $$ damage.
Deal $$ damage.
Hit
Confer weapon effect. Gain barrier 20. Add +5 to the duration
After
for each creature you damaged.
Spirited Strike Special

RES ATTACK - MELEE
Target 1 creature
Hit Deal $$ + RES damage.
Gain strengthened 3, or strengthened 5

After
if you scored a solid hit.
- 117 -
Spellcasting
- 118 -
The realm only becomes more magical as it fades. When performed correctly, spells can permit the
Reality's tapestry grows threadbare; the weft of the caster to speak to the dead, call creatures from the
mundane and the warp of the magical fray together beyond the material plane, and turn back the
until they are one and the same. The Ones Outside deleterious effects of time.
flood the living world, and even mortals themselves
Learning Spells
transform, rising to the beauty of their highest
virtues or sinking to the ugliness of their lowest sins.
In these times, those with no natural magical ability Four classes are capable of spellcasting: the cleric,
can learn a bit of conjury – battle magic – just as a the invoker, the magician, and the occultist.
magician could pick up a blade and learn to swing it. Spellcasters learn a spell at each level, and they know
Using magic for violence is far easier than casting it an extra spell for every four points of Knowledge.
safely, after all.
Spells are learned by rolling on a random table. Each
Conjuries are mere parlor tricks next to the spells class has its own table, though some spells appear on
cast by the most dedicated practitioners of the multiple tables. You can't learn the same spell twice,
magic. This higher form of the Warped Art is so re-roll any that come up a second time.
difficult and potent, and only those who have
dedicated themselves fully to the craft are able to
make use of them.
- 119 -
Miscast
Casting a Spell If you roll a 9 or less on your casting check, you
You can cast a spell by making a casting check of miscast the spell. Your magic has no effect, and that
d20 + h + modifier, using your highest modifier spell is lost from your repertoire until you complete
among Knowledge, Cunning, and Resolve. As with a rest.
other checks, there are degrees of success:
Depending on the spell and the Judge's creativity,
there may be additional horrific or disfiguring side
effects to a miscast; many experienced spellcasters
CHECK RESULT POTENCY
bear permanent scars from their botched attempts at
9 or less miscast harnessing the wild power of magic.
10 - 14 0
15 – 19 1 Distraction
20 – 24 2 Casting a spell only takes a few seconds, but the
steps are precise and require your total
25 or higher 3
concentration. You suffer a -10 penalty on your
check if you attempt it in a distracting environment,
such as during a combat encounter.
Success
If you roll a 10 or higher on your casting check, you Repeated Casts
successfully cast the spell and gain its effects. The
You may cast a spell multiple times in the same day,
spell also gains additional potency depending on
but doing so is strenuous. After the first casting of a
how well you roll. Potency varies by spell, but usually
particular spell, there is a cumulative -2 penalty to
it increases the duration or quality of the spell effect.
each further casting until you complete a rest.
- 120 -
C LERIC S PELL T ABLE
D4, D6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Instill
1 Commune Alter Weather True Seeing Amnesia Comprehend
Emotions
2 Dead Letters Reminiscence Amplify Voice Ghost Sound Wildspeech Ring of Ruby
3 Hushing Knell Illuminate Swarm Calling Keen Hearing Levitate Light of Truth
Rite of
4 Mend Object Telepathy Minor Illusion Mud Thrall Pallid Roots
Shattering
I NVOKER S PELL T ABLE

D4, D6 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Air Bubble Air Shaping Alter Weather Compass Stone Dwindle Earth Shaping
Wayfaring
2 Keen Hearing Find Familiar Flame Shaping Fog Cloud Gravity Shift
Whisper
Rite of
3 Amplify Voice Jump Levitate Mud Thrall Pallid Roots
Shattering
4 Shadow Sphere Swarm Calling Beanstalk Water Shaping Wolfnose Wildspeech
M AGICIAN S PELL T ABLE

D6, D6 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Adhere Air Bubble Animate Object Clay Visage Comprehend Invisibility
2 Devour Text Drowse Earth Shaping Echoing Eyes Elongate Enlarge
3 Etherealize Find Familiar Shadow Sphere Gravity Shift Hover Hushing Knell
4 Illuminate Knock Jump Melt Mend Object Minor Illusion
5 Mirror Image Objectify Organize Phantom Steed Read Mind Ghost Sound
6 Dwindle Amnesia Telepathy Tether True Seeing Water Shaping
O CCULTIST S PELL T ABLE

D4, D6 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Adhere Animate Object Apportation Compass Stone Comprehend Dead Letters
2 Devour Text Instill Emotions Etherealize Find Familiar Enlarge Dwindle
3 Melt Read Mind Mind Swap Mirror Step Borrow Sight Peer Beyond
4 Phantom Steed Polymorph Ring of Ruby Spider Eye Swarm Calling Clay Visage
- 121 -
SPELL SUMMARIES
You make an object stick firmly to a
Adhere Fog Cloud Create a billowy cloud of opaque fog.
surface.
Surround creatures with a bubble of Produce magical noise that seems to come from
Air Bubble Ghost Sound
breathable air. elsewhere.
Create powerful and sustained gusts of

Air Shaping Gravity Shift Change the direction of gravity.
wind.
An object floats a short distance above the
Alter Weather Summon or banish rain and snow. Hover
ground.
Amnesia Give a person amnesia of recent events. Hushing Knell Cause a bell to produce silence instead of sound.
Drastically increase the volume of your

Amplify Voice Illuminate An object shines with the light of a torch.
voice.
You transform into the shape of an

Animal Form Illusion Create a silent illusion of your choice.
animal.
You make an object able to move and obey A number of creatures experience a chosen
Animate Object Instill Emotions
your commands. emotion.
Apportation Move objects at a distance. Invisibility A creature becomes unseen for a brief time.
A sturdy vine that grows in the direction

Beanstalk Jump Grant a creature the power to jump very high.
of your choosing.
See through the eyes of a creature you
Borrow Sight Keen Hearing Your sense of hearing magically improves.
touched earlier today.
Clay Visage Reshape a face like clay. Knock Unlock nearby mundane and magical locks.
Seek guidance from the servant of a An object floats gently into the air while you
Commune Levitate
chosen deity. concentrate.
Enchant a stone so that you always know

Compass Stone Light of Truth A touched light source reveals falsehood.
its location.
Become fluent and literate in all mortal
Comprehend Melt Transform a creature into a living puddle.
languages.
Dead Letters Use a scroll to correspond with the dead. Mend Object Summon a phantom artisan to make repairs.
Eat a book to quickly obtain its

Devour Text Mind Swap Swap minds between two bodies.
information.
One or more illusory duplicates of you appear
Drowse A nearby creature falls into a slumber. Mirror Image
under your control.
You and other creatures shrink to the size A mirror becomes a gateway to a mirror you
Dwindle Mirror Step
of mice. looked in earlier today.
Earth Shaping Reshape soil and stone. Mud Thrall Create a temporary servant from mud.
Visualize an interior space with

Echoing Eyes Objectify Turn yourself into an inanimate object.
echolocation.
Elongate Stretch your appendages a great distance. Organize A mess of objects return to their proper places.
Enlarge Cause an object to grow massively. Pallid Roots Desiccate an expanse of plant life.
You make an object ghostly and

Etherealize Peer Beyond You can see through surfaces.
untouchable.
Create fire and alter the intensity of fires
Flame Shaping Phantom Steed Summon one or more ghostly mounts
nearby.
- 122 -
SPELL SUMMARIES Adhere
This spell a nearby surface with a sticky, sap-like
Use another person as your substance. Pressing an object against the sap for 10
Puppet Speech
mouthpiece.
seconds sticks it firmly in place. While stuck, it
Read Mind
Hear the surface thoughts of nearby requires the full strength of two people to be pulled
creatures.
apart.
Call forth a creature's memory as an
Reminiscence
illusion.
The effect lasts 1 day, and each point of potency
doubles either the strength of the ichor or the
A ring of blood monitors a duration of the spell.
Ring of Ruby
creature's health.
Shadow Sphere
You create a magical sphere where
no light penetrates. Air Bubble
You grant speech to an inanimate
This spell creates a thin, flexile coating of breathable
Speak to Artifice air around up to four creatures and their belongings,
object.
allowing them to safely travel underwater and
Your eye pops out, grows legs, and
Spider Eye
obeys your commands. emerge completely dry. The bubble counteracts the
effects of water pressure but can be easily punctured
Summon a swarm of agitated
Swarm Calling by any sharp object, ending the effect immediately.
insects.
Several creatures can converse with The effect lasts 10 minutes. Each point of potency
Telepathy
their thoughts. doubles the duration or the number of creatures
affected.
Create an invisible bond between
Tether
two objects.
You can see through illusions and Air Shaping

True Seeing
magical concealment.
You can use this spell to create powerful gusts of
Move and change the physical state wind within a confined space or a gentle breeze over
Water Shaping
of nearby water. an area up to 100 ft. across. The gusts are strong
A spoken message travels on the enough to send light-weight objects soaring, but not
Wayfaring Whisper
wind to a chosen recipient. strong enough to knock people off their feet.
Grant the power of language to a While focusing, you can sustain this magic for up to
Wildspeech
nearby animal.
1 minute. Each point of potency either doubles the
Wolfnose
Grow a canine snout to obtain a strength of the wind or the duration of the effects.
keen sense of smell.
Alter Weather
Casting this spell allows you to change the weather
Spell Descriptions in an area up to 1 mile across. You may alter the
direction of the wind, create or banish cloud cover,
The following pages describe each spell in detail. or cause light fog or rainfall.
Each description specifies the dimensions and
durations of the spell's effects, as a well as the The change occurs gradually over 10 minutes and
additive effect of potency. persists for 1 hour after that. Each point of potency
increases the intensity of the weather you conjure:
with three, you conjure a mighty blizzard or
thunderstorm, and it persists for 1 week.
- 123 -
Amnesia Apportation
Your fingers become ethereal, and you can press Casting this spell allows you to manipulate objects
them into the forehead of a nearby creature to from afar, lifting them into the air and moving them.
extract and erase their memory of all events within At base level, you can only make an object drift
the last hour. The procedure is excruciating, but the harmlessly in a straight line. While focusing, this
creature will have no recollection of it. After, the spell can persist for up to 10 minutes.
subject will remain in a stupor for several minutes;
Greater potency affords you better control over the
during this time, they will be receptive to your
object- with one or more, you could remove a single
explanation of recent events. Each point potency
book from a high shelf; with two, you could uncork
doubles the duration of memory you steal.
a bottle and pour it out. With three, you could select
a specific key from a keyring, push it into a lock, and
Amplify Voice turn it. You can never perform acts that you
After casting this spell, your voice becomes booming wouldn't be able to do with your own two hands.
and powerful. Words you shout at full volume will
reach the ears of creatures a mile away, though Beanstalk
barely. The effect lasts for 1 minute. Each point of
When you cast this spell, a large beanstalk sprouts
potency doubles the strength of your voice and the
from the ground or floor in front of you and grows
distance it can reach.
in a path you trace with your finger. It can grow
upwards against a wall or straight into the air if you
Animal Form so choose. The beanstalk is strong enough to support
You transform into the shape of an animal you have the weight of a single person at a time and grows to
seen before that is no larger than a human. You a length of up to 50 ft.
resemble the animal perfectly and possess its natural
After 1 day, the beanstalk wilts and turns to dust.
abilities- for example, you can swim as a fish or fly
Each point of potency doubles its strength and its
as a bird. You cannot speak while transformed, and
maximum length.
suffering any damage while in this form dispels the
magic. The spell lasts for 10 minutes, and each point
of potency doubles the duration. Borrow Sight
This magic allows you to see through the eyes of any
Animate Object one creature that you got a good look at within the
last day, regardless of that creature's current
This spell grants temporary life to an object up to the
location. The effect lasts up to 10 minutes. While
size of a carriage, allowing it to move and obey
looking through a creature's eyes, if you see yet
simple commands. It cannot speak, but it can
another creature, you can transfer your own
perform general tasks as well as ones suited to its
perspective into that creature instead. You can
function: for example, an animated plume could
perform one such transfer. Each point of potency
write a note or take dictation.
doubles the duration and grants you an additional
This spell lasts 10 minutes, and each point of transfer.
potency doubles that duration. With potency 3, the
effect is permanent.
- 124 -
Clay Visage Compass Stone
Casting this allows you to harmlessly reshape your You attune yourself to a specific small stone of your
own face or the face of a willing subject. The putty- choosing. For 1 day, you instinctively know the
like texture is difficult to work with, making it far location of that stone and can find your way back to
easier to create an ugly face than a beautiful one. it. This spell only gives you a heading, not an exact
path back.
The face will remain in its reshaped state for up to 12
hours, but will also retain its soft quality during this Each point of potency will double the duration and
time. Each point of potential doubles the duration. increase the precision of the stone and your ability
to navigate to it.
Commune
When you cast this spell, you petition a divinity for
Comprehend
guidance. You speak briefly with one servant of the This spell grants you fluency and literacy in all
chosen deity, who appears in a vision before you. mortal languages for up to 10 minutes. With zero
The helpfulness of its guidance depends very much potency, you can merely understand them. With one
on the deity and the circumstance. The conversation or more, you can read. With two, you can read and
lasts 1 minute. Each point of potency calls forth a write. With three, you can read, write, and speak.
more powerful and knowledgeable servant. With 3
potency, you speak to the deity directly.
Dead Letters
To cast this spell, you must place a paper scroll
within the mouth of a nearby corpse or skeleton. As
you make whispered inquiries, the scroll will
unwind itself from the mouth with answers written
upon it in the penmanship and preferred language
of the deceased. An illiterate corpse cannot
articulate complex replies, but may still be able to
give numbers or signal yes or no. Allegiance as well
as grudges may persist beyond the grave, and the
subject may regard you cautiously or require coaxing
to share its most intimate knowledge.
At zero potency, you are limited to three questions;

with one, seven questions; with two, thirteen
questions. With three potency, you may converse
with the deceased for as long as required, or until the
scroll is filled out completely.
- 125 -
Devour Text Echoing Eyes
This spell allows you to eat a tome to quickly gain the This spell ritual may be used to gain a sense of the
information it contains. A single book or scroll geography of an enclosed environment. In order to
becomes as soft as butter in your hand. Eating it attempt this spell ritual, you must take a position at
takes 1 minute, and the taste depends on the the open entrance to a structure or other interior
contents of the text. Once you have finished, you space. When the ritual is completed, your eyes cloud
have knowledge of the book's contents. over and you send forth your 'sight' in the form a
piercing whistle at a frequency too high to be heard
Each point of potency improves your powers of
by most organisms. The sound reverberates around
retention: with potency 0, it is as if you read the
the interior to a distance of 1,000 ft. and then
book some time ago, while with potency 3 you have
returns, flooding your mind with an approximation
perfect knowledge of its contents.
of the space's dimensions and layout.
Dwindle The echoing eyes can consistently discern solid

boundaries to a given space but only provide the
This spell causes you or another willing subject to vaguest sense of what furniture or inhabitants it
shrink down to the size of a mouse. The effect lasts might contain. They cannot permeate closed doors,
for 10 minutes. Uttering the word of dismissal will surfaces of water or other obstructions but may
immediately end the spell and can be disastrous for recognize them as soft spots in an otherwise solid
subjects who have found their way to a spot too boundary.
small for their true form.
Each point of potency doubles the distance the eyes
Each point of potency doubles the duration or may travel and slightly improves the clarity of the
allows you to shrink twice as many creatures. vision they provide.
Earth Shaping Elongate

This spell ritual may be used to move earth or stone When you cast this spell, one or several of your
against its natural inclinations or change its limbs- arms, legs, or head- become long and flexible
consistency. You could flatten or raise a mound, like tentacles for up to 1 minute. You can stretch
turn a section of stone wall into sand, carve an them up to four times the length of your body. If the
earthen stairway into a steep hillside, or open a new spell ends while you are stretched, your limbs will
entrance to a cave complex. The warped earth is still spring back to their normal size, potentially harming
beholden to gravity, so this spell ritual could form a you if you are occupied with a task. For each point of
bridge but could not allow a boulder to float in the potency, you can double the duration or the
air. stretchable distance.
You can warp a quantity of soft earth that could fit
into a 50 ft. cube, though the actual matter need not Enlarge
occupy such dimensions, or a quantity of a hard
A nearby object no larger than a chair begins to
stone that could fit inside a 10 ft. cube. Each point of
enlarge. It grows up to ten times its size over one
potency doubles the quantity of earth or stone
minute and remains this size for up to 1 hour. If it is
affected.
a hard object, its growth will abate if it meets serious
resistance, such as pressing into the walls and
ceiling.
For each point of potency, you can double how large

it grows, but each doubling also reduces the magic's
duration by half.
- 126 -
Etherealize
After you cast this spell, the next object you touch no
larger than a wagon shimmers with a pale, ghostly
light for one minute. While under this effect, the
object occupies no physical space and can be passed
through as easily as air, though it still obstructs light
and sound as it normally would. Woe to any creature
passing through the object's space when the spell
expires. Each point of potency doubles the duration
or the number of objects you can affect.
Find Familiar
This ritual grants you a mystical servant of dubious
origin. Once your familiar is found, it cannot be
changed, and this ritual can never be cast again. Your
familiar remains in your service even beyond death.
Familiars take the form of small animals or

miniature monsters. Regardless of its shape, it
possesses enough intelligence to follow simple
commands. Your familiar can speak if it possesses a Fog Cloud
mouth; it knows the languages of its master. Opaque white fog billows forth from a chosen point
in sight. The aperture expels a finite amount of fog,
Your familiar flees to your pocket at the first sign of
enough to fill a confined space or create a cloud 50
battle. When caught in the open, it uses your Armor
ft. across. It persists for up to 1 hour, and each point
Class and possesses half your total health. If your
of potency doubles the volume.
familiar is reduced to 0 hp, it dies on the spot; it will
return to life in 1d6 days and seek you out.
Ghost Sound
You can see through the eyes of your familiar for up
to 5 minutes. You can do this a number of times each You magically produce a phantom noise at a
day equal to your potency, minimum 1. distance of up to 500 ft. The sound can be as quiet
as a whisper or as loud as a bellowing lion. At zero
potency, you can only produce a noise that you
Flame Shaping yourself could make. At one, you can mimic any
This spell allows you to create or extinguish small creature or object you are familiar with. At two you
fires for up to 1 minute. You can increase or decrease can make several overlapping sounds, and at three
the heat, change the temperature of an object or you can produce a cacophony of complex noises like
surface, or raise flames into the air or move them the sounds of a crowded marketplace.
between flammable surfaces. Each point of potency
doubles the amount of fire you can alter.
- 127 -
Gravity Shift Illuminate
With a sweeping gesture of your arms, you alter the Once you have cast this spell, your hand begins to
direction of gravity within a cubic area up to 50 ft. glow with a flickering light similar to a torch. You
across. The effect lasts for one minute and requires can transfer the light to the next object you touch,
great concentration. An object or creature is no causing it to glow from within.
longer subject to the effect immediately upon
The effect lasts for up to 1 hour, and each point of
leaving the space. Each point of potency doubles the
potency doubles the duration or number of objects
duration or the area affected.
you can affect.
Hover Illusion
After casting this spell, the next object you touch no
You can cast this spell to create an illusionary image
larger than a dining room table begins hovering a
at a point in sight. You can depict creatures in
few feet above the ground as if floating in water.
movement, stationary objects or anything else you
The effect lasts for up to 1 hour, and each point of
can imagine, but the illusion cannot produce sound
potency doubles the duration.
in any way. It persists for a time set by you when you
cast the spell, up to 1 hour. Each point of potency
Hushing Knell doubles the duration or increases the detail and
This spell ritual alters an iron bell to produce silence convincingness of the image.
instead of sound. When tolled at a steady rate, the
bell creates a muting sphere around it. Noise within Instill Emotions
the sphere sounds as if occurring beyond a thick
When you cast this spell, up to ten nearby creatures
wooden door. Thus, a very loud noise such as a death
experience an emotion of your choice: fear, joy,
scream will still produce a muffled sound audible
sorrow, guilt, etc. The effect lasts for up to 10
from beyond. You, the caster, may spare your wrist;
minutes, while the intensity of the effect depends
once the spell ritual is placed, the bell may be rung by
upon potency. At 0 potency, the emotion will be no
anyone.
more than a subtle undercurrent, while at 3 potency,
The dimensions of the muting sphere depend on the subjects will be completely overwhelmed.
those of the bell: a hand-sized bell creates a sphere
30 ft. across. A cathedral bell could cast silence over
Invisibility
an entire city neighborhood.
Yourself or a nearby creature or object becomes
The effect persists for approximately 10 minutes invisible, though you still produce sound as normal.
and then ends suddenly, meaning it is likely the bell Making any kind of attack while invisible ends the
will toll loudly once or twice before the ringer can spell immediately. The effect lasts for up to 5
silence it. Each point of potency either doubles the minutes, and each point of potency doubles the
duration or the diameter of the effect. With 3 duration or the number of creatures affected.
potency, the sphere becomes absolutely silent.
- 128 -
Knock
Completing this spell will create the sound of a
heavy hand rapping upon a hollow wooden surface.
In response to the knock, a nearby portal or
container will unlock itself and swing open. Potency
increases the strength of the effect: with three
potency, every non-magical door, window, and
container within audible range of the knock will
enthusiastically swing open.
Levitate
A single object or creature begins floating into the
air at your command. During this time, you can send
the subject drifting slowly upward or downward.
The effect lasts up to 10 minutes as long as you
maintain focus upon the target. When the effect
ends, the subject drifts harmlessly to earth. Each
point of potency doubles the duration or the
number of creatures affected.
Jump Light of Truth

When you cast this spell, one nearby willing creature When you cast this spell, you cause a touched light
gains the ability to perform a single, very high jump source, such as a torch or lantern, to emanate truth
in the next minute. The subject can jump a distance in addition to light. Wherever its light is cast,
of 30 ft. vertically or 50 ft. horizontally, and they will creatures are unable to lie, and written lies glow like
land gently unless they travel significantly further ember, revealing themselves as false. This spell lasts
than this distance (by jumping off a cliff, for for 1 minute, and during that time, the light source
example). Each point of potency doubles the rapidly consumes its fuel, invariably dying out at the
potential distance of the jump or the number of end of the spell. Each point of potency doubles the
creatures affected. duration.
Keen Hearing Melt

For better or worse, this spell greatly increases your This spell transforms a willing creature into a
sense of hearing for 1 minute. You passively hear puddle of living matter for up to 10 minutes. The
events happening within 500 ft. With one potency, creature retains its senses and ability to move, and it
you can hear a conversation through a thick wooden can use its new form to slide beneath doors and
door. With two potency, you can hear a rival's through cracks. Each point of potency doubles the
whisper beneath the din of a crowded tavern. With duration or the number of creatures affected.
three, you can hear a snake moving through the
forest in light rain.
- 129 -
Mend Object Mirror Image
This spell ritual may be used to quickly repair an Upon finishing this spell, an illusory duplicate splits
object or structure. Because it calls upon the off of your body. It resembles you as you are dressed
lingering shadow of the original artisan to make the and equipped at the time of casting, though it is
repairs, this spell may only affect items wrought by immaterial and cannot affect the physical world,
an artisan's hand. Further, it cannot revert an object though it does dissipate into blue smoke if struck
to an organic state, i.e., turn a wooden plank back with malice. You can issue telepathic commands to
into tree. If used upon a structure, this spell may only the illusion. It persists for ten minutes. Each point
repair ten cubic feet of material at a time. of potency grants an additional duplicate.
An object may not be repaired unless all its

constituent parts are present or other suitable Mirror Step
materials are within 100 ft. of your ritual site. The When you finish this spell, a mirror before you
phantom favors unworked materials but will resort becomes a magical gateway for one minute,
to claiming whatever are available, so adventurers connecting to any one other mirror that you looked
should take caution in attempting to restore a rare in within the last 24 hours. If both mirrors are large
magical artifact, lest their other relics be salvaged in enough to step through, you and other creatures can
the process. travel between the two surfaces. Smaller mirrors can
be used to transfer objects and supplies. The
With no potency, the spell ritual recalls a weary
gateway lasts for 1 minute. Each point of potency
phantom whose work is second-rate; with one or
doubles the duration. With three potency, the spell
more, the invoked phantom works with the same
is everlasting.
skill and efficiency it possessed at the time of the
original crafting.
Mind Reading
This spell allows you to read the thoughts of an
intelligent creature within 30 ft. of you for 10
minutes. Casting this magic occupies your full
attention. The subject is able to tell that something
discomforting is happening, and may try to resist it.
Each point of potency improves the penetrative
powers of the magic. At zero potency, you can only
detect the surface thoughts of a creature. At three,
you can plumb the depths of their memory and
psyche.
Mind Swap
You and another willing creature swap bodies for up
to 1 hour. While in another creature's body, you
retain all your own skills and abilities, and the other
subject has free reign of your body as well. You can
also use this to shift your mind into any well-
preserved corpse- if you do so, your own body falls
into a catatonic state for the duration. Each point of
potency doubles the duration. At three potency, the
spell is everlasting.
- 130 -
Mud Thrall Organize
This spell ritual binds mud into an animated being, A hallmark of classical magicians, this spell cleans a
creating a temporary servant that you can command. messy interior space. Books will return to their
The thrall is humanoid in shape and can be formed shelves, chairs and tables will be straightened, and
no larger than you and no smaller than one inch in dishware will find its way to the proper cupboard.
height. It may dissolve into a creeping pool of mud Objects that fail to find a proper place will neatly
and reform itself as commanded. stack themselves on the edges of the room.
Despite its human-like intelligence, a mud thrall With zero or one potency, this spell merely returns
may only communicate by nodding or shaking its stray objects to their proper place. With two, it also
featureless head. It can comprehend simple dusts the room. With three, it dusts the room,
instructions and will obey any order from its master, cleanses soiled clothes, removes carpet stains, and
even one that would result in its own destruction, spritzes the air with a pleasant, odor-neutralizing
though it may show reluctance. scent.
Mud thralls never tire and excel at manual labor. A

thrall of human size can carry a load of 50 lbs., Pallid Roots
whereas smaller specimens can carry proportionally This spell ritual may be used to quickly desiccate a
less. Timid and unable to fight, a mud thrall fearfully circular expanse of plant life 100 ft. in diameter.
collapses into normal mud as soon as it encounters a Trees will become bare and brittle husks, easily
creature hostile to it or its master. felled, while smaller flora will crumble into mounds
of dust to create a clearer and more open space,
A mud thrall disintegrates after 1 hour. Each point
albeit a grotesque one. In order to perform the ritual,
of potency doubles either the duration or the
you must stand at the threshold of the intended area
maximum size and strength of the thrall.
and hold aloft a rotten apple or other fruit, which
will be turned fresh and juicy by the end of the
Objectify process, though its taste will be strange.
You take the shape of any mundane object you can
With each point of potency, you may choose to
think of, such as a hammer or an arrow in a quiver.
double the diameter.
In this state you retain your senses and can speak
telepathically to nearby creatures. You can be used
by another creature as a normal tool, though any Peer Beyond
damage to you in this state will transfer to your body When you cast this spell, you gain the ability to see
of flesh when the spell ends. With a single mental through one opaque object or surface up to 5 ft. thick
gesture, you can spring suddenly back to your as if it were transparent jelly. This spell lasts for as
original shape. long as you concentrate on the surface and do
nothing else. Each point of potency improves the
The spell lasts 10 minutes. With one potency, you
clarity of your sight: with zero potency, you can only
can affect a creature other than yourself, and each
see vague outlines and impressions of what lies
point doubles the maximum duration.
beyond, while with three, you can see with perfect
clarity.
- 131 -
Phantom Steed Ring of Ruby
This spell conjures a glowing, ethereal horse. The This ritual extracts a small amount of blood from a
creature will obey your commands as well as any willing subject and creates a glowing ring that may
tame horse. Though it is able to interact with you be worn on the finger. The subject suffers a single
and other friendly creatures, it is intangible to point of damage when this ritual is cast.
enemies and untended supplies. After 12 hours, the
The ring is magically linked to the lifeblood of the
horse fades into nothingness. Each point of potency
one it was made from: whoever wears it can feel the
doubles the duration or creates an additional steed.
subject's heartbeat, knowing when it is strong or
weak, racing or altogether stopped.
Puppet Speech
The ring lasts for 1 day, after which it crumbles to
Another creature within sight of you becomes your
black powder. Each degree of potency doubles the
mouthpiece. The next thirteen words you say will
duration or allows you to create another ring from
issue forth from that creature's mouth instead of
another subject. At 3, any ring you create lasts until
your own, and in their voice. Each point of potency
the subject's death.
doubles the number of words you can say.
Rite of Shattering
Reminiscence
This spell causes a single brittle object in sight to
This spell ritual may be used to call a memory from
shatter. Durable materials like iron are far more
your own mind or that of another subject and weave
resistant to the effect than glass, porcelain, ceramic,
it into space as an illusion for one minute. The
or wood. The intensity of the shattering is
verisimilitude of the illusion depends on how
dependent on your potency: with no potency, the
recently the memory was formed and how dearly the
object merely forms a number of hairline cracks that
subject holds it; the illusion only ever portrays an
render it easier to shatter by hand, while with 3
event as it is remembered, not as it actually
potency, the object violently explodes into tiny
happened.
pieces.
Large rooms and environments appear hazy at best,
but a small roomful of figures and furniture can be Shadow Sphere
produced with moderate detail; the figures could be
Completing this spell causes a 100-ft.-diameter
mistaken for real at a distance but are obviously the
sphere of darkness to appear at a point within sight.
work of magic upon close observation. The illusion
No light from outside penetrates the interior of the
appears within 10 ft. of you, but if the memory
sphere, and no light, magical or otherwise, can be
involves motion, such as a scene of a horseman
produced inside of it. The sphere persists for up to
riding across a battlefield, you may plot a course for
ten minutes. Each point of potency doubles either
the figment to travel. An illusion that is struck or
the duration or the diameter of the sphere.
collides with a solid object immediately dissolves
into white smoke that may be sweet or acrid,
depending on the sentiment of the memory it was
called from.
The effect persists for 1 minute. Each point of

potency doubles the possible duration and produces
slightly more convincing illusions.
- 132 -
Speak to Artifice Telepathy
This spell briefly grants speech to an inanimate You and another willing creature form a psychic
object no larger than a cottage. The chosen item bond for up to thirty minutes, during which
speaks from whatever mouth-like opening you time you can converse with each other without
think makes most sense, or otherwise grows a simple speaking. Each point of potency doubles the
mouth with which to elocute. An object speaks in duration or the number of creatures you can form a
the languages known to its crafter and can relate bond with. Any one creature's psychic speech is
events that have taken place near it, to a point. delivered to the minds of all other creatures that
share the bond.
An object has allegiance to its most recent owner,
provided it has been treated fairly well, and may
regard you warily. The conversation lasts no longer Tether
than 5 minutes. This spell creates an invisible strand of magic
between two objects for up to one hour. The strand
With zero potency, the object is able to answer
can be up to 50 ft. When one object is moved beyond
simple yes-or-no questions; with one, the object's
this point, it will pull the other along with it. The
vocabulary is limited to simple phrases and terms;
tether has the strength of an ordinary rope and will
with two, the object may speak with a level of
cause a shower of sparks if broken. Each point of
sophistication befitting the quality of its
potency doubles either the length or strength of the
craftsmanship; and with three, the object speaks
tether.
impeccably and will readily impart whatever it
knows.
True Seeing
Spider Eye Your eyes glow with white light for one minute, and
during this time you can see through common
Casting this spell causes your eye to jump out of its
illusions and magically concealed doors and objects.
socket and sprout eight spidery legs for ten minutes.
Invisible objects and creatures will shimmer with a
You retain the ability to see through the eye and can
telling light. This spell does not reveal hidden
control its movement with your thoughts. If the eye
mechanical traps or other non-magical artifice. This
is damaged or destroyed, a new eye will grow in the
effect lasts for one minute. Each point of potency
socket of the course of several days. Each point of
improves the clarity of your vision.
potency doubles the duration. At 3 potency, the
magic becomes permanent. The spider eye will
remain under your control until it is destroyed, and
a new eye will grow in your socket.
Swarm Calling
Mosquitos, locusts, or flies will appear out of the
woodwork, forming a cloud of up to 20 ft. across at
a point within sight. The swarm is frightening and
irritating, but not directly dangerous, and you do not
have direct control over it once it appears. The cloud
dissipates naturally over the course of ten minutes.
Each point of potency doubles the size of the swarm.
- 133 -
Water Shaping
You can move water against its natural
inclinations or change its state of matter. You
may alter a quantity of water that could fit into
a cubical space 100 ft. on each side, though the
amount need not be confined to such
dimensions. This spell ritual can freeze the
surface of a pond or river for easy passage,
empty the contents of a well, or hold aside
waves such that a sunken wreck near the shore
might be investigated. When the spell ritual
unravels, the water resumes obeyance of
natural laws: water held in place will come
crashing into any available vacuum, and ice will
start to melt.
The effect lasts ten minutes. Each degree of

potency either doubles the duration or the
quantity of water affected.
Wayfaring Whisper
When you cast this spell, you must speak aloud
a few sentences while holding in mind a
specific person. A light breeze will carry the
words to that individual's ear, wherever in the
world they may be. The breeze only travels as
quickly as a bird in flight, so it may take hours
or days to reach the recipient, depending on
their distance from you. Though the likelihood is
low, the words can be heard by any creature they
Wolfnose
happen to pass though- hence the value of Your face twists and contorts into the grotesque
whispering. Each point of potency doubles the image of a wolf, and you gain the powerful nose of
speed at which the whisper travels. that beast. The effect lasts for 1 hour.
The potency of the spell determines how accurate

Wildspeech your ability to detect scents is: with no potency, you
You can use this ritual upon a nearby animal to grant can only vaguely smell creatures that have been in
it the power of speech for 10 minutes. It speaks in the area. With 1, you can identify the precise types of
one language with which you are familiar, but there creatures that have been in the area. With 2, you can
is no guarantee that it will have anything useful to identify the number of creatures and how recently
say. Each point of potency doubles the duration. At they have been nearby. With 3, you can perfectly
3 potency, the spell is everlasting. identify the scent trails of people you are familiar
with.
- 134 -
The Stronghold
- 135 -
Founding a stronghold should be first among your
goals as a party. A stronghold is a home base, the Attributes
staging ground of your growth as adventurers. You
Strongholds have six attributes. Just like character
can found a stronghold wherever you want, though
attributes, these are numerical values that range
some locations will be more suitable than others.
from 3 to 18 and represent efficacy in different areas.
Ideally, you are looking for a sizable ruin, deserted
village, or other defensible location with plenty of MILITARY (MIL) represents the size and competence
room for expansion: an island on a river, a ruined of the stronghold's garrison. It is increased by
manse perched upon a hill, or an abandoned mine building training halls, and war rooms.
with a concealed entrance.
EFFICIENCY (EFF) represents the stronghold's
In general, you cannot govern more than one management and ability to organize. It is increased
stronghold at a time. There is no reason the party by building infrastructure and guild halls.
cannot leave the stronghold to found a new one, but
RESOURCES (RSC) represents the supplies and raw
if you do, the fate of your previous stronghold will
materials available in the stronghold and the
be out of your control. An older stronghold may
surrounding lands. It is increased by planting
grow to become a rival power or fall to conquest or
orchards, digging mines, and facilitating trade.
infighting.
EXPERTISE (EXP) represents the talent pool and
breadth of skills available among the stronghold
ATTRIBUTE M O D I F IE R population. It is increased by building libraries and
other places of learning.
3 (MIN) -4
4-5 -3 ALLEGIANCE (ALL) represents the population's
6-7 -2 loyalty to the party and commitment to the project
8-9 -1 of the stronghold. It is increased by building features
10 - 11 +0 that foster community, such as taverns and
fairgrounds.
12 - 13 +1
14 - 15 +2 APPEAL (APP) represents the aesthetic beauty and
16 - 17 +3 quality of life within the stronghold, and it attracts
18 (MAX) +4 new arrivals every month. It is increased by building
theaters and gardens.
S T R O NG HO L D A D V A NC E ME NT
REQUIRED REQUIRED SKILL CONCURRENT
LEVEL POTENCY DIE
INVESTMENT POP. RANK BONUS PROJECT LIMIT
0 - - - d6 1
1 1000 cp 2 +2 d6 1
2 2000 cp 4 +2 d6 2
3 3000 cp 6 +2 d8 2
4 4500 cp 8 +3 d8 3
5 7000 cp 12 +3 d8 3
6 9000 cp 16 +3 d10 4
7 12000 cp 20 +4 d10 4
8 15000 cp 24 +4 d10 5
9 20000 cp 30 +4 d12 5
- 136 -
Determining Attributes
Every suitable stronghold location should have a set
of attributes. The Judge may roll these numbers
randomly or can choose starting attributes that make
sense for the location and its surroundings: for
example, a ruined town might have high Efficiency
because of the surviving infrastructure but low
Resources because its farmland has been plundered
and burned. Whatever the case, you are allowed to
know a location's base attributes before choosing to
found their stronghold there.
Using Stronghold Attributes

When the party wants to organize an undertaking at
the stronghold or involving its people – such as
creating a bucket-chain to put out a fire or
presenting a fine dinner to a visiting dignitary – the
Judge can call for an attribute check to measure the
success of their effort. The stronghold denizens
only get a single roll on a given check, and one party
member must make it on their behalf.
The Judge can also call for checks when the party
Stronghold Level
A stronghold has a level from 0 to 9. It needs two
wants to learn things about the stronghold. For
things to advance in level: sufficient investment and
example, if a sickness is spreading and the party
population rank. If these thresholds are met, the
wants to find a cure, they could make an Expertise
stronghold advances in level immediately.
check to find out if someone in the stronghold
Stronghold level never decreases, even if the
knows how to treat illness. On a success, perhaps
population rank declines.
there is apothecary in the stronghold who knows of
a remedy.
Investment
Stronghold vs. Player Checks Investment is an amount of wealth that each party
It can be tricky to know whether a player or the member must invest in the stronghold for it to be
stronghold should make a check. Generally, the successful. It is an abstract amount that represents
difference has to do with the scale of the task and the the cost of labor, building materials, and upkeep.
participants. If stronghold denizens are taking care
It may seem like a small amount of coin, but
of the task on their own, make a stronghold check. If
remember that a stronghold is the collective effort
the party are handling the matter personally, they
of a many folks, not just the party. Other groups will
should make individual checks.
be arriving to lend their own resources and labor to
Thus, if the party sends out a delegation to a tribe of the cause in exchange for the safety and opportunity
monsters to broker peace, an Expertise (Statecraft) that comes of being part of a community.
check might be in order. If they instead host the
monsters at the stronghold and speak to them face to
face, the discussion may involve a number of
Cunning (Speech) or Resolve (Speech) checks by
individual characters.
- 137 -
Population Rank
Population rank represents the overall population of
Stronghold Turns
the stronghold. A stronghold will gain one or two One stronghold turn happens when the stronghold
ranks every month as long as it fares adequately and is first founded and at the start of every month
offers a decent standard of living. It can also lose thereafter. During the stronghold turn, the players
ranks over time if people are deserting the can perform each of the following tasks:
stronghold or if a deadly event is happening, such as 1. Make a population check
a sickness or a siege. 2. Make a progress check for each project
On the stronghold sheet, the number of ranks 3. Issue orders and start new projects
indicates an approximate population; it increases The Judge also performs a couple tasks:
slowly at low marks, then picks up speed as the
stronghold gains notoriety. It is possible to 1. Roll for a new stronghold arrival if the
transform a deserted ruin into a bustling township stronghold's population rank increased
in one to two years. 2. Roll for a freehold arrival if the party has
built any freeholds
3. Check for a new stronghold event if no
Skill Bonus
event is currently unfolding
A stronghold's skill bonus increases with level-
naturally, a larger and more prosperous community Stronghold turns happen whether or not the party is
has a greater talent pool and population to draw on. present at the stronghold. If they are present, the
party can make their own population and progress
Potency Die checks. If they are absent, the Judge makes all the
checks in secret and the denizens decide for
A stronghold also has a potency die. It is used for
themselves what labors to undertake.
military engagements if using the tactical warfare
system.
Population Checks
Concurrent Project Limit A new stronghold starts with Population Rank 1.
As a stronghold grows it can start to work on Each turn, the stronghold makes one population
multiple projects at the same time. The project limit check. This is check of Appeal (Hospitality) vs. 15.
only applies to normal stronghold features; Population Rank increases by 2 on a success or by 1
freeholds do not count against this limit. on a failure.
- 138 -
Population Decline
Certain events, such as an extended siege or a deadly
plague, may cause the population rank to fall. Under
such conditions, the population check is made to
slow the rate at which denizens are dying or
abandoning the stronghold: the Population Rank
decreases by 1 on a success or by 2 on a failure.
Arrivals
Every stronghold turn, as long as the population
rank increased, the Judge will roll on the stronghold
arrivals table. The result will give a short description
of a few of the folks who arrive at the stronghold
that month. This table is found in the Judgment
chapter, since players should not be able to see it.
New arrivals are bits of flavor that add faces to the

stronghold denizens and give you an opportunity to
learn about the folks who share their allegiance.
Some of the results include small conflicts and
adventure hooks, though whether to use this
information is at the discretion of the Judge.
Freehold Arrivals
If the party has built one or more freeholds, there is
also a freehold arrival whenever the population
rank increases. If there are multiple freeholds, the
Judge choose one of them at random and rolls on the
appropriate arrival table.
The Stronghold Sheet

Broadly, strongholds function as an additional
character that the party has joint control over. Just
like a character, the stronghold has its own sheet
with a level, attributes, skills, and features.
- 139 -
- 140 -
Stronghold Skills
FAITH indicates that competent religious leaders
are present within the stronghold.
There are fourteen stronghold skills, gained by  Conduct an important religious rite
building stronghold features. They are used in much  Hold a festival to honor a deity
the same way as adventurer skills: the Judge can link
a skill to an attribute check, making it a skill check.
HOSPITALITY makes the stronghold better able to
If the stronghold possesses the relevant skill, you can
attract new arrivals and care for its denizens.
add its skill bonus to the roll. Below are just a few
suggestions about possible uses for each skill.  Provide food and shelter for outsiders
 Provide medical treatment to denizens
AGRICULTURE makes the stronghold better at
farming food and rearing animals.
RESEARCH means the stronghold, and makes the
 Grow and stockpile extra food
stronghold better at studying the past
 Acquire wool and other animal byproducts
 Invent an alchemical process
 Uncover the history of a person or place
CONSTRUCTION improves efforts at building new
features and all other architectural projects.
SEAFARING makes the stronghold more competent
 Create a new stronghold feature
with fishing and watercraft.
 Repair damaged infrastructure
 Build or manage a naval fleet
 Obtain food and other goods from the sea
COMMERCE improves the stronghold economy
and brings in exotic trade goods.
 Measure success of a trade partnership STATECRAFT makes the stronghold better at
 See if an item is available for purchase political intrigue.
 Broker peace with a neighboring power
 Convince a smaller group to capitulate
CUISINE makes the stronghold's food better and
longer lasting.
 Impress honored guests with a feast TACTICS, FIELD are used when attempting land-
 Preserve food supplies to last longer based military action outside of a settlement.
 Execute a deft flanking maneuver
 Prepare a devious ambush for the enemy
ENTERTAINMENT means the stronghold has
skilled performers or musicians.
 Put on a play TACTICS, NAVAL are used when attempting
 Compose an anthem or ballad aquatic military action.
 Organize a blockade around a harbor
ESPIONAGE makes the stronghold skillful at
 Infiltrate an enemy city by waterway
secretly obtaining information.
 Spy on a neighboring power TACTICS, SIEGE are used when attempting to
 Surveil the stronghold denizens conquer a fortified settlement or defend the
stronghold.
- 141 -
Features Arena
A sand-pit recessed a dozen feet into the earth; a
Features are various buildings and amenities that
circular tournament ground where onlookers crowd
improve the a stronghold's attributes and grant it partitions and smiling moneylenders take foolish bets.
new skills. Certain features provide other benefits. A way for stronghold denizens to express their
grievances through action.
Building a new feature is a process that takes several
Progress 3
stronghold turns to complete. While a feature is
being build, it is a called a project. A new stronghold Attributes +1 Military, +1 Appeal
can only manage one project at a time, but as it
grows, the denizens will be able to work on multiple
projects concurrently. Audience Chamber
A semicircle of raised wooden pulpits before a simple

Progress Checks chair; a high-vaulted throne room of black stone; an
assembly hall ringing with lively debate. Depending on
Each stronghold turn, the party makes a progress
the stronghold's governance, this is where denizens
check for each of its active projects. This is a check voice their needs and decide what must be done.
of Efficiency (Construction) vs. 15. The project
gains 2 progress on a success or 1 on a failure. Progress 4
Attributes +1 Expertise, +1 Allegiance
Once a project has the necessary progress, it is
Skills Statecraft
finished and becomes a feature, conferring its
benefits upon the stronghold.
Blacksmith
Issuing Orders
While the party is at the stronghold, they can issue A smoky cave that glows perpetually with the light of
the forge; a grand forge with rivulets of molten metal
work orders to the denizens, choosing new projects running through the stonework. Smiths do their work
and calling for other tasks. Typically, the denizens here, producing fine instruments of bloodshed and
will obey the party to the best of their ability. attire to prevent it.
While the party is absent from the stronghold, the Progress 4

denizens will continue to construct new projects. If Attributes +1 Efficiency
left with an agenda about what to build, the denizens
Broken armor left in the stronghold will
will follow it if possible. If not, they will make their be repaired each turn. Once per turn for
own determinations about what features the each party member, the smith can
Special
stronghold needs. improve one weapon or armor to fine
quality. The item must be left in the
smith's care.
- 142 -
Builder's Hall Feasting Hall
A bustling warehouse with long tables; a stockroom A vast chamber with vaulted ceilings; a hall with raised
with raw materials piled up around the edges. Here, platforms for the tables of rulers and guests of honor; a
artisans can share their crafts and coordinate new balcony looking out upon a placid sea. There's no
construction projects. better way to legitimize one's leadership than by
throwing a party.
Progress 3
Attributes +1 Efficiency Progress 5
Attributes +2 Allegiance, +2 Appeal
Skill Construction
Crypt Fortifications
A wooden watch tower on high wooden stilts; a
Black steps descending into a candlelit undercroft; a
crumbling parapet where lookouts' helmets gleam in
spiral stair leading from alcove to alcove, where folks
the rays of sunset; a menacing portcullis and stagnant
ruminate upon sacrifice before the statues of those
moat. Fortifications vary depending on location, but all
who gave their lives for the stronghold. A crypt is a
make the stronghold more enduring in the face of
record of hardships, but it gives a place a history, and a
onslaught.
purpose.
Progress 4 Progress 2
Attributes +1 Military, +2 Allegiance Attributes +1 Allegiance
The party gains a +1 bonus to checks

Special made to defend the stronghold. This
Farmland feature can be built up to four times.
A muddy ravine sprouting with delicious root

vegetables; rolling hills with grazing goats; a gnarled
orchard in the shadow of the mountain. Farmland Gardens
brings in needed resources to support the growth of
the stronghold.
Hedge sculptures; verdant trellises overflowing the
Progress 4 ramparts; rows of fastidiously-arranged glowing
mushrooms. Well-tended gardens enhance the beauty
Attributes +2 Resources
of a place and give visitors a sense that it is thriving.
Skill Agriculture
Progress 2
The stronghold now provides a stable
Attributes +1 Resources, +1 Appeal
food source. Party members no longer
Special
deplete their own food while resting at
the stronghold.
- 143 -
Harbor Kitchen
A spiderweb of docks along the storm-battered shores; A smoking pit with savory meats always turning; a
a waterlogged cavern where black-clad porters lower crooked shack overflowing with bubbling pots; a
mysterious parcels into sleek longships. Fishers will chamber with a dozen stone alcoves for baking bread.
bring food and merchants will bring goods from afar. A home is only as agreeable as its food.
Attributes +1 Resources, +1 Expertise Attributes +1 Allegiance
Skills Seafaring Skill Cuisine
A harbor can only be built if the

Special stronghold is near a large body of water
or a wide river that leads to one. Library
A spiraling tower, its walls lined with endless scroll

racks; a parlor room where dust dances across ancient
Infirmary books. A place to hold the realm's knowledge will
attract those who would benefit from it.
A long hallway where the wheezing of the sickly
emanated from behind curtained alcoves; a square Progress 3
chamber of identical cots, wash basins and tool chests. Attributes +2 Expertise
Though the infirm can do little to help the stronghold,
Skill Research
caring for them is a noble – and practical – thing to do.
Progress 4
Marketplace
A bustling thoroughfare where grinning hawkers

compete loudly for attention; a colorful bazaar that
Inn smells of exotic wares. Cultivating trade will bring
useful goods and skillful people into the stronghold.
A creaking boarding house with a dancing beast on its
weather-beaten sign; a smoke-filled hall where Progress 4
pleasing music echoes on the flagstones. Intriguing
Attributes +1 Resources, +1 Expertise
folk will visit here to sample the stronghold's offerings
for themselves. Skill Commerce
Progress 3
Attributes +2 Appeal Mines
Skill Hospitality
A shaft into shadow, where the clanking of picks can
be heard far below; a winding cave network with veins
of metal running through the walls. In a time before
time, the gods hid precious things in the darkness of
the earth.
Progress 4
Attributes +2 Resources
- 144 -
Prison Secret Passage
A winding hall of cramped cells; a great iron cage in A winding stone hall deep underground; an
the town square; a ledge hewn into the cliffside. Grim unassuming bookshelf that conceals a damp
as it is, a stark reminder of law and order is attractive to passageway; a crawlspace with a ladder leading to the
many in a world mired in chaos. foot of the castle.
Attributes +2 Allegiance Attributes +1 Efficiency
This feature creates a secret route that

either connects two locations within the
Special stronghold or leads from one location to
Roads
a point outside the stronghold. Multiple
secret passages can be built.
A dusty path winding between barren hillsides; deep
wagon-ruts carved across a yellow field; a snaking trail
through untamed forest beset on the edges by wild
growth. Roads permit quicker travel throughout the
realm.
Shrine
Progress 3 A peaceful grove with a henge of carven stone; black
steps to an altar of sacrifice, stained with blood and
Attributes +1 Efficiency
flanked by fire. A shrine may honor one god or many.
Place roads in four hexes on the Places of worship bolster conviction among the meek
overland travel map. Each one you place and a promote wisdom among the learned.
Special must be adjacent to the stronghold's hex Progress 2
or to another road hex. This feature can
be built multiple times.
Skills Faith
Rookery
Siege Workshop
A loft where feathers and dust dances through crooked
sunbeams; a high, black tower bedecked in white filth. A dusty warehouse littered with wicked-looking
Messenger birds allow communication over long accoutrements; a rampart where busy folks haul about
distances, though they take time to train. creaking wooden behemoths.
Attributes +1 Efficiency, +1 Expertise Attributes +1 Military, +1 Efficiency

Skill Tactics - Siege
The stronghold can dispatch messenger
rooks to the surrounding lands. They
Skills can be taught to travel to explored
locations and can find their way back to
the stronghold from almost anywhere.
- 145 -
Spy Ring Theater
A cellar filled with a hundred masks and costumes; a A stone amphitheater half-buried in the grassy hillside;
secret room behind a cheap false storefront; a well- an old concert hall with a tilted stage and frayed
hidden door that opens to a certain series of knocks. curtain; a bawdy opera-house where drunks dangle
Establishing a network of spies will root out traitors their feet from the rafters. Amusement seems almost a
within the stronghold and bring news of outside thing lost from the realm, and reviving it will around
threats. the interest of desperate folks near and far.
Progress 5
Progress 4
Attributes +2 Expertise
Attributes +3 Appeal
Skills Espionage
Skill Entertainment
The stronghold can dispatch agents to
Special
learn the plans of neighboring powers.
Training Hall
Stable A sandy clearing with rows of wooden practice
dummies; a mat-laden room with weapons adorning
Wide rows of stalls where noble beasts stamp and the walls. Having a designated place for soldiers to
whinny; a drafty barn where drunks take refuge on train will make a stronghold better able to defend
wintry nights. A place for folks to keep and train itself.
horses and other animals. Beasts of burden will ease
labor. Progress 3
Attributes +2 Military
Progress 3
The stronghold gains a few work Warehouse

animals and can accommodate more in
Special
time. The party can usually take one of A disguised trapdoor leading to a damp root cellar; a
these beasts on excursions. stockroom containing a labyrinth goods stacked to the
ceiling. Organizing each supply and asset makes them
easy to find when they are needed.
Tavern Progress 3
A sturdy lodge on the edge of town; a stone hall where
the hearth is never cold; a ramshackle edifice
overlooking the water, where fishing folk unwind
after their labors. A drinking hall makes a place livable War Room
and fosters a sense of community.
Progress 2 A stone tower overlooking the garrison; a round table
Attributes +1 Allegiance, +1 Appeal strewn with regional maps. A war room is necessary
for planning complex strategies and training officers
Skill Entertainment in the art of war.
Progress 3
Attributes +1 Military, +1 Expertise
Skill Tactics - Field
- 146 -
Water Source Workshop
A stone well at the base of the valley; a rerouted river
A dusty artisans' hall filled with tools; a gallery of half-
that snakes through the village; a spring of bubbling
finished projects. Putting craftspeople in one place and
groundwater; rain catchers lining the rooftops. A
coordinating their efforts will improve their output.
source of fresh water is among the first things a
stronghold needs to be successful. Progress 3
Progress 4 Attributes +1 Efficiency
Attributes +1 Resources Skill Manufacture
The stronghold now provides a stable
water source. Party members no longer
Special deplete their own units of water while
resting at the stronghold, and they can
stock up on water for travel.
- 147 -
Freehold Abilities
Freeholds A freehold confers special benefits to its owner.
Freeholds are special features that can only be built Usually, these benefits are limited to tasks done in
by high-level parties with developed strongholds. and around the building.
Unlike the stronghold, which is a shared asset, the
freehold is a private residence and base of Freehold Arrivals
operations for the character that constructs it. Each In addition to providing an adventurer with their
adventurer of the party can build their own own private headquarters within the stronghold, a
freehold; the form that it takes depends on their freehold attracts unique followers once in a while.
class. These servants and companions will aid in the
operations of the freehold and will more or less obey
Building a Freehold its owner. Building a freehold immediately unlocks
To begin construction of their freehold, both the its unique arrival table. Like the main stronghold
stronghold and the adventurer must be Level 5. A arrival table, the tables for each freehold are
freehold requires a progress check every turn just available in the Judgment chapter.
like other projects, but they do not count toward the When a freehold is first completed, it has an
stronghold's concurrent project limit. immediate arrival. Each stronghold turn thereafter,
whenever the population check is a success, there is
another freehold arrival, chosen randomly among
the completed freeholds.
- 148 -
Brigand's Camp Cleric's Temple
A cleric may construct a temple to their god, pantheon,
A brigand may assemble a horde of raucous ne’er-do-
or ideal within the stronghold. The project attracts
wells to do their bidding. The brigand’s notorious
2d10 eager fanatics right away to assist in the
deeds immediately draw 2d10 surly marauders into
construction. Once finished it will attract more
subservience, who help in the construction of a
pilgrims and other wayward devotees seeking places of
fortified encampment on the outskirts of the
their own in the new religious community.
stronghold.
By divine grace the structure will be serviceable in a
The imposing structure will be completed quickly,
matter of months, though it will continue to grow in
given sufficient threats and cracked whips. A brigand
grandeur over time. The cleric should strive to select a
should consider concealment and defensive potential
spiritually and aesthetically appropriate site for this
in choosing a location.
sacred edifice.
The camp is defensible: it may rest upon a high hill or
The temple grounds are an enclosed or isolated area
be surrounded by a thick wooden palisade with
that is well-maintained by the parishioners- depending
outward-facing spears and a mud-filled moat. Its
on its location and the disposition of the cleric's faith,
central structure, a small wooden fort, contains a
there may be lush gardens, winding rocky terraces,
luxurious living space for the brigand: a bedroom, den,
subterranean passages, or other external features that
training hall, kitchen, and dining room, as well as an
lend grandiosity to the main edifice. There are also
underground vault for treasure to which they possess
smaller shrines or other features on the grounds- for
the only key. The camp also features an enclosed
example, an altar on a cliff overlooking the sea, a henge
fighting pit where rowdy followers can entertain
with astronomical alignment, or a cemetery with
themselves and settle disputes in blood.
mausoleums to venerate the anointed dead.
When the camp is first built and every month
The central building is dominated by a great audience
thereafter, there is a 2-in-6 chance that new blood will
hall that may be used for ceremonies of the faith,
arrive to test their steel and earn a place in the brigand's
including but not limited to baptisms, festivals, ritual
cohort. The Judge will roll for these newcomers on the
sacrifice, and direct communion with the spirits. It
camp arrival table found in the Judgment chapter.
also contains private quarters for the cleric: a
respectable bedroom, study, bath, kitchen, dining
Progress 5 room, shrine, and meditation cell.
Attributes +1 Military, +1 Resources When the temple is first built and on every stronghold
turn thereafter, there is a 2-in-6 chance that new
After resting in their camp, a brigand's supplicants will arrive to pledge service to the divine.
Spirited base effort is increased by 1. This effect The Judge will roll for these newcomers on the temple
Nights lingers until they finish a rest at any arrival table found in the Judgment chapter.
other location.
Progress 5
The brigand's forces will raid nearby
groups and settlements. They have few Attributes +1 Efficiency, +1 Allegiance
compunctions about who they pillage
After resting at their temple, a cleric
but will limit their targets to those the
Raiding Restful gains 2 bonus recovery dice. These dice
brigand deems acceptable. This activity
Nights last until spent or until the cleric finishes
happens whether or not the brigand is
a rest at any other location.
present and generates 1d4 x 100 cp for
the brigand each month.
Spell Within their temple, a cleric gains a +4
Bonus bonus to spellcasting checks.
A brigand with a camp receives the
service of a handful of seasoned bandits Within the meditation cell, the cleric
and highwaymen. During warfare, this may commune directly with the divine
Warband
warband can be assigned to a military Divine once per month. The conversation may
engagement, granting a +2 bonus to the Petition last no longer than % minutes, and a
check. divine representative may appear in lieu
of the deity itself.
- 149 -
Invoker's Refuge Knight's Manor
An invoker may create a magical refuge on the wild A knight may construct a splendid estate nearby or
outskirts of the stronghold. Because an invoker relies within the stronghold. They may choose any area on
on the creatures of the surrounding lands, they should solid ground to construct the edifice but should strive
take great care in choosing a location: a refuge built to build it in a suitably defensive location, such as atop
upon a lonely sea shore will provide quite different a steep ridge or on a small river island.
servitors from one hidden in the caverns below the
keep. To undertake this project, the knight receives the
immediate service of 2d10 trustworthy servants,
The refuge's construction will be aided by 2d10 loyal common folk who have been helped or inspired by the
beasts of the surrounding area, who will stay to guard knight's past actions. Once the manor is built,
it upon its completion. displaced servants, laborers, and soldiers from the
surrounding lands will come seeking refuge and
The refuge's cunning glamers hide it well from most
livelihood.
mortals, though animals and other invokers may find it
easily. Other practitioners of magic have a smaller Equal parts castle and chateau, the manor is highly
chance to notice it. It has ample space for the invoker's defensible, even by just the small crew that maintains
spell-weaving and natural studies. The interior of the it. It contains ample living room for staff and guests,
refuge may resemble anything from a series of cold and its courtyard has a fountain of clean water and
stone chambers to a quaint and cozy cabin, containing room for several smaller structures.
a bedroom, bath, kitchen, dining room, library, and
workshop, as well as a beautiful garden that needs no The manor house itself contains a lavish bedroom,
sunlight and contains shimmering reflection pool. several guest rooms, study, bath, kitchen, wine cellar,
and dining hall, parlor, study, as well as a gallery to
When the refuge is first built and on every stronghold house the knight's most prized treasures and trophies.
turn thereafter, there is a 2-in-6 chance that a guest
will arrive in the form an animal, monster, or other When the manor is first built and on every stronghold
strange guest. The Judge will roll for these newcomers turn thereafter, there is a 2-in-6 chance that servants,
on the refuge arrival table found in the Judgment nobles or even other knights will visit upon the manor.
chapter. The Judge will roll for these newcomers on the manor
arrival table found in the Judgment chapter.
Progress 5
Progress 5
Attributes +1 Resources, +1 Appeal
Attributes +1 Military, +1 Allegiance
After resting at their temple, an invoker
Restful gains 2 bonus recovery dice. These dice After resting in their manor, a knight
Nights last until spent or until the invoker Vigilant starts all encounters with barrier 10.
finishes a rest at any other location. Nights This effect lingers until they finish a rest
at any other location.
Spell Within their refuge, an invoker gains a
Bonus +4 bonus to spellcasting checks. The manor includes a small stable with
several well-trained horses. These steeds
Though the refuge has a 'true' location Noble
are intelligent, swift, fearless, and loyal,
near the stronghold, an invoker can find Steeds
and if separated from their master can
a magical entrance to it in almost any find their way back to the manor alone.
verdant environment, performing a
short ritual to twist a nearby surface of
A knight with a manor receives the
stone or wood into a new entrance.
Wild service of a handful of loyal retainers,
Doing so closes the previous entrance.
Door competent fighters, strategists, and
From within the refuge, the entrance
Retainers scouts. During warfare, these
cannot be changed- an invoker may only
companions can be assigned to a military
exit their refuge to the same place they
engagement, granting a +2 bonus to the
entered it. Creating a new 'doorway' in
check.
this fashion takes several minutes, and it
cannot be done under duress.
- 150 -
- 151 -
Magician's Tower Occultist's Dungeon
A magician may construct an elaborate tower on or An occultist may construct a clandestine dungeon
nearby the stronghold to serve as a place of reflection, below the stronghold to practice their forbidden arts in
magical rumination, and arcane experimentation. It privacy. Its entrance can be built anywhere within the
must built anywhere on solid ground, but the locale grounds of the stronghold. It exists as much to protect
need not be accessible by foot: for example, a snowy outsiders from the occultist's work as it does to protect
peak overlooking a valley or a tenuous perch above a the work from outsiders, and it is cunningly disguised
waterfall would serve well. so that foolish stronghold denizens have no
opportunity to be bested by their curiosity and risk
Renowned for their accomplishments in the Warped
venturing in.
Art, the magician is immediately sought out by 2d6
precocious apprentices who aid in the undertaking. An occultist cannot entrust the construction to others,
Once completed, the edifice will continue to grow in so at the start of the project, they will produce 2d8
height and complexity over the coming months. cringing homunculi to aid in the undertaking. Once
completed, the dungeon will continue to grow ever
The tower contains many floors, each with a different
deeper into the earth and become populated by ever
purpose: a library, a laboratory, dormitories, a kitchen
more misbegotten servants.
and dining hall, a lecture hall, and a magical practice
chamber. The uppermost floors are reserved for the The dungeon is accessible by a long stone stairway that
magician and are comprised of a fine bedroom, bath, descends deep into the earth and consists a maze of
dining room, study, and private laboratory. hallways that lead to numerous dead ends, clever traps,
and maddeningly empty vaults. At the dungeon's heart
Once the tower is completed, the apprentices will take
is the occultist's private quarters: a bedroom, a kitchen,
up residence and other curious magic practitioners will
a dining room, a bath, a laboratory, a corridor of prison
begin to arrive from lands near and far- in some cases,
cells, and a ritual chamber.
other worlds. When the tower is first built and on
every stronghold turn thereafter, there is a 2-in-6 Once the dungeon is completed, the homunculi will
chance that other magicians and even magical remain to look after it and continue the occultist's
creatures will arrive. The Judge will roll for these work in their absence. The construction of the
newcomers on the tower arrival table found in the dungeon will arouse the attention of various
Judgment chapter. subterranean and even otherworldly creatures. When
first built and on every stronghold turn thereafter,
Progress 5 there is a 2-in-6 chance that new entities will take up
Attributes +1 Resources, +1 Expertise residence within. The Judge will roll for these
newcomers on the dungeon arrival table found in the
Spell Within their tower, a magician gains a Judgment chapter.
Bonus +4 bonus to spellcasting checks.
Progress 5
A magician with a tower can research
Attributes +1 Efficiency, +1 Expertise
new spells. It can be a spell found in the
game book or an original idea, pending Spell Within their dungeon, an occultist gains
Spell
the Judge's approval. The spell gains 1d6 Bonus a +4 bonus to spellcasting checks.
Research
spell research each month. Once the
count reaches 10, the magician learns An occultist with a dungeon can
that spell and the count resets. research new spells. It can a spell found
in the game book or an original idea,
A magician can utter a brief incantation Spell
pending the Judge's approval. The spell
to instantly teleport to their tower along Research
gains 1d6 spell research each month.
with each willing creature in a 10 ft. Once the count reaches 10, the occultist
Word of burst. This incantation is far too finicky learns that spell and the count resets.
Recall to perform in combat or under similar
circumstances, and the magician must An occultist with a dungeon can call
be within a number of travel hexes of forth a powerful demon to perform a
the stronghold equal to twice their level. Demonic specific task. The demon may give a
Dispatch price for its service, ranging from a
difficult task to an object or treasure
worth 1000 cp.
- 152 -
Thief's Den Warrior's Keep
A thief of some renown may establish a den from A warrior may construct a strong and sturdy keep to
which to conduct shady dealings and organize illicit consolidate their power within the stronghold. They
projects. They may choose any location in or around may choose any area on solid ground to construct the
the stronghold to construct this hideout, but they edifice but should strive to build it in a suitably
should carefully disguise it as a different business or defensive location, such as the top of hill, proudly
establishment: a den in the forest might have the overlooking the rest of the stronghold.
outward appearance of a hunting lodge, while a den
To undertake this project, the warrior receives the
constructed along a thoroughfare or in the stronghold
immediate service of 2d10 grateful serfs willing to
proper might also serve as an inn for weary travelers.
recognize the warrior as their new lord. Once the keep
The thief's infamous deeds immediately attract a is finished, folks from the surrounding lands will come
retinue of 2d10 enterprising larcenists from towns to seek refuge and pledge fealty.
and cities nearby who wish to ply their illicit trades
The imposing stone structure is built with defense in
under the safety of the thief's allegiance.
mind, and it is impenetrable except by true military
Regardless of its façade, the den contains a sprawling might and feats of siege engineering. The crenellated
multi-level basement or private back area replete with a outer walls are walkable and surrounded by a moat,
gambling hall, black market auction house, a training and the inner grounds are accessible only by gatehouse
room, dormitories, a kitchen, a mess hall, and closed and drawbridge.
chambers dedicated to plotting and discreet exchange
The keep at the heart of the property is designed to suit
of information. The den also contains ample private
the warrior's disposition: a lighthearted warrior might
quarters for the thief, hidden out of sight: a well-
see fit to build their keep of white stone and plant
appointed bedroom, bath, kitchen, dining room, and
gardens around their grounds and walls, while a
study, as well as an even more secret room for the
somber one might take a more gothic approach in the
thief's own collection of valuables and a secret passage
architecture, emphasizing tall windows, archways, and
leading outside the stronghold walls.
grotesque statuary. The keep contains a lavish
Once the den is completed, it will become a business bedroom, study, bath, kitchen, wine cellar, den, dining
destination for thieves, smugglers, and other criminals. room, audience chamber, and war room, as well as well
When first built and on every stronghold turn as a vault to house the warrior's valuables. It also has
thereafter, there is a 2-in-6 chance that new cutthroats servants quarters and a small subterranean prison.
will arrive. The Judge will roll for these newcomers on
When the keep is first built and on every stronghold
the den arrival table found in the Judgment chapter.
turn thereafter, there is a 2-in-6 chance that servants,
merchants, or other warriors will visit upon the keep.
Progress 5
The Judge will roll for these newcomers on the keep
Attributes +1 Expertise, +1 Appeal arrival table found in the Judgment chapter.
After resting in their den, a thief's base
Spirited effort is increased by 1. This effect Progress 5
Nights lingers until they finish a rest at any Attributes +1 Military, +1 Efficiency
other location.
After resting in their keep, a warrior
Members of the den will engage in
Vigilant starts all encounters with barrier 10.
various illicit acts each month and pay
Nights This effect lingers until they finish a
dues for the right to do them. This
Larceny rest at any other location.
activity happens whether or not the thief
is present and generates 1d4 x 100 cp for
A warrior with a keep receives the
the thief each month.
service of a handful of loyal retainers,
Criminals trade rumors as they come competent fighters, strategists, and
and go, and are always willing to part Retainers scouts. During warfare, these
with valuable information, for a price. companions can be assigned to a
Whispers For up to 1000 cp, the thief can put a military engagement, granting a +2
bounty on a specific piece of bonus to the check.
information. It may take up to a month
to arrive at this answer.
- 153 -
Warfare SCALE
STRONGHOLD
ENGAGEMENTS
As your safe haven develops, merchants and visitors LEVEL
will spread word of its rise throughout the realm.
Puny 0-2 1
These whispers will not escape the attention of the
Overlords. Small 3-4 2
By the time a few hundred souls have gathered in the Medium 5-6 3
stronghold, jealous rivals may be fixing their gaze Large 7-8 4
upon it. Their armies are greater, and their weapons
Massive 9 5
are finer; it will take courage, caution, and a bit of
luck to defeat them.
Trespasser presents two options for handling Engagements can happen in sequence (an invading
warfare: a simple narrative system and a more army tries to invade the stronghold in different ways
granular tactical system. Using the former, military over the course of three nights) or simultaneously
conflicts are resolved with a number of (an invading army pillages the farmland, attacks the
engagements, individual scenes of battle that hang front gate, and sends a fleet into the harbor all at
upon a stronghold skill check. Using the latter, once). The Judge decides the order of engagements
armies are divided into units that take turns making and which ones happen simultaneously.
attacks against each other on the overland hex map,
using rules that mirror the game's skirmish-level Planning Engagements
tactical combat. If the stronghold is on the offensive, the party has
The tactical combat system is not yet finished, and more control over what engagements happen when
will appear in a later update. and where. The Judge should consider their plan of
attack and design the engagements accordingly.
Narrative Warfare
Resolving Engagements
If you intend for warfare to unfold narratively, the
Each engagement is resolved with a Military check.
stronghold can make a series of checks to decide the
One of the three Tactics skills – Field, Naval, or
outcomes of battles and sieges.
Siege – will apply depending on the theater of war.
The stronghold's forces win on a success and lose on
Engagements a failure. The challenge number is based on the
When designing a military conflict, the Judge must overall size of the opposing force:
decide on the scale of the battle and plan out several
individual engagements, small confrontations that
take place as part of the larger fight. The number of CHALLENGE NUMBER BY MILITARY SIZE
engagements depends on the scale of the battle.
Usually, the scale of the battle will correlate with the SIZE EXAMPLE CHALLENGE
level of the stronghold:
Puny Militia 12
Small Raiding Party 13
Medium Standard Army 15
Large Invasion Force 17
Massive Mighty Horde 18
- 154 -
Party Participation EXAMPLE: BANDITS' TRIBUTE
The party can participate in an engagement to give A bandit group has been causing trouble for
their side a winning edge. This can be a combat merchants and travelers on roads surrounding the
encounter, but the Judge can also make it a short stronghold. Scouting, the party learns that the
narrative adventure. For example, the adventurers bandits operate from a cave network in the nearby
could infiltrate the enemy camp to poison the wine hills. Each month, the bandits dispatch half their
or compel a mercenary group to change sides. fighting force and a caravan of stolen goods to a
If the party arrives at a favorable outcome, their side secret dock at a nearby river delta, where they
has a better chance to win that engagement. They get offer it in tribute to one of the Overlords, a
to roll twice on the check and keep the better piratical ogress known as the Queen of the
result. Battered Coast.
Depending on the timing and the distance between The party plans a multi-pronged attack, dividing
the them, the party may be able to participate in their forces into two groups. One group will
more than one engagement. A given character can attack the secret dock ahead of the tribute and
only be in one place at a time, however; if several prepare an ambush for when it arrives. The other
battles are being fought simultaneously, the party will wait until the tribute leaves and then attack
must either split up to address them or choose one to the caves.
aid and leave the others to their allies. Hearing this plan, the Judge decides this sounds
like a medium-scale battle against a small force.
Deciding Victory The three engagements will be the attack on the
If the stronghold succeeds in a clear majority of the caves (1), the attack on the dock (2), and the
engagements, they are victorious over the opposing ambush (3). Since the first two engagements will
force. If the results are unclear, the Judge may follow be just about simultaneous, the party will have to
up the battle with further engagements until a clear choose which group to join. The third
victor emerges. engagement may have to change depending on
how the first two shake out. The party decides to
join the group attacking the dock.
The force attacking the cave pass their check and

take the hideout successfully, then set out in
pursuit of the tribute. The party's group fail their
check: the Queen's ship arrives mid-battle,
forcing them back. They retreat in the direction of
the caravan and manage to catch it between their
two forces for the third engagement- they pass the
check, defeating the bandits and withdrawing
before the Queen can catch up to them. The
bandits were decimated and their treasure, seized.
Overall, this battle is a victory for the stronghold.
- 155 -
Judge Guidance:
Strongholds
Potential Locations
The remainder of this chapter addresses the Judge
A potential stronghold is a large building, dungeon,
directly. It provides rules for planning potential
cave system, village, or other location that can
locations as well as the stronghold arrival and
accommodate a large group of people. Like most
event tables. If you do not plan on playing Judge,
everything else in the world, it should be run down;
stop reading here!
once the adventurers have a few followers, they can
Once the First Day is over and the party has been commit wealth and resources into fixing the place
forged, they will need to take decide on their first up, rebuilding the defenses and creating new
course of action. lodgings for themselves and their hirelings to live.
The world of Trespasser is thoroughly hostile, and Like creatures, strongholds have six base attributes:
places of sanctuary are few and far between. The Military, Efficiency, Resources, Expertise,
campaign starts with the peasants already displaced Allegiance, and Appeal. When your players
from their homes- maybe their village was consider a location for their stronghold, you should
ransacked and they were the only survivors, or tell them what its six base attributes are, so should
perhaps they are a group of exiles thrown beyond consider them a bit when you first design a location.
the gates of the city to fend for themselves. As with character attributes, 10 is considered
average, but usually a potential location should have
Whatever the case, finding or creating a new home a few unique advantages and disadvantages.
for themselves should be among the party's top
priorities. They can't carry everything on their
backs, and they'll need somewhere to hide their
treasure and stockpile their food.
Because of this, two or three of the closest points of

interest should be potential strongholds. Even the
site of the First Day can be one, if the party is willing
to venture back in and clear out any dangers they
left behind.
- 156 -
Random Attributes Islands
An island can make strong potential stronghold
Each stronghold attribute is fundamentally random
location because of its natural defensibility. Islands
and can be rolled if you would rather be surprised.
are in bodies of water, so they are usually somewhat
Some, such as Resources and Appeal, are inherent to
beautiful and nearby a bounty of great resources. On
the location and its environment, while attributes
the other hand, isolated communities have trouble
like Expertise and Allegiance depend on the skills
acquiring supplies and attracting a diverse skill set.
and disposition of the nearby populace, those who
will be drawn to settle in the stronghold.  Efficiency -2
 Resources +2
If you decide to randomly generate attributes, roll
 Appeal +2
3d6 six times in order. A location will have bonuses
or penalties to these rolls depending on its type:
Mountains & Hills
Caverns & Dungeons Mountainous regions are easy to defend, and such
strongholds tend to attract hardy and spirited folk.
Abandoned mines, emptied tombs and other buried,
Sadly, peaks tend to be barren of resources and the
enclosed structures often have very logical layouts,
land is rocky and difficult to work.
and they sometimes attract the interest of curious
antiquarians and other eccentrics. Though highly  Military +2
defensible, the environment is usually dank and  Resources -2
oppressive. Few wish to dwell among the bones of  Allegiance +2
the dead.
 Efficiency +2 Plains
 Expertise +2 Clear, open areas are excellent choices for
 Appeal -4 strongholds that wish to grow quickly, since they
typically have abundant farmland and plenty of
Coasts & Rivers space for development. On the downside, they are
typically harder to defend.
A stronghold built along a river or on a coastline is in
many ways the best of both worlds: it attracts  Military -2
travelers and experts, yields the bounty of the sea,  Efficiency +2
and it can only be attacked by land armies at certain  Resources +2
angles.
 Expertise +2 Ruins
 Resources +2 The ruin of an old fortress or settlement are the
 Appeal +2 natural foundation for a new stronghold. They have
often been plundered of their resources, but they
Forests & Woodlands usually possess surviving infrastructure that forms a
solid basis for new construction. Further, locals who
A stronghold in the heart of the forest can be well
remember the site in its heyday may place greater
hidden from outside threats, and the surrounding
stock in seeing it returned to power.
lands are usually lush and full of game to hunt and
food to forage. On the contrary, moving materials  Efficiency +2
through dense foliage can be difficult.  Resources -2
 Allegiance +2
 Military -2
 Efficiency -2
 Resources +4
- 157 -
Stronghold Arrivals Freehold Arrivals
If the party and stronghold are fifth level, they have
One of your responsibilities as Judge is to manage
become powerful enough to construct freeholds,
the new stronghold arrivals. Each month, as long as
special features owned and managed by one party
the population rank increased, roll for a new arrival.
member. Once at least one freehold is built, there is
Arrivals provide a bit of flavor for the stronghold, a freehold arrival whenever there is normal
providing a constant stream of new characters to use stronghold arrival. Each freehold has its own arrival
as resources. Depending on how you want to use table on the following pages, and you should select
them, they can cause a stir in the stronghold, make one at random each time you roll.
their own plans with repercussions for the party, fall
into conflict with one another, or bring word of
events happening elsewhere in the region.
- 158 -
STRONGHOLD ARRIVALS (PAGE 1)
d20, d4 1 2 3 4
1d8 beleaguered, glassy-eyed 2d8 sickly, black-tongued

1d6 stable-hands who stole
miners who won't speak of commoners who carry the worst 1 lazy houndmaster and 1d8
1 their lord's 2d4 lovely riding
their odd excavation outside plague their city has seen in a noisy and poorly trained hounds
horses
of town century
1 mysterious woman whose 1d10 disguised cultists eager to

2d10 blinking and delirious 2d4 humorless but
eyepatch and scars disagree organize midnight meetings and
2 miners, escaped from a nearby tremendously skilled elven
with her claim of being a spread their beliefs in hushed
slave mine artisans
simple goose-tender tones
1d6 pig thieves, 1d6 pigs, and 1 school teacher from the city 2d10 murderous criminals, freed 1d10 city peasants wary of
3 a few days later, 1d6 farmers and 3d10 rambunctious, grubby from the nearby city's dungeon bumpkins and their pastoral
seeking their pigs children by a very unlikely event ways
1d4 orphans from a

1d4 gravediggers offering their 1d6 elven archers, keenly
neighboring city, collectors 1 elven expert on the undead with
4 services for a few baubles off observant delegates from a
of gossip and fond of a brand new hypothesis to test
the dead nearby elven community
spitting on people's shoes
1d10 reformed bandits, 2d10 mysteriously well-armed 2d4 pampered noble children 1d3 booksellers with a cart
5 hoping for a clean and and shadowy warriors, with many demands but nowhere overloaded with old texts,
honest start deserters of a nearby overlord else to turn mostly useless
a fortune teller with bleak and

1 unhinged scavenger, 3d6 aging veterans bound
3d8 deserters of a foreign army urgent portents about the
6 pockets stuffed with odds together by a tragedy that befell
who speak in a strange tongue stronghold (but no real oracular
and ends their outfit
abilities)
1 former hermit, returning to 1d6 brawny and boisterous 1d6 messengers and their tired 1d4 financiers who have fleeced
7 society after failing in the lumberjacks with an undying steeds, one of whom bears an a noble family for all their
wild love of pranks important missive copper
2 despairing commoners
2d8 gentle monks and nuns from 2d10 sellswords who will lend
with a changeling babe of the 2d6 artisans of various
8 a fallen cloister, eager to help their blades to the stronghold
fey, seeking the return of extremely niche crafts
however they can for a price
their true child
a mediocre wordsmith eager to

1d4 escapees pursued by 1d8 1d6 shepherds seeking refuge 1 snide elven noble and their 1d6
9 become the stronghold's poet
reprehensible slavers for their flock of 10d10 sheep expert bodyguards
laureate
a troupe of 1d10 singers who

1d6 members of a fallen
1 herbalist obsessed with the 1 pigeon fancier with 2d12 relentlessly carol in the common
10 noble family and their 2d10
benefits of wild bergamot pigeons tied by string spaces to the chagrin of the
retainers
other denizens
- 159 -
STRONGHOLD ARRIVALS (PAGE 2)
d20, d4 1 2 3 4
1d6 expelled monks whose a theater troupe of 2d8 a painter who can only offer
1d6 elven brewers whose drinks
11 views were too extreme for performs and playwrights, eager portraiture as payment for room
turn one's hair silver
their monastery to put on very insulting plays and board
1d4 farmers who have seen 1d6 competent horse trainers a strange jester that cannot 1d4 philosophers who can barely
12 something so nightmarish, with not one horse to their speak and only communicates in stop bickering long enough to
drink is the only solution names pantomime introduce themselves
1 rabble-rousing doomsayer, a red-faced dwarven vintner 1d4 foolish dignitaries who have a shady pie maker whose hearty
13 outspoken and certain that with many grandiose promises mistaken the stronghold for confections take the stronghold
the stronghold will fall about their wine another destination by storm
1d8 lepers from the nearest a pompous lesser noble and their
1 teenage whittler who claims 2d4 bakers whose delicious
14 city, sickly and ill-equipped entourage who claim the
their carvings have come to life bread aromas waft for miles
to help with the effort stronghold for themselves
1 gem cutter with a box of fine a well-spoken child prophet

1d8 industrious dwarves, 1d6 goblins with good
15 jewelry containing exactly one whose dreams foretell new
unwashed and malodorous intentions but terrible habits
magic item stronghold arrivals and events
1d10 drunks, the regulars at a 1d6 pompous clothiers with 1d4 beekeepers who need a a harmless, aimless zombie that
16 tavern that no longer extremely ill-advised fashion place to care for the last of an doesn't seem to hurt anyone but
operates sense important royal line (of bees) also has no reason being here
1d8 peasants, fishers by trade a milkmaid and the 1d4 elderly 2d6 hunters with word of a yellow-eyed, smiling peasant
17 but with nary a boat, rod, dairy cows that refuse to leave something deadly and wholly who has returned to his love,
reel, or net between them her side unnatural in the woodlands though he's been dead for years
1d4 highly critical masons

1d4 merchants and their 2d10 1d4 boastful adventurers whose
from the city with far too a pair of elven siblings, heirs to
18 porters desperate to start making obvious lies reveal their lack of
many jumbled ideas about an ivy-wreathed throne
money again experience
how to fix up the place
two excitable dwarven soap- 1d4 pacifistic ogres willing to

1 wild-eyed chef who cooks 1d4 broken adventurers with
makers who need help lend a hand with construction in
19 delicious meals despite his haunted looks and word of the
extracting tallow from a very exchange for a few of the
bizarre choice of ingredients dungeon that bested them
dangerous beast smaller livestock
1d4 farmers towing far more 1d4 master dwarven smiths who a sober and distant warrior, a curious dragon disguised as a
20 food than they could use on will begrudgingly pay for their protective of the mysterious human, quietly invested in the
their own stay in trade blade they carry on their back success of the stronghold
- 160 -
BRIGAND'S CAMP ARRIVALS INVOKER'S REFUGE ARRIVALS
D10 D10
4d10 crazed and chattering goblins in dire need 2d10 tiny critters of the surrounding wilderness,
1 1
of tribal leadership happy to serve as housekeepers and messengers
2d10 elvish exiles on swift black mounts, sharp 2d8 loyal beasts of the surrounding wilderness,
2 2
of arrow and keen of eye loyal to the one who commands the elements
1 boastful warleader with 2d6 swaggering 2d4 hostile mage-hunters, armed with spells and
3 henchmen, hurling insults and proclaiming 3
accusations of hedge magic
themselves the new leadership
1d4 lesser invokers from the surrounding lands
2d8 infamous war maidens led by 1 captain, 4
4 with word of a common threat
lovely and cruel
1d6 sylphs of the forest, eager to grow their own
5
1d6 anarchic war mages, ready to call down flame sanctuary within the refuge
5
and thunder whenever they stop arguing
1d6 inscrutable trickster fey with a dubious but
6
1d4 orcish elders with the 3d10 remaining potentially enriching proposition
6 warriors of their tribe, forecasting the rise of a 1d4 teenage invokers who escaped from mage-
new great warlord 7
hunters and wish to learn control of their gifts
1d4 tremendous ogres who need convincing to 2d8 obedient but dimwitted treants, gifts of the
7 8
join the ranks of a puny one region's fey court
1 four-fingered dwarven houndmaster with his
8 9 1d6 enormous wolves in search of a new alpha
kennel of 2d8 ravenous war dogs
1 gap-toothed dwarven torturer accompanied by 2 giant owls, self-proclaimed guardians of these

10
9 1d4 depraved lackeys carrying bags of sharp wilds, extending a talon of friendship
instruments
1 scarred elvish weaponmaster, stoic,

10
dishonored, and unequaled in skill KNIGHT'S MANOR ARRIVALS
D10
1d4 eager youths, ready to begin squirehood but
1
CLERIC'S TEMPLE ARRIVALS barely old enough to hold blade
D10 1d8 geriatric and foolhardy knights ready to snap

2
on their breastplates for a good cause.
1d6 orcish pilgrims who wish to someday carry
1
the faith to their tribes of origin 3d10 unskilled peasants yearning for martial
3
training so they can defend their village.
1d4 dwarven friars, eager to brew an
2 1d4 renowned elvish chefs who only cook
overabundance of ritual wine 4
vegetarian meals.
1d8 human templars, dangerously ready to prove 1 arrogant banneret who will present a jewel-
3
their loyalty to the faith 5 studded invitation to join the corrupt and
1d4 skeptical elven philosophers who might yet shortsighted regional order
4
be won over to the faith 2d8 skilled veterans looking to redeem
6
themselves for failing their previous lord
2d6 repentant bandits desperate to atone for their
5 two pompous middled-aged nobles, attempting
lives of blasphemy 7
to arrange a political marriage for their child
1d3 elven soothsayers, guided by their dreams to
6 2d4 honorable knights, looking for the right soul
serve the temple as oracles 8
to lead a new knightly order
1d4 soft-hearted monsters seeking a life of peace 1 peerless swordmaster who will swear loyalty to
7 9
and honest work the knight only if bested in a duel
1 born-again human noble with 2d10 human 1 mysterious unicorn, who will offer their services
8 10
retainers and a 1000 copper tithe as steed if their lofty expectations are met
1 very unusual infant abandoned on the steps of
9
the temple
1 fallen divine servitor, desperate to restore its

10
favor with the almighty
- 161 -
MAGICIAN'S TOWER ARRIVALS THIEF'S DEN ARRIVALS
D10 D10
1d6 precocious apprentices, ravenous 1 2d8 brash footpads eager to test their abilities
1
for great magical secrets
1d8 black marketeers with cartloads of rare and
1d10 superstitious peasants, fearful of magic and 2
2 exotic goods
promising loyal servitude
2d6 brawny orcish enforcers who need no
3
1d6 serene herbalists with plans for a greenhouse motivation to whip their new outfit into shape
3
for magical plants 1 swaggering sea captain with a 2d10 boisterous
4
1d4 eager archaeologists with a map to an un- pirates hauling kegs of grog
4
plundered magical ruin 1d4 sneering envoys from the dominant guilds of
5
each nearby city
1d6 reverential lesser mages promising fealty in
5 1d6 panicked scoundrels willing to trade their
exchange for the tower’s resources
6 potent magical artifact for safety from the creature
1 self-important proxy from an infamous order of they stole it from
6
magicians, here to audit the tower and its research 1 starry-eyed teen aristocrat seeking a life of
7
adventure, 500 copper of family heirlooms in tow
1d4 madcap dwarven alchemists with a penchant
7 1d4 elderly master assassins wishing to pass on
for destructive concoctions 8
their expertise to new blood
1 doddering elvish archivist with broad
8 1 child mastermind leading 3d8 juvenile urchins,
knowledge of any number of wholly useless topics 9
pickpockets and spies
1 juvenile orcish savant, arrogant but wildly
9 1 gaunt elvish spymaster with a collection of 3d10
powerful 10
trained messenger ravens.
1 shady thief in need of a magician’s eyes to learn
10
the function of a powerful artifact
WARRIOR'S KEEP ARRIVALS

D10
OCCULTIST'S DUNGEON ARRIVALS 2d6 merchants from lands far and near with plans
D10 1 to establish a market and caravansary in the
courtyard
3d10 raucous imps who provide slightly more
1 1d4 curious goblins, unskilled at arms but quick to
value than they cost in random property damage 2
learn domestic life
2d6 giant rats, impossible to domesticate but
2 1d6 oddball entertainers with dreams of a
excellent for waste disposal 3
prosperous theater
1d6 forest blights wishing to grow their own
3 1d4 pompous delegates from neighboring realms,
twisted garden within the dungeon 4
expecting lavish treatment over their extended stay
2d8 apteran burrowers who have inadvertently 1 orcish siege engineer with 1d6 capable
4 5
joined their colony to the dungeon apprentices, impatient to begin renovations
2d6 shambling golems, ancient guardians 1 elvish administrator, brilliant, humorless,
5 6
unearthed during dungeon expansion penny-pinching
1d4 ghosts of former stronghold denizens, 1 famed human tactician with a circle of 1d10
6 7
drawn to the dungeon by its spectral energy loyal lieutenants
1d4 horned ogres, middling conjurors but very 1 master elvish smith with 1d4 apprentices whose
7 8
capable with a spiked club arms and armor are unequaled the realm over
2 shadowy demonic assassins, who may only 1 mighty giant from the nearby hills, weary of
9
8 venture from the dungeon on nights of the new being pestered by soldiers and ready to negotiate
moon
1 stoic monster tamer with 1d4 adolescent
1 talking cat, a punished occultist, happy to teach 10
9 dragons midway through their training
their wicked arts for saucer of milk
1 magic blade of malevolent intellect, carried to

10
the dungeon by its hapless thrall
- 162 -
Stronghold Events The Beast
No one has seen it, but the number of livestock
Founding a stronghold carries a great deal of
disappearing and the grisly scenes left behind are
responsibility, and crises will doubtlessly arise that
evidence that the creature is enormous and highly
demand the party's attention. Each month, if no
dangerous. Those who farm the land around the
event is currently taking place, there is a 2-in-6
stronghold are afraid and wish to know what will be
chance that a new event begins. Many events persist
done. An enterprising and shady group of
over multiple stronghold turns, and only one
mercenaries may offer hunt the creature; they are
stronghold event happens at a time. While an event
competent but unruly and could prove to be more
is still ongoing, you do not check for new events.
trouble than the beast itself.
In general, the situations presented by the
stronghold events will only exacerbate if The Cult
unaddressed somehow by the party. This doesn't
Hushed rumors tell of a new group of denizens that
mean they necessarily have to intervene. The events
gather by night in secret and conduct strange rituals
on the list below are classic dark fantasy adventure
on the outskirts of the fortress. Some believe this
hooks. If any result does not suit your campaign, feel
new faith to be a source of light and a promise for
free to roll again or change it as necessary.
the future, while others consider it a spreading
The current event system is a placeholder: it will sickness of the mind and a threat to the stronghold.
be replaced with a more robust system in a later
update. The Dark Circle
A child of the stronghold is found dead in the nearby
woodlands, surrounded by a strange ring of
STRONGHOLD EVENTS
toadstools. When others go to investigate further,
D20 EVENT they do not return. The circle seems to grow by a few
1 The Beast feet every day, and within it, all things seem drained
2 The Cult of their color and take on a twisted aspect. The trees
move, despite the absence of wind. In time, it will
3 The Dark Circle
encompass the stronghold if nothing is done. When
4 The Dragon
it grows large enough, unnatural creatures will begin
5 The Experiment emerging from the circle to hunt. On the third
6 The Falling Star stronghold turn after this event occurs, the
7 The Famine stronghold will go into population decline until it
8 The Fire has been resolved.
9 The Hidden Tomb
10 The Horde The Dragon
11 The Murder What were thought to be hunters' tall tales were
12 The Plague proven accurate when a dragon flew within sight of
13 The Returned the stronghold for the first time. None can say why
it has visited upon these lands, but its very presence
14 The Revolt
is taken as an ill omen. Though the creature may
15 The Rising Dead
have no interest in the stronghold, some wish to deal
16 The Rivalry
with it.
17 The Scapegoat
18 The Turncoat
19 The Vampire
20 The Vanishing
- 163 -
The Experiment The Horde
A magician who has taken up residence recently has A traveler to the stronghold has brought distressing
developed a magical process to improve the fortunes news: some weeks past, they witnessed a horde of
of the stronghold, but they require certain rare monstrous creatures on the far reaches of the region.
materials to bring it about. This individual is no According to the witness, it seems as though they
doubt an eccentric, but they possess no lack of have designs to come to the region, and if they do,
confidence, and most denizens seem willing to trust they will sweep across it like a wave over so many
in them. sand castles. The stronghold and the other nearby
settlements only stand a chance if they work
The Falling Star together, but local leaders are preoccupied by mutual
squabbling and mistrustful of the words of this
A long arc of red flame in the sky, a blinding flash,
outsider's claims.
an earth-shaking impact, and then it is over. The star
could not have fallen far from the stronghold- its
crater will still be smoldering when denizens The Murder
stumble upon it. The stronghold's fortune tellers A murder has taken place. The victim may or may
and astrologists have their theories, but none can not have been well-liked, but in either case, failing
anticipate the strange creatures that emerge from to investigate would send the a poor message to the
the crater. killer and other would-be miscreants within the
stronghold.
The Famine
Growing population has led to food scarcity in the The Plague
stronghold. The last of any stored food has been It was only a matter of time before the quickly
consumed, and now things are truly desperate. growing stronghold invited a pestilence into its
Fights have been breaking out between denizens, walls. This disease is like nothing the party has ever
and immoral elements within the stronghold are seen- the tip of the tongue turning black is the first
even considering an abhorrent solution to the sign, and from there it seems to cause the victim to
problem. The stronghold will experience rot painfully from the inside out. The denizens
population decline until the party finds a solution. might have a few ideas of their own about what to
do, but folks are fleeing the stronghold every day.
The Fire The stronghold will be in population decline while
this event is ongoing.
A fire breaks out in the stronghold. The population
rank may fall by 1d4-1 if efforts to contain the blaze
are unsuccessful. Investigating after the fact, it will The Returned
be clear that the fire was started to cover up evidence Rumors have been circling that many of the new
of a different crime. Aggrieved denizens will faces in the stronghold are folks who were presumed
demand justice from the stronghold leadership, but dead by their families. There is something slightly
there will be few clues to point them in any off about these individuals, and they cannot account
direction. for where they were or how they managed to
survive, but most of the families are overjoyed and
The Hidden Tomb want to believe their dead kin have really returned.
A particularly brutal storm passes through the area,

dumping great sheets of rain across the countryside.
Part of an eroding hillside is washed away to reveal
the entrance to a tomb very near to the stronghold.
The party may wish to investigate, but other
stronghold denizens may have already set their own
sights on the treasures within.
- 164 -
The Revolt The Turncoat
Though progress on the fortress is steady, many A trusted servant and confidante of one of a nearby
denizens feel as though their voices aren't being Overlord has turned up, claiming that they are
heard and they are not getting a big enough slice of willing to share the secrets of their former master in
the pie. Several have misgivings about the party and exchange for amnesty. They are eager to prove their
their absenteeism from the stronghold in its time of trustworthiness, but stronghold denizens are not
need. These grumblings are stoked by a particularly keen to accept this villainous creature into their
ambitious stronghold inhabitant who has long ranks.
resented the party. Stronghold projects will not
progress until this conflict is resolved. The Vampire
A dead body has turned up in the stronghold,
The Rising Dead completely drained of its blood. If nothing is done,
A strange lightning storm passes through the region, exsanguinations will continue to occur, each bolder
and when it is over, corpses begin rising from their than the last. If the creature remains hiding among
burial plots and leaving their cemeteries. Clerics the denizens, doubt and suspicion will begin tearing
claim it is the dead-waking work of that mercurial at the fabric of trust that holds the stronghold
spirit, the Grand Geist. This new plague is a serious together.
concern, and many commoners from the
surrounding lands will be abandoning their villages The Vanishing
and seeking shelter in the stronghold, trailed slowly
Several prominent figures in the stronghold have
by shambling hordes of the undead.
suddenly disappeared without taking any of their
belongings with them. Allies of these people have
The Rivalry begun their own investigations; some may be on the
Two prominent figures of commerce or leadership wrong track and causing trouble elsewhere in the
within the stronghold have allowed their grievances stronghold, while other may endanger themselves
to fester, and have now begun resorting to violence, while following the bread crumbs.
sabotage, and intimidation. Merchants are being
threatened by day, buildings are being burned by
night, and ever more militaristic guards are coming
under the employ of these business leaders as their
personal feud reaches a boiling point.
The Scapegoat
An accident has happened resulting in a death, or an
object of important material value has gone missing.
The denizens are certain of the culprit: an individual
known to the party who carries a poor reputation
among their kin. They claim to be innocent, and
naturally, the loudest accusers have other possible
motivations for pointing blame at the accused.
- 165 -
Campaigns
- 166 -
From this chapter on, the rest of the manual
addresses the Judge directly and contains rules
and guidance on how to run the game. If you do
not intend to play as the Judge, stop reading here.
Discovering the world as the campaign unfolds is

one of the joys of a sandbox-style game. As such, the
world of Trespasser is drawn broadly and given few
details, so you can color it in with your party as you
play.
Although the ruleset largely avoids proper nouns

and setting-specific terms, it does strongly imply an
aesthetic and certain style of campaign. The next
few pages offer guidance on how to create your own
campaign in this style.
Take all the guidance that follows with a grain of

salt. None of the setting conceits on the next few
pages are essential to using the system. Obviously,
The Doom itself is only part of the land's troubles, as
you can adapt the ruleset – or at least the combat
it results in lesser crises that compound to make the
system that makes up the bulk of it – to run the type
disaster worse- if the doom is a plague, it has passed
of game you want.
through the farming villages, so now there is famine
to contend with in the city, as well. Without their
The Doom daily bread, the soldiers will not fight, so marauders
To build a setting for a campaign of Trespasser, one flood the countryside.
place to start is to think about the Doom that has
befallen the land. The party's starting circumstances The Slow Collapse
are never good- they are peasants who have been
The Trespasser ruleset can certainly accommodate a
displaced from their homes and have little food or
post-apocalyptic story, but it was conceived to tell a
water. Ask yourself, in the broadest possible sense,
mid-apocalyptic one. Society has not yet fully
how this came to be.
reformed itself around how to live under the new
The Doom may be political, natural, or magical in paradigm of the Doom. Many people may be trying
origin. It can vary in size, scope, and the way it to exist in the way they always have, despite the
manifests. It could have happened a week ago or a obvious, unignorable cracks in their reality that have
hundred years ago, or it might have been slowly formed in the course of their very lifetimes.
happening since the dawn of time.
Imagine a once-proud city on the coast of a dark sea.
The Doom may span the entire universe, or it may The place may look fine from a distance, but upon
be localized to the single region that the peasants are reaching it, it will become clear that there is no
in: perhaps the kingdom has fallen under a curse, or communal effort to maintain it. Its buildings are
maybe the continent has begun to sink into the sea, crumbling, and its narrow streets are littered with
causing conflict between nations as they vie for high trash. Criminal syndicates have taken the place of
ground. the municipal government, extorting the boroughs
under their protection and competing violently in
the streets. Yet people still live there, for it is where
they have always lived, and because they can live
there still, and because there is nowhere else to go.
- 167 -
Even if an Overlord is active, the party is certainly
The Overlords beneath their notice at the start of the campaign. It
Though the land may be falling to ruin, there are is only when the adventurers rise to the level of a
those presiding over its fall. In these bleak times, threat that these mighty figures will pay them any
such positions are held by those who are most brutal heed. They don't have to be entirely absent until the
and uncompromising in their ambitions. These end of the campaign, however- Overlords have
individuals are called the Overlords, and there ambitions and aims and send their subordinates into
should be about three to five of them in the region the world to achieve them. At low levels, the party
of your campaign. might run into these dark servants or catch wind of
a rumor about their doings in the region.
An Overlord can take any form you can imagine, so
long as they occupy a seat of power or hold some You don't need to fully design every Overlord in
other influence in the region. Here are five your setting right from the start of the game, but it's
examples: good to have a broad sense of each one. Try to
answer the following questions:
 The land's old ruler, transformed into a
monstrosity by the heaviness of his sins  What is their name?
 A conqueror-queen, newly arrived to lay  Where is their stronghold?
claim to the land with her blood-red knights  What do they have mastery over?
 An ancient dragon, presiding over his lair  What are their underlings like?
deep in the crust of the earth  What is their agenda?
 A demonic entity that travels in mortal
flesh, sewing hatred and mistrust between Your Overlords can all take different physical or
communities aesthetic forms, but it is more important is that their
 An inscrutable matron mother of a coven of attitudes and methods of influencing the region are
witches, in search of a prophesied child different. They can all be the same species – even
members of the same family – as long as each one
An Overlord can be active, using their power to represents a distinct challenge for the players to
shape the region as the campaign goes on, or passive, overcome.
content to dwell in their decaying stronghold with
little concern for the outside world.
- 168 -
Random Overlords OVERLORD INSPIRATION
If you don't know where to start in designing your
D20, D6 1-3 4-6
Overlords, you can use the tables on this page to
generate some ideas. 1 Human Orc
2 Dwarf Elf
RANDOM OVERLORD NAMES
3 Beast Monster
2D20 PREFIX SUFFIX 4 Warrior Spellcaster
1 Mar- -oth 5 Conqueror Liberator
2 Vel- -ax 6 Wandering Stationary
3 Fir- -og
7 Peasant Monarch
4 Than- -ia
8 Hermitic City-Dwelling
5 Drad- -os
9 Folk Hero Folk Horror
6 Lor- -ir
10 Unknown Despised
7 Dril- -ec
11 Beauteous Monstrous
8 Men- -eph
12 Natural Otherworldly
9 Sar- -oc
13 Undead Construct
10 Cor- -eod
11 Ard- -atir 14 Youthful Ancient
12 Rog- -ian 15 Sainted Accursed
13 Sul- -adar 16 Ascendant Degenerate

14 Vis- -eon 17 Ghostly Demonic
15 Isk- -ash 18 Possessed Possessor
16 Kal- -oth 19 Sickly Immortal
17 Phar- -onus 20 Prophetic Divine
18 Dul- -essa
19 Dem- -erod
OVERLORD SERVANTS
20 Rov- -aster
2D12 SERVANTS TRAIT
OVERLORD TRAITS 1 Offspring Familial

3D12 AMBITION METHOD WEAKNESS 2 Undead Returning
1 Solitude Terror Sloth 3 Vermin Mindless
2 Tyranny War Betrayal
4 Demons Possessed
3 Power Loyalty Arrogance
5 Beasts Monstrous
4 Knowledge Planning Obsession
5 Wealth Commerce Greed 6 Cultists Fanatical
6 Infamy Cruelty Wrath 7 Commoners Well-Meaning

7 Change Progress Vanity 8 Warriors Skillful
8 Return Magic Frailty
9 Spellcasters Magical
9 Ruin Chaos Ignorance
10 Knights Honorable
10 Vengeance Faith Zealotry
11 Hordes Bloodthirsty
11 Stagnancy Unity Cowardice
12 Discord Lies Madness 12 Nobles Wealthy
- 169 -
 Week 1. The flame cultists are beginning to
Mapping the Region convene in the old ash-covered temple at
The traditional Trespasser campaign takes place Tallowmount. In need of sacrifices, they
within a single region of a larger world: a kingdom, will kidnap lone travelers and defenseless
a collection of small city states, or an archipelago, for peasants as they make the pilgrimage.
example. The region should be about 250 miles  Week 3. The flame cult has fully assembled,
across; in other words, it shouldn't take more than a and the daily rituals begin. Tallowmount
month to travel from one end to the other by foot. begins to smoke, visible from miles around.
Other lands may be referenced during the game, and  Week 4. The ritual is complete, and
there may be invaders or visitors, but the focus is on Tallowmount erupts. The explosion shakes
this part of the world, a dangerous and unfamiliar the earth for miles in every direction. The
place the peasants once called their home. village in the mountain's shadow is half-
buried in ash.
At the start of your campaign, you need only have a
 Week 5. Lava envelops the town at the base
very broad, high-level sketch of what the region is
of the mountain, and demonic entities
like. The rules for overland travel (p. xx) intend for
emerge to sew further chaos. The flame
a hexcrawl, but any mapping system works, as long
cultists revel with wild abandon.
as it allows you to consider the points of interest by
 Week 6. Drenched in the fires of the
their relative distance from one another. Consider
sacrifice, the demon overlord Malvitrifax at
having the First Day take place somewhere close to
last emerges from the volcano to preside
the center of the map so the party will start off right
over the scorching bacchanalia in his name.
in the midst of the regional activity.
Preparing the Calendar Because the mountain's activity is visible from afar,
It is important to impress to the players that world's the party will be aware that something is taking place
events continue to develop whether or not they are even while they explore other points of interest. The
checking in on them. Places and people aren't in state of the location and its denizens will be
stasis just because the party hasn't arrived there yet- different depending on when the party decides to
the Overlords and other powers will mobilize and make the trek out there.
pursue their ambitions at the same time as the
adventurers. What the Players Know
If you want to get very granular, you can create a You have now sketched some Overlords, mapped
setting calendar and pin notable events about the out the region, and considered events for the first
region to it. By the time you have 25 or 30 events few weeks of the campaign. Do not reveal any of this
pinned, you'll have an outline that could last you for information to the players. The lines of
quite a few sessions. communication across the world have long since
broken down, and the peasants have little
For example, suppose a group of flame cultists are
knowledge of the broader affairs of their land. They
going to make long-dormant Tallowmount erupt.
may have once called this place home, but now they
The struggling township in its shadow will be
are strangers to it.
covered in ash and then lava, a sacrifice to their
demonic patron. First, outline the steps of the flame In general, the peasants are aware that life has gotten
cult's plan, then pin each of those steps to the worse in recent years, but it is doubtful they've heard
calendar: more than a few small rumors about why. They may
be able to name a few symptoms of the land's
sickness – ill omens, poor harvests, dangers on the
road – but not the root causes. Allow the players to
form their own incomplete or incorrect theories
about what has been happening.
- 170 -
Overpreparation Higher Levels
Once the party has a few levels under their belt,
Don't plan out your campaign too thoroughly; brief
acquiring food becomes easier. They likely have
sentences and bullet lists are the right level of detail
followers they can send out to hunt for them.
to go on. it is easy to end up with far too much
They've saved up a larger stockpile, so they can take
planned, and the more you set your heart on
longer expeditions to more distant locations.
introducing players to certain characters or getting
them to specific dungeons, the more of a railroad the Allow the party to build up a stockpile of provisions,
game becomes. but make sure they are putting in effort to plan their
trips. Punish them if they carelessly embark from
Trespasser campaigns are intended to be player-
their stronghold with too little food or leave their
driven. The best preparation you can do is to listen
wagon unattended at the entrance to the dungeon.
to your players about what they're planning next.
Resources
Early on, adventurers should never have more than
a few days of provisions or a few hours of torchlight.
Use the scarcity of supplies to keep up the tension
and motivate the adventurers to explore the
locations they come across. Their food supply is a
ticking clock they won't be able to ignore.
Food & Water

Provisions are essential, and they should also be hard
to come by. Find an interesting or attractive way to
provide them to the party; it should be a significant
moment when they are found. Here are a few
examples:
 In the back of a dark cave, a crystal-clear

pool is brimming with blind, ghostly white
fish.
 In the center of a dead forest, one tired tree
clings to life. Its branches are covered with
small red apples.
 A knotted rope in the yellow grass pulls up
a trap door, revealing a number of small
crates- preserved food, stashed long ago.
Complications
In general, you should allow the party to find vital
resources when they go searching for them- the
question is what obstacle to put in their way.
Resource scarcity is an opportunity to present a
choice to the party. They still have a few days of
provisions left- is it worth it to try stealing eggs from
this very large nest, or should they press on to their
destination?
- 171 -
The new arrivals may also bring word of larger
Three Chapters threats to the region: invaders on the move, pending
A traditional campaign of Trespasser can be divided natural disasters, or omens of dark events to come.
into three chapters that broadly correspond to the The party will investigate to investigate these
party's average experience level. These summaries rumors.
highlight the main projects of each chapter.
Lastly, their efforts at creating a community will
certainly attract unwanted attention from the
Levels 1-3: Foundation closest Overlord. Frequently, this chapter of the
 Party is very vulnerable game culminates with the party defeating that threat
 Party searches for food and water and claiming the Overlord's lands for their own.
 Party explores first points of interest
 Party founds a stronghold
Levels 7-9: Conquest
The adventurers have just survived their First Day  Party is now a regional power
and are trying to find their bearings in the world.  Party delegates stronghold management
They are extremely vulnerable and possess few  Party faces threats from within
resources.  Party confronts the remaining Overlords
This chapter of the campaign is dominated by the The final stretch of the game is the least defined,
party's search for basic necessities: safe refuge, since it is impossible to know how your campaign
supplies, and equipment. They will also be exploring will unfold up to that point. Supplanting an
the closest few points of interest. One of these Overlord will put the party on the level of the other
places may become their stronghold if they clear it powers in the region, which will draw even more
out and take a liking to it. support to them while also putting them squarely in
their rivals' crosshairs.
They might also recruit their first followers during
this stage of the campaign; these may be peasants By this time, they will have a number of trusted
from the surrounding lands who feel safer agreeing subordinates to whom they can delegate much of the
to follow and serve the party than staying on their stronghold management and improvement. They
own, or bandits they impress into service, etc. may also need to quell threats from within in the
form of traitorous followers or infighting between
the groups they have brought together in the course
Levels 4-6: Ascension
of their exploits.
 Party begins improving stronghold
 Party delegates basic tasks The party's main expeditions will now be made to
 Party addresses regional threats hunt down the remaining Overlords and defeat
 Party confronts first Overlord them. These are opportunities for large-scale
battles, political intrigue, or deep, challenging
During the middle section of the game, the party will
dungeons, depending on the nature of the Overlord
have established their stronghold and begun taking
in question. Whichever Overlord is last on their list
expeditions to surrounding points of interest.
is likely the most protected and well-established,
Since the party now has a fortified base, groups that given that they've had the most time to achieve their
hear word of it will arrive seeking sanctuary, ambitions. When this last rival is defeated, the
enabling the adventurers to offload some of the campaign is over.
basic tasks to their followers: finding food, finding
water, and improving and maintaining the
stronghold in their absence. The adventurers are
now taking more dangerous and lucrative
expeditions, so they will be returning with wealth
enough to fund improvements to their stronghold.
- 172 -
The Journey's End
You may be familiar with your playgroup and their
expectations before even starting the game. If so,
you probably have a strong sense of what type of
campaign they want to play. Otherwise, you might
need to feel it out over time. Though it can be hard
to tell early on what direction a campaign will take,
the right ending will become more apparent as your Restorers of Order
you and your players approach the endgame.
If the party has been more interested in
accumulating wealth and spreading their influence,
Saviors of the Realm consider making the campaign end with the full
Some playgroups observe more than enough despair consolidation of their power. As the new rulers of
in real life, and they take part in the hobby of the land, they will be able to usher order and possibly
roleplaying games because they enjoy the fantasy of even justice back into the realm.
creating positive change in a fictional world that
Though their defeat of the Overlords is important,
needs their help. This ending works well for a more
it doesn't precipitate a great changing of minds.
heroic-fantasy campaign with a strong themes of
Many folks continue to despair, and the adventurers
healing and restoration.
will have their work cut out for them.
In this ending, the party succeeds in purifying their
As rulers, they can start to address the realm's
corrupted land. Not only do they bring an end to the
underlying concerns and direct resources to the
wicked reign of the Overlords and restore peace to
places they see fit. These are small victories, but they
their realm, but they may even end or drive back the
are still meaningful. At the very least, the realm will
very Doom itself!
be better prepared to endure the Doom, and as long
With their triumph, the party's stronghold becomes as there is survival, there is possibility for change.
the epicenter of a cultural shift, a renewal of hope
that spreads throughout the realm and far beyond. Tyrants at the End
There is still work to do, but rising to these
In the bleakest possible campaigns of Trespasser,
challenges will be much easier in this new climate of
the world cannot be changed for the better. Thus,
courage and optimism.
the final fate of the adventurers is that in toppling
every master and facing down every foe greater than
Lighters of a Flame themselves, they become the new powers in the
This more ambivalent ending retains some of the realm; they become the new Overlords. If they ever
same hopefulness while retaining the central had any concern for healing their sickly land, it will
conceits of the setting to be addressed in future play. have been abandoned by the time they are strong
The party largely succeeds in mending their own enough to claim thrones for themselves.
realm, but the world beyond remains afflicted.
This ending is an ouroboros, reestablishing the
Though the Doom still creeps across the land, the starting conditions of the campaign, and as such, it
party's work and stronghold have become a point of plants seeds for a sequel. When you start a new
light, a testimony of hope, and proof to many that campaign, consider using the same region but
despite the deepening shadows of the world, change advancing the calendar by a few years or many. In
for the better, however difficult, is still possible. classical fashion, the old adventurers have become
the very things they sought to destroy, and the land
has suffered greatly under their dominion. It is up to
a new band of peasants to plant their pitchforks in
the earth and take up arms to challenge them.
- 173 -
Handling Death
Character death is an important part of the game.
Adventuring is a dangerous business, and there need
to be real stakes to make it feel that way.
If you're introducing new players to the game, it's

important to set expectations about the possibility
of death. The First Day exists to aid in this process-
hopefully, the bloodshed of that first session will
acclimate your players to high lethality of the game.
A peasant's death means little compared to that of an

adventurer, however. An adventurer represents an
investment of at least a little time and consideration.
When one dies, especially in an unsatisfying way, it
can be a devastating blow, even to a player who has
been mentally preparing for it.
A player whose character dies can roll up four

Equipment peasants and choose one to be the basis of their new
A dead character's belongings may or may not be adventurer. You can also allow them to assume
recoverable, depending on their manner of death. If control of a pre-established NPC, such as a follower
recovery is possible and the party wants to reclaim or ally to the party. If they do, determine base
the equipment, don't stand in their way. attributes that make sense and put them on par with
other members of the party.
Rejoining the Game Whatever they choose, their new adventurer starts
When a player's character dies, they'll likely need to with just enough xp to be at the same level as the
re-enter the game as someone new. Tables approach lowest-level member of the party. They also start
character death with very different attitudes, and no with a number of mundane pieces of equipment
one system is going to work for every group. equal to their level, as well as a handful of common
goods, within reason.
On this page are three different options for how to
get a player back in action after a character death. For Don't be afraid to use this transition as a way of
your first campaign, consider using the Minimal introducing a new dimension to the campaign. If the
Friction method. Once your group has gotten a taste player is taking on the role of a well-known NPC,
for the game, they'll be better able to assess whether consider reasons for that character to join the party
a high stakes campaign is something they'd like to in their adventures. If the player is joining as a brand
try. new adventurer, find a compelling way to introduce
them to the narrative: perhaps they arrive to help the
Option: Minimal Friction party fend off an ambush, or they are a turncoat
bringing the party important information about one
Trespasser can be a very lethal game, and for some
of the Overlords.
groups, repeated character deaths are frustrating
and can interfere with their investment in the
campaign. To players like these, death is already its Option: High Stakes
own punishment, and to those who don't like Some groups want something more to be on the line
character creation, it's also a tax on their time. If during combat. Consequences for death can make
your players feel this way, don't give them further players assess risk more carefully, and they infuse
grief for experiencing a character death. combats with an added layer of excitement.
- 174 -
Using this system, when an adventurer dies, the
player rolls up four new peasants with 0 xp and
nothing but their starting crude weapons. Find
a narrative way to introduce these commoners.
The player roleplays as this group of peasants,

tagging along with the party and treating the
campaign like their very own First Day. If all
four peasants die, the player can roll up four
more for next session, repeating this process
until one of the fools manages to get the
necessary 100 xp to advance to first level. When
they choose a peasant to become their
adventurer, they relinquish agency over the
other peasants, just as they did after the First
Day.
This approach has a major impact on the game.

Not only has the player's power been reset to
almost nothing, but the entire party suffers for
being down one seasoned adventurer. Only use
this method if you are certain your players want
the least forgiving experience; major, repeated
setbacks can cause players to lose investment in
the campaign and eventually grind it to a halt.
Option: Disfigurement Option: Story Impact

If your players don't want to experience real
There is a whole spectrum of possibilities that runs
character death but still want there be stakes to
between the earlier methods for groups who want
death, consider using this system. When a character
some kind of setback but not something so severe as
would be killed, they instead gain a permanent
returning to Level 0. Consider giving the death
disfigurement. Here are a few examples:
some story consequences, instead. Here are some
 A frightful scar that confers a permanent examples:
penalty on Speech checks
 The player's new character must be a sibling
 A lingering injury that limits the character's
or other relative of their dead character.
energy, reducing their maximum recovery
 The party must go on an adventure to
dice
return their companion to life. The player
 A missing eye that confers a permanent
can use a temporary character in the
penalty upon ranged weapon attacks and
meantime.
Perception checks based on sight
 The dead character is restored by one of the
 A missing hand that limits their ability to
Overlords and becomes an enemy to the
use weapons and confers a permanent
party.
penalty on Athletics checks
 A missing foot that reduces their speed and
confers a permanent penalty on Acrobatics
checks
- 175 -
Dungeons
- 176 -
It is a long climb from the depths of rustic indignity
to the summit of power and authority. To reach
Dungeons in the World
these lofty heights, adventurers must trespass upon The folk of the realm may be poor, but the realm
places where they are not welcome: crumbling itself is rich with opportunity. There should be
fortresses, towering keeps, and tunnels that wind numerous dungeons scattered throughout your
their way deep into the earth. setting, and the party should always be able to find
another if they go out looking for long enough.
Adventuring is the stair by which the players will
make their ascent to power, and each step of that In game terms, a dungeon is just a point of interest
stair is a dungeon. These places of peril are where on the map that contains one or more planned
adventurers face the most danger, but it is also encounters for the adventurers to come across.
where they obtain the most of their equipment, Some may consist of just a handful of rooms, like an
wealth, and experience. abandoned farmhouse with an attic, a cellar, and a
nearby barn. Others may be intricate places with a
The oldest dungeons are natural environments: cave many unique spaces and challenges, such as a
systems, cliffs, and islands that dangerous, primeval crumbling castle with an overgrown fairground, and
creatures have long called their home. Others are at its heart, an imposing keep where the local
structures built long ago by a forgotten people, while Overlord resides.
still more may be modern sites that have but recently
fallen to ruin. All these places guard the secrets and
wealth of a bygone era, essential resources that the
party will need in their effort to rise up against the
Overlords.
- 177 -
It is better to think of encounters as incident that
Encounters textures a dungeon rather than singular events that
fill it space-by-space. Some encounters might not be
An encounter is any situation or event that blocks
confined to a single room: for example, there may be
the party's forward advancement and exploration of
a wandering group of monsters that patrols a
a dungeon. It can take the form of combat with a
specific area that has a chance to appear each time
group of enemies, a character to trade words or
the party visits that part of the dungeon. There could
information with, a puzzle or trap that that requires
be an encounter that involves a conflict between two
an amount of consideration, or an environmental
creatures on opposite ends of the dungeon, but the
hazard that tests their planning and skills. A good
party only ends up conversing with one of them.
way to think about encounters is that they force the
players into making meaningful decisions.
Encounter Placement
A dungeon contains a certain number of possible An dungeon with seven encounters doesn't have to
encounters, and that number is its dungeon size. be seven evenly spaced rooms, each with a different
This does not mean that the party will always have event going on inside it. It could have ten, fifteen, or
that many encounters when they explore the even twenty discreet areas. There could be an
dungeon- they may explore it incompletely or find a encounter waiting in some of those areas, while
way to circumvent some of its challenges. This is others could just contain bit of treasure or set-
perfectly fine; your players are free to explore any dressing.
dungeon as lightly or deeply as they want.
- 178 -
Designing Dungeons Dungeon Size
The first decision you must make when designing a
You can use the tables on the next few pages to
dungeon is determining its size: this is how many
design a random dungeon. The best dungeons are
possible encounters it contains. An encounter is any
tailored to the circumstances and interests of your
involved activity that can occupy the party's time
players, but it is always handy to have a few tables on
and attention: it can be a group of enemies to battle,
hand for when you need to come up with something
a puzzle to solve, a trap to circumvent, an NPC to
fast.
help or negotiate with, or any other activity designed
to challenge the players or test their decision-
Dungeon Hooks making. Encounters are described in detail later in
It is fine for the party to just come across a point of the chapter.
interest during their travels that warrants future
exploration; the promise of treasure to be plundered Dungeon Level
should compel them enough on its own. In games
When you design a dungeon, you must assign it a
where the stakes are life and death, however, players
dungeon level from 1 to 9. Dungeon level
tend to be risk-averse, and as such, it might be useful
corresponds to the average party level needed for the
to employ a dungeon hook.
dungeon to be an appropriate challenge: thus, a 4th-
A dungeon hook is a situation beyond the dungeon level party would be well-suited to take on a 4th-
that gives the party a reason for investigating it. level dungeon. Combat encounters should stay
Sometimes, this can help convince the party to within one level of the dungeon level, so in that
explore a dungeon when they need convincing, but dungeon, most of the encounters would range from
it can also just linger as an item to address on their 3 to 5. It is fine if the party stumbles upon a dungeon
agenda. The table below offers a handful of hooks to that out-levels them; in fact, it is important that such
help get the party to the dungeon. a situation is possible.
RANDOM DUNGEON HOOKS

2D4 1 2 3 4
Kidnapping: A friendly non- Accidental Entry: By means Anomaly: A strange magical
Dreams: A member of the
player character has been of a trap, a pitfall, or other phenomenon is happening
party is having strange dreams
1 kidnapped and taken to the random accident, the in the surrounding
every time they rest, which are
dungeon, and there may be adventurers have become communities, and its source
directing them to the dungeon.
rewards for their rescue. trapped in the dungeon. lies within the dungeon.
Strange Lights: The dungeon The Exiles: The adventurers Rumors: The party have The Gathering: Bands of
is said to be empty and long encounter a group of friendly encountered a few different criminals or monsters are
2 abandoned, but strange lights creatures that have been folks who have whispered appearing in the area, drawn
coming from the place can be banished from the dungeon intriguing tales about the by a source within the
seen after dark. and hope to reclaim it. dungeon in the area. dungeon.
Foul Weather: A fierce storm Distress Signal: Someone

Curse: A curse emanating Magic Compass: A magical
or other terrible and deadly within the dungeon needs
from the dungeon has befallen object seems to point in the
weather will force the help, and has reached out to
3 the surrounding lands, and the direction of the dungeon
adventurers to pause their the party somehow, by magic,
locals will pay any price to have and will lead the party there
travels, and the dungeon is the an arrow with a message, or
it lifted. for some inscrutable
only sanctuary. some other means.
Beast: Commoners in the Thieves: A group of bandits or

Hired Hands: A colorful
surrounding lands have been monsters has stolen something Artifact: Local legends tell
character wants to explore the
4 terrorized by a monster of value from the party or a of a specific magical artifact
dungeon, and will reward the
rumored to make its home in friend to the party, and have located on the inside.
adventurers for their service.
the dungeon. taken it to the dungeon.
- 179 -
World Scaling Dungeons Forms
Roughly, dungeons should be grander and more The unifying factor of all dungeons is that they
perilous the further they are from the party's starting contain incident in the form of encounters, but a
point. The following table offers sample rolls you dungeon can any number of different forms. It can
can make to determine a random dungeon size and be an bandit hideout, a complex of aqueducts built
level based on its distance in travel hexes from the by a long-dead empire, a tangle of snaking paths
starting point: through treacherous swampland, a decaying manse
once ruled by a wicked noble, or still-burning
RANDOM DUNGEONS settlement beset by a monstrous horde.
DISTANCE SIZE DUNGEON
If you don't have a specific dungeon in mind, you
(HEXES) (ENCOUNTERS) LEVEL
can use the tables on this and the next page to come
0-3 1d4+1 1d6-2
up with a random one. A random dungeon has a base
4-6 1d6+1 1d6-1
form that is modified by one or more dungeon
7-9 1d6+2 1d6 traits. Most dungeons have two traits, while larger
10 -12 1d8+2 1d6+1 dungeons (10+ encounters) have a third trait.
13 - 15 1d8+3 1d6+2
16 - 18 1d10+3 1d6+3
17 - 20 1d10+4 1d6+4
21 + 1d12+4 1d6+5
RANDOM DUNGEON FORMS

D6, D4 1 2 3 4
Pit: This dungeon is a pit that Settlement: This dungeon is a Laboratory: This dungeon
Mine: This dungeon is a long-
descends deep into the ground, ruined town or city, consisting was the workshop of an
1 abandoned mine, once full of
but there are various ledges of rubble-strewn streets and ambitious and possibly
precious metals.
where creatures have nested. collapsed buildings. deranged spellcaster.
Establishment: This dungeon Tower: This dungeon is a

Cliff Dwelling: This dungeon is Tomb: This dungeon serves as
was a large inn, tavern, theater, ruined tower that conceals a
2 a series of caves and chambers the resting place for an ancient
or other building meant to house great number of magical
built into a cliffside. figure of great power.
and entertain many folks. secrets.
Cave: This dungeon is a

Wreck: This dungeon is the Prison: This dungeon was used Archive: This dungeon was
sprawling network of natural
3 wreck of an enormous ship or to house criminals, demons, or built to house knowledge from
caverns filled with wild
other vessel. other beings of disrepute. an ancient time.
creatures.
Warrens: This dungeon is a Hideout: This dungeon is the Mansion: This dungeon is an
School: This dungeon was
network of snaking burrows dug headquarters of a criminal overgrown manse where an
4 once a place of learning and
by large beasts who likely still group, secret society, cult, or eccentric noble family once
research for academics.
call it home. other organization. made their home.
Graveyard: This dungeon is a Infrastructure: This dungeon Castle: This dungeon is an Manufactory: This dungeon
sprawling cemetery consisting of was an ancient aqueduct, tunnel, abandoned stronghold that was was built to facilitate smithing
5
courtyards, winding paths, and or sewer meant to facilitate the once the seat of power in this or some other specific type of
separate mausoleums. needs of a long-gone city. region. complex work.
Menagerie: Numerous exotic Vault: This dungeon is a

Temple: This dungeon was Gallery: This dungeon was once
creatures were brought to this manufactured vault designed
6 cathedral or other grand and a museum filled with impressive
dungeon, and now they have the to seal in something very
sacred place of worship. art or other great treasures.
run of the place. valuable or very dangerous.
- 180 -
RANDOM DUNGEON TRAITS
D10, D4 1 2 3 4
Corrupting: This dungeon Unstable Architecture:

Cursed: This dungeon inflicts a Contested: This dungeon
contains an evil magical source Trespassing upon this dungeon
1 terrible curse on those who contains two or more factions
that is corrupting the land may cause a section to collapse,
trespass upon it. competing for control.
around it. changing the geography.
Death Trap: This dungeon Looted: This dungeon has

Imprisoned Evil: This dungeon Cohabitation: This dungeon has
contains a high number of already been looted for most
contains a long-imprisoned new residents who have learned
2 deadly traps, guarding of its valuables, though some
entity, and those trespassing may to coexist with its original
commensurately valuable of the more well-hidden
risk unleashing it. guardians.
treasure. treasure may remain.
Haunted: This dungeon is Fungal: A dangerous fungus has Porous: This dungeon has Winding: This dungeon
inhabited by the spirits of its overtaken much of this dungeon numerous entrances and exits, circles back on itself in
3
former residents, who may offer and infested a number of its some more treacherous than illogical and confounding
guidance or seek aid. guardians. others. ways.
Sinking: This dungeon is Self-Destructing: This dungeon

Fun House: This dungeon was Vanishing: This dungeon is
partially flooded by seeping is rigged to collapse and destroy
built for the morbid amusement only accessible some of the
4 groundwater, which has invited itself if its treasures are violated,
of some sadistic villain of the time or under certain
aquatic fauna to take up though trespassers may have a
past. circumstances.
residence. brief moment to escape.
Primordial: This dungeon is so Connected: This dungeon Proving Ground: This

Riddling: This dungeon has an
ancient, its architecture is connects incidentally to another dungeon was built as an
5 elaborate puzzle that leads to a
completely unrecognizable and dungeon built in a different time obstacle course to test a certain
great treasure at its heart.
alien. for a different purpose. type of candidate.
Illogical: This dungeon is Diverse Design: This dungeon Converted: This dungeon has Isolated: This dungeon is in a
magical and has impossible consists of both a natural been turned into a settlement by hard-to-reach place, and just
6
geometry and spaces that don't environment and a designed a group of commoners or reaching its entrance is much
make sense. architectural space. peaceful monsters. of the challenge.
Underworld: This dungeon Hallucinogenic: Due to Façade: The first few rooms of Wild: Nature has begun
connects to a large cavern, chemicals in the air, this this dungeon are an elaborate reclaiming this dungeon, and
7
settlement, or body of water dungeon gradually makes ruse that conceal the true animals and woodland spirits
deep beneath the earth. trespassers disoriented. dungeon below. have moved in.
Inhospitable: This dungeon is Rival Party: This dungeon is Worshipped: People of the
Lair: This dungeon is known by
difficult to be inside due to being explored by another party surrounding lands worship
8 folks in the surrounding lands as
sweltering heat, lack of air, a foul that may be unfriendly to others this dungeon or a creature that
the home of a terrible beast.
stench, or something else. honing in on their find. resides within it.
Moving: Whether by magic or Modern Ruin: This dungeon Prized: This dungeon has been Legendary: Referenced in
the intervention of a giant was just recently ransacked, and discovered by other groups, legends and stories, this
9
creature, this dungeon somehow those responsible for its ruin several of which are competing dungeon was thought to be a
changes location. may still be present. for its many treasures. mythical place.
Dimensional: The threshold of Forbidden: The peoples in the Immaculate: This dungeon is Bountiful: This dungeon
this dungeon is a magical portal surrounding lands know of this well-hidden and has eluded contains far more treasure
10
that leads to another plane of dungeon and forbid others to robbers and trespassers until than a normal dungeon of its
existence. visit it. now. size.
- 181 -
the spiral staircase, or a falling slime that envelops a
The First Day peasant's head and dissolves it. These can be some of
the most fun moments of the First Day if you set
You will have cause to design many dungeons
them up right. Consider making the players cut their
throughout the course of a campaign, but the first
peasant sheets into four smaller character sheets:
will always be the most important. The First Day is
that way, when a peasant dies, they can rip the sheet
the opening event of the game and the first dungeon
in half dramatically or hurl it into a nearby fireplace.
of the campaign: the players have taken on the roles
of a mob of peasants who find themselves at the
entrance to a dungeon (or deep within one, needing No Instant Death
to escape). By the end of the session, most of these Traps and monsters should hit very hard, but you
poor souls will be dead. Each player will choose one should always be rolling dice- don't plan anything
of the survivors to be their adventurer, and the party that results in instant, unavoidable death. Make sure
will be forged. the victim always has at least a small chance of
survival- a peasant who limps away with a single hit
This First Day serves a few purposes. First, the point is all the more memorable when they go on to
experience creates an origin story for the party and become an adventurer.
bond between the players and their characters.
Second, it acclimates the players to the high lethality
of the game. Third, a theme of Trespasser is rolling
Player Strategy
with the punches and making the best with what Not all peasants are created equal, and players will be
you've got, and starting with random characters thinking from the start about which of their flock
forces players to engage with that theme right from they hope will survive. The peasants with the worst
the start. As such, you should make the First Day a attributes will be the designated door-checkers and
dungeon to remember. chest-openers. Try to honor these attempts at
strategy- don't make the spear trap shoot past the
turnip farmer who tripped it for no reason and kill
Timetable
the noble count in the back row.
Ideally, the First Day should be finished in one
session, but it's not a disaster if it takes two. The
peasants don't have to explore every inch of the
Rewards
dungeon- it ends whenever you reach a natural end Pieces of basic equipment make excellent rewards
point, most of the dangers have been eluded or during the First Day. A greatsword can increase the
neutralized, and there are a handful of peasants group's damage output immensely, provided there's
remaining. a peasant strong enough to wield it. Pieces of armor
and the armor dice they provide can give a peasant
just enough durability to survive an attack, making
Preparing the First Day
them a great insurance policy for a player's best
It is very important to prepare your First Day before candidate. When the party is formed and the players
the first session of the campaign. More than other have chosen their adventurers, these items will be
dungeons, it needs to be balanced in order to pose useful mementoes as they venture out to explore on
the right level of danger. About two-thirds to three- their own.
quarters of the peasants should die. If you don't feel
like you can be that precise, killing fewer peasants is
preferable to killing all of them.
The Laughing Hound
The rest of the chapter contains The Laughing
Part of your work as Judge is to make sure is to make Hound, a sample First Day dungeon. It contains
these deaths as memorable as you can. Some can about ten encounters, but all of them are very short.
happen in combat, but be sure to include plenty of Ideally, the party should be able to finish it in a single
traps and environment hazards as well: a fall into a session.
bed of carnivorous flowers, a tripwire at the top of
- 182 -
The Laughing Hound
A First Day Adventure for 4-5 Players
Introduction
Most campaigns begin with an event called the First
Day, where intrepid peasants trespass upon a
perilous place to claim its forgotten treasures. The
sample adventure described here is appropriate for a
mob of 16 to 20 peasants (4-5 players).
If you want to skip the First Day and run this

adventure with the party of prebuilt characters, you
can do that, too. Just add a few extra enemies at any
place where they appear. Undead are appropriate
here.
Summary
In this First Day adventure, the peasants will explore
a haunted inn called the Laughing Hound, learn the
secrets of the necromancer who owned it, and
venture to the source of evil that lies beneath: the
tomb of an ancient beast king, Senerath.
History
In the beginning, Isidora was thorough in tying off
loose ends. Despite the occasional rumor about a
traveler disappearing, the establishment thrived, but
Fifty years ago, an ambitious necromancer and her
over time her interest grew into obsession. As
apprentice - Isidora and Ellis - were drawn to the
proximity to the evil began to taint her mind, the
village of Hogsfoot by a mysterious trace of dark
abductions became more frequent and reckless.
magic. To provide cover for her extended inquiry
Travelers and villagers alike gave the inn a wide
into this evil presence, she built an inn called the
berth, and the Laughing Hound’s fortunes faded.
Laughing Hound on the edge of town.
Then, twenty years ago, a great storm blew through
Though the source of evil managed to elude her for
the realm, causing a rockslide on the ridge behind
decades, the inn was successful during this time.
the inn and revealing the entrance to an ancient
Whenever Isidora required corpses for her magic,
tomb, the source of power that had so long eluded
she would have her apprentice steal from the nearby
the necromancer’s grasp.
town’s graveyard, or failing that, abduct one of the
travelers from her very inn. To do this discreetly, she
built an underground passage leading from one of
the rooms to her laboratory in the basement.
- 183 -
- 184 -
At the center of a large burial chamber was a statue Vile magic burst forth from the scepter, sending the
of the elk-headed tyrant of the beast men, King necromancer tumbling down the stairs. She broke
Senerath, holding a magical scepter, the source of her neck at the bottom. Her apprentice fled the
the magical emanations. Isidora ascended the many scene, sealing the tomb behind him and running for
steps to the statue and seized the artifact, ignoring the hills. The scepter still lies within the tomb, but
the etched warnings that whosoever steals the since it was never returned to the beast king’s hand,
scepter shall be "ruler of an accursed land." it spreads Senerath’s curse over the land to this day.
- 185 -
The Curse
The stench of evil has only grown in the years since
Rumors
the necromancer’s death, corrupting every tree, Each peasant group has one among them who has
flower and insect in the surrounding forest. The heard a rumor about the town of Hogsfoot or the
food and drink that remain in the inn are tainted and Laughing Hound (roll 1d4 to decide which peasant).
nightmare-inducing. Isidora’s undead servants still
wander the grounds, and her familiar, the black
hound that once served as the inn’s mascot, has D 10 R U M OR S
transformed into a giant, green-eyed monstrosity.
"Marauders razed Hogsfoot a few years ago,
Even the marauders who destroyed Hogsfoot a few 1 but they stayed clear of the old inn on the
years ago knew to steer clear of the Laughing edge of town, sparing it the torch."
Hound. The building still stands on the edge of "Some say 'twas a mad wizard's curse that put
2
town, undisturbed apart from the quiet reclamation the town to ruin."
of nature. Food has become scarce, however, and "Mother said the river went bad first, and
the peasants are desperate- any place in such good 3
that drove people away."
condition must be thoroughly searched.
"They say a black wolf stalks these parts, the
4
size of a lion with eyes of green fire!"
Adventure Route "The old innkeeper was a strange old
The peasants will start in front of the inn and have 5 woman- she always seemed distracted, as if
several ways forward. To fully finish the adventure listening for a distant sound."
and dispel the curse over the town, they will have to
"Along with the old innkeeper, a boy lived
venture into the Tomb of Senerath (21) and decide 6 there too- a shifty little creature with a pale
what to do with the magic scepter. To unseal the and sullen look."
tomb, they will need the tomb wardstone, which
"They say several folks disappeared at the
can be found in the necromancer's Laboratory (18)
7 Laughing Hound, until the innkeeper herself
in the basement of the inn. finally went missing."
"All who stayed at that accursed inn were

Lighting plagued by dark and fearful dreams, of
8
By default, this adventure takes place during the day. grinning skulls and elks bounding through
the dark."
The above-ground floors of the inn have light
filtering in through the windows. The tomb "I recall that decades back, Hogsfoot had
9
(20/21), the Stable (11), and the in the basement quite a problem with grave-robbers."
(17/18) are dark, but a few light sources are scattered
"The one good thing about that inn was the
about at early points in the dungeon. The 10 hound himself, a joyful and good-natured
descriptions for these rooms are marked with the beast."
word Dark as a reminder.
- 186 -
1. Gate
Opening The road leads up to the gate of the inn and past it,
In a new campaign, peasants usually start without continuing west out of the village and back into the
food, water, or shelter. You can read some or all of woodlands. Above the gate is a sign painted with the
the following prompt if you want. After you do, black silhouette of a hound. The gate has been
describe the rumors and give the players a bit of time nudged open.
to discuss them.
When the peasants first approach, they may see a
A week ago, your village was destroyed by man with a hood and crooked teeth stalking the
marauders. Those among you now were the only grounds of the inn. He is Taragel Crooktooth, a
survivors. With your homes razed, crops burned, traveling looter. He’s taken a few treasures from
and food-stocks stolen, there was no choice but to around the yard of the inn: 1d10 x 10 copper pieces, a
leave. Your group grows hungry and thirsty, and statuette of the Grand Geist made of white quartz,
you have seen nary a soul during your travels. and other assorted baubles. He'll attempt to avoid
It is a warm day in autumn, and it has been interaction, but if cornered he will cooperate and
drizzling slightly since morning. You are share what he knows about the inn (which is very
traveling through sparse and sickly woodlands. A little).
mile back, a wooden sign warned of your approach
to a town called Hogsfoot, yet as you follow the
overgrown road, all you can see ahead are moss- Taragel Crooktooth lvl 1
covered foundations and piles of rubble where
houses once stood. Hogsfoot, it seems, was HP 17 SPD 25 ft. INIT 14
destroyed some time ago. AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) HATCHET +4 – ATTACK/MELEE/RANGED
Target: 1 creature (15 ft. if ranged)
Hit: Deal 1d6+2 damage.
Arriving at the Inn Solid: Confer vulnerable 2.
(7) EXTRA ATTACK – MINOR ACTION

Once the peasants have discussed the rumors a bit, Make a basic attack.
continue reading:
(9) POISONED EDGE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE/POISON
Target: 1 creature
You cross a stone bridge bent wearily over a dark
Hit: Deal 2d6+2 damage. Confer poisoned 4.
river, near to what was once the center of town. Solid: Confer poisoned 6 instead.
Not even a bird is chirping- the only signs of life
STR +1 AGI +2 VIG +0
are the lazy, fat flies that circle your group,
occasionally landing on a shoulder or scalp. The KNW +0 CNG +2 RES -1
land seems sick.
Equipment:
 Hatchet (d6, melee/ranged 15 ft., conf. vulnerable 2).
As you reach the far edge of the village, you see  Leather Armor (L, +1 AC, d6 AD)
one building that still stands. It is a grand inn and  Bracers (M, +1 AC, d8 AD)
looks like it could lodge a hundred or more
travelers. Though vines crawl up its sides, the
building stands proudly, partially encircled by a
crumbling stone wall, with its back to a steep,
wooded ridge.
- 187 -
2. Courtyard Animated Plume lvl 1
The courtyard is thorny and unkempt. The front HP 8 SPD 25 ft. INIT 13
door of the inn is covered with badly-rotten boards 14 3 Sm
AC RCT SIZE
that can be pried away easily, leading to the Foyer
(3). A path continues around the western side of the (B) GO FOR THE EYES +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
building to the Back Yard (9). Hit: Deal 1d6+2 damage. Confer blinded 2.
Solid: Add 1d6 damage.
Old, dingy flagstones encircle a dilapidated well at
the center of the courtyard. Though nothing appears STR -3 AGI +2 VIG -1
out of the ordinary, it is sentient and malicious due KNW +0 CNG +1 RES +0
to Senerath's curse and will attempt to pull in the
first to look down into it (RES vs. 13 or plummet into
darkness. An adjacent peasant can attempt STR vs. 13 The eastern end of the room has a large chest filled
to hold on to them). As a peasant plummets, they with the shoes of guests who never left the inn.
will see visions of wild dancers in front of a fire and There is one pair of boots (L, +0 AC, 1d6 AD) in
hear the commingled laughter of a man and snarling good condition.
of a beast before hitting the ground and suffering
3d10 damage.
4. Dining Room
If a peasant is killed by this, the well will be satiated
This is the downstairs section of the tavern. Broken
and safe for further examination. The bottom is an bottles line the walls and the crooked chairs and
ankle-deep soup of rotting viscera swarming with
tables. To the north is a set of stairs up that lead to
flies. Rooting around in the nastiness will yield a the Broken Room (13), as well as an open doorway
shortsword (L/d6/melee/confer unguarded 2). that leads into the Kitchen (5). To the east is a
If the players raise the bucket using the old winch, hallway with five guest rooms on either side that
they will find it is filled with the nastiness from the leads to the Reading Room (7). Two of the wall
bottom. Pinned to the underside of the bucket is a sconces have unused torches, but there is little else
hidden key to the Noble Suite, Downstairs (8). of interest here.
3. Foyer 5. Kitchen
The foyer is a covered in a thick layer of dust. There This kitchen is coated in a thick layer of dust but still
is a lantern on the desk with 2 units of fuel. Behind buzzing with flies. There are plenty of crude
the desk is an old ledger with crossed out names- as weapons (L/1d4/melee/knock prone) here, such as
the ledger goes on, more and more names are crossed knives and rolling pins, but they aren't any better
out. A peasant with Letters can read the marginalia, than what the peasants brought with them. To the
learning the fates of a few of the abducted guests: north is an unlocked door to the Stockroom (6). On
"skeleton," "zombie," "bottled in the cellar," "used the floor is a large trapdoor that leads down to the
for parts," "skeleton," etc. Wine Cellar (17). The rusty padlock is easy enough
to break, though it is loud to do so.
The desk also has a writing plume made from the
feather of some exotic green bird. This is a long-
dormant animated object that will come awake
when disturbed by the peasants. The peasant who
claims it will learn later that it is still faithful to the
Necromancer- it will float out of their pack and start
stabbing their eyes when the next combat arises.
- 188 -
On the eastern wall of the kitchen is a doorway to a
walk-in pantry full of long-desiccated breads and
Spare Zombie lvl 0
cheeses. The north wall of the pantry conceals a
secret lift that goes down to the Necromancer’s HP 10 SPD 15 ft. INIT 8
Laboratory (18). The lift can fit four peasants at a AC 8 RCT 1 SIZE Md
time. If activated, it will fall suddenly down into the
I: NECROTIC | R: COLD, POISON | V: FIRE
lab, dealing 1d6 damage to all occupants and
becoming broken. A peasant with the Tinkering skill (B) SCRATCH +3 – MELEE/ATTACK
may be able to repair it. Target: 1 creature
6. Stockroom (6) STUMBLING CHARGE – MOVE ACTION
This sizable stockroom contains half a dozen barrels The corpse moves up to 25 ft. in a straight line. Its next
attack is accurate.
of miraculously preserved meat, grain, and water,
though about a third of the meat is human flesh (a (8) DEADLY BITE +3 – MELEE/ATTACK
peasant with Nature can identify this). Each barrel Target: 1 creature
is stamped with a dimly glowing rune of Hit: Deal 2d6+1 damage.
preservation left by the necromancer, which has
allowed it to stay good despite the passage of time STR +1 AGI -2 VIG +0
and the curse over the land. When a barrel is opened, KNW -4 CNG -4 RES +0
the rune on it fades away. In total, the barrels contain
6 units of food and 6 units of water. There is also a
50 ft. coil of rope.
There are three more barrels off to the side, each

containing a spare zombie. The longer the peasants
linger and the more sound they make, the greater
Dead Letters
chance the three spare zombies will awaken, break
To cast this spell, you must place a paper scroll
out of their barrels, and attack.
within the mouth of a nearby corpse. As you make
The stockroom also has a splintered sliding door on whispered inquiries, the scroll will unwind itself
its eastern wall that opens to the Back Yard (9). from the mouth with answers written upon it in the
penmanship and preferred language of the
7. Reading Room deceased. An illiterate corpse cannot articulate
complex replies, but may still be able to give
A storm has broken the windows in this room, numbers or signal yes or no. Allegiance as well as
allowing nature to have its way in here. There’s a grudges may persist beyond the grave, and the
small bookshelf in the corner, but all of the books are subject may regard you cautiously or require coaxing
completely rotten or waterlogged. Searching the to share its most intimate knowledge.
room will yield an old box of magical scrolls. One
scroll is intact: Dead Letters, a spell that allows At zero potency, you are limited to three questions;
communication with the dead. It can be cast once with one, seven questions; with two, thirteen
using this scroll. questions. With 3 potency, you may converse with
the deceased for as long as required, or until the
To the south is a hallway with three rooms on either scroll is filled out completely.
side and the Noble Suite, Downstairs (8) at the end.
- 189 -
8. Noble Suite, Downstairs Skeletal Guard lvl 1
This room was used as a personal study by the HP 18 SPD 25 ft. INIT 12
necromancer. The door is locked and smells faintly 14 2 Md
AC RCT SIZE
of formaldehyde. Though it can be picked or forced,
I: NECROTIC | R: COLD, POISON
doing so triggers a necromantic trap that spews
corpse dust on the peasant attempting ingress (1d6 (B) LONGSWORD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
poison damage and the peasant is blinded for a full Target: 1 creature (30 ft.)
week. VIG vs. 12 negates the blinding. Solid: Gain guarded 2.
Within the room is a bookcase with a locked and (7) SHIELD BASH +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
trapped journal bound in strange copper wire- it
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. Push 10 ft.
electrocutes the reader if pried open, dealing 3d6 Knock prone.
lightning damage, though wearing any gloves will Solid: Add 1d8 damage.
negate this effect. This is an older journal, and it (10) REASSEMBLE – MINOR ACTION
only discusses Isidora's arrival in Hogsfoot and her Make a recovery 3d6.
search for the source of the strange magic that drew +2 +1 +1
STR AGI VIG
her to this land (remember that only peasants with
the Letters skill are able to read). KNW -2 CNG -2 RES -2
Equipment:
There is also a desk with writing materials on it and
 Longsword (Str Req 12/d8/Melee/ unguarded 2)
a small couch. A loathsome statuette was being used  Round Shield (Str Req 11/+1 AC/d8 AD)
as a candlestick and is melted over with wax.  An old key to the Laboratory (18), hanging from one of
his broken ribs.
Uncovering its face reveals that it has gemstone eyes
worth 100 cp. There is another 3d6 cp in the couch
cushions. The small staircase inside this room has
collapsed, but the peasants may be able to devise a Old Harpy lvl 1
way up to the Noble Suite, Upstairs (16). HP 14 SPD 35 ft. INIT 13
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md
9. Back Yard
(B) TALON +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
There are a number ways out to the back yard, which Target: 1 creature
is dominated to the Stable (11) and the Outhouse Hit: Deal 1d6+2 damage. Confer blinded 2.
(10). There is a path that goes to the back door of the
Reading Room (7). There is a well-worn but tireless (7) FLY BY +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
skeletal guard wandering these paths. On Use: Jump 25 ft.
Target: 1 creature passed through
There are also a pair of old harpies that roost in the Hit: Deal 2d6+2 damage. Knock prone.
Solid: Confer blinded 4 instead.
trees north of the inn. Making too much noise in the
back yard or any of its adjoining areas may cause (10) PIERCING SCREECH +5 – ATTACK/ABILITY/MENTAL
them to come investigate. They will venture onto the Target: 10 ft. burst; enemies only
Hit: Deal 1d4 damage. Confer delayed 3.
grounds, but they are frightened of the inn itself and
will not follow the peasants if they flee back inside.
STR +0 AGI +2 VIG -1
KNW -3 CNG +1 RES +2
- 190 -
10. Outhouse 12. Workshop
The outhouse is rotting apart, but is covered with Daylight shines through the wooden planks that
enough leaves and debris that it is impossible to tell form the walls of makeshift room. It contains a
from the outside. The peasant to open the door will multitude of peasant-quality weapons, as well as
cause it the whole structure to collapse. The door shovels and picks. There is a hatchet (L/d6/ melee,
opener can make an AGI vs. 12 to avoid being crushed ranged 20 ft./confer vulnerable 2) and a pair of
by the falling structure (2d12 damage). Once the leather gloves (L/+0 AC/d6). There is also a set of
outhouse is collapsed, it poses no further danger. An fine but delicate lock-picks, which will confer a
old staff (L/1d8/melee, conjury 30 ft., 2- one-time +5 bonus on an attempt to pick a lock.
handed/knock prone) can be retrieved from the There is little else of interest here.
wreckage.
13. The Broken Room
11. Stable A decaying stairway leads up to a room that is mostly
Dark. The stable contains ten stalls, but most have collapsed. Rainwater is forming puddles here and
been long abandoned. There is one occupant, sickly vines are growing over the walls. Peasants can
however: the necromancer’s faithful steed, now look north out of the gaping hole in the wall to see
corrupted and feral: the back yard and the forests to the north- they
might just observe a pair of harpies wheeling above
Nightmare Mule lvl 0 the trees, though the harpies will not enter this
building. There are tufts of black fur all over here-
HP 25 SPD 25 ft. INIT 12
this hole is the way the Hound enters and leaves the
AC 12 RCT 2 SIZE Lg building.
(B) TWIN HOOVES +4 – ATTACK/MELEE A wide-open doorway to the south leads to the
Target: 2 creatures
mostly-intact Tavern (14). When it is passed
Solid: Confer staggered 2. through, care must be taken not to bump the walls or
a section of roof will collapse on a random peasant-
(8) TRAMPLE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE AGI vs. 14 or 1d4+1 damage.
On Use: Jump up to 25 ft.
Target: one creature jumped through
Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. Knock prone. 14. The Tavern
Solid: Confer staggered 2.
This room looks like a different version of the
STR +2 AGI +0 VIG +0 dining room below, full of tables and chairs at odd
angles. A bar with many colored bottles gathers dust
KNW -4 CNG -2 RES +0
in the corner. They contain liquor that has become
highly hallucinogenic due to its proximity to the
The stable also has ladder on its side that can be curse, and a peasant who drinks from them will be
placed upright to reach a hayloft. A peasant disoriented every round until they finish a rest.
searching the rotten hay risks falling through a well- There is a hallway leading east to the double doors of
hidden gap to the floor below- the peasant can check the Game Room (15), lair of the Laughing Hound.
AGI vs. 13 to avoid 3d6 falling damage. A good search If the Hound is at home, peasants will be able to hear
will reveal a lockbox hidden in the hay, which can be wolfish sniffing sounds and the scratching of claws
opened to find 100 cp, the Deed to the Laughing on wooden floorboards from the other side of the
Hound, and a Dagger of Venom (L/1d4/melee, door.
ranged 20 ft./confer poisoned 3).
A small, crooked door at the back of the stable leads

to the Workshop (12).
- 191 -
Peasants may also notice three mounted heads in
15. The Game Room this room: a bear, an elk, and a rather enormous
This is the lair of the Laughing Hound, who has rabbit. Hanging on a string from the fangs of the
been transformed by the Senerath’s curse. Once it bear is a necklace with the apprentice's key to the
was a playful and small black lab, now it is the size of Laboratory (18). The elk head is haunted and will
a mountain lion, covered in mange, missing patches bite at the hand of the first peasant who reaches for
of fur, and frothing at the mouth. Its eyes are it (+6 vs. AC, 1d6+3 damage and the peasant loses a
crackling green fire. It generally sleeps by day but hand permanently).
will awaken when its lair is approached or if the
peasants make any very loud noises elsewhere on the
property. The Hound is a cunning predator and may
16. Noble Suite, Upstairs
try to trick the peasants, depending on their The necromancer’s bedroom upstairs is well-
approach to the situation. preserved and well-appointed, with a large magic
circle drawn on the floor in the center of the room.
There are weapons and a shield mounted on the On a table nearby are some notes that detail a
walls of the game room- these may be helpful in demon-summoning ritual; after discovering the
taking down the beast if the peasants confront it in tomb, the necromancer called upon the burrowing
its lair. There are also two lanterns, each with 1 unit servants of Ghiastorr the Lord of Legs to help her
of fuel inside. search for the tomb wardstone.
 Shortbow (L/d6/ranged 30 ft./confer bleeding 2). Beside
A coat rack nearby has a black, wide-brimmed hat
it is a quiver with 1 unit of arrows.
 Longsword (M/d8/Melee/confer unguarded 2) (Light/+0 AC/d6 Armor Die) and a robe with
 Heater shield (M/+2 AC/d8 AD) another key the Laboratory (18) in one pocket.
There is a nice bed- underneath is a small wooden
box with 1d4 vials of antidote that will end the
The Laughing Hound lvl 1 poison condition when imbibed, identified by the
HP 30 SPD 35 ft. INIT 16 Nature skill.
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Lg A peasant with Mystery or Letters can discern that

(B) DEADLY BITE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE the magic circle only needs a few more lines to be
Target: 1 creature complete, and there is chalk on one of the tables. If
the peasants complete it, they summon an insectoid
demon. Its attitude won't be immediately hostile- it
(7) EXTRA ATTACK – MINOR ACTION came expecting to broker a deal, after all. It
Make a basic attack. remembers the previous bargain and retrieving the
wardstone for the necromancer from where it was
(10) BREATH OF GREEN FLAMES +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 10 ft. close blast buried deep in the earth
Hit: Deal 1d6 damage. Confer vulnerable 2.
Solid: Confer vulnerable 4 instead.

There are old bones strewn about this room. If

sorted, they make up six skeletons: five humans and
an elf. Even though they died years ago, the sour
smell of death is still thick in this chamber.
- 192 -
C HIR P I NG H E R A L D LVL 1 18. Laboratory
HP 16 SPD 25 ft. INIT 14 Dark. The door to this chamber is inlaid with brass
12 2 Md and scrawled with wicked-looking necromantic
AC RCT SIZE
runes. It can be forced with some difficulty, but
(B) PIERCING CLAW +3 – ATTACK/MELEE doing so activates a necrotic ward that causes the
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 1d6+1 damage. peasant's flesh to melt (2d8+2 damage, Vigor vs. 15
Solid: Confer poisoned 3. for half damage). Any one of the laboratory keys
found in the inn will unlock it and disarm the trap.
Make a basic attack. The necromancer’s laboratory is where she would
(9) SHRIEK +3 – ATTACK/ABILITY
bring stolen corpses and animate them to serve her.
Target: 10 ft. burst; enemies only There is a large operating slab in the center of the
Hit: Confer inaccurate 2. room, upon which is lying the preserved corpse of a
Solid: Confer inaccurate 4 instead.
large man, clad in nothing but an enclosed iron
STR +1 AGI +1 VIG +0 helmet. His hands are folded over a greatsword.
KNW +1 CNG +2 RES +1 Beside the slab is small rolling table covered with
wicked looking tools, as well as the prominent and
odd-looking tomb wardstone necessary to unlock
17. Wine Cellar the Tomb Entrance (20) behind the inn. Venturing
near the slab will obviously cause the knight to
Dark. The wine cellar is dusty, dry and warm. It is awaken and attack.
dark and will need a source of light to explore it
(there is a functioning oil lamp in the pantry). The There is a lift in the corner of the room that carries
bottles of wine are in good condition, but their an enclosed cage from here to the pantry in the
contents has been corrupted by the curse. A peasant Kitchen (5) upstairs. The cage starts on the upper
who samples the wine will experience hallucinatory floor, but it can be summoned from down here with
weirdness- the Court of Beasts and the Throne of a lever. It is broken and will fall with a terrible crash
the Elk King or other such portents of Senerath when the lever is pulled, potentially dealing 2d8
(make it up). damage to peasants that can’t get out of the way
(Agility vs. 13).
A door on the eastern wall is hidden, trapped and
locked. The lock can be forced with an Athletics 15, The western walls are shelved, and those shelves are
but this will cause the trap will trigger, causing a lined with human heads, arms, and legs. A search
spike to shoot rapidly out of a small hole in the will reveal that two of the legs are wearing boots that
ceiling. (+2 vs. AC, 1d8+1 damage). The passage can be put together for a pair (L/+0 AC/d6 AD).
beyond leads to the Laboratory (18) and Room Nine One severed hand is wearing an iron ring. Trying to
(19). take either of these items will cause 2d4 of the limbs
to spring to life and attack. The ring is a lesser ring
of protection; it confers a 1d4 armor die to the
wearer, including to the limb that wears it.
- 193 -
S T IT C H K N IG HT LVL 1 19. Room Nine
HP 20 SPD 15 ft. INIT 10 Compared to the other guest rooms, this one has an
unusual draft and a slightly acrid smell. The reason
AC 11 RCT 2 SIZE Sm is because the necromancer would abduct her
(B) GREATSWORD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE victims from this very room; there is a secret passage
Target: 1 creature that leads straight to the Laboratory (18). The secret
Hit: Deal 1d10+2 damage. staircase can be found just behind the north wall.
Solid: Add 1d6 damage. Confer unguarded 2.
The bed sheets have enormous faded bloodstains,
(7) POMMEL STRIKE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
evidence of a murder. There is also a small flask here
Special: minor action
Target: 1 creature on the nightstand- it contains absinthe. The last
Hit: Deal 1d4+2 damage. Confer delayed 4. guest to stay in this room was a Bitter Legionnaire
Solid: Knock prone.
of Sedeya, a knight errant who drank copious
(9) WILD CLEAVE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE absinthe to share in the prophecies of his oracular
Target: melee burst; enemies only goddess. Like all other beverages in the inn, the
Hit: Deal 1d10+2 damage. Push 5 ft. absinthe is tainted by the curse and will instill
Solid: Knock prone.
horrible, twisted visions in the imbiber- the bed will
STR +2 AGI +0 VIG +2 begin dripping with fresh blood and the moments of
the knight's murder will be reenacted by phantoms.
 Greatsword (Str Req. 14/d10/melee, 2-handed/Add %

damage. Confer unguarded 2)
20. Tomb Entrance
 Great Helm (H/+1 AC/d10 AD). Fused on to the knight, Dark. This is the entrance to King Senerath’s Tomb,
but Tinkering might help remove it. On the forehead is
the icon of a worm wrapped around a third eye.
a large stone door dug into the side of a thickly
wooded ridge. Opening the door requires the tomb
wardstone, which can only be found in the
Laboratory (18). When presented with the
C R A W L I NG L I MB LVL 1 wardstone, the door will slide downward into the
HP 5 SPD 10 ft. INIT 8 ground.
AC 11 RCT 0 SIZE Sm The first room of the tomb is a dusty vestibule that
(B) BASH +2 – ATTACK/MELEE
contains a stone monolith and stairs descending
Target: 1 creature deeper. The walls are covered with relief images of
Hit: Deal 1d4+1 damage. beast-men dancing around fires and torturing
Solid: Confer grappled (12 Str).
humans and other creatures. Carved on the
STR +1 AGI +0 VIG +0 monolith are these words in an ancient but
decipherable language to peasants with Letters:
STAND YE IN THE TOMB OF KING SENERATH.
LONGER HIS REIGN THAN ANY OTHER
AND GREATER BY FAR HIS JEALOUSY.
BEWARE, INTERLOPER, FOR HIS PROMISE YET STANDS,

THAT ANY OTHER TO BRANDISH HIS SCEPTER
SHALL BE LORD OF AN ACCURSED LAND.
If a peasant approaches the monolith carelessly, a

transparent and hard-to-spot ambush slime will fall
from the ceiling and attempt to engulf and dissolve
their head (it gets a free basic attack).
- 194 -
S E NE R AT H ’ S C HA M P IO N LVL 1
A MB US H S L I ME LVL 0
AC 12 RCT 2 SIZE Sm
AC 10 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) BATTLE AXE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
(B) CAUSTIC TENTACLE +3 – ATTACK/ABILITY/POISON Target: 1 creature
Target: 1 creature (20 ft. if ranged) Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage.
Hit: Break 1 armor die. Deal 1d6+1 damage. Solid: Confer vulnerable 2.
Special: Armor dice broken by this attack are degraded-
(6) HEAD BUTT +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
they decrease by one size. Magical armor is unaffected.
Target: 1 creature
(8) ACIDIC BLAST +3 – ATTACK/ABILITY/POISON
Solid: Knock prone.
Target: 1 creature (20 ft.)
Hit: Deal 2d6+1 damage. Confer vulnerable 2.
(9) DECAPITATE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
STR +1 AGI -2 VIG -1
KNW +0 CNG +0 RES +2
21. Tomb of Senerath  Battle Axe (Str Req. 12/d8/melee/Add % damage.

Confer vulnerable 2)
Dark. The tomb is simple and largely empty, though  Chainmail Armor (M/+2 AC/d8 AD)
its walls are engraved with relief images of beast-
headed men, odd-looking castles, bonfires, and
trees. Inspection reveals they were once painted
vividly. Steep stairs lead up to a high altar, upon B E A ST M A N LVL 0
which is a 10 ft. statue of man with the head of an elk HP 10 SPD 25 ft. INIT 12
seated upon a throne. The fingers on one hand are
curled, as if they should be holding his scepter. AC 11 RCT 2 SIZE Sm
At the bottom of the steps is the corpse of the (B) HATCHET +3 – ATTACK/MELEE/RANGED
necromancer, and beside it, on the stone floor, is the Hit: Deal 1d6+2 damage.
faintly glowing Scepter of Senerath (L/d10/melee, Solid: Confer vulnerable 2.
conjury 30 ft./confer weakened 4).
(6) BLINDING SPIT +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
As soon as the scepter is disturbed, Senerath’s Special: minor action
Target: 1 creature
Champion, an enormous ram-headed warrior with
Hit: Confer inaccurate 4.
a wicked axe, will emerge from his relief and charge Solid: Confer blinded 4 instead.
the peasants. On the second round of combat, 1d3
more beast-men will emerge from the walls and
attack. KNW +0 CNG +0 RES +2
 Hatchet (d6/Melee, ranged 20 ft./Confer vulnerable 2)
- 195 -
Returning the Scepter The Diplomatic Route
After this battle, the remaining peasants have to You can also allow the peasants to start a dialogue
decide what to do with the scepter. If they choose to with the elk-headed King Senerath himself, who
return it to its rightful place in the king’s hand, it speaks via a disembodied whisper in the vicinity of
loses its magic, the shadow over the town of his statue. The beast king will be impressed with the
Hogsfoot lifts, and any undead in the area will be put peasant’s victory over his champion, and may offer
back to rest. The town can be rebuilt and the to become a dangerous ally, rewarding them with
Laughing Hound can even be used as a potential sustenance or power in exchange for sacrifices.
stronghold. You can read this: Senerath desires to return to the living world, and
these sacrifices may eventually allow him to do so.
You place the scepter back into the Senerath’s
Depending on how this conversation goes, he may
hand and you feel a weight lifting from your heart.
allow his scepter to remain in their care as part of the
The shadows seem to be receding around the
bargain.
tomb. Indeed, the evil presence you felt all around
the town of Hogsfoot seems to be dwindling
away. The scepter grows dim and finally fades to a
grey color, matching the granite statue that holds
it.
Keeping the Scepter

If the peasants decide to keep the scepter, the town
continues to fester under the curse. It remains a
deeply unsafe place and will prove unsuitable as a
stronghold: stored food and water will be spoiled by
the corruption, and the dead will continue to rise.
Further, the evil will gradually spread anywhere else
they take the scepter, though this occurs gradually
over weeks and may not be obvious. You can read
some or all of this:
You feel the scepter tugging at your side, longing

to be returned to the hand of its owner, but
gradually it falls still as the Laughing Hound gets
further behind you. It still glows faintly, a
powerful treasure if nothing else. It will no doubt
prove useful in the dark days to come.
As you leave Hogsfoot behind, the clouds grow

darker over the town, trees seem to hunch with
resentment, and nasty flies bite at you relentlessly.
You can tell that in his quiet tomb, the ancient
king is displeased with your choice, but he is
powerless to stop you now.
- 196 -
Treasure
- 197 -
Dungeons are littered with treasure, the shining
remnants of the realm's bygone prosperity. Beyond
basic necessities like food, hunting for treasure is
the main motivation for the party to continue
adventuring. They will use their wealth to invest in
their stronghold, grow their influence, and slowly
bring the realm under their control.
Treasure consists of all coinage, as well as precious

objects that have no practical use in adventuring:
Placing Treasure
magic items, equipment, and other supplies are not Not all dungeons are created equally. The amount of
counted as treasure. Every 1 cp of treasure an treasure you place doesn't need to be exact and
adventurer adds to their hoard awards them 1 xp, shouldn't be evenly distributed. It might all be sealed
and roughly three-quarters of an adventurer's total within a single vast hoard in the heart of the
experience should come from this source. dungeon or split between several devious secret
vaults. You can hide the largest hoards behind the
most challenging encounters, but don't always do
Encounter Value that- hiding treasure in unexpected places is part of
The amount of treasure in a dungeon is determined the challenge and fun of a dungeon crawl.
by its level, its size, and the size of the party. The
encounter value is a yardstick for determining how Don't place the treasure in such a way that the party
much treasure you should put in a dungeon. You can needs to go through every single encounter to collect
use the formula below or just consult the table on the it all. It's perfectly fine if they get lucky, stumble
bottom of the page. upon a big pile of treasure early, and decide to escape
without going through every single encounter.
((Dungeon Level x 50) + 100) x Party Size
The resulting value is how much treasure a dungeon Spending Treasure

should have per encounter. For example, a 3rd-level Adventurers have no reason to accumulate money if
dungeon for a party of four players has an encounter they have nothing to spend it on. Most of their
value of 1000 cp. This means it should have about currency can be well-spent by investing it in the
1000 cp of treasure for every possible encounter stronghold. An adventurer who wants to invest fully
within it- if you design such a dungeon with seven in their stronghold will find that majority of their
encounters, as a whole it should have about 7000 cp wealth goes toward that end, but a fair amount will
of treasure (7 x 1000 cp). still be left over to purchase supplies, reward loyal
followers, bargain for information, or cover other
costs of doing business as an adventurer.
E N C O U N T E R V A LU E ( C P )
DUNGEON PARTY SIZE
LEVEL
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 150 300 450 600 750 900
2 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
3 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500
4 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800
5 350 700 1050 1400 1750 2100
6 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400
7 450 900 1350 1800 2250 2700
8 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
9 550 1100 1650 2200 2750 3300
- 198 -
Treasure Form Factor RANDOM PRECIOUS MATERIALS
Treasure can manifest as regular old piles, sacks, or D20 MATERIAL GEMSTONE
chests full of coinage, but it can also take the form of 1 Stone Jasper
precious stones, objects wrought from valuable 2 Wood Citrine
metal, fine articles of clothing, exquisite works of
3 Bone Moonstone
art, or other valuables that could be exchanged for
4 Leather Jade
currency. Whatever form it takes, treasure always
5 Bronze Lapis Lazuli
has significant material value, and it usually has no
practical use in the profession of adventuring. 6 Tin Amber
7 Lead Moonstone
Many treasures are considered tiny objects that can
8 Pewter Agate
share a slot in your inventory, but others take up one
9 Brass Peridot
or multiple slots by themselves.
10 Copper Turquoise
You can generate a random treasure simply by 11 Iron Amethyst
rolling a form factor and one or more materials and
12 Porcelain Opal
gemstones on the following tables. To calculate the
13 Glass Aquamarine
value of that treasure in copper pieces:
14 Coral Zircon
1. Add up the three highest d20s you rolled. 15 Petrified Wood Garnet
2. Multiply by 2 x inventory slots.
16 Crystal Pearl
Skip this step if object is tiny.
17 Silver Emerald
3. Multiply by 10 cp.
18 Electrum Sapphire
19 Gold Ruby
20 Platinum Diamond
RANDOM TREASURE FORM FACTOR

1-3 4-6
D20, D6
TREASURE SLOTS TREASURE SLOTS
1 Gemstone (no material roll) tiny Pot 1
2 Game Piece tiny Toy 1
3 Silverware tiny Box 1
4 Earring tiny Drum 1
5 Ring tiny Flute 1
6 Buckle tiny Lute 1
7 Hairpin tiny Horn 1
8 Doll tiny Game Set 1
9 Figurine tiny Scroll Case 1
10 Bracelet tiny Candelabra 1
11 Torque tiny Framed Painting 1
12 Circlet tiny Statuette 1
13 Necklace tiny Vase 2
14 Goblet tiny Cauldron 2
15 Hand Mirror 1 Harp 2
16 Book 1 Chest 2
17 Spyglass 1 Large Framed Painting 3
18 Scepter 1 Tapestry 3
19 Crown 1 Standing Mirror 3
20 Holy Relic 1 Sculpture 3
- 199 -
Magic Items Random Magic Items
You can use the options on the next few pages to
Unclaimed magic items are often found at the heart
tailor original magic items for your players, but you
of ancient ruins or the bottom of perilous dungeons.
also have the option of creating them randomly to
Enchanted objects are highly prized, and those who
add another level of surprise and challenge to the
left them behind likely did not do so by choice; as
game. Strong equipment has the potential to drive
such, they are likely very difficult to obtain.
character progression and factor into the party's
Whereas treasure and wealth can be used to improve combat strategy; throwing curveballs in the form of
the stronghold and purchase goods and services, random magic items is a good way to encourage
magic items are more directly useful. Enchanted creative use of these resources.
weapons, armor, and accessories greatly aid in
combat, while enchanted objects provide the party
with another way to interact with their world. RANDOM MAGIC ITEM
D100 ITEM TYPE
Dungeon Rewards 1 - 15 Object
Mainly, the size of a dungeon determines how many 16 - 30 Accessory
magic items are inside it. There should always be
31 - 77 Armor
one magic item for every three encounters.
78 - 94 Weapon
There is a chance there could be more, however. 95 - 97 Artifact Armor
When you design a dungeon, add together the 98 - 100 Artifact Weapon
dungeon level and the party size, and roll that many
d6s. The dungeon contains one extra magic item for
each die that results in a 6.
- 200 -
Magic Weapons Artifact Weapons
For adventurers, magic armaments are among the Artifact weapons are the most rare and powerful
most desirable equipment. Magic weapons have weapons in the game, granting even greater ruinous
several significant advantages over their mundane power to their wielders. It is rare for an adventurer
ones: to come across more than a few of these objects
during their career.
Improved Damage Die An artifact has all the benefits of a lesser magic
All magic weapons have a weapon die that is one size weapon: it has a weapon die that is one size larger
larger than a normal weapon of that type, to a than normal as well as an enchantment that changes
maximum of d12. For example, a magical longsword its weapon effect and may grant it a damage type.
would have a damage die of d10 instead of d8.
Granted Action
Enchantment An artifact also grants its wielder an extra action. It
All magic weapons have a different weapon effect can be a special or mighty action from any theme in
from their ordinary counterparts, determined by an the game, with a couple differences:
enchantment. For example, a longsword of venom
confers poisoned 4 instead of unguarded 2. As with  The action always uses the wielder's best
ordinary weapons, magical weapons that are two- attribute in place of its normal one.
handed also have 'add % damage' as an extra line of  If the weapon has the melee, ranged, or
their weapon effect. conjury keywords, the action gains those
keywords and loses its own.
 If the weapon has a damage keyword, the
Damage Type action deals damage of that type instead of
A magic weapon may have a damage keyword its normal type.
depending on its enchantment. Such a weapon deals
physical damage or its other type, whichever is more Usually, an artifact grants an action that is related
effective against the target. somehow to its enchantment. For example, a flail of
rime could grant Snowball or some other action
from the Frost theme.
Magical Ranged Weapons
A magic ranged weapon creates its own magical
Magical Traits
ammunition, so the user does not need to make a
depletion check for ammunition at the end of an An artifact weapon also possesses 1d4-1 traits from
encounter. A magic thrown weapon, such as a the random magical traits table further in the
dagger or spear, returns to its owner's hand after chapter.
being used to make a ranged attack.
Original Artifacts
You can make artifacts more flavorful by inventing
your own unique enchantments, properties and
actions. Original enchantments should be on par
with those shown on the table to the left, while
actions should be on par other special or mighty
actions found in the game, and their effort costs
should be priced as such.
- 201 -
RANDOM MAGIC WEAPON RANDOM WEAPON ENCHANTMENTS
D100 TYPE D20 ENCHANT DMG WEAPON EFFECT
1-5 Battle Axe 1 Acid Poison Confer vulnerable 3.

6-8 Cudgel 2 Aegis Spectral Gain barrier 5.
9 - 12 Crossbow
3 Brilliance Lightning Confer blinded 2.
13 - 16 Dagger
4 Embers Fire Confer burning 2.
17 - 20 Flail
21 - 24 Greataxe 5 Gloom Spectral Jump 10 ft.
25 - 28 Greatsword 6 Grace --- Shift 20 ft.
29 - 32 Halberd
7 Impact --- Push 15 ft. Knock prone.
33 - 35 Hatchet
36 - 40 Longbow 8 Malice Fire Confer provoked 3.
41 - 45 Longsword 9 Might --- Gain strengthened 3.

46 - 49 Mace 10 Moonlight Spectral Confer delirious 2.
50 - 53 Maul
11 Rending --- Confer bleeding 3.
54 - 56 Morning Star
57 - 59 Pike 12 Rime Cold Confer slowed 3.
60 - 64 Rod 13 Seeking --- Gain accurate 3.

65 - 69 Shortbow 14 Skill --- Gain 1 effort.
70 - 73 Shortsword
15 Stasis Lightning Confer immobilized 2.
74 - 76 Sickle
77 - 79 Sling 16 Torpor Cold Confer delayed 2.
79 - 82 Scythe 17 Venom Poison Confer poison 4.

83 - 86 Spear
18 Vitality Necrotic Make a recovery 2.
87 - 91 Staff
19 Weakness Necrotic Confer weakened 3.
92 - 96 Wand
97 - 100 War Hammer 20 Wind --- Slide 15 ft.
- 202 -
Magic Armor & Shields D100 RANDOM ARMOR TYPE
Magic armor and shields grant greater protection
1-4 Hat 53 - 57 Boots
and also occasionally provide a different benefit to
the wearer. 5-9 Cap 58 - 62 High Boots
10 - 14 Helm 63 - 67 Greaves
Improved Armor Die
15 - 18 Great Helm 68 - 72 Cloak
A magic armor piece grants an armor die that is one
size larger than a normal armor piece of that type, to 19 - 22 Quilted 73 - 77 Heavy Cloak
a maximum of d12. For example, a magic pair of 23 - 27 Leather 78 - 81 Longcoat

bracers would grant a d10 instead of a d8.
28 - 32 Chainmail 82 - 85 Buckler
33 - 37 Plate 86 - 90 Round Shield

Enchantment
Magic armor pieces also have an enchantments. 38 - 42 Gloves 91 - 95 Heater Shield
These effects either change the ways you can spend 43 - 47 Bracers 96 - 100 Kite Shield
the armor die or grants a bonus effect when you roll
48 - 52 Gauntlets --- ---
an even number while spending that armor die.
D20 RANDOM ARMOR ENCHANTMENTS
When you spend this die to reduce

Arrow- On an even roll, confer delirious 1
1 damage from a ranged attack, roll two 11 Moonlight
Turning to the attacker.
dice instead of one.
When you spend this die to reduce

Blade- On an even roll, confer weakened 2
2 damage from a melee attack, 12 Numbing
Turning to the attacker.
roll two dice instead of one.
On an even roll, confer blinded 1 When you deal attack damage, you can
3 Brilliance 13 Power
to the attacker. spend this die to add it to the result.
You can spend this armor die to prevent

4 Defending On an even roll, gain guarded 2. 14 Projection
damage to any ally in sight.
On an even roll, confer inaccurate 2 On an even roll, deal damage to the

5 Doubt 15 Reflection
to the attacker. attacker equal to twice the result.
On an even roll, the die is not On an even roll, push the attacker 10 ft.
6 Durability 16 Repulsion
expended. and knock prone.
7 Gloom When you spend this die, jump 20 ft. 17 Skill On an even roll, gain 1 effort.
On an even roll, roll another die and When you spend this die to reduce damage
Spell-
8 Luck add it to the total. This can only happen 18 from a conjury attack, roll two dice instead
Turning
once each time you spend it. of one.
Whenever you make or grant a

9 Mending recovery, you can spend this die to add 19 Vengeance On an even roll, gain strengthened 2.
it to the result.
On an even roll, swap places with the When you spend this die, it reduces the
10 Mirroring 20 Warding
attacker. damage dealt to each target of the attack.
- 203 -
RANDOM MAGICAL TRAITS
D10, D4 1 2 3 4
Size-Shifting: This item can be Alchemical: This item can be Levitating: This item can be
Ethereal: This item can be
commanded to shrink and grow commanded to change its base commanded to gently float
1 commanded to turn into a
in size, for example, from a substance, such as from wood upward into the air and drift
spectral image floating in place.
dagger into a greatsword. into glass and vice versa. back down like a feather.
Duplicating: This item can be

Summoned: This item can be Seasoning: This item flavors
Faithful: This item, if lost, will split into two or more copies
2 called into the hand of its owner food that it comes into contact
slowly find its way to its owner. of itself, then commanded to
from a distance of 100 miles. with.
reform into one.
Object-Shifting: This item can

Beast-Shifting: This item can be Sensation: This item produces a Branding: This object can etch
be commanded to turn into a
3 commanded to turn into a small specific sensation, such as the and erase a lasting magical
difference small object, such as a
animal loyal to its owner. sound or smell of the ocean. symbol upon surfaces.
spoon or a figurine.
Potion-Coated: Licking this Recording: A message

Tattoo-Shifting: This item can Musical: This item sings or
item creates the effect of whispered into this item can
4 be commanded to turn into a produces different variety of
drinking a specific magical be reproduced later with a
tattoo on its owner's body. music while being used.
potion once per day. specific trigger.
Alchemical Touch: This item

Illuminating: This item Weeping: This object can be
can be commanded to change Steaming: This item produces
5 emanates a light on command or commanded to produce
the base substance of another steam while being used.
while being used. streams of salt water.
object it touches.
Honest: This item quivers or

Spellcasting: This item can be Summoning: This item can be Calming: This item can be
otherwise subtly indicates when
6 commanded to produce the commanded to call forth a tiny commanded to create an
it is in the presence of a spoken
effects of a specific spell. creature, such as a small imp. emanation of calming energy.
lie.
Wary: This item will somehow Igniting: This item can be

Warming/Chilling: This item Unveiling: This item can be
alert its owner when danger is commanded to light or
7 changes the surrounding commanded to reveal the true
nearby, such as by quivering or extinguish candles and other
temperature while being used. form of disguised creatures.
producing light. small light sources nearby.
Visage-Warping: This item Sense-Enhancing: While being

Sticky: This item can become Seeking: This item can be
changes the appearance of its used, this item boosts a specific
8 adhesive on command, sticking commanded to lead its owner
owner, either while being used, sense of its owner, such hearing
to walls and ceilings. toward a specific thing.
or gradually over time. or smell.
Immovable: This item can be Immaculate: This item can Silent: This item is completely Telephonic: This item's
commanded to lock immovably never be dirtied and is silent while being used, even owner can hear and speak
9
in place, in defiance of gravity unaffected by the natural when struck against other through this object, regardless
and outside force. degradation of age. surfaces. of its distance.
Reviving: When its owner is

Mood-Shifting: This item Skillful: While being used, this Featherweight: This item can killed, this object will be
10 changes color or form depending item grants its owner a single be commanded to turn as light as destroyed and the owner will
on the mood of its owner. specific skill. a feather, regardless of its size. be returned to life. This can
only happen once.
- 204 -
Artifact Armor & Shields
An artifact has all the benefits of lesser magic armor:
its armor die is one size larger, and it has a random
enchantment. In addition, an artifact gains a few
other benefits.
Granted Talent
Artifact armor grants the wearer the benefits of a
talent. This can be any talent in the game, but usually
it should have something to do with the type of
armor and the enchantment. For example, a pair of
high boots of skill might grant the Fleet of Foot
talent, improving the wearer's speed and allowing
them to ignore difficult terrain. Magic Accessories
If the granted talent has an effort cost, the base cost Any object can be enchanted, and indeed, there are
is always +1 higher than the original talent. Thus, a many smaller worn objects that confer magical
talent with an effort cost of 0/+1 would instead cost benefits. In addition to their armor, adventurers can
1/+1. wear up to four magical accessories: two rings, an
amulet, and a brooch. The abilities granted by
Magical Traits accessories are similar to the talents that adventurers
obtain from their classes. Magic accessories take of
Artifact armor also possesses 1d4-1 traits from the
the strength of their user, offering their power
random magical traits table on the previous page.
freely at first but requiring effort with repeated use.
D100 RANDOM MAGIC ACCESSORY

1-3 Ring of Power, Lesser 51 - 53 Amulet of Protection, Lesser
4-5 Ring of Power, Greater 54 - 55 Amulet of Protection, Greater
6-7 Ring of Intensity 56 - 57 Chain of Preservation
8-9 Ring of Dispersal 58 - 59 Amulet of Luck
10 - 11 Falcon Signet 60 - 62 Sentry's Pendant
12 - 13 Raven Signet Amulets 63 - 64 Apprentice Amulet
14 - 15 Lion Signet 65 - 66 Amulet of Enduring Spirit
16 - 17 Honeybee Signet 67 - 69 Amulet of Health, Lesser
18 - 19 Serpent Signet 70 - 71 Amulet of Health, Greater
20 - 21 Unicorn Signet 72 - 73 Barrier Pendant
22 - 23 Dragon Signet 74 - 75 Two-Faced Pendant
24 - 25 Magnetic Iron Ring 76 - 77 Brooch of Swiftness, Lesser
Rings
26 - 27 Telescopic Glass Ring 78 - 78 Brooch of Swiftness, Greater*
28 - 29 Heavy Lead Ring 79 -80 Cricket Brooch
30 - 31 Cracked Stone Ring 81 - 82 Brooch of Light Steps
32 - 34 Ring of Command 83 - 84 Oak Tree Talisman
35 - 36 Fencer's Band 85 - 86 Feather Brooch
37 - 38 Band of Hatred Brooches 87 - 88 Cliff Talisman
39 - 40 Ring of Ruin 89 - 90 Rime Talisman
41 - 42 Smoky Quartz Ring 91 - 92 Ember Talisman
43 - 44 Ring of Focusing 93 - 94 Cloud Talisman
45 - 46 Commander's Band 95 - 96 Jester's Bell Brooch
47 - 48 Loop of the Newt 97 - 98 Traveler's Charm
49 - 50 Loop of the Salamander 99 - 100 Coward's Silver Charm
- 205 -
Rings Apprentice Amulet
An adventurer can wear up to two magical rings. Amulet. While wearing this amulet, you can sustain
Since rings are worn on the hand, their magic one additional effect at a time.
usually relates to power and projecting strength. As
such, most rings alter or enhance attacks and other Band of Hatred
actions.
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Whether or
not it hits, your next attack this turn confers
Amulets provoked 4 to one target.
An adventurer can wear one amulet about the neck.
Since amulets rest over the heart of the wearer, their Barrier Pendant
enchantments tend to relate to health, protection,
Amulet. Minor Action. Effort Cost: 0/+3. Gain
and good fortune.
barrier 10.
Brooches
Brooch of Light Steps
An adventure can fasten their cloak with a single
Brooch. While wearing this brooch, you are
brooch. Brooches have long been used as talismans
unaffected by difficult terrain or movement
to protect wayfarers from harm. As such, their
damage.
enchantments relate to travel and movement.
Brooch of Swiftness
Accessory Descriptions
Brooch. While wearing this brooch, your base speed
increases by a small amount determined by the
Amulet of Enduring Spirit potency of this item:
Amulet. While wearing this amulet, your recovery
dice total increases by +2.  Lesser: +5 ft.
 Greater: + 10 ft.
Amulet of Health
Chain of Preservation
Amulet. Wearing this amulet increases your hit
point total. Putting it on does not change your Amulet. Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+2. When you are
current hit points. The amount of extra hit points is hit by an attack, you can spend a reaction. If you do,
determined by the potency of the amulet: you do not gain any conditions from that hit.
 Lesser: +6
Cliff Talisman
 Greater: +12
Brooch. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. For the
rest of the turn, you leave behind a stone wall in each
Amulet of Luck square you exit. This wall counts as an obstacle.
Amulet. Free Action. Effort Cost 0/+2. Reroll one
action roll you just made. You must keep the second
Coward's Silver Charm
result.
Brooch. Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+1. When you are
targeted with an attack, you may spend a reaction to
Amulet of Protection, d4 - d12 shift 10 ft. You gain a +4 bonus to AC against that
Amulet. This amulet grants an extra armor die. The attack.
potency of the amulet determines the die size.
- 206 -
Cracked Stone Ring Honeybee Signet
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Whether or Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Instead of its
not it hits, your next attack this turn creates a 15 ft. normal target, your next support action this turn
square field of difficult terrain, centered on one targets all creatures in a 20 ft. blast.
target.
Jester's Bell Brooch
Cricket Brooch Brooch. Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+1. When an
Brooch. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. For the enemy misses you with an attack, you may spend a
rest of the turn, you jump instead of moving reaction to swap places with the attacker.
normally.
Lion Signet
Dragon Signet Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Instead of its
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+2. For the rest normal target, your next melee attack this turn
of the turn, you jump instead of moving normally. targets all creatures in a melee burst.
Instead of its normal target, your next melee attack
this turn targets all creatures you passed through. Loop of the Newt
Ring. Your actions that confer the poisoned
Ember Talisman condition confer +2 turns of it.
rest of the turn, you leave behind a path of embers in Loop of the Salamander
each square you exit. This is a field that deals h fire
Ring. Your actions that confer the burning
movement damage.
condition confer +1 turn of it.
Falcon Signet
Magnetic Iron Ring
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Instead of its
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Instead of
normal target, your next ranged attack this turn
its normal target, your next melee attack this turn
targets all creatures in a line to weapon range.
targets one creature within 50 ft.
Feather Brooch
Oak Tree Talisman
Brooch. Free Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. The next
Brooch. Reaction. Effort Cost 0/+2. When you are
time you jump this turn, double the distance of the
pushed, pulled, or slid, you may spend a reaction to
jump.
not move instead.
Fencer's Band
Raven Signet
Ring. Reaction. Effort Cost 1/+1. When a melee
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Instead of its
attack misses you, you may spend a reaction to make
normal target, your next conjury attack this turn
a strike action against the attacker.
targets all creatures in a 15 ft. blast.
Heavy Lead Ring

Rime Talisman
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Whether or
not it hits, your next attack this turn pushes one
rest of the turn, you leave behind a path of ice in each
target 15 ft.
square you exit. This is a field of difficult terrain,
and creatures that enter must check AGI vs. 10 or fall
prone.
- 207 -
Ring of Command Sentry's Pendant
Ring. Free Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. When you Amulet. Free Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Reroll one
push, pull, or slide one or more creatures with an initiative roll you just made. You must keep the
action, you may choose to double the distance of the second result.
forced movement.
Serpent Signet
Ring of Dispersal Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Instead of its
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. If your next normal target, your next attack this turn affects all
attack this turn hits, it removes all beneficial creatures in a 30 ft. path instead.
conditions from each target.
Smoky Quarts Ring
Ring of Focusing Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Whether or
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. If your next not it hits, your next attack this turn creates a 15 ft.
conjury action this turn targets a blast, path, line, or square obscuring field, centered on one target.
burst, it instead targets 1 adjacent creature. Add 2d6
damage. Steadying Silver Ring
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Double the
Ring of Intensity range of your next ranged, conjury, or artifice action
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+2. If your next this turn.
attack this turn hits, double the duration of any
conditions you confer. Telescopic Glass Ring
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. If your next
Ring of Mending action this turn targets a line or path, double the
Ring. While wearing this ring, when you make or length.
grant a recovery, you may reroll all dice that result in
1, keeping the second result. Traveler's Charm
Brooch. Minor Action. Effort Cost 0/+1. Your
Ring of Power speed is doubled for the rest of the turn.
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+1. Your next
attack this turn deals a die of extra damage to each Two-Faced Pendant
target. The potency of the ring determines the size
Amulet. While wearing this amulet, you cannot be
of the die:
flanked.
 Lesser: d6
 Greater: d10 Unicorn Signet
Ring. Minor Action. Effort Cost 1/+2. Instead of
Ring of Ruin its normal target, your next support action this turn
Ring. While wearing this ring, you may reroll all targets all allies in a 15 ft. burst.
damage dice that result in 1, keeping the second
result.
Sapphire Brooch of Mist

rest of the turn, you leave behind a veil of shadow in
each square you exit. This is an obscuring field.
- 208 -
RANDOM MAGICAL OBJECT
D100 TYPE
1-2 Ardent Chain

3-5 Bell of Silence
6-8 Bottle of Smoke
9 - 10 Bronze Kettle
11 - 13 Cat Flagon
14 - 15 Chameleon Tent
16 - 18 Endless Chalk
19 - 20 Endless Scroll
21 - 22 Ever-Clean Finery
23 - 24 Fishing Rod of Bounty
25 - 26 Inverted Candle
27 - 29 Jackdaw's Lockpicks
30 - 31 Kindle Stone
32 - 34 Ladder of Length
35 - 37 Lantern of Door Projection
38 - 41 Living Loaf
Magic Objects 42 - 44 Luminous Paints
Enchanted objects have unique uses, many of which
45 - 47 Magician's Chess Set
do not directly pertain to the businesses of
48 - 49 Mender's Grease
adventuring or monster slaying. The players will
have to be inventive in their use of these objects for 50 - 52 Mirror of Viewing
them to pay dividends. 53 - 55 Mocking Chest
56 -58 Oil of Lasting Flame
Ardent Chain 59 - 61 Peerless Lute
This 20 ft. chain is unbreakable by non-magical 62 - 64 Powder of Spell-Seeking
means. When given the proper command, one or
65 - 67 Purging Soap
both ends will fuse to metal surfaces within reach,
fastening them securely. 68 - 69 Quill of Dictation
70 - 72 Replenishing Flask
Bell of Silence 73 - 75 Scarf of Illusion
When rung, this bell causes magical silence in a 76 - 78 Selective Ink
radius of 50 ft. The silence only lasts for five
78 - 83 Sentient Rope
seconds, so the bell must be rung constantly for the
84 - 86 Spoon of Digging
effect to be maintained for any length of time.
87 - 90 Temporal Prism
91 - 94 Torch of Stone Melting
95 - 96 Trick Dice
97 - 100 Whispering Head
- 209 -
Bottle of Smoke Fishing Rod of Bounty
This bottle contains a vile, swirling purplish-black This fishing rod will never fail to hook something
smoke. A few seconds after uncorking it, the bottle within 1 minute of being cast into a body of water.
spews forth its smoke, which quickly diffuses into a There is no guarantee that what it hooks will be
20 ft. radius cloud that counts as an obscuring field. desirable or even edible. Every catch beyond the first
It lasts for 1 hour. After being empties, the bottle each day causes 1 fatigue in the user.
gradually refills over the course of 24 hours.
Inverted Candle
Bronze Kettle This candle is made of strange, black wax of
This kettle boils ordinary water into other drinkable unknowable origin. If it is lit and held normally, it
liquids, such as a tea, milk, beer, or wine. creates a purple flame and acts as a normal light
source. If inverted so that its wick faces the ground,
Cat Flagon it shines darkness instead of light in a 20 ft. radius.
Once lit, the candle lasts for 30 minutes.
This silver flagon is engraved with an image of a cat.
Drinking milk from it will transform the imbiber
into a cat for a duration of 10 minutes. Jackdaw's Lockpicks
These lockpicks belonged to a famed burglar.
Chameleon Tent Though made of sturdy iron, they do not jangle or
produce any sound while they work. They can be
This tent seems to be stitched from the very thin
used as ordinary lockpicks, but they can also be
hides of reptiles. Once it is erected, it slowly begins
commanded to pick a single conventional lock once
to change color and pattern to match the
each day.
surrounding environment, because extremely well-
camouflaged after about 5 minutes. The interior can
fit six adults comfortably. Kindle Stone
This fiery red stone can be thrown at the ground to
Endless Chalk instantly produce a small campfire about two feet
across. The flame is hot but will not spread to
This three-inch piece of white chalk glows faintly
beyond 1 ft. in any direction from where the stone
and smells like the ocean. It never runs out.
lies. It will burn for 12 hours. Once it is extinguished,
the stone can be retrieved from the ashes and used
Endless Scroll again.
This large parchment scroll is wound around brass
rollers two feet in length. The scroll is not truly Ladder of Length
endless; it contains about one mile of paper, but it
Upon speaking a word and touching this ladder, it
returns to the size of a normal scroll when rolled up.
shrinks or grows over the course of 10 seconds to a
minimum length of 1 ft. or a maximum length of 30
Ever-Clean Finery ft. While minimized, it occupies a single inventory
This fine noble attire transforms to suit the body slot.
and preferences of the one who wears it, though it
only has one form for any given wearer. It can never
become soiled.
- 210 -
Lantern of Door Projection Mirror of Viewing
This lantern resembles an ordinary hooded lantern This hand-mirror is made of finely worked silver. Its
with one single aperture shaped like a rectangular owner can look into it and say what they'd like to be
door. When lit and projected at a relatively flat shown, be it a person, place, or a specific object. The
surface from a distance of 10 ft., it will cast the image mirror will show them what they desire as it
of a door upon it. If the thickness of this surface is 5 presently exists for a duration of 10 seconds. After
ft. or less, the illusionary door can be opened and the first use each day, this effect causes 1 fatigue in
used to pass to the other side. The lantern consumes the user.
a unit of fuel when lit and lasts for 5 minutes.
Mocking Chest
Living Loaf This small chest is about two feet wide, one foot tall,
The Living Loaf resembles a loaf of fresh, warm, and one foot deep. It is unbreakable without the aid
crusty sourdough bread. It can be consumed as a of magic and will only open for a pass phrase
normal unit of food. If it is consumed, the loaf will specified by its master. Above the latch is a black
grow back from mere crumbs to its full size over the iron-wrought face that will ask for the pass phrase
course of a week, at which time it can be used as a and crudely jest at the expense of those trying to
unit of food again. burgle the contents.
Luminous Paints Oil of Lasting Flame

These small jars of vibrant paint can be used just like Once placed in a lamp or lantern, that object will
ordinary paint. Once the paint dries, it illuminates never run out of fuel, though the flame it produces
the space 10 ft. around it. It gradually fades over the will not be hot and will not spread to flammable
course of 24 hours. You must make a depletion surfaces.
check after each use.
Peerless Lute
Magician's Chess Set This lute is inhabited by the spirit of a celebrated
This fine chess set suffers no wear from use. The minstrel. Any who play the instrument will find
pieces will obey the commands of the players, themselves playing as though they were a virtuoso
moving on the board accordingly. If the game is trained from birth. In addition, the lute can be
interrupted and packed up, another spoken commanded to play music on its own for an hour
command will cause the pieces to return to their last each day.
configuration.
Powder of Spell-Seeking
Mender's Grease This satchel contains musty-smelling, rose-colored
This grease can be applied to manufactured tools, powder. When thrown into the air, the powder will
such as a warhammer, a wheelbarrow, bucket, or a drift toward sources of magic within 20 ft. Once the
saw. As the grease settles into the tool, it will reverse powder lands on the surface of magic object or into
the course of time, gradually returning it to the enchanted place, it will start to glow a pinkish hue
condition it was in when it was first created. You for about 1 minute. You must make a depletion
must make a depletion check after each use. check after each use.
Purging Soap
This soap, when mixed into water, will wash away
minor curses and other harmful magical effects
from people, objects, furniture, and small places.
You must make a depletion check after each use.
- 211 -
Quill of Dictation Temporal Prism
This handsome plume was plucked from some This prism is made of crystal-clear amber. When the
Upon command from its owner, it will start taking owner holds it to their eye and names a specific time
perfect dictation, filling out the pages without need – for example, "two days ago at sunset" – they will be
for ink or quill. able to see through the gem to observe what events
were happening in the area during that time. After
Replenishing Flask the first minute of use, each successive minute
causes 1 fatigue in the user.
This silver-stoppered crystal flask has clean spring
water sloshing around inside of it. It can be
consumed as a normal unit of water. Once depleted, Torch of Stone Melting
it gradually refills over the course of a week, after When held within 2-feet of a stone surface, it
which time it can be used again. gradually melts the stone as though it were wax. The
torch can melt a person-sized passageway one foot
Scarf of Illusion deep every 10 minutes. As with a normal torch, you
must make a depletion check when it is first lit and
This object looks like a tattered scarf while not being
every 30 minutes thereafter.
worn. When worn over armor or clothing, it
overlay's the wearer's true garments with a cunning
illusion, making it seem like they have any sort of Trick Dice
outfit on. Any significant amount of moisture will This is a pair of six-sided ivory dice. When the
cause the illusion to end temporarily until the cowl owner thinks hard of a number from 2 to 12 and
is once again completely dry. blows on them, the dice are guaranteed to result in
that number the next time they are thrown.
Selective Ink
This ink is used for writing secret missives and Whispering Head
epistles. Once a letter is addressed, written, and This ugly stone figurine depicts a lumpy head with
signed, the ink will change in hue, becoming empty sockets for eyes and a wide, toothless mouth.
invisible to everyone but the signer and the If left in a place and told to listen carefully, it will
addressee. For the magic to work, both names must remember all conversation that happens within its
true given names, not nicknames or aliases. earshot for a duration of 24 hours. Afterward, its
owner can command it to recite all that which it
Sentient Rope heard. It will do so, but only at a low whisper devoid
of any inflection.
This 50 ft. length of rope will obey its owner's
commands, snaking upward into the air, and tying
itself around designated persons or things. The rope
should be properly thanked after each use, lest it
become resentful and 'accidentally' fail its master.
Spoon of Digging
This magical spoon is about six inches long, but
somehow it can be used to dig faster than a shovel.,
displacing a 5 ft. cube of soft earth in just 1 minute.
After the first minute of use, each successive minute
causes 1 fatigue in the user.
- 212 -
Monsters
- 213 -
Playing the Enemies
Combat Encounters
At the end of this chapter is an index of monsters.
Each group of entries includes a number of sample
encounters, but you can design your own
encounters and monsters however you like. The
rules presented here are only suggestions about how
to do so.
Balance
Encounters don't need to be perfectly balanced. It is
fine for the party have an easy win when they
manage to get the drop on a pair of sleeping goblins,
and it is fine when they turn a corner and come face
to face with a manticore that can kill them all in
three or four rounds.
That being said, it's important to preserve player Threat level roughly corresponds to a party's average
agency. If the manticore instantly demolishes an experience level. For example, an encounter with a
adventurer with a single strike, that player is not threat level of 1 would be a serious fight for a party
going to feel great, even though they willingly signed of first-level adventurers; they might have to use all
up for a deadly, challenging experience. As Judge, their resources, but they stand a fair chance of
you want to give players a chance – or even a few winning if they play smartly. A higher threat level
chances – to make the right decisions. Let their would be more dangerous, while a lower one might
failure be their own and not the result of random only require a portion of their resources.
number generation. The guidelines on the following
pages are meant to help you do that, but it is your Exhaustion
choice whether to use them.
Threat level assumes that the party has their abilities
available. An exhausted party on their third or
Threat Level fourth big fight of the day obviously can't do as
Each sample encounter in the monster index has a much as one that just rested.
threat level that represents how challenging it
would be for a certain level of party. If you find it Only an Estimate
useful, you can think about the encounters you Take threat levels as a loose approximation, not a
design in terms of threat level as well. precise measure of difficulty. They do not mean that
a low-threat encounter poses zero danger to the
party. It only takes a few unfavorable rolls at crucial
moments to turn what should be an easy fight into a
crisis.
- 214 -
Peril HP 26
Harpy
SPD 25 ft. INIT
lvl 2
13
At the start of each round, when the players roll
AC 15 RCT 3 SIZE Md
initiative, the Judge must roll 2d6 in secret. The
result is the peril score, a number that decides how (B) TALON +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
aggressive the enemies will be in the coming round.
Hit: Deal 1d6+3 damage. Confer bleeding 2.
An enemy has a (B) basic action and one or more
perilous actions marked by a number. The number (7) FLY BY +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
indicates the required peril to use that action. On its On Use: Jump 25 ft.
turn, an enemy will usually try to use the most
Hit: Deal 2d6+3 damage. Confer blinded 2.
perilous action that the current peril score will allow Solid: Confer blinded 4 instead.
for, defaulting to its basic action if it can't perform
any of them. (10) PIERCING SCREECH +5 – ATTACK /MENTAL
Target: 10 ft. burst; enemies only
Once Per Round Solid: Add 1d6 damage.
Each perilous action can only be attempted once per STR +1 AGI +3 VIG +0
round, no matter how many creatures possess that KNW -3 CNG +1 RES +2
particular action. Thus, if the party is fighting three
harpies and one of them uses (10) PIERCING
SCREECH, the next to act would instead use its next-
most-perilous action, (7) FLY BY. The third would Panic Level
only be able to make a (B) TALON attack. Peril also governs enemy morale. When a very low
peril score is rolled, the enemies may decide to
Forecasting retreat. Each time the Judge rolls the peril score, if it
comes up same or lower than the panic level, the
When you roll a very high peril score, consider enemies will try to flee. Enemy groups have a base
telegraphing it narratively to the players at the start panic level of 0, but it rises and falls as the battle
of the round. changes:
Forecasts add color to combat and allow the players  the enemies are outnumbered (+2)
to strategize for the coming round. Describe how  at least one enemy is defeated (+1)
the dragon rears back convulsively before it breathes  an elite enemy is defeated (+1)
fire. Detail the sickly pallor of the bloated zombie's  half the enemies are defeated (+1)
skin as it tightens like a balloon before exploding.  at least one adventurer is defeated (-2)
Describe the goblin chieftain's guttural scream as
she spurs her warriors to greater aggression. The modifiers are different for solitary enemies that
are strong enough to fight the party alone:
 reduced to three-quarters hit points (+2)

 reduced to half hit points (+2)
 reduced to one-quarter hit points (+2)
- 215 -
Retreat Attacks of Opportunity
Rolling under the panic level doesn't mean the battle
An enemy will make any attack of opportunity it
ends right away, only that the enemies start looking
can. When it does, it makes its (B) basic action
for a way out. Depending on the type of foes and the
instead of a strike.
situation, they might make an organized withdrawal
or drop their weapons and run screaming; it is for
you to decide what makes the most sense. No Armor Dice
Enemies do not have armor dice- it would be too
Mindless Creatures much bookkeeping for the Judge. Instead, they gain
Mindless creatures, such as undead and constructs, a few more hit points per level based on how
experience no panic and will fight to the last. armored they would be:
 Light: +2 hit points/level
Playing the Enemies  Medium: +3 hit points/level

 Heavy: +4 hit points/level
All enemies act during the Enemy Phase, in any
order the Judge chooses. Elite enemies take a second Monsters and animals tend to be more rugged than
turn each round during the Delay Phase. humanoids, so they may gain these extra hit points
even if they aren't wearing actual armor. They are
already factored into the entries later in the chapter.
Initiative Score
Enemies possess a fixed initiative score equal to 10 Elite Enemies
+ h + CNG. A mixed group of enemies uses the
highest initiative score among them; this score stays If there is an obvious enemy in the encounter who is
the same for the entire encounter, even if the much stronger than the others, you can designate it
creature with the highest initiative score is defeated. as an elite. Elite enemies have a major advantage
over normal ones: they take a second turn at the end
Each round, the players make an initiative roll. of each round, during the Delay Phase. A delayed
Those who roll higher than the initiative score go elite enemy takes both its turns in that phase, one
before the enemies that round; otherwise, they go after the other.
after. The initiative score is public information, so
the players can determine when they act each round There are two types of enemies that you should
without being told. always designate as elite:
 A solitary, powerful monster

Enemy Phase  An important, unique enemy or villain
The enemies all act during the Enemy Phase. Each Their extra turn allows an elite enemy to take more
enemy gets a turn, and the Judge decides what order actions, but it also causes conditions applied to them
they take their turns in. to count down faster. Note that because of the peril
rules, an elite enemy can't make the same perilous
action twice in the same round, even on two
different turns.
- 216 -
Damage Traits
Monster Entries Damage types may vary in effectiveness against
Within the monster index, each monster family has certain foes. If a monster has any damage traits,
its own page with multiple entries. There is also a these will be in capital letters on their own line near
table that lists some sample encounters by threat the top:
level.
The header of each entry lists the name of the enemy
and its level. The next two lines describe the most
Immunity
important statistics:
If a monster is immune to a damage type, it cannot
 Hit Points (HP) take any damage of that type from any source,
 Speed (SPD) including attacks, conditions, and field effects.
 Initiative (INIT)
 Armor Class (AC)
Resistance
 Reactions (RCT)
If a creature is resistant to a damage type, it only
 Size (SIZE)
takes half as much damage of that type from any
source. Always round down.
Traits
The monster's traits, if any, are listed after that. Vulnerability
Traits are special abilities similar to the talents If a creature is vulnerable to a damage type, it takes
possessed by adventurers. Many are passive effects 1-½ times as much damage of that type from any
that grant the monster a bonus under a certain source.
condition.
Size Categories
Adventurers and most other humanoids occupy a
single square on the battle map, but many monsters
will be smaller or larger. A monster's size increases
the space it occupies and its melee range, but it also
grants it extra hit points and damage. These bonuses
are already factored into each monster entry.
SIZE CATEGORIES
SIZE DIMENSIONS MELEE RANGE HIT POINTS EXTRA DAMAGE
SMALL 5x5 ft. 5 ft. -5 ---
MEDIUM 5x5 ft. 5 ft. +0 ---
LARGE 10x10 ft. 5 ft. +15 %

HUGE 15x15 ft. 10 ft. +30 %
MASSIVE 20x20 ft. 15 ft. +45 %%
- 217 -
Alligator, Dire
Monsters Index In the wildest places of the world, alligators can
Here are a few sample monsters to use for your first grow to terrible sizes.
adventures.
Alligator Dire Alligator lvl 8

Travelers and merchants have more reason to avoid HP 109 SPD 25 ft. INIT 17
wetlands than mere soggy terrain. Alligators are AC 16 RCT 2 SIZE Hg
ferocious reptilian ambush predators and near-
V: COLD
constant threat in the swamps of the realm.
(B) RIP & TEAR +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
One month of the year, the alligators seem to vanish
Target: 1 creature
from the world and return. Enterprising merchants Hit: Break 2 armor dice. Deal 2d10+4 damage.
use this time to take ill-advised shortcuts through Solid Hit: Confer vulnerable 4.
otherwise perilous regions.
(6) DROWN – MINOR ACTION
Drag a grappled creature 15 ft.
S AMPLE E NCOUNTERS
THREAT ENEMIES (8) JAWS OF DEATH +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
2 1 alligator Target: 1 creature
4 1d4-1 alligators Hit: Deal 3d10+4 damage. Confer grappled.
Solid Hit: Add 1d10 damage.
5 1 dire alligator
7 2 dire alligators (10) TAIL CRASH +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 15 ft. close blast
Hit: Deal 3d10+4 damage. Knock prone.
Create a field of difficult terrain.
Alligator lvl 3 Solid Hit: Confer staggered 2.
HP 54 SPD 25 ft. INIT 17 AMBUSH

On its first turn, a dire alligator can always make a jaws of
AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Lg death attack followed by a drown minor action.
V: COLD +4 +2 +2
STR AGI VIG
(B) SNAP +6 – ATTACK/MELEE KNW -3 CNG -1 RES +1
Target: 1 creature
(6) DROWN – MINOR ACTION

Drag a grappled creature 15 ft.
(10) JAWS OF DEATH +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 3d8+4 damage. Confer grappled.
AMBUSH
On its first turn, an alligator can always make a jaws of death
attack followed by a drown minor action.

- 218 -
Atskari Atskari Thief-Taker lvl 3
Atskari are lithe avian humanoids known for their
towering height and piercing stare. Their feathers AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md
range from light gray to faded brown, though atskari
Piercing Gaze: Atskari can see clearly through obscuring
of distant lands are said to bear more colorful fields, and foes in obscuring fields are unguarded from their
plumage. Some members of the species have crested attacks.
heads that make them even more imposing. One in
(B) BLADED CROOK +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
twenty atskari are born with a pair luxuriant wings, Target: 1 creature (10 ft.)
and one in twenty of those is a crux, blessed with Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. Drag 10 ft.
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. Knock prone.
two pairs instead of one. Such paragons often rise to
positions of political and spiritual prominence (7) IMPALING BEAK – ATTACK/MELEE
within their societies. Special: minor action
Target: 1 creature
Thanks to their seldom-blinking eyes and ability to Hit: Deal 2d8 damage. Confer bleeding 2.
go weeks with little sleep, atskari who decide to live
among humans often find employment as guards, (9) CAPTOR'S CLUTCH +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
wardens, and thief-takers. Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. Confer grappled. Drag 10 ft.
Solid: Drag 20 ft. instead.
Some bands of atskari are zealous worshipers of
Croscul, an old god of treasures, theft, and hidden STR +2 AGI +2 VIG +1
things. These groups consider themselves selfless
stewards of the world's wealth; it is their divine
mandate to reclaim all treasures shiny and valuable
and hide them away for Croscul to find.
Atskari Crux lvl 5
Tattered Atskari lvl 1
AC 15 RCT 3 SIZE Md
HP 17 SPD 30 ft. INIT 13 Piercing Gaze: Atskari can see clearly through obscuring
fields, and foes in obscuring fields are unguarded from their
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md attacks.
Piercing Gaze: Atskari can see clearly through obscuring (B) ATSKARI FLATBOW +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
fields, and foes in obscuring fields are unguarded from their
Target: line (40 ft.)
attacks.
Hit: Deal 2d8 damage.
(B) JAGGED SICKLE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE Solid: Confer vulnerable 4.
Target: 1 creature
(8) MIST VOLLEY +6 – ATTACK/CONJURY/COLD
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. Drag 5 ft.
Target: 20 ft. blast (40 ft.)
Solid: Confer blinded 2.
(8) CLUMSY PECK +4 – ATTACK/MELEE After: Create fog, an obscuring field.
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 2d8 damage. Confer bleeding 2. (10) SMOTHERING FOG +5 – ATTACK/CONJURY
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. Target: 1 creature standing in fog
Hit: Deal 3d8 damage. Confer staggered 2.
STR +2 AGI +1 VIG +0 Solid: Add 1d8 damage.
KNW +1 CNG +2 RES +0 STR +2 AGI +3 VIG +1
- 219 -
Bear, Dire
Bear Dire bears are the size of a small cottage, with
Bears are large beasts that roam the woodland, mottled fur and patches of rough chitinous plating
drawn the travelers' camps by the smell of food. that set them apart from their ordinary kin.
Every traveler knows at least one maxim about these
woodland beasts: never get between a mother bear
and its young.
Dire Bear lvl 7
Sample Encounters AC 16 RCT 2 SIZE Hg
THREAT ENEMIES
Retaliate: When a dire bear is bloodied (47), it can make an
1 1 bear immediate slavering frenzy attack.
6 1d4 bears
(B) BRUTAL SWIPE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
7 1d3 bears, 1 dire bear Target: 1 or 2 creatures
8 1 cinder bear Hit: Deal 2d10 damage. Push 5 ft.
Solid: Confer vulnerable 4.
(8) SLAVERING FRENZY +7 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: melee burst; enemies only
Bear lvl 4 Hit: Deal 2d10+3 damage.
Push 10 ft. and knock prone.
Solid: Creatures knocked prone cannot
AC 14 RCT 1 SIZE Lg stand up on their next turn.
Retaliate: When a bear is bloodied (29), it can make an (10) PIERCING ROAR +7 – ATTACK /MENTAL
immediate frenzy attack. Target: melee burst; enemies only
Hit: Deal 3d10 damage. Confer staggered 2.
(B) SWIPE +6 – ATTACK/MELEE Make a recovery 4d10.
Target: 1 creature Solid: Make a recovery 6d10 instead.
Hit: Deal 1d8+3 damage. Confer unguarded 4. +3 +2 +3
STR AGI VIG
(8) FRENZY +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
Solid: Creatures knocked prone cannot
stand up on their next turn.
(F) RETALIATE – REACTION/1 USE
Reaction. When reduced to 23 HP, a bear can
make a frenzy attack immediately.

- 220 -
Bear, Cinder
Occasionally, a bear that dies in a forest fire will
Cat
return as a scorched husk to punish the negligent Large cats descend from the mountains to devour
humans responsible. These creatures are not alive- unsuspecting creatures. In the wild, cats are
only the lingering embers of a hateful spirit keep roaming, solitary hunters, who usually only descend
their charred bodies in motion. from their mountain lairs to hunt if they are
approaching starvation. In the crumbling, decadent
cities, a few ragged specimens may occasionally be
found as gladiatorial beasts.
Cinder Bear lvl 8
Sample Encounters
THREAT ENEMIES
AC 16 RCT 2 SIZE Hg 3 1 mountain lions
I: FIRE | V: COLD 4 1 shadow panther
Pain's Wrath: When a cinder bear is bloodied (56), it can 8 1d4 shadow panthers
make an immediate bellow of wrath attack.
(B) FIERY SWIPE +8 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 or 2 creatures Mountain Lion lvl 4
Confer burning 3. HP 55 SPD 35 ft. INIT 17
AC 16 RCT 3 SIZE Lg
(8) KILN BREATH +8 – ATTACK /FIRE
(B) SCRATCH +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
Hit: Deal 3d10+3 damage. Confer burning 3.
Target: 1 creature
Solid: Add 1d10 damage. Hit: Deal 1d8+3 damage. Confer bleeding 2.
After: Create cinders, a field that deals 4 movement Solid: Add 1d8 damage.
damage.
(10) BELLOW OF WRATH +8 – ATTACK /FIRE This turn, the mountain lion can make a scratch
Target: 10 ft. burst attack as a minor action.
Hit: Deal 3d10 damage. Make a recovery 4d10.
Solid: Add 1d10 damage. Knock prone. (8) PINNING POUNCE +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
After: Create cinders, as above. Target: 1 creature
STR +4 AGI +2 VIG +4 Knock prone and confer grappled.
(10) LICK WOUNDS – MINOR
Minor Action. Make a recovery 2d8.
EXTRA ATTACKS
In addition to its other actions, a mountain lion can make
one scratch attack as a free action each turn.

- 221 -
Cat, Shadow Panther
Shadow panthers are jet black felines with brilliant
Chimera
emerald eyes who bring a cloak of gloom wherever Chimeras are magical beasts that possess an
they hunt. If you are lost in the wilds and the light of amalgam of physical features from different
day seems to be fading too quickly, beware, for it animals. Such creatures are placed on the earth by
may not be your eyes playing tricks. mad wizards or by gods with an inscrutable sense of
humor.
Chimeras are gifted with extremely long lifespans,

and while the young will behave essentially like
Shadow Panther lvl 7
animals, a chimera that wanders the earth for
HP 78 SPD 35 ft. INIT 17 enough decades will gradually gain the intelligence
of a human and the ability to speak. This is more
AC 16 RCT 3 SIZE Lg
common than one would think, since most varieties
R: COLD, SPECTRAL
are apex predators and seldom killed off before their
(B) SCRATCH +7 – ATTACK/MELEE prime.
Target: 1 or 2 creatures
Hit: Deal 2d8+4 damage. Confer blinded 2. S AMPLE E NCOUNTERS
THREAT ENEMIES
(6) SHADOW DEN – MINOR ACTION 2 1d4 harpies

Create a shadow den in a 20 ft. close blast, a field that 3 1 manticore
is obscuring to creatures other than shadow panthers.
Once per round, the shadow panther can make a
4 1 gryphon
scratch attack as a free action against one creature
inside.
(8) PINNING POUNCE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE Chimera, Harpy

Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 3d8+4 damage. Push 10 ft. Harpies are shrieking monstrosities that resemble
Knock prone and confer grappled. sickly birds with a faces and chests of women.
Harpy lvl 2
(10) LICK WOUNDS – MINOR ACTION
Make a recovery 2d8. HP 26 SPD 35 ft. INIT 13
STR +4 AGI +3 VIG +2 AC 15 RCT 3 SIZE Md
KNW -3 CNG +2 RES +1 (B) TALON +5 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
(7) FLY BY +5 – ATTACK/MELEE

On Use: Jump 25 ft.
Hit: Deal 2d6+3 damage. Confer blinded 2.
Solid: Confer blinded 4 instead.
(10) PIERCING SCREECH +5 – ATTACK /MENTAL


- 222 -
Chimera, Manticore Chimera, Gryphon
A manticore has the face of a man, the body of a lion, A gryphon is an immense creature with the body of
the wings of an eagle, and a wicked scorpion tail that an enormous lion and the head and wings of a giant
dances with a mind of its own. They are covered eagle. They are insatiable and relentless hunters,
with spines that shake loose as they clumsily take to imbued with the predatory instincts of both beasts.
the skies.
Gryphon lvl 6
Manticore lvl 5
HP 71 SPD 25 ft. INIT 14 AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Hg
AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Lg
(B) RENDING TALON +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
R: POISON Target: 1 or 2 creatures
Hit: Break 1 armor die. Deal 2d8+4 damage.
(B) SHARP CLAWS +6 – ATTACK/MELEE Solid: Confer unguarded 4.
Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Confer bleeding 2. (7) BLINDING PECK +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. Special: minor action
Target: 1 creature
(7) TAIL STINGER+6 – ATTACK/MELEE Hit: Deal 3d8 damage. Confer blinded 3.
Special: minor action Solid: Add 1d8 damage.
Target: 1 creature within 15 ft.
Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Confer poisoned 4. (10) BUFFETING WINGS +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
Solid: Confer poisoned 6 instead. On Use: Jump 50 ft.
Target: 10 ft burst; all enemies
(10) ROUGH LANDING +6 – ATTACK/MELEE Hit: Deal 2d8+4 damage. Push 10 ft. Confer staggered 1.
On Use: Jump 50 ft. Solid: Add 1d8 damage.
Target: 10 ft burst; all enemies
Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Push 10 ft. Knock prone. STR +4 AGI +2 VIG +2
After: Create a field of spines that deals KNW -3 CNG +1 RES +2
3 movement damage.

- 223 -
Escarlate Frog
Blood is the wellspring of life, and a creature whose Frogs favor the crunch of a giant beetle or cricket,
blood is spilt gifts life unto the world. It is no but the satisfying firmness of leather armor serves
surprise then that things drenched in blood can almost as well.
sometimes take on lives of their own.
Sample Encounters
An escarlate is a cruel spirit that forms on grisly
THREAT ENEMIES
battlefield remains, in mass graves, or from piles of
2 1d4 moon frogs
discarded infirmary bandages. It resembles a
2 1 giant toads
flapping, whirling entity made of nothing more than
4 1d4 giant toads
tattered red cloth. An escarlate formed from
clothing may carry an exsanguinated corpse within
it, a shambling puppet dressed all in red. Though
picturesque, this arrangement seldom lasts long- the Frog, Moon Frog
escarlate soon shakes free and flutters along by its
Moon frogs are pale creatures that gather on the
own volition.
river banks beneath the full moon. Their eyes are
like white, shining dinner plates, and can banish
Escarlate lvl 2 thoughts from the minds of those who look upon
them.
AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Md Moon Frog lvl 1

One Size Fits All: While grappling with a creature, half the HP 14 SPEED 20 ft. INIT 14
damage dealt to an escarlate is dealt to that creature instead.
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) STRANGLING STRANDS +5 – ATTACK/RANGED
(B) TONGUE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE OR RANGED
Target: up to 2 creatures (20 ft.)
Hit: Deal 1d6+2 damage. Pull 15 ft.
Solid: Knock prone.
(7) CRIMSON MARIONETTE +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
Special: minor action (8) MOONSTRUCK GAZE +4 – ATK/MELEE/SPECTRAL
Target: 1 creature (5 ft.) Target: 15 ft. close blast; enemies only
Hit: Deal 1d6 damage. Slide the target 15 ft. It makes a Hit: Deal 2d6 damage. Confer delirious 2.
strike or shoot action against a target of your choice. Solid: Confer delirious 4 instead.
STR +2 AGI +2 VIG -1
(10) CLOAK OF CRIMSON +5 – ATTACK/MELEE -4 +1 +0
KNW CNG RES
Target: 1 creature

- 224 -
Frog, Giant Toad
Giant toads are not picky eaters, and their stomachs
are often filled with a variety of interesting baubles.
Giant Toad lvl 3

HP 46 SPEED 20 ft. INIT 15
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Lg
(B) TONGUE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE OR RANGED

Solid: Knock prone.
(7) FOUL BREATH +4 – ATTACK/MELEE/POISON

Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. Confer weakened 3.
Solid: Confer weakened 5 instead.
(9) SWALLOW WHOLE – MINOR ACTION

Swallow one adjacent prone creature, removing it from
the map. It takes 1d8 damage at the start of its turn, and
all it can do is check Str or Agi vs. 15 to escape. On
success, it is expelled into a random adjacent square and
falls prone.

- 225 -
Goblin, Archer
Goblin Goblin archers sleep with their arrowheads tucked
These diminutive creatures dwell in caves and in their cheeks to give them a bit of an infectious
tunnels and do battle with crude, rusty weapons. bite.
Goblins emerge from their warrens in small packs to
hunt their prey. They make little effort to organize Goblin Archer lvl 1
on their own, so if there are many goblins in one
place, there is likely to be some other creature HP 12 SPD 20 ft. INIT 13
leading them. Though their intellects can be AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Sm
difficult to understand, goblins are intelligent
(B) BARBED ARROW +3 – ATTACK/RANGED
creatures with reasoned motivations and they are Target: 1 creature (30 ft.)
receptive to negotiation. Hit: Deal 1d6+1 damage.
Solid: Confer bleeding 2.
Sample Encounters (7) POISON ARROW +3 – ATTACK/RANGED/POISON
THREAT ENEMIES Target: 1 creature (30 ft.)
0 1d4 archers, cutters Hit: Deal 1d6+1 damage. Confer poisoned 3.
1 1d4+1 archers, cutters
1d4 archers/cutters STR -1 AGI +1 VIG +0
2
1 maniac or 1 shaman KNW -1 CNG +1 RES -2
1d4 cutters or archers
3
1 maniac, 1 witch doctor
Goblin, Berserker
Goblin, Cutter The greatest warriors are covered with the bloody
handprints of the tribes. A berserker is a fearsome
Lowly cutters cherish their rusty weapons, giving and unrelenting warrior, just as likely die of self-
them names and chiseling crude faces into them. inflicted exhaustion as from a wound in battle.
Goblin Cutter lvl 1 Goblin Berserker lvl 3

HP 12 SPEED 20 ft. INIT 13 28 20 ft. 13
HP SPD INIT
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Sm 14 2 Sm
AC RCT SIZE
(B) CUT & RUN +3 – ATTACK/MELEE (B) RAGING STRIKE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE OR RANGED
Target: 1 creature Target: 1 creature (20 ft. if ranged)
Hit: Deal 1d6+1 damage. Shift 10 ft. Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage.
Solid: Add 1d6 damage. Shift 20 ft. Solid: Until the end of the turn, the goblin maniac can
make a basic attack as a minor action.
(9) HAMSTRING +3 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature (9) SPINNING AXE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Hit: Deal 2d6+1 damage. Confer slowed 3. Target: melee burst; each creature
Solid: Add 1d6 damage. Hit: Deal 2d8+1 damage. Knock prone.
Solid: Until the end of the turn, the goblin maniac can
STR -1 AGI +1 VIG +0 make a basic attack as a minor action.
KNW -1 CNG +1 RES -2 STR +2 AGI +1 VIG +1

KNW -1 CNG +1 RES -2
- 226 -
Goblin, Ritualist
The spiritual leaders of goblin-kind are fond of
Golem
spectacle, and they take immense pleasure in their Golems are mindless statues constructed from
practice of popping subordinates like balloons. various materials like wood, stone, or dead flesh, and
imbued with animating magic. Some are built by
Goblin Ritualist lvl 3 mages to serve as protectors, while others collect
dust in the crumbling ruins, guarding the long-
HP 25 SPD 20 ft. INIT 14 forgotten treasures of the ancient dead.
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Sm
(B) STAFF +1 – ATTACK/MELEE
Sample Encounters
Target: 1 creature THREAT ENEMIES
Hit: Deal 1d8-1 damage. 3 1 flesh golem
Solid: Knock prone.
5 1 clay golem
(4) FIREBOLT +4 – ATTACK/CONJURY/FIRE 6 2 flesh golems
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. 7 2 clay golems
Solid: Confer burning 2.
(8) MUD BURST +4 – ATTACK/CONJURY Golem, Clay

Target: 20 ft. blast (20 ft.)
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. A clay golem has no natural form and is as likely to
Create a field of difficult terrain. appear as a warrior as a mythical animal. It can alter
the hardness and consistency of its form to take on
(10) BLOOD BOMB +4 – ATTACK/CONJURY/POISON many pleasing and disturbing shapes.
Target: 10 ft. burst on ally (20 ft.)
Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. Confer poisoned 4. Clay Golem lvl 7
The ally is killed.
Solid: Confer poisoned 6 instead. HP 87 SPD 20 ft. INIT 14
STR -1 AGI +1 VIG +1 AC 15 RCT 1 SIZE Lg
KNW -1 CNG +2 RES +1 Harden: When a clay golem is bloodied, it gains guarded 3.

Target: 1 creature
Hit: Break 1 armor die. Deal 2d10+4 damage. Push 10 ft.
(7) STRANGLING MUD +7 – ATTACK/MELEE

Hit: Deal 2d10+4 damage. Confer slowed 3.
Solid Hit: Confer immobilized 3 instead.
After: Create a field of difficult terrain that deals 1d10
physical damage at end of round.
(9) DIZZYING CRUSH +7 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Confer delayed 3.

- 227 -
Golem, Flesh Flesh Golem Head lvl 5
These gaudy creations are crudely stitched together HP 10 SPD 10 ft. INIT 13
from any of number limbs, torsos and heads. Flesh 14 1 Sm
AC RCT SIZE
golems may or may not experience pain, but they
seem to have no compunctions about hurling pieces (B) BITE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
of themselves at their adversaries. It is unknown
whether their many faces scream out of genuine Solid: Add 1d8 damage.
pain or mere nervous reflex.
Flesh Golem lvl 5 KNW -4 CNG +0 RES -1
AC 14 RCT 1 SIZE Lg
Flesh Golem Arm lvl 5
Fall Apart: When a flesh golem runs out of armor dice, its
remaining head and limbs fall off in adjacent squares. This HP 10 SPD 10 ft. INIT 13
round, they act in the delay phase.
AC 14 RCT 1 SIZE Sm
Target: 1 creature (B) SQUEEZE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
Hit: Break 1 armor die. Deal 2d8+4 damage. Push 10 ft. Target: 1 creature
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. Hit: Deal 1d8+4 damage. Confer grappled.
(8) THROW LIMB +7 – ATTACK/RANGED
Target: 1 creature (30 ft.) STR +4 AGI +1 VIG +4
Solid Hit: Add 1d8 damage. KNW -4 CNG +0 RES -1
After: Create a flesh golem arm or head in a space
adjacent to the target. The flesh golem can create a total
of 1d4 heads or arms.

- 228 -
Harvestman, Mature
Harvestman A healthy harvestman is the weight of a healthy
Harvestmen are enormous daddy-long-legs drawn horse, and though yields have been paltry in recent
to food that is left to rot in the fields come harvest. years, some still grow to their full size.
When marauders or the plague kills off a settlement,
these great creatures will emerge to devour the
untended crops, dissolving them with their spittle
before eating the remnants bit by bit. They Mature Harvestman lvl 4
sometimes leave molted exoskeletons perched upon HP 57 SPD 25 ft. INIT 15
thatched roofs or clinging to the walls of the barn-
AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Lg
do not mistake the live ones for empty shells.
V: COLD, FIRE
Sample Encounters (B) LEG STAB +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
THREAT ENEMIES Target: 1 creature
0 1 anemic Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage, confer immobilized 1.
1 1d3 anemic
2 1d3 anemic and 1 mature (7) IMPALING LEAP - MOVE ACTION
Jump 20 ft. The harvestman's next leg stab is accurate
3 2 mature and deals 1d8 extra damage.
4 1 mature and 1 harvest queen
(9) ACIDIC SPITTLE +5 – ATTACK /POISON
5 1d3 mature and 1 harvest queen Target: 15 ft. close blast
After: Create acid pool, a field
Anemic Harvestman lvl 2 that deals 3 poison movement damage.
HP 41 SPD 25 ft. INIT 14 STR +2 AGI +0 VIG +2

AC 14 RCT 1 SIZE Lg KNW -4 CNG +0 RES +0
V: COLD, FIRE
(B) LEG STAB +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
(7) DESPERATE HUNGER – MINOR ACTION

The harvestman's next leg stab is accurate. If it hits,
knock the target prone and drag it 15 ft.
(9) ACIDIC SPITTLE +4 – ATTACK /POISON

After: Create acid pool, a field that deals 3 poison
movement damage.
STR 10/+2 AGI 8/-1 VIG 10/+0

KNW 3/-4 CNG 10/+0 RES 10/+0
- 229 -
Harvest Queen
The harvest queen is a dazzling beauty to her
Honeyfish
consorts: bulbous yet graceful, dripping with A honeyfish is not a fish so much as a thirty-foot
venom, engorged with teeming offspring. orange flatworm that burrows in mud and soft
earth. Its face resembles a spearhead flanked by four
Harvest Queen lvl 6 frond-like tentacles that drip with a golden ichor. A
predator of riverbanks, soft canyon-bottoms, and
HP 86 SPD 25 ft. INIT 13 muddy cave floors, a honeyfish preys upon creatures
AC 16 RCT 2 SIZE Hg unfortunate enough to become mired in the muck.
It splatters its sweet-smelling secretion over its prey,
V: COLD, FIRE
inducing a wild frenzy that hastens exhaustion and
Split Open: When bloodied (43), a harvest queen makes the
mires the victim further. Once its meal tires of
harvest spawn action immediately, except the area is 10 ft.
instead of 20 ft. energy, the honeyfish emerges to dine. What awaits
the creature is a tedious, interminable wait within a
(B) TWIN LEG STAB +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 2 creatures sticky digestive tract.
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage, confer immobilized 1.
Honeyfish lvl 5
(8) HARVEST SPAWN +6 – ATTACK /POISON
Target: 20 ft. close blast; enemies only HP 70 SPD 25 ft. INIT 14
Solid: Confer slowed 2. AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Lg
After: Create spawn, a field of difficult terrain that
deals 3 poison movement damage and confers slowed 2 Burrowing: A honeyfish stays burrowed until it attacks.
to enemies at end-of-round. Harvestmen ignore this While burrowed, it jumps instead of moving normally and
field. gains a +4 bonus to AC. It emerges when it makes an attack,
losing these bonuses for the rest of the round.
(10) ROYAL REGENERATION – MINOR ACTION
(B) FROND LASH +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
Make a recovery 2d8.
Target: melee burst (5 ft.)
Solid: Confer berserk 2 to one target.
KNW -4 CNG +0 RES +0 Berserk: Condition. On its turn, a berserk creature
must try to move into range of the nearest creature and
make a basic attack against that creature. If there are
multiple nearest creatures, choose randomly.
(8) HONEY SPLATTER +6 – ATTACK/RANGED

Target: line (20 ft.)
After: Create honey puddle, a field of difficult terrain.
Non-honeyfish that start their turn inside are berserk
for that turn.
(10) BURST FORTH +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

On Use: The honeyfish jumps 20 ft, then ends its turn
still burrowed. It makes the following attack in the
delay phase:
Target: 10 ft. burst
Hit: Deal 3d8 damage. Push 5 ft. Knock prone.

- 230 -
Horse, Nightmare
Horse On the night of the new moon, when all is silent and
It is said that those who ride horses into battle form still, venture to the highest hill and look out upon
such strong companionship with their beasts that barren plains; you will see the nightmares drift like
their spirits entwine in the afterlife. so much smoke beneath the stars.
Sample Encounters Nightmare lvl 6

THREAT ENEMIES
1 1 riding horse HP 72 SPD 40 ft. INIT 18
4 1 nightmare AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Lg
6 1 skeletal steed
I: NECROTIC | R: POISON
(B) TWIN HOOVES +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

Riding Horse lvl 3 Hit: Deal 1d10+3 damage. Confer staggered 1.
Solid: Confer staggered 2 instead.
(8) SHADOW TRAMPLE +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Lg On Use: Jump up to 40 ft.
Target: each creature jumped through
(B) HOOF KICK +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 1d8+3 damage. Confer staggered 1.
After: Create tangling shadows, a field of obscuring
Solid: Confer staggered 2 instead.
difficult terrain that deals 3 necrotic movement
(8) TRAMPLE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE damage.
Target: each creature jumped through (10) SHADOW STITCHING – MINOR ACTION
Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. Knock prone. Make a recovery 1d8.
Solid Hit: Confer staggered 2.
- 231 -
Horse, Skeletal Steed
It is said that of all souls, only that of the horse is
Humanoid
swift enough to gallop back to the living world from Times like these make folks desperate, and
the beyond the pale of death. desperation makes folks violent. Still, intelligent
people can at least be reasoned with, and a stranger
Skeletal Steed lvl 7 is better made an ally than a corpse. The folks of the
world recognize, this.
Whereas other monsters may not be motivated
AC 16 RCT 2 SIZE Lg
I: NECROTIC | R: COLD, POISON S AMPLE E NCOUNTERS
(B) BONE KICK +7 – ATTACK/MELEE THREAT ENEMIES
Target: 2 creatures 1 1d4 blades/archers, 1 thug
Confer staggered 1. 1 1d4 city guards, 1 city guard captain
2 1d4 bandit archers/blades, 1 conjuror
(8) MIASMIC CHARGE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE/NECROTIC 2 1d4 thieves, 1 back-alley brawler
1d4 bandit archers/blades,
Target: each creature jumped through 3
Hit: Deal 3d8+3 damage. Confer vulnerable 3. 1 bandit thug, 1 bandit conjuror
Solid Hit: Confer vulnerable 5 instead. 4 1 magician adept, 2 magician apprentices
After: Create miasma, a field that obscures line of sight
and deals 5 necrotic movement damage. 4 1 necromancer, 2d6 adult zombies
4 1d4+1 assassins
(10) REASSEMBLE – 1 USE /MINOR ACTION
Make a recovery 3d10. 5 1d4 assassins, 1 master thief
STR +3 AGI +2 VIG +3 6 1d6+1 knights, 1 knight commander
- 232 -
Assassin Bandit, Archer
Cutting throats on behalf of the powerful is The bow is a perfect weapon for those who prefer to
lucrative, and any fool can make a career out of it. avoid confrontation. Many bandits elect to skip
Assassins are those that have made an art form out negotiation and skip right to picking baubles off the
of the practice. dead.
Assassin lvl 3 Bandit Archer lvl 1

HP 31 SPD 25 ft. INIT 15 HP 15 SPD 25 ft. INIT 13
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) SHORTSWORD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE (B) JAGGED ARROW +4 – ATTACK/RANGED

Target: 1 creature Target: 1 creature (30 ft.)
Hit: Deal 1d6+3 damage. Hit: Deal 1d8+1 damage.
Solid: Confer unguarded 2. Solid: Confer bleeding 2.
(6) CROSS CUT – MINOR ACTION (6) HOBBLING SHOT +4 – ATTACK/RANGED

Make a shortsword attack. It deals +1d6 damage. Target: 1 creature (30 ft.)
Hit: Deal 1d8+1 damage. Confer slowed 3.
(8) QUICK SLASH +4 – ATTACK/MELEE Solid: Add 1d8 damage.
On Use: Jump 20 ft.
Target: each enemy passed through STR +1 AGI +2 VIG -1
Solid: Confer staggered 2. KNW -1 CNG +1 RES -1
(10) POISONED BLADE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE/POISON

Target: 1 creature
Solid: Confer poisoned 6 instead.
Bandit, Blade
Few bandits possess any formal training with a
STR +1 AGI +2 VIG +0 blade, but most get plenty of practice cutting down
KNW +0 CNG +3 RES -1 the folks who try to flee.
Bandit Blade lvl 1

AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md
2 REACTIONS – NO RESISTANCES
(B) LONGSWORD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Solid: Confer unguarded 2.
(6) OVERPOWER +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. Shove 10 ft.

- 233 -
Bandit, Thug Guard, Militia
Even in days of peace, certain men spend their lives Though farmers and tradespeople often take up
sharpening axes and daydreaming of their chance to arms to protect their villages, their desperation
use them. In these sickly days, such men live out proves a poor substitute for martial training.
their fantasies.
Militia lvl 0
Bandit Thug lvl 1
AC 11 RCT 2 SIZE Md
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) CUDGEL +3 – ATTACK/MELEE
(B) GREATAXE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE Target: 1 creature
Target: 1 creature (30 ft.) Hit: Deal 1d6+1 damage.
Hit: Deal 1d10+3 damage. Solid: Confer delayed 1.
Solid: Confer vulnerable 2.
(8) ZEALOUS ATTACK – ATTACK/MELEE
(8) CLEAVING SPIN +4 – ATTACK/MELEE Target: 1 creature
Target: melee burst; enemies only Hit: Deal 2d6+1 damage.
Hit: Deal 1d10+3 damage. Solid: Knock prone.
Solid: Add 1d10 damage. STR +1 AGI +0 VIG +0
STR +2 AGI +1 VIG +1 KNW +0 CNG +0 RES +0
Bandit, Conjuror Guard, City Guard

Circumstance can lead even the gifted down the The toil is rarely worth the coin, and most find their
path of common thievery, but so can a dearth of way to the work for want of other opportunities.
imagination. The ones to fear are those who join the guard by
choice.
Bandit Conjuror lvl 3
City Guard lvl 1
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md
AC 12 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) PLAGUE BOLT +4 – ATTACK/CONJURY/POISON
Target: 1 creature (B) PIKE +3 – ATTACK/MELEE
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. Confer poisoned 3. Target: 1 creature
Solid: Confer poisoned 5 instead. Hit: Deal 1d8+1 damage.
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. Shove 10 ft.
(8) WIND SPIN +4 – ATTACK/RANGED
Target: 30 ft. path (7) ZEALOUS ATTACK – ATTACK/MELEE
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. Confer staggered 1. Target: 1 creature
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. Hit: Deal 2d8+1 damage. Knock prone.
STR +1 AGI +2 VIG +2 +1 +0 +0
STR AGI VIG
KNW +1 CNG +2 RES +0 KNW +0 CNG +0 RES +0
- 234 -
Guard, City Guard Captain Knight
Those with great influence find it important to Infamous for their pride and cruelty, knights are
install leadership sympathetic to their aims. elite warriors that wear heavy armor and wield
tremendous greatswords.
City Guard Captain lvl 2
Knight lvl 3
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md
AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) HALBERD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature (B) GREATSWORD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Hit: Deal 1d8+2 damage. Target: 1 creature
Solid: Add 1d6 damage. Knock prone. Hit: Deal 1d10+2 damage.
Solid: Add 1d10 damage. Confer unguarded 2.
(7) HOOKING STRIKE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature (7) EXTRA ATTACK – MINOR ACTION
Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. Slide 10 ft.
Make a basic attack.
Solid: Confer immobilized 1.
(10) BREAK FREE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
(9) ATTACK ORDER – MINOR ACTION Target: melee burst; enemies only
One ally in sight can move 25 ft. and make a basic Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage.
attack. Solid: Shove one target 10 ft.
STR +1 AGI +1 VIG +1 STR +2 AGI +0 VIG +2
KNW +0 CNG +0 RES +1 KNW +0 CNG +1 RES +2
- 235 -
Knight, Commander Magician, Apprentice
Better equipment, better training, and good health The conjury of the student is not as subtle as that of
and nourishment are among the many advantages of the teacher.
the noble ranks of knighthood.
Magician, Apprentice lvl 3
Knight Commander lvl 4
HP 22 SPEED 25 ft. INIT 13
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md
AC 16 RCT 2 SIZE Md Spell Shroud: An apprentice takes half damage from the
first non-physical attack damage it takes each round.
(B) GREATSWORD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature (B) ROD +2 – ATTACK/MELEE
Hit: Deal 1d10+2 damage. Target: 1 creature
Solid: Add 1d10 damage. Confer unguarded 2. Hit: Deal 1d8 damage.
Solid: Confer delayed 1.
Make a basic attack. (5) THUNDERSTRIKE +4 – ATK/CONJURY/LIGHTNING
Target: 1 creature
(8) POMMEL STRIKE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE Solid: Confer delayed 2.
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 2d10+2. Confer delayed 3. (8) FIREBALL +4 – ATTACK/CONJURY/FIRE
Solid: Confer delayed 5 instead. Target: 15 ft. blast
(10) KNIGHTLY CLEAVE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE Solid: Confer burning 2.
Target: melee burst; enemies only After: Create cinders, a field that deals
Hit: Deal 2d10+2 damage. 2 movement damage.
Solid: Push 5 ft. Knock prone. STR +0 AGI +1 VIG +0
STR +2 AGI +0 VIG +2 KNW +2 CNG +1 RES +0
- 236 -
Magician, Adept Necromancer
Practitioners of the Warped Art are better left alone, Given time, talent, and access, there is one path to
if possible. power that no student of the occult can resist.
Magician lvl 5 Necromancer lvl 6

HP 45 SPEED 25 ft. INIT 15 HP 50 SPEED 25 ft. INIT 12
Spell Shroud: A magician takes half damage from the first Spell Shroud: A necromancer takes half damage from the
non-physical attack damage it takes each round. first non-physical attack damage it takes each round.
(B) STAFF +3 – ATTACK/MELEE

(B) RITUAL DAGGER +3 – ATK/MELEE/RANGE/POISON
Target: 1 creature
Solid: Knock prone.
Solid: Confer poisoned 4.
(4) KINETIC STRIKE +6 – ATTACK/CONJURY
Target: 1 creature
(4) BOLT OF SICKNESS +6 – ATTACK/CONJURY/POISON
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Slide 10 ft.
Solid: Slide 20 ft. instead.
Solid: Confer poisoned 4.
(6) ENTHRALL +6 – ATTACK/CONJURY/MENTAL

Target: 1 creature
(8) NECROTIC WAVE +6 – ATK/CONJURY/NECROTIC
Target: 15 ft. blast; enemies only
Hit: Slide the target 20 ft. It makes a strike or shoot
action against a target of your choice, dealing 1d8 extra Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage.
Solid: Confer weakened 4.
damage.
Solid: It deals 2d8 extra damage instead. After: Grant a recovery 2d8 to each ally in the area.
(8) FREEZING CLOUD +6 – ATTACK/CONJURY/COLD (10) CHANT OF AWAKENING +6 – SUPPORT

Target: 15 ft. blast Target: personal
Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Confer slowed 2. Hit: Create a walking corpse in an adjacent square.
Solid: Confer immobilized 2 instead. Solid: Create two walking corpses instead.
After: Create freezing cloud, a field of obscuring Special: If the peril score is exactly 12, this ability is a
difficult terrain. free action.
(10) MASS CONFUSION +6 – ATK/CONJURY/MENTAL STR +0 AGI +1 VIG +2

Target: 20 ft. blast
Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Confer delirious 2. KNW +3 CNG +2 RES +3
Solid: Confer delirious 4 instead.

- 237 -
Thief, Cutpurse Thief, Back Alley Brawler
Unlike the bandits that prowl the countryside, some Many lowlifes have learned that stealing isn't
robbers prefer to remain near urban centers, where necessary if you can convince your victim to part
ill-gotten treasures lie just out of reach. with their coin willingly.
Thief, Cutpurse lvl 1 Back Alley Brawler lvl 2

HP 17 SPD 25 ft. INIT 14 HP 28 SPD 25 ft. INIT 11
(B) DAGGER +4 – ATTACK/MELEE OR RANGED (B) PUMMEL +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature (20 ft. if ranged) Target: melee burst; enemies only
Hit: Deal 1d4+2 damage. Hit: Deal 2d6 damage.
Solid: Confer bleeding 2. Solid: Knock prone.
(7) EXTRA ATTACK – MINOR ACTION (7) KNOCKOUT +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Make a basic attack. Target: 1 creature
(9) POISONED BLADE +4 – ATTACK/MELEE/POISON Solid: Add 1d6 damage.
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 2d4+2 damage. Confer poisoned 4. (9) GRAB +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Solid: Confer poisoned 6 instead. Target: 1 creature
STR +1 AGI +2 VIG +0 Solid: Add 1d6 damage.
KNW +0 CNG +2 RES -1 STR +2 AGI +1 VIG +2

- 238 -
Thief, Master Thief
A lifetime of close calls takes its toll on a mind.
Ketselhop
Ketselhops, also known as dancing cats, are vexing
Master Thief lvl 6 little demons that resemble impish creatures with
oversized feline heads. Despite their awkward
HP 52 SPD 35 ft. INIT 17 anatomies, they have a measure of catlike grace and
AC 16 RCT 3 SIZE Md prove very dangerous to confront unprepared.
(B) POISONED BLADE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE/POISON Ketselhops typically hunt in trios or quintets and
Target: 1 creature like playing with their food: they delight in
confusing and tormenting their human prey,
engineering arguments such that one storms off on
(5) CROSS CUT – MINOR ACTION their own. There is nothing a ketselhop likes more
Make a basic attack. It deals +1d8 damage. than to spoil something that took hours to do: when
(7) INCREDIBLE LEAP +7 – ATTACK/RANGE a cooling pie goes tumbling off a window sill or an
On Use: Jump 30 ft. inkwell spills on an important document, check
Target: each enemy passed through
under the furniture before pointing fingers!
Once they've isolated a victim, the ketselhops will
(9) BETWEEN THE RIBS +7 – ATTACK/MELEE reveal themselves and engage in a nauseating
Target: 1 creature magical dance. Upon its conclusion, they dine.

Ketselhop lvl 2
KNW +0 CNG +4 RES -1
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Sm
Disappearing Act: When a ketselhops is attacked, it can
spend a reaction to roll a d4. On a 4, it can change one target
of the attack to another target within range.
(B) CAT CLAW +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 1d6+2 damage and shift 10 ft.
(8) INFERNAL SWAP +4 – ATTACK/CONJURY

Hit: Deal 2d6 damage. Swap places with the target.
Solid: Confer unguarded 4.
(10) DIZZY PUNCH +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 3d6 damage. Add 1d6 damage for each time
the target has swapped places this encounter.
STR -1 AGI +1 VIG -1

- 239 -
Ogre, Prime
Ogre Every ogre clan respects the authority of its most
Ogres are large humanoids with a testy relationship imposing and strong-willed member. This is usually
to humans, elves, and dwarves. In some places, ogres a mature son or daughter, as elders bear the
are members of close-knit clans, but others prefer to responsibility of preserving the traditions of the
live solitary lives of wandering. clan.
Sample Encounters
THREAT ENEMIES
2 1 ogre runt Ogre Prime lvl 6
4 1 ogre prime HP 94 SPD 25 ft. INIT 13
5 1d4-1 ogre runts
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Hg
5 1 ogre mage
Enrage: Once an ogre prime is bloodied (47), it deals 1d8
extra damage with each attack.
(B) MAUL +7 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Ogre, Runt Solid: Push 10 ft. Knock prone.
The ogres most commonly found alone in the (8) RUINOUS SWING +7 – ATTACK/MELEE
wilderness are those who fled their clans. Target: melee burst; enemies only
Hit: Deal 2d8 damage. Push 10 ft. and knock prone.
Solid Hit: Confer staggered 2.
Ogre Runt lvl 4 After: Destroy any obstacles in the area. Create a field
of difficult terrain.
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Lg
Enrage: Once an ogre runt is bloodied (29), it deals 1d8 extra
damage with each attack.
(B) MAUL +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Solid: Push 10 ft. Knock prone.
(8) WILD SWING +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

Hit: Deal 2d8 damage. Push 10 ft. and knock prone.

- 240 -
Ogre, Mage
Ogres of keen intellect and innate magical ability are
Skeleton
welcomed into the ancient spiritual traditions of Nowhere in the realm is safe from the dark work of
their clan, though many choose to set out on their necromancers. The bones of dead creatures are
own. Curiously, such ogres are often born with sturdy, widely available, and easy to replace, making
curved horns. animated skeletons the preferred foot soldiers of
these wicked magicians. Damaged skeletons are
Ogre Mage lvl 7 sometimes reassembled by the magic that binds
them together.
AC 15 RCT 2 SIZE Lg Sample Encounters
THREAT ENEMIES
Mistform Rage: Once an ogre mage is bloodied (44), it deals
1 1d4-1 guards/archers
1d10 extra damage with each attack, it gains +2 AC, and it
jumps instead of moving normally. 3 1d4 guards/archers, 1 reaver
7 1d4 guards/archers, 1 death knight
(B) FLAMING BLADE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE/FIRE
Target: 1 creature
Hit: 2d10+4 damage. Confer burning 3.
Skeleton, Skeletal Guard

(6) JOLT +7 – ATTACK/CONJURY/LIGHTNING

Special: minor action Once soldiers in life, these sword-and-shield-
Target: 1 creature (20 ft.) bearing skeletons retain their dutiful instincts even
Hit: 2d10+4 damage.
in death.
Solid: Confer delayed 2.
(9) FREEZING MIST +7 – ATTACK/CONJURY/COLD Skeletal Guard lvl 1

Target: 10 ft. burst
Hit: Deal 3d10 damage and confer slowed 3. HP 18 SPD 25 ft. INIT 12
Solid Hit: Confer immobilized 3 instead.
After: Create mist, an obscuring field. AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md
+4 +0 +4 I: NECROTIC | R: COLD, POISON

STR AGI VIG
KNW +1 CNG +4 RES +1 (B) LONGSWORD +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Solid: Gain guarded 2.
(7) SHIELD BASH +4 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Knock prone.
(10) REASSEMBLE – MINOR ACTION


KNW -2 CNG -2 RES -2
- 241 -
Skeleton, Skeletal Archer Skeleton, Skeletal Reaver
Reanimated skeletons retain some of the skills they Born of the remnants of the mightiest warriors,
possessed in life. Despite their lack of eyes, deceased skeletal reavers are often pierced through with
hunters can still shoot a bow with deadly accuracy. arrows and weapons, grisly evidence of the manner
in which they met their deaths.
Skeletal Archer lvl 1
Skeletal Reaver lvl 2
AC 12 RCT 2 SIZE Md
I: NECROTIC | R: COLD, POISON AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md
(B) LONGBOW +3 – ATTACK/RANGED
(B) REAVING ADVANCE +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
Solid: Gain accurate 2.
Hit: Deal 1d10+3 damage. Shove 5 ft.
(6) CHILLING ARROW +3 – ATTACK/RANGED/COLD Solid: Add 1d6 damage.
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 2d8 damage. Confer slowed 3. (8) BONE DASH +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
Solid: Confer immobilized 3 instead. On Use: Jump 20 ft.
Target: each creature passed through
(10) REASSEMBLE – MINOR ACTION Hit: Deal 1d10+3 damage. Confer unguarded 2.
Make a recovery 3d6. Solid: Add 1d10 damage.
STR +1 AGI +1 VIG +0 (10) REASSEMBLE – MINOR ACTION

- 242 -
Skeleton, Death Knight
Knights are given to great acts of sacrifice. Those
Slime
who perform such acts and yet fail to uphold their Whether produced intentionally or created as an
duties may rise again to correct their living mistakes. accidental byproduct of arcane experimentation,
slimes are found festering in any ancient place
Death Knight lvl 8 where wicked magical work has been done.
HP 78 SPD 25 ft. INIT 13 Sample Encounters

AC 17 RCT 2 SIZE Md THREAT ENEMIES

2 1d4+1 acidic slimes
2 1 gelatinous cube
(B) GRAVE SLASH +7 – ATTACK/MELEE/NECROTIC
Target: line; living creatures only
Hit: Deal 2d10+3 damage. Confer weakened 4.
After: Create a field of difficult terrain. Slime, Acidic
(6) EXECUTION +7 – ATTACK/MELEE/NECROTIC Acidic slimes were once thought to eat metal, but in
Target: 1 creature fact, their contact merely burns it away.
Acidic Slime lvl 2
(8) DREAD WAVE +7 – ATTACK/MELEE/MENTAL
Target: 15 ft. burst; each living creature
Hit: Deal 2d10+3 damage. Confer inaccurate 4. AC 10 RCT 2 SIZE Md
Degrade Weapons: A melee weapon is degraded each time it
(10) REASSEMBLE – MINOR ACTION strikes an acidic slime, permanently reducing its damage die
Make a recovery 3d10. by one size. If its die size is a d4 and it degrades, it is
destroyed. Magical weapons are unaffected.
STR +3 AGI +0 VIG +2 (B) CAUSTIC TENTACLE +3 – ATTACK /POISON
Special: Armor dice broken by this attack are degraded-
they decrease by one size. Magical armor is unaffected.
(8) ACIDIC BLAST +3 – ATTACK /POISON

STR +1 AGI -2 VIG +0

- 243 -
Slime, Gelatinous Cube
Gelatinous cubes advance heedlessly through
Snake
dungeon corridors, enveloping and dissolving any Serpents carry a wide range of symbolic meanings,
creature unfortunate enough to fall in their path. but almost all legends and fairy tales represent them
as cunning and deceitful.
Gelatinous Cube lvl 5
Sample Encounters
HP 65 SPD 10 ft. INIT 9 THREAT ENEMIES
AC 11 RCT 2 SIZE Lg 1 1d4 vipers or 2 constrictor snakes
2 1d4 constrictor snakes or 1 giant viper
(B) SLAM +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
6 1d4 giant vipers
Hit: Deal 2d8+2, shove 10 ft. 7 1 guardian serpent
Solid: One target is swallowed whole. Remove it from
the map. They take 1d8 poison damage when they start
their turn. The only action they can take is a STR or AGI
check vs. 15 to escape. On a success, they are
regurgitated into a random adjacent square. Snake, Viper
(7) GRASPING TENTACLE +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
Vipers are diminutive creatures, but their venomous
Target: 1 creature bite makes them highly dangerous all the same.
Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. The target is disarmed of one
held weapon. Weapons lost must be retrieved from
inside the gelatinous cube, a STR check vs. 15.
Viper lvl 0
(9) OOZING BURST +5 – ATTACK /POISON
Target: 15 ft. burst AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Sm
Ambush: On the first round, a viper's first attack is accurate
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. and deals 1d6 extra damage.
After: Create an area of difficult terrain that does not
affect the gelatinous cube. (B) SUDDEN BITE +3 – ATTACK/MELEE
+2 -2 +2 Target: 1 creature
STR AGI VIG
KNW -4 CNG -4 RES +0 Solid: Confer poisoned 5 instead.
(9) SLINK AWAY – MINOR ACTION

Shift 10 ft. Gain guarded 2.

- 244 -
Snake, Constrictor Snake, Guardian Serpent
Constrictors make up for their lack of venom with Ancient cults once raised mighty temples to honor
incredible strength, preferring to crush their prey to the serpent gods. Even today, timeless protectors
death before slowly ingesting them. wind slowly through the stone corridors of these
mazelike buildings.
Constrictor lvl 2
Guardian Serpent lvl 8
AC 13 RCT 2 SIZE Md
Ambush: On the first round, a constrictor's first attack is AC 17 RCT 3 SIZE Hg
accurate and deals 1d6 extra damage. (B) MIGHTY FANGS +8 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
(B) GRAB +4 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature 12
Confer poisoned 6.
Solid: Break +1 armor die and add 1d10 damage.
Shift 15 ft. and pull the target 15 ft.
Solid: Add 1d8 damage. (5) SWALLOW WHOLE – MINOR ACTION
One grappled creature is eaten. Remove it from the
(6) SQUEEZE – MINOR ACTION map. It takes 2d10 poison damage when it starts its turn.
Deal 1d8 damage to a grappled enemy. The only action it can take is a STR or AGI check vs. 18 to
escape. On a success, it is regurgitated into a random
STR +2 AGI +1 VIG +1 adjacent square.
KNW -3 CNG +2 RES +0 (7) TAIL SWEEP +8 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: melee burst
Hit: Break 1 armor die. Deal 2d10+3 damage. Confer
grappled to one target, push the rest 20 ft.
Snake, Giant Viper Solid: Break +1 armor die and add 1d10 damage.
(9) POISON BREATH +8 – ATTACK/MELEE

Some say there is no limit to how long a snake might
live nor how large a snake might grow. Such fearful Hit: Deal 2d10+4 damage. Confer poisoned 4.
creatures prefer to hunt larger game but will not turn Solid: Add 1d10 damage.
After: Create a poison cloud, an obscuring field that
away humans who wander into their dens.
confers poisoned 4 at end of round.
Giant Viper lvl 4 STR +4 AGI +4 VIG +3

AC 15 RCT 3 SIZE Lg
Ambush: On the first round, a giant viper's first attack is
accurate and deals 1d8 extra damage.
(B) SUDDEN BITE +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

Target: 1 creature
Solid: Confer poisoned 6 instead.
(9) SLINK AWAY – MINOR ACTION

Shift 10 ft. Gain guarded 2.

- 245 -
Treant, Warden
Treant A treant of several hundred winters has begun to
Treants are trees granted sentience to protect the forget its purpose, occasionally killing animals
hidden halls of the fey. They seem to grow utterly rather than woodland interlopers.
deranged as they age; it is unknowable whether this
is a mere flaw in the enchantment or the inscrutable Treant Warden lvl 5
humor of the fey folk.
Sample Encounters AC 11 RCT 1 SIZE Lg
THREAT ENEMIES
V: FIRE/LIGHTNING
1 1d4-1 treant saplings
2 1d4+1 wolves, 1 pack leader Root Walker: Treants are unaffected by difficult terrain.
3 1d4 barghests
(B) FLING +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
4 1d3 barghests, 1 hell hound Target: 1 creature
5 1d4 hell hounds Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Push 20 ft.
Solid: Knock prone.
(6) WEED GROWTH +5 – ATTACK/RANGED

Treant, Sapling Target: 30 ft. path
Hit: Confer slowed 2.
A treant younger than a century remembers its Solid: Confer slowed 4 instead.
mission well, and strives zealously to fulfill it. After: Create a field of difficult terrain.
(7) RAKING BRANCHES +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

Treant Sapling lvl 2 Target: melee burst; enemies only
HP 30 SPD 15 ft. INIT 13 Solid: Confer bleeding 2.
AC 11 RCT 1 SIZE Md
(9) THIRSTING ROOTS +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
V: FIRE/LIGHTNING Target: 10 ft. burst; enemies only
Hit: Deal 2d8 damage. Make a recovery 1d8 for each
Root Walker: Treants are unaffected by difficult terrain. target hit by the attack.
Target: 1 creature. STR +3 AGI -1 VIG +2
Solid: Knock prone. KNW -1 CNG -1 RES +3
(9) SEEKING ROOTS +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
target hit by the attack.
- 246 -
Treant, Elder
With centuries under its belt, an elder treant is
violent and delirious, venturing far afield of the
forest and hanging the dead from its branches.
Treant, Elder lvl 8

AC 12 RCT 1 SIZE Hg
V: FIRE/LIGHTNING
Root Walker: Treants are unaffected by difficult terrain.

Target: 2 creatures
Solid: Knock prone.
(6) WEED GROWTH +8 – ATTACK/RANGED

Target: 40 ft. path
Hit: Confer slowed 2.
Solid: Confer immobilized 2 instead.
After: Create a field of difficult terrain.
(7) RAKING BRANCHES +6 – ATTACK/MELEE

(8) SMASHING LIMB +5 – ATTACK/MELEE

Solid: Break 2 armor dice instead.
After: Create a field of difficult terrain.
(10) IMPALING ROOTS +5 – ATTACK/RANGED

target hit by the attack.
Special: While immobilized, a creature takes 2d10
physical damage at the start of its turn.
- 247 -
Wolf, Pack Leader
Wolf Wolves are remarkably coordinated hunters, but
These mammalian pack hunters stalk lonesome slaying the alpha can cause chaos in their ranks.
forests frequent the nightmares of farmers and
travelers across the realm. Pack Leader lvl 1
Sample Encounters HP 22 SPD 35 ft. INIT 16
THREAT ENEMIES AC 15 RCT 3 SIZE Md
1 1d4 wolves
(B) WILD BITE +5 – MELEE/ATTACK
2 1d4+1 wolves, 1 pack leader Target: 1 creature
3 1d4 barghests Hit: Deal 1d6+3 damage. Knock prone.
4 1d3 barghests, 1 hell hound
5 1d4 hell hounds (7) GO FOR THE THROAT – MINOR ACTION
The next attack the pack leader makes against a prone target
is accurate and deals +1d6 damage.
Wolf lvl 0 (9) HOWL – MINOR ACTION

Minor Action. One wolf ally in sight can move 20 ft.
HP 14 SPD 35 ft. INIT 15 and make a basic attack.
AC 14 RCT 2 SIZE Md STR +1 AGI +3 VIG +2

(B) BITE +5 – MELEE/ATTACK KNW -3 CNG +2 RES +1
Target: 1 creature
Solid: Knock prone.
(7) GO FOR THE THROAT – MINOR ACTION

The next attack the wolf makes against a prone target is
accurate and deals +1d6 damage.
- 248 -
Wolf, Barghest Wolf, Hell Hound
Magicians create barghests to hunt down those who A hell hound's resemblance to the normal animal is
have betrayed or stolen from them. Those who have superficial. Students of the occult are seen dragged
gazed into their near-human eyes of these beasts or
listened to their cruel laughter know there is nothing
good or natural at work within them.
Hell Hound lvl 4
Barghest lvl 3 HP 43 SPD 35 ft. INIT 17
HP 36 SPD 35 ft. INIT 15 AC 16 RCT 3 SIZE Md
AC 15 RCT 3 SIZE Md I: FIRE | V: COLD
(B) TAKEDOWN +5 – ATTACK/MELEE Fiery Hide: Creatures that start their turn adjacent to a hell
Target: 1 creature hound take 1d8 fire damage.
(B) HELLISH MAW +6 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
(7) GO FOR THE THROAT – MINOR ACTION
Hit: Deal 1d8+3 damage. Confer burning 2.
The next attack the barghest makes against a prone
Solid: Confer burning 4 instead.
target is accurate and deals +1d8 damage.
(9) TERRIBLE LAUGHTER +5 – ATK/CONJURY /MENTAL (8) SPITFIRE +6 – ATTACK/RANGED/FIRE

Target: 20 ft. burst; enemies only Target: 30 ft. line
Hit: Deal 2d8+2 damage. Confer inaccurate 4. Hit: Deal 2d8+3 damage. Confer burning 3.
After: Create cinders, a field that
deals 3 fire movement damage.
(10) LICK WOUNDS – MINOR ACTION
Make a recovery 2d8. (10) LICK WOUNDS – MINOR ACTION
CN STR +3 AGI +3 VIG +2
KNW +0 +2 RES +1
G KNW -3 CNG +2 RES +1
- 249 -
Zombie HP
Zombie, Child
5 SPD 15 ft. INIT
lvl 0
8
Necromancers seldom raise the recently deceased to
AC 10 RCT 1 SIZE Sm
serve them- corpses still in the process of
decomposition are too wormy and cannot hold their I: NECROTIC | R: COLD, POISON | V: FIRE
form for very long. Nevertheless, across the realm, (B) BITE +2 – ATTACK/MELEE
the buried have been known to climb from their Target: 1 creature
graves anyway, without being called. Hit: Deal 1d6 damage. Confer bleeding 1.
Solid: Confer bleeding 2 instead.
There are many theories about what causes this.
(6) STUMBLING CHARGE – MOVE ACTION
Records of ancient undead plagues claim that it is The corpse moves up to 25 ft. in a straight line. Its next
the Grand Geist's passage through the land that attack is accurate.
rouses the dead and encourages them to pay homage STR -2 AGI +0 VIG +0
in slaughter, but few live who claim to have seen that
wild god, and none who do can attest to this KNW -4 CNG -4 RES +0
phenomenon.
Walking corpses use their mouths as a weapon and Zombie, Adult lvl 0
will eagerly bite their prey, but they do not eat those HP 10 SPD 15 ft. INIT 8
they kill. Rather, they kneel over them, sifting
AC 8 RCT 1 SIZE Md
through their remains as if searching for something
misplaced. I: NECROTIC | R: COLD, POISON | V: FIRE
(B) SCRATCH +3 – ATTACK/MELEE

S AMPLE E NCOUNTERS Target: 1 creature
THREAT ENEMIES Hit: Deal 1d6+1 damage.
1 2d4 children
1 1 profane amalgam (6) STUMBLING CHARGE – MOVE ACTION
The corpse moves up to 25 ft. in a straight line. Its next
2 2d6 adults attack is accurate.
3 1d4 adults, 2 bloated corpses
(8) GRAB +3 – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
Hit: Deal 1d6+1 damage. confer grappled

- 250 -
Zombie, Bloated Corpse Zombie, Profane Amalgam
Maelstroms roil the dark sea, and the wind-battered Corpses stuffed into torture cages or shackled
coasts are festooned with shipwrecks. Many of the together can still rise, and they tend to tangle
drowned dead find their way to dry land all the same. themselves further in their clumsy attempts to move
apart.
Bloated Corpse lvl 1

Profane Amalgam lvl 2
AC 8 RCT 1 SIZE Md HP 37 SPD 15 ft. INIT 9

AC 10 RCT 1 SIZE Lg
Explode: A bloated corpse automatically makes a
vile explosion when reduced to 0 hit points. Many Arms: A profane amalgam can grapple up to four
creatures.
(B) PESTILENT GRAB +4 – ATTACK/MELEE Ravenous Mouths: Living creatures that start their turn next
Target: 1 creature to a profane amalgam take 1d6 physical damage.
Solid: Confer poisoned 4. (B) DRIPPING CLAWS – ATTACK/MELEE
Target: 1 creature
(6) STUMBLING CHARGE – MOVE ACTION Hit: Deal 2d6+3 damage.
The corpse moves up to 25 ft. in a straight line. Its Solid: Confer poisoned 4.
next attack is accurate.
(7) STARVING GRASP +5 – ATTACK/MELEE
(10) VILE EXPLOSION +4 – ATK/MELEE/NECROTIC Target: 1 creature
Target: 10 ft. burst Hit: Deal 3d6 damage. Confer grappled.
Hit: Deal 2d6+2 damage. Confer poisoned 4. Solid: Add 1d6 damage.
After: Create a field of difficult terrain that deals 2 (9) HURL – MINOR ACTION
necrotic movement damage. The bloated corpse Push a grappled creature 20 ft. and knock prone.
dies. It cannot stand up next turn.
STR +2 AGI -2 VIG +2 STR +3 AGI +0 VIG +3

KNW -4 CNG -4 RES +0 KNW -4 CNG -3 RES +0
- 251 -

Trespasser RPG Playtest Version 1.2

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What are some of the different types of enemies described in the document?

What are some of the different types of enemies described in the document?

What are some of the mechanics described related to combat?

What are some of the mechanics described related to combat?

Trespasser

Dark Fantasy Tactics

Playtest Version 1.2

Writer & Designer

Well, you've had just about enough of it. No more

Your ambitions are great, but the breastplate must

You possess six attributes, numerical values that 3 (MIN) -4

STRENGTH (STR) represents your muscle mass and 8-9 -1

KNOWLEDGE (KNW) represents your education and

 Required to wear medium and

CUNNING  Modifies your Initiative roll

 Modifies your number of

ATHLETICS helps you perform acts of strength and and deceive.

Literacy Mostly Failures Narrow Failure

Each unit of a consumable takes up one line in your

Food & Water  You failed to eat at least once

Light Sources & Fuel Penalties of Fatigue

Recovering From Fatigue

Benefits KEEPING WATCH

HEXES TRAVELED BY TERRAIN Pack animals

Supporting a rider uses ten inventory slots, so an

Sadly, it is a reality of this fading land that violence

CRITICAL HIT – If the number on the die is a 20,

STR ATTACK – MELEE OR FREE HAND

If an attack targets multiple creatures, make just one Shoot Basic

If the action has the support keyword, the roll

Outcomes Target personal

The target line describes what creature or area is

BLAST – A blast affects a square-shaped area of the

BURST – A burst affects a radius around the acting

LINE – A line originates at any point in the user's

MINOR ACTION – Minor actions require just a few

Armor Dice RETRIEVE

Drop a held item in your own

FALL PRONE Drop into a prone position.

When you are hit by an attack, you

You must pay an effort cost to use a special or

Recovery Dice Your other conditions, including those that deal

Confer unguarded 2. Confer unguarded 4.

You and an ally can also flank an enemy. To be in a

ACCURATE You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls. Cancels out inaccurate.

GUARDED You gain a +2 bonus to AC. Cancels out unguarded.

INACCURATE You have a -2 penalty to attack rolls. Cancels out accurate.

UNGUARDED You have a -2 penalty to AC. Cancels out guarded.

VULNERABLE You suffer [duration] extra damage from attacks.

Medium weapons require a Strength score of 12, and

You can use a free hand to perform conjury at a

Battle Axe d8 M melee Confer vulnerable 2.

Crude Weapon d4 L melee Add +2 damage.

Cudgel d6 L melee Knock prone.

Crossbow d8 M ranged 50 ft., 2-handed Add % damage. Confer slowed 2.

Dagger d4 L melee, ranged 20 ft. Confer bleeding 2.

Flail d8 M melee Knock prone.

unarmed 5 ft., artifice 20 ft.,

Greataxe d10 H melee, 2-handed Add % damage. Confer vulnerable 2.

Greatsword d10 H melee, 2-handed Add % damage. Confer unguarded 2.