Asunder - The Seeker's Guide (Players)

Tabletop Roleplaying In
a World Without Metal

A Game by THE THe World of Asunder
Failed SuperHEroes Created By Adam Lawson
Club & Landon Tom
Written By: Brian Engard Additional Game Design By: Brian Engard, Adam Lawson
Editing By: Cameron Hopkin Art Direction By: Adam Lawson
Layout & Graphic Design By: Hal Mangold and Anna Urbanek
Cover Art By: Rayden Chen Cartographer: Andrew Law Additional Rule Design By: Colin chapman
Additional Layout by: Daniel Heinrich Playtesting Group Lead: Brian Engard
Playtest Group: Colin Chapman, Mark Craddock, Mike Kiesling, Selganor Yoster,
Texugo, Tyler J. Halpin, William Buxton
Produced by: Ari Weiner
Artwork By: Anna Lasikova (Chaos Adept, Wooden Legionnaires), Dong Ming (Arena Fighter, Defenders of the
Wellspring, Novice Path - Bonded, Novice Path - Marauder, Novice Path - Survivor, Novice Path - Vanguard, Serpent
Hunter – Mutated Knees), Grant Griffin (Hero SeaFarers), Hugh Pindur (Chaos Lance, Hero Skimmer, Soul Taker Feeds
Gaia, Seekers of Asunder), John Nugroho (Bone Soldier, Captain of the Sea, Chittering One, Demon Hunter, Gestalt
Master, Guerilla Fighter, Healing Cocoon, Lasher, Martial Artist, Pack Master, Ravager, Razor Fiend, Rooted Wooden
Legionnaire, Serpent Hunter – Great Kill, Skin Walker, Soul Taker, Veteran, Wanderer, War Marshall), Magnozz
(Adventurer’s pack, Air vehicle, Armor, Cross Meets Axe , Dreadnaught, Glass Weapons, Living Gear, Man Made Monster,
Money, Regeneration, Sea King , Warriors of the Mainland), Michele Frigo (Hero Pacarian), Mikhail Palamarchuk
(Fighting the Blight Walkers, Skull Crusher, Tiny Messenger), Naranbaatar Ganbold (Group Body, Ride Beast, Standing
Her Ground), Ni Yipeng (Beast Rider, War Marshall), Oscar Fayemendie (Bone Arsenal, Hands of the Essence Trees, Hands
of the Essence Trees, Light Touched, Living Gear, Living Ship, Memory from Another Time, Meteoric Leap, Ralla’s Betrayal,
Ready for Combat, Seafarer Tool Shop, Sky-Dancer, Traps, Wyvern Knight), Peter Polach (Evolved One, Shadow), Randy
Vargas (Hero Plant Weaver), Raymund Bermudez (Demon, Symbiont), Rock-He Kim (Jael Betrays Her Friends), Stepan Aleksee
(Hero Black Isler), Tatiana Vetrova (Essence Breaks), Veronika Sidorina (Hero Insect Weaver), Viktor Titov (Octo Girl)
Asunder Logo Artwork By: James Paick for Scribble Pad Studios
Character Sheet Designed By: Daniel Heinrich
Asunder: The Seeker’s Guide is Copyright © 2021, The Failed Superheroes Club, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise (except for brief quotations for
journalistic review purposes), without the express written permission of The Failed Superheroes Club, LLC. For permission requests,
write to [email protected]. All names, characters, events, and locales in this publication are entirely fictional.
Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events, or places, without satiric intent, is coincidental. Failed Superheroes Club,
Failed Superheroes Club logo, Asunder and the Asunder logo are trademarks of The Failed Superheroes Club, LLC.
System Mechanics, Game Play Rules, and the explanation for the Asunder table top roleplaying game adapted from the tabletop
roleplaying game Shadow of the Demon Lord. “Game System” under license from Schwalb Entertainment LLC.
Digital ISBN: 978-1-954720-06-0

1
Table of Contents
Foreword............................................4 Strain Recovery..................................................... 54 The Marauder................................................................77
Welcome to Asunder!................. 5 Discord............................................................................. 54 Chapter Six: Expert Paths.... 79

Gaining Discord.................................................... 54 Expert Path Requirements..................................79
Chapter One:
Discord Recovery..................................................55 Expert Benefits.......................................................79
A World Out of Balance..... 7 What Do You Seek?..............................................79
Essence.............................................................................. 56
THE WORLD OF ASUNDER......................................10 Achieving Your Goal.............................................79
Size........................................................................................ 56
The world is broken................................................10 Choosing a Second Expert Path.......................80
Space.................................................................................... 56
10 Things to Know about Asunder................11 Deepening Your Essence Bond........................80
Reach.................................................................................. 56
World Maps.....................................................................12 Expert Story Development................................80
Speed.................................................................................... 56
Chapter Two: Movement Effects................................................. 56
Arena Fighter..............................................................80
Character Creation ........... 19 Distance Traveled................................................. 56
Beastmaster.................................................................... 81
What is a Seeker?........................................................20 Difficult Terrain.....................................................57 Beast-Rider..................................................................... 83
Answers................................................................... 20 Narrow Spaces.......................................................57 Bone Recruit................................................................84
Redemption........................................................... 20 Being Moved...........................................................57 Bug-Shaper..................................................................... 85
Belonging................................................................ 20 Movement through Creatures...........................57 Captain..............................................................................86
Adventure............................................................... 20 Special Movement................................................57 Chaos Adept.................................................................. 88
Fame and Fortune................................................ 20 Falling.......................................................................57 Child of Gaia................................................................90
Origins..............................................................................20 Damage................................................................................57 Demon Hunter..............................................................91
Origin Benefits....................................................... 21 Taking Damage..................................................... 58
Origin Story............................................................ 21 Inventor..........................................................................92
Effects of Damage................................................. 58
Origin Traits............................................................ 21 Healing Damage................................................... 58
Lasher.................................................................................92
Origin Tables..........................................................22 Death....................................................................... 58 Light-Touched.............................................................94
The Mainland...............................................................22 Afflictions..................................................................... 59 Martial Artist............................................................. 95
Creating a Mainlander.........................................22 Multiple Afflictions...............................................59 Ravager..............................................................................96
Pacari.................................................................................. 25 The Environment......................................................60 Razor Fiend...................................................................98
New Gaia........................................................................... 28 Objects.....................................................................60 Serpent Hunter......................................................... 101
Black Isle......................................................................... 32 Range and Distance.............................................60 Shadow............................................................................ 102
Sky City............................................................................. 35 Obscurement.........................................................60 Sky-Dancer................................................................... 103
The Sea............................................................................... 38 Roleplaying....................................................................61 Storm Point Bodyguard .................................. 105
Professions.....................................................................41 Making Decisions..................................................61 Wanderer.......................................................................106
Starting Professions..............................................41 Background.............................................................61
Wooden Legionnaire........................................... 107
Languages................................................................41 Personality...............................................................61
Connections............................................................61 Chapter Seven:
Using Professions................................................. 43
Story Development...............................................61 Master Paths.............................. 111
Altering Professions............................................. 43
Seeker points and Escalations...................... 62
Master Path Requirements................................ 111
Starting Equipment................................................ 43 Master Benefits..................................................... 111
Seeker Points......................................................... 62
Interesting Things..................................................44
Escalations............................................................. 62 Master Story Development............................... 111
Roleplaying Your Seeker....................................46 Choose a Quest.....................................................112
Social Interaction.................................................. 63
Character Traits.................................................... 46 Ascendant Master................................................... 112
Your First Adventure........................................... 46 Social Conflict....................................................... 63
Botched Social Rolls............................................ 63 Avatar of Chaos......................................................... 112
Level Advancement..............................................47
Bone Agent.................................................................... 113
Chapter Three: Chapter Four: Combat........... 65
Bone Dreadnaught................................................. 114
Playing the Game................... 49 The Battlefield........................................................... 65
Chittering One.......................................................... 114
Making Decisions......................................................49 Awareness & Surprise............................................. 65
Demon-Blooded........................................................ 116
Time......................................................................................49 Anatomy of a Round.............................................. 65
Action Order.......................................................... 65 Dread Pirate................................................................. 116
Rolling Dice..................................................................49
Rolling a d20.......................................................... 49 End of the Round................................................. 65 Evolved One................................................................. 117
Attack Rolls............................................................ 50 The Turn Token.................................................... 65 Faceless One................................................................. 118

Challenge Rolls..................................................... 50 Move....................................................................................66 Gestalt Master........................................................... 118
Bonuses and Penalties......................................... 50 Action................................................................................68 Green Commander................................................. 120
Boons and Banes................................................... 51 Rush......................................................................... 68 Guerrilla....................................................................... 120
Attributes........................................................................ 51 Stabilize................................................................... 68 Hand of Gaia............................................................... 122
Using Attributes..................................................... 51 Other Activities..................................................... 69 House Agent................................................................ 122
Strength.................................................................... 51 Triggered Actions................................................. 69
Light-Chosen...............................................................123
Agility.......................................................................52 Minor Activities.................................................... 69
Mnemonicist............................................................... 124
Intellect....................................................................52 Making Attacks..........................................................69
Packmaster................................................................... 124
Will............................................................................52 Situational Banes to Attack Rolls...................... 71
Sea King........................................................................... 126
Characteristics..........................................................53 Chapter Five:
Skinwalker................................................................... 126
Health.......................................................................53 Novice Paths...............................73
Defense....................................................................53 Think About…........................................................73 Soultaker.......................................................................127
Perception................................................................53 Novice Benefits.......................................................73 Swarm Lord.................................................................. 129
Strain..................................................................................53 The Bonded.....................................................................73 Symbiont........................................................................ 130
Strain Total..............................................................53 The Vanguard................................................................74 Unkillable..................................................................... 131
Gaining Strain........................................................53 The Survivor..................................................................75 Veteran............................................................................ 131
Essence Breaks...................................................... 54
2
Against impossible odds, a mainland marauder uses Exploit
Weakness to fight back against an army of blight walkers.
War Marshal................................................................133 Ships................................................................................... 148 Discovering Trees................................................ 173

Wooden Titan............................................................ 134 Ship Weapons.......................................................151 Essence Talents.................................................... 173
Wyvern Knight......................................................... 134 Traps...................................................................................152 Essence Powers.................................................... 173
Chapter Eight: Alarm Traps.......................................................... 152 Power Description............................................... 174
Equipment...................................137 Obstacle Traps...................................................... 152 Black Isle........................................................................176
Snare Traps........................................................... 153 Battle Meditation.................................................176
A World Without Metal......................................137
Lethal Traps.......................................................... 153 Body Conditioning.............................................179
Prices.................................................................................137
Performance Enhancers...................................153 New Gaia......................................................................... 180
Availability............................................................138
Using Performance Enhancers........................ 153 Plant Control........................................................ 181
Carrying Limits....................................................138
Drawbacks............................................................. 153 Plant Form.............................................................183
Replacing Equipment........................................138
Enhancer Descriptions...................................... 153 Insect Control.......................................................185
Living Expenses...................................................139
Lifestyle Descriptions........................................139 Kalea Venom................................................................ 154 Insect Meld............................................................188
Armor............................................................................... 139 Chapter Nine: Pacari................................................................................ 189
Living Gear & Beast Bond.............................................................189
Weapons.......................................................................... 140
Other Oddities........................157 Beast Aspect..........................................................192
Weapon Properties.............................................. 141
The Sea............................................................................. 193
Weapons for Larger Creatures.........................142 Living Gear....................................................................157
Tracking Ammunition.......................................142 Bonding to Living Gear...................................... 157 Adaptation.............................................................193
Improvised Weapons.........................................142 Using Living Gear................................................ 157 Sea-Calling............................................................ 197
Adventuring Gear...................................................143 Living Gear Properties.......................................158 Sky City........................................................................... 199
Apparel and Accessories...................................143 Making Living Gear........................................... 160 Gravity Manipulation.........................................199
Personal Gear.......................................................143 Living Gear Powers............................................. 161 Sky-Dancing........................................................ 202
Tools........................................................................144 Examples of Living Gear................................... 167 The Mainland............................................................ 203
Food & Accommodations................................. 146 Glass.................................................................................. 169 Chaos..................................................................... 203
Other Oddities...........................................................170 Symbiosis............................................................. 207
Hirelings........................................................................ 146
Animals & Animal Gear........................................147 Chapter Ten: Reference Tables...................... 208
Land Vehicles..............................................................147 Essence Trees............................173 Index....................................................215
Air Vehicles...................................................................147 Essence Trees...............................................................173 Character Sheet...................... 220
3
ForEwOrd
I
’d been in the dressing room with my friends and fellow cast members all morning, getting my character, Sat,
ready for the big “Sagas of Sundry: Dread” shoot day. The room was full of 80’s hairspray and laughter. We
were friends playing a group of misfits on a camping trip reunion, a year after a supernatural event. We’d
heard about how much effort had been put into the set for the show.
The facade of a cabin flanked by a cemetery, woods & a driveway. A campfire with logs for us to sit on. The
dreaded oversized Jenga tower loomed behind and would decide our actions’ fate. Even more intimidating was the
production capturing this complex environment: 10+ cameras; lights; sound; and the production crew army. It was
the largest production I’d been on, and was all so overwhelming—that is, until Adam Lawson walked up to greet
us. Adam was full of excitement, confidence, and creativity.
From the moment he started directing us, we felt safe as actors to push our boundaries in improvisational
storytelling, and were able to be fully present and deliver genuine raw emotion.
Honestly, I hadn’t felt that kind of rawness and acceptance in storytelling as a player until we played Asunder three
years later.
In his many years of experience as a producer and director in Hollywood, Adam has found a way to give the same
permission he gives his actors, to tabletop role players. With Asunder, he’s designed a game that allows each player
to be the main character in a very mature and dark, boundary-pushing world. A world specifically designed to
enable cinematic descriptions of actions that feel epic to play.
The scene is a stormy beachfront battle with a recently crashed flying

ship. The separated characters engage in combat with massive water
beetles over a poisonous ocean. The rain beats down on Sonya; still,
she presses on to protect her comrades. She runs across Palm’s back
(my winged jaguar bondmate) and leaps into the air as her winged
jaguar glides across the battlefield. Falling, she aims for the carapace
of this massive beast, hoping the piercing of her club cracks enough of
the insect for her body to cave its back in and remove it from the fight.
I love Asunder because it allows me to think of these massive, ballsy,

cinematic scenes in a “decide now, ask permission later” kind of way.
It feels as if no decision is the wrong decision, and rewards over-the-
top choices. The further you push boundaries in the game, the more
fun you and your friends can have. I’ve not seen this in any other game
system, and it is incredibly refreshing!
Get ready to level up your roleplaying and dive deep into the dark,
dynamic world within the pages of this player’s guide.
I’m Satine Phoenix, and it’s an honor to present to you, Asunder.
4 A Pacari Wanderer seeks a memory from a gem left by a civilization long past.
Welcome to Asunder!
Y What is a
ou hold in your hands the Seeker’s Guide for Asunder,
a resource that contains all the rules you need to
know to be a Seeker, as well as many of the rules
your Keeper needs to run the game. Asunder is a game of
Roleplaying Game?
people seeking truth, power, and belonging, in a savage A roleplaying game has rules. Just like a board game
world without metal or gods. It uses the same rules that or video game, when you play a roleplaying game (RPG),
Rob Schwalb’s Shadow of the Demon Lord uses, so if you’re you’re agreeing to a set of rules or constraints that shape
familiar with that game you’ll be able to get up to speed the experience the game is trying to provide. While RPGs
on Asunder fairly quickly. There are some key differences, typically allow great flexibility in terms of what players can
though, and Asunder is not designed to be fully compatible accomplish and attempt, there are still rules governing the
with Shadow of the Demon Lord. experience.
Within this book, you’ll find the following chapters. A roleplaying game has roles. In Asunder, most of the
Chapter 1 - A World Out of Balance: This chapter will tell players take on the roles of Seekers, ambitious individuals
you what you need to know, in brief, about the world of who are looking for adventure, acceptance, answers, or
Asunder and its people. It’s designed to give you the basics. something else entirely. When you play a Seeker, you get
More material about the various settings of Asunder is to decide what they do, what they say, who they talk to,
available in the Keeper’s Tome. and how they react to situations (within the constraints
provided by the rules). One member of your group
Chapter 2 - Seeker Creation: Seeker Creation walks you
takes on the role of the Keeper. The Keeper takes on the
through creating a Seeker (your own character) within the
responsibility of portraying all minor characters, threats
world of Asunder. In Asunder, characters start with a few
to your group, the environment, and everything else in the
strange powers and skills, but life in the world of Asunder is
game. The Keeper also keeps track of the rules and makes
difficult. Starting characters must prove their worth before
calls about how they are applied. There’s more information
they become true Seekers.
on the Keeper’s role in the Keeper’s Tome.
Chapter 3 - Playing the Game: This chapter contains the A roleplaying game is imaginative play. While the rules
rules for handling a wide variety of situations, from dealing exist to provide a framework of constraints, the intent of
damage to managing afflictions, to navigating hostile those constraints is to feed your imagination. You and your
environments. It also goes over the basics of the Asunder fellow players are telling a story together – a story about
rules system, explaining concepts like how to roll the dice, dynamic, ambitious individuals who want to carve out their
what attributes are, and so forth. place in the world.
Chapter 4 - Combat: Sooner or later, you’re going to get into A roleplaying game is fun. The goal of the game is for
a fight in Asunder. This chapter explains how combat works. everyone to have a good time and tell a great story. If you
do that, then you are “winning” at Asunder. Your characters
Chapters 5, 6, and 7 - Novice, Expert, and Master Paths: As
might get put through the wringer; they may have to make
you gain power and complete adventures, your group’s level
impossible choices; and they’ll often not get what they
will increase. As this happens, you’ll gain access to novice,
want… but that’s where the drama (and the fun) comes
expert, and master paths. There are dozens of paths to
from. Lean into it! Play big and bold! And most importantly,
choose from in Asunder, and these three chapters cover how
help ensure that everyone else at the table is having fun.
they work and what strange abilities they give you.
This is the core responsibility of every player at the table,
Chapter 8 - Equipment: Whether it’s weapons, armor, including the Keeper. If someone’s not having a good time,
strange concoctions, beasts of burden, or living ships, the then it’s time for a conversation away from the table.
Equipment chapter has you covered, with costs and effects A roleplaying game is a safe space. This helps us achieve
of numerous pieces of gear. our previous point; in order to have fun, people need to feel
Chapter 9 - Living Gear and Other Oddities: In Asunder, like they’re personally safe and not being threatened. Asunder
people bond to symbiotic creatures that they use as powerful can sometimes touch on difficult or sensitive subjects, and
equipment; this chapter covers how living gear works. It also it’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure that those subjects
contains a section on other, less easily defined pieces of gear. don’t harm the people at the table. Remember, while your
Seekers may often be in peril and may even be at each other’s
Chapter 10 - Essence Trees: All Seekers have access to throats; however, everyone at the table with you is a friend,
Essence trees, which are groups of powers and talents that and you want them all to have a good time. If someone seems
allow you to harness the unique properties of your Essence uncomfortable, it’s time to have a conversation about how
to perform amazing feats. This chapter defines and details that issue can be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction.
all of the Essence trees, talents, and powers in Asunder.
5
6 Almost beyond her control, Ralla rips the Essence from the bodies of her dead companions...an act that will haunt her forever.
Chapter A World Out
ONE Of Balance
“S
omeone’s been through here,” Ralla says, Ereborn nods.
her voice barely a whisper. She studies the “There a reason for that?”
footprints in the soft earth, faint and delicate “The jungle’s watching us. Waiting for something. I’m
but no more than a few hours old. She turns her head trying to figure out what.”
slightly and raises her voice so that Kamira can hear her. Ralla studies the Chaos-wielder for a moment. “Does
“Recently. Three or four of them, probably weavers.” someone know we’re seeking the Wellspring?”
“Are they going our way?” Kamira asks, voice cool and An errant crackle of electricity plays across Ereborn’s
dark like a subterranean pool. face. “I’m not sure. Possibly. You did find those footprints,
“Maybe. It might mean we’re getting close to the and we’d be fools to discount them.”
Wellspring.” “Do you think we’re still going the right way?”
“Remind me why we’re here again,” comes Vestrus’s Ereborn takes a deep breath and lets it out. “I believe so.
voice, sardonic and bored. I can feel the tug of power from this direction. It may be
Ralla stands and faces the man, a flat look in her eyes. the Wellspring, it may be something else, but I believe it
“Because of what I saw on the battlefield. Remember?” to be the former.”
“Oh right,” he says, running a hand through his long “How can you be sure?”
hair. “Something something spirit, something something The Chaos-wielder doesn’t answer immediately.
‘seek the Wellspring’, something something save the “Describe the spirit you saw on the battlefield again.”
world. Something. Right?” “Um,” Ralla says, confused at the change of topic. “She
“There’s a bit more to it than that,” Ralla retorts, rolling was tall, maybe sixteen feet. She radiated with power.
her eyes. “But yes. The spirit on the battlefield told me Bald, eyes made of light, skin that looked like stone and
that the fate of the world hung in the balance, and that earth with vines all around her. Her voice sounded like
the Wellspring contains answers.” the voices of hundreds of people at once.”
“And this is our responsibility because…” Ereborn nods. “Others have described similar visions
“Vestrus, you could have stayed at Heartwood and on the sites of battlefields, as well as other places of
drunk yourself into a stupor. Nobody forced you to come great calamity and death. Many theorize that these are
out here, into the jungle.” Ralla points east. “It’s that way, manifestations of Gaia. They believe that Gaia appears
if this expedition is boring you.” to provide aid and guidance to the survivors of such
Vestrus quirks a smile. “Touchy today, aren’t you?” calamities.”
Ralla turns her back to the Skimmer and rolls her eyes “You don’t sound so sure.”
again. “Astrid?” she says to the woman next to her, a note “These manifestations may very well be aspects of Gaia.
of pleading in her voice. As to whether they’re benevolent in nature… I’ve heard
Astrid chuckles and turns to Vestrus. “The Wellspring conflicting things, and I have my doubts.”
contains knowledge, and knowledge is valuable. Good Ralla considers for a moment. “You think we might be
enough reason?” walking into a trap?”
Vestrus tilts his head. “Knowledge can be dangerous, “Not necessarily, but it’s a possibility we shouldn’t
too.” discount.”
Astrid smiles, quirks one eyebrow. “You scared of a little “Do you think it’s worth the risk?”
danger?” Ereborn raises his hand, flames playing around his
“Just pointing it out,” Vestrus replies. “Personally, I live palm as he gazes at it. “Power is seldom without risk, and
for danger. But I don’t want to speak for the rest of you.” never without cost.”
Ralla sighs and tries to tune the two of them out. Ralla stares at the flames. “Do you regret seeking
Vestrus is insufferable, but useful. She doesn’t trust Chaos?”
Astrid, but she is grateful for the glass-dealer’s ability to “Do you regret deserting the Bone Army?”
handle Vestrus. She walks up to Ereborn and says, quietly, Ralla’s jaw clenches. “No. It was the right decision for
“You’re uncharacteristically quiet today.” me at the time.”
7
Chapter 1: A World Out of Balance
“Well then,” he replies, saying nothing more. and a trio of tiny bolts shoot from an organism attached to
“Hey,” comes Kamira’s voice, hushed. “Quiet down. I his arm. The bolts hit Ereborn square in the chest and he
hear someone ahead.” The woman is crouched low, the falls to one knee, shaking his head, trying to clear it as the
claws on her disfigured right arm flexing and unflexing. poison works its way into his system.
Ralla nods, signals to Vestrus to flank right. He smiles, Vestrus lands in the center of the group of weavers,
winks, and disappears into the underbrush. The man may falling from the sky like some kind of meteor. In a blur,
be insufferable, but he follows orders when it’s important. he snaps his arm at the lead weaver and a vine whip
She signals Astrid and sends her to the left. The slight extends, wrapping around one of her arms and crushing it
woman draws her sword, a blade of red glass with an into uselessness. The woman screams, but she closes the
edge sharper than nearly anything else in the world. She distance quickly, ignoring the pain, and shoves a wooden
nods silently and moves off. To Kamira and Ereborn, she blade into Vestrus’s midsection with her other hand.
signals the center, with her, and the three of them move Kamira darts forward from behind Ralla, claw ready to
forward quietly, low and careful. make quick work of the third weaver, but roots rise up to
Ahead, Ralla sees three figures standing in a clearing, tangle her feet and she goes down in a heap. She starts
waiting. She signals for Kamira to stay and Ereborn to to stand, but Ralla can see the roots wind themselves
come with her, then she stands up straight and walks into around her legs and, like Vestrus’s whip, start to crush her,
the clearing. turning her bones to powder. Kamira grunts but refuses to
The three weavers turn to face her. “Greetings, cry out. She turns her claw to the roots and starts slashing
outlanders,” says one of them, a tall woman covered in a through them, but the third weaver advances on her, an
patchwork outfit of vines, leaves, and bark. “What do you axe made of living wood in her hands.
seek here?” Ralla struggles against the vines binding her, tries to
Ralla stops ten paces from the leader, near enough free herself. A blade, she thinks. I need a blade. One of the
to close the distance quickly if she needs to, far enough vines—the one on her right arm—goes limp, and Ralla
to ready her defenses if the other attacks. “Just passing looks to see Astrid there, glass sword in hand. Another
through,” she says, keeping her body language loose, non- stroke and Ralla’s right leg is free too. Ralla takes the
threatening, but ready. opportunity to grab her horok-bone axe and go to work
“Doubtful,” says the woman, tilting her head. “You’ve on the other two vines as Astrid runs toward the weaver
come very close to the Wellspring, and such things do not advancing on Kamira. The weaver raises her axe to block
happen coincidentally.” Astrid’s sword-swipe, but the glass blade slices right
Ralla’s eyes narrow. “What do you know about the through the wooden axe and bites deep into the weaver’s
Wellspring?” neck, nearly severing her head. Astrid deftly pulls her
“We serve the Wellspring and, through it, Gaia. I believe blade free and turns on the other two.
the five of you seek it for reasons you don’t understand.” Now freed from the vines binding her, Ralla, too,
The five of us. Should’ve known better than to try to sneak advances upon the weavers, axe raised, shield up. The
up on weavers in the jungle. No point in subterfuge, I guess. leader turns toward her, Vestrus crumpled in a bloody
“Fine, yes. We’re looking for the Wellspring. Can you take pool at her feet, his whip still wrapped around her arm.
us to it?” She stands placidly and says, “When you kill us, we’ll feed
The lead weaver nods. Then, without warning, vines the Wellspring. You’ll do the same in time.”
lash out and wrap themselves around Ralla’s arms and Ralla surges forward and grabs the woman with
legs, restraining her. one hand, raising her axe with the other. “What is the
“To arms!” she shouts, struggling against the snares. Wellspring?” she snarls. “Why did Gaia lead me here?”
Ereborn is the first to act, his hand lashing out and The weaver smiles and says nothing, simply closing her
a bolt of multi-colored energy shooting from his palm, eyes. With a grunt of frustration, Ralla throws the woman
engulfing one of the weavers. The weaver screams as his to the ground and prepares for a killing blow. That’s when
flesh starts to turn to obsidian, but he points at Ereborn the world explodes around her.
༅ ༅ ༅ ༅ ༅
Ralla struggles to open her eyes. She feels weak, weaker She lifts her eyes and sees a figure, a woman, striding
than she’s ever felt, so weak she can barely raise her head. toward her: the spirit from the battleground, Gaia. “Why?”
The scene in front of her is one of carnage, her friends and she croaks. It’s all she has the strength to ask.
traveling companions lying prone on the ground, scattered The spirit tilts her head. She gestures at the bodies of the
around her, among the lifeless bodies of the three weavers. weavers and of Ralla’s companions. “These are a suitable
8
The three weavers who protect the Wellspring for Gaia.
Some call them evil; only a few call them good.
offering. Would you like to drink from the Wellspring? The spirit regards her for a moment. “You will serve me,
Would you like to serve me?” or you will become part of the offering. Choose.”
This is all wrong. Ralla tries to think, tries to piece Ralla looks at her friends’ still, lifeless bodies.. She
together some plan, but it’s so hard to form thoughts, to remembers Ereborn’s words: power is seldom without risk,
even stay awake. “I… what?” she asks, weakly. and never without cost.
She makes her decision.
༅ ༅ ༅ ༅ ༅
Ralla wanders the battlefield, looking for survivors. “Shhh,” Ralla repeats, laying her hand on his forehead.
There, a young man, struggling to sit up, long thorns There’s a brief warmth and a sudden intake of breath
piercing his chest and midsection. She walks to him, kneels from the boy, and then his body slumps, still, cold. His
next to him. Essence was weak, but it was something at least. One
“Help… help me,” he gasps, eyes unfocused. more strand of power for her mistress. Ralla stands and
“Shhh,” she says. “Don’t worry. You’ll serve a greater surveys the carnage around her, the battle she instigated.
purpose soon.” She can feel the Wellspring within her, thirsting for more.
“I… my sister… I need to…” Ralla walks on.
༅ ༅ ༅ ༅ ༅
9
THE WORLD OF ASUNDER
The world land and lives from the predations of other beasts—and
other humans.
is broken To the west is the Sky City, islands that, against all logic,
float high above the seas. The Skimmers there have learned
It was broken a long time ago, broken by the gods who made to control gravity itself and are able to make great leaps
us, broken when they fled this world to fight their eons-long into the air. Assisted by spore packs that guide them, they
war, and when they left they took something from the world, can even fly. The young Skimmers who come of age must
and changed it forever thusly. Our most ancient texts say that make a thousand-foot leap in order to prove that they are
there was once a thing called metal, hard and unyielding, adults. Those who make the leap become full members of
pulled from the very earth and forged into tools and weapons. society. Those that do not are never seen again. On their
Now, gone. Fuel for the gods’ war. And us, their children, they sky islands, the wealthy and elite dwell on the top, the sky
left behind in a world that cares about us not at all, a world above them, the sun shining down, while the others build
savage and beautiful and wondrous all at once. homes and places of business into the sides of the islands.
But we are not alone. In the Inner Ring, in the seas, live the Seafaring Folk,
Though we are the gods’ creation, we are not the only and they are a people few understand. Out in the seas Gaia
ones. Before us they created the Naga, majestic and cruel, a is weak, and where Gaia is weak, chaos reigns. They make
form fused of serpent and woman. We are forever at odds use of the creatures of the sea, in particular the crustaceans
with them. They, like us, believe that they were the gods’ final and sea urchins. They use urchins as masks that help
and best creation, but we know this to be untrue because them breathe within the toxic fumes that rise from the
we possess what the Naga do not: Essence. When the gods waters, and their great ships are made of many urchins and
made us, they infused us with Essence like theirs, though a crustaceans, living things that help them hunt and survive
million million times lesser. It is from this spark of being that against the great sea serpents and other monsters of that
we draw our creativity, our ingenuity, our drive to make and realm. No tribe has been marked by chaos so much as the
improve and invent. The Naga possess none of this. Though Seafarers; each is unique, with mutations all their own.
they are fiercely intelligent and possessed of great powers, Some have four arms, some have gills, while others have
they do not create. Creation is a cycle that started with the skin as hard as stone or eyes that can see in total darkness.
gods and continued to us. In the Naga that cycle was broken, They are fierce and secretive, and they own the waterways.
and so they instead seek to take that which we create… for Ah yes, Chaos. When the gods made the world, they
this reason all our interactions end in blood and war. used Chaos, the god-machine, to do so. They controlled it
Few things can cause us to unite with the Naga, but the and harnessed it, and when they left the world, they left
gods’ first creation, the demons, is one of them. We know behind particles of the god-machine, motes of Chaos that
not why the gods created the demons, but we know that dwell in the secret places of the world and warp reality
they are vicious, strong, taller than a man, with skin as around them. Some are able to harness that Chaos. Some
hard as blackwood, and they thirst for destruction. To go mad trying. Those who are able to harness Chaos are
the north, from the pits of the Black Isle, they spew forth, able to manipulate it, creating devastating and wondrous
consuming and destroying all they touch for reasons we do effects with it, performing miracles that others cannot even
not comprehend. dream of attempting. Chaos, though, is a drug, compelling
On that same Black Isle dwell the Demon Hunters, men a Chaos-wielder to use it, and burning that wielder out
and women whose Essence is turned inward, granting them from the inside. For, while the gods had stable Essence,
exceptional strength, durability, and control over their we humans have only a fraction of that substance, and it
bodies. They live in the harshest of climes, for the Black is scarcely enough to wield Chaos’s terrible power. Still,
Isle is nothing but black stone, and nothing grows there Chaos-wielders are highly sought-after by the governors
save the few spores they use for food. They have learned to of cities and settlements. He who controls the Chaos-
endure the hardship, to draw strength from it, and to lend wielders has great power and, while the chaos-wielders
that strength to each other so that a single champion can be are unpredictable and dangerous, that cost outweighs the
made powerful enough to fight demons. potential gain. And so many Chaos-wielders spend their
To the south is Pacari, the savage land, a place of beasts short lives in idle luxury, bringing their power to bear at the
and those who master them. The men and women there beck and call of those who pay their wage.
are hard, strong, bonded to the beasts that roam that land, Into this world you have come. It is a harsh one; lethal,
beasts huge and fierce and deadly. They take on aspects of unpredictable, full of terrible beauty and wondrous danger.
those beasts, and they work in tandem with them, hunting, It is broken, and may never be healed.
tilling the fields, moving great burdens, and defending their But it is our home.
10
10 Things to Know about Asunder

There Are No Gods
The gods left long ago. They created the world and the creatures that populate it for reasons nobody fully understands,
but they abandoned their creations to go fight a war elsewhere, and they have not returned.
There Is No Metal
When the gods left the world, they took all the metal from it, leaving it broken and incomplete. Many believe that they
needed the metal for their war.
People Have Adapted

When the gods created humans, they invested them with a fragment of their own Essence, their own divine spark. When
they left the world, the humans’ Essence bonded with parts of the world around them, allowing them to gain the power
they needed to survive. In addition, to compensate for the sudden lack of metal, humans learned to craft other substances
and to create symbiotic lifeforms to act as weapons, armor, and tools.
Much of The World Is Water

The gods broke the world when they left, and most of Asunder’s land masses sank below the waves. What remains is a
single continent and a number of smaller islands around it. There are people who live upon the seas, people who live on
each of the islands, and a great many people who live on the mainland.
The World Is Fantastical

Strange and wondrous things exist in the world of Asunder. There’s an entire city made up of flying islands populated by
people who can defy gravity. There’s a land of people who bond with and communicate with beasts, and another where
people control and engineer plants, making advanced technology.
The World Is Harsh

Despite the fantastical elements, Asunder is not a kind world. Life can be brutal and short; the world and its people do not
tolerate weakness, and those who cannot survive on their own do not live long.
People Are Strange and Varied

The people of the world are a varied lot. Some have random mutations like extra arms or gills. Others bond with beasts
and take on their aspects, like horns or thick hides. Still others can fly or control plants or harness the elemental powers of
the universe. There is no such thing as a typical human on Asunder.
There Is No Magic, Only Chaos

Chaos is an elemental force, and one that is at odds with the natural order of the world. It leaked into the world when
Asunder was broken, and it infects parts of it still. Some seek these shards of Chaos out in order to harness their power.
Many of these people die trying, but those who succeed are potent individuals, capable of reshaping reality to their whim.
Chaos is not without risk, though, and many are consumed by their own power within a few years.
Humans Are Not Alone

Humans are not the only sentient beings on Asunder. The Naga—huge, snakelike beings—live in the swamps of the world.
They prey upon human settlements, taking what they need through pillage. In some parts of the world, demons spew
forth from the depths, destroying anything in their path. And there are rumors of beings known as devourers, creatures so
dangerous and destructive that most who encounter them are destroyed utterly.
Seekers Look for Answers

There are many mysteries on Asunder. Where do the demons come from? What do the Naga want? Is the world truly
coming to an end? What is Gaia, and what is her purpose? Some people form bands of Seekers: powerful, adventurous
individuals, outcasts in search of answers.
Their story is your story.

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Chapter 2: Character Creation
(from left to right) A sky dancer from Sky City, a chaos wielder from the Mainland, a Light Touched cultist
18 from the Mainland, a Bone Recruit from the Mainland, and a glass dealer from Sky City.
Character
Chapter
TWO Creation
19
B
efore you can play Asunder, you’ll need a character. Adventure
This chapter walks you through the steps you
need to think about in order to make an avatar for Some become Seekers purely out of a sense of wanderlust.
yourself in the game world. The Keeper can provide you They want to see the wide world, make their mark, and
with a character if you wish, but this chapter allows you to have a good time doing it. It’s a simple motivation, but a
make one that is yours in every way. common one.
When you create a character, you can make all the
decisions about what the character looks like, acts like, Fame and Fortune
and where they come from, or you can leave many of those
choices to chance. While having full control over your There are a lot of valuable artifacts in the forgotten places
character can be satisfying, rolling random traits for your of the world, and there’s plenty of money and notoriety
character can often generate ideas you’d never have come to be made by finding those objects and bringing them
up with otherwise! back to civilization. There are those who become Seekers
because working a trade just isn’t for them and they have to
What is a Seeker? make money somehow.
Most people in Asunder are content to live their lives:

merchants, hunters, sailors, craftspeople, artists, and
Origins
myriad other professions. Some, though, know that Once you’ve thought about why your character might
something is wrong with the world. Some go beyond become a Seeker, it’s time for you to choose your Origin.
muttering about end times and want to know more, to find Your Origin describes where in the world you come from,
out what the truth of the matter is, and maybe to stop it. but it goes a bit beyond that. While every Seeker in Asunder
They are Seekers. is human, humans are a widely divergent lot in this world.
Before you create your Seeker, ask yourself: what do When the gods created humanity, they imbued humans
you seek? with a spark of divine Essence. When the gods left, the
humans’ Essence bonded with various aspects of their
Answers environment, with their physical bodies, or even with their
own souls, giving humans from different parts of Asunder
One thing many Seekers have in common is their need myriad strange and wondrous powers.
for answers. They wonder why the world is dying, why The following Origins are available in the world of
the dead sometimes rise from battlefields, why there’s a Asunder. Other Origins, or even Ancestries from Schwalb
perpetual storm that haunts the seas, why the demons spill Entertainment’s Shadow of the Demon Lord, might be
forth from the earth, why the gods left. They recognize that available at the Keeper’s discretion.
the world is full of mystery, and they make it their mission
to investigate that mystery, to learn why things are the way The Mainland
they are, why they work the way they do. People from the mainland have no special powers unless they
seek them out. Those from the mainland delve deep into their
Redemption professions, bond with symbiotic gear, or seek out Chaos so
that they can wield its incredible, unpredictable power.
Some become Seekers in order to atone for some past
misdeed. They believe that, if they can unravel the Pacari
mysteries of the world, if they can protect people from its
dangers, if they can find its hidden places and its wonders, On Pacari, the people bonded with beasts. This bond gives
they can make up for the things they’ve done. the Pacari bestial traits and abilities, as well as the power to
communicate with and even control their bonded beasts.
Belonging Black Isle
Many Seekers start off as outcasts. They’re people who The Black Isle is a place of desolation and hardship where
don’t belong in the communities to which they were born people have learned to turn their Essence inward. Through
for some reason or another, and they’re looking for a place intense training and powerful meditative techniques, the Black
to call home. Seekers often organize into bands, and these Islers have made themselves capable of superhuman feats.
bands can become incredibly tight-knit. When you’re out
in the world, facing its dangers on a regular basis, you Sky City
want to do so with people you trust. You come to rely on The people of Sky City live among the clouds, and their
those people, and they become your family, even if only for bond allows them to defy gravity. Most can leap great
a time. distances, and some can even fly!
20
Fatal Flaws
Each Origin has a Fatal Flaw table. While you can
New Gaia feel free to choose one from the table or make up your
On New Gaia, people bond with plants, learning to create, own Fatal Flaw, please ensure that your Fatal Flaw is
mold, and control them in unique and powerful ways. something that will complicate your life from time to
Additionally, some people on New Gaia bond with insects time. Ideally, it’ll get in your way one or two times per
instead of plants, though these individuals are rare. session. Don’t worry; when your Fatal Flaw complicates
your life, you get a mechanical reward and it’ll lead to fun
The Sea situations! Check out Chapter 3 for more information on
how fatal flaws work.
The people of The Sea, known as Seafarers, are a
changeable and tumultuous people, and this is represented Random Origins
by the ongoing mutations of their bodies. Some even
learn to create additional mutations, allowing them to You can choose your own Origin if you like. If you’d
consciously adapt to their environment. prefer to let the dice decide, roll a d6.
1d6 Origin
Origin Benefits
1 The mainland
Each Origin will provide you with a number of benefits,
2 Pacari
starting traits, and access to special Essence powers.
3 The Black Isle
Origin Story 4 Sky City
In each Origin, you’ll see suggestions for what your 5 New Gaia
character might be like, as well as a number of tables that 6 The Sea
include even more twists and turns in your personal story.
You’re free to roll on these tables, choose options, or make
up your own (with help from your Keeper), as you see fit.
While random chance can act as a catalyst for story ideas
you may never have thought of before, ultimately your
Seeker is your character in this game, and you should make Modifier
sure you’re happy with who you’re playing before the game
begins. You use your score to determine your modifier. To do so,
subtract 10 from your score; the result is the modifier for
that attribute. For example, if your Strength is 11, your
Origin Traits modifier is +1. If your Agility is 9, your modifier is -1. Note
This game uses attributes and characteristics to describe the modifier for each attribute on your character sheet.
your capabilities, as well as talents and powers. Your
Origin determines what your starting Attributes and
Characteristics
Characteristics are, as well as your starting talents (if any), In addition to your four attributes, your character has
what powers you have access to, and so forth. several characteristics: Defense, Health, Healing Rate,
Perception, Size, Speed, Essence, Damage, Discord, and
Attributes Strain. Your Origin tells you what to fill in for each of these
Your Seeker has four attributes: Strength, Agility, Intellect, numbers.
and Will. Each attribute has a score (provided by your
Origin) and a modifier.
Essence Tree Access
Your Origin determines what your character’s Essence has
Scores bonded to, or can bond to. Part of this is represented by any
talents your Origin gives you, but each Origin also has access
Your attributes are rated 1 to 20; this is your score. 10 is
to two Essence trees. Essence trees are collections of Essence
considered average for a human being. Write down the
powers ranked from 0 to 5. Whenever a talent—whether
starting scores for your Origin and modify them as your
from your Origin or from a path—directs you to choose
Origin directs you to.
Essence powers or discover Essence trees, you choose from
༄ Adjusting Scores: You can increase one score by 1 the trees to which your Origin grants you access.
by decreasing another score by 1. You can make this
adjustment only once during character creation. Languages & Professions
༄ Increasing Scores: As your group’s level increases, so Your Origin also tells you which languages you speak, read,
too will your scores. and write, and which professions (if any) you start the game
21
Character Sheet
You’ll find a character sheet at the end of this book; you
can feel free to print or photocopy this sheet as often as you
Mainlanders can also forge deeper bonds with living gear
need to in order to record your character’s statistics and
than people of other Origins. Most mainlanders pursue
other important features. You can also download a copy of
none of these paths, though, leaving such dangerous
the character sheet from the Asunder website.
activities to Seekers and other foolish risk-takers.
༄ Numerous: The mainland is larger than any
of the islands of Asunder, and its population is
correspondingly outsized. Where a settlement on one
of the islands might consist of thousands or tens of
thousands of people, each city-state on the mainland
with. You might get more of these throughout the game as
contains millions of people. While the city-states don’t
your group advances.
often agree, there’s strength in numbers and there’s
Talents power to be found in cooperation. Mainlanders learned
this a long time ago; they know the value of having
Your Origin might also give you one or more talents. Some reliable comrades at your side.
Origins don’t start with any talents, while others might start
with more than one. Record these talents and what they do ༄ Deep Knowledge: Mainlanders, for the most part,
on your character sheet. don’t have to spend time learning how to use strange
You gain a special benefit tied to your Origin when your powers because they have none. As a result, they
group reaches level 4. spend their time learning trades, crafts, professions,
and pursuing various specialties of knowledge. The
mainland is renowned for its expert craftsfolk and
Origin Tables sages, and nearly everyone on the mainland is literate
Each Origin presents several tables that you can use in at least one language.
to flesh your character out. You can feel free to choose ༄ Common Names: Panket, Cindare, Merina, Trask, Alia,
options from these tables or even make up your own (with Flor, Jaddiah, Nira
your Keeper’s help), but it can sometimes be more fun to
roll randomly on these tables. After all, constraints often Creating a Mainlander
breed creativity!
Starting Attribute Scores Strength 10, Agility 10, Intellect
The Mainland 10, Will 10. Choose one attribute and increase it by 1.
Perception equals your Intellect score
People from the mainland don’t have the same array of Defense equals your Agility score
strange and diverse powers that people from other Health equals your Strength score
parts of Asunder have. What they do have is Healing Rate equals one-quarter of your Health, rounded
determination, versatility, and numbers. Where down
someone from New Gaia might learn to rely on Size 1/2 or 1, Speed 10, Essence 0
her ability to control plants, or a person from Sky Damage 0, Discord 0, Strain 0
City might grow dependent on his ability to defy
Essence Trees: Chaos, Symbiosis
gravity, mainlanders learn to live in
Languages and Professions: You speak,
the world of Asunder without
read, and write Trade Speech, as well as
any of those advantages.
a second language of your choice. You
They adapt by deepening
get one random profession.
their knowledge of their
professions, banding together into large city-states, Level 4 Expert Mainlander
and learning to survive by their own grit and
gumption. Characteristics: Health +5
༄ Soul-Bonded: People from the mainland You either learn one Essence power or gain Expertise.
have Essence just like any other human Expertise: Make two choices. For each choice, you can either
on Asunder, but their Essence bonded choose to read, write, and speak a new language or else add
with their own souls long ago. While a single profession. In addition, whenever one of
this doesn’t give them any your professions grants you a boon
overt powers, it does make on a challenge roll, you get 1 extra
them the only people in boon. If any of your boons on this
the world who can learn to roll generate a result of 1, reroll
harness Chaos or receive them, keeping the new result.
blessings from Pure Light.
22 A bone axe and horok heart lay at the feet of a winged cross, the symbol of warriors from Far East.
(from left to right) A symbiont gear maker, a leader of the Pure Light cult, and a Chaos-wielder whose body has already started to show the effects of too much Discord. 23
Mainlander Background Mainlander Nationality

D20 Background 3d6 Nationality
You come from a wealthy merchant family. When you roll 3 Megalith
1
for your starting Wealth, add 2 to the roll.
4-7 Far East
You were exposed to Chaos not too long ago. You start with
2 8-11 Storm Point
1 Discord.
3 You earned a living working in your profession. 12-14 Hyden
4 You once hired Jenny Blue-Eyes to assassinate someone. 15-16 East Twin
You attended one of the academies of Hyden. Add a random 17-18 West Twin
5
area of academic knowledge.
6 You’re a frequent visitor to the Arena of Megalith.
Mainlander Age
You come from one of the outlying settlements and have 3d6 Age
7
only visited a city-state once.
3 You’re a child, 18 years old or younger.
You spent seven years learning to sail with the Seafarers.
8 4-7 You’re a young adult, 19 to 25 years old.
You start with 1d6 Strain and the Sailor profession.
You spent time apprenticing for a master craftsperson. Add 8-12 You’re an adult, 26 to 35 years old.
9
the Artisan profession. 13-15 You’re a middle-aged adult, 36 to 55 years old.
You’re recovering from an addiction to symbiotic 16-17 You’re an older adult, 56 to 75 years old.
10
performance-enhancers. You start with 1d6 Strain.
18 You’re a venerable adult, 76 years old or older.
You once tried to bond with a Chaos shard and failed, but
11
survived. You start with 1d6 Discord.
You lost two fingers on one of your hands to your profession.
Mainlander Build
12
You consider it a fair trade. 3d6 Build
When one of the Naga attacked your caravan, you drove it 3 You are short and thin.
13
off.
4 You are short and heavy.
You spent time in Storm Point in a part of town inhabited
14 5-6 You are short.
primarily by weavers.
You were born in Megalith and spent your early years on the 7-8 You are slender.
15
streets. 9-12 You are average in height and weight.
You’ve traveled all over the world. You speak an additional 13-14 You are a bit overweight.
16
language.
15-16 You are tall.
You spent time in Hyden studying linguistics. Choose a
17 17 You are tall and thin.
language you speak; you can read and write that language.
18 You have a spouse and 1d6-2 children (minimum 0). 18 You are very tall and well muscled.
19 You stole something valuable and buried it to keep it safe. Mainlander Appearance
You lost someone important to you. Their death haunts you
20 3d6 Appearance
to this day.
You’re monstrous. You were probably touched by Chaos in
Mainlander Fatal Flaw 3 the womb, and it gave you an inhuman appearance: a tail,
horns, glowing eyes, or the like.
3d6 Fatal Flaw
You’re ugly. People find you unpleasant to be around
3 You’re cruel and like causing others pain. 4 because of your boils, sores, missing nose, or weird body
hair.
You’re greedy and want to get as much for yourself as you
4 Most would call you homely. You’re not ugly, but you’re
can. 5-6
certainly not beautiful.
You anger easily and fly into a rage at the slightest
5-6 You’re rather plain. Often, people can’t even remember
provocation. 7-8
precisely what you look like.
You hold a deep grudge against someone and you’ll do
7-8 9-12 You’re average in pretty much every way.
anything to get revenge.
9-12 You’re reckless, always looking for a thrill. Most consider you attractive for some quality: your hair,
13-14
your smile, your eyes.
There’s someone you’re protecting, and you’ll do anything to
13-14 You have a number of attractive qualities that, when put
keep them safe. 15-16
together, make people notice you.
15-16 You doubt yourself and often hesitate at the wrong time.
You’re considered one of the great beauties of the land and
17 You dislike violence and avoid it whenever you can. 17
you likely have many suitors.
18 You believe that everyone is fundamentally good. Beauty doesn’t quite describe you. People like you come
18
along once in a generation, if that.
24
Otter-People and Bird-Folk
The bullet points at left the picture of savage Pacari
Pacari warriors bound to predators or huge beasts, people of fury
and violence. That’s certainly true of some Pacari, and while
The people of Pacari bonded with the beasts of the land it’s the predominant stereotype about these people, it’s far
long ago, and that fact has influenced their culture and from the only truth. Some Pacari tribes bind themselves to
physiology in a number of ways. Many Pacari have beast- smaller, gentler animals like rabbits, otters, birds, or deer, and
like traits, and most Pacari can communicate with one or these bonded animals give their Pacari bondmates elements
two beasts at least, if not an entire species of animal. The of their physiology and personality. When creating a Pacari
Pacari tend to be either large and muscled or lean and lithe, character, sometimes it can be fun to play against type, and
and they are a nomadic hunter-gatherer people with a create a character people don’t expect!
strong warrior tradition.
Describing Your Beast Companion
༄ Beast-Bonded: Nearly every Pacari is bonded to at
least one beast, a bond they form when they reach Based on the traits you give your companion, you can
adolescence. This bond gives Pacari the ability to speak describe it as any kind of animal you can think of, and you’re
telepathically to their bondmates and sometimes not limited by the kinds of animals you’d find in our own
to other beasts of that type. The bond goes deeper world. Asunder is a land of strange beasts, after all. When
for some, allowing the Pacari to take on traits of creating your bondmate, you must observe two restrictions.
their bonded beast, thus increasing their strength, First, the bondmate you create must make sense with the
endurance, speed, stealth, and savagery in combat. traits it has. Second, Pacari are unable to bond with fish of
The most powerful beastmasters are able to muster any kind; that’s the domain of the Seafarers. If you have a
huge groups of animals to their command or even to bondmate with the swimmer trait, consider making it an
transform physically into a beast. amphibious creature of some sort.
༄ Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers: There are few permanent
settlements on Pacari, and tribes that rely on
agriculture are rare. Rather, Pacari tend to move from
place to place within a territory, taking what they
need from the land and ensuring that it can give them Essence Trees: Beast Bond, Beast Aspect
sustenance again later. While the Pacari haven’t spent Languages and Professions: You speak, read, and write
much time on animal domestication in the traditional Pacari in the dialect of your tribe, as well as Trade Speech.
sense, their beast bonds mean that labor animals are
a common sight in Pacari encampments, and hunting Bondmate: You are bonded to one beast. Your beast is a tiny,
parties are often accompanied by wolves, big cats, and small, medium, or large animal. You can choose traits for
other predators. your beast from the table below, based on your beast’s size.
༄ Savage Warriors: Pacari combat is straightforward Beast Size Traits
and efficient. They leave fancy weapon techniques
Tiny Choose 2: climber, flier, poisonous, swimmer
and codes of battle to others, instead treating combat
like any hunt: the strongest survives. When in conflict, Small Choose 2: climber, poisonous, swimmer
a Pacari fights with a beast’s savagery in tandem Medium Choose 1: climber, poisonous, swimmer
with one or more bonded beasts. This makes the Large None
Pacari extraordinarily dangerous in combat; they
are ruthlessly pragmatic in a fight, and mercy isn’t You can communicate with your bonded beast telepath-
a concept that’s gotten much of a foothold in Pacari ically as long as you’re within 1 mile of each other. Your
culture. beast acts on its own in combat, but you can use an action
or a triggered action to issue it a command, allowing you to
༄ Common Names: Leyva, Kestrigan, Fragk, Serrai, Kryss, control it during that turn. If your bonded beast dies, you
Puldergna, Glaven take 1d6 Strain. You can bond with a new beast (which you
choose and create using the rules above) by going out into
Creating a Pacari the wilderness of Pacari and meditating for one day and one
night. After this time, your new bondmate finds you.
Starting Attribute Scores: Strength 9, Agility 9, Intellect 9,
Will 10. Level 4 Expert Pacari
Perception equals your Intellect score +1
Defense equals your Agility score Characteristics: Health +5
Health equals your Strength score You either learn one Essence power or gain Second Bond.
Healing Rate equals one-quarter of your Health, rounded
Second Bond: You gain an additional bondmate, using the
down
same rules listed above, under Bondmate. You cannot
Size 1/2 or 1, Speed 10, Essence 0
have two bondmates of the same size.
Damage 0, Discord 0, Strain 0
25
26 A Pacari packmaster leads his small tribe to the edge of the Great Divide.
Pacari Background Pacari Beast Bond

D20 Background d20 Beast Bond
1 Your beast bond came early, when you were a young child. You draw savagery and raw power from your bondmate.
1-4
Increase your Strength by 2.
You bonded to an unusual beast, one with strange traits or
2 abilities. Your bondmate gets an additional trait, chosen You draw nimbleness and stealth from your bondmate.
5-8
from the Tiny row. Increase your Agility by 2.
You sat in meditation at the Great Menhir of Ordru for six Your bondmate has acute senses, and imparts this gift to
3 9-12
days before your bondmate found you. you. Increase your Perception by 2.
4 You were a huntmaster for your tribe. Your bondmate grants you great speed. Increase your Speed
13-16
by 3.
5 You were once badly injured by the Black Cloud.
You draw hardiness and durability from your bondmate.
You’ve studied under a tribal elder. Add a random academic 17-20
6 Increase your Health by 5.
area of knowledge.
7
You made good money working as a guide for outlanders.
Start the game with 2d6 slivers.
Pacari Age
You once fought a Chaos-wielder, and it left its mark on 3d6 Age
8
you. You start with 1d6 Discord.
3 You’re a child, younger than 18 years old.
You spent time standing vigil over the God’s Corpse,
9 4-7 You’re a young adult, 18 to 25 years old.
guarding it from outsiders.
You once explored the ruins of Martu Canyon and found 8-12 You’re an adult, 25 to 35 years old.
10
something there. You start with an extra Interesting Thing. 13-15 You’re a middle-aged adult, 36 to 45 years old.
11 You lost a bondmate several years ago. Start with 1d6 Strain. 16-17 You’re an older adult, 46-55 years old.
A mainlander spent time with your tribe and taught you to 18 You’re a venerable adult, 56 years old or older.
12
read and write. You can read and write Hyderen.
13 You were born to the Nanok tribe, but left them long ago. Pacari Build
14 You once met the Wooden Man and lived to tell the tale.
3d6 Build
You spent several years traveling the world. You speak one
15 3 You are short and thin.
additional language.
You’re a craftsperson for your tribe. You start with the 4 You are short and dense.
16
Artisan profession. 5-6 You are short.
You once traveled to the Black Isle and fought a demon 7-8 You are slender.
17
there. It left you with a scar.
9-12 You are average in height and weight.
You were taken prisoner by another tribe. You spent 1d6
18 13-14 You are muscular.
years there before you escaped.
You are one of the few Pacari who live in a permanent 15-16 You are tall and muscular.
19
settlement. 17 You are tall and thin.
20 A good friend of yours died, and you bonded their bondmate. 18 You are enormous.
Pacari Fatal Flaw Pacari Appearance

3d6 Fatal Flaw 3d6 Appearance
Your savagery is unmatched and you give yourself over to You’re touched by the beast. You have animalistic physical
3 3
bloodlust readily. traits, like fur, wolf ears, or cat eyes.
You don’t trust others, believing that everybody seeks to take You’re ugly and brutish. Your features are coarse, thick, and
4 4
what’s rightfully yours. scarred, and it makes you frightening.
You’re proud, believing yourself to be the superior of those You’re nothing special. Not particularly attractive, but not
5-6 5-6
you meet. ugly either.
You know little of the world outside of Pacari, and this often You’re plain. There’s nothing special or distinctive about
7-8 7-8
trips you up. your appearance.
You thrive in the heat of battle, and are always seeking 9-12 You’re average in pretty much every way.
9-12
physical combat.
You have an attractive quality: a powerful build, bronzed
13-14 You feel stupid and inferior among outsiders. 13-14
skin, or thick, lustrous hair.
You’re seeking something and you hold its importance You have many attractive qualities, making you quite
15-16 15-16
above anything else. popular in your tribe.
You only kill when you absolutely must and you harshly 17 People from every tribe know of your beauty.
17
judge those who kill with ease.
Your beauty is so great that many of your fellow Pacari
18 You’re naive and believe what others say. 18
believe it’s supernatural in some way.
27
New Gaia Creating a New Gaian

New Gaia is an island of verdant, primeval jungles. Starting Attribute Scores: Strength 8, Agility 9, Intellect 12,
The plants here are enormous in scale; they’re huge, Will 10.
prehistoric varieties not found anywhere else on Asunder. Perception equals your Intellect score
When the gods left the world, the people of New Gaia Defense equals your Agility score
bonded with the plants of the island, gaining the ability Health equals your Strength score
to create, alter, bond with, and control them, and even to Healing Rate equals one-quarter your Health, round down
take on aspects of plant life. A rare few people on New Size 1/2 or 1, Speed 10, Essence 0
Gaia bond with insects instead of plants, and these insect- Damage 0, Discord 0, Strain 0
bonded are often feared and mistreated by the rest of Essence Trees: Plant Control, Plant Form
society. Languages and Professions: You speak, read, and write
༄ Plant-Bonded: The people of New Gaia—often called Mother’s Tongue and Trade Speech. You know one
“Weavers”—bond with the plants of their island, random common, academic, or wilderness profession.
learning to control and shape them to their will. This Verdant Awareness: When you’re in a place with a
has led to a society of innovation and invention, as significant number of plants—a jungle, a park, a forest,
weavers engineer plants to fill a variety of purposes. a plain, or anywhere else where plants are common—
Society in New Gaia is one of convenience and constant you’re able to tap into the plants’ collective unconscious
advancement; there are plants here that perform in order to increase your awareness of your surroundings.
functions that simply don’t have an analog in other Consequently, you get 1 boon on any Perception rolls you
parts of the world, and New Gaia is seen by most as a make in such a place, and you can see areas obscured by
leader in culture and technology. shadows as if they were lit.
༄ The Hands of Gaia: The society of weavers on New Shape Plant: You can spend a few minutes shaping a plant
Gaia is led by a group of matrons known as the Hands into a useful form, granting one of the following benefits.
of Gaia. These women seek to spread the advancements
of their society to other lands along with the worship of ༄ The plant is a melee weapon. It deals 1d6+2 damage.
Gaia as the god of Asunder. Their priesthood is ordered ༄ The plant is a ranged weapon. It deals 1d6 damage
in ranks and classes named for the types of plants and can attack anything in short range.
they’ve bonded with.
༄ The plant is armor, or otherwise defends you. If
༄ Insect Weavers: A rare few (maybe ten percent) of you’re not already wearing armor, it grants you +2 to
weavers on New Gaia bond with insects instead of your Defense.
plants. These weavers have the ability to control swarms
༄ The plant enhances your physical body in some way
of insects, as well as to create new forms of insects over
when you consume it. Choose Strength or Agility;
time, breeding them for different purposes. Many see
for the next minute, you get 1 boon on any attack
these insect-bonded as dangerous because of their
rolls or challenge rolls you make with that attribute.
ability to call great, destructive swarms of creatures
at a whim, but most insect weavers simply want to be ༄ The plant has healing properties. When you
treated fairly and to live in peace. consume it, you heal half your healing rate.
༄ Fighting for Equality: The weavers who bond with Once you create the plant, it lasts for 1 hour (or until
insects instead of plants are often treated very poorly it’s consumed, if consumable; whichever comes first).
regardless of gender. Many rationalize this by talking You suffer no Strain from using a plant you shape, and
about how dangerous the insect-bonded are, while neither does another plant-bonded New Gaian. Someone
proponents of social justice decry such accusations else can bond to and use your plant, but doing so
as pure bigotry. In response, the Insect Weavers have requires 1 minute of concentration and inflicts 1 Strain on
established a secret organization known as the Red the wielder. Once you’ve used this ability, using it again
Alliance. Some claim it is merely a myth, but those before you complete a rest causes you 1 Strain each time
connected to it know it is much more than that. To the you do so, or 1 Seeker point.
Order of Mothers they label the alliance as terrorists. Plant Empathy: You can feel the pain of plants around
However, to some on the mainland they claim they are you. Under normal circumstances, this is minimal and
simply settling the score. doesn’t distract you. However, if you’re near an event of
༄ Common Names: Heirana, Oberain, Renna, Enrik, significant plant destruction—such as a forest fire or even
Sparn, Diann, Criston, Vera a tree being cut down—the screams of the plants fill your
ears and you feel their pain. When this happens, you
suffer 1 bane on all challenge rolls and attack rolls until
you leave the area or the destruction stops.
28
A plant weaver uses Return From the Soil to start another life after her last one was taken. 29
30 An insect weaver and his riding beetle use his swarm to retrieve a glass from their latest kill.
Insect-Bonded
Some weavers bond to insects instead of plants. If your
Seeker is one of these, alter the Creating a New Gaian section
Level 4 Expert New Gaian as follows:
Characteristics: Health +5 Instead of the Plant Control and Plant Form Essence trees,
you have access to: Insect Control, Insect Meld
You either learn one Essence power or gain Plant-Shaping
Mastery (or Swarm Mastery for Insect Weavers). Replace Verdant Awareness, Shape Plant, and Plant Empathy
with the following:
Plant-Shaping Mastery: The plants you shape are more
potent and durable. They last for 6 hours (or until Cloud of Insects: You’re constantly surrounded by a cloud
consumed). Further, plants that deal damage deal an of stinging or biting insects that you can communicate
extra 1d6 damage. Plants that increase your Defense with and even control. You can dismiss or recall the cloud
increase it by +4 instead of +2. Plants that grant boons as an action, if you wish. While your cloud is present, you
grant 1 extra boon. Plants that heal allow you to recover get 1 boon on any Perception rolls you make. In addition,
your full healing rate. whenever you deal melee damage or damage with an Insect
Control power, you deal an extra 1d6 damage from your
Swarm Mastery: You can send your Cloud of Insects to stinging insects. Your cloud can be killed off, however. If
attack any target within medium range for 2d6 damage. you’re subject to an effect that requires an Agility challenge
Gain an additional +1 boon on perception rolls when roll to resist, your cloud is destroyed if you fail the roll.
your Cloud is present. +1 boon on Agility challenge rolls When this happens, you receive 1 bane on any attacks or
that would destroy your Cloud of Insects. challenge rolls you make for 1 turn, and enemies receive 1
boon to attack you for the same duration. You can summon
New Gaian Background a new cloud of flies when you take a rest, or by using an
D20 Background action and spending a Seeker point.
You are renowned as an expert in herbalism among your Stinging Swarm: As an action or a triggered action on your
1
people. You gain the Apothecary profession. turn, you can send your cloud to harass and annoy
2
You spent time in Storm Point, learning the ways of the someone within medium range. While your swarm is
mainlanders. doing so, you lose the benefits of Cloud of Insects, but your
You studied at a university in Hyden. You speak, read, and target makes all attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane,
3
write an additional language. and anyone who attacks the target does so with 1 boon. You
You’ve been chosen by the Council of Mothers for an can recall your cloud as an action or triggered action on
4
important task.
your turn, ending this effect and regaining the effects of
You ate a seed from the Great Tree and gained knowledge. Cloud of Insects. If your target is subject to an effect that
5
You gain a random academic profession.
requires an Agility challenge roll to resist and fails the roll
You spent extensive time studying bioluminescent fungus in
6 while being afflicted by your Stinging Swarm, your swarm
the Starlight Caverns.
is destroyed and you suffer the same effects you would if
You invented something that made you good money. Start
7 your Cloud of Insects were destroyed.
the game with 2d6 slivers.
You nearly died in the Poison Lands, but were rescued. Start
8
with 1d6 Strain.
9 You served the Council of Mothers with distinction.
You journeyed to the Barrens to seek knowledge, but found
10
Chaos instead. Start with 1d6 Discord. New Gaian Fatal Flaw
11 You have ties to the Red Alliance.
3d6 Fatal Flaw
12 You’ve been fighting for justice and equality most of your life.
Like nature itself, you are red in tooth and claw. You relish
You grew up near Bugtown, and your best friend is insect- 3
13 violence.
bonded.
4 You look down upon those not from New Gaia.
You once sought out Grandfather Ash, asking for wisdom.
14 5-6 You’ve been mistreated and have a chip on your shoulder.
He told you something you wish he hadn’t.
You spent a year on the Black Isle and it nearly killed you. You tend to assume people know what you’re talking about.
15 7-8
Start with 1d6 Strain. They often don’t.
Your village was nearly destroyed by a wandering Chaos- You have a deep mistrust of those who casually harm plants
16 9-12
wielder, but you saved it. Start with 1 Strain and 1 Discord. (or insects).
You’ve argued for insect-bonded equality in front of the When you learn that you can do something, you rarely
17 13-14
Council of Mothers. It didn’t go well. think about whether or not you should.
The Red Alliance claimed responsibility for a terrorist act You believe Gaia is salvation, and anyone who disagrees
18 15-16
that killed someone you loved. with you is wrong.
You spent a year building ships at Shipwatch. Gain the You are fiercely protective of those you travel with. Woe
19 17
Artisan profession. betide those who do them wrong.
You nearly killed yourself once experimenting with You’re utterly inexperienced with the world outside New
20 18
augmentation plants. Start with 1d6 Strain. Gaia.
31
New Gaian New Gaian with meditation and martial arts. They practice
Age Build constantly, focusing their energy on relentless self-
improvement. Such single-mindedness has paid off;
3d6 Age 3d6 Build those from the Black Isle are capable of superhuman
You’re a child, 18 years 3 You are short and thin. feats. Their skin is tougher, their muscles are stronger,
3
old or younger. and they can move with unmatched speed and
4 You are short and heavy.
You’re a young adult, deadliness.
4-7 5-6 You are short.
19 to 21 years old.
༄ Demon-Hunters: The people of the Black Isle see
You’re an adult, 22 to 7-8 You are slender.
8-12 themselves as the last line of defense preventing the
30 years old. You are average in
9-12 demon horde from escaping into the wider world. They
You’re a middle-aged height and weight.
have learned to form hunting parties: groups of ten to
13-15 adult, 30 to 40 years 13-14 You are tall.
old. twenty led by a single hunter. While this hunter is the
15-16
You are tall and most skilled and the most highly-trained of the group,
You’re an older adult, muscular.
16-17
41-50 years old. this isn’t what makes him or her deadly; rather, the
17 You are tall and thin. people of the Black Isle have learned to work in perfect
You’re a venerable
18 adult, 51 years old or You are unusually tall unison, using potent meditative techniques to achieve
18
older. and thin. a group consciousness. This allows them to funnel all
their physical power—the power of a group of ten to
New Gaian Appearance twenty hardened warriors—into a single person, the
lead hunter. Such an individual is more than a match
3d6 Appearance for your average demon.
3
You’re so in tune with plant (or insect) life that your ༄ Purpose in All Things: Black Islers don’t like things
appearance is strange, alien, and frightening.
that have no purpose. “Purpose” in this case means,
4
You’re ugly. You have pimples, boils, scars, and other “this thing helps me survive and excel.” Art, song, soft
unattractive features that make people shun you. clothing, and other such unnecessary distractions are
5-6 You’re pretty homely. Not ugly, but certainly not attractive. rare in Black Isle society. Many Black Islers even eschew
weapons in combat, relying instead on their bodies
You’re plain. People have trouble describing you when they
7-8
try. alone. More than one person has lost a fight against a
Black Isler after realizing with growing dismay that the
9-12 You’re average in pretty much every way.
unarmed, unarmored person bearing down on them
13-14
You’re considered attractive: shapely, slender, a dazzling was far deadlier than they appear.
smile, eyes like stars. Take your pick.
༄ Common Names: Entregar, Pherius, Gammaron,
The artists of your people use people like you as models. Lanica, Eritrea, Hann, Sileppa
15-16
You’re quite beautiful.
17 You’re one of the great beauties of your generation.
Creating a Black Isler
Your bond with nature is such that your appearance seems
18
otherworldly in a way that people find irresistible. Starting Attribute Scores: Strength 11, Agility 9, Intellect 9,
Will 9.
Perception equals your Intellect
Black Isle Defense equals your Agility score +2
Health equals your Strength score +4
The Black Isle is a hard place full of hard people. It Healing Rate equals one-quarter your Health, rounded down
contains almost no vegetation, and the entire landscape Size 1/2 or 1, Speed 10, Essence 0
is made of black rock with hard edges and sharp corners. Damage 0, Discord 0, Strain 0
The few beasts that live here are dangerous predators
that prey upon each other and upon the humans living Essence Trees: Body Conditioning, Battle Meditation
here, but they’re not even the worst part. The Black Isle Languages and Professions: You speak, read, and write
is where demons spew from the ground to hunt and kill, Trade Speech and Deep.
and the Black Islers know it is their responsibility to Demon Killer: Whenever you attack a demon or someone
keep the tide in check. They are a fierce warrior people, under their influence, you do so with 1 boon.
and their lives leave little room for anything soft or
unnecessary. Level 4 Expert Black Isler
༄ Essence Turned Inward: The Black Islers had little Characteristics: Health +6
to bond with when the gods left, and so their Essence You either learn one Essence power or gain Stone Fists.
turned inward and bonded with their own bodies.
These people have learned to harness their Essence Stone Fists: Your unarmed strikes deal an extra 1d6 damage.
32
A Black Isle demon hunter delivers a Gestalt Strike to a demon that’s been plaguing his village.
33
Black Isler Background

D20 Background
1 You used to be a demon hunter, but you were ousted by a younger upstart.
2 You were once accused of demonic corruption.
3 You made enemies by supporting Kared instead of Stolgart.
4 You guided a group of outlanders into the Mines of Korunna. They died, but they paid you first. Start the game with 2d6 slivers.
5 You left the Black Isle and returned, but were labeled a coward. Still, you learned a new, random profession.
6 You’ve studied the outside world. Add an academic area of knowledge.
7 You once drank the pure, hot blood of a demon after you killed it, and it gave you a vision. Start with 1d6 Discord.
8 You fell into a deep chasm once and it took you 1d6 years to find your way back out.
9 As a rite of passage, you swam out to the Face of the Sea and back.
10 You served on the Circle of Six for 1d6 years.
11 A demon once nearly killed you by sapping your life-force. Start with 1d6 Strain.
12 You once did a favor for a mainlander, and he gave you something. Start with an additional random Interesting Thing.
13 You were cast out of your clan as an infant for being weak. Another clan took you in and raised you.
14 You’re fascinated by outlander art. Add the Artist profession.
15 You have a large, distinct scar, a reminder of a near-fatal mistake.
16 A friend saved your life once, and you have yet to repay her.
17 Someone you cared about was killed by a demon while you were out on a hunt.
18 You had a vision when you meditated at Skyward Temple.
19 You once wandered into the Green Valley, but you’ve never been able to retrace your steps.
20 A demon took you prisoner once, talked to you for seven days, and released you.
The demons of the Black Isle come in many twisted forms, but all
34 with a perfect hate for humans...the ones the gods loved more.
Black Isler Caste Black Isle Appearance

3d6 Caste 3d6 Appearance
Gatherer. Increase your Intelligence by 1. Add the Animal You’re hideous. Many think you touched by the demons for
3-4
Trainer, Farmer, or Gatherer profession. 3 your unnatural features, and few trust or want to be around
you.
Teacher. Increase your Intelligence by 1. Add another
5-7 language, and you can read and write all languages you You’re ugly and battle-scarred. You’re probably missing an
speak. 4 ear, an eye, or your nose, and even before that you were no
prize.
8-13 Warrior. Increase your Agility by 1 and your Strength by 1.
You’re somewhat brutish. Your features are thick and heavy,
Builder. Increase your Strength by 1. Add the Artisan, 5-6
14-16 and you have lots of unsightly hair.
Laborer, or Woodcutter profession.
7-8 Your looks are entirely utilitarian.
Elder. Increase your Intelligence by 1 and your Will by
17-18 1. When you roll on the Black Isler Age table, your result 9-12 You’re average in pretty much every way.
cannot be lower than older adult.
You have an attractive quality: chiseled muscles, piercing
13-14
eyes, or a square jaw.
Black Isler Fatal Flaw You’re quite attractive, with a number of qualities that
15-16
3d6 Fatal Flaw people find appealing.
You’re so beautiful that most of your clanmates don’t believe
3 You believe killing is the only thing you’re truly good at. 17
you’re hard enough for the Isle.
You have nothing but disdain for outlanders and their You’re a vision. Many think you touched by the demons for
4
softness. 18 your unnatural features, and few trust or want to be around
5-6 You doubt yourself and second-guess your own decisions. you.
7-8 You know almost nothing about outlander customs.
9-12
You slay demons and those you believe to be their servants
without hesitation or remorse.
Sky City
You long for the thrill of battle and seek it whenever you’re When the gods left Asunder, taking all the metal with
13-14
able. them, great islands wrested themselves from the ocean and
15-16
You’re seeking something, and you hold its importance drifted upward to settle in the sky high above. The people
above anything else. who dwell on those islands know that it’s because of a
17 You’re a little too fond of outlander creature comforts. peculiar crystal that grows on those islands—blice crystal—
18
You’ve sworn a vow not to kill another human being ever which alters gravity around it. When metal was present, it
again. was heavy enough to keep the islands in the water; once the
metal disappeared, the islands found a new home in the
Black Isler Age Black Isle Build sky. The Essence of the people who live on those islands
3d6 Age 3d6 Build has bonded with blice crystal, which allowed them to adapt
to their skybound environment with ease. They have built
You’re a child, 16 years 3 You are short and wiry.
3 a massive, elaborate elevator to allow visitors and cargo to
old or younger.
4 You are short and hard.
You’re a young adult, 17
enter Sky City.
to 32 years old. ༄ Skimmers: Others often refer to the citizens of Sky City
7-8 You are slender.
8-12
You’re an adult, 33 to as “Skimmers.” In truth, having their Essence bonded
50 years old. You are average in
9-12 to the blice crystal of the floating islands gives them
You’re a middle-aged height and weight.
the ability to leap great distances, alter gravity around
13-15 adult, 51 to 65 years 13-14 You are muscular.
old. them, and even fly. They rely on specialized gas spores
You are tall and to direct their flight. The people of Sky City harvest
You’re an older adult, 15-16
16-17 muscular.
66 to 80 years old. blice, working it into clothing and armor to enhance
17 You are tall and wiry. their abilities and grinding it up to make tonics that
You’re a venerable
18 You are huge and they use to strengthen their control over gravity.
adult, 81 years or older. 18
muscled.
Godsblood
The Skimmers hold to an old story: the legend of Belias. When the world was young and the gods still dwelt here, Belias was
the most graceful and clever of all of them. He could leap great distances, dance on clouds, and charm the sun to setting, so they
say. But his brother, Sevah, was jealous of Belias’s beauty and charm, and plotted against him. When the gods left Asunder, Sevah
enacted his plan and murdered Belias, cutting his throat and spilling his blood on the world. Where his blood made contact with
the world, it became crystalline and bound to the earth, ripping it skyward and making it fly.
The Skimmers know that the blice crystals are the reason their home flies, and the reason they can defy and control gravity.
Whether or not the legend is true, many Skimmers call blice crystals “godsblood” to this day.
35
36 A skimmer uses her Sky Dancing to hurl blice daggers at an approaching swarm of Svit.
༄ Ruled by Nobles: The noble houses rule Sky City. your ability to jump further, allowing you to double
Each of the major islands is owned by one of these the distance you can jump or fall (on top of the initial
great houses, and there are countless minor ones increase) for 1 minute.
that fight over what’s left. Though the rule of law is
Level 4 Expert Skimmer
strictly upheld in Sky City, behind the scenes the
nobles engage in the Great Game, a contest of bribery, Characteristics: Health +5
blackmail, assassination, and political machinations.
In the Great Game, nothing is out of bounds so long as You either learn one Essence power or gain Prodigious Leap
you don’t get caught. Beneath the nobles are, basically, Prodigious Leap: As an action or a triggered action on
everyone else. Commoners in Sky City are effectively your turn, you can make an astoundingly long leap.
serfs, working the land, tithing to their noble lords, and When you do so, multiply the distance you jump by 10
operating at their beck and call. again. This includes the distance you can safely drop.
༄ Quick Warriors, Giant Weapons: The Skimmers have Once you’ve used this ability, you must complete a rest
learned to use their gravity-manipulation powers to before you can do so again. This ability stacks with the
develop and perfect a distinct martial style that no one increase you’d get from spending a Seeker point. For
else in Asunder can replicate. Their fighting style is instance, if you used your prodigious leap and spend a
graceful, flowing, full of impossible leaps, slow floats Seeker point, your jump distance would be multipled by
to the earth, wall-running, and other confounding 10, then 10 again, then 2.
techniques that make Skimmers difficult to target
and even more difficult to defend against. Mobility is Skimmer Background
their hallmark, and you never know which direction a D20 Background
Skimmer will strike from. To make things even more
You were born to a minor noble house. When you roll for
dangerous for their opponents, Skimmers are fond of 1
starting Wealth, add 2 to your roll.
wielding oversized weapons; a favorite of theirs is the
You were raised as a blice farmer. Add the Gatherer
vasha, a staff half again as long as a grown man, with 2
profession.
bladed ridges at either end, often wielded in one hand.
You left home to study at an academy in Hyden. Add a
Those who learn this technique do so by altering the 3
random academic area of knowledge.
gravity around the weapon, making it light and easy to
You were born as a commoner on the island of one of the
wield, then reversing it once they’ve built momentum 4
major noble families.
to create a devastating swing. 5 You served one of the major noble families with distinction.
༄ Common Names: Rin, Kojan, Derot, Herane, Dastrom, When you first took your Great Leap, you nearly fell to your
6
Vis, Closter, Lea death.
You were involved in a blice-farming accident. The crystals
7
Creating a Skimmer exploded and nearly killed you.
You rejected the rule of the nobility and went to live on the
8
Starting Attribute Scores: Strength 9, Agility 12, Intellect 10, Rebel Islands.
Will 9. You spent time as a guard in one of the great museums of
9
Perception equals your Intellect Sky City.
Defense equals your Agility score You grew up on the streets, stealing your food to survive.
10
Health equals your Strength score Add a random criminal profession.
Healing Rate equals one-quarter of your Health, rounded 11 You’re the disowned scion of a major noble house.
down You made a good living trading goods with mainlanders.
Size 1/2 or 1, Speed 12, Essence 0 12
Start with 2d6 slivers.
Damage 0, Discord 0, Strain 0 You worked as a translator for one of the noble houses. You
13
Essence Trees: Sky-Dancing, Gravity Manipulation can speak another language.
Languages and Professions: You speak, read, and write 14
You’re renowned as a great artist in Sky City. Add the Artist
Trade Speech. In addition, you can choose to speak, read, profession.
and write one additional language or add one random 15 You spent 1d6 years in prison for crossing a noble.
profession. 16 You made a living in your profession.
Lighter than Air: You can leap great distances, dozens or 17
You spent time spying on a noble house for a different noble
even hundreds of feet at a time. Whenever you jump house.
up or across, multiply the distance you can jump by 10. 18 You were a sky bridge operator for several years.
When you drop down from a height, you can fall 30 yards You attended the Academy. Add a random martial
19
without taking damage. In addition, whenever you make profession.
a challenge roll that involves jumping or climbing, you do 20 In your youth, you spent time doing jobs for Blue William.
so with 1 boon. You can spend a Seeker point to increase
37
Skimmer Fatal Flaw The Sea

3d6 Fatal Flaw
Those who live on the sea are like the sea itself: mercurial,
3 You love to show your powers off to anyone who will watch.
troubled, dangerous, and predatory. Most land-dwellers
You’re a hedonist. Earthly pleasures are the only kind that consider the Seafarers frightening, not just because of
4
matter.
their tendency toward unpredictability and violence, but
5-6 You’re prone to fits of irrational rage.
for their strange mutations. Every Seafarer has at least one
You play the Great Game everywhere: deception, mutation and, while these mutations help them survive out
7-8
subterfuge, and gaining the advantage are everything.
on the open ocean, they also act as a mark that separates
You hate the wealthy and those who wield power over them from those who dwell on land. People spot the
9-12
others.
Seafarers easily and tend to avoid them unless they need
You believe yourself better than those who are bound to the
13-14
ground. something. The Seafarers, for their part, don’t seem to care.
Many enjoy the fear they inspire and, in any case, they
You’re on a mission of revenge, and nothing will get in your
15-16
way. spend most of their time out on the sea, hunting great sea
You have a lover in every port, and most of them are none
serpents, engaging in piracy, and doing whatever the sea
17 demands for survival.
too fond of you now.
18 You’re utterly without guile. ༄ Sea-Bound: When the gods left Asunder, there were
many people out at sea. The oral histories of these
Skimmer Skimmer people say that the chaotic, tumultuous nature of the
Age Build sea prevented the Essence of the Seafarers from settling
on any one thing, so it bonded to the only thing it could:
3d6 Age 3d6 Build
the ocean itself. When this happened, they mutated.
You’re a child, 16 years 3 You are short and thin. Some grew extra limbs, while others sprouted eyes,
3
old or younger.
4
You are short and mouths, claws, scaly skin, or gills. These mutations set
You’re a young adult, 17 stocky. them apart from their brethren back on land, and so
4-7
to 21 years old.
5-6 You are short. they united to become a new tribe. Now, the Seafarers
You’re an adult, 22-52
8-12
years old. 7-8 You are slender. rule the waters. They’re unparalleled sailors, able to
You are average in survive in conditions that would utterly destroy lesser
You’re a middle-aged 9-12
13-15 adult, 53 to 65 years height and weight. sailors or ships, and they have become a vital, necessary
old. 13-14 You are heavy. part of commerce and travel on Asunder.
You’re an older adult, You are tall and ༄ Symbiotic Bonds: While every nation of Asunder uses
16-17 15-16
66-75 years old. muscular.
symbiotic organisms in some way or another, nobody
You’re a venerable 17 You are tall and heavy. relies on them quite as much as the Seafarers do. They
18 adult, 86 years old or
older. 18
You are very tall and wear crustaceans and urchins that help them breathe
thin. underwater, filter the toxic chlorine gas of the ocean
out of their lungs, or enhance their strength, speed,
Skimmer Appearance and toughness. But the most notable way in which
the Seafarers use symbiotic organisms is their ships.
3d6 Appearance A seafarer ship is a composite of numerous living
3
You’re incredibly ugly. Life has not been kind to you, whether creatures, melded and grown out in the waters. A
it’s the ravages of a disease or simply hard living. skilled seafarer can control this creature, but seafarer
4
You’re ugly. You have unsightly hair, unattractive features, ships have a mind of their own. This makes them both a
pimples, boils, and so forth. dangerous liability and a powerful asset.
You’re homely. While most wouldn’t consider you ugly, your
5-6
appearance is…uninspiring. ༄ Many Captains: Though Seafarers, for the most part,
You’re quite plain. Your appearance doesn’t make much of
see each other as kin and abide by a code that binds
7-8 an impression, and people don’t tend to notice you for your them together, they are a fractious and independent
looks. lot. Each ship captain is a sovereign ruler, and aboard
9-12 You’re average in pretty much every way. her ship, her word is law. No other ship captain has
You’re attractive. You might have long, beautiful hair or a the right to countermand a captain on her own ship;
13-14
sculpted nose that people find appealing. to do so is an open challenge, and often leads to
You’re beautiful. You have numerous suitors, and you never war between the two captains. Because each ship is
15-16
have to sleep alone if you don’t want to. effectively its own little nation, rules and behavior
You’re one of the great beauties of your generation. There vary greatly between ships. Some can be relied upon
17
are maybe four or five like you in Sky City. to provide safe passage to land-dwellers looking to
18
Your looks go beyond beauty. Nobody can recall someone travel or trade, while others will waylay any ship they
like you; your grace is unparalleled.
38
One Seafarer’s Natural Weapon mutation becomes a retractable bone blade in her wrist, and another grows extra arms. 39
see, plundering it and leaving the crew for dead. Each Seafarer Background
captain flies her own flag, and it’s usually wise to
learn which flags are safe, and to assume any you’re D20 Background
unfamiliar with are not. Your ship sank during a violent storm. You’re the only
1
survivor.
༄ Common Names: Edair, Danica, Loric, Ninae, Cley,
Persa, Heron You used to be the captain of a ship, but lost it due to
2
mutiny.
Your ship went feral when you hit a pocket of Chaos. Start
Creating a Seafarer 3
with 1d6 Discord.
4 Your last raid was quite successful. Start with 2d6 slivers.
Starting Attribute Scores: Strength 10, Agility 10,
5 You were marooned alone on an island for 1d6 years.
Intellect 9, Will 9.
Perception equals your Intellect You’ve spent a lot of time in Megalith, and have even fought
6
in the Arena.
Defense equals your Agility score
Health equals your Strength score A scholar sailed with your ship for several years, and
7 you learned from him. Add a random area of academic
Healing Rate equals one-quarter of your Health, rounded knowledge.
down You’ve sailed on dozens of different ships, with dozens of
Size 1/2 or 1, Speed 10 (12 while swimming), Essence 0 8
different captains.
Damage 0, Discord 0, Strain 0 You spent some time wandering the mainland. You can
9
Essence Trees: Sea-Calling, Adaptation speak an additional language.
Languages and Professions: You speak, read, and write 10 You’re wanted in at least two city-states for piracy.
Trade Speech and Blue. You have the Sailor profession. You found something on a raid, and have hung onto it since.
11
Start with an additional, random Interesting Thing.
At Home At Sea: Whenever you’d make a challenge roll
with at least 1 boon due to your Sailor profession, you roll 12 You were once chased out of a port for being too rowdy.
with 1 additional boon. 13
Your best friend was killed by a sea serpent during a hunt.
The serpent got away.
Mutation: Every seafarer has a mutation. Roll on the
You recently spent days adrift in a lifeboat in a chlorine-
following table to determine yours, or choose one. With 14
induced haze. Start with 1d6 Strain.
your Keeper’s help you can, at your option, come up
You have a distinctive scar from an encounter with a sea
with your own mutation. You get to decide what your 15
serpent.
mutation looks like.
You spent time hatching and raising ships. Start with the
16
1d20 Mutation Shipwright profession.
Your crew was taken by another ship’s crew, and you spent
Natural Weapon. Your unarmed attacks deal an extra 1d6 17
1-2 1d6 years as a galley slave.
damage.
You were once swallowed by a sea serpent but carved your
3-4 Natural Armor. Add 2 to your Defense. 18
way out.
5-7 Heightened Senses. Add 4 to your Perception. On your ship, you were well-liked for your musical ability.
19
Start with the Entertainer profession.
Water Adaptation. You can breathe underwater, and you roll
8-14 Your entire crew was nearly killed in an encounter with the
any swimming-based challenges with 1 boon. 20
Hungry Fleet.
Climber. You ignore difficult terrain due to climbing, and
15-16
you roll any climbing-based challenge rolls with 1 boon. Seafarer Fatal Flaw
Extra Arms. You have four arms instead of two. This allows
17-18 you to wield twice as many weapons or tools, and even to 3d6 Fatal Flaw
dual-wield two-handed weapons. 3 You’re aggressively proud of your mutations.
Camouflage. Whenever you make a challenge roll to avoid You believe that the natural order is for the strong to take
19-20 4
notice, you do so with 1 boon. things from the weak.
5-6 You like to drink, and when you drink, you like to fight.
Level 4 Expert Seafarer
You often say things that scandalize and offend land-
7-8
Characteristics: Health +3 dwellers.
9-12 You don’t back down from anybody. Ever.
You either learn one Essence power or gain an Extra
You wear symbiotic organisms in public whenever you can,
Mutation. 13-14
because you like to scare people.
Extra Mutation: Roll again on the Mutation table, or choose 15-16 Being on land makes you ill at ease.
a new mutation. You now have both mutations. If you roll You’re a thrill-seeker. The more dangerous the activity, the
the same mutation a second time, roll again until you get 17
better.
a different one. 18 You tend to get others into trouble. It’s not your fault!
40
Languages of Asunder
The following languages are used throughout the
Seafarer Seafarer lands of Asunder. By default, if you know a language, you
can speak, read, and write that language.
Age Build
༄ Trade Speech: Devised by the city-states of
3d6 Age 3d6 Build
the mainland in order to facilitate trade and
You’re a child, under 18 3 You are short and thin. communication between cultures, Trade Speech (or,
3
years old.
4 You are short and stocky. simply, Trade) has spread beyond the borders of the
You’re a young adult, 18 mainland and become a commonly used language
to 25 years old.
amongst all people of the world. Though it doesn’t
You’re an adult, 26 to 35 7-8 You are slender.
8-12 replace a nation’s native language or languages,
years old. You are average in height
9-12 many Seekers know enough Trade to be able to
You’re a middle-aged and weight.
13-15 communicate anywhere.
adult, 36 to 45 years old. 13-14 You are heavy.
༄ Pacari: The language of the Pacari tribesfolk is
You’re an older adult, 46 You are tall and
16-17 15-16 complex and rich, with a system of hieroglyphs for
to 55 years old. muscular.
written communication. Each tribe has their own
You’re a venerable adult, 17 You are tall and heavy.
18 dialect of Pacari and, while most tribes are able to
56 years old or older.
You are very tall and communicate with each other, outsiders often find
18
thin.
the myriad variations confusing.
Seafarer Appearance ༄ Mother’s Tongue: A language known almost
exclusively by the weavers of New Gaia, Mother’s
3d6 Appearance
Tongue is not often taught to outsiders. It can be
You’re monstrous. Your mutations are obvious, disturbing, used to communicate incredibly complex ideas in a
3
and frightening to some.
very short span of time.
You’re ugly. You probably have an extra nose or two, frills
4 ༄ Blue: While most Seafarers speak fluent Trade,
instead of hair, or some other unsightly cosmetic mutation.
they have their own language, Blue, that they use
You’re slightly disturbing. Your unsightly mutations are
5-6 amongst their own kind. They often use Blue to
minimal but present. You can hide them if you try.
Your quite plain. You don’t have any disturbing mutations,
speak openly with each other around land-dwellers.
7-8
but you’re also not particularly attractive. ༄ Nagese: The Naga have their own language, a tongue
9-12
You’re average in pretty much every way. You probably have of sibilant, rolling sounds.
mutations, but they don’t bother people.
༄ Deep: Though they may not have invented it, the
You’re attractive. You have few, if any, visible mutations, and
13-14 demons often speak Deep. As a result, many Black
you’ve got an attractive quality or two.
Islers have learned the language.
You’re beautiful. Your mutations are nearly invisible, and
15-16
you have several attractive qualities. ༄ Hyderen: Hyden, like the other city-states, used
You’re striking. Your mutations serve to accentuate your to have its own language before the widespread
17
beauty rather than detract, giving you an exotic appeal. adoption of Trade. Though the other city-states’
Your unearthly beauty turns heads, and makes people languages have more or less died off, Hyderen is still
18
wonder if you’re really of this world. spoken in some places and taught in the academies,
even if it is considered terribly archaic.
Professions
Professions describe what you do. Whether it’s a trade,
an area of knowledge, some form of military training,
or simply an aptitude for a particular kind of work, a
profession is a good indicator for what your character did Starting Professions
for a living before s/he became a Seeker. The professions
presented here are broad, giving you freedom to define You start with two professions, plus any granted to you by
your particular role or expertise within a profession. your Origin. You can choose any profession you like, or
It’s up to you to figure out exactly what a profession or you can roll on the tables provided to generate a random
combination of professions means on your character profession.
sheet, and how that interacts with the other information
on your character sheet. What does it mean to be a Pacari Languages
sailor? A Mainlander expert in folklore? A Seafarer
refugee? You don’t have to decide during character If you wish, you can trade out one of your starting
creation; sometimes it can be fun to figure out the answers professions in order to speak, read and write another
to those questions in play. language.
41
Profession Types
D6 Profession
Academic: You’ve spent time studying a particular field and have become an expert. Roll a d20 and consult the Academic Professions
1
table. You can recall information related to your area of expertise.
Common: You might be a laborer, a craftsperson, or work in some other commonly-found trade. Roll a d20 and consult the Common
2
Professions table. You can recall information related to your trade and, given time and materials, produce goods related to it.
Criminal: You engage in illegal or illicit activities. Roll a d20 and consult the Criminal Professions table. You can recall information
3
related to your profession, and you have contacts you can call upon.
Martial: You’ve spent time in the military, law enforcement, or some similar profession. Roll a d20 and consult the Martial Professions
4
table. You likely have contacts related to your profession.
Religious: The gods may be gone, but people still believe in something more. Roll a d20 and consult the Religious Professions table.
5
You can recall information related to your religion.
Wilderness: You’ve spent time living on nature’s bounty. Roll a d20 and consult the Wilderness Professions table. You have access to
6
natural lore.
Common Academic Religious Professions

Professions Professions D20 Profession
D20 Profession Area of 1-5 Disciple of the Old Gods: You believe the Old Gods will one day return and
D20
1 Animal trainer Scholarship deliver the world from its current tribulations.
2 Apothecary Architecture, 6-8 Pure Light Adherent: You believe in the divine nature of Pure Light, and
1 you follow it where it goes.
masonry-based
Artisan. Choose
3 a manufacturing Architecture, 9-13 Gaian: You worship Gaia as a source of life and mother of the planet.
2
trade. plant-based 14-16 Demon-Worshiper: You believe the demons are divine messengers sent to
Artist. Choose a 3 Engineering remake the world anew.
4
medium. Etiquette & 17-18 Chaos Cultist: You venerate Chaos as a force of both creation and destruction.
4
Boatman or customs 19-20 Serpent Priest: You worship the great sea serpents and the terrible fury
5
ferryman 5 Folklore they bring.
6 Butcher 6 Geography
Martial Criminal Wilderness
7 Cook Sapient non-
7 Professions Professions Professions
8 Drover or herder humans
D20 Profession D20 Profession D20 Profession
Entertainer. 8 History
9 1 City guard 1 Agitator Bandit, brigand,
Choose a style. 9 Law
1 or highway
10 Farmer 10 Literature 2 Detective 2 Beggar robber
Fisher or sea 11 Chaos 3-4 Gladiator 3 Burglar 2 Barbarian
11
hunter 5 Jailer 4 Carouser or rake
12 Medicine 3 Exile
12 Symbiont-tender 6 Officer Charlatan or
13 Navigation 5 4 Gatherer
Laborer. Choose a confidence artist
13 14 Essence bonds 7 Champion 5-6 Guide
labor. 6 Glass dealer
15 Philosophy 8 Mercenary 7 Hermit
Merchant. Choose 7 Fence
14 9-10 Militia member
a product. 16 Politics 8-9 Hunter
8 Forger
15 Plant-tender 17 Nature 11-12 Warrior Nomad or
9 Gambler 10
Musician. Choose 13-14 Peasant conscript vagabond
16 18 Mythology
an instrument. 10 Grave robber 11 Pioneer
19 Science 16 Quartermaster
17 Sailor 11 Informant Poacher or
20 War 17-18 Soldier 12
18 Servant or valet 12 Murderer rustler
19 Assassin
19 Shopkeeper 13 Pickpocket 13-14 Outlaw
20 Monster hunter
20 Teamster 14 Pirate 15-16 Refugee
15 Prostitute 17 Spelunker
16 Rebel or terrorist 18 Tracker
17 Saboteur 19 Trapper
18 Spy 20 Woodcutter
19 Thug
A vine whip.
20 Urchin
42
Currency in Asunder
Asunder has no precious metals; instead, people use gems
as currency. The following gems are used as currency in
Using Professions Asunder.
Professions describe, in broad terms, what you’ve spent ༄ Emeralds, or “greens,” are the most valuable currency
time learning, and what your training is. As such, the in Asunder, and are very rare.
Keeper will often look to your professions in order to
༄ Diamonds (“whites”) have the next lowest value; five
determine what’s possible for you to accomplish in the
diamonds are worth one emerald.
game. This might result in an automatic success when
you attempt a particular task, or it might result in the ༄ Rubies (“reds”) have the next lowest value; five rubies
Keeper granting you 1 boon if the outcome is uncertain. are worth one diamond.
For example, if you’re a Farmer, it stands to reason that ༄ Sapphires (“blues”) have the next lowest value; five
you know how to tend to crops and can generally do so sapphires make up one ruby.
without making a roll. If you try to determine what the
weather will be like in the coming day, the Keeper might ༄ Pearls (“bobs”) have the next lowest value; five pearls
grant you 1 boon on a roll to do so, or simply tell you what make up one sapphire.
the weather will be like. Professions do not stack. If you ༄ Slivers (pearls cut into flat discs) have the lowest value;
are utilizing the burglar profession for an action, you five slivers make up a pearl.
cannot also use the assassin profession on top of it for the All that said, the vast majority of people who live in
same action. Asunder use slivers and bobs as their primary currency, with
adventurers and the wealthy also dealing in sapphires and
Altering Professions occasionally rubies. Diamonds and emeralds are typically
the purview of the very, very rich. To make things easy to
The professions provided here aren’t an exhaustive list. You track, prices in this book are listed in terms of slivers, pearls,
might have an idea for some pursuit or occupation for your and sapphires; the higher forms of currency are primarily
character that doesn’t appear on this list. Maybe you spent there for color; you can use them as you like or not at all. So,
a long time as a stowaway on a ship, and Sailor just doesn’t for example, if something in this book costs one diamond, it
describe what you did accurately. In that case, it’s fine to would instead be listed as costing 25 sapphires.
substitute a profession on these tables for one of your own
devising. Consult with your Keeper first, and work with
them to come up with a good profession for your Seeker.
Starting Wealth
Equipment 3d6 Lifestyle
3-4 Destitute: You are penniless and live on the streets.
You start with equipment based on your character’s wealth.
First, roll 3d6 and consult the Wealth table. Come up with Poor: You live in squalid conditions and you’re never sure
5-8
where you’re going to get your next meal.
a story for why you live at the lifestyle at which you live,
bearing in mind your Origin and professions. Your starting 9-13 Getting By: You earn enough to meet all your expenses.
Wealth gives you additional equipment as listed below, Comfortable: You live well and make enough that you can
as well as some starting benefits. Generally speaking, the 14-16
save a little.
poorer you are, the greater the bonus you get at character
Wealthy: You live very well. You have nice clothes and fine
creation. 17 accommodations, and you have probably not gone without
for a long time.
Destitute
Rich: You want for nothing. You likely come from a noble
You have a club or a sling with 20 stones, rags, and a family, and you have servants and an estate, castle, or house
18
in the best part of town. Your fortunes earn you many
pouch containing 1d6 slivers. You live a hand-to-mouth friends and many enemies.
existance, and this has made you strong. You get +1 to
your Strength attribute and add a Criminal Profession. Getting By
Poor You have a light weapon appropriate to your homeland,
a staff, club, or sling with 20 stones, basic clothing, a
You have a staff, club, or sling with 20 stones, patched
backpack, a week of rations, a waterskin, a small clump of
basic clothing, a sack, bread, a waterskin, a small clump of
bioluminescent fungus, 1d3 torches, and a pouch containing
bioluminescent fungus, a candle, and a pouch containing
1d3 pearls. You’ve learned a trade to get what you have, so you
2d6 slivers. Your life is hard and you’ve had to scrape for
start with an additional common or criminal profession.
what you have; you get +1 to Agility or Will.
43
Comfortable Objects Memories

You have a light weapon appropriate to your homeland, a 1d20 Object 1d20 Memory
staff, club, or sling with 20 stones, fine clothing, a backpack, A bluish-white pebble The sparkling sound
a cloak, a week of rations, a waterskin, a strong coil of living 1 that is always warm to 1 of laughter as you lay
vine, a small clump of bioluminescent fungus, 2 torches, the touch. helpless.
1 dose of sawgrass powder, a small shield, and a pouch 2
A little doll made of A white hot pain in
containing 2d6 pearls. You also have a piece of minor living sticks and twine. 2 the back of your skull,
followed by darkness.
gear of the Keeper’s choice or, instead, a healer’s kit, tool kit, The deed to a property
you’ve never heard of, Flashes of a life lived by
or writing kit. At the Keeper’s option, you may also have a 3
with no indication of
3
someone else.
small cottage or flat somewhere. where it is.
A blank space where a
4
A stone medallion memory should be.
Wealthy 4 with a strange symbol
on it. A cave full of ancient
You have a light weapon appropriate to your homeland, 5 paintings. You’re certain
A shard of ice that they form a prophecy.
courtier’s clothing, a backpack, a cloak, a week of rations, 5
never melts.
a waterskin, a strong coil of living vine, a small clump of Being born fully grown
A wooden arrow that 6 from a massive seed
bioluminescent fungus, a lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 1 dose of 6 killed someone you pod.
sawgrass powder, a small shield, and a pouch containing 1d6 loved.
The man who raised
sapphires. You also have a piece of minor living gear of the A tiny shard of blice 7 you, but who is not your
Keeper’s choice or, instead, a healer’s kit, tool kit, or writing 7 crystal in a bottle on a father.
kit. At the Keeper’s option, you may also have a small manor leather cord.
Dying. Then darkness.
8
house or a ship. A rough-spun shirt. Then, once again…life.
8 You can change its
color with a thought. Murdering someone
Rich 9
with your bare hands.
The skull of a creature You can’t remember
9
You have a light weapon appropriate to your homeland, you cannot name. why.
noble’s clothing, a cloak, a week of rations, a waterskin, a A miniature horse You performed those
10
strong coil of living vine, a small clump of bioluminescent trapped in amber. 10 deeds, but you didn’t
want to.
fungus, a glowspore lantern, 2 flasks of glowspore food, A small wooden box
a dose of sawgrass powder, and a pouch containing 2d6 11 that plays music when The most beautiful
opened. 11 room you’ve ever seen.
sapphires. You also have a personal servant, a guard, You long to return.
and three riding beasts appropriate to your homeland, A bone shield that
12 once belonged to a A voice in the darkness.
with saddles. At the Keeper’s option, you may also have a loved one. You didn’t know the
12
sprawling estate or a large ship. A small leather pouch
language, but you
understood its words.
13 of stones, each with a
Interesting Things carved symbol on it.

A drawing of a young
13
Narrowly escaping
being a human sacrifice.
girl. She seems oddly The eyes of a lover long
Your character starts play with one interesting thing. You 14 14
familiar, but you do since gone.
can choose an interesting thing from the following tables not know her.
A promise made long
if you like, but it’s often more fun to roll for an interesting 15
A letter from a noble in ago to meet again.
thing and see where it might push the story. To determine 15 Hyden who claims to
be your uncle. Making an oath to kill
your interesting thing, roll a d6 to see which table to roll on, 16 someone you’ve never
then roll a d20 to find out what interesting thing you start A necklace of teeth met.
16 from various animals
with. These don’t necessarily have any kind of mechanical and people. A song that made you
effect on your character (though they can, with the 17 feel alive for the first
A fine jacket that never time in your life.
approval of the Keeper); they’re meant to give you ideas for 17
gets dirty or wet.
The glade where a
how to flesh out your Seeker’s backstory and personality. A map of a land you’re great treasure is buried.
18 18
unfamiliar with. You wish you could
Interesting Things Tables A stone chalice. It
remember where it was.
19 fills with water every Captaining a ship, half
1d6 Table 19
morning at dawn. a lifetime ago.
1 Objects A spear that nearly The password to an
20
2 Memories killed you once. underground location
20
where live are bought
3 Living things and sold.
4 Needs
5 Scars and marks
6 Relationships
44
Living Things Needs Scars & Marks Relationships

1d20 Living Thing 1d20 Need 1d20 Scar or Mark 1d20 Relationship
A small tree seed, 1 To find acceptance. A ragged scar from your Your best friend, a
1 1 1
pulsing with life. shoulder to your wrist. notorious pirate.
To get revenge for the
A pulsing growth on 2 ones they took from 2 A missing eye. Your childhood rival,
2 your arm that you’re you. 2 always one step ahead
sure is a separate being. A tattoo you don’t
3 of you.
To see everything, go remember asking for.
3
A small rodent with everywhere. Aiken, a merchant who
3 a strange mark on its A strange symbol on
To take things that 4 your palm. You were always seems to be
back. 4 3
aren’t yours. born with it. around when you enter
A flower you refuse to a settlement.
4 To escape that which A broken nose that
let die. 5 The assassin contracted
chases you. 5 never healed quite 4
A demonic presence right. to kill you.
5 always in the back of To atone for the things
6 The one you love,
your skull. you’ve done. 6 Tattoos, head to toe. 5
another Seeker.
6 A faithful dog. To prove yourself to the A slave brand on the
7 Another Seeker with
7 ones who don’t believe back of your neck.
A tiny yellow bird that in you. 6 whom you have a
7 The battle scars of friendly rivalry.
sings sweet music.
8 To feed your addiction. 8 having survived the
A cluster of vines that arena. The black market
8 crawls around like a To protect the object of 7 dealer who sells you
9
spider. your affection. A symbol on your dreamgrass.
9 forehead that glows
Your left arm. It used to 10 To escape your past. faintly. A noble who owes you
9 8
belong to someone else. a favor.
To acquire riches so you An old leg injury that
11
A stone jar with a heart can retire. 10 throbs when it’s going Your surrogate mother,
10 9 a Naga, who raised you
inside. It still beats. To be known to rain.
12 from birth.
A small flying insect everywhere. A puncture wound next
11 that looks at you with 11 to your heart where a A Bone Army mercenary.
13 To pay off your debts.
intelligent eyes. thorn almost killed you. 10 Sometimes you send
To murder the one you each other work.
Short vines and 14 Burn scars covering the
hate. 12
12 creepers that grow from right side of your body. A poet who is
your back. To tame the frontiers of determined to write an
15 Strange patches of fur 11
the world. 13 epic poem about your
A raven. It’s not yours, on your arms and legs. deeds.
13 but it follows you To learn why the gods
16 Your left hand, clawed A being who lives inside
everywhere. left. 14
and monstrous. your mind, offering
A sick cat that you’re To comport yourself 12
14 guidance and advice
nursing back to health. 17 with honor and dignity, 15 Slitted, cat-like pupils.
from time to time.
always. A mouth full of shark
A pair of trained A being who lives inside
15 To fill the void inside 16 teeth. They replaced
squirrels. your mind, constantly
18 you through the pursuit your real teeth long ago. 13
plaguing you with self-
A small venomous of pleasure. A stump where your doubt.
16 flying lizard called a 17
svit. To free yourself from third arm used to be.
Your ex-lover, an arena
19 the curse that haunts 14
18 A peg leg. fighter.
A talking crustacean. you.
17 It’s friendly, but not very The scar on your neck Another Seeker with
smart. To find a lost heirloom 19 where your throat was whom you share a
20 and reclaim your 15
once cut. common goal: kill the
A bag of seeds. You birthright. one who wronged you.
feel compelled to plant Your missing right ring
18 them wherever you go, 20 finger, taken as payment Another Seeker who
and you never seem to for a debt. 16 once saved your life.
run out. You owe them.
A glowing blue crystal. The crime boss who
19 You know it’s alive. It 17
owns your debts.
told you so.
Feriti, a chef who owns
A fungal growth a restaurant in The
throughout your body. 18
20 Twins, reportedly the
You’re sure one day it best in the world.
will kill you.
A Sky City courtesan
who’s fond of you and
19
will sometimes help
you out.
A powerful warlord,
whom you once served,
20
A living but whom you’ve now
chameleon mask. sworn to kill.
45
Roleplaying Character Traits

Your Seeker It can also be helpful to come up with a few character traits
that you can use as a roleplaying anchor for your character.
At this point, you’ve decided on an Origin for your Seeker When you want to say something in character, it can be
and either chosen from or rolled on the associated tables, helpful to go back to one of these traits and incorporate it
you’ve picked or randomly rolled professions; you’ve into your roleplay, so you can make sure you’re portraying
determined your wealth level and starting equipment; and your Seeker in a consistent way. Try to come up with at
you’ve rolled one random interesting thing. Now it’s time to least two positive (and one negative) character traits. If
put all of those choices and rolls together into a coherent you’re stuck for traits, roll on or pick from the table below.
character that you can inhabit for the next several sessions
of play. To put the finishing touches on your Seeker, answer Personality Traits
the following questions: 1d20 Positive Negative
༄ What do you seek? You’ve witnessed signs the world 1 Benevolent Aloof
is ending. What exactly did you see? And what do you 2 Cheerful Arrogant
plan to do about it? Maybe you seek an artifact that can
3 Courageous Conceited
change destiny, or you simply want to be on top when
4 Dependable Craven
everything comes crumbling down. Come up with
something cool that will drive play forward, that your 5 Determined Deceitful
fellow Seekers can help you out with, and that you can 6 Dutiful Impulsive
lean on whenever the group isn’t sure what to do. 7 Empathetic Lazy
༄ What do you love? Everyone loves something, even 8 Fair Malicious
if it’s just themselves. What’s most important to your 9 Forgiving Obnoxious
Seeker? 10 Generous Rude
༄ What do you hate? Injustice? Bullies? People who talk 11 Gracious Quarrelsome
in the theatre? What is it that sets you off and makes 12 Helpful Sarcastic
you white-hot with fury? 13 Honest Self-centered
༄ How do others feel about you? Are you well-liked? 14 Honorable Slovenly
Ostracized? Seen as an exemplar or role model? Do 15 Humble Stingy
people think you’re competent, funny, or attractive? Do
16 Idealistic Sullen
they think you smell bad?
17 Imaginative Surly
༄ How do you feel about them? Your choices up to this 18 Kind Thoughtless
point might have suggested how you feel about a few
19 Noble Unfriendly
NPCs, but you also need to figure out how you feel
about the other Seekers in your group. Are you with 20 Orderly Vulgar
them out of necessity? Do you value their friendship?
Are you all new, and you’re just not sure yet? Your First Adventure
༄ What have you achieved so far? Seekers, with very few Once you finish creating a character, you are ready to begin
exceptions, aren’t born the moment you created your your first adventure. You play with a group of friends, one
character. Your Seeker has a past, and that means past of whom is the Keeper. Playing through a starter adventure
accomplishments. What has your Seeker achieved so has many benefits.
far that they’re proud of?
༄ What have you done wrong? Everyone makes mistakes. Learn the Rules
What have you done that you’re trying to make up for The starter adventure gives you a chance to learn how the
or outrun? game plays (i.e. how to resolve fights, social interaction,
༄ What are your obligations? Do you have and moving), without having to worry about too many
responsibilities? Debts? People you need to look after? exceptions gained from playing a character at a higher
level. By the adventure’s conclusion, you should have a
༄ What do you believe in? What gives you strength? good understanding of how the basic rules work. There are
What causes do you champion? What would you die three connected adventures in the Keeper’s Tome which start
for? at level 0 and continue until your Seeker is level 2. These
༄ What don’t you tell anyone? You have secrets, just like adventures are designed to help you understand how the
anyone else. What are they? Why do you keep them rules and setting of Asunder work.
secret?
46
Decisions and Outcomes 5. This can be any path you like, but it’s best to choose one
that reflects what happened in your first adventure. If, for
While playing the game, keep track of what your character
example, you spent that adventure fighting, survivor or
does and how your character behaves. What you do during
maurauder would be good choices. If you were interested
your first adventure should inform the choices you make
in Essence powers, then being a bonded would be a good
after your group forms and gains a level. So if you spend a
choice.
lot of time fighting, sneaking around, creating an important
As you continue playing the game, your group’s level
relationship, or doing something else noteworthy, jot it down.
increases whenever the Keeper tells you. Typically,
Building a Group your group’s level increases when you and your friends
accomplish major story objectives. Each time your level
The first adventure operates as the origin story for the increases, check the table to find out how the increase
characters played by you and your friends. Your character benefits your character.
might know one or more other characters that will join the
group, or you might be strangers. Regardless, this adventure Advancement
explores the conflicts, challenges, and revelations that will
connect your characters for the remainder of the game. Level Instructions
Here are some things you should do during your first 1 Choose a novice path from the ones presented in Chapter
adventure. 5 and gain the benefits from that path for this level.
2 You gain the benefits from your novice path for this level.
༄ Cooperate. Learning how to work together is crucial
for your group to survive the perils that lie in wait. 3 Choose an expert path from the ones presented in Chapter
6 and gain the benefits from that path for this level.
Look for ways to help other players in the game to
4 Gain the benefits from your Origin for this level.
create stronger connections. As you play, note the
relationships you make with other characters. You 5 Gain the benefits from your novice path for this level.
may befriend some and come into conflict with others. 6 Gain the benefits from your expert path for this level.
These relationships will become important once the 7 Choose a master path from the ones presented in Chapter
group forms. 7 and gain the benefits from that path for this level.
8 Gain the benefits from your novice path for this level.
༄ Avoid Conflict. Starting characters are fragile and have
few resources. Since a hit or two can knock you out or 9 Gain the benefits from your expert path for this level.
even kill you, you should be cautious about fighting and 10 Gain the benefits from your master path for this level.
consider it only as a last resort.
Starting at Higher Levels
༄ Find Gear. Your starting equipment is unlikely to
carry you far. You will need better armor, weapons, You can start the game at a higher level if you join an
and supplies if you want to continue playing. You can existing group or if the Keeper decides to set the group level
upgrade your gear by taking on jobs for pay, looting higher than 0. You create a starting character as normal, but
bodies, and robbing your enemies. when you finish, go to the Advancement table and follow the
instructions for each level until you reach the group’s level.
༄ Achieve Your Objective. Every adventure you play
has an objective, a goal or quest that drives the story. Equipment at Higher Levels
Sometimes the Keeper will tell you what it is and other
Characters at higher levels have more resources than do
times you’ll have to find out the nature of your objective
those at lower levels. For each level, add 3d6 pearls to
through play. Achieving your objective brings the story
your purse. You can spend these gems to purchase better
to its conclusion, so keep working toward it as you play.
weapons, armor, and additional equipment from the items
described in Chapters 8 and 9.
Level Advancement Additionally, each time you choose a path (at levels 1, 3,
and 7), you gain another random interesting thing from
After you complete your first adventure, your group gains
the Interesting Things tables presented under starting
a level. As shown on the Advancement table, at level 1 you
equipment.
choose a novice path from the ones described in Chapter
An Assassin’s Needle
47
48 A beast master wields a Chaos Lance against a golden wyvern.
Playing Game
Chapter
the
THREE
T Time
his chapter tells everything you need to know to
play Asunder. The rules cover the basics of how
your character and other creatures do things in the
Precise timekeeping is rarely necessary during play. If
game. Both the characters you play and the creatures you
you’re not in a hurry, it doesn’t matter how long it takes
encounter might possess special abilities that alter how
you to make marketplace purchases or reach the nearest
the normal rules work. Such exceptions always trump the
city-state. The Keeper decides how much time passes. A
general rules described here.
month-long ocean voyage might be summarized with a few
As you play, you should always use common sense about
minutes of description, or you might play through a tense
the real world as your guide for what’s possible and what
negotiation in real time.
isn’t. Strange creatures, Essence powers, and other such
There are occasions where time is important. When
phenomena can defy what we deem laws of reality, bending
a Naga slithers out of the jungle and attacks, when you
or even breaking them. Aside from such miraculous events,
spring a trap and have to run away from the wall of water
characters can do just about anything people do in the real
it releases, or when you’re chasing a psychopathic killer
world: climb, start a campfire, walk, balance on a narrow
through tangled city streets, you need to know when it’s
surface, talk, use their senses, and so on. Most times, you
your turn to act. In such cases, the Keeper can switch to
don’t need rules for these things. You tell the Keeper what
rounds – segments of time that are 10 seconds long. See
your Seeker does and the game moves forward.
Chapter 4 for a more detailed look at how rounds work.
For simplicity’s sake, these rules use “you” to describe
your character’s actions in the game.
Rolling Dice
Making Decisions As noted in the introduction, the game uses two kinds of
dice: a twenty-sided die and a six-sided die (the ordinary
Simple, ordinary actions are assumed to happen normally.
cube die found in many games).
For example, you tell the Keeper that you buy a bone knife
You roll a twenty-sided die (a d20) whenever you
from a street merchant. Unless something interesting
attempt an activity whose outcome is uncertain. The die
interferes with that activity, it happens as you stated and the
roll determines whether the attempt is a success or a
story continues.
failure.
If you try to do something that is impossible, the Keeper
You roll one or more six-sided dice (d6) for a number
tells you that the activity doesn’t happen and what (if
of effects. The most common situation is determining the
anything) results from the effort. For example, trying to
damage dealt by an attack. For example, an Essence power’s
breathe underwater simply fails unless you have a mutation
effect requires you to roll three six-sided dice (expressed
or other advantage that grants you the ability to do so;
as “3d6”) for damage. Sometimes you add or subtract
the Keeper tells you that you start drowning and play
modifiers to such rolls; for example, “1d6 + 2” means you
progresses from there.
roll 1 six-sided die and then add 2 to the roll to get the total.
Sometimes, an action you describe prompts the Keeper
Boons and banes might require you to adjust a d20 roll by
to make a judgment about whether or not the action is
adding or subtracting a d6 roll.
possible. The rules help make the decision, often requiring
Additionally, sometimes the rules indicate you should
the roll of dice to decide the outcome. Generally speaking,
roll a d3, a die with 3 sides. To roll a d3, just roll a d6 and
the Keeper should only call for a roll when one or more of
divide the result by two, rounding up as necessary.
these conditions is true:
1. The stakes are high. It’s a life-and-death situation, or Rolling a d20
an important goal lies in the balance. Important in this
context means has the ability to affect the course of the story. You roll a d20 to determine an activity’s outcome when
2. Someone important stands in direct opposition. This making an attack roll or a challenge roll. Whenever you roll
could be another PC, a bandit warlord, or a peasant a d20, follow these steps.
with a sword. 1. Roll the Die: Note the number you rolled.
3. The outcomes for both success and failure would 2. Apply Modifiers: Add or subtract any modifiers from
be interesting and fun for the group. If one of the character attributes or characteristics to the number
outcomes is boring or disrupts the game in some way, you rolled. The rules or the Keeper determine what
the Keeper should not call for a roll; the action either modifier you use, depending on the task you attempt.
automatically succeeds or automatically fails.
49
Chapter 3: Playing the Game
3. Apply Other Adjustments: Add or subtract any other being caught in an explosion, leaping back from a sprung
adjustments to the die roll, such as a bonus or penalty, pit trap, or resisting the effects of strain on your Essence.
or a boon or bane. ༄ Modifier: The type of modifier depends on the action
4. Determine the Result: Compare the final total to the you attempt. For example, you make a Strength
target number for the roll. If the total equals or is greater challenge roll to smash down a door, applying your
than the target number, the result is a success. If the total Strength modifier. If you listen at a door, you make
is less than the target number, the result is a failure. a Perception challenge roll and use your Perception
modifier. If you want to leap out of the path of a gout
Attack Rolls of fire, you make an Agility challenge roll and use your
Agility modifier.
You make an attack roll when you attempt to influence or ༄ Target Number: The target number for challenge rolls
harm another creature or an object. Examples of attack rolls is always 10.
include swinging a weapon to strike an enemy combatant,
using an Essence power to overwhelm a creature’s mind, ༄ Success: The activity happens as described.
or using a club to smash a statue. See Chapter 4 for more ༄ Failure: The activity does not happen, or you don’t get
information. the desired outcome. If you attempt the same activity
༄ Modifier: Attack rolls with a melee weapon, such as again under identical circumstances, it automatically
a wooden club or a bone sword, normally add your results in a failure. For example, if you attempt to
Strength modifier. When you make an attack with a scale a sheer cliff wall unassisted and get a failure,
ranged weapon, such as a throwing shard or thorn you cannot, under the same circumstances, climb
spitter, you normally add your Agility modifier to the that wall. To get up to the top, you have to change
attack roll. Special kinds of attack rolls might use a the circumstance in some way. You might toss up a
different attribute modifier. Some kinds of powers or grappling hook and rope, find a ladder, hammer spikes
talents require you to make an attack roll; the power’s or into the surface, or put on climbing claws.
talent’s description tells you what modifier to use when ༄ As another example, say you attempt to use lock picks
making it. to open a locked door. If you have plenty of time and
༄ Target Number: The target number for an attack roll is you aren’t under any stress, you can eventually open the
usually a creature’s Defense score for weapon attacks, lock without having to make a roll. However, if you are
or an attribute score for other kinds of attacks. under pressure, you might have to make the challenge
roll. If you get a failure, you can’t try again to open the
༄ Success: In general, a success deals damage to the lock under those circumstances, though you can do so
target, imposes an affliction, or forces the target to once time is no longer an issue.
move or behave in some way. For example, if you use a
weapon to attack a creature and get a success, you roll Challenge Roll Example 1
the weapon’s damage dice. The creature takes damage
equal to the total of the damage roll. Adam’s character, Kirit, tries to kick down a barred door. The
Keeper decides Adam must make a Strength challenge roll.
༄ Failure: The target avoids the attack: You miss with Adam rolls a d20 and gets a 9. He adds his Strength modifier
your weapon, your shot goes wide of its mark, or the (+2) to the number on the die, for a total of 11, which is a
power fails to harm or take hold on the target. success since Adam needed a 10. Kirit kicks down the door.
༄ Attack Roll Example: Anna’s character, Vetara, takes
Challenge Roll Example 2
aim at a wild horok with her thorn-spitter. She’s
attacking with a ranged weapon, so she adds her Agility An insect-weaver sends forth a swarm of stinging flies,
modifier to the attack roll. Anna rolls a d20 and gets a catching Kathy’s character, Feldra, in the area. Everything
4. She adds her Agility modifier (+3) to the number on in the power’s area takes damage from the flies, but
the die for a total of 7. The horok’s Defense is 16, so the creatures can attempt Agility challenge rolls to take only
result of the attack roll is a failure and the thorn misses. half the damage. Kathy rolls a d20 and gets a 9. She adds
her Agility modifier (+1) to the number on the die for a total
Challenge Rolls of 10. Since the total is 10 or higher, she gets a success and
takes only half the damage.
You make a challenge roll when you attempt an activity
that is not directly opposed by another creature and the
outcome is not certain. Sometimes an action that would
Bonuses and Penalties
ordinarily be simple becomes more challenging when Many situations in play can confer a bonus or a penalty on
under stress or when time is limited. Examples of challenge a d20 roll, representing an advantage or a disadvantage.
rolls include climbing, swimming, picking locks, listening A bonus is always a positive number (+), which you add to
for faint sounds, reducing the damage you would take from the roll; a penalty is always a negative number (−), which you
50
subtract. A single die roll might have bonuses and penalties

from different sources. These are cumulative, so you need to Attributes
total them up and add them to the total of your roll.
Attributes describe a creature’s basic capabilities in the
game. Most creatures have four attributes: Strength, Agility,
Boons and Banes Intellect, and Will. Each attribute has two numbers: a score
and a modifier. Together, these numbers reflect a creature’s
Circumstances can make d20 rolls easier or harder. Positive
natural talent and formal training when attempting to do
circumstances grant one or more boons, while negative
things in the game.
circumstances impose one or more banes.
༄ Score: An attribute’s score ranges from 1 to 20. Player
Boons characters usually have starting scores from 8 to 13.
Boons improve your d20 die rolls. One or more boons ༄ Modifier: An attribute’s modifier equals its score minus
might apply to a given roll. For each boon, you roll a d6 and 10. You apply this number to d20 rolls when you use the
then add the highest number rolled on all the boon dice to attribute. So, for example, if your Agility was 13, your
d20 roll. For example, if you make a d20 roll with 3 boons, Agility modifier would be +3. If you had a Strength of 8,
you would roll 3d6. Say you get 1, 4, and 6 on those dice. your Strength modifier would be -2.
The 6 is the highest number, so you add 6 to your d20 roll.
Banes
Using Attributes
Here are some guidelines about how you commonly use
Banes hinder your d20 die rolls. One or more banes might
your character’s attributes in the game. Each attribute is
apply to a given roll. For each bane, you roll a d6 and then
associated with one or more characteristics, described later.
subtract the highest number on all the bane dice from your
d20 roll. For example, if you make a d20 roll with 4 banes,
you would roll 4d6. Say you get 1, 3, 5, and 5 on those dice. Strength
Since 5 is the highest number, you would subtract 5 from
Strength describes brawn, constitution, physical power, and
your d20 roll.
durability.
Combining Boons and Banes ༄ Score: Your Strength score is the target number for any
Boons and banes cancel each other out, one for one. If 2 attack that would directly harm your body.
boons and 1 bane apply to a particular d20 roll, you make ༄ Health: This measures your ability to withstand
the roll with 1 boon (1 bane cancels 1 boon). Similarly, if damage. Your starting Health equals your Strength
2 boons and 4 banes apply to the roll, you would end up score and might be adjusted by Origin (see Chapter 2).
making the roll with 2 banes (2 boons cancel 2 banes). If your Strength score increases, your Health increases
by the same amount.
A lieutenant in the Bone Army battles a North Mountain beast. 51

Attributes
Attribute Characteristic
Strength Health ༄ Dragging and Shoving: A creature can drag up to
Agility Defense about 5 times the weight it can normally lift. Using an
Intellect Perception action (see Combat), a creature can drag or shove such
Will Strain an object up to 2 yards across a reasonably flat surface,
1 yard up a sloped surface, or 3 yards down a sloped
Lifting Weights by Strength surface.
Strength Normal Success

1 1 lb. 2 lb.
Agility
2 2 lb. 4 lb. Agility describes quickness, poise, and reflexes.
3 5 lb. 10 lb.
༄ Score: Your Agility score is the target number for any
4 10 lb. 20 lb.
kind of attack that needs only to touch you or that
5 20 lb. 40 lb.
would trap you.
6 30 lb. 60 lb.
7 40 lb. 80 lb. ༄ Defense: Your Defense score is the target number
8 50 lb. 100 lb. for enemy attack rolls using weapons. It equals your
9 75 lb. 150 lb.
Agility score when you are not wearing armor or using
10 100 lb. 200 lb.
a shield, unless you have a bonus from a talent, path, or
Origin that increases your Defense.
11 150 lb. 300 lb.
12 200 lb. 400 lb. ༄ Attack Rolls: You make Agility attack rolls when you
13 250 lb. 500 lb. attack with ranged weapons or with melee weapons
14 350 lb. 700 lb. that have the finesse property (see Chapter 4).
15 500 lb. 1,000 lb. ༄ Challenge Rolls: You make Agility challenge rolls when
16 1,000 lb. 2,000 lb. you attempt physical activities that involve quickness and
17 2,000 lb. 4,000 lb. dexterity, such as jumping, leaping, escaping bonds, or
18 4,000 lb. 8,000 lb. squeezing through a tight space. You also make Agility
19 8,000 lb. 16,000 lb. challenge rolls to reduce damage from being caught in an
20 16,000 lb. 32,000 lb. explosion or to avoid sudden danger, such as a sprung trap.
Intellect
Intellect describes cunning, wit, memory, and education.
༄ Score: Your Intellect score is the target number for any
༄ Attack Rolls: You make a Strength attack roll when you
kind of attack that would deceive or confuse your mind,
attack with a melee weapon or use brute force to shove,
thoughts, and senses.
grab, or knock down another creature.
༄ Perception: You use Perception to notice and interact
༄ Challenge Rolls: You make a Strength challenge roll
with your surroundings. Your base Perception score
when you attempt an athletic activity, such as climbing,
normally equals your Intellect score, but your Origin
running long distances, or swimming. You also make
can adjust this score.
Strength challenge rolls to resist the effects of poison,
disease, and similar harmful substances or situations. ༄ Attack Rolls: You make Intellect attack rolls when you
use certain powers or talents or when you try to deceive
༄ Lifting Weights: Your Strength score determines how
another creature.
much weight you can normally lift, as shown on the
Lifting Weights by Strength table. The Normal column ༄ Challenge Rolls: You make Intellect challenge rolls when
lists how much you can reliably lift over your head you try to recall obscure information, use logic to solve
without having to make a challenge roll. The Success a problem, or attempt any other activity that requires
column lists the maximum weight you can lift by knowledge or education. You also make Intellect challenge
getting a success on a Strength challenge roll. rolls to resist effects that would weaken or harm your
mind, deceive your senses, or confound or confuse you.
༄ Size: Larger creatures can lift greater weights, while
smaller creatures can’t lift as much. Multiply a
creature’s lifting weight for its Strength by its Size (see Will
Characteristics) to determine how much it can lift. For
Will describes courage, discipline, and sense of self.
example, a Size 2 creature with Strength 10 can reliably
lift 200 pounds, or 400 pounds with a success on a ༄ Score: Your Will score is the target number for any
Strength challenge roll. attack that would force you to act against your will,
such as being charmed, compelled, or frightened.
52
༄ Strain: Certain actions or events can tax your Essence to Defense Score
dangerous levels. Your Will score is the maximum amount
Unless your Origin states otherwise, while unarmored,
of Strain you can gain before you suffer an Essence break.
your Defense equals your Agility score. Wearing armor and
༄ Attack Rolls: You make Will attack rolls when you wielding a shield increase or replace this number.
use certain powers or talents or try to persuade or Objects typically have Defense 5.
intimidate another creature.
Maximum Defense
༄ Challenge Rolls: You make Will challenge rolls when
you use determination to overcome a challenge. You A creature’s Defense cannot exceed 25, even if weapons, armor,
also make Will challenge rolls to resist effects that would and other effects would increase it beyond that number.
determine or restrict actions or to avoid gaining Strain.
Perception
Characteristics Perception works just like an attribute. It has both a score
Creatures have characteristics that describe other traits. and a modifier. A high Perception indicates sharp senses,
Some characteristics (Health, Defense, Perception, and while a lower number indicates a creature has poor vision
Insanity) are associated with attributes. or hearing, or its senses are otherwise limited.
Score
Health
Your base Perception score equals your Intellect score. Your
Health describes the maximum damage a creature or object ancestry can increase this number. Other creatures might
can take. It represents a combination of durability, stamina, also have increased Perception scores based on their nature.
luck, and the ability to turn a lethal injury into a minor one.
Your starting Health is equal to your Strength score, Challenge Rolls
though your Origin might adjust it; if your Strength
You make Perception challenge rolls when you try to
score changes, your Health changes by the same amount.
listen for sounds, notice a detail in your environment, or
Powerful creatures can have very high Health.
recognize an illusion for what it is.
Increasing and Maximum Perception
Decreasing Health
A creature’s Perception score cannot exceed 25.
For most creatures and objects, Health is a constant.
Powers, talents, and other special situations can grant
bonuses or penalties to Health, representing improved or Strain
weakened vitality and durability. Usually, such bonuses or
penalties are temporary. A character’s reserve of Essence isn’t infinite, and using
Advancing in level permanently increases your Health. If Essence abilities too often can tax it, causing permanent
a creature’s Health decreases to 0 for any reason, it dies. damage. In addition, living gear can cause Strain. While
living gear is useful and sometimes necessary to life in
Injured Asunder, bonding with a piece of living gear (or, in some
You are injured while your damage equals or exceeds one- cases, consuming one) is introducing a foreign body to
half your Health. Being injured doesn’t normally change one’s system, and the body seeks to reject it. The people of
your capabilities, though some effects, talents, and traits Asunder have learned to fight this reaction, but doing so
can interact with this state. causes Strain, and high levels of Strain in the long term can
cause serious problems.
Healing Rate
All creatures can recover from damage, given enough time. Strain Total
A creature’s healing rate is how much damage it heals after Most characters begin with Strain 0. You cannot gain more
it completes a rest or when targeted by an effect that heals Strain than your Will score.
damage. A creature’s healing rate equals one-quarter its
Health (minimum 1). If the creature’s Health increases, its
healing rate also increases. Gaining Strain
Certain situations cause you to accumulate Strain, as
Defense directed by the rules or at the Keeper’s discretion. The most
common sources of Strain are over-use of Essence abilities
Defense represents the protection a creature or object has or living gear, but there are any number of situations that
against attacks made with weapons. can tax one’s Essence. Whenever you gain Strain, you
53
become fatigued for a number of rounds equal to your

new Strain total. If you are already fatigued, you instead
become stunned for the duration. (Complete descriptions
of the effects of both fatigue and stunned can be found in the
Afflictions section later in this chapter.)
When your Strain total reaches your Will score, you suffer
an Essence break.
Essence Breaks
When you suffer an Essence break, remove the fatigued
affliction gained from Strain and roll a d20, then consult
the Essence Break table to determine what happens to you.
Many forms of Essence break are temporary, but some are
permanent. Once your Essence break ends, reduce your
Strain total by 1d6 + your Will modifier (minimum 1).
Strain Recovery
Your Strain total does diminish over time. Each time you
take a rest and have at least 1 Strain, roll a d6. On a roll of 3
or higher, reduce your Strain total by 1.
Discord
Chaos is the primal force of pure creation and destruction, the
power with which the gods shaped the world. Though humans
from the mainland can bond with it, Chaos is fundamentally
beyond human capability and understanding, so it warps those
who spend too much time in contact with it. This is represented
by your Discord total.
The most common ways to get Discord is by making
contact with a Chaos shard, spending time at a Chaos site,
or using Chaos powers or Chaos gear. For more on Chaos
shards and Chaos sites, see Chapter 4 of the Keeper’s Tome.
For more on Chaos gear, see Chapter 8.
Most characters begin with Discord at 0.
Gaining Discord
Your Discord score might increase during the game, usually
as a result of coming into contact with Chaotic forces.
Examples include:
༄ Using a Chaos power.
༄ Using a Chaos talent.
༄ Pushing a Chaos power beyond its normal limits.
༄ Spending time at a Chaos site.
༄ Making contact with a Chaos shard.
༄ Keeping a piece of Chaos gear on your person for an
unsafe length of time.
As your Discord score increases, you suffer increasingly
strange and unpleasant effects.
In addition, when you gain Discord, roll a d20. If the
number rolled is less than your new Discord score, roll a
54 A Mainlander symbiont suffering an Essence break.

d20 again and consult the Chaos Mutations table. If the roll Discord Effects
results in a Chaos mutation you already have, you instead
gain 2d6 Strain. Discord
Effect
Score
Discord Recovery 0-3 No effect.

People feel ill at ease around you, and you make attack
Discord is very difficult to recover from. For every full week rolls to interact with creatures in social settings with
4-6 1 bane. Reality is warped in minor ways around you,
you spend out of contact with Chaos, roll 1d6. On a roll of 3 such as small objects disappearing or changing color, or
or higher, reduce your Discord total by 1. If you gain Discord strange smells drifting by without explanation.
for any reason, start your week of recovery time over. The matter of your body is disrupted and inconsistent,
imposing a -4 penalty to your Health. In addition, you
Essence Break 7-8 manifest some outward sign of Chaos, such as hair that
looks like fire, lightning crackling in your eyes, or skin
D20 Essence Break that constantly changes color and texture.
You die if you become incapacitated, your body exploding
Death. The shock to your Essence proves too much, and in a riot of destruction. Everyone within medium range of
1
your Essence is destroyed, killing you. you must succeed on an Agility challenge roll or take 6d6
9-16
damage. On a success, they still take half damage. If your
Coma. You become unconscious. At the end of each hour, roll death would cause you to explode for other reasons, instead
2
a d6. A roll of 4 or higher ends your Essence break. add 4d6 damage to the normal damage for your explosion.
Amnesia. You lose your memory. You cannot recall who you 17 or Each time you take Discord, make a Will challenge roll.
are, where you are, or who anyone else is. While you still have more If you fail, you die and explode, as above.
3 access to your talents and powers, you lose access to your
professions during this time. At the end of each hour, roll a d6.
A roll of 4 or higher ends your Essence break.
Chaos Mutations
Wracked with Pain. You fall prone and are stunned, D20 Roll Chaos Mutation
4-5 writhing in pain. At the end of each minute, roll a d6. A roll 1 Your shadow moves independently of your body.
of 5 or higher ends your Essence break.
When you speak, multicolored smoke drifts from your
2
Sickened. You become violently sick. While sickened, you mouth.
6-7 are dazed. At the end of each round, roll a d6. A roll of 5 or
3 Mirrors break when you look at them.
higher ends your Essence break.
You can only consume food tainted by Chaos. Luckily,
Weakened Essence. Your Essence is weak, and you have carrying food on your person does this normally. If
trouble using it. Whenever you make an attack or challenge 4
you consume non-tainted food, you vomit it back up
8-9 roll as the result of using an Essence power or talent, you do immediately.
so with 2 banes. At the end of each hour, roll a d6. A roll of 4
or higher ends your Essence break. Sunlight causes you discomfort. Whenever you enter
5 sunlight after being away from it for more than an
Fight Response. You lash out at everything around you. hour, you’re impaired for 1 minute.
Until your Essence break ends, you must take a fast turn each Strange runes dance underneath your skin. Nobody
10-11 round and use an action to attack the creature nearest you, 6
can quite read them.
regardless of whether it is a friend or foe. At the end of each
round, roll a d6. A roll of 5 or higher ends your Essence break. 7 You grow great ram’s horns.
Your hair turns into fire that produces dim light,
Flight Response. You’re overwhelmed with panic, becoming 8
though it doesn’t produce heat.
frightened until your Essence break ends. While frightened
12-13 in this way, you must use an action to rush away from any 9 Your eyes become black pits of darkness.
creature you see. At the end of each round, roll a d6. A roll of 5 10 Your skin appears to be made of crystal.
or higher ends your Essence break.
11 When you bleed, your blood is a riot of glowing colors.
Backlash. Your Essence explodes outward. You and any
14-15 creature with Essence within medium range take 3d6 The air constantly stirs around, you, moving papers
12
damage. Your Essence break immediately ends. and causing flames to flicker.
Animals are always hostile to you and attack you when
Mutation. You gain a cosmetic mutation chosen by the 13
you come within 6 yards of them.
Keeper. It has no game effect, but you are impaired until
16-17 Your facial features melt away, leaving smooth skin
you take a rest, after which point you grow accustomed to it.
Your Essence break immediately ends. 14 behind. This doesn’t affect your ability to perceive,
breathe, speak, or eat.
Symbiont Shrivel. Any living gear bonded to you is You lose the ability to speak, instead communicating
immediately destroyed. The number of pieces of new living 15
telepathically to everyone in your immediate area.
18-19 gear you can safely bond with is reduced by 1 while your
Essence break lasts. At the end of each day, roll a d6. A roll You develop unsightly growths and goiters that disgust
16
of 3 or higher ends your Essence break. those around you.
Fractured Essence. Permanently reduce your Essence score Your teeth become sharp and pointed, and you grow a
17
by 1 (minimum 0). If you know any Essence powers with ranks second row of teeth behind the first.
higher than your new Essence score, you cannot use them If you spend more than a day in the same place, crops
18
20 until you raise your Essence score to a sufficient level. Essence in that location wither and die.
talents you already have are unaffected, but you can’t take new
19 When you lose your temper, it starts to rain.
ones if your number of Essence talents is more than twice your
Essence score. Your Essence break ends immediately. 20 You grow an extra finger on each hand.
55
Essence Movement Effects

Essence describes a creature’s ability to harness and direct When an effect, such as from a trait or a Essence power,
their Essence bond. A creature’s Essence score determines talks about moving, the default movement pace, unless
the highest rank power it can learn and how often it can cast otherwise indicated in the effect’s text, is walking on the
the powers it knows. It also determines the total number ground.
of Essence talents a creature can have at one time. Essence
powers and talents are described in more detail in Chapter 10. Distance Traveled
Most creatures have Essence 0. Player characters can
increase their Essence based on the paths they choose. Sometimes you might need to know how far a creature
can move during a period of time. The Movement by Pace
table tells you how far a creature travels depending on
Size its pace (cautious, walk, jog, or run). The table assumes
a Speed of 10, which is typical for humans and similar
Size is a number that describes roughly how big a creature creatures.
is relative to an average-sized human. A human is typically
Size 1. A Size 1/2 creature is half as big as an average human, Faster and Slower Creatures
while a Size 2 creature is twice as big as an average human.
For every point of Speed beyond 10, increase the distance
moved by 10 percent. For example, a person from Sky City’s
Space base Speed is 12, so that character can walk 72 yards in 1
minute.
The space a creature occupies is important in combat and For every point of Speed below 10, decrease the distance
special situations (such as squeezing through a narrow moved by 10 percent. For example, a creature might have a
opening). A creature is considered to occupy a horizontal, base Speed of 8, so that creature can jog 96 yards in 1 minute.
square space roughly equal to its Size on each side. Thus,
a Size 1 creature occupies a 1-yard square, while a Size 3 Movement by Pace
creature occupies a 3-yard square. (It isn’t literally filling
—Pace—
the whole space, but it is moving around in and otherwise
controlling that area.) Time Cautious Walk Jog Run
A creature’s Size does not account for its height, which Minute 30 yards 60 yards 120 yards 240 yards
varies from creature to creature. Hour 1 mile 3 miles 4 miles 8 miles
Day 8 miles 16 miles 32 miles —
Reach Cautious: At this pace, you move quietly and watchfully.
Larger creatures can reach farther than smaller ones, letting While moving at a cautious pace, you make all Perception
them attack or interact with things at a distance. A creature’s rolls with 1 boon.
reach equals its Size rounded up to the nearest whole number. Walk: You move at a steady pace. You can typically walk
For example, a Size 1 or smaller creature can make an attack for 8 hours without difficulty. Walking for longer is
with a stone axe against a target, or open a closed door, within considered a force march.
1 yard of it, while a Size 2 creature can do so within 2 yards of it.
Jog: You move at a quick pace. Each hour spent jogging
counts as 2 hours of walking. You make all Perception
Speed rolls with 1 bane while moving at this pace.
Run: You sprint, moving as fast as you can. Each hour
Speed is a number that tells you how quickly a creature
of running counts as 4 hours of walking. You make all
moves. On its turn in combat, a creature can move up to
Perception rolls with 2 banes while moving at this pace.
its Speed in yards. Outside of combat, creatures can travel
It’s typically not possible to run for 8 consecutive hours
longer distances over time.
without taking periods of rest.
Force March: If you travel more than the equivalent of 8
hours without taking a break for 1 hour or longer, you
risk exhaustion. At the end of each additional hour of
travel (regardless of pace), make a Strength challenge
roll. This roll is made with 1 bane if you are jogging or
with 2 banes if you are running. On a failure, you take
A stone blade machete 1d6 damage and become fatigued until you complete a
and a bark wood buckler. rest. See Healing Damage for more about resting.
56
Difficult Terrain occupied by a Size 1/4 creature or by a Size 3 or larger

creature.
Some forms of terrain are hard to traverse. Rubble, debris, Creatures can also move freely through the spaces of
steep slopes, stairs, underbrush, and the like can all slow prone creatures.
down movement and are considered difficult terrain. A
creature moves across an area of difficult terrain at half the Special Movement
normal rate. Moving across 10 yards of difficult terrain is the
same as moving across 20 yards of normal terrain. Usually a creature moves by walking, running, or slithering
If an area contains several kinds of difficult terrain, across the ground. Creatures can also use some or all of the
their effects are cumulative. For example, moving through following special forms of movement, which are described
thick underbrush on a steep hillside would halve your under Move in Chapter 4.
rate of travel twice: traveling 2 yards through it would be Common sense should always prevail when deciding
equivalent to moving over 8 yards of normal terrain. what forms of movement a creature might attempt.
You can always move at least 1 yard, regardless of difficult Elephants and horses don’t climb well at all, and worms
terrain, provided your Speed is at least 1. tend to be poor jumpers. The Keeper can rule that certain
kinds of movement aren’t possible for creatures based on
Narrow Spaces their nature and anatomy.
A creature can freely move through any opening wide Falling

enough to accommodate its Size or larger.
A creature can move at half the normal rate through When you fall a distance of more than 5 yards, you take
a narrow opening that is half as wide as its Size, but no damage from landing. Use the Falling Damage table to
smaller. For example, a Size 1 creature can squeeze through determine the amount of damage, based on the surface on
a tunnel that’s half a yard wide, but not through a foot-wide which you land.
opening. If the narrow space includes difficult terrain, the
effects are cumulative as described under Difficult Terrain. Falling Damage
The Keeper might rule that a space is too low to move
—Damage by Surface—
through regardless of its width, depending on the creature’s
Distance in Yards Solid Liquid
height.
4 or less — —
Being Moved 5–9 2d6 1d6
10–14 4d6 2d6
Creatures can be moved, willingly or not, by other 15–19 6d6 3d6
creatures’ actions or by effects. The source of the movement
20–24 8d6 4d6
specifies the distance and direction moved, and the creature
immediately moves as directed. Difficult terrain still affects 25–29 10d6 5d6
this movement; if a creature pushes you 2 yards across 30–34 12d6 6d6
rubble, you would move only 1 yard. 35–39 14d6 7d6
40–44 16d6 8d6
Moving into Peril 45–49 18d6 9d6
If being moved would put a creature into peril, such as 50 or more 20d6 10d6
over the edge of a cliff or into a wall of flames, the creature
makes an Agility challenge roll. On a success, the creature Land Prone: If you take damage from landing after a fall,
falls prone just before it enters peril—at the cliff’s edge, you fall prone.
for example—and then stops moving from the effect that Falling onto Other Creatures and Objects: If you land on
moved it. another creature or an object other than the ground, both
you and the creature or object on which you fell take half
Movement the damage from landing after the fall.
through Creatures
A creature cannot move through a space occupied by
Damage
another creature (friend or foe) without squeezing, unless All kinds of harmful effects can deal damage to creatures
the other creature is very small or very large. Any creature and objects. A weapon slices into unprotected flesh, a
can move freely through the space of a Size 1/4 creature or fearsome trap springs, or a nasty power sprays poison.
of a creature whose Size is 2 or more larger than its own. Harmful environmental effects, falls, and other unexpected
For example, a Size 1 creature could move through a space situations can also deal damage.
57
Damage is a number that describes injuries and its damage total no longer equals its Health. If the creature
exhaustion. The amount of damage dealt can be a flat takes any damage while incapacitated, it dies.
number, the sum of one or more d6s, or a roll of one or Creatures other than player characters that become
more d6s plus a number. incapacitated either die or fall unconscious for 1d3 hours, as
the Keeper decides.
Damage Source Player characters, however, become disabled and make
Damage can come from many different sources. Weapons, fate rolls to determine what happens to them.
flames created by a Chaos power, or poison from a snake’s
venomous bite all deal damage. Some creatures have Disabled
immunities, resistances, or vulnerabilities to certain Disabled characters are defenseless.
sources of damage, taking no damage, half damage, or Fate Roll: At the end of each round you are disabled, roll
double the damage. Typically, the damage source is made a d6. On a 1, you start dying. On a 6, you heal 1 damage
clear by the name of the effect or power name—damage and become impaired for 1 minute. A roll of any other
from a lightning bolt is lightning. If the type/kind of number has no effect. If after 3 consecutive rounds you
damage is not obvious, the Keeper decides the source are still disabled, you become unconscious for 1d3 hours
based on the damaging effect. and stop making the fate roll. At the end of this time, you
heal 1 damage and become impaired for 1 minute.
Taking Damage
Dying
When a creature or object takes damage, add the amount of
Dying characters are unconscious.
damage dealt to the creature’s or object’s damage total.
When a creature or object takes half damage, divide the Fate Roll: At the end of each round you are dying, roll a d6.
total damage by 2 and round down to the nearest whole On a 1, you die. On a 6, you become disabled. A roll of
number. You halve damage only once, regardless of how any other number has no effect.
many times you are instructed to halve it.
Rolling Damage
Healing Damage
You roll damage once per attack. If a single attack or effect Creatures heal damage by resting or from equipment,
deals damage to more than one target, you apply the certain talents, and healing powers. When a creature heals
amount of damage to each one. damage, it reduces its damage total by the amount healed.
Extra Damage Resting

Many situations might cause an attack to deal extra You can benefit from a rest once per 24 hours. A rest is
damage. Any extra damage applies only if the attack a period of inactivity that lasts about 8 hours. During
normally deals damage. Extra damage granted by different this time, you can sleep, meditate, read, eat and drink, or
sources is cumulative. perform other non-strenuous tasks. When you complete
the rest, you heal damage equal to your healing rate. You
can extend the period of rest to a full 24 hours. At the end
Effects of Damage of this time, you heal damage equal to twice your healing
A creature or object suffers no ill effects from taking rate instead.
damage until its damage total equals its Health. If a If something interrupts the rest for more than 1 minute,
creature’s damage total equals its Health, the creature the time spent resting is wasted and you must start the rest
becomes incapacitated (see below). If an object’s damage over from the beginning to gain any benefit from it.
total equals its Health, it is destroyed.
The damage total can never exceed the Health of the Death
creature or object; any excess damage is ignored.
When a creature dies, it becomes an object. Dead creatures
Instant Death cannot be restored to life by healing damage.
When humans die, their Essence is absorbed by Gaia,
A creature dies if it takes an amount of damage equal to its
to be used for her inscrutable purposes. The subject of the
Health from a single source such as an attack or landing
soul, its existence, and what happens to it after death is one
after a fall.
of much debate.
Incapacitated Creatures other than humans don’t have Essence. They
have consciousness, free will, and motive force, but they
A creature becomes incapacitated when its damage total lack the divine spark that humans have. If they’re restored
equals its Health score. Upon becoming incapacitated, the to life somehow, their consciousness returns but is forever
creature falls prone. A creature remains incapacitated until changed.
58
Returning from Death ༄ Fatigued: A fatigued creature makes all attack rolls and
challenge rolls with 1 bane.
Certain Essence powers allow dead creatures to live again.
When a dead creature returns to life in its original body, it ༄ Frightened: A frightened creature makes all attack rolls
has all the attribute and characteristic scores it had at the and challenge rolls with 1 bane. As well, frightened
time of death. It also gains 1d6 Strain, due to the intense creatures cannot take fast turns (see Combat).
shock of one’s Essence being ripped from its body and then ༄ Grabbed: The effects of the affliction depend on the
restored. If this would cause an Essence break, it instead creature’s Size. If the grabbed creature’s Size is equal to
lingers in a permanent vegetative state, trapped in its body or less than that of the creature grabbing it, the grabbed
until it dies. While in this state, the creature is unconscious. creature cannot move away from the creature that
grabbed it until it removes the affliction.
Starting a New Character If the grabbed creature’s Size is larger than that of
If you die and you’re not restored to life, your next character the creature grabbing it, whenever the grabbed creature
begins with a Weaver Elixir of Restoration as compensation moves, the creature grabbing it can choose to move
for the cruel twist of fate that abbreviated your last with it (by clinging to the grabbed creature’s body) or
character’s career. end the grab. (See Grab for more information on how to
grab, and Escape for how to escape a grab.)
Afflictions ༄ Immobilized: An immobilized creature has Speed

0 and cannot benefit from bonuses to Speed. Other
Afflictions describe a variety of harmful effects that alter creatures make all attack rolls against the immobilized
or limit what creatures can do. The effect that imposes the creature with 1 boon.
affliction tells you how long it lasts and what can be done to ༄ Impaired: An impaired creature makes all attack rolls
remove it. If not specified, the affliction is permanent. and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
༄ Asleep: A sleeping creature is prone and unconscious. ༄ Poisoned: A poisoned creature makes all attack rolls
Another creature that can reach it can use an action and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
to wake it up. Unless otherwise noted, taking damage ༄ Prone: A prone creature lies on the ground. Other
removes this affliction. creatures can move through its space. While prone, the
༄ Blinded: A blinded creature cannot see. It treats creature can move only by crawling or use its move to
everything else as totally obscured (see Obscurement). stand up. The prone creature makes Strength and Agility
Other creatures make attack rolls with 1 boon against rolls with 1 bane. Creatures that can reach the prone
a blinded creature’s Defense or Agility. Perception creature make all attack rolls against it with 1 boon, while
challenge rolls that rely on sight automatically result in creatures that cannot reach it make attack rolls against its
a failure. Finally, the blinded creature’s Speed becomes Defense with 1 bane.
2 unless its normal Speed is lower. ༄ Slowed: A slowed creature can take only a slow turn
༄ Charmed: A charmed creature sees the source of the (see Combat), its Speed is halved, and it cannot benefit
affliction as a trusted friend and ally. The charmed from increases to Speed.
creature cannot choose the creature that bestowed the ༄ Stunned: A stunned creature cannot move or use
affliction as the target of its attacks. actions. The creature automatically gets failures on all
༄ Compelled: A compelled creature cannot use actions challenge rolls it would make. Other creatures make all
or move. Instead, during each fast turn (see Combat), attack rolls against the stunned creature with 1 boon.
the creature that bestowed the affliction can force the ༄ Surprised: A surprised creature cannot use actions,
compelled creature to move up to its Speed or to use an cannot move, and automatically gets a failure on all
action. The creature that bestowed the affliction makes challenge rolls it would make.
all decisions on the compelled creature’s behalf.
༄ Unconscious: An unconscious creature is unable to
༄ Dazed: A dazed creature cannot use actions. act, move, or perceive its surroundings. The creature’s
༄ Deafened: A deafened creature cannot hear. Perception Defense is 5. It cannot use actions or move, and all its
challenge rolls made to listen automatically result in challenge rolls result in failure.
failure.
༄ Defenseless: A defenseless creature cannot defend Multiple Afflictions
itself. Its Defense is 5, it cannot use actions, and its If you gain an affliction you already have, there is usually
challenge rolls using attributes result in failure. The no additional effect, but you must remove each instance of
creature can still perceive its surroundings, however, the affliction to end its effect on you. For example, if you are
and can make Perception challenge rolls as normal. poisoned from a snake’s venomous bite and then become
༄ Diseased: A diseased creature makes all attack rolls and poisoned from a spider’s venomous bite, you remain poisoned
challenge rolls with 1 bane. until you remove both instances of the poisoned affliction.
59
The Environment Breaking Objects

Rather than dealing damage to chop up or smash an object,
Game play occurs in an imaginary environment, filled with you might just use brute force to break it. Examples include
creatures, obstacles, and dangers both seen and unseen. kicking down a door, putting your fist through a paper wall,
or bursting rope bonds.
Objects When you attempt to break an object, make a Strength
challenge roll. For each point of Size the object is larger
Objects are inanimate things such as doors, curtains, than you, you make the roll with 1 bane. Depending on
statues, staircases, and even dead characters. Objects can be the object’s composition, additional banes or boons might
damaged and destroyed. apply to the roll, at the Keeper’s discretion.
Attributes Range and Distance

Objects have Strength 0 and Agility 0. They do not have
Intellect or Will scores and are thus immune to attack A few broad categories describe the range of weapons and
rolls against those attributes and to effects that allow powers for the purpose of choosing targets and centering
challenge rolls using those attributes. Objects are immune area effects.
to afflictions. You: You are the target or the effect originates from you or a
Perception: Objects do not usually have Perception. point within your space.
Defense: Objects typically have Defense 5. Reach: The target or the point from which the effect
originates must be within your reach, and you must be able
Size: Objects have Size just as creatures do.
to touch it. If you attempt to touch an unwilling creature,
Speed: Objects incapable of moving under their own power you must make a Strength or Agility attack roll against the
have Speed 0. target’s Agility. On a success, you touch the target.
Health and Damage Distance

An object’s Health depends on its Size and composition, Short: The target or the point from which the effect
and its base Health equals 10 times its Size. Objects made originates must be within 5 yards of you.
from fragile materials have half the base Health, while
Medium: The target or the point from which the effect
objects made from stone or metal (a legendary substance
originates must be within 20 yards of you.
on Asunder) multiply their base Health by 2 or more.
An object takes damage just as a creature does. Damage Long: The target or the point from which the effect
shows in the object as cracks, scorch marks, and the like. originates must be within 100 yards of you.
When its damage total equals its Health, the object is Extreme: The target or the point from which the effect
destroyed or rendered useless. Some objects are resistant or originates must be within 500 yards of you.
immune to some sources of damage based on their Size or
Sight: You must be able to see the target or the point from
composition. For example, a galleon is immune to damage
which the effect originates.
from a dagger, and a sword is not likely to be harmed by
cold or ice.
Obscurement
Carried and Worn Objects
Poor lighting, precipitation, and fog reduce visibility. An
Carried and worn objects are usually not at risk of taking area, and creatures and objects within it, can be partially,
damage from attacks unless those objects are specifically heavily, or totally obscured.
targeted.
Partially Obscured
Rain, light snow, fog, and shadows all partially obscure an
area. Everything in a partially obscured area is visible, but
observers cannot make out fine detail.
Sentient Objects Any roll involving sight by a creature looking into a
partially obscured area is made with 1 bane.
Sentient objects, such as animated beings, are
effectively creatures and are subject to the rules Heavily Obscured
governing creatures. Such objects might have Intellect
Heavy rain, snow, and thick fog all heavily obscure an area.
and Will scores, the Perception characteristic, and other
Everything in such areas is faintly visible.
capabilities.
Any roll involving sight by a creature looking into a
heavily obscured area is made with 2 banes.
60
Totally Obscured speaking as their characters or representing them with

painted miniatures. Others prefer to describe what their
Creatures and objects in totally obscured areas cannot be characters do and say. There’s no “proper” way to roleplay;
seen, because they are in darkness or blinding conditions, if everyone is having a good time, you’re doing it right.
such as a white-out in a blizzard.
Under normal circumstances, any creature in an area that
is totally obscured is blinded.
Making Decisions
Although you can do (or at least attempt) whatever you like
Illumination in the game, you can more easily imagine what’s happening
The game uses three levels of illumination. and make better decisions if you learn to depend on your
Lit: The sun, moon, torches, candles, and other forms of character’s details and the story in which you play. You can
illumination cause areas to become lit. A sighted creature draw inspiration for decision-making from many different
can see everything in a lit area that’s within its field of sources, a few of which are described here.
view and is not hidden. Darkness lightens into shadows
at a distance from a light source equal to twice the light’s Background
radius.
You determine your character’s background when you
Shadows: Shadows form the border between light and create your character. A background describes the kinds
darkness. Indirect illumination, faint glows, and of experiences your character had before his or her story
moonlight create areas of shadow. An area of shadows is begins, which can guide your portrayal. For example, a
partially obscured. character who grew up with the rebels of Sky City might be
Darkness: This is the total absence of light. An area of brash, opinionated, and distrustful of authority figures.
darkness is totally obscured.
Invisibility
Personality
An invisible creature or object cannot be seen by other Your character should have a distinctive personality.
creatures using normal senses. It is considered to be Keeping that personality in mind can help you decide how
totally obscured and can thus hide anywhere. An invisible he or she would behave in a given situation, though it’s okay
creature makes attack rolls with 1 boon against the to act against personality from time to time. For example,
Defense or Agility of a target creature that cannot see it. a character described as “often serious” might not find the
An invisible creature still makes noise, leaves footprints, pranks of their vagabond companion all that funny.
and displaces liquids. Clouds of dust and smoke can also
reveal such creatures. In such conditions, the invisible Connections
creature is treated as heavily obscured.
You interact with the other players, as well as their
Shadowsight characters, while you play the game. You might be friends
or strangers in real life, but in the game you should try to
Those with this ability see into areas obscured by shadows
adopt the relationship between the characters instead. Even
as if those areas were lit.
if you’re best friends with another player, your characters
Darksight could despise each other. You might have just met another
player, but your characters are lifelong friends.
Those with this ability can see in areas obscured by When roleplaying character connections, respect the
shadows or darkness within medium range as if those other players’ comfort levels. If your character has an
areas were lit. Beyond this distance, you treat darkness as amorous relationship with another player’s character,
shadows and shadows as lit. express it only as far as that player wants to go along.
Likewise, if your character hates another character, you
Roleplaying risk ruining the play experience by actively working against
that character unless the other player is willing to play out
Roleplaying covers all the decisions that the Keeper and this relationship. Before play, everyone should discuss their
Seekers make about the creatures and characters they characters’ connections with each other to find the best
control. These decisions might be as simple as stating ways to portray the relationships.
what a character says or does, or choosing a target for an
attack. In other cases, a player might let background details, Story Development
personality, and other past events in the game dictate what
his or her character does. The imaginary world of the game is wide open for you
People have different comfort levels when it comes to to explore, but you and the other players are working
roleplaying. Some like to immerse themselves in the game, together to tell a particular story and fulfill its objective.
61
Your roleplaying decisions should generally serve to move

the story along. It’s perfectly fine to abandon the larger
Seeker points
story temporarily when you need to, but not when doing
so frustrates the efforts of other players who are working
and Escalations
toward the goal. Even if your character has negative Every human in Asunder is instilled with a power called
connections to some or most members of your group, Essence, a fragment of the power of the gods, left behind
you are still united by a common purpose. When all else before they fled the world. This Essence takes on many
fails, remember that Seekers are often misfits. Your fellow forms in the world and its people, but there’s one thing
Seekers are likely the only family you have. all people of Asunder have in common: their Essence
responds to their emotional state. When people get into
heightened emotional situations, their Essence can
respond to those situations and become that much
stronger. In the game of Asunder, we represent that
with Seeker points and escalations.
Seeker Points
Seeker points are a currency you can use for a variety
of purposes in Asunder. It’s best to represent them with
some sort of physical token, as you’ll be gathering
and spending them throughout each game session.
You start each game session with 1 Seeker Point,
regardless of how many you ended the last session
with; Seeker ebbs over time, so there’s no reason to
hoard your Seeker points. Only Seekers have Seeker
points; NPCs and monsters don’t get them.
You can spend Seeker Points in the following
ways:
༄ When you take an action that requires a roll,
you can spend Seeker points to add boons to
your roll, 1 for 1.
༄ Some talents are activated by spending Seeker
Points, or can be used to greater effect when
you spend Seeker points. Some Seeker powers
can also be improved with Seeker points.
Escalations
Every character in Asunder has a Fatal Flaw: a form of
hubris or character defect that plagues that character
and gets in their way frequently. The heightened
emotional state that a person enters into when
they give into their Fatal Flaw resonates with their
Essence, making it stronger despite the fact that their
situation has probably gotten worse.
In game terms, we represent this with escalations.
Once per scene, you can choose to escalate the
scene in accordance with your Fatal Flaw. This
means that the scene gets more dangerous and
complicated for you: a polite conversation becomes
an argument, an argument becomes a fistfight, a
fistfight results in weapons drawn, and so forth.
The important thing about an escalation is that
your situation has to be more dangerous and
more complicated, and it must happen as a direct
result of you giving in to your Fatal Flaw. Work
with the Keeper to determine the exact nature of
62 A Wooden Legionnaire roots his suit to the earth to keep it alive.

your escalation. Once you choose to escalate a scene, you to befriend becomes hostile to you, a creature you try to
immediately get a Seeker point. persuade becomes intractable, and a creature you would
Another thing happens once you choose to escalate intimidate laughs off your threats. Further attempts to
the scene: each of the other players at the table gets the interact with the creature in this way might result in
opportunity to lean in. Starting with the player to the left failure, or the botched roll could impose 1 or more banes
of the one who escalated the scene, each player has the as the Keeper decides.
opportunity to explain how their own Fatal Flaw causes
them to get involved in the escalation, and how that Befriend
further complicates things, or how they choose to stay out You try to improve how another regards you, foster goodwill,
of it. Those who choose to lean in with their Fatal Flaw or give comfort to someone experiencing emotional distress.
immediately get a Seeker point. Those who choose to stay To befriend a creature, make a Will attack roll against its
out of it do not. Will. On a success, the creature becomes friendly toward you.
When you choose to lean into an escalation, you You might make further social rolls against that creature with
don’t necessarily have to take sides with the person 1 boon, at the Keeper’s discretion.
who started the escalation. If you decide that your Fatal
Flaw puts you at odds with your allies, great! Enjoy your Deceive
Seeker point.
You attempt to pass a falsehood off as the truth, make the
implausible seem plausible, or bluff. To deceive a creature,
Social Interaction make an Intellect attack roll against its Intellect. On a
success, the creature believes your deception until it’s
Social interaction is usually handled through roleplaying. shown to be false.
When you want to talk to another character, you speak as
your character or describe what your character says. The Intimidate
Keeper and other players do the same.
You use threats, physical pain, or body language to menace
another creature and force its cooperation. Make a Will (or
Social Conflict Strength if you are inflicting pain) attack roll against the
The Keeper can call for an attack roll when you attempt creature’s Will. On a success, the creature behaves in the
to alter another creature’s behavior or belief through desired manner.
conversation in social settings. These rolls do not usually Persuade
occur in combat unless the Keeper says otherwise. Intellect
and Will are the attributes you use most in social situations. You try to convince a creature to take a risk, reveal a secret,
You make the attack roll against the attribute that best or do something against its nature, such as accept a bribe.
describes how the creature would resist your influence. Make a Will attack roll against the creature’s Will. On a
Usually, when interacting with a creature, it needs to success, you persuade the creature to do as you wish.
be able to understand you. If you don’t have a common
language, the Keeper can let you make a roll if you try to Taunt
communicate a basic idea, possibly with 1 or more banes. You try to infuriate a creature and incite it to violence.
Make an Intellect attack roll against the creature’s Will.
Botched Social Rolls On a success, the creature becomes angry with you and
at anyone or anything you chose when you made the
When you make an attack roll in a social situation and attempt. The creature acts in a manner the Keeper deems
the total of your roll is 0 or lower, your attempt has the appropriate based on the taunt. An affected creature might
opposite of the desired outcome. A creature you hope attack, yell, or just become hostile.
63
64 A Seafarer, with a mutation turning her knee caps into mouths with jagged teeth, battles a great serpent.
Chapter
FOUR Combat
C
ombat occurs when one or more creatures attack Once all the Seekers have finished taking their turns
another creature or group of creatures. Since the during a part of the round, creatures under the Keeper’s
stakes are at their highest in combat, time in the control can take turns in that part, in any order. Once a
game slows down to make sure everyone participating has a creature finishes its turn, it cannot take another turn until
chance to contribute to the outcome. after the end of that round.
The Battlefield Fast Turns

A creature that takes a fast turn can either use an action or
Before combat begins, the Keeper sets up the scene and move up to its Speed. It cannot do both.
tells you the important details about the battlefield: the
area where the combat will take place. The Keeper might Slow Turns
sketch out the battlefield on paper or a wet-erase surface, A creature that takes a slow turn can use both an action
use a map, or just describe it. and move up to its Speed. It can use an action at any point
Exact positions are more important for some groups than during the move.
others, but everyone should at least have an idea about where
their characters are when the combat starts. The Keeper might End of the Round
decide where everyone is, based on what was happening when
hostilities broke out, or ask the Seekers. Some groups use The end of the round marks the transition from one round
miniatures, tokens, or coins to keep track of positions, while to the next. Certain effects are resolved at the end of the
others let the whole thing unfold in their imagination. round. As with other parts of the round, the Seekers resolve
any effects they created or that affect them first. Then the
Awareness Keeper resolves end-of-round effects for creatures and
effects he or she controls.
& Surprise When an effect specifies that it lasts for 1 round, it lasts
for 1 full round, which means it lasts until the end of the
Most times, the creatures being attacked are aware of next round.
their attackers. If creatures on one side were hidden from Combat ends when all creatures on one side surrender,
the other, appear out of nowhere, or catch the other side flee, or lie dead. Otherwise, a new round begins and
sleeping or otherwise engaged, there’s a chance for surprise. combat continues.
When the Keeper decides surprise is possible, everyone
on the side that could be surprised makes a Perception First Round
challenge roll. On a failure, the creature becomes surprised Before the first round begins, resolve any effects that were
until the end of the first round. already ongoing and that you would normally check for at
the end of a round. Then combat proceeds as normal.
Anatomy The Turn Token
of a Round You can use a two-sided turn token such as a coin, poker
Combat is resolved in 10-second units of time, called chip, or card to keep track of which phase of the round
rounds. A round has three parts: fast turns, slow turns, and you are in. One side represents fast turns and is face up
the end of the round. at the start of the round; the other represents slow turns.
Once everyone who wishes to has taken a fast turn, the
Action Order Keeper takes any fast turns and flips over the token. Any
remaining players and Keeper-controlled creatures do the
During each round, Seekers who want to take a turn (fast same during slow turns. After resolving any effects at the
or slow) do so in that part of the round, in any order they end of the round, the Keeper flips the token back to the
choose. Once a Seeker finishes his or her turn, he or she fast turn side.
cannot take another turn until after the end of that round. You may find it works better if every player also has a
If players cannot decide who goes first, the Keeper might token. When they take their turn, they lay down their token
decide or have each conflicting player roll a d6, with in front of them on the side indicating fast or slow based on
priority going to the player that rolled the highest number. when they took their turn.
65
Chapter 4: Combat
A Round, at a Glance
A single combat round looks like this:
1. Seekers take fast turns. Move
2. Keeper takes fast turns for Keeper-controlled
characters. When you take your turn, you can move up to your Speed
in yards. On a fast turn, you can move or use an action,
3. Seekers take slow turns. but not both. On a slow turn, you can move in addition to
4. Keeper takes slow turns for Keeper-controlled using an action, which you can do at any point during your
characters. movement.
5. End of round. During your move, you can use any special forms of
movement normally available to you such as balancing,
Once the round is over, if combat needs to continue, climbing, swimming, riding, and so on. Rules for these
start from the top. special forms of movement are described below.
Balance
You balance when you move across treacherous terrain,
Example of a Round such as ice or a narrow surface. Such surfaces also count
as difficult terrain. When you move onto a treacherous
Adam (playing a Pacari survivor), Anna (a Skimmer surface, you must make an Agility challenge roll (the
marauder), Kathy (a bonded Weaver), and Rob (a nature of the surface might impose 1 or more banes). On
mainlander vanguard) form a group. Their Seekers are a failure, you stop moving on that turn. If the total of
exploring an old ruin on the edge of the Naga Swamp. your roll is 0 or less, you land prone or could fall from a
Four carnivorous swamp-lizards emerge from a pool of precarious perch.
water and attack. No one is surprised, and combat begins.
Climb
Fast Turns
You climb when you ascend, descend, or move across a
The Seekers choose whether to act first. Kathy decides to vertical surface using a rope, ladder, or handholds. The
take a fast turn and uses an action to attack a lizard with a surface also counts as difficult terrain.
Plant Control power, killing it. The Keeper might call for a Strength challenge roll to
Anna takes a fast turn, using an action to attack see if you can climb a surface that has few handholds or
by charging one of the lizards. As noted in the Charge that’s coated in grease or otherwise slick, or if you try to
description later in this chapter, Anna can move and attack, climb while distracted or rushed. Challenging climbs can
albeit with 1 bane on the attack roll. Luckily one of her impose 1 or more banes on the roll. If the result of the roll is
marauder talents gives her a boon to cancel that bane out. a failure, you stop moving on that turn. If the total of your
Adam and Rob wait for slow turns. roll is 0 or less, you fall.
Now that all the seekers who chose to act have done
so, the Keeper can take fast turns with one or more of the Crawl
lizards. The lizard that Anna charged uses an action to Prone creatures can move only by crawling. You crawl
attack Anna’s character. The rest of the lizards wait for at half your cautious pace, which is further reduced by
slow turns. difficult terrain or narrow spaces to a minimum of Speed 1.
Slow Turns Drop Prone
Again, the Seekers act first. Since Adam and Rob have not
You can voluntarily drop to the ground. You can drop prone
yet taken their turns, they do so now. Adam moves up to
in combat without using your movement.
the lizard Anna is fighting and then attacks it with his
bone club, hoping to draw its ire. Rob moves up to the same Stand Up
lizard and attacks it with his obsidian spear. The lizard
dies. You can stand up from prone using an action or as your
Now the last two lizards take their turns to move up move in combat.
and attack Adam and Rob. Unfortunately, Rob’s character
takes enough damage to become incapacitated and Fly
disabled. If you can fly, you can move as far as your Speed allows in
any direction, remaining in the air for as long as you wish.
End of the Round You fall to the ground if you would be knocked prone, your
Rob has to roll a d6 to see what happens to his character. Speed drops to 0, or you are prevented from using actions.
He rolls a 3. His character remains disabled. The Keeper might call for a Strength challenge roll to
No other effects check for the end of the round, so a new see if you can stay airborne in turbulent conditions. On
round begins. a failure, you fall.
66
Chapter 4: Combat
Jump the same time only once during each round, regardless of
how many attacks you can make.
You jump to move to a surface below you or to reach
If you cannot use actions, the mount uses an action in a
something above you. You also jump whenever you attempt
manner appropriate to its nature. If the mount cannot use
to move over an obstacle without climbing or walking.
actions, you act independently from the mount.
Jump Up or Down Speed
When jumping down, you land safely if the surface is less You use your mount’s Speed in place of your own.
than 5 yards below you. If you try to jump down beyond
this distance, you instead fall. Free Attacks
You can jump up a number of feet equal to half your
Agility modifier (minimum 1 foot), or your full Agility If your mount’s movement would trigger a free attack (see
modifier if you moved at least 2 yards before making the Combat), the attacking creature chooses whether to attack
jump. If you try to jump higher, the Keeper can call for an you or the mount.
Agility challenge roll. Falling Prone
You can jump as part of your move in combat. Deduct the
number of vertical yards you jump from the total distance If an attack or an effect knocks you prone while you are
you can move on your turn. You land prone or fall if your riding, you fall from the mount and land prone in a space
reach your movement limit before you complete the jump. within 1 yard of it. The space you land in is opposite from
the direction of the source of the attack or effect.
Jump Across If your mount falls prone, you are both prone in the
same space. You must also make an Agility challenge roll.
You can jump horizontally a number of yards equal to 2 +
On a failure, you take damage equal to 1d6 + the mount’s
your Agility modifier (minimum 1 yard). If you moved at
Size, and you become immobilized and cannot stand up
least 2 yards before making the jump, increase the distance
until the mount stands up or is moved off you. You can use
by 2 yards. If you try to jump farther, the Keeper can call for an action while you are immobilized to make a Strength
an Agility challenge roll. or an Agility challenge roll, with 1 bane for each Size the
You can jump as part of your move in combat. Deduct the mount is larger than you. On a success, you are no longer
number of horizontal yards you jump from the total distance immobilized in this way and can stand up normally.
you can move on your turn. You land prone if you reach your
movement limit before you complete the jump. You might fall Sneak
if you were attempting to cross an open space such as a pit.
You attempt to move without making a sound when you
Ride sneak. To do so, you must get a success on an Agility challenge
roll. On a failure, nearby creatures can hear you. If the total of
You are riding while you are seated on a mount. A mount is your roll is 0 or less, you make a great deal of noise.
any creature larger than you and willing to bear you as a rider. Boons or banes can apply to the Agility roll based on the
surface you move across. It’s harder to sneak across gravel
Mounting and Dismounting
or dead, dry leaves, which would impose 1 or more banes
You use your move to mount or dismount a creature within on your roll. If there’s a lot of ambient noise in the area—
your reach. such as in a spore field humming with activity—1 or more
boons could apply to the roll.
Shared Space
Swim
You and your mount share the same space. Any effect that
originates from you originates in your space rather than While moving, you can swim through liquids. Swimming
your mount’s space, however. counts as moving across difficult terrain.
The Keeper can call for a Strength challenge roll to see if
Separate Creatures you can swim through treacherous waters. On a failure, you
make no progress. If the total of your roll is 0 or less, you
Although you share a space, you and the mount are sink.
separate creatures.
Teleport
Actions
Certain powers or talents can let you move instantly from
You and your mount take turns together and share a single one spot to another. When you teleport, you disappear
action. If you use an action to attack, you or your mount from the space you occupy and immediately reappear
makes the attack. You can choose to have you and your in the space of your destination. This movement ignores
mount attack in the same action, but you each make the any obstacles and difficult terrain between you and your
attack roll with 2 banes. You and your mount can attack at destination.
67
Chapter 4: Combat
Action End an Effect Also, while hidden, you make all

attack rolls with 1 boon against the
You may use one action during a Choose one effect you created with a Defense or Agility of targets from
round to perform an activity. Common power or a talent you used. The effect which you are hidden.
activities include the following: ends.
༄ Attack ༄ Hide
Prepare
༄ Use a utility ༄ Prepare
Find
You prepare to undertake an activity
power ༄ Reload You attempt to locate a hidden when a specified event occurs. Choose
༄ Concentrate ༄ Retreat creature or object. Make a Perception one activity you would normally use
༄ Defend ༄ Rush challenge roll to search for a hidden an action to perform, such as attack or
༄ End an effect ༄ Stabilize object or make a Perception attack retreat. Then, describe what event has
༄ Find ༄ Use an Item roll against the Agility of a hidden to occur for you to undertake it. This is
༄ Help
creature. On a success, the creature or the trigger. If the triggering event occurs
Attack object is no longer hidden from you before the end of the round, you can use
and any other creature with whom a triggered action to perform the activity.
You use a weapon, an attack power, you share your knowledge. You make any attack roll or challenge
or something else to harm or hinder roll required by the activity with 1 boon.
another creature or an object. See Help Otherwise, nothing happens.
Making Attacks for how to resolve this For example, Clark takes a fast turn
Choose one creature within 5 yards of
action. and uses an action to prepare an attack
you that can see you and understand
against the first enemy that moves into
Use a what you say. Make an Intellect
his reach. When a hostile Naga moves
challenge roll. On a success, the target
Utility Power up to attack his character, Clark uses
makes its next attack roll or challenge
his triggered action to attack it with
roll before the end of the round with
You use a utility power (one that his bone dagger, making the attack roll
1 boon.
doesn’t count as an attack) and resolve with 1 boon.
its effects. See Chapter 10 for details Hide
about using powers. Reload
You can attempt to hide when you
Concentrate Choose a weapon you can reach that
are not being observed and when you
has the reload property. If you have the
are at least heavily obscured or have
Some power effects and talents require proper ammunition for the weapon,
three-quarters cover or better from an
you to concentrate to keep them you reload successfully.
object (see Cover later in this chapter).
going. If you concentrate on an effect,
Make an Agility challenge roll. On Retreat
the effect continues until the end of
a success, you become hidden. You
the next round, up to the maximum
remain hidden until the conditions You move up to half your Speed. This
amount of time allowed by the power
that let you hide no longer apply or movement does not trigger free attacks.
or effect.
you do something that would reveal
Breaking Concentration your position (such as shouting, Rush
making an attack, or using a visible
If you take damage or gain Strain power). For example, if you are You move up to twice your Speed.
while you concentrate, you must make in darkness, you would no longer
a Will challenge roll. On a failure, you
stop concentrating and the effect ends
be hidden if the area becomes lit. Stabilize
Similarly, if you are hidden behind a
immediately. wall, you would no longer be hidden Choose one incapacitated creature
if someone moves to a position where within your reach. Make an Intellect
Defend the wall no longer covers you. challenge roll, with 1 bane if the
When you take this action, until the While hidden, other creatures creature is dying. On a success, the
end of the round, all attack rolls are cannot perceive you. Generally, this target heals 1 damage.
made against you with 1 bane and means a creature cannot choose you
you make all challenge rolls to resist as a target for its attack, though you Use an Item
attacks with 1 boon. These benefits are still subject to area affects. A
creature can guess at your location, You interact with an item you are
end if you are prevented from using holding or wearing, or with an object
actions, such as when you become making the attack roll with 3 banes.
Even with a success, the attack hits you can reach. Examples include
dazed, stunned, or unconscious. picking a lock, retrieving an object from
you only if the guess was correct.
a pouch or backpack, or lighting a torch.
68
Chapter 4: Combat
Other Activities Making Attacks

You can try to do something that’s not described here. You You make an attack whenever you would harm or hinder a
are limited only by your imagination. When you attempt creature or damage an object. Typically, you determine the
something that lies outside the rules, the Keeper decides if outcome of an attack by making an attack roll. There are
the activity is possible and how long it takes. several kinds of attacks.
Triggered Actions Attack with a Melee Weapon

In addition to using actions, most creatures can use one You attack with a melee weapon you are wielding by
triggered action each round. Creatures use triggered actions swinging or throwing it at your target.
to react to the specific events that trigger their use, hence 1. Choose a Target: Choose one target creature or object.
the name. The target must be within your reach or, if you’re using
Almost all creatures may use triggered actions to make a weapon with the thrown property (such as a throwing
a free attack, which is described in the following section. shard), within range of the weapon.
Creatures can also use triggered actions to perform other 2. Make the Attack Roll: Make an attack roll against the
activities from talents and powers. target’s Defense. Typically, you use Strength for attack
rolls with melee weapons. Weapons with the finesse
The Trigger property (such as light melee weapons) let you use
Any activity that involves the use of a triggered action also Agility instead of Strength for the attack roll. See Melee
specifies the condition under which the character can use Attack Options for more choices.
it. The condition, called the trigger, could be broad, such
3. Resolve the Attack: On a success, the attack hits and
as “on your turn,” or narrow, such as “when a creature
you roll the weapon’s damage die, which you can find
willingly moves out of your reach.” Provided you meet
in Chapter 8. The target takes damage equal to the
the conditions for using the triggered action, you may do
total of the damage roll. On a failure, the attack misses.
so, provided you have not already used a triggered action
during the round. Attack with a Ranged Weapon
When you use a triggered action, you perform the
indicated activity immediately, even if doing so would You make an attack with a ranged weapon you are wielding
interrupt another creature’s turn. by firing its ammunition at your target.
1. Choose a Target: Choose one target creature or object
Example
no farther away than twice your weapon’s range.
Amanda has an opportunity to use a free attack during the (See Distant Shot for attacking outside your weapon’s
fast turn, but because she knows she wants to use Hunt (a standard range.)
demon hunter talent) as her triggered action during the slow 2. Make the Attack Roll: You make the attack roll against
turn, she chooses not to make the free attack. the target’s Defense. Typically, you use Agility for
attack rolls using ranged weapons. See Ranged Attack
Free Attack Options for more choices.
When a creature in your reach willingly moves out of 3. Resolve the Attack: On a success, the attack hits and
your reach, you can use a triggered action to make an you roll the weapon’s damage die, which you can find
attack against that creature using a melee weapon you are in Chapter 6. The target takes damage equal to the
wielding. total of the roll. On a failure, the attack misses.
Minor Activities Cover
Some activities are so minor that you can just do them Terrain and objects on the battlefield can provide
on your turn without using an action, triggered action, or protection against attacks with ranged weapons or powers
move. Examples include dropping an item or picking one that target things at a distance.
up, drawing or stowing a weapon, and opening or closing a ༄ Half-Covered: If an object between you and the attacker
door. covers at least half your body, ranged attack rolls
As a general rule, you can perform one minor activity against you are made with 1 bane.
during a fast turn, or two during a slow turn. You might do ༄ Three-Quarters Covered: If an object between you and
more if you don’t move or use an action on your turn, or if the attacker covers at least three-quarters of your body,
your Keeper says you can do more. ranged attack rolls against you are made with 2 banes.
༄ Totally Covered: You cannot be chosen as a target for
any attack or effect.
69
Chapter 4: Combat
Attack with Two Weapons other with the weapon in your off hand. You make both
attack rolls with 3 banes.
If you are wielding a weapon in each hand, and neither of
In either case, if you attack with a shield or a weapon
them is cumbersome (see Chapter 8), you can use an action
with the defensive property, it loses the defensive property
to attack with them at the same time. You can use them
(see Chapter 8) until the end of the round.
either to attack one target or to attack two different targets.
If you attack one target, you attack with the weapon in Attack with an Item
your main hand, making the attack roll with 2 banes. On a
success, you deal normal damage from that weapon plus You can make an attack with a harmful item that is not a
extra damage from the weapon in your off hand. weapon, such as a bomb or a flask of acid or oil. The rules
If you attack two targets, you attack with the weapon for using such items describe how to resolve those attacks.
in your main hand against one target and then attack the For rules covering attacks with improvised weapons, see
Chapter 8.
Attack with a Power

You use an attack power. Chapter 10 has further details
about using powers.
Melee Attack Options
When you make an attack with a melee weapon, you can Attack an Attribute
choose one of the following options if you desire. You must You can make attacks with your attributes against other
announce your choice before you make the attack roll. creatures’ attributes or characteristics to perform stunts
༄ Driving Attack: You make the attack roll with 1 bane. On a and maneuvers.
success, you and the target move a number of yards equal
to your Strength modifier in the direction you specify. Disarm
༄ Guarded Attack: You make the attack roll with 1 bane, Choose one target creature within your reach that’s holding
but the next creature to make an attack roll against your an object. Make a Strength or Agility attack roll against
Defense before the end of the round does so with 1 bane. the higher of the target’s Strength or Agility. If you are
unarmed, you make this roll with 2 banes. On a success, the
༄ Lunging Attack: You can increase your reach by 1 yard, target drops one object it is holding of your choice.
but you make the attack roll with 1 bane.
༄ Shifting Attack: You make the attack roll with 1 bane. On Distract
a success, your movement does not trigger free attacks Choose one target creature within short range of you that
from the target until the end of the round. can see you. Make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s
༄ Unbalancing Attack: You make the attack roll with 1 bane. Intellect. On a success, the target makes its next attack roll
On a success, if the target is your Size or smaller, it must or challenge roll before the end of the round with 2 banes.
make an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the target falls
prone.
Escape
You can use this action if you are grabbed. Make a Strength
Ranged Attack Options or Agility attack roll against the Strength of the creature that
has grabbed you. A success removes the grabbed affliction
When you make an attack with a ranged weapon, you can
and lets you move up to half your Speed. This movement
choose one of the following options if you desire.
does not trigger free attacks from the creature that had
༄ Called Shot: You attack a specific location on the target’s grabbed you. (See Grabbed in Chapter 3 for information on
body. You can use this option only if the target has a the effects of being grabbed, and Grab for how to grab.)
physical body. Make the attack roll with 2 banes. On a
success, the attack has an additional effect as determined Feint
by the Keeper. Attacking a creature’s eyes might impose Choose one target creature within short range of you that
1 bane on all rolls the target makes that rely on sight, for can see you. Make an Agility attack roll against the target’s
example. Perception. On a success, you make the next attack roll
༄ Distant Shot: You can attack a target that is beyond your against the target’s Defense or Agility before the end of the
weapon’s range, but no more than twice the weapon’s next round with 2 boons. Alternatively, your movement
range. You make the attack roll with 1 bane. does not trigger free attacks from the target for 1 round.
༄ Staggering Shot: You make the attack roll with 2 banes.
Grab
On a success, a target that is your Size or smaller must
make an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the target You must have at least one hand free to grab, and you cannot
falls prone. already be grabbing another creature. Choose one target
\
70
Chapter 4: Combat
creature within your reach

that has a physical body (not a
spirit, for example) and make
a Strength or Agility attack
roll against the target’s Agility.
If you choose a creature you
are already grabbing, you
automatically get a success.
On a success, the target
becomes grabbed until
the end of the next round.
If you are prevented from
using actions (such as
because you are dazed,
stunned, or unconscious),
the grabbed affliction ends.
The grabbed affliction also
ends if you move or are
moved to a position where
you can no longer reach the
grabbed target. (See Grabbed
in Chapter 3 for more
information on the effects of
A Pacari, with a tiger monkey bondmate, makes a
being grabbed, and Escape for lunging attack against a great jungle snake.
how to escape a grab.)
Knock Down
Choose one target creature
within your reach. Make a
Strength attack roll against the target’s Agility. If the target Attacking Worn
is larger than you, you make this roll with 1 bane for each 1 or Carried Objects
Size it is larger. You make this roll with 1 boon if the target is You can attack an object that another creature wears or
smaller than you. On a success, the target falls prone. carries. You make the attack roll with 2 banes. The Keeper
might decide that certain objects are immune or resistant
Pull to some forms of attack. An arrow isn’t going to break a
Choose one target creature of your Size or smaller that you sword, for example.
are grabbing. Make a Strength attack roll against the target’s
Strength. On a success, you move up to half your Speed Situational Banes
and the grabbed creature moves with you so that it remains
within your reach. to Attack Rolls
One or more banes might apply to your attack rolls, based on
Shove the circumstances under which you make the attack. These
Choose one target creature within your reach. Make a are in addition to any banes or boons included in the attack.
Strength attack roll against the target’s Strength. If the The following table summarizes the most common situations.
target is larger than you, you make this roll with 1 bane
for each 1 Size it is larger. You make this roll with 1 boon if Situational Banes
the target is smaller than you. On a success, you move the
Target is . . . Effect
target 1 yard away from you, plus a number of yards equal
to your Strength modifier (minimum total distance 1 yard). Half - covered 1 bane
Three-quarters covered 2 banes
Charge Totally covered Automatic failure
When you use an action to charge, you make attack Partially obscured 1 bane
rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane until the end of the Heavily obscured 2 banes
round. Move up to your Speed. At any point during your
Totally obscured 3 banes*
movement, make one attack with a melee weapon or with
Weather, terrain 1 or more banes
an attribute to knock down or shove a creature.
*You must guess the target’s location (see Hide).
71
72 A soultaker harvests the Essence of a fallen priest to feed Gaia’s insatiable need.
Chapter
five Novice Paths
O The Bonded
nce your characters have completed their starter
adventure, they are ready to become Seekers. The
first thing you do upon achieving level 1 is choose
There are those who focus on learning about and
your novice path. You can choose any path you want to, but
deepening their Essence bond above all else. A Pacari
keep in mind the things that happened during your starting
might spend much of her time with beasts, learning
adventure and steer yourself towards the things you had the
their ways and growing attuned to them. Someone from
most fun with. Did you enjoy stabbing people and meting
the Black Isle might rigorously practice martial arts and
out the violence, or did you like using your Essence powers
meditate for hours, turning his energy inward. In Sky City,
more? Choose your novice path accordingly!
there are those who undergo intensive regimes of blice-
potion treatment, learning all they can about how to stay
Think About… aloft and manipulate the gravity around them. Whatever
the form, these individuals spend their time learning
Each novice path includes a series of questions; answering
to harness their Essence and use it to incredible effect.
these questions can help you figure out why your character
Bonded of different Origins look very different from each
chose to pursue their path, what that path means to them,
other, but they all share this singular focus.
and what it might mean for future development for your
When creating a bonded, answer these questions:
Seeker. Take some time to answer at least a few of them.
༄ What did it feel like the first time you realized the power of
Novice Benefits your Essence bond?
༄ At what point did you realize you needed to learn to control
Your group’s level determines the benefits you get from your power?
your novice path. As your group’s level increases, so too ༄ Who taught you control?
do your novice path benefits. Use the Advancement table to
༄ How has your Essence bond saved your life?
guide you.
༄ What do you wish you could do, but can’t?
Attributes Level 1 Bonded
Whenever you increase one of your attributes, you increase
the score. When this happens, the modifier also increases. Attributes: Increase any two by 1
When you increase an attribute, make sure you also Characteristics: Health +3, Essence +1
increase characteristics based on that attribute.
Languages and Professions: Add one random profession.
Characteristics Focused Bond: Choose one Essence tree that your Origin
Novice paths will often increase your characteristics gives you access to. You discover that Essence tree and learn
directly. Change them as directed. one rank 0 power from that tree. Then, make two choices.
For each choice, you can either discover a new Essence tree
Languages and Professions and get a rank 0 power; learn a new power from an Essence
tree you’ve already discovered; or learn a talent from an
Your path might grant you additional languages or
Essence tree you’ve discovered.
professions. See Chapter 2 for languages and professions.
Strengthen Essence: You can use an action on your turn
Talents to heal damage equal to your healing rate. In addition,
Your path will grant you several talents over the course of if you use an Essence power within 1 turn, you do not
your career. Some of these talents let you do things you expend a use of that power. You can use this talent once
wouldn’t otherwise be capable of; some of them improve for free; thereafter, each use costs a Seeker point. When
your existing capabilities; and some of them grant you you complete a rest, you regain your free use of this
access to Essence powers or talents appropriate to your talent.
Origin. If a talent grants you access to Essence powers, Level 2 Bonded
you must first discover an Essence tree in order to obtain
powers or talents from that tree. If you obtain a power, that Characteristics: Health +3
power’s rank must be equal to or less than your Essence Deepening Bond: Make two choices, as described under
characteristic. If you obtain a talent, you cannot have Focused Bond.
Essence talents in excess of twice your Essence score.
73
Discovering Essence Trees
Essence trees give you access to all sorts of powers and new talents for your character. Here’s a quick reference on how
Essence trees work.
༄ In order to learn powers or talents from an Essence tree, you must first discover that Essence tree.
༄ You discover an Essence tree when the rules direct you to do so, usually from talents you get from paths
paths,(such
such as the
bonded path).
path.
༄ You can only discover Essence trees that your Origin gives you access to.
༄ Discovering an Essence tree usually gives you an additional benefit, as directed by the talent that grants you
power, sometimes it’s that Essence tree’s unique discovery benefit.
discovery. Sometimes this is a bonus power;
༄ When you learn an Essence power or talent, put it on your character sheet.
༄ An Essence talent works just like other talents do.
༄ When you learn an Essence power, you’ll be able to use it a limited number of times. You replenish your uses of a
power by resting.
For more information on Essence trees, talents, and powers, see Chapter 10.
A Pacari bonded using Level 5 Expert Bonded

Bestial Aspect to give herself
a natural weapon.
Characteristics: Health +3, Essence +1
Deepening Bond: Make two choices, as described under
Focused Bond.
Level 8 Master Bonded
Characteristics: Health +3
Strengthen Essence: Make two choices, as described under
Focused Bond.
Improved Strengthen Essence: You can use Strengthen
Essence twice for free between rests.
The Vanguard
There are those who fight, and those who lead
the fight; the vanguard is the latter. She
spends her time learning to support her
allies, to fight as a unit, to call the shots
and form the plans. Some are military
commanders or guard-captains, while
others are the leaders of gangs of
thieves or assassin coteries. Whatever
a vanguard’s vocation, the simple fact
is that no group of Seekers is more
effective without a vanguard that with
one. The vanguard leads from the
front. The vanguard shows you
how it’s done.
When creating a vanguard,
answer these questions:
༄ When did you first discover your
aptitude for leadership?
༄ What was your first victory?
༄ Who was the first person you
failed?
74
Chapter 5: Novice Paths
༄ What do you tell your allies when things look bleak? Level 8 Master Vanguard
༄ What’s the greatest burden you have to live with?
Level 1 Vanguard Expert Advice: While within short range of you, your allies
make challenge rolls with 1 boon whenever those challenge
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 rolls would benefit from professions you possess.
Characteristics: Health +4 Improved On Your Feet: You can use On Your Feet twice for
Languages and Professions: You add one profession of your free between rests.
choice and learn to speak a language of your choice.
On Your Feet: You can use an action on your turn to heal The Survivor
damage equal to your healing rate. When you do so, you
choose an ally within medium range; they also get to heal Outlast. Endure. Survive. This is the survivor’s mantra.
damage equal to their healing rate. You can use this talent While staying alive is important to everyone, the survivor
once for free; thereafter, each use costs a Seeker excels at doing so, and has turned survival into a calling.
point. When you complete a rest, you regain The survivor’s skill set is more than simply staying alive,
your free use of this talent. though. With his endless reserves of stamina, he exhausts
his enemies, wearing them down over time, forcing them
Vital Advice: You can use a triggered action to die from a thousand cuts. His ability to simply take
when a creature within short range of you the hit and battle on is demoralizing to the enemy and
makes an attack or challenge roll to either encouraging to his allies, and his ability
grant 1 boon or impose 1 bane on the to return from seemingly fatal wounds
triggering roll. is the stuff of legend.
Level 2 Vanguard When creating a survivor, answer these
questions:
Characteristics: Health +4 ༄ What nearly killed you when you were
Lead from the Front: Once young?
per turn, you can designate ༄ What pushed you to become self-reliant?
a creature that you attack.
༄ Who have you lost along the way?
Any allies who attack that
creature within 1 turn get 1 ༄ What crucial survival skill have you
boon on the attack. perfected?
༄ What do you miss most about your life
Call the Shot: When you
before?
grant an ally 1 boon on
an attack roll with Vital
Advice, that ally deals an
extra 1d6 damage.
Level 5 Expert
Vanguard
Rally: As an action or a triggered
action on your turn, you can shout a
rallying cry to all allies within medium
range who can hear you. If any of those
allies are charmed, compelled, dazed,
fatigued, frightened, impaired, stunned,
or surprised, those afflictions immediately
end. You can use this talent once for free;
thereafter, each use costs a Seeker point.
When you complete a rest, you regain your
free use of this talent.
Harry: When you designate a creature as
the target of Lead from the Front, you
A Mainlander vanguard
impose 1 bane on any challenge rolls or plots an attack using
attack rolls that creature makes for 1 turn. darksight binoculars.
75
Level 1 Survivor Strength or Agility attack roll against its Strength. If you
succeed, the enemy becomes fatigued for 1 minute. If it’s
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 already fatigued, it becomes impaired for 1 minute. If it’s
Characteristics: Health +6 already fatigued and impaired, it takes 1d6 damage.
Languages and Professions: You add one common, martial, Level 2 Survivor
or wilderness profession.
Characteristics: Health +6, Defense +1
Shake It Off: You can use an action or a triggered action on
your turn to heal damage equal to your healing rate. You Endure: You get 1 boon on any challenge rolls you make to
can use this talent twice for free; thereafter, each use costs resist afflictions.
a Seeker point. When you complete a rest, you regain your Demoralize: When you deal damage to an enemy using
free uses of this talent. Exhaust Enemy, that enemy also becomes frightened for 1
Exhaust Enemy: When an enemy damages you with a round.
melee attack, you can use a triggered action to make a
Level 5 Expert Survivor
Never Surrender: As an action or a triggered action
on your turn, you can draw on bottomless reserves of
endurance. This state lasts for 1 minute and, while you
are in it, you heal 1 damage at the end of each turn. This
occurs even if you’re incapacitated, but your damage
cannot be reduced beyond half your health
(rounded down). Once you use this talent, you
cannot use it again until after you complete a rest.
Outlast: When you use Exhaust Enemy, you get 1
boon on your Strength attack. In addition, Exhaust
Enemy deals 2d6 damage instead of 1d6.
Level 8 Master Survivor
Characteristics: Health +6, Defense +1

Iron Guts: You’re immune to the
poisoned and diseased afflictions, and
you take half damage from poison and
disease. This includes alcohol, meaning
you can drink as much as you like and
not feel the effects, and you can also
eat spoiled food without
any negative effects, but
this talent does not protect
you from the effects of
drugs and performance
enhancers.
Improved Shake It Off:
When you use Shake It
Off, all actions, including
triggered actions on
the next round, are
performed with 1 boon.
A New Gaian survivor

shows force with his living
gauntlet and burner spore
adventure kit.
76
The Marauder damage with that attack or make another attack against a
different target at any point before the end of your turn. If
you choose to make a second attack, you can move up to
The marauder lives by a simple credo: fight smart, not fair.
half your Speed before making the attack.
Experts at hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and dirty fighting,
marauders capitalize on every advantage and exploit every Level 8 Master Marauder
weakness their enemies show. While not as capable in a
toe-to-toe fight as a vanguard or a survivor, marauders are Characteristics: Health +3
exceedingly deadly to those who underestimate them or Fatal Blow: When you use Exploit Weakness,
ignore them, and they’re capable of dealing huge amounts you deal 3d6 extra damage instead of 2d6.
of damage in a very short span of time.
When creating a marauder, answer these questions: Improved Turn the Tide: You can
use Turn the Tide twice for
༄ Who taught you to fight? free between rests.
༄ What forced you to continue to hone your skills?
༄ Who was your first kill?
༄ What do you love most about combat?
༄ What haunts you about the lives you’ve taken?
Level 1 Marauder
Attributes: Increase any two by 1

Characteristics: Speed +2, Health +3
Languages and Professions: You add one common, martial,
wilderness, or criminal profession.
Turn the Tide: You can use an action on your turn to heal
damage equal to your healing rate. When you do so, you
gain a boon on the next attack you make. You can use this
talent once for free; thereafter, each use costs a Seeker
point. When you complete a rest, you regain your free use
of this talent.
Seize the Advantage: Once per round, you can make an
attack roll or challenge roll with 1 boon.
Exploit Weakness: Once per round, you can make
an attack with 1 bane. If you hit, you deal 2d6
extra damage.
*Exploit Weakness and Seize the Advantage

cannot be used together but are separate
actions.
Level 2 Marauder
Fight Dirty: When you deal damage to
a creature suffering from an affliction,
you deal 1d6 extra damage.
Dust in the Eyes: Once per round, you
can make an attack with 1 bane. If you hit, your target
is blinded for 1 round.
Level 5 Expert Marauder
A Sky City rebel marauder is painted
Characteristics: Defense +1, Health +3 with the blood of his foes.
Momentum: When you use an action to
attack with a weapon, you either deal 1d6 extra
77
78 A Light-touched is transformed by her exposure to Pure Light.
Chapter
SIX Expert Paths
W
hen your group reaches level 3, it’s time for you to Paths of Essence
choose an expert path. The paths in this chapter
help bring your character further into focus, Path Name Description
specializing them and honing in on their unique approach Those who shape insects can develop deep bonds
to things. Some expert paths imply affiliation with a Bug-Shaper
with them.
particular organization, while others represent a deepening
Delving into the secrets of Chaos is dangerous…
connection with your Essence bond. Still others are simply Chaos Adept
but grants power.
a zeroing-in on what your character excels at.
Demon Only the bravest or most foolhardy hunt demons.
Expert paths are grouped into Paths of Essence and Hunter Only the strongest succeed.
Paths of Skill. A Path of Essence requires a specific Essence
bond in order to take the path; this is noted in that specific The inventors of New Gaia are renowned across
Inventor
all of Asunder.
path’s description. A Path of Skill has no requirements.
Some who are touched by Pure Light are changed
Light-Touched
by it.
Expert Path Requirements
Beastmasters lead packs of beasts on the hunt and
Beastmaster
Some expert paths have requirements that you must meet learn to become more like them.
in order to take that expert path. In most cases, these Seafarers hunt sea serpents as a way of life,
Serpent-
requirements are a particular Origin, because those paths and that way of life informs their approach to
Hunter
obstacles.
represent a deepening connection to the Essence trees
available to that Origin. If you don’t meet the requirements Sky-Dancer The Sky-Dancers of Sky City are graceful and deadly.
for an expert path, you cannot take that expert path.
Paths of Skill
Expert Benefits Path Name Description
Just like your Origin and your novice path, your expert Arena Fighter
The Arena of Megalith is home to a particularly
path confers certain benefits in the form of attribute boosts, brutal type of fighter.
characteristic boosts, and talents. Follow the instructions in Some learn to tame and ride the dangerous
Beast-Rider
the path you choose and record your new features on your beasts of Asunder, from wyverns to horoks.
character sheet, just like with a novice path. Members of the Bone Army, Bone Recruits are
Bone Recruit
heavily-armored mercenaries.
What Do You Seek? Captain
Those who take control of their own ships can
learn to tame the seas or skies.
Choosing an expert path is more than just advancing in
Gaia touches some, giving them terrible power
power; it represents a deeper understanding of the world Child of Gaia
over life and death.
and your place in it. Once your group has advanced to level 3,
Lasher Intelligent whips are hard to control, but deadly.
you’ve been a Seeker band long enough to know what you’re
seeking. Figure out what your goal is: what do you seek? Write Martial Artist
The martial traditions of the Black Isle are varied
it down on your character sheet along with your professions. and potent.
If, for example, you’ve decided that you’re seeking answers Demon blood is a drug that can make you strong,
Ravager
about the Green Army and what it is, you might write, “Goal: at a cost.
Knowledge of the Green Army” on your sheet. From now on, This term refers to those who learn to be deadly
Razor Fiend
your goal behaves just like another profession: when you’re with short blades.
doing something that directly relates to your goal (such as Shadow In Asunder, assassins are a necessary evil.
searching a library for information about the Green Army),
you might make challenge rolls with a boon, or even get an Storm Point Many seasoned warriors hire themselves out as
Bodyguard bodyguards to the wealthy of Storm Point.
automatic success, according to your Keeper.
Surviving out in the wild takes a special kind of
Wanderer
person.
Achieving Your Goal
These weavers armor themselves in living wood
Every time you gain a level, look at your goal and determine Wooden and join the battle on whatever side they think
Legionnaire will help bring healing to the dying world of
whether or not it’s still relevant. If you feel like you’ve achieved Asunder.
your goal, scratch it out and come up with a new one.
79
Chapter 6: Expert Paths
Keeper Option: Discovering Essence
Trees from Other Origins
The default rules for which Essence trees you can pursue Deepening Your
are quite restrictive by design: you only have access to two
Essence trees, based on your Origin. If your group wants a Essence Bond
more flexible approach to Essence trees, you can allow them
You may, in lieu of taking the level 6 benefits of your expert
to discover Essence trees not tied to their Origin, but there
path, want to further deepen your Essence bond. If you
are some restrictions on this.
choose to do so, replace your level 6 benefits with the
༄ You can only discover an Essence tree if you’ve spent a following:
significant portion of time in the land of the associated
Origin, attuning your Essence to that place and studying Level 6 Deepening Bond
how it works.
༄ Bending your Essence in this way is traumatic. When
Bond: Choose one of the following benefits.
you discover an Essence tree not of your Origin, you
must permanently reduce your Essence score by 1. You ༄ Discover a new Essence tree associated with your
get additional flexibility, at the cost of power. Origin and one rank 0 power from that tree.
༄ Some Essence trees assume features associated with their ༄ Discover a new Essence tree associated with your
Origin. For example, a Pacari has a bondmate, and many Origin and one talent from that tree.
Beast Bond powers assume that. In such a case, if you do ༄ Learn a new power from an Essence tree you’ve
not have an assumed prerequisite, you cannot use any already discovered.
power or talent that requires it.
Extend Essence: When you use an Essence power, you can
spend Seeker points to do so without expending a use of
that power. This costs 1 Seeker point for a level 0, 1, or 2
power, and 2 Seeker points for a level 3 or 4 power, and 3
points for a level 5 power.
If you take a second expert path, you can choose this
Choosing a option instead of the level 6 benefit of either path, but not
Second Expert Path both.
When your group reaches level 7, you can either choose a Expert Story Development
master path (Chapter 7) or choose a second expert path.
Doing so allows you to develop a second area of expertise Each expert path includes three questions. Answering
at the expense of further specialization. Perhaps you’re a these questions can help you flesh out your character’s
sky-dancer who also wants to learn to use intelligent whips, motivations and how they relate to the world. In the case of
so you become a lasher as well, for example. If you decide expert paths that imply group membership, they can help
to choose a second expert path, it cannot be one you’ve define your relationship to that group.
already chosen.
Talents Arena Fighter

If your second path grants a talent you already have, choose There are three kinds of people who fight in the Arena of
one of the following options. Megalith: slaves seeking their freedom, upstarts seeking
༄ Increase any one attribute by 1 and add one profession fame and glory, and veterans looking to make a living.
to your list of professions. Regardless of their background, all those who fight in the
Arena learn the tricks and tactics that keep them alive in
༄ Discover an Essence tree. such an environment. In the Arena, you have to learn to
༄ Learn one Essence power or talent. fight groups of people, to fight wild beasts and horrible
monsters, and to fight pitched battles where you’re the
Second Path Benefits underdog. The Arena is a meatgrinder, and those who don’t
learn to become part of the machine get ground up in its
You gain the following benefits at the indicated levels.
works.
༄ At Level 7: You gain the level 3 benefits from your When creating an arena fighter, answer these questions:
second expert path.
༄ Why do you fight in the Arena?
༄ At Level 9: You gain the level 6 benefits from one of your ༄ Why did you decide to leave the Arena?
expert paths.
༄ Who’s angry about your departure?
༄ At Level 10: You gain the level 9 benefits from your
second expert path.
80
Level 3 Arena Fighter

Mob-Fighting: You’ve learned to fight
better when you’re outnumbered. You
get 1 boon on your attack rolls with
melee weapons for every hostile creature
beyond the first that can reach you. For
example, if there are three hostile creatures who
can reach you, your attack rolls get 2 boons.
Unarmored Agility: While you’re not wearing medium or
heavy armor, you have a +1 bonus to Defense.
Quick On Your Feet: While you’re not wearing medium or
heavy armor, you have a +2 bonus to Speed.
Level 6 Arena Fighter
Underdog Advantage: Whenever you attack a creature
larger than you with a melee weapon, you get 1 boon on
your attack roll for every point of difference between its
Size and yours. For example, if you’re Size 1 and your
target is Size 3, you get 2 boons on your attack roll.
Flashy Attack: When you attack with a melee weapon,
you can choose to make the attack roll with 2 banes. If it
succeeds, you deal 1d6 extra damage and impose one of the
following afflictions on the target: blinded for 1 turn, prone,
or impaired for 2 turns. A mainland Arena Fighter, who
chose the Survivor novice path, now
Level 9 Master Arena Fighter survives in the toughest environment
in the world: the Arena of Megalith.
Vital Strike: You may spend up to 3 Seeker points to increase Requirement: You must have access to the Beast
the damage of a single weapon attack; each Seeker point Aspect and Beast Bond trees in order to take this
you spend adds 2d6 damage. You must spend these points path.
before you find out whether or not your attack hits. Level 3 Beastmaster
Beastmaster Attributes: Increase any two by 1

While the people of Pacari are often referred to collectively Languages and Professions: You gain one wilderness
as “beastmasters” by outsiders, the truth is that “beastmaster” profession.
is a specific title that one must attain. In order to do so,
a Pacari must prove themselves both in battle and in the Greater Essence Bond: You discover the Beast Aspect and
hunt, and must prove their bond to the beasts of the wild. Beast Bond Essence trees and gain one power or talent
Beastmasters often travel with packs of beasts, and are not from each. If you’ve already discovered either of these
only accepted as one of the pack but typically deferred to as trees, choose an additional power or talent from that tree.
the alpha. The most powerful beastmasters start to take on Level 6 Beastmaster
more and more bestial traits, and the dividing line between
human and creature of the wild becomes thin indeed. Characteristics: Health +5
When creating a beastmaster, answer these questions:
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the Beast
༄ What was the first beast to talk to you? Aspect or Beast Bond trees.
༄ What did you hunt in order to earn your title? Pack Beta: Choose one of your bondmates to be your pack
༄ What aspect of civilized life do you find false or unnecessary? beta, your second in command. It gets the following
benefits:
81
82 A beast-rider
beast rider atop his rat-wyvern prepares for an assault.
༄ Health +10 as a mount in the bestiary, use appropriate animal or

༄ Its natural weapons deal 1d6 extra damage. If you monster statistics and work with your Keeper to describe
spend a Seeker point to grant your beta a teamwork your mount and define what it is. If you have a bondmate
die on an attack, increase this extra damage to 2d6. that would be suitable as a mount, you can choose your
bondmate as your mount, in which case you get the
༄ You can communicate telepathically with your beta below benefits in addition to the benefits of having a
from any distance, as long as you’re both on Asunder. bondmate. You can communicate basic ideas to your
Beta Command: When you use an action to command your mount with words and body language, though it’s limited
beta, you can issue a command to one additional bondmate. by its own Intellect.
If you don’t have another bondmate to issue a command to, While you’re not riding your mount, it acts under the
your beta instead gets 1 boon on any action it takes. Keeper’s control but is friendly to you and tends to act in
either its own or your best interests. You can use an action
Level 9 Master Beastmaster to issue your mount a command; when you do this, you
choose its next action and the target for that action.
While you’re riding on your mount, it doesn’t get its
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the Beast own actions. You use its Speed instead of your own, and
Aspect or Beast Bond trees. you have access to any traits that affect its movement, such
Bestial Trait: You gain a beast-like trait, chosen from the as climber, swimmer, or flier. You direct your mount and,
following list: when you attack, you can choose to use its attack options
instead of your own. Creatures can choose to target either
༄ Powerful muscles: Strength +1 you or your mount. If a creature attacks your mount, you
༄ Enhanced reflexes: Agility +1 can use a triggered action to redirect the triggering attack
༄ Tough hide: Defense +2 to yourself; you can do the reverse if you are the target.
If your mount dies, you can seek and train a new one.
༄ Enhanced senses: Perception +1 and darksight Doing so requires 48 hours of total time, though this 48
hours can be divided up over any total amount of time.
Beast-Rider Once you’ve spent a total of 48 hours seeking a new
mount, choose a new one with the Keeper, as described
Many people learn to ride beasts in Asunder. On Pacari, above. Any talents from this path that affect your mount
people often learn to ride their bondmates, while in Sky also affect new mounts.
City, wyvern-riders are a common sight. What separates
Level 6 Beast-Rider
someone who rides a beast from a true beast-rider is the
connection between rider and mount. A beast-rider is one Characteristics: Health +3
with her mount, acting in tandem, operating as a single unit.
The beast-rider treats her mount as a friend and equal, and Beast-Training: Through rigorous training and exercise,
the mount bears its rider out of respect and affection rather you improve your mount’s statistics, granting it the
than conditioning. While either mount or rider can operate following benefits:
individually and might be quite fearsome on their own, ༄ Health +10, Speed +3, Intellect +2
when acting in tandem, there’s little they can’t accomplish. Mounted Unity: While you’re riding your mount, you get
When creating a beast-rider, answer these questions: 1 boon to attack any creature smaller than your mount,
༄ What is your mount’s name? and your attacks against such creatures deal 1d6 extra
༄ Where did you find your mount? damage.
༄ What habit have you and your mount cultivated together? Level 9 Master Beast-Rider
Level 3 Beast-Rider
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 Beast Maturity: Your mount grows to full maturity,
Characteristics: Health +3 becoming a larger, more powerful version of itself. It gets
Languages and Professions: You add the animal trainer the following benefits:
profession. If you already have that profession, you ༄ Size +1, Increase Health by 50 percent, Strength +1.
may instead speak one additional language or add one Speed +2, Its attacks deal 1d6 extra damage
common or wilderness profession. Whenever you get a new mount, you can choose a
Faithful Steed: You have a mount. With the Keeper’s creature with a difficulty up to 250. If you do so, your
guidance, choose a creature from Chapter 6 of the mount doesn’t get the above benefits, though it does get
Keeper’s Tome that is at least Size 2 and has a difficulty the benefits from Beast-Training, if you have that talent.
of up to 100. If you cannot find a creature you’d like
83
Bone Recruit Level 3 Bone Recruit
The Bone Army is the largest mercenary military force in Attributes: Increase any two by 1
the world, and it holds its recruits to a high standard. After Characteristics: Health +5
a period of training, a recruit is sent out into the wilds of the Languages and Professions: Add both the mercenary and
mainland to hunt a horok; kill it single-handedly; skin it; soldier professions. If you have either of these professions
collect its bones; and fashion those bones into weapons and already, you can speak another language.
armor. Horok bone is incredibly hard, but also incredibly
light, and horok-bone armor makes the soldiers of the Bone Personal Armor: You have a personalized set of horok-bone
Army both mobile and well-protected. Their weapons are armor. You ignore the Strength requirement for wearing
deadly too, for horok bone holds an edge well, and is more this armor and, because it is fitted to you perfectly, you
durable than most other materials in Asunder. get +1 to your Defense while you wear it.
Once the recruit returns with their horok-bone gear, Personal Weapons: You have two personalized, horok-bone
they’re inducted into the Bone Army and begin their real weapons, chosen from the following list: light melee
training. Training never stops; the Bone Army demands the weapon, military melee weapon, heavy melee weapon, or
highest level of discipline and skill from its soldiers, and it shield. You can choose the same weapon type twice if you
does not tolerate weakness. wish. Both of your weapons get the deadly property plus
When creating a Bone recruit, answer these questions: two additional properties each.
༄ Who sponsored your induction into the Bone Army? Contracts: Once per game session, before you perform a
༄ What scar did you suffer when you hunted and killed your significant action, you can declare that doing so is part
horok? of a contract. If you succeed in performing the action,
༄ What unique flair did you work into your weapons and you get paid for completing your contract as soon as
armor? you complete a rest in a civilized area. The Keeper is
the final arbiter of what
constitutes a significant
action, but typically it
requires killing a powerful
: a town,
creature, liberating
saving an individual, or
something similar. If the
contract was easy, you
get 3 pearls. If it was of
moderate difficulty, you
get 1 sapphire. If it was
very difficult, you get 5
sapphires. If you nearly
died while completing the
contract, you get hazard
pay of 1 sapphire. If you fail
to complete the contract,
you get nothing. Note
that the Bone Army has
contracts in every civilized
part of the world as well as
some of the less-civilized
parts, so geography isn’t
a restricting factor on a
contract.
Bone Army Contacts: When
you make contact with other
Bone Army soldiers, you
get 1 boon on any challenge
or attack rolls you make to
deal with them in social
situations.
84 A bone recruit stands before the flag of Hyden.

Level 6 Bone Recruit wielding one of your personal weapons. While you’re in
this stance, you get 1 bane on attack rolls but, when you use
Characteristics: Health +5 an action to attack, you can attack an additional time. You
Battle Superiority: Choose a Bone recruit stance from the can end this stance as an action or a triggered action on
ones described below. your turn. You can only be affected by one stance at a time.
Intense Training: Whenever you make an attack roll with
one of your personal weapons, you do so with 1 boon. Bug-Shaper
Level 9 Master Bone Recruit Insect-bonded weavers don’t have the reputation for
invention that their plant-bonded kin do. This is largely
unfair, because there’s just as much ingenuity and innovation
Deadly Weapons: When you deal damage with your present in their part of society as there is in mainstream New
personal weapons, you deal 1d6 extra damage. Gaia society, but it takes a slightly different form. Instead
Battle Mastery: Choose a second Bone recruit stance from of creating plants to perform tasks, bug-shapers cultivate
the ones described below. You must choose a different insects that they can weave into different forms depending
stance from the one you chose for Battle Superiority, if on the need. Bug-shapers harvest resources from bees or use
you have that talent. beautiful multi-colored beetles as adornments. Still, most
people don’t use their inventions or task-bugs because doing
Bone Recruit Stances so is seen as distasteful or gauche.
When creating a bug-shaper, answer these questions:
Defensive Stance: You can enter a defensive stance as an
༄ What’s your bug’s name?
action or a triggered action on your turn, provided you’re
wearing your personal armor. While you’re in this stance, ༄ Who taught you to develop a special bond to your bug?
you get 1 bane on attack rolls but take half damage from ༄ What sorts of ridicule have you been subject to because of
weapon attacks. You can end this stance as an action or a what you do?
triggered action on your turn. You can only be affected by Requirement: You must have access to the Insect Control
one stance at a time. and Insect Meld trees in order to take this path.
Exemplar Stance: You can enter an exemplar stance as an
Level 3 Bug-Shaper
action or a triggered action on your turn, provided you’re
wearing your personal armor or wielding one of your Attributes: Increase any two by 1
personal weapons. While you’re in this stance, creatures
get 1 boon when they attack you, but when you attack a Characteristics: Health +2, Essence +1
creature, your allies get 1 boon to attack the same creature Languages and Professions: You can either speak another
for 1 turn. You can end this stance as an action or a language or add one academic area of knowledge.
triggered action on your turn. You can only be affected by Greater Essence Bond: You discover the Insect Control and
one stance at a time. Insect Meld Essence trees and gain one power or talent from
Protector Stance: You can enter a protector stance as an one from each. If you’ve already discovered either of these
action or a triggered action on your turn, provided you’re trees, choose an additional power or talent from that tree.
wielding one of your personal weapons and at least one Bug: You have a special insect, called your bug. Your bug is
of those weapons is a shield. While you’re in this stance a tiny animal with the climber and flier traits. Your bug
and a creature you can reach is attacked, you can use is under the Keeper’s control, but it’s friendly to you. You
a triggered action to become the target of that attack, can communicate with it using pheromone secretions as
and the attacker gets 1 bane on the triggering attack roll. long as you’re within long range of it, and you can take
You’re also slowed while you’re in this stance. You can end an action or triggered action on your turn to issue it a
this stance as an action or a triggered action on your turn. command; this allows you to choose its next action. If
You can only be affected by one stance at a time. your bug dies, you take 1d6 Strain. You can bond with a
Shock Stance: You can enter a shock stance as an action or new bug upon completing a rest.
triggered action on your turn, provided you’re wielding Shape Bug: You can use an action to weave your bug into a
one of your personal weapons. While you’re in this stance, new shape, allowing you to turn it into any of the following:
creatures get 1 boon when they attack you, but you deal
2d6 extra damage with melee weapon attacks. You can end ༄ You cause your bug to grow, making it a small
this stance as an action or a triggered action on your turn. animal. Its traits and intellect are unchanged.
You can only be affected by one stance at a time. ༄ Your bug becomes a small shield.
Whirlwind Stance: You can enter a whirlwind stance as an ༄ Your bug becomes a light melee weapon with one
action or triggered action on your turn, provided you’re property.
85
༄ Your bug becomes a light ranged weapon with a

range of medium.
Captain
༄ Your bug becomes a bioluminescent lantern, giving Whether on the sea or in the sky, ships are the lifeblood
off light out to 5 yards. of commerce and travel on Asunder. The Seafarers learn
to master their great living ships, and the captains of these
༄ Your bug becomes a piece of personal gear with a value ships are sovereigns aboard them, commanding authority
of up to 1 pearl, provided its new shape makes sense. and respect. The people of Sky City create skyships laced
Your bug’s new shape lasts for 1 hour, after which it is with blice crystal, and their captains rule the skies. On
fatigued for 1 hour. You cannot use this talent while your the mainland and the various islands of Asunder, people
bug is fatigued or incapacitated; however, you can spend build ships and captain them in the hope of competing
a Seeker point immediately after your bug reverts to its with the Seafarers. Some mainlanders even steal Seafarer
normal shape to prevent it from becoming fatigued. vessels and learn to pilot them, or take skyships for
themselves. In any case, captains are the merchants, naval
Level 6 Bug-Shaper commanders, and pirates of the world, and if you want to
Characteristics: Health +2 get anywhere on Asunder, you’ll have to deal with one of
them.
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the When creating a captain, answer these questions:
Insect Control or Insect Meld trees.
༄ What is your ship’s name?
Greater Bug-Shaping: When you use Shape Bug, add the
༄ How did you come by her?
following options to the list of forms your bug can take:
༄ Who is your first mate, and how much do you trust them?
༄ Your bug grows even bigger, becoming a medium
animal. It loses the flier trait. Level 3 Captain
༄ Your bug becomes a suit of light armor. Attributes: Increase any two by 1
༄ Your bug becomes a martial melee weapon. Characteristics: Health +4
༄ Your bug becomes a heavy melee weapon with the Languages and Professions: Add the sailor profession.
cumbersome property. If you already have it, add one common or military
༄ Your bug becomes a heavy ranged weapon with a profession, or you may speak one additional language.
range of short. The Captain’s Ship: You have a ship. Choose one of the
༄ Your bug becomes a tool with a value up to 10 sapphires. following: medium ship, small skyship, small living
ship (see Chapter 8). You’ve developed a special bond
Bug Sight: While your bug is within short range of you, you
with your ship. While aboard your ship, you get 1 boon
get 1 boon on Perception challenge rolls.
on attack rolls and 1 boon on challenge rolls made to
In addition, you can use an action to see through your
navigate or operate your ship. Work with the Keeper to
bug’s eyes for 1 minute. While you’re doing so, you’re
determine how you acquired your ship, what its story is,
blinded and, once the duration elapses, you’re impaired
who might have owned it before you did, and so forth. If
for 1 minute unless you spend a Seeker point.
you acquire a new ship in your travels, you can transfer
Level 9 Master Bug-Shaper the benefits of this talent to your new ship after you’ve
spent a month with the ship, getting to know its quirks.
Ship’s Crew: You have a crew, comprised of the following.
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the Use NPC stats from Chapter 6 of the Keeper’s Tome for
Insect Control or Insect Meld trees. your crew.
Bug Steed: When you use Shape Bug, add the following ༄ A first mate, with a difficulty up to 50.
options to the list of forms your bug can take:
༄ A second mate and third mate, each with a difficulty
༄ Your bug becomes a wing pack, becoming a medium up to 10.
animal and latching onto your back. While in this form,
༄ Enough crewmen to give you a full crew on your
your bug cannot take its own actions, though it can be
ship when added to your first, second, and third
targeted separately from you. You gain the ability to fall
mates, each with a difficulty of 1. For a medium
from any height without taking damage and, when you
ship, you have 22 crewmen. For a small skyship, you
jump, you quadruple the distance you jump.
have 7 crewmen. For a small living ship, you have 5
༄ Your bug becomes a riding beetle, becoming a large crewmen. If you acquire a ship that requires a larger
animal. It loses the flier trait and it cannot attack, but crew complement, you can increase the number of
you can ride it. While you’re riding it, you can make crewmen under your command. Doing so incurs the
use of its Speed and its climber trait. same cost as replacing crewmen, as described below.
86
A Seafarer captain commands her living ship through the harsh storms near Shilk Isle.
87
Work with the Keeper to come up with a few you move during a fast turn, you ignore difficult terrain.
interesting personality quirks or physical traits for your When you attack during a slow turn in which you’ve
mates, as well as names. Don’t worry about detailing the moved at least half your Speed, you do so with 1 boon.
rest of your crew just yet; you can do so as they become
Level 9 Master Captain
relevant to the story.
While on your ship, your word is law. Provided you Characteristics: Health +4
care for your crew, keep them fed, and treat them well,
they’ll follow any reasonable order you give them. If you Unfailing Loyalty: Your crew is loyal to you beyond reason.
command a crew member to do something unreasonable, You can command your crew to do unreasonable things
like dive into serpent-infested waters to fetch out a bolt of without making a challenge roll. In addition, once per
linen, any challenge rolls you make to get them to do so turn when you’re attacked, you can use a triggered action
get 2 boons. Provided you have a full complement of crew, to redirect the attack to a crew member who can reach
you can operate your ship without trouble. you. Note that this can only be pushed so far. Your crew
You can also command your crew to accompany you will obey you and sacrifice themselves for you, but if you
on land. When you do, they act under the Keeper’s abuse this loyalty or overuse it, they may still mutiny.
command but are friendly to you. If you command a crew
member to do something unreasonable while you’re not
on your ship, you get 1 boon instead of 2. While you can
Chaos Adept
command as many of your crew to accompany you as you Bonding with Chaos, trying to tame it and control it, is not
like, leaving your ship unguarded is very unwise indeed. for the faint of heart, nor is it for the hobbyist. A Chaos
If you have to replace crew due to death or desertion, adept knows that Chaos is not a force to be trifled with, that
hiring a new first mate costs 1 sapphire; hiring a new the addiction must be controlled, that only someone who
second or third mate costs 3 pearls; and hiring a new bends their will toward achieving true mastery of Chaos
crewman costs 1 sliver. can hope to prevent the primal force from destroying them
Note that your crew are individuals, not automatons. utterly. Chaos adepts are those who start to walk that path,
Your command over them is not mind control. If you the path of one who controls Chaos rather than letting
regularly treat your crew poorly or put them in excessive Chaos control them.
danger, they will mutiny. A wise captain does what he can When creating a Chaos adept, answer these questions:
to keep her crew relatively safe and happy. If your crew ༄ Where was the Chaos shard that you consumed to gain your
mutinies, or you lose them and your ship in some other powers?
way, you’ll have to get a new ship and pay to replace your
crew (as above) before you can gain the benefit of any of ༄ What did bonding with Chaos cost you?
this path’s abilities again, including abilities that don’t ༄ How are you forever marked by Chaos?
specifically require your ship or crew. Losing them is Requirement: You must have access to the Chaos Essence
demoralizing. tree in order to take this path.
A Ship’s Business: Whenever you make port, you can choose
Level 3 Chaos Adept
to sell cargo or take on passengers. To determine how
much money you make, make an Intelligence challenge Attributes: Increase any two by 1
roll with 1 bane for every 5 pearls of profit you want to
make. If you succeed, you make that much money. If you
fail, you spend all of your takings on ship upkeep and crew Chaos Bond: You discover the Chaos Essence tree and gain
pay, and make no profit. If you make port without selling one power or talent from it. If you’ve already discovered
cargo or taking on passengers, you make no money at all, the Chaos Essence tree, choose an additional power or
and you must pay your crew from your own coffers. This talent from that tree.
costs 1 pearl per mate and 1 sliver per crewman. Controlled Chaos: Whenever you push a Chaos power,
Level 6 Captain you can choose to take 1 flux instead of rolling a die
after using the power. You can take as much flux from
Characteristics Health +4 a single Chaos power as you like, but you add your flux
Trained Officers: Your first mate becomes difficulty 100, and Discord together for the purposes of determining
and your second and third mates become difficulty 25. the ongoing effects of Discord, as shown on the Discord
Their pay is now 2 pearls each, and it costs 2 sapphires Effects table in Chapter 3, as well as for the purpose of
to replace your first mate and 1 sapphire each to replace determining the effects of Chaos talents. The flux lasts
your second and third. until you complete a rest.
Swashbuckling: You’re accustomed to using your Dissonant Eruption: At the end of each round during
environment to your advantage, swinging around on which you gained 1 or more flux, you must make a Will
ropes and vaulting over railings during combat. When challenge roll. You make the roll with a number of banes
88
A Chaos Adept
adept releases flux and is nearly destroyed in the process. 89
equal to your flux. On a failure, energy explodes out from When creating a child of Gaia, answer these questions:
a point within your reach out to a number of yards equal ༄ When did you first see Gaia?
to your flux total in every direction. Everything in the
area other than you takes 1d6 damage per point of your ༄ What terrible calamity precipitated her appearance?
Essence trait. Creatures in the area that get a success on ༄ What have you given up to serve her will?
an Agility challenge roll take half the damage. Your flux Level 3 Child of Gaia
then drops to 0.
Level 6 Chaos Adept
Essence Bond: You discover an Essence tree you have access
Chaos Bond: You learn one power or talent from the Chaos to, or you gain one power or talent from an Essence tree
Essence tree. you’ve already discovered.
Shunt Dissonance: Whenever you’d make a Will challenge Harvest Essence: You can use an action to harvest the Essence
roll as the result of taking flux, you can choose not to from a human who has died within the last minute. When
make that challenge roll. If you do, you immediately you do so, you gain 1 resonance. Your maximum resonance
become the epicenter of a Chaos site with a rank equal is equal to your Essence trait plus 1; whenever you gain
to half your Essence trait. The Chaos site moves with resonance in excess of this number, you take 1 Strain. Your
you and, while it’s active, anyone within its area other resonance resets to 0 when you complete a rest.
than you is subject to the effects of a Chaos site. While
Essence of Many: You can spend resonance to use Essence
this effect is active, you cannot choose to take flux, and
powers that belong to Essence trees you don’t have access
your flux decreases at a rate of 1 point per minute. Once
to. In order to do this, you must satisfy the following
your flux reaches 0, your personal Chaos site dissipates.
requirements:
Level 9 Master Chaos Adept ༄ You must have used Harvest Essence or Rip Essence
Characteristics: Health +3, Essence +1 on a human with access to that Essence tree in the
last 24 hours.
Chaos Bond: You learn one power or talent from the Chaos
Essence tree. ༄ Your Essence trait must meet or exceed the power’s rank.
Touch of Chaos: While you have 1 or more flux, you can use ༄ You must spend resonance equal to the power’s rank
an action to touch a creature you can reach and release (1 resonance for a rank 0 power).
your pent-up Chaos energy into it. Reduce your flux by Strengthen Essence: You can spend 1 resonance when you
half (rounded down) and make a Will attack roll against use an Essence power. If you do so, you make any attack
the target’s Agility. On a success, the blast hits and the or challenge related to using that power with 2 boons.
target takes 1d6 damage for every point of flux you lose
Level 6 Child of Gaia
when you use this talent. If the target is incapacitated by
this damage, it mutates into a hideous Chaos-beast under Characteristics: Health +2
the Keeper’s control; use the stats for a large monster,
with two traits of the Keeper’s choice. Essence Bond: You discover an Essence tree you have access
to, or you gain one power or talent from an Essence tree
you’ve already discovered.
Child of Gaia Rip Essence: You can use an action to touch a human you
Gaia appears in physical form wherever widespread death can reach, ripping its Essence from its body. Make a Will
takes place: battlefields, the sites of great disasters, and attack roll against the target’s Will; if you hit, you deal
other such places. Sometimes, when a survivor makes 2d6 damage. If this attack incapacitates the target, it is
contact with the manifestation, Gaia touches that human, immediately killed and you absorb its Essence exactly as
granting them power and purpose. Such a gift awakens if you’d used Harvest Essence.
latent abilities, strengthens one’s Essence bond, and gives Level 9 Child of Gaia
the newly awakened Child power over life and death. It also
gives them a terrible purpose: to gather Essence, collecting
it from the fallen, and to hold it until such time as Gaia
comes to collect it. Those who worship Gaia say that the Essence Bond: You discover an Essence tree you have access
Mother of All collects the Essence of the dead in order to to, or you gain one power or talent from an Essence tree
fuel the creation of a new world, or the transformation you’ve already discovered.
of Asunder (they tend to be a little fuzzy on the details). Resonant Power: When you complete a rest, choose
Though their task can be a grisly one, the child of Gaia Strength, Agility, Intelligence, or Will. As long as you
plays an important role in this cycle.
90
have at least 1 resonance, you get 1 boon on any

attack or challenge rolls you make with the
chosen attribute. This choice lasts until you
use this talent again. In addition, you may
spend points of resonance as if they were
Seeker points.
Demon Hunter
Demons are the ancient enemy of the people
of the Black Isle. They spill forth, destroying,
consuming, and despoiling everything in sight,
and they seem to have no goal beyond the
corruption and destruction of the human
race. The Black Islers do what they can to
keep the demonic threat in check, and they
have done so for generations by developing
and perfecting techniques for combating
demons. Through rigorous physical
conditioning, they can make themselves
strong and hardy enough to survive a fight
with a demon. Through their Battle Meditation,
they can imbue a single hunter with
immeasurable power, enough to face a demon
in single combat.
When creating a demon hunter, answer
these questions:
༄ What happened during your first fight with a
demon?
༄ Who have you lost in your pursuit of the
A Black Isle demon hunter destroys the face of a demon with her bare hands.
hunt?
༄ What drives you to hunt an enemy you know
will one day destroy you?
Requirement: You must have access to the Battle
Meditation and Body Conditioning trees in order Level 6 Demon Hunter
to take this path.
Level 3 Demon Hunter
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 Battle Meditation or Body Conditioning trees.
Characteristics: Health +8, Essence +1 Track Prey: Whenever you find tracks, you can make an
Greater Essence Bond: You discover the Battle Meditation Intellect challenge roll. On a success, you learn one
and Body Conditioning Essence trees and gain one power true thing about the creature or creatures that made the
or talent from one from each. If you’ve already discovered tracks. On a failure, you discover no useful information
either of these trees, choose an additional power or talent from the tracks. If you learn that the creature that made
from that tree. the tracks is a demon, you may immediately designate it
as your prey.
Hunt: You can use an action or a triggered action on your
turn to choose one creature you can see. The target Level 9 Master Demon Hunter
becomes your prey until you use this talent again, you
become unconscious, or you complete a rest. When you Characteristics: Health +8, Essence +1
roll to attack, find, or track your prey, you make the attack Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the
roll or challenge roll with 1 boon. If your prey is a demon Battle Meditation or Body Conditioning trees.
or someone you believe to be controlled by a demon, you Kill Prey: You deal 2d6 extra damage on attacks you make
deal 1d6 extra damage on any attacks you make against against your prey.
your prey.
91
Inventor When you complete a rest, you replenish the seeds

in your companion, up to your normal maximum in
New Gaia is a culture of invention and innovation, and sapphires.
no culture on Asunder produces as many wonders and If you lose your companion, you can create a
marvels as do the weavers. Their bonds with plants allow replacement. It costs a number of sapphires equal to
them to create living gear of unparalleled quality, to outfit your group’s level and causes you to take 1 Strain. You
their cities and dwellings with conveniences undreamed can have only one companion at a time. Many inventors
of outside of New Gaia. Life on the island is fast-paced, name their companions, and you can communicate
constantly pushing forward, constantly moving toward with it on a basic level. It’s not particularly intelligent,
progress and new technology. The inventors of New Gaia nor is it capable of actions, but you can carry on a basic
are at the forefront of this, stretching the boundaries of conversation with it.
what’s possible, creating things that seem miraculous until
Level 6 Inventor
they become commonplace, and then pushing past the
boundaries again. This can lead to trouble from time to Characteristics: Health +2
time, and more than one inventor has caused widespread
destruction through some mishap or miscalculation. The Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the Plant
weavers consider this a small price to pay for innovation. Control or Plant Form trees.
When creating an inventor, answer these questions: Efficient Growth: You now measure your companion’s
༄ What was the first thing you invented? seed value in rubies instead of sapphires. You have a
number of rubies equal to your group level, and you can
༄ What does your seed pouch look like? take Strain to make up the difference in cost at a rate of 1
༄ Who is your greatest professional rival? Strain or Seeker point per ruby.
Requirement: You must have access to the Plant Control Complex Machinery: You can use your companion to
and Plant Form trees in order to take this path. create living gear with the plant keyword, using the rules
Level 3 Inventor listed under Inventor’s Companion. Just like mundane
gear created with your seed pouch, living gear shrivels
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 and dies when you complete a rest.
Characteristics: Health +2, Essence +1 Level 9 Master Inventor
Languages and Professions: You can either speak another
language or add one academic area of knowledge.
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the Plant
Greater Essence Bond: You discover the Plant Control and
Control or Plant Form trees.
Plant Form Essence trees and gain one power or talent
from each. If you’ve already discovered either of these trees, Plant Servants: You can use an action to create one or
choose an additional power or talent from that tree. more small constructs using materials provided by your
companion. For each 1 ruby in materials you spend, a
Inventor’s Companion: You have a specially-engineered
compelled small construct appears in an open space
companion plant you keep with you that produces seeds
within short range of you. You can grant the flier trait to
that you can use to grow any number of useful items. You
any number of constructs by spending 1 extra sapphire
measure the value of your seeds in sapphires, though
from the bag for each construct you would make fly. Just
the seeds are worthless to anyone other than you. The
as when you create equipment, you can make up the
sapphire value of your seed pouch is equal to your group
difference in cost by taking Strain or spending Seeker
level.
points, at a rate of 1 Strain or Seeker point per ruby. The
You can use an action to withdraw one of your seeds
constructs remain until destroyed or until you complete a
and coax it into growing into a suit of armor, a weapon,
rest. At the end of this time, they shrivel and die.
ammunition, or another useful mundane item. The seeds
require special catalysts to complete this massive growth
spurt, and the nutrients they need can be found in gems. Lasher
Complete the process by spending sapphires with a
value equal to the item’s price. If you do not have enough Of all the kinds of living gear, intelligent whips are perhaps
sapphires to cover the cost, you can take Strain to make the most difficult to use effectively. Certainly a whip that
up the difference, at a rate of 1 Strain per 2 sapphires, or can siphon life energy from those it’s wrapped around can
you may spend Seeker points at a 1 for 1 rate. It takes 1 be a powerful tool, but it takes skill and practice to learn
minute to create the object, during which time you must to use one, and it takes dedication to keep one alive long
concentrate. At the end of this time, you have a finished enough to get comfortable using it. For this reason, few
piece of equipment that remains until you complete a learn to use these tools, and those who pursue the art view
rest, at which point it shrivels and dies. it with an almost religious significance. The Sisterhood of
92
the Lash, a secretive cabal of pseudo-religious assassins, bonded to is 1 damage; this supersedes any upkeep
are not the only lashers in Asunder, but most lashers are notation in the whip’s entry. In addition, when you use
members. an intelligent whip’s power, you can spend a Seeker point
A lasher learns how to bond with multiple intelligent instead of expending a use of that power.
whips, how to exist in perfect symbiosis with them, and Whip Mobility: If you’re wielding an intelligent whip, you
how to use them to their fullest potential. In the hands of get 2 boons on any challenge rolls you make to climb, and
a lasher, an intelligent whip is a powerful and deadly tool, you ignore difficult terrain from climbing. In addition,
a constant companion, and an extension of one’s will and when you jump, you can add 5 yards to your jump
body. distance, provided there’s something for your whip to
When creating a lasher, answer these questions: attach itself to.
༄ What is the name of your favorite whip?
Level 9 Master Lasher
༄ Who taught you the ways of the lasher?
༄ Who was the first person you killed with an intelligent whip? Characteristics: Health +4, Essence +1
Level 3 Lasher Greater Lash: When you attack with an intelligent whip,
you deal 1d6 extra damage.
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 Whip Companion: You can bond to an additional piece
Characteristics: Health +4, Essence +1 of living gear, provided it’s an intelligent whip. You
may designate one of your living whips as your whip
Lash: When you attack with an intelligent whip, you deal
1d6 extra damage and you increase
its reach to +2.
Synergy: When you attack with an
intelligent whip, you do so with 1
boon.
Whip-Fighting Techniques: When
you attack with an intelligent whip,
you can attack with 1 bane. If you hit,
choose one of the following effects:
༄ You grab the target. The target
makes any challenge rolls to
escape with 1 bane. You cannot
use the same whip to attack
while the target is grabbed.
༄ The target falls prone.
༄ You deal 1d6 extra damage.
༄ The target is impaired for 1
round.
༄ You pilfer a small object from
the target, or you disarm the
target.
Level 6 Lasher
Whip Bond: You can bond to an
additional piece of living gear,
provided it’s an intelligent whip. If
you attack with two living whips to
which you are bonded, you do so
with 1 boon, regardless of whether
you’re attacking one or two targets.
Efficient Symbiosis: The upkeep
cost for any intelligent whip you’re
A lasher of the Cronus Clan, strict enemies of the Sisterhood,

strangles two bone recruits hired to assassinate him. 93
companion, allowing it to act on its own to some extent. Level 3 Light-Touched

This affords you two benefits.
First, you may now wield up to three weapons at Attributes: Increase any two by 1
once, as long as one of them is your whip companion. Characteristics: Health +5, Essence +1
Your whip companion is always considered an off-hand
Languages and Professions: Gain one religious profession.
weapon, though you do not actually need to hold it
in your hand; it can attach itself to some other part of Pure Light Mutation: Select a mutation from the ones
your body. If you attack one target, you attack with the described below.
weapon in your main hand, making the attack roll with Cleansing Light: You learn the cleansing light power, which
3 banes. On a success, you deal normal damage from is described below.
that weapon plus extra damage from the weapon in
your off hand and from your whip companion. If you Cleansing Light Light-Touched Attack 1
attack different targets, you attack with the weapon in Make a Will attack against the target’s Strength. It can
your main hand against one target and then attack the choose not to defend if it wishes. Roll a d6.
others with the weapon in your off hand and your whip On an even roll, the target heals damage equal to twice
companion. You make all three attack rolls with 3 banes. its healing rate and is blinded for 1 minute.
Note that if all three of your weapons are living whips On an odd roll, the target takes 2d6+2 damage. If the
to which you are bonded, you gain the benefit of Whip target becomes incapacitated by this damage, it dies
Bond. instantly and is vaporized.
Second, provided you have time to concentrate, you Attack Roll 20+ If the target took damage, it takes 1d6
can perform actions that require manual dexterity extra damage. If it was blinded, it is blinded for 1 hour.
(opening a door, picking a lock, disarming a trap, etc.)
with your whip companion. This effectively increases Level 6 Light-Touched
your reach according to the whip companion’s reach,
but if you have to make a challenge roll to complete the
action, you do so with 1 bane. Because this requires focus Illuminating Light: You learn the illuminating light power,
and concentration, you cannot attempt to use your whip which is described below.
companion in this way during combat or other highly
Illuminating Light Attack 3
stressful situations.
If you ever lose your whip companion or wish Area A sphere with a 3-yard radius centered on yourself.
to designate a different living whip as your whip Duration 1 minute
companion, you may do so by spending 1 Seeker point You begin to glow hotly, shedding painfully bright light
after completing a rest. in a 3-yard radius. Everything but you in the area takes
1d6 damage when you use this power and at the end
Light-Touched of each round thereafter for the duration. In addition,
creatures in the area, including you, make all attack and
On the mainland, there is a shaft of burning light that challenge rolls with 2 boons.
travels around the land, mutating and killing whatever Level 9 Master Light-Touched
living thing it touches: the Pure Light. Some mainlanders
worship the Pure Light as a divine spirit, while others Characteristics: Health +5, Essence +1
believe it is a purifying force of nature that forges those
Pure Light Mutation: Select a second mutation from the
who can survive it into something greater. Whatever the
ones described below. It must be different from the first
belief, Pure Light kills the vast majority of those it touches.
mutation you selected.
A select few, though, are changed by it instead, mutated
into something more. Only people from the mainland are Call Down Light: You learn the call down light power, which
capable of undergoing this mutation, and many theorize is described below.
that these rare few are able to bond their Essence with the
Call Down Light Attack 5
Pure Light, gaining the ability to control and manifest its
power. Area A cylinder 10 yards tall with an 8-yard radius centered on a
When creating a Light-touched, answer these questions: point within medium range
༄ Why did you seek out the Pure Light? You call down a shaft of Pure Light, which burns
everything in the area, but also cleanses creatures burned
༄ How did it first change you?
by it. Each creature in the area must make an Agility
༄ Who died when you were changed? challenge roll or take 5d6 damage. Creatures that take
Requirement: You must have access to the Chaos tree in this damage are cured of all afflictions, and their Strain
order to take this path. and Discord are reduced by half (rounded down).
94
Pure Light Mutations
Bend Light: Your skin takes on a

sparkling rainbow hue, ever-shifting.
As an action, you can become invisible.
You remain invisible as long as you
neither move nor take an action or
triggered action.
Illuminated from Within: Your skin
glows slightly, constantly giving off a
small amount of light. As an action
or a triggered action on your turn,
you can shed light out to 5 yards. You
make challenge rolls to hide with 1
bane while under this effect, but so
do all other creatures within the light’s
radius. You can end as an action or
triggered action on your turn.
Crystal Skin: Your skin becomes
translucent and crystalline. It’s far from
brittle; you increase your Defense by 2.
Touch of Darkness: One of your arms
grows monstrous and clawed and,
when you touch someone with it,
you can sap their life force. You have
a natural weapon that deals 2d6
A Black Isle martial artist shattering stone with her shin. Imagine what she can do to a skull.
damage.
True Sight: Your eyes burn away, leaving
behind sockets filled with burning light.
You have darksight, and you can perceive
invisible creatures within short range.
The Light’s Tears: You gain a limited form of prophetic that people pursue on their own. Others still are techniques
foretelling, with a catch: your visions often lead to handed down within families or clans, instilled into every
calamities. Twice per session, you can make a declaration generation so that the art form lives on.
about something that will happen in the near future When creating a martial artist, answer these questions:
(during the current scene or the next scene). The Keeper
will ensure that it does, but it will escalate the scene in ༄ To which school do you belong?
the same way that a fatal flaw escalates the scene (though ༄ Who was your teacher?
without the same benefit). ༄ What do you call your signature attack?
Martial Artist
Level 3 Martial Artist

Martial arts traditions exist all over Asunder, from the Characteristics: Health +5
battle techniques of the Black Isle to the graceful swordplay
of Sky City to the various forms of combat practiced in School Technique: There are hundreds of martial arts
New Gaia and the city-states of the mainland. Nearly every schools and styles in the world, but they all boil down to
Seeker incorporates some martial arts practices into their focusing on a particular technique and going about it in
fighting styles, but those who pursue martial arts as an art their own unique way. Choose a technique benefit from
form are a different breed altogether. These people seek the following:
perfection: perfect form, perfect flow in battle, perfect ༄ Redirected Force: When you are attacked, you can
harmony with their allies, and the perfect strike to end a choose to grant your attacker 1 boon on the attack
conflict before it starts. Martial artists identify themselves roll. If you do, you can then use a triggered action
by the school at which they studied. Some of these are after the attack is resolved to make a melee attack
literal schools where people are taught combat, while against your attacker. If you hit, you deal 1d6 extra
others are more loosely-defined collections of best practices damage.
95
What Does Your Style Look Like?
When you choose your combination of school technique
and signature form, you’re creating a style. The mechanics of Level 6 Martial Artist
these styles are broad enough that they can be described in
different ways. For example, someone with Redirected Force Characteristics: Health +5
and a Light Melee Weapon might be constantly whirling, Reveal Flaw: When you successfully attack someone with
dodging, and counterattacking, or they might be flowing like your signature form, you can use a triggered action to
water, accepting punch after punch with little ill effect, but reveal the flaws in your target’s fighting style. For 1 round,
somehow redirecting the force of those attacks back at their each member of your group that attacks the target,
attackers. Someone using Irresistible Force and Unarmed including you, makes the attack roll with 1 boon.
might be raining down hammer-blows, or they might be
using sweeps, throws, and other attacks that move enemies Level 9 Master Martial Artist
around. When you’re coming up with a style, answer the
following questions: Characteristics: Health +5
༄ What does your style look like? What kinds of attacks, School Mastery: You gain an additional benefit, based on
feints, dodges, and special moves do you use? the school you choose for School Technique:
༄ Where did your style come from? Where did you learn ༄ Redirected Force: When you hit your target with the
it? Where did it originate? attack granted by Redirected Force, the target is also
impaired for 1 round.
༄ What is your style called? Are there others who follow
your style? Does it go by other names? Is it famous or ༄ Irresistible Force: When you attack with your
obscure? signature form, you can choose to attack your target’s
Defense or Agility.
༄ Lightning Strikes: When you use Lightning Strikes, you
can attack one additional time, but one of your attacks
must suffer 1 bane.
༄ Irresistible Force: When you make a melee attack, ༄ Impenetrable Defense: Increase your Defense by 2.
you can choose to take 1 bane on the attack roll. If
your attack still hits, you deal your normal damage
and push the target back 1d6 yards. The target then
Ravager
falls prone. Most don’t know this, but there’s a thriving black market trade
༄ Lightning Strikes: When you use an action during a on demon blood—colloquially referred to as “juice”—coming
fast turn to make a melee attack, you can attack twice. out of the Black Isle. Though the people of the Black Isle, for
the most part, try to stamp it out, it nevertheless continues,
༄ Impenetrable Defense: You can use an action to
making demon blood available in most civilized lands
ready your defenses. All attacks made against you for
provided you know who to talk to. To most, demon blood is
1 round get 2 banes.
toxic, causing a slow, agonizing death. Those who know how
Signature Form: Choose one of the following attack forms. to do so build up a tolerance to it, though, conditioning their
When you use your signature attack form, you get the bodies to accept it and draw on its power. Under the effects
listed benefit. of demon blood, a human being is capable of amazing and
༄ Unarmed: Once per turn, when you make an terrifying physical feats, becoming an engine of destruction.
unarmed attack, you can choose to either make your However, demon blood takes a toll on a body over time, and
attack roll with 2 boons or deal 1d6 extra damage. even those who learn to accept and use it rarely live very long.
When creating a ravager, answer these questions:
༄ Light Melee Weapon: Light melee weapons you
wield always have the deadly and finesse properties. ༄ Why did you first start using demon blood?
If you throw a light melee weapon with the thrown ༄ Who’s your most reliable supplier?
property, increase its range by one step (short to ༄ What side effects of demon blood abuse have you started to
medium, medium to long, long to extreme). notice?
༄ Martial Melee Weapon: When a melee attack misses Level 3 Ravager
you while you’re wielding a martial melee weapon,
you can use a triggered action to attack your attacker.
༄ Heavy Melee Weapon: Heavy melee weapons you
wield never have the cumbersome property. You can Languages and Professions: You add one criminal
make a sweeping attack with a heavy melee weapon, profession.
which allows you to attack each creature you can Connections: When you take this path, you get 2d6 doses
reach. After you make such an attack, you’re dazed of demon blood. Whenever you complete a rest in a
for 1 turn. civilized area that would reasonably have access to
96
A Black Isle ravager takes a dose of demon blood and gives a howling cry. 97
demon blood, you can make an Intelligence challenge ༄ You gain +2 bonus to Defense.
roll with 1 boon for every pearl you decide to spend ༄ You cannot become impaired. If you become juiced
before rolling. On a success, you get 2d6 more doses of while you’re impaired, the impaired affliction ends.
demon blood. On a failure, you get 1d3 more doses.
༄ You take half damage from fire.
Toxicity: Your blood is toxic. Whenever a creature attacks
you with a natural melee weapon and deals damage, that ༄ Your attacks with weapons deal 2d6 extra damage.
creature takes 2d6 damage and is poisoned for 1 minute.
In addition, to anyone not accustomed to the effects of
demon blood, a dose of demon blood acts as a dose of
Razor Fiend
poison (see Chapter 8). Popularized by the rebels of Sky City, razor fiends learn
Juice: As an action or a triggered action on your turn, you a fighting style that makes use of daggers, shards, thorns,
can spend 1 dose of demon blood in order to become and other light blades. The style became popular among
juiced. You remain juiced for 1 minute or until you the rebels because of its swift deadliness and because small
become unconscious. When the effect ends, you can blades are easy to conceal and easy to surprise people
either a) take another dose to extend the effect or with. After a while, the style spread to the rest of the world,
b) become fatigued for 1 hour and make a Strength even finding an audience in the Arena of Megalith. Razor
challenge roll. On a failure, you gain 1 Strain. fiends attack swiftly and without warning, hurling blades
While you are juiced, you have the following benefits and getting in close, slashing and cutting and darting away.
and drawbacks: They use speed and mobility to their advantage, and they
always strike with surprise if they can.
༄ You gain a +10 bonus to Health. When creating a razor fiend, answer these questions:
༄ You cannot become charmed, compelled, frightened, ༄ Where did you learn the techniques of the razor fiend?
or fatigued. If you become juiced while under the
effect of one of these afflictions, it ends. ༄ How have your skills gotten you out of trouble in the past?
༄ Who was your first kill?
༄ You make Intelligence and Will attack and challenge
rolls with 2 banes. Level 3 Razor Fiend
༄ You make Strength and Agility attack and challenge Attributes: Increase any two by 1
rolls with 2 boons.
Characteristics: Health +3, Speed +2
༄ Your attacks with weapons deal 1d6 extra damage.
Languages and Professions: You add one criminal
༄ You gain a new Fatal Flaw for the duration: Everyone
profession.
is prey. If you escalate a scene with this Fatal Flaw,
you gain an extra Seeker point. Blade Training: Any light melee weapon with the finesse
property you use is considered a razor, provided it’s a
Level 6 Ravager small bladed weapon. A razor you wield automatically
has the deadly and thrown properties.
Many Razors: You have so many razors hidden on your
Cure-All Juice: You can use an action, a dose of demon
person that they’re effectively unlimited. You never
blood, and an alchemist’s kit to create a dose of cure-all
have to worry about running out of razors unless you’re
juice. You must spend at least 1 minute concentrating,
searched and they’re taken from you, or some other,
during which time you use the kit and special ingredients
similar situation befalls you. You also get 1 boon on any
worth 3 pearls. At the end of this time, you create a dose
challenge rolls made to conceal razors.
of cure-all juice, which you can drink as an action. When
you drink cure-all juice, you heal damage equal to your Strike from Surprise: Once per round, when a surprised
healing rate and take 1 Strain. For anyone not accustomed creature or a creature from which you are hidden takes
to the effects of demon blood, a dose of cure-all juice acts damage from your attack, and that attack is made with a
as a dose of poison (see Chapter 8). razor, it must make a Strength challenge roll. On a failure,
it takes additional damage equal to its Healing Rate.
Inured to Poison: You are immune to the poisoned
affliction, and you take no damage from poison. Level 6 Razor Fiend
Level 9 Master Ravager Characteristics: Health +3
Characteristics: Health +5 Dart Away: You can use a triggered action on your turn to
hide or retreat. If you spend a Seeker point, you can also
Demonic Attunement: You’re so saturated with demon blood move your Speed before doing so.
that you’ve started to take on demonic traits that become
accentuated whenever you’re juiced. Whenever you’re Deadly: You get 1 boon on any attack rolls you make with
juiced, you gain the following additional benefits: razors, and your attacks with razors deal 1d6 extra damage.
98
A Sky City razor fiend cuts down her marks on the edge of Shadow Isle. 99
100 A serpent hunter returns with a great kill.

Level 9 Master Razor Fiend as an action; if you consume a piece of the creature—a
bit of flesh, some powdered bone, an eye, etc.—you can
Characteristics: Health +3 forge this link without having to see the creature. Once
Fan of Razors: You can use an action to throw three razors the link is forged, you can take an action to know the
at up to three different targets. You make each attack roll direction—as the crow flies—that the target lies, though
with 1 bane. not the distance to the target. You can do this regardless
of distance, as long as the creature is still on Asunder.
Shank: Once per round, when you attack with a razor, the
Once the target is within one mile, you immediately
attack deals 2d6 extra damage.
know. When the target is within long range, you can use
an action to pinpoint its exact location. This knowledge
Serpent Hunter pierces barriers and obstacles and sees through attempts
to hide, disguise, or become invisible.
Hunting sea serpents is a way of life for the Seafarers; they The link is two-way; the target of your link gains all the
provide the most sustenance, the best materials for making same benefits you do, though most animals and monsters
weapons and tools, and they provide the Seafarers the don’t have the intelligence to use an action to activate the
precious heartstones that fuel their ships and keep them link. The target does know when you’re within one mile,
warm in the winter. But, for a Seafarer, hunting a serpent though, and can also pinpoint you while you’re within
goes beyond simply tracking and killing a dangerous long range, if it has the wit to do so.
beast. Serpent hunters learn to forge mental bonds with While the link is active, if either of you deal damage to
sea serpents, bonds that allow them to track the creatures the other, that damage is increased by 1d6.
across the seas, to find them and kill them more efficiently. The link remains in place until you use this talent
They learn techniques to get close to sea serpents, to again to forge a link with a different creature, or until you
climb them and deal devastating strikes, and they learn to or the target die. If you use this talent again before you
endure the great heat that sea serpents give off constantly. or the target die, you take 1 Strain or you must spend 1
Perhaps more importantly for a Seafarer walking the path Seeker point.
of a Seeker, many of these abilities translate to other types
Level 6 Serpent Hunter
of creatures, making them efficient and deadly hunters on
land, too. Characteristics: Health +5
When creating a serpent-hunter, answer these questions:
༄ How big was the first serpent you killed? Adaptation and Sea-Calling trees.
༄ Who did you lose during a serpent hunt? Know the Seas: When you use your Sailor profession to
༄ What preparations do you always make before you face a navigate or find sea creatures in your area, you do so with
sea serpent? 1 additional boon.
Requirement: You must have access to the Adaptation and Climb Prey: When you enter the space of a creature with
Sea-Calling trees in order to take this path. a Size larger than yours, you can attempt to climb it
as an action; if you move into the target’s space with
Level 3 Serpent Hunter
the triggered action granted by Harpooner, you can
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 automatically attempt to climb the target as part of that
triggered action. To do so, make an Agility attack against
Characteristics: Health +5, Essence +1 the target’s Strength or Agility (Keeper’s choice). If you
Greater Essence Bond: You discover the Adaptation and fail, you fall prone in a space the target can reach. If you
Sea-Calling Essence trees and gain one power or talent succeed, you climb onto the target, placing yourself in an
from each. If you’ve already discovered either of these advantageous situation. While you’re on the target, you
trees, choose an additional power or talent from that tree. must use a triggered action each turn to remain on the
target; if you don’t, you fall. You also get 2 boons to any
Harpooner: When you attack with a harpoon—a martial
melee attacks you make against the target while you’re
melee weapon with the thrown property—and hit, you
climbing it, and you deal 1d6 extra damage. The target
can use a triggered action to immediately draw the target
can use an action on its turn to try to throw you off. If
1d6 yards toward you, if its Size is the same as yours
it does so, it makes a Strength or Agility roll (Keeper’s
or smaller. If its Size is larger than you, you can use a
choice) against your Strength or Agility (your choice). If
triggered action to move your Speed toward the target.
it succeeds, it throws you 1d6 yards in a direction of its
Serpent Link: You can forge a mental link to a creature choice, which counts as falling. If you used Harpooner to
that allows you to hunt it more effectively. Though initiate your climb onto the creature, you get 1 boon on
serpent-hunters primarily use this link to hunt sea any attack or challenge rolls you make to climb the target,
serpents, the only requirement is that the creature not and it gets 1 bane on any attack or challenge rolls it makes
be human. You can forge a link to a creature you can see to dislodge you.
101
Level 9 Master Serpent Hunter

Adaptation and Sea-Calling trees.
Slay Serpent: When you attack a creature with a Size larger
than yours, you deal 1d6 extra damage.
Inured to Heat: Because of your frequent proximity to sea
serpents, you are resistant to the heat they produce. You
take half damage from fire or heat.
Shadow
Sky City politics can be a dangerous business. The Great
Game is always in effect and, according to the rules of the
Game, anything’s legal as long as you’re not caught doing
it. Eventually, after enough agents were caught and
enough blame was cast around, it became clear that
there was a need for neutral agents who excelled at
escaping notice, and, if they were caught, at escaping
blame. An industry grew up around this need,
the Society of Shadows, and its members became
indispensable to those who play the Great
Game. Eventually the Society
branched out beyond Sky
City, and now shadows can
be found anywhere in the
world, plying their trade
in secret.
When creating a Shadow,
answer these questions:
༄ What was the first crime you got away with?
༄ What happened the last time you were caught?
༄ What’s your favorite identity to assume?
Level 3 Shadow

Languages and Professions: You can speak one additional
language or add one criminal profession.
Many Faces: You have a number of alternate identities equal
to your Intellect bonus (minimum 1), and you can alter your
appearance to assume one of these as an action. How you
achieve this act is largely up to you; it may be a slight use
of your Essence, a change in demeanor or countenance,
or a quick application of a disguise. Detail each identity,
A shadow uses her including gender, nationality, general appearance, and
gauntlet of living
claws to complete wealth level. The identity must be the same Size as you.
her contracts, which Your facial features, mannerisms, and general body type
usually leaves her
covered in blood. change to match the identity you’ve created, though your
clothing and possessions remain unchanged. The effect
lasts until you use this talent again, or until you revert to
your normal appearance. In addition, if you have a disguise
kit, you can use an action to expend a use from the kit to don
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a disguise that is not one of your alternate identities. These Pilfer: You can use a triggered action to steal an item you
disguises aren’t quite as good as your established identities; can hold in one hand, provided it’s within your reach.
someone can make an Intellect attack against your Intellect You do so without anyone’s knowledge, even if it’s on a
to pierce such a disguise, if they have cause to. person’s body.
Contracts: You’re a member of the Society of Shadows, Poison-Making: You can use an action and an alchemist’s
which gives you access to lucrative espionage contracts. kit to create a dose of poison. You must spend at least 1
Once per game session, before you perform a significant minute concentrating, during which time you use the
espionage action, you can declare that doing so is part of a kit and special ingredients worth 5 pearls. At the end of
contract. If you succeed in performing the action, you get this time, you create one dose of poison (see Chapter 8).
paid for completing your contract as soon as you complete The poison retains potency until you complete a rest.
a rest in a civilized area. The Keeper is the final arbiter Shadow Meld: You can attempt to hide when you are at
of what constitutes a significant action, but typically it least partially obscured by shadows, even if you are
requires assassinating an important individual, learning being observed.
a powerful secret, or gaining the trust of an influential
person. If the contract was easy, you get 3 pearls. If it was Wall-Crawling: You ignore the effects of difficult terrain
of moderate difficulty, you get 1 sapphire. If it was very when climbing, and you make challenge rolls to climb
difficult, you get 5 sapphires. If you nearly died while with 1 boon.
completing the contract, you get hazard pay of 1 sapphire.
If you fail to complete the contract, you get nothing. Note
that the Society of Shadows has contracts in every civilized
Sky-Dancer
part of the world and some of the less civilized parts as The Sky-Dancers of Sky City are among the most graceful
well, so geography isn’t a restricting factor. and deadly martial artists in the world. While every culture
Shadow Talent: Choose a shadow talent from the ones on Asunder practices some form of martial art, no martial
described below. art is quite like the one practiced by the Sky-Dancers. These
individuals make use of their ability to control and shift
Level 6 Shadow gravity, allowing for impossible leaps, quick reversals of
momentum, graceful aerobatics, and deadly strikes. The
Characteristics: Health +3, Perception +1 most feared Sky-Dancers make use not just of Sky-Dancing
Shadow Talent: Choose a shadow talent from the ones techniques, but also of their ability to control gravity
described below. around others and around objects. The ability to stop
Melt Away: When you become slowed, immobilized, or someone in their tracks or wield a massive sword with deft
grabbed, you can use a triggered action to shed the agility is an oft-admired quality of these graceful fighters.
affliction or end the grab and move up to half your When creating a Sky-Dancer, answer these questions:
Speed without provoking free attacks. ༄ Who taught you to dance the skies?
༄ Who is your bitterest rival?
Level 9 Master Shadow ༄ What scar from a duel do you carry to this day?
Characteristics: Health +3 Requirement: You must have access to the Gravity
Shadow Talent: Choose a shadow talent from the ones Manipulation and Sky-Dancing trees in order to take
described below. this path.
Forgetfulness: You can use an action to make an Intellect Level 3 Sky-Dancer

attack against the Will of a creature within short range.
If you succeed, the target loses track of you for 1 round, Attributes: Increase any two by 1
making you invisible to that target. If you remain Characteristics: Health +4, Essence +1, Speed +1
hidden from the target for at least 1 minute more, the Languages and Professions: You gain one martial profession.
target forgets it ever encountered you.
Greater Essence Bond: You discover the Gravity
Shadow Talents Manipulation and Sky-Dancing Essence trees and
gain one power or talent from each. If you’ve already
Essence Bond: Increase your Essence by 1. Then, make two discovered either of these trees, choose an additional
choices: discover one Essence tree you have access to or power or talent from that tree.
learn one power for each you already have.
Dance the Skies: You learn the sky dance Essence power.
Light Steps: You make challenge rolls to sneak with 2 boons. If you already know this power, you can use it one
Lock-Picking: If you have lock picks, you can use an action additional time. In addition, you may spend a Seeker
to open one lock you can reach. If the Keeper calls for a point to extend the duration of sky dance, instead of
challenge roll, you make it with 1 boon. spending another use of the power or taking Strain.
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104 A sky dancer use Single-Hand Style to reduce the weight of a maul while in her hands and then triple it after it’s thrown.
Level 6 Sky-Dancer Languages and Professions: Add one military profession.
Characteristics: Health +4 Ward: Each time you complete a rest, choose one creature
you can see, or a creature you know personally who is
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the within long range of you; that creature is your ward.
Gravity Manipulation and Sky-Dancing trees. Whenever your ward is within your reach, attacks
Reactive Step: When you’re attacked, you can use a triggered against them get 1 bane. This effect lasts until you use
action to employ the sky dance power. If your increased this talent again.
Defense would cause the triggering attack to miss, you can Interpose: When your ward is attacked, you can use a
move up to half your Speed without triggering free attacks. triggered action to move up to your Speed. If you end
If this movement places you within reach of your attacker, your movement within reach of your ward, you can make
you can immediately make a melee weapon attack against yourself the target of the attack. You may spend 1 Seeker
your attacker. point to reduce this damage by half.
In addition, once per turn, if you’re already under the
effects of sky dance and someone attacks you and misses, Constant Vigilance: You cannot be surprised. In addition,
you may move and counterattack as a triggered action, as you get 2 boons on any challenge rolls you make to detect
described above. ambushes, traps, or poisons.
Find Client: When you enter a civilized area, you can
Level 9 Master Sky-Dancer
find a client willing to pay you for your services. Doing
Characteristics: Health +4, Essence +1 so requires a few hours of work. Your client is an NPC
under the Keeper’s control, has 10 in all attributes,
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from the 10 Health, 10 Defense, and is a non-combatant. The
Gravity Manipulation and Sky-Dancing trees. Keeper specifies the terms of your contract, which
Leaf on the Wind: While you’re under the effect of the will typically involve getting your client somewhere
sky dance power, you get 1 boon on all melee weapon safely or guarding them during a specific event. If you
attack rolls, and enemies suffer 1 bane to attack you with agree, your client pays you either an upfront lump sum
weapons. of 1 sapphire (for a short contract) or 1 pearl per day
(for a long contract), provided they’re happy with you
Storm Point throughout the contract. If you anger you client, or if
your client dies, you get no further pay.
Bodyguard Level 6 Storm Point Bodyguard
The wealthy and prosperous need people to protect them, Characteristics: Health +6, Speed +2
and everyone knows the world over that the best bodyguards
Payback: When a creature deals damage to you, attacks
are found in Storm Point. The Protector’s Academy trains
you make against that creature for 1 round receive 1
people physically, toughening their bodies and sharpening
boon and deal 1d6 extra damage. When a creature deals
their reflexes, making them deadly combatants and powerful
damage to your ward, attacks you make against that
obstacles. They train people mentally, teaching them to
creature for 1 round receive 2 boons and deal 2d6 extra
recognize threats, analyze terrain, identify choke points
damage. If a creature deals damage to both you and
and escape routes. They train people emotionally for the
your ward, these bonuses last 2 rounds. If a creature
responsibility of protecting another’s life with your own,
incapacitates or kills your ward, you receive both
preparing you for the possibility that you might need to give
benefits until that creature is dead.
up your life to ensure someone else’s survival. Storm Point
bodyguards command a high premium from their clients, Rugged: Your healing rate now equals your Health divided
but they live up to their code and they protect their wards by 3.
better than anyone else in the world. Better Rates: When you have a client, you can charge
When creating a Storm Point bodyguard, answer these double.
questions:
Level 9 Master Storm Point Bodyguard
༄ What made you decide to become a bodyguard?
༄ Who was your best teacher at the Protector’s Academy? Characteristics: Health +8
༄ Who was the first person you ever protected, and why don’t
you protect them anymore? Never Stop: If you are incapacitated while you can see your
ward, you instead remain conscious and heal damage
Level 3 Storm Point Bodyguard equal to your healing rate. You can use this talent once
for free; thereafter, each use costs a Seeker point. When
Attributes: Increase any two by 1 you complete a rest, you regain your free use of this
Characteristics: Health +8 talent.
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Level 3 Wanderer

Languages and Professions: You can speak another
language and add a profession.
Blend: You can easily assume the mannerisms and mien of
the local populace, making you nearly indistinguishable
from those around you. Provided you’re among a crowd of
people (at least 20), you can attempt to hide, even if you’re
being observed. You don’t need to be heavily obscured
or to have three-quarters cover. After a successful roll,
you remain hidden until you use an action or a triggered
action, after which you must wait at least 1 minute before
you use this talent again.
While you’re hidden, people you talk to cannot
remember details about you 1 minute after the
conversation ends and totally forget having spoken to you
1 hour after the conversation ends.
Finally, during the first round of any combat in which
you are hidden, you make attack rolls and challenge rolls
with 1 boon. If you take a fast action during this round,
you can use an action and move.
Friends in Odd Places: Wanderers are everywhere, and
people rarely notice them. You, however, know how to
identify your fellow Wanderers and where to find them.
Once per game session, you may declare that you’re
going out looking for a fellow Wanderer. This process
takes about an hour, after which you identify another
A wanderer uses Local Memory to search Wanderer and may trade aid and information. You may
for a temple whose whereabouts live only
in the memories of the earth. ask your fellow Wanderer for any aid or information you
like, and they’re free to give it or not; but the Wanderer’s
Code specifies that, if they give you aid or information,
you must repay them in kind. You needn’t be in a civilized
area to use this ability; Wanderers are everywhere.
Wanderer Level 6 Wanderer
Wanderers drift from place to place, never belonging Characteristics: Health +5

anywhere but always fitting in for a time. Those who
wander the lands of Asunder pick up a variety of skills
language or add a profession.
and languages, becoming jacks of many trades. They also
learn to survive in the inhospitable wilderness of the world, Local Memory: Whenever you complete a rest in a civilized
to live off the land, and to find safe passage from place to area, you can bend your Essence to tap into the memory
place. of the local population. You gain a number of memory
That, at least, is what the Wanderers would have the rest points equal to your Intellect bonus (minimum 1). These
of the world believe. In truth, those known as Wanderers memory points last until you spend them, or you next
are part of a loose-knit fellowship with a single, common complete a rest, whichever comes first. You can spend 1
goal: upset the status quo. Where people hold onto power, memory point to do any of the following, as an action or
ensure that they lose it. Where people are comfortable, test a triggered action on your turn:
their resolve. Upset the balance, stir the pot, and always do ༄ Ask the Keeper a question. If the answer would
so from a place of anonymity. reasonably be known by someone in the local
When creating a wanderer, answer these questions: population, the Keeper will answer you truthfully
༄ When did you hear the call of the Wanderers? and completely.
༄ What attracted you to their philosophy? ༄ Study another person from the local population
༄ What is your preferred way to disrupt established systems? and immediately know enough about them to pass
106
yourself off as an acquaintance. If the Keeper calls for the Legion gives in return. The Legion’s mandate puts them
challenge rolls to carry off the bluff, you make such at odds with one politician this week and his opponent the
rolls with 1 boon. These memories fade when you next, so everyone wants to be able to disavow them if the
next complete a rest. need arises. The Wooden Legion has worked both with
༄ Learn a new profession or a new language, provided and against the Bone Army; they have allies within various
the profession is practiced or the language is spoken Naga clutches; and many of the Houses of Sky City and
by someone in the local population. These memories the city-states of the mainland have called upon them for
fade when you next complete a rest. assistance. They frequently clash with demons, and they
fight off the Blight wherever they can.
Local Knowledge: While you have at least 1 memory point, The Wooden Legion accepts individuals from every
you’re familiar enough with the geography of the civilized origin into their ranks, and each member is involved in
area you’re in to get where you need to go easily, and you the process of growing and tending to their own wooden
can mimic local dialects and generally pass yourself off skin. Growing one’s own wooden skin is necessary from a
as a local without too much trouble (as long as you speak practical standpoint, but it also serves as a final test of full
the language). membership in the Legion. These suits of armor are highly
Level 9 Master Wanderer individualized and often incorporate non-plant elements.
Becoming a member of the Legion requires an oath of
Characteristics: Health +5 fealty to the Legion for life. Because the Legion’s operations
are often clandestine, new Legionnaires must also swear an
oath of secrecy. Additionally, a prospective Legionnaire must
language or add a profession.
pass a series of individualized tests before they’re given the
Knowledge is Power: As an action, you can spend 2 memory opportunity to grow their wooden skin, and Legionnaires are
points and choose a target you can see who has a secret often tested randomly throughout their careers.
that you already know. You make that secret known to When creating a Wooden Legionnaire, answer these
everyone within long range of you. They don’t wonder how questions:
they got the information or question its authenticity; it’s
༄ What drove you to join the Wooden Legion?
seamlessly inserted into their own memories. They might
very well be angry about that secret, though, and they ༄ Who sponsored your application for membership?
could very well make use of it to the target’s detriment. ༄ Who helped you grow your wooden skin?
Anonymity: As an action, you can spend all your remaining Level 3 Wooden Legionnaire
memory points (minimum 1) to temporarily remove
yourself from the memories of everyone within medium Attributes: Increase any two by 1
range of you. This effectively makes you invisible for Characteristics: Health +3
1 minute; if you remain hidden from those who forgot
you, they continue to not remember you. If they see you Languages and Professions: Add one military profession.
immediately after that minute elapses, they remember Legion Contacts: When you contact other members of the
you once again. If someone who can see you takes the Wooden Legion, you get 1 boon on any challenge or attack
trouble to point out your presence to people who have rolls you make to deal with them in social situations.
forgotten you, they remember you once more.
Wooden Skin: You create a construct of wood and bark and
leaves called a wooden skin. Your wooden skin is 8 feet
Wooden tall and weighs 900 pounds, and you can have only one
at a time.
Legionnaire If your wooden skin is destroyed, you can grow a new
one to replace it if you have access to the shape plant
The Wooden Legion is an elite cadre of weavers who follow Essence tree. If not, you must contact the Legion and
a simple mandate: find a way to stop the world from dying. ask for their aid, which may take time. Regrowing a
The Legion’s name comes from the armor they wear: a suit requires you to focus your Essence and shape plant
living suit of wooden armor (called a wooden skin) specially matter for at least 72 hours, though these hours need not
designed and bonded to each Legionnaire, a suit that be continuous. At the end of this time, you have a new
makes each Legionnaire a force to be reckoned with on the wooden skin.
battlefield. The Wooden Legion are few in number and not Your wooden skin cannot act on its own; without you
sanctioned or paid for by any single government or political to pilot it, it is inert. However, you can enter your wooden
power. However, they often get unofficial support from skin as an action. While you’re inside your wooden skin,
governments that need their help, and they lend assistance you use its Defense, Health, Strength, and Agility scores
to existing armies, cities, or nations, so long as such as your own, you move at its Speed, and you can use its
assistance serves their mandate. Such assistance is usually attack options in place of your own. You also have access
done with as much secrecy as possible, as is any support
107
to its immunities. When you use an Essence

power that targets living gear, you can target
your wooden skin.
Choose two talents from the list of
wooden skin modifications on the following
page; your wooden skin has these talents.
Your wooden skin must spend at least 4
hours every day rooted to the ground,
gathering water and nourishment
from it, and it needs at least 4 hours of
sunlight every day. For every day that
it’s deprived of these requirements, it
takes a cumulative -10 penalty to Health.
The entire penalty disappears if it fulfills this
requirement again.
If your wooden skin receives damage in
excess of its Health, you fall prone
adjacent to it, and it is
destroyed.
WOODEN SKIN
Size 1 construct
Perception—
Defense 14 Health 35
Strength 14 (+4), Agility 12 (+2),
Intellect —, Will—
Speed 8
Immune damage from disease and
poison and the conditions asleep,
fatigued and poisoned
ATTACK OPTIONS
Melee Attack Wooden Fist, blade or
whip. 2d6 damage.
Ranged Attack Thorn spitter or canon.
1d6 + 2 damage. Medium range.
Replenish You can use an action to
root your wooden skin to the ground,
immobilizing it for 1 minute. Once
1 minute has elapsed, your wooden
skin heals 2d6 damage. Once you’ve
used this talent, you cannot do so
again until you’ve completed a rest.
Root You can root your wooden skin to
the ground for 4 hours as an action.
The feeding tubes of a After 4 hours have elapsed, your
legionnaire’s wooden skin
consumes the wearer’s Essence wooden skin heals all damage and
in order to heal from a battle. loses all afflictions from which it
suffers.
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Level 6 Wooden Legionnaire be safely bonded to, though you do not need to feed it with
blood and Essence as you would a normal piece of living gear.
Characteristics: Health +3 You replenish all of your wooden skin’s charges when you use
Modifications: Choose two more talents from the list of its Root talent. You can add this talent up to three times; each
wooden skin modifications below; your wooden skin has time you do, you either add 1 charge to an existing power your
these talents. wooden skin possesses, or add 1 charge of a new power.
Legion Aid: Once per game session, you can spend 1 hour Living Gear Power Rank By Level
contacting another member of the Wooden Legion. This
Group Level Maximum Power Rank
member of the Legion is predisposed to offer you aid in
the form of equipment, shelter, transportation, or help in 3 1
battle, but their aid is not free; you’ll be expected to repay 6 2
the favor (which, in the case of equipment, may include 9 3
returning the equipment) during the following game
session. Work with the Keeper to determine the nature Reinforced Musculature
of the favor you acquire, and the manner in which you’ll
have to repay the favor. Increase your wooden skin’s Strength by 1; this also
increases its attack bonus with its wooden fist. You can add
Level 9 Master Wooden Legionnaire this talent up to three times.
Characteristics: Health +3 Remote Operation
Modifications: Choose two more talents from the list of As long as you are within 1 mile of your wooden skin, you
wooden skin modifications below; your wooden skin has can direct its actions and movement even if you’re not
these talents. wearing it. You must spend an action or triggered action to
Elite Legion Training: Your extensive battle training in your take the corresponding type of action with your wooden
wooden skin has made you formidable while wearing it. skin, and you must spend your movement to allow it to
Choose Strength or Agility; whenever you make an attack move. You can choose to see through
or challenge roll with the chosen attribute while wearing its eyes but, if you do, you cannot
your wooden skin, you make the roll with 1 boon. see through your own; you
can activate or deactivate
Wooden Skin Modifications this effect with a triggered
Armored Skin action on your turn. If
your wooden skin is
Your wooden skin is exceptionally well-armored. Increase destroyed while you are
its Health by 10. You may add this talent up to three times. operating it remotely,
you take 1d3 Strain.
Essence Attunement
Spiked Fists
When you use an Essence power that targets your own
body, you can choose to target your wooden skin instead. When you attack with
your skin’s wooden
Feeding Tubes fists, you deal 1d6
Special tubes run from your wooden skin into your body, extra damage.
allowing you to feed it with your Essence. As an action,
you can spend 1 Seeker point or take 1 Strain to allow your
wooden skin to heal 2d6 damage.
Leg Enhancement
Increase your wooden skin’s Speed by 2 and Defense by 1.
Living Gear Enhancement

You may add 1 charge of any living gear power to your
wooden skin; your level determines the maximum Jael leads the most violent
rank of the power, as shown in the Living Gear Power faction of Legionnaires.
She believes only through
Rank By Level table. destruction can their goal be
Powers added need not be plant-based. Your wooden skin achieved.
now counts against the number of pieces of living gear you can
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110 A war marshal saves the skulls of his enemies to remind his men of the price of mistakes.
Chapter
SEVEN Master Paths
W
hen your group reaches level 7, you choose a Master Benefits
master path from this chapter, or you may choose
a second expert path. See Chapter 6 for more Just like your Origin, novice path, and expert path, your
information on what happens when you choose a second master path grants you attribute boosts, characteristic
expert path. boosts, and talents. Follow the instructions in the path you
Master paths represent a narrowing of focus, a choose and record your new features on your character
specialization that brings with it incredible power. The sheet, just like with a novice or expert path.
paths presented here are divided into two broad categories:
Paths of Power and Paths of Experience. Paths of Power Master Story Development
represent a focus on improving one’s Essence bond,
pushing it beyond the bounds of what’s normally possible. When you choose a master path, answer these three
Paths of Experience represent the results of training and questions:
discipline, and, in some cases, a study of Asunder’s more ༄ How did you learn the secrets of your master path, or
esoteric secrets. You gain benefits from your master path gain its power?
upon acquiring it at level 7, and again at level 10.
༄ What did you have to sacrifice to get here?
Master Path Requirements ༄ What do you know now that you wish you’d known
earlier in your career?
Some master paths have requirements that you must meet.
In most cases, these requirements are having discovered Paths of Experience
a particular Essence tree, because those paths represent a
Path Name Description
deepening connection to that specific Essence tree. If you
Ascendant Nothing is beyond your powers of perception when
don’t meet the requirements for a master path, you cannot Master you dedicate yourself to true understanding.
take that master path. Elite operatives for the Bone Army entrusted with
Bone Agent
the most sensitive and difficult of missions.
Paths of Power Bone
Some troops get put up front as fodder; others
choose the front line because that’s where they can
Dreadnaught
do the most damage. Be the latter.
Path Name Description
Demon- You accept that in order to defeat a terrible foe you
Avatar of Those that learn to ride the waves of Chaos can Blooded may have to become something even worse.
Chaos shape reality like a potter shapes clay. There are pirates and then there are Pirates. These
Chittering Spend enough time with the insects and you may Dread Pirate legendary buccaneers have names that will be
One start to become one. remembered.
Turn the mutations of the sea to your advantage Who can hide from an assassin that could be
Evolved One
until you become something more than human. Faceless One anyone, anywhere? These masters of disguise
Moving with the power of warriors in their hands, manipulate the world to their liking.
Gestalt
these Black Islers commune with their comrades to Some wise souls realize that the Green Army of the
Master Green
the point of perfect unity. undead will overrun the world and decide they’d
Commander
The Pure Light may kill everything else, but not you: rather be part of the overrunning.
Light-
you have used it to become something very nearly You don’t have to be bigger to win, you just have to
Chosen Guerrilla
Divine. fight dirty.
Hand of These powerful Weavers help rule New Gaia and The great ones of Sky City wouldn’t be able to find
Gaia bend the natural world to their will. House Agent
their shoes without you.
You move among animals as easily as humans; the Knowledge is power, no matter whether you earned
Packmaster Mnemonicist
Pacari respect you as one of their great ones. it or stole it.
The seas of Asunder are hostile places for most Gaia needs the Essence of those who die, and you’re
Soultaker
Sea King humans, but these elite Seafarers can command the the one who makes it happen.
creatures of the sea themselves. War is hell, but hell’s not so bad once you’ve lived
The beast bond deepens until these powerful Pacari Veteran there long enough. Learn the tricks of the veteran’s
Skinwalker
are as comfortable wearing a beast’s skin as a human’s. trade, and you might even find you like it there.
You are a walking embodiment of pestilence. Insect Tactics, strategies, and the inspiring of men: why
Swarm Lord War Marshal
life is yours to command. fight when you can lead?
Add, add, and then add some more. Living gear Battle is better when you’ve got nine-foot-tall
Wooden
Symbiont becomes an extension of self for the few dedicated armor that grows, heals, and responds to your very
Titan
enough to learn its secrets. thoughts.
Mastery of self becomes mastery of all and brings Wyvern Soar the skies with a lance in your hand and a
Unkillable
death to even the fiercest demons. Knight wyvern between your knees.
111
Chapter 7: Master Paths
Choose a Quest ༄ How can I get this creature to ____________?

༄ What is this creature’s Strength/Agility/
When a Seeker becomes a master, his purpose in life Intellect/Will/Perception/Defense/Health?
becomes crystal clear. Having learned his ultimate
༄ What consequences will I suffer for failure?
purpose, a master Seeker then embarks on a quest to do
some specific thing, come hell or high water. Write your ༄ What rewards will I reap for success?
quest down with your professions; when you’re taking ༄ What am I overlooking?
actions directly related to your quest, it can grant you If your Intellect challenge roll succeeds, the Keeper
boons just like a profession can, and it can even allow you will answer each question truthfully. If you fail, you learn
to succeed automatically in some cases. Here are some nothing.
sample quests; you can roll randomly, choose one, or
make up your own. Then, Do: Once you’ve successfully contemplated a task or
creature with First, Understand, you can easily overcome
Sample Quests it in one of the following ways:
༄ Automatically succeed on a single attack roll against
D6 Sample Quests
the creature.
1 Defeat a major enemy
༄ Automatically succeed on a single challenge roll to
2 Find or destroy a powerful item
complete the task.
3 Reach a legendary place
4 Found or take over an organization
༄ Make a weapon attack against the creature. On a
success, if the creature has Health 50 or lower, it takes
5 Gain a title of nobility
damage equal to its Health. Otherwise it takes 4d6
6 Raise an army extra damage.
You can use this talent one time per point of Intellect
Ascendant Master bonus you have. When you complete a rest, you replenish
your uses of this talent. You may spend Seeker points to
Some come to their ascension through martial arts or use this ability if you have no more uses of it; 1 Seeker
meditation, while others practice asceticism or deep point allows you to use this ability once.
communion with their Essence bond. There are many
ways to become an ascendant master, but everyone who Level 10 Ascendant Master
seeks this path does so because they seek enlightenment,
because they seek greater knowledge of the workings of Characteristics: Health +3
the universe. It just so happens that understanding how Essence Bond: Make two choices: for each, either discover
the universe works allows you to have a profound effect on one Essence tree you have access to or learn one power
your environment. from an Essence tree you’ve already discovered.
Level 7 Ascendant Master Esoteric Knowledge: When you use First, Understand, you
do so with 1 boon. Add the following questions to the list
Attributes: Increase any three by 1 of questions you may ask the Keeper:
Characteristics: Health +1, Perception +1, Essence +1 ༄ What is this creature trying to hide?
Languages and Professions: You can speak another ༄ Who else wants to see this task done?
language or add another profession. Snap Judgment: When you use First, Understand, you may
Essence Bond: Make two choices; for each, either discover spend 1 Seeker point to use the talent as an action or
one Essence tree you have access to or learn one power triggered action on your turn, rather than contemplating
from an Essence tree you’ve already discovered. for a full minute.
First, Understand: You can use an action to focus on a task
or creature for 1 minute, during which you spend time
contemplating the task or creature. You need not be able
Avatar of Chaos
to see a creature in order to focus on it, nor do you have Few who harness the power of Chaos live longer than a year or
to be able to see a particular obstacle or part of a task. two. Of those who do, fewer still manage to control the Chaos
You do, however, need to have a basic understanding of long enough to gain true power. Those who manage to do so
the task or creature you’re contemplating. Once you’re are beings to be feared. Barely human anymore, they are living
done contemplating the task, make an Intellect challenge manifestations of Chaos, pieces of the God-Machine with a
roll with 1 bane for each of the following questions you semblance of a body and a driving spirit and sentience.
want to ask: Requirement: You must have discovered the Chaos Essence
tree, and you must have at least one power from it.
112
Level 7 Avatar of Chaos Level 7 Bone Agent
Attributes: Increase any three by 1 Attributes: Increase any three by 1

Characteristics: Health +2, Essence +1 Characteristics: Health +3, Speed +1, Perception +1
Chaos Bond: Gain one Chaos power or talent. Languages and Professions: You add a martial, criminal, or
Skittering Form: When you use a Chaos power, you can wilderness profession.
choose to allow your body to become partially out of Concealed Armor: You’ve made modifications to your
phase with reality. If you do, you take half damage from personal armor that make it light and concealable, easy
all weapon attacks, you don’t take damage from falling, to wear underneath clothes. Reduce the Defense value
and you can move through any opening that would of your personal armor to 15, but it counts as light armor
allow the passage of air. However, you deal half damage and, if someone searches you to see if you’re wearing
with all weapon attacks, and you have a -10 penalty to armor, they do so with 1 bane.
Health. This effect lasts until you use another Chaos Disguise Expertise: If you have a disguise kit, you can use
power, at which point you can make the choice again. an action to expend a use from the kit to don a disguise.
Level 10 Avatar of Chaos Friends on the Inside: Once per game session, you can
declare that an NPC whose name you know is actually a
Characteristics: Health +2 contact of yours. This contact will assist you with one task
Chaos Bond: Gain one Chaos power or talent. by providing access to a location or providing information.
Living Chaos: Your body is so
saturated with Chaos that when
you’re incapacitated, you die
and explode exactly as if
your Discord was 9 or higher.
However, if your Discord is 15
or lower, your body reforms
in 4 hours in a random location
within 1 mile of where you died.
You have damage equal to half
your Health, and you’re fatigued
for 1 hour after you reform. If your
Discord is 16 or higher, you stay
dead as normal. You ignore the
entry in the Discord Effects table in
Chapter 3 for having Discord 17
or higher.
Bone Agent
The Agents are the elite scouts,
archers, ambushers, and assassins
of the Bone Army. They’re lightly-
armored, efficient killers who excel
at sneaking behind enemy lines
or operating in hostile territory
for long periods of time. Squads
of Agents are often sent ahead
of the Bone Army’s main force
to learn more about the enemy,
sabotage specific strategic locations,
assassinate key figures, and
otherwise soften the enemy up for a
frontal attack.
Requirement: You must have the
Bone recruit expert path.
A bone agent prepares a sniper attack against an enemy army. 113

Your contact won’t put themselves in undue danger and Level 7 Bone Dreadnaught
may expect some form of payment or compensation if the
task is particularly complicated or difficult. Attributes: Increase any three by 1
Characteristics: Health +5, Speed +2
Level 10 Bone Agent
Dread Armor: You’ve modified your armor to be more
Characteristics: Health +5 durable and deadly. You have +1 to Defense while you
Assassin: You can use an action on your turn to choose a wear your personal armor. Further, you have spikes all
creature within long range from which you are hidden. over your armor that allow you to deal 2d6 extra damage
Make a Perception challenge roll. On a success, you whenever you charge.
know where best to attack the target for 1 minute. Until Sow Terror: When you incapacitate a creature, creatures
the effect ends, when you attack the target, you make you choose within short range must each succeed on a
your attack roll with 1 boon and the attack deals 2d6 Will challenge roll or be frightened for 1 minute.
extra damage.
Level 10 Bone Dreadnaught
Saboteur: You get 2 boons on any attack rolls or challenge
rolls you make to sabotage equipment or structures. Characteristics: Health +6
Carnage: You can use an action to sweep your personal
Bone Dreadnaught heavy weapon around you in a lethal arc. Choose any
number of target creatures within 1 yard of you and make
Every army has shock troops, and the Dreadnaughts are the a single attack roll against all of them. A target you hit
shock troops of the Bone Army. Hugely powerful, heavily with Health 20 or less takes damage equal to its Health;
armored, and enormously frightening, Bone Dreadnaughts all other targets you hit take normal damage from your
excel at punching through the front lines, laying waste to weapon.
lesser troops, and spreading fear. A well-placed unit of
Dreadnaughts can break the enemy’s morale and end the
fight before it begins. Chittering One
Requirement: You must have the Bone recruit expert path. There are insect-weavers who become so closely attuned
to insects that they start to take on insectoid aspects. These
chittering ones are strongly ostracized from polite society in
New Gaia, and many people in other parts of the world also
look them askance, but they gain abilities that make them
A bone consummate survivors, spies, and combatants.
dreadnaught
in full armor Requirement You must have discovered the Insect Meld
praying to Gaia
before a battle. Essence tree.
Level 7 Chittering One
Attributes: Increase any three by 1

Characteristics: Health +1, Essence +1, Perception +1,
Defense +1
Essence Bond: Gain one Insect Meld power or talent.
Insectile Form You graft insectile body parts onto
yourself, granting yourself various abilities.
Choose two abilities from the following list:
༄ Carapace: Health+4, Defense +1
༄ Legs: You can move through spaces occupied
by other creatures, and you can move across
all forms of difficult terrain at full speed, even
when climbing or swimming.
༄ Mandibles: You gain a natural weapon that
deals 2d6 damage.
༄ Wings: You can leap three times your normal
jumping distance. When you take damage from
landing after a fall, you can use a triggered
114
action to make an Agility challenge roll. On

a success, you reduce the damage from the
fall by the total of your roll. If you reduce
the damage to 0, you land on your feet.
༄ Eyes and Antennae: Perception +1. You
gain shadowsight, and you cannot be
surprised as long as you’re conscious.
Your insectile body parts carry with them
a disadvantage: people are frequently
uncomfortable around you. Any social attack
rolls you make to charm, seduce, or otherwise
interact with people suffer 1 bane. This does
not apply to attempts to intimidate, or to
interactions with other insect-weavers.
You have the ability to grow these body
parts very quickly, and you can attach and
detach them, given enough time. When you
complete a rest, you can reconfigure your
body, replacing old insect body parts with
new ones. If you choose to do so, take 1 Strain
or spend 1 Seeker point. You can replace any
of your insect body parts with different ones;
you take 1d6 damage for each body part you
replace.
Level 10 Chittering One
Essence Bond: Gain one Insect Meld power or A chittering one commands his
swarm to devour a dead foe.
talent.
Insect Graft: You can graft insectile body parts
onto creatures other than yourself, provided
they’re willing to undergo the process. When you
1 minute. While poisoned this way, it is also dazed
complete a rest, choose a willing creature you can touch
and slowed. If the target is already poisoned this
that also just completed a rest. That creature gains one
way, it takes 3d6 extra damage. At the end of each
of the benefits listed under Insectile Form. However,
round, a target poisoned this way must make a
this process is painful and stressful to the human body
Strength challenge roll. On a failure, it takes 1d6
and causes the target to take 1 Strain and 1d6 damage.
extra damage. You can also use an action to secrete
The target also suffers the same bane on social rolls
your poison into food or drink. Any target that
that you do from Insectile Form. The target’s insectile
consumes the poisoned substance is affected as
body part lasts until they complete a rest, at which point
above, though they do not take damage from your
they can choose to let it wither and fall off, or take 1d6
bite. Once you deal damage with or secrete your
damage to keep it, as it leeches blood from their body.
poison into food or drink, you cannot use the talent
Improved Form: Each time you complete a rest, choose again until after you complete a rest, or until you
one of your benefits from Insectile Form. It is take 1 Strain or spend 1 Seeker point to replenish
temporarily improved as follows: your poison.
༄ Carapace: You take half damage from weapon ༄ Wings: You can fly at your Speed, but you must end
attacks, but you suffer a -2 penalty to Speed. your movement on solid ground.
༄ Legs: You never have to make challenge rolls to ༄ Eyes and Antennae: Creatures cannot hide from
climb, and you can climb on vertical surfaces. you while they’re within short range, even if they’re
༄ Mandibles: When you successfully attack a creature invisible. Creatures that attack you with melee
with your mandibles, you can use a triggered action attacks do so with 1 bane.
to deal 2d6 extra damage from poison. A target The improvement you choose lasts until you
that takes the extra damage must get a success on complete a rest, at which point you can make the same
a Strength challenge roll or become poisoned for choice again or a different choice.
115
Demon-Blooded Level 10 Demon-Blooded
There are many paths to becoming demon-blooded.
Seethe: When your Demonic Rage would normally be
Some become corrupted by demons, making deals with
activated, you can choose to delay it for 1 round. Each
them in exchange for power. Others drink demon blood,
time you do, you take 1d6 damage as your demonic
eventually taking on demonic aspects through prolonged
blood boils inside of you, and you make Intellect and
exposure. Still others survive battles with powerful
Will attack and challenge rolls with 1 bane for 1 round.
demons only to find that they’ve been irrevocably changed
However, eventually you must release your rage and,
by the experience. There are even stories of people who
when you finally do, it is terrible to behold. You gain the
are born demon-blooded, though it often takes time for
following additional benefits when your Demonic Rage
the effects to manifest themselves. Whatever the origin,
activates:
the demon-blooded are powerful individuals who are
terrifying when angry…and they get angry easily. ༄ You get a +3 bonus to Health for each round you
delayed your Demonic Rage.
Level 7 Demon-Blooded
༄ You make attack rolls against targets you’ve marked
Attributes: Increase any three by 1 with 1 additional boon for every round you delayed
Characteristics: Health +6, Defense +2 your Demonic Rage.
Demonic Countenance: Your demonic blood gives ༄ For every round you delayed your Demonic Rage,
off an aura of unwholesomeness that makes people you deal 1d6 extra damage on the first successful
uncomfortable. While this grants you 1 boon on any attack roll you make against a target you’ve marked.
attack rolls you make to intimidate, it also causes people
not to trust you. You make all other social attack and
challenge rolls with 1 bane.
Dread Pirate
Pirates are common on the high seas of Asunder, but
Savage Attacker: You add your Strength modifier to the
only the most feared pirates are given the title of Dread
damage rolls of attacks you make using melee weapons.
Pirate. These individuals are living legends, people whose
Demonic Rage: When a creature you can see deals reputation for piracy and violence is so great that they
damage to you, you automatically fly into a rage rarely have to fight the crews of ships they plunder; the
against that creature. The target becomes marked ships simply surrender when they see the Dread Pirate’s
for 1 minute, until it becomes incapacitated, or until flag bearing down on them.
you become unconscious. Until the effect ends, you
Requirement: You must own a ship of at least medium
cannot use this talent again, but you have all of the
size, and you must have a crew capable of piloting that
following benefits and drawbacks:
ship.
༄ You make weapon attack rolls against targets you’ve
marked with 1 boon, and your weapon attacks deal Level 7 Dread Pirate
1d6 extra damage against them.
༄ Targets you have marked are frightened while within
your reach.
Languages and Professions: You can speak an additional
༄ If a target you marked moves away from you, you
language or add a martial or criminal profession.
can use a triggered action to move up to your Speed
toward the target. Black Flag: Your reputation is such that you’re a living
legend. When you encounter an NPC, you can use
༄ You make attack rolls against creatures other than
an action to declare that they’ve heard of you and are
targets you’ve marked with 2 banes.
afraid. If you do so, you get the following benefits and
༄ If you go an entire turn without attacking a target drawbacks for 1 minute, until the target is incapacitated,
you’ve marked, you take 1d6 damage as your demon or until you become unconscious:
blood boils inside your veins.
༄ The target is frightened.
Demonic Hate: You gain the following additional fatal flaw:
༄ You get 1 boon on any social attack rolls you make to
“I sometimes fly into a demonic rage when provoked or
intimidate or coerce the target.
insulted.” If you choose to escalate the situation with
this fatal flaw, you automatically use Demonic Rage ༄ You get 1 boon on any weapon attack rolls you make
against the creature who provoked or insulted you. You against the target.
also receive an additional Seeker point for escalating the ༄ You cannot be charmed, compelled, or frightened by
situation. the target.
116
༄ The target is hostile to you. The Keeper is the arbiter ༄ Your natural weapons deal 1d6 extra damage.
of what precisely this means. ༄ You can breathe water as easily as air, you can swim
Wanted: When you enter a settlement, roll 1d6. If your roll at your Speed, and you never have to make challenge
is odd, you are wanted in that settlement and there’s a rolls to swim.
reward on your head. Authority figures, such as guards ༄ You are immune to the poisoned affliction, and you
and soldiers, will recognize you and try to arrest you on take half damage from poison.
sight. If you resist, they’ll try to kill you.
When this effect ends, you must make a successful roll
Dread Crew: Your first mate becomes difficulty 250 and on Strength or take 1 Strain.
your second and third mates become difficulty 50.
Choose appropriate NPC or creature stats to represent
your mates; your first, second, and third mates need not
be human.
Level 10 Dread Pirate
Legendary Ship: Your ship becomes a legendary ship, as
described in Chapter 8. You and your crew get 1 boon on
all attack and challenge rolls while on your ship.
Evolved One
Among the Seafarers, there are those few who spur their
mutations to such a degree that they become something
more than human. They catalyze mutations within
themselves and even gain the ability to spur powerful,
short-term mutations that make them terrifying creatures
indeed. Seafarers hold these beings in reverence, seeing
their mastery over their own bodies as a sign of the
divine.
Requirement: You must have discovered the
Adaptation Essence tree.
Level 7 Evolved One

Characteristics: Health +5,
Essence +1
Essence Bond: Gain
one Adaptation
power or talent.
Deadly Weapons: You gain the Natural
Weapon mutation in the Sea entry in Chapter 2. If
you already have that mutation, your natural weapon
does 1d6 extra damage.
Aggressive Mutation: You can use an action to catalyze a
rapid mutation in your body, making you larger, more
powerful, and far more deadly. Your mutation lasts for
1 minute, but you can extend the duration by taking 1
Strain or spending 1 Seeker point (in any combination)
per minute you add to the duration. You gain the
An evolved one’s tongue
following benefits while aggressively mutated: is now more deadly than
his blade.
༄ You gain a +10 bonus to Health.
༄ You cannot be charmed, compelled, or frightened.
117
Level 10 Evolved One Level 10 Faceless One
Characteristics: Health +5 Characteristics: Health +3

Essence Bond: Gain one Adaptation power or talent. Steal Face: You can use an action to alter your
Catalyze Adaptation: When you enter your state of appearance to match that of a target living or dead
aggressive mutation, you can use a triggered action to creature you can see within short range. The target
use an Adaptation power that you know. Using a power must be the same Size as you and must have a
in this way doesn’t expend a use of that power, and it humanoid shape of flesh and blood. Your body changes
lasts for as long as your aggressive mutation does. You so you look like the target, and you can even alter the
cannot use the Mutate entry in the power you use as appearance of your clothing and possessions to match
part of this talent. your new identity. The effect lasts until you use this
talent again, or until you use Escape Notice. If you
become incapacitated, you immediately revert to your
Faceless One normal appearance.
There are people in the world who simply escape notice.

Your eyes roll off them, you don’t remember what they look Gestalt Master
like, and you can’t quite recall ever having met them. These
faceless ones make superlative infiltrators and impostors; Battle meditation is an important component of Black Isle
they’re able to blend in with any crowd, look like anyone, life. It is the technique that allows demon hunters to face
and even mimic specific people for a time. Most don’t even demons one-on-one, and its power comes from one person
believe they exist, though the legends persist. That’s just the assuming the abilities of many. Those who perfect this
way the faceless ones like it, for they use their appearance- technique are rare, but they become powerful individuals
altering talents to manipulate global events from behind indeed, able to become one with nearly any group, to enter
the scenes. the minds of others, and to work in tandem with their
group better than anyone else.
Level 7 Faceless One Requirement: You must have discovered the Battle
Attributes: Increase any three by 1 Meditation Essence tree.
Characteristics: Health +3 Level 7 Gestalt Master

Languages and Professions: You can speak another Attributes: Increase any three by 1
language or add a criminal profession.
Escape Notice: You can use a triggered action on your
turn to become utterly forgettable. Make an Intellect Essence Bond: Gain one Battle Meditation power or talent.
challenge roll; if you succeed, you’re effectively hidden Group Consciousness: You gain the group mind power. If
until you use an action or a triggered action, after you already have this power, you can use it 1 additional
which you must wait 1 minute until you use this talent time. You can use group mind as a triggered action on your
again. You can use this ability while you’re being turn.
observed, or even while you’re in conversation with Strength of Many: While under the effects of group mind,
someone. you make all attack rolls with 1 boon, and all Perception
While you’re hidden in this way, people can’t challenge rolls with 1 boon.
remember details about you even if they speak to
you; you’re just another piece of background scenery. Level 10 Gestalt Master
If you’re in a restricted area of some sort, any time
someone interacts with you, you must make an Intellect Characteristics: Health +4
attack roll against their Intellect, as a triggered action. Essence Bond: Gain one Battle Meditation power or talent.
If you succeed, the effect remains in place, the target
Open Mind: You can focus on one creature within short
assumes you’re where you’re supposed to be, doing
range as a triggered action on your turn. When you do,
what you’re supposed to be doing, and the target moves
spend 1 use of group mind or 1 Seeker point. You gain one
along to leave you to your devices. If you fail, the effect
of the following benefits:
immediately ends.
༄ You predict its movements and intent. You gain 1
Consummate Manipulator: Whenever you’re acting under
boon on attack rolls you make against it, or it gains 1
an identity that is not your own (even no identity at all,
bane on attack rolls it makes against you. This effect
such as from Escape Notice), you get 2 boons on any
lasts for 1 minute.
Intellect or Will attack rolls you make to coerce, seduce,
deceive, or manipulate others. ༄ You read its surface thoughts. Ask the Keeper one
question that the target would know the answer to;
118
A gestalt master uses his battle meditation power, Ten Fists As One, to attack a demon. 119
the Keeper will answer honestly, within the bounds Walkers under your control, make another Will roll. If
of the target’s knowledge. you succeed, you can summon more walkers, up to your
༄ You detect lies. For the next 1 minute, whenever the new result minus the number of walkers you currently
creature lies, you know. have under your control.
Transfer Power: While under the effects of group mind, Level 10 Green Commander
you can use an action to make someone else within your
group mind the recipient of all group mind-based effects
you’re currently under. You lose those benefits. This effect Green Champion: You learn the Green Champion power,
lasts until you use this talent again, or until group mind’s which is described below.
duration elapses.
Green Champion Utility 1
Green Commander Area A cube of space, 2 yards on a side, originating from a point
within medium range and resting on a solid surface that
contains at least one corpse
Nobody quite knows what the Green Army is or
understands its purpose. Simple observation shows it to be You summon a single compelled Blight Champion or
a mobile force of the walking dead, corpses animated by a Blight Stalker (see Keeper’s Tome Chapter 6 for details). It
strange fungus. The Army attacks settlements sometimes, remains until you complete a rest or it is destroyed.
but other times it leaves them alone. Sometimes the dead
Consume: As an action, you can touch a Blight Walker under
will take a side in a battle, other times they simply attack
your control and consume its animating force. This destroys
everyone. Despite this inscrutability, people generally agree
the Blight Walker and heals you for half your healing rate.
that there is a purpose to their actions. This assumption
You may consume a Blight Champion or Blight Stalker, too;
is based in the fact that the Green Army is often directed
doing so requires you to take 1 Strain or spend 1 Seeker point
by living people. These leaders somehow have the power
but heals you for twice your healing rate.
to control the dead. Green Commanders are rare, and
many believe they are chosen by Gaia herself to enact her
unknowable will upon Asunder. Guerrilla
Level 7 Green Commander Hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and other disruptive tactics
are key to the success of small groups who want to take on
larger groups. In Sky City, the people who live on the Rebel
Characteristics: Health +1, Essence +1 Islands frequently have to defend their homes from the
Army of Green: You learn the Army of Green power, which more numerous, better-equipped noble houses. On New
is described below. Gaia, the Red Alliance often makes use of guerrilla tactics.
On the mainland, the Bone Army employs guerrillas, as
Army of Green Utility 1 does virtually every other mercenary company on Asunder.
Area A circle on the ground with a 10 yard radius within short The list goes on and on; wherever there’s a small force
range, which must have one or more corpses in it taking on a larger force, guerrillas even the odds.
You release fungal spores from your body, infecting and Level 7 Guerrilla
animating the corpses in the area. Make a Will challenge
roll; if you’re in an area of significant vegetation, you
make this roll with 2 boons. If you succeed, you animate Characteristics: Health +3, Speed +2
each corpse in the area, summoning a Blight Walker Mobility: When you take a fast turn, you can use an action
(see Keeper’s Tome Chapter 6 for details) for each, up to and move. Your movement on any turn never triggers free
a maximum equal to the number of your Will challenge attacks.
roll. These walkers remain until you complete a rest or
they are destroyed. Harrier: If you move at least half your Speed before you
The walkers are under your control. You can issue a make an attack, your attack deals 1d6 extra damage.
command to a single walker at a time as a triggered action, Camouflage: When you are obscured or covered in any
choosing that walker’s next action. You can also issue way, you can use an action to hide. You cannot use this
a command to all of your walkers at once as an action, talent to hide from people who are currently observing
though the command must be simple: attack, retreat, stay, you; however, you can, as a triggered action on your turn,
etc. Any walkers you do not issue commands to act under make an Intellect attack against the Will of a creature you
the Keeper’s control, usually attacking those who attack can see to create a distraction. If you succeed, you may
you or following the last command they were given. hide from them.
If you use this power while you still have Blight
120
A Pacari guerrilla fighter learns information from his bondmate on the location of his next target. 121
Level 10 Guerrilla the triggering creature’s Will. On a success, you turn

the triggering creature’s success into a failure, and the
Characteristics: Health +3 triggering creature becomes charmed for 1 minute or
Ambush Tactics: Your weapon attacks deal 1d6 extra until it’s attacked. On a failure, the triggering creature
damage to surprised targets and to targets from which becomes immune to this talent until it completes a
you are hidden. rest. This talent only works on creatures that would
reasonably be able to understand and respect your
Coordinated Attack: When you make a weapon attack
authority, though they need not be creatures you
against a creature that has been attacked by one of your
actually have direct authority over.
allies within the last 1 round, you get 1 boon on the attack
and it deals 1d6 extra damage. Deference: You get 2 boons on any social attack rolls you
make against weavers and other citizens of New Gaia,
Trapmaker: You can use an action and spend time
provided you outrank them. This applies to the Will
concentrating to create traps that you can place in the
attack you make when using Authority, too.
environment. The amount of time and money you
spend determines what kinds of traps you can make, as Level 10 Hand of Gaia
listed below.
Guerrilla Trap-Making
Essence Bond: Gain one Plant Control power or talent.
Time Trap Level
Awaken Plant: You learn the awaken plant power, which is
1 minute Novice or below
described below.
1 hour Expert
4 hours Master Awaken Plant Hand of Gaia Utility 1
Target One Size 2 or smaller plant within short range
Work with the Keeper to determine the exact nature Duration 1 minute
and cost of your trap.
The target becomes a compelled construct of its size for
the duration. Unless the plant is already ambulatory, its
Hand of Gaia Speed is 0. The plant gains sentience and the ability to
speak one language of your choice for the duration.
Though the Council of Mothers is the ruling body of When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
New Gaian society, there are many other Hands of Gaia extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use
– sometimes known as matriarchs – who act as political of this power, take 1 Strain, or spend 1 Seeker point. You
leaders, spiritual advisers, thought leaders, and pioneers can instead choose to take 1d6 Strain and spend 1 Seeker
of technology across the known world. The Hands of point when you extend the duration; if you do, the effect
Gaia are almost universally women, though occasionally becomes permanent.
a man shows such exceptional skill that he is accepted
into their ranks (any such male is still called a matriarch).
Where the Council of Mothers rule New Gaia, the Hands House Agent
run it. They handle many of the day-to-day tasks that the
Council doesn’t have time to deal with and ensure that The noble houses of Sky City employ agents whose job
the Council is free to focus on the most important issues. it is to protect their interests. These agents have official
Even outside of New Gaia, the authority of the Hands of ties to the house and receive lands, titles, and other
Gaia is recognized and respected. privileges in return for the services they provide. These
services include rooting out spies and thieves, conducting
Requirement: You must have discovered the Plant Control surveillance, interrogation and, when necessary,
Essence tree. assassination. House agents are feared by those who live
Level 7 Hand of Gaia on the Rebel Islands, as well as by any trying to hide
something from the nobility.
Level 7 House Agent
language or add one academic profession. Characteristics: Health +3, Perception +2
Essence Bond: Gain one Plant Control power or talent. Languages and Professions: You can speak an additional
language or add a martial or criminal profession.
Authority: When a creature gets a success on an attack
roll against you, you can use a triggered action to Mark Target: You can use an action or triggered action on
cow the creature. If the creature can hear you and your turn to mark a creature within medium range that
understand what you say, make a Will attack roll against you can see. Your mark lasts until you use this talent
122
Agents around the World

Though this master path assumes a connection with a noble house of Sky City, any number of large, wealthy organizations
around the world could employ agents like this. With a little reframing and reskinning, your house agent could be an agent
for a mercantile consortium, a spy-catcher for the Council of Mothers, a counter-espionage agent for the Bone Army, or any
number of other types of agents.
again, until your target is incapacitated, or until you

become unconscious. When you have a target marked, Light-Chosen
you gain the following benefits:
A very few people who are touched by and survive the Pure
༄ While within short range, creatures you have marked Light become so changed by it that they can hardly be said
cannot hide from you, even if they’re invisible. to be human anymore. Those who believe that Pure Light is
༄ While within your reach, creatures you have marked divine point to these exceedingly rare individuals as proof and
are frightened. see them as living prophets; evidence that although the gods
have left Asunder, divinity still remains and guides humanity.
༄ You get 2 boons on social attack rolls you make
against creatures you have marked. Requirement: You must have access to the Chaos Essence tree.
༄ You get 1 boon on challenge rolls you make to find or Level 7 Light-Chosen
track creatures you have marked.
༄ You know whenever a creature you have marked
speaks a deliberate lie while in your presence. Characteristics: Health +2, Perception +2
༄ If a creature you have marked moves away from you, Languages and Professions: You can speak an additional
you can use a triggered action to move up to half your language or add a profession.
Speed toward it. Threads of Light: You can perceive the inner workings of
House Ties: You’re an official agent of a noble house, which the universe and read the threads of light that bind all
grants you the following benefits: things. What’s more, you can manipulate these threads
to alter fate. Each time you complete a rest, you receive
༄ You get 1 boon on social attack rolls you make against three threads. For each, roll a d20 and make note of the
members of your house, or people over whom your resulting number. The threads last until you expend
house holds authority. them or you complete another rest.
༄ Once per session, you can call on your house for a When a creature you can see makes an attack roll or
favor. Work with the Keeper to determine the exact challenge roll, you can swap out the number rolled with
nature of the favor, but access to a restricted area, a number from one of your threads by expending it. Once
escaping legal consequences, or requisitioning an you expend the thread, cross off the number.
expensive piece of equipment are all appropriate While you have at least one thread, you have darksight,
favors. you cannot be surprised while conscious, and creatures
within short range of you cannot hide from you, even if
These benefits aren’t free. You’re a representative of
they’re invisible. You can be blinded, but as long as you have
your house and, in public, you’re expected to comport
at least one thread, you ignore the effects of that affliction.
yourself appropriately and represent the house well. If
you bring disgrace or trouble to your house’s door, it may Level 10 Light-Chosen
disavow you, stripping you of this talent until you find a
way to make amends. Characteristics: Health +2
Level 10 House Agent Cut Thread: Once per round, you can use an action and
expend a thread to target a living creature you can see (or
Characteristics: Health +3 if blinded, touch). Make a Will attack against the target’s
Strength. If you succeed, the target takes damage equal to
Vigilance: You can have up to three creatures marked at
its Health. Once you use this talent, you are blinded for 1
once with your Mark Target talent. Each target requires
hour. If you’re already blinded, you take 3d6 damage.
you to use an action or triggered action to mark it.
Strengthen Thread: Once per round, you can use an action
Twist the Knife: When you get a success on a weapon
and expend a thread to target a living creature you can
attack roll against a creature you have marked, you
see. That creature heals all of its damage. Once you use
can use a triggered action to either deal the weapon’s
this talent, you are blinded for 1 hour. If you’re already
maximum damage or cause the creature to be impaired
blinded, you take 3d6 damage.
for 1 minute.
123
Mnemonicist it must be a rank 0 or 1. You immediately use that power;

this is considered to be part of the same action as using
tap Essence. If you choose a talent, you are considered to
Theories abound in the academic institutions of Hyden
have that talent for 1 minute, though this power does not
about the nature of Essence. Most agree that it is the
give you access to any Origin talents and cannot grant
manifestation of the divine spark, imbued into the first
you bondmates or other companions. If you emulate a
humans by the gods before they left. It’s also a universally
power, tap Essence does not fulfill prerequisites such as
accepted fact that Essence grants people abilities based on
being part of a group mind or having a bondmate.
where they were born. But there are many subtleties and
vagaries in the study of Essence, many points of contention Trade Memory: When you use this power, you can choose
and disagreement. One such point is Memory Theory: to expend the use of a different power you know as well.
the assertion that the collective memories of all humans If you do, you can emulate an Essence power with a rank
are bound together in the Essence of Gaia, and that each less than or equal to the rank of the power you expend.
human’s memories are added to the World Memory when For example, if you expend a use of Tap Essence and a use
that human dies and their Essence is absorbed by Gaia. of a rank 4 power, you can emulate a rank 4 power from a
Whether or not this theory is true, it is a fact that there are different Essence tree.
individuals who seem capable of tapping into memories
that aren’t theirs.
Packmaster
Level 7 Mnemonicist
On Pacari, packmasters are those rare individuals who
Attributes: Increase any three by 1 gain such mastery over their bond with the animals of
the world that those animals see packmasters as one of
their own. They can move freely among animals, speak
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from an to them, command them, call on their aid, and lead them
Essence tree you’ve discovered, or you discover one into battle. Packmasters often become the leaders of Pacari
Essence tree; it need not be an Essence tree you have access to. tribes, allowing those tribes to hunt more effectively, defend
Dream Memories: When you complete a rest, make two their lands, and live in harmony with the animals in their
choices. For each, choose a profession you don’t have or a territories.
language you don’t speak. If you choose a profession, you Requirement: You must have discovered the Beast Bond
now have that profession. If you choose a language, you Essence tree.
can speak, read, and write it. These choices last until you
use this talent again. Level 7 Packmaster
Tap Memory: As an action, you spend 1 Seeker point to Attributes: Increase any three by 1
tap the collective memory for the knowledge you seek.
Make an Intellect challenge roll with a number of banes
that you choose. On a success, you can ask the Keeper Essence Bond: Gain one Beast Bond power or talent.
one question for every bane you added to your Intellect Mind of the Beast: You can speak with all animals,
challenge roll; the Keeper will answer your questions regardless of species.
truthfully, though she’s limited by human knowledge
and understanding. On a failure, you are flooded with Leader of the Pack: Add your Will modifier (minimum 1) to
memories you can’t filter or block out, causing you to be your party’s level to determine number of animals you can
dazed for 1 minute. At the end of this duration, whether have charmed at once. In addition, any animals charmed
you succeed or fail, you are impaired for 1 hour. by you make attack and challenge rolls with 1 boon.
Level 10 Mnemonicist Level 10 Packmaster
Characteristics: Health +2 Characteristics: Health +4
Essence Bond: You learn one power or talent from an Essence Bond: Gain one Beast Bond power or talent.
Essence tree you’ve discovered, or you discover one Alpha: As an action, you can make a Will attack roll against
Essence tree; it need not be an Essence tree you have access to. the Will of all animals within medium range. Make a
Tap Essence: You learn the tap Essence power, which is single attack roll and compare it to each animal’s Will.
described below. Each animal you hit is charmed by you for 1 hour. An
animal you fail to charm is immune to your use of this
Tap Essence Utility 1 talent until it completes a rest. To determine how many
animals you can have charmed at once, multiply your
Choose either an Essence power or Essence talent from
party’s level by 20 and compare that number to the total
any Essence tree, regardless of whether or not you’ve
difficulty of all animals you have charmed; animals in
discovered it or have access to it. If you choose a power,
124
A packmaster uses Leader of the Pack to summon an army of Tusk Mice to aid in his hunt. 125
excess of this number are not charmed, but if they were Level 7 Sea King
hostile to you, they no longer are.
Stir the Pack: As an action or a triggered action on your
turn, you can spend 1 Seeker point to stir your pack into a Characteristics: Health +4, Essence +1
heightened state of action and violence. This heightened Essence Bond: Gain one Sea-Calling power or talent.
state lasts for 1 hour and, while under its effects, all
Ocean’s Voice: You can speak with all animals, monsters,
animals in your pack, including any bondmates you have,
and other creatures that have the swimmer trait,
deal 1d6 extra damage with attacks and both move and
regardless of species.
take an action when they take a fast turn.
Command the Sea: As an action, you can make a Will
Sea King attack against a creature within short range that has
the swimmer trait, or against a living ship within short
range. If you succeed, the creature is compelled for 1
Among the seafarers, Sea Kings (or Sea Queens) are rare
minute. If you fail, it becomes immune to your use of
individuals of immense power. Their mastery over the
this ability until it completes a rest, and it gets 1 boon on
creatures of the depths and the waters themselves are the
any attack rolls it makes against you.
stuff of legend, and many doubt that these beings even
exist. Indeed, if they do, they keep themselves isolated, Level 10 Sea King
rarely venturing onto land, preferring instead to live out on
their ships to commune with the denizens of the deep and Characteristics: Health +4
to take what they like from the ships they pillage. Essence Bond: Gain one Sea-calling power or talent.
Requirement: You must have discovered the Sea-Calling Serpent Bond: You develop an Essence bond to a sea
Essence tree. serpent with a Size no larger than 2.
Your bonded serpent is friendly to you
and acts on your behalf. Your serpent acts on
its own in combat, but you can use an action
or a triggered action to issue it a command,
allowing you to choose its next action.
You can ride your serpent; while you do
so, it doesn’t get its own actions. You
move at its Speed and can make use of
its swimmer trait, and you can breathe
underwater while you’re riding your
serpent. You can also use your serpent’s
attack options instead of your own.
While riding your serpent, you are not
affected by the heat it radiates, and you
take half damage from fire.
If your bonded serpent dies,
you take 1d6 Strain. You can bond with
a new serpent by spending 48 hours
meditating near or on the sea, after
which time a new serpent answers your
call.
Skinwalker
The Pacari speak of skinwalkers in
hushed tones. These beings shed their
bodies as easily as they shed clothes,
changing from one form to another,
altering their appearance, and preying on
whom they like. Most skinwalkers live out
in the wilderness, away from civilization,
pursuing a deeper understanding of their
own physical forms. A few, though, linger
around civilized areas, giving themselves
126 A Sea King bonds so closely with a serpent one can hardly tell the two apart.
over to their predatory instincts, hunting their fellow

humans for food and sport. These skinwalkers are
feared, but also respected for their power and their
deep knowledge.
Requirement: You must have discovered the Beast
Aspect Essence tree.
Level 7 Skinwalker

Essence Bond: Gain one Beast Aspect power or
talent.
Skinwalk: As an action, you can assume the form
of an animal of your Size. You keep your Health,
Intellect, and Will traits, but you use your new
form’s other attributes, characteristics, and attack
options as if they were your own. You cannot
use Essence powers while in this form, and you
cannot speak except to other members of your
new species. If you wish, you can take 1 Strain
or spend 1 Seeker point when you enter this form
in order to gain one of the following traits for the
duration: flier, climber, or swimmer. You remain in
this form until you use an action to revert to your
normal form, use this talent again to assume a
different form, or become unconscious.
Predator’s Instincts: You gain the following
additional fatal flaw: “I see other humans as
A Pacari skinwalker holds its latest kill while using
prey.” When you escalate the situation with this Greater Skinwalk to be half-human, half-beast.
fatal flaw, you get 1 boon on all attack rolls and
challenge rolls you make against humans for 1
minute.
Level 10 Skinwalker
Soultaker
Essence Bond: Gain one Beast Aspect power or talent. Soultakers roam the world harvesting Essence for Gaia and
adding to her power. They are servants of the Wellspring,
Greater Skinwalk: While in a form other than your natural a mystical force that holds Essence for Gaia, which the
form, you gain the following benefits: soultakers can tap when they have need. Most people don’t
༄ You get a +10 bonus to Health. know these beings exist or what their purpose is, and the
harvesting of a being’s Essence is a difficult thing to observe
༄ You get 1 boon on attack and challenge rolls.
without specialized equipment and preparation. But
༄ You deal 1d6 extra damage with your natural soultakers do exist, and they take the Essence from those
weapons. they kill for purposes only Gaia knows.
༄ You gain one of the following traits: flier, climber, Level 7 Soultaker
swimmer, or poisonous.
In addition, when you use Skinwalk, you can alter Attributes: Increase any three by 1
your body to be partially bestial rather than changing Characteristics: Health +4, Essence +1
completely into a beast. To do so, take 1 Strain or spend 1
Essence Bond: You discover an Essence tree you have access
Seeker point; you gain all the advantages of Skinwalk and
to, or you gain one power or talent from an Essence tree
Greater Skinwalk, except that you can speak to humans
you’ve already discovered.
normally, you can use Essence powers, and you have a
humanoid shape that allows you to make use of weapons, Drink Soul: As an action, you can drain the Essence and
tools, clothes, and other things designed for humans. memory of a helpless or unconscious human you can
127
128 A soultaker uses Consume Soul to heal her wounds.

reach. Make a Will attack against the target’s Will. If you air, consume plant life, and strip flesh from bone. Now,
succeed, the target takes damage equal to its Health, and the weavers of New Gaia keep a close eye on the insect-
you choose one profession, language, or power that the bonded, watching for signs that new Swarm Lords might
target possessed. If you choose a profession, you have emerge.
that profession for 1 hour. If you choose a language, you Requirement: You must have discovered the Insect Control
can speak that language for 1 hour. If you choose a power, Essence tree.
you must have a high enough Essence to learn that power
Level 7 Swarm Lord
but you need not have access to the Essence tree it’s a
part of. You gain a single use of that power, which you Attributes: Increase any three by 1
must expend within 1 hour. This talent doesn’t emulate
prerequisites for powers you steal in this way, such as Characteristics: Health +2, Essence +1, Perception +1
being part of a group mind or having a bondmate. If Essence Bond: Gain one Insect Control power or talent.
your Will attack fails, the target takes 2d6 damage and
Strip Flesh: As an action, you can spend 1 use of any
you can’t use this talent on the target again until you
Insect Control power to attack a creature or organic
complete a rest.
object within medium range with your Cloud of Insects.
Fade the Mind: As an action, you can touch a human An object is consumed by your Cloud of Insects.
within your reach and disrupt its Essence. Make a Will Against a creature, make a Will attack roll (with 1 boon
attack against the target’s Will. If you succeed, you per rank of the power you expend to make the attack)
deal 1d6 damage and the target must succeed on a Will versus the target’s Agility. If you hit, you deal 2d6
challenge roll or be fatigued for 1 minute. If the target damage, plus 1d6 extra damage per rank of the power
is already fatigued, it becomes dazed for 1 minute. If it’s you expend to make the attack. If you miss, the target
already dazed, it becomes unconscious for 1 minute. takes half damage. If the target is incapacitated by this
talent, it dies immediately, its flesh stripped from its
Level 10 Soultaker
bones. Your Cloud of Insects must be active in order
Characteristics: Health +2 to use this talent. You may spend 1 Seeker point to use
this talent without spending a use of an Insect Control
Essence Bond: You discover an Essence tree you have power if you wish; if you do, it functions as if you’d
access to, or you gain one power or talent from an spent a rank 1 power.
Essence tree you’ve already discovered.
Summon Insects: You learn the summon insects power,
Strengthen Essence: When you use Drink Soul on which is described below.
someone, you can choose to forgo the normal benefit
in order to gain 1 use of an Essence power you know, up Summon Insects Swarm Lord Utility 1
to your maximum number of uses for that power. You As a triggered action, you summon your Cloud of Insects
may use Strengthen Essence on powers you’ve gained back to you. If your Cloud of Insects is already present, it
through Drink Soul. fills all space around you out to short range for 1 minute.
Consume Soul: When you use Drink Soul on someone, For the duration, any creatures you choose get 1 bane on
you can choose to forgo the normal benefit in order to attack and challenge rolls for the duration.
heal damage equal to your healing rate. Mastery: You can expend a use of any Insect Control power
Efficient Disruption: When you use Disrupt Essence on instead of expending a use of summon insects when you
someone, you get 1 boon on your attack roll, and the use this power.
target makes its Will challenge roll with 1 bane.
Level 10 Swarm Lord
Soul Memory: When you use Drink Soul on someone,
you retain professions, languages, and powers until you Characteristics Health +2
complete a rest. You gain one additional use of powers Essence Bond: Gain one Insect Control power or talent.
gained through Drink Soul.
Scourge of Devastation: You learn the scourge of devastation
power, which is described below.
Swarm Lord Scourge of Devastation Swarm Lord Attack 2
When weavers express fear about their insect-bonded Area A circle with a radius of 10 yards, centered on a point you
cousins, it’s the Swarm Lords they’re talking about. There can reach
was a time, long ago, when there was open warfare Duration 1 minute
between plant-weavers and insect-weavers. The war ended
You summon a great plague of insects to consume
when the plant-weavers subjugated their kin, but before
everything in the area, empowering and maddening
that happened the self-styled Swarm Lords laid waste to
them. For the duration, each creature you choose in the
great swaths of New Gaia, directing their insects to fill the
area takes 2d6 damage each round and is impaired while
129
in the area. Plant life is utterly consumed by the insects,

as is any food or other inanimate organic matter. At the Symbiont
end of the duration, or if you leave the area, all insects in
Living gear is an important part of life in Asunder.
the area die, including your Cloud of Insects.
People use it to accomplish tasks they otherwise
Mastery: You can expend a use of any Insect Control couldn’t, or to make difficult tasks routine; they use
power of rank 2 or higher instead of expending a use of living gear for war, for exploration, and for medical
scourge of devastation when you use this power. treatment. Most modern conveniences come
from pieces of living gear. Despite this
dependence on symbiotic organisms,
there remains one persistent problem
with such items: they drain the user
over time. A single person
can’t bond to more than a
few pieces of living gear
without risking their
health, and even using
living gear safely carries
risks. What’s more, living
gear withers and dies when
not bonded to someone,
making it difficult to keep
more than a few pieces at a
time. Some people seek to
transcend these limitations,
though, entering into true symbiotic relationships with
their gear.
Requirement: You must have discovered the Symbiosis
Essence tree.
Level 7 Symbiont

Essence Bond: Gain one Symbiosis power or talent.
Symbiotic Attunement: You have symbiont points
equal to your Strength or Will modifier, your choice
(minimum 1). You regain all spent symbiont points
when you complete a rest, and you can use symbiont
points to do the following:
༄ You can bond with a piece of living gear as an action
by spending 1 symbiont point.
༄ When living gear would cause you to take Strain, you
can spend 1 symbiont point instead.
༄ When living gear would cause you to take damage,
you can spend 1 symbiont point to reduce that
damage by 3 (minimum 0).
༄ When a piece of living gear would cause you to
make an attack or challenge roll, you can spend any
number of symbiont points, gaining 1 boon on the
triggering roll per point spent. This does not require
an action.
A symbiont uses Merge to Merge: You can spend 1 symbiont point and use an action
embed a thorn cannon to spend 1 minute in concentration with a piece of
before battle.
living gear you’re bonded to. At the end of that period,
130
your body merges with that piece of living gear. While Level 7 Unkillable
merged with a piece of living gear, it does not count
against the number of pieces of living gear you can be Attributes: Increase any three by 1
bonded to at once; it does not require you to take any Characteristics: Health +8
damage upon completing a rest; and it cannot be taken
Essence Bond: Gain one Body Conditioning power or talent.
from you or removed from your person in any way
short of being cut from your body. This effect lasts until Implacable Stance: As an action or triggered action on your
you use this talent again. You can only merge with one turn, you can enter an implacable stance. While in this
piece of living gear at a time. When you spend symbiont stance, you gain the following benefits and drawbacks:
points to grant yourself boons on attack or challenge ༄ You take half damage from weapons, fire, and cold.
rolls you make with a piece of merged gear, you gain an
༄ You cannot be charmed, compelled, or frightened.
extra boon on the roll.
༄ You cannot fall prone against your will.
Level 10 Symbiont
༄ You cannot be moved against your will.
Characteristics: Health +5 ༄ You make Strength attack and challenge rolls with 1
Essence Bond: Gain one Symbiosis power or talent. boon.
Consume Symbiont: You can consume one piece of living ༄ You make Agility attack and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
gear you’ve merged with as an action. Consuming a ༄ You are slowed.
piece of living gear destroys it and grants you one of the
following benefits. This effect lasts until you end the stance as an action
or triggered action on your turn, or until you become
༄ You regain all of your spent symbiont points. unconscious. When the effect ends, you are fatigued for 1
༄ Choose Strength or Agility; you gain 2 boons on all hour.
attack and challenge rolls with the chosen attribute
Level 10 Unkillable
for 1 hour.
༄ You heal damage equal to your healing rate. Characteristics: Health +8
༄ You treat the result of a fate roll as if you’d rolled a 6 Essence Bond: Gain one Body Conditioning power or talent.
(this use of Consume doesn’t require an action). Inviolate Self: You gain the following additional benefits
Deep Connection: You get 1 boon on any attack or while in your Implacable Stance.
challenge rolls you make with living gear you’ve merged ༄ You are immune to the blinded, deafened, diseased,
with, and such gear deals 1d6 extra damage when it fatigued, and poisoned conditions.
deals damage.
༄ You take no damage from poison or disease.
Store Symbiont: You can spend 1 symbiont point and use
an action to take one piece of consumable living gear ༄ You no longer have to eat or breathe.
entirely into your body. When you use a power that ༄ If you take damage equal to your Health from a single
the consumable grants you, you do so with a triggered source, it doesn’t kill you outright (though you’re still
action. You can only store one consumable piece of incapacitated and still must make fate rolls).
living gear at a time.
༄ When you would be incapacitated, you may spend
1 Seeker point to remain conscious until you next
Unkillable take damage, after which you have the choice to
spend a Seeker point or become incapacitated
Black Isle legend has it that those who pursue relentless again. If you end your Implacable Stance with
self-improvement, those who tap into their Essence to damage in excess of your Health, you immediately
strengthen their bodies far beyond mortal capabilities, become incapacitated and begin making fate rolls.
become relentless, unstoppable beings who cannot die. If you end your Implacable Stance with damage
Whether or not this is true is anyone’s guess, but there equal to or greater than twice your Health, you
are certainly Black Islers with such mastery over their immediately die.
bodies that they can shrug off blows that would kill
anyone else outright; ignore the effects of poison and
disease; walk through fire; and aging no longer seems to Veteran
affect them.
Asunder is no stranger to war, and soldiers exist
Requirement: You must have discovered the Body everywhere. What separates a soldier from a veteran is one
Conditioning Essence tree. thing: experience. Veterans have the wisdom of having lived
a life of war and survived it. They know how to live through
131
132 A veteran uses Flow of Battle to lay waste to the ape men of Pacari.
a battle, how to strike to best effect, and how to exploit

an enemy’s weaknesses. Their knowledge goes beyond War Marshal
that, though: a true veteran knows the flow of combat, is
When someone is a lifelong student of battle, war, tactics,
familiar with the dance of war, and knows how to turn one
and leadership, that person becomes a force to be reckoned
moment’s setback into victory the very next.
with on the battlefield. These individuals are capable
Level 7 Veteran combatants on their own, but a war marshal is at her peak
when she has a team or an army to lead. War marshals fight
Attributes: Increase any three by 1 smart, and they do so by understanding their opponents so
Characteristics: Health +6 they can exploit their weaknesses, and by understanding
their allies so they can capitalize on their strengths.
Languages and Professions: You add a martial profession.
Words of Wisdom: You can use an action and spend 1 Level 7 War Marshal
minute talking to up to 10 creatures, preparing them for Attributes: Increase any three by 1
a battle to come. Provided the creatures can hear and
understand you, at the end of this time each creature gets Characteristics: Health +5
1 boon on all weapon attack rolls and deals 1d6 extra Languages and Professions: You add a martial profession.
damage on weapon attacks for 1 hour. Once a creature
Battlefield Tactics: You have a number of tactics points
has benefited from this talent, it cannot do so again until
equal to your Intellect bonus (minimum 1). When an
it completes a rest.
ally you can see makes an attack against the Strength,
Flow of Battle: When you incapacitate a creature, you get Agility, or Defense of a creature you can see, and that
1 flow point. You can have a maximum number of flow ally can hear you, you can use a triggered action to
points equal to your party’s level. When you make a spend 1 or more tactics points by shouting advice to
weapon attack, you can spend any number of flow points; your ally. For each tactics point you spend, you grant the
each flow point either grants you 1 boon on the attack roll ally one of the following benefits:
or causes the attack to deal 1d6 extra damage on a success.
༄ Your ally makes the attack with 2 boons.
When a creature attacks you, you can use a triggered
action to spend any number of flow points; for each flow ༄ Your ally deals 2d6 extra damage on the attack.
point you spend, the creature gets 1 bane on the triggering ༄ If the creature attacks your ally within 1 round, it does
attack. If you become unconscious or go 1 minute without so with 2 banes.
attacking a creature, your flow points reset to 0.
You can choose the same option more than once for a
Call Out: As an action, you can call out a creature that can single attack; doing so increases the number of boons or
see and hear you within medium range. The creature banes by 1, or increases the damage dealt by 1d6. You can
remains called out for 1 minute, until you end this effect use an action to recover 1 tactics point, provided there are
as a triggered action;until the target is incapacitated; until enemies within your line of sight that you can observe,
you become unconscious; or until you use this talent again. up to your maximum.
While you have a target called out, you make attack rolls
against other creatures with 1 bane. However, each time Fortify: You can fortify an area in preparation for an enemy. To
you attack the target or it attacks you, you get 1 flow. do so, you must spend at least an hour preparing a circle of
ground with a 50-yard radius, though you may spend more
Level 10 Veteran time doing so. For each hour you spend fortifying the area,
add one of the following features to the area:
༄ Cover: Add 10 square yards of obstacles that provide
Old Soldiers Never Die: When you take damage that would half cover to anyone hiding behind them. If you
incapacitate you, you can use a triggered action to spend limit the area of preparation to 5 square yards, the
any number of flow points. Reduce the damage by 1d6 for obstacles provide full cover.
every flow point you spend.
༄ Hiding Spots: Create hiding spots for up to five
Advice in Practice: When a creature you can see makes creatures. A creature hiding in a hiding spot gets 2
an attack while benefiting from your Words of Wisdom, boons on challenge rolls made to hide.
you can use a triggered action to spend any number of
༄ Difficult Terrain: Cover 15 square yards with difficult
flow points. For each flow point you spend, the triggering
terrain.
attack gets 1 boon or deals 1d6 extra damage. The creature
must be able to hear and understand you in order to gain ༄ Traps: Create a Starting, Novice or Expert-level trap
this benefit. in the area.
Dance of Steel: You have a bonus to your Defense equal to You can also enlist the help of your allies. For every two
your current flow point total. allies you enlist, you can either increase the area’s radius by
20 yards, or you can add an additional feature to the area.
133
Level 10 War Marshal Your titan skin must spend at least 4 hours every
day rooted to the ground, gathering water and
Characteristics: Health +5 nourishment from it, and it needs at least 4 hours of
Know Thy Enemy: If you’re able to observe a group of sunlight every day. For every day that it’s deprived of
enemies for 1 minute, whenever you enter combat these requirements, it takes a cumulative -10 penalty to
with that group of enemies in the next 24 hours, Health. The entire penalty disappears if it fulfills this
you do so with twice as many tactics points as usual; requirement again.
your maximum is likewise increased. At the Keeper’s If your titan skin receives damage in excess of its
discretion, similar groups of enemies can confer the same Health, you fall prone adjacent to it, and it is destroyed.
benefit. For example, if you observe a hunting group of
Naga from a particular tribe, then later fight a different TITAN SKIN
hunting group from the same tribe, the Keeper could Size 2 construct
award you this benefit for both groups. Perception—
Eye for Weakness: You can use an action or a triggered Defense 16 Health 65
Strength 16 (+6), Agility 8 (-2), Intellect —, Will—
action on your turn to get back 1 tactics point. If you
Speed 6
wish, you can use both your action and triggered action Immune damage from disease and poison and the conditions
on the same slow turn; if you do, you regain 3 tactics asleep, fatigued and poisoned.
points. You may also spend 1 Seeker point to regain 2
ATTACK OPTIONS
tactics points without using an action.
Melee Attack Wooden Fist, blade or whip. (3d6, or 6d6 against
Wooden Titan objects and structures)

Ranged Attack Thorn spitter or canon. 1d6 + 2 damage. Medium
range.
Wooden titans are the shock troops of the Wooden Replenish You can use an action to root your titan skin to the
Legion. Their wooden skins have grown to prodigious size ground, immobilizing it for 1 minute. Once 1 minute has
elapsed, your titan skin heals 3d6 damage. Once you’ve used
and are capable of enormous havoc. Some who join the
this talent, you cannot do so again until you’ve completed a rest.
ranks of the Legion start off as titans, while others become Root You can root your titan skin to the ground for 4 hours as an action.
titans after serving in the Legion for a time, growing their After 4 hours have elapsed, your titan skin heals all damage and loses
skins to titanic proportions. all afflictions from which it suffers.
Level 7 Wooden Titan Level 10 Wooden Titan

Attributes: Increase any three by 1 Characteristics: Health +5
Characteristics: Health +5 Mighty Oak: Your wooden skin grows strong and hardy.
Titan Skin: You create a massive construct of wood and Increase its Health by 25 and its Defense by 2. Its wooden
bark and leaves called a titan skin. Your titan skin is fist attack deals 1d6 extra damage, or 2d6 extra damage
15 feet tall and weighs 2,000 pounds, and you can have against objects and structures.
only one at a time. If you already have a wooden skin,
your wooden skin grows to become a titan skin. Replace
your wooden skin’s base stats with those of the titan skin,
Wyvern Knight
below, but you retain any enhancements you’ve applied The Wyvern Knights of Sky City are the elite soldiers of
to your wooden skin. Any further enhancements you the nobility. Highly trained in martial combat, the Wyvern
would apply to your wooden skin instead apply to your Knights also have the advantage of air superiority. Only
titan skin. the Wyvern Knights are allowed to ride Sky City’s few
If your titan skin is destroyed, you can grow a new trained wyverns, and each Knight imprints herself on
one to replace it. Doing so requires you to focus your a wyvern shortly after hatching. This develops a strong
Essence and shape plant matter for at least 96 hours, emotional attachment, a parental relationship that grants
though these hours need not be continuous. At the end both Knight and wyvern an unparalleled unity. Wyverns
of this time, you have a new titan skin. are fierce creatures, independent hunters more powerful
Your titan skin cannot act on its own; without you to than most creatures on Asunder, and each Wyvern Knight
pilot it, it is inert. However, you can enter your titan skin has her wyvern’s unfailing loyalty and respect.
as an action. While you’re inside your titan skin, you use
its Defense, Health, Strength, and Agility scores as your Level 7 Wyvern Knight
own, you move at its Speed, and you can use its attack
options in place of your own. You also have access to Attributes: Increase any three by 1
its immunities. When you use an Essence power that Characteristics: Health +4
targets living gear, you can target your titan skin. Languages and Professions: You add a martial profession.
134
Wyvern Companion: You have a trained wyvern

(see their stats in the Keeper’s Tome Chapter
6) that accepts you and only you as its rider.
The wyvern is highly trained and smarter
than most, with an Intellect of 10. You can
communicate basic ideas to your wyvern
with words and body language, and it’s
capable of understanding complex commands.
While you’re not riding your wyvern, it is
compelled by you.
While you’re riding on your wyvern, it
doesn’t get its own actions. You use its Speed
instead of your own, and you have access
to its flier trait. You direct your wyvern, and
when you attack you can choose to use its
attack options instead of your own. Creatures
can choose to target either you or your
wyvern. If a creature attacks your wyvern,
you can use a triggered action to redirect
the triggering attack to yourself; you can do
the reverse if you are the target.
If your wyvern is incapacitated, you can
spend 1 hour tending to it, provided you
do so within 1 minute. If you do, you nurse
it back to health, and it becomes conscious
again with damage equal to half its Health.
If your wyvern dies, you must travel back to
the Academy in Sky City and imprint upon
a new wyvern, a process that takes several
months. At the end of this time, you have a
new wyvern.
While you’re riding it, your wyvern gets the
following benefits:
༄ +10 bonus to Health
༄ +2 bonus to Defense
༄ +2 bonus to Speed A Wyvern Knight defending the
Sky Isles against a rebel army
༄ 1 boon on all attack rolls uses Swooping Charge.
Call Wyvern: You have a special whistle you
can use to call your wyvern. When you use it
as an action, your wyvern will fly directly to
you if it is within 1 mile, conscious, and able to
hear and fly.
Knight’s Code: You are a member of the Wyvern Level 10 Wyvern Knight
Knights of Sky City, a knightly order sworn to serve
the nobility and uphold law and justice. You follow the Characteristics: Health +4
Knight’s Code, which acts as an additional fatal flaw. While Tend Mount: You can use an action and spend 1 minute
you are taking actions in pursuit of the Code, you make tending to your mount. At the end of this time, make an
attack and challenge rolls with 1 boon. The Code reads: Intellect challenge roll with any number of banes. On a
I am a Wyvern Knight, the shield of law. success, your mount heals 1d6 damage for each bane you
Sky City is my home, and I will defend it to the death. added to the Intellect challenge roll.
I swear by my life to defend those who cannot defend Swooping Charge: When you take a fast turn while riding
themselves, your wyvern, you can both move and take an action.
To right wrongs as I see them occur, If you move at least half your wyvern’s Speed before
To overturn injustice and tyranny, making an attack, your attack deals 1d6 extra damage and
And to represent Sky City with dignity and respect. the target is grabbed by your wyvern if its Size is smaller
Always. than your wyvern’s Size.
135
136 A freed arena warrior holds his wyvern skull axe and beetle shield high.
Chapter
Eight Equipment
B
one clubs, crystal daggers, suits of chitinous armor, for weapons represents this minor living gear nicely; for
and all the other tools a character might need to adventuring gear, clothing, or armor, it’s largely a matter of
survive in a world without metal and gods are unique and creative description.
described in this chapter. The major notable exceptions are When you’re coming up with gear for your Seeker, ask
living gear and chaos gear, which are described in Chapter 9. yourself: what does my weapon look like? What’s it made
out of? How is it unique to the culture I came from? What
A World kind of armor do I wear? How is that unique? How does my
set of lockpicks look different from my Pacari companion’s
Without Metal set? And so on.
Keepers, feel free to describe gear in a wide array
There is no metal of any kind in Asunder; the gods took of different styles. People from Asunder use whatever
it all when they left to fight their far-away war. This lack materials they can find that will work, and there are a
of a building material so common on other worlds has number of kinds of materials available on Asunder that
forced the people of Asunder to find other things to make don’t exist in our world. Do the weavers the players face
tools, weapons, armor, farming equipment, currency, and wear thick, rubbery mushroom caps for armor? Are their
myriad other things out of. What this means for you as daggers fashioned from the carapaces of large insects? Are
a Seeker is that you’ll describe things a little differently. their clothes made of leaves? Use vivid descriptions to drive
Your buttons aren’t made of copper, they’re made of bone. home just how different Asunder is from our own world.
You don’t carry silver coins in your purse, you carry small Have fun with it!
slices of gems that are used for currency. Your spear tip
isn’t made of steel, it’s fashioned out of carved stone or
obsidian.
Prices
For the most part, this is merely color for your Seeker’s The people of Asunder use gems as the common currency
story; you don’t have to worry about your equipment being of the world. These aren’t minted into coins or carved to
exceptionally brittle because it’s all exceptionally brittle. reflect any particular nation; rather, they’re measured by
Your axe is made of bone, which isn’t as hard as steel, but size. A gem used as currency is roughly the size of a marble:
your opponent’s armor or shield is only wood or lacquered small enough to carry several in a pouch, but large enough
leaves. to be worth something. Larger gems can be exponentially
It’s also an opportunity to be creative. The people of more valuable, but sometimes people break these up into
Asunder have had to adapt to a world without metal, smaller pieces when they need quick cash.
and they’ve done so in a variety of unique ways. Building There are five gems commonly recognized as currency in
materials are different in different parts of Asunder, so your Asunder; most other precious stones are rare enough that
tools, weapons, and armor will look different from those they aren’t used directly to buy things, but are exchanged
of people from other parts of the world. The rules reflect for numerous, less valuable gemstones. Most people refer
this; instead of a list of specific weapons and armor, there to these gems by a colloquial nickname usually tied to their
are general rules for armor and rules for creating your own color, but either name in the table below is commonly
weapons. This is to encourage you to make things up; to recognized. Of particular note are pearls, which are often
describe interesting, weird pieces of gear, even gear that cut into slivers to act as pocket change. The poor deal
might be alive in some way. The people of Asunder do, after primarily in slivers, while the middle class tend to deal in
all, develop symbiotic bonds with creatures that they use as pearls and sapphires. The wealthy deal almost exclusively
weapons and tools on a regular basis. in emeralds, diamonds, and rubies.
Bonding with symbiotic organisms, or using living
things as gear, is a way of life on Asunder. While most Gems by Value
of the truly powerful living gear is covered in Chapter 9,
minor pieces of living gear are common. For example, you Gem Nickname Value
might use a harvested spore pod as a waterskin, or your Emerald Green 5 whites
weapon might be the still-living branch of a tree, able to Diamond White 5 reds
grasp at and rake your foes. Thorn-spitters are a common Ruby Red 5 blues
piece of minor living gear: gas-filled pods that attach to Sapphire Blue 5 bobs
your arm and shoot thorns at your foes upon a mental
Pearl Bob 5 slivers
command. The people of Asunder use thorn-spitters much
like our ancestors used crossbows. The bonded property Pearl sliver Sliver 1 sliver
137
Chapter 8: Equipment
Checking for Maintenance

If it helps remind you to check for things like gear
wearing out or living expenses, follow this list, in order, Availability
whenever you play a session of Asunder.
Availability describes how easy it is to find a particular
1. Resolve lifestyle effects from previous adventure. item. Common (C) items include those things that
2. Pay living expenses. communities depend on for survival. These items can
be found almost anywhere people live. Uncommon (U)
3. Play through the adventure. items require specialized training to produce and are
4. Level up. thus available only in communities with populations of
1,000 or more. Rare (R) items are made from expensive
5. If you choose an expert or master path, replace your
materials, require skilled craftsmanship and are available
gear.
in communities with populations of 5,000 or more. Finally,
illegal (I) items cannot be bought on the open market; you
must find someone willing to deal in such objects on the
black market, and such people tend not to live outside of
Sky City or the city-states of the mainland.
To make things easy to track, prices in this book are listed
in terms of slivers, pearls, and sapphires; the higher forms
of currency are primarily there for color, and you can use
Carrying Limits
as you like or not at all. So, for example, if something in this You can reasonably carry or wear a number of items equal
book costs one diamond, it would instead be listed as costing to your Strength score by holding them in your hands
25 sapphires. or strapping them to your body. If you exceed your limit,
but no more than twice your Strength score, you become
Other Commodities encumbered. While encumbered, you’re slowed and you
Crafts, textiles, base materials, food, livestock, and other make all Strength and Agility rolls with 1 bane.
such things have nearly universal value, and people often ༄ Clothing and Accessories: Wearable items such as
trade them directly. Most folk living outside of the city- clothing, necklaces, rings, crowns, and the like count
states find more value in tangible goods than in gems, as one item. Elaborate apparel, heavy clothing, and
though, and sometimes won’t accept them in trade; costumes count as two items.
this makes currency gems rarer and less useful in the
wildernesses of Asunder. In Sky City, art has tremendous ༄ Gems: Every ten loose gems you carry count as one
value, and can command a high price; it’s somewhat less item. Larger gems might count as multiple, smaller
sought-after in the city-states and practically worthless gems, at the Keeper’s discretion.
elsewhere unless you can find a collector. ༄ Containers: A container and everything it contains
counts as a single item. You could, for example, stuff
In Sky City, gems are your backpack with adventuring gear. While you keep
precisely cut and marked,
making them their own the stuff in your pack, it counts as one item.
pieces of art. Not true in
other lands. You can fit about 500 gems or a 1-foot cube of
items in a sack or backpack, 1,000 gems or a 2-foot
cube of items in a wooden box, and 5,000 gems or a
4-foot cube of items in a typical chest. A chest or a
lock box are quite heavy and become heavier when
loaded up. Such containers count as three items
instead of one.
Replacing Equipment
The game assumes you keep your gear in good repair:
patching holes in your clothing; keeping your
weapons oiled and sharpened; replenishing your
stores of food and water with materials you forage
during your travels; and recovering your ammunition.
No matter how fastidious you are about keeping
up with your goods, old items wear out and must be
replaced. When you choose an expert path or master path,
your old gear that is not living gear, chaos gear, or made of
glass wears out and must be replaced.
138
Living Expenses Comfortable
In addition to keeping up with armor, weapons, and You live well enough and you have enough to cover all of
other equipment, characters must also pay for their living your living expenses. At the start of the adventure, make an
expenses to cover things like housing, food, clothing, and Intellect challenge roll with 1 bane. On a success, you save
entertainment. Rather than account for each sliver spent, up 1d6 slivers.
the game abstracts expenses by letting you purchase a Wealthy
lifestyle. Starting characters determine their lifestyles
randomly by rolling dice (see Chapter 2 for details). You You enjoy many of the finer things in life, having enough
remain at that lifestyle for the duration of the adventure. wealth to live in a fine house, have nice clothes, and in a
When you finish the adventure, you must buy another status that opens doors to the rich and powerful. At the
lifestyle. The benefits or drawbacks of the new lifestyle start of the adventure, make an Intellect challenge roll. On
last until the end of the next adventure, at which point you a success, you save up 1d6 pearls.
must pay for your living expenses to remain at your current
lifestyle or pay the expenses for a different lifestyle. Rich
You live in luxury. You probably have a townhouse or
Living Expenses an estate in the country with servants in attendance and
Lifestyle Price every comfort provided. At the start of the adventure,
make an Intellect challenge roll. On a success, you save up
Destitute — 2d6 pearls.
Poor 2 slivers
Getting By 1 pearl Armor
Comfortable 1 sapphire
Armor is any clothing or worn gear designed to protect
Wealthy 5 sapphires
you from weapons or other attacks. It comes in three basic
Rich 25 sapphires or more varieties: light, medium, and heavy. That said, armor comes
in a dizzying array of forms, from chitinous plates from
Lifestyle Descriptions giant insects, to hardened leaves, to animal hide, to the
bones of great beasts. When you choose armor, you decide
The following entries describe the most typical examples what form it takes.
of the basic lifestyles. They might include other drawbacks Each armor description includes that armor’s cost in
and benefits at the Keeper’s discretion. gems; its availability; a number of examples of what such
Destitute armor might look like; the Defense that it grants you; any
requirements you must meet in order to wear it; and any
You live on the streets or in the wilderness. You struggle to special rules you are subject to while you wear it.
get by, go without shelter and food for days at a time, and If you do not meet the requirements to wear a particular
have a miserable existence. At the start of the adventure, type of armor, you suffer 1 bane on all Strength and Agility
make a Will challenge roll with 1 bane plus 1 bane for each attack and challenge rolls while wearing it.
consecutive adventure you started with this lifestyle. On a
failure, you lose one object worth 1 pearl or more of your Light Armor
choice. If you have no objects to lose, you become diseased. Cost: 1 pearl
At the end of each day, make a Strength challenge roll with Availability: Common
1 bane. On a success, you remove the affliction. Look: leathers, hides, gladiator plates, lacquered leaves
Poor Defense: Agility +1
Requirements: None
You live in squalid conditions, possibly in a tiny rented Special Rules: None
room shared with others, and survive on meager stores. At
the start of the adventure, make a Will challenge roll. On Medium Armor
a failure, you lose one object worth 1 pearl or more. If you Cost: 5 sapphires
have no objects to lose, you instead become diseased as Availability: Uncommon
described under destitute. Look: shaped bark, chitin, bone, hardened leather
Getting By Defense: Agility +3
Requirements: Strength 11 or higher
You earn enough to make ends meet. You likely have Special Rules: You make challenge rolls to swim or move
a rented room or a small hovel in a poorer part of the silently with 1 bane
community.
139
Heavy Armor
Weapons
Cost: 125 sapphires
Availability: Rare There are many kinds of weapons in Asunder, from thorn-
Look: heavy bone, heavy chitin spitters to bone whips to short chips of crystal used as
Defense: 16 throwing knives. When you buy a weapon, choose one of
Requirements: Strength 13 or higher the basic types of weapons below. Each type of weapon
Special Rules: -1 Speed, you make challenge rolls to swim has its own statistics and rules, as well as its own cost. You
or move silently with 1 bane can, however, add properties to your weapon at the cost of
increased price. You can add as many properties as you like
Horok-Bone Armor to a weapon and, in some cases, you can even add the same
property multiple times. Each time you add a property to a
Cost: 1,000 sapphires or more
weapon, double its cost. Some properties can only be added
Availability: Illegal unless you’re a member of the Bone Army
to specific types of weapons, and some weapons have built-
Look: The distinctive armor worn by the Bone Army
in properties that don’t affect their listed price. There are
Defense: 18
also certain properties that reduce the value of a weapon,
making it cheaper. Each negative property you add cancels
Special Rules: -1 Speed, you make challenge rolls to swim
out a positive property for the purpose of calculating cost. If
or move silently with 1 bane
you have more negative properties than positive properties,
Armor for Larger & you don’t get any additional price reduction.
Melee weapons use Strength for attacks by default, while
Smaller Creatures ranged weapons use Agility; a shield is considered a melee
Listed armor prices are for creatures of Size 1 and Size 1/2. To weapon for this purpose. Certain properties can change this.
determine the price of armor for larger or smaller creatures,
multiply the price by the creature’s Size. A suit of medium Unarmed Attack
armor for a Size 2 creature would cost 2 pearls, for example.
Damage: 1
Putting on & Taking Off Armor Properties: Finesse, off-hand
Special: An unarmed attack is considered a light melee
You can put on or take off clothing using an action, but it weapon for any rules that refer to light melee weapons.
takes time to put on and take off heavier armor. Light armor
takes 1 minute, medium armor 5 minutes, and heavy or Light Melee Weapon
horok-bone armor 10 minutes. With help, you can put on
and take off armor in half the time. Cost: 1 sliver
Availability: Common, Uncommon with 1 or 2 additional
properties, Rare with 3+
Damage: 1d3
Look: Crystal shard, bone tonfa, javelin, club, stone knife,
staff
Requirements: None
Properties: Finesse, off-hand
Martial Melee Weapon

Cost: 1 pearl
Availability: Uncommon, Rare with 2+ additional properties
Damage: 1d6
Look: Bone axe, crystal-edged sword, bone-link whip, spear
Properties: None
Heavy Melee Weapon

Cost: 1 sapphire
Availability: Uncommon, Rare with 2+ additional properties
Damage: 2d6
Look: Stone maul, bone greatsword, polearm, obsidian-
edged greataxe
A set of Horok-Bone armor correctly
arranged at the barracks. The shield Requirements: Strength 13 or higher
is the more desired piece of the set. Properties: Two-handed, cumbersome
140
Bone Army weaponry room.
Bone Army weaponry room.
Shield Brittle
Cost: 1 pearl The weapon is made of a brittle substance, like bone. When
Availability: Common, Uncommon with 1 or 2 additional you attack with the weapon, if the total of your attack roll
properties, Rare with 3+ is 0 or less, the weapon breaks, becoming useless. This is a
Damage: 1 negative property.
Look: Bone, chitin, wood, hardened leaves, beast hide
Requirements: Strength 9 or higher Cumbersome
Properties: Defensive +1
When you attack with this weapon, you make the attack
Ranged Weapon roll with 1 bane. This is a negative property.
Cost: 1 sapphire
Deadly
Availability: Common, Uncommon with 1 or 2 additional
properties, Rare with 3+
Light melee weapons deal 1d6 damage instead of 1d3. Martial
Damage: 1d6
melee weapons and shields deal +2 damage. Heavy melee
Look: Bow, blowgun, dart, thorn-spitter, throwing shard
weapons and ranged weapons deal an extra 1d6 damage.
Requirements: None
Properties: Range (medium) Defensive +1
Weapon Properties You add the number to your Defense while you wield this
weapon. You can add this property multiple times; each time
Bonded you do, it increases the number by 1, to a maximum of +3. You
can only add this property to shields and melee weapons.
The weapon is alive, though not a true living weapon.
It doesn’t count as a living weapon for the purposes of Finesse
calculating how many living weapons you can be bonded to
safely, but you do need to spend 1 hour bonding with it, and You can make a Strength attack roll or an Agility attack roll for
you must take 1 damage every time you complete a rest in attacks made using this weapon. If the weapon has a Strength
order to keep the weapon alive. You make attacks with the requirement, you can use Agility to satisfy it. You can only add
weapon with 1 boon. this property to light and martial melee weapons.
141
Glass 2 or larger. As
well, a weapon
Glass in Asunder is a unique material of extreme hardness for a larger creature
created when Pure Light strikes bare, clean sand. With (including unarmed
rare exceptions, it does not shatter and break as the strikes) deals 1d6 extra
material we’re accustomed to using in our own damage for each point of Size
world. Glass melee weapons are extraordinarily above 1. If the weapon normally
sharp and durable, but illegal in most civilized deals less than 1d6 damage, first increase the
areas as a result. Only bladed weapons can be made damage to 1d6 for Size 2 and then increase the damage
of glass. A glass weapon deals 1d6 extra damage and by 1d6 for each point of Size the creature is larger than 2.
anyone who takes damage from it is impaired for 1 round.
However, this property counts as three properties for the
purposes of calculating costs, and the weapon becomes Tracking Ammunition
Illegal. Openly carrying a glass weapon in a civilized area is Some ranged weapons, like bows or throwing shards, use
likely to prompt guards to confiscate it, at the very least. ammunition that must be recovered. Others, like thorn-
Range (short, medium, or long) spitters, generate their own ammunition. In either case,
Asunder uses an abstract system to track ammunition for
The weapon is a ranged weapon, and this property ranged weapons.
describes the normal range for the weapon. You can take You are assumed to have enough ammunition to use
this property again to make the range long, or you can your ranged weapon up to five times (use a d6 to track this
reduce the range to short in order to treat this property as number in combat). After, whenever you attack with a
a negative property. For details on the ranges used in the weapon that uses ammunition and the total of your roll is
game, see Range and Distance in Chapter 3. 0 or less, you run out of ammunition for that weapon and
you cannot make ranged attacks with the weapon until you
Reach +1 replenish your stores.
While in combat, you can use an action to replenish
You add the listed number to your reach when you attack with one piece of ammunition, allowing you to fire your ranged
the weapon. You can add this property multiple times; each weapon once. Outside of combat, you can take 10 minutes
time you do, it increases the number by 1, to a maximum of 3. to recover spent ammunition or allow your weapon to
You can only add this property to melee weapons. regenerate its own ammunition. Once you do this, you
restore your ranged weapon to the default state of five free
Thrown (short) shots before you have to worry about running out.
You can throw the weapon, treating it as a ranged weapon with

the listed range. You use Strength for the attack roll, unless
Improvised Weapons
the weapon has the finesse property, in which case you can You can also attack with objects you find around you. A
use Agility if you wish. If you take this property a second time, broom, a door ripped from its hinges, or a dead foe can all
increase the range to medium. You can only add this property serve when other weapons are not available. For an object
to light and martial melee weapons, or to shields. to be an improvised weapon, it must be made from a hard
material such as wood, stone, or bone. When you attack
Two-Handed
with an improvised weapon, you make the attack roll with
1 bane and the weapon deals damage based on how you
You must use two hands to wield this weapon. This is a
wield it. The Keeper will tell you which attribute to use for
negative property.
your attack.
Weapons for ༄ If you wield the weapon in your off-hand, it deals 1

damage.
Larger Creatures ༄ If you wield the weapon in your main hand, it deals 1d3
Multiply the weapon’s price, after all property damage.
modifications are calculated in, by the creature’s Size to ༄ If you wield the weapon in both hands, it deals 1d6
determine its price if it was created for a creature of Size damage.
142
Adventuring Gear Personal Gear

Wise Seekers spend some time provisioning themselves The following items are useful to any character making
and gathering gear they think will serve their purposes their way in a dangerous world.
while visiting a civilized location. The next several sections
provide you with personal gear, clothing, and services you Personal Gear Descriptions
might need. Items with special rules are described here.
Apparel and Accessories Adventurer’s Pack

This item includes a backpack, bedroll, cutlery set, tinderbox,
The items here assume standard quality and materials.
3 torches, a coil of rope (20 yards), grapnel, a week of rations,
Basic clothes include whatever people wear in the land
and a waterskin.
where it was purchased. You can describe your clothes in
whatever way you like. Candle
Generally speaking, those on the mainland favor an ever-
cycling set of popular styles or else wear utilitarian clothing. You can use an action to light a candle. A lit candle fills an
In Sky City, clothes are flowing and light, allowing for area with light out to a 1-yard radius centered on its space
maximum range of movement and designed to flutter in and remains lit for a maximum of 1 hour.
the wind.
Climbing vine
On the Black Isle, people wear skins or wool and only as
much of it as necessary. A specially treated and trained living vine. You can use an
On Pacari, animal skins are common and styles vary from action to hurl one end of the vine toward a solid surface
tribe to tribe. within medium range and make an Agility challenge roll.
The people of New Gaia wear clothes made of shaped If you succeed, the climbing vine adheres to the surface
plants, leaves, and bark. and can support up to 300 lbs. of weight at once. This is a
The Seafarers adopt any number of these styles, as much single-use item.
of the clothing they possess comes from raiding or trading.
Lantern, bone
Clothing
You can use an action to light a lantern that is filled with
A set of clothing includes enough clothing to cover you oil. A lit lantern fills an area with light in a 10-yard radius
according to the styles and decorum of your land of origin,
as well as to protect you from the elements as they exist in
your homeland. Cuts and styles vary from region to region.
Materials and quality vary based on price and function.
Additional accessories might be included in the price
where appropriate.
Clothing and Accessories

Price for Price for
Item Availability
Outfit Single Piece Adventurer’s pack
with bioluminescent
Clothing, basic 1 pearl 1 sliver Common lantern.
Clothing, cold
8 slivers 2 slivers Uncommon
weather
Clothing, ornate 5 sapphires 1 sapphire Rare
Clothing,
7 slivers 2 slivers Uncommon
entertainer’s
Clothing, noble’s 25 sapphires 5 sapphires Rare
Costume, elaborate 25 sapphires+ 5+ sapphires Rare
Costume, simple 1 pearl 1 sliver Uncommon
Jewelry NA 1 sapphire+ Rare
Uniform 1 pearl 1 sliver Uncommon
Work coveralls 3 slivers 1 sliver Common
143
centered on its space. A lantern filled with an entire flask of Sparkleaf bundle
oil burns for a maximum of 4 hours. Bone lanterns tend to
degrade with use; a bone lantern that is used for 4 hours or Harvested from specially-grown plants on New Gaia,
more during an adventure must be replaced before the next sparkleaves catch fire when torn. The leaf turns darkness
adventure. in a 1-yard-radius sphere centered on its space to shadows.
It remains lit for a maximum of 1 round. A bundle of
Lantern, bioluminescent sparkleaves contains enough sparkleaves to last for one
adventure.
This lantern is filled with bioluminescent fungus that fills
an area with light in a 7-yard radius centered on its space. Oil
A bioluminescent lantern lasts indefinitely, provided the
fungus is cared for. Such lanterns come with shutters for You can attack with a flask of oil by throwing it at one
blocking out the light. creature or object within medium range. Make an Agility
attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a success, the oil
Personal Gear covers the target and it remains covered until it spends 1
minute clearing it away. If a creature or object covered in oil
Item Price Availability takes damage from fire or lightning, the oil catches fire and
Adventurer’s pack 2 pearls Common deals 1d6 damage to the target. The target takes 1d6 damage
Backpack 1 pearl Common at the end of each round for 1d6 rounds. A creature can use
an action to extinguish the flames.
Barrel 2 pearls Common
Bedroll 1 pearl Common Torch
Bioluminescent fungus 1 pearl Common
You can use an action to light a torch. A lit torch fills a
Blanket 3 slivers Common sphere with a 5-yard radius centered on its space with light.
Box, wooden 3 slivers Common A lit torch burns for a maximum of 1 hour.
Box, bone 1 pearl Uncommon
Box, ivory 1 sapphire Rare Tools
Candle 1 sliver Uncommon Characters need tools to make use of some professions and
Chest, wooden 4 pearls Uncommon talents.
Climbing claws 1 pearl Uncommon
Climbing vine 3 pearls Rare
Tools Descriptions
Cutlery set, bone 1 pearl Uncommon Here are descriptions for tools that have special notes or
rules.
Dice or deck of cards 2 slivers Uncommon
Flask 4 slivers Common Alchemist’s Kit
Lantern, bone 1 sapphire Uncommon You use an alchemist’s kit to make medicines, manufacture
Lantern, bioluminescent 5 sapphires Uncommon poisons, and create other special items. Depending on the
Map 1 sapphire Uncommon nation of origin, it might include leaves and herbs, animal
Oil, flask 1 pearl Common
parts, powders made of ground gemstones, demon blood,
or any of these.
Pipe 2 slivers Uncommon
Pipe tobacco 1 sliver+ Common Disguise Kit
Pole, 10-foot 1 sliver Common You use a disguise kit to create a disguise for yourself or
Pouch 1 sliver Common a willing creature you can reach. You can use an action
Pot, cooking 1 sliver Common to expend a use from the kit to start disguising the
Quiver or ammunition case 1 pearl Common
target creature. It takes 1 minute of work to complete the
disguise.
Rations (1 week) 1 pearl Common
The disguise can increase or decrease the target’s
Rope, coil (20 yards) 1 pearl Uncommon height by a few inches; adjust weight by up to 25 percent
Sparkleaf bundle 1 sapphire Uncommon of normal; change hair color and skin color; add or hide
Sack 1 pearl Common distinguishing features; and cause the target to appear to
be a different gender or a member of a different ancestry.
Spike, large stone 1 pearl Common
The disguise is not good enough, however, to let a creature
Tent, 2-person 1 pearl Uncommon impersonate a specific person.
Torch 3 slivers Common Once created, the disguise remains effective for as long
Waterskin 4 slivers Common as it is worn or until the creature is exposed to something
144
The tool makers of Megalith have learned to
craft items from the creatures of the sea.
that would ruin it—water, fire, a strong wind. A suspicious Tools

creature can recognize the disguise is false by using an Item Price Availability
action to make a Perception challenge roll and getting a
Alchemist’s kit
success on the roll. (6 uses)
5 sapphires Rare
Garrote Fishing gear 1 sapphire Uncommon

Book, printed or
25 sapphires Rare
You can use the garrote when you grab a creature whose tome
Size is no more than 1 higher than your own. You must Disguise kit (6 uses) 5 sapphires Rare
wield the garrote with both hands. If you get a success on Garrote 1 sliver Common
your attack roll, the target takes 1d3 damage from the cord
Healer’s kit (6 uses) 5 sapphires Uncommon
being drawn tight around its neck and it becomes grabbed.
If the target attempts to escape, it makes its attack roll with Knuckledusters 1 pearl Common
1 bane. Musical instrument 1 sapphire+ Rare
Navigator’s
2 sapphires Rare
Healer’s Kit instruments
Net 1 pearl Common
You can use a healer’s kit to tend to injuries of one creature
within your reach. Expend a use from the kit and make an Poison 1 ruby Illegal
Intellect challenge roll. If the target is dying, you make the Prybar (3 uses) 2 pearls Common
challenge roll with 1 bane. On a success, the target heals Tool kit 1 sapphire Common
1 damage. Depending on the nation of origin, it might Torturer’s tools 2 sapphires Illegal
include leaves and herbs, animal parts, powders made of Writing kit 1 sapphire Rare
ground gemstones, demon blood, or any of these.
Knuckledusters Musical Instrument
Knuckledusters, usually made of bone with chips of stone This item includes a variety of percussion, wind, and
embedded in the knuckles, are sold in pairs, and while you stringed instruments. The Keeper sets the price based on
wear them, your attacks with unarmed strikes deal 2 extra the type of instrument sought. More exotic instruments cost
damage. 25 sapphires or more.
145
Navigator’s Instruments creature takes 1d6 damage. Three successes remove this
poisoned affliction.
This case includes esoteric instruments, charts, and other
tools useful for navigation. Prybar
Net The prybar grants 1 boon to Strength challenge rolls made

to open doors, containers, and other objects that can be
You can attack with a net by throwing it at one Size 2 or opened or closed. They’re typically made of bone, though,
smaller creature or object within short range. Make a Strength and break after 3 uses.
attack roll against the target’s Agility. On a success, the net
hits and the target becomes slowed. While slowed in this way, Tool Kit
the target makes attack rolls and Agility challenge rolls with
1 bane. A target creature slowed by the net can use an action A collection of tools used to work in one’s profession.
to either cut its way free from the net (which ruins it), or to Torturer’s Tools
make an Agility challenge roll, success on which results in it
disentangling itself from the net. Another creature can use an You can use an action to use the tools on one creature you
action to remove the net, which also removes the affliction. can reach. You must concentrate for 10 minutes, during
which time you use the tools to hurt the target, who must
Poison be present the entire time—usually because it is restrained
You can use an action to apply poison to an edged or in some way. At the end of the 10 minutes, make a Will
pointed weapon; to coat up to three arrows, bolts, or darts; attack roll against the target’s Will. You can choose to
or to sprinkle the poison into food or drink. deal damage to the target during the torture. The target
When treated with poison, weapons and ammunition takes 1d6 damage from the tools and you make the attack
remain poisonous for 1 hour or until they deal damage. A roll with 1 boon. On a success, you can ask the target one
creature that takes damage from the weapon or piece of question. The target must answer the question truthfully or
ammunition must make a Strength challenge roll. On a make up something if it doesn’t know the answer.
failure, the creature becomes poisoned for 1 minute. If the
creature is already poisoned, it takes 1d6 extra damage.
A creature that consumes poisonous food or drink must
Food &
make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane. On a failure, Accommodations
the creature takes 1d6 damage and becomes poisoned for
1 minute. If already poisoned by the food or drink, it takes Food and accommodations for travelers vary considerably
3d6 extra damage. from nation to nation. The table at left presents common
A creature poisoned in this way must make a Strength prices in settlements, particularly on the mainland, in New
challenge roll at the end of each round. On a failure, the Gaia, or in Sky City. In Pacari, inns and taverns simply
don’t exist, and a traveler must fend for themselves for
Food and Accommodations the most part. On the Black Isle, you’re given food and
accommodations if you can be useful, or if you can trade
Item Price Availability useful things for it. For both nations, use the prices on the
Accommodations 1 pearl+/night Common table at left as a general guideline.
Hirelings
Ale, pint 2 slivers Common
Beer, pint 1 sliver Common
Feed 4 slivers Common You can hire companions to undertake tasks on your behalf
Wine, common 4 slivers Common
and, sometimes, accompany you on your adventures. The
Keeper has mechanics for these characters in Chapter 6 of
Wine, good 2d6 pearls Uncommon the Keeper’s Tome.
Wine, fine 2d6 sapphires Rare ༄ Commoner: Servants, torchbearers, laborers, and
Meal, light 3 slivers Common grooms perform the tasks they were hired to perform.
Meal, common 1 pearl Common ༄ Professional: Alchemists, weaponsmiths, jewelers, and
scholars perform only those tasks for which they are
Meal, fine 1 sapphire Rare
trained and hired.
Dreamgrass 1 pearl Uncommon
༄ Bodyguard: Bodyguards are hired to protect an
Rotgut 2 pearls Common individual and are expected to fight on their behalf and
Spirits, common 3 pearls Common defend them when necessary. Contracts are typically
very precise.
Spirits, fine 1 sapphire Uncommon
146
༄ Mercenary: Mercenaries are professional soldiers and Hirelings

fight for pay. They might quit your employ if abused,
forced to take unnecessary risks, or otherwise mistreated. Item Price per Week
Commoner 3 pearls
Animals & Professional 1 sapphire
Animal Gear
Bodyguard 10 sapphires
Bodyguard, Storm Point 25 sapphires
You can purchase animals to carry your gear, fight at your Mercenary 5 sapphires
side, or be your companions. Pets and small animals can be Mercenary, Bone Army 15 sapphires
had for a few slivers. Animals in Asunder come in a wide
variety of shapes and sizes, and the people of Asunder Animals & Animal Gear
domesticate many varieties not found in our world; for
Item Price Availability
example, a raptor could represent a hawk or one of the flying
lizards of Sky City (known as svit), while a war mount could Companion (small animal or
1 sapphire Common
tiny animal)
be a warhorse or a domesticated thurud (a smaller, somewhat
less unpredictable cousin of the horok). The Keeper has rules Raptor (tiny animal, flier) 1 sapphire Rare
for these creatures in Chapter 6 of the Keeper’s Tome. Beast of burden (large animal) 2 sapphires Common
Mount (large animal) 3 sapphires Common
Land Vehicles War mount (large animal, +50%

health)
25 sapphires Rare
Land vehicles include carts, sleds, wagons, and other Bit and bridle 1 pearl Common
devices usually drawn by a beast of burden, a group of Harness 1 pearl Common
people, or sometimes an ambulatory plant.
Saddle 3 pearls Uncommon
Sled or cart Saddle bag 2 pearls Uncommon
Saddle blanket 1 pearl Uncommon
Pulled by one draft animal or five people, a sled or cart can
hold up to three people, and can move at the Speed of the
slowest creature pulling the vehicle. One passenger can be
Land Vehicles
replaced with about 200 lbs. of cargo, but the sled or cart Vehicle Price Availability
requires at least one person to drive it (though the driver
Sled or cart 25 sapphires Uncommon
can be one of the people pulling the cart).
Wagon or coach 50 sapphires Uncommon
Wagon or coach Palanquin 50 sapphires Rare
Larger than a sled or cart, wagons and coaches require

two to four draft animals to pull, and can carry up to six
Air Vehicles
passengers plus a driver. A passenger can also ride with the Vehicle Price Availability
driver, though this isn’t common practice. As with sleds and
Spore Pod 1 sapphire Common
carts, passengers can be replaced with cargo, but the driver
is required. Spore Pack 5 sapphires Common
Air Skiff 100 sapphires Uncommon
Palanquin
Typically used to ferry nobles or carry important cargo
through a city, a palanquin is carried by four to six
people, and can carry a single person, or 200 lbs. of cargo.
Palanquins don’t require a driver.
Air Vehicles
Sky City makes use of simple air vehicles made with blice
crystals, as well as specially grown spore pods that can
propel someone through the air, as long as they have a way Air skiffs are often used by
the rebel houses in Sky City
to float on their own already. These spore pods can also be for midnight raids.
used in water. The availability for these vehicles pertains to
Sky City; outside Sky City, they’re all Rare.
147
Spore Pod Finally, the noble houses of Sky City use skyships, wooden
ships crafted using traditional techniques but woven through
A single spore pod that can propel a floating person with Blice crystal to make them lighter than air.
(typically suspended by blice crystals or an Essence power) Regardless of the type of ship, ships are represented
through the air (or water) at a Speed of 5. A single spore pod using monster statistics. Wooden sea ships and skyships
has enough gas in it for about 15 minutes of continuous use, can’t act on their own, but living ships can and often do.
after which it must be replaced. While crewed by a sufficient complement of trained sailors,
the captain of a ship, regardless of type, can make use of the
Spore Pack
ship’s Speed, Strength, Agility and swimmer or flier trait,
A pack worn on the back, comprised of multiple spore and can use its attack actions and other talents. Living ships
pods (usually three). Spore packs confer a speed of 6 and may rebel against a weak-willed or unfamiliar captain; this
have enough gas for about an hour of continuous use, after is largely up to Keeper discretion.
which the spores must be replaced.
Air Skiff SMALL SHIP DIFFICULTY 50

Size 2 construct (aquatic)
A polished plank with handles and room for up to three
people, with -3 speed for each person past the first. The Perception —
Defense 10; Health 100
skiff floats on its own via embedded blice crystals and
Strength 16 (+6); Agility 10 (+0); Intellect —; Will —
is propelled by spore pods on the back. An air skiff can Speed 16; swimmer
be used to carry passengers or contained cargo (200 lbs Immune damage from cold, disease, and poison; gaining Strain;
of cargo per passenger) but requires a pilot (use Sailor asleep, blinded, charmed, dazed, diseased, fatigued, frightened,
profession). An air skiff has enough spore pods for about 6 poisoned, prone, and stunned.
hours of operation and can move at a Speed of 16. Wooden Construct A small ship takes half damage from weapons
but takes double damage from fire.
Inert Without a crew and captain, a small ship can take no actions.
Ships A small ship requires at least 10 people to crew it; with fewer, any
actions it takes suffer 1 bane. With fewer than 5 crew, it can take
no actions.
Most wooden sea ships originate either in New Gaia, where
Hold A small ship contains enough space for 12 Size 1 creatures. It
they are grown from seeds by the inventors who live there, can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is equivalent to about
or on the Mainland, where they are built using planks, 200 lbs. of cargo.
wooden spikes, tar, pitch, cloth, and other traditional
ATTACK OPTIONS
building methods.
The Seafarers use living ships: specially-mutated sea Ram (reach 1) +6 with 2 boons (5d6 damage; the small ship takes half
creatures bred and trained to effectively act as mounts, the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or smaller, or the
full amount if the target is larger. The ship must move at least half its
war beasts, cargo carriers, and homes. Generally speaking, Speed before making this attack)
Seafarers don’t take kindly to non-Seafarers operating
living ships, and the Seafarers’ use of living ships is
MEDIUM SHIP DIFFICULTY 100
tolerated by people from the various continents and islands
because they have little choice but to do so. This makes Size 3 or 4 construct (aquatic)
owning a living ship for a non-Seafarer effectively illegal. Perception—Defense 8; Health 250
Strength 19 (+9); Agility 8 (-2); Intellect —; Will —
Ships Speed 14; swimmer
Immune damage from cold, disease, and poison; gaining Strain;
Ship Price Crew Availability asleep, blinded, charmed, dazed, diseased, fatigued, frightened,
Size
poisoned, prone, and stunned.
Small Ship 5,000 sapphires 10 Uncommon Wooden Construct A medium ship takes half damage from
weapons but takes double damage from fire.
Medium Ship 15,000 sapphires 25 Uncommon Inert Without a crew and captain, a medium ship can take no
Large Ship 25,000 sapphires 50 Rare actions. A medium ship requires at least 25 people to crew it; with
fewer, any actions it takes suffer 2 banes. With fewer than 10 crew,
Small Living Ship 15,000 sapphires 8 Illegal it can take no actions.
Hold A medium ship contains enough space for 35 Size 1 creatures.
Medium Living Ship 25,000 sapphires 15 Illegal It can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is equivalent to
Large Living Ship 50,000 sapphires 25 Illegal about 200 lbs. of cargo.
Small Skyship 10,000 sapphires 10 Uncommon ATTACK OPTIONS
Medium Skyship 20,000 sapphires 15 Rare Ram (reach 1) +9 with 3 boons (10d6 damage; the medium ship takes
half the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or smaller,
Large Skyship 35,000 sapphires 25 Rare or the full amount of the target is larger. The ship must move at
least half its Speed before making this attack)
Legendary Ship Keeper Discretion NA NA
148
Legendary Ships
Legendary ships are incredibly rare and carry names that
people everywhere recognize. A legendary ship gets a +50
bonus to Health, a +2 bonus to Defense, and a +3 bonus to
LARGE SHIP DIFFICULTY 250
Speed. Legendary ships may confer other benefits as well, at the
Size 5 or larger construct (aquatic) Keeper’s discretion.
Perception—Defense 5; Health 500
Speed 12; swimmer
asleep, blinded, charmed, dazed, diseased, fatigued, frightened,
Wooden Construct A large ship takes half damage from weapons MEDIUM LIVING SHIP DIFFICULTY 250
but takes double damage from fire. Size 3 or 4 monster (aquatic)
Inert Without a crew and captain, a large ship can take no actions.
A large ship requires at least 40 people to crew it; with fewer, any Perception 14 (+4) Defense 12; Health 300
actions it takes suffer 3 banes. With fewer than 25 crew, it can take Strength 20 (+10); Agility 10 (+0); Intellect 6 (-4); Will 12 (+2)
no actions. Speed 16; swimmer
Hold A medium ship contains enough space for 75 Size 1 creatures. Immune damage from cold, disease, and poison; gaining Strain;
It can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is equivalent to poisoned and prone
about 200 lbs. of cargo. Durable Carapace A medium living ship takes half damage from
weapons.
ATTACK OPTIONS Controllable Without a crew and captain, a medium living ship
Ram (reach 1) +12 with 4 boons (15d6 damage; the medium ship acts under the Keeper’s direction. A medium living ship requires
takes half the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or at least 8 people to crew it, allowing the captain to direct its
smaller, or the full amount of the target is larger. The ship must actions; with fewer, any actions it takes suffer 2 banes. With
move at least half its Speed before making this attack) fewer than 4 crew, any time the captain issues it a command, the
captain must make a Will attack against the medium living ship’s
Will. On a success, the medium living ship obeys the captain’s
SMALL LIVING SHIP DIFFICULTY 100 command.
Size 2 monster (aquatic) Hold A medium living ship contains enough space for 20 Size
1 creatures. It can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is
Perception 12 (+2) Defense 12; Health 150 equivalent to about 200 lbs. of cargo.
Strength 16 (+6); Agility 12 (+2); Intellect 6 (-4); Will 10 (+0)
Speed 18; swimmer ATTACK OPTIONS
Immune damage from cold, disease, and poison; gaining Strain; Ram (reach 1) +10 with 3 boons (10d6 damage; the medium living
poisoned and prone ship takes half the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size
Durable Carapace A small living ship takes half damage from or smaller, or the full amount of the target is larger. The ship
weapons. must move at least half its Speed before making this attack)
Controllable Without a crew and captain, a small living ship Bite (reach 1) +10 with 3 boons (5d6 damage; ships take full damage
acts under the Keeper’s direction. A small living ship requires from this attack)
at least 4 people to crew it, allowing the captain to direct its Tentacle Lash (reach 4) +0 with 3 boons (3d6 damage and the
actions; with fewer, any actions it takes suffer 1 bane. With target is grabbed; a medium living ship can grab up to 3 creatures
fewer than 2 crew, any time the captain issues it a command, smaller than it at once)
the captain must make a Will attack against the small living
ship’s Will. On a success, the small living ship obeys the SPECIAL ATTACKS
captain’s command. Lashing Flurry The medium living ship attacks three times with its
Hold A small living ship contains enough space for 8 Size 1 tentacle lashes and once with its bite.
creatures. It can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is Ramming Bite The medium living ship attacks with its ram; if it
equivalent to about 200 lbs. of cargo. hits, it automatically hits the same target with its bite.
ATTACK OPTIONS
Ram (reach 1) +6 with 2 boons (5d6 damage; the small living ship takes A small living ship is both fast
half the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or smaller, or and fierce and, if its captain loses
control, may turn on the crew.
the full amount of the target is larger. The ship must move at least
half its Speed before making this attack)
Bite (reach 1) +6 with 2 boons (3d6 damage; ships take full damage from
this attack)
Tentacle Lash (reach 3) +2 with 2 boons (2d6 damage and the target is
grabbed; a small living ship can grab up to 2 creatures smaller than
it at once)
SPECIAL ATTACKS
Lashing Flurry The small living ship attacks twice with its tentacle
lashes and once with its bite.
Ramming Bite The small living ship attacks with its ram; if it hits, it
automatically hits the same target with its bite.
149
A large living ship races across the seas.
LARGE LIVING SHIP DIFFICULTY 500

Size 5 or larger monster (aquatic)
Perception 16 (+6) Defense 12; Health 600
Strength 25 (+15); Agility 10 (+0); Intellect 8 (-2); Will 15 (+5)
Speed 14; swimmer
poisoned and prone
Durable Carapace A large living ship takes half damage from
weapons.
Controllable Without a crew and captain, a large living ship acts
under the Keeper’s direction. A large living ship requires at least
16 people to crew it, allowing the captain to direct its actions; with
fewer, any actions it takes suffer 3 banes. With fewer than 8 crew,
any time the captain issues it a command, the captain must make
a Will attack against the large living ship’s Will. On a success, the
large living ship obeys the captain’s command.
Hold A large living ship contains enough space for 50 Size 1
creatures. It can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is
equivalent to about 200 lbs. of cargo.
Submerge A large living ship can enclose its crew in an airtight pocket
and submerge itself completely underwater for up to 3 hours at a
time. While submerged, it cannot take any actions, but it can still
move at its full Speed.
ATTACK OPTIONS
Ram (reach 1) +15 with 4 boons (15d6 damage; the large living ship
takes half the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or
smaller, or the full amount of the target is larger. The ship must
move at least half its Speed before making this attack)
Bite (reach 1) +15 with 4 boons (7d6 damage; ships take full damage
from this attack)
Tentacle Lash (reach 4) +0 with 4 boons (4d6 damage and the
target is grabbed; a large living ship can grab up to 4 creatures
smaller than it at once)
SPECIAL ATTACKS
Lashing Flurry The large living ship attacks four times with its
tentacle lashes and once with its bite.
Ramming Bite The large living ship attacks with its ram; if it hits, it
automatically hits the same target with its bite.
SMALL SKYSHIP DIFFICULTY 50

Size 2 construct
Perception—Defense 11; Health 75
Speed 18; flier
asleep, blinded, charmed, dazed, diseased, fatigued, frightened,
Wooden Construct A small skyship takes half damage from
Inert Without a crew and captain, a small skyship can take no
actions. A small skyship requires at least 10 people to crew it;
with fewer, any actions it takes suffer 1 bane. With fewer than 5
crew, it can take no actions.
Hold A small skyship contains enough space for 12 Size 1 creatures.
It can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is equivalent to
about 200 lbs. of cargo.
ATTACK OPTIONS
Ram (reach 1) +5 with 2 boons (5d6 damage; the small skyship takes
half the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or smaller,
or the full amount of the target is larger. The ship must move at
least half its Speed before making this attack)
150
MEDIUM SKYSHIP DIFFICULTY 100 Ship Weapons

Size 3 construct Weapon Price Availability
Perception— Defense 10; Health 200 Harpoon Gun 200 sapphires Uncommon
Speed 16, flier Thorn Cannon 350 sapphires Uncommon
asleep, blinded, charmed, dazed, diseased, fatigued, frightened, Ramming Gear 500 sapphires Rare
poisoned, prone, and stunned. Fire Spitter 1000 sapphires Illegal
Wooden Construct A medium skyship takes half damage from
Inert Without a crew and captain, a medium skyship can take no boons. Ship weapons aren’t affected by ships’ ability to take
actions. A medium skyship requires at least 15 people to crew it; half damage from weapon attacks.
with fewer, any actions it takes suffer 2 banes. With fewer than 10
crew, it can take no actions. Harpoon Gun
Hold A medium skyship contains enough space for 25 Size 1 creatures.
It can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is equivalent to about These specialized thorn spitters fire long, thin thorns that
200 lbs. of cargo. deal low damage, but have attached vines that allow for
easier boarding actions.
ATTACK OPTIONS
Ram (reach 1) +7 with 3 boons (9d6 damage; the medium ship takes half Attack: (range long) +2 with 3 boons (2d6 damage and the
the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or smaller, or the target is grabbed; if the target is another ship, crew can
full amount of the target is larger. The ship must move at least half its board that ship by climbing along the attached vine).
Speed before making this attack)
Harpoon Flurry: The ship attacks the same target with each
of its harpoon guns. If at least half of them hit, the target
LARGE SKYSHIP DIFFICULTY 250 is dazed and slowed for 1 round, and is grabbed. Any
Size 4 or larger construct attempts made to end the grab suffer 2 banes.
Perception— Defense 8; Health 400
Thorn Cannon
Speed 14; flier
Made more for disabling ships and dealing damage than
asleep, blinded, charmed, dazed, diseased, fatigued, frightened, grappling, thorn cannons fire masses of briars and thorns
poisoned, prone, and stunned. with the intent of doing extensive damage.
Wooden Construct A large skyship takes half damage from Attack: (range medium) +4 with 2 boons (4d6 damage).
Inert Without a crew and captain, a large skyship can take no Thorn Volley: The ship attacks with all of its thorn cannons.
actions. A large skyship requires at least 25 people to crew it; with If it attacks the same target with all cannons, all attacks
fewer, any actions it takes suffer 3 banes. With fewer than 18 crew, receive 1 boon and the target takes 2d6 extra damage.
it can take no actions.
Hold A large ship contains enough space for 50 Size 1 creatures. It
Ramming Gear
can carry cargo instead; one Size 1 creature is equivalent to about
200 lbs. of cargo. Consisting of braces, reinforcement, and big, wicked spikes,
ATTACK OPTIONS ramming gear doesn’t grant an additional attack on its
Ram (reach 1) +10 with 4 boons (12d6 damage; the medium ship takes half
own. Rather, it improves a ship’s Ram attack. Ships with
the amount of damage dealt if its target is its size or smaller, or the full ramming gear equipped take no damage from attacking
amount of the target is larger. The ship must move at least half its Speed targets their own size or smaller, and only half-damage
before making this attack) from attacking larger targets. When a ship with ramming
gear rams a target, that target takes 2d6 extra damage.
Ship Weapons This extra damage is applied after determining how much
damage the ramming ship itself takes.
Ship weapons can be purchased individually and mounted
on ships; a single ship weapon counts as a single Size Fire Spitter
1 creature for the purposes of how many creatures (or
Illegal and incredibly dangerous, fire spitters spew torrents
how much cargo) a ship can hold. If the ship has a full
of spores that ignite when they touch the air. A ship
complement of crew, assume there are enough crew to
equipped with fire spitters usually isn’t interested in taking
operate the weapons and give the captain access to their
prisoners or stealing cargo.
attack options. A single ship weapon is enough to grant its
attack option; buying three of the same ship weapon grants Attack: (range short) +4 with 2 boons (4d6 fire damage).
access to its special attack. A Seeker making use of a ship Set Ablaze: The ship attacks with all of its fire spitters. If it
weapon uses their own Agility bonus instead of the ship attacks the same target with all fire spitters, the target is
weapon’s attack bonus, but still gets the specified number of set on fire; it takes 4d6 fire damage at the start of its turn
151
until the fire is doused. A creature can take an action to Novice: You can make the sound louder or quieter, allowing
make an Agility challenge roll; success douses the fire. A it to be heard only at short range or up to long range.
ship’s crew must take action to douse the flames on a ship; Double the area your trap can guard.
this takes the actions of the ship and at least half the crew, Expert: You don’t have to rely on audible indicators; you
after which the fire is doused. If a creature submerges itself can use more sophisticated means to alert yourself
completely in water, it is doused automatically. that the trap is sprung. This means that you can cause
the trap to alert you without alerting the creature that
Traps springs the trap. You must be within a mile of the trap to
get the alert.
Some expert and master paths give Seekers the ability to Master: The trap is capable of alerting you regardless of
construct traps in their environment. This section is for distance.
them. More detailed information on traps is contained in
the Keeper’s Tome.
When you create a trap, it takes time and/or resources Obstacle Traps
according to the talent that grants you the ability to make Obstacles block areas off, making them inaccessible or hard
traps. Choose a group (starting, novice, expert, or master) to access.
and a type (alarm, obstacle, snare, or lethal). This will
provide the basic functionality of the trap; work with the Starting: You can block off an area roughly three yards by
Keeper on specifics, or if you have an unusual idea that three yards. The area is still accessible, but the obstacle
doesn’t fall neatly into these categories. requires a Strength or Agility challenge roll (your choice)
to bypass.
Alarm Traps Novice: Double the area you can block off. You can choose
to either impose 1 bane on any challenge rolls required
An alarm trap’s function is to alert you of danger, intruders, to bypass the trap, or to impose the slowed affliction for
prey, and so on. 1 minute or the immobilized affliction for 1 round if the
Starting: An audible noise sounds that can be heard in the target fails the challenge roll.
immediate area when the trap is sprung. Everyone within Expert: Double again the area you can block off. You may
medium range can hear the sound. It can guard a space require a challenge roll against any ability you choose,
roughly three yards by three yards.
152 (left to right) Obstacle Trap. Lethal Trap. Snare Trap.

Multi-Type Traps
You can add multiple types to a trap you create; increase
and the target suffers 1 bane and suffers one of the above the trap’s classification by 1 level for every level of another
afflictions on a failure. type that you add. For example, if you want a snare trap
Master: The target suffers 2 banes rather than 1 bane on the that deals damage, you might make a novice snare trap
challenge roll and suffers one of the following afflictions and add starting lethal damage to it. This trap would be an
on a failure: slowed for 1 minute, immobilized for 5 expert trap.
rounds, or stunned for 2 rounds.
Snare Traps
Snare traps are similar to obstacle traps, except that the goal
is to hold someone in place rather than keep someone out. Performance
Starting: You can trap an area roughly three yards by three
yards. Anyone entering must succeed on a Strength or
Enhancers
Agility challenge roll (your choice) or be held within the The people of Asunder cultivate a wide variety of plants,
area. The target can repeat the challenge roll each round compounds, and organisms that can be used to gain short-
to escape. term benefits. Using these is not without risk; they act as
Novice: Double the area you can trap. You can choose to drugs and can be addictive. But they undoubtedly have
either impose 1 bane on any challenge rolls required to benefits.
avoid the trap, or to impose the slowed affliction for 1
minute or the immobilized affliction for 1 round if the Using Performance
target fails the challenge roll.
Enhancers
Expert: Double again the area you can block off. You may
require a challenge roll against any ability you choose, You can use an action to use an enhancer or administer it
and the target suffers 1 bane and suffers one of the above to a willing, defenseless, or unconscious creature you can
afflictions on a failure. reach. The enhancer takes effect at the end of the round in
Master: The target suffers 2 banes rather than 1 bane on the which it is used.
challenge roll and suffers one of the following afflictions
on a failure: slowed for 1 minute, immobilized for 5 Drawbacks
rounds, or stunned for 2 rounds.
Whenever you use a performance enhancer, make a
Strength challenge roll with a number of banes specified
Lethal Traps by the enhancer you used. If you fail the roll, you suffer the
Lethal traps deal damage with the intent to kill, or at the effects specified by that enhancer.
very least discourage.
Starting: You can trap an area roughly three yards by three
Enhancer Descriptions
yards. The trap deals 2d6 damage to anyone who fails Descriptions of the enhancers’ effects follow.
an Agility or Strength challenge roll (your choice). You
may reduce the damage to 1d6 to impose 1 bane on the White Drops
challenge roll.
You empty the milky white contents of this flask into your
Novice: Double the area you can trap. The trap deals 4d6 eyes, which blinds you until the enhancer takes effect.
damage. You may reduce the damage by up to 2d6; each When it takes effect, you make Perception challenge rolls
d6 you reduce the damage by allows you to either impose with 2 boons for 2d6 hours. Until the enhancer wears off,
1 bane on the challenge roll or inflict one of the following you cannot rest.
afflictions on a failure: impaired for 1 round, slowed for 1 Drawback: You become addicted to white drops. When
round, or prone. you’re not under the effects of white drops, you suffer 1
Expert: The trap deals 6d6 damage, and creatures must bane on Perception challenge rolls. Each time you complete
make challenge rolls with 1 bane. You may target any a rest, you can make a Will challenge roll to end this effect,
ability with the challenge roll. You may reduce the damage with 1 bane for each dose of white drops you took since
by up to 4d6 to inflict afflictions as above. In addition, add your last rest.
poisoned for 1 minute to the list of afflictions.
Svit Gland
Master: The trap deals 10d6 damage, and creatures make
challenge rolls with 2 banes. Increase the duration of Harvested from the venomous flying lizards of Sky City,
afflictions as follows: impaired for 1 minute, slowed for 1 properly treated svit glands can negate the effects of
minute, poisoned for 1 hour. poison when ingested. When the enhancer takes effect,
153
remove one poisoned affliction from yourself and, for 8 Red Leech
hours, you make challenge rolls to resist poisons with 1
boon. Red leeches harvested from the Naga Swamp are known to
Drawback: Your body rejects the svit gland, making you cure diseases with their saliva. You activate this enhancer
violently ill for 1 round. During this time, you are stunned. by attaching it to your skin, which deals 1 point of damage.
You gain no benefit from the svit gland. Unlike other enhancers, you must leave a red leech in place
for 1 hour for it to take effect, during which you have a -5
Ember Beetle penalty to Health. This penalty lasts until you complete
a rest. When the enhancer takes effect, you remove all
You place this bright yellow beetle on your skin, allowing diseased and poisoned afflictions affecting you and heal
it to burrow its head into your flesh like a giant tick. This damage equal to twice your healing rate.
deals 1 damage to you. When the enhancer takes effect, Drawback: You’re impaired until your penalty to Health
you take half damage from the effects of fire and heat for is recovered.
the next 24 hours. However, for every hour that passes,
you take a cumulative -2 penalty to Health due to blood Black Drops
loss. This penalty ends when you complete a rest without
an ember beetle attached to you. You can choose to You empty the thick black substance in this flask into your
remove the beetle before it dies on its own; doing so deals eyes, which blinds you until it takes effect. When the enhancer
1 damage to you. takes effect, you can see into areas obscured by shadows or
Drawback: None. darkness as if those areas were lit out to the normal range of
your vision. The enhancer wears off after 3d6 minutes.
Sawgrass Powder Drawback: You become blind for 1 minute.
You rub this chalky green substance, distilled from ground
sawgrass seeds, into an open wound. When the enhancer Kalea Venom
takes effect, you heal damage equal to your healing rate.
Drawback: Sawgrass powder has an anesthetizing The venom of the kalea—a crystalline organism that
effect, making you impaired for 1 minute. If you’re already resembles a spider crossed with a dragonfly—is a very
impaired, you become fatigued as well for the duration. special kind of performance enhancer. For unknown
If you’re already fatigued, you become addicted to reasons, when treated and distilled using a particular
sawgrass powder. You suffer 1 bane on all Intellect and process, ingesting the venom of the kalea can temporarily
Will challenge rolls. Using a dose of sawgrass powder enhance one’s connection to their Essence bond. In game
suppresses this effect for 1 hour. Each time you complete a terms, drinking distilled kalea venom can grant you access
rest, you can make a Will challenge roll to end this effect, to an Essence power you don’t know yet, even if you haven’t
with 1 bane for each dose of sawgrass powder you took discovered the tree it belongs to. Kalea venom cannot grant
since your last rest. access to Essence powers that belong to trees your Origin
doesn’t grant you access to. Drinking undistilled kalea venom
simply uses the same rules as drinking a dose of poison.
Performance Enhancers
Enhancer Price Availability Banes
Distilling Kalea Venom
White Drops 5 sapphires Rare 1 Distilling a dose of kalea venom requires an alchemy kit,
access to undistilled kalea venom, and uninterrupted time.
Svit Gland 5 sapphires Rare 1
It takes a minimum of 1 hour to distill a low-potency dose
Ember Beetle 25 sapphires Rare NA of venom; such a dose grants access to a rank 0 power. For
Sawgrass Powder 2 sapphires Uncommon 0 every additional hour you spend distilling the venom, and
Red Leech 25 sapphires Rare 3 each additional use of an alchemy kit you expend, you can
Black Drops 5 sapphires Rare 2 increase the potency of the dose by 1 rank.
Kalea Venom Using Kalea Venom

You use venom by drinking it, which is an action. Doing so
Rank Price Availability causes you to take 1d6 damage per rank of the venom, and
Rank 0 1 sapphire Uncommon grants access to a power of the Keeper’s choice with a rank
Rank 1 5 sapphires Uncommon equal to the rank of the venom. This effect lasts for 1 hour.
Rank 2 25 sapphires Rare While under the effects of kalea venom, you can use the
granted power normally, and you have a number of uses of
Rank 3 125 sapphires Rare
that power based on your Essence score. For example, if your
Rank 4 500 sapphires Illegal
Essence is 0 and you drink a rank 0 dose of venom, you take
Rank 5 1000 sapphires Illegal no damage and have a single use of a rank 0 Essence power for
1 hour.
154
An inventor from New Gaia births a thorn spitter from her cauldron. 155
156 (from left to right) Screaming axe, weaver’s wings, lashing whip, battle rage mask.
Chapter Living Gear &
NINE Other Oddities
P
eople adapt to their surroundings as best they Bonding to Living Gear
can. In a world like Asunder, a world without
metal, where Chaos is a raw physical force and That said, living gear is not precisely safe. Every piece of
human Essence bonds to plants, animals, and other living gear is a symbiotic organism, and while the benefit
things around them, adapting means reshaping things it provides to its human host is often obvious, it doesn’t
in the world to suit your needs. The weavers of New provide that benefit for free. A piece of living gear requires
Gaia shape plants into pieces of specialized equipment, two things to continue to live and perform its function:
powerful weapons of war, and even entire buildings blood and Essence.
through their Essence bonds. Those bonded to insects do A piece of living gear’s Essence cost is represented by
similar things, as do the Seafarers with their living ships the fact that you must bond with a piece of gear in order
and crustacean masks. Living gear is an intrinsic and to use it. Bonding is an invasive process that takes about an
important part of Asunder society and commerce, though hour and deals 1 damage to you; once the piece of gear has
it’s far from safe or easy to use. bonded to you, it remains so until you sever the bond as an
Glass plays an important part in Asunder, too, though action. Because living gear feeds off of your Essence, bonding
not all glass is the same; the composition of the sand, the yourself to too many pieces at once can be dangerous. Unless
time of day, weather effects, and other esoteric factors you have a talent that increases this number, you can only be
present during its creation cause the glass to manifest in bonded to one piece of living gear safely at any given time.
different colors, each of which has a different effect. Red You can choose to bond to additional pieces of living gear,
glass holds a sharp edge and is often used in weaponry. but the process is traumatic, causing you 1 Strain when you
Black glass is nearly impervious to heat once it cools. initiate the bond, and every time you complete a rest, you
Blue glass shatters easily and with great force, making it take 1 Strain for every piece of living gear you have beyond
extraordinarily dangerous when used as a thrown weapon. your safe maximum (which, again, is usually 1). You may,
And the Chaos wielders of the mainland have learned that if you wish, pay part or all of this Strain cost by spending
clear glass—the rarest form—can hold within it pure motes Seeker points on a one-for-one basis.
of Chaos, allowing them to draw on its power later. Almost The blood cost comes in the form of damage that you
all forms of glass are illegal on Asunder and are both rare take after each rest you complete. Every time you complete
and expensive. a rest, you take 1 damage for each spent charge on each
Usually only mainlanders are able to harvest glass piece of living gear you’re bonded to. This is automatic,
since the Pure Light only strikes on the mainland. Glass and there’s no way to reduce or mitigate this damage, even
harvesting requires the utmost precision and can cause if an Essence power or other effect would normally prevent
injury or death if performed improperly, as the harvester damage. Once you do, all of your living gear regains all
must first track the Pure Light to its destination without spent charges.
being touched and then dig up the newly-fused glass A piece of living gear that goes 24 hours without being
without being harmed by any of its various deadly bonded to a living human spends 1 of its charges. If it’s
properties. already at 0 charges, it shrivels and dies, and is no longer
Beyond these things, there are other oddities that don’t usable.
fall into either category: specialized items, structures, and
so forth that people use throughout the world of Asunder. Using Living Gear
Living Gear Using a power granted by a piece of living gear is usually an
action, unless otherwise specified. Doing so also expends 1
Living gear is both common and powerful, somewhat of the item’s charges. You can still use a piece of living gear
like power tools or automatic weapons are in our world. that has no charges left, but doing so causes you to take 1
People use living gear for a variety of purposes and, though Strain as it siphons your own Essence to fuel its power.
these objects might seem strange or alien to you and I, to Some pieces of living gear are weapons or pieces of
the people of Asunder they are just another part of life. armor as well; if this is the case, using the basic function of
Living gear is a key component of warfare, agriculture, the weapon or benefiting from wearing the armor doesn’t
construction, commerce, and virtually every other aspect of require spending a charge. You only have to spend charges
life on Asunder. to use specific powers granted by your living gear.
157
Alternatives to Bonding
Sometimes you just have too much living gear to bond to at once. Sometimes you want to let a piece of gear run
autonomously for a while. There are a few different alternatives to keeping a piece of gear bonded to you constantly.
You can feed a piece of unbonded living gear by using an action, concentrating on a piece of gear you can touch
for 1 minute, and taking a -3 penalty to your Health. This keeps the piece of gear alive and healthy, preventing it
from losing charges for 24 hours. The penalty to your Health lasts until you complete a rest, and is cumulative with
penalties from other pieces of living gear that you feed. People who keep phosphorescent lanterns lit in cities often
use this technique.
You can also attach a piece of living gear to livestock. You have to coax the animal into bonding with the gear (an
Intellect challenge roll and an hour or so of concentration) but, once you do, the livestock’s blood can sustain the piece of
gear for a time. Whenever the livestock completes a rest, it takes the same damage a human would from the gear attached
to it. However, because only humans have Essence, animal blood doesn’t sustain living gear as effectively as human blood
does. Bonding a piece of living gear doesn’t prevent the gear from losing charges over time; it simply slows the rate to 1
charge per week instead of 1 every 24 hours.
Finally, many civilized areas have feeding stations, where you can attach your living gear to a plant-like blood-producing
structure. People bond symbiotically with these structures, feeding them Essence that they then pass on to the living gear
attached to them. Ethically-run feeding stations treat their tenders well, rotate them out so that nobody’s Essence becomes
too depleted, and pay them generously. Less-than-ethically-run stations use less savory practices to keep their feeding stations
stocked and healthy. In either case, keeping a single piece of living gear docked to a feeding station typically costs one pearl
per day, plus one sliver for each charge the piece of gear is capable of holding. If you leave a piece of living gear at a feeding
station for at least 8 hours, all of its charges are replenished.>
Living Gear Properties you create the living gear, and only a single rank of a given
power can be added to a given piece of gear; that is, you
Creating a piece of living gear is a process of taking a piece couldn’t add the rank 1 and rank 3 versions of a power to the
of mundane gear—like a weapon, suit of armor, disguise same piece of living gear.
kit, or ship—and adding living gear powers to it. Each living A power can be one of two types: attack or utility. Attack
gear power below has an associated price, based on its rank; powers have harmful effects and using such a power counts
this is the price for each charge the piece of gear has. Add as making an attack. Utility powers have a variety of effects.
the total price of all charges of all powers to the price of the
base item, and you’ll find the price of your living gear. Each Gear
power entry is structured like this: If the power must be attached to a specific kind of gear, that
will be listed here.
Name Keyword Type Rank
Gear Any requirements for the type of gear Target
Target or Area [number and type] target or [shape and size]
area within [range]
A power can target creatures, objects, or something else
Duration # rounds/minutes/hours/day/other/permanent (such as a point in space). This line specifies the power’s
target or targets.
Description of the effect (attack roll/challenge roll) If a power targets you and only you, its entry has no
target line.
Attack Roll 20+ Additional effect
Awareness
Top Line
You must be aware of a creature or object to target it with a
The top line of any power includes the power’s name,
power; the target cannot be hidden from you. Some powers
any keywords, what type of power it is, and the power’s
require you to be able to see the target.
rank (represented by a number from 1 to 5). The keywords
associated with living gear are: plant, insect, and sea. A Targeting Yourself
power can have multiple possible keywords, but a single
piece of living gear can only have one. When a power specifies a target, you can choose yourself
In order to bond safely with a piece of living gear, your provided you meet all stated criteria for being the power’s
Essence must be equal to or greater than its rank. If you target.
bond to a piece of living gear with a rank greater than your
Essence, you take Strain equal to its rank whenever you Unwilling Target
complete a rest. Some living gear powers can be added to Even though utility powers are generally beneficial, the
pieces of gear at multiple ranks; you make this choice when intended target might not wish to be affected. If you
158
Chapter 9: Living Gear & Other Oddities
attempt to cast a utility power on an unwilling target, When the rules describe an area of space, the area must
you must make an attack roll using Intellect (for powers be open; that is, not fully occupied by other creatures or
originating from New Gaia or Sky City) or Will (for all other objects.
powers). On a success, the target is affected. ༄ Cones extend away from their origin points. For each 1
Obscurement yard of a cone’s length, it gains 1 yard of height and width.
Thus, a 3-yard-long cone would be 1 yard wide and tall in
If an attack power directs you to choose a target you can the first yard, 2 yards wide and tall in the second, and 3
see and your intended target is obscured, your attack roll yards wide and tall at its maximum length.
is subject to 1 or more banes depending on the degree of ༄ Lines extend away from their origin points, maintaining a
obscurement (see Obscurement in Chapter 3). constant width. Lines might also have a height, producing
Cover a wall-like effect. Some lines are shapeable, which allows
you to bend them at 90-degree angles. For each 1 yard of
When you use an attack power against a covered the line’s length, you can change its direction once.
creature’s Defense or Agility, your attack roll is subject
༄ Cylinders and spheres center on origin points and
to 1 or more banes depending on the degree of cover (see
extend in all directions from them. Cubes extend away
Attack with a Ranged Weapon in Chapter 3). You must
from their origin points; the point can lie on a corner or
have an unobstructed path to the target unless the power
a side of the cube.
description says otherwise.
If a power allows an Agility challenge roll to resist its Cover and Obscurement
effect, the target might benefit from intervening cover. Half-
cover grants 1 boon to the roll, and three-quarters cover Creatures and objects in areas affected by powers do not
grants 2 boons. A totally covered target is not affected by benefit from being obscured.
the power, unless the effect spreads around cover and can A creature or object in a power’s area can benefit from
reach the target. Fragile materials such as cloth, foliage, and cover for Agility challenge rolls to resist the power’s effect if
paper might not provide cover, at the Keeper’s discretion. the cover lies between it and the power’s origin point. Half
cover grants 1 boon to the roll, and three-quarters cover
Targeting Objects grants 2 boons. A totally covered target is not affected by the
power, unless the effect spreads around cover and can reach
Unless the power’s text says otherwise, a power specifying
the target. Fragile cover might offer no protection, at the
a target object can affect only an object you wear or carry,
Keeper’s discretion.
or an object that is neither worn nor carried by another
creature. Spreads
Area If a power description states that it spreads through the
area, its effects move around obstacles out to the area’s
Some powers have no target but affect the space defined by
maximum distance. Creatures in the area of such powers do
an area. An area can be a line, cone, cube, cylinder, sphere,
not benefit from cover.
or a special area defined in the entry.
Origin Point Range

The target or area line also specifies the power’s range,
All area effects have an origin point that you choose, within
which is the maximum distance from you where the power
the range specified by the power. This point is where the
can take effect. See Range and Distance in Chapter 3 for
area is centered or where it originates from. If you’re using
details on ranges.
a gridded map for a visual reference, the origin point is
always on an intersection. Duration
Size and Shape This line tells you how long the power’s effect lasts. If the
power takes effect instantaneously, this line is absent.
The entry describes the size and shape of the power’s area. Some attack powers take effect instantaneously but
The area always conforms to the open space in which it is produce ongoing effects. They do not have a Duration entry.
cast. For example, if a power creates a cube of poisonous
gas 8 yards on a side, and you cast the power in a smaller ༄ End of the Round: The effect continues until the end of
space, the power effect would fill the available space and the round in which the power was cast.
extend no further. ༄ 1 Round: The effect continues until the end of the
You can always choose to reduce the size of a power’s round following the round in which the power was cast.
area. For example, if a power would affect a cube 4 yards
༄ Concentration: The power normally lasts 1 round,
on a side, you could make the cube 2 yards on a side
but you can use the concentrate action to extend its
instead.
duration as described in Chapter 3.
159
Persistence the same round takes damage from being in the power’s
area just once that round.
Summoned or created creatures or items, as well as
illusions, remain in existence for the power’s duration Attack Roll 20+
unless destroyed before then, and can freely leave the area
in which they appeared unless stationary. Some powers have an additional effect if the total of the
attack roll was 20 or higher and exceeds the score of the
Voluntarily Ending an Effect attribute or characteristic by 5 or more.
You can use an action to end a power’s effect before its Other Effects
duration expires.
If the power has any additional effect on a target, it is
Extending Duration described here. The effect’s description also tells you how
long it lasts if it is not instantaneous.
Some power entries describe how you can extend the Some effects require challenge rolls to resist the power’s
duration of the power beyond its normal duration. Usually effect. If so, the effect’s description states what attribute is
this involves expending another use of the power or taking used to make the roll.
Strain. Extending the duration of a power in this manner
doesn’t require an action. Moving a Target
Effect Some powers move the target as part of their effect. Unless
the effect specifies otherwise, this movement is along the
This entry describes what happens when you use the
ground or floor; it does not use special movement modes.
power. It’s essentially a series of instructions.
Combining Power Effects
Attack
A target or area can be subject to any number of different
Many attack powers instruct you to make an attack using
powers, but it is affected by a particular power only once,
the specified attribute against the target’s Defense or an
even if the power is used multiple times (and only by the
attribute. If so, the power tells you what happens on a
most recent casting of that power). Some powers provide
success. Typically, nothing happens on a failure—the
exceptions to this rule.
Essence energy simply fails to strike or affect the target.
Attack rolls against Defense and Agility are subject to
obscurement and cover. Making Living Gear
Damage Now that you know how to read living gear power entries,
when you create a piece of living gear for a Seeker to buy or
If the attack roll results in a success, the target takes damage find, all you have to do is follow these steps:
as described in the power’s effect. The target might be
1. Pick a base piece of gear, like a weapon, tool set, or
subject to other effects as well.
vehicle. Write its price down.
A creature takes damage from the effect of a particular
casting of a power only once per round. For example, a 2. Add powers to the piece of gear. Your gear can have
creature that moves back and forth across a wall of fire in a maximum number of different powers equal to its
An arsenal hall used by the inventors and shapers of New Gaia.
160
highest-ranked power’s rank. Take note of the price Power Price per Rank
of each power you add.
Rank Price Availability
3. Determine how many charges each power has. For
1 1 sapphire Common
each charge a power has, add that power’s price to
the total price of the living gear. A power must have at 2 5 sapphires Common
least 1 charge in order to be added to a piece of living 3 25 sapphires Uncommon
gear. Prices are listed in the Power Price per Rank table. 4 125 sapphires Uncommon
4. Determine your living gear’s trappings. Describe it, 5 700 sapphires Rare
using its function, powers, and keywords as a guide.
Is it a mass of fungal tissue that attaches to your Essence Costs by Rank
arm? A pod of gas that attaches to your back? A staff Rank Time Essence
of chitin?
1 1 hour 1 per 2 charges
5. Buy it! Look at the total price of the living gear. That’s 2 8 hours 1
how much it costs a Seeker to buy it.
3 1 day 1
Seeker-Created Living Gear 4 3 days 2
5 1 week 3
Some talents grant Seekers the ability to create living gear
of their own. When they do, walk them through the steps
above to determine the total cost of the living gear as usual. Living Gear Powers
However, Seekers creating and growing their own living
gear don’t pay the full cost in gems. Instead, they pay half The following powers can be added to living gear you
the cost in gems (rounded down), representing the raw create for your game.
materials they need, and the rest of the cost is made up in
Artillery Thorn Plant/Sea Attack 3
time and Essence investiture.
A piece of living gear takes time to make, and it requires Gear Spitter (ranged weapon) with the two-handed and
an investiture of Essence to coax the gear into being. cumbersome properties
For each charge the piece of living gear has, the Seeker Area A circle with a 2-yard radius, emanating from a point
within this spitter’s range
must spend the amount of time and the Essence cost
(either spending Seeker points or taking Strain, in any You fire a clustered blast of thorns at the area, creating a
combination) associated with that charge’s power rank. heavy blast of shrapnel. Unattended objects in the area are
The time spent need not be uninterrupted, and the destroyed and, at the Keeper’s discretion, walls or doors
materials and Essence costs need not be spent all at once. might be destroyed or damaged as well. Any creatures in
As soon as all material, time, and Essence costs have been the area must succeed on an Agility challenge roll with
paid, the Seeker has their new piece of living gear. 2 banes or take 5d6 damage and fall prone. On a success,
So, if a Seeker wants to create a piece of living gear (a creatures take half damage and remain standing.
piece of basic clothing, let’s say) that has a rank 1 power
with four charges and a rank 3 power with two charges, it Battle Rage Sea Utility 2
would cost 27 sapphires in raw materials (an investiture of Gear A mask (1 sliver)
4 Seeker points spent or Strain taken, in any combination); Duration 1 minute
and it would take about 52 hours of total working time.
Once all of those requirements are satisfied, the Seeker has For the duration, you gain the following benefits and
the new piece of living gear. drawbacks:
Consumable Living Gear

Some living gear is designed to be used only a few times before it shrivels and dies. When you create consumable living gear,
do so using the normal rules for creating living gear, but make the following changes:
༄ All costs associated with making the living gear are halved (rounded down).
༄ Consumable living gear does not require you to bond with it to get its benefit, and it cannot be fed blood.
༄ Consumable living gear cannot regain its charges in any way.
༄ Consumable living gear loses 1 charge per week.
༄ When a piece of consumable living gear is reduced to no charges left, it shrivels and dies.
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༄ +5 to Health Make an Agility attack roll against the target’s Defense.

༄ 1 boon on all Strength attack rolls On a success, the target takes normal damage from this
spitter, and a small sea creature or insect bites into the
༄ Your melee attacks deal 1d6 extra damage target with strong jaws, dealing 1d3 extra damage. The
༄ Whenever you end your turn without making a melee creature deals 1d3 damage to the target at the end of
attack against a creature, you take 1d6 damage each round until the duration expires (at which point it
dies and falls away) or until the target takes an action to
Breathe Water Sea Utility 1 remove it. Removing the creature deals 1d6+1 damage to
Gear A mask (1 sliver) the target but prevents any further damage the creature
Duration 1 hour would deal.
You can breathe water as if it were air for the duration. Attack Roll 20+ The creature gets an exceptionally good
grip, forcing the target to make a Strength challenge roll to
Burrow Plant/Insect Utility 3 remove it. On a failure, the target still takes 1d6+1 damage,
Gear Armor but the creature isn’t removed.
Duration 1 minute
Courier Beetle Insect Utility 3
For the duration, you can take an action to burrow into Gear Raptor (animal)
the ground or emerge from it, and you can move while
underground, though it’s treated as difficult terrain. While A courier beetle is a beetle with a hollowed-out cavity in its
you’re underground, you have total cover, but all creatures back behind its armored shell, where goods can be stored.
have total cover from you, too. You can burrow as far down It can store roughly 1 cubic foot of goods and can carry up
as you like, but if you run out of charges underground, to 200 lbs. By spending a charge, you can do one of the
you’re trapped. While the effect is active, you can also following:
breathe underground; if it runs out while you’re still ༄ Command it to open its storage cavity, allow you to add
underground, you must hold your breath or start to or remove goods, then close again.
suffocate.
༄ Fly to a specified person or location.
Camouflage Plant Utility 2-4 ༄ Wrap itself around your body like a backpack, or
Gear Armor disengage.
Duration 1 minute
Someone that possesses one of the courier beetle’s
For the duration, you get 2 boons on any challenge rolls detachable antennae can attach the antenna to the beetle as
you make to hide. At rank 3, you can re-roll any 1s or 2s you an action in order to command it to open without spending
roll on challenge rolls you make to hide for the duration. At a charge. You can remove a courier beetle’s antenna as an
rank 4, you become invisible for the duration. action. While the courier beetle is away from you, it loses
charges as if it weren’t bonded, but at a slowed rate of 1
Chomper Insect/Sea Attack 2 charge every 3 days. A courier beetle has the statistics of a
Gear Spitter (ranged weapon) small animal with the flier and climber traits, except that it
Target One creature you can see within this spitter’s range has twice as much Health and cannot attack. If the beetle is
Duration 1 minute killed, its contents spill out.
Jael readies her thorn cannon knowing Thorm readies his returning bone axe, sensing something Malin, the group’s mad lasher, takes the cue
her next action will haunt her forever. is amiss. He just doesn’t know it’s his lover. and ignites his lashing whip.
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Collapse Plant Utility 2 ༄ Creatures take 1 bane on any challenge rolls they make
Gear Any piece of gear small enough to be carried by a Size 1 to resist this power’s effects.
creature
Glide Plant/Insect Utility 3
The piece of gear can fold in on itself, collapsing until it’s Gear Armor
small enough to fit in a pocket. This effect lasts until you Duration 1 minute
dismiss it as an action.
For the duration, you take no damage from falling; your
Crushing Whip Plant Attack 2 rate of falling slows enough that you can stay aloft for the
Gear Whip (light melee weapon with reach 2) entire duration; and you can effectively fly at your Speed for
Target One creature you can reach with this whip the duration, though you cannot ascend.
Duration 1 minute; see the effect
Heartseeker Insect Utility 3
You wrap your whip around the target, crushing the life Gear Spitter (ranged weapon)
out of it. Make an attack roll with your whip against the Duration 1 round
target’s Agility. On a success, the target is immobilized
for the duration. While the target is immobilized, it takes You prime a specially-engineered wasp designed to fly
1d3 damage at the end of each round. The target can take at its target and burrow its way to the target’s heart. If
an action to try to escape; doing so requires a Strength the attack hits, it deals 5d6 extra damage. If this damage
challenge roll with 1 bane. incapacitates the target, the target dies as the wasp
burrows into its heart and tears it to shreds.
Attack Roll 20+ The target makes Strength challenge
rolls to escape with 2 banes instead of 1, and the target takes Lashing Whip Plant Utility 1
1d6 damage each round it is immobilized instead of 1d3.
Gear Whip (light melee weapon with reach 2)
Dexterous Whip Plant Utility 1 Duration 1 minute
Gear Whip (light melee weapon with reach 2) Your whip grows razor-sharp thorns and springs to life.
Duration 1 minute For the duration, its damage increases to 1d6, or increases
by 1d6 if it was already 1d6 or higher. While its damage is
For the duration, your effective reach for actions that require
augmented in this way, you get 1 boon on all attack rolls
fine manipulation—such as picking pockets, opening doors,
with the whip, and you can use Intelligence to attack with
and so on—increases to that of your whip. In addition, for
it if you wish.
the duration, you can cause your whip to wrap around rails,
handholds, branches, and other such things so that you can Needle Blast Pl./Ins./Sea Attack 1-3
climb it or swing on it. This allows you to climb without
Gear Spitter (ranged weapon)
making challenge rolls in such situations, and effectively Area A cone with a length in yards equal to twice the power’s
doubles your jumping distance as well. rank, extending from a point you can reach
Explode Pl./Ins./Sea Attack 1-5 You spray a rapid-fire blast of needles, thorns, or other
Gear Any piece of gear small enough to be carried by a Size 1 creature small sharp objects from the spitter you’re wielding,
Area A circle with a radius of 2 yards per rank tearing everything in front of you to shreds. Each creature
in the area must succeed on an Agility challenge roll (with
You cause the gear to explode, sending a shower of 1 bane at rank 2 or 2 banes at rank 3) or take 1d6 damage
shrapnel, fire, spores, maggots, or other harmful things in per rank of the power and be impaired for 1 round. On
all directions. This destroys the piece of living gear, but all a successful roll, a creature takes half damage and is not
creatures in the area must make an Agility challenge roll impaired.
or take 3d6 damage, or half damage on a success. For each
rank past 1, you can add one of the following effects to the Paralyze Sea Attack 4
explosion. You can choose the same effect more than once. Gear Melee weapon (any)
༄ The explosion does 2d6 extra damage. Target One creature you can reach
Duration 1 minute
༄ All creatures that take full damage are also impaired,
fatigued, poisoned, or diseased (choose when you This weapon, typically a staff, has an urchin attached to
create the gear) for 1 minute. it that can lash out with slimy tentacles, paralyzing those
༄ Creatures that take full damage also take ongoing it touches. Make an Agility attack roll against the target’s
damage. Each turn, they can make a Strength challenge Agility. On a success, the target must make a Strength
roll to negate the ongoing damage; if they fail, they challenge roll with 2 banes. If it fails, it is immobilized for
take 1d6 damage. Once a creature succeeds, it no longer the duration. While it’s immobilized in this way, it’s also
takes ongoing damage. defenseless.
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Jael and Rain have fought beside their fellow Seeker’s for three years but the King Fisher Society,
who they’ve sworn blood oaths too, requires they betray them tonight. For the greater good of Asunder. So they claim.
Phosphorescence Pl./Ins./Sea Utility 1 Agility attack roll against a creature’s Agility in order to
The piece of gear can emit light in a 5-yard radius, and touch that creature, causing it to suffer the same effects.
shadows for another 10 yards beyond that. This effect lasts Return Insect Utility 1
until you use an action to end it.
Gear Thrown weapon
Poison Filter Plant/Sea Utility 2-3
You can spend a charge and a triggered action to cause this
Gear A mask (1 sliver)
Duration 1 hour
weapon to fly back to your hand, provided it’s within long
range of you.
For the duration, you take no damage from poisons
Screamer Insect Attack 1-3
you would inhale or ingest, and you are immune to the
poisoned condition from the same source. If this power Gear Raptor (animal)
is rank 3, you can bite with the mask, injecting some of Area A circle with a radius of 10 yards centered on this gear
the poison it has filtered. This is an Agility attack against
When activated, a screamer emits a piercing scream-chirp;
the Defense of a creature within your reach, dealing 2d6
something like a cricket, but amped up beyond all reason. All
damage on a success and causing the target to become
creatures in the area that can hear must succeed at a Strength
poisoned for 1 minute.
challenge roll or be stunned for 1 round and deafened for 1
Poisoned Pl./Ins./Sea Utility 1-3 minute. At rank 1, you can use an action to spend a charge
and set a delay, in rounds, before the screamer activates. You
Gear Weapon
Duration 1 minute
can then use an action or a triggered action on your turn to
command the screamer to fly to a point you can see. At rank
Your living weapon generates poison, coating its blade, 2, you can use an action to spend a charge and command the
imbuing its needles, or otherwise inflicting it upon those screamer to fly to a point you can see and then immediately
you attack. Anyone who takes damage from an attack you activate. At rank 3, you can use an action to spend a charge
make with this weapon for the duration must succeed on and command the screamer to fly to a point you can see and
a Strength challenge roll (with 1 bane at rank 2 or 2 banes wait there until creatures enter its area of effect, then activate.
at rank 3) or be poisoned for 1 minute. A creature that is You can describe specific creatures to be ignored, or specific
already poisoned takes 2d6 extra damage. types of creatures to be ignored. You can only command the
screamer while you’re in physical contact with it; while it’s
Poison Touch Plant Attack 3 not in physical contact with you, it loses charges as if it were
Gear Armor not bonded, but at a rate of 1 charge per 3 days.
Duration 1 minute
Sight Enhance Insect/Sea Utility 2-3
For the duration, anyone who touches you or hits you Gear A mask or set of goggles (1 sliver)
with a melee attack must make a Strength challenge roll Duration 1 hour
or take 1d6 damage and become poisoned for 1 minute.
If such a creature is already poisoned, it takes 2d6 extra You have a +5 bonus to Perception for the duration. If this
damage. While this effect is active, you can make an power is rank 3, you also have darksight for the duration.
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Rain is less subtle and taps the battle rage in her living gauntlets. As a demon hunter from the Black Isle, she doesn’t understand regret.
Only what she must do...and that is to kill her friends.
Sleep Dart Pl./Ins./Sea Attack 2 Entangle Foe: Make an Agility attack roll against the target’s
Gear Spitter (ranged weapon) Agility. On a success, the target is immobilized for the
Target One creature you can see within this spitter’s range duration. The target can escape by succeeding at a
Strength challenge roll with 1 bane.
Make an Agility attack roll against the target’s Defense. On
Coat Area: Choose a point you can see within short range;
a success, the target takes 1 damage and falls asleep for 1
you fill a 3-yard cube emanating from that point with
minute. The creature can be roused if it’s shaken vigorously
sticky webs for the duration, making it difficult terrain
or if it takes damage.
and causing anything behind it to be lightly obscured. A
Attack roll 20+ The target falls asleep for 1 hour. creature with a fire source can use an action to burn the
webs away.
Spine Growth Plant/Sea Attack 2
Gear Armor Shoot Line: You shoot a sticky line of web at a vertical or
Duration 1 minute horizontal surface within medium range. It stays for the
duration, and anyone climbing it doesn’t need to make
For the duration, sharp spines protrude from your armor. challenge rolls to climb.
While this is in effect, whenever you take the charge action
or grab someone, you deal 1d6 extra damage. Anyone who Thorn Cannon Plant/Sea Attack 5
grabs you automatically takes 1d6 damage. Gear Ship, vehicle, or building
Area A circle with a 6-yard radius, emanating from a point
Spit Rope Plant Utility 1 within long range
Gear Spitter (ranged weapon)
Target One horizontal or vertical surface within this spitter’s range You lob an enormous, explosive cluster of thorns or spiny
Duration 1 hour urchins at an area. Unattended objects in the area are
destroyed and, at the Keeper’s discretion, walls or doors might
You fire a length of sticky fluid that hardens as it travels, be destroyed or damaged, as well. Any creatures in the area
adhering to the surface you target, creating a climbable rope must succeed on an Agility challenge roll with 3 banes or take
for the duration. The rope’s length is equal to the distance 7d6 damage and fall prone. On a success, creatures take half
your projectile traveled, and it can hold 300 pounds at one damage and remain standing. A ship or other vehicle within
time. When the duration elapses, it crumbles and falls away. the area automatically takes full damage from the blast.
Spit Web Insect Utility 2 Tracking Splinter Plant Utility 1-3
Gear Spitter (ranged weapon) Gear Spitter (ranged weapon)
Target One creature within short range, one 3-yard cube Target One creature you can see within this spitter’s range
emanating from a point within short range, or one horizontal Duration 1 day (rank 1), 1 week (rank 2), or 1 month (rank 3)
or vertical surface within short range (see description)
Duration 1 minute You fire a splinter of wood or a needle into the target and
can use this spitter to track the whereabouts of the target
Your spitter can fire strong, sticky spider webs. You can for the duration. You can spend a charge from this spitter to
spend a charge to take one of the following actions: do one of two things.
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Fire Splinter: Make an Agility attack roll against the target’s spend a charge to see through the other wearer’s mask
Agility. On a success, you embed a tracking splinter for as long as they concentrate, up to 1 minute. Bonding
into the target. If your attack roll also beats the target’s functions regardless of distance and stays in effect until
Perception, the target does not notice the tracking splinter. another charge is used to bond to a different mask, at
A target who becomes aware of a tracking splinter can which point the previous bond is severed.
dig it out with an action; doing so causes 1d3 damage. A
tracking splinter remains embedded in the target for the Vital Transfer Plant Utility/Attack 2-3
duration, after which point the target’s body rejects it. Gear Whip (light melee weapon with reach 2)
Target One creature you can reach with the whip
Find Splinter: If at least one creature carrying a splinter fired
by this spitter is within 5 miles, you know the direction and If you use this power against a willing creature, it’s a utility
distance to the target, as the crow flies. You may make an power; otherwise, it’s an attack and requires an Agility
Intellect challenge roll with any number of banes on it; for attack roll against the target’s Agility in order to initiate.
each bane you roll, this effect persists for 1 hour. If there Choose one of the following effects when you use this
are multiple targets within 5 miles, you know the direction power:
and distance to each of them, but you must focus on a
Transfer Damage: The target heals 1d6 damage and you take
single target to make an Intellect challenge roll. You do not
1d6 damage, or vice versa.
gain any information about which target is which.
Transfer Health (rank 3 only): You take a -5 penalty to Health
Transform Pl./Ins./Sea Utility 1-5 and the target gets a +5 bonus to Health, or vice versa.
Gear Weapon (any) This effect lasts for 1 hour.
When you add this power to a weapon, choose a second Transfer Condition (rank 3 only): You transfer one of the
weapon with a cost equal to or less than that of the base following conditions from the target to yourself, or vice
weapon. For a charge and a triggered action, you can versa: impaired, fatigued, poisoned, or diseased. The
transform your weapon from the base weapon to the second condition’s duration remains unchanged.
weapon, or back again. For each rank beyond 1, you can add Writhing Pl./Ins./Sea Utility 1-3
an additional weapon; you can spend a triggered action and
Gear Melee weapon
a charge to transform your weapon between any of its forms.
Duration 1 minute
Twin Sight Insect/Sea Utility 3
You can cause your weapon to twist and writhe, helping
Gear A mask or set of goggles (1 sliver) you get around your foe’s defenses. For the duration, you
get 1 boon on attack rolls with this weapon for each rank of
You can spend a charge to bond this mask to any another
this power.
with the twin sight power. Once bonded, either wearer can
Living Gear
Gear Rank Type Keywords Gear Rank Type Keywords
Artillery Thorn 3 Attack Plant/Sea Poison Filter 2-3 Utility Plant/Sea
Battle Rage 2 Utility Sea Poisoned 1-3 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
Breathe Water 1 Utility Sea Poison Touch 3 Attack Plant
Burrow 3 Utility Plant/Insect Return 1 Utility Insect
Camouflage 2-4 Utility Plant Screamer 1-3 Attack Insect
Chomper 2 Attack Insect/Sea Sight Enhancement 2-3 Utility Insect/Sea
Courier Beetle 3 Utility Insect Sleep Dart 2 Attack Plant/Insect/Sea
Collapse 2 Utility Plant Spine Growth 2 Attack Plant/Sea
Crushing Whip 2 Attack Plant Spit Rope 1 Utility Plant
Dexterous Whip 1 Utility Plant Spit Web 2 Utility Insect
Explode 1-5 Attack Plant/Insect/Sea Thorn Cannon 5 Attack Plant/Sea
Glide 3 Utility Plant/Insect Tracking Splinter 1-3 Utility Plant
Heartseeker 3 Utility Insect Transform 1-5 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
Lashing Whip 1 Utility Plant Twin Sight 3 Utility Insect/Sea
Needle Blast 1-3 Attack Plant/Insect/Sea Vital Transfer 2-3 Utility/Attack Plant
Paralyze 4 Attack Sea Writhing 1-3 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
Phosphorescence 1 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
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Abductor’s
Examples of Living Gear Needle
Abductor’s Needle
Some Seafarer pirates make their riches not solely from
plunder, but also from kidnapping and ransoms. The
abductor’s needle is a simple, consumable item that such
pirates use to paralyze their victims. The needle can also be
set to glow, so that kidnappings targets can be flagged for
collection during a raid.
Gear: Needle (light melee weapon, 1d3 damage, finesse, off-
hand)
Keyword: Sea (consumable)
Powers: paralyze (1 charge), phosphorescence (1 charge)
Total Cost: 63 sapphires
Assassin’s Vine
Assassin’s
There are many different kinds of living whips in Asunder, Vine
but this version is by far the most popular among those
who kill for a living. Many lashers use assassin’s vines when
they want to end a fight quickly and decisively. They also
have the added benefit of being able to disguise themselves
as simple staves.
Gear: Whip (light melee weapon, 1d6 damage, deadly,
finesse, off-hand, reach 2)
Keyword: Plant
Powers: lashing whip (3 charges), poisoned (rank 3, 3 charges),
Boarding
transform (rank 1, 4 charges), writhing (rank 3, 3 charges)
Mask
Total Cost: 157 sapphires, 4 slivers
Beetle Skin
Used by many insect weavers in New Gaia, a beetle skin is
a suit of armor made from a giant beetle and instilled with
some of its abilities. Someone wearing a beetle skin not
only has good protection due to the hard carapace, but can
also burrow through the soil or glide on the breeze when
they call upon the beetle’s abilities to do so.
Gear: Heavy armor (Defense 16, Requires Strength 13 or
higher, -1 to Speed, you make challenge rolls to swim or
move silently with 1 bane)
Keyword: Insect
Powers: burrow (3 charges), glide (3 charges)
Boarding Mask
The Seafarers use boarding masks when they’re attacking
other ships for the purpose of plunder. Boarding masks have
a number of useful survival powers, as well as a few powers
that make Seafarers wearing them a terror in combat.
Gear: Mask
Keyword: Sea
Powers: battle rage (1 charge), breathe water (1 charge), poison
filter (rank 3, 1 charge), sight enhancement (rank 3, 1 charge) Beetle
Total Cost: 56 sapphires, 1 sliver Skin
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Elite
Explorer’s House Agent’s
Tool Uniform
Deep Mask
Bounty
Hunter’s
Friend
Bounty Hunter’s Friend

Hornet
Shield A bounty hunter’s friend is a specialized thorn spitter,
designed to aid in the tracking and capture of live criminals.
It has also found a second use as a tool for bringing down
dangerous beasts without killing them, usually so they can
be put on display in some form of zoo or menagerie later.
Most such weapons are also designed to be collapsible, so
they can be easily hidden.
Gear: Thorn Spitter (ranged weapon, 1d6 damage, range long)
Keyword: Plant
Powers: collapse (3 charges), sleep dart (3 charges), tracking
splinter (rank 2, 3 charges)
Deep Mask
Originally created by the Seafarers, deep masks have
become popular equipment on ships from every land, as
their properties allow mariners to survive going overboard
for extended periods, work near the poisonous surface
of the water, and even see in the darkness of the water.
They’re designed to be inexpensive and disposable, so
they’re consumable items.
Screaming
Death Gear: Mask
Keyword: Sea (consumable)
Powers: breathe water (1 charge), phosphorescence (1 charge),
poison filter (rank 2, 1 charge)
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Explorer’s Tool edges. It also sports a pair of small wings, which allow it to
fly through the air when thrown and return to its wielder
Prized by Seekers the world over, an explorer’s tool is a when called.
multifunctional weapon and exploration aid that collapses
down into a convenient package. They’re helpful for Gear: Shield (3 damage, defensive +1, deadly, thrown medium)
fending off rampaging horoks and scaling sheer cliff faces Keyword: Insect
in equal measure. It can even transform into a sharp Powers: poisoned (rank 3, 5 charges), return (10 charges),
machete for clearing brush. writhe (rank 3, 5 charges)
Total Cost: 261 sapphires, 3 pearls
Gear: Thorn spitter (ranged weapon, 2d6 damage, deadly,
range medium)
Keyword: Plant Glass
Powers: collapse (3 charges), needle blast (rank 3, 5
charges), phosphorescence (3 charges), sleep dart (1 Dangerous and illegal, glass is still a vital part of Asunder
charge), spit rope (3 charges), transform (rank 1, 2 society. Each type of glass has its own unique properties, as
charges: transforms into a martial melee weapon, 2d6 described below.
damage, deadly) Rainbow Glass
Usually the result of mixed soils where the Pure Light
Elite House Agent’s Uniform strikes, rainbow glass doesn’t have any special properties
Elite House Agents are those entrusted with the most and isn’t useful for much besides looking pretty. It’s still
sensitive clandestine matters in Sky City. The Houses technically illegal, but most law enforcement officials
constantly vie against one another, using their Agents as won’t cause a fuss unless they can prove you harvested
catspaws and proxies in their secret wars. These suits of the rainbow glass. For that purpose, there’s a thriving
armor are entrusted to only the most reliable House Agents: gray market for hunks of rainbow glass that those with
those who would give their lives for their Houses without disposable income display in their houses when they wish
question. They enable infiltration and escape and, if needed, to safely flaunt the local laws.
can be detonated, killing the wearer to avoid capture. Black Glass
Gear: Light Armor (Defense: Agility +1)
Keyword: Plant Perhaps the only kind of glass that isn’t outright illegal,
Powers: camouflage (rank 4, 3 charges), explode (rank 3, 1 charge: black glass is nearly impervious to heat. Those who have
9d6 damage) glide (3 charges), poison touch (3 charges) to work with fire or in extreme heat often want black glass
Total Cost: 650 sapphires armor but can rarely afford it; although black glass isn’t
illegal, it is prohibitively expensive, and it does typically
Screaming Death require some form of licensing or permission to use.
In game terms, you can buy a suit of black glass armor for
Used by the insect weavers during their guerrilla warfare 1,000 sapphires. It’s statistically identical to a suit of heavy
against the plant weavers of New Gaia, screaming deaths armor, except that its Defense is 14 and, while you’re wearing
are specially raised and bred beetles designed to instill it, you take no damage from fire- or heat-based attacks.
shock and awe. When activated, a screaming death flies
to a point the user can see, emits a piercing scream that Red Glass
disorients and deafens everyone around it, then explodes.
While the explosion does destroy the screaming death, it is Often called “assassin’s glass” or “blood glass,” red glass
not considered a consumable item; its screaming ability can is incredibly hard and holds a sharp edge better than
be used without detonating it, and it can be replenished by nearly any other material on Asunder. It’s illegal in many
whomever it is bonded to. civilized parts of Asunder, but that doesn’t stop the agents,
murderers, and cutthroats of the world from getting their
Gear: Raptor hands on it and putting it to use. It’s generally assumed
Keyword: Insect in most places that, if you have a blood glass blade, your
Powers: explode (rank 5, 1 charge: 11d6 damage, 1d6 ongoing intent is to kill someone; this makes blood glass more
damage, 1 bane on challenge rolls to resist), screamer trouble than it’s worth for all but those who are very much
(rank 2, 1 charge) intent on killing someone.
Total Cost: 706 sapphires If you add the glass property to a weapon, it’s made of
red glass.
Hornet Shield
Favored by those who appreciate a good defense and a Yellow Glass
good offense, the hornet shield is a shield of chitin that “Razorglass,” as it’s often called, is the most illegal form
can generate venom that it injects through spines along its of glass known. When a fist-sized chunk of yellow glass
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is thrown at a solid surface, it shatters, sending shards expending a use of that power. You can also spend ranks,
of glass in all directions, shredding flesh and cutting 1-for-1, to pay the cost of pushing a power after you’ve
through armor, shattering further and further, creating used it. So, for example, you could spend 3 ranks from
a self-propogating maelstrom of shrapnel. Because of its a rank 4 mote of Chaos to use a rank 3 Chaos power
ability to wreak havoc in populated areas and its frequent without expending a use of that power, or you could use
use by terrorist organizations, simply possessing yellow that power normally, push it 5 times, roll 5d6 for pushing
glass is enough to get you thrown in jail in most civilized it, and spend ranks 1-for-1 from your mote to cancel out
areas. odd results on those dice. This does mean that you can
A chunk of yellow glass typically costs 125 sapphires. effectively use as many 0-rank Chaos powers as you like
You can throw it as an action, targeting a circle with a while you hold a piece of Chaos glass containing a mote
10-yard radius within short range of you. Any creatures with at least 1 rank. Once the last rank in the shard is
in that area must make an Agility challenge roll with 2 spent, its power is gone.
banes. On a failure, a creature takes 6d6 damage and is If a shard of clear glass containing a mote of Chaos
impaired for 1 minute; on a success, the creature takes half is shattered (such as by throwing it), everyone within
damage and is not impaired. medium range of its point of impact is subject to a Chaos
power of the Keeper’s choosing, provided that Chaos
Clear Glass
power’s rank is not higher than the mote’s rank. The
Also called “Chaos glass,” clear glass is illegal… but Keeper makes all decisions regarding how the power
many rulers of city-states on the Mainland turn a blind behaves, just as if he had used the power.
eye when their own Chaos-wielders use clear glass. The
defining property of clear glass is that it can hold a mote
of pure Chaos drawn from a Chaos shard or Chaos site in
Other Oddities
perpetuity, keeping it safe and locked away until needed. This section provides a few other strange and wondrous
A piece of clear glass takes on a bright blue shine when items and objects that people in Asunder use.
imbued with a mote of Chaos. While a mote of Chaos isn’t
enough for a potential Chaos-wielder to bond with, it is Battle Pod
still enough to be dangerous.
A shard of clear glass typically costs 200 sapphires on Big, fleshy plant pods worn on the back, battle pods have
the black market; officially retained Chaos-wielders often fibrous tubes that extend into a creature’s arms, legs, chest,
get them for much less, if they even have to pay at all. and neck, pumping a combat-enhancing fluid into them.
A character with the right training (the Chaos Trapper Attaching to a battle pod causes 1d6 damage and 1 Strain.
talent) can use an action while in a Chaos site or within Every 24 hours you spend attached to a battle pod, you
reach of a Chaos shard to draw Chaos into the glass. This take 1 Strain; detaching from the pod causes 1d6 damage.
requires a Will challenge roll to achieve with up to 5 banes While you’re attached to a battle pod, you get a +6 bonus
on it. For each bane the Chaos wielder voluntarily rolls, to Strength, a +10 bonus to Health, and you can use a
add 1 rank to the mote within the glass. So, for example, a triggered action when you’re incapacitated to immediately
Chaos wielder who rolls with 3 banes would coax a rank heal damage equal to your healing rate, though doing so
3 mote of Chaos into the piece of glass. If a Chaos wielder causes 1d6 Strain.
fails this challenge roll, she takes Discord equal to the The longer you wear a battle pod, the more it starts to
number of banes she added to the challenge roll. take you over, causing your skin to become bark-like and
A shard of clear glass containing a mote of Chaos costs your mind to become more prone to rage. Once you wear
500 sapphires per rank on the black market. A Chaos a battle pod for 24 consecutive hours, you gain a new
wielder can draw on the energy of the mote to fuel fatal flaw: “My rage boils over, impelling me to acts of
her own Chaos powers. When you use a Chaos power, wanton violence.” You retain this fatal flaw until you’ve
you can expend a number of ranks from a Chaos mote been detached from a battle pod for 72 consecutive
equal to the rank of the power in order to use it without hours. In addition, if you suffer an Essence break as the
result of Strain you take from a battle pod, you become
a plant-like creature of pure rage forever. Make a new
Other Oddities character.
Oddity Price Availability
Drone Flower
Battle Pod 250 sapphires Illegal
When you attach this parasitic plant to a defenseless
Drone Flower 125 sapphires Illegal
creature’s head it extends roots into the creature’s brain,
Gravity Egg 1 sapphire Uncommon arresting the creature’s higher cognitive functions. The
Memory Dagger 10 sapphires Illegal creature must succeed a Will challenge roll with 2 banes
or become compliant and easy to control. While in this
Regenerative Pod 250 sapphires Rare
state, a creature will obey whatever commands are given
170
to it, though it can resist

obviously self-destructive
commands by succeeding
on a Will challenge roll.
It can’t complete any
complex tasks, though it
will perform whatever
menial tasks are set in
front of it. Drone flowers are
often used to make slaves
easier to manage in certain
cultures, though they are
illegal in most civilized
areas. A creature can recover
from being controlled by
a drone flower; removing
the flower requires a
procedure that takes 1 hour
and a successful Intellect
challenge roll. Failing
this roll still removes
the flower but causes the
creature to take 1d6 Strain.
Gravity Egg
A small cluster of blice
crystals, specially treated
and packed with explosive
powder. You can throw a
gravity egg as an action;
choose a point within short
range. The egg detonates
upon contact with a
surface. Everyone in a circle
emanating from that point
with a radius of 5 yards
must succeed at a Strength
challenge roll or fall prone for
1 round.
Memory Dagger Regenerative Pod
Often carried by those who

serve Gaia, memory daggers
are peculiar weapons. They’re
usually made of bark and plant
material, and each is a light weapon with no additional Regenerative Pod
properties. However, when you stab someone with a
You can use an action to climb into a regenerative pod,
memory dagger, you can use a triggered action in order
which looks like a large seed pod. It closes around you,
to absorb some of your target’s Essence and, along with
giving you full cover while you’re inside it and making
it, some of their memories. This ability causes the target
you effectively blinded. Once inside, you can bond with
1d3 Strain, and the Keeper tells you what memories you
the pod (which takes 1 minute) and take 1 Strain to drift
glean from them. Memory daggers count as living gear;
off into a dreamless sleep for 4 hours. At the end of this
that is, you do have to bond with and feed them, and
period, you gain all the benefits of having completed a
they count against the number of pieces of living gear
rest, and you can remove 1 affliction of your choice.
you can safely bond with.
171
The Origins of Asunder reaching into the Wellspring (starting in the left corner and going clockwise):
Chaos Wielder, Beast Master, Plant Weaver, Insect Weaver, Seafarer and Black Isler.
172
Chapter
Ten Essence Trees
W
hen the gods left the world, they left behind tree. You do so when the rules tell you to discover a tree,
creatures in whom they’d invested portions of usually by investing in a specific novice, expert, or master
their divine Essence: humans. With nothing left path. You can only discover a tree that your Origin gives
to control the Essence within them, the humans’ Essence you access to.
reached out and bonded with things in their environment, Most Essence trees have associated discovery benefits.
granting them strange and unique powers. These powers You gain the discovery benefit when you first discover that
allow them to control beasts, shape plants into miraculous tree, unless a talent specifically directs you otherwise.
inventions, call creatures from the sea, and even defy
gravity. Essence Talents
In the world of Asunder, who you’re born to determines
what your Essence makes you capable of. The child of two Each Essence tree has a number of special talents
Pacari will have an Essence bond to animals, for example, associated with it. These work just like talents that you
while a Skimmer and a Sea-Farer would result in a child might get from your Origin or from a path, except that you
with a bond to either blice crystals or the sea. The Essence can only choose Essence talents from a tree you’ve already
trees that your Origin gives you access to are the only discovered. You can only have a number of Essence talents
Essence trees you’ll ever gain access to, so choose your equal to twice your Essence score; this total includes talents
Origin wisely. Generally speaking, there is no way to learn from all trees you’ve discovered. The rules will tell you
the powers of an Essence tree you’re not born into. when you choose an Essence talent.
༄ People from the Black Isle have access to the Battle
Meditation and Body Conditioning trees. Essence Powers
༄ The weavers of New Gaia fall into two groups. Those An Essence power is a codified effect that you can
bonded with plants have access to the Plant Control accomplish with your Essence bond. These are mostly
and Plant Form trees, while those bonded with insects predictable, though some powers offer flexibility and, in
have access to the Insect Control and Insect Meld trees. some cases, unpredictability.
There is no way to be bonded to both plants and insects.
༄ Those born on Pacari have access to the Beast Aspect Learning Essence Powers
and Beast Bond trees. As with trees and talents, you learn an Essence power when
༄ The Seafarers have access to the Adaptation and Sea- the rules direct you to. You can only learn powers from trees
Calling trees. you’ve already discovered, and you can only learn powers
with a rank equal to or lower than your Essence score. Once
༄ On Sky City, people gain access to the Gravity you learn a power, you can use that power as often as you
Manipulation and Sky-Dancing trees. like, provided you have uses of that power remaining.
༄ The Essence of the people of the mainland doesn’t
naturally bond with anything in their environment. Exchanging Powers
However, through the Symbiosis tree they’re able Whenever you learn a new power, you can exchange a
to develop deeper bonds to living gear, and they are power you’ve previously learned for another power of the
the only ones capable of harnessing the power of the same or lower rank. Such adjustments reflect the changing
Chaos tree. and mutable nature of humans’ Essence bonds.
Essence Trees Using a Power

You use a power by using an action and expending a use of
All Essence powers and talents belong to trees. Each tree that power.
is a loose collection of powers and talents grouped along ༄ Use an Action: You must use an action to use a power.
a similar theme, such as taking on the aspects of beasts or Some powers can be used with triggered actions, while
controlling gravity. others require you to concentrate for a period of time.
༄ Expend a Use: You have a limited number of uses of
Discovering Trees each power you know. Your Essence score determines
In order to use powers and talents associated with a how many uses each of your powers has by rank, as
particular Essence tree, you must first discover that shown on the Power Uses table. For example, if you have
173
Chapter 10: Essence Trees
Essence 2 and know two rank 0 powers, one rank 1 power, Awareness
and one rank 2 power, you have three uses of each rank
0 power, two uses of the rank 1 power, and one use of the You must be aware of a creature or object to target it with a
rank 2 power. You must have at least one unexpended power; the target cannot be hidden from you. Some powers
use of a power to use it. When you successfully use a require you to be able to see the target.
power, you expend a use of that power.
Targeting Yourself
Power Uses When a power specifies a target, you can choose yourself
provided you meet all stated criteria for the being the
Essence 0 1 2 3 4 5
power’s target.
0 1 — — — — —
Unwilling Target
1 2 1 — — — —
Even though utility powers are generally beneficial, the
2 3 2 1 — — —
intended target might not wish to be affected. If you
3 4 2 2 1 — — attempt to cast a utility power on an unwilling target,
4 5 2 2 1 1 — you must make an attack roll using Intellect (for powers
originating from New Gaia or Sky City) or Will (for all other
5 6 3 2 2 1 1
powers). On a success, the target is affected.
Regaining Expended Uses Obscurement
You regain all expended uses of your powers when you
If an attack power directs you to choose a target you can
complete a rest.
see and your intended target is obscured, your attack roll
is subject to 1 or more banes depending on the degree of
Power Description obscurement (see Obscurement in Chapter 3).
All power entries use the following format or a variation on it: Cover
Name Type Rank When you use an attack power against a covered
Special Any requirements for casting the power creature’s Defense or Agility, your attack roll is subject
Target or Area [number and type] target or [shape and size] to 1 or more banes depending on the degree of cover (see
area within [range] Attack with a Ranged Weapon in Chapter 3). You must
Duration # rounds/minutes/hours/day/other/permanent have an unobstructed path to the target unless the power
description says otherwise.
Description of the effect (attack roll/challenge roll)
If the power allows an Agility challenge roll to resist
Push/Mutate/Reverse Description of the effect its effect, the target might benefit from intervening cover.
Attack Roll 20+ Additional effect Half-cover grants 1 boon to the roll, and three-quarters
cover grants 2 boons. A totally covered target is not
Top Line affected by the power, unless the effect spreads around
cover and can reach the target. Fragile materials such as
The top line of any power includes the power’s name, the
cloth, foliage, and paper might not provide cover, at the
tree to which it belongs, what type of power it is, and the
Keeper’s discretion.
power’s rank (represented by a number from 1 to 5).
A power can be one of two types: attack or utility. Attack Targeting Objects
powers have harmful effects and using such a power counts
as making an attack. Utility powers have a variety of useful Unless the power’s text says otherwise, a power specifying a
effects. target object can affect only an object you wear or carry, or an
object that is neither worn nor carried by another creature.
Special
If you must meet specific requirements to use a power,
Area
you’ll find that information on this line. Some powers have no target but affect the space defined by
an area. An area can be a line, cone, cube, cylinder, sphere,
Target or a special area defined in the entry.
A power can target creatures, objects, or something else Origin Point
(such as a point in space). This line specifies the power’s
target or targets. All area effects have an origin point that you choose, within
If a power targets you and only you, its entry has no the range specified by the power. This point is where the
target line. area is centered or where it originates from. If you’re using
174
a gridded map for a visual reference, the origin point is Duration

always on an intersection.
This line tells you how long the power’s effect lasts. If the
Size and Shape power takes effect instantaneously, this line is absent.
Some attack powers take effect instantaneously but
The entry describes the size and shape of the power’s produce ongoing effects. They do not have a Duration
area. The area always conforms to the open space in entry.
which it is cast. For example, if a power creates a cube of
End of the Round: The effect continues until the end of the
poisonous gas 8 yards on a side, and you cast the power in
round in which the power was cast.
a smaller space, the power effect would fill the available
space and extend no further. 1 Round: The effect continues until the end of the round
You can always choose to reduce the size of a power’s following the round in which the power was cast.
area. For example, if a power would affect a cube 4 yards on Concentration: The power normally lasts 1 round, but you
a side, you could make the cube 2 yards on a side instead. can use the concentrate action to extend its duration as
When the rules describe an area of space, the area must described in Chapter 3.
be open; that is, not fully occupied by other creatures or
objects. Persistence
༄ Cones extend away from their origin points. For each 1 Summoned or created creatures or items, as well as
yard of a cone’s length, it gains 1 yard of height and width. illusions, remain in existence for the power’s duration
Thus, a 3-yard-long cone would be 1 yard wide and tall in unless destroyed before then, and can freely leave the area
the first yard, 2 yards wide and tall in the second, and 3 in which they appeared unless stationary.
yards wide and tall at its maximum length.
༄ Lines extend away from their origin points, Voluntarily Ending an Effect
maintaining a constant width. Lines might also have You can use an action to end a power’s effect before its
a height, producing a wall-like effect. Some lines are duration expires.
shapeable, which allows you to bend them at 90-degree
angles. For each 1 yard of the line’s length, you can Extending Duration
change its direction once.
Some power entries describe how you can extend the
༄ Cylinders and spheres center on origin points and duration of the power beyond its normal duration. Usually
extend in all directions from them. Cubes extend away this involves expending another use of the power or taking
from their origin points; the point can lie on a corner or Strain. Extending the duration of a power in this manner
a side of the cube. doesn’t require an action.
Cover and Obscurement Effect
Creatures and objects in areas affected by powers do not This entry describes what happens when you use the
benefit from being obscured. power. It’s essentially a series of instructions.
A creature or object in a power’s area can benefit from
cover for Agility challenge rolls to resist the power’s effect if Attack
the cover lies between it and the power’s origin point. Half- Many attack powers instruct you to make an attack using
cover grants 1 boon to the roll, and three-quarters cover the specified attribute against the target’s Defense or an
grants 2 boons. A totally covered target is not affected by the attribute. If so, the power tells you what happens on a
power, unless the effect spreads around cover and can reach success. Typically, nothing happens on a failure—the
the target. Fragile cover might offer no protection, at the Essence energy fails to strike or affect the target. Attack rolls
Keeper’s discretion. against Defense and Agility are subject to obscurement and
Spreads cover.
If a power description states that it spreads through the Damage

area, its effects move around obstacles out to the area’s If the attack roll results in a success, the target takes damage
maximum distance. Creatures in the area of such powers do as described in the power’s effect. The target might be
not benefit from cover. subject to other effects as well.
A creature takes damage from the effect of a particular
Range
casting of a power only once per round. For example, a
The target or area line also specifies the power’s range, creature that moves back and forth across a wall of fire in
which is the maximum distance from you where the power the same round takes damage from being in the power’s
can take effect. See Range and Distance in Chapter 3 for area just once that round.
details on ranges.
175
Attack Roll 20+ Black Isle

Some powers have an additional effect if the total of the
The people of the Black Isle focus on relentless self-
attack roll was 20 or higher and exceeds the score of the
improvement as well as a unique fighting style that allows
attribute or characteristic by 5 or more.
them to tap into each others’ minds and bodies and draw
Other Effects strength from each other.
The Battle Meditation Essence tree grants you the
If the power has any additional effect on a target, it is ability to establish a group mind with your allies and
described here. The effect’s description also tells you how to draw strength from that group mind. Invest in this
long it lasts if it is not instantaneous. Essence tree if you want to shore up your weaknesses and
Some effects require challenge rolls to resist the power’s enhance your strengths with your allies’ help.
effect. If so, the effect’s description states what attribute is The Body Conditioning Essence tree focuses on
used to make the roll. improving your physical self beyond normal human
limitations. Invest in this Essence tree if you want to ignore
Moving a Target pain, heal yourself, and make devastating unarmed attacks.
Some powers move the target as part of their effect.
Unless the effect specifies otherwise, this movement Battle Meditation
is along the ground or floor; it does not use special
movement modes. The Black Isler art of battle meditation is a combination
of martial arts and meditative techniques that allows the
Combining Power Effects practitioner to enter into a group consciousness with
her allies, drawing strength from them. Demon-hunting
A target or area can be subject to any number of different
parties use this Essence tree to imbue a single hunter with
powers, but it is affected by a particular power only once,
the power to kill a demon bare-handed.
even if the power is cast multiple times, and only by the
most recent casting of that power. For example, successfully Discovery Benefit: You learn the group mind power
using the compel power on a target already under the effect
of another compel power would replace the effect of the Battle Meditation
older instance. Similarly, if a creature is in the overlapping Essence Talents
areas of two acid rain powers, it suffers only the effects of Battle Awareness: Whenever you and an ally are within
the one most recently used. reach of the same creature, you get 1 boon on any attack
Some powers provide exceptions to this rule. or challenge rolls you make against that creature.
Seeker point Spending Forge Link: After spending 1 minute in meditation with
a willing ally, you can forge a mental link with that
Some powers have additional or amplified effects if you ally. While this link is intact, you can communicate
spend a Seeker point when you use the power. This Seeker telepathically with each other, and you’re each aware
point must be spent as part of the same action you spend to of anything the other sees. If you and your ally are ever
use the power. That is, you cannot spend the Seeker point separated by more than long distance, the link breaks.
after the fact, even if the power’s duration is still in effect, You can only have one such link at a time. You can add
unless the power’s entry explicitly says otherwise. this talent up to three times; each time you add it, you
can have an additional simultaneous link.
Pushing
Battle Trance: As long as you’re within short range of at
Pushing is a special effect of Chaos powers that allows you least one ally, your attacks deal 1d6 extra damage.
to amplify a power’s effect beyond its normal limitations,
but at great risk. Battle Meditation
Mutate
Essence Powers
Group Mind Utility 0
Adaptation powers can be mutated, which makes them
permanent at a cost. Target Up to 10 willing creatures, which you must touch
Duration 1 hour
Reverse
You establish a group mind, a mental connection be-
Gravity Manipulation powers can be reversed, causing an tween yourself and the targets. While this connection
effect that is counter to the power’s normal effect. Reversing lasts, you use the highest Perception, Intellect, and Will
a power, in most cases, counts as using that power normally, bonuses as your own; because the scores don’t change,
but produces the reversed effect instead. no other attributes or characteristics change. If a target
moves further away from you than 1 mile, your connec-
176
A Black Isler in group mind preparing
to deliver a demon-killing strike.
tion to that target is severed and, if you were using any Group Body Utility 0
of its attributes or characteristics, you must choose new Special You must have a group mind established
ones from those still in the group.
If anyone in the group is incapacitated while the group Choose Strength or Agility. For as long as your group
mind is in place, that person’s connection is severed and mind is in place, you use the highest bonus for the cho-
everyone remaining in the group mind takes 1 Strain. sen attribute that exists within the group mind as if it
You can end the group mind as an action or a triggered were your own. This doesn’t change your characteristics.
action on your turn, and any of the targets can sever their You can spend a Seeker point to affect both attributes
connection to the group mind as an action or triggered for the duration rather than just one.
action on their turn.
Distributed Pain Utility 1
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
to extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another Special You must have a group mind established
use of this power or take 1 Strain. You can’t extend the
When you take damage, you can use a triggered action
effect if it ends prematurely.
to use this power. When you do, you distribute that dam-
You can spend a Seeker point to use group mind as
age as equally as possible among all participants in the
part of the same action you initiate to use another Battle
group mind, though a participant must be willing to take
Meditation power, allowing you to use both powers
the damage in order for you to distribute any of it to that
with a single action. You still must expend a use of each
participant. If the damage can’t be divided equally, you
power.
take any remainder.
177
Black Isle Origin

Attack Powers Utility Powers Attack Powers Utility Powers
Demon-Killing
Strike Level 5 Surge of prowess Level 5
Level 4 Ten Fists As One Level 4 Regenerate
Resonant Feedback Level 3 Share Essence Thunder Strike Level 3 Unstoppable
Ignore pain
Afflicting Strike Level 2 Borrow Endurance Pack Attack Level 2 Healing Hands
Accelerate healing
Gestalt Strike Borrow Speed Coordinated
Level 1 Strike Level 1 Endure Environment
Fists like Hammers
Level 0 Level 0
Group Mind Defensive Stance
Group Body Move with the Wind
Sensory
Training
Battle Awareness Essence Battle Body Essence
Talents Meditation Conditioning Talents Speed
Training
Forge Link
Strength Hardened Thick
Battle Trance Training Agility fists Skin
Training
Gestalt Strike Attack 1 You can spend a Seeker point to get an additional +5
Special You must have a group mind established bonus to Health for the duration.
As part of using this power, you make an unarmed or Afflicting Strike Attack 2
weapon attack. Any participants in your group mind can Special You must have a group mind established
increase your damage by 1d6 by taking a triggered action
to do so. As part of using this power, you make an unarmed
attack. If you hit, you can transfer any afflictions that
Borrow Speed Utility 1 members of your group mind are suffering to the tar-
Special You must have a group mind established get of your attack. Any transferred afflictions imme-
diately end on members of your group mind, and the
When you use this power as an action or a triggered target of your attack gains all of those afflictions for
action on your turn, each participant in your group mind 1 round each. As the conduit of these afflictions, you
can choose to become immobilized for 1 turn. For each take 1 Strain.
participant who chooses to become immobilized, you
may immediately move half your speed. Share Essence Utility 3
Target One member of your group mind
Borrow Endurance Utility 2 Special You must have a group mind established
Duration 1 minute
Special You must have a group mind established As part of using this power, your target expends a use
of one of his own Essence powers. The Essence power
When you use this power, each participant in your has its normal effect, but you are the originator of that
group can choose to take 1d6 damage. For each partici- effect and get to make all choices associated with the use
pant who chooses to take the damage, you get a +3 bonus of that power. For all intents and purposes, it’s as if you
to Health for the duration. used that power.
178
Resonant Feedback Attack 3 Body Conditioning

Target Each member of your group mind Essence Powers
Special You must have a group mind established
Defensive Stance Utility 0
You strike with the fists of the participants of your Duration 4 hours
group mind. For each member of your group mind, ex- You enter a state of enhanced awareness and endurance,
cluding yourself, choose one creature within that mem- granting a +2 bonus to your Defense for the duration.
ber’s reach. Make an unarmed strike attack against each
target. You may use Will in place of the attribute you When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
would normally use. For each attack you make after the extend it by 4 hours. If you do, either expend another use
first you make the attack roll with 1 bane. On a success, of this power or take 1 Strain.
the attack deals 1d6 extra damage.
Move with the Wind Utility 0
Ten Fists As One Utility 4
You move up to twice your Speed. This movement does
Duration 1 minute not trigger free attacks.
Triggered You can use a triggered action on your turn to
When you use this power, each member of your group use this power. If you do so, you instead move up to your
mind can choose to take 1 bane on either Strength or Speed without triggering free attacks.
Agility attack rolls for the duration. For each one who
Accelerate Healing Utility 1
chooses to take a bane, your unarmed attacks deal 1d6
extra damage for the duration. You heal damage equal to your healing rate.
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose Triggered You can use a triggered action on your turn
to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another to use this power. If you do so, you instead heal damage
use of this power or take 1 Strain. equal to half your healing rate.
Demon-Killing Strike Attack 5
Endure Environment Utility 1
Target One creature you can reach
Duration 1 hour
For the duration, you do not have to breathe, you do
Your group mind ends immediately and you take 1
not have to eat or drink, you are immune to damage from
Strain. Make a Strength or Agility attack roll with 2 boons
poison, and you ignore the poisoned affliction.
against the target’s Agility. On a success, the target takes
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
9d6 damage. A creature incapacitated by this damage is
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use
immediately slain.
of this power or take 1 Strain.
Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 3d6 extra damage. You can spend a Seeker point to also inure yourself to
extreme heat and cold for the duration. You do not take
Body Conditioning damage from environments of extreme heat or cold. An
attack that uses heat or cold still damages you, but you
Those from the Black Isle spend countless hours training,
take half damage from such an attack.
conditioning their bodies to operate at peak performance
levels. Some push beyond this, though, turning their Fists Like Hammers Utility 1
Essence inward until they’re able to break through the
Duration 1 minute
limits of human capability and achieve superhuman feats.
Discovery Benefit: Health +5 For the duration, your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 extra
damage.
Body Conditioning When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
Essence Talents to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another
use of this power or take 1 Strain.
Strength Training: You make Strength attack rolls and
challenge rolls with 1 boon. Ignore Pain Utility 2
Agility Training: You make Agility attack rolls and When you take damage from an attack, you can use a
challenge rolls with 1 boon. triggered action to use this power and ignore that dam-
Hardened Fists: Your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 extra damage. age. You still suffer any secondary effects or afflictions
Thick Skin: Increase your Defense by 2. associated with the triggering attack. If the attack would
have caused you to take damage in excess of your Health,
Speed Training: Increase your Speed by 2.
take 1 Strain.
Sensory Training: Increase your Perception by 3.
179
City Folk & Country Folk
While not a strict rule, generally speaking people who
live in the cities of New Gaia tend to lean toward the Plant When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
Control Essence tree, because it’s useful for invention, to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another
innovation and business. Those who live in more rural use of this power or take 1 Strain.
settings focus more on Plant Form, because it helps more When you fall victim to any of these conditions, you
with basic survival. can use this power as a triggered action if you spend a
Seeker point.
Thunder Strike Attack 3
As part of using this power, make an unarmed attack.
If you hit, the target takes an additional 4d6 damage and
Healing Hands Utility 2 must make a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane or be
Target One creature you can reach stunned for 1 round.
You touch the target, extending your own life energy Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 2d6 extra damage.
and Essence into it for a brief period. It heals damage Regenerate Utility 4
equal to twice its healing rate.
Duration 1 minute
Unstoppable Utility 3
At the end of each round for the duration, you heal
Duration 1 minute damage equal to your healing rate.
For the duration, you are immune to the following Surge of Prowess Attack 5
afflictions: asleep, blinded, charmed, compelled, dazed,
Duration 1 hour
deafened, diseased, fatigued, frightened, impaired, poi-
soned, and stunned. If you use this power while already Choose Strength, Agility, Intellect, or Will and roll 1d6.
under the effect of any of these afflictions, they immedi- You gain a bonus to the chosen attribute score equal to
ately end. the number rolled, up to a maximum score of 20, for the
duration. The increase also affects any characteristic as-
A Black Isler uses
sociated with the attribute.
regenerate to heal her When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
nearly destroyed face
and skull.
New Gaia
The majority of the population of New Gaia are
bonded to plants and are known as weavers. They
have the ability to engineer, control, create, and
even become like the plants they live with, and their
harmony with nature is unmatched.
The Plant Control Essence tree allows you to harness,
create, and manipulate plants in your environment. Invest
in this Essence tree if you like the idea of bending nature to
your whim.
The Plant Form Essence tree focuses on unity with plant
life and causes you to become more like the plants you
spend your time with. Invest in this Essence tree if you want
to take on plant-like aspects, or if you want to make better
use of plant-based living gear.
A small portion of the population instead bonds
with insects. While these insect-weavers are
treated poorly on New Gaia, their powers are
extraordinary.
The Insect Control Essence tree allows you to
call and command insects, to use them as tools
or weapons, and to shape them to your purpose.
Invest in this Essence tree if calling up swarms
of insects to do your bidding sounds like fun.
180
New Gaia Origin 1

Return from
Level 5 Seed of Wisdom Level 5 the Soil
Level 4 The Forest’s Eyes Lashing Tendrils Level 4
Strength from
Hostile Ground
Level 3 Level 3 the Soil
Jungle Ghost Greater Plant Bond
Tree Shape
Grasping Branches Level 2 Thirsty Vines Level 2 Plant Bond
Raking Branches
Enhanced Shaped Blood Thorns
Plant Level 1 Level 1 Lesser plant Bond
Reclaimed Ground
Oaken Hide
Level 0 Level 0
Speak With Plants Plant Seeming
Thorn Whip Least Plant Bond
Additional
Verdant Bond
Intervention Essence Plant Essence
Talents Control Plant Form Talents
Photosynthesis
Voice of No Trace
the Forest Voice of Wood Bark Camouflage
Shelter the Forest Meld Skin
The Insect Meld Essence tree focuses on becoming more than its rank. For more information on creating living
like an insect, gaining the ability to crawl on walls, enhance gear, see Chapter 9.
your reflexes, and even fly or become a giant insect. Invest Voice of the Forest: Your Verdant Path discovery benefit
in this Essence tree if you want weird insect-like powers, or now grants you 2 boons instead of 1.
if you want to make better use of insect-based living gear.
The Forest’s Quarry: While you’re in an area of significant
plant growth (a forest, a park, a meadow, etc.), you can use
Plant Control an action or triggered action to designate one creature
The weavers of New Gaia have the ability to communicate you can see as your quarry. It remains your quarry until
with and control plants. This allows them to accomplish you use this talent again, you leave the area, or the target
incredible things, including creating specialized plants to leaves the area. When you roll to hide from, find, or track
accomplish all manner of tasks and provide all manner of your quarry, you make the challenge roll with 1 boon. In
conveniences. addition, you can use an action or triggered action to ask
the plants, “Is my quarry near?” The plants will answer
Discovery Benefit: Verdant Path. Plants move out of your you truthfully.
way, cover your tracks, and otherwise aid you as you
pass. You ignore difficult terrain caused by plant growth, No Trace: When you move across ground containing
and any challenge rolls you make to move through or on vegetation, you leave tracks only if you choose to. You can
plants, or to hide in areas of thick vegetation, are made also, as an action, ask plant life around you to dispose of
with 1 boon. bodies and other inconvenient things and, if the plants
are big enough to do so, they will.
Plant Control Essence Talents Shelter: When you and up to five creatures you designate
Verdant Invention: You know how to create living gear take a rest in an area of significant plant growth (a forest,
with the plant keyword. In order to create a piece of a park, a meadow, etc.), you each gain additional healing
living gear, your Essence must be equal to or higher equal to your respective healing rates.
181
Plant Control Essence Powers When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
Speak with Plants Utility 0 of this power or take 1 Strain. You can instead choose to
Duration 1 minute; see the effect take 1d6 Strain when you extend the duration; if you do,
the plant growth becomes permanent.
You may ask plants within short range of you questions You can spend a Seeker point to increase the circle’s
until you either ask them 5 questions or the duration radius by 5 yards.
elapses. The plants will answer you truthfully, but their
awareness is limited to the immediate area, and there are Enhance Shaped Plant Attack 1
certain abstract concepts they may not understand. Target One piece of living gear with the plant keyword
Duration 1 hour
Thorn Whip Attack 0
Target One vine you can reach You coax more life and vigor out of the target. For the
Duration 1 hour; see the effect duration, any attack and challenge rolls made with the
target get 1 boon, and if the target deals damage, it deals 1d6
You convince the target to grow strong and sprout extra damage.
thorns, becoming a potent weapon. While you wield it, When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
the target is a light weapon with reach +1 and finesse that extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use of
deals 1d3 damage on a hit. The thorn whip counts as a this power or take 1 Strain.
rank 0 piece of living gear with the plant keyword for all
intents and purposes. A creature that takes damage from Thirsty Vines Utility 2
the thorn whip is also impaired for 1 round, wracked by Area A cylinder 5 yards tall with a 5-yard radius centered on a
the pain of the whip’s tearing thorns. If the target ever point within medium range
leaves contact with your body, it shrivels and becomes a Duration 1 minute
normal dead vine. Special You must be in an area of significant plant growth
Lashing vines spring from the trees and earth around
you, whipping at the wounded and drinking their blood.
of this power or take 1 Strain. You can’t extend the effect if
When any creature in the area takes damage, it takes 1d6
it ends prematurely.
extra damage and is impaired for 1 round.
Blood Thorns Utility 1 When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
Target Up to three thorns you can reach to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another
Duration 8 hours; see the effect use of this power or take 1 Strain.
You can spend a Seeker point to designate any number of
You pluck each target from the plant on which it grows, creatures you can see; they aren’t affected by this power.
then pierce your flesh with it, allowing it to drink of your
blood. Each thorn deals 1d3 damage to you. Once the Grasping Branches Attack 2
targets have drunk your blood, any creature other than Target Up to five creatures within medium range
you can, as an action, pierce its own flesh with this thorn Special You must be in an area of significant plant growth
in order to heal damage equal to its healing rate. Once a
The trees around you reach down and grasp the targets,
thorn is used in this way, it shrivels and becomes a use-
holding them. Each target must get a success on an Agility
less husk.
challenge roll or become immobilized for 1 minute. The
target can use an action to pry itself free of the grasping
to extend it to 24 hours or add 24 hours to its duration. If
trees; doing so requires a successful Strength challenge roll.
you do, either expend another use of this power or take
1 Strain. You can’t extend the effect of a given thorn once Hostile Ground Utility 3
it’s been used.
Area A circle on the ground with a 10-yard radius centered on a
Reclaimed Ground Utility 1 point within medium range
Duration 1 minute
Area A circle on the ground with a 10-yard radius centered on a
point within medium range Bushes, tall grasses, roots, and brambles grow in the
Duration 1 hour area, all of them springing razor-sharp thorns and spikes.
For the duration, the area is difficult terrain and counts as
Vines, creepers, weeds, tall grass, and other plants
an area of significant plant growth for all intents and pur-
break out of the ground in the area, taking it over. It be-
poses. Any creature entering the area or moving across it
comes difficult terrain and counts as an area of significant
must make an Agility challenge roll with 1 bane, taking
plant growth for all intents and purposes. When the ef-
1d6 damage on a failure. Creatures able to ignore the dif-
fect ends, the plant growth withers and dies.
ficult terrain also ignore the damage.
182
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to Plant Form
extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another use
of this power or take 1 Strain. You can instead choose to In New Gaia, those who are most in tune with their Essence
take 1d6 Strain when you extend the duration; if you do, the bond to plants start to take on aspects of those plants. They
plant growth becomes permanent. can enhance these aspects, becoming more and more plant-
You can spend a Seeker point to increase the circle’s like, and they can also develop deeper bonds with plant-
radius by 5 yards. based living gear.
Jungle Ghost Utility 3 Discovery Benefit: You can safely bond to 1 additional
piece of living gear with the plant keyword.
Duration 1 minute
For the duration, you can enter a space occupied by a Plant Form Essence Talents
plant of your Size or larger and instantly exit into an open Additional Bond: You can safely bond to 1 additional piece
space from another plant of your Size or larger that is within of living gear with the plant keyword. You can add this
medium range of the plant whose space you entered. talent up to four times.
You can spend a Seeker point; if you do, you may exit Photosynthesis: You’re able to subsist primarily on sunlight
from any plant of your Size or larger within 1 mile, as and water. You no longer sleep; instead, you must root
long as you’ve seen with the plant and its surrounding yourself to the ground for 4 hours during every 24-hour
terrain with your own eyes before. period; doing so counts as a rest. During this time, you’re
The Forest’s Eyes Utility 4 fully alert and awake, but you’re immobilized. Rooting or
unrooting yourself is an action. As long as you get at least
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
4 hours of sunlight every day, you never suffer the effects
Special You must be an area of significant plant growth
of starvation.
For the duration, you enjoy the following benefits: Camouflage: While in an area of significant plant life,
༄ You can see with your normal vision, but you can also you can alter your pigmentation to blend in with your
see through the eyes of the plants and vegetation and surroundings. This gives you 2 boons on any challenge
can perceive anything a plant can within long range rolls you make to hide in such environments.
of you, and can switch between your two perception Bark Skin: You grow tough bark over your skin. Increase
modes as a triggered action on your turn your Defense by 2, provided you’re not wearing armor.
༄ You see through anything that renders things Wood Meld: If you’re wielding a weapon made of wood
invisible or hidden or plant matter, you can physically bond with it. While
༄ When you track a creature, you make any associated you’re melded with the weapon, you can’t be disarmed,
challenge rolls with 3 boons and you get 1 boon on all attack rolls you make with it.
༄ Plants around you do not block your line of sight
Plant Form Essence Powers
If you enter an area without significant plant growth,
such as a city, before the duration elapses, the effect ends Plant Seeming Utility 0
prematurely. Duration 1 hour
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use You cause yourself to look like a plant for the dura-
of this power or take 1 Strain tion. You decide what kind of plant you look like. You
can increase or decrease your apparent height by up to
Seed of Wisdom Utility 5 25 percent, and none of your clothing or gear is visible
Target One seed from the Great Tree you can reach while you’re in this form. While you’re indistinguishable
Duration 1 hour; see the effect from a normal plant in this state, creatures can see you
move and are free to draw their own conclusions from
You activate the potential of a Seed of Wisdom. Anyone such an event.
with the Verdant Path discovery benefit can take an
action to eat the target, after which they enter an hour- Least Plant Bond Utility 0
long state of trance. While in this state, the creature can You can expend a use of this power instead of expend-
visualize a single location where plants exist that fits ing a use of a rank 0 piece of living gear, provided the
inside a cube roughly 10 yards on each side, anywhere in gear has the plant keyword. Any attack or challenge rolls
the world. The creature can observe the location for the you make with the piece of living gear for the next round
entire duration, but can only see; the vision doesn’t have get 1 boon.
an auditory component. If the creature takes damage,
the trance ends. Seeing an area with this power counts as
having seen the area with your own eyes.
183
Raking Branches Utility 1 Strength from the Soil Utility 3

Duration 1 minute You must concentrate for 1 minute while in contact
with a patch of soil at least 3 yards in diameter. If your
Your arms and fingers elongate, growing bark and concentration is uninterrupted, at the end of that time,
thorns and becoming claw-like branches for the dura- you heal damage equal to twice your healing rate and
tion. Your branches function as a martial weapon with you remove any of the following afflictions from yourself:
finesse and reach +1 that deals 1d6+2 damage, which you diseased, fatigued, and poisoned. If, as part of this period
can dual-wield. You make any challenge rolls that rely on of concentration, you are in contact with a corpse, you
fine manipulation with 1 bane for the duration. may consume that corpse as part of the spell, drawing
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose nourishment from it. If you do so, you heal extra damage
to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another equal to your healing rate, and you need no further nour-
use of this power or take 1 Strain. ishment for the rest of the day. If you’re starving or dehy-
Lesser Plant Bond Utility 1 drating, those states end.
You can expend a use of this power instead of expend- Greater Plant Bond Utility 3
ing a use of a rank 1 piece of living gear, provided the gear You can expend a use of this power instead of expend-
has the plant keyword. Any attack or challenge rolls you ing a use of a rank 3 piece of living gear, provided the gear
make with the piece of living gear for the next round get has the plant keyword. Any attack or challenge rolls you
1 boon and, if the living gear deals damage during this make with the piece of living gear for the next round get
time, it deals 1d6 extra damage. 2 boons and, if the living gear deals damage during this
Oaken Hide Utility 1 time, it deals 3d6 extra damage.
Duration 1 hour Lashing Tendrils Attack 4
Target Up to five creatures within medium range
Your skin hardens into tough wood, making you in-
credibly resistant to harm. For the duration, attack rolls Thorn-covered vines spring from your body, lashing
against your Defense, Strength, or Agility are made with out in all directions. Each target takes 3d6 damage and
1 bane and you take half damage from weapons. You get must make an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the tar-
1 boon whenever you try to hide in areas of significant get is moved 6 yards in a direction you choose and then
plant life. becomes immobilized for 1 minute. When you move, you
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to move each target with you, and you can use a triggered
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use action on your turn to move each target you still hold
of this power or take 1 Strain. 6 yards in a direction you choose. If the target comes
Tree Shape Utility 2 into contact with a surface before moving all 6 yards, it
takes 1d6 damage. The target can use an action to make
Duration 1 hour
a Strength challenge roll with 1 bane, freeing itself (and
You become an ambulatory, sentient tree. Your statis- removing the immobilized affliction) on a success. Any
tics are identical to those of a large monster, and you vine not attached to a target withers and falls off of you.
remain in that form for the duration. While in this form, Return from the Soil Utility 5
you are sightless and, if you hold still, you are indistin-
guishable from a normal tree. You are, however, vulnera- You use this power as a triggered action when you are
ble to fire and take 2d6 extra damage from any fire-based killed, and it only takes effect if something remains of
attacks. your body (though a small piece will suffice). You must
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to also be on earth or soil when you die. Your remains
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use merge into the soil upon your death. Eight hours later,
of this power or take 1 Strain. you return, emerging from the place where you died,
You can spend a Seeker point and take 1 Strain to be- once again alive. When you return, you heal all damage,
come a huge monster for the duration instead. but you’re fatigued until you complete a rest. Any equip-
ment that wasn’t on your body when you died remains
Plant Bond Utility 2 wherever it was, but equipment that was on your body
You can expend a use of this power instead of expend- returns with you. All of your living gear is consumed as
ing a use of a rank 2 piece of living gear, provided the gear fuel to regenerate your body and mind, as are any corpses
has the plant keyword. Any attack or challenge rolls you in the immediate area. If there were no corpses or living
make with the piece of living gear for the next round get gear to consume, you are also impaired until you com-
2 boons and, if the living gear deals damage during this plete a rest.
time, it deals 2d6 extra damage. If you do not have a triggered action to spend on this
power, you can instead spend a Seeker point.
184
Insect Control A Thousand Tiny Wings: While your Cloud of Insects

is active, you can fall 30 yards without taking damage.
Perhaps the most feared ability of the insect-weavers is their After this distance, you take damage normally, minus 30
ability to control insects, to call up swarms and incite them yards.
to violence. The insect-weavers don’t often use these abilities Carrion Beetles: As an action, you can direct your Cloud
against their plant-bonded cousins, but the fear still remains. of Insects to consume a corpse. You lose all benefits of
Discovery Benefit: You get 1 additional boon from your your Cloud of Insects while they’re doing so, and it takes
Cloud of Insects, and the extra damage your cloud allows them 1 round to consume the corpse, leaving no trace.
you to deal is increased by 1d6. Once your Cloud of Insects has consumed at least one
corpse, you can use an action to consume your Cloud
Insect Control Essence Talents of Insects, gaining nourishment from them. You heal
damage equal to your healing rate, but you lose your
Insectile Invention: You know how to create living gear with Cloud of Insects; this doesn’t count as your Cloud of
the insect keyword. In order to create a piece of living gear, Insects being killed. You can summon a new one using
your Essence must be equal to or higher than its rank. For the rules under Cloud of Insects.
more information on creating living gear, see Chapter 9.
Biting Swarm: When you use Stinging Swarm on a
Swarm Shield: While your Cloud of creature, that creature must succeed at an Agility
Insects is active, you have +2 challenge roll each round or take 1d6 damage from your
to Defense. swarm. This effect ends when you recall your Stinging
Swarm, or when it’s destroyed.
An insect-weaver uses
tiny messenger on an
emerald fly to send secrets
to the Red Alliance.
185
New Gaia Origins 2

Level 5 Awaken Insect Level 5 Meld With Insect
Invoke the Swarm Level 4 Insectile reflexes Level 4
A Thousand Tiny Eyes True Wings

Level 3 Summon Enormous Level 3 Greater Insect
Insect Bond
Riding Beetles Chitinous Shell

Level 2 Summon Huge Insect
Level 2 Insect Bond
Tiny Messenger Lesser Wings

Hungry Swarm Level 1 Summon Large Level 1 Lesser Insect Bond
Insect Cling
Level 0 Level 0
Tiny Spies Poison Spit
Eyebiters Least Insect Bond
Insectile
Intervention Additional
Essence Insect Insect Essence
Bond
Talents Control Meld Talents
Swarm Shield
Wall Climber
Biting Carrion A Thousand Carapace
Swarm Beetles Tiny Wings Living Hive
Insect Control Essence Powers Make a Will attack against the target’s Strength. On a
success, the target is blinded and impaired for 1 round as
Tiny Spies Utility 0 insects swarm its face and eyes.
Tiny Messenger Utility 1
You summon insects to gather intelligence for you. Target One insect you can reach
Issue the insects a one-sentence command, such as Duration 8 hours; see the effect
“Follow the man in the green jacket.” The insects will
follow your command to the best of their ability for the You whisper a message to the insect, imbuing it with
duration, but they cannot move more than 1 mile from knowledge. The message can be no longer than 25 words.
you while doing so; if the target of the command moves You must specify a target for the insect, though the target
beyond this distance, they immediately return to you. can be vague, such as, “The first person you meet outside
Once they return to you, you consume them and imme- this prison,” or specific, such as, “My good friend Veret.”
diately learn everything they saw during the duration, Once you’ve done so, the insect flies unerringly to the re-
though you don’t learn what they heard, tasted, felt, or cipient using the most direct path possible, at which point
experienced through any other sense. it attempts to fly down the recipient’s throat. The recipient
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose can make an Agility challenge roll to avoid this, though
to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another they can also choose to fail this roll if they wish. If the re-
use of this power or take 1 Strain. You can’t extend the cipient succeeds, the insect will try two more times, each
effect if it ends prematurely. time on a subsequent round. After the third time, the in-
You can spend a Seeker point; if you do, the duration is 1 sect departs. If the recipient swallows the insect, it immedi-
hour, and any time you extend it, you extend it by 1 hour. ately learns your message, knows it’s from you, and learns
your location. The insect will fly any distance to find your
Eyebiters Attack 0 recipient, but if the duration elapses or it is killed before it
Target One creature within medium range finds the recipient, the message is not delivered.
186
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to while climbing. You can choose to take 1d6 Strain to also
extend it by 8 hours. If you do, either expend another use give them the flier trait; if they have this trait, they can
of this power or take 1 Strain. You can’t extend the effect if carry their riders.
it ends prematurely. When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
Summon Large Insect Utility 1 of this power or take 1 Strain.
Area A cube of space, 1 yard on a side, originating from a point If you choose to give your riding beetles the flier trait,
within medium range and resting on a solid surface you can spend a Seeker point to reduce the Strain you
Duration 1 hour take for doing so by half (minimum 1).
You summon a larger-than-normal insect to do your Summon Enormous Insect Utility 3
bidding. The insect is a compelled small animal or tiny
Area A cube of space, 2 yards on a side, originating from a point
animal, and it appears in the area. Your insect has the within medium range and resting on a solid surface
climber, flier, and poisonous traits. Duration 1 hour
The insect is of a kind appropriate to the environment
where you use this power. When the effect ends or the You summon a larger-than-normal insect to do your
insect becomes incapacitated, it returns whence it came. bidding. The insect is a compelled large animal, two
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to compelled medium or small animals, or four compelled
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use tiny animals, and they appear in the area. Your insect has
of this power or take 1 Strain. the climber, flier, and poisonous traits. At your option, you
can summon two swarms of animals instead.
Hungry Swarm Attack 1 The insects are of a kind appropriate to the environment
Target One creature within short range where you use this power. When the effect ends or an insect
Special Your Cloud of Insects must be active becomes incapacitated, it returns whence it came.
You send your Cloud of Insects to go and strip the
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use of
target to the bone. Make a Will attack against the target’s
this power or take 1 Strain.
Strength. On a success, the target takes 3d6 damage. A liv-
ing creature that becomes incapacitated by this damage is A Thousand Tiny Eyes Utility 3
stripped to the bone and killed instantly. Duration 1 hour; see the effect
Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 2d6 extra damage.
You concentrate for 1 minute, reaching out telepathically
Summon Huge Insect Utility 2
to insects in the area and, through them, insects everywhere.
Area A cube of space, 2 yards on a side, originating from a point During this extended hive mind, you visualize one creature
within medium range and resting on a solid surface or object. You can visualize a specific thing, such as the spear
Duration 1 hour that killed your father, or a general category, such as a bone
You summon a larger-than-normal insect to do your axe. When you finish, for the duration you know the location
bidding, or multiple smaller ones. The insect is a com- of the creature or object you chose whenever you are with-
pelled medium animal, or two compelled small animals in medium range of it. It cannot become hidden from you
or tiny animals, and they appear in the area. Your insect for the duration. The insects also reveal the path you need
has the climber, flier, and poisonous traits. At your op- to take to reach the creature or object. If multiple subjects
tion, you can summon a swarm of animals instead. match the same description, you know the location of each.
The insects are of a kind appropriate to the environment When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
where you use this power. When the effect ends or an in- extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use
sect becomes incapacitated, it returns whence it came. of this power or take 1 Strain.
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to You can spend a Seeker point; if you do, the duration
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use is 8 hours, and any time you extend it, you extend it by
of this power or take 1 Strain. 8 hours. The effect ends immediately if you become un-
conscious.
Riding Beetles Utility 2
Invoke the Swarm Attack 4
Area A cube, 10 yards on a side, originating from a point within
medium range and resting on a solid surface Area A sphere with a 10-yard radius centered on a point within
Duration 2 hours medium range
Duration 1 minute
A group of 1d6 riding beetles (as large animal) come
to the area. The beetles are friendly to you and become You call up a swirling, stinging swarm of insects that
compelled by any creature that rides them. They cannot fills the area. For the duration, insects in the area make
attack, but they have the climber trait and can bear riders attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 boon, and living
creatures other than you in the area make attack rolls
187
and challenge rolls with 1 bane. Once per round during Insect Meld Essence Powers
the duration, as a triggered action on your turn, you can
direct the swarm to attack a particular creature. That Poison Spit Utility 0
creature must make a Strength challenge roll or take 2d6 Target One melee weapon or piece of ammunition
damage. Also, Size 1 or 1/2 living creatures that become Duration 1 minute
incapacitated in the area are instantly killed, stripped to
the bone by your swarm. You lick the target, covering it with your poisonous
secretions. For the duration, the weapon deals an extra
Awaken Insect Utility 5 1d6 damage; this damage is considered poison.
Target One insect you can reach
Least Insect Bond Utility 0
Duration 1 hour
You can expend a use of this power instead of expend-
You awaken an insect, giving it sentience and the ability to ing a use of a rank 0 piece of living gear, provided the
speak one language of your choice for the duration. In addi- gear has the insect keyword. Any attack or challenge
tion, for the duration, the target makes attack rolls and chal- rolls you make with the piece of living gear for the next
lenge rolls with 2 boons, gains a +20 bonus to Health, and round get 1 boon.
deals 1d6 extra damage with any attack that deals damage.
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose Lesser Wings Utility 1
to extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend anoth- Duration 1 minute
er use of this power or take 1 Strain. You can instead
choose to take 1d6 Strain when you extend the duration; You use a triggered action to use this power when
if you do, the effect becomes permanent. you fall. Wings sprout from your back and slow your
fall, though they’re not strong enough to allow you
true flight. For the duration, you take no damage from
Insect Meld landing after a fall. If you continue to fall after the effect
Some insect-bonded weavers start to take on aspects of ends, you take damage based on where you continue
the insects they bond to. These weavers are capable of falling from.
many of the same things insects are, and are also better When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
able to bond with insect-based living gear. to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend anoth-
er use of this power or take 1 Strain.
Discovery Benefit: You can safely bond to 1 additional
piece of living gear with the insect keyword. Lesser Insect Bond Utility 1
Insect Meld Essence Talents You can expend a use of this power instead of expend-
ing a use of a rank 1 piece of living gear, provided the
Additional Bond: You can safely bond to 1 additional gear has the insect keyword. Any attack or challenge
piece of living gear with the insect keyword. You can rolls you make with the piece of living gear for the next
add this talent up to four times. round get 1 boon and, if the living gear deals damage
Carapace: Your skin is covered in a thin layer of chitin. during this time, it deals 1d6 extra damage.
Increase your Defense by 2 if you’re not wearing armor.
Cling Utility 1
Living Hive: Insects live within your body. This makes you
Duration 1 hour
immune to the poisoned condition, and you take half
damage from poison. In addition, if your Cloud of Insects For the duration, you can move at your Speed across
is destroyed, you can use an action to disgorge a mass of walls, ceilings, and overhangs, and you never need to
insects to form a new Cloud of Insects. This process is make a challenge roll to climb.
painful and traumatic; you take 1d6 damage. You can still When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
summon a new Cloud of Insects in the usual way, too. to extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another
Wall-Climber: You get 1 boon on challenge rolls you make use of this power or take 1 Strain.
to climb, and you ignore difficult terrain from climbing.
Chitinous Shell Utility 2
Duration 1 minute
Dragonfly shield. Works for a fight.
Works when you’re falling.
Your skin hardens, becoming a thick, rubbery chitin.
For the duration, you gain a +5 bonus to Health, and at-
tack rolls against you are made with 1 bane.
to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend anoth-
er use of this power or take 1 Strain.
188
Insect Bond Utility 2

Pacari
ing a use of a rank 2 piece of living gear, provided the Those from Pacari have the ability to bond with beasts.
gear has the insect keyword. Any attack or challenge This bond expresses itself in two primary ways.
rolls you make with the piece of living gear for the next The Beast Bond Essence tree focuses on working in
round gets 2 boons and, if the living gear deals damage tandem with your bondmates and enhancing their abilities.
during this time, it deals 2d6 extra damage. Invest in this Essence tree if you want to build up an entire
True Wings Utility 3
pack of bondmates and unleash them upon your enemies.
The Beast Aspect Essence tree allows a Pacari to take on
Duration 1 hour the physical traits of beasts. Invest in this Essence tree if you
For the duration, wings sprout from your back that want to become more like a beast, fighting with savage fury
can bear you aloft, allowing you to fly at your Speed. and natural weapons.
These wings can only bear you for short distances at a
time, so you must always end your movement on a solid Beast Bond
surface or else fall.
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose Pacari often forge deep bonds with their beast companions.
to extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another These bonds allow them to communicate with their
use of this power or take 1 Strain. beasts and other beasts like them, to act in tandem with
You can spend a Seeker point; if you do, you only their beasts more effectively, and to enhance their beasts’
need land once every minute, rather than at the end of capabilities for short periods of time.
your turn. Discovery Benefit: You learn to communicate not just
with your bonded beast, but with all beasts of that
Greater Insect Bond Utility 3 type. For example, if your bonded beast is a wolf, you
You can expend a use of this power instead of expend- can communicate with all wolves. You must be within
ing a use of a rank 3 piece of living gear, provided the medium range to communicate with a beast other than
gear has the insect keyword. Any attack or challenge your bondmate, and being able to communicate with a
rolls you make with the piece of living gear for the next beast doesn’t guarantee that it will be friendly or helpful.
round get 2 boons and, if the living gear deals damage If you have more than one bondmate, this benefit applies
during this time, it deals 3d6 extra damage. to all types of beasts you’re bonded with.
Insectile Reflexes Attack 4 Beast Bond Essence Talents

Duration 1 hour Additional Bond: You gain an additional bondmate, using
the same rules listed under Bondmate in the Pacari
For the duration, your movement does not trigger free
Origin. You can add this talent up to three times, but you
attacks, you impose 2 banes on attack rolls made against
cannot have two bondmates of the same size.
you, and you make Agility challenge rolls with 2 boons to
resist attacks and other harmful effects. Command: When your bondmate makes an attack or
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to challenge roll, you can use a triggered action to grant the
extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use triggering roll 1 boon.
of this power or take 1 Strain. Ferocity: When your bondmate makes an attack, you can
use a triggered action to cause the triggering attack to
Meld with Insect Utility 5
deal an extra 1d6 damage.
Area A cube, 3 yards on a side, originating from a point you can
reach Pack Recovery: Whenever you heal damage, all of your
Duration Until you complete a rest; see the effect bondmates heal the same amount of damage.
You cause an insect to grow to enormous size rapidly, Beast Bond Essence Powers
then you merge with the insect, entering its body and
Walk Among Beasts Utility 0
assuming control. The insect is a huge monster with the
climber and flier traits, and it appears in the area. The Duration 1 minute; see the effect
insect remains for the duration or until incapacitated.
It cannot use actions or move independently; you must For the duration, animals other than your bondmates
enter it and merge with its form. While inside, you treat lose interest in you. They will not attack you, but neither
the insect’s Defense and Health scores as your own, move will they aid you. This effect ends immediately if you
at its Speed, have access to its traits, and can use its attack make an attack.
options in place of your own. When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another
189
Pacari Origin
Savage Beast’s Attribute

Level 5 Enlarge Beast rage Level 5
Natural Armor
Level 4 Ride Beast Level 4 Primal Sight
Savage Savage
Charge Level 3 Beast Sight Onslaught Level 3 Beast Form
Beast’s Attribute
Pack Attack Level 2 Primal Pack Level 2 Natural Armor
Primal Vigor
Coordinated Beast Speech
Strike Level 1 Swipe Level 1 Environmental
Among the sheep Adaptation
Level 0 Level 0
Walk Among Beasts Inner beast
Release the primal Catch the scent
Additional
Bond Animal
Essence Beast Beast Essence Magnetism
Talents Bond Aspect Talents
Pack
Recovery Bestial
Aspect
Command Bestial
Ferocity Countenance
use of this power or take 1 Strain. You can’t extend the You touch the target, causing it to become hidden from
effect if it ends prematurely. all creatures for the duration. The effect ends immediate-
ly when the target attacks.
Unleash the Primal Utility 0 When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
Target One of your bondmates, which must be within short range to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another
Duration 1 minute use of this power or take 1 Strain. You can’t extend the
effect if it ends prematurely.
Your bondmate grows in stature and ferocity, its eyes
glowing and its countenance becoming more menacing. Coordinated Strike Attack 1
For the duration, it gets a +2 bonus to Speed, a +5 bonus Target One of your bondmates
to Health, and its natural weapons deal an extra 1d6
damage, but you cannot issue it commands and it cannot You and the target each make an attack against the
benefit from your talents. same creature. If both you and the target hit, the creature
takes an extra 1d6 damage and falls prone.
Beast Speech Utility 1
Duration 1 minute Primal Pack Utility 2
Target All of your bondmates, all of which must be within
For the duration, you can communicate with any ani- medium range
mal that can hear you. Duration 1 minute
to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another Your bondmates each grow in stature and ferocity, their
use of this power or take 1 Strain. eyes glowing and their countenances becoming more
menacing. For the duration, they each get a +2 bonus to
Among the Sheep Utility 1 Speed, a +5 bonus to Health, and their natural weapons
Target One animal you can reach deal an extra 1d6 damage, but you cannot issue them
Duration 1 minute; see the effect commands and they cannot benefit from your talents.
190
Pack Attack Attack 2 mate is incapacitated, you are immediately shunted out
Target All of your bondmates into a space within reach of your bondmate, and you take
2d6 damage.
You and each of the targets makes an attack against the When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
same creature. If at least two of you hit, the creature takes extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use
an extra 1d6 damage and falls prone. of this power or take 1 Strain. You can’t extend the effect if
it ends prematurely.
Savage Charge Attack 3
Target One of your bondmates, which must be under the effects Enlarge Beast Utility 5
of Unleash the Primal or Primal Pack Target One of your bondmates, which you must touch
Duration 1 hour
You direct your beast to move up to twice its Speed.
At any point during this movement, you can direct it to Your bondmate grows in size, becoming a huge mon-
make an attack with its natural weapon against a creature ster but retaining all of its traits, if any. If the target is
it can reach. On a success, the target takes the attack’s incapacitated, this effect ends.
damage plus 4d6 extra damage and falls prone. When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
to extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend
Beast Sight Utility 3
another use of this power or take 1 Strain. You
Target One of your bondmates, which you must be able to can’t extend the effect if it ends prematurely.
communicate with telepathically
Duration 1 hour
For the duration, you can perceive through your

bondmate’s senses. If it has any special senses, such
as shadowsight or darksight, you have access to them
for the duration. While you are perceiving through
your bondmate’s senses, you are unaware of your own
surroundings and cannot perceive through your own
senses. This effect ends prematurely if you take damage, or
if you use a triggered action to end it.
When this power’s duration elapses, you can
choose to extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either
expend another use of this power or take 1
Strain. You can’t extend the effect if it ends
prematurely.
Ride Beast Utility 4
Target One of your bondmates, which
you must touch
Duration 1 hour
Your body dissolves and

enters that of your bondmate,
making the two of you one A Pacari beast master
rides their enlarged
being. While you’re beast to lay waste
riding within your to oncoming blight
walkers.
bondmate, you have
full control of its ac-
tions, though you can-
not speak with those who cannot
understand an animal of your bondmate’s
type. You treat your bondmate’s Strength,
Agility, Perception, Defense, and Health
scores as your own, move at its Speed,
and can use its attack
options in place of your
own. You have access
to all of its traits, if
any. If your bond-
191
Beast Aspect track creatures get 1 boon, and creatures that are invisible
or hidden to you get 1 bane on attack or challenge rolls
The Pacari bond with beasts, and this bond often causes they make against you. When this power’s duration elaps-
Pacari to take on aspects of those beasts. A Pacari bonded es, you can choose to extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either
with a rhino might get tough skin, for example, while one expend another use of this power or take 1 Strain.
bonded to a viper might gain the ability to see heat. Those
Primal Vigor Utility 1
who pursue this Essence tree seek to deepen this bond,
taking on more and more bestial aspects. As an action or a triggered action on your turn, you can
gain one of the following benefits:
Discovery Benefit: You have the eyes of a beast. You gain
shadowsight. ༄ Remove one of the following afflictions: blinded,
deafened, fatigued, or impaired.
Beast Aspect Essence Talents ༄ Remove any penalty to your Health.
Bestial Aspect: You take on a physical aspect from one of your
༄ Heal damage equal to half your healing rate.
bondmates. Choose one of the following benefits, using
your bondmates as a guide. You can describe your bestial ༄ Spend a Seeker point to remove 1 Strain.
aspect however you like. You can add this talent up to seven
Swipe Attack 1
times, each time taking on a different bestial aspect.
As part of using this power, you make an unarmed at-
༄ You gain darksight and increase your Perception by 1.
tack. You make the attack roll with 1 boon. On a success,
༄ You gain a natural weapon; your unarmed attacks the target takes 2d6 extra damage.
deal an extra 1d6 damage.
Environmental Adaptation Utility 1
༄ You gain natural armor; increase your Defense by 2.
Duration 1 hour
༄ Increase your Speed by 2.
༄ Your size increases by 1 and you get Health +3. You gain one of the following benefits for the duration.
༄ You gain one of the following traits, provided one ༄ Gain +5 to Perception and darksight.
of your bondmates has the same trait: climber, ༄ You can move across walls, ceilings, and overhangs,
poisonous, or swimmer. and you do not need to make challenge rolls to climb.
Bestial Countenance: You can manifest your beast traits ༄ You can hold your breath for up to 30 minutes, you
in a frightening way. Whenever you make an attack or move your full speed underwater, and you never
challenge roll to frighten or intimidate someone, you do make challenge rolls to swim.
so with 1 boon.
Animal Magnetism: Something about you is just extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use
irresistible. Whenever you make an attack or challenge of this power or take 1 Strain.
roll to attract or seduce someone, you do so with 1 boon.
Beast’s Attribute Utility 2
Beast Aspect Essence Powers Duration 1 minute
Inner Beast Utility 0 Choose Strength, Agility, Intellect, or Will. For the
Duration 1 minute duration, whenever you make an attack roll or challenge
roll with that attribute, you do so with 1 boon.
Your bestial traits become more pronounced, your claws When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
longer, your muscles more taut. For the duration, you get +2 to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another
to Perception, +2 to Speed, and your attacks with unarmed use of this power or take 1 Strain.
attacks and natural weapons deal an extra 1d6 damage.
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to Natural Armor Utility 2
extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another use Duration 1 minute
For the duration, you get a +5 bonus to Health, and
Catch the Scent Utility 0 attack rolls against you are made with 1 bane. When this
Duration 1 hour power’s duration elapses, you can choose to extend it by 1
minute. If you do, either expend another use of this pow-
You gain the ability to track and detect your prey more er or take 1 Strain.
easily, whether this is because of an acute sense of smell or You can spend a Seeker point. If you do, for the dura-
hearing, the ability to see heat, or something else entirely. tion, when you are hit by a weapon attack, you may use a
For the duration, any challenge rolls you make to detect or triggered action to take half damage.
192
Savage Onslaught Attack 3 When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to
You move up to twice your Speed in a straight line. extend it by 1 hour. If you do, either expend another use
During this movement, you can make an unarmed or of this power or take 1 Strain.
weapon attack against each creature you can reach Savage Rage Attack 5
during the movement, but no more than once per crea-
ture. For each attack after the first, you make the attack Area A sphere with a radius equal to half your Speed centered
on a point you can reach.
roll with 1 bane and the attack deals 1d6 extra damage.
Beast Form Utility 3 You dart about, rending and tearing with wild aban-
don. Each creature you choose in the area must make an
Duration 1 minute
Agility challenge roll with 1 bane. On a failure, it takes
You take on the form of a beast of your choice. You can 4d6+3 damage. Then move up to half your speed. This
grow or shrink when you assume your new form. While movement does not trigger free attacks.
in beast form, you cannot speak to those who cannot
understand the speech of beasts, but you can speak to
beasts of your type. You can still use Essence powers
The Sea
while in your beast form. The Seafarers adapt to their surroundings, altering their
If you grow, your Size doubles and you gain a +10 bo- bodies in strange ways and changing the creatures around
nus to Health. Your unarmed or natural weapon attacks them to help them survive on the inhospitable oceans.
deal 1d6 extra damage if your new Size is 3 or less, or 2d6 Some can control these creatures and, some say, even the
extra damage if your new Size is 4 or more. If you occupy ocean itself.
a space not large enough to accommodate your new Size, The Adaptation Essence tree allows you to take on
you take 5d6 damage and the effect ends immediately. additional mutations, as well as to alter your body in
If you shrink, your Size is halved. You deal half damage significant ways. Invest in this Essence tree if you want to be
with your unarmed or natural weapon attacks, you make able to gain new abilities frequently, or if you want to make
Strength attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane, and better use of living gear.
you make Agility attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 The Sea-Calling Essence tree focuses on calling and
boon. You may choose one of the following traits: climb- controlling sea creatures, manipulating the ocean and
er, swimmer, or poisonous. weather, and creating living gear. Invest in this Essence tree
You can also choose to become a tiny animal, assuming if you want to command the creatures of the sea and even
a size of 1/4 or smaller. If you do so, you deal 1 damage call up a great sea serpent.
with your unarmed or natural weapon attacks, you make
Strength attack rolls and challenge rolls with 2 banes, Adaptation
and you make Agility attack rolls and challenge rolls with
2 boons. You may choose up to two of the following traits: The most recognizable and quintessential trait of the seafarers
climber, swimmer, flier, or poisonous. is their ability to adapt: their mutations. All seafarers are born
When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose with mutations, but some also learn to control their mutations,
to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another to consciously initiate additional mutations, and even to
use of this power or take 1 Strain. quickly create temporary mutations on the fly.
Primal Sight Utility 4 Discovery Benefit: You get an additional mutation, rolled
or chosen from the Mutations table in your Origin. If you
Duration 1 hour
roll a mutation you already have, reroll until you roll a
For the duration, you enjoy the following benefits: new one.
༄ You see into areas obscured by shadows and darkness Adaptation Essence Talents
as if those areas were lit.
Greater Mutation: Choose a mutation you have; its effects
༄ You see through anything that conceals, disguises, or increase as follows:
renders things invisible.
༄ If it deals damage, it deals 1d6 extra damage.
༄ You recognize those who wield Chaos for what they are.
༄ If it grants a bonus to Defense, you get +4 Health.
༄ You see creatures that have changed their shape or
༄ If it grants a bonus to Perception, you get
appearance for what they are.
shadowsight.
༄ You can use an action to focus your senses in order
༄ If it grants you the ability to breathe underwater,
to detect the presence of creatures around you, even
you never have to make challenge rolls to swim, and
if there are obstacles in the way. You can perceive
you get 1 boon on attack rolls and challenge rolls you
them through foliage, through doors and other
make underwater.
obstructions, and around corners.
193
Sea Origin
Utility Powers Attack Powers Utility Powers
Level 5 Be the Fittest Level 5 Call Serpent
Level 4 Calcify Level 4 Calm Sea Creatures
Greater Symbiotic
Mutation Call Large Sea
Level 3 Stormcaller Level 3 Creature
Growth
Spiny Protrusions Call Scolding Call Medium Sea

Level 2 Malleable Form Spout Level 2 Creature
Lesser Symbiotic Tame Sea Creature

Mutation Shape Sea
Level 1 Creature Level 1 Call Small Sea
Nocturnal Mutation Creature
Aquatic Mutation
Level 0 Level 0
Bioluminescence Friendly Current
Alter Appearance Sea Tongue
Greater Craft Sea

Mutation Creature
Essence Essence
Additional Talents
Adaptation Sea-Calling Talents
Bond
Sea
Additional hunter
Mutation Reconfigure Poison Shipwright
Body tolerance Helmsman
༄ If it grants you extra limbs, those limbs become Adaptation Essence Powers
stronger; you get Strength +1.
Bioluminescence Utility 0
༄ If it grants a boon, it now grants 2 boons.
Duration 1 hour
Additional Mutation: You get an additional mutation,
rolled or chosen from the Mutations table in your Origin. Your skin glows, shedding light in a 5-yard radius for
If you roll a mutation you already have, reroll until you the duration. While you shed light in this way, you make
roll a new one. any challenge rolls to hide with 1 bane.
Reconfigure Body: When you take a rest, you can choose Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect perma-
to enter a state of instability for the next 4 hours. If nent. If you use this power again while it’s permanent,
you have to make any attack or challenge rolls during extend the light’s radius by 3 yards for 1 hour.
this time, you do so with 1 bane. Once your state of
Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered
instability is over, take 1 Strain and swap out one of your
action on your turn. If the effect is permanent, you must
mutations for a different mutation. This change lasts
spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also
until you reconfigure yourself again. If you choose to
cancels its permanence.
swap a Greater Mutation for something else, the new
mutation is also a Greater Mutation, but you take 2 Alter Appearance Utility 0
Strain instead of 1. Duration 1 hour
Poison Tolerance: Because of your constant exposure to
chlorine gas on the seas, you are immune to the poisoned You change your appearance, causing yourself to look
affliction and take no damage from poison. like someone else. You decide what you look like. You
can increase or decrease your height or weight by up to
Additional Bond: You can safely bond to 1 additional piece 25 percent as part of the alteration. You can hide your
of living gear with the sea keyword. You can add this mutations but doing so also suppresses any benefit they
talent up to four times. confer for the duration. You can’t change your Size with
194
A Seafarer uses aquatic

this power, and it has no effect on your clothing or pos- mutation to move at
sessions. incredible speed through
the water in pursuit of a
Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect perma- great serpent.
nent. If you use this power again while it’s permanent,
you can make additional alterations to your appearance,
and you can suppress or reactivate your mutations. All
such changes are permanent until you use this power
again.
Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered
spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also
cancels its permanence.
Lesser Symbiotic Mutation Utility 1
You can expend a use of this power instead of ex-
pending a use of a rank 0 or rank 1 piece of living gear,
provided the gear has the sea keyword. Any attack or
challenge rolls you make with the piece of living
gear for the next round get 1 boon and, if the living
gear deals damage during this time, it deals 1d6
extra damage.
Nocturnal Mutation Utility 1
Duration 1 hour
You have darksight for the duration,

but you suffer 1 bane on any attack or challenge
rolls you make in sunlight.
Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this
effect permanent. If you use this power
again while it’s permanent, you get +5 to
Perception for 1 hour.
Cancel You can end the effect as an ac-
tion or a triggered action on your turn. If
the effect is permanent, you must spend a
use of this power in order to cancel it. This
also cancels its permanence.
Aquatic Mutation Utility 1
Duration 1 hour
For the duration, you can breathe underwa-

ter, you can swim at your Speed, you get a +5
bonus to Speed and Perception, and you never
have to make challenge rolls to swim. Further, you
make all attack and challenge rolls while underwa-
ter with 1 boon. However, if you leave the water you
must hold your breath or begin to drown, non-aquat-
ic terrain is difficult terrain for you, and you make
all attack and challenge rolls with 1 bane while
you’re not in the water.
Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect per-
manent. If you use this power again while it’s permanent,
you get +5 to Speed for 1 hour, and you make attack and
challenge rolls underwater with 1 additional boon for 1
hour.
195
Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered and challenge rolls with 2 boons, and your attacks with
action on your turn. If the effect is permanent, you must melee weapons deal 2d6 extra damage. However, you
spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also cannot wear armor of Sizes smaller than your new Size,
cancels its permanence. and you make Agility attack and challenge rolls with 2
banes.
Spiny Protrusions Utility 2
Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect perma-
Duration 1 hour
nent. If you use this power again while it’s permanent,
You grow spikes and spines all over your body. For the your Size increases by 1, you deal an extra 1d6 damage
duration, anyone who makes a melee attack against you with melee attacks, your Strength attack and challenge
takes 1d6 damage, and you deal 1d6 extra damage with rolls get 1 extra boon, and your Agility attack and chal-
your melee attacks. However, you cannot wear armor lenge rolls get 1 extra bane. All such changes last for 1
while this power is active, and anyone you make physical hour.
contact with must succeed at an Agility challenge roll or Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered
take 1d6 damage. action on your turn. If the effect is permanent, you must
Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect per- spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also
manent. If you use this power again while it’s perma- cancels its permanence.
nent, your spines deal 1d6 extra damage for 1 hour. Calcify Utility 4
Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered Duration 1 hour
spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also Your body becomes hard and stone-like. For the dura-
cancels its permanence. tion, your Defense becomes 20; you gain a +10 bonus to
Health; you are immune to the asleep, blinded, deafened,
Malleable Form Utility 2 diseased, fatigued, and poisoned afflictions; and you
Duration 1 hour cannot be moved against your will. However, during this
time, you are slowed; you cannot drink, eat, or swim; you
Your form becomes malleable; your bones are soft and sink to the bottom of any body of liquid you enter; and
bendable, your tissues flexible. For the duration, you you make all Agility attack and challenge rolls with 2
can move through spaces occupied by other creatures banes.
regardless of their Size; you can move through openings
as narrow as six inches wide; you take half damage from Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect per-
weapon attacks; and you get 1 boon on challenge rolls manent. If you use this power again while it’s perma-
you make to contort or hide yourself. However, you make nent, you take half damage from weapon attacks for 1
all weapon attack rolls with 1 bane, you deal half damage hour.
with weapon attacks, and you cannot wear armor. Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered
Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect perma- action on your turn. If the effect is permanent, you must
nent. If you use this power again while it’s permanent, spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also
you get 2 additional boons on challenge rolls you make to cancels its permanence.
contort or hide yourself for 1 hour. Be the Fittest Utility 5
Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered Duration 1 hour
spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also Choose Strength, Agility, Intelligence, or Will and roll
cancels its permanence. 1d6. You gain a bonus to the chosen attribute score equal
to the number rolled, up to a maximum score of 20, for
Greater Symbiotic Mutation Utility 3 the duration. This increase also affects any characteristic
You can expend a use of this power instead of expending associated with the attribute.
a use of a rank 2 or rank 3 piece of living gear provided the Mutate You can take 1 Strain to make this effect perma-
gear has the sea keyword. Any attack or challenge rolls you nent; you also take 1 Strain every time you take a rest for
make with the piece of living gear for the next round get 2 as long as this effect is permanent. If you use this power
boons and, if the living gear deals damage during this time, again while it’s permanent, choose a different attribute to
it deals 2d6 extra damage. apply the bonus to and reroll the d6. You lose your bonus
Growth Utility 3 to the previous attribute.
Duration 1 hour Cancel You can end the effect as an action or a triggered
You grow, doubling your size. For the duration, you spend a use of this power in order to cancel it. This also
get a +10 bonus to Health, you make Strength attack cancels its permanence.
196
Sea-Calling When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose to

Those who ply the waves have learned to tame sea of this power or take 1 Strain.
creatures, causing them to grow into useful forms. They
Sea Tongue Utility 0
also learn to control the sea itself, exerting their will over
the waves and the weather in order to assure that they are Duration 1 minute
the best sailors on the seas.
For the duration, you can communicate with any ani-
Discovery Benefit: Whenever you roll with any boons from mal or monster within medium range, provided it has the
your Sailor profession, you roll with 1 additional boon. swimmer trait. This doesn’t guarantee that the creature
will be friendly or cooperative.
Sea-Calling Essence Talents When this power’s duration elapses, you can choose
Craft Sea Creature: You know how to create living gear with to extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another
the sea keyword. In order to create a piece of living gear, use of this power or take 1 Strain.
your Essence must be equal to or higher than its rank. For
more information on creating living gear, see Chapter 9. Tame Sea Creature Utility 1
Target One animal or monster with the swimmer trait that you
Shipwright: You know how to create living ships. To create
can see within short range
a living ship, you must meet that ship size’s Essence
requirement; you must spend raw materials in the form Make a Will attack roll against the target’s Will. You
of gems and time; and you must invest Essence in the make the attack roll with 1 boon if you’re under the effect
form of Seeker points spent or Strain taken (in any of the sea tongue power. If the target’s Health is higher than
combination), according to the table below. yours, the power automatically fails and its use is wasted.
Living Ship Creation by Size On a success, the target becomes charmed until you
complete a rest. It accompanies you on your adventures
Ship Size Essence Raw Materials Essence Time and helps you to the best of its ability, though it remains
Small Living 3 7,500 sapphires 10 3 weeks under the Keeper’s control.
Ship You can have a number of sea creatures charmed this
Medium 4 12,500 sapphires 15 2 months way equal to your Essence score. If using this power caus-
Living Ship
es you to exceed this number, the effect automatically
Large Living 5 25,000 20 4 months ends on the creature affected for the longest time.
Ship sapphires
Attack Roll 20+ The target becomes permanently
The Essence and materials costs need not be spent all charmed.
at once, and the time need not be uninterrupted. Once all
costs have been paid, you have a new living ship, ready to Call Small Sea Creature Utility 1
be helmed. Area A cube of space, 1 yard on a side, originating from a point
within medium range and resting on a solid surface or an
Helmsman: You can forge a bond with a living ship,
area of water
allowing you to control and pilot it. To do so, make a Duration 1 hour
Will attack with 1 boon against the ship’s Will while
you’re in contact with its helm. If you succeed, the ship is A compelled small animal or tiny animal appears in
compelled until you sever your connection to it, and you the area. The creature has the swimmer trait, and a tiny
make any challenge rolls related to piloting or navigating animal can have one additional trait from the following list:
it with 1 boon for the duration. climber, poisonous, or flier.
Sea Hunter: Whenever you make an attack roll against a The creature is of a kind appropriate to the environ-
creature with the swimmer trait, you do so with 1 boon ment where you used the power. When the effect ends or
and deal 2d6 extra damage. the creature becomes incapacitated, it returns whence it
came.
Sea-Calling Essence Powers
Shape Sea Creature Attack 1
Friendly Current Utility 0 Target One tiny or small animal or monster with the swimmer
Duration 1 hour trait you can reach
You stir the waters around you such that the current You touch the target, causing its body to twist and mu-
speeds you, or your ship, on your way. Your ship’s speed is tate, shaping it into a form that benefits you. Make a Will
increased by half for the duration. If you’re not in a ship, attack against the target’s Will. On a success, the target
you get +5 to your speed while you’re in the water, and takes 3d6 damage. If this damage incapacitates the target,
any rolls you make to swim get 2 boons. you reshape its body into a form that suits you, turning it
into a short-lived piece of living gear. It counts as a piece
197
of consumable living gear with the sea keyword, and tinguishes unprotected flames. Each creature in the area
provides one of the following benefits for the next hour takes 2d6+2 damage from the hot water and must make
while it’s attached to you: an Agility challenge roll. The creature falls prone on a
༄ You are immune to the poisoned and diseased failure, and takes half damage on a success.
conditions and you take no damage from poison or Call Large Sea Creature Utility 3
disease.
Area A cube of space, 2 yard on a side, originating from a point
༄ You gain darksight. within medium range and resting on a solid surface or an
area of water
༄ You can breathe underwater.
Duration 1 hour
༄ When you heal damage, you heal 1d3 extra damage.
This power works like call small sea creature, except that
༄ Choose Strength, Agility, Intellect, or Will. You get 1
a compelled large animal, medium animal, medium
boon on all attack rolls and challenge rolls with that
monster, small animal, small monster, or tiny animal
attribute. However, when the duration expires, you
appears inside the area. The creature has the swimmer
get 1 bane on attack rolls and challenge rolls with the
trait, and a medium or smaller animal or small monster
same attribute for 1 hour.
can have an additional trait from the following list: climb-
You can spend a Seeker point to choose two benefits er, poisonous, or flier.
from the list instead of one.
Stormcaller Attack 3
Call Medium Sea Creature Utility 2
Area A cylinder, 10 yards tall with a 10-yard radius, centered on
Area A cube of space, 1 yard on a side, originating from a point a point within long range
within medium range and resting on a solid surface or an Duration 1 minute
area of water
Duration 1 hour Dark clouds gather over the area, and a violent storm
erupts. The area is partially obscured by mist and rain
This power works like call small sea creature, except that and, for the duration, creatures within the area and with-
a compelled medium animal, small animal, small mon- in 5 yards of the area’s edge are deafened. The ground in
ster, or tiny animal appears inside the area. The creature the area becomes difficult terrain due to slippery mud;
has the swimmer trait, and a small or tiny animal can the deck of a ship or the waters of a body of water are
have an additional trait from the following list: climber, similarly affected.
poisonous, or flier. When you use this power, at the end of each round
for the duration, hail deals 3d6 damage to anything in
Call Scalding Spout Attack 2
the area that does not have shelter. Each creature that
Area A circle with a 5-yard radius centered on a point on the takes damage this way must make an Agility challenge
ground or water within medium range
roll. It falls prone on a failure, and takes half damage on
You reach deep down and call up a spout of scalding a success.
water, which erupts from the area, climbing 2d6 yards You can, at your option, expend a use of this power to
before raining onto the surrounding area out to half that calm a natural storm, dispersing it over the course of 1
many yards beyond the area of this power. minute and calming the weather within 1 mile. A storm
The force of the water moves unsecured objects of Size created by this power does not count as a natural storm.
1 or smaller 1d6 yards away from the origin point and ex- Calm Sea Creatures Utility 4
Target Any number of animals or monsters with the swimmer
trait within medium range, or a single sea serpent
Water moccasin mask.
Allows for breathing Each target must make a Will challenge roll with 1 bane.
underwater and delivering
poisonous attacks. On a failure, it becomes charmed until you attack it or until
you complete a rest. While charmed in this way, the crea-
ture becomes impaired if it is beyond short range of you.
Call Serpent Utility 5
Area A cube of space, 4 yards on a side, originating from a point
within medium range in an ocean
Duration 1 minute
One compelled sea serpent of Size 3 or smaller ap-

pears in the area. When the effect ends or the serpent
becomes incapacitated, it returns whence it came.
198
A skimmer uses Meteoric Leap

to devastate her enemies.
Sky City Gravity Manipulation

Essence Talents
The people of Sky City use their bond with blice crystals to Weapon Grace: You treat all one-handed melee weapons
learn to manipulate gravity, jump great distances, and even as if they have the Finesse property, and you ignore the
fly. The Skimmers have also perfected their own unique Cumbersome property on all such weapons. You can add
martial art. this talent twice; if you add it a second time, apply its
The Gravity Manipulation Essence tree grants you effects to two-handed weapons as well.
powerful gravitational attacks and effects, and also allows
Armored Grace: When determining whether or not you
you to wield oversized weapons and wear heavier armor
are strong enough to wear a piece of armor, use Agility
more easily. Invest in this Essence tree if you want to move
instead of Strength.
people around, control gravitational effects, and wield two-
handed weapons in one hand. Safe Fall: You can fall twice as far as normal without taking
The Sky-Dancing Essence tree represents a unique damage. If a creature within short range of you falls,
martial art created by the Skimmers that capitalizes on you can use a triggered action to apply this effect to that
their speed, agility, and ability to become lighter than air. creature for 1 round; if you do so, it doesn’t apply to you
Invest in this Essence tree if you want to be able to make for the duration.
great leaps, avoid deadly attacks, and fly. Long Shot: Increase the range of any ranged weapon you
wield by 1 step (short to medium, medium to long, etc.).
Gravity Manipulation
Gravity Manipulation
The people of Sky City can learn to manipulate gravity not Essence Powers
just around themselves, but around others. They also learn
techniques for making their gear lighter, or for making Single-Hand Style Utility 0
large, unwieldy weapons lighter and easier for them to Target One or two melee weapons on your person that require
wield. 2 hands to wield
Discovery Benefit: You’ve learned to manipulate your
personal gravity such that you can carry more. When For the duration, treat the targets as if they were
calculating how many objects you can carry before being one-handed weapons. If a target leaves your person, the
encumbered, add 5 to your Strength score. effect ends on that target.
199
Sky City Origin

Sky-Dancing
Level 5 Gravity Shield Level 5 Mastery
Singularity Level 4 Turn the Blade Level 4
What Goes Up Walk the Wind

Level 3 Level 3
Meteoric Leap Step Aside
Light as Air
Gravity Surge Level 2 Optimize Gravity Level 2 Swift Strikes
Gravity Well Swift Action

Level 1 Slowfall Cut like Wind Level 1
Gravity Strike Silent Steps
Level 0 Level 0
Single-Hand Style Sky Dance
Force Blast Great Leap
Aerobatic
Weapon Attack
Grace Essence Gravity Sky- Essence
Talents Manipulation Dancing Talents
Run on
Armored Anything
Grace Safe Armored Light
Fall Long Shot Agility Steps Missile
Deflect Swift
as Wind
Reverse You can reverse this power after you use it as Reverse You can reverse this power, pushing creatures
part of an attack action. If you do, any attack rolls you away from the origin point instead of pulling them to-
make as part of the attack action get 1 boon and the at- ward it.
tacks deal 1d6 extra damage, but the power immediately
ends. Gravity Strike Attack 1
Target One melee weapon you wield
Force Blast Attack 0
Target One creature or object within short range When using this power, you make a weapon attack,
increasing the gravity on that weapon to drive it home
You unleash a light blast of gravitational force against even harder. You make the attack roll with 1 boon and
the target. Make an Intelligence attack roll against the can use either Intellect or Agility instead of the attack’s
target’s Strength. On a success, the force moves the target normal attribute. On a success, the target takes 2d6 ex-
1d6 yards away from you. tra damage.
Reverse You can reverse this power, drawing the crea- Reverse You can reverse this power as a triggered action
ture toward you instead of pushing it away. in response to a melee weapon attack being made against
you. When you do, you target the attacker’s weapon, mak-
Gravity Well Attack 1 ing it suddenly lighter. The triggering attack roll is made
Area A sphere with a 6-yard radius, originating from a point with 1 bane and, if it hits, it deals half damage. This use of
within medium range gravity strike is a utility power.
Gravity draws all creatures and objects within the Slowfall Utility 1
sphere toward its center. Each creature in the area must Target One creature within long range
get a success on a Strength challenge roll or be moved 1d6
yards toward the origin point of this power. Flying crea- You use a triggered action to use this power when you
tures make the roll with 1 bane. see the target fall. For the duration of the fall, the target
200
takes no damage from landing. This power doesn’t affect Reverse You can reverse this power to instead land lightly.
subsequent falls unless you use it again. When you do so, you fly up to three times your speed and
Reverse You can reverse this power to instead accelerate land normally. This use of meteoric leap is a utility power.
the creature’s fall. Unless the target succeeds on an Agility Singularity Attack 4
challenge roll, it takes 2d6 extra damage from the fall and
Area A sphere with a 10-yard radius, originating from a point
lands prone. This use of slowfall is an attack power.
within long range
Optimize Gravity Utility 2 Duration Concentration, up to 1 minute
Target One creature you can reach You create a powerful well of gravity that draws all
Duration 1 minute creatures and objects in the area into itself. Anything in
the area take 3d6 damage. Objects that take this damage
You touch the target. For the duration, the target gets a
are drawn directly to the origin point of the singular-
+3 bonus to Speed, its jump distance is doubled, and at-
ity. Each creature damaged in this way must make a
tack rolls against the target are made with 1 bane.
Strength challenge roll. On a failure, it is moved 1d6
Reverse When you reverse this power, the target must yards toward the origin point and is immobilized. On
succeed on a Strength challenge roll. If it fails, for the a success, it takes half damage and is slowed instead. A
duration it is slowed and attack rolls against the target creature that starts its turn within the area of the singu-
are made with 1 boon. This use of optimize gravity is an larity must repeat this challenge roll, but does not take
attack power. more damage, even on a failure.
Gravity Surge Attack 2 Reverse You can reverse this power to instead push crea-
Target Up to three creatures or objects within long range
tures away from the origin point. In this case, the dura-
tion becomes instantaneous and, instead of being drawn
You manipulate the gravity around the targets such 1d6 yards toward the origin point, creatures who fail
that it pulls them in multiple directions at once. For each their Strength challenge rolls are flung 5d6 yards away
target, make an Intellect attack roll against the target’s from the origin point. A creature that encounters a solid
Agility. On a success, the target takes 1d6 damage and is surface before moving the full distance takes 1d6 damage
impaired for 1 round. plus 1d6 damage per 5 yards remaining in this movement
(rounded down). Objects that take the initial damage
Reverse You can reverse this power to instead strength-
from this power are scattered in random directions.
en the gravitational fields around the targets. Each target
must succeed on an Agility challenge roll or be immobi- Gravity Shield Utility 5
lized and impaired for 1d3 rounds. Duration 4 hours; see the effect
What Goes Up Attack 3
You gain a +5 bonus to Defense for the duration. The
Area A cylinder, 4 yards tall with a radius of 4 yards, centered next time a creature within short range of you would get a
on a point within long range success on an attack roll against you, this effect ends and
the success automatically becomes a failure. The triggering
You fling all creatures in the area straight up. Each
creature must make a Strength challenge roll. On a failure,
creature in the area must make a Strength challenge roll;
it takes 10d6 damage, is moved 2d6 yards away from you,
Size 1 or smaller creatures make the roll with 1 bane. On
and falls prone. It takes half damage on a success.
a failure, the creature is moved 5d6 yards straight up, at
You can spend a Seeker point when you’re struck by
which point it falls normally.
an attack from a creature within short range while under
Reverse When you reverse this power, you instead push this effect. If you do so, the normal effect for being struck
creatures in the area down. Each creature in the area by an attack doesn’t trigger; instead, you take normal
must make a Strength challenge roll; Size 1 or smaller damage from the attack and the triggering creature must
creatures make the roll with 1 bane. On a failure, each make a Strength challenge roll or be pushed 1d6 yards
creature takes 2d6 damage, falls prone, and is immobi- away from you, and you retain the +5 bonus to defense.
lized for 1d3 rounds. Flying creatures that fail their chal- You can do this as many times as you like, provided you
lenge rolls fall, taking the 2d6 damage as extra damage have the Seeker points to do so. The first time you choose
above and beyond falling damage. not to spend the Seeker point, the normal effect of being
struck occurs and the effect ends.
Meteoric Leap Attack 3
Reverse You can reverse this power to bind an unstable
You fly up to twice your speed, then land. When you
gravitational field to a creature. Make an Intellect attack
land, a shockwave spreads out through the ground in a
against the Agility of a creature within short range. On
4-yard radius from a point within your space. Each crea-
a success, you destabilize the creature’s gravitational
ture on the ground must make an Agility challenge roll.
field for 1 minute, granting 2 boons on any attacks made
On a failure the creature takes 2d6 damage and falls prone.
201
Sky-Dancing Essence Powers

Sky Dance Utility 0
Duration 1 minute
You enter a state of lightness and agility that allows you

to perform the martial art called sky-dancing. You can-
not wear armor while sky-dancing unless you have the
A Sky Canon projects
Blice crystals, which Armored Agility talent. While in this state, you get +2 to
shatter on impact. your Defense and +3 to your Speed.
against it for the duration. The first attack that hits the of this power or take 1 Strain.
target ends this effect, dealing an extra 7d6 damage, Great Leap Utility 0
knocks the creature prone, and immobilizes it for 1
round. This use of gravity shield is an attack power. You jump 200 yards. If you get a running start, you jump
500 yards. If you’re sky-dancing, double these values.
Sky-Dancing Swift Action Utility 1
Perhaps the most iconic ability of the denizens of Sky Special You must be sky-dancing
City, the art of sky-dancing wraps speed, agility, defense,
If you use this power as a fast action, you can take a
aerobatic leaps and maneuvers, and even flight into a
normal action and move half your speed. If you use this
complex and unique martial art that nobody else can quite
power as a slow action, you can take a normal action and
replicate.
move twice your speed.
Discovery Benefit: You learn the sky dance power. If the action you take is an attack, you can spend a
Seeker point to make a second attack during your turn.
Sky-Dancing Essence Talents
Cut like Wind Attack 1
Aerobatic Attack: You get 1 boon on any weapon attack
rolls you make while in the air or above your target. Target One creature or object within short range
Special You must be sky-dancing, and you must be wielding a
Run on Anything: You can make yourself light enough melee weapon
that you’re able to run on walls, narrow surfaces such as
rope, and even across liquids, all at your normal Speed. You hurl your melee weapon at the target, causing it to
You must end your movement on a solid horizontal whirl and cut. Make an Intelligence attack roll against the
surface, though, or you fall prone, fall off the surface, target’s Strength. On a success, the target takes 2d6+3 dam-
sink into the liquid, or suffer some other appropriate age. After the attack, your weapon returns to your hand.
consequence. You can’t use this talent if you’re wearing Attack Roll 20+ The target takes 2d6 extra damage.
armor.
Silent Steps Utility 1
Swift as Wind: Increase your Speed by 3, provided you’re
not wearing armor. Special You must be sky-dancing
Light Steps: When you make a challenge roll to move For as long as you remain sky-dancing, you don’t make
quietly, you do so with 1 boon. sound unless you choose to. This grants you 2 boons on any
Armored Agility: You can wear light armor and still use rolls you make to sneak. If you stop sky-dancing, this effect
powers and talents from this tree. ends.
Missile Deflect: When you’re attacked with a ranged Light as Air Utility 2
weapon wielded by a creature you can see, you can use a
Special You must be sky-dancing
triggered action to alter your gravitational field, causing
missiles to go awry. Choose one effect: For as long as you remain sky-dancing, you don’t take
༄ For 1 round, all ranged weapon attacks against you damage from falling. In addition, you can stand on any
suffer 1 bane. surface that would bear at least 1 pound of weight. If you
stop sky-dancing, this effect ends.
༄ The triggering ranged weapon attack suffers 2 banes
and, if it misses, you can make an Intellect attack Swift Strikes Utility 2
against the target’s Defense. If you hit, you reflect the Duration 1 minute
attack back at the target, dealing damage to the target Special You must be sky-dancing
according to the triggering ranged attack.
202
For the duration, when you make a melee weapon attack,

you do so with 1 boon. The Mainland
People from the mainland don’t have Essence bonds with
extend it by 1 minute. If you do, either expend another use
anything in their environment when they’re born. Because
their Essence is, effectively, unbonded, mainlanders can
Walk the Wind Utility 3 forge strong bonds with symbiotic living gear or even with
the primal force of Chaos.
The Chaos Essence tree is powerful, dangerous, and rife
For as long as you remain sky-dancing, you can levitate. with risk…and reward. Chaos is addictive and potentially
You do not fall if you do not wish to, and you can move deadly to the wielder, and Chaos-wielders often bring
up or down at half your normal speed. You can’t move destruction and discord where they go, but no force
horizontally unless you have handholds—in which case humans can control is more powerful. Invest in this Essence
you can move at half your speed—or some form of pro- tree if you want enormous power and are willing to accept
pulsion. Most sky-dancers use spore packs to allow them the risk and the cost.
to fly more effectively. The Symbiosis Essence tree allows mainlanders to
forge deep bonds with the living gear of Asunder, allowing
Step Aside Utility 3 them to use that gear more effectively and more often than
Special You must be sky-dancing anyone else in the world. Invest in this Essence tree if your
eyes light up when you peruse the living gear section in
You can use a triggered action to use this power when a Chapter 9.
creature gets a success on an attack roll against you. The
success instead becomes a failure, and you move your Chaos
Speed without triggering free attacks.
Chaos is a dangerous and unpredictable force. Those who
Turn the Blade Attack 4
seek to bond with it do so at their own peril; many destroy
Target One creature within short range themselves in the process, and those who survive often
Duration 1 minute; see the effect live short lives full of destruction, violence, and hedonism.
Despite this, many still seek it out. Chaos allows you to
For the duration, the target gets 1 bane on any weapon reshape and control the fundamental building blocks of
attacks against you. If the target succeeds on an attack reality, and it is easily the most powerful force that humans
roll against you, you can use a triggered action to end this can harness. It’s exceedingly dangerous, though, and more
effect. If you do, the success instead becomes a failure, addictive than any drug.
and you can immediately make a weapon attack against Discovery Benefit: There is no discovery benefit for Chaos.
the target. If you hit, you deal 3d6 extra damage. Instead, there are special rules that affect only Chaos-
wielders, listed below.
Sky-Dancing Mastery Utility 5
Duration 1 minute Benefits and Drawbacks of Chaos
Chaos is an incredibly powerful force. Because of this, every
You enter a state of heightened awareness, speed, and Chaos power has a push notation. Any Chaos power can be
agility. For the duration, you cannot use Essence powers used with relative safety, but in order to use a Chaos power
but gain all of the following benefits: to its true potential, you must take a risk. Every time you
push a Chaos power, apply the push effect listed under that
༄ You gain a +3 bonus to Defense and a +15 bonus to power. You can push as many times as you like on a single
Health. use of a Chaos power. After you’ve resolved the effect of the
༄ You make Agility attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 power, roll 1d6 for each push you applied to it. For every
boon. 1d6 that comes up odd, you must choose to either take 2d6
damage or 1d6 Discord.
༄ Your melee weapon attacks deal an extra 2d6 damage.
There’s no way to reduce the damage you receive from
༄ You can use a triggered action on your turn to expend 1 using a Chaos power; not even the deny death power
use of a Sky-Dancing power. If you do, you extend this reduces this damage. Further, if you’re incapacitated
effect’s duration by a number of minutes equal to the by damage you receive from using a Chaos power,
power’s rank. you explode. This kills you and forces every creature
You can dismiss this effect as a triggered action on your within short range of you to make an Agility challenge
turn, if you wish. If you spend a Seeker point, you can roll or take 1d6 damage for every point of Discord you
also fly at your Speed for the duration, though you must had when you died; each target also takes 1d6 Discord
always end your movement on a solid surface. whether they succeed or fail. The area becomes a Chaos
203
A Chaos-wielder explodes after pushing a chaos power too far.
site with a rank equal to the amount of Discord you had Chaos Shield: If your Discord is higher than your Defense
when you died. score, you can use Discord instead of Defense.
Further, Chaos is incredibly addictive. Using a Chaos Chaos Eater: When you encounter a Chaos shard, you
power in the heat of battle causes a euphoric rush that you can consume it to gain power. Consuming a Chaos
can only sustain by continuing to use Chaos powers. shard induces euphoria identical to the euphoria that
The first time you use a Chaos power during a particular you gain from using Chaos powers, except that it lasts
battle, your euphoria starts. While under the effects of for 1 hour per rank of the Chaos shard consumed.
euphoria, you gain 1 boon on all attack and challenge rolls. In addition, for every rank of the Chaos shard you
However, in order to maintain your euphoria, you must use consume, you regain one spent use of a Chaos power
a Chaos power every turn. and take 1d6 Discord.
As soon as you go a full turn without using a Chaos
power, you crash; you lose the boon granted by your Chaos Trapper: You know how to coax motes of Chaos into
euphoria and instead gain 1 bane on all attack and clear glass. For details on how to do this, see Chapter 9.
challenge rolls for 1 hour. Using another Chaos power Chaos Spike: As an action, you take 1 Discord and then
puts you back under the effects of euphoria and resets the manifest a spike of Chaos, a blade of pure primal energy
duration of your crash. Using a Chaos power outside of that springs to life from your fist. The spike deals 1d6+2
battle doesn’t cause a crash, but doesn’t cause euphoria, damage and has the finesse property. If your Discord is 13
either. or higher, it deals an extra 1d6 damage. The Chaos spike
lasts until you dismiss it as an action or triggered action
Chaos Talents on your turn, or until you are rendered unconscious or
Shunt Discord: You can spend 1 hour in intense take a rest.
concentration, at which point you take an action to Chaotic Essence: You can spend a Seeker point when
bleed off some of your Discord. Immediately reduce you push a Chaos power. This allows you to push the
your Discord by half, rounded down. However, that Chaos power once for free; that is, when you roll dice to
Discord has to go somewhere; any creatures within short determine the effects of pushing a power, roll one fewer.
range of you take 2d6 damage and 1d6 Discord, and the You can add this talent up to three times; each time
area becomes a Chaos site with a rank equal to half the allows you to spend 1 additional Seeker point per power
amount of Discord you shunted (maximum 4). use; each Seeker point spent negates one die you have to
Strength from Chaos: If your Discord is higher than your roll after pushing.
Strength score, you can use Discord instead of Strength
when calculating your modifier or defending against Chaos Powers
attacks that target your Strength. Any of your Strength- Maintain the High Utility 0
based characteristics are still based on your Strength
score. Duration 1 round
Chaotic Agility: If your Discord is higher than your Take 1 damage or 1 Discord. You draw just enough
Agility score, you can use Discord instead of Agility Chaos into yourself to intensify your state of euphoria
when calculating your modifier or defending against briefly. For the duration, you gain 1 boon on all attack
attacks that target your Agility. Any of your Agility-based and challenge rolls. You have to bleed the Chaos off
characteristics are still based on your Agility score. somehow, though, and it manifests in strange occur-
204
Mainland Origin
Attack Powers Utility Powers Utility Powers
unmake Level 5 Level 5 True Symbiosis
Master’s Symbiotic
Level 4 Deny Death Level 4 Command
Greater Symbiotic
Transform Command
Creature Level 3 Alter Reality Level 3
Consume Symbiont
Erase Injury Symbiotic Command

Level 2 Bend Space
Level 2 Enhance Symbiont
Lesser Symbiotic Command

Chaotic Servitor
Distort Time Level 1 Level 1 Resist Symbiont
Create matter
Symbiotic Restoration
Level 0 Level 0
Maintain the High Least Symbiotic Command
Induce mutation Push Symbiont
Additional
Shunt Chaos Bond
Discord Essence Chaos Symbiosis
Talents Chaos Symbiosis Talents
Craft
Strength Chaos Symbiont
from Trapper Chaotic
Chaos Spike Chaotic Symbiont
Agility Whisperer Symbiotic
Healing
Chaos Chaos
Shield Eater
rences in your environment: multicolored lights, tiny immediately gains 1d6 Discord, though the impairment
bursts of flame in the air, or small animals spontaneous- still wears off after the duration elapses.
ly changing texture.
Chaotic Servitor Utility 1
Push When you push this power, you extend its dura-
Area A cube of space, 1 yard on a side, originating from a point
tion to 1 minute, or you add 1 minute to its duration.
within medium range and resting on a solid surface
Induce Mutation Attack 0 Duration 1 minute
Target One creature or object within short range Take 2 damage or 1 Discord. You create a semi-living
manifestation of pure Chaos in the form of a compelled
Take 1 damage or 1 Discord. Make a Will attack against
small Chaos-beast in the area. When the monster is in-
the target’s Strength. If you hit, the target takes 1d6+2 dam-
capacitated, it explodes, dealing 1d6 damage to anyone
age and must make a Will challenge roll if it’s a creature. If
within short range who fails an Agility challenge roll.
the target fails the Will challenge roll, it becomes impaired
for 1 minute. This impairment takes the form of some per- Push Each time you push this power, choose 1: increase
manent change to the target: fur, skin like bark, an extra the duration by 1 minute, grant the monster 1 boon on at-
eye, or some other cosmetic change to the target. An object tacks, or increase the damage of its death explosion by 1d6.
automatically suffers a similar cosmetic change.
Create Matter Utility 1
Push The first time you push this power, you get 1 boon Duration 1 hour
on your Will attack. The second time, the power deals
1d6 extra damage. The third, the duration of the target’s Take 2 damage or 1 Discord. A weapon, bundle of am-
impairment and physical change increases by 1 minute. munition, tool, or hand-held object appears in your hand
Further pushes follow the same pattern (1 boon, 1d6 or hands, or at your feet if you have no hands free. The
damage, 1 minute), but if you push this power 6 times, the item is clearly unnatural and thus has no value, though
physical change to the target becomes permanent and it it has its normal effects. A person who has discovered the
205
Chaos Essence tree can use this item without any ill ef- a fast turn each round, using its action to rush away from
fect, but anyone else takes 1 Discord for every full minute you by the safest available route.
they spend in contact with it. You can’t create pieces of If you transform the target into a dangerous creature, it
living gear with this power. becomes a large Chaos-beast for the duration.
Push Each time you push this power, choose one of the In either case, if the target is unwilling, the effect ends
following: increase the duration by 1 hour or grant 1 boon immediately when it takes any damage.
to the attack or challenge rolls of anyone using the item Push When you push this power, you can choose to ei-
for its primary function. Each time you push this power, ther affect an additional target or extend the duration for
it also increases the Discord that people take from con- a single target by 1 minute.
tact with the item by 1.
Alter Reality Utility 3
Distort Time Attack 1 Area A cube, 4 yards on a side, originating from a point you can
Target One creature within short range see within long range
Duration 1 hour; see the effect
Take 2 damage or 1 Discord. Make a Will attack roll
with 1 boon against the target’s Strength. On a success, Take 1d6 damage or 2 Discord. An illusion of a creature,
the target becomes slowed for 1 minute. object, or force that looks, sounds, and otherwise seems
real appears inside the area. If you cannot see the illusion
Push The first time you push this power, the target is also
at the end of a round, the effect ends immediately.
impaired for the duration. The second time, the target is
If you create an illusion of a dangerous force, such as fire
also immobilized. The third time, the target is fatigued.
or boiling water, a creature moving into its space must make
The fourth time, the target is frozen in time, effectively
a Perception challenge roll, taking 4d6 damage on a failure.
becoming unconscious. Each additional push extends the
If you create an illusion of a creature, it moves and be-
duration by 1 minute, but if you push this power a total of
haves in a lifelike manner and uses your Will score for its
10 times, the target becomes permanently frozen in time.
attributes, Defense, and Health. It ignores all afflictions and
Erase Injury Utility 2 disappears when it becomes incapacitated, which ends the
effect. For the duration, you can use an action to move the
Target One creature you can reach
illusion up to 10 yards and attack one creature within 1 yard
Take 1d3 damage or 1 Discord. You touch the target, which of it that can see the illusion and that believes it to be real.
heals damage equal to twice its healing rate. If the target has Make a Will attack roll against the target’s Perception. On
not discovered the Chaos Essence tree, it takes 2 Discord. a success, the target believes that it was injured, burned, or
otherwise harmed by the illusion and takes 5d6 damage.
Push Each time you push this power, you can either affect Maintaining this power counts as using a Chaos power
an additional target or extend the range for a single target on each of your turns for the purpose of maintaining
to short range. your euphoria.
Bend Space Utility 2 Push Each time you push this power, you can choose to
Take 1d3 damage or 2 Discord. You teleport to an open increase the duration by 1 hour or increase the damage
space you can see within long range. the illusion deals by 1d6.
Push Each time you push this power, you can increase Deny Death Utility 4
the distance you teleport to 1 mile or add 1 mile to the Target One creature you can reach
distance. If you cannot see the place you’re teleporting to, Duration 1 minute
you must be familiar with that place and you must make
an Intellect challenge roll. If you fail the challenge roll, Take 2d6 damage or 1d6 Discord. You touch the target,
you appear in a location of the Keeper’s choosing within 1 making it immune to all damage for the duration.
mile of your intended destination. Push Each time you push this power, you extend its du-
Transform Creature Attack 3 ration by 1 minute.
Target One creature you can see within medium range Unmake Attack 5
Duration 1 minute; see effect
Target One creature or object you can see within long range
Take 1d6 damage or 2 Discord. You can choose to Take 3d6 damage or 1d6 Discord. Make a Will attack
transform the target into a helpless creature or a dan- roll against the target’s Will. On a success, the target takes
gerous creature. If the target is unwilling, it must make a 10d6 damage. A creature incapacitated by this damage is
Strength challenge roll to avoid the effect. erased from existence.
If you transform the target into a helpless creature, it
becomes a small animal for the duration. While trans- Push Each time you push this power, it deals 2d6 extra
formed in this way, it becomes frightened and must take damage.
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Symbiosis Resist Symbiont Utility 1

Whenever somebody attacks you or affects you against
Because mainlanders’ Essence isn’t bonded to anything in your will with a piece of living gear, you can use a triggered
the environment, using living gear is far less taxing for them action to grant yourself 2 boons on any challenge rolls
than it is for people from other parts of the world. Though made to resist the effect, and to impose 2 banes on any at-
every nation on Asunder uses living gear, mainlanders are tack rolls made against you by the wielder.
capable of bonding to such symbiotic organisms to a much
greater degree. Symbiotic Restoration Utility 1
Discovery Benefit: You can safely bond to 1 additional Target One piece of living gear of at least rank 1 that you wield
and are bonded to
piece of living gear.
You can draw energy from a piece of living gear, allowing
Symbiosis Talents you to restore your Essence. Expend 1 use from the target.
Additional Bond: You can safely bond to 1 additional piece You lose 1d6 Strain or gain 1d3 Seeker points. To gain the
of living gear. You can add this talent up to three times. benefit of this power, you must actually expend a use from
one of the living gear’s powers; you cannot use powers like
Craft Symbiont: Choose a living gear keyword; you know symbiotic command to substitute for this expenditure.
how to create living gear with that keyword. In order to
create a piece of living gear, your Essence must be equal to Symbiotic Command Utility 2
or higher than its rank. For more information on creating
living gear, see Chapter 9. You can add this talent multiple
ing a use of a rank 2 or lower piece of living gear.
times; each time you do, choose a new keyword.
Symbiotic Healing: As an action, you can spend 1 use of a Enhance Symbiont Utility 2
piece of living gear in order to heal. The amount you heal Target One piece of living gear that you wield and are bonded to
depends on the rank of the living gear. Duration 1 minute
Gear’s Rank Healing Any attack or challenge rolls you make with the target
0 2 receive 1 boon for the duration.
1 Half your healing rate If you spend a Seeker point, any attacks made with the
target deal 1d6 extra damage for the duration.
2 Your healing rate
3 Twice your healing rate Greater Symbiotic Command Utility 3
4 Three times your healing rate You can expend a use of this power instead of expend-
5 Fully heal yourself ing a use of a rank 3 or lower piece of living gear.
Symbiont Whisperer: As an action, you can touch a piece Consume Symbiont Utility 3
of living gear in order to discover exactly what it does. Target One piece of living gear that you wield and are bonded to
You can also bond with a piece of living gear as an action
instead of the usual bonding time. You consume the target, destroying it. Upon doing so,
you heal twice your healing rate and regain spent uses
Symbiosis Powers of your rank 3 and lower Symbiosis powers equal to the
number of uses the target had remaining.
Least Symbiotic Command Utility 0
You can expend a use of this power instead of expend- Master’s Symbiotic Command Utility 4
ing a use of a rank 0 piece of living gear. You can expend a use of this power instead of expend-
ing a use of a rank 4 or lower piece of living gear.
Push Symbiont Utility 0
As a triggered action on your turn, you can grant your- True Symbiosis Utility 5
self 1 boon on any attack or challenge rolls associated You can expend a use of this power instead of expend-
with the next piece of living gear you use, provided you ing a use of a rank 5 or lower piece of living gear.
use it with in 1 turn. You can spend a Seeker point to use any of the following
powers as part of the same action as true symbiosis: push
Lesser Symbiotic Command Utility 1
symbiont or enhance symbiont. You only need spend one
You can expend a use of this power instead of expend- Seeker point to use both powers in conjunction with true
ing a use of a rank 1 or lower piece of living gear. symbiosis, but you must spend a use of each power you use.
207
Reference Tables
Lifting Weights by Strength Discord Effects
Strength Normal Success Discord Score Effect
1 1 lb. 2 lb.
0-3 No effect.
2 2 lb. 4 lb.
People feel ill at ease around you, and you
3 5 lb. 10 lb. make attack rolls to interact with creatures in
4 10 lb. 20 lb. social settings with 1 bane. Reality is warped in
4-6
minor ways around you, such as small objects
5 20 lb. 40 lb. disappearing or changing color, or strange
6 30 lb. 60 lb. smells drifting by without explanation.
7 40 lb. 80 lb. The matter of your body is disrupted and
8 50 lb. 100 lb. inconsistent, imposing a -4 penalty to your
Health. In addition, you manifest some
9 75 lb. 150 lb. 7-8
outward sign of Chaos, such as hair that looks
10 100 lb. 200 lb. like fire, lightning crackling in your eyes, or
skin that constantly changes color and texture.
11 150 lb. 300 lb.
12 200 lb. 400 lb. You die if you become incapacitated, your body
exploding in a riot of destruction. Everyone
13 250 lb. 500 lb. within medium range of you must succeed on
14 350 lb. 700 lb. an Agility challenge roll or take 6d6 damage.
9-16
On a success, they still take half damage. If your
15 500 lb. 1,000 lb. death would cause you to explode for other
16 1,000 lb. 2,000 lb. reasons, instead add 4d6 damage to the normal
17 2,000 lb. 4,000 lb. damage for your explosion.
18 4,000 lb. 8,000 lb. Each time you take Discord, make a Will
17 or more challenge roll. If you fail, you die and
19 8,000 lb. 16,000 lb. explode, as above.
20 16,000 lb. 32,000 lb.
Essence Break
D20 Essence Break
1 Death. The shock to your Essence proves too much, and your Essence is destroyed, killing you.
2 Coma. You become unconscious. At the end of each hour, roll a d6. A roll of 4 or higher ends your Essence break.
Amnesia. You lose your memory. You cannot recall who you are, where you are, or who anyone else is. While you still have access to your
3 talents and powers, you lose access to your professions during this time. At the end of each hour, roll a d6.A roll of 4 or higher ends your
Essence break.
Wracked with Pain. You fall prone and are stunned, writhing in pain. At the end of each minute, roll a d6. A roll of 5 or higher ends
4-5
your Essence break.
Sickened. You become violently sick. While sickened, you are dazed. At the end of each round, roll a d6. A roll of 5 or higher ends
6-7
your Essence break.
Weakened Essence. Your Essence is weak, and you have trouble using it. Whenever you make an attack or challenge roll as the result of
8-9
using an Essence power or talent, you do so with 2 banes. At the end of each hour, roll a d6. A roll of 4 or higher ends your Essence break.
Fight Response. You lash out at everything around you. Until your Essence break ends, you must take a fast turn each round and use an
10-11 action to attack the creature nearest you, regardless of whether it is a friend or foe. At the end of each round, roll a d6. A roll of 5 or higher
ends your Essence break.
Flight Response. You’re overwhelmed with panic, becoming frightened until your Essence break ends. While frightened in this way, you
12-13
must use an action to rush away from any creature you see. At the end of each round, roll a d6. A roll of 5 or higher ends your Essence break.
Backlash. Your Essence explodes outward. You and any creature with Essence within medium range take 3d6 damage. Your Essence
14-15
break immediately ends.
Mutation. You gain a cosmetic mutation chosen by the Keeper. It has no game effect, but you are impaired until you take a rest, after
16-17
which point you grow accustomed to it. Your Essence break immediately ends.
Symbiont Shrivel. Any living gear bonded to you is immediately destroyed. The number of pieces of new living gear you can safely bond
18-19
with is reduced by 1 while your Essence break lasts. At the end of each day, roll a d6. A roll of 3 or higher ends your Essence break.
Fractured Essence. Permanently reduce your Essence score by 1 (minimum 0). If you know any Essence powers with ranks higher than
your new Essence score, you cannot use them until you raise your Essence score to sufficient level. Essence talents you already have are
20
unaffected, but you can’t take new ones if your number of Essence talents is more than twice your Essence score. Your Essence break ends
immediately.
208
Reference Tables
Chaos Mutations
D20 Roll Chaos Mutation D20 Roll Chaos Mutation
1 Your shadow moves independently of your body. 11 When you bleed, your blood is a riot of glowing colors.
When you speak, multicolored smoke drifts from your The air constantly stirs around, you, moving papers and
2 12
mouth. causing flames to flicker.
3 Mirrors break when you look at them. Animals are always hostile to you and attack you when
13
You can only consume food tainted by Chaos. Luckily, you come within 6 yards of them.
carrying food on your person does this normally. If Your facial features melt away, leaving smooth skin
4
you consume non-tainted food, you vomit it back up 14 behind. This doesn’t affect your ability to perceive,
immediately. breathe, speak, or eat.
Sunlight causes you discomfort. Whenever you enter You lose the ability to speak, instead communicating
15
5 sunlight after being away from it for more than an hour, telepathically to everyone in your immediate area.
you’re impaired for 1 minute. You develop unsightly growths and goiters that disgust
16
Strange runes dance underneath your skin. Nobody can those around you.
6
quite read them. Your teeth become sharp and pointed, and you grow a
17
7 You grow great ram’s horns. second row of teeth behind the first.
Your hair turns into fire that produces dim light, though If you spend more than a day in the same place, crops
8 18
it doesn’t produce heat. in that location wither and die.
9 Your eyes become black pits of darkness. 19 When you lose your temper, it starts to rain.
10 Your skin appears to be made of crystal. 20 You grow an extra finger on each hand.
Movement by Pace Living Expenses

—Pace— Lifestyle Price
Time Cautious Walk Jog Run Destitute —
Minute 30 yards 60 yards 120 yards 240 yards
Poor 2 slivers
Hour 1 mile 3 miles 4 miles 8 miles
Getting By 1 pearl
Day 8 miles 16 miles 32 miles —
Comfortable 1 sapphire
Falling Damage Wealthy 5 sapphires
—Damage by Surface— Rich 25 sapphires or more
Distance in Yards Solid Liquid
4 or less — — Clothing and Accessories
5–9 2d6 1d6 Price for Price for
Item Availability
10–14 4d6 2d6 Outfit Single Piece
15–19 6d6 3d6 Clothing, basic 1 pearl 1 sliver Common
20–24 8d6 4d6
Clothing, cold
25–29 10d6 5d6 8 slivers 2 slivers Uncommon
weather
30–34 12d6 6d6 Clothing, ornate 5 sapphires 1 sapphire Rare
35–39 14d6 7d6
Clothing,
40–44 16d6 8d6 7 slivers 2 slivers Uncommon
entertainer’s
45–49 18d6 9d6 Clothing, noble’s 25 sapphires 5 sapphires Rare
50 or more 20d6 10d6
Costume, elaborate 25 sapphires+ 5+ sapphires Rare
Gems by Value Costume, simple 1 pearl 1 sliver Uncommon
Gem Nickname Value Jewelry NA 1 sapphire+ Rare
Emerald Green 5 whites Uniform 1 pearl 1 sliver Uncommon

Diamond White 5 reds Work coveralls 3 slivers 1 sliver Common
Ruby Red 5 blues
Sapphire Blue 5 bobs
Pearl Bob 5 slivers
Pearl sliver Sliver 1 sliver
209
Reference Tables
Personal Gear Tools

Item Price Availability Item Price Availability
Adventurer’s pack 2 pearls Common Alchemist’s kit
5 sapphires Rare
(6 uses)
Backpack 1 pearl Common
Fishing gear 1 sapphire Uncommon
Barrel 2 pearls Common
Book, printed or
25 sapphires Rare
Bedroll 1 pearl Common tome
Bioluminescent fungus 1 pearl Common Disguise kit (6 uses) 5 sapphires Rare
Blanket 3 slivers Common Garrote 1 sliver Common
Box, wooden 3 slivers Common Healer’s kit (6 uses) 5 sapphires Uncommon

Knuckledusters 1 pearl Common
Box, bone 1 pearl Uncommon
Musical instrument 1 sapphire+ Rare
Box, ivory 1 sapphire Rare
Navigator’s
Candle 1 sliver Uncommon 2 sapphires Rare
instruments
Chest, wooden 4 pearls Uncommon Net 1 pearl Common
Climbing claws 1 pearl Uncommon Poison 1 ruby Illegal
Climbing vine 3 pearls Rare Prybar (3 uses) 2 pearls Common
Cutlery set, bone 1 pearl Uncommon Tool kit 1 sapphire Common
Dice or deck of cards 2 slivers Uncommon Torturer’s tools 2 sapphires Illegal

Writing kit 1 sapphire Rare
Flask 4 slivers Common
Lantern, bone 1 sapphire Uncommon Food and Accommodations
Lantern, bioluminescent 5 sapphires Uncommon
Map 1 sapphire Uncommon
Accommodations 1 pearl+/night Common
Oil, flask 1 pearl Common
Ale, pint 2 slivers Common
Pipe 2 slivers Uncommon Beer, pint 1 sliver Common
Pipe tobacco 1 sliver+ Common Feed 4 slivers Common
Pole, 10-foot 1 sliver Common Wine, common 4 slivers Common
Pouch 1 sliver Common Wine, good 2d6 pearls Uncommon
Pot, cooking 1 sliver Common Wine, fine 2d6 sapphires Rare
Quiver or ammunition case 1 pearl Common Meal, light 3 slivers Common
Rations (1 week) 1 pearl Common Meal, common 1 pearl Common
Rope, coil (20 yards) 1 pearl Uncommon Meal, fine 1 sapphire Rare
Dreamgrass 1 pearl Uncommon
Sparkleaf bundle 1 sapphire Uncommon
Rotgut 2 pearls Common
Sack 1 pearl Common
Spirits, common 3 pearls Common
Spike, large stone 1 pearl Common
Spirits, fine 1 sapphire Uncommon
Tent, 2-person 1 pearl Uncommon
Torch 3 slivers Common Land Vehicles
Waterskin 4 slivers Common Vehicle Price Availability
Hirelings Sled or cart 25 sapphires Uncommon

Wagon or coach 50 sapphires Uncommon
Item Price per Week
Palanquin 50 sapphires Rare
Commoner 3 pearls
Professional 1 sapphire Air Vehicles
Bodyguard 10 sapphires
Vehicle Price Availability
Bodyguard, Storm Point 25 sapphires
Spore Pod 1 sapphire Common
Mercenary 5 sapphires
Spore Pack 5 sapphires Common
Mercenary, Bone Army 15 sapphires
Air Skiff 100 sapphires Uncommon
210
Reference Tables
Ships & Ship Weapons Kalea Venom

Ship Price Crew Availability Rank Price Availability
Size
Rank 0 1 sapphire Uncommon
Small Ship 5,000 sapphires 10 Uncommon
Medium Ship 15,000 sapphires 25 Uncommon Rank 1 5 sapphires Uncommon
Large Ship 25,000 sapphires 50 Rare Rank 2 25 sapphires Rare

Small Living Ship 15,000 sapphires 8 Illegal Rank 3 125 sapphires Rare
Medium Living Ship 25,000 sapphires 15 Illegal Rank 4 500 sapphires Illegal
Large Living Ship 50,000 sapphires 25 Illegal Rank 5 1000 sapphires Illegal
Small Skyship 10,000 sapphires 10 Uncommon
Medium Skyship 20,000 sapphires 15 Rare Living Gear
Large Skyship 35,000 sapphires 25 Rare Gear Rank Type Keywords
Legendary Ship Keeper Discretion NA NA Artillery Thorn 3 Attack Plant/Sea
Weapon Price Availability Battle Rage 2 Utility Sea
Harpoon Gun 200 sapphires Uncommon Breathe Water 1 Utility Sea
Thorn Cannon 350 sapphires Uncommon Burrow 3 Utility Plant/Insect
Ramming Gear 500 sapphires Rare Camouflage 2-4 Utility Plant
Fire Spitter 1000 sapphires Illegal Chomper 2 Attack Insect/Sea
Animals & Animal Gear Courier Beetle 3 Utility Insect

Collapse 2 Utility Plant
Crushing Whip 2 Attack Plant
Companion (small or tiny animal) 1 sapphire Common
Raptor (tiny animal, flier) 1 sapphire Rare Dexterous Whip 1 Utility Plant
Beast of burden (large animal) 2 sapphires Common Explode 1-5 Attack Plant/Insect/Sea
Mount (large animal) 3 sapphires Common Glide 3 Utility Plant/Insect

War mount (large animal, +50% Heartseeker 3 Utility Insect
25 sapphires Rare
health)
Lashing Whip 1 Utility Plant
Bit and bridle 1 pearl Common
Needle Blast 1-3 Attack Plant/Insect/Sea
Harness 1 pearl Common
Paralyze 4 Attack Sea
Saddle 3 pearls Uncommon
Phosphorescence 1 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
Saddle bag 2 pearls Uncommon
Poison Filter 2-3 Utility Plant/Sea
Saddle blanket 1 pearl Uncommon
Poisoned 1-3 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
Performance Enhancers Poison Touch 3 Attack Plant
Enhancer Price Availability Banes Return 1 Utility Insect
White Drops 5 sapphires Rare 1 Screamer 1-3 Attack Insect
Svit Gland 5 sapphires Rare 1 Sight Enhancement 2-3 Utility Insect/Sea
Ember Beetle 25 sapphires Rare NA Sleep Dart 2 Attack Plant/Insect/Sea
Sawgrass Powder 2 sapphires Uncommon 0 Spine Growth 2 Attack Plant/Sea
Red Leech 25 sapphires Rare 3 Spit Rope 1 Utility Plant
Black Drops 5 sapphires Rare 2
Spit Web 2 Utility Insect
Other Oddities Thorn Cannon 5 Attack Plant/Sea

Tracking Splinter 1-3 Utility Plant
Oddity Price Availability
Transform 1-5 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
Battle Pod 250 sapphires Illegal
Twin Sight 3 Utility Insect/Sea
Drone Flower 125 sapphires Illegal
Vital Transfer 2-3 Utility/Attack Plant
Gravity Egg 1 sapphire Uncommon
Writhing 1-3 Utility Plant/Insect/Sea
Memory Dagger 10 sapphires Illegal
Regenerative Pod 250 sapphires Rare
211
Reference Tables
Actions
You may use one action during a round to perform an activity. Common activities include the following.
Attack challenge roll to search for a hidden Prepare

object or make a Perception attack
You use a weapon, an attack power, roll against the Agility of a hidden You prepare to undertake an activity
or something else to harm or hinder creature. On a success, the creature or when a specified event occurs. Choose
another creature or an object. See object is no longer hidden from you one activity you would normally use
Making Attacks for how to resolve this and any other creature with whom an action to perform, such as attack or
action. you share your knowledge. retreat. Then, describe what event has
to occur for you to undertake it. This is
Use a Help the trigger. If the triggering event occurs
Utility Power before the end of the round, you can use
Choose one creature within 5 yards of a triggered action to perform the activity.
You use a utility power (one that you that can see you and understand You make any attack roll or challenge
doesn’t count as an attack) and resolve what you say. Make an Intellect roll required by the activity with 1 boon.
its effects. See Chapter 10 for details challenge roll. On a success, the target Otherwise, nothing happens.
about using powers. makes its next attack roll or challenge For example, Clark takes a fast turn
roll before the end of the round with and uses an action to prepare an attack
Concentrate 1 boon. against the first enemy that moves into
his reach. When a hostile Naga moves
Some power effects and talents require Hide up to attack his character, Clark uses
you to concentrate to keep them
You can attempt to hide when you his triggered action to attack it with
going. If you concentrate on an effect,
are not being observed and when you his bone dagger, making the attack roll
the effect continues until the end of
are at least heavily obscured or have with 1 boon.
the next round, up to the maximum
amount of time allowed by the power three-quarters cover or better from an
object. Reload
or effect.
Make an Agility challenge roll. On Choose a weapon you can reach that
Breaking Concentration a success, you become hidden. You has the reload property. If you have the
remain hidden until the conditions proper ammunition for the weapon,
If you take damage or gain Strain that let you hide no longer apply or
while you concentrate, you must make you reload successfully.
you do something that would reveal
a Will challenge roll. On a failure, you your position (such as shouting,
stop concentrating and the effect ends Retreat
making an attack, or using a visible
immediately. power). For example, if you are You move up to half your Speed. This
in darkness, you would no longer movement does not trigger free attacks.
Defend be hidden if the area becomes lit.
When you take this action, until the Similarly, if you are hidden behind a Rush
end of the round, all attack rolls are wall, you would no longer be hidden
made against you with 1 bane and if someone moves to a position You move up to twice your Speed.
you make all challenge rolls to resist where the wall no longer covers you.
attacks with 1 boon. These benefits While hidden, other creatures Stabilize
end if you are prevented from using cannot perceive you. Generally, this
actions, such as when you become means a creature cannot choose you Choose one incapacitated creature
dazed, stunned, or unconscious. as a target for its attack, though you within your reach. Make an Intellect
are still subject to area affects. A challenge roll, with 1 bane if the
End an Effect creature can guess at your location, creature is dying. On a success, the
making the attack roll with 3 banes. target heals 1 damage.
Choose one effect you created with a Even with a success, the attack hits
power or a talent you used. The effect you only if the guess was correct. Use an Item
ends. Also, while hidden, you make all
You interact with an item you are
attack rolls with 1 boon against the
Find Defense or Agility of targets from
holding or wearing, or with an object
you can reach. Examples include
You attempt to locate a hidden which you are hidden.
picking a lock, retrieving an object from
creature or object. Make a Perception a pouch or backpack, or lighting a torch.
212
Reference Tables
Attacking
Attack with a Melee Weapon Attack with a Ranged Weapon
You attack with a melee weapon you are wielding by You make an attack with a ranged weapon you are wielding
swinging or throwing it at your target. by firing its ammunition at your target.
1. Choose a Target: Choose one target creature or object. 1. Choose a Target: Choose one target creature or object
The target must be within your reach or, if you’re using no farther away than twice your weapon’s range.
a weapon with the thrown property (such as a throwing (See Distant Shot for attacking outside your weapon’s
shard), within range of the weapon. standard range.)
2. Make the Attack Roll: Make an attack roll against the 2. Make the Attack Roll: You make the attack roll against
target’s Defense. Typically, you use Strength for attack the target’s Defense. Typically, you use Agility for
rolls with melee weapons. Weapons with the finesse attack rolls using ranged weapons. See Ranged Attack
property (such as light melee weapons) let you use Options for more choices.
Agility instead of Strength for the attack roll. See Melee 3. Resolve the Attack: On a success, the attack hits and
Attack Options for more choices. you roll the weapon’s damage die, which you can find
3. Resolve the Attack: On a success, the attack hits and in chapter 6. The target takes damage equal to the total
you roll the weapon’s damage die, which you can find of the roll. On a failure, the attack misses.
in Chapter 8. The target takes damage equal to the
total of the damage roll. On a failure, the attack misses. Ranged Attack Options
When you make an attack with a ranged weapon, you can
Melee Attack Options
choose one of the following options if you desire.
When you make an attack with a melee weapon, you can ༄ Called Shot: You attack a specific location on the
choose one of the following options if you desire. You must target’s body. You can use this option only if the target
announce your choice before you make the attack roll. has a physical body. Make the attack roll with 2 banes.
༄ Driving Attack: You make the attack roll with 1 bane. On a success, the attack has an additional effect as
On a success, you and the target move a number of yards determined by the Keeper. Attacking a creature’s eyes
equal to your Strength modifier in the direction you might impose 1 bane on all rolls the target makes that
specify. rely on sight, for example.
༄ Guarded Attack: You make the attack roll with 1 bane, ༄ Distant Shot: You can attack a target that is beyond
but the next creature to make an attack roll against your weapon’s range, but no more than twice the
your Defense before the end of the round does so with weapon’s range. You make the attack roll with 1 bane.
1 bane. ༄ Staggering Shot: You make the attack roll with 2 banes.
༄ Lunging Attack: You can increase your reach by 1 yard, On a success, a target that is your Size or smaller must
but you make the attack roll with 1 bane. make an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the target
༄ Shifting Attack: You make the attack roll with 1 bane. falls prone.
On a success, your movement does not trigger free Cover
attacks from the target until the end of the round.
Terrain and objects on the battlefield can provide
༄ Unbalancing Attack: You make the attack roll with 1
protection against attacks with ranged weapons or powers
bane. On a success, if the target is your Size or smaller,
that target things at a distance.
it must make an Agility challenge roll. On a failure, the
target falls prone. ༄ Half-Covered: If an object between you and the attacker
covers at least half your body, ranged attack rolls
Situational Banes against you are made with 1 bane.
Target is . . . Effect ༄ Three-Quarters Covered: If an object between you and
Half-covered 1 bane the attacker covers at least three-quarters of your body,
Three-quarters covered 2 banes
ranged attack rolls against you are made with 2 banes.
Totally covered Automatic failure ༄ Totally Covered: You cannot be chosen as a target for
Partially obscured 1 bane any attack or effect.
Heavily obscured 2 banes
Totally obscured 3 banes
Weather, terrain 1 or more banes
213
Reference Tables
Afflictions
Afflictions describe a variety of harmful effects that alter or limit what creatures can do. The effect that imposes the affliction
tells you how long it lasts and what can be done to remove it. If not specified, the affliction is permanent.
Affliction Description
A sleeping creature is prone and unconscious. Another creature that can reach it can use an action to wake it
Asleep
up. Unless otherwise noted, taking damage removes this affliction.
A blinded creature cannot see. It treats everything else as totally obscured (see Obscurement). Other creatures
make attack rolls with 1 boon against a blinded creature’s Defense or Agility. Perception challenge rolls that
Blinded
rely on sight automatically result in a failure. Finally, the blinded creature’s Speed becomes 2 unless its
normal Speed is lower.
A charmed creature sees the source of the affliction as a trusted friend and ally. The charmed creature
Charmed
cannot choose the creature that bestowed the affliction as the target of its attacks.
A compelled creature cannot use actions or move. Instead, during each fast turn (see Combat), the creature
Compelled that bestowed the affliction can force the compelled creature to move up to its Speed or to use an action. The
creature that bestowed the affliction makes all decisions on the compelled creature’s behalf.
Dazed A dazed creature cannot use actions.
Deafened A deafened creature cannot hear. Perception challenge rolls made to listen automatically result in failure.
A defenseless creature cannot defend itself. Its Defense is 5, it cannot use actions, and its challenge rolls
Defenseless using attributes result in failure. The creature can still perceive its surroundings, however, and can make
Perception challenge rolls as normal.
Diseased A diseased creature makes all attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
Fatigued A fatigued creature makes all attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
A frightened creature makes all attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane. As well, frightened creatures
Frightened
cannot take fast turns (see Combat).
The effects of the affliction depend on the creature’s Size. If the grabbed creature’s Size is equal to or less
than that of the creature grabbing it, the grabbed creature cannot move away from the creature that grabbed
it until it removes the affliction. If the grabbed creature’s Size is larger than that of the creature grabbing it,
Grabbed
whenever the grabbed creature moves, the creature grabbing it can choose to move with it (by clinging to the
grabbed creature’s body) or end the grab. (See Grab for more information on how to grab, and Escape for how
to escape a grab.)
An immobilized creature has Speed 0 and cannot benefit from bonuses to Speed. Other creatures make all
Immobilized
attack rolls against the immobilized creature with 1 boon.
Impaired An impaired creature makes all attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
Poisoned A poisoned creature makes all attack rolls and challenge rolls with 1 bane.
A prone creature lies on the ground. Other creatures can move through its space. While prone, the creature
can move only by crawling or use its move to stand up. The prone creature makes Strength and Agility rolls
Prone
with 1 bane. Creatures that can reach the prone creature make all attack rolls against it with 1 boon, while
creatures that cannot reach it make attack rolls against its Defense with 1 bane.
A slowed creature can take only a slow turn (see Combat), its Speed is halved, and it cannot benefit from
Slowed
increases to Speed.
A stunned creature cannot move or use actions. The creature automatically gets failures on all challenge
Stunned
rolls it would make. Other creatures make all attack rolls against the stunned creature with 1 boon.
A surprised creature cannot use actions, cannot move, and automatically gets a failure on all challenge rolls
Surprised
it would make.
An unconscious creature is unable to act, move, or perceive its surroundings. The creature’s Defense is 5. It
Unconscious
cannot use actions or move, and all its challenge rolls result in failure.
214
Index
A Thousand Tiny Blinded (affliction)...................................59, 214
A Wings (essence talents)........................... 185 Blood Thorns (essence power)................... 182
Abductor’s Needle......................................... 167 Attack (action)...........................................68, 212 Boarding Mask............................................... 167
Accelerate Healing (essence power)......... 179 Attack Rolls...................................................... 50 Bonded (novice path)...............................73–75
Accommodations...........................................146 Attacks..........................................................69–71 Bonded (weapon property)......................... 141
Action........................................... 68–69, 212–213 Attribute.................................................................70 Bone Agent (master path).................... 113–114
Minor......................................................................69 Item.........................................................................70 Bone Dreadnaught (master path)............. 114
Triggered...............................................................69 Melee Weapon............................................ 69, 213 Bone Recruit (expert path).....................84–85
Action Order.....................................................65 Options.......................................................... 70, 213 Bonuses............................................................. 50
Additional Bond (essence talent)..... 189, 194, Power......................................................................70 Boons.................................................................. 51
207 Ranged Weapon......................................... 69, 213 Borrow Endurance (essence power)......... 178
Additional Bond (essence talents).... 183, 188 Two Weapons......................................................70 Borrow Speed (essence power).................. 178
Additional Mutation (essence talent).......194 Worn or Carried Objects...................................71 Bounty Hunter’s Friend...............................168
Adventurer’s Pack.......................................... 143 Attributes................................................21, 51–53 Breathe Water (living gear power)............ 162
Adventuring Gear..................................143–146 Availability....................................................... 138 Brittle (weapon property)............................ 141
Accessories........................................................... 143 Avatar of Chaos (master path)............ 112–113 Bug-Shaper (expert path).......................85–86
Apparel................................................................. 143 Awaken Insect (essence power).................188 Burrow (living gear power)......................... 162
Clothing............................................................... 143 Awaken Plant (essence power)................... 122
Personal Gear............................................143–144 Awareness..........................................................65 C
Tools.............................................................144–146
Calcify (essence power)................................196
Aerobatic Attack (essence talent)............. 202 B Call Down Light (essence power).............. 94
Afflicting Strike (essence power)............... 178
Balance.............................................................. 66 Call Large Sea Creature (essence power).198
Afflictions...................................................59, 214
Banes................................................................... 51 Call Medium Sea
Multiple................................................................. 59
Bark Skin (essence talents)......................... 183 Creature (essence power)........................198
Agility..................................................................52
Battle Awareness (essence talent)............. 176 Call Scalding Spout (essence power).......198
Agility Training (essence talent)................ 179
Battle Pod.........................................................170 Call Serpent (essence power).....................198
Air Skiff............................................................148
Battle Rage (living gear power)...................161 Call Small Sea
Air Vehicles.............................................147–148
Battle Trance (essence talent)..................... 176 Creature (essence power)........................ 197
Alchemist’s Kit................................................144
Beast Form (essence power)....................... 193 Calm Sea Creatures (essence power).......198
Alter Appearance (essence power)...........194
Beastmaster (expert path).......................81–83 Camouflage (essence talents)..................... 183
Alter Reality (essence power)....................206
Beast-Rider (expert path)..............................83 Camouflage (living gear power)................. 162
Among the Sheep (essence power)...........190
Beast’s Attribute (essence power).............. 192 Candle............................................................... 143
Animal Gear.................................................... 147
Beast Sight (essence power).........................191 Captain (expert path)............................. 86–88
Animal Magnetism (essence talent)......... 192
Beast Speech (essence power)....................190 Carapace (essence talents)..........................188
Animals............................................................ 147
Beetle Skin....................................................... 167 Carrion Beetles (essence talents).............. 185
Aquatic Mutation (essence power)........... 195
Befriend..............................................................63 Carrying Limits.............................................. 138
Arena Fighter (expert path)...................80–81
Bend Space (essence power)......................206 cart..................................................................... 147
Armor........................................................139–140
Bestial Aspect (essence talent)................... 192 Catch the Scent (essence power)............... 192
Heavy...................................................................140
Bestial Countenance (essence talent)...... 192 Challenge Rolls............................................... 50
Horok-Bone.........................................................140
Be the Fittest (essence power)....................196 Chaos Adept (expert path).................... 88–90
Light...................................................................... 139
Bioluminescence (essence power)............194 Chaos Eater (essence talent)......................204
Medium................................................................ 139
Bird-Folk............................................................25 Chaos Mutations..............................................55
Putting on............................................................140
Biting Swarm (essence talents).................. 185 Chaos Shield (essence talent)...................204
Taking Off...........................................................140
Black Drops..................................................... 154 Chaos Spike (essence talent).....................204
Armored Agility (essence talent).............. 202
Black Isler....................................................32–35 Chaos Trapper (essence talent)................204
Armored Grace (essence talent)................199
Age........................................................................... 35 Chaotic Agility (essence talent)................204
Army of Green (essence power).................120
Appearance........................................................... 35 Chaotic Essence (essence talent)..............204
Artillery Thorn (living gear power)...........161
Background...........................................................34 Chaotic Servitor (essence power)............. 205
Ascendant Master (master path)................112
Build........................................................................ 35 Character Creation....................................19–47
Asleep (affliction).....................................59, 214
Caste....................................................................... 35 Characteristics............................................ 21, 53
Assassin’s Vine................................................ 167
Creating................................................................. 32 Charge................................................................. 71
A Thousand Tiny
Fatal Flaw............................................................. 35 Charmed (affliction)................................59, 214
Eyes (essence power)................................ 187
215
Index
Child of Gaia (expert path)....................90–91 Recovery................................................................ 55 Target....................................................................174

Chitinous Shell (essence power)...............188 Diseased (affliction)................................59, 214 Uses........................................................................174
Chittering One (master path).............. 114–115 Disguise Kit.....................................................144 Using......................................................................173
Chomper (living gear power)..................... 162 Distance.............................................................60 Essence Talents.............................................. 173
Climb................................................................. 66 Distort Time (essence power)...................206 Adaptation.......................................................... 193
Climbing vine................................................. 143 Distract.............................................................. 70 Battle Meditation.............................................. 176
Cling (essence power)...................................188 Distributed Pain (essence power).............. 177 Beast Aspect........................................................ 192
Coach................................................................ 147 Dread Pirate (master path)................... 116–117 Beast Bond..........................................................189
Collapse (living gear power)....................... 163 Drop Prone....................................................... 66 Body Conditioning........................................... 179
Combat.........................................................65–71 Dying...................................................................58 Chaos...................................................................204
Command (essence talent)..........................189 Gravity Manipulation....................................199
Compelled (affliction)............................59, 214 E Insect Control.................................................... 185
Concentrate (action)...............................68, 212 Insect Meld.........................................................188
Elite House Agent’s Uniform......................169
Consume Symbiont (essence power)...... 207 Plant Control......................................................181
Ember Beetle.................................................. 154
Coordinated Strike (essence power).........190 Plant Form.......................................................... 183
End an Effect (action).............................68, 212
Courier Beetle (living gear power)............ 162 Sea-Calling......................................................... 197
Endure Environment (essence power).... 179
Cover...........................................................69, 213 Sky-Dancing..................................................... 202
Enhance Shaped Plant (essence power)....182
Craft Sea Creature (essence talent).......... 197 Symbiosis........................................................... 207
Enhance Symbiont (essence power)....... 207
Craft Symbiont (essence talent)............... 207 Essence Trees..........................................173–207
Enlarge Beast (essence power)....................191
Crawl.................................................................. 66 Access...................................................................... 21
Environment....................................................60
Create Matter (essence power).................. 205 Adaptation................................................. 193–196
Environmental Adaptation (essence
Crushing Whip (living gear power).......... 163 Battle Meditation..................................... 176–179
power).......................................................... 192
Cumbersome (weapon property).............. 141 Beast Aspect........................................................ 192
Equipment.........................................................43
Currency............................................................43 Beast Bond................................................. 189–191
Erase Injury (essence power).....................206
Cut like Wind (essence power)................. 202 Black Isle....................................................176–180
Escalations.........................................................62
Body Conditioning..................................179–180
Escape................................................................ 70
D Essence...............................................................56
Chaos......................................................... 203–206
Discovering..........................................................173
Damage........................................................57–59 Essence Breaks........................................ 55, 208
Gravity Manipulation..........................199–202
Effects.....................................................................58 Essence Powers........................................173–176
Insect Control........................................... 185–188
Healing...................................................................58 Adaptation.................................................194–196
Insect Meld................................................188–189
Source.....................................................................58 Area...............................................................174–175
Mainland.................................................. 203–207
Taking.....................................................................58 Battle Meditation..................................... 176–178
New Gaia.................................................. 180–189
Darksight...........................................................61 Beast Aspect............................................... 192–193
Pacari...........................................................189–193
Dazed (affliction)......................................59, 214 Beast Bond................................................. 189–191
Plant Control.............................................181–183
Deadly (weapon property).......................... 141 Body Conditioning..................................179–180
Plant Form................................................. 183–184
Deafened (affliction)...............................59, 214 Chaos.........................................................204–206
Sea................................................................ 193–198
Death...................................................................58 Combining.......................................................... 176
Sea-Calling................................................ 197–198
Deceive...............................................................63 Description..........................................................174
Sky-City.................................................... 199–203
Deep Mask.......................................................168 Duration...............................................................175
Sky-Dancing........................................... 202–203
Defend (action).........................................68, 212 Effect......................................................................175
Symbiosis........................................................... 207
Defense...............................................................53 Exchanging..........................................................173
Evolved One (master path).................. 117–118
Defenseless (affliction)...........................59, 214 Gravity Manipulation..........................199–202
Expert Paths............................................. 79–109
Defensive Stance (essence power)............ 179 Insect Control...........................................186–188
Benefits...................................................................79
Defensive (weapon property)..................... 141 Insect Meld................................................188–189
Choosing a Second............................................ 80
Demon-Blooded (master path)...................116 Learning...............................................................173
Requirements.......................................................79
Demon Hunter.......................................... 91–92 Mutate.................................................................. 176
Story Development........................................... 80
Demon-Killing Strike (essence power).... 179 Plant Control............................................ 182–183
Explode (living gear power)........................ 163
Deny Death (essence power).....................206 Plant Form................................................. 183–184
Explorer’s Tool...............................................169
Dexterous Whip (living gear power)........ 163 Pushing................................................................ 176
Eyebiters (essence power)...........................186
Dice..................................................................... 49 Range.....................................................................175
Difficult Terrain...............................................57 Reverse................................................................. 176
Disabled.............................................................58 Sea-Calling................................................ 197–198
F
Disarm............................................................... 70 Seeker point Spending..................................... 176 Faceless One (master path)......................... 118
Discord........................................................ 54–55 Sky-Dancing........................................... 202–203 Falling.................................................................57
Effects............................................................55, 208 Special...................................................................174 Fast Turns..........................................................65
Gaining..................................................................54 Symbiosis........................................................... 207 Fatal Flaws......................................................... 21
216
Index
Fatigued (affliction).................................59, 214 Healing Hands (essence power)................180 Least Symbiotic

Feint.................................................................... 70 Health.................................................................53 Command (essence power)................... 207
Ferocity (essence talent)...............................189 Heartseeker (living gear power)................ 163 Lesser Insect Bond (essence power).........188
Find (action)..............................................68, 212 Helmsman (essence talent)......................... 197 Lesser Plant Bond (essence power)...........184
Finesse (weapon property).......................... 141 Help (action).............................................68, 212 Lesser Symbiotic
Fists Like Hammers (essence power)....... 179 Hide (action)..............................................68, 212 Command (essence power)................... 207
Fly....................................................................... 66 Hirelings...........................................................146 Lesser Symbiotic
Food...................................................................146 Hornet Shield.................................................169 Mutation (essence power)....................... 195
Force Blast (essence power).......................200 Hostile Ground (essence power)............... 182 Lesser Wings (essence power)....................188
Forge Link (essence talent).......................... 176 House Agent (master path)................. 122–123 Level Advancement.........................................47
Friendly Current (essence power)............. 197 Hungry Swarm (essence power)................ 187 Lifestyle............................................................ 139
Frightened (affliction).............................59, 214 Comfortable........................................................ 139
I Destitute.............................................................. 139
G Ignore Pain (essence power)....................... 179
Getting By........................................................... 139
Poor....................................................................... 139
Garrote.............................................................. 145 Illuminating Light (essence power)........... 94
Rich....................................................................... 139
Gems................................................................. 137 Illumination......................................................61
Wealthy............................................................... 139
Gestalt Master (master path).............. 118–120 Immobilized (affliction).........................59, 214
Light as Air (essence power)...................... 202
Gestalt Strike (essence power)................... 178 Impaired (affliction)................................59, 214
Light-Chosen (master path)........................ 123
Glass..........................................................169–170 Incapacitated....................................................58
Light Steps (essence talent)........................ 202
Black.....................................................................169 Induce Mutation (essence power)............ 205
Light-Touched (expert path)..................94–95
Clear.....................................................................170 Inner Beast (essence power)....................... 192
Living Expenses............................................. 139
Rainbow..............................................................169 Insect-Bonded................................................... 31
Living Gear.............................................. 157–169
Red.........................................................................169 Insect Bond (essence power)......................189
Bonding.................................................................157
Yellow...................................................................169 Insectile Invention (essence talents)........ 185
Consumable.........................................................161
Glass (weapon property)..............................142 Insectile Reflexes (essence power)............189
Examples.................................................... 167–169
Glide (living gear power)............................. 163 Instant Death....................................................58
Making........................................................ 160–161
Godsblood.........................................................35 Intellect...............................................................52
Properties...................................................158–160
Grab.................................................................... 70 Interesting Things....................................44–45
Using......................................................................157
Grabbed (affliction).................................59, 214 Intimidate..........................................................63
Living Hive (essence talents)......................188
Grasping Branches (essence power)......... 182 Inventor (expert path)................................... 92
Long Shot (essence talent)..........................199
Gravity Egg.......................................................171 Invisibility..........................................................61
Gravity Shield (essence power)..................201 Invoke the Swarm (essence power)........... 187
Gravity Strike (essence power)..................200
M
Gravity Surge (essence power)...................201 J Mainlander................................................. 22–24
Gravity Well (essence power)....................200 Age...........................................................................24
Jump....................................................................67
Greater Insect Bond (essence power).......189 Appearance...........................................................24
Jungle Ghost (essence power).................... 183
Greater Mutation (essence talent)............. 193 Background...........................................................24
Greater Plant Bond (essence power)........184 Build........................................................................24
Greater Symbiotic
K Creating.................................................................22
Command (essence power)................... 207 Kalea Venom................................................... 154 Fatal Flaw.............................................................24
Greater Symbiotic Distilling.............................................................. 154 Nationality...........................................................24
Mutation (essence power).......................196 Using..................................................................... 154 Maintain the High (essence power).........204
Great Leap (essence power)....................... 202 Knock Down..................................................... 71 Malleable Form (essence power)..............196
Green Champion (essence power)............120 Knuckledusters.............................................. 145 Marauder (novice path).................................77
Green Commander (master path)............120 Martial Artist (expert path)....................95–96
Group Body (essence power)...................... 177 L Master Paths..............................................111–135
Group Mind (essence power)..................... 176 Benefits.................................................................. 111
Growth (essence power)...............................196 Land Vehicles.................................................. 147 Requirements...................................................... 111
Guerrilla (master path)........................120–122 Languages.................................................... 21, 41 Story Development........................................... 111
Lantern, bioluminescent.............................144 Master’s Symbiotic
H Lantern, bone................................................. 143 Command (essence power)................... 207
Lasher (expert path).................................92–94 Meld with Insect (essence power).............189
Hand of Gaia (master path)........................ 122 Lashing Tendrils (essence power).............184 Memory Dagger..............................................171
Hardened Fists (essence talent)................. 179 Lashing Whip (living gear power)............ 163 Meteoric Leap (essence power).................201
Harpoon Gun...................................................151 Least Insect Bond (essence power)...........188 Missile Deflect (essence talent)................ 202
Healer’s Kit...................................................... 145 Least Plant Bond (essence power)............. 183 Mnemonicist (master path)........................124
217 217
Index
Move.............................................................66–67 Paths of Essence...............................................79 Reach (weapon property)............................142

Move with the Wind (essence power)...... 179 Paths of Experience........................................ 111 Reclaimed Ground (essence power)......... 182
Musical Instrument...................................... 145 Paths of Power.................................................. 111 Reconfigure Body (essence talent)............194
Paths of Skill......................................................79 Red Leech........................................................ 154
N Penalties............................................................ 50 Regenerate (essence power)........................180
Perception..........................................................53 Regenerative Pod............................................171
Narrow Spaces..................................................57
Performance Enhancers...................... 153–154 Reload (action).........................................68, 212
Natural Armor (essence power)................. 192
Descriptions................................................153–154 Resist Symbiont (essence power)............. 207
Navigator’s Instruments...............................146
Drawbacks...........................................................153 Resonant Feedback (essence power)........ 179
Needle Blast (living gear power)................ 163
Using......................................................................153 Resting................................................................58
Net......................................................................146
Personality Traits............................................ 46 Retreat (action).........................................68, 212
New Gaian.................................................. 28–32
Persuade.............................................................63 Return from the Soil (essence power)......184
Age........................................................................... 32
Phosphorescence (living gear power)......164 Return (living gear power)..........................164
Appearance........................................................... 32
Photosynthesis (essence talents)............... 183 Ride......................................................................67
Background............................................................31
Plant Bond (essence power)........................184 Ride Beast (essence power)..........................191
Build........................................................................ 32
Plant Seeming (essence power)................. 183 Riding Beetles (essence power)................. 187
Creating.................................................................28
Poison................................................................146 Roleplaying....................................46–47, 61–62
Fatal Flaw..............................................................31
Poisoned (affliction)................................59, 214 Run on Anything (essence talent)............ 202
Nocturnal Mutation (essence power)....... 195
Poisoned (living gear power)......................164 Rush (action).............................................68, 212
No Trace (essence talents)........................... 181
Poison Filter (living gear power)................164
Novice Paths................................................73–77
Benefits................................................................... 73
Poison Spit (essence power)........................188 S
Poison Tolerance (essence talent).............194
Safe Fall (essence talent)..............................199
Poison Touch (living gear power)..............164
O Powers....................................................... 161–166
Savage Charge (essence power)..................191
Savage Onslaught (essence power)........... 193
Oaken Hide (essence power)......................184 Prepare (action)........................................68, 212
Savage Rage (essence power)..................... 193
Objects...............................................................60 Prices................................................................. 137
Sawgrass Powder............................................ 154
Obscurement...................................................60 Primal Pack (essence power).......................190
Scourge of Devastation (essence power).....129
Oddities.....................................................170–171 Primal Sight (essence power)..................... 193
Screamer (living gear power).....................164
Oil......................................................................144 Primal Vigor (essence power)..................... 192
Screaming Death...........................................169
Optimize Gravity (essence power)............201 Professions.............................................21, 41–43
Seafarer.......................................................40–41
Origins......................................................... 20–41 Academic...............................................................42
Age........................................................................... 41
Benefits................................................................... 21 Altering..................................................................43
Appearance........................................................... 41
Black Isle........................................................ 32–35 Common................................................................42
Background.......................................................... 40
Mainland....................................................... 22–24 Criminal................................................................42
Build........................................................................ 41
New Gaia.......................................................28–32 Martial...................................................................42
Creating................................................................ 40
Pacari............................................................... 25–27 Religious................................................................42
Fatal Flaw............................................................ 40
Sky City.......................................................... 35–38 Starting.................................................................. 41
Sea Hunter (essence talent)........................ 197
Story....................................................................... 21 Types.......................................................................42
Sea King (master path).................................126
The Sea........................................................... 38–41 Using.......................................................................43
Sea Tongue (essence power)....................... 197
Traits....................................................................... 21 Wilderness............................................................42
Seed of Wisdom (essence power).............. 183
Otter-People......................................................25 Prone (affliction).......................................59, 214
Seeker Points.....................................................62
Prybar................................................................146
Sensory Training (essence talent)............. 179
P Pull....................................................................... 71
Serpent Hunter (expert path).............101–102
Push Symbiont (essence power)............... 207
Pacari.............................................................25–27 Shadow (expert path).......................... 102–103
Shadowsight......................................................61
Age........................................................................... 27 Q Shape Sea Creature (essence power)....... 197
Appearance........................................................... 27
Background........................................................... 27 Quests................................................................112 Share Essence (essence power).................. 178
Beast Bond............................................................ 27 Shelter (essence talents).............................. 181
Build........................................................................ 27 R Ships..........................................................148–152
Creating................................................................. 25 Living..........................................................149–150
Raking Branches (essence power).............184
Fatal Flaw............................................................. 27 Skyship........................................................150–151
Ramming Gear................................................151
Pack Attack (essence power)........................191 Weapons...................................................... 151–152
Range.................................................................60
Packmaster (master path)....................124–126 Shipwright (essence talent)......................... 197
Range (weapon property)............................142
Pack Recovery (essence talent)...................189 Shove................................................................... 71
Ravager (expert path)............................. 96–98
Palanquin......................................................... 147 Shunt Discord (essence talent).................204
Razor Fiend (expert path).................... 98–101
Paralyze (living gear power)........................ 163 Sight Enhance (living gear power)............164
Reach..................................................................56
Silent Steps (essence power)...................... 202
218
Index
Single-Hand Style (essence power)..........199 Summon Large Insect (essence power).....187 Turn the Blade (essence power)............... 203
Singularity (essence power)........................201 Surge of Prowess (essence power).............180 Turn Token........................................................65
Situational Banes............................................. 71 Surprise..............................................................65 Twin Sight (living gear power)...................166
Size.......................................................................56 Surprised (affliction)...............................59, 214 Two-Handed (weapon property)...............142
Skimmer...................................................... 37–38 Survivor (novice path)..............................75–76
Age...........................................................................38 Svit Gland........................................................ 153 U
Appearance...........................................................38 Swarm Lord (master path)..................129–130
Unconscious (affliction).........................59, 214
Background........................................................... 37 Swarm Shield (essence talents)................. 185
Unkillable (master path)..............................131
Build........................................................................38 Swift Action (essence power).................... 202
Unleash the Primal (essence power)........190
Creating................................................................. 37 Swift as Wind (essence talent).................. 202
Unmake (essence power)............................206
Fatal Flaw.............................................................38 Swift Strikes (essence power).................... 202
Unstoppable (essence power)....................180
Skinwalker (master path).................... 126–127 Swim....................................................................67
Use an Item (action)................................68, 212
Sky Dance (essence power)........................ 202 Swipe (essence power)................................. 192
Use a Utility Power (action)..................68, 212
Sky-Dancer (expert path)....................103–105 Symbiont (master path)........................130–131
Sky-Dancing Mastery (essence power).....203 Symbiotic Command (essence power)..... 207
Sled.................................................................... 147 Symbiotic Healing (essence talent)......... 207
V
Sleep Dart (living gear power)................... 165 Symbiotic Restoration (essence power).... 207 Vanguard (novice path)..................................74
Slowed (affliction)....................................59, 214 Verdant Invention (essence talents).......... 181
Slowfall (essence power)............................200 T Veteran (master path)............................ 131–133
Slow Turns.........................................................65 Vital Transfer (living gear power).............166
Talents................................................................22
Sneak...................................................................67 Voice of the Forest (essence talents)......... 181
Tame Sea Creature (essence power)......... 197
Social Conflict..................................................63
Taunt...................................................................63
Social Interaction............................................63
Teleport..............................................................67
W
Soultaker (master path)....................... 127–129
Ten Fists As One (essence power)............. 179 Wagon............................................................... 147
Space...................................................................56
The Forest’s Eyes (essence power)............ 183 Walk Among Beasts (essence power).......189
Sparkleaf bundle...........................................144
The Forest’s Quarry (essence talents)...... 181 Walk the Wind (essence power)............... 203
Speak with Plants (essence power)........... 182
Thick Skin (essence talent)......................... 179 Wall-Climber (essence talents)..................188
Speed.............................................................56–57
Thirsty Vines (essence power)................... 182 Wanderer................................................ 106–107
Speed Training (essence talent)................. 179
Thorn Cannon................................................151 War Marshal (master path)................. 133–134
Spine Growth (living gear power)............. 165
Thorn Cannon (living gear power)........... 165 Wealth.................................................................43
Spiny Protrusions (essence power)...........196
Thorn Whip (essence power)..................... 182 Weapon Grace (essence talent)..................199
Spit Rope (living gear power)..................... 165
Thrown (weapon property)........................142 Weapons.................................................. 140–142
Spit Web (living gear power)...................... 165
Thunder Strike (essence power)................180 Ammunition.......................................................142
Spore Pack.......................................................148
Time................................................................... 49 For Larger Creatures.......................................142
Spore Pod.........................................................148
Tiny Messenger (essence power)..............186 Heavy Melee......................................................140
Stabilize (action)......................................68, 212
Tiny Spies (essence power).........................186 Improvised..........................................................142
Stand Up........................................................... 66
Titan Skin........................................................ 134 Light Melee.........................................................140
Step Aside (essence power)........................ 203
Tool Kit.............................................................146 Martial Melee....................................................140
Stormcaller (essence power).......................198
Torch.................................................................144 Properties................................................... 141–142
Storm Point Bodyguard (expert path)......105
Torturer’s Tools..............................................146 Ranged..................................................................141
Strain............................................................ 53–54
Tracking Splinter (living gear power)...... 165 Shield.....................................................................141
Gaining.................................................................. 53
Transform Creature (essence power)......206 Unarmed.............................................................140
Recovery................................................................54
Transform (living gear power)...................166 What Goes Up (essence power).................201
Total........................................................................ 53
Traps...........................................................152–153 White Drops.................................................... 153
Strength.............................................................. 51
Alarm.................................................................... 152 Will......................................................................52
Strength from Chaos (essence talent).....204
Lethal....................................................................153 Wooden Legionnaire (expert path)....107–109
Strength from the Soil (essence power).....184
Obstacle............................................................... 152 Wooden Skin..................................................108
Strength Training (essence talent)............ 179
Snare......................................................................153 Wooden Titan (master path)...................... 134
Stunned (affliction).................................59, 214
Tree Shape (essence power)........................184 Wood Meld (essence talents)...................... 183
Summon Enormous
True Symbiosis (essence power).............. 207 Writhing (living gear power)......................166
Insect (essence power)............................. 187
True Wings (essence power).......................189 Wyvern Knight (master path)............. 134–135
Summon Huge Insect (essence power)......187
219

Asunder - The Seeker's Guide (Players)

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Tabletop Roleplaying In

a World Without Metal

Digital ISBN: 978-1-954720-06-0

Welcome to Asunder!................. 5 Discord............................................................................. 54 Chapter Six: Expert Paths.... 79

Attack Rolls............................................................ 50 The Turn Token.................................................... 65 Faceless One................................................................. 118

War Marshal................................................................133 Ships................................................................................... 148 Discovering Trees................................................ 173

The scene is a stormy beachfront battle with a recently crashed flying

I love Asunder because it allows me to think of these massive, ballsy,

I’m Satine Phoenix, and it’s an honor to present to you, Asunder.

10 Things to Know about Asunder

People Have Adapted

Much of The World Is Water

The World Is Fantastical

The World Is Harsh

People Are Strange and Varied

There Is No Magic, Only Chaos

Humans Are Not Alone

Seekers Look for Answers

Their story is your story.

Most people in Asunder are content to live their lives:

Mainlander Background Mainlander Nationality

Pacari Background Pacari Beast Bond

Pacari Fatal Flaw Pacari Appearance

New Gaia Creating a New Gaian

Black Isler Background

Black Isler Caste Black Isle Appearance

Skimmer Fatal Flaw The Sea

Common Academic Religious Professions

Comfortable Objects Memories

Interesting Things carved symbol on it.

Living Things Needs Scars & Marks Relationships

Roleplaying Character Traits

subtract. A single die roll might have bonuses and penalties

A lieutenant in the Bone Army battles a North Mountain beast. 51

Strength Normal Success

become fatigued for a number of rounds equal to your

54 A Mainlander symbiont suffering an Essence break.

Discord Recovery 0-3 No effect.

Essence Movement Effects

Difficult Terrain occupied by a Size 1/4 creature or by a Size 3 or larger

A creature can freely move through any opening wide Falling

Extra Damage Resting

Afflictions ༄ Immobilized: An immobilized creature has Speed

The Environment Breaking Objects

Attributes Range and Distance

Health and Damage Distance

Totally Obscured speaking as their characters or representing them with

Your roleplaying decisions should generally serve to move

62 A Wooden Legionnaire roots his suit to the earth to keep it alive.

The Battlefield Fast Turns

Action End an Effect Also, while hidden, you make all

Other Activities Making Attacks

Triggered Actions Attack with a Melee Weapon

Minor Activities Cover

Attack with a Power

creature within your reach

A Pacari bonded using Level 5 Expert Bonded

Characteristics: Health +6, Defense +1

A New Gaian survivor