dirge dark modern fantasy rpg (preview)

8/8/2019 Dirge Dark Modern Fantasy RPG (Preview)

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IRGEIRGE ark Modern Fantasyark Modern Fantasy

Roleplaying Gameoleplaying GameBy Joshua Kubliy Joshua Kubli

Imperfekt Gammesmperfekt Gammes



DIRGE DARK MODERN FANTASY ROLEPLAYING GAME

Author: Joshua KubliAuthor Email: [email protected]: To Daniel Kubli and Ryan Isbell.S ecial Than!": Kevin- ynn Kubli! Keith "chneider! Joseph #iatt.

#e$"ite: http$%%&&&.imperfekt-industrees.com

Licen"e: 'll te(t in this &ork is licensed under the )reative )ommons 'ttribution-

"hare'like *.+ ,nported icense. To vie& a copy of this license! visithttp$%%creativecommons.or %licenses%by-sa%*.+% or send a letter to )reative )ommons! / "econd"treet! "uite *++! "an 0rancisco! )alifornia! 12 +3! ,"'.

%o&er and "ome Interior Art'or!: Jason Rainville! http$%%&&&.rainvilleillustration.com%.Additional Art'or!: 's indicated in each entry.

http://www.rainvilleillustration.com/





IRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli Imperfekt GammesIRGE RPG by Joshua Kubli Imperfekt Gammes

!able of "ontentsable of "ontents%ha ter I: Introduction 5

4hat Is This 5ame 'bout6 ...............67ne 0inal 4arnin ..............................74hat Do I 8eed6 .................................7Inspirations ............................................8'bout the )osmolo y 9n ine ...........8'ction Rolls ..........................................8'utomatic "uccess and 0ailure .........9"uccess 0actor and 0ailure 0actor ..107pposed Rolls ....................................10

Triumphs and :ishaps ......................10%ha ter II: %haracter %reation 11

)haracter )reation #rocedure ..........12)haracter )reation 9(ample ............14

%ha ter I(: %haracter T) e" andFaction" 17

)hildren of i ht ................................185huls .....................................................21:ystics ................................................24

%ha ter (: Attri$ute" 30#hysical 'ttributes .............................30:ental 'ttributes ................................31

%ha ter (I: Talent" 32;asic Talents .......................................32'dvanced Talents ...............................35

%ha ter (II: *ard"hi " 43:ortal <ardships ...............................43,nnatural <ardships .........................49

%ha ter II+: A""et" 51Initiative ...............................................51#hysical Resources .............................51:ental Resources ...............................52#hysical Defenses ..............................55:ental Defense ..................................55

%ha ter I+: Dar! Po'er" 56"pecial 'bility Descriptors ..............56"pecial 'bilities .................................58#o&er :odifications .........................77Innate #o&ers .....................................800ormulae .............................................80:ystical Techni=ues ..........................82

%ha ter +: Po""e""ion" 86Tools of Death >4eapons? ...............86"toppin the #ain >'rmor? ...............93Dyin &ith the :ost "tuff >Trifles?..............................................................94

%ha ter +I: Stri,e 964hen and 4here ...............................96"tartin "hit ........................................96)ombat 'ctions .................................97'ttack :odifiers ................................98

,narmed )ombat ..............................98Dama e ...............................................101Inanimate 7bjects .............................102"ocial "trife .......................................1037ther 'ctions ....................................103'fflictions ..........................................105;leedin 7ut .....................................1085oin ;u fuck ..................................110)ombat 9(ample ...............................111

%ha ter +II: The Pleroma 115Realm )haracteristics ......................115The ale of the Do&ntrodden ........117The 'stral #lane ...............................130The )ity of "pirits .............................131The 5lades of :irth .........................134The Industrial 8e(us .......................136The :ansions of )onundrums .......138The Ruined #alace of i ht ...........140The 4astelands of "ufferin .........142The Alem ...........................................145:akin a :onster ............................148

%ha ter +III: Game Ma"terin- 150"ettin the "ta e ...............................150Dealin &ith #roblems ....................1539nli htenment ...................................155

A endi.: Dir-e Glo""ar) 158

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"hapter I$ Introdu%tionhapter I$ Introdu%tion

“You want to know about magic? Alright, fine. I'll tell you everything about magic thatany beginner could ever need to know, right now. Ready?

“Fir t off you know, in retro !ect, it' alway obviou that you're dreaming, i n't it?… "ut at the time, there' #u t thi nebulou , ha$y %uality to your en ation . You don't ee the

har! edge and detail , you can't make out the cracked !aint or the cratche on the gla ,but in tead, you gra ! the the meaning of everything you ee, with #u t a glance, you… know?

“I wa downtown, and it had #u t rained, and everything wa glo y with reflectedneon, and ilent a a cared child. I wa looking for omething what wa it? I had thi… feeling of growing de !eration. It wa n't my !ur e, it wa n't &odd, I don't know what it wa . Icould feel my breath getting tighter, my mu cle more ten e. oon I wa running. I didn'tcare( )othing mattered anymore( chool, friend , grade , nothing …

“And that wa when I aw her. And, like, I don't want to ound, like, gay or anything,but I think I fell a little bit in love with her, in that moment.

“ he wa hovering in midair, in the middle of the treet, glowing brighter than all theneon. )o, it wa like, the light wa flowing into her. And her hair wa long and golden * notblonde, golden, like real gold * and her feet were bare, and her hand were out and o!en. Age ture of !eace. he wore thi beautiful robe. It wa like regaining my breath, and thenlo ing it again, all at once.

“I could tell he wa filled with !ower. +ike he knew everything. he had no worrie ,becau e he'd een the !a t and future, and wa full of love for everyone and everything.

“And then he lifted her head and it wa me.…“It wa the mo t ama$ing moment of my life.

“And then I woke u!.

“I cried, becau e it wa o beautiful. And when I le!t again and woke, I cried again,becau e the dream didn't come back. It ha n't come back ince.

“"ut I have a feeling that every night in my dream , I'm earching, de !eratelyearching, trying to find her again. &rying to find my elf. I haven't found her again, yet, but I

will never give u!. )ever.

“ kay, o, then, walk off. -hat, you thought I wa going to teach you ome 'magicword ' or ome bull hit? Read your !alm, maybe let you talk to your dead grand!a or

omething? You don't under tand. "ut then, I didn't really e !ect you to./

* )atalie A ter, 0y tic of the 1ult of trange 2i ion , tran cri!t of conver ationrecorded by rdo 1u tode )octi agent.

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'hat Is !his Game (bout)hat Is !his Game (bout)

Image courtesy Public-domain-clipart.blogspot.com.

The Dir e R#5 is a roleplayin ame aboutsupernatural freaks &ith livin in the shado&s of adark! &eird &orld! that borders on darker! &eirder&orlds.

These dark heroes and creatures of mythrud in ly band to ether out for mutual safety! and

must fi ht a ainst blind fear! mind-numbin horrors!and the soul-crushin po&ers-that-be. They &illventure beyond our &orld! into stran e &orlds ofdream and ni htmare.

5ainin po&er and enli htenment in the farreaches of other planes! encounterin the &ondrous andoddly familiar! they can return to their o&n &orld! andperhaps! one day! fi ht an other&ise hopeless battlea ainst the ancient conspiracies that have held the reinsfor centuries …

irge is Mysteriousirge is MysteriousThe &orld is more beautiful and more stran e

than most of us realiBe! more than most of us care torealiBe. 4e &ant thin s to be nice and safe! clear andsettled! &ith boundary lines. 4e &ant to kno& ho&thin s are oin to be! and kno& that &e donCt have tofeel too deeply.

;ut the #layer )haracters find themselves on theed e of the pier! lookin deep into the ocean! and theycanCt see the bottom. Thin s happen sometimes &ithouta readily-apparent! lo ical e(planation. There probablyis one! someho&! but the Realms are so many and sovast! their interactions so dynamic and their mechanicsso variable! that each ,nnatural must approach eachshado& like a &ary traveler! ready for anythin .

irge is E*istentialirge is E*istential"ome dark fantasy settin s assume that someone

or somethin is in char e! that thereCs a deeper meanin

or purpose to &hatCs oin on. That someho&! )osmicJustice &ill prevail and itCll all &ork out in the end.In the ale of the Do&ntrodden! thatCs a load of

crap. If there is a #lan! not even <eavenCs outcasts &ereprivy. If there is karma! as the profoundest mysticsclaim! they can only present faith for evidence. If theevil are punished and the ood triumph! you &ouldnCtkno& it to look at the &orld. If Thin s are oin to be'll Ri ht! itCs up the #layer )haracters to make it sothemselves.

irge is +ndergroundirge is +ndergroundThe authorities ave in to the darkness lon a o.

They sold out! and no& the people of the &orld havenothin to sho& for their lives. They &ork and slavefor a buck or t&o and a pat on their head they buy; name brands! and &hen they die they et a nice funeral&ith all the trimmin s. ;ut &ho &ants that6

The #layer )haracters are dirty and desperate.TheyCre on the ed e. "ome of them &ere never human!and have al&ays skulked at the frin ed of society.

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:any of them &ere drifters! homeless! unemployed!the disenfranchised! even before their supernaturalnatures kicked in. Re ardless! the Dir e R#5 isnCtabout happy! comfortable! &ell-off people dabblin inmystical matters &hen it suits them. ItCs about lunaticsaddicted to ma ic! about outcast clans that cravehuman flesh! about <eavenCs refu ees livin indumpsters after losin the ;i 4ar. ItCs about astru le to survive.

irge is arkirge is arkThis ame is about violence. 0acin monsters.

;ein monsters. ItCs about tear-stained faces in thesodium li hts of a '.:. parkin lot! about sudden!

ruesome death! and about seein thin s that cannot!should not! must not be! and then livin &ith thosea&esome! terrifyin si hts for the rest of oneCs life.

-ne Final 'arningne Final 'arning

The Dir e R#5 has a some&hat darkly ironictone! but it involves some serious subjects. )haractersmust rapple &ith deep and comple( moral and ethicalissues! and &ill sometimes et ripped to shreds! oinsane! or travel to dark and disturbin &orlds. 9venmore dark and disturbin than this one. The ame hasse(ual themes! metaphysical themes! and many verynau hty &ords.

0or this reason! the author su ests that thisroleplayin ame is not appropriate for children. IhavenCt one out of my &ay to be rossly shockin justfor effect! but the tone is &orld of the Dir e R#5 is not

ood clean family fun. If the stuff here bothers you! itCsprobably best that you put it do&n! and o findsomethin else nice and safe to do.

'hat o I .eed)hat o I .eed)

AouCll need this book! some friends! some paper!pencils! and at least three E-sided dice. If you have acomputer! you can do &ithout the pencils and paper ; there are even special pro rams you can find out therethat &ill enerate random numbers for you! doin a&ay&ith the need for dice. If youCre very bad at math! itmi ht be a ood idea to rab a cheap pocket calculator!but it isnCt really necessary.

4hen you need to roll dice! the rules &ill say toroll CFdEC! &here F is some number! enerally from to +. That means roll the si(-sided dice and add themto ether to find the total. "ometimes in the rules you&ill need to make note of &hat numbers each dierolled! as &ell.

0rom time to time in these rules! you may run

across mentions of C d C and C d*C as &ell. 0or d ! rolla E-sided die if the die rolls a ! ! or *! pretend it; rolled a if it rolls a 2! 3! or E! pretend it rolled a .; "imilarly! for d*! roll a die and divide the result by .Aou may be rollin d or d* &ith dEs! so it may bea ood idea to keep a couple of

different-colored dice for the d s and d*s.

Image courtesy Bigfoto.com.

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Inspirationsnspirations/oo!": &he 3reat and ecret how and Ima#ica by

)live ;arker. In fact! anythin by )live;arker.

The Illuminatu ( &rilogy by R.'. 4ilsonand Robert "hea.

The &ritin s of <.#. ovecraft! especially&he 4ream 5ue t of 6nknown 7adath .

Alice in -onderland and &he 8unting of thenark by e&is )arroll.

Mo&ie": 'nythin by )live ;arker . +et the Right ne In 9:;;<=. 0irror 0a k 9:;;>=. )ight -atch 9:;; = and 4ay -atch 9:;;@=. &he ro!hecy 9BCC>=.

Gra hic No&el": 'nythin by 8eil 5aiman .

(bout the "osmology Enginebout the "osmology EngineThe basic rules of the Dir e R#5 system arenCt

comple(! but itCs important to et the basics do&nbefore you o &anderin off into the TenebrG. <ereare a fe& simple rules.

> ?. 4hen dividin ! al&ays round to the nearest&hole number.

> ?. 'ny time you &ould have multiple dice underdE in a roll! combine any of them to make one dE."o! instead of rollin d*! or d*H d ! or d ! you&ould combine them into dE instead. ' roll of *d&ould become dEH d . 8o roll should ever havemore than one fractional die! and you can just use adifferent-colored die to note this one.

>*?. 4hen performin mathematical calculations!remember your order of operations. 0irst anythin inparentheses! then multiplication and division! thenaddition and subtraction.

>2?. 8othin is free! but some thin s areinconse=uential. 8ote &hat youCve ot and &hat youcan do on the )haracter sheet if itCll be important later.

>3?. 4hen in doubt as to ho& the rules aresupposed to &ork! ask the 5ame :aster.

"imple! ri ht6 The Invulnerable Tabletop "uper<ero R#5 uses a modified version of the same system.8o& youCre ready to find out &hat to do &ith thosedice.

(%tion Rolls%tion Rolls0or most actions! roll *dE H 'ttribute evel H

;asic Talent evel H 'dvanced Talent evel Happropriate :odifiers. If the total e(ceeds a Difficulty0actor set by the 5ame :aster! then the 'ctionsucceeds. 7ther&ise! it fails.

This is usually &ritten$'ttribute H ;asic Talent H 'dvanced Talent vs.

D0.

8ote that the *dE part is enerally left off.

)haracters can usually attempt a roll if they donCthave any evels in the listed ;asic or 'dvancedTalent! but thatCs up to the 5ame :aster to decide.

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Modifiersodifiers,nless the 5ame :aster says other&ise! only

apply the three lar est :odifiers to any 'ction. ThereCsno need to o into endless minutiae for every 'ction.Ran e and Reach :odifiers! and :odifiers from4eapon or "pecial 'bility 0eatures! ho&ever! al&aysapply.

E*ample (%tion Rolls*ample (%tion Rolls%lo"e Attac!" 0Kni&e"1 clu$"1 unche"1 !ic!"2:

'5I H )lose )ombat vs. tar etCs )D90.

Detect %lue" in the Surroundin-": I8" H 8oticevs. D0 set by 5ame :aster based on the clueCsobviousness.

Pic! Loc!": '5I H Repair H ;reak 9nter! or'5I H Trickery H ;reak 9nter! vs. D0 set by 5ame:aster based on the lockCs =uality.

Ran-ed Attac!" 0Gun"1 cro""$o'"1 thro'n'ea on"2: '5I H Ran ed )ombat vs. tar etCs RD90.

Recall *i"torical Detail": I8" H 9ducation Happropriate 9(pert Talent vs. D0 set by the 5ame:aster based on the obscurity of the event.

Re"i"t Poi"on: T5< H 9ndurance vs. D0 set by5ame :aster based on the poisonCs to(icity.

Seduction: #9R H Trickery H 'ttractive vs.tar etCs :D90.

iffi%ulty Fa%tor F .umberMythical 55Legendary 50Nearly Impossible 45Impressive 40Extremely Difficult 5!ery Difficult 0Difficult "5#verage "0Easy $5!ery Easy $0Extremely Easy 5#utomatic 0

(utomati% 1u%%ess and Failureutomati% 1u%%ess and Failure

If there arenCt any real conse=uences to failure!and plenty of time for the )haracters to stack the oddsin their favor! thereCs no real reason to make die rolls!unless youCre just bored. In such cases! the 5ame:aster should just declare the roll a success and moveon.

In addition! if the chances for success aree(tremely remote! and a die roll &ould just slo& the

ame do&n! the 5ame :aster is allo&ed to just tell the#layer that the roll fails! and move on &ith the story.

That said! any roll of an on the dice for a rollthat ha a chance for ucce automatically succeeds!and any roll of * on the dice for a roll that ha anychance for failure &ill al&ays fail. 8o one is immuneto victory or defeat! not even the po&erful ,nnaturalsof the Dir e R#5

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1u%%ess Fa%tor and Failure Fa%toru%%ess Fa%tor and Failure Fa%tor

Failure Fa%torailure Fa%tor)ompare your roll to the D0 you &ere tryin to

achieve. 0or every 3 points that your roll fell short! youot 0ailure 0actor >00?. Is that the best you can do6

fft.

1u%%ess Fa%toru%%ess Fa%tor7n the other hand! if you compare your roll to the

D0 and you succeeded by 3 or more! you attain "uccess 0actor for each 3 points that you succeeded by.Aou are! in fact! the man .

-pposed Rollspposed Rolls"ometimes! instead of rollin a ainst a static D0!

t&o rolls are compared to one another. 'fter the dierolls are totaled up! the lo&er total is treated as the D0of the roll for the purposes of calculatin "0 for the&inner! and the hi her roll is treated as the D0 for the

purposes of calculatin the 00 for the loser. ' oode(ample is &hen one )haracter rolls I8" H 8otice to&atch over an area! and another )haracter rolls '5I H"neak to sneak past.

!riumphs and Mishapsriumphs and Mishaps

Mishapsishaps' failed roll &ith a total of *! 2! or 3 on the dice is

a :ishap. ' :ishap means that somethin really badhappened! like droppin your &eapon! or even injurinyourself &ith an attack.

!riumphsriumphs' successful roll &ith a total of E! /! or on

the dice is a Triumph. Triumphs mean that you didsurprisin ly &ell! like hittin the enemy in the eye.

Mishap "han%e 3M"4ishap "han%e 3M"40or each H to your :ishap )hance >:)? for a

roll! an additional number counts as a :ishap. 0ore(ample! a )haracter &ith :) H &ould fail hard on a*! 2! 3! E! or /.

"imilarly! for each - to your :) for a roll! onefe&er number counts as a :ishap. 0or e(ample! a)haracter &ith :) - &ould only fail hard on a *. 8omatter your :) modification! thou h! you &ill al&aysscore a :ishap on a roll of a *.

!riumph "han%e 3!"4riumph "han%e 3!"47kay. In case it isnCt obvious! for each H to your

Triumph )hance >T)? for a roll! an additional numbercounts as a Triumph. 0or e(ample! a )haracter &ith T)H &ould do e(tra-a&esome on a roll of 2! 3! E! /!or .

"o. for each - to your T) for a roll! one fe&ernumber counts as a Triumph. "ee a pattern6 ')haracter &ith T) - &ould only do really really &ellon an . 8o matter your T) modification! thou h! you&ill al&ays score a Triumph on a roll of an . 't leastyouCve ot that oin for you.

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"hapter II$ "hara%ter "reationhapter II$ "hara%ter "reation“I do !retty good, mo t night , until the hunger !ang kick in.

“I couldn't tand the a hole that led the 3athering, o I left. 3ood riddance. )ow, Ihave my own !lace. kay, it' not much of a !lace it' a dum! ter, behind a video tore that ; clo ed u! age ago. Dunkie go there to hoot u!, and the bum go there to fuck, but no onebother me they've learned not to. o it' %uiet, and I got what I need. 0o t of the time.;

“I like to watch !eo!le, mo t of the time. 6ntil the hunger !ang kick in. I ee ome guywalking, without a care in the world he' dre ed nice got a new girlfriend, that one. -e; ;

hould all be that ha!!y. I ee ome kid walking home ad, cared he' got a bad re!ort ; card, going to lo e hi video game for a month, !robably can't imagine ever being adderthan he i right now. ee the girl there? I'll tell you what' going on in her head. ee how helook mug, relieved? ay you think he' got a new #ob or omething? )ah, he' finallydecided how he' going to kill her elf. 8er be t friend did it a month ago, now he' goingto. 3onna do it, too. )ot fakin' it, thi one.

“You can learn a lot about !eo!le, watchin.'

“'&il the hunger !ang kick in.

“I tart walking behind the guy talking on the cell !hone. 8e' arguing with omeone. 8i elderly mom, maybe? I can't hear the word , and hi thought are all #umbled, like he'trying to be three !lace at once. 8e get to hi car, fumble with hi key , dro! 'em, cur e .

A!ologi$e on the !hone. igh dee!. I teal u! behind, and tug on hi leeve. ut on the' cared and hungry kid' act. '1an I get ome money for ome food, mi ter? Du t a dollarmaybe, !lea e?' I'm real good at thi act. 8e look around, !robably looking for the !arent

I don't have. 8e ki! a beat, can't think. I already looked around there' no one. I run;

forward, knock him into the car.flurry of movement like bird in a cage !ull the !hone away give me that 1+A- A& 8I

EYE cream and cream oh my god what are you doing ) - tear at the throat ri!!inggu hing 4E+I1I 6 crunching wind!i!e licking chewing licking

“4ouble check out ide, !ull the leg in, hut the door. 1hew in ilence. 0ake ure thecell !hone i turned off. In a few minute , it' fully dark I ri! off a few chunk , wra! them; meticulou ly in new !a!er, and drag them back to the dum! ter. I drag hi * er, the, body afew block away and heave it over a fence the dog there will fini h it off. It' a hame, to; wa te all that good meat, but I won't be able to fini h it all off before it goe bad.

“Yeah. hame. 8e wa !robably a nice guy. I'm a nice guy, too. 0o t of the time.

“'&il the hunger !ang kick in./

* “+a$y Dack,/ 3hGl of the utca t &ribe, in recorded te timony to the rdo 1u tode )octi .

Pageage 555




0ollo& the steps listed belo& to create a)haracter for the Dir e R#5.

> ?. Read over the rules and form a concept foryour )haracter. )heck &ith the 5ame :aster to see ifthere are any re=uirements for the campai n &henformulatin the )haracter concept. The follo&in=uestions &ill help you refine your )haracter concept!as &ell.

%haracter %once t 3ue"tionnaire: &y!e and FactionH Is the )haracter a :ystic!

a 5h l! a )hild of i ht! or somethin else64hat 0action do they belon to6

)ameH 4hat name does the )haracter oby6 Do they have a nickname6

3enderH If the )haracter is a :ystic or5h l! are they male or female6 If the)haracter is a )hild of i ht! do theyidentify as male or female! or is ender stillconfusin to them6

AgeH If the )haracter is a :ystic or 5h l!ho& old are they6 If the )haracter is a )hildof i ht! ho& lon has it been since they0ell6

er onality and 3oal H <o& does the)haracter act6 4hat do they do for fun64hat do they plan to accomplish6

b tacle H 4hat does the )haracter need tolearn6 4hat challen es do they face in their,nnatural life6 4hat responsibilities is the)haracter char ed &ith6

A!!earanceH 4hat does the )haracter looklike6 Is there a photo! paintin ! or otherima e that captures the )haracterCs looks6

1entral 1ontradictionH 4hat is parado(icalor une(pected about the )haracter and theirconcept6 The most interestin )haractershave some tension at the core of theirconcept! somethin that provides thepotential for drama! somethin central to thehuman e(perience.

Pageage 577

"hara%ter "reation Pitfallshara%ter "reation Pitfalls

Character creation for Dirge is fast andsimp e! "#t for this reason! $tep 1 is far anda%a& the most important' (f &o# don)t ha*e agood Character concept! the Character %i "e"oring and ame +here are ots of Characterconcepts that fit in perfect & %ith the themesand tone of the Dirge ,-. +here are ots morethat s#c/! "ig time ere are a fe% traps toa*oid %hen thin/ing #p a Character

+he ngst o atic +his g#& or ga is ascre%ed #p inside! and spends ots and ots oftime acting o#t their inner drama nd a itt eangst is o/a&! "#t this g#& has more iss#es than+ime maga ine efore too ong! no one caresa"o#t the Character)s pro" ems! and a the%ai ing and moaning ro"s others of theirspot ight time re ated pro" em Character isthe .imp! the Character that)s #tter & incapa" ein com"at! or in*estigation! or doing an&thing!rea &

ar& $#e .ar& $t# $accharine!

ridic# o#s perfection +his is the Characterthat e*er& :-C is s#pposed to o*e! that)s atota & #ni #e and specia itt e sno%f a/e!that)s good at e*er&thing! and %ho)s a %a&s attheir "est +his is the most anno&ing and"oring t&pe of Character possi" e

+he ,ipoff (t)s one thing to "e inspired"& the atest no*e ! mo*ie! +< series! or comic!and ma/e a Character that)s an homage (t)sanother thing to ma/e an o"*io#s /noc/off! ana#seating & e=act cop&




> ?. Record the )haracterCs Type and 0action! andall 'ttribute and Talent ;onuses! and'utomatic 'dvanta es and Disadvanta es!on the )haracter sheet.

>*?. 'll 'ttributes start at evel *. Divide anadditional 3 evels >or 23 ;uild #oints?bet&een the 'ttributes. evel 1 costsdouble! and evel + costs =uadruple.

>2?. Divide *+ evels >or *+ ;uild #oints?bet&een ;asic and 'dvanced Talents. ;asicTalents cost double. 'dvanced Talents havecertain #rere=uisites that must be met. 's&ith 'ttributes! evel 1 costs double>=uadruple for ;asic Talents?! and evel +costs =uadruple >ei ht times the normal costfor ;asic Talents?.

>3?. )alculate the )haracterCs 'ssets. This

includes I8IT! < T! I0! I5! "#I! )D90!RD90! and :D90.>E?. )hoose a minimum of * evels in <ardships!

for &hich the )haracter ets no e(tra ;uild#oints. )haracters may choose up to 3 more

evels in <ardships! and each one rants ;uild #oints the additional + ;uild #oints; may be used to purchase 'ttribute evels!Talents! or Dark #o&ers.

(bility "ost8Bonus "olumn#ttributes %ost& %heap'asic (alents %ost& !ery %heap#dvanced (alents %ost& Extremely %heapMortal )ardship 'onus& !ery %heap*nnatural )ardship 'onus& #verage %olumnDar+ ,o-ers %ost& !aries

Additional Note" on Gainin- Po'er: 'fter )haracter )reation! )haracters must

obtain "pecial Re&ards to raise their Dark#o&ers.‣ Innate ower H )haracters may only

purchase the 7ptional Innate #o&erslisted for their ,nnatural Type! or!after creation! any allo&ed by their"pecial Re&ards. )ost is as listed forthe Dark #o&er.

‣ Formul H )haracters may onlypurchase the 0ormulG listed for their0ocuses for the Dark 'rt Talent! or!after creation! any allo&ed by their"pecial Re&ards. )haracters et 0ormula for free per evel of Dark 'rtat )haracter )reation a; dditional0ormulG may be purchased at)haracter )reation for ;# each.

>/?. :ystics select 0ormula per Dark 'rt 0ocus!as listed on the 9lemental 0ormulG Table in)hapter IF.

> ?. )haracters &ith H evels in )lose )ombator Ran ed )ombat may select oneappropriate &eapon. )haracters may alsoselect 3 Trifles! or trade Trifle selectionsfor one piece of 'rmor.

>1?. 0ill out the e(tra details on the )haracter"heet! and sho& the )haracter to the 5ame

:aster. :ake any corrections the 5ame:aster re=uires! and then et ready to playL

Pageage 599

"hara%ter "reation Pitfalls 3%ont:4hara%ter "reation Pitfalls 3%ont:4

+he +rench coat >atana .#& .a$ome%here "et%een the ar& $#e and the,ipoff ies the specia danger of horror games!the s#per coo g#& %ith no *isi" e persona it&!

a#gha" e goa s! and a s#per m&sterio#s"ac/gro#nd ?read no "ac/gro#nd @ +he&tramp aro#nd posing dramatica & and oo/ingse f important and sco% ing intense & +heseg#&s a so tend to often %ander off on theiro%n! creating additiona headaches for theother - a&ers and the .

Don)t create one of these Characters Craft a m# tifaceted persona it&! comp ete %ith

#ir/s! strengths! %ea/nesses! a p a#si" e ifehistor&! and a mi=t#re of the a*erage andpathetic as %e as the remar/a" e ands#pernat#ra




(bility;e<el

E*tremely"heap

=ery"heap "heap (<erage E*pensi<e =ery

E*pensi<eE*tremelyE*pensi<e

Level $ $ " 4 5 . /

Level " " 4 . $0 $" $4

Level . 1 $" $5 $ "$

Level 4 4 $" $. "0 "4 "

Level 5 5 $0 $5 "0 "5 0 5

Level . . $" $ "4 0 . 4"

Level / / $4 "$ " 5 4" 41

Level $. "4 " 40 4 5.Level 1 $0 "0 0 40 50 .0 /0

Level $0 $4 " 4" 5. /0 4 1

)igher Levels 24 each 2 each 2$" each 2$. each 2"0 each 2"4 each 2" each

(bility Build Point "ost !able

"hara%ter "reation E*amplehara%ter "reation E*ampleTom decides heCs oin to create a )haracter for

the Dir e R#5. 'fter readin throu h the settin ! hedecides heCs oin to play a :ystic! and his )haracterconcept is that heCs a colle e student! an art major!&hoCs ained a partial 9nli htenment because heCsseein mystical secrets coded in the &orldCs reat artpieces that heCs studyin . <is mystical e(periencesassist him as a painter! but as his sanity erodes! his art&ill radually become stran er and more other&orldly!&hich could dra& un&anted attention to him in time.The )haracter &ill be named 8oah ;ell! and he comesfrom a lo&er-middle-class family in )alifornia.

'fter lookin over the 0actions! Tom decides that8oah &ould be most likely to join the #ymandri. 8oahis kind of =uiet and studious! aside from his creativeimpulses! and the cerebral nature of the Kni hts of#ymander &ould appeal to him. 7f course! thehermetic! arcane teachin s of the #ymandri &ill enablehim to see the symbols hidden in the paintin s all thebetter! but may not prepare him for the mind-bendintruths those paintin s contain.

Tom records all of 8oahCs Type and 0action'dvanta es and Disadvanta es! and thinks about8oahCs 'ttributes. <e assi ns 8oah the follo&in'ttributes$

"TR$ 3. 8oahCs not that stron ! just avera e ; he does a base dEH d* dama e &ith hand-to-handattacks.

'5I$ E. 8oahCs ot pretty ood hand-eyecoordination! as thatCs needed for paintin andsculpture.

T5<$ 3. 8oah isnCt terribly healthy just; normal! as heCs an indoorsy art-nerd.

I8"$ / this includes the H bonus from the; Kni hts of #ymander 0action. 8oahCs pretty smart andperceptive he ot a scholarship to o to colle e! and; has a ood eye for form! te(ture! and color.

#9R$ 3. 8oahCs kind of shy! but not acomplete &allflo&er.

4I $ /. 8oah is very decisive and e(tremely

stubborn.8o& Tom assi ns 8oah some Talents. <e ains

the follo&in for free$;asic Talents$

<idden ore$ evel.'dvanced Talents$

Pageage 5##




Dark 'rt M9ner y! "pirit! "ubstanceN$ 'll at evel each.

:ystical Techni=ues >'ncient an ua es!)onsecrated Tools! :a ical #asses! Rituals?$ 2 evels.

9(pert$ evels. Tom chooses <ermeticismfor 8oahCs ;elief "ystem 0ocus! and atin for 8oahCs

an ua e 0ocus.8oah no& has *+ more ;uild #oints to spend on

Talents. "o for ;asic Talents! he oes for$)lose )ombat$ .

Dod e$ .9ducation$ .

<idden ore$ H evels >to a total of *evels?.

8e otiation$ .8otice$ .

"elf-)ontrol$ .

This costs + points so far! from the *+ that Tomhas to spend on 8oahCs Talents. Tom has + more;uild #oints to spend for 8oah. Then he chooses$

'dvanced Talents$

'ttractive$ evel.)arousin $ evel.H evels each to Dark 'rt M9ner y! "pirit!

and "ubstanceN$ all at ! for a total of E evels.H evel to 9(pert for his 0ocus! 8oah;

chooses 'rt M#aintin N.H evel to :ystical Techni=ues for his;

0ocus! 8oah chooses 0reecastin . ThatCs all the ;# forTalents that 8oah has available.

;ased on his 'ttributes and Talents! 8oah &illhave the follo&in 'ssets$

I8IT$ . )D90$ .RD90$ . :D90$ 3.< T$

<ead$ E.Torso$ */.

'rms$ .<ands$ E.

e s$ /.0eet$ E.

I0$ * .I5$ 3.

"#I$ 1.Tom ains the follo&in <ardship from the

#ymandri packa e$7athbound M"upport the Kni hts of

#ymanderN$ evel .Tom must select * additional evels in <ardships

for 8oah.

'ddicted M)affeineN$ . 8oah is a major soda junkie! =uaffin a E-pack a day or so to keep theheadaches at bay.

#hobia M<ei htsN$ . 8oah has a hard timeclimbin tall ladders or lookin out of tall buildin s.

Pageage 5&&

Playing the o>ntroddenlaying the o>ntrodden

- a&ers are certain & a" e to p a& anordinar& orta if that)s %hat the& %ant! "#tthere is no rea ad*antage to doing so orta sare created e=act & i/e an& other Character! "#tthe& s/ip $tep 2 of Character Creation (f the.ame aster is /ind! the& ma& a o% orta-Cs to ta/e an additiona 10 #i d -oints in+a ents

(n some campaigns! the - a&er Charactersma& a start off as ordinar& Do%ntrodden; inthis sort of campaign! the -Cs ma& ater one=perience a . impse and "ecome &stics! or ateenage Character might find o#t their fami &has a .hA heritage +he .ame aster ma&a o% orta Characters to "e traded in for

&stic! .hA ! or Chi d of Bight Charactersater on in the campaign $#ch a campaign is

great for s o% & introd#cing the - a&ers to the+ene"r and the - eroma "& etting them seeand interact %ith them direct &




8oah took more evel in <ardships than he hadto! so he takes evel of the "toic Talent! &hich fitshis calm! =uiet persona.

8o& 8oah ets to pick a )lose )ombat &eapon!and 3 Trifles. <e takes an ordinary Knife for his&eapon easy to conceal! and easy to e(plain as part of; his classes. 0or his Trifles! he takes a smart phone! anener y drink! sun lasses! and he spends Trifle slotson a leather jacket for some protection.

8o& 8oah just needs to purchase his 0ormulG!and thatCll be itL 0or his * evels each in 9ner y! "pirit!and "ubstance! he ains 1 0ormulG! * each. <echooses the follo&in $

9ner y$ ;lindin ;urst! )loak! DivinationM#yromancyN.

"pirit$ 'ffect "pirits! Daydream! 'stral#rojection.

"ubstance$ 9ntan le! "ense 9lementsM"ubstanceN! Telekinesis.

<eCs ot a variety of 0ormulG for several kinds ofsituations! so he should be set.

Pageage 5,,




"hapter I=$ "hara%ter !ypes andhapter I=$ "hara%ter !ypes andFa%tionsa%tions

“I remember watching the talle t !ire on the &abernacle of 0editation fall, ma hedby a leering bea t with two head like #ackal . It flew u! unto the height on leathery wingand ma hed it with a mace made of broken oul , and it threw it head back and gibberedand howled in an unholy dialect, cackling and laughing madly.

“I couldn't to! thi de ecration, locked a I wa in battle with a hedim with coalblack eye and bla !hemou name burning on it brow but I knew then, uddenly,;omehow, that we'd lo e. &he !ire wa a ingle !iece of emerald, yard long, and it broke

into a million hining tar that fell lowly to the ground through the !raying ichor of thebattlefield, and I knew. I didn't think 'I,' of cour e. -e were all one, we 1hildren of +ight ;many oul , but one mind. It #u t took a few !owerful wingbeat of my own to carry me to theto! of the &abernacle, and there, I matched it mace with my word of light, my burningdetermination ma hing again t it it cruel brutality. I faced it four burning eye tauntingme, it lavering #aw hurling in ult , when uddenly, I thought, 'I'.

“And then, uddenly, I could feel the Ark of erfection, hattering. For the fir t time inmemory, I thought, 'I', and that thought wa my downfall.

“&he 4ark ne found the erfect Ark, the rece!tacle of all our oul , and hattered itlike thi bea t before me broke the !ire. &he trength went out of me the voice of my;brethren, that ang eternally, weetly in my mind, were gone. Imagine, for the fir t time in an

eternal life of never knowing fear or loneline , uddenly being alone. )ot #u t alone hot;and thrown out of a car in the wilderne without warning. +aying, bleeding and hel!le ,and uddenly, awfully, une !ectedly, alone.

“0y trength fled from me, and I fell from the to! of the &abernacle a my doubt andfear a ailed me. &he 1hildren of 4arkne , who'd re#ected the 3race we'd alway known,had !erformed the mo t unimaginable act of violence they'd made u like them elve . Alone,;afraid, naked, without u!!ort, without defen e, our inner light began to dim. I could look atmy brother and ee their glow fading, a one by one, the 1hildren of 4arkne ma hedthem to !iece in their brutal victory. I'm not a hamed to ay I fled, my confu ionoverwhelming, but in time, the Realm 0o t 8igh e#ected me, in my weakne , and I Fell fromthe height .

“ ne by one, my brethren, like I, Fell to the 2ale of the 4owntrodden, here to the 0ortal world. 8ere, we truggle to learn how to do what it i good on our own, to fight thegood fight without one another' courage to bol ter u , to kee! u! ho!e when all eem lo t.

“"ecau e a far a we are concerned, all is lo t./

* 1a iel, 1hild of +ight of the +egion of the 0alakim, recorded te timony to the rdo1u tode )octi .

Pageage 5//




The )ouncils of 8i ht are composed of ,nnatural bein s &ho must hide in the shado&s of the TenebrG!e(ercisin their po&ers and seekin their oals in secret. )hildren of i ht! 5h ls! and :ystics are all commonmembers of the )ouncils of 8i ht! and the )ouncils assemble #acts to help hide their e(istence from theDo&ntrodden! e(plore the #leroma! and protect themselves and the &orld from the 9lder ;easts and the )hildrenof Darkness.

'll )haracters automatically ain all of the listed 'utomatic 'dvanta es at )haracter creation. They mayincrease these 'dvanta es later on by spendin 9(perience #oints! or purchase the listed 7ptional 'dvanta esinstead.

"hildren of ;ighthildren of ;ight

Image courtesy Public-domain-clipart.com.

The source of myths of an els and celestialuardians! the )hildren of i ht lived in the other-

dimensional Realm kno&n as the #alaces of i ht foruncounted years! protectin the #leroma &ith justiceand mercy ... until recently. Their fabled city &asdestroyed in battle &ith the )hildren of Darkness! andthe #erfect 'rk containin the souls of the )hildren of

i ht &as destroyed. 8o&! the )hildren of i ht arecast do&n into the :ortal &orld to seek their o&n!individual redemption! before their li ht fadesalto ether and they become )hildren of Darknessthemselves.

Se&eral Thin-" A$out the %hildren o, Li-ht: )hildren of i ht are lar ely composed ofOaberrant matter.P Their bodies are li hterand faster than most :ortalsC! and far morepo&erful.

)hildren of i ht are hermaphrodites! and

are beautiful in an andro ynous &ay. Theyal&ays appear tall and aunt &ith &hite orblonde hair.

)hildren of i ht come from anotherdimension or ORealmP called the #alaces of

i ht their capitol! the )ity of <eaven! &as; destroyed in an apocalyptic battle.'ll of the )hildren of i ht speak thecelestial ton ue! 9nochian.

The #erfect 'rk held the souls of all of the)hildren of i ht! and protected their soulsfrom temptation or corruption. "ince itsdestruction! all )hildren of i ht are

ro&in dim! slo&ly becomin )hildren ofDarkness.

:ost )hildren of i ht have OfallenP to9arth! and try to learn from theDo&ntrodden ho& to seek redemption andstave off corruption.

The )hildren of i ht are ne& to the :ortal&orld. They are lost in the ale of theDo&ntrodden! unfamiliar &ith the &ays ofthe Do&ntrodden.

The )hildren of i ht &ield stran e po&ersthat :ortals have dubbed :iracles.0oremost amon these are the "&ords and4in s of i ht! po&erful forms of lo&in !solid ener y &hich they may manifest at&ill.

The )hildren of i ht &ere all virtuallyomnipotent before their 0all they no& &ield; only a sliver of their former lory! and theirmemories of their lives in the )ity of<eaven are fuBBy! tarnished! and painful.

Pageage 500




The )hildren of i ht can learn to performreater :iracles by findin "plinters of their

fallen 'rchonsC treasured! divine Relics outamon the #leroma! and also by bearin&itnesses to acts of 5race by others.5ro&in closer to the ,nity that they serve!they radually re ain their soul and theirvast po&ers.

The )hildren of i ht all belon to ae ion! each of &hich &as once led by the

'rchons. e ions include the :alakim! the9lohim! and the AaBata.

In the rare places &here the )hildren ofi ht are common! those of all differente ions or aniBe into an 'rmy of i ht for

support. The )hildren of i ht sometimes find help

from reli ious :ortals! but <uman beliefsmay differ from the )hildrenCs reality! andthey may easily be condemned instead ofpraised.

Game Mechanic" 0%hildren o, the Li-ht2: Advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ 'ttribute ;onus$ '5I H .‣ 'sset ;onus$ )orruption -*‣ Talent ;onuses$ 'ttractive H ! )lose

)ombat H .‣

9lemental 4eapon M9ner yN >Innate#o&er?$ evel .‣ 9lemental 4in s M9ner yN >Innate

#o&er?$ evel .‣ The "i ht >Innate #o&er?$ evel .

Advantage 9 !tional=H‣ 9lemental "ense M9ner yN >Innate

#o&er?‣ 9lemental "hapin M9ner yN >Innate

#o&er?‣ 9lemental "hield M9ner yN >Innate

#o&er?‣ 9ndure #rivation M'llN >Innate #o&er?‣ Inhuman 'ttribute M"TR and T5<N

>Innate #o&er?‣ Redemption >Innate #o&er?$ Re=uires

)7R / or less.‣ "ti mata >Innate #o&er?$ Re=uires

)7R 3 or less.

‣ Telepathy >Innate #o&er?$ Re=uires4I /H.

‣ Traverse Realms >Innate #o&er?$Re=uires >> + Q )7R? H 4I H9lemental 4in s? total of + evels.

‣ 4alk on 4ater >Innate #o&er?$Re=uires )7R / or less.

4i advantage 9Automatic=H‣ Dyin "park >,nnatural <ardship?$

evel .‣ 7utsider >:ortal <ardship?$ evel *.

!he ;egion of the Elohimhe ;egion of the ElohimDe"cri tion: The 9lohim &ere the hi hest

e ion belo& the vaunted 'rchons! the enerals of<eaven. 8o& the losers of a &ar as old as time itself!they are the most disheartened of the )hildren of i ht!as they believe it &as their leadership that failed. "ome9lohim stru le &ith their roles as leaders of the fallen!even abandonin their roles and responsibilities! ortakin on ne& roles as tyrants of the TenebrG!ostensibly for the ood of all.

Game Mechanic" 0Elohim Le-ion2: Advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ 'ttribute ;onus$ T5<! I8"! 4I H .‣ Inhuman 'ttribute MI8"! #9RN >Innate

#o&er?$ evel . 4i advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ )hoose one of the follo&in $ 'rro ant!Re retful! or :ood "&in s. The)haracter has this <ardship at evel .

!he ;egion of the Malakimhe ;egion of the MalakimDe"cri tion: The :alakim are the architects of

the cosmos! the shapers! desi ners and creators of the:any Realms. Despite the rim circumstances of the)hildren of i ht! the :alakim kno& that somethinne& can al&ays arise from the &recka e of the old. ;uteven the :alakim can ive in to despair! seein thetrashy &asteland of the modern &orld! and it seemslike too reat a challen e to return the &orld to itspristine beauty before mankind.

Pageage 522




Image courtesy Bradley McDevitt.

Game Mechanic" 0Mala!im Le-ion2: Advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ 'ttribute ;onus$ I8" H .‣ 9lemental "hapin M9ner yN >Innate

#o&er?$ evel .‣ Inhuman 'ttribute M'5IN >Innate

#o&er?$ evel .

!he ;egion of thehe ;egion of the?a@ataa@ata

De"cri tion: The AaBata are theenforcers of oaths! and their

e ion &ere acclaimed amon thesoldiers of the heavenly le ions.They &ere char ed &ithpunishin sinners for &ron doin !accordin to ancient la&s!particularly those &ho broke theiroaths to their fello& man. :anyAaBata have become rene ades!pursuin their o&n brand of

justice! makin it harder for themto avoid corruption the AaBata in; the :ortal &orld find it all tooeasy to perform evil in the serviceof ood.

Game Mechanic" 0Ya4ataLe-ion2:

Advantage9Automatic=H ‣ 'ttribute ;onus$

T5< H .‣

9lemental "hieldM9ner yN >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ Inhuman 'ttribute M'5I! "TR! T5<N

>Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ Talent ;onus$ )lose )ombat H .

4i advantage 9Automatic=H‣ 7athbound M:ust #unish

7athbreakersN >:ortal <ardship?$evel 2.

Pageage 766




Ghulshuls5h ls are a ra ed! morbid! vicious breed!

different from but related to <umans! that live on theperiphery of :ortal society. 5h ls live on <uman fleshand blood! &hich ives them several po&ers they useto survive and remain undetected.

Se&eral Thin-" A$out Gh5l":5h ls &ere once a race of :ortals that ruledthe vast ancient empire of :ada ,s-5idim!and &orshiped the )hildren of Darkness.5h ls still speak the 5idimite lan ua e!preservin a primitive form of it in their

uttural ro&ls and sibilant &hispers. ;ecause of their depravity and cannibalism!

they &ere cursed by the )hildren of i ht!and are no lon er <umans! enerally unableto &alk by day &ithout pain. ;ecause oftheir le acy of evil! the 5h ls &ere blessedby the )hildren of Darkness! and they ainpo&er at ni ht and in shado&! and &henconsumin the flesh and blood of :ortals.

5h lsC internal or ans are partiallycomposed of Oaberrant matter.P They are abit stron er and faster than :ortals! &ith

keener senses. 5h ls have pale &hite or sallo& ray skin!and sharp! pointed teeth. Their eyes areoften blood red or bestial yello&! and theirhair is enerally dark. They tend to be leanand supple! but some &ell-fed 5h lsbecome plump! especially the leaders of alocal 5atherin .

5h ls live on the periphery of :ortalsociety! in se&ers and hettos! slums and&ilderness cabins.

5h ls love all that is dark and loomy!revelin in dark colors and decrepitsurroundin s.

5h ls or aniBe themselves into Tribes basedon family structure! and each Tribe hascertain special ;lood Tricks they can learn.The 5h ls of all Tribes in an area formalliances called 5atherin s for mutualsupport.

0amily is very important to 5h ls! as theyhave no one they can rely on but each other.5h ls of different families! Tribes! and5atherin s often fi ht for territory! and overtheir ancient! half-for otten traditions.

5h ls can learn more ;lood Tricks bylearnin the myths of their ancestors and byconsumin the ra&! &arm! bloody flesh ofstran e ne& creatures! such as can only befound out amon the #leroma.

5h ls enerally seem like ordinary <umansuntil their teena e years! &hen their cravinfor blood and flesh be ins to over&helmthem. 5h ls raised in foster homes ororphana es have a terrible time of it! &ith norelatives nearby to assist them in this criticalperiod.

Pageage 755

(n +nnatural "ensusn +nnatural "ensus

$o ho% man& nnat#ra s e=ist in the+ene"r E :ot man& F*en a teeming cit& ofmi ions can)t s#pport more than a do en or so.hA s; e*en the Do%ntrodden get s#spicio#s ofdisappearances! e*en of the #n%anted home ess+he Chi dren of Bight are rare e*er&%here! andthe "etra&a of the ierate C# t! and toda&)sfashiona" e dis"e ief in the strange and%ondro#s! has red#ced the n#m"ers of tr#e

&stic n#m"ers to ess than a h#ndred in e*enthe argest cities

(n most campaigns! the -Cs are prett&m#ch a one! in a %or d %here the odds aredefinite & not in their fa*or (n some campaigns!+he other -Cs ma& "e the on & nnat#ra s the&%i e*er meet! so the& m#st hang together! orthe& %i a die a one




"ome 5h ls settle for livin on the flesh ofanimals but it isnCt as tasty and fulfillin… to them as the flesh of <umans. 7therscontent themselves &ith di in up thefreshly dead to snack on! &hile others breakinto blood and or an banks. ' fe& playvi ilante! seekin to consume only eat theflesh of those that Odeserve to die.P ItCs a

jud ment call for a 5h l! ho& to sate theirvile hun er! and one of the main functionsof the )ouncils of 8i ht is to &atch 5h lsand make sure they arenCt preyin on theinnocent.

Game Mechanic" 0Gh5l"2:

Advantage 9Automatic=H ‣ Talent ;onus$ )reepy ooks H !8otice H .

‣ )onsume 0lesh >Innate #o&er?$ evel.

‣ Dim "i ht >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ 0an s >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ Inhuman 'ttribute$ M"TR! T5<N

>Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ Re eneration >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ "harp "ense M"mellN >Innate #o&er?$

evel *.‣ The "i ht >Innate #o&er?$ evel .

Advantage 9 !tional=H ‣ 'dhesion >Innate #o&er?.‣ )loak >Innate #o&er?$ Re=uires 4I

H.‣ 9ndure #rivation ><un er! Thirst!

<eat! )old Innate #o&er?$; Re=uires4I 3H.

‣ 0erocity >Innate #o&er?.‣ Inhuman 'ttribute$ M'5IN >Innate

#o&er?‣ eapin >Innate #o&er?.‣ Re eneration >Innate #o&er?.‣ Telepathy >Innate #o&er?$ Re=uires

#9R /H.‣

Traverse Realms >Innate #o&er?$Re=uires a >4I H )7R H )onsume0lesh? total of + evels.

4i advantage 9Automatic=H ‣ 'sset #enalty$ )orruption H*.‣ )hoose 7ne >)ruel! )ynical! :ood

"&in s! #oor?$ .

‣ Dark <un er >,nnatural <ardship?$evel .

‣ 7utsider >:ortal <ardship?$ evel .‣ "ensitivity MDayli htN >,nnatural

<ardship?$ evel *.

!he Flenser !ribehe Flenser !ribeDe"cri tion: The 0lenser Tribe live in distant!

rustic communities! often in communities of their o&n.ivin alone in the hinterlands! mountains! and forests!

the 0lensers may consume the flesh of hapless&anderers &ithout bein troubled by OoutsidersP &ho&ouldnCt understand their &ays. 0lensers ro& lon !&icked cla&s! and are reno&ned amon 5h ls for theirstren th and their fury in battle.

Game Mechanic" 0Flen"er Tri$e2: Advantage 9Automatic=H ‣ )la&s$ >Innate #o&er? evel *.‣ 0erocity >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ Inhuman 'ttribute M"TRN >Innate

#o&er?$ evel H‣ Talent ;onus$ 8otice H ! 9(pert H

>"urvival M)hoose t&oN?. 4i advantage 9Automatic=H

‣

7utsider >:ortal <ardship?$ H evel.

!he Aarle uin !ribehe Aarle uin !ribeDe"cri tion: :ost 5h ls see :ortals as delicious

prey! but objectify them! vie&in their behavior &iththe detached eye of the butcher or the connoisseur. The<arle=uin Tribe! &ho &ere called i'lwah in ancienttimes! are fascinated &ith <umans not content to; occasionally devour one of the Do&ntrodden! a<arle=uin &ill stalk one and take over their life! livinamon :ortals for days or &eeks on end beforeproceedin on to the ne(t. "ome <arle=uins tar et aspecific kind of person! takin out the rich! or

criminals! or other killers! &hile some <arle=uins aremore indiscriminate. <arle=uins are some of the… most troublesome 5h ls for the 7rdo )ustodes 8octis!and their Tribe are simply &iped out in some )ouncilterritories &ithout =uestion.

Pageage 777




Game Mechanic" 0*arle6uinTri$e2:

Advantage 9Automatic=H‣ 'ttribute ;onus$

#9R H .‣ )onsume ;rains

>Innate #o&er?$evel .

‣ "hapeshiftin>Innate #o&er?$

evel .‣ Talent ;onus$ ;reak

9nter H !Trickery H*.

4i advantage9Automatic=H ‣ )ruelty >:ortal

<ardship?$ evel .

!he -ut%ast !ribehe -ut%ast !ribeDe"cri tion: The 7utcast

Tribe are nomadic 5h ls some are; part of biker an s! &hile others arecarnies! follo& reli ious Otentrevivals!P or &ander &ith a 5ypsycaravan.

'll 5h ls skulk the borders ofthe mortal &orld! but 7utcasts areborn tricksters! capable oftemporarily bendin :ortal &ills totheir o&n &ith a clever &ord and a&ave of the hand. The 7utcast Tribespent centuries learnin to toleratedayli ht better than other 5h ls ; they can pitch their carnival tents inthe bri ht sunshine! lookin for&ardto the reat ames and feasts that&ill occur that ni ht. 7utcasts may be found any&herethat :ortal rebels! e(patriates! subversives! andcounter-cultural types thrive! in day or ni ht.

Game Mechanic" 0Outca"t Tri$e2: Advantage 9Automatic=H

‣

9nslave >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ O;uyin 7ffP "ensitivity MDayli htN>,nnatural <ardship?$ evel - .

‣ Talent ;onus$ )arousin H ! TrickeryH .

Image courtesy Bradley McDevitt.

4i advantage 9Automatic=H‣ )ynical >:ortal <ardship?$ evel .

Pageage 799




Mysti%systi%s

Image courtesy Salvatore Vuono, Freedigitalp otos.net.

:ystics are modern-day visionaries and medicinemen! sorcerers! mad scientists and miracle &orkers&ho can perform &onders throu h acts of ima inationand &ill. "eekin 5limpses of their <i her "elves!:ystics e(perience bouts of madness! but learn of thesi( sacred 9lements. 7ver the millennia! :ystics havedesi ned 0ormulG that let them shape these 9lementsand chan e the &orld! castin blessin s and curses asthey &ill.

Se&eral Thin-" A$out M)"tic"::ystics are :ortals &ho have masteredancient rituals passed do&n to them fromancient times. They call these spellsO0ormulG!P and they seek books of deepkno&led e called Tomes &hich containmore 0ormulG for them to learn.0e& other kno&n races can learn 0ormulG ; )hildren of i ht and 5h ls can learn thebasic principles of :ystic ma ic! but cannotperform it.

:any of the reatest heroes! sa es! andmadmen of :ortal history &ere secretly:ystics.

:ystics may come from any&here! any&alk of life. The )ults have evolved andsurvived the centuries! hidden here and therein every human culture.

:ystics believe all :ortals have a ;ody anda "pirit! but that only they have a "oul!&hich they call their <i her "elf. Their<i her "elf allo&s :ystics to perform

ma ic. :ystics also tend to believe inreincarnation! and many :ystics believethey have already lived before.

:ystics ain their stran e po&ers by5limpsin their <i her "elves in dreamsand visions. They believe that the <i her"elf is their soul! and a steppin stoneto&ards ,nity! a state of odhood or nirvanathat some claim is the ultimate oal of<uman evolution.

:ystics can create 'rtifacts! and some:ystics! like Thaumatronicists! specialiBe inthis form of ma ic. 'nyone &ith a "pirit canuse an 'rtifact! and any item may be9nchanted into an 'rtifact.

Pageage 7##

Enlightenment C or Madness)nlightenment C or Madness)

side from mere & gi*ing a &stic amoment)s oo/ at their # timate potentia !

&stics often %a / a%a& from a . impse %ithinsights a"o#t the str#ct#re of the - eroma!prophecies a"o#t the f#t#re! ideas a"o#t theperfect str#ct#re for h#man ci*i i ation … a/inds of things #t &stics are easi &

nhinged … ho% m#ch of this is rea ! and ho%m#ch! some /ind of derangementE nd ho%does the &stic decode the conf#sing andm&sterio#s s&m"o ism of these *isionsE

+his is a pro" em that &stics ha*estr#gg ed %ith since man/ind in*ented

ang#age and %riting! and compared their*isions $ome sa& that re igion itse f is G#st a

egac& of fai ed! %eird attempts to assist mere

orta s to attain tr#e &sticism +he otherpossi"i it& is that a of these *isions are atr#e; it)s hard to sa& %hich option is %orse fora




The 0ormulG that :ystics seek cannot bee(plained in simple lan ua e it re=uires a; mystic dialect of stran e codes! arcanedia rams! reli ious symbolism! andmathematical and musical alle ory tocontain such kno&led e. :ystics call thiscode O)ryptosophic P &ritten! it looks like a; hod epod e of alchemical! mathematical!reli ious! and astrolo ical symbolsinterspersed &ith stran e poetry spoken! it; sounds like nonsense.

:ortal "pirits suffer from their =uest forself-perfection! and :ystics fre=uently slipinto bouts of delusion! paranoia!schiBophrenia! or other forms of mental

imbalance durin their =uest forenli htenment. 8o :ystic escapes the touchof madness entirely.

:ystics enerally belon to a )ult! &hichprovides trainin and support! but may alsoe(tract from them certain oaths andobli ations. :ystic )ults include the 5host4alkers! the #ymandri! theThaumatronicists! the isionaries! and the4u an Taoists! amon others.

The )ults are loosely allied! and :ystics inan area form local alliances called)olle iums for mutual kno&led e anddefense. There is technically another )ult!the <ierates! but they betrayed the otherslon a o for the 9lder ;easts and fortemporal po&er. The )ults all si ned ana reement! the 0irmament Treaty! lon a othat prevents open &arfare and encoura essecrecy! resultin in a dra&n-out )old 4ar&ith the <ierates.

Game Mechanic" 0M)"tic"2: Advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ 9nchantment >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ The "i ht >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ "orcery >Innate #o&er?$ evel *.

Advantage 9 !tional=H‣ 9ndure #rivation M' in N >Innate

#o&er?$ Re=uires Dark 'rt M;odyNevel 3.

‣ 0amiliar >Innate #o&er?.‣ Immortal >Innate #o&er?$ Re=uires

Dark 'rt M;odyN evel +.

4i advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ ,nhin ed >,nnatural <ardship?$ evel*.

!he "ult of the Ghost 'alkershe "ult of the Ghost 'alkersDe"cri tion: :edicine men and na uals! these

sorcerers are follo&ers of the most ancient &ays ofma ic. 7nce! proud tribal peoples &alked across the

Pageage 7&&

!he =alue of Breedinghe =alue of Breeding

nnat#ra creat#res are genera & distinctcreat#res from morta #mans an& of themcan ha*e se= %ith #mans! "#t reprod#ction isa different matter

Chi dren of Bight Chi dren of Bight arehermaphrodites! e #ipped %ith "oth ma e andfema e genita ia! "#t the& are steri e +here are

egends from the past of Chi dren of Bight"egetting or "earing chi dren %ith orta

o*ers! "#t this ma& ha*e "een rchons! or d#eto magica interference

.hA s +he .idimites are a s#" race of#mans ?some %o# d sa&! a race of s#"

h#mans@! and can reprod#ce %ith #manso%e*er! the chi dren %i genera & "e

ordinar& #mans; a .hA chi d ma& appear inater generations after s#ch an #nho & #nion!

ho%e*er

&stics &stics are! arg#a" &! comp ete &#man! and the gift of &sticism does seem

to pass do%n erratica & thro#gh " ood ineso%e*er! a &stic)s chi d "& a non #man

entit& i/e a .hA ne*er seems to gain a. impse of their igher $e *es; this ma& "epart of the c#rse on the .idimites and others#ch species




plains and throu h the forests no&! theyCre holed up on; reservations! ettin kickbacks from the local casinoand drinkin cheap booBe. ;ut some remember their

randparentsC stories of speakin to spirits of air andsalmon! deer and bear and moon. They head off intothe unfor ivin &ilderness to seek the po&er plants!and to undertake painful and tryin rituals to re-learnthis all-but-for otten &isdom. :any never come back!but this is the price of the shamanCs path.

Game Mechanic" 0Gho"t #al!er"2: Advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ Attribute "onu H I8" H ! 4I H .‣ 4ark Art J"ody, !irit, ub tanceKH

evel each. 5host 4alkers Roll 4I HTou h as 8ails H Dark 'rt to cast0ormulG.

‣ 0y tical &echni%ue 9Ancient +anguage , 1on ecrated &ool , Ingredient , 0agical a e =H H2

evels.‣ &alent "onu H <idden ore H ! 9(pert

H >7ne abori inal )ulture! such as'ustralian abori ine! )herokee!8avaho! "iou(! plus one associatedancient lan ua e?.

4i advantage 9Automatic=H ‣ Addicted, 1ynical, overty, or

2engeful 9Automatic=H evel .

!he "ult of the Knights ofhe "ult of the Knights ofPymanderymander

De"cri tion: Recipients of the mystic kno&led eof the 5nostics! neo-#latonists! and Kni hts Templar!the #ymandri follo& a hermetic path of discipline andorder. The #ymandri contact spiritual entities and for ecompacts &ith them to assist themselves alon theirspiritual path.

7f all of the :ystics! the #ymandri tend to havethe best relationship &ith the )hildren of i ht! andhave s&orn oaths to assist them &hen possible.#ymandri are diverse some are ri ht-&in ! un-totin; fully-'rma eddon-compliant survivalist types &ithfamily histories of military and intelli ence service!&hile others as smu business types &ith ties tobankin and business and an e(tensive kno&led e ofsecret handshakes. #ymandri tend to be pompous!formal! and intense! and tend to scare the shit out of alot of other :ystics.

! e symbol of t e "nig ts of Pymander.

Game Mechanic" 0%ult o, the Kni-ht" o,P)mander2:

Advantage 9Automatic=H‣ 'ttribute ;onus$ I8" H .‣ Dark 'rt M9ner y! "pirit! "ubstanceN$

evel each. #ymandri roll 4I H9(pert H Dark 'rt to cast 0ormulG.

‣ :ystical Techni=ues >'ncientan ua es! )onsecrated Tools!

:a ical #asses! Rituals?$ H2 evels.‣ Talent ;onus$ <idden ore H ! 9(pert

H >7ne 4estern mystical beliefsystem! such as hermeticism!

nosticism! kabbalism! orpytha oreanism! plus one ancientlan ua e like <ebre&! atin! or)optic?.

Advantage 9 !tional=H ‣ 'ncient ore >7ptional! Innate #o&er?.

4i advantage 9Automatic=H‣ 7athbound M"upport and Defend all

#ymandriN >'utomatic?$ evel .

Pageage 7,,




#n image of t e $ree% god Dionysus, t e symbol of t e &ult of StrangeVisions.

!he "ult of 1trange =isionshe "ult of 1trange =isionsDe"cri tion: isionaries are blessed! or cursed!

to see the &orld as it could be! beyond the veil of time."ome cope by becomin bohemian artists! some druthemselves to make the visions o a&ay! or to makethem arrive on command! others seek a shamanCs path!to learn to deal &ith the spirits on their o&n terms! andstill others just read a lot of ;yron and "helley. :anyof the isionaries attained their first 5limpse early inchildhood! and so have never kno&n a OnormalP life as; such! they are the :ystics &ho teeter closest tomadness! and some &ander the line &ith ecstaticimpunity. The isionaries have ties! thou h troubled!&ith 5h ls! as they also &alk on the brink of amisunderstandin society. isionaries tend to enjoy theRealm kno&n as the 5lades of :irth.

Game Mechanic" 0%ult o, Stran-e (i"ion"2: Advantage 9Automatic=H ‣ 'ttribute ;onus$ I8" H ! #9R H !

T5< H .‣ Dark 'rt M;ody! Destiny! "piritsN

>'utomatic?$ H evel 9ach.isionaries roll #9R H )arousin H

Dark 'rt to cast 0ormulG.‣ :ystical Techni=ues >)hoose T&o$

Dancin ! 9li(irs! or Tantra?$ H evels.‣ Talent ;onus$ )arousin H >)haracter

must still meet the #rere=uisites?. 4i advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ )hoose one of the follo&in at evel*$ 'ddicted! 'rro ant! )onfused!Delusions! echerous! :ood "&in s!or 7bsessed.

Pageage 7//

1or%erersD (pprenti%esor%erersD (pprenti%es

$imp & ha*ing a . impse of the igher$e f is not eno#gh to a o% one to performmagic +he . impse immediate & grants anindi*id#a +he $ight! "#t not act#a $orcer& +operform magic! the indi*id#a m#st first earnthe princip es of magic n ess the& remem"erthese detai s from pre*io#s st#d& or a past ife!the& m#st spend at east a fe% %ee/s st#d&ingmagica theor&

Hnce this is done! the indi*id#a gains the$orcer& Dar/ -o%er! and ma& "egin p#rchasingBe*e s in Dar/ rts and &stica +echni #es

ost C# ts tr& to ocate indi*id#a s short &after the&)*e had their first . impse! and recr#itthem and "egin their training a at once




.

!he "ult of !haumatroni%she "ult of !haumatroni%sDe"cri tion: Durin the ictorian era! ancient

alchemy and natural science collided &ith moderntheories of en ineerin ! medicine! and physics. :ortalstend to think that modern science &on and the ancientbeliefs &ere discarded! but in the &ork of a ifted fe&!the t&o melded to ether to form a ne& &hole! stron erthan either$ a path today kno&n as Thaumatronics. TheThaumatronicists &ield the po&er of mystically-amplified science and technolo y to chan e humanityCsdestiny for the better. 5ood &ith their hands and their

minds! the Thaumatronicists sometimes make foolishmistakes in their =uest for &hat they call Othe"in ularity!P their idea of ,nity. The Thaumatronicistshave an affinity for the Realm kno&n as the Industrial8e(us.

Game Mechanic" 0%ult o, Thaumatronic"2: Advantage 9Automatic=H

‣ 'ttribute ;onus$ I8" H .‣ Dark 'rt M;ody! 9ner y! "ubstanceN$

H evel each. Thaumatronicists rollI8" H Tech H Dark 'rt to create9nchantments! but cannot cast0ormulG.

‣

9nchantment >Innate #o&er?$ evel *.‣ Interface >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ Talent ;onus$ Tech H* >)haracter

must meet Re=uirements for this'dvanced Talent?.

4i advantage 9Automatic=H‣ 'rtificer >,nnatural <ardship?$ evel

*.‣ "pecialiBed 9nchanter >,nnatural

<ardship?$ evel .

!he "ult of the 'u ang !aohe "ult of the 'u ang !aoDe"cri tion: )enturies a o! the Tao &as revealed

to mankind! a &ay of enli htenment and meditationthat brou ht humans peace and enli htenment. The&isdom of the old )hinese philosopher that discoveredit &as eventually transcribed into the O9mptiness"cripture!P and many >or at least a fe&? of those thatfollo&ed its OTaoP or path found ,nity. <o&ever!many! jealous of the enli htenment of the peacefulpriests! sou ht to e(terminate them! and thephilosopherCs disciples became an order of &arrior-priests as adept at kickin ass as they &ere atmeditation.

The priests devised ;a Tien Fiao 4u "hu! orO9i ht )elestial Dra ons :artial 'rt!P a form of Kun0u that combines ma ic &ith martial trainin .

The 4u an Taoists hone their minds! bodies!and souls throu h meditation and physical ri or. Theylearn to control their minds and bodies! freein theirspirits from the ale of the Do&ntrodden. 4u anTaoists are practical and trust&orthy! but introverted!and have an affinity for a distant Realm kno&n as the:ountain of #eace.

Pageage 700

"hanging "ultshanging "ultsIhen a person Goins a C# t! the& ta/e

po%erf# oaths of o&a t& to their mentors! tone*er "etra& them! ne*er a"andon them! andne*er gi*e #p the secrets of the "rotherhoodthe& "ecome a part of Ihi e occasiona & a

&stic %i ea*e one C# t and Goin another! it isa rare occ#rrence

F*er since the "etra&a of the ierateC# t! the Co egi#m C# ts ha*e gro%n e*ermore paranoid and ins# ar! and an& sorcerer%ho sho%s signs of #ntr#st%orthiness isn)t

i/e & to "e ta/en in "& an&one Ihether rightor %rong! a &stic %ho ea*es a C# t! e*en foranother! a ied C# t! is i/e & to "e contin#a &C#rsed and fore*er cha enged to spitef#mage d#e s! e*en "& some of their ne% a ies

that said! if a &stic changes C# ts!the& ose a "enefits of their o d C# t! and gainthe "enefit of their ne% C# t +he training toGoin a C# t ta/es se*era months! in %hich timethe &stic earns the spe casting techni #esfa*ored "& their ne% sect! and grad#a & gro%sr#st& %ith the techni #es emp o&ed "& theiro d C# t! fina & osing them a together +he&m#st fore*er s eep ight and %a / the ighted%a&s! tho#gh! for no one %i e*er tr#st themagain! and man& %i see/ their end




Game Mechanic" 0%ult o, the #u 7an- Tao2: Advantage 9Automatic=H ‣ 'ttribute ;onus$ "TR! '5I! and T5<

H .‣ Dark 'rt M;ody! Destiny! 9ner yN$ H

evel each. 4u an Taoists roll T5<H :artial 'rts H Dark 'rt to cast0ormulG.

‣ :ystic Kun 0u >Innate #o&er?$ evel.

‣ :ystical Techni=ues >:a ical #asses?$H evels.

‣ Talent ;onus$ )lose )ombat H

4i advantage H‣ )hoose one of the follo&in at evel

$ 'rro ant! 7utsider! #oor! oren eful.

Pageage 722




"hapter =$ (ttributeshapter =$ (ttributes'll )haracters have the same si( 'ttributes$ the three #hysical 'ttributes of ' ility! "tren th! and

Tou hness! and the three :ental 'ttributes of Insi ht! #ersonality! and 4ill. 'll 'ttributes have a evel! from to+! and the avera e evel in any 'ttribute is 3.

Physi%alhysi%al(ttributesttributes

(gility 3(GI4gility 3(GI4De"cri tion: ' ility is your speed! accuracy!

race! manual de(terity! and sense of balance. 'rtists!sur eons! marksmen! and video ame players tend tohave hi her ' ility.

Game Mechanic" 0A-ilit)2: '5I is a majorcomponent of )haractersC )D90! RD90! and I8IT! andused for rolls to hit &ith both )lose )ombat andRan ed )ombat attacks.

1trength 31!R4trength 31!R4De"cri tion: "tren th is your physical mi ht and

bra&n. 4ei htlifters and athletes tend to have hi her"tren th.

Game Mechanic" 0Stren-th2: )haracters cancarry a ma(imum of >"TR S +? lbs. 4ith no penalties ; each additional increment of this amount causes the)haracter to suffer a penalty of - to '5I and '#. "o!for e(ample! a )haracter &ith / "TR could carry up to/+ lbs. &ith no penalty. If the )haracter carries from /to 2+ lbs.! the )haracter suffers a penalty of - to '5Iand '#.

' )haracterCs "TR determines their <T< dama e!&hich is the )haracterCs dama e &ith a normal #unchattack! and is also added to the dama e from melee&eapons! thro&n &eapons! and bo&s.

;e<el A!A amage Modifier$5 4d.2$d points$4 4d.2$ points$ 4d. points$" d.2$d points$$ d.2$ points$0 d. points1 "d.2$d points

"d.2$ points/ "d. points. $d.2$d points5 $d.2$ points4 $d. points

$d points" $ point$ 3 ou re +idding6 right7

!oughness 3!GA4oughness 3!GA4De"cri tion: Tou hness is your constitution!

endurance! stamina! tou hness! and resistance to injuryand physical 'fflictions. "oldiers and bo(ers tend tohave hi her Tou hness.

Game Mechanic" 0Tou-hne""2: )haracters makeT5< H 9ndurance rolls to avoid physical 'fflictions.T5< is also a major component of a )haracterCs < Tand I0.

Pageage 966




Mental (ttributesental (ttributes

Insight 3I.14nsight 3I.14De"cri tion: Insi ht is your a&areness!

intelli ence! and ability to pick up on details and learn=uickly. )omputer pro rammers! detectives! scientists!and trackers tend to have hi her Insi ht.

Game Mechanic" 0In"i-ht2: I8" is used toremember thin s and fi ure our puBBles! and is a majorcomponent of I8IT and "#I.

Personality 3PER4ersonality 3PER4De"cri tion: #ersonality is your charisma!

persuasiveness! manipulation! and out oin nature."alesmen and politicians tend to have hi h #ersonality.

Game Mechanic" 0Per"onalit)2: )haractersmake #9R rolls to s&ay othersC opinions or actions! andis a major component of "#I.

'ill 3'I;4ill 3'I;4De"cri tion: 4ill is your tenacity! perseverance!

confidence! coolness under fire! psycholo icalfortitude! and concentration. )olle e raduates!soldiers! and emer ency response folks tend to havehi her 4ill.

Game Mechanic" 0#ill2: )haracters make 4IH "elf-)ontrol rolls to avoid mental 'fflictions. 4I isalso a major component of )haractersC :D90 and "#I.

Pageage 955




"hapter =I$ !alentshapter =I$ !alentsTalents are areas of kno&led e and e(pertise that )haracters possess! or special advanta eous life situations

that they may find themselves in. 'll Talents have a evel! from to +. Talents are divided into ;asic and'dvanced Talents 'dvanced Talents al&ays have prere=uisites! usually a specific evel in a ;asic Talent.;

"ome Talents rant "pecialiBations these Talents have MbracketsN after their name. "ome Talents re=uire a; 0ocus these Talents have >parentheses? after them! and )haracters enerally et one 0ocus per evel.;

Basi% !alentsasi% !alents

Image courtesy Free-Stoc%-P otos.co.u%

(thleti%sthleti%sDe"cri tion: Aou can run! jump! climb! s&im!

balance! tumble! parkour! kick-flip! and other&ise doall the stuff athletes! ymnasts! and little kids spend alot of time doin .

Game Mechanic" 0Athletic"2: The )haractermay add the 'thletics evel to any "TR or '5I rollre=uired to run! jump! climb! s&im! balance! or tumble.

"lose "ombatlose "ombatDe"cri tion: 4hen a fi ht ets up close and

personal! you kno& ho& to land a punch! s&in a club!or stab &ith a knife accurately.

Game Mechanic" 0%lo"e %om$at2: )haractersmake '5I H Ran ed )ombat Talent rolls to makeattacks &ith punches! kicks! or close combat &eapons!and to calculate the )haracterCs )D90 'sset.

odgeodgeDe"cri tion: Aou have the speed and sense to et

the hell a&ay from incomin attacks. "idesteppinpunches and Bi -Ba in a&ay from incomin bullets!you last lon enou h to seiBe your moment.

Game Mechanic" 0Dod-e2: )haracters make'5I H Dod e Talent rolls to move out of the &ay oftraps or ran ed effects! and use Dod e to calculate)haractersC )D90 and RD90 Defenses.

ri<eri<eDe"cri tion: Aou are pretty ood at navi atin a

motor vehicle throu h traffic or alon bumpy backroads.

Game Mechanic" 0Dri&e2: The )haracter makes'5I H Drive Talent rolls to make any sort of difficultmaneuver! like pullin into a very busy intersection! oravoidin an onrushin vehicle. Drive covers cars!pickups! and motorcycles.

Pageage 977




Edu%ationdu%ationDe"cri tion: 'lmost everyone kno&s some basic

stuff by the time theyCre done &ith hi h school your; 9ducation evel sho&s ho& much you &ere payinattention.

Game Mechanic" 0Education2: )haracters make9ducation Talent rolls &hen they need information onscience! history! mathematics! or business! or practicalTalents like cookin . The 9(pert 'dvanced Talent canadd to many of these.

Enduran%enduran%eDe"cri tion: The ability to &ithstand poison!

disease! and other haBards of the #leroma! and continueto function.

Game Mechanic" 0Endurance2: :ost "ave rollsa ainst poison! disease! and the like use T5< H9ndurance.

Aidden ;oreidden ;oreRe6uirement": #layer )haracters can take a

ma(imum of * evels of <idden ore at )haractercreation.

De"cri tion: Aou have some idea &hatCs oin

on in the shado&s of the ale and the #leroma. 4ith just a fe& evels! youCve read a fe& issues of the0ortean 4eekly Journal! &hile &ith many evels!youCre as tuned-in as a hi h-rankin member of the7rdo )ustodes 8octis.

Game Mechanic" 0*idden Lore2: )haractersroll I8" H <idden ore to recall details about thevarious ,nnatural kinds! the #leroma! hidden roupslike the 7rdo )ustodes 8octis! supernatural creatures!or important people and events in ,nnatural history.

IntimidationntimidationDe"cri tion: Aou kno& ho& to make people

crin e and back the hell do&n &hen they et outta line.4ith just a fe& evels! you can raise your voice anduse some nau hty &ords! &hile &ith much hi her

evels! just a &hispered &ord and narro&ed eyesmakes people retreat and apolo iBe.

Game Mechanic" 0Intimidation2: Aou mayforce a tar et to make an 7pposed "pooky 0ear "averollin your #9R H Intimidation a ainst their 4I H"elf-)ontrol 7n a :ishap! any further Intimidationrolls a ainst that tar et suffer a penalty e=ual to ->00?% .

.egotiationegotiationDe"cri tion: Aou kno& ho& to talk to people so

that you reach an a reement to ether. 'nd bya reement! &e mean! you et &hat you &ant! and they&alk a&ay happy. )humps.

Pageage 999

+ses of Aidden ;oreses of Aidden ;ore

idden Bore is #ite #sef# for a *ariet& ofreasons ere are a fe% of the things iddenBore is good for

DJ35 ,eca the ocation of ontsa *at,eca the name of the ierates) ,e= #ndi

DJ 30 ,eca the signers of the Jirmament+reat&

DJ 30 ,eca detai ed information a"o#tthe Damoc etian .#ard ,eca informationa"o#t an nnat#ra Jaction)s %ea/nesses and*# nera"i ities

DJ 25 (dentif& the ,ea m ?if a read&/no%n@ on the other side of a ,#pt#re or.ate%a& %itho#t entering (dentif& an

nnat#ra )s +&pe %ith on & a *ag#e description,eca information a"o#t an nnat#ra +&pe)s%ea/nesses and *# nera"i ities

DJ 20 (dentif& an nnat#ra )s +&pe %ithse*era min#tes of intense st#d& ,eca "asicinformation a"o#t an nnat#ra Jaction

DJ 15 ,ecogni e an nnat#ra )s +&pe%hen %atching them #se their Dar/ -o%ers in afight

DJ 10 (dentif& an rtifact on to#ch,eca "asic information a"o#t an nnat#ra+&pe




Game Mechanic" 0Ne-otiation2: The )haractermay make a #9R H 8e otiation Talent rolls vs. thetar etCs :D90 to persuade or ha le &ith others. 7n aTriumph! the effect is a )ompulsion! and on a :ishap!any further 8e otiation rolls a ainst that tar et suffer apenalty e=ual to ->00?% .

.oti%eoti%eDe"cri tion: 8othin ets past you your eyes are;

open! your ears are sharp. 8e(t to you! most people areblind! or asleep.

Game Mechanic" 0Notice2: )haracters make I8"H 8otice Talent rolls to notice clues! sneakin enemies!

or other details in their surroundin s.

Ranged "ombatanged "ombatDe"cri tion: AouCre ood at hittin thin s from a

distance! &hether youCre firin a un! shootin a bo&!or just playin darts.

Game Mechanic" 0Ran-ed %om$at2: )haractersmake '5I H Ran ed )ombat Talent rolls to makeattacks &ith ran ed &eapons! and to calculate the)haracterCs RD90 'sset.

RepairepairDe"cri tion: ;roken thin s donCt stay broken for

lon if youCre around! unless youCve dismantled them tofi ure out ho& they &ork.

Game Mechanic" 0Re air2: )haracters makeI8" H Repair Talent rolls to fi( broken &eapons!armor! and other items.

1elf "ontrolelf "ontrolDe"cri tion: Aou can keep your calm and remain

on task! bitin your ton ue &hen the &ron peopledemand ans&ers.

Game Mechanic" 0Sel,8%ontrol2: "elf-)ontrol isused to calculate a )haracterCs :D90 'sset.

1neakneakDe"cri tion: They never see you comin li; ke a

shado&! you &hisk past! on your &ay to et their stuff!or just ive people a ood scare.

Game Mechanic" 0Snea!2: )haracters make'5I H "neak Talent rolls to move &ithout beinnoticed.

!ri%keryri%keryDe"cri tion: AouCre a tricky little bitch people;

never kno& &hether to take you seriously! and theylearn to al&ays check for their &allet &hen they leave.

Game Mechanic" 0Tric!er)2: )haracters make#9R H Trickery Talent rolls to deceive others! or '5IH Trickery Talent rolls for pickpocketin and slei ht-of-hand tricks.

'ealthealthDe"cri tion: AouCve ot money to spare in a;

pinch! you can al&ays some throu h &ith the movietickets! the as money! or the e(tra ammo.

Game Mechanic" 0#ealth2: The )haracter ains additional Trifle slots per evel.

Pageage 9##




(d<an%ed !alentsd<an%ed !alents'dvanced Talents follo& the 9(tremely )heap

)olumn on the 'bility )ost Table.

"ome 'dvanced Talents just add to e(istin ;asicTalent rolls in a narro& set of circumstances! like)reepy ooks and :edicine! &hile others add ne&capabilities to a )haracterCs repertoire! like :arksmanand :artial 'rts.

This is not an e(haustive listL There are a lot ofpossible 'dvanced Talents! and they arenCt all listedhere. If you think of an 'dvanced Talent that sounds

ood! ask the 5ame :aster! and theyCll make a decision&hether to allo& it or not. 5ame :asters areencoura ed to be open-minded and lenient about ne&'dvanced Talents! provided the proposal is comparableto the e(istin 'dvanced Talents.

(rtifa%t Hrtifa%t HRe6uirement": <idden ore H.

De"cri tion: ike ;ilbo ;a ins! Kin 'rthur! or:ichael Kni ht! youCve ot an ordinary object thatCsenchanted &ith ine(plicable po&ers.

Game Mechanic" 0Arti,act2: )hoose one of the)haracterCs #ossessions this item is no& invested &ith; ma ical po&ers. The item can be anythin traditional; ma ic stuff like rin s! s&ords! and amulets! or moremodern thin s like uns and leather jackets. The)haracter ains * ;# per evel to spend on "pecial'bilities from the Dark #o&ers )hapter.

The )haracter may &ield this item and ain the"pecial 'bilities chosen! as may any bein &ith aspirit. These are treated as Innate #o&ers that the)haracter possesses as lon as the item is in use. 'lllisted '#! I5! "#I! and other costs are paid by the)haracter &hen they use the "pecial 'bility.

'rtifact "pecial 'bilities that ordinarily affect the

user! can affect either the user or the object itself. 0ore(ample! an item &ith Re eneration may rant the userRe eneration! or it may Re enerate itself if dama ed.

The )haracter ains evel of the 'ttachment<ardship per evel re ardin the 'rtifact! and the itemcan be lost! broken! or stolen like any normal item thatthe )haracter possesses! makin this a some&hat riskyinvestment! but the ood ne&s is that the item

automatically has double the normal "TR, and 0,8)for an item of its siBe and composition. The )haractermay take additional <ardships and attach them to the'rtifact! and use the ;# to purchase more evels of"pecial 'bilities for the item.

(ttra%ti<ettra%ti<eRe6uirement": 8e otiation H.

De"cri tion: AouCre a se(y beast! thereCs nodenyin it! and you kno& ho& to use &hat youCve otto et &hat you &ant.

Game Mechanic" 0Attracti&e2: The )haracterains a bonus of H> evels?% to 8e otiation rolls

a ainst anyone attracted to the )haracterCs ender. Inaddition! &ith heavy flirtin ! you can roll #9R H

Pageage 9&&

'hat "an Be (n (rtifa%t)hat "an Be (n (rtifa%t)

Ie ! a most an&thing! as ong as theo"Gect and its in*ested Dar/ -o%ers are re atedin some sort of a concept#a %a& Damageinf icting Dar/ -o%ers are #s#a & in*ested inrea or pretend %eapons! protecti*e Dar/-o%ers are #s#a & in*ested in c othing orarmor! and sensor& Dar/ -o%ers are #s#a &in*ested in te escopes! s#ng asses! and hats$hoes! "e ts! and *ehic es ma/e good choices fortra*e re ated Dar/ -o%ers

&stics in ancient times enchanted s%ords!shie ds! and chain mai ! "#t most of that st#ff ishidden a%a& in m#se#ms or ost in the - eromasome%here +oda&! it)s a ot more common tosee a cro% "ar of F ementa Ieapon! a%ind"rea/er of Carapace! or a pair of #n%ashedsoc/s of D#m" B#c/




Trickery H 'ttractive vs. the tar etCs :D90 to causethe Distracted 'ffliction for Round the roll may ain; ;onuses if you sho& some skin.

(uthority Huthority HRe6uirement": 9ducation H! 5ame :aster

permission.

De"cri tion: AouCve been ranted po&er by The:an! entrusted &ith special ri hts and responsibilitiesbecause of your trainin or your job.

Game Mechanic" 0Authorit)2: The )haracter isempo&ered by the overnment to do thin s thatordinary citiBens cannot. ThereCs a &ide variety ofthin s that a )haracter can have 'uthority over! so itCsup to the 5ame :aster and the #layer to &ork out&hatCs reasonable. 'buse of this 'uthority! &hile fun!may lead to its permanent loss! or even jail time! andthe more e(treme the 'uthority! the more severe theconse=uences &ill be.

+evel BH 'uthority to &rite parkin tickets!make health inspections of restaurants! orcarry concealed &eapons.

+evel :H ocksmithCs license! allo&in the)haracter to le ally buy! carry! and use lockpicks.

+evel LH 'uthority to re=uest police recordsand make arrests! like a police officer.

+evel >H 'uthority to carry automatic&eapons and renades! like a "4'T teamofficer or a member of the armed services.

+evel <H OTop "ecretP overnment securityclearance.

+evel B;H The )haracter has a license to kill.

Break Enterreak EnterRe6uirement": "neak H.

De"cri tion: Aou kno& ho& to pick locks! open&indo&s! take the valuables &ithout anyone kno&inyou &ere there.

Game Mechanic" 0/rea! 9 Enter2: The)haracter can make '5I H Trickery H ;reak 9nterrolls to intrude on buildin s and bypass security. Thebetter the locks and security system! thou h! the harderthe D0 &ill be most locks have D0 'vera e > +?! but; this can increase drastically! especially if the tar et hasthe air Talent.

Image courtesy Free-Stoc%-P otos.co.u%

"onne%tions 3 4onne%tions 3 4Re6uirement": 8e otiation H.De"cri tion: AouCve ot friends! allies! business

partners! and collea ues that can help you out fromtime to time.

Game Mechanic" 0%onnection"2: )onnectionshelp the )haracter find the thin s they need. ' )hild of

i ht mi ht kno& someone &hoCs a&are of theirsupernatural ori in and is teachin them about :ortallife. ' 5h l mi ht kno& an undertaker or a &orker atan or an bank that can OaccidentallyP leave the doorsunlocked no& and a ain. ' :ystic mi ht kno& adealer in old books or anti=uities that can help themfind in redients for spells. 'ny )haracter can use afriend &ith uns! money! or a fast ride to spare.

)onnections never come &ithout a price ; )haracters have a evel 'ttachment to their contacts!per the <ardship. In addition! the )onnection &ille(pect the )haracter to eventually return the favor! orcut all ties &ith the )haracter >and maybe even e(actsome petty reven e! if snubbed too badly?. The actualhelp that each )onnection can provide should be

Pageage 9,,




determined &hen the )onnections Talent is purchased!and particularly helpful individuals should take ! *! ormore )onnections evels to purchase.

"arousingarousingRe6uirement": 9ndurance or "elf-)ontrol H.

De"cri tion: Aou kno& ho& to have fun and etpeople to come out of their shell. #eople rela( and letloose &hen youCre around you really are the Olife of the; party.P

Game Mechanic" 0%arou"in-2: 4hen rollin tore ain "#I! if you roll a lo&er number than your)arousin Talent evel H ! you may increase theamount of re ained "#I to that amount. Aou may alsoe(tend this benefit to up to > evels? other people ; )haracters &ith certain <ardships >Detached! Distant!Despairin . #sychic "cars? count double to&ards thisnumber! &hile others > echerous! anyone else &ith H

evels of )arousin ? donCt count a ainst this total atall.

"ourageousourageousRe6uirement": "elf-)ontrol 3H.

De"cri tion: Aou donCt back do&n as =uickly asothers &hen somethin truly fri htenin is happenin .

Game Mechanic" 0%oura-eou"2: The )haracterains a bonus of H> evels? to all 0ear "aves. 't evel1! all 0ear "aves are reduced in severity by ; Terrifyin becomes Dauntin ! and Dauntin becomes"pooky. 't evel +! theyCre all reduced by ; Terrifyin becomes "pooky! and Dauntin and "pookyno lon er re=uire "ave rolls?. )haracters at evel +

ain H evel to the Detached or Distant <ardship!thou h! ainin one if they donCt already have one ; their intense self-possession makes them kind ofspooky and robot-like.

"reepy ;ooksreepy ;ooksRe6uirement": Intimidation H.

De"cri tion: "omethin about ho& you lookcreeps people the hell out. :aybe youCre an albino!maybe you have a hu e 5orbachev birthmark! ormaybe itCs that you have more piercin s in your facethan 'pple K has rabid fanboys. 's lon as you coverup or stay distant! folks donCt have a hard timeinteractin &ith you. 5ood luck &ith that.

Game Mechanic" 0%ree ) Loo!"2: The

)haracter ain a bonus of H> evels? to all #9R HIntimidation rolls a ainst opponents. 't evel 1! yourIntimidation rolls become Dauntin ! and at evel +!they become Terrifyin .

Pageage 9//

Goths Emos and +nnaturalsoths Emos and +nnaturals

Hnce #pon a time! there %as a s#"c# t#rethat read ,omantic iterat#re! %atched horrorfi ms! and fantasi ed a"o#t meeting reas#pernat#ra s +r#e nnat#ra s fo#nd the .othmo*ement a great reso#rce for recr#itingminions! for h#nting pre&! and for hidingamongst

H*er time! that s#"c# t#re! i/e a others"efore it! "ecame trend& and commercia i ed

$tores catered to its sensi"i ities! and m#sic inits genre hit the +op 100 -op# ar ce e"ritiesf o#nced a"o#t in %hiteface and " ac/ eatherand ace! and "ig "#dget mo*ies %ere ch#rnedo#t "& midd e aged fi m directors to cater to thetrend +he mo*ement! i/e a others! de*e oped"ranches and offshoots! i/e a pop# ar +< sho%spa%ns mo*ies! "oo/s! and "rea/fast cerea s!and soon emo "ranched o#t from goth andde*e oped its o%n #ni #e st& e of o"*io#sdespair

+oda& the a*erage emo /id or ma

goth is no more i/e & to "e ie*e in thes#pernat#ra than an&one e se #t the&)re stieas& to hide among! and if an&thing! the&)remore g# i" e than e*er nnat#ra s hid amongthe hippies in the )60s! among the eatni/s inthe )50s! and among other mo*ements "eforethem Iise nnat#ra s are a read& oo/ing forthe ne%est imina trend to impersonate! sta /!and de*o#r




ark (rt Hark (rt HRe6uirement": "orcery Dark #o&er. #layer

)haracters can take a ma(imum of * evels of eachDark 'rt at )haracter creation.

De"cri tion: :ystics kno& that the universe iscomposed of various ener ies and elements. :ysticslearn Dark 'rts that allo& them to sense and controlthem as they &ill.

Game Mechanic" 0Dar! Art2: )hoose one0ocus for the Dark 'rt Talent &hen this Talent isselected. 't each evel of this Talent! the )haracterlearns a ne& 0ormula. The oid 9lement is notavailable to #layer )haracters >no matter ho& much

you bitch and moan?. "odyH Kno&led e of the sacred forces of the

flesh! blood! bones! nerves! muscles! or ans!and Devourer elementals.

4e tinyH Kno&led e of the mysteries oftime! space! chance! location! karma! fate!and Reaper elementals.

EnergyH Kno&led e of the po&ers that moveand shape the visible &orld! such as flamesand fire! li htenin ! sound! ravity! heat! and"alamander elementals.

!irit H Kno&led e of the mysteries of theimmaterial! the L ther! the mind! hosts!spirits! animal and human consciousnesses!

and Tulpa elementals. ub tanceH Kno&led e of the arcane secrets

behind solids! li=uids! and ases! like soil!iron! steel! &ind! &ood! &ater! stone!precious metals! and 5nome! "ylph! and,ndine elementals.

E*pert 3 4*pert 3 4Re6uirement": 9ducation H.

De"cri tion: There are thousands of diversehobbies! professions! and fields of study in the &orld.:aybe you can desi n and build brid es! maybe youcan calculate pi to the thousandth place! or maybe you

can name the airin dates of every episode of OI oveucy.P

Game Mechanic" 0E. ert2: 't each evel! the)haracter ains a ne& 9(pert field 0ocus! listed belo&.

Area J KH In-depth kno&led e about aspecific eo raphic area! &hether a country!state! or city. The smaller the area! the moreinformation the )haracter ains &ith asuccessful roll.

Art J KH The ability to cook! paint! sculpt!dance! &rite poetry! &rite prose! or en a ein some other form of artistic endeavor.

"ureaucracy J KH Kno&led e aboutprocedures and behavioral rules! such as acorporate code of conduct! or city! state! ornational la&s. 5ood for la&yers! policeofficers! or the strai ht-laced.

"u ine J KH Information on the brands!companies! competition! and life in eneralin a specific kind of industry! likeadvertisin ! consumer electronics! ortechnolo y.

1ulture J KH ;ehavioral norms! beliefs!holidays! dress codes! and the like for aspecific roup of people.

3ame J KH "kill &ith a specific type ofame! like board ames! card ames! or

video and computer ames. 8i tory J KH Kno&led e about a specific era

of history! or a specific type of event! like&ars or artistic movements.

+anguage J KH Kno&led e about ho& toread! &rite! and speak a specific lan ua e ;

e(amples include 9nochian >the lan ua e ofthe )hildren of Darkness and )hildren ofi ht?! 5idimite >the lan ua e of 5h ls?!

and the :ystic dialect. )haracters canautomatically speak 9n lish and one otherlan ua e >9nochian for )hildren of i ht!5idimite for 5h ls! or )ryptosophic for:ystics? for free.

0eta!hy ic J KH ' specific philosophy!reli ion! or other belief system.

0u ic J K H 'cademic kno&led e and musictheory! or ability to sin or play a musicalinstrument.

o!ular 1ultureH Kno&led e about Tsho&s! movies! actors and actresses! pop

music! celebrity scandals! and majorpolitical fi ures. cience J KH Kno&led e about systematic

and thorou h studies of some sort of thin !usin hard evidence and deductivereasonin . 5ood e(amples includeanthropolo y! archeolo y! biolo y!

Pageage 900




chemistry! information theory! mathematics!medicine! physics! parapsycholo y!psycholo y! or sociolo y.

!ort J KH 0acts and fi ures about the teamsand players in a major sport! like basketball!baseball! soccer! football! or hockey.

treetwi eH Info on ho& to survive and tradeon the street! &hat areas are safe and for&hom! and ho& to make it &hen you donCthave a roof over your head.

urvival J KH 'bility to safely last in aparticular kind of &ilderness terrain.9(amples include deserts! jun les! forests!froBen lands! or under round.

First (idirst (idRe6uirement": 9ducation *H.

De"cri tion: 4hen people et punctured!fractured! or lacerated! you kno& ho& to patch Cem upuntil they can et serious medical attention.

Game Mechanic" 0Fir"t Aid2: The )haracter canmake an I8" H 9ducation H 0irst 'id roll to restore

d* < T to any one ;ody #art! and T5<! on asubject. This roll may only be attempted once per dayper subject ;ody #art. The D0 is 'vera e > +? if thetar et still has < T in the ;ody #art! or Difficult > 3?if their < T is one <ead and Torso Injuries have H3; D0.

AonestonestRe6uirement": "elf-)ontrol H )haracter;

cannot have more Trickery evels than M their <onestevels.

De"cri tion: :aybe youCre honorable andtrust&orthy! maybe youCre an innocent kindhearteddope! but youCre tou h to corrupt.

Game Mechanic" 0*one"t2: The )haracterCs)orruption evel is decreased by their <onest evel.The )haracter ains a > evels? bonus to :D90 and all"ave rolls a ainst seduction! bribery! or other attemptsto s&ay them to mislead others.

In<estigationn<estigationRe6uirement": 8otice H.

De"cri tion: Aou love a ood mystery and there; are so many in the &orld. 'nd &ith all the bad peopledoin bad thin s and coverin their tracks! themysteries just seem to ro& more numerous.

Game Mechanic" 0In&e"ti-ation2: The )haractermay add their Investi ation evel to all I8" H 8oticeTalent rolls to research mysterious subjects! investi atecrime scenes! and locate clues.

;air Hair HRe6uirement": 4ealth H.

De"cri tion: Aour pad is better e=uipped to deal&ith your supernatural activities.

Game Mechanic" 0Lair2: The D0 to pick thelocks on your home increase by * per evel. Inaddition! your home automatically has the 4ards >The"i ht? "pecial 'bility on it e=ual to > evels?. The aironly covers room per evel! so many )haractersmake their bedroom or basement into their official

air.

Marksman 3 4arksman 3 4Re6uirement": Ran ed )ombat 2H evels.

De"cri tion: Aou e(cel &ith ran ed &eapons.:aybe youCre a hunter! maybe youCre a cop! or in the8ational 5uard! or you just play paintball &ay toomuch. Aou may not %uite be 4yatt 9arp! but you kno&a fe& tricks.

Pageage 922

1trange Bodiestrange Bodies

+he first time a Character performs Jirstid on a .hA or a Chi d of Bight! the ro s#ffers

N5 to DJ +he Character can instant & te that thes#"Gect isn)t one of the Do%ntrodden! #n ess theCharacter is $hapeshifted

.hA s and Chi dren of Bight! of co#rse!don)t s#ffer this pena t& %hen performing Jirst

id on their o%n /ind! "#t %o# d if the& %ere tohe p o#t the Do%ntrodden




Game Mechanic" 0Mar!"man2: 9ach evelallo&s the )haracter to ain one martial arts movefrom the list belo&.

Autofire ArcheryH Re=uires Ran ed )ombat/H evels. The )haracter may treat ;o&s ashavin the 'utofire M d N 0eature.

1ombat Awarene H Re=uires 8otice Hevels. 'll bonuses to attack the )haracter

from the side or from behind in Ran ed)ombat are halved.

4ual -ea!on &rainingH Re=uires Ran ed)ombat EH evels. )hoose t&o one-handedRan ed )ombat &eapons! such as thro&inknives or pistols. 4hen &ieldin these t&o&eapons! 'ttack 'ctions cost less '#.

Fa t AttackH The )haracterCs I8IT increasesby >:arksman evel?% . If you have themove of the same name from :artial 'rts!the )haracter ains the hi her of the t&obonuses H .

3un FuH Re=uires 'thletics evel 2H. The)haracter can spend up to >'thletics?% I5to ain an e=ual bonus to RD90.

inning ro#ectile J KH Re=uires Ran ed)ombat 3H evels. )hoose from thro&ned ed &eapons! bo&s! or crossbo&s. The)haracter may make an attack at -* to pin anopponent to a nearby surface. If the attacksucceeds &ith "0 2H! the enemy suffers the:anacled or "hackled 'ffliction. 7n "0 -*! the enemy merely takes dama e fromthe attack.

racticed AutofireH Re=uires Ran ed)ombat 3H evels. The )haracter ains a H'ccuracy bonus &hen usin &eaponsC'utofire 0eature.

5uick 4raw J KH Re=uires Ran ed )ombat3H evels. )hoose one ran ed &eapon. The'# cost for the Ready Item 'ction isreduced to +.

Ranged 4i arm J KH Re=uires )lose )ombat3H evels. )hoose one ran ed &eapon. The)haracter may make Disarm 'ctions &iththis &eapon. The )haracter need not holdtheir 'ction to make Disarms! but may notretain the &eapon. The )haracter al&aysrolls '5I H Ran ed )ombat H :arksman toDisarm.

Ranged -ea!on E !erti e J KH )hoose oneform of Ran ed 4eapon possibilities; include pistols! rifles! thro&n &eapons!bo&s! crossbo&s! or military &eapons >sub-

machine uns! renades! knives?. Aou ainan additional H* ;onus to all attacks &iththat &eapon.

ignature 0ove J KH )hoose one Ran ed)ombat attack the )haracter ains H* to hit; &ith this attack.

ni!er hot J KH Re=uires Ran ed )ombat/H evels. )hoose one ran ed &eapon. 'llRan e #enalties are reduced by per Ran eIncrement.

Martial (rts 3 4artial (rts 3 4Re6uirement": )lose )ombat 2H evels.De"cri tion: AouCve taken some classes in an

advanced fi htin form. Aou may not %uite be a ninja!but your fists are definitely someone to be &ary ofno&.

Game Mechanic" 0Martial Art"2: 9ach evelallo&s the )haracter to ain one martial arts movefrom the list belo&.

Acrobatic FightingH Re=uires 'thleticsevel 2H. The )haracter can spend up to

>'thletics?% I5 to ain an e=ual bonus to)D90.

1ho!H The )haracter ains the )hop&eapon.

1lo e 1ombat -ea!on E !erti e J KH)hoose one form of )lose )ombat 4eapon ; possibilities include hand attacks! footattacks! &restlin ! short blades >knives!da ers! and machetes?! lon blades>s&ords?! short blunt >clubs and fi htinsticks?! lon blunt >baseball bats?! or fle(ible&eapons >&ei hted chains?. The )haracter

ains an additional H* ;onus to all attacks&ith that &eapon.1ombat Awarene H Re=uires 8otice H

evels. 'll bonuses to attack the )haracterfrom the side or from behind in )lose)ombat are halved.1ounterattackH 4hen the )haracter delays

action and interrupts an enemyCs attack &iththeir o&n )lose )ombat 'ttack! the)haracterCs attack ains a H bonus.

4ual -ea!on &rainingH Re=uires )lose)ombat EH evels. )hoose t&o one-handed)lose )ombat &eapons! such as pairedknives or paired s&ords. 4hen &ieldinthese t&o &eapons! 'ttack and ;lock'ctions cost less '#.

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E !ert "lockH It costs the )haracter less'# to perform a ;lock 'ction! and they mayhold the ;lock 'ction until needed! not the)haracterCs entire Round! until the)haracterCs ne(t Round.

Fa t AttackH The )haracterCs I8IT increasesby >:artial 'rts evel?% . If the )haracterhas the move of the same name from the:arksman Talent! they ain the hi her ofthe t&o bonuses H .

Iron hirtH Re=uires Tou h 's 8ails Hevels. The )haracterCs Tou h 's 8ailsevel increases by >:artial 'rts evel?%*.

Dum! 7ickH The )haracter ains the JumpKick &eapon.

7i!!u!H Re=uires 'thletics H evels. The'# cost for the )han e #osition 'ction isreduced to .

7nife 8andH Re=uires )lose )ombat Hevels. The )haracterCs #unch and )hop

'ttacks are treated as the 9d ed Dama eType! not ;lunt.

5uick 4raw J KH )hoose one )lose )ombat&eapon. The '# cost for the Ready Item'ction is reduced to +.

hattering trikeH 't a cost of additionalI5 per attack! the )haracterCs unarmed

dama e to inanimate objects is doubled. ignature 0ove J KH )hoose one )lose

)ombat attack! such as #unch! Kick! JumpKick! or )hop the )haracter ains H* to hit; &ith this attack.

wee! 7ickH The )haracter ains the "&eepKick &eapon.

Mysti%al !e%hni ues Hysti%al !e%hni ues HRe6uirement": "orcery Dark #o&er.

De"cri tion: :a ic is tremendously costly tooneCs mental stability in order to retain their balance!; :ystics must learn special methods to control theirinner forces.

Game Mechanic" 0M)"tical Techni6ue"2: 'teach evel! the )haracter learns a ne& "pecialiBationfrom the follo&in $ 'ltar! 'ncient an ua es! ;lood"acrifice! )onsecrated Tools! Dancin ! 9li(irs! 0astin !0reecastin ! In redients! :a ical #asses! #articipants!Rituals! "ympathetic )onnection! Tantra! or ital"acrifice.

Passion Hassion HRe6uirement": 4I 2H.

De"cri tion: "ome ideal drives you to your best!or haunts you &hen youCre at your &orst. Aou canCthelp believin that the &orld &ould be better if peopleacted on their beliefs like you do! for they lend yousuch stren th.

Game Mechanic" 0Pa""ion2: 9ach time the)haracter selects this 'dvanced Talent! they mustselect a different #assion. 4hen the )haracter actsaccordin to their #assion! find the #assionCs evel onthe table belo& they ain the listed amount of "pirit. If; the )haracter acts a ainst their #assions! they lose

double this amount of "#I.

;e<el 1PI Bonus$0 d.2$ points1 d. points

"d.2$d points/ "d.2$ points. "d. points5 $d.2$d points4 $d.2$ points

$d. points" $d points$ $ point

"ome #assions that the )haracter may choosefrom are listed belo&. There are many morepossibilities! thou h ask the 5ame :aster if you have; another one in mind! to make sure itCll &ork okay inyour )ampai n.

FreedomH The )haracter ains "#I &henthey act as they &ant! damn theconse=uences! or help others do so. Theylose "#I &hen they meekly submit &henthey could rebel! or fail to help others do so.

Du ticeH The )haracter ains "#I &hen theyact a ainst unfairness to themselves orothers! in an e=uitable manner. The)haracter loses "#I &hen they act unfairly!or stand by &hile injustice is done &ithout

helpin . ecret H The )haracter ains "#I &hen theyact a ainst unfairness to themselves orothers! in an e=uitable manner. The)haracter loses "#I &hen they act unfairly!or stand by &hile injustice is done &ithouthelpin .

Pageage #55




RevengeH The )haracter ains "#I &henthey retaliate a ainst someone that did them&ron ! punishin them in a poetic manner.The )haracter loses "#I &hen they are theones in the &ron ! or if their ven eancedoesnCt someho& fit the Ocrime.P

RomanceH The )haracter ains "#I &henthey seek love! sympathy! companionship!or just a =uick lay from a potential partner.The )haracter loses "#I &hen they turndo&n an attractive! interested partner to odo somethin else! like save the universe orcure cancer.

ecret H The )haracter ains "#I &hen theyfind ans&ers to cosmic mysteries! discoverhidden conspiracies! or meddle in othersCdirty laundry. The )haracter loses "#I &henthey pass by mysterious matters &ithoutlookin into them! no matter the reason.

-ealthH The )haracter ains "#I &hen theyain riches or capitol investments of any

kind. The )haracter loses "#I &hen theypass up the chance to make a =uick buck!short of outri ht and blatant theft.

-onder H The )haracter ains "#I &henthey &itness stran e! amaBin thin s! likesorcerous phenomena! the beauty of nature!or biBarre other &orlds. The )haracter loses"#I &hen they stick to kno&n! borin paths!and donCt e(plore the &ondrous >and

dan erous? thin s that beckon from aroundthe corner.

-bs%uritybs%urityRe6uirement": Trickery H.

De"cri tion: Aou are one of the anonymousnobodies that cro&d the street every day. There isnCtmuch record of you in the official files! and thatCs ood ; youCre hard to track do&n.

Game Mechanic" 0O$"curit)2: The )haracterCs7bscurity evel is added to all Defenses and "ave rollsa ainst othersC spells that use a "ympathetic)onnection.

1tabilitytabilityRe6uirement": "elf-)ontrol H.

De"cri tion: AouCve been do&n and out! evenseen some mind-blo&in ly &eird stuff! but someho&youCve al&ays kept it to ether.

Game Mechanic" 0Sta$ilit)2: 4hen the)haracter must roll on any of the Tables in the 5oin;u fuck "ection! they may subtract > evels? from allrolls. :ystics may not have more evels in "tabilitythan they have in their hi hest Dark 'rt Talent.

1toi%toi%Re6uirement": "elf-)ontrol H.

De"cri tion: AouCre no drama =ueen. Aou feelemotions! sure! but you donCt let them rule you. 4henthe time comes to act! youCll act! calmly.

Game Mechanic" 0Stoic2: Aou can spend "#Ito i nore one 9motional 'ffliction for > evels?Rounds. 't evel H! your meditative calm is evenmore impressive instead of spendin "#I and; sufferin the 0roBen 'ffliction for Round! the)haracter may spend + "#I and be 0roBen for > * Q

evels? Rounds.

!e%h 3 4e%h 3 4Re6uirement": 9ducation *H.

De"cri tion: Aou have an above-avera e raspof electronics and machinery. )omputers! cell phones!&irin ! clock&orks! steam! as or diesel en ines! mayall have kno&n your tinkerin from time to time.

Game Mechanic" 0Tech2: The )haracter ains ane& Tech "pecialiBation &ith each evel. They includeclock&orks! computer operations! computerpro rammin ! internal combustion en ines! sensorsystems! steam en ines! &ired communications! and&ireless communications.

!ough (s .ailsough (s .ailsRe6uirement": 9ndurance 3H evels.

De"cri tion: Aou shru off minor injuries and just keep barrelin at the enemy until theyCve beenappropriately curbstomped.

Game Mechanic" 0Tou-h A" Nail"2: The)haracter ains > evels?% I#R7 and D#R7 in all;ody #arts. The normal rules for 'rmor "tackinapply.

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"hapter =II$ Aardshipshapter =II$ Aardships<ardships come in different varieties :ortals have a host of miseries that beset them in life! &hile the;

,nnatural have special tortures that only they must face.

Mortal Aardshipsortal Aardships

(ddi%ted Hddi%ted HDe"cri tion: AouCre no ood &ithout the stuff!

but &ith it! youCre on top of the &orld. 8one of yourfriends or family understood! but you donCt need theirbullshit! ri ht6 The track marks are easy to cover up&ith lon sleeves! but more than that! &hen youCrehi h! you can for et everythin youCre lost and ivenup.

Game Mechanic" 0Addicted2: The )haractermust partake of their dru every day! or suffer apenalty of -> evels? to all 'ttributes until they canobtain the dru . This penalty stacks! so eventually the)haracter &ill be incapacitated or die if they donCt ettheir Ofi(.P In addition! the )haracter must deal &iththe possible conse=uences of carryin ille al

contraband.

(llergy Hllergy HDe"cri tion: AouCre reat some days! but &hen

you arenCt careful! &hen you for et the pills or et tooclose to some asshole &ith too much colo ne! thesnifflin ! cou hin ! and sneeBin be ins.

Game Mechanic" 0Aller-)2: )hoose somealler en! like pollen! mold! or perfumes. 4hen the)haracter is e(posed to the aller en! they suffer theDistracted 'ffliction for > evels? Rounds. 9ach ofthese rounds! roll a die on the )haracterCs turn on a E!; the )haracter suffers 9ner y 9nvironmental dama eand is 0roBen that Round as &ell.

(patheti%patheti%De"cri tion: :eh. ODo your best!P they say! Otry

your hardest.P 4ho cares.

Game Mechanic" 0A athetic2: 'ny time the

)haracter rolls a Triumph! they must spend > evels?"#I! or it becomes a normal roll.

(rrogantrrogantDe"cri tion: AouCve never been beaten. #eriod.

AouCre the best! and anyone that says other&ise &ill beforced to eat their &ords.

Game Mechanic" 0Arro-ant2: 'ny time the)haracter loses a ame! contest! or any 7pposed roll!they lose > evels? "#I. The )haracterCs )orruption alsoincreases by > evels?.

(tta%hment Htta%hment H

De"cri tion: Aour irlfriend and your little oneare your &orld! the most important thin to you ever.'nd you love 5randma so much she helped raise you!; after all. Aou have ni htmares about your &eird!horrible second life involvin them if anythin ever; happened to them! you donCt kno& &hat youCd do.

Game Mechanic" 0Attachment2: If the subjectof the )haracterCs 'ttachment is mildly threatened! the)haracter must make a "pooky 0ear "ave vs. >> evelsS ?H 3?. If the 'ttachment subject is seriouslythreatened! the 0ear "ave is Dauntin ! and if thesubject is in immediate! mortal dan er! the 0ear "ave isTerrifyin . The )haracter canCt be made to flee &ithoutthe subject of the attachment! no matter &hat! but theymay depart immediately once they have a firm rip ontheir loved one.

4hat constitutes bein threatenedC6 It varies onho& capable the subject of the 'ttachment is. 7ther#)s are fairly tou h and adaptable! so! the )haracterdoesnCt suffer unless the subject falls unconscious from&ounds! or is other&ise seriously mentally orphysically injured in a lastin &ay. If the subject is an

Pageage #99




adult 8#)! it &ill involve their takin any sort ofinjury a child or elderly 8#) &ould tri er the; )haracterCs feelin s of 'ttachment any time an enemyeven spoke convincin ly of harmin them. ItCs a matterof roleplayin ! and the #layer and 5ame :aster should&ork to ether to make sure that this <ardship is fair.

Bad Eyesad EyesDe"cri tion: Aou canCt see all that &ell! or not at

all. Aou can usually feel your &ay around familiarplaces! but

Game Mechanic" 0/ad E)e"2: The )haractersuffers a penalty of -> evels? to all Ran ed )ombat and

8otice Talent rolls! and -> evels?% to )lose )ombatrolls. The )haracterCs RD90 is reduced by -> evels?!and )D90 is reduced by-> evels?% . 'll penalties to Ran e are doubled for the)haracter. 't evel +! the )haracter is le ally ;lind ;at this point! the )haracter is considered topermanently suffer the ;linded 'ffliction. ItCs not allbad! thou h the )haracter ains a bonus of H> evels?%*; to all 8otice Talent rolls involvin other senses! and ata cost of "#I! the )haracter may halve this <ardshipCspenalties to )D90 and RD90 for Round.

Bad Aandsad AandsDe"cri tion: AouCre missin some fin ers! or a

&hole hand! or maybe your hands shake so bad youcanCt et a rip on thin s.

Game Mechanic" 0/ad *and"2: The )haractersuffers a penalty of -> evels? to all Talent rollsinvolvin one of the )haracterCs hands! includin )lose)ombat and Ran ed )ombat Talent rolls. 't evel 3!one of the )haracterCs hands is totally non-functional!and additional evels penaliBe the other hand. 't evel

+! the )haracter has no functionin hands! and indeedmay not have arms at all. 'ttack rolls a ainst severedlimbs become Torso hits. "ee the 9(tra e s Dark#o&er for rules on =uadrupedal animals &ith nomanipulative appenda es.

Bum ;egum ;eg

De"cri tion: ItCs tou h for you to et around onyour o&n anymore maybe you are slo&er! or you need; crutches! or you just canCt &alk at all.

Game Mechanic" 0/um Le-2: The )haractersuffers a penalty of -> evels? to all 'thletics Talentrolls involvin their le s. 't evel 3! the )haractercannot &alk! but can still move &ith crutches at evel;

+! the )haracter cannot &alk at all. In case the)haracterCs le s are actually severed! 'ttack rollsa ainst severed limbs become Torso hits.

"lingy Hlingy HDe"cri tion: #eople al&ays seem to &ant to

leave you behind! leave you lonely. Aou take theirrejections like a punch to the ut nothin is &orse than; bein rejected.

Game Mechanic" 0%lin-)2: )hoose someone forthe )haracter the be )lin y about. The )haracterCsma(imum "#I total is reduced by > evels? &hen theycanCt be in the subjectCs presence. If theyCre ever

rejected by the subject of this <ardship! the )haracterautomatically suffers the Distracted 'ffliction for> evels S*dE? hours.

"onfusedonfusedDe"cri tion: Thin s happen to fast for you to

comprehend and react. It all becomes a blur!meanin less noise! and youCre left there standin !lookin confused and disoriented.

Game Mechanic" 0%on,u"ed2: "ubtract > evelS ? from the )haracterCs I8IT. 'ny time the )haracterrolls a :ishap! the suffer the Distracted 'ffliction forthe ne(t Round.

"ruelruelDe"cri tion: 9veryone around you are pussies ;

itCs only natural to hit first! and hit hardest! ri ht68ature! red in tooth and cla&! and all that. :aybe itCsmean and petty! but thatCs life.

Game Mechanic" 0%ruel2: The )haracter loses> evels? "#I any time they pass up an opportunity tohurt someone. In addition! the )haracterCs )orruptionincreases by > evels?.

"yni%alyni%alDe"cri tion: 8othin ood ever lasts for lon itCs;

best to just be resi ned to the &orst from the &orld.

Game Mechanic" 0%)nical2: The )haracter loses> evels? "#I &henever somethin really ood happens.In addition! the )haracterCs )orruption increases by> evels?.

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elusionselusionsDe"cri tion: "ometimes the &alls bleed ;

sometimes the blank-faced people in the street can tell&hat youCre thinkin just by lookin at you. Themedication makes the stran e si hts o a&ay fora&hile! but you canCt help &onderin &hich is thereally real reality.

Game Mechanic" 0Delu"ion"2: The )haracterhas visions of thin s that are completely untrue! at leastin the Realm the )haracter currently resides. 4hen thehallucinations hit! the )haracter must spend > evelsS ? "#I any time they must i nore the visions andbehave rationally.

P oto courtesy 'eli(, P otovaco.com.

espairingespairingDe"cri tion: AouCre such a failure. 8othin ever

oes ri ht for you. 'nd &hen you fail! you feel suchsoul-crushin misery that you start thinkin about… the knife a ain! and ho& shiny it is! ho& pretty <o&… easy it &ould be to just stop ...…

Game Mechanic" 0De" airin-2: 'ny time the)haracter rolls a :ishap! they are 0roBen for > evels?Rounds. In addition! the )haracterCs )orruptionincreases by > evels?.

eta%hedeta%hedDe"cri tion: #eople sometimes ask you &hy

youCre an ry. 4hy do they think youCre an ry6 7thertimes you realiBe youCve been smilin ! and youCre notsure &hy. "ometimes you do thin s and realiBe you&ere &orried! or scared! and thatCs &hy you did them.9motions are &eird.

Game Mechanic" 0Detached2: The 5ame :astermakes all rolls a ainst the 9motional 'ffliction insecret! and neednCt tell the )haracter &hen theyCresufferin the 9motional 'ffliction! or any other:odifiers based on emotional state. In addition! the)haracterCs )orruption increases by > evels?.

istantistantDe"cri tion: If people kno& ho& you feel! they

can hurt you. :aybe itCs better to just sho& no emotionat all. They say youCre like a robot! but at least youCresafe.

Game Mechanic" 0Di"tant2: The )haracter

immediately loses > evels? "#I if they act on anyemotion in public. In addition! the )haracterCs)orruption increases by > evels?.

Aard of Aearingard of AearingDe"cri tion: 4<'T6 4<'T DID A7, "'A6

"#9'K T<9 <9 ,#L

Game Mechanic" 0*ard o, *earin-2: The)haracter suffers a penalty of > evels? to all hearin -based I8"H8otice rolls at E Ranks! the )haracter; cannot hear at all! permanently sufferin the Deafened'ffliction.

AomelyomelyDe"cri tion: 8o one ever ives you a second

look! unless youCre practically jumpin up and do&nand &avin for their attention. AouCve ot a nicepersonality! they say. 0uck that. Aou &ish that! justonce! you could see lust in a stran erCs eyes! frankappraisal and approval but it &ill never happen.;

Game Mechanic" 0*omel)2: The )haractersuffers a penalty of -> evels? to all #9R rolls &heninteractin &ith a more 'ttractive >or less <omely?person that &ould ordinarily be attracted to your

ender.

Inno%entnno%entDe"cri tion: )on men line the side&alks of every

city and to&n! sellin fake Role(es and other arba e!and theyCve all made a buck or ten off of you. Aou takeeveryone at face value! and ive everyone the benefitof the doubt until itCs too late.…

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Game Mechanic" 0Innocent2: The )haractersuffers a penalty of -> evels? to all #ersuasion TalentRolls to deceive another! and to their :D90 &henanother is attemptin to deceive them.

;e%herouse%herousDe"cri tion: "ome people donCt kno& &hy

theyCre alive theyCve ot no fire! no passion. AouCve ot; plenty. "ome say you leave &recka e behind you&herever you o! broken hearts and broken promises ; but you kno& youCre truly alive! for &hatever thatCs&orth.

Game Mechanic" 0Lecherou"2: The )haracter

loses > evels? "#I any time they pass up an opportunityto spend some time indul in their lusts. In addition!the )haracterCs )orruption increases by > evels?.

Mood 1>ingsood 1>ingsDe"cri tion: 7ne minute youCre on top of the

&orld! and the ne(t! thin s are crashin do&n allaround you. AouCre like a stormy sea! all diBByinhei hts and stormy depths the meds make it even out!; but even then! you crave the ups&in s! so you try andride the &ave.

Game Mechanic" 0Mood S'in-"2: 'ny time the)haracter scores a Triumph or a :ishap! they sufferthe 9motional 'ffliction for > evels? rounds.

-athbound Hathbound HDe"cri tion: AouCre a person of your &ord at;

least about thin s that matter. Aou made a promise andby 5od! youCre oin to keep it.

Game Mechanic" 0Oath$ound2: The )haracterloses > evels S ? "#I any time they pass up anopportunity to &ork to&ards fulfillin their oath.

-bsessed Hbsessed HDe"cri tion: They say that you &ash your hands

too much! but erms are every&here. Aou can almostsee them they make your skin cra&l. In the hospital!; you sa& other people like you one uy could never put; do&n a book or ma aBine until he read it cover tocover you can still hear him screamin and beatin the; orderlies &hen he ot his hands on a trashy novel andmade a mess of himself rather than visit the toilet.

Game Mechanic" 0O$"e""ed2: )hoose onesubject for the )haracter to obsess over e(amples; mi ht include cleanliness! hy iene! fashion! readin !arran in thin s by number or color! even fear of beincraBy. The )haracter loses > evels? "#I any time theypass up an opportunity to act on or discuss the object oftheir obsession.

-ldldDe"cri tion: Thin s &ere so much simpler back

in the day the &orld &asnCt so busy! so full of madness; and stupidity. 'nd your bones didnCt ache in thosedays! either.

Game Mechanic" 0Old2: The )haracter must pay "#I each Round any time they must e(ert themselvesphysically! or suffer the Distracted 'ffliction for dERounds. :any 7ld )haracters are also )ynical or <ardof <earin .

-utsiderutsiderDe"cri tion: Aou &ere a fool to come here not;

that you can o back! no&. :aybe youCre from anotherstate! or another country or even another Realm. 4hatmatters is! you donCt belon ! you donCt understand &hatpeople say half the time! and &hen people lau h! yoususpect half the time that theyCre lau hin at you.

Game Mechanic" 0Out"ider2: The )haractersuffers a penalty of -> evels S ? to any #9R- or I8"-related roll re ardin specific dialects or culturalpeculiarities. 0or e(ample! and 7utsider &ill al&aysfind themselves lost in the datin scene! or attemptinse(ual innuendos.

Phobia Hhobia HDe"cri tion: )ripplin fear rules you. 7h! you

can act normal most of the time but &hen you see; it !the thin you fear most! you canCt breathe. )anCt see.'ll you can do is escape. Aour friends say youCre craBy!they even think youCre silly for feelin so afraid. Toyou! itCs a matter of life or death.

Game Mechanic" 0Pho$ia2: )hoose one subjectfor the )haracter to tri er your fear e(amples include; do s! cats! rodents! bu s! birds! reptiles! hei hts!enclosed spaces! open spaces! disease! car accidents!the opposite se(! the old! children! the overnment!forei ners! darkness! computers! or uns. 4hen yousee the object of your fear! make a Terrifyin 0ear"ave! rollin 4I H "elf-)ontrol roll vs. >> evels S ?

Pageage #,,




H 3?. If the )haracter could even come near the sourceof their fear! they still have to make a #hobia "ave roll!but ain a H3 ;onus.

PooroorDe"cri tion: ;o(ed macaroni today! ramen

tomorro&. Aou keep a broom handy for s=uashin thecockroaches on the floor of your apartment. Aou dreamof movin out! but not until they ive you more hoursat &ork! or your health ets better! or you o back andfinish up school. 0or no&! youCre stuck.

Game Mechanic" 0Poor2: The )haracter starts&ith > evels? fe&er Trifles! to a minimum of +. They

must fre=uently rely on friends for as and rent money!and their &orries about the future permanently reducetheir "#I by > evels? as &ell.

Psy%hi% 1%ars Hsy%hi% 1%ars HDe"cri tion: The memories of the accident! or

incident! still haunt you. The counselors call it #ost-Traumatic "tress Disorder all you kno& is youCre; trapped in the past! and you keep hearin thescreamin everythin reminds you! al&ays.;

Game Mechanic" 0P")chic Scar"2: 4hen asituation arises similar to the one the )haracter facedbefore! they immediately suffer the 9motional'ffliction for > evels? Rounds! but ains '# for thefirst Round.

Regretfulegretful H HDe"cri tion: Aou scre&ed thin s up bi -time! or

maybe you just have a uilt comple( leftover fromchildhood. Re ardless! you canCt let it o you just keep; torturin yourself over it.

Game Mechanic" 0Re-ret,ul2: 4heneverreminded of past failures and bad decisions! the)haracter loses > evels? "#I. 4hen the )haracterscores a :ishap! they lose an additional > evels?% "#Ias &ell. 7n the bri ht side! at odd evels! the )haracterloses )7R.

1horthortDe"cri tion: AouCre a little lackin in the hei ht

department. Aou canCt reach hi h thin s! and you justdonCt seem as physically imposin as other folks.

Game Mechanic" 0Short2: The heroCs 'ttributessuffer penalties! plus they cannot take nearly as muchdama e.

Pageage #//

Mental Illness not any 'a%kinessental Illness not any 'a%kiness

$ome peop e are tempted to p a& theirmenta & i Characters i/e some /ind ofcartoon character p#mped f# of cocaine!r#nning aro#nd thro%ing cream pies anddropping "anana pee s tho#gh there arecra & peop e that act goof& and si & i/e this!the&)re distant minorit&

:o one is perfect & sane! "#t the tr# & iha*e an incredi" & hard time contro ing theirtho#ghts! fee ings! and actions +he& aredesperate to regain some sort of grip on their

i*es! "#t o*er and o*er the& find themse *essa"otaging themse *es +he g#& that %ashes hishands #nti his s/in crac/s and " eeds! the 40&ear o d man that can)t s eep %ith the ight off"eca#se he)s afraid of the dar/! the %oman thatcan)t go o#t in p#" ic for fear of germs! their

i*es are shattered "& their condition $ome ofthe menta & i manage to ho d do%n Go"s andco*er #p their condition; others s#"sist on$ocia $ec#rit& and str#gg e to care for

themse *es! and sti others "o#nce from prisonto hospita to home ess she ter to the street!their *er& s#r*i*a in #estion from da& to da&

F*en the *er& fo /s that oom a"o#t i/e acorn"a can)t ha*e norma i*es; no one to eratestheir "eha*ior fore*er! and their ridic# o#sshenanigans %i and them in serio#s tro#" ee*ent#a & adness is dist#r"ing! tho#ghtpro*o/ing! sad! horrif&ing! "#t it is not f#n




;e<el 1!R and !GA 1I A;! and ;IF$0 84 8" 8"09

/ to 1 8 8" 8$09

4 to . 8" 8$ 8$09

$ to 8$ 8$ Normal

't "I 1! )haracters ain H to )D90 and RD90!but suffer a - #enalty to Reach and the IntimidationTalent they also suffer a penalty of - to all "aves; a ainst the #rone 'ffliction.

't "I ! they ain H to )D90 and RD90! butlose - from Reach and Intimidation! and also suffer apenalty of -2 to all "aves a ainst the #rone 'ffliction.

' heroCs "TR and T5< cannot be reduced belo& evel as a result of these modifications.

1nobbishnobbishDe"cri tion: Just look at them. #athetic. AouCre

so much better than all these poor scum around you.Game Mechanic" 0Sno$$i"h2: The )haracter

loses > evels? "#I any time they are forced to consort&ith anyone un&orthy of you. This includes anyone&ith more evels in the #oor or <omely <ardshipsthan you have. The )haracterCs )orruption alsoincreases by > evels?.

=engefulengefulDe"cri tion: Aou never take any shit from

anybody you for et a sli ht! and you al&ays make; them pay for &hat theyCve done to you.

Game Mechanic" 0(en-e,ul2: The )haracterloses > evels? "#I any time they must let someone etthe better of them. The )haracterCs )orruption alsoincreases by > evels?.

?oungoungDe"cri tion: AouCre still just a kid you canCt sit;

still for very lon before you o &anderin off on youro&n! ettin into trouble. Aou still have to o toschool! and no one takes you very seriously.

Game Mechanic" 0Youn-2: The )haracter mustpay > evels? "#I each Round any time they must e(ertthemselves mentally! or suffer the Distracted 'fflictionfor Round. In addition! you suffer a penalty of - toall 8e otiation Talent rolls a ainst adults >note that thisdoes not affect Trickery rolls?! but ain H> evels?%

I5. :any Aoun )haracters are also "hort andInnocent.

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+nnatural Aardshipsnnatural Aardships,nnatural <ardships arenCt available to #)s at

)haracter )reation theyCre used to desi n )haracter; Types.

(rtifi%errtifi%erRe6uirement": Dark 'rt Talent at H evels!

9nchantment "pecial 'bility.

De"cri tion: AouCre not particularly ood atcastin spells! but you are still adept at makin'rtifacts.

Game Mechanic" 0Arti,icer2: Reduce all of the)haracterCs Dark 'rt Talents by > evels? for purposesof castin 0ormulG! to a minimum of +. If the)haracterCs 'rtificer evels e=ual their evels in Dark'rt! the )haracter can still learn 0ormulG as normal!but only to use them to create 'rtifacts.

ark Aungerark AungerRe6uirement": :ust be a non-<uman entity.De"cri tion: AouCre so hun ry! and nothin

satisfies you. Aou look at the pretty! pretty people outon the street! so plump and happy! so tender and filled&ith silly &orries and juicy and interestin .

They smell so ood.Aou &onder &hat their marro& tastes like.

Aou &onder ho& lon you can hold yourselfback.

Game Mechanic" 0Dar! *un-er2: The)haracter must feed on <uman flesh and blood every> Q evels? days. If they donCt! they suffer the9motional MRavenousN 'ffliction for 2 hours! andcannot sleep >and doesnCt seem to need to! their hun eris so reat?. 'fter that! the )haracter suffers the9(hausted )ondition for 2 hours after that! the;

)haracter loses I0 per hour.

ying 1park Hying 1park HRe6uirement": :ust be a non-<uman entity.

De"cri tion: Aou can feel the darkness slo&lyovertakin you fear! sorro&! ra e! and envy creep over; your spirit! reducin you to a petty criminal! a raspintyrant! a slave to your passions! little more than ananimal &ith a voice.

Game Mechanic" 0D)in- S ar!2: 9ach day ona&akenin ! the )haracter ains > evels? )7R. 4henthe )haracter reaches + )7R! somethin bad happens!as defined &hen the )haracter is created! and the)haracter becomes a 8on-#layer )haracter! under thecontrol of the 5ame :aster. The #layer may create ane& )haracter at this time.

1ensiti<ity Hensiti<ity HRe6uirement": 8one.

De"cri tion: The li ht burns your eyes the sun is; your enemy. 7ther creatures of the ni ht have other&eaknesses some creatures freeBe &hen they come; into contact &ith cold iron! or recoil &hen they hearinvocations to the divine. 0or all the Dark #o&ers youpossess! :ortals have their o&n special &eaponsa ainst your ,nnatural brood.

Game Mechanic" 0Sen"iti&it)2: )hoose onecircumstance &hen the )haracter is created a ood; e(ample is e(posure to sunli ht! or runnin &ater! orthe sound of prayer. 4hen the )haracter encounters thecircumstance! the )haracter suffers d* 9nvironmental9ner y Dama e per evel per Round.

1pe%iali@ed En%hanter Hpe%iali@ed En%hanter HRe6uirement": 9nchantment and Dark 'rt

Talents at H evels.De"cri tion: "ome &aste their time creatin all

kinds of 'rtifacts! but youCre more refined. ;y

plumbin the mysteries of electronics or toys! &atchesor s&ords! clothin or candy! youCve learned to masterthe art of 9nchantment.

Game Mechanic" 0S eciali4ed Enchanter2: The)haracter can only 9nchant certain kinds of items the; most common e(ample is Thaumatronicists! &ho canonly 9nchant technolo ical items. The narro&er the

Pageage #22




field! the more evels the )haracter can take.<o&ever! the ;# cost to create such items is reducedby > evels?! to a minimum of .

E.am le": +evel BH 4eapons! vehicles! armor!

electronics! food. +evel :H 5uns! cars! bulletproof vests!

computers! bevera es. +evel LH #istols! sports cars! joustin plate!

computers! cola. +evel H )olt K pistols! #orsche K sports

cars! Intel computers! )oca-)ola K . +evel >H )olt K .23 semi-automatic pistols!

1 #orsche 1 sports cars! )lassic )oca-)ola K from a specific bottlin plant.

+nhingednhingedRe6uirement": Dark 'rt Talents at H evels.

De"cri tion: Aour po&erful ma ic calls on manymystical forces simultaneously! &hich are hard to keepbalanced and controlled.

Game Mechanic" 0 nhin-ed2: 'ny time the)haracter enjoys a Triumph or suffers a :ishap on aroll to cast a 0ormula! 9nchant an object! or use an'rtifact! the "#I cost is increased by > evels?. If the'rtifact doesnCt normally cost "#I to use! then it coststhe normal amount.

'eakness Heakness HRe6uirement": :ay not be a :ortal <uman.

De"cri tion: Aou have an 'chillesC <eel!somethin that hurts most bein s but hurts you a lot&orse.

Game Mechanic" 0#ea!ne""2: The )haractertakes more dama e from some attack! or their savesa ainst some 'ffliction are lessened. 0or each evel!the )haracter suffers H> evels?dE dama e from that'ttack! or their saves a ainst the 'ffliction suffer a -> evels S*? #enalty.

Pageage &66




"hapter II $ (ssetshapter II $ (ssetsThere are three kinds of 'ssets$ Initiative! Resources! and Defenses. Resources and Defenses are divided into

the :ental and the #hysical. 'ssets are calculated usin 'ttribute and Talent evels. Temporary penalties to'ttributes and Talents donCt re=uire you to recalculate your 'ssets! thou h.

Initiati<enitiati<e

Initiati<e 3I.I!4nitiati<e 3I.I!4De"cri tion: Aour ability to act before the enemydoes! ettin the jump on them! and potentiallysmashin their defenses before they are properlyprepared.

%alculation 0Initiati&e2: '5I H I8".

Game Mechanic" 0Initiati&e2: 't the start of anormal round! roll dE H I8IT. The )haracter &ith thehi hest total ets to act first! follo&ed by the ne(t-hi hest! and so on.

Physi%al Resour%eshysi%al Resour%es

Image courtesy Boa) *iftac , Freed igitalp otos.net.

Aealth 3A;!4ealth 3A;!4

De"cri tion: <ealth is a )haracterCs resistance toinjury in each of their body parts.

%alculation 0*ealth2: aries &ith the body part ; see belo&.

Arm 9Each=H "TR H '5I H >T5< S ?. Feet 9Each=H >"TR H '5I H T5<?. 8and 9Each=H >"TR H '5I H T5<?. 8eadH >"TR? H >T5< S ?. +eg 9Each=H >"TR S ? H '5I H >T5< S ?. &or oH >>"TR H '5I? S ? H >T5< S*?.Game Mechanic" 0*ealth2: 4hen a )haracter

takes Injury Dama e! itCs applied to a specific ;ody#art! &hich has ne ative effects on their performancein a fi ht. "ee the ;leedin 7ut section for moredetails.

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;ife For%e 3;IF4ife For%e 3;IF4De"cri tion: ife-0orce is the )haracterCs

resistance to death.%alculation 0*ealth2: ><i hest of 4I or T5<?

H 98 .

Game Mechanic" 0*ealth2: 4hen a )haractertakes Debility Dama e! itCs removed from the)haracterCs I0. 4hen a )haracter loses all I0! theyfall unconscious and be in to die. "ee the ;leedin 7utsection for more details.

=igor 3=IG4igor 3=IG4De"cri tion: i or is oneCs ener y and resistance

to e(haustion.%alculation 0(i-or2: >T5< S*? H >'49 S ?.

Game Mechanic" 0(i-or2: )haracters typicallylose I5 per round of strenuous 'ctions! such asdurin )ombat. "ome Talents and "pecial 'bilitiesalso cost I5.

)haracters may take a Rest 'ction to restore lostI5.

Mental Resour%esental Resour%es

Image courtesy Public-domain-p otos.com.

"orruption 3"-R4orruption 3"-R4De"cri tion: :ost 'bilities measure somethin

ood! somethin the )haracter needs more of ; )orruption is the opposite. )orruption measures a)haracterCs slide into darkness! i norance! selfishness!

e otism! and mindless violence.%alculation 0%orru tion2: )orruption starts at 1.

Game Mechanic" 0%orru tion2: "ome Talents!like <onorable and Innocent! may reduce startin)orruption! &hile some <ardships! like )ruel and

en eful! may increase it. The kindhearted find it

easier to avoid )ompulsions to harm others! &hile evilfolks find it simple to i nore any persuasion toinconvenience themselves for othersC sake.

B<MH ,tterly evil. There is nothin too vilefor you to at least consider doin ! and yourimmediate! sli htest needs are all thatmatter. Aou automatically Resist )ompelled'fflictions that &ould put you in any sort ofdan er! or place you in any inferior position.ItCs all about you! after all nothin else; matters.

B> to BNH ile and remorseless. Aou havetrouble relatin to others! or even carinabout their needs. It costs you + "#I toResist )ompulsions to perform any selflessdisadvanta eous action! but youCre still0roBen like normal.

B: to B H #etty and selfish. Aour firstthou ht is usually for their o&n needs and&ants. Aou suffer a ain a bonus of H to:D90 and all "ave rolls a ainst)ompulsion 'fflictions that &ouldinconvenience you or assist others. 4hocares &hat they &ant6

C to BBH 'vera e. Aou care stron ly &hatyour friends! family! and co-&orkers &antand need! maybe the people at church ortemple! but donCt ive much thou ht topeople unlike you! that you donCt kno&. 8omodifiers.

Pageage &77




ItCs easier for evil )haracters to resist)ompulsions to do noble actions! or actions that &ouldput them at personal risk itCs also easier for ood; )haracters to resist )ompulsions to harm othersneedlessly. "ee the )orruption 'sset for details.

' )haracter &hose "#I oes ne ative be ins tosuffer emotional trauma see the 5oin ;u fuck; section for details.

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Physi%al efenseshysi%al efenses

"lose efense 3" EF4lose efense 3" EF4De"cri tion: )lose Defense is your ability to et

out of the &ay of incomin punches! kicks! knives!baseball bats! and the like.

%alculation 0%lo"e De,en"e2: 3 H '5I H )lose)ombat Talent H Dod e Talent.

Game Mechanic" 0%lo"e De,en"e2: ' )lose)ombat 'ttack rollCs D0 is the tar etCs )D90.

Ranged efense 3R EF4anged efense 3R EF4De"cri tion: Ran ed Defense is your ability to

Bi -Ba out of the &ay of a marksmanCs field of fire!preventin a unner! bo&man! or knife thro&er from

ettin a clear shot at you.

%alculation 0Ran-ed De,en"e2: 3 H '5 I HRan ed )ombat Talent H Dod e Talent.

Game Mechanic" 0Ran-ed De,en"e2: ' Ran ed)ombat 'ttack rollCs D0 is the tar etCs RD90.

Mental efenseental efense

Mental efense 3M EF4ental efense 3M EF4De"cri tion: :ental Defense is your resistance to

persuasion! threats! mind control spells! and mind-alterin dru s

%alculation 0Mental De,en"e2: 3 H >4I S ? H"elf-)ontrol Talent.

Game Mechanic" 0Mental De,en"e2: ' social!psycholo ical! or mental 'ttack rollCs D0 is the tar etCs:D90. :any such attacks! thou h! automatically hit!and instead just re=uire the tar et to make a "ave rollusin 4I H"elf-)ontrol.

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"hapter I $ ark Po>ershapter I $ ark Po>ersThis section allo&s the 5ame :aster to use "pecial 'bilities to build ne& Innate #o&ers and 0ormulG for

#layer )haracters. To ether! Innate #o&ers and 0ormulG are kno&n as Dark #o&ers have a evel! from to +.The listed "pecial 'bilities are used to create specific Dark #o&ers! and t&o Dark #o&ers can look entirelydifferent in the ame &orld. 0or e(ample! a )hild of i htCs "&ord of i ht &ill look very different from a 4u

an TaoistCs <ammer of ei Kun spell! or a #ymandri :ysticCs 4hirlin ;lade of the Kherubim spell! despitethe fact that theyCre all just different forms of 9lemental 4eapon.

1pe%ial (bility es%riptorspe%ial (bility es%riptors"pecial 'bilities have certain Descriptors that

help describe ho& they &ork! like 'ccuracy! Ran e!and Dama e.

Accurac): 0or attack "pecial 'bilities! the bonusor penalty to the 'ttack roll. "tandard 'ccuracy is H+.

Action to "e: The kind of 'ction needed toactivate the "pecial 'bility. If there is no 'ction to ,selisted! the "pecial 'bility is al&ays Oon.P "tandard'ction to ,se is 'ttack. "ome "pecial 'bilities are not=uick enou h to be used in combat these are listed; &ith a OTime to ,se.P

0aintainH The "pecial 'bility re=uires thelisted 'ction to initiate! but only re=uires '# per Round to :aintain.

%o"t to Purcha"e: The cost for the "pecial'bility. "ome "pecial 'bilities can only be purchasedto a specific evel that evel &ill be listed in; MbracketsN. "tandard )ost to #urchase is )heap.

%o"t to "e: The amount of "#I or I5 that mustbe spent to activate the "pecial 'bility. 0or "pecial'bilities &ith a Duration! the cost must only be paidonce! to activate the "pecial 'bility! unless the listinsays C:aintainedC! &hich means that the cost must bepaid each Round. 'ny "pecial 'bility that uses thecurrent RealmCs :embrane in its )ost To ,se cannotbe used if the current RealmCs :embrane evel is +.

tandard 0entalH > evels? "#I. tandard hy icalH > evels? I5. 0aintainedH In addition to the I5 or "#I

cost! the effect lasts as lon as the )haracterspends I5 or "#I per Round to maintain.

Dama-e: The amount and type of Dama e dicethat the "pecial 'bility inflicts. "tandard dama e is asfollo&s$

amage !ype 1tandard Rangedamage 1tandard "lose amage Magi%al Elements

'lunt:'; 5d.2:Levels <"; 4d.2)()2:Levels <"; 'ody6 =pirit

Edged :E; 4d.2:Levels <$>; d.2)()2:Levels <$>; =ubstance

?unfire :?; d.2:Levels; "d.2)()2:Levels; Destiny

Energy :E; "d.2:Levels;@" $d.2)()2:Levels;@" Energy

ark Po>er amage !able

Pageage &,,




Duration: The amount of time that the effectlasts. "tandard Duration is > d*H ? Rounds for "pecial; 'bilities &ith a "ave roll! the 0ailure 0actor of the"ave is added to the Duration as &ell. If no Duration islisted at all! the effect never ends.

+a tingH The effect lasts until the )haracterfalls unconscious.

IndefiniteH The effect lasts until somespecific! special 'ction is taken to cause theeffect to end. ' )haracter that is knocked#rone &ill be so until they )han e #ositionand et up a )haracter; cau ht on fire &illbe so until the flames are doused.

0aintainedH The effect lasts until the)haracter stops payin the :aintain '#!

I5! "#I! or other listed cost. )haracterscannot :aintain a "pecial 'bility &henunconscious.

ermanentH The effect lasts forever! or untilundone.

E,,ect: The result of a failed "ave roll! enerallyan 'ttribute or Talent penalty or 'ffliction.

Protection: The amount of Injury and Debilitythat the "pecial 'bility &ill stop. "tandard #rotectionis$

0oot I#R7$ > evels?. e I#R7$ > evelsS ?.

Torso I#R7$ > evels S*?. <ead I#R7$ > evels S ?. 'rm I#R7$ > evels S ?. <and I#R7$ > evels?. "tandard D#R7 for all ;ody #arts is ! but

increases to at evel +.

Radiu": +argeH > evels SE? yards.

mallH > evels S ? yards.

Ran-e: The Ran e increment for Ran ed )ombatattacks and ran ed effects. "tandard Ran e is > evelsS3? yards. 8on-attack effects are totally ineffectiveoutside the listed Ran e.

Reach: The Ran e for )lose )ombat attacks andpro(imal effects. "tandard Reach is +. Aou mustsucceed at a )lose )ombat 'ttack roll to affect anun&illin tar et.

Sa&e Roll: The 'ttribute H 'bility roll thattar ets must make! and the D0 they must beat! to avoidthe unfortunate effects of a combat "pecial 'bility.

tandard 0entalH 4I H "elf-)ontrol vs.D0 >> evels S ? H 3?.

tandard hy icalH T5< H 9ndurance vs.D0 >> evels S ? H 3?.

tandard Illu ion J KH I8" H 8otice vs. D0>> evels S ? H 3?. The tar et only ets a"ave roll if they have a reason to doubt &hatthey sense.‣ 0entalH These illusions &ill only be

sensed by bein s &ith a spirit.‣ hy icalH These illusions may be

detected by electronic andThaumatronic devices as &ell.

S eed: The rate at &hich the )haracter can travel!in miles per hour. "tandard "peed is > evels S +? mph.)haracters ain a H ;onus to RD90 per + mph thatthey travel.

Time to "e: The number of minutes! hours!days! &eeks! etc. that the "pecial 'bility takes toactivate. These "pecial 'bilities cannot be used incombat.

'ttack and 'rmor "pecial 'bilities &ill also listthe 4eapon or 'rmor "tatistics and 0eatures.

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1pe%ial (bilitiespe%ial (bilities

(dhesiondhesionDe"cri tion: ike a fly! you can stick to &alls!

&alkin alon them as if ravity had lost its senses.

%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.

Game Mechanic" 0Adhe"ion2: 4ith evel! the)haracter can adhere to &alls &ell enou h to carrytheir o&n bodies! and no additional &ei ht. 9achadditional evel adds the e=uivalent of evels of"TR that the )haracter can carry! assumin they canlift that much mass. The )haracter also ains a bonusto all "ave rolls a ainst the #rone 'ffliction e=ual to> evels?.

(ffe%t 1piritsffe%t 1piritsDe"cri tion: Aou can touch hosts and spirits as

if they &ere physical! and you can beat them as if they&ere red-headed stepchildren.

%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap M N.Game Mechanic" 0A,,ect S irit"2: The

)haracter can affect entities in "pirit 0orm &ith their,narmed 4eapons just as if the entities &ere physicalbein s.

(lter Memorieslter MemoriesDe"cri tion: Aou reach into anotherCs mind and

rearran e the furniture. Aou leave the subject anamnesiac! or remove yourself from their memories! orleave them &ith uilt-ridden memories of a crime theynever committed.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.

Game Mechanic" 0Alter Memorie"2: 'lter:emories re=uires both the Telepathy and 9nslave"pecial 'bilities! and cannot be purchased hi her thaneither one.

&ime &o 6 eH >E+ Q > evels S3?? minutes; 1o t &o 6 eH >> evels H tar et 4I ? S ?"#I ; ReachH +; ave RollH 4I H"elf-)ontrolroll vs. D0 >> evels S ? H +?; 4urationH#ermanent.

'fter probin to find a specific memory! the)haracter alters that memory. The tar etCs 00 on theroll determines ho& reat an effect the )haracter has.If the tar et suffers a :ishap on the roll! that is treatedas H + to 00.

"0 to 2$ 9dit one short memory.

"0 3 to 1$ 9dit one roup of memories >allmemories of a friend from hi h school?"0 +H$ 9dit the tar etCs entire memory.

"imple edit$ 8o modifier.9laborate edit$ "0 H3.)omplete erasure$ "0 H +.

(n%ient ;oren%ient ;oreDe"cri tion: Aour insider sources ive you the

juiciest ossip on &hat &as really in the ibrary at'le(andria! &hat that )asanova chap &as really up to!and &ho 8apoleonCs secret benefactors &ere.

%o"t to Purcha"e: ery )heap.

Game Mechanic" 0Ancient Lore2: The)haracter ains T) H> evels? to all I8" H <idden orerolls re ardin matters of historical interest.

(nguish Hnguish HDe"cri tion: Aou manipulate the enemyCs mind

or body! t&istin their emotions into a shape thatpleases you. They are seiBed &ith joy! sorro&!pleasure! uilt! or some other emotion.


Game Mechanic" 0An-ui"h2: )hoose some9motional 'ffliction &hen this "pecial 'bility ispurchased. Aou can make empathic attacks on others!makin them feel emotions a ainst their &ill.

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1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH 'ttack ; ave RollH "tandard :ental ;

EffectH 9motional M)hoose oneN 'ffliction ; 4urationH "tandard.

(stral Pro e%tionstral Pro e%tionDe"cri tion: Aou remove your spirit from your

body and o travelin the #leroma on your o&n!unencumbered by the e(tra ba a e.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 'vera e.

Game Mechanic" 0A"tral Pro;ection2: The

)haracterCs body falls #rone! and the )haracterCs spiritseparates from it. In this state! the )haracter has the"pirit 0orm and Traverse Realms "pecial 'bilities &ith

evel e=ual to this evel. The )haracterCs body suffersd* Debility dama e per hour after the first! and if the

)haracterCs body dies! they are trapped in "pirit 0ormforever.

BlessingslessingsDe"cri tion: 4ith a kind esture! you channel

ener y into your allies! ivin them an ed e.


Game Mechanic" 0/le""in-"2:1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH )ontrol ; EffectH H to all rolls andDefenses to persons of the #)Cs choice ;

4urationH "tandard ; Radiu H "tandard"mall.

Blinding Burstlinding BurstDe"cri tion: Aou radiate the li ht of a sun!

blindin everyone around &ith your radiance.%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.

Game Mechanic" 0/lindin- /ur"t2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH 'ttack ; ave RollH "tandard #hysical ;

EffectH ;linded 'ffliction ; 4urationH"tandard ; Radiu H "tandard ar e.

Body 1pikesody 1pikesDe"cri tion: Aou are covered &ith spines!

spikes! or =uills &hen you tell people that you donCt; &ant to be hu ed! they had definitely better listen.


Game Mechanic" 0/od) S i!e"2:

4amageH "tandard )lose )ombat ; AccuracyH H ; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; ReachH +; -ea!on Feature H#assive.

"arapa%earapa%eDe"cri tion: Aour body is covered by insectile

plates! &ith reptilian scales! or &ith some other form ofobvious! natural protection! that &ards off yourenemiesC blo&s.


Game Mechanic" 0%ara ace2: 1o t to 6 eH 8one ; rotectionH "tandard ;

Armor Feature H 8one.

"lair<oyan%elair<oyan%eDe"cri tion: Aou vie& thin s that are occurrin

ri ht this moment in some distant location.


Game Mechanic" 0%lair&o)ance2: Action to 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t to 6 eH"tandard ; RangeH > evels S ++ miles?.

The )haracter can see events occurrin far a&ayalmost as clearly as if the )haracter &ere physicallypresent. 'ny detailed information! like readin te(t ona paper! re=uires an I8"H8oticeH>)lairvoyance?

evels roll vs. D0 Difficult > 3?. 4hile usin)lairvoyance! the )haracter is treated as sufferin the

0roBen 'ffliction. )haracters may use )lairvoyance inconjunction &ith any of their other normal sensoryabilities! such as The "i ht! Dim "i ht! Dark "i ht! andthe like.

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"la>sla>sDe"cri tion: ike some ravenous beast! you

sprout &icked cla&s from your fin ers! ready to tearyour enemies apart.


Game Mechanic" 0%la'"2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard #hysical ; 4amageH"tandard 9d ed )lose )ombat ; AccuracyH---; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH

; ReachH ; -eightH --- ; 1o tH --- ; -ea!on Feature H 8one.

"loakloakDe"cri tion: Aou disappear from vie&! fadin

from the mindCs eye like an unremarkable memory.Aou skulk past unnoticed in this &ay! and theyCll neverremember you &ere there.


Game Mechanic" 0%loa!2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental!:aintained ; Action to 6 eH )ontrol!:aintain '# ; ave RollH "tandard IllusionM:entalN.

The )haracter disappears from si ht their mind; radiates the illusion that thereCs no one present.

"loneloneDe"cri tion: Aou create a duplicate of yourself!

summonin it from the future! or creatin it from purefire-mist. It can fi ht your enemies for you! spy remotelocations! or just fold the laundry &hen youCre too

oddamned laBy.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive > + ;#% evel?.

Game Mechanic" 0%lone2:

1o t to 6 eH Double "tandard :ental!:aintained ; Action to 6 eH )ontrol!:aintain '#.

The )haracter can create up to > evels? duplicatesof themselves! all of &hich are under the #layerCscontrol. 'll of the clones have the normal I0 and< T in all ;ody #arts! and all share the same pool of"#I. 'll share a sin le consciousness! and any

)ompulsion or other mental 'ffliction that affects one!affects them all. <o&ever! anythin one clone sees orlearns! all are instantly a&are of.

"ondemnationondemnationDe"cri tion: Aou condemn the damnable act of

sorcery! creatin a field in &hich ma ical acts aremuch more difficult.


Game Mechanic" 0%ondemnation2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental! :aintained ;

Action to 6 eH )ontrol! :aintained ; EffectH"ee belo& ; RangeH )entered on self ; Radiu H"tandard ; 4urationH :aintained.

4ithin the area of effect! all sorcerersC evels inall Dark 'rts Talents are reduced by > evels?. If thisreduces any Dark 'rt Talent to + or less! the sorcerercanCt cast spells usin that Dark 'rt.

"onsume Brainsonsume BrainsDe"cri tion: Aou consume an enemyCs tasty!

tasty brains! absorbin their memories! their very lives.%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.

Game Mechanic" 0%on"ume /rain"2: The)haracter consumes a fresh mouthful of a deadopponentCs brains in order to search their memories.This acts like the :ind #robe use of Telepathy! e(ceptthat it is the )haracter that rolls in order to find thememory they &ant! a ainst a D0 of 9asy. 7n an "0

+H! this )haracter can instead ain the use of one ofthe tar etCs Talents for >"0 - +? hours. 'n opponent hasenou h brains for * uses of )onsume ;rains! but thebrains must be fresh &ithin an hour! they are no lon er; fresh! no matter ho& theyCre preserved.

"onsume Fleshonsume FleshDe"cri tion: AouCre revitaliBed &hen you

consume the still-&arm flesh of fallen victims.

%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.Game Mechanic" 0%on"ume Fle"h2: 4hen the

)haracter attacks an enemy &ith a ;ite! they re ain I5 and lost I0 e=ual to the amount of Debility

they inflict. The )haracter can also consume recently-severed ;ody #arts the )haracter may take an;

Pageage ,66




9at%Drink 'ction each Round to ains I5 and d*I0 per round! to a ma(imum of U the < T that part

had &hen fully healthy.

"ursesursesDe"cri tion: Aou esture an rily at the enemy!

and suddenly! their plans fail! their spirits falter! andthey be in to look for the red C9(itC si n.


Game Mechanic" 0%ur"e"2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH )ontrol ; EffectH - to all rolls andDefenses to persons of the #)Cs choice ; 4urationH "tandard ; Radiu H "tandard"mall.

ark 1ightark 1ightDe"cri tion: Aou can see heat radiatin from

thin s! allo&in you to find your &ay around andidentify people even in the deepest cave.


Game Mechanic" 0Dar! Si-ht2: Action to 6 eH 8one ; 1o t to 6 eH 8one ; RangeH "tandard.

The )haracter can see normally in the completeabsence of li ht! by seein heat differentials in theenvironment. 8ote that Darkness! per the "pecial'bility! &ill automatically ne ate Dark "i ht! ande(treme sources of li ht may blind the )haracter.

arknessarknessDe"cri tion: Aou create a field of dense shado&s

that s&allo&s the li ht! plun in an entire area intofri htenin loom.


Game Mechanic" 0Dar!ne""2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental! :aintained ; Action to 6 eH 'ttack! :aintained ; ave RollH 8one ; EffectH )omplete darkness ; Radiu H "tandard ar e ; RangeH )entered on self ; 4urationH :aintained.

Image courtesy public-domain-clipart.blogspot.com.

aydreamaydreamDe"cri tion: Aou create a convincin illusion in

the minds of those nearby! makin them think that the4astelands of "ufferin is a sale at the local "elB-:or"uperstore K .

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.Game Mechanic" 0Da)dream2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental! :aintained ; Action to 6 eH 'ttack! :aintain '# ; ave RollH "tandard Illusion M:entalN ; EffectH4itness illusions ; RangeH )entered on self ;

Radiu H "tandard.

im 1ightim 1ightDe"cri tion: Aou can see &ell even on the

cloudiest! darkest ni ht the faintest traces of li ht are; enou h for you to see as if it &ere a sunny day.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(tremely )heap.

Game Mechanic" 0Dim Si-ht2: Action to 6 eH 8one ; 1o t to 6 eH 8one ; RangeH "tandard.

Pageage ,55




The )haracter can see normally in lo& li ht! byseein dim traces of ambient li ht! or the ultravioletspectrum. 'll penalties for normal darkness arene ated unless in a field of utter pitch-black! like acave.

Image courtesy !alia Feli(, Publicdomainpictures.net.

i<inationi<ination H HDe"cri tion: 9verythin is connected the cosmos;

is like a pond! and lookin at any part of it! you can seethe ripples that affect the &hole. ookin at the cards!at the stars! at fire! you can see the shapes that destiny&ill take. 7thers may scoff! but you can see that in theend! they! too! &ill eventually believe.


Game Mechanic" 0Di&ination2: &ime to 6 eH hour; 1o t to 6 eH "tandard:ental.

)hoose one "pecialiBation for the )haracterCsDivination each time this "pecial 'bility is chosen.The #layer must declare &hat the )haracterCs =uestionis! and then the )haracter must roll Divination evelsvs. D0 Difficult > 3?. 7n "0 3 or less! the )haracter

ains a va ue vision of the ans&er or outcome on an; "0 of E to +! the vision is more clear! 7n an "0 of

H! the )haracter has a clear vision that providessome definite ans&ers.

"pecialiBations include astrolo y! cartomancy>tarot or poker cards?! palmistry >palm readin ?!oneiromancy >prophetic dreams?! pyromancy >seeinthe future in fire?! and tea leaf readin .

umb ;u%kumb ;u%kDescription$ O0ortune favors the foolish!P they

say! and youCre livin proof. AouCre not afraid to tryhard thin s! and althou h you fre=uently fail! you alsosucceed surprisin ly often.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.Game Mechanic" 0Dum$ Luc!2:

Action to 6 eH 8one ; 1o t to 6 eH 8one.

9very time the )haracter fails at some roll! theyain a die of Dumb uck. 'ny time they must make a

roll! the )haracter can spend "#I to activate a die of

Pageage ,77

Is the Future Fluid)s the Future Fluid)

Destin& is i/e a ri*er fi ed %ith roc/s andeddies +here are so id definite e*ents that %idefinite & occ#r! and there are f #id motions thatconstant & change as orta s ma/e decisionsand a ter the f o% .ame asters can preparefor Characters %ith Di*ination "& preparing a

ist of actions that :-Cs %i definite & ta/e inthe co#rse of the ad*ent#re

O#st "eca#se the -C sees something doesn)tmean it m#st occ#r! tho#gh! and their *isionsare fre #ent & incomp ete +he -C ma& seethemse *es attac/ing a tr#sted friend! "#t the&ma& not see that the friend is Fns a*ed "& aChi d of Dar/ness! and threatening the -C)s"e o*ed re ati*e (f that e*en occ#rs! tho#gh! the-C ma& find a different %a& to reso *e thesit#ation; Di*ination sho# d ne*er "e #sed as a%a& to ro" -Cs of contro of their Characters

Di*ination is "est #sed as a too for the. to de i*er - ot oo/s and Joreshado%

#pcoming e*ents! and a %a& for -Cs tocirc#m*ent a fe% +a ent ro s for tactica orin*estigati*e sit#ations




Dumb uck. The )haracter can spend any number ofdice of Dumb uck that they &ant. The Dumb uckdice are added to the roll just like the normal dice one&ould roll for 'ctions. The )haracter can retain ama(imum of > evels? dice of Dumb uck.

The )haracter canCt purposely fail to ain Dumbuck dice. The failure must be for an important roll!

&ith an actual chance of failure! and seriousconse=uences.

Elemental Boltlemental Bolt H HDe"cri tion: Aou summon a blast of your chosen

9lement! &hich lances forth and strikes your enemies.%o"t to Purcha"e: 'vera e.

Game Mechanic" 0Elemental /olt2:1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; 4amageH"tandard Ran ed )ombat for 9lementaltype; AccuracyH --- ; &alentH Ran ed )ombat ;

8and Re%uiredH - ; RangeH "tandard ; -ea!on Feature H 8one.

Elemental 1ense Hlemental 1ense HDe"cri tion: Aou can shift your senses to see

your chosen 9lement! its presence and its very nature.%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.

Game Mechanic" 0Elemental Sen"e2: Action to 6 eH "earch ; 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; RangeH "tandard.

)hoose one element. The )haracter is able tosense the presence of their 9lement! as &ell as itsamount or potency! speed! direction! rou h shape andcomposition! and other pertinent facts. 9lemental "enseM9ner yN provides Dim "i ht and Dark "i ht! and caneven see throu h the Darkness "pecial 'bility if hi herin evel! but isnCt that ood at sensin surface details ofobjects.

Elemental 1haping Hlemental 1haping HDe"cri tion: The elements of the cosmos are

yours to t&eak! in =uick or minor &ays. Aou can createsculptures out of solid stone as if it &ere clay! fore(ample.

%o"t to Purcha"e: ery )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Elemental Sha in-2:

Action to 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t to 6 eH"tandard :ental ; RangeH "tandard ; Radiu H"tandard.

The )haracter can reshape their chosen element.' )haracter &ith 9lemental "hapin M"ubstanceN couldshape a door&ay throu h a stone &all! or a )haracter&ith 9lemental "hapin M9ner yN could douse flames.The ma(imum volume that the )haracter can reshapeis cubic yard per evel. 9lemental "hapin is too

Pageage ,99

Elemental Po>erslemental Po>ers

+here ha*e "een man& am"itio#s attempts"& &stics in the past to di*ide the #ni*erse #pinto its component e ements tho#gh the

ristote ian fo#r e ement and Fastern fi*ee ement schemes are the "est /no%n to theDo%ntrodden! most modern &stics #se thefi*e e ement di*ision of od&! Destin&! Fnerg&!$pirit! and $#"stance Ihen &o# choose a -o%er

%ith the %ord )F ementa ) in its tit e! choose oneof these fi*e F ements for its $pecia i ation+o #nderstand %hat these e ements consist

of! it ma& he p to /no% that these fi*e F ementsare sometimes di*ided into s#" e ements each!%hich are

od& ood! "ones! ner*es! m#sc es!senses

Destin& Chance! fate! /arma! time! spaceFnerg& F ectricit&! gra*it&! heat! ight!

magnetism$pirit nima spirits! e ementa spirits!

h#man spirits! nat#re spirits! spirits of other,ea ms

$#"stance ir! meta ! soi ! %ater! %ood

+he si=th F ement! not isted a"o*e! is<oid :o &stic has e*er managed to masterthe <oid! and most of those %ho)*e tried ha*egone insane! so its tr#e potentia remains am&ster&




insi nificant and slo& to be used for direct combat! butcan be used to create favorable circumstances in a &idevariety of &ays. "ome e(amples of the uses of9lemental "hapin are belo&.

"odyH 5rant a bonus of > evels?% to 0irst'id rolls. 'lter a tar etCs appearancesli htly! for a short period. :ake a tar etsterile or color-blind for a short period.

4e tinyH 5rant a bonus of > evels?% to9(pert M5amesN rolls for ames of chance.)ause the traffic li ht to turn reen just asyou arrive. Increase yous ne(t die roll by H !or reduce someone elseCs by - .

EnergyH 5rant a bonus of > evels?% to Techrolls involvin electronic devices. #reventan electronic device from functionin ! orchan e its input or output. Reduce darknessin the area! or shape it like a shado& play.

!iritH 5rant a bonus of > evels?% to 9(pertM"cienceN rolls involvin psycholo y orsociolo y. o&er the :embrane in an areaby . 'ttract minor! ineffectual spirits! orpush them a&ay. "ee a sleepin personCsdreams on contact! or enter and shape themsli htly.

ub tanceH 5rant a bonus of > evels?% toRepair rolls. )reate breathable air frompoisoned ases! or a bubble of airunder&ater.. #ush 0o of lo&er evel aside.

"tifle all sounds in an area! or createphantom noises. )reate doors! &alls! orsculptures of some solid material. Removetraces of passa e throu h the &ilderness.)han e an objectCs color! temporarily! ontouch.

Elemental 1hield Hlemental 1hield HDe"cri tion: Aou &rap your chosen 9lement

around you like armor! protectin yourself fromincomin attacks &ith fire! air! earth! or somethinelse.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 'vera e! e(cept for 9ner y!&hich is 9(pensive see belo&.;

Game Mechanic" 0Elemental Shield2: 9ner y "hields include Rank of 5lo& and

9lemental 4ave. rotectionH "tandard! I#R7 and D#R7 H

to all ;ody #arts ; 1o t to 6 eH > evels?%"#I per round ; Armor Feature H 8one.

Elemental 'a<e Hlemental 'a<e HDe"cri tion: Aou surrounded yourself &ith a

field of your chosen 9lement! &hich harms anyonestupid enou h to come too close.

%o"t to Purcha"e: ery )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Elemental #a&e2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; 4amageH"tandard )lose )ombat for 9lemental type ;

AccuracyH H+; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; ReachH +; -ea!on Feature H#assive.

Elemental 'eapon Hlemental 'eapon HDe"cri tion: ' s&ord! a(! or spear of your

9lement sprin s to life in your hand! shiftin anddeadly.

%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Elemental #ea on2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; 4amageH"tandard )lose )ombat for 9lemental type ;

AccuracyH H ; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH - ; ReachH ; -ea!on Feature H8one.

Elemental 'ings Hlemental 'ings HDe"cri tion: Aou cause &in s of some 9lement

to burst from your back and carry you a&ay.%o"t to Purcha"e: 'vera e! e(cept for 9ner y!&hich is 9(pensive see belo&;Game Mechanic" 0Elemental #in-"2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH Run 'ction ; !eedH "tandard.

0or each >"TR S +? lbs. that the)haracter carries! their speed is halved.

En%hantmentn%hantmentDe"cri tion: Aou can create ma ical items that

can be used by any bein &ith a spirit.%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.Game Mechanic" 0Enchantment2:

&ime to 6 eH &eek per evel of the'rtifact to be created.

:a ical 'rtifacts have a evel! typically from to + the 'rtifact has > evel S +? ;uild #oints in; "pecial 'bilities invested in it. 'ny bein &ith a spiritthat &ields an 'rtifact can use the 'rtifactCs "pecial'bilities as if they had those "pecial 'bilities! but mustpay all '#! I5! "#I! and all other costs to activate the"pecial 'bilities as normal.

Pageage ,##




9nchanters can create 'rtifacts of a evel up totheir evel in 9nchantment. To create an 'rtifact! the9nchanter must pay the ;uild #oint cost of the'rtifact "#I can be permanently sacrificed instead; for the e=uivalent of + ;uild #oints! or the 9nchantercan search for ma ical materials to reduce the ;# costof the 'rtifact. 9nchanters can only invest "pecial'bilities into an 'rtifact that they possess as Innate'bilities or 0ormulG. 'nyone &ho takes possession ofan 'rtifact suffers a loss of "#I e=ual to the 'rtifactCs

evel for as lon as they possess the item >&hether it iscurrently on their person or not?.

The 9nchanter may choose to create an item &itha limited number of uses! payin the "#I or I5 costsahead of time. 0ra ile or consumable items >likearro&s or food? can only hold one char e! but otheritems can hold as many char es as the )haracterCs9nchantment evel! provided that they can funnel theneeded I5! "#I! or other ener y needed into the item.'ny 9nchanter can rechar e a depleted 'rtifact! iventime and ener y.

:any 9nchanters also learn the Reservoir "pecial'bility! so their can create 'rtifacts &ith their o&nbuilt-in ma ical po&er supplies.

Thaumatronicists start play &ith evel of the'rtifact Talent for every 0ormula that they &ouldordinarily start off kno&in ! at no permanent ;# or "#Icost >e(cept the normal "#I penalties of o&nership?.

Endure Pri<ation Hndure Pri<ation HDe"cri tion: ike an ascetic! you can i nore theneed for food! &ater! or some other basic <uman needfar lon er than normal! or perhaps even forever.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(tremely )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Endure Pri&ation2: )hoose

one deleterious condition$ a in ! starvation! thirst! heat!cold! or the need to piss or crap. 0or each evel! the)haracter ains a H ;onus to all 9ndurance Talentrolls to &ithstand the need for the condition at evel;

+! the )haracter is immune to this need.

Ensla<ensla<eDe"cri tion: Aou lock eyes &ith him and tell him

to drop the un. <e doesnCt even blink at the metallicclank &hen it falls to the round! but shakes his head=uickly. <e looks up! horrified! realiBin that heCsdefenseless. Aou smile.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.Game Mechanic" 0En"la&e2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH )ontrol ; ave RollH "tandard :ental ;

EffectH )ompulsion 'ffliction ; RangeH"tandard ; 4urationH "tandard.

Aou may deliver a )ompulsion to a tar et thatyou can see! that may be stated in four &ords or less!includin one verb. The tar et must be able tounderstand your verbal command.

EnntangleangleDe"cri tion: Aou cause your enemy to become

en ulfed or &rapped up in some ri id bindin materialthat prevents them from actin .

%o"t to Purcha"e: ery )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Entan-le2:

%o"t to "e: "tandard #hysical 'ction to; ,se$ 'ttack "ave Roll$ '5I or "TR H; 'thletics vs. D0 >> evels S ? H 3? 9ffect$; :anacled and%or "hackled 'ffliction! seebelo& Ran e$ "tandard Duration$; ; Indefinite.

7n 00 to 3! the tar et is :anacled or "hackled!&hichever is most appropriate. 7n 00 EH! the tar et is:anacled and "hackled! both. If a )haracter thatsuffers one of these 'fflictions is 9ntan led a ain! theother is applied. The tar et may attempt a ne& "averoll to break free each Round. 7thers may attempt tobreak the 9ntan lin material it has "TR, and 0,8); e=ual to > evels S3?.

aydreamaydreamDe"cri tion: Aou create a convincin illusion in

the minds of those nearby! makin them think that the4astelands of "ufferin is a sale at the local "elB-:or"uperstore K .

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.Game Mechanic" 0Da)dream2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental! :aintained ; Action to 6 eH 'ttack! :aintain '# ; ave RollH "tandard Illusion M:entalN ; EffectH4itness illusions ; RangeH )entered on self ;

Radiu H "tandard.

E*tra (rm*tra (rmDe"cri tion: Aou have an additional arm Q or

t&o Q allo&in you to &ield additional &eapons! andstrike even more often.


Pageage ,&&




Game Mechanic" 0E.tra Arm"2: The )haracterains an additional arm per evel! ivin them H '#

for each. 'ny 'rmor that provides 'rm covera e &illhave to be e(tensively modified to provide covera eover the additional 'rms >H +V cost per additional'rm?. Randomly determine &hich 'rm is hit as normaland appropriate.

E*tra Aead*tra AeadDe"cri tion: Aou kno& the clichW! and you prove

it true. Aour monstrous visa e aside! itCs hard toblindside you! and Ooff &ith his headP becomes a moredauntin e(ercise &here youCre concerned.


Game Mechanic" 0E.tra Arm"2: The )haracterains <ead per evel. The )haracter ains the)ombat '&areness 0ocus from the :artial 'rtsTalent! &hether they =ualify for it or not. In addition!the )haracter doesnCt die unless all <eads have beensevered.

E*tra ;egs*tra ;egsDe"cri tion: ike a horse or oat! youCve ot

more le s! &hich makes you faster and harder to knockdo&n.

%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.Game Mechanic" 0E.tra Le-"2: The )haracter

ains a ;onus to 'thletics for fi urin land speed e=ualto > evels! and an e=ual ;onus to all "aves vs. the#rone 'ffliction. Xuadrupedal animals have + evelsof ;ad <ands! and evels of the Dark #o&er 9(tra

e s! and 'ttack rolls a ainst them are adjusted so that'rm and <and hits become 0ront e and 0ront #a&hits.

Familiar Hamiliar HDe"cri tion: Aou bind a spirit into the form of an

animal! and make it your trusted henchman. Itamplifies your ma ic! and in return you ive it lots of:eo& :i( K .

%o"t to Purcha"e: ery )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Familiar2: The )haracter can

choose one lo&er lifeform! like a )at or a Raven. The

)haracter ains a bonus amount of "#I to use forma ic each day e=ual to the 0amiliarCs evel. The)haracter automatically ains an 'ttachment to the0amiliar! per the <ardship! &ith evels e=ual to the

evels in this "pecial 'bility. The 0amiliar ains abonus to I8" and 4I e=ual to > evels?%2!

FangsangsDe"cri tion: Aou close in on the enemy and rip

into them &ith your fearsome incisors.%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(tremely )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Fan-"2:

1o t to 6 eH I5 ; 4amageH > d*H>"TRH evel?% ?9; AccuracyH H ; &alentH)lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; ReachH+; -ea!on Feature H 8one.

Fero%ityero%ityDe"cri tion: They really! really shouldnCt have

said that. Aou feel the ra e overtake you! and the ne(tthin you kno&! youCve ot blood under yourfin ernails. 'll over the &alls! too.


Game Mechanic" 0Ferocit)2: 1o t to 6 eH > evels? I5 ; 4urationH evelsRounds.

The )haracter ains a > evels? ;onus to "TR andT5<! but a #enalty to I8" of the same amount! to aminimum of . The )haracter is )ompelled to attackthe nearest enemy in )lose )ombat! until they drop!and continue doin so until theyCre done once all; enemies are dropped! the )haracter is )ompelled toattack anyone else around! until the duration ends.7nce it does! the )haracter is 9(hausted for dERounds.

FogogDe"cri tion: Aou dra& a mist into the area that

covers your activities and muffles the sounds theymake.

%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Fo-2:

1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Radiu H"tandard ar e ; RangeH )entered on self.

The )haracter creates a dense mist that makes ithard to see. 'nyone in the field of 0o automaticallysuffers a penalty of -> evels? to all 8otice Talent rollsfor si ht! and -> evels?% for hearin .

Pageage ,,,




Glo>lo>De"cri tion: Aou shine like an an el! and others

can see in the darkness by the li ht you radiate.


Game Mechanic" 0Glo'2:

1o t to 6 eH "#I per minute;

Radiu H"tandard ar e.

The )haracter can enerate enou h li ht to readby! that fills an entire area. 5lo& dro&ns out theDarkness "pecial 'bility if its evel is hi her! butdoesnCt help a ainst 0o . The )haracter loses > evels?from their "neak Talent at ni ht &hile 5lo& is in use!and suffer a penalty of -> evels?%* from RD90 as &ell.

GustustDe"cri tion: Aou esture! and a &ind lances

forth and strikes your foes! and knocks their breath outof them! knockin them on their ass.

%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Gu"t2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; 4amageH> dEH evels?;; AccuracyH H ; &alentHRan ed )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH - ;

RangeH "tandard ; -ea!on Feature H RadiusM ydN; ave RollH >'5I H 'thletics vs. D0>> evels S ? H 3?.

If the tar et fails their "ave roll! they also sufferthe #rone 'ffliction for Indefinite Duration.

AealingealingDe"cri tion: Aou allo& life to flo& from your

hands into another person! potentially brin in themback from the brink of death.


Game Mechanic" 0*ealin-2: Action to 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t to 6 eH"tandard ; ReachH +.

The )haracter touches another and restores I0 tothe subject! and < T to the ;ody #art touched. Theamount of I0 restored is > evels?%*! and the < Trestored is e=ual to the e=uivalent <T< dama e H

evel. 0or e(ample! evel restores < T! evelsrestores d* < T! * evels restores dE < T! 2 evelsrestores dEH < T! and so on. The anesthetic effectsof <ealin also ne ate all penalties due to pain for Round after&ard! but also automatically cause thesubject to suffer the Inebriated 'ffliction durin thattime.

AornsornsDe"cri tion: ike a bull or a oat! you have

horns on your head! and you can easily head-butt yourenemies into unconsciousness.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(tremely )heap.Game Mechanic" 0*orn"2:

1o t to 6 eH I5 ; 4amageH "tandard)lose )ombat 9d ed ; AccuracyH - ; 8and

Re%uiredH ---; &alentH )lose )ombat ; ReachH+; -ea!on Feature H 8one.

ImmortalmmortalDe"cri tion: Aou rise from the dead on the third

day. If youCre ood if youCre not so ood! it mi ht be; the seventh! or the tenth.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(tremely 9(pensive.

Game Mechanic" 0Immortal2: If the )haracteris killed but the body is still lar ely intact >i.e. the <eador Torso hasnCt been severed?! the )haracter &ill risefrom the dead a ain in > Q evels? days. The)haracter doesnCt heal any faster than normal! but theyare also immune to the ne ative effects of a in .

Pageage ,//

!he Glo>he Glo>

$e*era $pecia "i ities can mimic +he. o% at Be*e 1! s#ch as F ementa o t!F ementa Ia*e! F ementa Ieapon! orF ementa Iings for the Fnerg& F ement Ihi e. o%ing! these Characters s#ffer the normapena ties to $nea/ and defenses

$ome nnat#ra s) Dar/ -o%ers are itera &that! tho#gh; the& are composed of dar/ energiesthat don)t thro% off an& ight +hese nnat#ra s)

po%ers don)t gain the . o%! "#t don)t gainan&thing #sef# in ret#rn; ho%e*er! the& aren)th#ge targets at night! either




)haracterCs 'ssets are recalculated based on the)haracterCs ne& set of 'ttributes. The )haracter also

ains all of the animalCs "pecial 'bilities! and cancontinue to use any 'bilities that re=uire "#I to use! orany #hysical Inhuman 'ttribute "pecial 'bility.

The hi her the evel! the more po&erful theanimal the )haracter can transform into. 't evel !the )haracter can transform into a small! mostly-harmless animal! like a cat or a raven. 't evel 3! the)haracter can turn into a man-siBed creature! like alar e &olf and at evel EH! the )haracter transforms; into a creature lar er than <uman! like a bear orcrocodile.

"mall creature$ fe&er evels re=uired per evels of the "hort <ardship.

ar e creature$ evel re=uired per evelof ar e.

Miasma of Madnessiasma of MadnessDe"cri tion: 4ith a thou ht! you radiate the

t&isted! maddenin ener ies of the Alem! and thosearound you be in to lose their rip on ordinary reality.


Game Mechanic" 0Mia"ma o, Madne""2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH 'ttack ; ave RollH "tandard :ental ;

EffectH ose d*H>00? "#I ; RangeH )enteredon self ; Radiu H "tandard.

MirageirageDe"cri tion: Aou alter the pattern of li ht around

you! creatin a realistic-lookin illusion.


Game Mechanic" 0Mira-e2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental! :aintained ;

Action to 6 eH 'ttack! :aintain '# ; ave RollH "tandard Illusion M#hysicalN; EffectH4itness illusions ; RangeH )entered on self ;

Radiu H "tandard.

Monstrous (ppendage Honstrous (ppendage HDe"cri tion: Aour arm! le ! hand! foot! head! or

torso is many times bi er than normal. Aou looks likea horrifyin freak! but youCre far more formidable thannormal folks.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 'vera e.Game Mechanic" 0Mon"trou" A enda-e2: The

e(act effects depend on &hat body part has ro&n tomonstrous proportions. The )haracter may add their

evels to the < T in that ;ody #art! and a bonus e=ualto > evels? to the )reepy ooks Talent. The )haracteralso suffers a penalty of -> evels?% from )D90 andRD90! and on any odd-numbered 'ttack roll! theattacker may choose to tar et the :onstrous'ppenda e instead of rollin for a ;ody #art asnormal.

ArmOFootO+egH 5ain > evels% ? evels ofInhuman 'ttribute >"TR?! but only &ith thatarm! foot! or le .

8andH 5ain > evels% ? evels of Inhuman'ttribute >'5I?! but only &ith that hand.

8eadH 5ain > evels% ? evels of Inhuman'ttribute >I8"?.

&or oH 5ain > evels% ? evels of Inhuman'ttribute >T5<?.

.ightmaresightmaresDe"cri tion: Aou curse your foe! troublin their

dreams. They a&aken e(hausted and broken! leavinthem open and vulnerable.


Game Mechanic" 0Ni-htmare"2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH 'ttack ; ave RollH "tandard :ental ;

EffectH "uffer - d* penalty to 4I per ni ht!may make another save each ni ht ; RangeHReach M+N; 4urationH >00?% ni hts.

PlaguelagueDe"cri tion: 's you demand! your opponentCs

flesh breaks out into open sores! and their stren thdrains a&ay. They are left a pitiful husk! ripe for yourfinal victory.


Game Mechanic" 0Pla-ue2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard #hysical ; Action to6 eH 'ttack ; ave RollH "tandard #hysical ;

EffectH "uffer - penalty to "TR and 98Dper day! lose 'ttractive Talent! and ain)reepy ooks Talent evel ! may makeanother save each day ; RangeH Reach M+N;

4urationH >00?% days.

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Po%ket Realmo%ket RealmDe"cri tion: Aou have your o&n tiny Realm to

retreat to &hen thin s et too tou h. In your o&n little&orld! youCre safe for a time.


Game Mechanic" 0Poc!et Realm2: Action to 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t to 6 eH > evelsH :embrane? "#I.

The )haracter can move to their #ocket Realm!&hich is a perfect sphere > evels S ++ yards? indiameter. The )haracter may take &ith them up to> evels? other individuals! but on arrival! all of theseother )haracters are 0roBen for > + H dE Q evels?Rounds! and automatically take 9ner y9nvironmental Dama e. The )haracter may set any#henomena in the Realm! such as #urity! 5ravity! orTech Restrictions! that they &ant! or make other minoralterations! pendin 5ame :aster approval. #ocketRealms al&ays have a reasonably comfortabletemperature! and breathable air! neither of &hich everrun out. The )haracter can also store thin s in the#ocket Realm! and retrieve them later! but nothinlar er than a <uman body.

Possessionssession

De"cri tion: ike a demon! you enter anotherCsbody and control them like a puppet.


Game Mechanic" 0Po""e""ion2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; Action to6 eH )ontrol ; ave RollH "tandard :ental ;

EffectH )ompulsion! the )haracter controlsthe tar etCs body directly; RangeH Reach M+N;

4urationH >00? Rounds.

#ossession re=uires either the "pirit 0orm or'stral #rojection "pecial 'bilities. 4hile #ossessinanother! the )haracter cant take 'ctions in the tar etCsbody! but cannot take 'ctions in their o&n body in ; fact! theyCre una&are of any dan er or dama e to theiro&n body.

RedemptionedemptionDe"cri tion: Aou brin hope and the promise of

a ne& start to a belea uered spirit. Aou transfer someof your essence into another! allo&in them totemporarily resist their baser ur es and ive their all.


Game Mechanic" 0Redem tion2: Action to 6 eH Transform ; 1o t to 6 eH"tandard :ental ; EffectH "ee belo& ; RangeHReach M+N.

The )haracter can spend >FH ? "#I to transfer F"#I to another person on contact! &here F is anynumber up to > evels?. The tar et also ains a ne&"ave roll a ainst any )ompulsions they currentlysuffer! &ith a bonus of H>F?. Instead of transferrin"#I! the )haracter may instead permanently sacrifice "#I to reduce the tar etCs )7R by . The )haractermay never have more than > Q )7R? evels ofRedemption if the )haracterCs current )7R is or; more! they may not use this "pecial 'bility.

RegenerationegenerationDe"cri tion: 8othin can keep you do&n for

lon . AouCve been beaten! shot! even blo&n up! butyour ra ed form al&ays mana es to reassemble itself!&ith only horrific scars to sho& for it.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 'vera e.Game Mechanic" 0Re-eneration2: The

)haracter re ains < T per > Q evels? Rounds toall ;ody #arts! and > evels? I0 per minute.

Reser<oir Heser<oir HDe"cri tion: Aou can create 'rtifacts &ith their

o&n ma ical Obatteries!P that are less ta(in on themind and body to use.


Game Mechanic" 0Re"er&oir2: This "pecial'bility can only be used &ith the 9nchantment "pecial'bility to create 'rtifacts. The 'rtifact has a reservepool of I5 or "#I per evel that can be used topo&er the 'rtifactCs other "pecial 'bilities. 't anytime! any 9nchanter &ith this "pecial 'bility may takea )ontrol 'ction transfer their o&n I5 or "#I to a

Pageage /66




Reservoir 'rtifact to rechar e it. 'n 'rtifact &hoseReservoir is depleted can still use the &ielderCs "#I or

I5 instead.

Resistan%e Hesistan%e HDe"cri tion: There is some form of attack that

you can shru off. :aybe your incredible focusprevents you from ever bein distracted! or maybe yourstran e! protoplasmic flesh doesnCt bleed &hen cut.


Game Mechanic" 0Re"i"tance2: )hoose one'ffliction all "ave rolls a ainst this 'ffliction ain a; bonus e=ual to > evels?. 't evel +! you are immuneto this 'ffliction. If youCre immune to any t&o9motional 'fflictions! you ain Immunity to them all.

1%ourge%ourgeDe"cri tion: Aou shatter illusions! reducin

many of those around you to darkness and despair intheir &eakness. iberated of false hope and sillydreams! they are ready to face the &orld as it is!trud in to&ards an unkno&n future.


Game Mechanic" 0Scour-e2:

Action to 6 eH Transform ; 1o t to 6 eH"tandard :ental ; EffectH "ee belo& ; RangeHReach M+N.

The )haracter can spend F "#I to ive a tar et ane& "ave roll a ainst any )ompulsions they currentlysuffer! &ith a bonus of H>F?. The tar et must make a"tandard :ental "ave or permanently ain evel of)7R as &ell. Instead of rantin a ne& "ave roll! the)haracter may instead spend F "#I to reduce allpenalties the tar et suffers to all :ental 'ttributes byF for > evels? hours. The )haracter may never havemore than >)7R - ? evels of "cour e if the; )haracterCs current )7R is or less! they may not usethis "pecial 'bility.

1e<er Fatee<er FateDe"cri tion: Aou slice fate apart like a sur eon!

removin the link bet&een cause and effect.


Game Mechanic" 0Se&er Fate2: Action to 6 eH Transform ; 1o t to 6 eHDouble "tandard :ental ; RangeH "tandard ;

ave RollH 8one ; Effect H "ee belo&.

In order to use to this "pecial 'bility! the)haracter must hold their action! and then take aTransform 'ction in response to some other event.That event takes place but has no effect &hatsoever ; theevent is removed from the normal flo& of cause-and-effect. 0or e(ample! the )haracter &ith a un to theirhead could unlink the cause Otri er on un is pulledPfrom the effect O unpo&der in bullet i nites.P Thebullet is not a dud! and the unpo&der struck it! but thebullet doesnCt fire as a result.

If either the cause or effect are on oin ! the)haracter must :aintain the "evered 0ate! payin "#Ieach round to keep the t&o events separate. 0ore(ample! the )haracter! a&akenin in a burnin house!could unlink the cause O&alk throu h fireP from theeffect Oburn!P but theyCll burn as soon as they canCtkeep the "pecial 'bility active. There can al&ays beunintended conse=uences! too the )haracter; a&akenin in the burnin house mi ht still pass outfrom smoke inhalation before they can make it out ofthe buildin ! or they mi ht die &hen the buildincollapses on them.

The cause and effect stated need to be specific!observable! verifiable events! that take place &ithin the)haracterCs eneral vicinity. The 5ame :aster is freeto rule if a stated cause or effect are too va ue.

1hapeshifting Hhapeshifting HDe"cri tion: Aou mold your flesh to look like

someone else! effectively stealin their life.%o"t to Purcha"e: )heap.

Game Mechanic" 0Sha e"hi,tin-2: Action to 6 eH Transform ; 1o t to 6 eH"tandard #hysical ; ave RollH "tandardIllusion M#hysicalN; 4urationH astin .

The )haracter can alter their appearance to looklike anyone. 't evel ! the )haracter can mimicvoices as &ell! and at evel 2! the "hapeshifter canduplicate fin erprints. 't evel ! even the )haracterCsretinal scans &ill sho& the correct identity! and at

evel +! the )haracterCs very D8' is the same.'lthou h the appearance mimicry is perfect! the)haracter still doesnCt necessarily duplicate the

Pageage /55




mannerisms of the tar et precisely. The "hapeshiftermay also need to roll #9R H Trickery vs. a vie&erCsI8" H 8otice to see if the vie&er notices somethinodd in their behavior. The )haracter may ain orduplicate up to > evels% ? evels in the 'ttractive or)reepy ooks 'dvanced Talents.

1hapelesshapelessDe"cri tion: Aou have no definite form! instead

composed of a sin le mass of flesh &ith no definiteparts. ThereCs no &ay to tar et your &eak points! sinceyou donCt really have any.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.Game Mechanic" 0Sha ele""2: The )haracter

loses all <it ocations e(cept for the Torso. 'll attacksautomatically land on the Torso! but the Torso has> evels?%* times more < T than normal. The )haractercannot purchase :onstrous 'ppenda e! 9(tra 'rms!9(tra e s! 9(tra <ead! or Tentacles! but the )haractermay manifest up to > evels?% Tentacles by takin a)ontrol 'ction for each one.

The )haracter is automatically immune to the#rone! "ittin %Kneelin ! "hackled! and :anacled'fflictions. The )haracterCs jumpin distances andmovement speeds are all halved! but the )haracter canooBe throu h openin s and porous materials! like afluid! unless the door or container is sealed &aterti ht.

0inally! the )haracter ains > evels S*? I#R7 and> evels? D#R7 vs. ;lunt Dama e! and > evels? I#R7and > evels?%* D#R7 vs. 5unfire Dama e.

1harp 1ense Hharp 1ense HDe"cri tion: Aour sense of si ht! hearin ! touch!

or smell and taste! are much more acute than any<umansC.


Game Mechanic" 0Shar Sen"e2: )hoose onesense the )haracter ains a bonus of H> evels? to all; I8"H8otice rolls &ith that sense. 0or the purposes ofthis "pecial 'bility! smell and taste are treated as onesense. )haracters &ith "harp "ense suffer a penalty toall "ave rolls a ainst sensory overload attacks on thatsense e=ual to the "harp "ense evels. 0or e(ample! a)haracter &ith "harp "ense M"i htM evel 3 &ould

suffer a -3 #enalty to all "ave rolls a ainst the ;lindin;urst "pecial 'bility! and like&ise &ith "harp "enseM<earin N and the deafenin effect of "hriek.

1hriekhriekDe"cri tion: Aou create a thunderous! shatterin

sound! that causes piercin pain and deafness in allnearby.


Game Mechanic" 0Shrie!2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard :ental ; 4amageH> dEH evels?9; AccuracyH --- ; &alentH --- ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; RangeH )entered onself ; -ea!on Feature H 'utomatic Radius; M + ydN; ave RollH "tandard #hysical.

If the tar et fails their "ave roll! they also sufferthe Deafened 'ffliction for "tandard Duration.

1ight !height !heDe"cri tion: Aou can see the mysteries that lie

hidden in the :embrane the unseen &orld is laid bare; to you. "pirits! ma ic! stran e ener ies you can see; them slitherin and flutterin and shimmerin past! allabout. "ome people are born &ith The "i ht! and theynever kno& &hat it is to be sane.


Game Mechanic" 0The Si-ht2: RangeORadiu H > evel S3+? yards.

Image courtesy #nna &ervova, Publicdomainpictures.net.

Pageage /77




The "i ht allo&s )haracters to see auras! sensema ic! and detect Realm-borderin phenomena. 9achRound! the )haracter can sense one of the follo&informs of phenomenon.

en e Aura H The )haracter can sense asin le tar etCs current emotional state. 'halo or cloud of a specific color surroundsthe tar et in the )haracterCs "i ht! ivinclues to the )haracterCs feelin s. The)haracter is instantly a&are if the tar et issufferin the 'fraid or #anicked 'fflictions!or any 9motional 'fflictions! and &hat theyare. ItCs not possible to see another personCs)orruption evel! but you can see their aura&hen they perform =uestionable actions! to

see if theyCre emotionally troubled by &hatthey do. en e 3ateway and Ru!ture H The

)haracter can sense Ruptures and 5ate&ays!althou h they canCt sense &here they lead.5ate&ays are often 4arded by their creatorsa ainst discovery! thou h! so an un&arded5ate&ay may have been for otten! andcould lead any&here.

en e 0agicH The )haracter can sense0ormulG or 'rtifacts in use. 'rtifacts thatstore "#I or I5 for use can be sensed as ifconstantly in use! but only at % + thenormal Ran e.

en e 6nnatural H The )haracter! on seein

another sin le person! may detect if thatperson is an ,nnatural if they make a I8" H8otice roll vs. D0 <ard. It re=uires an "0

+H to determine &hat Type of ,nnaturalthe tar et is on an "0 to 1! the )haracter;

just kno&s that the tar et isnCt &hat theyappear to be. 7nly one person per Roundmay be scanned in this &ay. 'ny 9ffect thatcauses a "tandard Illusion >#hysical? "ave&onCt protect a ainst this use of The "i ht!"tandard Illusion >:ental? "pecial 'bilities&ill provide their normal protection. Thisuse of The "i ht &ill also detect thepresence of any bein in "pirit 0orm in thevicinity.

1or%ery Hor%ery HDe"cri tion: "orcery allo&s a bein to control

cosmic forces &ith the aid of mystical learnin and; special techni=ues! they may bend the universe to their&ill.


Game Mechanic" 0Sorcer)2: The )haracter canlearn the Dark 'rt and :ystical Techni=ue Talents! toa ma(imum evel e=ual to this "pecial 'bility. )hooseone 'ttribute and one 'dvanced Talent &hen "orceryis selected the )haracter uses that 'ttribute and; 'dvanced Talent &ith Dark 'rt &hen makin 0ormularolls.

1pirit Formpirit FormDe"cri tion: Aou transform your body directly

into a subtle! spiritual form! allo&in you to &alkthrou h &alls.


Game Mechanic" 0S irit Form2: Action &o 6 eH Transform ; 1o t &o 6 eH>> - evels? H :embrane? "#I per Round.

The )haracter can shift themselves into the:embrane itself here! they can be seen as a sort of;

hostly! semi-transparent outline by bein s in theRealm they just left! but are effectively intan ible. The)haracter ains evel of The "i ht in this form! anda H* bonus to all "neak Talent rolls! and cannot beharmed by normal &eapons or attacks at all. :a icalattacks do half normal dama e! includin hand-to-handattacks by )haracters &ho kno& :ystic Kun 0u! and)lose )ombat attacks by )haracters &ith the 'ffect"pirits "pecial 'bility do full dama e.

The )haracter can use I8" as "TR! #9R as '5I!and 4I as T5<. 'ttribute loss to "TR! '5I! andT5< can be i nored by this )haracter in this form. The)haracter doesnCt suffer any Injury Dama e on theseRealms! and any Debility dama e is taken from "#I!not I0.

9ach day that the )haracter remains in "pirit0orm! the )haracter takes I0 dama e e=ual to theRealmCs :embrane. This dama e cannot be healedunless the bein inhabits a physical object or entity ; inhabitin an object! it heals at a rate of per day! andinhabitin a livin bein ! it re enerates at the normalrate. )haracters may inhabit an unattended itemautomatically! but re=uire the #ossession "pecial'bility to inhabit livin bein s or attended objects. TheTelekinesis! Interface! or 9lemental "hapin "pecial'bilities are re=uired to animate and move inhabitedobjects.

:ystics usin ma ic in "pirit 0orm suffer - to allDark 'rt M"ubstanceN rolls! but H to all Dark 'rtM"piritN rolls. The cost of all "ubstance 0ormula isincreased by ! but the cost of all "pirit ma ic rolls isreduced by .

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)haracters in "pirit 0orm can be killed as normalin "pirit 0orm! and the 0irst 'id Talent is useless forhealin dama e in this form.

1ten%hten%hDe"cri tion: ike a rottin Bombie! you can

produce a repulsive stench that sickens anyone thatsmells it.


Game Mechanic" 0Stench2: 1o t to 6 eH > evels?% I5; Action to 6 eH'ttack ; ave RollH "tandard #hysical ; EffectHDistracted ; RangeH )entered on self ; Radiu H"tandard ; 4urationH "tandard.

1tigmatatigmataDe"cri tion: ' sense of joy and peace

over&helms you! as your body takes in divine ener iesand pur es itself of all that is corrupt.


Game Mechanic" 0Sti-mata2: The )haractermay ain > evels? "#I once per day! by sufferin the9motional >Joy? and ;leedin 'fflictions for > evels?Rounds. The )haracter is 0roBen for Round &henthey activate "ti mata! and they bleed from > evels?separate locations on their body each time this "pecial'bility is used.

1ummoning Hummoning HDe"cri tion: Aou call animals or mystical

creatures to serve you! and they arrive and obey &hencalled.


Game Mechanic" 0Summonin-2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard ; 4urationH Double"tandard.

)hoose some minor! non-sentient creature! likecats! ravens! or Bombies. The )haracter can summon such small animal per evel! or per evels if itCs amore capable creature like a shado& oblin or aBombie. The summoned creatures &ill arrive the ne(t

Round! and &ill be under the )haracterCs command!obeyin the )haracter to the best of theirunderstandin .

!ailailDe"cri tion: Aou have a tail like a beast! &hich

helps you keep your balance &hen you climb.%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(tremely )heap.

Game Mechanic" 0Tail2: The )haracter ains abonus of > evels? to all '5IH'thletics rolls to retaintheir balance. 't evel 3! the Tail can be used to holdobjects! and at evel +! it is deft enou h to use as anadditional hand.

!elekinesiselekinesisDe"cri tion: Aou master base matter &ith your

mind! movin it throu h midair as if it &eremanipulated by po&erful! invisible hands.


Game Mechanic" 0Tele!ine"i"2: Action &o 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t &o 6 eH >"TRre=uired to lift the object? "#I ; RangeH> evels S + yd?.

The )haracter may e(ert the e=uivalent of>Ranks? "TR at a distance a ainst any object they cansense clearly. 'ttack rolls &ith Telekinesis use 4I inplace of "TR or '5I! and the Ran ed )ombat Talent!but the )haracter may other&ise make 5rapple! #unch!and Tackle 'ttacks &ith Telekinesis.

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Image courtesy Aason BainvilleC

!elepathyelepathyDe"cri tion: Aou see into another personCs mind!

readin their surface thou hts! lookin for other mindsin the vicinity! or delvin into anotherCs memories.


Game Mechanic" 0Tele ath)2: There are threeuses for Telepathy "cannin ! Readin ! and #robin .;

canningH Action &o 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t &o6 eH > evels? "#I ; Radiu H "tandard ar e>for "cannin ?.

The )haracter senses the presence of entities&ithin the listed radius. 7nce theyCre detected! the

Telepath may s&itch to readin their surface thou hts!one at a time.

ReadingH Action &o 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t &o6 eH > evels H tar et 4I ? "#I ; RangeH"tandard ar e >for "cannin ? ; ave RollH"tandard :ental.

The )haracter scans a tar etCs thou hts. 'nyentity may make the listed "ave roll to see if theydetect a monitorin psychic presence if they do! they; may attempt to blank their minds. This is almostimpossible to do &hen distracted by combat! althou honeCs thou hts in combat &ill be simple and survival-oriented outside of combat! a Telepath still ains H;> evels?% to the 8e otiation Talent &hen interactin&ith someone attemptin to blank their minds. TheTelepath can also communicate by sendin theirthou hts into the tar etCs mind! establishin t&o-&aycommunication. The t&o must share a lan ua e incommon for communication to occur! althou h the t&ocan communicate very crudely by sendin andreceivin pictures.

robingH &ime &o 6 eH > Q evels?minutes ; 1o t &o 6 eH > evels H tar et 4I ?"#I ; ReachH +; ave RollH 4I H"elf-)ontrolroll vs. D0 >> evels S ? H +?.

The )haracter looks into the tar etCs memories totry to pull up specific memories from the past. Thede ree of information ained depends on the tar etCs0ailure 0actor on their "ave roll. 7n 00 3H! theTelepath can see a va ue impression of the intendedmemory on 00 E to +! the impression is more; detailed. 7n an 00 to 3! the Telepath can seeeverythin that they &ant! recallin all details that thetar et can remember clearly! and finally! on 00 EH!the Telepath can navi ate the memory as if they &ere

there! noticin details that the tar etCs conscious mindnever even noticed. ' Telepath can also do a eneralsurvey of a tar etCs memories to learn the tar etCs

eneral )orruption score the "0 re=uired for this is H.; ' :ishap on the roll adds H + to the )haracterCseffective 0ailure 0actor.

!eleportationeleportationDe"cri tion: Aou skip to another Realm and back

a ain s&iftly! bypassin distance and appearin &hereyour enemies least e(pect it.


Game Mechanic" 0Tele ortation2: Action &o 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t &o 6 eH> evels H :embrane? "#I ; RangeH > evelsS ++ yd?.

The )haracter can disappear from one locationand reappear instantaneously in another. The )haracteractually takes a short inter-Realm shortcut! hoppin to

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another! nearby dimension &here time moves faster incomparison &ith the :ortal &orld! and then returninin a different spot. The thicker the :embrane is in alocation! thou h! the more effort it takes. The )haractermust see or be familiar &ith the location theyCre ointo if they arenCt! thereCs a very ood chance they could; teleport into a solid object! takin > evels?dE8 dama eto a random ;ody #art on reappearance. 'll )haractersthat have been Teleported suffer a penalty of - '# theRound after Teleportation! as they re-orientthemselves.

!enta%lesenta%lesDe"cri tion: Aour octopus-like tendrils can &rap

around your enemies in a steely! t&isted embrace ands=ueeBe the life from them.


Game Mechanic" 0Tentacle"2: The )haracterains a bonus of H> evels? to all "TRH)lose )ombat

rolls to 5rapple.

!onguesonguesDe"cri tion: Aour deft mind can unriddle any

cipher! allo&in you to learn any lan ua e in mereminutes.

%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(tremely )heap.Game Mechanic" 0Ton-ue"2:

1o t &o 6 eH > evels? "#I.The )haracter can learn any ne& lan ua e

they encounter in > Q evels! minimum +? minutes.

!ransmutationransmutationDe"cri tion: ike the alchemists of old! you can

touch an item and chan e its material composition!&eavin old from stra& &ith mere intention.


Game Mechanic" 0Tran"mutation2: 1o t &o 6 eH > evels? "#I ; 4amageH> evels?dE8 ; AccuracyH - ; &alentH )lose)ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH - ; ReachH +; -ea!on Feature H 8one.

The )haracter can transmute up to > evels? lbs. ofmass into any sin le element. If the )haracterpossesses H evels of the 'dvanced Talent 9(pertM"cience$ )hemistryN! they may create simplecompounds >&ater! sand! salt?! and &ith 2H evels!they may create more comple( elements. It re=uires EH

evels of 9(pert M"cience$ )hemistryN to createanythin as comple( as or anic matter! like &ood orflesh! and &ith H evels! the )haracter can evencreate edible meat or &ine. ItCs temptin to justinstantly start creatin hundreds of old bricks ordiamonds! but the "ervitors put a s&ift and brutal endto anyone that the <ierates can tell is abusinsupernatural po&ers for their o&n ends! treaties bedamned.

!ra<erse Realmsra<erse RealmsDe"cri tion: Aou transition yourself and your

allies to another Realm! to continue your =uest.%o"t to Purcha"e: 9(pensive.

Game Mechanic" 0Tra&er"e Realm"2: Action to 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t to 6 eH > evelsH :embrane? "#I! plus T5<.

The )haracter can move to a nei hborin Realm!takin &ith them up to > evels? other individuals. 7narrival! all of these other )haracters are 0roBen for > +H dE Q evels? Rounds! and automatically take 9ner y 9nvironmental dama e.

+n>indingn>indingDe"cri tion: Aou steal potential ener y from a

mechanical or technolo ical device! preventin it fromfunctionin . ike a toy that hasnCt been &ound! it sits!useless.


Game Mechanic" 0 n'indin-2: 1o t to 6 eH "tandard #hysical ; Action to6 eH ' ttack ; ave RollH ,nattended items

et none! #ossessions et their &ielderCs"tandard :ental "ave ; EffectH Item ceases tofunction as if takin ++V 0,8) dama e ;

RangeH "tandard ; 4urationH "tandard.

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=enomenomDe"cri tion: Aou secrete a venom from your skin

that slo&ly kills your foes! as you stand by and lau h.Game Mechanic" 0(enom2:

1o t to 6 eH > evels?% I5; Action to 6 eH'ttack ; ave RollH "tandard #hysical ; EffectH"uffer - penalty to all 'ttributes perminute! may make another save eachminute ; RangeH Reach M+N; 4urationH >00?%minutes.

'alk on 'ateralk on 'aterDe"cri tion: Aou &alk above the &aters of a

river! pond! or the sea! as if beneath you &ere stone orsoil.


Game Mechanic" 0#al! on #ater2:

1o t to 6 eH M "tandard :ental!:aintained ; 4urationH :aintained ; EffectH)haracter can &alk on &ater as if on drayland at their normal land movement rate.

'ardsardsDe"cri tion: Aou e(tend your &ill around an

area! protectin it from mali n influences &ith yourunbreakable &ill.

Game Mechanic" 0#ard"2: Action to 6 eH )ontrol ; 1o t to 6 eH 4I>see belo&?; Radiu H "tandard on .

)hoose one "pecial 'bility per evel from thefollo&in list$ 'stral #rojection! )lairvoyance!Divination! 9lemental "ense! The "i ht! Teleportation!or Traverse Realms. The )haracter can place a mark onan item! and protect an area from sensation or intrusionby that "pecial 'bility. 4hile the )haracter has active4ards! they suffer a penalty of - to 4I per active4ard.

Po>er Modifi%ationso>er Modifi%ations4ho can resist playin 5od! toyin &ith forces

beyond their control6 This section allo&s one tomanipulate the Dark #o&ers! tailorin them to suitoneCs &hims.

8ote$ #layin 5od &ith oneCs Dark #o&ers maylead to unintended side effects! like the 5ame :astersayin O8o!P attractin un&anted attention from oneCspeers in the )olle ium! attractin un&anted attentionfrom the <ierate )ult! and bein Doomed for meddlin&ith forces beyond mortal ken. "o! be &arned.

9ach selection of a #o&er :odification eitherincreases or decreases the )haracter #oint cost per

evel of a "pecial 'bility.

Beast Aybrideast AybridRe6uirement": ycanthrope evel H.

De"cri tion: Aou can transform half&ay into abestial form streamlined and specialiBed for slau hter.

Modi,ication: H )ost evel.

Game Mechanic" 0/ea"t *)$rid2: The)haracter can transform into a half-human! half-beastform that has all the benefits of both forms. In thisform the )haracter is at their normal <uman siBe! plus

selections of the ar e "pecial 'bility. If the basecreature has the "mall )la&s "pecial 'bility! the)haracter ains evel of the )la&s "pecial 'bility in;east <ybrid form the same oes for "mall 0an s and; 0an s.

es%riptor "hange Hes%riptor "hange HRe6uirement": 'ny "pecial 'bility &ithout the

Radius 0eature.De"cri tion: Aour Dark #o&er is more effective

than othersC in some &ay.

Modi,ication: "ee Descriptor )han e Table.

Game Mechanic" 0De"cri tor %han-e2: Referto the Descriptor )han e Table to see &hat the cost&ill be for the modification desired.

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Des%riptor Modifi%ation Effe%t

#ction to *se Each 8$ to #, cost increases %ost Level by 2$C

Each 2$ to #, cost reduces %ost Level by 2$C If the #, cost is reduced to 06 the =pecial #bility is al-ays on

%ost to *se

Beducing =,I or !I? cost to > increases %ost Level by " " selections reduces =,I or !I? cost to 0C ormulFstill retain their normal minimum costC

Increasing =,I or !I? cost by > decreases %ost Level by "C

Damage

Damage cannot be directly modifiedC

#dding the 'alanced G2$H6 'loc+ G2$H6 Disarm G2$H eapon eatures increases %ost Level by 2$C #dding the#rmor8,iercing6 #utofire6 Jnoc+s Do-n6 Manacle@=hac+le6 or ,assive eapon eatures increases %ost Levelby 2"C

#dding the 'alanced G8$H6 'loc+ G8$H6 or Disarm G8$H eapon eatures decreases %ost Level by 8$C #dding theBeKuires Move eapon eature decreases %ost Level by 8"C

Duration

Doubling Duration increases %ost Level by 2$C

Beducing Duration decreases %ost Level by 8$ $d 2$ becomes $d" Bounds6 then $ BoundC

%hanging Duration to Lasting increases %ost Level by 2" and doubles =,I and !I? %ostC %hanging Duration toIndefinite increases %ost Level by 2" and doubles =,I and !I? %ost againC 'oth reKuire ?ame MasterpermissionC If the =pecial #bility has a =ave and is easily reversible :iCeC the ,rone #ffliction is ended -ith a%hange ,osition #ction;6 the Duration is automatically IndefiniteC

,rotection

,rotection cannot be directly modifiedC

#dding the )ardened or More Effective #rmor eature increases %ost Level by 2$C

#dding the Less Effective #rmor eature decreases %ost Level by 8$C #dding the #blative #rmor eaturedecreases %ost Level by 8"C

Badius

Increasing a Large Badius by 24 yd increases %ost Level by 2$C #dding Badius to an attac+ increases %ostLevel by 2"C

Decreasing Badius by 84 yd decreases %ost Level by 8$C Bemoving Badius from an attac+ decreases %ostLevel by 8"C

Bange

Increasing Bange by 2"59 increases %ost Level by 2$C

Decreasing Bange by > decreases %ost Level by 8$C Decreasing Bange to (ouch decreases %ost Level by 8"the attac+ becomes %lose %ombat6 and has Beach G0HC

=ave Boll Increasing =ave roll D by 25 increases %ost Level by 2"C

Decreasing =ave roll D by 85 decreases %ost Level by 8"C

=peed Increasing =peed by 2"59 increases %ost Level by 2$C

Decreasing =peed by 8"59 decreases %ost Level by 8$C

es%riptor "hange !able

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AiddeniddenRe6uirement": 'ny "pecial 'bility &ith obvious

effects.De"cri tion: Aour Dark #o&er is hidden from

the eyes of casual observers only those &ith mystic; vision can see the truth.


Game Mechanic" 0*idden2: The "pecial 'bilitycannot be noticed by the ordinary senses only the; effects may be seen. The "pecial 'bility is still fullyvisible to The "i ht as normal.

ImplementmplementRe6uirement": 'ny "pecial 'bility.

De"cri tion: Aour Dark #o&er re=uires anoutside focus to use. The Dark #o&er is totallyinaccessible &ithout the Implement! althou h thepo&er &ill still lie dormant &ithin you! &aitin to bereleased.

Modi,ication: - )ost evel.

Game Mechanic" 0Im lement2: )hoose one sortof tool or item the )haracter must have and use that; item to make use of the "pecial 'bility. 'n e(ample is"atyrs and their use of the pan-flute to inflict 'n uishor Daydreams on their victims.

;imited (ppli%ationimited (ppli%ationRe6uirement": 'ny "pecial 'bility.

De"cri tion: Aour Dark #o&er isnCt as fle(ible asothersC instead of &arpin metal in eneral! it only; opens locks! or maybe instead of controllin any mind!it only dictates the actions of animals.

Modi,ication: - ! - ! or -* )ost evel.

Game Mechanic" 0Limited A lication2:)hoose one more specialiBed! limited application forthe Dark #o&er. 0or - )ost evel! the Dark #o&er

isnCt useful about half the time an e(ample of this; &ould be 9nslave that only &orked on animals. 0or -)ost evel! the Dark #o&er is only useful about 3Vof the time an e(ample of this &ould be <ealin that; only restored < T lost to 9ner y Dama e. 0inally! for-* )ost evel! the Dark #o&er is very rarely useful an ; e(ample of this &ould be "hape 9lement M"ubstanceNthat only &orks for openin locks.

0or ma ic! imited 'pplication cannot be applied&hen 0reecastin ! only to 0ormulG.

Regro>thegro>thRe6uirement": Re eneration H evels.De"cri tion: 9ven if completely severed! your

body parts &ill completely ro& back in time.


Game Mechanic" 0Re-ro'th2: The )haracter&ill re ro& lost ;ody #arts! even if they arecompletely severed.

Resurre%tion Hesurre%tion HRe6uirement": Immortal H evels!

Re eneration H evels! Re ro&th.

De"cri tion: 4hen you say that youCre immortal!youCre really, really Immortal. It takes somee(traordinary measures for your enemies to finally&ipe you out.


Game Mechanic" 0Re"urrection2: The )haracter&ill rise from the dead even if their <ead or Torso issevered. ;urnin the body! or other&ise pulveriBin ordisinte ratin it! &ill kill the )haracter once and for all ; the #layer must also choose one other method to finallykill the )haracter completely.

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Innate Po>ersnnate Po>ersInnate #o&ers are "pecial 'bilities that the

)haracter possesses &ithout needin to makespellcastin Talent rolls. Innate #o&ers are part of the)haracter! and are an innate part of them in the same&ay as the )haracterCs 'ttributes! Talents! and

<ardships are. Innate #o&ers typically belon toparticularly non-<uman ,nnaturals! like 5h ls!9nkidu! and the )hildren of i ht and Darkness.

Formulaeormulae

;earning Formulaeearning FormulaeTo learn a 0ormula! the )haracter must possess

the appropriate Dark 'rt Talent "pecialiBation. The)haracter learns one 0ormula per evel in the Dark 'rtTalent. The effective evel of the 0ormulaCs "pecial'bility is e=ual to the )haracterCs :ystical 'rt evel.

1pell%asting Pro%edurepell%asting Pro%edure<ere are the steps in castin a spell$> ?. Decide if youCre oin to use a 0ormula or!

if you have the option! if youCre 0reecastin .If youCre 0reecastin ! o to > ?. If not! o to>*?.

> ?. Describe your intended effect to the 5ame:aster! and &hat Dark 'rt you &ant to useto accomplish it. If it sounds reasonable! the5ame :aster &ill tell you &hat the effective)ost per evel of the effect &ill be.

>*?. Decide on the evel of effect that you &ant.9ach evel &ill be more po&erful! butharder to cast and more e(pensive. 'lsodecide on &hat :ystical Techni=ues you&ill use to miti ate the "#I cost of theeffect.

>2?. Roll appropriate 'ttribute H 'dvancedTalent H Dark 'rt Talent vs. D0 > + H total;# cost of the "pecial 'bility for the evelyou &ant?.

>3?. #ay > evels?dE "#I to activate the #o&er!plus any listed non-"#I cost. The total costis doubled if youCre 0reecastin ! and doubledif you roll a :ishap 7R a Triumph. ' spellCs"#I cost cannot be reduced belo& >listedcost H evels?! no matter &hat :ysticalTechni=ues are used. If youCre at or belo& +"#I! make the appropriate rolls on the 5oin;u fuck Tables.

>E?. If your spell is a Ran ed )ombat 'ttack or a)lose )ombat 'ttack! proceed &ith your'ttack rolls.

isted belo& are the :ystical Techni=ues that)haracters can learn to reduce the cost of their ma ic.

;elo& is the 0ormulG Table. 's a :ystic ainskno&led e about the 9lements! they can mana e morecomple( and obvious effects. 't first they can onlysense the 9lements and t&eak their shape! but in theend the :ystic can reverse and &arp them! and evensummon 9lementals from the other Realms.

Pageage 066




Element ark Po>ers

Initiatus elator (deptus Magister Magus

'ody

L(he body is the temple ofthe soul6 heir to all itsvirtuesC

LIn the body lay -ondrouspo-ers6 yet untappedC

L(rust the -isdom of theunified body8mindC

L(he body is themicrocosm of theuniverseC

L(here is no death6 ustendless changeC

#dhesion6 'ody =pi+es6%arapace6 %la-s6Divination G,almistryH6Endure ,rivation G#nyH6

angs6 erocity6 )orns6=ense Element G'odyH6=harp =ense G#nyH6 (ail6(entaclesC

#nguish G#nyH6 Extra #rms6Extra )ead6 Extra Legs6?lo-6 )ealing6 Leaping6Monstrous #ppendageG#nyH6 Begeneration6Besistance G#ny ,hysicalH6=tench6 !enomC

Elemental 'olt G'odyH6Elemental =hield G'odyH6Elemental eapon G'odyH6Large6 ,lagueC

Inhuman #ttribute G#ny,hysicalH6 Leeching6Lycanthrope G#nyH6=hapeshiftingC

=hapeless6 =ummoningGDevourersHC

Destiny

LNothing lasts foreverCEveryone has a destinyC

LDestiny is mutable6through our o-n actionsC

LDestiny is inescapableCree -ill is an illusionC

LEverything has alreadyhappened6 exactly as itshouldC

L(here are many realitiesCEverything that canhappen6 doesC

'lessings6 %urses6Divination G#nyH6 DumbLuc+C

%ondemnation6 (raverseBealms6 ardC

%lairvoyance6 Elemental=hield GDestinyH6(ele+inesisC

Elemental 'olt GDestinyH6Elemental eaponGDestinyH6 =ever ateC

%lone6 ,oc+et Bealm6=ummoning GBeapersHC

Energy

LMotion and stillness aredifferent ends of the samependulumC

L,o-er and speed aremerely matters ofperceptionC

LNothing can stop meshould I choose to moveC

LI am already there6 for Iam all places at onceC

L#ll energy is but adifferent vibration in acosmic symphonyC

#dhesion6 'linding 'urst6Dim =ight6 DivinationG,yromancyH6 ?lo-6Levitation6 =ense ElementGEnergyH6 =harp =enseG=ightHC

%loa+6 Dar+ness6 Dar+=ight6 Interface6 Leaping6*n-inding6 al+ on aterC

Elemental 'olt GEnergyH6Elemental =hapingGEnergyH6 Elemental

eapon GEnergyHC

Elemental =hield GEnergyH6Mirage6 (eleportationC

%lone6 =ummoningG=alamanders or =pritesHC

=pirits

L=pirit surrounds us andbinds the -orld togetherC

L(he spirit of everythingis bound in a great cycleC

L(he spirits affect us all6moment by momentC

L(he -orld is but theintersection of manydifferent archetypalformsC

L(here is no 5I56 only theuniverse seeing itself-earing many mas+sC

#ffect =pirits6 #nguishG#nyH6 #stral ,ro ection6Divination GOneiromancyH6=ense Element G=piritsHC

Daydream6 Inhuman#ttribute G#ny MentalH6Nightmares6 BesistanceG#ny MentalH6 ardC

Enslave6 Elemental 'oltG=piritH6 Elemental =hieldG=piritsH6 Elemental

eapon G=piritsHC

,ossession6 Bedemption6=courge6 =tigmata6(ongues6 (elepathyC

#lter Memories6 Miasma ofMadness6 =pirit orm6=ummoning G?hosts or(ulpasHC

=ubstance

L(here are only atoms 3and the voidC

LMatter is a hologram6 apro ected forceC

LMatter is the plaything ofthe godsC

LMatter is merely ourperception of a many8 dimensional realityC

L(he alchemist is the firstand final ingredient ofany transmutationC

Divination G#eromancy6)ydromancy6 orLithomancyH6 Entangle6=ense ElementG=ubstanceHC

og6 ?ust6 =hrie+6 =tench6(ele+inesis6 al+ on aterC

Elemental =hapingG=ubstanceH6 Elemental=hield G=ubstanceHC

Elemental 'oltG=ubstanceH6 Elemental

eapon G=ubstanceHC

=ummoning G?nomes6=ylphs6 or *ndinesH6(ransmutationC

Formulae !able

Pageage 055




The rank titles for the 9lements came from theKni hts of #ymander. :ystics use the rank titles todescribe their sta es of learnin each 9lement :ystics; &ith an odd evel sometimes identify themselves asO esser%JuniorP &hile those &ith an even evel maysay O5reater%"enior!P as in O esser elator of"ubstanceP or O5reater Initiatus of "pirit.P "ome)olle iums even rant official privile es andresponsibilities based on a :ysticCs hi hest-ranked9lemental kno&led e.

Mysti%al !e%hni uesysti%al !e%hni ues:ystical Techni=ues e(tend a :ysticCs ma ical

capabilities! or reduce the "pirit cost of ma ic!drastically reducin the risk to their sanity &hen theybend the 9lements. The :ystical Techni=ues'dvanced Talent ives )haracters a ne& :ysticalTechni=ue &ith every evel.

(ltar Hltar HRe6uirement": air H evels.

De"cri tion: Aou create a sacred space &herema ical ener ies move more freely! and &here your5reat 4ork can continue uninterrupted.

Image courtesy Public-domain-p otos.net.

Pageage 077

!he Aigh Mysterieshe Aigh Mysteries

+he Dar/ rts that &stics %ie d arecapa" e of changing the %or d! "#t e*en thesechanges are imited and temporar& Ihen a

ag#s o*ercomes the imits of e*en their *ast/no% edge! the& attain the ran/ of (psissim#s!one capa" e of reshaping entire continents!stopping a p anet)s rotation for a da&! ordef&ing the Dar/ -rinces themse *es

igh &steries s#ch as these re #ireBe*e s higher than 10 in a Dar/ rt! and ma&ta/e decades or cent#ries to research and cast(psissimi are incredi" & rare! *er& rare & sane!and #tter & o"sessed %ith their inscr#ta" ep#rs#its (t)s said of the (psissim#s Fnsi "gathat he might not notice if the F der easts did manage to in*ade and con #er the Cit& of$pirits! #n ess he %as a erted

igh &steries are not a*ai a" e to -Cse=cept %ith specia .ame aster permission




Game Mechanic" 0Altar2: Desi nate onepermanent! immobile spot that &ill be the )haracterCs'ltar &hen you select this :ystical Techni=ue. 's lonas the )haracter is at their 'ltar! the "#I cost of all0ormulG is reduced by - per evel.

(n%ient ;anguagesn%ient ;anguagesRe6uirement": 9(pert Talent! &ith 0ocus on one

of the follo&in an ua es$ 9 yptian! 9nochian!<ebre&! 5reek! atin! "anskrit! or some other ancientlan ua e.

De"cri tion: Aou speak an ancient ton ue the9lements themselves comprehend! and the salamanders

and undines hasten to obey.Game Mechanic" 0Ancient Lan-ua-e"2: The

"#I cost of the )haracterCs 0ormula is reduced by ! aslon as the )haracter speaks in the 'ncient an ua ein their o&n voice and can be clearly understood.'ncient an ua es doesnCt &ork under&ater! or &henthe )haracter has just had dental &ork done! andrecordin s or electronic transmissions donCt &orkeither.

Blood 1a%rifi%elood 1a%rifi%eRe6uirement": <idden ore Talent H evels.

De"cri tion: Aou let loose your blood! or that ofanother you feed the 9lements! and they do as you bid; for a time.

Game Mechanic" 0/lood Sacri,ice2: The)haracter sacrifices F evels of T5<! up to their:ystical Techni=ues evel! and reduces the 0ormulaCs"#I cost by > evels S F?.

"onse%rated !oolsonse%rated !oolsRe6uirement": <idden ore Talent *H evels.

De"cri tion: Aou craft &ands! amulets! cards! orda ers! or even specialiBed Thaumatronic devices orcomputer pro rams! to amplify your ma ical potential&hen used.

Game Mechanic" 0%on"ecrated Tool"2: 's lonas the )haracter uses their )onsecrated Tools! the "#Icost of the )haracterCs 0ormula is reduced by> evels?% . The )haracter may have a ma(imumnumber of )onsecrated Tools e=ual to their :ysticalTechni=ues evel! but may only benefit from one at atime.

an%ingan%ingRe6uirement": 9(pert >Dancin ? Talent H

evels.De"cri tion: Aou move your body to the music

of the "pheres! and your body calls to the 9lements!seducin them to obey.

Game Mechanic" 0Dancin-2: The )haracterreduces their )D90 and RD90 by F! up to their:ystical Techni=ues evel! and reduce the "#I cost ofthe 0ormula by >F S evels?% .

Eli*irsli*irsRe6uirement": 9(pert >Dru s? Talent H evels.

De"cri tion: Aou prepare sacramental &ine! orsome other mind-bendin chemical! that frees yourmind from the rip of the ale of the Do&ntrodden!and lets you reach the hi her Realms.

Game Mechanic" 0Eli.ir"2: 4hile the )haracteris under the effects of the 9li(ir! the )haracter suffersthe Distracted or Inebriated 'ffliction! but the "#I costof all )haracterCs 0ormulG are reduced by > evels?.:ost 9li(irs last d*H* hours! and the )haracter is9(hausted for t&ice that lon after&ard.

FastingastingRe6uirement": 9ndurance Talent H evels.

De"cri tion: ;y abstainin from food! your bodyro&s &eak but your soul ro&s stron .

Game Mechanic" 0Fa"tin-2: 's lon as the)haracter fasts! the "#I cost of all )haracterCs 0ormulGare reduced by > evels?% ! but the )haracter suffers theDistracted 'ffliction. The )haracter must have beenfastin for at least 2 hours to ain this effect!subsistin on nothin but &ater.

Free%astingree%asting

Re6uirement": <idden ore Talent *H evels.De"cri tion: Aou channel the po&er of ra&

ma ic! shapin it on the spot rather than callin ontime-honored techni=ues. Aou risk madness in the moststark &ay! but the rush is e(hilaratin .

Game Mechanic" 0Freeca"tin-2: The )haractertries to cast a 0ormula that they donCt really kno&! ortry to make a ne& one up on the spot. 9ither &ay! the

Pageage 099




base "#I cost for the spell doubles the minimum cost; for any 0reecast spell is >listed cost H evels? S "#I.The )haracter is free to apply any Descriptor )han ethey &ant to modify the 0reecast spell. ' eneraloutline of the descriptors and their effects can be foundbelo&.

4amaging !ell H ‣ Ran ed )ombat$ "tandard Ran ed

)ombat Dama e for the 9lement used!to one tar et at "tandard Ran e &ith an'ttack 'ction. ;ase )ost$ )heap.

‣ )lose )ombat$ "tandard )lose )ombatDama e for the 9lement used! atReach M+N &ith an 'ttack 'ction. ;ase)ost$ )heap.

0i cellaneou !ell H ;ase )ost$ )heap. rotective !ell H The )haracter ains

"tandard #rotection I#R7 and D#R7! no'ction re=uired. ;ase )ost$ )heap.

en ory !ell H ;ase )ost$ ery )heap. &ravel !ell H The base speed is > evels

S +? mph. ;ase )ost$ )heap.‣ 0li ht$ The base speed doubles. ;ase

)ost$ 'vera e.

IngredientsngredientsRe6uirement": )onnections or 4ealth Talent H

evels.

De"cri tion: Aou obtain rare and valuablematerials to use in your ma ical e(periments! likefla&less ems! rare herbs or animal parts! or thefra ments of broken 'rtifacts.

Game Mechanic" 0In-redient"2: The moree(pensive the Trifles! the more helpful they are. 9achTrifle slot spent ives the ability to use the In redientsTechni=ue once each use of In redients reduces "#I; costs by > evels?.

Magi%al Passesagi%al PassesRe6uirement": <idden ore Talent H evels.

De"cri tion: Aou make special movements in&ith your arms and hands! symbolic of the hiddenforces of the universe and their interactions.

Game Mechanic" 0Ma-ical Pa""e"2: The "#Icost of the )haracterCs 0ormula is reduced by ! orreduced by if both hands must be free.

Parti%ipantsarti%ipantsRe6uirement": :ystical Techni=ues 0ocus

Dancin ! Rituals! or Tantra.De"cri tion: Aour spell re=uires a number of

people! all ivin of themselves to make it &ork.

Game Mechanic" 0Partici ant"2: 9ach#articipant may contribute "#I to the )haracterCs0ormula! to a ma(imum number of #articipants e=ualto double the )haracterCs :ystic Techni=ues evel.The base time to cast the 0ormula doubles! ho&ever.

RitualsitualsRe6uirement": <idden ore Talent *H evels ;

:ystical Techni=ues 0ocus 'ncient an ua es!)onsecrated Tools! or :a ical #asses.

De"cri tion: 's po&erful as &ords! estures! andsymbols are! combinin them into a ceremonyinvokin reater po&ers brin s reat po&er to yourcastin .

Game Mechanic" 0Ritual"2: 0or each full minutethat the )haracter spends all '# castin the spell! the"#I cost is reduced by > evels?.

1ympatheti% "onne%tionympatheti% "onne%tionRe6uirement": <idden ore Talent *H evels!

Rituals! imited choice of 0ormulG >'n uish!;lessin s! )urses! or 8i htmares?.

De"cri tion: Aou do that voodoo that you do so&ell. Aour enemies &rithe in pain miles a&ay! and youlau h! kno&in theyCll remember you! promisinven eance.

Game Mechanic" 0S)m athetic %onnection2:The )haracter obtains a piece of the tar etCs body! suchas hair or blood! and affects them at a vastly increaseddistance. The 0ormula only affects one! sin le tar et ata time. The "#I cost of the )haracterCs Ritual isreduced by > evels?%* if skin or hair is used! but isreduced by > evels? if blood is used. The Ran e for all

0ormulG that use a "ympathetic )onnection is ++times normal! and the "pecial 'bility is treated as<idden itCs not obvious &hoCs attackin from afar. '; )haracter must usually make an 7pposed roll of I8" H8otice H Investi ation vs. the tar etCs I8" H "neak H7bscurity to obtain the sample &ithout breakin intotheir home or capturin them.

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"hapter $ Possessionshapter $ Possessions)haracters are assumed to have a full-time! minimum-&a e job! a one-room apartment! about Y3+.++ in small

unmarked bills! and an assortment of furniture and appliances. 9verythin else the )haracter may need can bechosen from the 4eapon! 'rmor! and Trifle lists belo&.

!ools of eath 3'eapons4ools of eath 3'eapons4"ince human bein s first picked up sticks and rocks! theyCve learned to hunt and defend themselves &ith

&eapons. 4eapons may be tools of crime or protection! sadly necessary objects of fear and pain.

,narmed O&eaponsP like ;ite! #unch! and Jump Kick can be found in )hapter 9leven$ )ombat.

'eapon es%riptorseapon es%riptorsDama-e: The amount and type of dama e that

the &eapon inflicts. "ome &eapons &ill list a diceamount! and add OH<T< P this means that the hero; usin the &eapon adds their normal <and-to-<andDama e! based on their "TR 'ttribute! to the &eaponCsnormal Dama e.

In addition! a one-letter abbreviation after thedama e dice notes &hat kind of Dama e the &eapondoes.

/: ;lunt.E: 9d ed.G: 5unfire.N: 9ner y.(: 9nvironmental.

Image courte y imon 8owden, Freedigital!hoto .net.

Accurac): The :odification to 'ttack Rolls &iththe &eapon.

Talent: The Talent thatCs used to attack &ith the&eapon usually thisCll be )lose )ombat or Ran ed; )ombat. The tables belo& are broken up by Talentneeded! so the Talent &onCt be listed here! but it islisted in te(t-only descriptions of &eapons.

*and" Re6uired < =: The &eapon re=uires or hands to &ield. If the &eapon says it re=uires -hands to &ield! the hero can use one hand to &ield the&eapon! but they ain a H 'ccuracy bonus if they&ield the &eapon &ith both. If the )haracter doesnCthave free hands >for e(ample! theyCre :anacled?! theycanCt use a &eapon that doesnCt have O---P listed &ithout5ame :aster permission. If the hero uses a -handed&eapon &ith one hand! they suffer a -3 penalty to allRolls &ith that &eapon.

Si4e: ' &eaponCs "iBe is used to decide &hetherthe dark hero can hide the &eapon. )haracters may usea &eapon up to their o&n >"I H ?! but each lar er "Ilevies a -3 'ccuracy #enalty.

Reach: 0or )lose )ombat &eapons! the Reachmodifier for the &eapon.

Ran-e: 0or Ran ed )ombat &eapons! the Ran eincrement for the &eapon. )lose )ombat &eapons that

can also be thro&n &onCt have a listed Ran eDescriptor! but &ill instead have the Thro&able0eature.

#ei-ht: The mass of the &eapon.

Shot": 0or Ran ed )ombat &eapons! the numberof times the &eapon can fire before the hero must takea Ready Item 'ction to reload the &eapon. ' hero thatselects a &eapon for their 9=uipment ets a full clip of

Pageage 0,,




bullets or =uiver of arro&s or bolts shot uns come; &ith + shells. ' hero may spend another 9=uipmentslot to et more clips! another full =uiver! or + moreshells.

%o"t: The amount of money it takes to buy the&eapon. 0or most firearms! a bo( of 3+ shells >orarro&s! or bolts? costs Y +.

Image courte y ublicdomaincli! art."log !ot.com.

'eapon Featureseapon FeaturesArmor8Piercin-: The tar etCs I#R7 and D#R7

are both halved &hen dama e is applied round do&n!; to a minimum of . The <ardened 'rmor 0eaturene ates the 'rmor-#iercin &eapon 0eature.

Auto,ire < =: The ran ed &eapon has an 'utofiresettin the 'utofire 0eature &ill include a die type in; brackets! such as d ! d*! or dE. There are * mainuses for 'utofire$ 'rea 9ffect! 5rouped "hot! or Ti ht;urst 'ttacks. In either case! no matter ho& hi h theattacker rolls! they must Roll a Random ;ody #art on asuccessful hit they cannot place their shots.; AreaE,,ect: The &eapon tar ets up to >dice result? numberof tar ets in a yard by 3 yard area that the attackerdesi nates. The attacker makes a sin le Ran ed)ombat 'ttack Roll! &ith a -* #enalty! a ainst theRD90 of everyone in that area. The '# cost for this

'ttack is increased by .3rou!ed hot H The attacker rolls to hit! sufferina -* #enalty to the 'ttack Roll. 7n a successful hit! thetar et is hit a number of times e=ual to the results onthe listed dice. Roll dama e once! and multiply anydama e that ets throu h the tar etCs D#R7 and I#R7by >dice result?. The '# cost for this 'ttack isincreased by .

&ight "ur tH The attacker rolls to hit! ainin a H*bonus per 'utofire die >i.e. d adds a HE ;onus! d*adds a H1 ;onus! and dE adds a H ;onus?. Thetar et is only hit once! and this doubles the number of'# re=uired for the 'ttack Roll.

Automatic: 8o Roll to hit needed. :ost'utomatic attacks have a "ave Roll instead.

/alanced > %lum") < =: 'ttack and ;lock 'ctionsreceive a :odification to their )ritical "uccess or)ritical 0ailure )hance e=ual to the number listed inthe brackets.

/loc! < =: ;lock Rolls receive a :odificatione=ual to the number listed in the brackets this stacks; &ith the :odification from the 4eaponCs 'ccuracy andReach. "ome &eapons say Z)annot ;lock Z these; &eapons cannot be used for ;lock 'ctions.

Di"arm < =: Disarm Rolls receive a :odificatione=ual to the number listed in the brackets this stacks; &ith the :odification from the 4eaponCs 'ccuracy and

Reach. "ome &eapon stats say Z)annot Disarm Z these; &eapons cannot be used for Disarm 'ctions.

En&ironmental: This &eapon completely i nores'rmor! even if itCs <ardened.

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1uspi%ious Beha<ioruspi%ious Beha<ior

ost peop e don)t go aro#nd carr&ingost peop e don)t go aro#nd carr&ing%eapons! or %earing armor F*en %hen andeapons! or %earing armor F*en %hen and%here it)s ega ! it)s #s#a & note%orth&! e*en ahere it)s ega ! it)s #s#a & note%orth&! e*en a

itt e odd! that someone is pac/ing heat +hat)sitt e odd! that someone is pac/ing heat +hat)s%h& sma or impro*ised %eapons are often ah& sma or impro*ised %eapons are often asafer "et for heroes in*estigating the #n/no%nafer "et for heroes in*estigating the #n/no%nin p#" ic p acesn p#" ic p aces

so! in most decent neigh"orhoods inso! in most decent neigh"orhoods inthe cit&! nothing "rings #n%anted attention i/ehe cit&! nothing "rings #n%anted attention i/ethe so#nd of g#nshots! so me ee %eapons orhe so#nd of g#nshots! so me ee %eapons or#narmed attac/s are a so fa*ored "& man&narmed attac/s are a so fa*ored "& man&crimefighters esides! man& metah#mans ha*erimefighters esides! man& metah#mans ha*epo%ers that are "etter than g#ns or "# etproofo%ers that are "etter than g#ns or "# etproof*ests an&%a&ests an&%a&




Image courte y Rob -ilt hire, freedigital!hoto .net

Fa"ter>Slo'er < =: 'ttack and ;lock 'ctionsreceive a :odification to their '# cost e=ual to thenumber listed in the brackets.

Knoc!" Do'n: The tar et must make an'5IH'thletics "ave Roll vs. the attackerCs >"TRH)lose)ombatH +? or suffer the #rone 'ffliction.

Manacle>Shac!le < =: The &eapon may cause the:anacled or "hackled 'fflictions. &hich resolve likenormal 'ttack Rolls. If used in this &ay! the &eapondoes half Injury and no Debility dama e for that attack!and the attack suffers the listed 'ccuracy :odification.

Pa""i&e: Aou donCt have to make attacks &ith this&eapon anyone that comes into contact &ith a; )haracter &ieldin this &eapon automatically takesdama e. The )haracter &ith the #assive &eapondoesnCt even need to make an 'ttack Roll! and itdoesnCt matter ho& ood the tar etCs )D90 is.

Per"i"t" < =: The )haracter must make an'ttributeH Talent "ave Roll vs. the listed D0 or suffer

the dama e ori inally suffered each Round for d*Rounds.

Radiu" < =: This &eapon affects a number oftar ets simultaneously. If itCs a Ran ed )ombat 'ttack!the &eapon affects all tar ets in &ith the listed distancefrom the tar et. If itCs a )lose )ombat 'ttack! the&eapon affects all tar ets &ithin the listed distancefrom the attacker >listed as Reach?.

Reload < =: It takes e(tra '# to reload the &eapon

e=ual to the number listed in the brackets.Re6uire" Mo&e: The )haracter must take a Run

or Jump 'ction before their 'ttack 'ction to use this&eapon. 5ood e(amples include the Tackle and JumpKick attacks.

Re"tricted < =: #)s may not choose this 4eaponas one of their startin 4eapons unless they have thelisted evels in the 'uthority Talent! or a combinationof the )onnections and :ore :oney Than 5od Talentsaddin up to that amount.

Returnin-: If the &eapon misses! it returns to theheroCs hand at the end of the Round if theyCre; conscious and a&are! they may automatically catch the&eapon. The )haracter may also spend * I5 and D9T to make a special attack that loops behind theenemy and hits them from behind! imposin the normal0acin #enalty to the enemyCs RD90 a ainst the attack."ubse=uent uses of this attack in the same battle areless effective! as the enemy &ill e(pect it! reducin the;onus to only H .

Image courtesy Suat +man, Freedigitalp otos.net.

Sa&e Roll < =: The 'ttack isnCt al&ays fullyeffective a fast! stron -&illed! or tou h tar et can fi ht; off some or all the effects.

aveH The 'ttribute and Talent! and D0! tosave a ainst the attack.

EffectH If failed! the )haracter suffers a4eakness or 'ffliction. If successful! the 'ttack doesnothin .

8alf 4amageH If failed! the 'ttack does fulldama e. If successful! the 'ttack does half dama e.

4urationH The len th of time the effectpersists on a failed "ave Roll.

ni&er"al: 9veryone has this &eapon! and the&eapon cannot be Disarmed. ,niversal O&eaponsPinclude attacks like #unches! Kicks! and 5rapples.

Pageage 000




'eapon Damage (%%ura%y Aands Rea%h 1i@e 'eight "ost Features'aseball 'at :"d.2)();' 8$ $8> " $0 " lbsC P"5 Q NoneC

'rass Jnuc+les :$d.2)();' 8$ $ 0 . > lbsC P$0 Q Bestricted G$HC

%hain =a- 5d.? 8" " " 1 $0 lbsC P"00 Q NoneC

%ro- 'ar :4d.2)();' 8" $8> $ 1 5 lbsC P40 Q NoneC

ire #x : d.2)();E 8$ $8> " $0 " lbs P40Q 'loc+ G8"HQ Disarm G8"H

Machete : d.2)();E 8$ $ $ $ lbsC P$5 Q NoneC

Night =tic+ :$d.2$d 2)();' 2$ $ $ / $ lbs P40Q 'loc+ G2$HQ Disarm G2$H

=teel8(oed 'oots :$d.2)();' 8" 888 $ / " lbsC P50C00Q %annot 'loc+Q %annot Disarm

Modern "lose "ombat 'eapon !able

'eapon Damage (%%ura%y Aands Rea%h 1i@e 't "ost Features

,lasma Jnife :5d.2$d 2)();N 2$ $ 0 / $ lbsC P 0+Q #rmor8,iercingQ Bestricted G$0HC

,lasma =-ord :.d.2)();N 2$ $8> " $0 " lbsC P"00+Q #rmor8,iercingQ Bestricted G$0HC

!ibro Jnife : d.2$2 )();? 2" $ $ / $ lbC P$00 NoneC

!ibro =-ord :5d.2)();? 2" $8> " $0 lbsC P$50 Bestricted G$0HC

Futuristi% "lose "ombat 'eapon !able

Pageage 022




'eapon Damage (%%ura%y Aands Rea%h 1i@e 'eight "ost Features

'all and %hain : d. 2)();' 8" $ " / 4 lbsC P$50Q 'loc+ G8"HQ %annot DisarmC

'astard =-ord :4d.2)()2$;E 8$ $8> " $$ 5 lbsC P" 5Q 'loc+ G8$HQ Disarm G8$HC

'attle #x :4d.2"2)();E 8" " " $$ lbsC P 00Q 'loc+ G8 HQ %annot DisarmC

%lub: d.2$d 2

)();'888 $ " 1 lbsC P 0

Q 'loc+ G8$HQ %annot DisarmC

Dagger :"d.2$d 2)();E 888 $ $ $ lbC P 0 Q NoneC

encing =-ord :$d.2$2)();' 2" $ " $0 " lbsC P$50Q 'alanced G"HQ 'loc+ G2"H

Q Disarm G2"H

lail:"d.2$d 2

)();'8$ $ " 4 lbsC P$50

Q 'loc+ G8"HQ %annot DisarmC

?reat =-ord :5d.2)();E 8" " $$ lbsC P400Q 'loc+ G8"HQ Disarm G8 HC

Jnife :"d.2)();E 888 $ $ / > lbC P$0 Q NoneC

Long =-ord :4d.2)();E 888 $ " $0 4 lbsC P 00 Q NoneC

Mace :4d.2)();' 888 $ " 1 4 lbsC P/5Q 'loc+ G8"HQ %annot DisarmC

,ole #rm : d.2$d 2)();E 888 " $$ "8> lbsC P10 Q NoneC

,unch Dagger :"d.2$d 2)();E 2$ $ $ $ lbC P45 Q NoneC

=hort =-ord : d.2)();E 888 $ $ 1 $ lbC P $5 Q NoneC

=ic+le :"d.2$d 2)(); 888 $ $ 1 $ lbC P.5 Q NoneC

=pear :"d.2$2)();E 2$ " $$ " lbsC P"5 Q NoneC

=taff :"d.2)();' 2$ " $$ $8> P0Q 'loc+ G2$HQ Disarm G2$H

eighted %hain :$d.2)();' 8$ $8> . $ lbC P5C00Q 'loc+ G84HQ Disarm G2"HQ Manacle@=hac+le G2"H

hip :$d 2)();' 888 $ . $ lbC P"5Q %annot 'loc+CQ Disarm G2 HQ Manacle@=hac+le G2 H

(r%hai% "lose "ombat 'eapon !able

Pageage 266




'eapon Damage (%%ura%y Aands Range 1i@e 't 1hots "ost Features

#utomatic Bifle .d.? 8$ " $ 0 yd $0 lbsC 5 P500Q #utofire G$d.HQ Bestricted G/HC

Dynamite .d.? 8$ $ :=(B; yd / > lbsC $ P$50

Q Badius G4 ydHQ Bestricted G$HQ =ave Boll G=ave& #?I 2 Banged%ombat vsC D Difficult :"5; Effect& )alfDamageH Q =lo-er G4HC

lamethro-er 4d.2$N 8" " ydC $$5

lbsC"5 P400

Q Badius G" ydHQ Bestricted G.H

?renade6ragmentation

/d.2$? 888 $ :=(B; yd . $ lbsC $ P$50

Q Badius G4 ydH

Q Bestricted G HQ =ave Boll G=ave& #?I2Banged %ombatvsC D Difficult :"5; Effect& )alfDamageHC

?renade6 (ear ?as $d"! 888 $ :=(B; yd . $ lbsC $ P/5

Q Badius G. ydHQ Bestricted G.HQ =ave Boll G=ave& #?I 2 Banged%ombat vsC D !ery Difficult : 0;Effect& 'ad Eyes ea+ness Level :42$d.;and Distracted #ffliction Duration& : ;BoundsHC

)unting Bifle .d.? 2$ " $00 ydC $0 5 lbsC $0 P"50 Q Beload G"HC

Light #nti8(an+eapon

1d.? 8 " 00 ydC $0 lbsC $ P 6000

Q Badius G4 ydHQ Bestricted G HQ =ave Boll G=ave& #?I 2 Banged

%ombat vsC D !ery Difficult : 0;Effect& )alf DamageHC

Machine ?un /d.2$? 8" " 400 ydC $$$08>lbsC

$00 P.6000Q #utofire G$d.HQ Bestricted G HC

Molotov%oc+tail

4d.N 8" $ :=(B; dC / > lbC $ P5

Q Badius G" ydHQ =ave Boll G=ave& #?I 2Banged%ombat vsC D Difficult :"5; Effect& )alfDamageHC

Bevolver 5d.2$d"? 8$ $8> yd / $ lbC . P$"5 Q Beload G5HC

=emi8#utomatic,istol

5d.? 8$ $8> ydC / $ lbC / P"00 888

=hotgun 5d.2"E 8$ $8> 4 yd 1 4 lbsC " P"00

Q Badius G" ydHCQ Note& # common :and illegal;modification is to sa- off the barrel

and stoc+ this halves the Bange butreduces the =iRe to /CQ Note& =hotguns come -ith $0 shellsC

=ub8Machine ?un 5d.? 8$ $8> .0 ydC ydC "5P400C0

0Q #utofire G$d.HQ Bestricted G5HC

#ll -eapons listed above have the %annot 'loc+ and %annot Disarm (agsC

Modern Ranged "ombat 'eapon !able

Pageage 255




1topping the Pain 3(rmor4topping the Pain 3(rmor4The shado&s in &hich the ,nnaturals d&ell are

brutal and bloody. "ometimes you need to putsomethin bet&een you and the cla&s of some horrificmonster! and that &ould be 'rmor.

(rmor es%riptorsrmor es%riptorsDPRO: Debility #rotection.

IPRO: Injury #rotection.#ei-ht: The mass of the 'rmor.

%o"t: The amount of money that the 'rmor costs.

(rmor Featuresrmor FeaturesA$lati&e: 9ach time the armor is hit! it loses

evel of I#R7 'rmor-#iercin &eapons remove ; evels of I#R7. 4hen the armorCs I#R7 is reduced to or less! it be ins losin D#R7 as &ell.

9nvironmental &eapons donCt remove any I#R7 orD#R7 from 'blative 'rmor.

*ardened: This 'rmor is just as effective a ainst

'rmor-#iercin &eapons as it is a ainst other &eapons.Le"" E,,ecti&e < =: The I#R7 and D#R7 for this

'rmor is reduced to ½ a ainst the listed form ofDama e.

More E,,ecti&e < =: The I#R7 and D#R7 for this'rmor is increased to - ½ times normal a ainst thelisted form of Dama e.

Re"tricted < =: #)s may not choose this 'rmorunless they possess the listed evels in the 'uthorityTalent! or a combination of the )onnections and4ealth Talents addin up to that amount.

Bulletproof =estulletproof =estDe"cri tion: Typically used by police and the

military! your ;ulletproof est stops lo&-caliberbullets! but isnCt so ood a ainst

Game Mechanic" 0/ullet roo, (e"t2: Torso I#R7$ +! D#R7$ *.-eightH + lbs.; 1o tH Y ++.++; Armor

Feature H 'blative! ess 9ffective >;lunt!9d ed?! Restricted M*N.

;eather Ja%keteather Ja%ket

De"cri tion: 8othin looks as badass as a blackleather jacket the fact that itCs desi ned to help cushion; you from death at hi h speeds is a bonus.

Game Mechanic" 0Leather ?ac!et2: Torso I#R7$ +! D#R7$ .

'rm I#R7$ 1! D#R7$ .-eightH 2 lbs. ; 1o tH Y ++.++; Armor

Feature H 8one.

Motor%y%le Aelmetotor%y%le AelmetDe"cri tion: Desi ned to protect your skull from

a hi h-speed crash! a :otorcycle <elmet can helpcushion you from deliberate attacks as &ell.

Game Mechanic" 0Motorc)cle *elmet2: <ead I#R7$ 3! D#R7$ .

-eightH lb.; 1o tH Y*+.++; Armor Feature H 8one.

!ough (s .ailsough (s .ailsDe"cri tion: 's a result of your tou h demeanor!

you can take a lot of punishment before you be in tofold.

Game Mechanic" 0Tou-h A" Nail"2: 'll ;ody #arts I#R7$ > evels?% ! D#R7$ .

Armor Feature H 8one.

Pageage 299




ying >ith the Most 1tuff 3!rifles4ying >ith the Most 1tuff 3!rifles4Trifles are helpful small items that donCt do much

>if any? dama e! and canCt really keep you from takindama e. )haracters et 3 Trifles for free at )haractercreation. )haracters may select one form of 'rmor fort&o of these selections instead.

/ac! ac!" allo& )haracters to carry lots of otherstuff conveniently. )ost$ Y*3.++.

/all oint Pen" and Stic!) Note" allo&)haracters to &rite themselves notes! and stick theirnotes on &alls and objects. )ost$ Y*.++.

/lin- helps to establish your &ord cred on theda& street! yo! ivin a H ;onus to 8e otiationTalent evel &hen dealin &ith an sta types. )ost$Y +.++.

/oo4e in a *i Fla"! can ive you a Oshot ofcoura e!P ivin a temporary ;onus of H to the)oura e Talent for hour! but causes the imbiber tosuffer the Inebriated 'ffliction durin that time. )ost$Y 3.++.

%i-arette" and Li-hter" are supposed to makeyou look cool! but they mostly just ive you nic fitsand lun cancer. They cause point of 9ner y dama eif used as a &eapon. )ost$ Y3.++.

DonCt do Dru-" ! kidsL ;ut theyCre a commonstreet currency! and isionaries are often foolishenou h to fry their neurons in this &ay. The )haracterhas about Y ++.++ in dru s per selection.

Duct Ta e keeps thin s from fallin apart. 9venthe 'rchons used Duct Tape. )ost$ Y3.++.

Ener-) Drin!" are ood for a =uick burst ofener y! addin d* I5 once per day &ith an9at%Drink 'ction. )ost$ Y .++.

Fir"t Aid Kit" contain banda es! antiseptic!auBe! scissors! and other stuff one mi ht use to treat

&ounds. The 0irst 'id Talent suffers a -3 penalty&ithout a 0irst 'id Kit. )ost$ Y 3.++.

Fla"hli-ht" help )haracters &ithout Dim "i ht orDark "i ht see at ni ht! under round! or in loomyRealms. )ost$ Y .++.

Glitter Po'der helps 5h ls tempt ullible younfemale :ortals into bein their very special dinner

uest. )ost$ Y .++.

*air" ra) makes sure your Cdo doesnCt et out ofcontrol! and! &ith a i hter! can make a half&ay decentimprovised &eapon > dE9! 'ccuracy - ! Reach ?)ost$ Y2.++.

Image courtesy $raeme eat erston, Freedigitalp otos.net.

*andcu,," help make sure that bad uys >andkinky irls? donCt et a&ay. They re=uire an '5I H'thletics or ;reak 9nter roll D0 *+ to escape from.)ost$ Y 3.++.

Incen"e and a Li-hter help &ith Rituals! orOsettin the mood.P )ost$ Y .++.

La to " have a little more processin po&er than"mart #hones! and are a little more comfortable to typeyour 8a8o4ri:o masterpiece on! too. TheyCre oodfor about hours &ithout a po&er outlet! and come&ith cameras! D D drives! and stereo speakers. )ost$Y2++.++.

Pageage 2##




Loc! ic!" help criminals et in &here theyCre not&elcome so they can take &hat they &ant they allo& a;)haracter &ith the ;reak 9nter Talent to unlock alock. )ost$ Y ++.++.

Ma!eu helps touch up oneCs ood features!ivin a H ;onus to 'ttractive Talent evel >or

reduced the <omely <ardship by evel?. )ost$Y +.++.

Mu"ical In"trument" like uitars and keyboardscan be used to lift the spirits of oneCs friends outside of; combat! playin a truly bitchinC riff >#9R H appropriate9(pert >:usic?! D0 'vera e > +?? adds H>"0% ? "#Ito all &ho hear! once per day. )ost$ Y 3+.++.

Permanent Mar!er" are ood for dra&in maps!or dra&in on your friends &hen they fall asleep. )ost$Y .++.

Pro h)lactic" make sure that amorous )haractersdonCt end up &ith une(pected dependents. )ost$ Y3.++.

P")ch Med" can help keep your )haracter a littlemore sane &hen facin impossible abominations frombeyond space and time. <alves the evel of all mental<ardships! but causes a -* penalty to '5I and T5<due to a variety of unpleasant side effects. )ost$Y3+.++.

Rain %oat" help )haracters that donCt haveeather Jackets i nore inclement &eather. Rain )oatsive a H3 bonus to 9ndurance rolls a ainst cold. )ost$

Y 3.++.0ifty feet of nylon Ro e helps )haracters et up

and over cliffs and chasms! or tie up their enemies.)ost$ Y +.++.

Smart Phone" help )haracters &ithout Telepathycommunicate over lon distances >if there are cellto&ers?! let you listen to :#*s! schedule importantmeetin s! &atch :#2s! take pictures! and surf tohttp$%%&&&.imperfekt-industrees.com >and other! lesser&ebsites?. )ost$ Y ++.++.

Sur&i&al Kit" include a &ater flask! &aterpurification tablets! a sleepin ba ! a small plastic tarp!a foldin shovel! and a variety of other small items all

useful for survivin in the &ilderness. ItCs a must-havefor campers and hikers! rantin a H3 ;onus to 9(pert>"urvival? Talent rolls. )ost$ Y 3.++.

' little S endin- %a"h al&ays comes in handy ; in this case! the )haracter ains another Y ++.++ insmall bills per selection. )ost$ Y ++.++.

Sun-la""e" help )haracters see in areas full ofblindin li ht! and help them look cool! too. "un lasses

ive a bonus of H3 to all Dod e rolls a ainst the;lindin ;urst Dark #o&er. )ost$ Y3+.++.

tilit) Kni&e" donCt do much dama e>> d*H"TR?9! 'ccuracy - ! Reach +! )annot ;lock orDisarm?! but have &ire cutters! corkscre&s! canopeners! files! scre&drivers! and a variety of otherbuilt-in attachments. )ost$ Y*+.++.

#al!)8Tal!ie" allo& )haracters to speak over&ide distances on a variety of channels! and they donCtre=uire cell phone to&ers or e(pensive plans to afford!either. )ost$ Y 3.++.

Pageage 2&&

LI .eed More "rap N .eed More "rap N

$pending Cash is for &o#r in game needs!pending Cash is for &o#r in game needs!not for "#&ing more +rif es! Ieapons! or rmorot for "#&ing more +rif es! Ieapons! or rmor"efore Character creation is done o% m#chefore Character creation is done o% m#chG#n/ do &o# rea & needE#n/ do &o# rea & needE

ost peop e don)t carr& aro#nd a ot ofost peop e don)t carr& aro#nd a ot ofG#n/ on them! e*en if the&)re e=pecting tro#" e#n/ on them! e*en if the&)re e=pecting tro#" e+hehe Dirge ,-.irge ,-. r# es are intended to get &o#rr# es are intended to get &o#rdar/ heroes s/# /ing the +ene"r right a%a&!ar/ heroes s/# /ing the +ene"r right a%a&!not to pro*ide a con*incing shopping channeot to pro*ide a con*incing shopping channesim# ationim# ation

http://www.imperfekt-industrees.com/

http://www.imperfekt-industrees.com/




"hapter I$ 1trifehapter I$ 1trife'hen and 'herehen and 'here

5unfire in a dark! rain-slick! neon- lo&inalley&ay. ' &hite-knuckle escape from a knife-&ieldin psychotic throu h a crumblin buildin ."parks flyin from s&ord parries flickerin in the li htof a dyin sun in a hellish blood-red desert. )astinspells of fire and thunder at jackbooted soldiers alon anarro& metal cat&alk above a diBByin ! dark abyss.)ombat is a fact of life in the many t&isted &orlds ofthe Dir-e RPG .

4hen the shit hits the fan! the #layers and the5ame :asters need to kno& &ho does &hat! &hen. 0orthis purpose! &hen combat be ins! itCs important tokeep track of time and the locations of the )haracters.This ame divides combat time up into Orounds!P eachone E seconds lon . 9ach round! a )haracter has E'ction #oints >'#? to spend on various 'ctions.

'll distances in these rules are measured units of yards. If you &ant to! you can use raph paper to

keep track of locations a convenient scale is one % P; s=uare e=uals yards. If youCre usin miniature fi ures!a convenient scale to use is P e=uals yards.

1tarting 1hittarting 1hit9very fi ht starts some&here an an ry &ord! a;

thro&n fist! an errant unshot! the cla&ed tentacle of anether-thin casually s&eepin someoneCs face off &itha raBor-sharp caress.

Roll dE H I8IT to et thin s oin . The)haracter &ith the hi hest total ets to o first!althou h they may hold off and act later! pre-emptinanyone elseCs actions.

In case of a tie! the )haracter &ith the hi hest'5I oes first! then the )haracter &ith the hi hest I8"!then the )haracter &ith the hi hest 4I . If all of theseare e=ual! the t&o )haracters act simultaneously!announcin their actions in secret to the 5ame :aster.

Pageage 2,,




"ombat (%tionsombat (%tions9very )haracter ets E '# every round! &hich

they may spend on 'ctions. These are the mostcommon 'ctions used in )ombat.

(tta%k 39 (P4tta%k 39 (P4De"cri tion: Aou s&in a knife or club at the

enemy! or shoot a un or arro& at them.

Game Mechanic" 0Attac!2: aries &ith the kindof attack. 0or most attacks! roll '5I H Ran ed )ombatvs. the tar etCs RD90! or '5I H )lose )ombat a ainstthe tar etCs )D90.

Blo%k 3lo%k 39 (P4(P4De"cri tion: Aou parry the enemyCs &eapon &ith

your o&n! shovin it aside and protectin yourself fromharm.

Game Mechanic" 0/loc!2: The )haracter holdstheir Round until attacked &hen this occurs! you roll; '5I H )lose )ombat vs. the opponentCs 'ttack roll!

and addin any ;lock :odifiers from the &eapon. Ifthe )haracter succeeds! they ain additional #rotectione=ual to >"TR? I#R7 and >"TR?% D#R7.

"ontrol 3, (P4ontrol 3, (P4De"cri tion: Aou concentrate on usin your

stran e po&ers! or some special e=uipment.

Game Mechanic" 0%ontrol2: )ontrol 'ctions area kind of Ocatch-allP there is no one! specific result of; a )ontrol 'ction.

isarm 39 (P4isarm 39 (P4De"cri tion: Aou rab the enemyCs &eapon and

yank it out of their hands! either thro&in it to thefloor! or takin it for yourself.

Game Mechanic" 0Di"arm2: The )haracter holdstheir Round until attacked &hen this occurs! they roll; '5I H )lose )ombat vs. the opponentCs "TR H )lose)ombat or "TR H Ran ed )ombat! and addin anyDisarm :odifiers from the &eapon. If the )haractersucceeds! the &eapon is removed to > dE?S yards in arandom direction. 7n "0 +H! the )haracter ains the&eapon instead.

odge 39 (P4odge 39 (P4De"cri tion: Aou thro& yourself out of the &ay

of harm! deftly avoidin an incomin attack.

Game Mechanic" 0Dod-e2: ;y takin a Dod e'ction! the )haracter ains a H3 ;onus to )D90 andRD90.

Feinteint 337 (P4(P4De"cri tion: Aou make like youCre oin to

attack! but stop at the last moment dra&in them out!; you move in for the kill.

Game Mechanic" 0Feint2: The )haracter mustmake an #9R roll! addin either Trickery orIntimidation! and either )lose )ombat or Ran ed)ombat! a ainst the tar etCs :D90. The opponent musthave a clear vie& of the )haracter. 7n a success! the)haracter ains H>"0?% to&ards their ne(t attacka ainst that tar et! as lon as it is the ne(t action theytake.

Pageage 2//




(tta%k Modifierstta%k Modifiers

Fa%ing Modifiersa%ing Modifiers'ttackin an enemy from the left or ri ht 1+-

de ree an le rants a H bonus to the 'ttack roll ; attackin from directly behind rants a H3 bonus to the'ttack roll.

Range Modifiersange Modifiers9ach Ran e Increment causes a H3 to the D0 of

the attack.

Rea%h Modifiersea%h ModifiersIf usin raph paper or tabletop maps and

miniatures! hereCs ho& you keep track of Reach$

Reach On Ma ": Reach +$ "ame s=uare. Reach to $ 'djacent s=uares. Reach * to 2$ ,p to s=uare a&ay.

'ttackin an enemy armed &ith a &eapon &ithlo&er Reach ives a bonus to hit e=ual to thedifference.

'ttackin an enemy armed &ith a &eapon &ithhi her Reach ives a penalty to hit e=ual to thedifference.

+narmed "ombatnarmed "ombat

,narmed combat O&eaponsP are treated e(actlylike other &eapons! e(cept that the )haracter &ieldinthem canCt be disarmed >unless! of course! their armsand le s are ripped off or somethin ?. They use thesame statistics format and have the same 0eatures for; details! see the #ossessions "ection.

"ome of the follo&in unarmed combatO&eaponsP are universal! &hile others can be learnedthrou h the :artial 'rts Talent! or other! similarTalents. ,narmed attacks that everyone has &ill havethe ,niversal 0eature! &hile the others are listed in the:artial 'rts Talent in the Talent "ection.

BiteiteDe"cri tion: Aou rab onto someone &ith yourteeth and chomp do&n viciously. 9veryone has this

built-in &eapon.Game Mechanic" 0Fan-"2: 4amageH ><T<H ?9 ;

AccuracyH -* ; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH---; ReachH +; -ea!on Feature H )annot ;lock )annot; Disarm ,niversal.;

"hophopDe"cri tion: Aour hand oes flat and ri id! and

you smack someone &ith the ed e! concentratin theforce into a small tar et area.

Game Mechanics (Chop): 4amageH> dEH<T<H ?;; AccuracyH - ; &alentH )lose )ombat ;

8and Re%uiredH Reach$ ; ; -ea!on Feature H 8one.

GrapplerappleDe"cri tion: Aou rab hold of an enemy &ith

both hands and s=ueeBe the fi ht out of them. 9veryone

has this built-in &eapon.Game Mechanic" 0Gra le2: 4amageH

><T<H ?; ; AccuracyH - ; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH ; ReachH +; -ea!on Feature H,niversal.

Pageage 200




1i@e 31I 4;e<el

(tta%k8" EF8R EF81neak

ModifierIntimidation8 Rea%h

ModifierModifier to 1a<es <s:

Prone (ffli%tion E*amples

"" 8$" 2. 2"4 #ircraft %arrierC

"$ 8$$ 2. 2"" %ruise LinerC

"0 8$0 25 2"0 =ubmarineC

$1 81 25 2$ #irlinerC

$ 8 24 2$. ighter #ircraftC

$/ 8/ 24 2$4 =mall #irplaneC

$5 8. 2 2$" =emi (ruc+C$5 85 2 2$0 'ulldoRerC

$4 84 2" 2 Delivery !anC

$ 8 2" 2. %arC

$" 8" 2$ 24 )orseC

$$ 8$ 2$ 2"Motorcycle6 ,ole #rm6 !ery Large #dult)umanC

$0 888 888 888 #dult human body6 #utomatic BifleC

1 2$ 8$ 8" Large %hildC

2" 8$ 84 %at6 =mall %hild6 =ub8Machine ?unC

/ 2 8" 8. Jnife6 Ne-born6 =emi8#utomatic ,istolC

. 24 8" 8 Mouse6 =mart ,hone6 *tility JnifeC

5 25 8 8$0 DragonflyC

4 2. 8 8$" Medium =piderC

2/ 84 8$4 #ntC

" 2 84 8$. leaC

$ 21 85 8$ #moebaC

0 2$0 85 8"0 !irusC

Q #ny ob ect smaller than =IS 0 has infinitesimal siRe and -eightC # %haracter at =IS 0 cannot harm anyoneCQ %haracters cannot conceal items of their =iRe Level or largerC #ttempts to conceal an item $ =iRe Level lo-er results in a 8$5

,enalty each lo-er =iRe Level results in a 25 'onus6 to a maximum of 2 0CQ Most EKuipment is built to be used by =iRe Level $0 %haractersC If the %haracter is $ =iRe Level too lo- or high6 they suffer a

8 ,enalty to all Bolls -ith the EKuipment if the difference is " =iRe Levels6 the penalty is 856 and if the difference is ormore =iRe Levels6 the %haracter can t use the device effectivelyC

1i@e !able

Pageage 222




Aead Buttead ButtDe"cri tion: Aou introduce someoneCs face to

your forehead! hard. 9veryone has this built-in &eapon.Game Mechanic" 0*ead /utt2: 4amageH

><T<H ?; ; AccuracyH -* ; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; ReachH +; -ea!on Feature H)annot ;lock )annot Disarm ,niversal.; ;

Jump Ki%kump Ki%kDe"cri tion: Aou leap into the air and your foot

comes for&ard. Aou look like youCre that uy on thatT sho& &hoCs a Te(as la&man and has a beard andkno&s karate or somethin ! hell yeah.

Game Mechanic" 0?um Kic!2: 4amageH> dEH<T<?; ; AccuracyH -*; &alentH )lose )ombat H:artial 'rts ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; ReachH ; -ea!on

Feature H )annot ;lock )annot Disarm Re=uires; ; :ove.

Ki%ki%kDe"cri tion: Aou smash someone &ith your foot

or knee. 9veryone has this built-in &eapon.Game Mechanic" 0Kic!2: 4amageH ><T<H ?; ;

AccuracyH - ; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH---; ReachH ; -ea!on Feature H )annot ;lock )annot; Disarm ,niversal.;

Pun%hun%hDe"cri tion: Aou make a fist and jab it in

someoneCs face! blackin eyes and crushin noses.9veryone has this built-in &eapon.

Game Mechanic" 0Punch2: 4amageH ><T<?; ; AccuracyH --- ; &alentH )lose )ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH

; ReachH ; -ea!on Feature H ,niversal.

1>eep Ki%k>eep Ki%kDe"cri tion: Aou crouch on one foot! jut out the

other! and &hirl in a circle! knockin your enemyCs feetout from beneath them.

Game Mechanic" 0S'ee Kic!2: 4amageH><T<?; ; AccuracyH - ; &alentH )lose )ombat H:artial 'rts ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; ReachH ; -ea!on

Feature H )annot ;lock )annot Disarm Knocks; ; Do&n Radius >Reach ?.;

!a%klea%kleDe"cri tion: <urtlin to&ards the enemy! you

smash them to the round like a linebacker. 9veryonehas this built-in &eapon.

Game Mechanic" 0Tac!le2: 4amageH >"tren thH dEH ?;; AccuracyH - ; &alentH )lose)ombat ; 8and Re%uiredH --- ; ReachH +; -ea!on

Feature H )annot ;lock )annot Disarm Knocks; ;Do&n Re=uires :ove ,niversal.; ;

Pageage 56666




amageamage

Dama e comes in four Types$ ;lunt >;?! 9d ed>9?! 5unfire >5?! and 9ner y >8?. Dama e has t&odifferent effects$ it can cause Injury! &hich reduces<ealth in one ;ody #art! and it causes Debility! &hichcauses loss of ife-0orce.

amage Roll Pro%edureamage Roll Pro%edureThere are * steps to each Dama e Roll! listed

belo&.

. 0ind out &hat ;ody #art has been hit.

(tta%k Roll 1F !arget "hoi%e$ to $0 Bandom

$$ to $4#ttac+er may choose to attac+ fromabove6 belo-6 left6 or right

$52 #ttac+er may choose 'ody ,art

0or most attacks! roll dE. If the )haracter isattacked from above! Roll dEHE for ;ody #art. If the)haracter is attacked from belo&! Roll dE for ;ody#art. If the )haracter is attacked from the left or theri ht! apply to appropriate sideCs side body parts.

ie Roll Body Part" oot :Boll for side; to 4 Leg :Boll for side;

5 to (orso1 )ead

$0 to $$ #rms :Boll for side;$" )ands :Boll for side;

. Roll for dama e. Total the dice. The attackcauses this much Injury to the ;ody #art yourolled.

amage !ype 5 ebility amage per :::'lunt :'; . Bolled for DamageEdged :E; $ or . Bolled for Damage?unfire :?; Even die rollEnergy :E; $ per die rolled

Environmental :!; I per die rolled No Debility6 ignoresD,BO and I,BOC

3. 'pply the dama e effects.. "ubtract the tar etCs I#R7 from the Injury

Dama e to that ;ody #art! and record theremainin Injury dama e.

. "ubtract the tar etCs D#R7 from the)haracterCs Debility Dama e to that ;ody#art! and temporarily reduce the tar etCs

I0 by the remainin Debility Dama e.

*. The tar et also loses '# ne(t round e=ualto the Debility Dama e taken.

0lat modifiers to Dama e >i.e. the OH P part ofO dEH P? only add to Injury Dama e! and donCt countas dice for the purposes of calculatin Dama e. "o! fore(ample! if you rolled dEH Dama e for a 5unfireattack! and rolled a * on the dE! you &onCt do anyDebility Dama e the attack &ould to 3 Injury Dama e; and no Debility Dama e.

Pageage 56565




Inanimate -b e%tsnanimate -b e%ts

(tta%king 1tandalone Inanimatetta%king 1tandalone Inanimate-b e%tsb e%ts

Inanimate objects have a base )D90 and RD90of > 3 Q "I ?. If an item has ne ative Defense! anyattack is treated as a success &ith T0 *. <o&ever!unless itCs a really important Roll under stressfulcircumstances! the 5ame :aster should just assumethat the heroes hit any unmovin ! inanimate object thattheyCre aimin at.

amage to Inanimate -b e%tsamage to Inanimate -b e%ts7bjects have t&o dama e absorption abilities!

like creatures instead of <ealth! they have "tructure; >"TR,?! and instead of ife-0orce! they have 0unction>0,8)?. Injury dama e is subtracted from "TR,! andDebility dama e is subtracted from 0,8).

4hen an itemCs "TR, is one! the rest of thedama e is subtracted from the itemCs 0,8). The itemis useless but repairable! and is barely han in

to ether. 4hen the 0,8) is one! the item is dama edbeyond repair.'n objectCs "TR, and 0,8) is based on its siBe

and the materials itCs constructed from. Relative siBesfor inanimate objects! as &ell as for )haracters andanimals! are found on the "iBe Table in )hapter "i(.

-b e%tMaterials 1!R+ F+." Impro<ised

amage ?lass =IS@" =IS@" 20E Leather =IS =IS 20' ood =IS <" =IS 2$' =tone =IS <5 =IS <4 2$d.' Iron =IS <. =IS <5 2$d.2$'@E

=teel =IS </ =IS <. 2$d.2$d '@E *ttersteel =IS <"0 =IS <$0 2 d.'@E

7bjects can deflect or absorb some of theincomin dama e! the same as other objects. 'nobjectCs I#R7 and D#R7 are based on ho& hard theitemCs materials are. ThereCs a bi difference instructure in items constructed of different &oods!plastics! or metals.

-b e%t Materials IPR- PR-!ery =oft 0 0=oft =(B*@" 0#verage =(B*@" =(B*@")ard =(B* =(B*@"!ery )ard =(B* =(B*

E.am le O$;ect": ■ Knife$ ery "mall <ard "teel.

■ aptop$ "mall 'vera e #lastic.■ on "&ord$ :edium <ard "teel.

■ #istol$ "mall <ard "teel. ■ Rifle$ :edium 'vera e "teel%<ard 4ood. ■ "mart #hone$ 9(tremely "mall <ard #lastic.

Impro<ised 'eaponsmpro<ised 'eapons'nythin that can be picked up and s&un or

thro&n can be used as a &eapon. Inanimate objects doa base of dEH<T< Dama e if &ielded in the hand! or

d*H<T< if thro&n.Improvised thro&n &eapons have Ran e 2 yards.

'll improvised &eapons have a - 'ccuracy modifier!and a :ishap )hance of H .

The improvised &eapon may do e(tra dama ebased on &hat the itemCs material is. :ost improvised&eapons do ;lunt Dama e! but if the listin says C;%9C!the item may do 9d ed Dama e instead. )oncrete and

"tone improvised &eapons have an additional -#enalty to 'ccuracy! and Iron! "teel! <ephGstium! and,ttersteel improvised &eapons have another -'ccuracy #enalty.

Pageage 56767




1o%ial 1trifeo%ial 1trife"ocial attacks are like other attacks e(cept there is

no Roll to hit. The OattackerP makes a #9R H#ersuasion! Intimidation! or Trickery Roll vs. thetar etCs :D90 the hi her the "0! the more successful; the effect is. 7n a T0 H! this is a )ompulsion'ffliction.

The tar et of a "ocial attack can al&ays spendD9T to resist the )ompulsion! or they may simply&alk a&ay before the "ocial 'ttack is made forcible;

"ocial attacks have nasty &ords attached to them likeOharassment!P Ointerro ation!P and even Otorture!P asthey radually erode peoplesC emotional health andability to resist.

There are a variety of modifiers that can enhancethe effectiveness of the "ocial 'ttack! or increase thetar etCs :D90. R9# modifiers should al&ays be takeninto account! aside from these e(ample modifiers.

"ir%umstan%e M EF Modifier(hat s ust not possibleC 2$5(hat goes against my

beliefsC2$5

I hate your +indT 2$0My -ife@husband -ouldn t

li+e thatC25

I can t afford thatC 25(hat sounds easyC 888(hat s my obC 888(his -ill ma+e me lots of

money6 right72"

(his is reKuired by la-6any-ayC

24

My -ife@husband -on t li+ethis 3 goodT

24

(his is the -ay -e veal-ays done thingsC

2.

I ve al-ays done it this-ayC

2.

Don t hurt my loved onesTI ll do as you as+T

2

-ther (%tionsther (%tions

"hange Position 39 (P4hange Position 39 (P4De"cri tion: Aou sit! kneel! or stand.

Game Mechanic" 0%han-e Po"ition2: The)haracter spends the '# and chan es their position.0or ame mechanical purposes! there are * possiblepositions$ standin ! sittin %kneelin ! and prone! and the

)haracter may o from standin to sittin %kneelin !sittin %kneelin to prone! or the reverse of any of thesechan es. "ittin %Kneelin and #rone )haracters sufferthe appropriate 'ffliction.

"limb 39 (P4limb 39 (P4De"cri tion: Aou move up and over obstacles.

Game Mechanic" 0%lim$2: Aou move>"TRH'5IH'thletics?% yards up a ladder or knottedrope! or over an object &ith decent handholds. If therope has no knots! or handholds are spare! the

)haracter must make an "TR H 'thletics Roll vs. a D0set by the 5ame :aster not to fall and hurt themselves.)haracters typically suffer dE ;lunt 9nvironmentalDama e per + feet they fall! after the first + feet.

Pageage 56969




on8 off 3, (P4on8 off 3, (P4De"cri tion: Aou put on or take off one article of

clothin . ;ut &hy stop there! baby! &hen itCs justettin C ood6

Game Mechanic" 0Don>Do,,2: The )haracteradds or removes one article of clothin per action.

rop Item 36 (P4rop Item 36 (P4De"cri tion: Aou let o of some item and it

drops to the floor your hands are freed up for other; stuff.

Game Mechanic" 0Dro Item2: The )haracterdrops a 4eapon or Trifle to the round! freein up ahand.

Eat8 rink 39 (P4at8 rink 39 (P4De"cri tion: Aou =uickly scarf an ener y bar or

suck do&n some coffee. 7r maybe you take a s&i ofsome ma ical potion that looks like beet juice andtastes like battery acid. 8o& youCre ready for moreactionL

Game Mechanic" 0Eat>Drin!2: The )haractertakes a bite of some solid food! or a s&i of somebevera e! per 9at%Drink 'ction.

Jump 39 (P4ump 39 (P4De"cri tion: Aou leap into the air! over some

obstacle or across some chasm! or just to&ardsomethin you need.

Game Mechanic" 0?um 2: The )haracter moves>"TR H '5I H 'thletics? inches up and across from astand! or U that many feet &ith a short run.

Ready Item 37 (P4eady Item 37 (P4De"cri tion: Aou reload a &eapon! recalibrate a

device! or just &hip out your cell phone.Game Mechanic" 0Read) Item2: "heathed or

holstered &eapons must be Readied to be used. "ome&eapons re=uire lon er to reload! as noted in theReload 0eature.

Reestt 33, (P4(P4De"cri tion: Aou take a breather in a minute;

youCll be ready to o! but for no&! a little do&ntime.Game Mechanic" 0Re"t2: The )haracter re ains

d*H lost I5 per Rest 'ction.

Run 37 (P4un 37 (P4De"cri tion: Aou allop across the field at a fast

pace! coverin the distance &ith deep breaths and lonstrides.

Game Mechanic" 0Run2: The )haracter moves>"TR H '5I H 'thletics? yards across the round perRun 'ction.

1ear%h 39 (P4ear%h 39 (P4De"cri tion: <ave a look around thereCs;

somethin important here! or someone hidin here! andyouCre oin to find it.

Game Mechanic" 0Search2: The )haractermakes an I8" H 8otice Roll a ainst the D0 of thetar et. If the )haracter is "earchin for a hidin tar et!the D0 is the subjectCs '5I H "neak Roll.

1idestep 35 (P4idestep 35 (P4De"cri tion: ItCs just a jump to the left. 7r a step

to the ri ht ...

Game Mechanic" 0Side"te 2: The )haractermoves yards in any direction on the round.

1neak 3# (P4neak 3# (P4De"cri tion: TheyCll never see you! as lon as

you stick to the shado&s and move slo&ly and=uietly ...

Game Mechanic" 0Snea!2: Aou move >"TR H'5I H "neak?% yards &ithout sufferin any penaltiesto your "neak Roll each yd faster you move! up to; your Run speed! you suffer a - #enalty to the Roll. Ifyou remain still! you ain a H* ;onus to the Roll.

Pageage 56#6#




1>im 37 (P4>im 37 (P4De"cri tion: 4ith lon strokes! you move

throu h the &ater! almost like a fish.Game Mechanic" 0S'im2: The )haracter moves

>"TR H '5I H 'thletics?% yards throu h the &ater per"&im 'ction.

!alk 36 (P4alk 36 (P4De"cri tion: ItCs time to have a &ord &ith

someone! sharin thou hts and ideas! or ood-naturedbanter! or the sort of verbal abuse that never oes outof style.

Game Mechanic" 0Tal!2: Aou say a fe& &ordsto anyone nearby &ho can hear. DonCt o overboard in; a noisy! confusin battle! you can only say a fe& short&ords per Round.

!ransform 3, (P4ransform 3, (P4De"cri tion: Aou shift into another form usin

supernatural po&ers! or maybe you just adjust yourmakeup.

Game Mechanic" 0Tran",orm2: The )haracterchan es themselves in some fundamental &ay. This isanother Ocatch-allP 'ction.

(ffli%tionsffli%tions;ad thin s happen to ,nnaturals that find

themselves outmatched. "ometimes these bad thin spass in time! but sometimes one is cursed forever bytheir meddlin in &ei hty matters.

,nless other&ise stated! if a )haracter is affected&ith the same 'ffliction multiple times! the effectsdonCt stack! but the Durations do.

Fear Roll": 0ear has different effects! based onho& severe it is. ' special e(ample of a "ave Roll isthe 0ear Roll. There are * kinds of 0ear "aves$ "pooky!Dauntin ! and Terrifyin .

!ookyH ‣ AouCre in a dark room and you hear a

stran e noise comin form behind you>D0 +?.

4auntingH ‣ Aou see a hu e bloodstain on the trail

ahead! and the &olf ho&ls are ettincloser >D0 3?.

&errifyingH ‣ Aou see a friend torn limb from limb

&ithout &arnin >D0 +?.

9ach pro ressively reater 0ear "ave has reatereffects! and &ith the reatest 0ear "aves! itCs almostimpossible not to suffer some kind of ill effects.

1pooky Daunting !errifying

!riumph ?ain $ DE( Lose $ DE( Emotional G earH6 plus lose " DE(

1u%%ess No Effect Emotional G earH6 plus lose $ DE( #fraid6 plus lose $d 2" DE(

FailureEmotional G earH6 plus lose $ DE( #fraid6 plus lose $d"2$ DE( ,anic+ed6 plus lose $d.2$ DE(

Mishap #fraid6 plus lose $d" DE( ,anic+ed6 plus lose $d 2$ DE( roRen6 plus lose "d. DE(

Fear 1a<es !able

Pageage 56&6&




(fraidfraidDe"cri tion: AouCve ot the shakes somethin;

bad is about to happen! and itCs hard for you toconcentrate.

Game Mechanic" 0A,raid2: The )haracter ainsa bonus of H to )D90 and RD90! but must spend "#I per Round not to &ithdra& to safety.

BleedingleedingDe"cri tion: Aour precious lifeCs blood is

drippin from your open &ounds soon youCll be dead!;

but at least you &onCt have to do laundry any more.Game Mechanic" 0/leedin-2: The )haracter

loses evel of T5< per round. This doesnCt stop untilsomeone makes an I8" H 9ducation H 0irst 'id Rollvs. D0 <ard Roll to stop the bleedin and stabiliBe the)haracter.

BlindedlindedDe"cri tion: Aou canCt see anythin ! makin it

hard to find your &ay around and avoid dan er.

Game Mechanic" 0/linded2: The )haracterautomatically fails any si ht-based I8"H8otice rolls!and all opponents ain H3 to )D90 and H + to RD90!and all penalties for Ran e increment are doubled. The;linded )haracter also suffers -3 to )D90 and - + toRD90. 4hen the )haracter attempts to move fasterthan U their ma(imum speed! they are treated assufferin the DiBBy 'ffliction.

"ompelled Hompelled HDe"cri tion: 'n order has been issued to you!

&hich you feel you must obey. "ome small part of yourmind is screamin O8oL I nore the commandL AoucanCt D7 thatL!P but you canCt hear it.

Game Mechanic" 0%om elled2: The )haracterobeys the command thatCs been issued to them!

&hatever it is! for the duration of the 'ffliction. 'slisted under the "#I 'sset! a )haracter may spend "#I to i nore a mental or psycholo ical )ompulsion'ffliction for Round the )haracter instead suffers; the 0roBen 'ffliction durin this time.

eafenedeafenedDe"cri tion: Aou canCt hear anythin ! makin it

hard to communicate.Game Mechanic" 0Dea,ened2: The )haracter

automatically fails any hearin -based I8"H8oticerolls! and the Deafened )haracter suffers - to )D90and - to RD90. 7n a :ishap on any "ave Roll a ainstthe Deafened 'ffliction! the )haracter is 0roBen for the Duration! and then Deafened for the full Duration.

istra%tedistra%tedDe"cri tion: Aou face your foe! and y7< :A

57D 4<'T I" T<'T 7 9R T<9R9Game Mechanic" 0Di"tracted2: The )haracter

loses '#! suffers - to all Rolls! and is at - to:D90. 7n a :ishap on a "ave Roll the Distracted'ffliction! the )haracter is instead 0roBen.

i@@yi@@yDe"cri tion: Aou stumble alon as if drunk!

stru lin to keep your feet beneath you.Game Mechanic" 0Di44)2: The )haracter must

make an '5IH'thletics Roll vs. D0 <ard everyRound! or suffer the #rone 'ffliction.

Emotional Hmotional HDe"cri tion: 7vercome &ith a&e! ecstasy!

embarrassment! or some other po&erful feelin s! youcanCt focus on the situation like you should.

Game Mechanic" 0Emotional2: The )haractersuffers a penalty of - to all Defenses! and all Rolls.)haracters may suffer multiple 9motional 'fflictionsof different kinds simultaneously! and all effects stack.#ossible 9motional 'fflictions include an er! apathy!a&e! depression! envy! fear! hatred! joy! love! lust! orshame.

E*hausted*haustedDe"cri tion: AouCre &orn out if you donCt take a;

breather soon! you mi ht collapse.

Pageage 56,6,




Game Mechanic" 0E.hau"ted2: The )haractercannot )limb! Jump! Run! or "&im! and the )haracterCs)D90 and RD90 are halved. If the )haracter suffersthe 9(hausted 'ffliction a ain! they instead fall,nconscious.

Fro@enro@enDe"cri tion: "omethin shockin has happened!

and youCre cau ht immobile! like a poor dumb hornedun ulate in the onrushin headli hts of an -&heeler.

Game Mechanic" 0Fro4en2: The )haracter has +'#! and is at - to all Defenses. The )haracter can takeany 'ctions that do not re=uire '#! and is fully

conscious of their surroundin s. 7n a ood note! the)haracter re ains lost I5 per Round &hile 0roBen.

Image courtesy Free-stoc%-p otos.co.u%.

InebriatednebriatedDe"cri tion: AouCre ood and smashed! makin

you a bit diBBy! nauseous! and fuBBy in the brainpan.

Game Mechanic" 0Ine$riated2: The )haracterCs'5I is halved! and all Defenses are at - . 7n anyfailure on an '5I Roll! the )haracter is treated asDiBBy ne(t round.

Mana%ledana%ledDe"cri tion: Aour feet are bound! makin it

tou h for you to jump or run.

Game Mechanic" 0Manacled2: The onlymovement-type 'ction the )haracter may take is"idestep! and if they try multiple "idesteps per Round!they are treated as DiBBy that Round.

Pani%kedani%kedDe"cri tion: 9verythin seems to have one to

hell your pulse is hammerin in your ears! your si ht; blurs! and the ne(t thin you kno&! youCre runnina&ay at top speed.

Game Mechanic" 0Panic!ed2: The )haractermust take a )limb! Run! Jump! or "&im 'ction everyround to et out of the combat area any other 'ctions; must be spent to protect oneself.

Pronerone

De"cri tion: AouCve been takin a nap! orsomeone knocked you do&n better et up =uickly; before you et kicked in the teeth.

Game Mechanic" 0Prone2: The )haracter suffersa penalty of -3 to )D90! RD90! and the )lose )ombatTalent. The )haracter ains a H bonus to the Ran ed)ombat Talent to use uns or crossbo&s.

1ha%kledha%kledDe"cri tion: AouCve been handcuffed! or your

hands are tied! makin it hard to handle thin sproperly.

Game Mechanic" 0Shac!led2: The )haractercanCt use their hands. The )haracter suffers a - +#enalty to )lose and Ran ed )ombat Talent Rolls! andmost other Talent Rolls the penalty increases to - + if; the )haracterCs hands are "hackled behind their back.

Pageage 56/6/




1itting8Kneelingitting8KneelingDe"cri tion: AouCre sittin or kneelin do&n!

&hich is rela(in and all! but isnCt the best position tobe in &hen someone attacks you.

Game Mechanic" 0Sittin->Kneelin-2: The)haracter suffers a penalty of - to )D90! RD90! andthe )lose )ombat Talent. The )haracter ains a Hbonus to the Ran ed )ombat Talent to use uns orcrossbo&s.

+n%ons%iousn%ons%iousDe"cri tion: AouCre asleep or youCve been

knocked out! leavin you helpless. )ute as a button!thou h.

Game Mechanic" 0 ncon"ciou"2: The )haractermay not take any 'ctions! is completely una&are oftheir surroundin s! and unless theyCre propped up!instantly falls #rone. If the )haracter is successfullyphysically attacked! they a&aken immediately! buttheyCre considered to be helpless a ainst such attacks ;

theyCre automatically considered Triumphs! no need toroll to hit. 'ny 'bility that re=uires the )haracter tospend '#! "#I! or I5 to use cannot be used &hile,nconscious. 7n a ood note! the )haracter re ains lost I5 per Round &hile ,nconscious.

Image courtesy 'eli(, P otovaco.com.

Bleeding -utleeding -utAou kno& ho& to dish out dama e! and ho& to

take it! but &hat happens as a result6

Image courtesy Public-domain-p otos.net.

;o> or .egati<e (bilitieso> or .egati<e (bilities'ny time one of a )haracterCs 'bilities drops to +!

they suffer the ,nconscious 'ffliction for dE Rounds ; there may be other! lastin effects! as &ell.

Ne-ati&e Attri$ute": )egative A3I or &RH The )haracter suffers

the #rone and 0roBen 'fflictions. )egative &38H The )haracter be ins to die.

7nce the )haracter reaches - T5<! theybe in to suffer the ;leedin 'ffliction! untilthey reach a ne ative number of T5< e=ualto t&ice their normal amount! at &hichpoint! theyCre dead.

)egative I) or -I+H The )haracter suffersthe 0roBen 'ffliction. )egative ERH The )haracter suffers the

9motional 'ffliction! but all penalties aremultiplied by the number of ne ative evelsof #9R the )haracter suffers.

Pageage 56060




Ne-ati&e A""et": )egative 8+&H 4hen a )haracter has lost all

< T in a iven ;ody #art! they can nolon er use that ;ody #art for any 'ction!and suffer a penalty of - to all 'ctions.<ead or Torso Dama e is more serious. If a)haracter loses all < T in the <ead orTorso! they suffer a penalty of - to allDefenses and all 'ctions! and theyimmediately suffer the ,nconscious'ffliction for dE rounds. 'lso see:utilation! belo&.

)egative +IFH 's per ne ative T5<. )egative 2I3H 4hen the )haracterCs I5

oes ne ative! they suffer the 9(hausted'ffliction if it oes ne ative by more than; the full! normal amount! the )haracter falls#rone and ,nconscious.

)egative IH "ee the 5oin ;u fuck"ection! belo&.

MutilationutilationIf a )haracterCs < T in any ;ody #art oes

ne ative by more than the same amount as its startin< T! the )haracter suffers evel of permanent<ardship to that ;ody #art. If the < T oes ne ativeby t&ice that amount! the ;ody #art is severed. 0or'rms! e s! <ands! and 0eet! thatCs not a problem! buta severed <ead or Torso means instant death.

)haracters donCt receive bonus ;uild #oints for<ardships suffered as a result of a :utilation.

Aealing +pealing +pRe-ainin- Lo"t A$ilit) Le&el": )haracters

re ain evel in all lost 'bilities per day.Re-ainin- Lo"t *LT: )haracters re ain < T

per day to all affected ;ody #arts! e(cept the <ead andTorso! &hich re ain every other day.

Re-ainin- Lo"t LIF: )haracters re ain dE I0per day.

Re-ainin- Lo"t (IG: )haracters re ain dE I5&ith a Rest 'ction.

Re-ainin- Lo"t SPI: )haracters re ain dE "#Iper day spent restin and rela(in .

The above rates assume complete rest andrela(ation! &ith proper medical care in the case ofphysical harm. The rates are halved &ithout propermedical treatment! and halved a ain if the )haractersare &orkin or en a in in vi orous activity.

Pageage 56262

Mutilation E*ampleutilation E*ample

:oah has 18 ea th -oints in his andoah has 18 ea th -oints in his andHnce he s#ffers more than 18 points of (nG#r&nce he s#ffers more than 18 points of (nG#r&Damage to his and! it)s rendered #n#sa" e! "#tamage to his and! it)s rendered #n#sa" e! "#t%i sti hea #p nice & (f he s#ffers 19 to 36i sti hea #p nice & (f he s#ffers 19 to 36points of (nG#r& Damage to his and! he) s#fferoints of (nG#r& Damage to his and! he) s#ffer1 Be*e of some ardship! permanent &! s#ch asBe*e of some ardship! permanent &! s#ch as

ad ands (f he s#ffers more than 37 points ofad ands (f he s#ffers more than 37 points of(nG#r& Damage to his and! it)s se*ered! and henG#r& Damage to his and! it)s se*ered! and hepermanent & s#ffers the appropriate ardship asermanent & s#ffers the appropriate ardship asa res# tres# t




Going Bugfu%koing Bugfu%k

“)one of you under tand( -E ARE &8E E+4ER "EA & ( -e dwell eternally in theYlem, and the Realm are only delu ion we invented to hide our un !eakable !ower fromour elve ( -hen you omeday tir from your tu!or, you too will know that there i no rightor wrong, no life or death for uch a we there i only !ower(/;

* Final word from the renegade 0y tic 3arvin anto , before hi e ecution.

Just as losin <ealth &ill kill you! losin all your"pirit &ill drive you mad.

4hen the )haracter drops to + "#I of less! rolldE on the 5oin ;u fuck Table! and add the amount

of ne ative "#I the )haracter is currently sufferin !each time the )haracter loses "#I.

Roll Effe%t

" to 5

=uffer an #ffliction for $ BoundC Boll "d.&:" to 4;& Emotional Gthe ?ame Master -ill choose an appropriate emotionHC:5 to /;& #fraidC: to $";& DistractedC

. to 1

=uffer an #ffliction for $d. BoundsC Boll "d.&

:" to 4;& Emotional Gthe ?ame Master -ill choose an appropriate emotionHC:5 to /;& #fraidC: to $";& DistractedC

$0 to $

=uffer a ea+ness for $d. BoundsC Boll "d.&:" to ;& %onfusedC:4 to .;& %ruelC:/ to 1;& ObsessedC:$0 to $";& DespairingC

$4 or more Boll "d. on ,ermanent Madness (able6 belo-6 adding :Boll on this (able minus 1;&

Going Bugfu%k !able

9ach time you roll on the 5oin ;u fuck Table!add dE to the )haracterCs current "#I if theyCre still; ne ative! roll a ain.

)haracters attemptin to i nore the effects of a<ardship ained from ne ative "#I suffer a loss to #9Rinstead of "#I.

Pageage 55656




Roll Effe%t" to =uffer the Delusions ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

4 =uffer the ,hobia ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

5 =uffer the ,sychic =cars ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

. =uffer the Mood =-ings ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

/ =uffer the Detached ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

=uffer the Distant ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

1 =uffer the %onfused ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

$0 to $$ =uffer the Obsessed ea+ness at Level $6 permanentlyC

$"

Boll "d. again&:" to ;& Boll again on the ,ermanent Mental Illness (able the Level is $d"C

:4 to 5;& Boll t-ice on the ,ermanent Mental Illness (ableC Ignore this result if rolled again:. to /;& Boll again Level is $d 2"C: to 1;& ,ermanently lose $ Level of IN=6 ,EB6 or ILC:$0;& ,ermanently lose " Levels of IN=6 ,EB6 or ILC:$$ to $";& Boll again on the ,ermanent Mental Illness (able the Level is $d.2 C

Permanent Bugfu%k !able

#ermanent mental illnesses are usually related insome &ay to the horrifyin circumstances that causedthem! or e(acerbate some e(istin or latent condition.The 5ame :aster may sli htly modify the results ofsuch a roll to somethin that makes sense.

)haracters donCt ain bonus ;uild #oints from<ardships ained from the 5oin ;u fuck section.

"ombat E*ampleombat E*ample!he 1et +phe 1et +p

8oah ;ell! ilith Deodata! and Ri hteous 5 havebeen appointed to form a #act by the )ouncil of 8i htof 8ineveh. TheyCve been ordered to look into a)onsortium eneficus in the area &hoCs been rippinoff ,nnaturals &ho trade &ith him. They &alk into theabandoned &arehouse &here the trader does businessand! fore&arned! he immediately orders his three"hado& 5oblin body uards to attack the dark heroes.

Initiati<enitiati<eThe combatants are all a&are of each other! so

thereCs no chance of ambush. The 5ame :aster tells allthe #layers to roll *dE and add their )haractersC I8IT

evels for Initiative for their )haracters! and he rollsfor the eneficus and the "hado& 5oblins. The totalsare$

Pla)er %haracter" Initiati&e Roll":

8oah ;ell$ Rolls + H I8IT [ Total .ilith Deodata$ Rolls H I8IT [ Total +.

Ri hteous 5$ Rolls 2 H I8IT 2 [ Total .

NP% Initiati&e Roll":

"hado& 5oblin $ Rolls 2 H I8IT * [ Total /."5 $ Rolls H I8IT * [ Total .

"5*$ Rolls / H I8IT * [ Total +.eneficus$ Rolls / H I8IT [ Total 1.

Pageage 55555




4e have a tie bet&een ilith and "hado& 5oblin*! so &e compare their '5I evels. ;oth ilith and"hado& 5oblins have '5I E. 8e(t &e look at I8".

ilith has I8" E! &hile "hado& 5oblins have I8" /! so"hado& 5oblin * ets to o before ilith.

Initiati&e Order:

8oah ;ell"hado& 5oblin "hado& 5oblin *

ilith Deodataeneficus

Ri hteous 5"hado& 5oblin

"ombat (%tionsombat (%tionsNoah@" Turn: The 5ame :aster asks 8oahCs

#layer &hat he &ants to do. 8oah decides he &ants tomake sure that the eneficus doesnCt et a&ay! o heCs

oin to cast his 9ntan le 0ormula from the "ubstanceDark 'rt on the eneficus! describin ho& theconcrete beneath the eneficusC feet turns to =uicksandand holds him fast. 8oahCs #layer adds that 8oah is

oin to chant in atin and make arcane handmovements to enhance his spell! reducin its psychicstrain. The 5ame :aster approves! and tells 8oah tomake his spellcastin rolls.

8oah is a Kni ht of #ymander and is castin a"ubstance 0ormula! so he needs to roll I8" H 9(pert HDark 'rt M"ubstanceN. 8oahCs #layer decides that heCs

oin to try for the stron est possible effect he canmana e! evel *! so the D0 for this roll is > + H >*

evels S )ost per evel for ery )heap "pecial'bility?? [ E. 8oahCs #layer rolls *dE and adds I8" /H 9(pert * H Dark 'rt M"ubstanceN * [ *. <e rolls an

! for a total of 2! sadly just short of &hat heCd needto succeed 8oahCs #layer decides to add "#I to the; roll! makin it a E! &hich is e(actly &hatCs needed forsuccess.

9ntan le has a "tandard #hysical )ost! so it costs* I5 to cast in addition! 0ormulas al&ays cost; > evels?dE "#I to cast. 8oahCs #layer rolls *dE and etsa E! a very ood! lo& rollL <e can reduce the cost by

for the use of 'ncient an ua es! and more for the:a ical #asses! for a total "#I )ost of 2.

The eneficus is entitled to a "ave roll a ainst the9ntan le effect. <e may roll '5I H 'thletics vs.>>8oahCs Dark 'rt M"ubstanceN evels S ? H 3?. The

eneficus has '5I 2 and 'thletics ! and 8oah usedall * of his Dark 'rt M"ubstanceN evels! so the D0 is

. The eneficus rolls *dE and ets /! for a total of

the 5ame :aster announces that the eneficus; suffers the "hackled 'ffliction. <eCs not oinany&here.

The 9ntan le "pell took an 'ttack 'ction! &hichcost * '#! so 8oah has '# left. <e takes a Dod eaction &ith his remainin '#! and his )D90 andRD90 temporarily increase by . That ends 8oahCsTurn.

Shado' Go$lin @" Turn: The eneficusordered the s&arthy little bastards to take out the #act!and the "hado& 5oblin brandishes its knife and closeson 8oah. The 5ame :aster says itCll take a Run 'ctionto et to 8oah! leavin the "hado& 5oblin enou h '#to s&ipe at 8oah &ith the knife.

The "hado& 5oblin has '5I E and )lose )ombat2! and rolls a * on *dE! for a total of *. 8oahCs )D90is normally a mere ! but is boosted to / ri ht no&because heCs takin a Dod e 'ction. The "hado&5oblin still rolled plenty to hit! and so he rolls forDama e. The "0 of the roll is E > * Q / [ E?! not =uitehi h enou h for the "hado& 5oblin to choose &hat;ody #art he hits.

The "hado& 5oblin does *dE 9d ed dama e &iththe knife! rollin a E! a E! and a *. This does 3Debility Dama e and Injury Dama e. 7uchL The5ame :aster rolls a 2 on dE and consults the ;ody#art Table! seein that the 5oblin hit 8oahCs e . <erolls another die! &hich comes up *! odd! meanin that8oahCs left le &as hit. 8oahCs 'ssets look like thisri ht no&$

I0$ 1

I5$ "#I$ *

< T$ 'll normal! e(cept eft e is do&n to < T.

)D90$ /RD90$ E

:D90$ 3'nother hit like that! and 8oahCs le &ill ive out

on him. 'lso! because he suffered Injury dama e!ne(t round he loses '#. That sucks.

Shado' Go$lin B@" Turn: "hado& 5oblin * seesthe un in Ri hteous 5Cs hand! and decides to take himout before he can level that muthafuckinC piece.

ike "hado& 5oblin ! \* takes a Run 'ction!comin at Ri hteous 5 and slashin at him &ith hisknife. <e rolls *dE! ettin a 1! and adds his '5I E and

Pageage 55757




)lose )ombat 2! ettin a total of 1 to hit.,nfortunately for it! Ri hteous 5 has a )D90 of *.The 5oblin is out of '#! so its turn is over.

Lilith Deodata@" Turn: ilith sees that theyCreoutnumbered! and thinks of a &ay to turn the tables intheir favor. "he uses her 9nslave Innate #o&er on"hado& 5oblin ! commandin it to attack "hado&5oblin * in front of 8oah.

The 9nslave Dark #o&er re=uires a )ontrol'ction! so thatCll be all 3 of her '# for this Round. The"hado& 5oblin has to make a 4I H "elf-)ontrol"ave roll a ainst a D0 of 1. The 5oblin rolls a total of1! and addin his 4I of 2 and "elf-)ontrol of *! has atotal of E. <e fails! and he suffers the )ompulsion'ffliction.

(ene,icu"@ Turn: The eneficus is sunk up to hisankles in =uicksand! but he can still perform ma ic.<eCs oin to help out his 5oblin minions by castin anener y bolt spell at the #act itCs hard to say &hoCs most; dan erous! but iven that 8oah imprisoned him in theconcrete! heCs oin to blast him. 0irst he needs tomake a roll to cast the spell! and then make a ran edroll to hit.

The eneficus doesnCt feel the need to overdo it!so heCll just make it a evel * 9lemental ;olt M9ner yN0ormula that he casts. The eneficus &ill use 'ncient

an ua es! :a ical #asses! and his )onsecrated Toolsto cast the 0ormula! and "ince 9lemental ;olt is an'vera e "pecial 'bility! the D0 for the roll &ill be * .

The eneficus &ill roll *dE to cast! and add his#9R of to his 9(pert Talent of and its Dark 'rtM9ner yN Talent of 2. <e rolls a 3! &hich! added to his#9R and Talents! adds up to . This isnCt enou h tosucceed! but since the eneficus is an important 8#)!the 5ame :aster decides to allo& the eneficus tospend some "#I on its behalf to make the roll succeed.It spends 2 "#I! and the 0ormula oes off successfully.

The eneficus needs to roll to hit no&. It has '5I2 and Ran ed )ombat 2! and it adds these to a *dE roll.It rolls a +! for a total of 8oahCs RD90 is currently;

E! so the roll hits. The 0ormula does dEH> evels% ?9ner y dama e! &hich &orks out to dEH it rolls E; Injury Dama e since there &ere dice! the attack does;

Debility Dama e! since itCs 9ner y. The 5ame:aster then rolls dE on the ;ody #art Table to see&here the eneficus hits 8oah >since the "0 &as nothi h enou h for it to choose &hat ;ody #art it hits?. Itrolls a /! so 8oah is hit in the Torso. <e takes E InjuryDama e to the Torso! and Debility Dama e! andloses more '#. 'lthou h heCs not dead yet! &ith the '# he &as already do&n! it looks like he &onCt bedoin much ne(t Round. 8oah drops &ith a scream and&rithes in pain.

The eneficus rolls *dE for the "#I cost from his0ormula! and rolls a / he can reduce that by for; usin the 'ncient an ua es :ystical Techni=ue! more for :a ical #asses! and > evels% [ .3? for)onsecrated Tools! but he still ends up losin * "#I.7n top of the 2 he spent castin the spell! heCs left &ith/ of his ori inal 2 "#I. <eCs oin to have to tonedo&n the spellcastin from here! or find a moreefficient &ay to finish up the fi ht.

Ri-hteou" G@" Turn: 'i ht! no& itCs on. "hado&5oblin * has closed &ith Ri hteous 5! so he mi ht as&ell summon his li ht-s&ord and cut into the littlefreak. <e has '5I + and )lose )ombat 2! plus fromthe &eaponCs 'ccuracy. In addition! the 5oblin hasonly a Reach + &eapon! ivin Ri hteous 5 a H bonus

to hit for the Reach on his 9lemental s&ord! ivinhim a total attack bonus of H /. <e rolls *dE and ets a2! for a total of * . This is hi her than the 5oblinCs

)D90 of +! so he definitely hits. In fact! &ith his "0of ! he can choose to attack from above! belo&! left!or ri htL Ri hteous 5Cs #layer decides that he slashesinto the 5oblin &ith a mi hty overhand blo& fromabove! so he ets to roll dEHE on the ;ody #art Tableto see &here he hits. <e rolls a 1! &hich means that hehits the 5oblin in the head. <e rolls 2dEH for the9ner y Dama e from the attack! ettin a dice rolltotal of E! for a total of / Injury Dama e and 2Debility Dama e to the 5oblin. The "hado& 5oblinhas E < T in its <ead! &hich means it can survive upto - in its <ead before itCs dead. ItCs at - ! &hichmeans it slumps! bleedin profusely! clin in to life byonly a tenuous thread.

Shado' Go$lin C: :ind-controlled by ilith!"hado& 5oblin takes a Run 'ction to close on itscomrade "hado& 5oblin *! and slashes at him &ith hisknife. "hado& 5oblin has a total attack roll bonus ofH + &ith its knife! and rolls a ! for a total of .ThatCs hi her than "hado& 5oblin *Cs )D90 of +! sohe hits. <e rolls *dE for 9d ed Dama e and rolls a E! aE! and a 3! for a total of / Injury Dama e and Debility Dama e. <e rolls dE on the ;ody #art Tableand rolls an . ;oom! head shot. "hado& 5oblin falls.

!he 'rap +phe 'rap +p't this point! the eneficus surrenders t&o of its; minions have been defeated! one is mind-controlled!

and althou h 8oah is unconscious! he doesnCt fancy hischances a ainst a 5h l and a )hild of i ht &hile hisfeet are sunk in =uicksand.

Pageage 55959




)ombat can be a little comple(! but it can os&iftly and smoothly if the #layers and the 5ame:aster are familiar &ith the rules and do somecalculations ahead of time. #rintin out some copies ofthe ;ody )hart Table and other tables ahead of time&ill help! as &ill calculatin attack roll bonuses for

&eapons! and :ystics bein familiar &ith the D0calculations for their spellsC D0 to cast and "#I costs.7n the other hand! combat in the Dir e R#5 is deadly!and #)s should al&ays think carefully before rushininto a fracas they may very &ell be carried out on a; stretcher! or in a hearse.

Pageage 55#5#




"hapter II$ !he Pleromahapter II$ !he PleromaThere are many planes of e(istence! each &ith their o&n elemental ali nments! ener y si natures! destinies!

and ma ical potencies. :any Realms of the #leroma are eerily reminiscent of places of the ale of theDo&ntrodden! only t&isted and surreal! &hile other places are uni=ue and &onderful! or terrifyin beyond parallel.

Realm "hara%teristi%sealm "hara%teristi%s

Realm 1tatisti%sealm 1tatisti%sElemental %haracteri"tic": 9very Realm e(cept

the ale of the Do&ntrodden has one or more :ystical

9lement that itCs attuned to! and some :ystical9lements that are &eaker &ithin its domain. These9lemental )haracteristics provide the listed ;onuses or#enalties to :ysticsC Dark 'rts Talents &hen used inthese Realms.

Emotional Re"onance: :ost Realms resonate&ith certain emotions a RealmCs 9motional Resonance; &ill list one such emotion! &ith a evel. )haracters

must make 4I H "elf-)ontrol "ave rolls vs. D0>> evel S ?H +? on enterin the Realm to avoidsufferin the 9motional 'ffliction re ardin thatemotion! and all "ave rolls a ainst that 9motion suffera #enalty e=ual to the 9motional Resonance evel ofthat Realm.

Mem$rane: 9very Realm has a barrier of ener ysurroundin it! separatin it from the 'stral Realm andrestrictin travel in and out. ' RealmCs :embrane is

iven a evel! and a typical Realm like the ale of theDo&ntrodden has a :embrane evel of 3. 'ny "pecial'bility that uses the current RealmCs :embrane in its)ost To ,se cannot be used if the current RealmCs:embrane evel is +.

Nei-h$orin- Realm": The Realms that can betraveled to from this one from naturally-occurrinRuptures. These relationships arenCt constant! ho&ever ; Realms shift and drift &ith the Oastral tide!P and t&oRealms may become nei hbors! or drift apart! overtime.

%entral %ontradiction: In many &ays! Realmsare )haracters! too. "ome are even sentient! but eventhe non-sentient ones have a uni=ue personality. The)entral )ontradiction of a Realm is &hat makes itdynamic and interestin ! and the )ontradictions of#leroma are really deep philosophical andmetaphysical issues that pla ue all bein s! iven sharpfocus throu h direct interaction.

Phenomena1 Site"1 and Encounter": 4hat arethe )haracters likely to find in the Realm6 #henomenaare unusual physical properties of the Realm that may

help or hinder Realms-travelers. "ites are important orinterestin locations in a Realm! that travelers may&ish to visit! or avoid. 9ncounters are creatures or

roups kno&n to inhabit the Realm! that may help orhinder the )haracters. "ome e(ample #henomena arelisted belo&.

Pageage 55&5&




3ravityH Realms may have different ravitythan the ale in some Realms )haracters; may find themselves as li ht as a feather!&hile in others! itCs almost impossible tomove.‣ FreefallH 8o object is treated as havin

any mass. )haracters can conceivablymove any &ei ht! althou h objects stillretain their inertia. )haracters can OflyPby kickin off of objects! movin in astrai ht line in the opposite direction!ho&ever #)s must make an '5I H'thletics roll D0 'vera e > +? to keepfrom painfully crashin clumsily intoobjects and sufferin dEH*;. 'ny"ave roll that &ould cause a )haracterto be rendered "ittin %Kneelin or#rone instead knocks them back&ardat a rate of >"ave roll D0 - +?% yardsper Round.

‣ 8eavyH 'll )haracters are treated ashavin their normal "TR for liftinand carryin &ei ht! and all travelspeeds are halved. 'll "ave rollsa ainst the "ittin %Kneelin or #rone'fflictions suffer a -3 #enalty.

urity J KH "ome semi-sentient Realms havea certain stron moral or immoralpersonality! and visitors &ith may feelparticularly oppressed in this Realm if theirbeliefs vary! or comforted and uplifted iftheir beliefs are in a reement.‣ "eneficentH 'ny inhabitants &ith more

)orruption than the RealmCs &ill suffera loss of d* "#I per hour. If the)haracter has t&ice as much)orruption or more! the loss is dEH .'nyone that loses )orruption due to

ood acts instantly ains dE "#I andheals dE I0.

‣ 0alignantH 'nyone &ith less)orruption than the RealmCs evel &ithsuffer a loss of d* "#I per hour. If the)haracter has half as much )orruptionor less! the loss is dEH . 'nyone that

ains )orruption due to evil actsinstantly ains dE "#I and heals dEI0.

&ech Re triction J KH Due to differences inphysical la&s! or some preference of a semi-sentient Realm! technolo y canCt be countedon to &ork consistently out amon the

#leroma. Thaumatronics al&ays &ork in anyRealm! ho&ever! since theyCre ma ical! notmere machines.‣ re ElectronicH 9lectronics cease to

&ork properly! but other forms oftechnolo y &ork fine.

‣ re Firearm H )hemicals lose anyhi hly-e(plosive properties! renderinfirearms useless.

Ruptures and Gate>aysuptures and Gate>aysRuptures are naturally-occurrin openin s in the

:embrane of a Realm! and the &eaker the :embrane!

the more common Ruptures &ill be. Rupturesspontaneously open and close over time due to theastral tide! but they can be stabiliBed into 5ate&ays."orcerers can take a Rupture and stabiliBe it into a5ate&ays! a permanent t&o-&ay OtunnelP bet&eenRealms. They can also craft 5ate&ays bet&een Realmsthat arenCt adjacent to one another! but this is very timeconsumin .

A earance: Ruptures and 5ate&ays vary &ildlyin appearance! and can be obvious to the naked eye! orcan blend into the environment. "ome fuse unseen &ithan e(istin openin in some surface! so that someonetakin a =uick run to the bathroom suddenly appears!une(pectedly! in another Realm. "ome float in midair!unattached to any surface most of these are barely; visible as a shimmerin distortion in the air! like a heatshimmer in a rou hly lobular area. :ost Ruptures and5ate&ays are small! coverin an area to * yards indiameter! but some cover entire rooms. 9ven &orse!some Ruptures oscillate into and out of e(istence &iththe astral tide everyone is sittin around in the ale of; the Do&ntrodden! and then &ithout movin ! everyonedisappears! reappearin in the 5lades of :irth or the4astelands of "ufferin . ;oth Ruptures and 5ate&aysvary &ildly from time to time and place to place.

Fre6uenc) and Di"co&er): )haracters that findthemselves trapped in a Realm may need to search forRuptures to find a &ay out roll )haracterCs evels in; The "i ht a ainst a D0 of >:embrane S2? each day. 7na success! the )haracter finds a Rupture that leads to arandom! nei hborin Realm.

Ruptures are most likely to occur in places thatcorrespond conceptually! 9lementally! or emotionallyto the Realm that they lead to. ike&ise! 5ate&ays areeasiest to construct in places &ith stron conceptual!9lemental! or emotional links to the far destination.

Pageage 55,5,




Ener-) Flo': 9lemental and emotional ener yconstantly flo&s both &ays from Ruptures and5ate&ays! and )haracters &ithout The "i ht can oftendetect Ruptures and 5ate&ays by e(aminin othersCemotional state! or observin stran e behavior in the

9lements! in the vicinity. 'lso! many supernaturalcreatures thrive in the re ion around Ruptures! andincreases in si htin s of biBarre entities can indicatethe presence of a Rupture! also.

!he =ale of the o>ntroddenhe =ale of the o>ntroddenOThe ale of the Do&ntroddenP is a fancy name

for the :ortal &orld. The :ortal &orld of the Dir eR#5 is much like ours to the casual lance. ItCs ot

junkyards and 2-hour convenience stores!supermarkets! used car lots! trailer parks and housinprojects! but behind the shado&s of the ale lies a&orld of secrets and evil forces.

=ale of the o>ntrodden 1tatisti%sale of the o>ntrodden 1tatisti%sRealm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H 8one overall!

but certain areas! especially near Ruptures or5ate&ays! may have 9lemental)haracteristics.

Emotional Re onanceH 8one overall! butcertain areas! especially near Ruptures or5ate&ays! may have 9motional Resonances.

0embraneH 3. )eighboring Realm H 'stral #lane! the )ity

of "pirits! the Industrial 8e(us! the 5ladesof :irth.

1entral 1ontradictionH The ale is full ofmythic po&ers as it &as in the ancient past!but vast conspiracies have led theinhabitants to a cynical and jaded outlookthat i nores anythin &ondrous! and is blindto the true terrors of the ni ht.

henomena, ite , and Encounter H Theale isnCt =uite as dan erous as many other

Realms! but the shado&s still hold threatslike :ystics! )hildren of i ht! 5h ls! and9nkidu. :ost of the inhabitants are ordinary:ortals! thou h! and most of the sites areordinary locations! apartment buildin s!schools! coffee shops! or the local "elB-:ore"uperstore K .

;ilith eodata -ut%ast Ghulilith eodata -ut%ast Ghulilith is a 5h l of the 7utcast Tribe! a family of

carnies that has hauled 0erris &heels and cotton candymachines from one shore to another in the continentalstates. ilith re& to hate the kids in the to&ns theypassed throu h! seein only their contempt at the One&kid!P but since her teena e years! sheCs be un to &ishthe 5atherin &ould settle do&n some&here! so shecould have some friends that didnCt eventually end… up invited to her familyCs supper table.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH E I) H E &RH S ><T< dEH ? ERH 2 &38H 1S -I+H 3S [ Includes bonuses from Inhuman 'ttributes.

Initiati&e I)I&H

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ ** )7R$ * I5$ / "#I$ 1 < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ *.‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ 2+.‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ 33.‣ M N <ead < T$ 2.‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ * .‣ M to N <and < T$ *.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ * :D90$ RD90$ E

Pageage 55/5/




/a"ic Talent": 'thletics$ ---! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ !Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ ---!<idden ore$ ---! Intimidation$ ---!8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ ! Ran ed )ombat$2! Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ ! "neak$ !Trickery$ ! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent":'ttractive$ .

)arousin $ . )reepy ooks$ . :arksman$ >)ombat '&areness! 0ast

'ttack?.

*ard"hi ": 0ortal 8ard hi! H‣ )ynical$ .‣ :ood "&in s$ .‣ 7utsider$ evel .‣ #oor$ evel .

6nnatural 8ard hi! H‣ Dark <un er$ .

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H ‣ )onsume 0lesh$ evel .‣ Dim "i ht$ evel .‣ 9nslave >Innate #o&er?$ evel .‣ 0an s$ evel .‣ Inhuman 'ttribute$ M"TR! T5<N$ evel

.‣ Re eneration$ evel .‣ "harp "ense M"mellN$ evel *.‣ The "i ht$ evel .

Po""e""ion":-ea!on H ‣ i tol >D:5 3dE5! Ran e yd!

'ccuracy - ! Total 'ttack Roll H1?.

ArmorH 8one. &rifle H <andcuffs! rain coat! sun lasses.

Detail":e H 0emale.

AgeH 1. referenceH ;ise(ual

8eightH 3C 3.P -eightH + lbs. Eye 1olorH ;lue. 8air 1olorH ;lack. 8air tyleH "houlder-len th and &avy. kin &oneH ery pale. 1lothe H ;lack vinyl jacket! black t-shirt!

cutoffs! torn fishnet stockin s. er onalityH 7ut oin ! friendly!

temperamental! sli htly manipulative. 3oal H ilith &ants some real friends!

friends sheCll keep and stay in contact &ith."he has a romantic streak a mile lon ! butshe doesnCt kno& a thin about affairs of theheart other than from &atchin movies. 'ndreadin trashy novels. 'nd from removinthe heart! alon &ith the other or ans! &henbutcherin a fresh carcass.

b tacle H ilithCs 5atherin is very insular!and rarely even bothers to meet the local)ouncil of 8i ht &herever they are! so sheCsonly met a fe& other ,nnaturals. The5atherin Cs elders tend to react badly to theirfolk &anderin off on their o&n e(cept toprey on the locals! so sheCll have a hard timeunless she &ants to leave the 5atherinalto ether.

1entral 1ontradictionH :ost kids dream ofrunnin a&ay from home to join the circus ; ilith dreams of runnin a&ay from thecolor and the e(citement. ;y the time they

raduate from hi h school! most kids havedated several people ilith has killed and; eaten lots of people! but never held hands&ith someone. "he understands theprinciples behind seduction for the purposesof brin in home the bacon >or the OlonporkP?! but sheCs never done so. "heCs full ofbri ht dreams that donCt belon in her dark&orld.

Stor) "e>Note": ilith can be used as a #layer)haracter! or as an adversary for a roup of7rdo )ustodes 8octis a ents trackin do&nsome indiscreet 5h ls.

Pageage 55050




.oah Bell Pymandri Mysti%oah Bell Pymandri Mysti%8oah ;ell is a :ystic and Kni ht of #ymander ;

but before that! he &as a =uiet and unassumin artstudent at the 8ineveh )ommunity )olle e in4ashin ton.

8oah is the e(ample of )haracter creation from)hapter III.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH 3 I) H / &RH E ><T< dEH d*? ERH3 &38H 3 -I+H /

Initiati&e I)I&H

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ * )7R$ + I5$ 3 "#I$ 1 < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ E.‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ /.‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ */! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ .‣ M N <ead < T$ E.‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ ! I#R7$ 1!

D#R7$ .‣ M to N <and < T$ E.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ :D90$ 3 RD90$

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ---! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ !Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ ---!<idden ore$ *! Intimidation$ ---! Ran ed)ombat$ ---! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ !Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ ! "neak$ ---!Trickery$ ---! 4ealth$ ---.


)arousin $ . Dark 'rt M9ner yN$ *. Dark 'rt M"piritN$ *. Dark 'rt M"ubstanceN$ *.

9(pert >'rt$ #aintin ! ;elief "ystems$<ermeticism! an ua e$ atin?$ *.

:ystical Techni=ues >'ncient an ua es!)onsecrated Tools! 0reecastin ! :a ical#asses! Rituals?$ 3.

"toic$ evel .

*ard"hi ":'ddicted M)affeineN$ .

7athbound M"upport the Kni hts of#ymanderN$ evel .

#hobia M<ei htsN$ .

Dar! Po'er":

Formul H ‣ EnergyH ;lindin ;urst! )loak!

Divination M#yromancyN.‣ !iritH 'ffect "pirits! Daydream! 'stral

#rojection.‣ ub tanceH 9ntan le! "ense 9lements

M"ubstanceN! Telekinesis.

Po""e""ion":-ea!on H ‣ 7nifeH The

ArmorH eather Jacket. &rifle H 9ner y drink! smart phone!

sun lasses.

Detail":e H :ale.

AgeH . referenceH <eterose(ual 8eightH 3C .P -eightH E3 lbs. Eye 1olorH ;ro&n. 8air 1olorH ;lack. 8air tyleH on on top! short on the sides

and in the back. kin &oneH "li htly pale. 1lothe H ;lack leather jacket! blue jeans!

band t-shirts. er onalityH Xuiet! perceptive! creative!

&ithdra&n! introspective. 3oal H 0e& if any. 8oah doesnCt kno& &hat

he &ants to do &ith his life! other thanpursuin his <i her "elf. In a &ay! his oalis to find a &orthy oal.

Pageage 55252




b tacle H 8oah is on his o&n! at colle efor the first time! and is learnin harshlessons about ho& the &orld &orks! and&hat people e(pect of you.1entral 1ontradictionH 8oah is a shy andbookish kid thatCs a member of a )ult full ofoutspoken assholes. <eCs not very assertiveat all! but is radually learnin to be less of a&imp from his superiors in the #ymandri! alesson as valuable as his ma ic lessons in hispersonal ro&th. 9ventually! he maysurprise them all and become a reat leader!the bi est jerk in a )ult full of self-important &indba s! but that time is far offyet.

Stor) "e>Note": 8oah is a pretty typical lo&-level :ystic. <eCs still relatively i norant ofho& thin s &ork in the local )ouncil of8i ht! and heCs only made a fe& forays intothe #leroma. 8oah is suitable for use by a#layer as their )haracter! or he could be anally rival to another :ystic from the samere ion.

Righteous Gighteous G ?a@ata "hild of ;ighta@ata "hild of ;ightRi hteous 5 &as once kno&n as 5abuthelon! an

honored )hild of i ht of the valorous AaBata e ion.4hen 5abuthelon 0ell! it found itself in an abandonedbuildin in 8ineveh! surrounded by street an sters.'fter it beat several of them severely! they invited it to

join their an it be an to identify as male! and took; the street name ORi hteous 5.P 5abuthelon has ro&nto love his ne&! :ortal family! but &onders if some oftheir activities mi ht be contrary to :ortal la&.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH +S I) H 2 &RH +S ><T< *dE? ERH 3 &38H +S -I+H 3

S [ Includes bonuses from Inhuman 'ttributes.

Initiati&e

I)I&H 2Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ *3 )7R$ / I5$ *+ "#I$ 2 < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ *+! I#R7$ !D#R7$ .

‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ 3+! I#R7$ ! D#R7$.

‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ /+! I#R7$ !D#R7$ .

‣ M N <ead < T$ *+! I#R7$ ! D#R7$ .‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ 2+! I#R7$ !

D#R7$ .‣ M to N <and < T$ *+! I#R7$ !

D#R7$ .

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ * :D90$ RD90$ /a"ic Talent":

'thletics$ ! )lose )ombat$ 2! Dod e$ 2!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ---! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ ! Intimidation$ !8e otiation$ ---! 8otice$ ---! Ran ed)ombat$ ! Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ !"neak$ ---! Trickery$ ---! 4ealth$ ---.


)onnections$ * >5an stas?. Tou h as 8ails$ .

*ard"hi ": 0ortal 8ard hi! H ‣ 7athbound M:ust #unish

7athbreakersN$ 2.‣ 7utsider$ *.‣ #sychic "cars$ *.

6nnatural 8ard hi! H‣ Dyin "park >,nnatural <ardship?$ .

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H ‣ 9lemental 4eapon M9ner yN$ .

Dama e$ 2dEH .‣ 9lemental 4in s M9ner yN$ .‣ 9lemental "hield M9ner yN .‣ Inhuman 'ttribute M'5I! "TR! T5<N$

.‣ The "i ht$ .

Pageage 57676




‣ Dim "i ht! evel 3.‣ 9(tra e s! evel .‣ "harp "enses M<earin N! evel 2.‣ "harp "enses M"mell and TasteN! evel

.‣ Tail! evel *.‣ The "i ht! evel .‣ "pecial$ "mall )la&s >D:5 d 9!

Reach +! 'ccuracy H ! Total 'ttackRoll H ?.

Po""e""ion":)hoose one of the follo&in $ 0lea collar!fleas > d*H ?.

Detail": 'll personal details vary.

Stor) "e>Note": )ats are common 0amiliars for:ystics! and can be called &ith the"ummonin Dark #o&er. "ome 9nkidu cantake on the form of )ats! as &ell.

!ypi%al o>ntrodden Businessmanypi%al o>ntrodden Businessman7rdinary :ortals! paid to make phone calls and

shuffle papers and deliver thin s! actin out themeanin less dance of the &orkin &orld.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH 3 I) H 3 &RH 3 ><T< dEH ? ERH E &38H 3 -I+H 3

Initiati&e I)I&H +

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ 3 )7R$ + I5$ 3 "#I$ 3

M to *N 0oot < T$ 3 M2 to 3N e < T$ 3 ME to /N Torso < T$ *3 M N <ead < T$ 3 M1 to +N 'rm < T$ + M to N <and < T$ 3

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ :D90$ RD90$

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ---! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ !Drive$ ! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ ---!<idden ore$ ---! Intimidation$ ---! Ran ed)ombat$ ---! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ !Repair$ ! "elf-)ontrol$ ! "neak$ ---!Trickery$ ! 4ealth$ .

Ad&anced Talent": 8one.

*ard"hi ": 8one.

Dar! Po'er": 8one.

Po""e""ion": "mart #hone! 2 other Trifles.

Detail": 'll personal details vary.Stor) "e>Note": These are the typical stats for a

run-of-the-mill :ortal. They may besomeoneCs boyfriend or irlfriend! or need tobe rescued from a Rupture! or they may be9nslaved by evil forces and used as puppetsin some vile ame.

!ypi%al o>ntrodden Poli%e -ffi%erypi%al o>ntrodden Poli%e -ffi%erThe uardians of order and peace! in theory too;

often! theyCre bullies &ho hide behind a bad e and aun! in a &orld ruled by conspiracies and evil.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH 3 I) H 3 &RH E ><T< dEH d*? ERH 3 &38H E -I+H E

Initiati&e I)I&H +

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ 3 )7R$ I5$ 3 "#I$ 3 M to *N 0oot < T$ / M2 to 3N e < T$ 1 ME to /N Torso < T$ 2+ M N <ead < T$

Pageage 57777




M1 to +N 'rm < T$ * M to N <and < T$ /

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ 3 :D90$ E RD90$ 3

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ! )lose )ombat$ *! Dod e$ !Drive$ *! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ ---! Intimidation$ *! Ran ed)ombat$ *! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ !Repair$ ! "elf-)ontrol$ 2! "neak$ !Trickery$ ! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent":'uthority$ *.

9(pert$ >;ureaucracy M"tate or ocala&N! "treet&ise?.

0irst 'id$ . Investi ation$ .

*ard"hi ": Divide * evels bet&een )ruelty!)ynical! "nobbery! and en eful.

Dar! Po'er": 8one.

Po""e""ion":

4eapons$‣ )ight tickH >D:5 *dE;! Reach !

'ccuracy H ! Total 'ttack Roll H1?.‣ i tolH >D:5 3dE5! Ran e yd!

'ccuracy - ! Total 'ttack Roll H ?. &rifle H

‣ ;allpoint #en and 8otepad! 0lashli ht!<andcuffs! Rain )oat! "un lasses!4alky-Talky.

Detail": 'll personal details vary.Stor) "e>Note": These are the typical stats for

police officers ,nnaturals al&ays need to; &orry about attractin the attention of la&enforcement officials.

!ypi%al o>ntrodden !hugypi%al o>ntrodden !hug;esides the TenebrG! thereCs another under&orld!

full of desperate people! seekin to make a fast buck inthe harshest circumstances.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH 3 I) H 2 &RH E ><T< dEH d*? ERH 3 &38H E -I+H 3

Initiati&e I)I&H 1

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ / )7R$ 2 I5$ "#I$ 2 M to *N 0oot < T$ / M2 to 3N e < T$ 1 ME to /N Torso < T$ 2+ M N <ead < T$ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ * M to N <and < T$ /

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ E :D90$ RD90$ *

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ! )lose )ombat$ 2! Dod e$ !Drive$ ! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ ---! Intimidation$ *! Ran ed

)ombat$ ! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ !Repair$ ! "elf-)ontrol$ ! "neak$ !Trickery$ *! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent":)onnections$ .

9(pert$ >"treet&ise?.

*ard"hi ": Divide * evels bet&een 'ddicted!)ruelty! )ynical! and #overty.

Dar! Po'er": 8one.

Po""e""ion":-ea!on H‣

7nife >D:5 *dEH d*9! Reach +!'ccuracy ---! Total 'ttack Roll H1?.‣ i tolH >D:5 3dE5! Ran e yd!

'ccuracy - ! Total 'ttack Roll H/?. &rifle H

‣ #ick any or all of these$ ;lin ! ;ooBe!Dru s! ockpicks! "mart #hone.

Pageage 57979




Stor) "e>Note": 9nkidu are terrifyincombatants! but fortunately they keep tothemselves unless someone invades theirterritory. ,nfortunately! an 9nkiduCsterritory could be any&here! in any Realm.They particularly hate 5h ls! since ancient5h l lords con=uered and held Romaniadurin the :iddle ' es by usin ;loodTricks to enslave entire packs of 9nkidu!&ho arenCt kno&n for their mental mi ht.The stats for this 9nkidu are balanced so thatthey could be used as a #layer )haracter! ortailored sli htly to fit a #layerCs desires.

Image courte y aul "rentnall, Freedigital!hoto .net

!ypi%al Ra<enypi%al Ra<enRavens are black-feathered scaven er birds said

to be harbin ers of death! doom! and bad 9d ar 'llen#oe references. :ostly! thou h! they just scroun e for

&orms! trash! and shiny thin s.Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH . I) H . &RH ><T< ---? ERH *. &38H *. -I+H *.

Initiati&e I)I&H +.

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ 3 )7R$ I5$ 1 "#I$ < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ *‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ 2‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ /‣ M N <ead < T$ ‣ M1 to N 4in < T$ 2‣ )oteH Ravens have U normal < T in

all ;ody #arts due to the "hort<ardship.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ . :D90$ E RD90$ .

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ! )lose )ombat$ *! Dod e$ E!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ---! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ *! Intimidation$ ! Ran ed)ombat$ ! 8e otiation$ ---! 8otice$ /!Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ ---! "neak$ E!Trickery$ *! 4ealth$ .

Ad&anced Talent": 8one.*ard"hi ":

;ad <ands! evel +. "hort! evel +.

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H‣ Dim "i ht! evel 3.‣ "harp "enses M<earin N! evel .‣ "harp "enses M"mell and TasteN! evel

*.‣ The "i ht! evel .‣

"pecial$ "mall )la&s >D:5 d 9!Reach +! 'ccuracy H ! Total 'ttackRoll H ?.

‣ "pecial$ 4in s >0li ht + mph?.Po""e""ion":

arious small shiny items.

Pageage 57&7&





Stor) "e>Note": Ravens are common 0amiliarsfor :ystics! and can be called &ith the"ummonin Dark #o&er. "ome 9nkidu cantake on the form of a Raven as &ell.

!ypi%al 1er<itorypi%al 1er<itorThe "ervitors are enetically en ineered and

ma ically au mented a ents of the <ierates! sent forthto do their biddin and that of the 9lder ;easts."ervitors ride in black )adillacs or helicopters! and&ear black suits &ith dark sun lasses. TheyCre perfectlysculpted men and &omen &ith short hair and re ular!

eneric features they rarely betray emotion of any; kind! only a sin le-minded devotion to their darkmasters.

"ervitors carry credentials for the super-secretiveespiona e and la&-enforcement a ency 'nne( */!

ivin them authority to o &herever they &ant and do&hatever they need in the name of Osafety.P Inaccordance &ith the 0irmament Treaty! "ervitors areforbidden from directly harmin )ult :ystics or any oftheir servants! but thereCs a lot of thin s they can do toharass them nonetheless.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH I) H / &RH + ><T< *dE? ERH 2

&38H + -I+H Initiati&e I)I&H +.

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ 3+ )7R$ *

Pageage 57,7,

!he Firmament !reaty 3%ont:4he Firmament !reaty 3%ont:4

+he , ight +o $afet&4he ,ight +o $afet&4 :o &stic sha cast a:o &stic sha cast aspe on another &stic! e=cept for a simp e!pe on another &stic! e=cept for a simp e!passi*e! non in*asi*e scan! %itho#t permission!assi*e! non in*asi*e scan! %itho#t permission!e=cept to sa*e that &stic)s ife! mind! or spirit=cept to sa*e that &stic)s ife! mind! or spirit

age d#e s are ass#med to ha*e permissionage d#e s are ass#med to ha*e permissionfrom "oth parties Bater addenda e=tend therom "oth parties Bater addenda e=tend the,ight of $afet& to immediate " ood re ati*es ofight of $afet& to immediate " ood re ati*es ofthe &stic ?parents! si" ings! spo#ses! andhe &stic ?parents! si" ings! spo#ses! andchi dren@ &stic)s Jami iar is treated as anhi dren@ &stic)s Jami iar is treated as ane=tension of themse *es for the p#rpose of the=tension of themse *es for the p#rpose of the,ight to $afet& orta friends and ser*ants areight to $afet& orta friends and ser*ants aregi*en no s#ch protectioni*en no s#ch protection

!he Firmament !reatyhe Firmament !reaty

&stics are a ot i/e other #mans; far&stics are a ot i/e other #mans; farmore imaginati*e and %i f# ! "#t G#st as *io entore imaginati*e and %i f# ! "#t G#st as *io entand territoria (n the o d da&s! &stics thatnd territoria (n the o d da&s! &stics that

fo#nd +omes o#t among the - eroma #sed too#nd +omes o#t among the - eroma #sed to

"att e for them! sometimes e*en to the death;att e for them! sometimes e*en to the death;this /ind of rampant *io ence ed to thehis /ind of rampant *io ence ed to theJirmament +reat& $o %hat can the C# t of theirmament +reat& $o %hat can the C# t of the

ierates get a%a& %ith #nder the treat&E ot!ierates get a%a& %ith #nder the treat&E ot!"& e=p oiting oopho es ere are the "asic& e=p oiting oopho es ere are the "asicstip# ations of the treat&tip# ations of the treat&

+he ,ight to 1ns%ers4he ,ight to 1ns%ers4 n& &sticn& &sticacc#sed of *io ating the +reat& is ca ed to acc#sed of *io ating the +reat& is ca ed to atria at the ansions of Con#ndr#ms! %hereria at the ansions of Con#ndr#ms! %herethe& ma& face their acc#sers! and testif& onhe& ma& face their acc#sers! and testif& ontheir o%n "eha f +he G#r& %i "e composedheir o%n "eha f +he G#r& %i "e composede #a & of mem"ers of at east three C# ts +he#a & of mem"ers of at east three C# ts +he

&stic is to "e notified at east 3 da&s "efore&stic is to "e notified at east 3 da&s "eforethe tria ! and to "e he d safe & and comforta" &he tria ! and to "e he d safe & and comforta" &in the ansions #nti the trian the ansions #nti the tria

+he ,ight to Jair -#nishment4he ,ight to Jair -#nishment4 inorinorinfractions of the treat& %i res# t in thenfractions of the treat& %i res# t in thecon*icted "eing re #ired to perform someon*icted "eing re #ired to perform someminor ser*ice for the acc#ser aGor infractionsinor ser*ice for the acc#ser aGor infractions%i res# t in the con*ict "eing dec aredi res# t in the con*ict "eing dec aredCacodo=! i e "eing eGected from their C# t for aacodo=! i e "eing eGected from their C# t for atime! or permanent & +he most serio#sime! or permanent & +he most serio#soffenses! s#ch as #sing magic "efore ortaffenses! s#ch as #sing magic "efore orta%itnesses! res# t in a death sentenceitnesses! res# t in a death sentence

+he ,ight to P#est4he ,ight to P#est4 :o &stic %i:o &stic %iinhi"it another)s #est for their igher $e *es!nhi"it another)s #est for their igher $e *es!"& pre*enting them from tra*e ing either the& pre*enting them from tra*e ing either the- eroma or the <a e! #n ess con*icted of aeroma or the <a e! #n ess con*icted of acrimerime




I5$ *1 "#I$ 1 < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ *2.‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ E+.‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ ! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ *.‣ M N <ead < T$ *1.‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ 2/.‣ M to N <and < T$ *2.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ :D90$ 2 RD90$

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ /! )lose )ombat$ /! Dod e$ !Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ 3! 9ndurance$ 3!<idden ore$ 3! Intimidation$ 3! Ran ed)ombat$ /! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ 3! Repair$2! "elf-)ontrol$ ! "neak$ /! Trickery$ 3!4ealth$ ---.

&he ymbol of the 8ierate 1ult.

Ad&anced Talent":'uthority$ +.

;reak 9nter$ /.

)oura eous$ +. )reepy ooks$ . 9(pert$ * >;ureaucracy$ 7ne espiona e or

la&-enforcement a ency! an ua es$)ryptosophic! 9nochian! and 5idimite?.

0irst 'id$ . Investi ation$ 3. :arksmanship$ 3 >)ombat '&areness! 0ast

'ttack! Xuick Dra&! Ran ed 4eapon9(pertise M#istolsN?.

:artial 'rts$ 3 >0ast 'ttack! Jump Kick!Kippup! "hatterin "trike! "&eep Kick?.

"tability$ +. "toic$ +.*ard"hi ": )ynical$ *. Distant$ *. 7athbound M"erve the )ult of <ieratesN$ +. 7utsider$ *.

Dar! Po'er": 'ffect "pirits$ . Dim "i ht$ . 9ndure #rivation M'llN$ each. Inhuman 'ttribute M"TR!T5<N$ each. Re eneration$ . The "i ht$ . Ton ues$ .

Po""e""ion":-ea!on H‣ 7nife >D:5 *dE9! Reach +! 'ccuracy

---! Total 'ttack Roll H 3?.‣ i tol >D:5 3dE5! Ran e yd!

'ccuracy - ! Total 'ttack Roll H 2?. ArmorH ;ulletproof est. &rifle H "mart phone! sun lasses.

Detail":e H :ale.

referenceH <eterose(ual. 8eightH 9(actly EC o.P

-eightH 9(actly 33 lbs. Eye 1olorH 'l&ays bro&n. 8air 1olorH 'l&ays bro&n.

Pageage 57/7/




8air tyleH 'l&ays in a conservative andbusinesslike style! combed to the side orstrai ht back.

kin &oneH Tan or dark-skinned. 1lothe H 'l&ays &ear a black suit &ith

&hite shirts and black ties! and darksun lasses. The only variation is addin atrenchcoat in inclement &eather.

er onalityH 9motionless! intimidatin !forceful! brain&ashed.

3oal H To serve the )ult of the <ierates!fi ht the 7rdo )ustodes 8octis! andsuppress any kno&led e of the supernaturalamon the public.

b tacle H "ervitors are all members ofsecret or aniBations like 'nne( */! &ith thehi hest clearance! but most people havenCtheard of these a encies. 'lso! as servants ofthe <ierates! they are re=uired to obey the0irmament Treaty.1entral 1ontradictionH "ervitors are

enetically-en ineered and ma ically-au mented clones! desi ned to obey &ithoutfree &ill or emotion! but as time oes on!individual "ervitors &ill be in to developfeelin s. TheyCll become obsessed &ithkillin a dark hero that keeps escapin them!or they &ill develop t&isted! romanticfeelin s for someone theyCre spyin on.9ventually these "ervitors are killed by the<ierates! but their repressed emotions couldsurface at any time.

Stor) "e>Note": "ervitors are villains! buttheyCre enerally only sent to investi atemajor problems for the <ierate )ult. Theonly thin &orse that the )ult &ould send isan actual <ierate )ultist. ' sin le "ervitor isprobably a match for an entire roup ofstartin -level #)s! and are authoriBed to uselethal force a ainst 5h ls and )hildren of

i ht that arenCt in the company of a )ult:ystic.

!ypi%al 'olfypi%al 'olf4olves are unkno&n to most people e(cept from

movies and radical T-shirt desi ns! but are a rare andendan ered predator that lives in the &ilderness.4olves are social creatures that live in packs!reno&ned for their trackin ability.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH . I) H . &RH ><T< dEH ? ERH E. &38H . -I+H 3.

Initiati&e I)I&H +.

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ 3 )7R$ I5$ 1 "#I$ < T$

‣ M to *N Rear #a& < T$ 2.‣ M2 to 3N Rear e < T$ 2+.‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ 3E.‣ M N <ead < T$ 2.‣ M1 to +N 0ront e < T$ * .‣ M to N 0ront #a& < T$ 2.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ E. :D90$ RD90$ 1.

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ E! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ 3!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ---! 9ndurance$ /!<idden ore$ ! Intimidation$ 3! Ran ed)ombat$ ! 8e otiation$ ---! 8otice$ !Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ ! "neak$ /!Trickery$ ! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent": 8one.

*ard"hi ":;ad <ands! evel +.

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H‣ Dim "i ht! evel 2.‣ 9(tra e s! evel .‣ 0an s evel >D:5 d*HE9! Reach

+! 'ccuracy H ! Total 'ttack RollH /?.‣ "harp "enses M<earin N! evel *.‣ "harp "enses M"mell and TasteN! evel

/.‣ The "i ht! evel .

Pageage 57070




!he (stral Planehe (stral Plane'll of the Realms lie suspended in the 'stral

#lane! and Realms that donCt border directly on oneanother may be reached throu h the 'stral #lane. The'stral #lane is traveled by many entities! and thereCs asort of commerce bet&een planes by the bein s thatlive there.

The 'stral #lane looks like a shimmerin ! endlessfield of amber clouds! e(tendin endlessly in alldirections. The 'stral #lane leads to all other Realms!and many dan ers can be found in its infinite mists tothe un&ary.

(stral Plane 1tatisti%sstral Plane 1tatisti%sRealm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H "pirit H !

Destiny H+! all other 9lements - . Emotional Re onanceH )alm. 0embraneH +. )eighboring Realm H 'll Realms.

1entral 1ontradictionH The Ohi h&ay toevery&here!P some :ystics call it! anddespite the fact that the 'stral #lane looksendless and empty! trouble lurks in everyminute that someone &anders the endlessclouds. 'stral pirates! monstrous creaturesfrom unkno&n Realms! spiteful ma es ofunkno&n species! astral storms! Ruptures to&orlds of fear and untold sufferin ! and allmanner of other disasters a&ait those that&ander the 'stral #lane blithely. 8o&hereelse looks so empty and yet is so full ofdan er.

henomena, ite , and Encounter H ‣ A tral 1olonie H The 'stral #lane has

no native inhabitants per se! but thereare scattered colonies of ,nnaturals!particularly the enefici! throu houtthe 'stral Realms. There are even

stran e 'rtifact vehicles from a myriadof Realms that are desi ned to travel'stral space these crafts may look like; anythin from sailin ships to R s toalien flyin disks.

‣ A tral torm H )haracters may findthemselves in a s&irlin mass ofethereal ener y! &here supernaturalpo&ers run amok. ,nnatural creatures

like 5h ls and )hildren of i ht! inparticular! e(perience horrifyin painin an 'stral "torm.

‣ Ru!ture H The 'stral #lane hasrandomly-occurrin Ruptures here andthere to every conceivable Realm. Theproblem is! itCs difficult to tell from theoutside &here the Rupture leads it; takes an I8" H <idden ore roll D0Difficult > 3? to uess &hat kind ofRealm lies on the other side.

‣ 3uided FreefallH )haracters can fly at&ill at a rate of >4I ? mph! propelledby intention alone! &ithout OkickinoffP of anythin .

!ypi%al e<ourerypi%al e<ourerThou h often reckoned in ancient times to be

demons! perhaps since ther resemble the ,nbidden!Devourers are flesh elementals. They are shapeless!formless monstrosities that resemble nothin more than

iant amoebas. Devourers are mindless beasts ofhun er! driven forever for&ard to consume &hateverthey should run across. ' typical Devourer achievesthe siBe of a station &a on in a short time! and nothincan stand in its path for lon .

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3I $ * I) $ &RH ><T< *dEH d*? ERH &38H * -I+H 2

Initiati&e I)I&H 2.

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ * )7R$ + I5$ *1 "#I$ E

< T$‣ Torso < T$ 2 2! I#R7$ *! D#R7$ ;

>;lunt? I#R7 ! D#R7$ /!>5unfire? I#R7 1! D#R7$ *.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ :D90$ 1

Pageage 59696




RD90$ */a"ic Talent":

'thletics$ *! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ !Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ---! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ ---! Intimidation$ ! Ran ed)ombat$ *! 8e otiation$ ---! 8otice$ 2!Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ ! "neak$ ---!Trickery$ ---! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent":)reepy ooks$ .Tou h as 8ails$ 3.

*ard"hi ": 8one.

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H

‣ )onsume 0lesh$ /.

‣ Dark "i ht$ *.‣ 0an s$ +.‣ ar e$ +.‣ Resistance M)ompulsionsN$ .‣ "hapeless$ E.‣ The "i ht$ *.

Po""e""ion": 8one.

Detail": 'll personal details vary.Stor) "e>Note": Devourers are typically

summoned throu h the Dark 'rts of the;ody to devour the enemies of :ystics! orare encountered in the &astelands of myriad

Realms as a horrifyin threat. They can evenbe found floatin freely in the 'stral Realm!and too many un&ary travelers have beendevoured by an 'stral Devourer.

!he "ity of 1piritshe "ity of 1pirits7nce! in ancient times! a po&erful sorcerer

created a Realm for himself! &here he could practicehis craft in peace! &ithout interruptions. 7ver time! hemade pro ress &ith his unkno&able e(periments! andalthou h his vast palace &as maintained by olems and

the shamblin ! mindlessly obedient undead! here=uired ra& materials for his rituals that his minionscouldnCt obtain. 'nd! althou h he &ould never admit it!he occasionally craved companionship andconversation.

The sorcerer! called 9nsi 'b al in the city hefounded! &atched his almost-for otten homeland! untilhe sa& the &aters of the 8ile floodin ! threatenin toannihilate a small villa e. <e e(tended his po&ersthrou h the 'stral #lane! and pulled the villa e &holeto his Realm! recruitin the villa ers as his servants. 'stime pro ressed! 'b al repeated this performancemany times. <e rescued hundreds from the eruptions of#ompeii! the "haan(i earth=uake in )hina! the fall ofthe :ayan empire! the nuclear detonations at<iroshima and 8a asaki! almost every major disasterbrou ht a ne& culture to the city of ,ru ,lan.

The city itself is arran ed rou hly into &ards!&here the members of each culture continue topreserve their ancient &ays. 7ther &ards are inhabitedby inhuman bein s like 5oblins and the enefici! andthe trade &ards are filled &ith shops and &ares &hichcan be found no&here else.

The rulership of ,ru ,lan seems stran e tovisitors from the vale. To understand ho& the )ity of"pirits is administered! one must kno& about theJud es! the Disputants! and the 8ecromantics. 4hen,ru ,lan &as founded! 9nsi 'b al ave the people

OThe Tablets of a&s!P &hich is just &hat it soundslike$ a series of stone slabs &ith la&s inscribed on themin an ancient ton ue. The city council are called theJud es! and they re ard 9nsi 'b al as a demi- od or

od! and the Tablets of a& as divinely inspired. Thea&s are clear about many matters! but va ue on many

others! and the attitude espoused in the Tablets &ouldhave been considered liberal and for ivin in 3!+++… ;.). To an inhabitant of modern-day 9arth! the a&sare restrictive and the punishments brutal. #ettycriminals tend to be branded! flo ed! or mutilated!&hile violent criminals are publicly e(ecuted! and the&orst are dismembered in a variety of ruesome &ays!all &hile the Jud es sin hymns to 9nsi 'b al as a odof justice and compassion. Jud es typically &ear&hatever clothin is normal for their &ard! but &hen

actin in their official role! they &ear masks and dressin robes of ashen ray.

The Jud es are served by the Disputants! a sort ofcombined police force! militia! and spy a ency thatuses ma ical means to enforce the la&s and seek outtroublemakers. 7ften! the intention to commit a crimeis enou h. 4hile the Jud es are sin le-mindedlydevoted to the a&! the Disputants are much more

Pageage 59595




pra matic! and tend to tar et po&erful individualsbefore they can cause trouble. #o&er blocs that theDisputants canCt disassemble are turned on one another.The enefici )onsortium is turned a ainst the Japan4ardCs "ho uns an ! &ho in turn also fi ht &ith theT&eeds and the )entaurians.

This is part of the reason &hy the 7rdo )ustodes8octis has a ne li ible presence in the )ity of "pirits ; many members love the city! but operatin in anofficial capacity in the city al&ays dra&s the attentionof the Disputants. Disputants carry short barbedda ers! and like to ornament their black armor &iththe bones of criminals they helped apprehend.

<alf civil defense and half civil servants! the8ecromantics are part of the reason for the cityCs name.)reated by 9nsi 'b al himself! and under the directcommand of the Jud es! the 8ecromantics summonspirits to do the dirty &ork of the city! cleanin filth!deliverin messa es! buildin &alls! andsupplementin the Disputants &hen they re=uireassistance. The 8ecromantics are students of anancient! traditional linea e of ma ic founded by 9nsi'b al himself! dedicated to civil service and turninthe po&ers of the under&orld to ood use! &hiche(plains &hy po&erful :ystics &ould follo& thecommands of the hidebound and self-ri hteous Jud es.

!he "ity of 1pirits 1tatisti%she "ity of 1pirits 1tatisti%sRealm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H "pirit H ! all

others H+. Emotional Re onanceH '&e. 0embraneH *. )eighboring Realm H The 'stral Realm! the

ale of the Do&ntrodden.1entral 1ontradictionH The )ity of "pirits isthe crossroads of the cosmos! a metropoliscontainin the remnants of thousands of9arth cultures! and inhabited by thousandsof bein s from throu hout the #leroma. 'ndyet! despite its trans-cosmopolitan nature!the people here continue to s=uabble! bicker!and backstab like all sentient bein s do. The

ultimate meltin pot is more of an ultimatearena of endless! lo&-level hatred andbloodshed. 'nother contradiction is that acity carried for&ard by a hundred culturesfrom a hundred nations over many centuriesshould be held back by sadistic la&s no&centuries out of date! &ritten by a scholar&ho never actually proclaimed himself a

od.

henomena, ite , and Encounter H‣ :any 9ras$ <alf of the inhabitants are

the descendants of Do&ntroddenbrou ht to the city from various eras inhistory. The rest of the inhabitants are,nnaturals of various kinds.

=enefi%ienefi%i' sorcerous race from another Realm! the

enefici are traders and schemers &ithout scruples orre rets. The enefici are thick as rats in ,ru ,lan! andmore than a fe& e(ist in the ale of the Do&ntroddenas a ents of their )onsortium. 'ccordin tothemselves! they destroyed their home&orld &ithreckless ma ical e(perimentation! and have sincelearned to be cautious &ith ma ic. "ome scholars in the)ity of "pirits say that this is a lie! claimin that the

enefici &ere enslaved by a &arlike race of maraudinraiders! an underclass of enchanters! and their masterssle& each other in a massive! final civil &ar. The

enefici are silent on these rumors. enefici al&ayscarry 'rtifact knives! and maybe an 'rtifact staff! butare often accompanied by a retinue of 5oblinbody uards.

enefici are masterful sorcerers! and they donCtsta er as =uickly to&ards madness as human :ysticsdo. 7n the other hand! theyCre physically frail! and theirma ical senses are sensitive. enefici master lan ua es=uickly and easily! and speak &ell! but maintain acalm! poker face throu hout ne otiations and you; never! ever et anythin for free from a eneficus.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH 2 I) H &RH* ><T< d*? ERH &38H 2 -I+H

Initiati&e I)I&H .

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ * )7R$ 3 I5$ "#I$ 2 < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ ‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ ‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ E‣ M N <ead < T$ ‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ 3

Pageage 59797




‣ M to N <and < T$ Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ E :D90$ RD90$

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ 3!Drive$ ! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ ! Intimidation$ 2! Ran ed)ombat$ 2! 8e otiation$ E! 8otice$ !Repair$ ! "elf-)ontrol$ E! "neak$ !Trickery$ E! 4ealth$ .

Ad&anced Talent":

Dark 'rt MDestiny. 9ner y! "pirit!"ubstanceN$ all at 2. enefici cast usin #9RH 9(pert H Dark 'rt.

:ystical Techni=ues >'ny 2?$ 2. ther H )reepy ooks$ ! 9(pert >Trade?$ !

Investi ation$ ! an ua es >5oblin!enefici?$ .

*ard"hi ": 0ortal 8ard hi! H Distant$ ! 7bsessedMTradeN$ *.

6nnatural 8ard hi! H "ensitivity M#o&erfulmystical impressionsN$ *.

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H‣ ar e$ evel .‣ "orcery$ evel 2.‣ 9nchantment$ evel 2.‣ The "i ht$ evel *.

Formul H‣ 9lemental ;olt M9ner yN! 9lemental

"ense M"ubstanceN! Ton ues! 4ards.

Po""e""ion": Knife >D:5 dEH d*9! Reach +! 'ccuracy

---! Total 'ttack Roll HE?.

Detail": e H There are both male and femaleenefici.

referenceH aries enefici donCt talk about; their speciesC biolo ical and se(ual habits.

8eightH 'round EC 2.P -eightH 'round 23 lbs. Eye 1olorH 'll three of a eneficusC eyes

&ill be milky pale! &ith only severalpinprick pupils.

8air 1olorH 5enerally black or &hite! ifany.

8air tyleH o&er-rankin enefici arebald! &hile hi her-ranked enefici ro&their hair very lon .

kin &oneH #urple! ran in from li ht

lavender to dark rape. 1lothe H ;ri htly colored! flo&in robes!&ith lots of mystical amulets and je&elry ina variety of precious metals and ems.

er onalityH )old! calculatin ! curious!mysterious! e otistical! indifferent.

3oal H To make money! and nothin else. b tacle H enefici fre=uently need the

assistance of other ,nnaturals to obtain thethin s their buyers &ant! and their physicalfrailty makes them poorly suited to suchadventures.1entral 1ontradictionH enefici! like<uman :ystics! have all of the secrets ofthe cosmos potentially &ithin their rasp!but care for nothin more than ensurin theiro&n survival and a randiBement. :ost

enefici have no friends! only businessassociates and flunkies! and althou h mostare &ealthy! they donCt kno& &hat to do&ith that &ealth other than to invest it inobtainin more! like some ridiculous Bero-sum ame.

Stor) "e>Note": enefici have access to allkinds of materials that :ystics mi ht findvaluable! for 9nchantment and other ma icale(periments. 7f course! nothin is ever free!and enefici &ill often send #)s on lon=uests for somethin specific to trade!

makin them reat plot hooks.

Pageage 59999




!he Glades of Mirthhe Glades of Mirth' beautiful and lush forest-Realm inhabited by

the fae! &here subtle dan ers a&ait the un&ary.8othin in the 5lades of :irth are &hat they appear!and this seemin ly-9denic Realm is actually moredan erous than many others! for all of its dan ers arehidden behind a most pleasin surface.

Image courtesy Dynamite Imagery, Freedigitalp otos.net.

!he Glades of Mirth 1tatisti%she Glades of Mirth 1tatisti%sRealm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H ;ody H !

Destiny H ! all others - . Emotional Re onanceH Joy. 0embraneH 2. )eighboring Realm H The 'stral Realm.

1entral 1ontradictionH The 5lades of:irthL "ounds like funL I kno&! ri ht6)elebrate ood times! come onL 9(cept thatitCs all too easy for the un&ary to killthemselves in the festivities of the fae!because &hen they party! there is nostoppin them. :ore than one Realm-&anderer has returned from the 5lades of:irth robbed blind! hun over! andruthlessly de raded. 'nd yet! some still oback for more.

4anger H‣ 7aths$ "&earin an oath of any kind is

dan erous business in the 5lades of:irth! and the Realm itself seems topunish oathbreakers. 'nyone that saysanythin that sounds like a promise! nomatter ho& casual or ridiculous!instantly ains the 7athbound<ardship at evel . In addition! a)haracter that s&ears to completesome task in the 5lades of :irth &illfind that any time they attempt to leavethe 5lades of :irth! the :embrane hasincreased to + for them >and anyone

travelin &ith them?.‣ #artyin Too <ard$ The fae creatures

of the 5lades of :irth! particularly thesidhe! d&arfs! and satyrs! are iven to&ild parties involvin incrediblypo&erful &ine. :ost people are &iseto steer clear of fae parties &ithoutma ic to fortify their bodies. The D0for even the mildest faerie &ine isImpressive >2+? on a failure! the; )haracter suffers the Inebriated'ffliction! and on a :ishap! the)haracter is not only Inebriated butsuffers *dE ;lunt 9nvironmentaldama e.

‣ The #ome ranate 7rchard$ Thele endary fruit of the trees in the#ome ranate 7rchard is said to be ableto cure any disease! and the distilledspirits of the trees is even said to rantimmortality. <o&ever! like somethinout of doBens of myths! itCs an epic=uest to find the orchard! and itCs said

Pageage 59#9#




to be protected by a cunnin dra on orserpent &ith a taste for riddles andhuman flesh.

Image courte y Yana Ray, ublicdomain!icture .net.

!ypi%al 1atyrypi%al 1atyr"atyrs are fae creatures &ith vast appetites for se(

and booBe. The ultimate revelers! these oat-hornedand oat-hoofed party animals have an unendin lustfor se(! booBe! and fun and ames! and could veryeasily kill anyone &hoCs around &hen their hedonism

ets out of control. ' "atyr that finds theyCve donesomethin vile in the midst of their ames &ill sufferfrom loud and dramatic remorse! but only until theycan dro&n their sorro&s once a ain.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH / I) H 3 &RHE ><T< dEH d*? ERH &38H E -I+H 2

Initiati&e I)I&H

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ 2 )7R$ / I5$ "#I$ / < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ 1.‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ * .‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ 22.‣ M N <ead < T$ .‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ 3.‣ M to N <and < T$ 1.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ :D90$ RD90$

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ 3! )lose )ombat$ 3! Dod e$ 3!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ *! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ *! Intimidation$ *! Ran ed)ombat$ 2! 8e otiation$ 2! 8otice$ !Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ ---! "neak$ 2!Trickery$ ! 4ealth$ *.

Ad&anced Talent":'ttractive$

)arousin $ 1 )reepy ooks$ 9(pert$ 3 >'rt$ #an-0lute! 'rt$ Dancin ! 'rt$

"e(! 5ames$ 'ny one ame of chance!an ua e$ 5reek?.

*ard"hi ": 'ddicted M'lcoholN$ )ruel$ echerous$ E :ood "&in s$ *

Dar! Po'er":'n uish M'nyN$ * :odifications$ Implement; M#an-0luteN.

Daydream$ * :odifications$ Implement

; M#an-0luteN.

Dim "i ht$ <orns$ * Re eneration$

Po""e""ion":

Pageage 59&9&




#an-0lute! &ine-skin.Detail":

e H There are both male and female "atyrs. referenceH ;ise(ual.

8eightH 'round 3C E.P -eightH 'round 3 lbs. Eye 1olorH ;ro&n. 8air 1olorH ;ro&n. 8air tyleH )urly and sha y. kin &oneH "&arthy. 1lothe H 5enerally none! althou h their

nether-re ions are partially covered by alltheir fur. er onalityH 5re arious! fun-lovin !

boisterous! mercurial! can be cruel. 3oal H To have fun! and nothin else.

b tacle H 8one. The 5lades of :irth meetall of the "atyrsC needs.1entral 1ontradictionH "atyrs are ma ical!immortal creatures! &ise and po&erful! butthey care for nothin other than ettin&asted and playin silly ames they could; con=uer the Realms! but they never &ill!preferrin to et drunk and dance about andparty.

Stor) "e>Note": "atyrs make a reat socialencounter! but donCt make very ood allies ; theyCre too &ild and unfocused! more likelyto cause more problems that solve anye(istin problems. "atyrs may pick fi hts&hen very drunk! but more likely than ra&a ression is that )haracters mi ht need tofi ht off "atyrsC OromanticP advances!perhaps even &ith force.

!he Industrial .e*ushe Industrial .e*us' vast! dystopian city-Realm of steam-driven

machines and silicon intelli ences! clock&ork robotsand clones! choked by bureaucratic elitism.

The Industrial 8e(us is arran ed in layers! eachone more dan erous and unpleasant. he top level is the)ontrol )enter! &ith brushed steel &alls! soft pulsinli hts! data cables! elevator music! and soft and randombeeps and bloops. The 0actory evel looks like theinterior of an endless factory! filled &ith ears! steam!pistons! tubes! rusty &alls! smells of smelted metal andno(ious chemicals! loud noise! and robotic &orkers.The ,ndercity is an abandoned level of the city! filled&ith trash! pools of se&a e! mutant creatures! and5h ls. The :inin evel is a myriad of tunnels dudeep into solid rock! &here the inhabitants obtain orefor processin above.

The 8e(ians! inhabitants of the Industrial 8e(usare essentially <uman! but their skin is ray and eyes

are red! perhaps from the omnipresent pollution. Theirovernment is an u ly form of materialist socialistmeritocracy! but thereCs an undercurrent of superstitiousfolk reli ion in the lo&er levels. The Industrial 8e(usdoes a reat deal of trade &ith other Realms! and isparticularly beloved by Thaumatronicists for itsma ical properties! and they tend to be iven specialprivile es by the 8e(ians.

!he Industrial .e*us 1tatisti%she Industrial .e*us 1tatisti%sRealm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H "ubstance H ! all

others H+. Emotional Re onanceH #assivity. 0embraneH E. )eighboring Realm H The 'stral Realm! the

ale of the Do&ntrodden.1entral 1ontradictionH Technolo y issupposed to make thin s more efficient.Then &hy are there so many cat&alksevery&here &ith no railin s6 4hy does

ettin a parkin space for your hover-bikere=uire a thousand pa es of paper&ork6 'ndif there are efficient mechanisms in place tomake sure everyone is treated fairly! &hy dothe 5earbots and others continually suffer atthe hands of the system6 The Industrial8e(us isnCt spiteful! itCs just callous! &hichmakes the injustices all the more appallin .

henomena, ite , and Encounter H ‣ ;aBaars$ <u e! cro&ded trade centers

filled &ith barkin vendors! variouscheap &ares! smells of food and drink.

Pageage 59,9,




;aBaars are only found on the lo&erlevels! and anythin can be purchasedin one place or another in the ;aBaars.Incautious travelers may be cheated bythe vendors here! or robbed blind bythieves.

‣ )at&alks$ The factory areas of theIndustrial 8e(us include many narro&platforms over nearly endless falls.

‣ 9veryone is 5uilty of "omethin $ ItCsalmost impossible to avoid breakinsome 8e(ian la& &hat matters is; avoidin the attention of theauthorities. 'nyone makin a publicdisturbance! or actin unusually! is

likely to be imprisoned by security5earbots and tortured for a fe& days ina random! desultory fashion. 4hen theauthorities are bored! theyCll release thedetainee &herever itCs most convenient

for some reason! this is al&ays the… ,ndercity.

‣ :eshin 5ears$ In the Industrial 8e(usitCs almost impossible to avoiddan erous machinery. )haracters thatstray too close to this e=uipment suffer

dEH 9 dama e automatically. Jets ofsteam cause a mere dE9! but spattersof molten metal in smeltin plantscause 2dE9 or more.

‣ The #lannin )enters$ <u e banks ofcomputers and rooms of pro rammers!&ith &ood-paneled side rooms &heresuits vote random la&s into place forthe masses. Theoretically! thecomputer system creates apsycholo ical profile of every citiBenand automatically votes for them!selectin representatives that &ouldstand for a majority of the citiBensCinterests in practice! thereCs a rulin; caste that never seems to chan e! thatfocuses mostly on advertisin andsellin crap to the citiBens.

‣ Revoltin 5earbots$ The 5earbots that

toil endlessly in the Industrial 8e(usare assumed to be artificialintelli ences! but are instead nativeelemental bein s. 'lthou h usuallycontent to slave a&ay! sometimes theyturn a ainst their fleshy masters! untilthey are destroyed or contained oncea ain.

‣ ,ndercity$ The ,ndercity is filled &ithrivers of offal! piles of rubbish!skulkin 5h ls! and stran e! mutatedcreatures of every hideous variety.

!ypi%alypi%alGearbotearbot:ost people believe that the 5earbots are

constructed by the 8e(ians! but in actuality! theyCre9lementals self-assembled from the junk in the lo&erlevels of the 8e(us. 5earbots are sold by 8e(ians onthe lo&er levels to those on hi her levels! reassembledfor aesthetic appearance! and then used as servants!&orkers! and uards on the hi her levels. 5earbots arestron and loyal! but some retain an element of free&ill! and have been kno&n to rebel a ainst the 8e(iansfrom time to time.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH 2 I) $ 2 &RH ><T< dEH ? ERH 2 &38H / -I+H /

Initiati&e I)I&H

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ *3 )7R$ + I5$ "#I$ < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ 1! I#R7$ !D#R7$ /.

‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ *2! I#R7$ *! D#R7$1.

‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ 23! I#R7$ *!D#R7$ +.

‣ M N <ead < T$ ! I#R7$ ! D#R7$ .‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ E! I#R7$ *!

D#R7$ 1.‣ M to N <and < T$ 1! I#R7$ !

D#R7$ /.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ 3 :D90$ 2 RD90$ 3

Pageage 59/9/




/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ 2!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ 2! 9ndurance$ +!<idden ore$ ! Intimidation$ ! Ran ed)ombat$ ! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ !Repair$ ! "elf-)ontrol$ 2! "neak$ !Trickery$ ! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent":)reepy ooks$ evel .

Tech$ evel 2 >'ny 2?.

*ard"hi ": 0ortal 8ard hi! H‣

Detached$ evel 2.‣ 7utsider$ evel 2.‣ #oor$ evel 2.

6nnatural 8ard hi! H‣ "ensitivity M9lectricityN$ evel 2.

Dar! Po'er":Dark "i ht$ evel 3.

9ndure #rivation M"tarvation! thirst! heat!cold! e(cretionN$ evel +.

Interface$ evel 3.

Po""e""ion":'ny one tool kit.


Stor) "e>Note": )haracters may have 5earbotallies! and may even et involved &ith the5earbot Resistance.

!he Mansions of "onundrumshe Mansions of "onundrumsThe :ansions of )onundrums is an entire Realm

that looks like the interior of some vast! ancient houseor castle! &ith ornate architecture! ar oyle statues!vast ban=uet-halls and dance rooms. :ost impressiveof all are the libraries &hich stretch hundreds of mileshi h! and the entire Realm is cra&lin &ith ma es ofall kinds! :ystics! <ierates! enefici! and others! alloperatin under the 0irmament Treaty!

!he Mansions of "onundrumshe Mansions of "onundrums1tatisti%statisti%s

Realm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H 'll 9lements H . Emotional Re onanceH )uriosity. 0embraneH *. )eighboring Realm H The 'stral Realm.

1entral 1ontradictionH ' Realm devoted tokno&led e and learnin of all kinds! it andits inhabitants seem to deli ht in hidin its&isdom behind impenetrable riddles! blindmaBes! and meanin less lyphs. ItCs ood tohide the most unsettlin truths from theun&ary! but &hen seekers are aloneto ether! &hatCs the point of claspin blindly

to endless ritual and traditions &hosemeanin s are lost for centuries! e(cept forsome artistic love of the baro=ue6

henomena, ite , and Encounter H ‣ &he 3reat AcademyH The most

influential :ystics are iven theopportunity to send their children tothe 5reat 'cademy to learn ma ic!study ancient history! and learn tospeak )ryptosophic. The curriculum ise(tremely challen in ! and rivalriesare overlooked! even encoura ed. :ostof the students are human :ysticsfrom the )olle iums! but some are<ierates! and more than a fe& of theinstructors are enefici or other ma ic-usin creatures.

‣ &he 8idden 0a$eH The :ansions of)onundrums are filled &ith secretpassa es! and the vast! t&istin !&indin tunnels! hidden staircases andcorridors all form a sort of <idden:aBe. ItCs possible to &ander intoanother Realm from the :aBe! orblunder into innumerable traps that linethe &alls.

‣ &he +ibrary of Red Rune H There aretoo many book collections to count inthe :ansions of )onundrums! but the

Pageage 59090




Detail": #ersonal details vary.Stor) "e>Note": 5oblins are minor combat

threats! but may be "ummoned! or mayindicate to #)s a Rupture to any darkRealm. 5oblins make a pretty ood socialencounter.

!he Ruined Pala%e of ;ighthe Ruined Pala%e of ;ight' sun in permanent eclipse shines over this

Realm of scorched ardens and shattered temples. Theli ht is bri ht and stark! and a feelin of devastatin

rief han s over the Realm &hose people onceprotected all the cosmos from unthinkable dan ers.

!he Ruined Pala%es of ;ighthe Ruined Pala%es of ;ight1tatisti%statisti%s

Realm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H 9ner y H ! all

others H+. Emotional Re onanceH "orro&. 0embraneH E. )eighboring Realm H The 'stral Realm.

1entral 1ontradictionH The #alaces of i ht&ere ruled by the )hildren of i ht! andused as their head=uarters for defendin the#leroma from the encroachments of the9lder ;easts. The )hildren of Darknessrebelled! desirin freedom from the #erfect'rk! and they attained free &ill andindividuality! even oin on to destroy the#erfect 'rk. 8o&! the #alaces have fallen!and the )hildren of Darkness findthemselves the only line of defense bet&eenthe #leroma they still love! and the Alem ; but they find it almost impossible to &orkto ether to&ards any common oal! becauseof their much-vaunted free &ill.

henomena, ite , and Encounter H ‣ #urity M:ali nant N$ The Ruined

#alaces of i ht are drenched &ith afeelin of an er and hopelessness thatslo&ly erodes the soul of visitors.

‣ &he hattered 2e tibuleH <ope fadesand li hts dim in the shattered palacesof the fallen an els. 4orst of all is thetemple of the #erfect 'rk even;

approachin close to this spot causesthe )hildren of i ht to suffer )7Rand to lose dE "#I.

‣

!rite H Travelers throu h the Ruined#alaces of i ht may encounterderan ed "prites.

!ypi%alypi%al1priteprite"prites are 9ner y 9lementals of li ht. They look

kind of like the traditional ima e of a faerie! smallhumanoids &ith dra onfly-like &in s. <o&ever!"prites donCt have a head! and instead have a sin le!lar e eye on their naked torso.

"prites are normally kind and enerous! but theydonCt suffer from most of the needs of other bein s! sothey donCt really understand their needs. "prites surviveon the positive emotional resonance from Realms! andcan be found in any Realm or near any Rupture &ith apositive affect. ,nfortunately! &ith the destruction ofthe #alaces of i ht and the darkenin of its emotionalresonance! "prites starve and become deran ed. "pritesmay try to help travelers to feed on their positiveemotions! or may harm them in their unreasoninmadness.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH / I) H * &RH ><T< ---? ERH E &38H * -I+ $ 2

Initiati&e I)I&H +

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ )7R$ I5$ 1 "#I$ * < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ *.‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ 2.

Pageage 5#6#6




‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ E.‣ M N <ead < T$ .‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ 2.‣ M to N <and < T$ *.

)oteH "prites have U normal < T in all;ody #arts due to the "hort <ardship.

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ + :D90$ RD90$

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ /! )lose )ombat$ *! Dod e$ 3!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ---! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ 3! Intimidation$ *! Ran ed)ombat$ 3! 8e otiation$ *! 8otice$ 3!Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ ---! "neak$ !Trickery$ E! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent": )reepy ooks$ evel .

*ard"hi ":

0ortal 8ard hi! H‣ Despairin $ evel .‣ "hort$ evel +.

Dar! Po'er":;lindin ;urst$ evel *.

9lemental "ense M9ner yN$ evel 3. 9lemental 4in s M9ner yN$ evel 3

>:odifications$ )ost to ,se$ +?. <ealin $ evel *. Re eneration$ evel *. The "i ht$ evel .

Po""e""ion":8one.

Detail": #ersonal details vary.Stor) "e>Note": "prites are mostly minor

opponents they arenCt smart or cooperative; enou h to be allies! and arenCt or aniBedenou h to be major villains.

Pageage 5#5#5




!he 'astelands of 1ufferinghe 'astelands of 1uffering

Image courtesy Filomena, Freedigitalp otos.net.

The 4astelands of "ufferin are a hellish &orld!the home of the )hildren of Darkness durin theirbanishment from the #alaces of i ht. The 4astelandsof "ufferin are filled &ith deserts of burnin red sand!under a pitch-black sky. Throu hout the deserts!ancient! beautiful ruins of steel and lass and marblestand ju(taposed a ainst the rubble and sand. 7nce!this place held proud! defiant palaces and mi htyfortresses! but infi htin prevailed! and their shininhei hts &ere brou ht lo&.

<alf-reptilian! half-canine thin s! the "heolites!fora e for the rare food creatures that skitter throu hthe desert. These <ell <ounds pro&l the fe& roads!lookin for fresh slaves to capture for their dark lords!and every&here! the feelin of dread han s heavy onthe spirit.

!he 'astelands of 1ufferinghe 'astelands of 1uffering1tatisti%statisti%s

Realm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H 'll 9lements - . Emotional Re onanceH "pite or Despair. 0embraneH /. )eighboring Realm H The 'stral Realm.

1entral 1ontradictionH The 4astelands of"ufferin &ere once a paradise to rival the#alaces of i ht! but the 0allen battledamon themselves and destroyed the reatciviliBation they built here. The reatdun eons and charnel houses juttin likeaustere monuments out of the blood-redsand &ere once breath-takin temples andthrone rooms! and are testaments to thebeauty that ave &ay to the current madhorror.

henomena, ite , and Encounter H ‣ The ;loodthirsty Realm$ The Realm

itself thirsts for blood! and itCs un&iseto i nore its needs for lon ! or itCllbe in to take &hat isnCt freely offered.If a )haracter is out in the open anddoesnCt bleed once per hour! the Realm&ill send a sandstorm that causes dE9d ed dama e per Round for dERounds.

‣ oi on &ree H The only plants thatro& in the 4asteland of "ufferin are

small! ray! spiky rasses! barbed-&ire-like brambles! and the #oisonTrees. #oison Trees look like theyCrecomposed of human bodies from the&aist-up! &rithin slo&ly in pain andterror. 'nyone in estin their fruitsuffers from a evel 3 attack of the

enom Dark #o&er.‣ urity J0alignant <KH 'nyone that isnCt

almost completely pure of heart &illfind themselves incrediblyuncomfortable in this Realm!&itnessin the horrific sufferin andcruelty of its inhabitants.

Pageage 5#7#7




‣ laver H The )hildren of Darkness andthe native bein s! <ell <ounds!enslave anyone they encounter&anderin the 4astelands of"ufferin .

‣ &he &em!le of laughterH The Templeof "lau hter is a barren ray landunder a blood-red sky a vast comple(; of temples of broken ray marble arethe only habitations! &here d&ell ablack-co&led! monastic order of 5h lsdedicated to preservin the memory of:ada ,s-5idim! and one day raisin itfrom the ashes.

Image copyrig t t e aut or.

!ypi%alypi%al(surasura "hild of arknesshild of arknessThe )hildren of Darkness &ere once )hildren of

i ht! but they rebelled a ainst the 'rchons and &erecast do&n. 4hile all of the )hildren of i ht are allsimilarly fair-skinned and fair-haired! the )hildren ofDarkness are also beautiful! in a &ild variety of darkshapes and colors.

The doctrines of the )hildren of Darkness holdthat as they be an to e(perience free &ill and becamemore corrupt! they found themselves more and morevulnerable to the 9lder ;easts. The )hildren ofDarkness found that if they channeled their corruptioninto sin ular! identifiable channels! such as lust! reed!and luttony! they became less vulnerable to the forcesof the Alem. 8o&! &ith the #alaces of i ht destroyed!the )hildren of Darkness find themselves in theunenviable position of tryin to protect the #leromafrom the mindless creatures of endless chaos.

The 'suras are a e ion amon the )hildren ofDarkness! many of &hom &ere once 9lohim! and &hoare kno&n for their ambition and po&er-lust. 'surasare noble in demeanor and commandin in tone! andthey are amon the fe& )hildren of Darkness kno&nfor! at least enerally! honorin their &ord.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH 2 I) H 3 &RH 3 ><T< 2dEH d*? ERH E

&38H 3 -I+H 2Initiati&e I)I&H 1.

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ / )7R$ E I5$ 23 "#I$ 23 < T$

‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ 22! I#R7$ 3!D#R7$ ---.

‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ /2! I#R7$ 3! D#R7$---.

‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ +*! I#R7$ 3!D#R7$ ---.

‣ M N <ead < T$ *2! I#R7$ 3! D#R7$---.

‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ 31! I#R7$ 3!D#R7$ ---.

‣ M to N <and < T$ 22! I#R7$ 3!D#R7$ ---.

Pageage 5#9#9




Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ *3 :D90$ *2 RD90$ **

/a"ic Talent": 'thletics$ E! )lose )ombat$ ! Dod e$ !

Drive$ -----! 9ducation$ E! 9ndurance$ E!<idden ore$ ! Intimidation$ ! Ran ed)ombat$ E! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ E!Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ E! "neak$ !Trickery$ 2! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent":'ttractive$ 3.

)reepy ooks$ 3. <onest$ . Tou h as 8ails$ +.

*ard"hi ": 'rro ant$ E. Despairin $ *. 7bsessed M#o&erN$ . 7utsider$ 2.

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H

‣

'ffect "pirits$ .‣ Darkness$ +.‣ Dark "i ht$ +.‣ 9lemental "hapin M9ner yN$ 3.‣ 9lemental "hield M9ner yN$ 3.‣ 9lemental 4eapon M9ner yN$ E.‣ 9lemental 4in s M9ner yN$ 3.‣ 9(tra 'rms$ .‣ Inhuman 'ttributes M'll 'ttributesN$ .‣ #ossession$ .‣ "cour e$ 2.‣ The "i ht$ .‣ "pirit 0orm$ .‣ Telepathy$ .‣ Ton ues$ .‣ Traverse Realms$ 2.

Po""e""ion": 8one.

Detail": 'll personal details vary 'suras tend to; be &ell-dressed! thou h! at the top of&hatever social roup theyCre currentlyconsortin &ith. )entral )ontradiction$'suras rebelled a ainst the domination ofthe #erfect 'rkCs Ohive-mind!P but theystrive to institute tyranny almost as absoluteover everyone they encounter.

Stor) "e>Note": 9ven a relatively &eak )hild ofDarkness like this 'sura is more than amatch for a lar e roup of very po&erful #),nnaturals. :ost )hildren of Darknessretain a reat portion of their ori inal po&er!if not their shinin lory! than the )hildren

of i ht do! makin them lethal foes. "hortof an incursion by the 9lder ;easts! anencounter &ith a )hild of Darkness shouldbe considered a &orst-case scenario.

!ypi%al Aell Aoundypi%al Aell Aound'lso kno&n as "heolites! <ell <ounds are

rou hly canine in shape! but the resemblance endsthere. Their skull-like heads top a black! oily! hairlessbody half the siBe of a horse! and their le s all end inthree massive sickle-shaped cla&s. <ell <ounds canstand and &alk erect! and their hands! thou h crude!enable them to manipulate simple devices almost as&ell as <umans. In the place of a tail! three bladedtendrils flail around them! like a scorpionCs stin er! andtheir three eyes lo& like hideous amber lamps.'nyone &hoCs faced a <ell <ound never for ets it.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH E I) H 3

&RH ><T< *dEH ? ERH * &38H 1 -I+H /

Initiati&e I)I&H

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource" I0$ *1 )7R$

I5$ / "#I$ 3 < T$‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ *1! I#R7$ 3!

D#R7$ .‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ E1! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ .‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ 1 ! I#R7$ 3!

D#R7$ .

Pageage 5####




‣ M N <ead < T$ 22! I#R7$ ! D#R7$ .‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ 3 ! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ .‣ M to N <and < T$ *1! I#R7$ 3!

D#R7$ .

Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ :D90$ 1 RD90$ +

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ 3! )lose )ombat$ E! Dod e$ 2!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ 3!<idden ore$ ! Intimidation$ ! Ran ed

)ombat$ 3! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ E!Repair$ ---! "elf-)ontrol$ 3! "neak$ E!Trickery$ *! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent": )oura eous$ /.

)reepy ooks$ /. 9ducation$ > an ua e$ 9nochian?. Tou h as 8ails$ 3.

*ard"hi ": 0ortal 8ard hi! H‣ ;ad <ands$ *.‣ )ruel$ 2.‣ 7utsider$ .‣ en eful$ 2.

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H‣ )arapace! evel 3.‣ )la&s! evel 3 >D:5 EdEH 9! Reach

+! 'ccuracy H ! Total 'ttack RollH /?.

‣ Dim "i ht! evel /.‣ 0an s evel 2 >D:5 d*H 9! Reach

+! 'ccuracy H ! Total 'ttack RollH ?.

‣ ar e! evel *.‣ "harp "enses M<earin N! evel .‣ "harp "enses M"mell and TasteN! evel

3.‣ The "i ht! evel E.‣ Tail! evel +.‣ enom! evel E.

Po""e""ion": 8one.

Detail": #ersonal details vary.Stor) "e>Note": isitors to the 4astelands of

"ufferin are very likely to run across <ell<ounds! and any )hild of Darkness may beaccompanied by to <ell <ounds. <ell<ounds are conscious predators! andmassively po&erful! but are a little dim!makin them a ood encounter forresourceful #acts.

!he ?lemhe ?lem;eyond even the 'stral #lane is the Alem! an

infinite e(panse of pure chaos. The Alem is the homeof the 9lder ;easts! and e(posure to the Alem results in=uick and utter madness. "ome :ystics are braveenou h to travel briefly into the Alem fe& return! and; of those that do! most are slaves of the ;easts. The#alaces of i ht and its e ions &ere established toprotect the Realms from the 9lder ;easts no& that the; #alaces have been brou ht lo&! it is only the )hildrenof Darkness and their tyrannical rei n over the Realmsthat can keep the :ortal &orld some&hat safe.

!he ?lem 1tatisti%she ?lem 1tatisti%sRealm %haracteri"tic": Elemental 1haracteri tic H 'll 9lements - . Emotional Re onanceH )onfusion. 0embraneH +. )eighboring Realm H The 'stral Realm.

1entral 1ontradictionH 0or bein creaturessprun from complete and utter randomness!the 9lder ;easts and their hellish kind arepretty sin le-mindedly determined to

Pageage 5#&#&




destroy the #leroma and all its inhabitants.4hy6 4hat purpose does such destructionserve6

henomena, ite , and Encounter H‣ 0adne H 'ny mind that resembles a

<umanCs isnCt capable of copin &iththe Alem for lon . 9very Round that a)haracter is in the Alem! they lose dE"#I. ItCs believed that oid ma icmi ht be able to miti ate this loss! butno one is sure. "li htly more preparedfor the home of their ancient enemies!the )hildren of i ht only lose d* "#Iper Round! but this doesnCt help much.

‣ Randomne H #art of the terrifyinnature of the Alem is that the physicalla&s are constantly chan in every; Round every )haracter takes dEDama e of a randomly-chosen type! asthe stron force fails and the)haracterCs atomic nuclei fall apart! orall of the free o(y en in the vicinityrandomly transmutes into helium.

!ypi%al Boo umypi%al Boo um;oojums >named for creatures in e&is )arroll]s

poem OThe <untin of the "narkP? are inscrutablecreatures from the Alem! servants of Jorok the 4iseand 4icked. Their bodies look rou hly <uman! albeittoo thin and &ith too many joints! all in the &ronplaces. Their heads have the shiny! reflective surface ofa ceramic mask! a va uely bird-like beak! and hollo&eyes that continually &eep a lumpy reen phle m thatrapidly dissolves in air. ;oojums favor the formalclothes of the Realm they inhabit! and they float abovethe round. They can take on the illusory appearance ofan ordinary <uman or other ,nnatural! and theirtelepathic communications have a hollo& andconfusin Osound!P as if they &ere speakin back&ardsand for&ards simultaneously.

;oojums are vastly intelli ent! but their only oalis to open permanent 5ate&ays into the Alem.;oojums may be accompanied by "ervitors and<ierates! but often travel alone as &ell. Their mostterrifyin ability is the po&er to &arp probability atrandom! causin the impossible to occur. They are veryresistant to harm! e(cept by acts of creativity in thearea around them. "pellcastin is not considered an actof creation as such! but any kind of e(temporaneous artor performance! &ith true emotion and skill! &ould be.)reation! the brin in of somethin out of nothin is

the antithesis of the Alem! and it causes ;oojumsCphysical forms to &eaken and dissolve. 4hen slain!their bodies also dissipate into the air! leavin nothinbehind.

Ph)"ical Attri$ute" Mental Attri$ute" A3IH I) H * &RH 2 ><T< dE? ERH 2 &38H + -I+H +

Initiati&e I)I&H

Ph)"ical Re"ource" Mental Re"ource"

I0$ 3+ )7R$ + I5$ *+ "#I$ /

< T$‣ M to *N 0oot < T$ ! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ .‣ M2 to 3N e < T$ *E! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ .‣ ME to /N Torso < T$ 32! I#R7$ *+!

D#R7$ .‣ M N <ead < T$ 2! I#R7$ 3! D#R7$

.‣ M1 to +N 'rm < T$ * ! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ .‣ M to N <and < T$ ! I#R7$ +!

D#R7$ .Ph)"ical De,en"e" Mental De,en"e" )D90$ + :D90$ + RD90$ +

/a"ic Talent":'thletics$ ! )lose )ombat$ 2! Dod e$ 3!Drive$ ---! 9ducation$ ! 9ndurance$ !<idden ore$ +! Intimidation$ ! Ran ed)ombat$ 2! 8e otiation$ ! 8otice$ !Repair$ ! "elf-)ontrol$ +! "neak$ 1!Trickery$ 3! 4ealth$ ---.

Ad&anced Talent":

;reak 9nter$ . )reepy ooks$ 1.

*ard"hi ": 0ortal 8ard hi! H‣ )ruel$ .‣ echerous$ .

Pageage 5#,#,




‣ 7bsessed M#erformance 'rtN$ .‣ "hort$ *.

6nnatural 8ard hi! H‣ "ensitivity M'cts of creationN$ .

Dar! Po'er": Innate ower H‣ )arapace$ evel +.‣ Dark "i ht$ evel .‣ 9lemental ;olt M oidN$ evel E.‣ Inhuman 'ttribute MI8"N$ evel E.‣ evitation$ evel >'ction to ,se$

8one )ost to ,se$ 8one?.;‣ :iasma of :adness$ evel E >'ction

to ,se$ 8one )ost to ,se$ 8one?.;‣ :ira e$ evel >7nly to create the

illusion that the ;oojum is a <uman?.‣ Re eneration$ evel .‣ "ever 0ate$ evel +.‣ Resistance M'll :ental 'fflictionsN$

evel +.‣ Telekinesis$ evel E.‣ Telepathy$ evel E.‣ Teleportation$ evel E.‣ The "i ht$ evel +.‣

Ton ues$ evel +.‣ !ecialH ;oojums cannot 5o ;u fuck!

and suffer no dama e &hatsoever frome(posure to the Alem.

Po""e""ion": 8one.

Detail": #ersonal details vary.Stor) "e>Note": Despite their &himsical name!

;oojums are a major threat! on the order of)hildren of Darkness or "ervitors. :ost,nnaturals arenCt prepared to deal &ith the&eird po&ers of ;oojums! &ho prefer todisarm and delay their enemies until theircontinual :iasma of :adness can drivethem permanently insane.

Pageage 5#/#/

"reation Mythsreation Myths

o% did the ni*erse come to "eE Ihat isrea and %hat isn)tE +he Chi dren of Bightsho# d ha*e a the ans%ers! rightE ct#a &! notso m#ch

+heir memories of %hat some of them ca+he efore +ime! the Jirst eon! the time

"efore the& Je ! are c o#ded and indistinct Hneof the most pop# ar m&ths! %hich Gi*es %ith the"e iefs of the ancient .nostic sect! is that one

the F der easts created the stra - ane and therchons +he rchons %ent on to create the

- eroma and their inha"itants! in ser*ice to theBogos! the incarnation of nit&

Hther Chi dren of Bight "e ie*e that oneof the F der easts no" & sacrificed itse f tocreate the /no%n cosmos! to ma/e somethingpre*io#s & #n/no%n (ts " ood formed the

stra - ane (ts organs "ecame the - eroma!and the ineffa" e tho#ghts in its mind "ecamethe rchons +he& "e ie*e that the F der eastsare an a"erration on the path to nit&! and that

the& fo o% the tr#e path+here are man& other theories

+ha#matronic astronomers often sa& that theF der easts are nothing more than the creati*eand destr#cti*e forces in space! or ma&"e theremainder of a destro&ed ci*i i ation! and thatthe Chi dren of Bight are simp & a iens %ith anincredi" e gam#t of ps&chic po%ers




!he Elder Beastshe Elder BeastsDra ons. 7ld 7nes. Titans. :onsters older than

time and more po&erful than ods. There are anuncounted number of these blasphemous monstrosities!but amon those catalo ed by the 7rdo )ustodes8octis are 9oth Damnation-;rin er! Iijikal :orthian ofthe "tolen 9yes! Jorok the 4ise and 4icked!"horaCanis the 'll-Devourer! and The "torm 7f 'llIni=uities.

The 9lder ;easts have no ame mechanics facin; one of them is an apocalyptic e(perience! &orthy of thevery end of a lon campai n. If an 9lder ;eastsomeho& created an avatar that e(tended into ourRealm! it &ould have 'ffect "pirits and at least 3

evels each of Immortal! Inhuman 'ttribute M'llN!:iasma of :adness! Re eneration! and The "i ht.The most horrific thin about the 9lder ;easts is

their tendency to chan e their surroundin s and thebein s around them in random &ays. They radiate thebiBarre ener ies of the Alem! and one the fe&occasions &hen one of them has been summoned to aRealm! &hole species mutated into ne& forms! physicalla&s shifted permanently! and even nei hborinRealms chan ed in unpredictable &ays. If the 9lder;easts &ere to find their &ay permanently into the#leroma! the results &ould be a &orld of apocalypticchaos! &ithout end.

Making a Monsteraking a Monster.e> Player "hara%ter +nnaturalse> Player "hara%ter +nnaturals

There are thousands of myths and le ends to dra&inspiration from for a )haracter! from campfire tales of

hosts to literary and televised fi ures of monster-huntin aptitude! to ferocious &ere-beasts! to :ortalpsychics! the list oes on. ItCs easy to add ne& types of,nnaturals for the #layers to select form &hen creatina )haracter the Dir e R#5 is desi ned to be fle(ible in; this &ay.

'n ,nnatural Type and 0action packa e to ethershould total *+ ;uild #oints 3 ;# for the base; ,nnatural Type packa e! and 3 ;# for the 0actionpacka e. 7f course! you can easily also make ne& )ult#acka es for :ystics! ne& e ion #acka es for)hildren of i ht! or ne& Tribe #acka es for 5h ls.Just spend 3 ;uild #oints on the ne& #acka e! andyouCre set.

9ach additional H to )orruption at start rants ;#! and each - to )orruption costs ;# the; ma(imum modification either &ay is * evels.

4hen a ne& ,nnatural Type is desi ned! the5ame :aster should also &ork up the back rounddetails on these ne& ,nnaturals! alon &ith some ne&"pecial Re&ards for them to o adventurin amon the#leroma in search of. If the ne& creature Typeautomatically ets their o&n lan ua e! they donCt haveto take evels in the 9(pert Talent to be able to speakit.

Pageage 5#0#0

"reation Myths 3%ont:4reation Myths 3%ont:4

fe% Chi dren of Bight sa& that the cosmos %asne*er created! that things ha*e a %a&s "een this%a&; man& I# Qang +aoists "e ie*e that thecosmos goes thro#gh end ess c&c es ofdestr#ction and re creation! and that the R em isG#st the ra% materia of creation! and the impet#sof necessar& destr#ction

Iho is rightE (t)s hard to sa&! "#t theChi dren of Bight are a more than %i ing tofight one another o*er their persona fa*oritecosmo og&




.e> .P" Monsterse> .P" MonstersIf the creatures here arenCt enou h of a threat to

the #)s! itCs time to craft some ne& monstrosities tohaunt their ni htmares. Aou can be a little morecreative &ith 8#) monsters! since they donCt have tobe balanced one a ainst the other have fun dreamin; up ne& and e(citin &ays to torment the #)s. Keepthem from ettin careless.

Pageage 5#2#2

.e> Pa%kages for .e> 1ettingse> Pa%kages for .e> 1ettings

(f &o#)re #sing the Dirge ,-. for adifferent genre! &o# can change the 2 initiapac/ages to s#it the campaign Jor e=amp e! fora traditiona fantas& setting! &o# can rename the+&pe pac/age to ,ace and ma/e ne% F f andD%arf pac/ages! and rep ace the Jactionpac/ages %ith a -rofession pac/age! i/eIarrior! age! -riest! and +hief O#st ma/e s#rethe&)re a 15 - and &o#)re a set; &o# %i e*en"e a" e to mi= and match pac/ages "et%eensettings! if &o#r campaign %i span man&%or ds'




"hapter III$ Game Masteringhapter III$ Game MasteringThe 5ame :aster is the individual that creates and presents the campai n and all of its adventures! helps the

#layers learn the rules and makes their )haracters! interprets the rules &here they may be unclear or incomplete!and re&ards the )haracters based on their accomplishments. The 5ame :aster isnCt e(actly the author of a story!but a co-author! creatin half of the action! mystery! and dan er the other half is created by the #layers! all; &orkin to ether.

1etting the 1tageetting the 1tage

!hemes and !onehemes and !one' sin le story can be told in many different &ays ;

the &ordin ! settin ! and situations all create a tone!and reinforce certain themes. 7ne of the mostimportant 5ame :asterin task is decide &hat kind ofstory they &ant to tell. ItCs a ood idea to ask the#layers &hat kind of Theme and Tone your story &illhave! and let them kno& &hat kind of Theme and Toneto e(pect so their )haracters &ill be effective.

Action: 'ction stories focus on craBy stunts andcombat of all kinds. <eroes in an 'ction-orientedcampai n or adventure &ill need lots of 'thletics and

)ombat Talents.De"olation: 9verythin falls apart the center;

cannot hold. "urvival is the ultimate victory! and theultimate challen e. Desolate stories &ill focus onemotional difficulties! and #layers that just &ant toblo& off some steam mi ht not enjoy the darkatmosphere of this campai n.

E. loration: 4ith a myriad of stran edimensions at hand! &ho could sit at home and ve outon the couch6 9(ploration stories re=uire a certainamount of preparation on the part of the )haracters!and 8otice! Investi ation! Kno&led e! and "urvivalTalents are a ood idea.

Grim Fanta"): In a 5rim 0antasy story! theancient myths are all real! but darker than advertised.… 7ut amon the #leroma! anythin is possible! andmany stran e thin s skulk the shado&s closer to home!as &ell.

Madne"": The line bet&een sanity and delirium isvery fine! even finer for ,nnaturals like the #)s. 'nd&ith Realm travel! illusions! and mind control! ho& isone to even kno& theyCve one mad6

Paranoia: TheyCre every&hereL They kno&everythin L They could even be A7,L The <ierates… provide lots of opportunities for conspiracy-themedadventures.

Philo"o h): 4hat do &e kno&6 <o& can &ekno& anythin 6 4hat is scarier! that life may have ameanin that &eCre missin out on! or that it may haveno meanin at all6 #hilosophy! and disputes ofphilosophers! provides a lot of meat for adventures andcampai ns! and oneCs beliefs about reality arenCt justmatters of academic interest to ,nnaturals! they areoften matters of life and death.

Protection o, Innocence: 9very ,nnatural is

burdened &ith the horrible kno&led e of the trueoin s-on in the &orld. ItCs up to the dark heroes toprotect :ortals from truths they canCt handle.

Surreali"m: In a surreal story! everythin looksfamiliar! but subtly t&isted the eerily reminiscent; landscape someho& reveals facts about our o&n innernatures. Time and space play tricks on visitors tostran e Realms! and some Realms resemble the innardsof a iant beast! the clock&orks of an immensemachine! or rotatin ! revolvin eometric solids.

#him"): "tran e! ironic! even sli htly sillythin s can be found out amon the #leroma. 'liencreatures that &ant to ar ue fashion and politics! ore(traplanar versions of the "elB-:or "uperstore K &ithlich door reeters and succubus cashiers! areappropriate for a &himsical campai n. "ome #layersmi ht e(pect a serious horror campai n! and notappreciate this sort of oddity in the campai n.

Pageage 5&6&6




Aelp the Players Make theirelp the Players Make their"hara%tershara%ters

'fter decidin on Themes and Tones! but beforethe campai n be ins! the 5ame :asterCs role is to helpthe #layers make their )haracters. The 5: may decideto restrict certain kinds of )haracters in order tofacilitate your campai n for e(ample! if a )ampai n; &ill revolve entirely around the #alaces of i ht andtheir a&ful fate! it mi ht be appropriate to restrict #)sto )hildren of i ht.

'nother important =uestion every 5: mustans&er is ho& they are oin to brin the #)s to etheras a team. The #)s may be a #act assembled by thelocal )ouncil of 8i ht to solve a temporary problem!or for a permanent reason. The #)s may be a ents ofthe 7rdo )ustodes 8octis! &orkin to ether to save the&orld from the 9lder ;easts. 7r the #)s may all be thesame ,nnatural Type! and be called to ether by the'rmy of i ht! 5atherin ! or )olle ium! to solve someproblem. This is the easy &ay if the ,nnaturals are; scarce in an area! the #)s may all be friends orac=uaintances from before their ,nnatural chan e! orbe brou ht to ether by some tra edy that ives them amutual purpose.

In some campai ns! it may be appropriate toallo& the #layers to make )haracters that are a littlemore po&erful than the avera e startin -level Dir e#). If so! you should consider a&ardin some e(tra;uild #oints to )haracters at creation time! to be usedon 'ttributes! Talents! or Dark #o&ers.

More Po'er,ul P%": 6n!re!ared Amateur H H+ ;#. These

)haracters havenCt had ,nnatural po&ersthat lon ! and are enerally i norant andvulnerable.

Ready for &roubleH H + ;#! and up to *more evels of <ardships. These )haractershave been travelin the #leroma for a fe&years! and learned some secrets.

4ark 8eroe H H2+ ;#! and up to 3 moreevels of <ardships. These )haracters are

po&erful enou h to hold positions ofresponsibility in the local )ouncil of 8i ht!or be trusted a ents of the 7rdo )ustodes8octis.

4eadly Elite H HE+ ;#! and up to moreevels of <ardships. 0e& )haracters survive

lon enou h to et this po&erful! and these)haracters are likely to be members of theDamocletian 5uard! dedicated seekers after

enli htenment! and are po&erful enou h topresent a si nificant threat to the <ierate)ultCs control over an entire area.

(d<entures and "ampaign Plotsd<entures and "ampaign Plots'dventures are! at their simplest! a series of

scenes linked to ether by the same set of )haracters!and a related set of settin s and oals. ' series of theseadventures! also linked to ether! form a campai n. "o&hat oals should you present for the #)s to pursue6<ere are a fe& e(amples.

*unted: The )haracters are bein hunted do&n!and must obtain somethin ! or et some&here! so they

can be safe. O<untedP adventures are reat at inducinfear and suspense itCs probably better to start off &ith; &eak enemies that radually et more numerous anda ressive! radually raisin the stakes so the #)sarenCt instantly over&helmed.

Image courtesy, Vitasamb /, Freedigitalp otos.net.

Introduction": In Introduction adventures! the#)s first meet each other! discover &hat they have incommon! and be in &orkin to ether. Intros areusually part of the first adventure in the campai n! andthe Introduction occurs alon &ith another! lar er plot.

Location 3ue"t": The #)s must e(plore someother-Realm temple! catacombs! abandoned militarybase! or other spot! dealin &ith traps! enemies! andcreatures alon the &ay. This form of adventure is easyto prepare for! and puts the impetus for the for&ardaction in the #)Cs hands.

Pageage 5&5&5




Allie": The #)s sometimes need someone to ivethem hints! ear! or even accompany them on theirescapades. :embers of the 7rdo )ustodes 8octismake ood 'llies for most #layer )haracter roups! asdo some enefici.

Arch8(illain": The Ofinal bossP of adventures oreven entire campai ns! 'rch- illains must be opposedor the conse=uences are rave for many people! or theentire #leroma. 5ood 'rch- illains include )hildrenof Darkness and <ierate :ystics.

Lieutenant": eaders of roups of :inions!ieutenants are more po&erful and capable than them.enefici! "ervitors! and <ell <ounds make oodieutenants.

Ma-u,,in": "ome 8#)s are central to the storythemselves perhaps they et kidnapped and need to be; rescued! or maybe theyCre prophesied to do somethinimportant someday and need to be kept safe until then.

Minion": 9nemy 8#)s that are minor obstaclese(cept in lar e numbers. :ost :inions donCt havenames! and are usually si nificantly &eaker than #)s."hado& 5oblins! ombies! "prites! and 5earbots make

ood :inions.

Settin- %olor: The 8#) e(ists mainly toestablish certain facts about the settin . These 8#)srarely need stats! unless theyCre oin to come intoconflict &ith the #)s in some &ay.

Stor) E. o"ition: The 8#) e(ists mainly to pass

on important information. "tory 9(position 8#)s donCtenerally need stats.Rather than &ritin full stats for a minor 8#)!

you can often simply assi n the most important stats tothem. 0or e(ample! a )onsortium merchant that isnCtintended to be a combat encounter can be simplyassi ned evels in #9R! 8e otiation! and :D90 other; important stats can be assi ned on the fly. 5ame

:asters should al&ays be &ary of over-preparin you; donCt &ant to burn yourself out &ith prep &ork on stuffthat &ill never be usedL

Railsails7ne of the dan ers of presentin the #)s &ith

specific oals is that you lock the #)s into only onecourse of action. 5amin parlance calls this Obein puton rails!P as in a train that cannot turn ri ht or left! butis trapped &ith a sin le destination.

;e sure to ive the #)s multiple methods toachieve each oal! and be ready to improvise if theydecide to take an unforeseen direction. ItCs okay to pre-

script a fe& events! but keep it to a minimum! and keepit plausible! or the #)s &ill et justifiably upset.Remember! 5ame :aster! this isnCt just your campai n!itCs everyoneCs.

1andbo*ingandbo*ingThe opposite of a OrailsP adventure is a Osandbo(P

adventure! &here the #)s are turned loose to do&hatever they &ant! like children in a sandbo(. "ome

roups of players &ork &ell to ether even if there is nospecific oal! if they et to e(plore and investi ate thecampai n &orld on their o&n terms. <o&ever! thissome #layers freeBe up &hen presented &ith too manyoptions! paralyBed &ith indecision.

"andbo( adventures can also be really hard on the5: as &ell! as the #)s do all kinds of stuff youcouldnCt possibly have foreseen or prepared for. DonCtstart a sandbo( adventure unless youCre confident &ithyour 5ame :asterin skills! and ready to improviselike mad &ith the ri ht roup and 5:! thou h! it can; be very re&ardin .

ealing >ith Problemsealing >ith Problems

Pageage 5&9&9




Issues >ith Playersssues >ith PlayersInevitably! problems &ill arise bet&een #layers!

or bet&een yourself and one or more #layers! andyouCll need to help resolve the situation and keep thecampai n on track. #eople naturally disa ree! and aspreviously mentioned! the Dir e R#5 includes somecomple( issues! all stuff that people freak out about inreal life.

Aou and the #layers need to be mature! be able tocommunicate &hen thin s are ettin uncomfortable!and everyone needs to be understandin and committedto havin fun to ether. If any of these in redients islackin ! the campai n &ill probably e(perience issueslon before ar uments arise and s=uicky stuff comesup.

#art of &ritin a campai n &ith horror themes ispushin boundaries! but as 5ame :aster! you need tokno& your players! and be sensitive to the placement ofthose boundaries. If everyone is rela(ed! open-minded!open about their thou hts and feelin s! and if theyCre

just sho&in up for a ood time! there shouldnCt be anyserious problems.

Making Rulingsaking RulingsThese rules are yours! 5ame :aster. 0old!

spindle! and mutilate them to make them into the amethat you &ant to play. Aour humble author &ill

point out that &ritin roleplayin ames is not an e(actscience. #erfection is an admirable oal! but not arealistic one! and these rules are va ue in more than afe& areas! sometimes deliberately so. This is yourchance to shine! 5ame :asterL The Rules of Thumbbelo& mi ht help$

Kee It Sim le: Re-use e(istin rules &heneverpossible. 4hy re-invent the &heel6

Kee It Fa"t: If you do decide to &rite acompletely ne& ame mechanic to handle a situation!make it easy enou h no one feels the need to reach fora calculator >unless they failed basic al ebra?.

Kee It Fun: ThereCs no point in addin rules thatdonCt further the action and hei hten the suspense. 'skyourself! O<o& &ould this &ork in a horror movie! adark urban fantasy novel! or comic book! or in thedarker myths and le ends6P

Kee Your Audience: <ey! the rules are justhere to make sure that everyone has rou hly e=ualamounts of fun. 4hen you make a rulin ! check &iththe #layers to make sure that they understand &hy youmade the decision that you did! and that they donCtstron ly object. If they do! ask them &hy! and consider&hat they say they may be on to somethin .;

A"! For Ad&ice: Aou arenCt alone other people; have &alked the lon road of learnin to 5ame :aster!and have run into the e(act same problems you have.

ots of R#5 &ebsites have decent advice on dealin&ith the rules! the players! and the plot.

Burnouturnout9very 5ame :aster discovers that their ener y

and creativity have limits! and itCs far better to e(tend ashort campai n thatCs been a lot of tun! than it is to draout a campai n that no one enjoys any more. 4henyouCre plannin ! itCs easy to think that the story youCre&ritin for your #layers &ill last for decades! but mostnever do. DonCt feel compelled to keep oin justbecause there are a fe& plot threads left dan lin you; can pick those up &ith your ne(t campai n.

"ome 5ame :asters hand off their duties to oneof the #layers &hen theyCre startin to et burned out!lettin them take over the campai n other campai ns; have a revolvin 5ame :aster. DonCt be afraid to iveit a try.

Pageage 5&#&#




EnlightenmentnlightenmentThe dark heroes that someho& mana e to survive

should be re&arded for their efforts.

E*perien%e Points 3 P4*perien%e Points 3 P4)haracters ain 9(perience #oints >F#? in the

course of their adventures + 9(perience #oints earns; the )haracter ;uild #oint! &hich can be spent onanythin e(cept "pecial 'bilities.

Su--e"ted /uild Point Re'ard": "a e AwardH 'll )haracters ain one F# per

ame session. 4efeating Enemie H

‣ to F# for defeatin a minor threat!like a ombie! "hado& 5oblin! orThu . :a(imum of + F# per amesession.

‣ * to 3 F# for defeatin an intermediatethreat! like another ,nnatural of the#)sC po&er level. :a(imum of + F#per ame session.

‣ to + F# for defeatin a major threat!

like brand-ne& #)s fi htin a "ervitor.:a(imum of + F# per ame session. 3ood Role!layingH :a(imum of * F# per

ame session.‣ F# for merely takin )haracter Type

and the e(istence of certain <ardshipsinto account.

‣ F# for roleplayin encountersthorou hly and discussin thin s in)haracter.

‣ 3 F# for sometimes makin baddecisions because thatCs &hat the)haracters &ould do.

+earningH 7ne point of F# for e(periencin

ne& stuff. earnin the hidden history of the#leroma! bein dumped by oneCs si nificantother! or ettin shot for the first time &ouldall =ualify! to a ma(imum of 3 F# persession.

1pe%ial Re>ardspe%ial Re>ards"pecial Re&ards are rated from to +! and they

rant special ;uild #oints that can be used to purchase"pecial 'bilities. ' )haracter that e(periences a"pecial Re&ard suffers an 9motional 'ffliction!

enerally '&e or Joy! for minute per point of the"pecial Re&ard.

/lood M)th" and Stran-e Fle"h: The tales ofthe 5h l civiliBation contain clues to the incrediblepo&er that their people once held! and their true!unholy potential. 5h ls also ro& more po&erful bydevourin the flesh of stran e ne& creatures! dra&inon their vitality to amplify their o&n. 9ach time a 5h lhears a ;lood :yth! they may spend the ;uild #ointsto learn ne& ;lood Tricks! the 5h lsC "pecial 'bilities ; but each time they do! they ain H )7R.

E am!le "lood 0ythH OIn the empire of:ada ,s-5idim! there &as a po&erful noble&ho married a oddess from the heavens.The ods hoped that her beauty &ouldtemper his heart! and teach him respect forothers instead! he felt that heCd con=uered;

both the &orld and the heavens! andcontinued in his evil &ay! bathin in theblood of his enemies and slau hterin theirchildren. 7ne day! despairin of his evil! sheresolved to end his life. "he dre& a da erand &ent in unto him at ni ht! to kill him asthey lay in bed to ether. 's she pulled theknife from his body! he thanked her. "hethou ht perhaps he &as about to repent ofhis sins he said then to her! C8o! you silly; &oman! but you reminded me! I still haveyet to con=uer the ,nder&orld.C 4ith hislast breath! he &rested the knife from her!and tore open her throat their servants found; them both dead the ne(t day! in the otherCsbloody embrace.P

This is a *-point ;lood :yth. 5h ls that hear this;lood :yth and learn from it ain * ;# to spendto&ards the 9lemental "hield M"piritN Dark #o&er!&hich &ill be an Innate #o&er. This form of armor iseffective a ainst almost any attack! but &ooden&eapons like stakes are used by some 5h l-hunters

Pageage 5&&&&




&ith some success >the 'rmor has the 4eak #oint:odification! rantin it the ess 9ffective M4oodN'rmor 0eature the Dark #o&er has )heap )ost?.;

The flesh of )hildren of i ht count as point of"tran e 0lesh! &hich can be used to increase the 5h lCs

evel of The "i ht. The flesh of :ystics doesnCt countas "tran e 0lesh.

Glim "e" and Tome": :ystics seek 5limpses oftheir <i her "elf out amon the #leroma! &hich theymay use to purchase additional evels of the "orceryand 9nchantment "pecial 'bilities.

:ystics also seek Tomes &hich hold the ancientsecrets of ma ic! &hich they may use to learn Dark'rts and :ystical Techni=ues.

Pageage 5&,&,

ark 'isdomark 'isdom

$o! %hat does it mean to earn from aood &thE +here are different %a&s to hand e

this! depending on %hat /ind of campaign the.ame aster is r#nning

a&"e the .ame aster sho# d decide%hat the ood &th means! and e=pect the.hA - a&er to fig#re it o#t "efore the& canspend the points Hr! the . ma& as/ the- a&er to come #p %ith their o%n meaning forthe ood &th; in the rea %or d! differentpeop e earn different things from fa" es andstories

+he .ame aster ma& decide that eachood &th is a code! and certain precise

techni #es for #sing ne% ood +ric/s areciphered in this code (n this case! the Characterneeds to ma/e an (:$ N idden Bore ro !#s#a & *s DJ *erage ?20@! to decipher %hat itmeans

,egard ess! .hA - a&ers sho# d ha*e to%or/ to grasp the ood &th Ba & efficient.ame asters sho# d instead G#st gi*e .hACharacters $trange J esh instead! %hich re #iresno deep #nderstanding to sa*or and gro% strongfrom

!am (s 1<at C !hou (rt !hatam (s 1<at C !hou (rt !hat

. impses are rare and %ondro#s e*ents%here a &stic sees their igher $e f o#t amongthe ,ea ms Fach &stic)s igher $e f oo/sdifferent! and genera &! on & &stics can see the

igher $e *es of other &stics

+he . impse can "e man& things$ometimes the &stic earns that the strange:-C the&)*e "een tra*e ing %ith on thisad*ent#re is their o%n igher $e f! and the&)*e"een dropping cr&ptic %isdom a the time$ometimes the . impse is G#st in the &stic)smind! "#t each . impse is #ni #e and persona !

#iet & so# shattering &stics ma& go #estinga one for a . impse! "#t no magic can ind#ce a. impse; %hich is strange! "eca#se &sticJorm# seem to "e capa" e of an&thing

Ihi e .hA ood &ths are a a"o#tdar/! pragmatic! achia*e ian %isdom! and the.race that the Chi dren of Bight see/ is aa"o#t the di*ine & good! the . impse is ne#tra !amora ! impersona ?or rather! trans persona @(t)s a"o#t oneness %ith the #ni*erse! %ith a ofits good! "ad! and #g &! a its seeming p#rposeand p#rpose essness! accepting it a at once

Jrom the point of *ie% of the (psissimi of

Destin&! e*er& &stic has a read& achie*ednit&! and the . impse is sort of an echo"ac/%ards in time of that e*ent




S linter" and Grace: ;earin &itnesses to actsof ri hteousness and virtue! can help restore a )hild of

i ht of their ori inal celestial state and po&ers. 4hen)hildren of i ht &itness another )haracterperformin a <eroic or 9(emplary action! they ain;uild #oints that may be used to purchase ne&:iracles.

The 'rchons &ere the most po&erful of the)hildren of i ht! and they &ielded Relics thatcontained echoes of their divine lory. The 'rchons&ere slain! and the relics shattered. Durin the :iddle' es! hucksters often sold rubes ordinary splinters of&ood! tellin them that they &ere Osplinters of the True)ross!P i.e. pieces of the cross on &hich )hrist &ascrucified. :aybe some&here! actual holy relics of the

cross chan ed hands the )hildren of i ht face similar; problems as they also seek "plinters of the 'rchonsCholy relics out amon the #leroma. 0indin a "plintercan also restore a )hild of i htCs :iraculous po&ers.

Pageage 5&/&/

(ma@ing Gra%ema@ing Gra%e

Chi dren of Bight gain .race and re earnsome of their ost! ho & po%ers "& seeing

orta s at their "est! "#t et)s face it; the Chi dof Bight isn)t *er& i/e & to see theDo%ntrodden doing goodg orio#s deeds a that often

cts of heroic se f sacrifice! incredi" e actsof compassion and gi*ing! "ra*e heroes "att ingto sa*e others against the %orst /inds of odds!these are the acts of .race that %i ena" e theChi dren of Bight to gro% c oser to theirorigina ! ce estia po%ers

cts of .race are e*en more rare amongthe nnat#ra s; most &stics don)t care m#chfor good or e*i ! and .hA s tend to err prett&hea*i & on the side of e*i Chi d of Bight ma&enco#nter .race among the Do%ntrodden thatthe& enco#nter in e*er&da& ife! or can e*en goon a pi grimage to go meet peop e r#mored to"e ho & and *irt#o#s +hese #ests are i/e & toend in disappointment! "#t it)s important tone*er gi*e #p




(ppendi*$ irge Glossaryppendi*$ irge GlossaryThis section consists of a master list of individuals! places! and terms relatin to the TenebrG! the #leroma!

and everythin beyond. "ome of the people and terms here &ill be e(panded on in future Dir e R#5 supplements.

CB : ' 3hGl member of the E chaton 1ru ade .

A$errant Matter: &haumatronici t coined theterm Oaberrant matterP for a form of matter thatinteracts like ordinary matter! but is denser! and yetsomeho& li hter. The e(istence of aberrant matter isrejected by mainstream science! but it e(plains a &ide

variety of phenomena observed on the leroma . :ostof a 1hild of +ight' body! and some of a 3hGl'internal or ans! are composed of aberrant matter .

A$othacaude": ' rene ade 0y tic &ho leads anthe E chaton 1ru ade ! &hich seeks to defeat the Elder"ea t and destroy the leroma .

Anne. B : ' ,nited "tates overnment la&enforcement and espiona e a ency! controlled by the1ult of 8ierate ! &hich employs the ervitor .

A o"tate: ' 0y tic that turns aside from the=uest for ,nity! and ives up ma ic. A!o tate arealmost universally miserable! but at least theyCresome&hat safe from the 8ierate 1ult and the dan ersof the leroma .

Archon": The reatest amon the 1hildren of +ight ! the rulers of the alace of +ight and theservants of 6nity . The 'rchons &ere all slain &hen the)ity of <eaven &as destroyed. Their Relic &ereshattered! and the !linter &ere scattered to the

leroma . Kno&n Archon included ,riel! Israfel! and"andalphon.

Arma-eddon Kni-ht: ' series of four&haumatronic constructs created in the Indu trial

)e u in ancient times! commissioned by the 1hildrenof +ight to use as a doomsday &eapon a ainst the1hildren of 4arkne . T&o of these apocalypticni htmares are unaccounted for one; Armageddon

7night &as captured by the 1hildren of 4arkne andused in the final battle for the erfect Ark in the

alace of +ight ! and one lies unused in the heart of6ru 6lan ! po&erin the entire city as it slumbers. The'rma eddon Kni hts &ere oin to be used by the

Archon in 23 '.D.! but the production of theseunstoppable ju ernauts took too lon ! and in the end!the plan &as put on hold. "ome say that the 'rchons&ere seekin the missin Armageddon 7night to usethem after the rise of the 8ierate 1ult ! but &ere toolate.

Arm): 7ften-used shortenin of Army of +ight .

Arm) o, Li-ht: ' roup of 1hildren of +ight ofdifferent +egion that live in a specific area. "ince the1hildren of +ight are ne& to the 2ale ! Armie of themare ironically very fe& and very small.

Arti,act": Items that are Enchanted to possessma ical po&ers! &hich anyone may use. The&haumatronici t are the reatest e(perts at makin

Artifact .

A"ter1 Natalie: Teena ed 0y tic of the 1ult oftrange 2i ion .

A"ura": ' +egion of the 1hildren of 4arkne .

/a Tien +iao #u Shu: O9i ht )elestial Dra ons:artial 'rt!P the kun fu form of the 1ult of the -uPang &ao ! a form of kun fu that combines ma ic &ithmartial trainin .

/ell1 Noah: This ymandri 0y tic art studentlives in )ineveh .

/lood M)th": The stories of 0ada 6 3idim !&hich can teach 3hGl ne& "lood &rick once theydecipher their meanin .

/lood Tric!": The 4ark ower of 3hGl !oriented to&ards huntin do&n fresh prey.

/oo;um": 4ell-dressed! bird-like! po&erfulservants of the Elder "ea t Jorok the 4ise and4icked! "oo#um cause madness in those in theirvicinity! and possess stran e po&ers to &arp and bendprobability.

%acodo.: 7ne of the harshest punishments thatcan befall a 0y tic . If a 0y tic is ruled a 1acodo bytheir 1ollegium ! all members are forbidden fromassistin the 1acodo . The protections of the

Firmament &reaty does not apply to 1acodo e ! either.

"ometimes a 1ollegium allo&s a :ystic to become A!o tate ! fors&earin ma ic forever but retainin theprotection of their fello&s! a kind of Ohouse arrestP thatat least keeps them alive. ' small number of1ollegium have e(perimented &ith permanentlystrippin 1acodo e of their ma ical po&er! but this issuch a difficult and )orruptin act that itCs not&idespread yet.…

Pageage 5&0&0




%a""iel: ' 1hild of +ight of the 0alakim +egion .%hildren o, Dar!ne""1 The: Inhuman 3ue t

that &ere once 1hildren of +ight ! but rebelled a ainstthe Archon and removed their !irit from the erfect

Ark . The 1hildren of 4arkne recently destroyed the alace of +ight ! and are no& the only thin protectinthe leroma from the Elder "ea t . Kno&n 1hildren of

4arkne include )aamah .

%hildren o, Li-ht1 The: Inhuman 3ue t fromanother Realm ! the alace of +ight ! &ho have beenbanished to the 0ortal &orld since their capital! the

alace of +ight ! have been destroyed. 1hildren of +ight join e ions! and &here there are many 1hildrenof +ight in an area! the various +egion join to ether toform an Army. Kno&n 1hildren of +ight include

Righteou 3 and 1a iel.%it) o, S irit"1 The: The A tral Realm city of

6ru 6lan ! founded in "umerian times by a po&erful 0y tic . 0ounded by the Ipsissimus 9nsi 'b al! the cityis constructed of buildin s stolen from 9arththrou hout history! rescued from &ars and naturaldisasters! and the inhabitants are also a mishmash of

0ortal from all eras on 9arth. 6ru 6lan is neutralterritory for all 6nnatural ! a sort of O)asablancaP&here 8ierate ! 1ult 0y tic ! 3hGl ! 1hildren of +ight !1hildren of 4arkne ! and all other sorts of bein scome to trade! recreate! and commiserate.

%olle-ium: 'n alliance of all of the 0y tic ofvarious 1ult in a iven area! e(cept for the 8ierate .

%olle-ium %ult": 'll the 1ult e(cept the 8ierate ! as they &orship the Elder "ea t ! and havebetrayed the others in e(chan e for po&er.

%on"ortium: 'n or aniBation of 2enefici thatoperate in the Tenebr C and throu hout the leroma !even in the 2ale ! providin trade in ma ic items andmaterials. 7pponents accuse the 1on ortium ofoperatin like an or aniBed crime syndicate! askinutter loyalty of its employees! musclin outcompetition! and employin 3oblin as le -breakers!but the rdo 1u tode )octi prefers to have oneor aniBation fillin this need! rather than several.

%orru tion: ' spiritCs decay into evil anddarkness. 1orru!tion can be seen in a spirit by those&ith The "i ht the opposite of; 1orru!tion is 3race .

%ouncil o, Ni-ht: ' local atherin of 0y tic !3hGl , 1hildren of +ight ! and other 6nnatural ! formutual support and defense! and for establishin codes of behaviorand punishin infractions thereof. In areas too small tosupport an entire Army of +ight ! 3athering ! or1ollegium ! the 1ouncil of )ight is easily the mostimportant political entity to most 6nnatural . :ost

1ouncil of )ight are founded by the rdo 1u tode )octi ! &ho may sometimes be called on to enforcetheir edicts.

%r) to"o hic: The secret lan ua e of 0y tic .'ccounts vary about &hether the term is derived fromthe 5reek &ords for Olove of secrecyP >kryptos Hsophia?! or a shortenin of a phrase meanin OsecretphilosophyP >kryptos H philos-sophia?! althou h eitheris valid.

%ult: ' Faction of 0y tic . The 1ult include the1ult of &haumatronic ! the 1ult of the 7night of

ymander ! the 1ult of trange 2i ion ! and the 1ult ofthe -u Pang &ao . 7nce! the 1ult of the 8ierate &ascounted as an ally! but those days have lon sincepassed.

%ult o, the *ierate"1 The: 7nce the dominant 0y tic 1ult ! no& iven over to &orship of the Elder"ea t and control of various &orld overnments!militaries! and corporations. The 8ierate are more&idespread and better-or aniBed than even the

ymandri ! and their leader is called the Re 0undi.Theoretically the 8ierate 1ult has treaties ofcooperation and nona ression &ith the 1ollegium1ult ! but in practice this means little. The 8ierate 1ultis based in Rome! and is served by Anne LN and the

ervitor . ' local roup of 8ierate is called a &hrong .%ult o, the Kni-ht" o, P)mander1 The: '

secretive and arcane fraternal order of 0y tic devotedto the hermetic and cabalistic sciences. :embers arecalled ymandri .

%ult o, Stran-e (i"ion"1 The: ' 0y tic sect &ithtalent for divination and a predilection for e(tremepractices they are the Ose(! dru s! and rock Cn rollP;

0y tic . :embers are called 2i ionarie .%ult o, Thaumatronic"1 The: ' 0y tic

symposium devoted to combinin ma ic andtechnolo y! especially electronics and modernmachine! or steam-po&ered and clock&ork devices.:embers are called &haumatronici t .

%ult o, the #u 7an- Tao1 The: 'n 'sian orderof 0y tic devoted to mystical contemplation andmastery of an esoteric style of kun fu! called "a &ien

Qiao -u hu . :embers are called -u Pang &aoi t .

Damocletian Guard: 'n elite 0y tic unit of therdo 1u tode )octi devoted to patrollin the leroma and helpin police the 1ity of !irit and the 0an ion of 1onundrum . 4amocletian 3uard areusually trained from childhood in the 3reat Academyby representatives chosen from all four allied 1ult !particularly the -u Pang &aoi t .

Pageage 5&2&2




Dar! Art": The sorcerous practices used by 0y tic to manipulate the elements of the universe. Thesi( 4ark Art are ;ody! Destiny! 9ner y! "pirit!"ubstance! and oid. The )olle ium :ystics are notfamiliar &ith 2oid ! as itCs believed to be linked to the

Elder "ea t . Elemental are enerally linked &ith aspecific 4ark Art .

Dar! Po'er: The special abilities of the6nnatural . 0iracle ! "lood &rick ! and Formul areall forms of 4ark ower.

Dar! Prince": The rulers amon the 1hildren of 4arkne . 7nly three of the 4ark rince &ere Archon most of them &ere; 1hildren of 4arkne &ho&ere ranted! or seiBed! po&er amon their fello&s.

Deodata1 Lilith: This utca t 3hGl fre=uentlytravels &ith her carnie 3athering to )ineveh and a&ay.

De&ourer: 'n elemental of the ;ody! commonlyfound in the A tral Realm and the -a teland of

uffering . 4evourer resemble iant amoebas! and&ant nothin more than to consume every livin thinthey encounter.

Do'ntrodden: ' formal term for 0ortal ! thepathetic oul-less bein s that are the majorityinhabitants of the 2ale of the 4owntrodden .

D'ar,: 7ne of the many fae species inhabitinthe 3lade of 0irth .

Elder /ea"t": :alevolent! ancient! nearlyomnipotent entities that reside in the Ylem. There aremany Elder "ea t ! but they include 9oth Damnation-;rin er! Iijikal :orthian of the "tolen 9yes! Jorok the4ise and 4icked! "horaCanis the 'll-Devourer! andThe "torm 7f 'll Ini=uities. The Elder "ea t areserved by "oo#um ! the 8ierate 1ult ! and ervitor .

Elemental: ' bein d&ellin in the leroma &itha stron affinity for! or composition of! somefundamental element of the universe! and often linkedto a specific 4ark Art . Elemental include 4evourer !

!rite , Rea!er , Tulpas! 5nomes! "ylphs!"alamanders! and ,ndines.

Element": The fundamental buildin blocks of allthin s in all Realm ! different from and in some casesunkno&n to commonplace science. 5limpses ive

0y tic po&er over the Element ! and they learn&echni%ue and Formul to bend the Element to their&ill. :ost Realm have an affinity for certain Elementas &ell.

Elohim: "ee +egion of the Elohim, &he .

En!idu: 4ilderness-d&ellin &ere-creature6nnatural feared by all other 6nnatural .

Enchantment: The process that 0y tic and2enefici use to create Artifact .

Enli-htenment: The path for an entity to achievetheir <i her "elves! and from there pro ress to&ards6nity. There are three eneral &ays of 9nli htenment$3race ! 1orru!tion ! and the 9soteric! follo&ed by1hildren of +ight ! 3hGl ! and 0y tic ! respectively.

0y tic refer to these as the 4hite! ;lack! and Red#aths.

Enochian: The lan ua e of the 1hildren of +ightand 1hildren of 4arkne .

Entit): ' thinkin bein ! &hether physical orspiritual in nature.

E"chaton %ru"ade: ' r ene ade6nnatural

or aniBation based in the leroma ! led by a 0y ticcallin himself Abothacaude . They seek to defeat the

Elder "ea t &hile destroyin the leroma ! supposedlyso as to establish a 8e& <eaven and a 8e& 9arth.Kno&n a ents include the 0y tic o!hia ! the )hild ofDarkness )aamah ! the 3hGl called BLN ! and the

eneficus +aar +'aag .

Faction": :any 6nnatural are or aniBed into Faction some are born or created in a; Faction ! &hileothers join a Faction or aniBation. 0y tic join 1ult !and the 1hildren of +ight join +egion ! &hile 3hGl areborn into a &ribe.

Fall1 The: The ejection of a 1hild of +ight fromthe alace of +ight because of 1orru!tion . In order to

survive as spirits in a physical &orld! the 1hildren of +ight take on bodies in the 2ale of the 4owntrodden .Firmament Treat): The treaty bet&een the 1ult

that re ulates their interactions and prevents violence.The 8ierate 1ult e(ploits loopholes in the treaty tofurther their o&n ends and e(pand their already-massive po&er base. ' 1acodo is a 0y tic &ho is nolon er protected or supported by their 1ollegium ! andto &hom the Firmament &reaty no lon er applies.

Formul : The ma ical spells used by 0y tic .

Fortean #ee!l) ?ournal: 7nce a supermarkettabloid &ith uncannily accurate reportin ! the Journalis no& a heavily-trafficked &ebsite &ith blo s andforums. <idden portions of the forums are used by the

rdo 1u tode )octi for communications in a varietyof secret codes.

Freeca"tin-: ' method of ma ic use that is lesspredictable than Formula ic ma ic! but also allo&s for

reater creativity and spontaneity. ' 0y tic castin a Formula is limited to a specific effect! but a 0y tic thatis Freeca ting may shape the ra& ma ical po&er into&hatever shape they can ima ine and &ill! at much

reater risk to their sanity.

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and learn! but the place is like a non-9uclidean maBe!and itCs easy to et lost forever in the hu e three-dimensional puBBle.

Mem$rane: The barrier surroundin a Realm !keepin it separate from the A tral lane, the Ylem!and other Realm .

Miracle": The stran e po&ers displayed by the1hildren of +ight .

Mont"al&at: The le endary! hidden head=uartersof the rdo 1u tode )octi . "ome say 0ont alvat isin a forest in 5ermany! some say itCs in ,tah! and somesay itCs in another Realm . 7nly the most elite a ents ofthe 1) ! such as the 4amocletian 3uard ! are allo&edto enter 0ont alvat .

Mortal: 'n ordinary <uman bein ! as opposed to6nnatural .

M)"tic": 8uman &hoCve attained a 3lim! e oftheir 8igher elf and as a result may learn ma ic

Formul and Enchant items. 0y tic ro& closer totheir 8igher elve &hich assists them learnin

0y tical &echni%ue and 4ark Art . They learn Formul ! that allo& them to bend the Element ! andeventually seek 6nity &ith their 8igher elf and theuniverse. 0y tic of different 1ult in an area atherto ether into a 1ollegium . Kno&n :ystics include

En i Abgal ! )oah "ell ! and )atalie A ter .Naamah: ' 1hild of 4arkne member of the

9schaton )rusade.

Ne.ian": The ray-skinned but <uman-likenative inhabitants of the Indu trial )e u .

Nine&eh: ' small city in southern 4ashin ton&ith an especially hi h 6nnatural population and anactive 1ouncil of )ight . The residence of )oah "elland Righteou 3 .

O%N: 'n abbreviation for rdo 1u tode )octi .The rdo 1u tode )octi themselves never use thisabbreviation! and fro&n on its use.

Order o, Shiru1 The: ' monastic order of 3hGlthat d&ells in the -a teland of uffering . The hirumonks! follo&in the practices of the ancient3idimite ! consume human flesh not only forsustenance! but as a sacrament to the 1hildren of

4arkne . The rder of hiru has rituals to create +ord of the 4ead from the most po&erful and ancient3hul .

Ordo %u"tode" Nocti"1 The: The O7rder of8i htCs 5uardians!P a roup of 6nnatural dedicated tokeepin the peace bet&een 6nnatural ! shieldin theire(istence from the 4owntrodden ! and defendin the&orld from the 1hildren of 4arkne ! the Elder "ea t ,

and! indirectly! the 8ierate 1ult . The rdo 1u tode )octi &ere ori inally an order of 0y tic devoted toenforcin the Firmament &reaty ! but they e(pandedtheir operations to include other 6nnatural . Theirhead=uarters is the mysterious location 0ont alvat .7ne of their main objectives is to establish and assistthe 1ouncil of )ight to promote stability. The rdo1u tode )octi means &ell but often resorts toe(treme measures to ensure peace! and are often ivenfree rei n to act in 1ouncil territories. The rdo1u tode )octi evolved from an order of 0y ticchosen to enforce the Firmament &reaty after it &assi ned! and has a fe& specialiBed branches! such as the

4amocletian 3uard . 4ell-kno&n a ents of the 7)8include 0andragora allow .

Outca"t Tri$e1 The: ' &ribe of 3hGl that livesin distant! rural areas &here they can pick off rare 4owntrodden &anderers &ho &onCt be missed.

utca t are noted for their berserk ra e in a fi ht.

Pact: ' roup of 6nnatural of different kinds&orkin to ether to&ards a common oal. The1ouncil of )ight or the rdo 1u tode )octi oftenassemble act for troubleshootin potentiallypolitically sensitive issues! as the various 6nnaturalraces are often loathe to &ork to ether and &ary of oneanotherCs a endas.

Palace" o, Li-ht1 The: The home of the 1hildrenof +ight and the home of the erfect Ark ! &here all ofthe "pirits of the 1hildren of +ight &ere housed!protectin them from 1orru!tion .

Per,ect Ar!1 The: The receptacle for the oul ofthe 1hildren of +ight ! &hich resided in the alace of

+ight . It &as destroyed alon &ith that Realm ! cursinthe 1hildren of +ight to slo&ly decay into darkness.

Pleroma1 The: 5enerally! the Realm other thanthe 2ale of the 4owntrodden . There are hundreds!thousands! maybe an endless number of Realms some; of them resemble our &orld! some are va uely 9arth-like! and some are biBarre beyond comparison. Thebest-kno&n Realm of the leroma include the ;arrensof 7rdure! ;elly of the ;east! the )andlepine

oivodship! Der ,nschla bar Reich! the 1ity of!irit ! the 9ndless Isles! the 3lade of 0irth ! the

5loomfallen )averns! the Indu trial )e u ! the 0an ion of 1onundrum ! the :ountain of #eace! the

alace of +ight ! the Theater of ;itters&eet Recall! andthe -a teland of uffering .

P)mandri: :embers of the 1ult of the 7night of ymander .

Race": There are various 8uman races inhabitinthe 9arth! other than 8omo a!ien a!ien . 7ne is the3hGl ! and another are the Enkidu . The 1hildren of

+ight are not 8uman at all! but they take on a 8uman -

Pageage 5,7,7




like form durin their Fall . 0y tic are believed todiffer from ordinary 0ortal ! but no difference hasever been discovered.

Realm": 'nother plane of e(istence! floatin&ithin the A tral lane . 'll Realm taken to ether arecalled the leroma . 'lso kno&n as the Realms ;eyondor the 7uter Realms.

Rea er: ' type of Destiny Elemental ! &hichhaunts places &here deaths are about to occur to feedon the entropic ener y.

Relic": :a ical &eapons &ielded by the Archon .4hen the Archon &ere slain! their Relic &ereshattered to !linter and scattered amon the

leroma .Re. Mundi: OThe Kin of the 4orld!P the

unseen! unkno&n leader of the 8ierate 1ult . 4hetherthe name is accurate or not is a matter of decreasindebate. The Re( :undiCs second-in-command holds thetitle 2icariu .

Ri-hteou" G: 7nce kno&n as 5abuthelon! thisYa$ata 1hild of +ight literally 0ell in &ith street anmembers in )ineveh .

Ru ture: ' t ear in the 0embrane bet&eennei hborin Realm ! that allo&s ener y to bleedthrou h both &ays! and allo&s 6nnatural and the

4owntrodden to travel to the other Realm .

Sallo'1 Mandra-ora": ' centuries-old :a isterand hi h-ranked leader in the rdo 1u tode )octi !&ho typically operates from the 0an ion of1onundrum ! as reno&ned for his kno&led e as for hisparanoia.

San-uinal": 'n old! formal term for 3hGl .

Santo"1 Gar&in: ' 2i ionary 0y tic e(ecuted inthe 1 +s for mass murder. anto &as the last 0y tickno&n to possess a fra ment of the &ome of

0alevolent !lendour .Sat)r: 7ne of the many fae species inhabitin the

3lade of 0irth .

Sel48Mor Su er"tore" :K ' popular chain ofvariety stores in the ale of the Do&ntrodden. 7ddly!every "elB-:ore "uperstore ™ seems to have a

reflection in some other Realm.Ser&itor": 5enetically and ma ically enhanced

servants of the 8ierate . ervitor are amon the mostterrifyin killers in the 2ale of the 4owntrodden . The

ervitor are employed by the ,nites "tatesovernment as a ents of Anne LN ! and under other

a encies in other countries.Sheolite": The proper name for 8ell 8ound .

Sidhe: 7ne of the many fae species inhabitin the3lade of 0irth . Kno&n sidhe include #rincess Iannaand #rince 0oalan.

Soul: 'n immaterial body like a !irit that someentities may attain! but most 0ortal do not possess.

0y tic have oul ! their 8igher elf &hich they seekon the #leroma. The 1hildren of +ight once lockedtheir oul a&ay in the erfect Ark ! but since itsdestruction! they have been ivin &ay to Corr#ption .

oul cannot be destroyed! and a 0ortal &ith a oulmay reincarnate! returnin to the 2ale of the

4owntrodden to be reborn.

S irit: 'n immaterial entity! the basis ofconsciousness. :ost material entities have !irit&hich can! &ith trainin ! detach from their bodies tofunction independently. In certain Realm ! !irit aretreated as solid! and can be interacted &ith normally.

!irit can be destroyed! and a 0ortal &ith a dama ed!irit oes mad. 0y tic use their !irit to manipulate

e(tradimensional ener ies! but they al&ays run the riskof oin mad for this reason.

S linter": The remains of the Relic of the Archon ! &hich shattered durin the final battle for the alace of +ight . The 1hildren of +ight o =uestin for

!linter ! in order to bask in their holiness and re aintheir souls.

S rite": ' type of 9ner y Elemental ! continuallyradiatin li ht.

Stran-e Fle"h: 0lesh composed of aberrantmatter, flesh of 6nnatural creatures! &hich 3hGl canconsume and ro& more po&erful.

Tem le o, Slau-hter1 The: ' location in the-a teland of uffering ! a Realm of ancient! ruinedtemples to for otten deities of carna e a place that is; sacred to the 3hGl .

Tene$rae: ' atin &ord meanin Oshado&s!P aterm commonly used for the sort of Ounder&orldP that6nnatural live in &ithin the oppressive and repressed2ale of the 4owntrodden . "ometimes called OThe TenPor just OFP for short.

Thaumatronici"t: ' member of the 1ult of&haumatronici t .

Thron-: The term used by the 8ierate 1ult for alocal or aniBation. )ompare 1ollegium ! 1ouncil of

)ight .Tome: ' book of ma ical po&er that 0y tic

seek in the 2ale and throu hout the leroma .

Tome o, Male&olent S lendour": )reated by 0y tic durin the empire of 0ada 6 3idim ! bound inthe !linter skin of an Archon ! filled &ith the vilest

Pageage 5,9,9




0ormulG and "lood 0yth ! one of the most po&erful!feared! and sou ht-after items in e(istence. The2i ionary 3arvin anto possessed a fra ment of the&ome of 0alevolent !lendour .

Tul a: ' type of "pirit Elemental ! often createdby 0y tic &ho desire trust&orthy servants.

n$idden: The horrifyin results of a 1hild of 4arkne that is corrupted by the Elder "ea t ! andbecomes a shapeless mass of tentacles and eyes andfan ed mouths.

nhin-ed: ' term for a 0y tic that has one maddue to Enlightenment . The 1ult of trange 2i ion aremost susceptible to becomin 6nhinged out of all

0y tic .nit): 5odhood! perfection! oneness &ith all of

the leroma ! and traversal to &hat lies beyond. #erfect Enlightenment of the oul leads to 6nity . "ome1hildren of +ight claim that the ,nity is sentient! andthat the Archon &ere its servants. The Elder "ea thave almost achieved a form of 6nity throu h theirCorr#ption ! but such development re=uires horrifyin !unthinkable evils to accomplish.

l" ' l f i

(ale: "hort for the 2ale of the 4owntrodden !another &ord for the 0ortal &orld.

(ale o, the Do'ntrodden1 The: The 0ortal&orld! the Realm that is home to the 4owntrodden .

(ene,ici: ' species of dan erous! non-<umansorcerers from another Realm . :ost 2enefici in the&enebr are members of the 1on ortium . Kno&n2enefici include +aar +'aag .

(icariu": The second-in-command of the 8ierate1ult .

(i"ionarie": :embers of the 1ult of trange2i ion .

#a"teland o, Su,,erin-1 The: ' parched Realmof endless! meanin less &arfare and bloodshed.

Ya4ata: "ee +egion of Ya$ata, &he .

Ylem1 The: The primal chaos! the nothin nessfrom &hich the A tral lane ! the 2ale ! and the

leroma arose. The home of the Elder "ea t . "ensinthe Ylem in any &ay causes utter madness! and somesay that 0y tic suffer bouts of insanity because theirma ic dra&s on the Ylem.

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