Rules

Rules

Abilities

Each of the three abilities is used in different circumstances.

Strength (STR): Used for saves requiring physical power, like lifting gates, bending bars, resisting poison, etc.
Dexterity (DEX): Used for saves requiring poise, speed, and reflexes, like dodging, climbing, sneaking, balancing, etc.
Willpower (WIL): Used for saves to persuade, deceive, interrogate, intimidate, charm, provoke, manipulate spells, etc.

Saves

A Save is a roll to avoid bad outcomes from risky choices and circumstances that are thrust upon the players outside of their own volition. Saves are used in moments of split-second decisions, when something suddenly happens to the character.

PCs roll a d20 against an appropriate ability score. If they roll equal to or under that ability score, they pass. Otherwise, they fail. A 1 is always a success, and a 20 is always a failure.

Players should be universally encouraged to plot, scheme, prepare, and manipulate situations to prevent dice rolls. After all, a dice roll means an opportunity of failure.

Contested Saves

In some occasions, the Warden may want to consider not just the PC’s attribute. A PC might have 16 STR, but the ogre he’s trying to disarm also has 16 STR — or perhaps two PCs are arm-wrestling. In that case, you can use a contested save: Both parties make a Save, and the highest successful roll wins.

Time, Gear, Skill

When a character tries to perform an action, first check if it’s simply impossible (no need for further rules or rolls: it fails) or without any chance of failure (it succeeds). If the outcome is in doubt, look at Time, Gear & Skill.

Time can be interpreted as ‘”Is the character explicitly in a rush?” and “Do they have the time to calmly assess the situation and pick a best course of action?”
Gear involves the equipment and tools the character has access to and any environmental factors that those can be used to overcome — or any environmental factors that make the task easier! The questions here are
- “Does the character have gear, equipment, or environmental benefits that will help them complete this action?”
- “Does the character have any hindrances from gear or equipment that might keep them from completing the action?””
- “Do the benefits outweigh the hindrances?”
Skill is about the character’s chosen Career, Skills and explicit history and experiences. “Does the character have any explicit (skills) or implicit (background) specialization in this task?”
- Abilities can be used in some cases as well; a value of 6 or lower can be seen as a hindrance, a value of 15 or higher as a benefit.

If the character has time, gear & skill, no need to roll: they succeed.

If the character has one or none, no need to roll: they fail.

If they have two out of the three, roll 1d6 to determine the outcome. On a 4-6, they succeed. On a 2-3, they succeed, but at a cost (something breaks; they gain Fatigue or minor damage; the situation gets more complicated). On a 1, they fail.

To take lockpicking as an example: lockpicking a door is impossible with only one of the three:

You could stare at a lock all day with all the time in the world, but without gear and skill, nothing is going to happen.
You could be a skilled lockpicker, but in a hurry and without tools, there’s not much you can do.
You might have lockpicking tools, but without the time to figure out how to use them, there’s no way you’ll manage it without skill.

Further Examples

Lockpicking. Time: 10 minutes to inspect the lock, fiddle around with it. Gear: Lockpicks, light. Skill: A thief and/or 15+ DEX (deft). Sneaking around. Time: Not actively being chased or hunted. Gear: soft-soled boots (benefit), heavy armor (hindrance). Skill: Trained to be stealthy and/or 15+ DEX (deft). Breaching a barred door. Time: Not actively under attack. Gear: An axe, a crowbar. Skill: 15+ STR (tough). Climbing a wall. Time: Not being chased. Gear: Rope, climbing spikes (benefit), heavy armor or a full backpack (hindrances). Skill: Acrobatic, 15+ DEX (deft), 15+ STR (tough). Plotting an escape route through the city. Time: Planning it beforehand, not during. Gear: Pencil and paper to note down guard routes, good connection with locals (benefits). Skill: Thief, explicit familiarity with the city. Running across the walls of a city under siege. Time: Break between arrow barrages. Gear: Shield to block arrows (benefit). Skill: 15+ DEX (deft), 15+ WIL (resolute).

Die of Fate

For unclear situations that simply do not involve character backgrounds, gear, skill, or preparation at all, roll 1d6: the Die of Fate.

1d6	Outcome
1	No, and…
2	No
3	No, but…
4	Yes, but…
5	Yes
6	Yes, and…

During a heist gone wrong, Mae sprints towards the window. No time to think — she leaps through. Will she land safely? Is there anything outside to break her fall? The Warden rolls the Die of Fate. Depending on the roll, the results can vary from “A cart filled with hay passes at the right moment, providing a soft landing and a getaway” to “It’s just hard pavement, and there are already guards in the streets, too.”

Deprivation & Fatigue

A Player Character deprived of a crucial need (such as food or rest) is unable to recover HP or ability scores. Anyone deprived for more than a day adds Fatigue to their inventory, one for each day.

Each Fatigue occupies one slot and lasts until the PC has recovered through sleep or food.

PCs can also gain Fatigue by blocking and dodging, by casting spells, and from events in the fiction.

Damage, Injury & Death

Environmental damage

The main source of damage to Player Characters is likely to be combat, though the environment, weather, and traps can also cause harm.

If a source of damage can be reasonably defended against (a weapon attack, darts shot from a trap), the damage is done to HP first. See the combat rules for more.
If a source of damage cannot be defended against (poison, a fall, fire, cold weather etc.), the damage is done directly to an Ability.
STR is damaged by wounds and injuries.
DEX is damaged by sprains, poisons, and shocks.
WIL is damaged by fear, psychic attacks, and extreme mental strain.
When damage is done to an Ability, determine whether this damage could potentially be lethal or enough to take the character out. If so, have the player roll a Critical Damage Save after taking the damage.

Some examples:

Falling from a great height deals 1d10 STR damage per ‘floor’ fallen (Crit. Dam. Save).
Inhaling a noxious gas deals 1 STR damage per turn (no Crit. Dam. Save required).
Being exposed to frigid temperatures without proper clothing deals 1 STR damage per Watch (no Crit. Dam. Save required).
Stepping into a bear trap deals 1d4 DEX damage (no Crit. Dam. Save required).
Being injected with a Night Spider’s venom deals 1d8 DEX damage (Crit. Dam. Save required).
Catching a glimpse of something unnatural and scary deals 1 WIL damage (no Crit. Dam. Save required).
Gazing upon the true form of an eldritch being deals 1d8 WIL damage (Crit. Dam. Save required).

Wounds & How To Treat Them

Some types of damage can leave wounds, which hinder affected adventurers more than simply dealing damage. Fire can inflict burns, electricity can inflict nerve damage, cold can inflict frostbite, monsters can inflict wounds upon dealing Critical Damage, etc. A wound occupies a slot in the adventurer’s inventory. The type of wound is mechanically just flavoring, while in fiction a character with burns might have nasty blisters.

Wounds come in 3 levels. Whenever a wound of the same type is gained, the player can choose to have their existing wound increase in severity or to fill in a new slot in their inventory. This allows player choice between short- or long-term impact: do you suffer another light wound and heal after combat or have the old wound increase in severity without taking up another slot but possibly leading to permanent injury?

Light wounds can be healed in the field if proper medicine and treatment are available. Light burns can be healed by gathering the right herbs and applying them overnight, for instance.
Severe wounds require serious medical attention, probably between adventures. Severe frostbite could be cured with a comfortable week-long rest in a healing temple.
Permanent wounds can never be healed. Every permanent wound also lowers a fitting Attribute by -1 (For instance, WIL for nerve damage). While this -1 penalty can be overcome in time by training, the wounds’ Inventory slot is forever lost.

Wounds are intended to provide a prompt for adventure; curing them can tie into the Complex Task system, for instance!

Burns can be healed by applying bandages soaked in a mixture of water and Saint’s Hood, a white flower often found on ground once charred by forest fires. Frostbite can be healed with a salve of firevine peppers. Nerve damage can be healed by chewing on a steady supply of Silverleaf, a fragile herb that grows on trees struck by lightning. Poisoning can be healed by brewing tea from Foxglove, a purple flower that grows near small streams.

Critical Damage Save

A Critical Damage Save is just like a normal Save (roll equal or under the Ability with a d20), except that failing has serious effects.

Failing a STR Critical Damage Save inflicts a injury (see below). 0 STR means death.
Failing a DEX Critical Damage Save or reaching 0 DEX means the PC is immobilized/unconscious.
Failing a WIL Critical Damage Save or reaching 0 WIL means the PC is debilitated/unconscious.

When suffering Critical Damage to STR, roll 1d10 to see which area is injured. Keep the fiction in mind. For example, multiple injuries on the same area might result in a more severe injury; if a foe is particularly gruesome, they might instantly dismember the PC; and so on. Wearing specific gear, such as bracers or a helmet, can also protect from certain injuries.

1d10	Result	Example
1-5	Torso	Lose an additional 1d4 STR.
6	Left Leg	Lose 1d4 DEX, potential loss of leg.
7	Right Leg	Lose 1d4 DEX, potential loss of leg.
8	Left Arm	Drop held item, attacks impaired due to injury, potential loss of arm.
9	Right Arm	Drop held item, attacks impaired due to injury, potential loss of arm.
10	Head	Roll 1d6. On a 1-3, die. On a 4-5, lose an eye. On a 6, gain a cool scar.

After rolling, add a severe wound to the character’s inventory, for example Severe Sword Wound (Right Leg).

Disease

Diseases can be contracted from certain foes or environmental hazards. A disease damages an Ability every day, unless a successful STR Save is made. Some diseases might require multiple Saves to heal. Most diseases last only a limited time. Taking rest and receiving care allows for the STR Save to be made with advantage (roll twice and pick the best outcome). A cure can remedy a disease without making saves. Some example diseases:

Swampsigh. Lasts 1d4 days. 1 STR damage on a failed STR Save. Sickly green complexion.
Bonebreaker Plague. Lasts indefinitely. 2 STR damage on a failed Save. Requires 3 successful Saves to heal. Muscles deteriorate, bones become brittle.
Tick Jitters. Lasts 1d6 days. 1d2 DEX damage on a failed STR Save. Sudden spasms.
Shadowrot. Lasts indefinitely. 2 DEX Damage on a failed STR Save. Requires 4 successful Saves to heal. Black blemishes all over the body.
Mindfog Fever. Lasts 1d4 days. 1 WIL damage on a failed STR Save. Forgetfulness, confusion.
Soul’s Despair. Lasts indefinitely. 1d4 WIL damage on a failed STR Save. Hallucinations, hopelessness.

Healing & Recovery

Catching Your Breath

Resting for a few moments (out of combat) and having a drink of water restores lost HP but might leave the party exposed. Water is kept in a waterskin, which occupies 1 slot. Fully filled, it has a Usage Die of D8. Whenever a character recovers HP, they roll the waterskin’s Usage Die. On a 1 or 2, the die decreases in size (d8>d6>d4). On a 1-2 on a d4, the waterskin is empty.

Sleep

Staying awake all night leaves you Deprived. The quality of sleep determines benefits granted:

Types of rest	Example	Effect
None	Traveling, studying or exploring all night	Deprived
Perilous	A fortified room in a dungeon, a makeshift camp in a blizzard	Not Deprived
Normal	Well-made camp in the wilderness, a simple inn	Not Deprived, removes all Fatigue
Comfortable	A luxurious chamber, next to a magical fey spring	Not Deprived, removes all Fatigue, restore Ability Score Loss by 1.

Food & Meals

An adventurer must eat at least once a day to not become Deprived. All meals listed below prevent Deprivation. Beyond that, high-quality meals can restore Fatigue, an invaluable property in dungeons.

Desperate meals are things only eaten when in dire need of food, such as raw meat, raw fish, snakes, treefrogs, rats, etc. WIL Save to not puke it up.
Fresh meals consist of foraged fruits and vegetables that are otherwise not prepared.
Simple meals are ingredients that have seen some basic level of preparation, such as grilled meat and roasted vegetables. Restores 1 Fatigue. Requires fire. Rations also count as a simple meal.
Fancy meals are multiple prepared ingredients put together, such as boiled vegetables with grilled fish, boar meat sandwiches, etc. This restores all Fatigue. Requires fire and a cooking pot.

More information about gathering ingredients can be found in the Wilderness Action section (page 58).

Wildcrafting

Wildcrafting allows one to craft healing salves, teas, tonics, and potions with ingredients found in the wild.

Ingredients for wildcrafting can be found while foraging and consist of mushrooms, mosses, plants, roots, bark, and saps. Ingredients can be Common, Uncommon, and Rare. (See Complex Tasks on page 13 for more.) An ingredient’s rarity decides its Potency: 1 for Common, 2 for Uncommon, and 4 for Rare. Furthermore, ingredients are defined by the type of region they are gathered from, like Plains, Forest, Swamp, Hills, Mountain, or Desert.

An example ingredient could be “Hallowoak Bark, Uncommon, Plains.”

Each recipe has a Potency that must be met by combining ingredients. Each recipe must contain at least 2 different ingredients, and some recipes have requirements for region, such as “Swamp 1+,” which means that at least one ingredient must be from a swamp region.

Some example recipes:

Healing Salve. Restores 1d3 STR if applied before 8 hours of rest. Potency: 4
Musclesoothe Mixture. Restores 1D3 DEX if applied before 8 hours of rest. Potency: 4
Dreamweed Tea. Restores 1D3 WIL if applied before 8 hours of rest. Potency: 4
Sleeping Tonic. Grants an exceptional night of sleep, “upgrading” the type of rest by 1 level (Perilous => Normal => Comfortable). Potency: 4
Coldroot Salve. Cures Light Burns in the field. Potency: 3. Hills: 1+
Herbal Antidote. Cures Light Poisoning in the field. Potency: 3. Swamp: 1+
Emberglow Tea. Cures Light Frostbite in the field. Potency: 3. Desert: 1+
Ironroot Brew. A tea with the strange properties of making joints stiffer at will. The PC is harder to disarm, and climbing becomes easier for 1 day. Potency: 4. Hills: 2+
Bitterbark Chew. This bitter mixture is surprisingly healthy. It staves off hunger (counting as a Simple Meal) and helps with indigestion. Potency: 4

Recovering Ability Score Loss

Ability Score Loss can be recovered by comfortable rest (see above), but can also be used as a prompt for roleplaying and exploration:

STR score loss represents wounds, scrapes, cuts, or bruises. Recovery can be hastened by visiting a healer, physician, clinic, etc., for 1d4 recovery per day.
DEX score loss represents sprains, cramp, or muscle ache. Recovery can be hastened by visiting a spa, massage parlor, bath house, etc., for 1d4 recovery per day.
WIL score loss represents mental strain, low morale, or lack of focus. Recovery can be hastened by socializing, relaxing, performing a tea ritual, meditation, prayer, etc., for 1d4 recovery per day.