QUICKSTART

into the
green wood
n the green shadows of the Pavin Weald, a wolf goes

I missing, and our heroes are charged to discover where she

might have disappeared to. Journey through these old wild
woods on a trail of hope and desperation, where hope offers a
way out of a bad life, and some soul-deep bonds—however new
—are stronger than what keeps us mired in the pain of the past.

…IN THE NAME OF HOPE

Welcome to the world of Blue Rose, the game of romantic
fantasy roleplaying for the Adventure Game Engine (AGE)!
Contained herein are everything you need to start playing in the
Kingdom of Aldis, including...
• A summary of the Adventure Game Engine’s rules,
introducing you to all the basic concepts of AGE.
• The Rhy Wolf’s Woe, a scenario specifically designed to
welcome you and your players to Blue Rose and the
World of Aldea
• The Family Nightsong, a selection of nine pre-generated
characters, complete with interlocking relationships.
Blue Rose AGE is easy to learn and play, requiring nothing
but six-sided dice, writing materials, and friends to play with.
Blue Rose: The AGE RPG of Romantic Fantasy is available now!

FREE • GRR6500

Green Ronin Publishing, LLC

3815 S. Othello St. Suite 100, #311 Seattle, WA 98118

The Blue Rose Quickstart is © 2020 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Reference to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a challenge
to the respective copyright holders of that material. Blue Rose, Fantasy AGE,
the Adventure Game Engine, Green Ronin, and their associated logos are
trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
 Writing & Design: Stephen Michael DiPesa, April Douglas
Development: Joseph Carriker
Editing: Jess Hartley
Proofreading: Skylar Mannen
Art Direction and Graphic Design: Hal Mangold
Cover : Mirco Paganessi
Cartography: Phillip Lienau
Interior Art: Charlie Creber, Alayna Danner, Brian Hagan,
Claudia Ianniciello, Marie Magny, Mirco Paganessi, and Aaron Riley
Publisher: Chris Pramas

Team Ronin: Joseph Carriker, Crystal Frasier, Jaym Gates,

Kara Hamilton, Troy Hewitt, Steve Kenson, Ian Lemke,
Nicole Lindroos, Hal Mangold, Chris Pramas, Evan Sass,
Malcolm Sheppard, Will Sobel, Owen K.C. Stephens,
and Dylan Templar

Green Ronin
Publishing, LLC
3815 S. Othello St.
Suite 100, #311
Seattle, WA 98118
The Blue Rose Quickstart is © 2020 Green Ronin Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Reference to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes a challenge to the respective
copyright holders of that material. Blue Rose, Fantasy AGE, the Adventure Game Engine,
Green Ronin, and their associated logos are trademarks of Green Ronin Publishing, LLC.
 f you’re reading this, you’re about to delve into
I the world of Blue Rose: The AGE Roleplaying Game of
Romantic Fantasy (referred to hereafter simply as Blue
Rose). This Quickstart document includes all of the infor-
mation you need to play through an adventure using an
abbreviated version of the full game’s rules!
What This Is
You may already be familiar with roleplaying games
(or RPGs), but if not, here’s a quick summary! A role-
playing game is a game played with a small group of
friends (usually between three and six), in which all
but one person takes on the role of a specific “player
character” or PC. These players guide their imaginary
person’s thoughts, words, and deeds through a combi-
nation of improvised collaborative drama and a frame-
work of rules (typically implemented through dice rolls).
One player, however, takes on the role of the Narrator,
who describes all the other people and creatures in the
world (generally referred to as “non-player characters”
or NPCs) and how they interact with the player charac-
ters. The Narrator also describes the world itself through
the scenarios with which the PCs interact, serving as a
source of fun plot and (when necessary) as an adjudi-
cator of rules outcomes.
2
There’s a bit more to it, of course, but that’ll suffice for
the purposes of getting you started on this document and
the adventure within.
What’s Included
The Blue Rose Quickstart is organized into three parts. The first
is a condensed version of the rules for Blue Rose, including a
reference sheet for use during play. Next is a sample adven-
ture, The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe. And third is a set of pre-gener-
ated player characters for use with the adventure.
What Else You Need
First and foremost, you’ll need some players! At least two
others would be best but probably no more than five to give
everyone a chance to share the spotlight during the game
session. One of you will need to take on the job of being the
Narrator, setting the stage for everyone else to direct their
respective characters through the adventure to come. The
Narrator should read through this Quickstart completely
before starting the game, but the other players should not—
it contains information that will be much more fun for the
players to uncover through their characters’ interactions.
You’ll also need at least three six-sided dice (also called
d6s), but it would probably be better to have a few sets of
three to go around. Out of each set of three dice, one of
them should be of a different color than the other two for
reasons we’ll discuss later on.
While it’s not strictly necessary, you might also find it
helpful to have pencils and paper (or your cell phone or
tablet) on hand to take notes, such as how much damage
your character has sustained from enemy attacks or what
clues they’ve uncovered during the adventure. Being able
to clearly record that information means that you don’t
have to try to remember it at critical moments.
Each player will also need a character sheet for their
chosen PC. These will detail that character’s background
and core information (like their personality and goals)
along with the statistics (stats) that are used to mechanically
represent how strong, smart, and nimble they are, as well
as any special abilities they have. We’ve included a bunch
of pre-generated PCs suitable for the Quickstart adventure,
but if you have access to the Blue Rose rulebook, there’s no
reason that you can’t come up with unique characters of
your own to play! (If you choose to use the full Blue Rose
rules to play through The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe, you will need
to modify some things due to the differences between the
complete mechanics there and the more simplified ones
presented here. As such, this is recommended for experi-
enced gamers rather than first-time players.)
If You’ve Never
Roleplayed Before
Don’t worry if this is your first time trying a roleplaying
game! We’ve tried to include as much information,
3
support, and advice as possible in this Quickstart, but
if you’re looking for additional information, there are
manyresources available about RPGs and how to play
them. The Blue Rose core rulebook contains a helpful
introductory chapter on the topic, as do many other role-
playing game books. There are also many online resources,
including live-play videos where you can watch gamers
as they play, or tutorials that guide you through the basics
of how to roleplay for the first time. But, for many folks,
the easiest way to learn is to talk to someone who already
knows how and ask to get involved, whether within your
circle of friends or through a local game store or club.
No matter how you get your start, though, it’s definitely
something that is learned best by doing, so don’t worry
too much about having everything figured out before you
first pick up your dice!
Before Playing
As mentioned earlier, it’s best that the player who volun-
teers to act as Narrator give the entire Quickstart a thor-
ough read-through before beginning play. While it’s great
for the twists and turns of the plot to be a surprise to the
other players, the Narrator needs to know what’s coming!
For the rest of the players, reading through the first
portion of this Quickstart will provide you with the infor-
mation you need regarding the setting and mechanics of
Blue Rose. However, be sure to stop when you get to The
Rhy Wolf’s Woe; your experiences will be much more fun
if you face the challenges and unravel the mysteries via
gameplay instead of reading ahead.
 welcome to blue rose
A World of
Romantic Fantasy
The nation of Aldis, in the world of Aldea, is the setting of
Blue Rose. Aldis is a realm of strong passions married to
equally strong ethics—a place of courageous and enthu-
siastic heroes who follow their hearts. As with most other
fantasy roleplaying games, Blue Rose follows the lives
and struggles of adventurers as they undertake valiant
deeds, secretive missions, and bold explorations, but it
is also much more than that. This is a world of romantic
fantasy.
What is Romantic Fantasy?
Romantic Fantasy is the term for a subgenre of fantasy that
emerged roughly in the 1980s, pioneered by authors such
as Mercedes Lackey, Diane Duane, Tamora Pierce, and
others. Several traits differentiate romantic fantasy from
other kinds of fantasy. What follows are some traits of the
romantic fantasy genre relevant to playing Blue Rose.
Love and Relationships
Love and passion (with a strong emphasis on consent) are
part and parcel of the Blue Rose experience. Characters (and,
of course, players!) of all healthy sexualities are welcome
in this world, and deep, meaningful romantic relationships
(along with courtly flirtations, playful romps, and a broad
variety of other physical and emotional connections) are
the norm in Aldis. While other parts of Aldea may take a
dimmer view of the broadly diverse intimate partnerships
found in the Kingdom of the Blue Rose, Aldinfolk do not
allow their neighbors’ sometimes closed-minded ways to
dissuade them from loving and being loved according to
the dictates of their hearts.
Some important setting notes regarding relationships
will help you understand the depth and breadth of Aldin-
folks’ love of the idea and actuality of love. In Aldis, multi-
partner relationships (often referred to as star-marriages
or constellations) are as common as two-person partner-
ships (which are sometimes called twilights—an abridged
form of “two-lights”.) As well, those who are attracted
solely to a single sex or gender (whether their own or one
different from their own) are a minority, though one that
receives the same social acceptance as everyone else…
albeit with an occasional bit of puzzlement from Aldins,
to whom such distinctions often seem arbitrary.
Gender & Orientation
Though there are places in Aldea with restrictive social
views of gender and orientation, the nation of Aldis is
egalitarian in perspective. Indeed, the social culture is
such that most folk are largely what we’d consider bi- or
pansexual, with some degree of interest in most genders.
4
Those with a preference for only a single gender are a
minority, albeit a non-marginalized one. Aldin culture
uses terms that refer to the relationships of the gods:
caria daunen, or “lovers of the dawn”, are those who form
attachments to their own gender exclusively, and cepia
luath, or “keepers of the flame”, prefer romantic partners
of the opposite gender exclusively.
Aldinfolk also recognize that gender can sometimes
differ from one’s bodily sex. They are considered sacred
to the moon goddess Selene and are referred to as laevvel.
This term includes not just transgender folk but also those
who are gender fluid and gender neutral. Those Aldin-
folk who elect to undergo transition of some kind have
a variety of resources available to them, from alchemical
and herbal therapies to surgeries and even magical body
re-shaping in some instances.
Heroism
An important part of the romantic fantasy of Blue Rose is
that PCs are presumed to be sincerely heroic in their moti-
vations rather than acting like the sorts of cynical, merce-
nary “heroes” we see in a lot of modern fantasy media.
They’re enthusiastically on the side of justice, compas-
sion, and love—willing champions of the things that are
truly admirable in the world. They go out of their way to
right wrongs because that’s what good people do. Along
the way, they may be rewarded with treasure, title, and
other such spoils, but most Aldin heroes are primarily in
the adventuring life for what they can do for others rather
than what they can gain for themselves.
Blue Rose includes a force of supernatural corruption
called Shadow. Aldinfolk of heroic demeanor often strive
against these corruptive forces, which can manifest in
a variety of forms: those who have been unknowingly
corrupted by contact with Shadow-tainted places or arti-
facts, sorcerers wielding Shadow through their magics,
monsters called shadowspawn that haunt the dark places
of the world, or even terrifying eldritch darkfiends (the
servitors and personification of Shadow itself).
Magic
Magic in romantic fantasy tends to be more psychic in
nature than the magic in many other types of fantasy. It is
a natural gift inborn to many, but it often requires training
and experience to use properly. Some Blue Rose characters
wield what are called “arcana”—arcane gifts that allow
them to perform a variety of different feats. Though adept
characters always master a wide variety of arcana, any Blue
Rose character might have one or two.
Nature
A sense of environmental consciousness often pervades
romantic fantasy, with spiritual or magical power some-
times tied to the land. In Blue Rose, arcana are a natural
expression of the world, not something supernatural.
There are also rhydan: sapient, psychic animals who
Awakened to their gifts and work to fight Shadow and
help maintain a natural order to the world.
The Nation of Aldis
Most Blue Rose adventures are presumed to take place in
and around the nation of Aldis (the “Kingdom of the Blue
Rose”). Queen Jaellin has reigned over the country with
great wisdom and passion for the past eighteen years, ever
since the day she was chosen by the semidivine Golden
Hart. The adventure contained within this Quickstart—
The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe—takes place along the area where
the wildly-forested Pavin Weald gradually gives way to
the lower peaks of the Ice-Binder Mountains, a range that
forms a natural barrier against the feared enemy nation
of Kern.
Like most of the lands of Aldea, Aldis was once part of
the great nation known today simply as the Old Kingdom;
indeed, Aldis comprises what was once the heartland of
that long-lost country. Unfortunately, many centuries of
peace and prosperity caused the people and rulers of the
Old Kingdom to grow complacent, enabling its overthrow
by the wicked Sorcerer Kings, who reshaped what had
once been a grand and glorious place into their monstrous
Empire of Thorns. This, in turn, eventually collapsed amidst
the infighting between the rival mystics, plunging the
world into a long age of darkness. But the modern nation of
Aldis rose from that darkness, a beacon of the Light, guided
by the Sovereigns chosen by the Golden Hart.
5
Aldis is not the only nation of Aldea. The Plains of Rezea
lie to the west, where nomadic clans are ever on the move,
following the endless migrations of their beloved horses. In
the east sits the Theocracy of Jarzon, ruled by the Hierophant
of the Church of Pure Light, who is determined to hold all
the world’s darkness at bay, no matter the cost. In the oceans
to the southwest is the Matriarchy of Lar’tya, a magnificent
tropical paradise wherein women rule in accordance with
ancient law and tradition. Amid the dark mountains of the
north crouches the Kingdom of Kern, which was up until
recently gripped tightly in the skeletal fist of the Lich King
Jarek, but it is now squabbled over by his former advisors
(known as “the Shadowed Seven”) as each attempts to seize
the throne left vacant in the wake of Jarek’s destruction by
Aldin heroes.
Aldinfolk
A variety of peoples dwell within the nation of Aldis.
Humans are the most numerous, coming in every size,
shape, and color, from darkest ebony brown to the palest
pink. Constant trade and regular migrations throughout the
ages have resulted in mixed populations throughout much of
the kingdom. Save perhaps for in the most isolated regions,
no one gives much thought to the shade of a person’s skin,
the texture of their hair, or the shape of their eyes.
Sharing Aldis with humans are a number of other races.
The aquatic sea-folk are an amphibious people who are
equally at home in ocean shallows, in fresh bodies of
water, or in land-dweller settlements. The mystical vata
6
7
 welcome to blue rose
are divided into the chalk-skinned vata’an and the ebon-
skinned vata’sha. The hardy night people were created by
the terrible sorcery of the Sorcerer Kings but were freed by
their own will and steel.
Finally, the rhydan are various species of animal who
Awaken to sapience and psychic ability. They are neither
pets nor familiars but full people with all the rights of
other Aldinfolk. Rhydan of a given species are referred to
by the name of that species, with the “rhy-“ prefix: rhy-
wolves, rhy-bears, rhy-hawks, and rhy-cats are among the
many kinds of rhydan.
Classes
In addition to belonging to one of the races above, each
character in Blue Rose also has a class, which is chosen from
between adept, expert, and warrior. A character’s class
is, essentially, their profession as an adventurer and will
determine their Health, class powers, talents, and weapon
groups, all of which are explained on the character sheet.
• Adepts are known primarily for their use of arcana—
what we would call magic. Though they are not the
only ones capable of wielding such power, they are
the ones who focus most on developing their mystic
abilities, enabling them to perform feats beyond the
ken of most ordinary folk.
8
• Experts are perhaps the most widely varied charac-
ters, encompassing the classic dashing rogue, the
knowledgeable academic, the quick-witted inves-
tigator, the nimble wilderness scout, and many
others. They often prefer to go lightly armed and
armored, relying on speed and a silver tongue over
brute force.
• Warriors come in many different molds, but they
tend to use big weapons, heavy armor, and a
forthright approach to combat situations. More so
than any other sorts of characters, they have a wide
variety of options to choose from when it comes to
their respective individual fighting styles, and they
are usually the first line of both offense and defense.
As characters progress through their adventures, they
gain knowledge and experience, which is represented by
advancing in levels. They do this by achieving important
goals or by reaching the juncture of narratively signifi-
cant points in their ongoing story. The pre-generated PCs
included in this Quickstart are level 1, while some of the
NPCs they will be facing are higher level to reflect their
somewhat larger breadth of experience and provide the
PC group with appropriate challenges to overcome.
Each class unlocks new powers as a character increases
in level, allowing the character to both expand their skill
 welcome to blue rose

Armor Weapons
Armor Type Armor Rating Armor Penalty Type/Variant Damage Special
Light 3 0 Axes (Fighting)
Medium 5 –2 Standard 2d6 None
Heavy 8 –4 Ranged (Short 4 yds, Long 8
Throwing 1d6+2
yds), Reload (minor action)
Shields Two-Handed 3d6 No shield, can’t be used mounted
Shield Defense Bonus Bludgeons (Fighting)
Light +1 Reduce shield bonus of
Flail 1d6+3
Medium +2 defender by 2 (min 0)
Heavy +3 Standard 2d6 None
No shield, can’t be used
and knowledge and also to hone certain capabilities to an Two-Handed 2d6+3
mounted
extraordinary degree. In the broadest terms, adepts grow
Bows (Accuracy)
in arcane power as they advance to higher levels while
experts become better at precision and sneak attacks, and Ranged (Short 30 yds, Long 60
Crossbow 2d6
warriors generally enhance their overall fighting ability. yds), Reload (major action)
However, characters have many opportunities to diversify Can’t be used mounted, Ranged
their aptitudes under these three fairly broad umbrellas. Longbow 1d6+3 (Short 30 yds, Long 60 yds),
Reload (minor action)
Armor and Shields Ranged (Short 16 yds,
Standard/
Wearing armor gives a character an Armor Rating that is 1d6+1 Long 32 yds), Reload
Sling
subtracted from damage inflicted on them. It also applies (minor action)
an Armor Penalty to Speed and Defense, subtracting that Brawling (Accuracy)
amount from both Speed and Defense while the armor
Breaks if stunt points
is being worn (although if a character is trained in that Handy Object 1d6
generated on roll
kind of armor, they only subtract the penalty from Speed).
Shields provide a bonus to Defense, adding that amount Standard 1d3 None
to the character’s Defense while they are using the shield. Heavy Blades (Fighting)
These bonuses and penalties are already figured into Standard 2d6 None
the pre-generated characters’ statistics and the NPC stat
Two-Handed 3d6 No shield, can’t be used mounted
blocks in The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe.
Lances (Fighting)
Class Abilities Light 1d6+3 None
The pre-generated characters and NPCs in The Rhy- Standard 2d6+1 –2 penalty if used unmounted
Wolf’s Woe have a variety of class abilities. The rules for Light Blades (Accuracy)
using these abilities are given in their stat blocks. The
Standard 1d6+1 None
abilities in the pre-generated characters are Arcane Chan-
neling, Pinpoint Attack, and Sidestep. Ranged (Short 6 yds, Long 12
Thrown 1d6
yds), Reload (minor action)
Weapons and Weapon Groups Natural Weapons (Accuracy or Fighting)
A character must be familiar with a weapon’s use to wield Bite 1d6+1 None
it effectively, but they can effectively use any weapon that Claw 1d6 None
belongs to a weapon group that they know. The Weapons
Polearms (Fighting)
table shows which weapons belong to which weapon
groups. A character using a weapon they are not trained to Standard/ Ranged (Short 8 yds, Long 16
1d6+3
use suffers a –2 penalty on attack rolls (see Tests on page Thrown yds), Reload (minor action)
10 for how modifiers work) and inflicts only half damage. –2 penalty when used mounted,
Two-Handed 2d6+2
In The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe, each NPC can effectively use any no shield
weapon listed in their stat block.
Staves (Accuracy)
Each weapon is described by the weapon group it
belongs to (Standard, Throwing, etc.), the damage it Standard 1d6+1 None
inflicts, and any special rules associated with its use. Two-Handed 1d6+3 No shield

9
 welcome to blue rose
Missile weapons have three additional statistics: short
range, long range, and reload. Short range is the distance
in yards at which a character can fire that weapon with
no penalties. At distances between short range and long
range, the character suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls.
Accurate shots in excess of long range distances aren’t
possible for that weapon. Reload tells whether readying a
weapon to fire or throw requires a major or minor action.
(For thrown weapons, the action listed is for pulling out
another weapon, not retrieving the original one.)
Tests
In any situation where your character wants to do some-
thing with an uncertain outcome, from sneaking past
guards to slaying foul beasts, you will need to make
tests to determine if they do or do not succeed. Blue Rose
uses three standard six-sided dice (3d6) for tests. One die
should be of a different color than the other two. This
differently-colored die is known as the Drama Die.
Simple Tests
To make simple tests, which are the most common kind, roll
3d6, combine their total, and then add the points your PC
has in the relevant ability. If you have an appropriate focus
for that ability (listed in parentheses after the test’s ability,
such as a Dexterity (Calligraphy) test), add +2 more.
For example, if you need to follow a faint trail through
the woods, roll 3d6 and add your Perception ability, with
an additional +2 if you have the Tracking focus. You may
only add one ability score and one focus bonus per test,
but you don’t need to have a given focus to try a test.
The sum of your die roll, ability, and focus are compared
to a target number (TN) that represents the difficulty of the
test. The harder it is to succeed, the higher the TN. If your
sum matches or beats the TN then you have won the test.
3d6 + Ability Score +
Focus Bonus if applicable (+2) vs. Target Number
The circumstances of a particular test will occasion-
ally make it easier or more difficult than normal, giving a
bonus or penalty to the dice roll. Such bonuses are rarely
greater than +3, and penalties rarely worse than –3.
Sometimes, it’s helpful to know not just whether you
succeed but how well you do. The quality of a success is
determined by the unmodified result on the roll’s Drama Die
(which, remember, is the differently-colored die). A Drama
Die’s result is never important if a test is failed, however.
For instance, a character trying to row a small vessel
across a raging river makes a Constitution (Rowing) test.
If they succeed on the test, a Drama Die result of 1 means
that the character all but collapses out of the boat on the
far bank, huffing and puffing with exertion, while a 5 or
6 means that the character ably masters the task and is
10
clearly ready for more. Typically, the Narrator determines
a character’s degree of success based on the Drama Die,
though players modify this with the use of stunts (see the
section on Stunts on the next page).
Opposed Tests
Sometimes your character is contesting directly against
another PC or NPC. This is called an opposed test. In an
opposed test, all competing parties make simple tests
simultaneously, but rather than comparing their results to
a target number, the character with the highest total wins.
If there’s a tie, then the character with the highest number
showing on the Drama Die wins.
If a tie still exists, then the character with the highest rele-
vant ability score wins. Those involved in an opposed test
sometimes use different abilities. For example, a character
attempting to lie to a town guard rolls their Communica-
tion (Deception) against the guard’s Perception (Empathy).
As with simple tests, circumstances may warrant one
party or the other in an opposed test receiving a bonus or
penalty to their roll. As before, such modifiers are usually
no worse than –3 or better than +3.
Advanced Tests
Some tests are meant to reflect ongoing efforts rather than
immediate pass-or-fail as basic and opposed tests do. For
these, use the advanced test. Advanced tests are basic or
opposed tests that use a success threshold to track comple-
tion over time. These use a basic or opposed test as normal,
but if the test is successful, the result on the Drama Die of
the roll adds to the success threshold. A task is complete
when the total of the Drama Dice from all successful tests
is equal to or greater than the success threshold.
Advanced tests are done with a single test and focus.
Each roll takes a certain amount of time as well. A foot-
race might be a Constitution (Running) test, with each
roll taking 5 minutes of running, with the first contestant
to reach the success threshold coming in first. A bout of
research in a library might be an Intelligence (Research)
test, with each roll taking 30 minutes.
If a task is the sort of thing that multiple people can
cooperate on (such as the research example above), let
every character roll and use the highest Drama Die result
from all the rolls.
Advanced Tests
Task Difficulty Success Threshold
Easy 5
Average 10
Challenging 15
Hard 20
Formidable 25
 welcome to blue rose

Stunts Roleplaying and Emotions in Stunts

It is worth noting that some roleplaying stunts evoke
Stunts are especially effective, fancy, or powerful maneu- emotions and changes in perception in their targets, from
vers, and they are one of the most fun and interesting impressing someone to frightening them to sparking
aspects of dice-rolling in Blue Rose. romantic interest in them. In no case are these emotions
Whenever you make a successful roll and also get magical mind control. They do not force anyone to act in any
doubles on the roll, you get stunt points (SP) you can use way—rather, the character in question simply treats such
to perform stunts. “Doubles” just means that two of the sudden moments as they would their normal emotional
dice from your test show the same result. It doesn’t matter timbres in day-to-day life. Spark a romantic interest in
if one of the dice is the Drama Die or not. someone who is embarrassed about displays of interest and
The number of stunt points you get is equal to the they are likelier to stutter and blush and flee the scene than
number showing on the Drama Die. You must use your to swoon and accede to everything you want.
stunt points right away, or they’re Likewise, characters that do not experience some of
wasted. You spend stunt points these emotions may be, at the Narrator’s call, immune to
on the menu of stunts included them. A character who is asexual or aromantic may not be
with this Quickstart. You affected by a stunt that sparks romantic interest at all,
can choose any combina- and a creature magically immune to
tion of stunts as long fear cannot be intimidated. In
as you don’t spend such instances, the Narrator
more stunt points should permit the one who
than you have. You generated the stunt points to
can normally only spend them on a different
choose each stunt once effect.
per roll, though certain
stunts are noted in their
description as explicitly
being exceptions to this rule.
Note that stunts aren’t just for
combat! Characters can also generate
stunt points while diligently
inspecting a crime scene for clues as to
the perpetrator’s identity, for example,
or trying to convince a visiting noble that
the treaty presented to her yesterday is not in
her people’s best interests. Part of the fun of Blue
Rose is finding creative ways to apply various
stunts (whether combat, exploration, roleplaying,
or arcane) to different situations that arise in the
game!
For clarity’s sake, NPCs can perform stunts just
like PCs can, and stunt points often are used to invoke
special abilities they may have.
You can find handouts that may be printed or photo-
copied of the various stunt tables on pages 19-20 of this
Quickstart.

Stunts and Relationships

In Blue Rose, heroes may be driven to more impres-
sive feats when the people and things they care about
are on the line. Mechanically, we reflect this with
our Relationships mechanic. Each Relationship has
a numerical rating. Once per scene, when taking an
action that supports the emotion and context of the
Relationship in question, a player may choose to add
the rating of that Relationship to the Stunt Points

11
 welcome to blue rose
generated by that action, even if the number of Stunt Points
initially generated is 0. This may only be done once per
scene (a single combat or social encounter) )no matter how
many Relationships may apply during that scene.
For example, Cyfa Dawnbreath has the following Rela-
tionship:
Avex Dawnbreath (2): I gave Avex my heart and, in
return, he gave me the stars.
During a scene, if Cyfa takes an action to support,
defend, or protect her beloved Avex, Cyfa’s player may
add 2 Stunt Points to that action.
Combat
Combat in Blue Rose is very easy to process. An order
of initiative is determined with dice rolls by everyone
(including for NPCs) at the beginning of the fight, and
then all combatants take turns in that order. Each cycle
of all characters taking one turn each is called a round.
When each round ends, a new round begins using the
same initiative order.
Initiative
At the start of combat, each combatant makes an initiative
test using Dexterity (Initiative). This is a simple test, but
rather than being compared to a target number, all combat-
ants’ test results are ranked. Combatants then act in that
order, with higher results going before lower results. Ties
are broken the same way as in opposed tests.
Note that the Narrator may choose to roll
initiative for minor NPCs (nameless brigands
or small beasts in a swarm, for instance) in
groups who all act at the same time, just to
keep things simple.
sheet on page 15. The Narrator can adjudicate other actions
using these as a guide. Actions even less substantial than
the minor actions listed here are “free” actions. Examples
might include shouting two or three words or looking
around. A character can take as many free actions as they
wish as long as the Narrator rules that they are reasonable.
Making Attacks
When attacking an enemy, you make a simple test. The
target number is your target’s Defense. On a success,
you inflict damage. On a failure, the attack does nothing.
Each pre-generated character and NPC stat block has a
pre-calculated attack bonus that includes the appropriate
ability score, focus bonus, and any other bonuses that
always apply.
Inflicting and Healing Damage
Each pre-generated character and NPC stat block lists the
damage each of their weapons inflicts. To inflict damage
after a successful attack, roll the damage dice listed and
reduce the target’s Health by that much. If the target has
armor, though, subtract their Armor Rating from the
damage amount before reducing their Health.
When a character has been reduced to 0 Health, they
are dying. A dying character can talk but otherwise take
no actions. Unless they receive some sort of healing to
increase their Health, the character dies in a number of
rounds equal to 2 + their Constitution (a round is about
15 seconds of in-game time, so 4 rounds per minute
during combat or other action-focused scenes). However,

Actions
On their turns, charac-
ters can take actions. There
are three types of actions:
major, minor, and free.
On their turn, a character
can take one major action and
one minor action. If they wish,
however, they may take two
minor actions instead. A char-
acter may also decline either
or both actions and do
nothing.
The most common
major and minor
actions are listed on
the Actions reference

12
 welcome to blue rose
combatants can generally elect to incapacitate their
Health 0 enemies rather than inflict a killing blow.
In order to heal damage, a character can:
• Receive a Heal action (as described under Major
Actions, on page 15).
• Take a breather after a combat encounter. This is
a 5-minute rest to catch one’s breath and tend to
cuts and bruises and the like. A breather allows a
character to regain 5 + Constitution + level in Health.
A character can only take one breather after each
combat encounter, and characters at 0 Health when
the fight ends cannot take a breather at all, as they
would die before the rest heals them.
• Get some sleep. At least 6 uninterrupted hours of sleep
regains a character 10 + Constitution + level in Health.
• Receive arcane healing (most commonly the Cure
arcanum, described on page 17).
Inflicting and Healing Fatigue
Fatigue results from strenuous activity requiring great
effort: forced marches, exertion in difficult environments,
and wielding arcana. Fatigue is measured in four levels of
severity. Generally speaking, the Narrator will call for a
fatigue check, with failure resulting in acquiring one (or
sometimes more) levels of fatigue.
Level 1—Winded
You have a -1 penalty to all tests and cannot take the Run
or Charge actions. Winded characters recover by taking a
5-minute breather.
Level 2—Fatigued
You have a -2 penalty to all tests, cannot take the Run or
Charge actions, and move at half Speed. Fatigued char-
acters recover by resting for at least four hours with
food, drink, and light activity (talking or reading but not
standing or riding).
Level 3—Exhausted
You have a -3 penalty to all tests, cannot take the Run or
Charge actions, and move at half Speed. Additionally, if
you lose more than half your Health, you become uncon-
scious for 1d6 hours or until restored to greater than half
Health. After regaining unconsciousness, you regain 10
+ Constitution + level in Health. Exhausted characters
recover by sleeping for at least 6 hours.
Level 4—Dying
Your Health drops to 0 and you begin dying. If restored
to at least 1 Health, you become unconscious but stable,
regaining consciousness in 1d6 hours at level 3 fatigue.
13
Talents
Talents describe the different sorts of knacks a character
picks up in their training, whether mundane or arcane;
they give characters an edge in various situations and can
unlock new and interesting abilities. Many are restricted
to one or two classes, though some are freely available
to any character. Talents come in three degrees—novice,
journeyman, and master—although the characters in The
Rhy-Wolf’s Woe only possess novice-level talents.
You can find all of the Talents that apply to this Quick-
start at the end of this work, ready for printing or photo-
copying as handouts for players.
Arcana
Arcana are the mystic disciplines used primarily by
adepts, which allow for feats of supernatural power. To
be able to implement a given arcanum, a character must
know it (meaning to have it listed on their character sheet
stat block). Blue Rose doesn’t make use of any kind of
system of “spell points” to determine how many times a
character can use their arcana. While there are normally
other limiting factors, for the purposes of the Quickstart,
assume that characters with arcana may use them freely;
however, please note that the complete arcana rules add
extra complexity and limitations.
Each arcanum (see the Arcana reference sheet on page
17 for a listing of the arcana potentially known to the char-
acters in the Quickstart) describes what kind of dice roll
it requires, whether doing so is a major or minor action,
whether it can be resisted (and, if so, how), if it can be
maintained with concentration from round to round, what
its range (if applicable) is, what kinds of targets it can
affect (people, plants, inanimate objects, etc.), and other
such details.
Each arcanum also falls under one or more of six distinct
disciplines and is unlocked using talents (see the talents
reference page on page 16). Sometimes, an arcanum can be
cast with a choice of disciplines dependent upon the effect
the caster is trying to invoke (which, again, will be noted
under each arcanum’s individual description).
You can find all of the Arcana that apply to this Quick-
start at the end of this work, ready for printing or photo-
copying as handouts for players.
Arcane Fatigue
The most common source of fatigue in Blue Rose is the
exhaustion that strikes wielders of arcana who push
themselves and their arts. Use the following guidelines for
adjudicating fatigue each time you activate an arcanum.
Resisting fatigue because of arcana is a Willpower (Self-
Control) test. Failure on this check inflicts a level of fatigue
(see the previous section for more details on fatigue).
• None: If the Fatigue entry says “None,” it does not
cause fatigue.
• TN #: If the Fatigue entry gives a Target Number,
this is the TN to resist the fatigue.
• Test Result: If the Fatigue entry gives this, it means
the TN to resist fatigue is the same as the number
rolled by the character to activate the arcana. For this
reason, those using arcana are always allowed to
use less than the result they rolled in such a check in
order to make resisting fatigue easier.
• Opposed Test Result: As Test Result, but instead
of the TN being the number the character rolled to
activate the arcana, it is the number rolled by the
arcana’s target to resist it.
Arcane Stunts
As with combat, rolling doubles when using an arcanum
lets you perform stunts. Also, as with combat, you
get Stunt Points equal to the casting test’s Drama Die
result and can normally only choose a given stunt once
per success. Note that arcane stunts mostly modify the
mechanical outcomes of the casting itself.
Non-Player Characters
Non-Player Characters use all the same rules that apply to
Player Character heroes, unless otherwise noted.
In The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe, NPCs are described with stat
blocks rather than full character sheets.
14
NPCs also have a Favored Stunts entry. These are
suggestions to help the Narrator keep things moving
along briskly, but the Narrator is free to choose other
stunts. Additionally, some have special stunts that only
they are allowed to use.
Non-Combat
Encounters
In many roleplaying games, “encounter” is a shorthand
way of referring to a fight. This is not so for Blue Rose, in
which encounters are more akin to the individual scenes
in a movie or play in which some kind of conflict or
contest (which need not be violent) plays out. A thrilling
battle with a malevolent creature of Shadow is certainly
an encounter, but so is a duel of wits and barbed insults
with an unscrupulous baron, or even an arbitration
between two feuding neighbors who were once best
friends. An encounter is really just a situation for which
the outcome is uncertain, and the players need to roll
their dice at least once to help determine how things ulti-
mately turn out.
For the most part, a good Blue Rose game will challenge
the players and their characters with a variety of combat
and non-combat encounters, as well as those that could
go either way depending on the luck of the dice and
PCs’ favored approaches to various circumstances. Some
groups will obviously prefer more of one or the other,
but the essential spirit of Blue Rose involves mixing it up
with a variety of daring skirmishes, tense investigations,
romantic banter, arcane research, and the like.
 ACTIONS
Major Actions
Aid Ally: You can use one of your own actions to aid an ally. Your ally
must be within a number of yards equal to your Communication x 4
(minimum 2 yards for characters with Communication 0 or under). The
ally gains a bonus minor action and a +2 bonus on the next test of their
choice for one round after your turn. Rhy-bonded characters can always
aid each other in the same scene, regardless of distance.
All-Out Attack: You attack an adjacent enemy in hand-to-hand combat,
throwing the full weight of your strength behind the attack, even through
your ability to react to counterattacks will suffer. If you hit, you do +1
damage, but whether or not this attack hits, you suffer –1 to your Defense
until your next turn.
Charge: You move up to half your Speed (rounded down) in yards and
then make a melee attack against an adjacent enemy. You gain a +1 bonus
on your attack roll.
Minor Actions
Activate: This action allows you to start using certain abilities or items,
such as fighting styles and potions.
Aim: You take the measure of your opponent and plan your next strike. If
your next action is a melee attack or ranged attack, you gain a +1 bonus
on your attack roll.
Guard Up: You shift some of your attention to defense. Add +1 or +2 (your
choice) to your Defense until the end of this round. However, you suffer
the amount you choose as a penalty to all tests you make, even opposed
tests, for the remainder of the current round as well. (This is a key differ-
ence between the Guard Up and Defend actions. Guard Up only lasts until
the end of the round, whereas Defend lasts until the beginning of your
next turn.) If you choose this minor action, you must do it before any major
action you take this turn. You can combine this action with Defend, but
remember the penalty applies to all tests made for the rest of the round.
Maintain: You spend some of your focus on maintaining an effect, typically
arcana (arcana for which you can do this will note such in their respective
descriptions), although other effects might require you to maintain them on
subsequent rounds as well.
Move: You travel up to your Speed in yards. You can also go prone, stand
up, or mount a horse or vehicle, but if you do so you can only move half
your Speed distance (rounding down).
Prepare: You pick one major action that you prepare to execute and then
end your turn. Any time until your next turn, you can interrupt another
character and take your prepared action immediately. If you don’t use it
by your next turn, the action is lost. You cannot take this action if you’ve
already taken a major action on this turn.
Variable Actions
Concentrate: You focus your mind and spirit to use an arcanum, which may require a test. Concentrate may be a major action, minor action, or free action,
depending on the arcanum used (which kind of action will be noted in a given arcanum’s description). Some other abilities may also require a minor action
devoted to concentrating enough to maintain their effects.
Reload: You reload a missile weapon. This may be a major action, minor action, or free action depending on the weapon (what kind of action will be
noted in the missile weapons chart), your talents, and the stunts used.
Defend: You focus on defending yourself this round. Until the beginning
of your next turn, gain a +2 bonus to your Defense. If you wish, you may
give this Defense bonus to an adjacent ally (within 2 yards) instead.
Heal: You provide first aid to an injured ally. You must be within 2 yards
of them and have bandages ready (per the ready action). This is a TN 11
Intelligence (Healing) test. If successful, your ally gains Health equal to
the Drama Die result + your Intelligence. A character can’t benefit from
another Heal action until additional damage is taken.
Melee Attack: You attack one adjacent enemy in hand-to-hand combat. An
enemy within 2 yards of you is considered adjacent.
Ranged Attack: You fire or throw a missile weapon at one visible enemy
within range.
Run: You travel up to double your Speed in yards. You cannot take this
action if you are prone (you’d need to use the Move action to stand up first).
Press the Attack: You stand at the ready to pursue an enemy if they should
fall back or flee your blows. Declare an adjacent enemy combatant when
you take this action. Until the beginning of your next turn, if that enemy
moves away from you, you may immediately move up to your Speed in
yards in direct pursuit of that enemy at no additional cost in actions. This
occurs immediately after your foe’s movement, before they can do anything
else. However, you can only use this minor action on an enemy you have
already successfully struck in melee combat this turn (whether you inflicted
damage or not). When you make your move, it need not bring you adjacent
to that enemy if you can’t go that fact. In that case, you simply move as far as
you can before stopping. You are free to forego some or all of the movement
this action allows when your enemy triggers it, if you wish.
Ready: You can unsheathe a weapon, pull out a potion, or otherwise ready
an item that is stowed. As part of this action, you can also put away some-
thing already in hand. You could use this to put away your bow and draw
your sword, for example.
Stand Firm: You brace yourself and prepare to resist any and all efforts to
move you from the place where you stand. Until the beginning of your
next turn, any enemy who uses the Skirmish or Knock Prone combat stunts
against you must succeed in an opposed test pitting their Strength (Might)
against your choice of Strength (Might) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) in order to
move you or knock you prone. This test can only be attempted after your
opponent spends the relevant stunt points, which are expended to no effect
if you win the test. An opponent who attempts to Skirmish you more than
once a part of a single attack, (to move you more than 2 yards) only makes
a single opposed test against you, with all the skirmishing movement
hanging in the balance.
 TALENTS
Below is a simplified summary of all the talents known by pre-generated characters for this quickstart. (Note that the adept talents
frequently overlap on giving access to certain arcana. The systems for how to handle this are somewhat more involved in the full Blue
Rose rules.)

Animism Healing Scouting

Class: Adept Class: Adept Class: Expert
Requirement: None. Requirement: None. Requirement: You must have Dexterity
2 or higher.
You can use the Psychic Shield and Second You can use the Cure, Psychic Shield, and
Sight arcana and gain: Animal Messenger, Second Sight arcana. If you fail a Dexterity (Stealth) test, you can
Animal Summoning, or Psychic Contact reroll it, but you must keep the result of the
(animals only). Medicine second roll.
Class: Any
Archery Style Requirement: You must have Intelli- Shaping
Class: Expert, Warrior gence 1 or higher. Class: Adept
Requirement: You must be trained in Requirement: None.
the Bows weapons group. Heal is a minor action for you.
You can use the Move Object, Psychic
You know how to punish enemies who get Meditative Shield, and Second Sight arcana.
too close. When shooting a bow or crossbow
Class: Adept
at an enemy within 6 yards of you, you
Requirement: None. Tooth and Claw
inflict +1 damage.
Class: Any
You can use the Body Control, Psychic Requirement: You must be trained in
Armor Training Shield, and Second Sight arcana. the Natural Weapons group.
Class: Warrior
Requirement: None. Observation You do +2 damage with natural weapons.
Class: Any
You do not suffer a Dexterity penalty in Light
Requirement: You must have Percep- Two-Handed Style
and Medium Armor (though the armor’s
tion 2 or higher. Class: Warrior
penalty to your Speed, if any, still applies).
Requirement: Strength 3 or higher
Choose the Empathy or Seeing focus. If and be trained in: Axes, Bludgeons,
Carousing you fail a Perception test with your chosen Heavy Blades, or Polearms.
Class: Any focus, you can reroll it, but you must keep
Requirement: You must have Commu- the result of the second roll. When you hit with a two-handed weapon,
nication and Constitution 1 or higher. you can move the target 2 yards in any
Psychic direction.
You can drink other people under the table.
Class: Adept
When making Constitution (Drinking) tests
Requirement: None. Visionary
as part of an advanced test, you gain a +1
Class: Adept
bonus to the result of each Drama Die. You learn the Psychic Contact, Psychic Requirement: None.
Shield, and Second Sight arcana.
Contacts You can use the Psychic Shield, Second
Class: Any Sight, and Visions arcana.
Requirement: You must have Commu-
nication 1 or higher. Weapon and Shield Style
Class: Warrior
You can attempt to make a contact out of
Requirement: You must have Strength
an NPC with a successful Communication
2 or higher.
(Persuasion) test. The Narrator will set the TN
based on the likelihood of you knowing the You gain a +2 Defense bonus when using
NPC or having mutual friends. A contact will a shield.
be friendly to you, but won’t go out of their
way to help you without additional motiva-
tion. You can’t make a contact out of an NPC
who already dislikes you or is an enemy.

Below is a simplified summary of all the arcana known by any of the pre-generated characters for this Quickstart.
Animal Messenger
Time: Major Action TN: None
Test: None Resistance: None
Fatigue: None
You encourage a small animal within your line of
sight to go somewhere (or to someone you know)
carrying a note or token for you. The animal then
goes to that place or person and waits for up to
a day for someone to remove the note or token.
(For the purposes of the Quickstart, Greymane,
Markas, and the Kernish outpost don’t meet
this criterion until after they’ve actually been
encountered.)
Body Control
Time: Major Action
TN: Varies (see description)
Test: Perception (Animism or Healing) or
Willpower (Meditative)
Resistance: None Fatigue: None
You psychically control a willing body’s invol-
untary functions by touching it. Animism allows
you to affect animals, Healing works for people,
and Meditative allows you to target yourself.
You can make a Body Control test for a number
of different effects, which last as long as you
concentrate.
Body Control
Target Task
Number
7 Sleep normally despite distractions
9 Sleep normally despite difficult
distractions
11 Ignore pain or injury
11 Body awareness
11 Speed recovery
• Sleeping: Allows the subject to sleep and
rest normally despite distractions or diffi-
cult conditions.
• Ignore Pain or Injury: The subject can
ignore the effects of pain or injury while
awake or asleep.
• Body Awareness: The subject remains
aware of their body while asleep or concen-
trating on something else, including other
arcana.
• Speed Recovery: The subject regains 15 +
Constitution + (level x 2) in Health from at
least 6 hours of restful sleep.
ARCANA
Calm Enhancement
Time: Major Action TN: Opposed Time: Major Action TN: 13
Test: Communication (Animism or Psychic) Test: Willpower (Animism,
Resistance: Willpower (Self-Discipline) Healing, or Meditative)
Fatigue: None Resistance: None Fatigue: None
While in psychic contact, you create a state of Touch a willing subject to enhance their Strength,
calm and clarity in a subject’s mind. An unwilling Dexterity, or both. Use the Animism talent to
subject may make a resistance test against your target animals, Healing to enhance people,
test result. A Calm subject is free of intense and Meditative for yourself. The result of your
emotion and incapable of aggressive or violent Enhancement test (plus your applicable arcane
action for as long as you concentrate. Aggressive focus) determines the total amount of the bonus,
action against the subject ends the effect. as shown on the table. You can divine the bonus
between Strength and Dexterity.
Cure
Enhancement
Time: Major Action TN: 11
Test Result Total Bonus
Test: Intelligence (Healing) or
Willpower (Meditative) 13 +1
Resistance: None Fatigue: TN 11 15 +2
When you use the Heal action with this arcanum, 17 +3
your subject regains Health equal to the Drama 19 +4
Die + your Intelligence + Healing focus (if any) 21 +5
+ your level. The subject can’t benefit from Cure
again until at least taking a breather to recover The bonus lasts for 10 rounds and then disap-
naturally. pears at the start of your turn.
Familiarity
Some arcana factor the user’s familiarity with the arcanum’s target into the casting difficulty.
Psychic arcana, for instance, tend to work better on subjects the adept knows well. Those arcana
listed as making use of familiarity are modified according to the following table:
Familiarity
Familiarity Modifier Definition
A subject visible to the naked eye or in physical or psychic
Present +0
contact with the adept.
A subject currently seen or sensed through another arcanum,
Very a close friend or relative, an item made by the adept or owned
+2
Familiar and used for at least a year, a place where the adept spent at
least a year.
A subject the adept has been acquainted with for at least three
Familiar +4
months, a casual friend.
Somewhat A subject the adept has been acquainted with for at least a
+6
Familiar week, reading someone else’s memory of a familiar subject.
A subject the adept has been acquainted with only briefly,
Casually
+8 reading someone else’s memory of a somewhat familiar
Familiar
subject.
Slightly A subject the adept has one seen briefly or had described in
+10
Familiar detail.
A subject totally unfamiliar and unknown to the adept and
Unfamiliar — out of the adept’s line of sight or physical contact. Arcana
cannot be used on unfamiliar subjects.
 Harm
Time: Major Action TN: Defense
Test: Accuracy (Brawling)
Resistance: None Fatigue: TN 11
You must touch an unwilling target using an
Accuracy (Brawling) test against their Defense. If
successful, you inflict 2d6 + your Willpower in pene-
trating damage (halve Armor Rating against it). You
can perform a special stunt to inflict an additional
+1d6 penetrating damage per 2 SP you spend.
Harm is sorcery. While the mechanics of sorcery
are beyond the scope of this Quickstart, suffice to
say that this arcanum has the potential to twist its
user to the service of Shadow and corrupt them
utterly. Heroes who wield this power use it only
in dire situations.
Mind Reading
Time: Major Action TN: Opposed
Test: Communication (Animism or Psychic)
Resistance: Willpower (Self-Discipline)
Fatigue: Opposed test result
By winning the opposed test, you can read the
surface thoughts of a creature you are in psychic
contact with for as long as you concentrate on
them. You will “hear” and understand their
thoughts in your own mind, even if you do not
share a common language. If you fail the test, and
try again, the target gets a cumulative +1 bonus to
their Willpower test for each new attempt.
If you can interact with your subject, a successful
opposed Communication (Deception) test against
the subject’s Willpower (Self-Discipline) causes
the subject to think consciously about a particular
piece of information you’re looking for, such as a
password or name, allowing you to pluck it from
the subject’s surface thoughts.
Move Object
Time: Minor Action TN: Varies (see description)
Test: Intelligence (Shaping)
Resistance: None Fatigue: Test result
With a successful test, you can move unattended
inanimate objects (5 feet per minor action) with
your thoughts for as long as you concentrate. The
target number of the test is based on the mass of
the object.
Move Object
Target Number Mass (lb.)
9 2
11 5 is happening near you while you are observing
13 10
15 25
17 50
19 100
21 200
Psychic Contact
Time: Minor Action
TN: 7 or greater (see Familiarity sidebar)
Test: Communication (Animism or Psychic)
Resistance: Psychic Shield or
Willpower (Self-Discipline)
Fatigue: None
You can establish contact between your mind and
that of an animal (Animism) or person (Psychic).
The base target number is modified by famil-
iarity. If the subject is unwilling or has Psychic
Shield in place, you have to make separate tests
to overcome their resistance.
While in psychic contact, those involved
can communicate at the rate of normal speech,
“hearing” each other’s thoughts, or sending
sensory images or impressions. You can choose
to lie or omit information; you’re “speaking” to
each other psychically, not reading each other’s
thoughts. Psychic contact is two-way; both parties
are in contact with the other for the purposes of
arcana.
The target can make an opposed Willpower
(Self-Discipline) or Psychic Shield test against
your Psychic Contact test to break contact.
Psychic Shield
Time: Free Action TN: None
Test: Willpower (Psychic)
Resistance: None Fatigue: None
When you are the target of any arcana granting
a Willpower resistance test, you can make an
opposed Psychic Shield test first. The attacker
makes an arcane test using the attacking arcanum.
If you win the opposed test, the attack fails. If the
attacker wins, the psychic arcanum affects you
normally, but you still get a normal resistance
test.
Scrying
Time: Major Action
TN: 11 or greater (see Familiarity sidebar)
Test: Perception (Visionary)
Resistance: None Fatigue: Test TN
You can make a Scrying test to sense a particular
place, creature, or thing known to you (for the
purposes of the quickstart, Greymane, Markas,
and the Kernish outpost don’t meet this criterion
until after they’ve actually been encountered).
If successful, you can observe the subject as if
you were present. The vision lasts for as long
as you concentrate, so you are unaware of what
events elsewhere. Scrying does not make
the subject in your line of sight for targeting
purposes.
Second Sight
Time: Varies (see description)
TN: Varies (see description)
Test: Perception (Psychic or Visionary)
Resistance: None Fatigue: None
Make a Second Sight test to detect arcana in use
in your vicinity or to sense an attempt at psychic
contact.
Sorcerer’s Grip
Time: Major Action TN: 11
Test: Intelligence (Shaping)
Resistance: Constitution (Stamina)
Fatigue: TN 11
You can deliver a crushing arcane grip to anyone in
your line of sight or with whom you are in psychic
contact. Successful use of this ability causes 1d6
penetrating damage, plus an additional 1d6 per
2 points of Outcome (points above the TN), to a
maximum of 6d6. The target then makes a resis-
tance test, reducing the damage in half if successful.
Sorcerer’s Grip is sorcery. While the mechanics
of sorcery are beyond the scope of this Quick-
start, suffice to say that this arcanum has the
potential to twist its user to the service of Shadow
and corrupt them utterly. Heroes who wield this
power use it only in dire situations.
Visions
Time: Major Action TN: Varies (see description)
Test: Perception (Visionary)
Resistance: None Fatigue: None
You get visions of the mostly likely outcomes of
future should no action be taken to change them.
The visions you receive are by no means assured;
the future can be changed by the actions of those
in the present. You cannot interact with your
visions, only observe them.
Visions
Target
Result
Number
11 A vague vision of the future
13 An accurate glimpse of the future
Awareness of how long before a
15
particular event occurs
Awareness of the people involved
17
in a particular event
Awareness of the time, subjects,
19
and location of a future event
Near complete knowledge of
21 a particular future event and
everything involving it
Note that using Visions to perceive the most
likely future of Greymane, Markas and/or the
Kernish outpost will still not make any of them
viable targets for the Animal Messenger or
Scrying arcana.
 STUNTS
Combat Stunts
SP Cost Stunt
Skirmish: You can move yourself or the target of your attack 2 yards in any direction for each 1 SP you spend. Can be used more than once
1+
from the same roll.
1 Rapid Reload: You can immediately reload a missile weapon.
Stay Aware: You take a moment to notice what’s happening around you. Make a TN 11 Perception test with the focus of your choice. If you
succeed, the Narrator may either make you aware of some battlefield situation that has so far escaped your notice, or give you a +1 bonus to
1
the next test you make. This bonus can never stack with any other test bonus other than that from a focus. It must be used on the very next
test you make (even if you’re the defender in an opposed test) and expires at the end of your next turn if you haven’t used it by then.
2 Knock Prone: You knock your enemy prone. Any character making a melee attack against a prone foe gains a +1 bonus on their attack roll.
2 Defensive Stance: Your attack sets you up for defense. You gain a +2 bonus to Defense until the beginning of your next turn.
Disarm: You attempt to disarm the target with your melee attack. You and your opponent must make an opposed attack roll. If you win the
2
test, you knock your enemy’s weapon 1d6 + Strength yards away in a direction you nominate.
2 Mighty Blow: You inflict an extra 1d6 damage on your attack.
2 Pierce Armor: You find a chink in your enemy’s armor. The target’s armor rating is halved (rounded down) vs. this attack.
Taunt: You insult or distract an opponent of your choice within 10 yards of you. Make an opposed test of your Communication (Deception)
2
vs. the target’s Willpower (Self-Discipline). If you win, the target suffers a -1 penalty on attack and arcana rolls on their next turn.
Threaten: You strike a threatening pose, challenging an opponent of your choice within 10 yards of you. You must make an opposed test of
2 your Strength (Intimidate) vs. the target’s Willpower (Self-Discipline). If you win, they must attack you in some way (melee, missile, arcana,
etc.) on their next turn.
Lightning Attack: You can make a second attack against the same enemy or a different one within range and sight. You must have a loaded
3
missile weapon to make a ranged attack. If you roll doubles on this second attack roll, you do not gain any additional stunt points.
Set Up: You create an opening an ally can exploit. Pick an ally. On their next turn, the ally receives a +2 bonus on the ability test of their
3
choice. This decision must be made before the dice are rolled.
Dual Strike: Your attack is so strong it affects two targets. First, pick a secondary target. This target must be adjacent to you if you are using
4 a melee weapon or within 6 yards of your primary target if you are using a missile weapon. Your attack roll applies to both your initial and
secondary targets. If you hit the secondary target, inflict your normal damage on them.
Seize the Initiative: Your attack changes the tempo of the battle. You move to the top of the initiative order. This means you may get to take
4
another turn before some of the combatants get to act again. You remain at the top of the order until someone else seizes the initiative.
5 Lethal Blow: You inflict an extra 2d6 damage on your attack.

Exploration Stunts
SP Cost Stunt
Advantageous Positioning: You make your discovery from an advantageous position of your choice, up to 2 yards away from the place that
1 would normally lead to your discovery with respect to the object of your test. You may wait until the Narrator describes what you’ve found,
if relevant, before you choose your position. This stunt can be used multiple times on the same test if you have enough stunt points.
Efficient Search: If resources of any kind are typically consumed in the course of your test, you only use half as much as you would
2
normally.
2 Speedy Search: You complete your test in half the time it would otherwise take.
The Right Tools: You have, find, or improvise a piece of equipment that you need to attempt an action more effectively. This stunt
2
counteracts any situational penalties for not having appropriate equipment.
That Makes Me Wonder: You may immediately make another Perception test, at no additional cost in time or resources, to discover more
information about your surroundings or the object of your test. This bonus test must use a different focus from the first test, however, and
3
doubles on this test do not give rise to stunt points. The two tests are assumed to transpire simultaneously and not one after the other. If
there is nothing additional to discover, the stunt is wasted.
The Object of Your Attention: You receive a +1 bonus to further tests to examine or perceive additional aspects of the object of your test
3
until the scene or venue changes.
4 The Upper Hand: If your discoveries lead to combat within a moment or two, you receive a +3 bonus on your initiative roll.
Resources At Hand: Choose a focus you don’t have that falls under the same ability as the test you’re making. You are considered to have
4 that focus until the time or venue changes. The Narrator may require you to explain how this bonus arises from the environment and deny it
if you can’t make a reasonable suggestion.
With a Flourish: The manner of your success is impressive to those who are nearby to watch you. You have a +1 bonus to opposed tests
4
against them until the scene or venue changes.
 Roleplaying Stunts
SP Cost Stunt
Bon Mot: You tag the perfect witty remark onto the end of your action, affecting all those who hear it that much more deeply. If you can’t
1 think of one, the rest of the players and the Narrator quickly brainstorm options, and you choose among them. Word of your wit is likely to
spread, for good or ill.
Passionate Inspiration: Your emotions flare, and you’re inspired to a brief act of daring or greatness. Gain a +1 to your next action, with a
1+
further +1 for every 2 additional SP spent.
And Another Thing: You manage to weave a second thrust of conversation into the primary interact that called for the test. If your
2 description supports it, you may make an additional test as part of your action, before anyone else has a chance to respond or make and tests
or arguments of their own.
Sway the Crowd: Your interpersonal efforts are so effective that they spill over onto others in the area, and you affect one additional person
2 of your choice past the original target. You may use this stunt multiple times on the same roll. However, if the test that gave rise to this stunt
was an opposed test you may not expand the effect to anyone who has a higher ability + focus total than the original target.
New Friends: Your action impresses, charms, or otherwise makes an NPC in the encounter think better of you. Choose one character
who’s present—that character now admires you or thinks of you as a friend. If they’re an enemy or dislike you already, make an opposed
3
Communication (Persuasion) vs. Willpower (Self-Discipline) test. If you win, that character feels more positively about you and may aid you
in small ways. This stunt can set up future relationships if interactions continue and remain positive.
New Enemies: You gain the upper hand on your opponent, but in so doing draw their ire. You may select any stunt or stunts worth 1 more
total SP than the amount you spend on this stunt. However, an NPC in the encounter now dislikes you and considers you a rival, threat, or
3+
enemy. This NPC doesn’t have to be the target of your action, just someone it makes sense who would now be upset with you. This stunt can
set up future relationships if interactions continue along these lines.
Stunned Silence: You are so impressive that you leave all those who witness your display completely dumbfounded and unable to speak for
3
at least a full round. Outside of combat, this lasts, at the very least, long enough for your character to begin doing something else.
Jest: You turn a phrase, twist your expression, or make some other comic motion that leads those nearby to laugh, or at least stifle their
3 snorts. Anyone nearby who wishes to avoid laughing must make a successful TN 11 Willpower (Self-Discipline) test, with the exception—at
the Narrator’s discretion—of whomever you’ve made the butt of your joke.
Exciting Opportunities: Your action impresses or inspires an NPC in the encounter, or some dignitary who could logically hear about your
4 actions. While there is no immediate effect, this may lead to some important group of character offering you future patronage, membership
in an exclusive organization, an invitation to a restricted event, or some other significant future opportunity.
Flirt: Choose one character who is present and immediately make an opposed Communication (Romance) vs. Willpower (Self-Discipline)
test. If you win, that character becomes enamored with yours. What exactly this means in the moment and how it might play out (or fall
4
apart) in the long run are up to the Narrator, and depend on how you continue to act. But, if you’re successful, you’ve created an opening for
romantic opportunities. See the sidebar on page 11 for adjudicating this and similar stunts and effects.
Tower of Will: Your success gives you a sense of your own brilliance and strength of character. For the rest of the current roleplaying
4 exchange, you gain a +1 bonus to any opposed tests where an opponent tries to put you at an emotional disadvantage, such as by
intimidating you, impressing you, bargaining with you, and so on.
Enrage: You twist the knife, delivering a provocation or insult in such a way that a single target you designate must choose between either
5 attacking you or storming away from the scene. If they choose to attack, the assault need not be deadly; however, that option is open to the
enraged character. A slap or a throwing of the gauntlet may stand in as an “attack” just as well.

Arcane Stunts
SP Cost Stunt
2 Mighty Arcana: If the arcanum does damage, one target of your choice takes an extra 1d6 damage.
Lasting Arcana: If an arcanum has a duration beyond instantaneous, it remains in effect for twice as long. Arcana that last until the end of
3
the encounter are extended by 1d6 minutes instead.
Arcane Shield: You use the residual arcanum energy to set up a temporary protective shield. You gain a +2 bonus to Defense until the
3
beginning of your next turn.
Fast Casting: After you resolve this arcanum, you can immediately use another. This second arcanum must take either major action or a
4
minor action to perform. The test for the second arcanum does not generation stunt points.
Imposing Arcana: The effect of the arcanum is much more dramatic than usual. Until the beginning of your next turn, anyone attempting to
4 make a melee attack against you must make a successful Willpower (Courage) test. The target number (TN) is 10 + your Willpower ability.
Those who fail must take a Move or Defend action, instead.
Split Arcana: If the arcanum affects only one target, you can have it affect two so long as the second target is within the arcanum’s range
4
and no more than 6 yards from the original target. Targets test against the arcanum effects separately.
Disrupt Arcana: In addition to its normal effect, your arcanum is so powerful it may disrupt another arcane effect on the target. Roll an
5 immediate test of your Intelligence (Arcane Lore) vs. the arcane test total of any one arcanum on the target. Success removes the effect.
Doubles on this test do not generate stunt points.
Lethal Arcana: If the arcanum does damage, one target of the spell takes an extra 2d6 damage. Alternately, all targets of the arcanum take
5
an additional 1d6 damage.
6 Effortless Arcana: You automatically pass any fatigue test associated with using this arcanum.
 he Rhy-Wolf’s Woe is the introductory adventure
T for Blue Rose. It should take around four hours to
complete the adventure, and only the Narrator
should read through it; players who do so will have the
details of the story spoiled for them, and it won’t be as
much fun to play through.
Background
& Summary
In this adventure, the PCs will go in search of a pair of
lost youths: a rhy-wolf and the human to whom she has
psychically bonded (a spontaneous phenomenon between
some rhydan and non-rhydan, referred to as the “rhy-
bond”). Along the way, they will confront threats ranging
from reactionary ignorance, to natural hazards, to the
unnatural creations of sorcery.
From a chance encounter in the Pavin Weald, during
which the characters are asked to look for the missing rhy-
wolf, they make their way to a village to discover that a
human is also missing, leaving the community (including
the human’s abusive father) in clear distress. With a small
population and autumn swift approaching, the village
lacks the available resources necessary to perform a
comprehensive search of the area. Worse still, some locals
surmise that the naïve and desperate young man might
21
have gone with his new friend in the direction of an ill-
omened old outpost, a relic of the recent war with the
enemy nation of Kern.
Heroes that they are, and with no better leads, the PCs
venture forth in that direction. Along the way, they must
use their wits, their wisdom, and their prowess to succeed,
for terrible misfortune has befallen those for whom they
search. The journey toward the derelict outpost is not an
easy one, though the characters, working together, should
be able to rescue those in need of their aid.
Using the Adventure
The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe is broken down into a series of eight
encounters. Some encounters are, essentially, locked into
a certain kind of resolution (roleplaying, exploration, or
combat, for instance), while others are more freeform,
allowing for a variety of potential approaches. Of course,
clever players can take things in unexpected directions,
so don’t worry about it too much if they somehow turn
what’s intended to be a fight into a conversation so long
as what they’re trying to do makes sense. The key, above
all else, is to have fun!
Each encounter begins with a box of blue text meant to
be read aloud to the players, with more such text located
further along in the encounter. This text helps to set the
scene, enabling the players to visualize their immediate
surroundings and the other creatures involved in the
encounter, if any. Naturally, feel free to adjust the boxed
text to best suit your own voice as a Narrator and the play
style of your group. (In fact, this advice goes for every part
of The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe; change whatever you like—cut
or add scenes, change the races of NPCs, or anything
else—to make the adventure your own!)
Prologue
Give your players plenty of time to look through the pre-
generated characters and to choose the ones they like.
They might have some ideas for changes they’d like to
make to those characters. Because the pre-generated PCs
have extensive background connections to one another,
make sure that everyone is on board with these changes
before proceeding so that no one gets any unwelcome
surprises sprung on them partway through the adventure.
Part 1
A Chance Meeting
The PCs are traveling through the Pavin Weald (a vast
ancient forest that makes up most of the northern crescent
of the nation of Aldis), when they are approached by a
rhy-wolf who introduces himself as Frostwind. Having
heard from other rhydan that Aldins will often help those
22
in need, he reaches out in the hopes of securing assistance
for a missing friend.
It’s a brisk day in the Pavin Weald, the winds blowing
down out of the Ice-Binder Mountains serving as a reminder
that the cold season is coming, and coming soon. Your
journey today has been thus far uneventful save for running
across the occasional fellow travelers on the road through the
forest. A ways up ahead, however, you take note of a large
animal stepping out from the underbrush and onto the path:
a majestic silvery-white wolf, with clear golden eyes.
He sits down on the road, regarding your gradual
approach with intelligence and a wary curiosity. Clearly,
this is no ordinary animal and is instead a rhydan, one
of the sapient psychic animals of Aldea. As your group
draws nearer, the wolf stands, though slowly and without
any indication of menace.
The rhy-wolf, Frostwind, is very obviously deliber-
ately comporting himself in a non-threatening manner
so as to put the characters at ease, but if someone insists
on making absolutely certain, call for a TN 7 Intelligence
(Natural Lore) or Perception (Empathy) test to confirm
his complete lack of hostile intent.
Frostwind will make use of his Psychic Contact arcanum
to communicate with whichever character seems to most
obviously step to the fore, though he will do so gently and
respectfully, enabling the individual to choose to allow the
contact or not. If he is refused, he will go down the line
of those present, hoping that someone will let him speak.
 the rhy wolf's woe

Once he makes the connection, he says the following:

Frostwind
“Well met, traveler. I am Frostwind and these woods are Abilities (Focuses)
my home. I mean no harm to you or to your companions.
I merely wish to speak with you and, if you are willing Accuracy 3 (Bite), Communication 0 (Psychic),
to hear me out, to ask a favor. I have no means by which Constitution 2 (Stamina, Running), Dexterity 3 (Stealth),
to repay you for this request, save my gratitude and my Fighting 0, Intelligence 1, Perception 3 (Hearing, Smelling,
friendship, but I hope that you will listen, nonetheless, for Tracking), Strength 3 (Intimidation), Willpower 2 (Morale)
I believe that a life—and perhaps more than one—hangs Speed Health Defense Armor Rating
in the balance.”
15 50 13 1
Assuming that the character agrees to hear Frostwind out
Weapon Attack Roll Damage
(and, presumably, pass on his words to the rest of the party),
he gives a bit of back-story and then gets to his request: Bite +5 1d6+4
Special Qualities
“My friend, Greymane, recently came to me with
troubling news. While wandering close to the nearby Favored Stunt: Knock Prone, Set Up
village—indeed, closer than might be wise—she stum- Arcana: Enhancement, Nature Reading, Psychic Contact,
bled across a human youth gathering mushrooms. She Psychic Shield, Second Sight
said that the boy had a furtive, wounded look about Heroes’ Armor: Frostwind has an armor rating of 1, or the
him––not injured in body but rather in spirit. And she rating of the armor he is wearing—whichever is higher—
believes that she felt the stirrings of the rhy-bond within even if he is not wearing armor.
him. When she attempted to draw nearer, however, an
Nightvision: Frostwind can see in normal darkness without
older human with a similar scent burst out of the brush, penalty.
brandishing a heavy stick and yelling furiously at her.
He grabbed the younger one by the arm and dragged Threat: Minor
him away, and Greymane ran, frightened at the sheer
violence of the display. “What does Greymane look like?”
“Since then, she told me, she was troubled and restless.
I suspected that she wanted to go back in search of the “She is a young, lean rhy-wolf of about average size with
young human, but I counseled her against this, as his shaggy gray fur and pale blue eyes.”
is a farming community reliant on the sorts of animals
upon which we wolves prey, and it seems that they do not
“How long has she been missing?”
receive our kind with courtesy. I thought that an end to
the matter, as Greymane typically heeds my advice, but I
“I cannot be entirely sure. It’s been about week since I
have not seen nor scented her in days, now, and I believe
last saw her, but it is not unusual for us to go several days
that she must have returned for the boy. I would go to look
without meeting. It’s during the last three days or so that
in on the matter, myself, but I am concerned that I would
I’ve truly started to grow concerned.”
either be killed by the villagers or else be forced to do harm
to them in self-defense, much to the benefit of no one.
“And so, I ask: will you go to the village and try to find “Did she tell you any details about the humans she
out what has become of my friend?” saw?”

Any character who is a rhydan or a rhy-bonded
humanoid automatically knows what a rhy-bond is. Others
who are curious about the term may make a TN 9 Intel-
ligence (Arcane Lore or Natural Lore) test to recall that it
is a soul-deep state of almost invariably lifelong psychic
connection between a rhydan and a trusted and beloved
humanoid. The bond is often described as feeling not like
forging a new tie, but instead reawakening to one which
has always existed from the dim mists of time-before-time,
or like finding the other half of one’s own spirit. It is, obvi-
ously, a profoundly intimate and life-altering experience.
Aside from this, the characters may well have ques-
tions for Frostwind, which he will endeavor to answer
to the best of his ability. Some likely questions (and their
answers) are:
“As I mentioned, they had similar scents to one another.
She also noted that the young one had a ‘thoughtful face,’
but I don’t really know what she meant by that.”
“Could she handle herself if she got into serious
trouble?”
“Like most rhy-wolves, Greymane can hunt and defend
herself against many of the mundane perils of the Pavin
Weald… but I fear what has befallen her if she ran afoul of
the villagers as a whole.”
Provided the characters agree to help look for Greymane
(and they should: they’re heroes, after all!), Frostwind bids
them good fortune and offers his profoundest gratitude

23
 the rhy wolf's woe
for their aid. Succeed or fail, they now have a friend in him
and he will not forget this kindness. Indeed, he will see
that the word of the party’s willingness to assist a stranger
in need spreads among his acquaintances, so that those
rhydan might know these folk as just and virtuous.
He then directs them to continue along the same road
they’re on for maybe another two hours or so whereupon
they will find the village of which he speaks. Only when
the characters are certain that they’ve asked everything
they can think to ask will Frostwind depart, making his
farewells and vanishing back into the wilds.
Frostwind
A friend to Greymane, Frostwind—
a fellow rhy-wolf—has grown
concerned by her absence after
mentioning the stirrings of a rhy-
bond with a shy human youth.
Given the violent reaction of the
young man’s father, he believes
that Greymane might have come
to some harm after disregarding
his suggestion to exercise great patience and caution in
attempting to again approach. He believes that his own
presence as a wolf in and around a village of farmers and
hunters would surely result in someone (either himself or
villagers) coming to serious harm, and so he must turn to
others and trust in their compassion and generosity.
Part 2
The Village
of Redbriar
Sure enough, the party is on the road for just a little shy of
two hours more before they see the thinning of the trees
around the outlying farms of the village. The inviting smell
of wood smoke wafts on the breeze from the village proper,
where it seems that most of the locals have gathered.
As your party enters the village of Redbriar, locals are
bustling about with the business of the coming autumn in
preparation for the harshness of winter. Smokehouses are
curing meats, grains are being milled into flour, and the
delightful odors of fruits cooking into jams and preserves
are omnipresent. Though there is clearly some pall of
concern over them, the people offer greetings when they
notice you.
As the characters make their way into Redbriar, they may
want to ask some questions about Greymane and the human
youth to whom she reached out. The locals are friendly and
forthcoming and can provide the following details:
• The human youth is named Markas Yrtano, son of
Jatos, and he disappeared four nights ago.
24
• Jatos is not well-liked around the village. He treats
his son very harshly and has provided him with
no opportunities for autonomy or self-sufficiency
even now that Markas has recently come full into
manhood. Some folk go so far as to say that Markas
has very much spent his life as Jatos’ prisoner—in
essence, if not necessarily literally so.
• Jatos claims that his son was “kidnapped,” though he
can’t point to any reason why anyone would do such
a thing. Some villagers believe that Markas finally had
enough of his father’s cruel oppression and ran away
though Jatos has furiously rejected any such suggestion.
• Local hunters and foresters have been out searching
for Markas as they’re able but to no avail. Redbriar
is a small village and, as tragic as this situation is,
people still need to be gathering supplies as normal
for the coming cold season, so there simply isn’t suffi-
cient manpower for a massively coordinated search.
If Greymane is brought up, in whatever capacity, some
villagers will remember that Jatos complained of a large
gray wolf “stalking up on” his son about a week ago.
From there, someone will recommend that the party
continue on to the village square, where they’ll surely be
able to find the headwoman, Lenya Nerenn. She’s taken
the lead on the investigation to try to turn up some clue as
to where Markas disappeared (and has spent every day of
the past three continually hounded by Jatos, who insists
that she’s “not doing enough” to recover his son).
The Missing Boy
Sure enough, as the characters move on toward the village
square, they can hear the sounds of a gravelly-voiced man
shouting along with the occasional pause, presumably for
responses. When the square actually comes into view, the
shouter is revealed as a tall, somewhat gaunt older man
in dour Jarzoni-style garb, walking with a very stout cane
(which, to guess by how vigorously he gestures with it as
he strides and barks commands and criticisms, is clearly
not needed for getting around). The primary recipient of
his frustration and anger is a plump, wholesome-faced
woman of early middling years, who is doing her best to
keep the conversation productive though it seems to be
something of a futile endeavor.
The grim-looking man (whom you assume to be Jatos
Yrtano) is shaking his heavy cane in the face of the woman
you take to be headwoman Lenya Nerenn. The man’s face
is a mask of barely-contained rage as he practically snarls,
“My boy has been taken—only Leonoth knows by whom,
or why—and you tell me to be calm?!”
The headwoman answers him, “Jatos, as I’ve said I know
not how many times now, we don’t know why Markas has
disappeared, and we need to explore all the options. I feel for
you, truly I do, and I want Markas home safe and sound,
 the rhy wolf's woe
but I just don’t know how to make that happen. Everyone
who is able to go looking for him has been doing so and is
doing so, and no one has turned up any trace of him.” Her
expression is one of profoundest compassion for this man
waving his walking stick menacingly in her face. “Are you
absolutely certain that he doesn’t have anyone or anywhere
else to whom he might run?”
“Bah!” Jatos scoffs. “This, again. I’ve already told you:
my son would not leave me, not even if his own life was
at stake. He’s a good boy. A loyal, obedient boy, as a
child should be to his father. Besides, we have no other
surviving family anywhere, and neither does he know
anyone outside of this very village.”
At this, the two take notice of your approach, and Jatos
narrows his eyes at you all. “Who in the name of the Light
are all of you? Do you have you something to do with my
son’s disappearance?” He brandishes his cane, gesticu-
lating forcefully in your direction with it. “Quickly!
Speak!”
Lenya gently places a hand on the old man’s arm, slowly
(but insistently) pushing his heavy stick down, and says,
“My apologies, travelers. You are under no suspicion of
any wrongdoing, here. I’m Lenya Nerenn, headwoman of
Redbriar. Our village is in the midst of unhappy times,
as you must have overheard, but… how can I help you?”
At this point, the characters can tell Lenya (and Jatos)
what they’ve learned from Frostwind, as well as any of
the locals, and ask questions of their own. Jatos is infuri-
ated by the “preposterous notion” that his son would form
some kind of “sorcerous bond” with a “vicious predator,”
and Lenya has her hands full trying to get him to under-
stand that rhydan (and rhy-bonds) are not what he thinks
and that his keeping an open mind may be the only chance
he has of seeing his child again.
Unfortunately, Lenya feels that the characters prob-
ably know more about this situation now than anyone in
Redbriar. None of what they’ve learned, however, points
to where Markas actually went, but there’s at least now a
good sense that he departed with a companion. This revela-
tion at least offers the small comfort that, if he is indeed the
company of a rhy-wolf with whom he has formed a bond,
he’s surely safer than if he went off entirely alone. Jatos
remains unconvinced, but he’s at least lapsed into sullen
muttering for the moment rather than the accusatory rage
he displayed when the PCs first showed up, which allows
more productive conversation to take place.
What is Known
Once Lenya and Jatos are caught up on everything, Lenya
can share what the locals have been able to figure out. None
of the local hunters are skilled enough to follow the signs
left on dry ground by a light-footed youth and a wolf, but
they’ve searched the area for miles in every direction (save
one) and turned up no signs of Markas. That one unexplored
25
direction is the problem. Back during the war with Kern,
the villagers of Redbriar stumbled upon a small unmanned
outpost on the Aldin side of the Ice-Binder Mountains built
in the Kernish style. It was obviously constructed in secret
some time before by the Lich King’s minions and likely to
be used as a mustering point for incursions into Aldis. The
war ended before it could be put to its intended purpose—
indeed, it ended up sheltering Aldin soldiers (including
irregulars from Redbriar) rather than Kernish ones—but
the local folk considered it an ill-omened place and were
swift to abandon it when the conflict ended. It became a
dark part of local history and folklore, an unlovely thing
constructed at the command of the last of the Sorcerer
Kings, and no one has been back that way since.
Markas, despite his tremendously sheltered upbringing,
had certainly heard of the outpost over the course of his
young life. He’d know which direction to go and find it
(up into the steepest part of the mountains visible from
the village), as well as the fact that no one from the village
would ever go looking for him there. Given the complete
lack of any clues anywhere else nearby, it seems depress-
ingly probable that he made for the Kernish outpost,
taking it as his best bet to be left alone with Greymane.
But what he wouldn’t have known is how rough and
wild that way has become since the war, with no one
so much as clearing the game trails, to say nothing of
the possibility that dangerous creatures have flourished
from the utter absence of people. The hunters of Redbriar
have been too wary to extend their search toward the old
outpost without the Aldin army supporting them and
the arrival of actual heroes potentially willing and able
to go looking there is a virtual gods-send.
A Show of Support
As the characters discuss the matter with Lenya and Jatos,
villagers will begin to gather, excited by the good news that
some actual adventurers are going to go looking for Markas.
Various folk will offer their well-wishes on the quest, and
the PCs will find themselves amply provisioned with food
and drink enough for a journey of twice the length of time
necessary to get to the outpost and back. (Any basic gear
that characters are missing and think might be useful in
the search, like rope or rucksacks, will be happily donated
to them by locals.) One old huntsman, Demrick, suggests
that the party stop off at the cabin of Galthi, a hermit who
lives about a half-day’s travel out of Redbriar in that direc-
tion, as it’s possible that she saw the pair or may otherwise
have some useful advice about the lands further up into the
mountains.
Once the characters have gotten all the information that
they can, they are welcomed to take a hot meal with the
locals before setting out (which may be a good opportunity
to set the stage for future friendships or even romances,
if PCs are thus inclined), or else they can venture forth
immediately, as they choose.
 the rhy wolf's woe

Jatos Yrtano Lenya Nerenn

Abilities (Focuses)
Accuracy 0, Communication 1 (Persuasion), Constitution 1,
Dexterity 2 (Riding), Fighting 3 (Bludgeons), Intelligence
3 (Religious Lore), Perception 0, Strength 3 (Intimidation),
Willpower 2 (Faith, Purity)
Abilities (Focuses)
Accuracy 0, Communication 3 (Etiquette, Leadership,
Persuasion), Constitution 1, Dexterity 0, Fighting 0,
Intelligence 2, Perception 3 (Empathy), Strength 0,
Willpower 2 (Morale)

Speed Health Defense Armor Rating Speed Health Defense Armor Rating
12 40 12 0 10 35 10 0

Weapon Attack Roll Damage Weapon Attack Roll Damage

Heavy cane +5 1d6+4 Fist +0 1d3
Special Qualities Special Qualities

Favored Stunts: New Enemies, Sway the Crowd
Threat: Minor
Jatos Yrtano
Once, he was an up-and-coming
priest in the Theocracy of Jarzon
with the backing of powerful clerics.
But that was before he sided with
the wrong people in an ecclesiastic
dispute and was essentially sent into
exile in shame along with his then-
pregnant wife, Ora. Two years later,
she died birthing a stillborn second
son. Since then, he has brutally oppressed his surviving
child, Markas, keeping him isolated from the world and
in constant dread of his father’s ill temper. Jatos does this
because he believes it will make Markas “strong”—helping
him to grow out of his “softness and weakness”—and also
because Jatos is terrified of being abandoned by the last
person in Aldea who actually means anything to him.
Lenya Nerenn
For the past twelve years, Lenya
has been headwoman of Redbriar
Village through the popular acclaim
of her neighbors. She is admired
for her fairness, good judgment,
and adroit sense of compromise,
all of which help the villagers to
stay on friendly terms with one
another even when some relatively
serious dispute arises. Fortunately, such occurrences are
rare, and so her responsibilities are usually confined to
more pleasant subjects like coordinating local festivals
and helping to make matches between the other folk of
Redbriar (for all of which she can count on the assistance
of her husbands, Krovin and Dowe, and her wife, Samari).
Certainly, nothing like the disappearance of Markas
Yrtano has ever before happened during her tenure.
Favored Stunts: New Friends, Passionate Inspiration, Sway
the Crowd
Threat: Minor
Part 3
The Hermit
As the characters reach the little shack where the villagers
directed them to begin their search, about a half-day’s
march out of Redbriar, it’s clear that someone is at home.
Galthi, the night person hermit, knows every inch of
the lands around her tiny cabin, and she is aware of the
approach of strangers. Given the perils of her solitary exis-
tence, she is ready for trouble but hoping for none.
Night is falling, but you spot pinpoints of light up
ahead that grow into the flickering ruddy glow of firelight
through little windows. As you draw near, the rickety
front door opens, and a gray-haired night person steps out
in well-worn and patched-up old clothing of heavy cloth
and sturdy leather, winching a crossbow and slotting a
bolt. She wears a stout hatchet at one hip and a long knife
at the other.
“What’re you lot doing here?” she asks curtly, yet her
tone lacks any sense of threat. Rather, she seems simply to
be taking the necessary precautions of a life lived alone in
the wilderness. “You lost or something?”
Galthi is a bit rough around the edges, her social graces
atrophied from long years of living by herself out in the
Pavin Weald, but she’s a good person, and she’d certainly
much rather talk than fight. Provided the PCs are polite to
her (and they have no reason not to be), she’ll hem and haw
for just a moment before inviting them into her humble
home for some herbal tea. While she putters about, putting
on the kettle and trying to scrounge up enough chipped old
earthenware cups and some only slightly stale cakes, the
hermit invites the characters to tell their story.
Obviously, the first thing the characters are apt to ask
about is the matter of Greymane and Markas. To that, Galthi

26
 the rhy wolf's woe

Galthi’s Salves
This pleasantly herbal-smelling ointments are useful for those treating injuries and other ailments. When making an Intel-
ligence (Healing) test, use of one dose of a salve grants a +2 bonus to the check. If the Drama Die is being used to determine
points of healing, use of a salve also grants a +2 to whatever number comes up on that die. There are four doses per pot.

says that she saw the pair pass by her cabin a few days ago,
but they didn’t turn toward her shack, so she just observed
Galthi
them from a window and watched them go on their way. Abilities (Focuses)
At the time, from what she could see, they seemed to be in Accuracy 3 (Bows, Light Blades), Communication 0,
good health and good spirits. She does get the very occa- Constitution 3 (Stamina), Dexterity 2 (Crafting),
sional visitor or passerby from Redbriar, and, although she Fighting 1 (Axes), Intelligence 0, Perception 2 (Tracking),
didn’t recognize the young man, Galthi figured him to be of Strength 1, Willpower 1
about the right age to be a new hunter just starting out in the
woods. With an obvious rhy-wolf by his side, she assumed Speed Health Defense Armor Rating
him to be in good company, so nothing about the situation 12 50 12 1
seemed untoward or especially worthy of investigation.
Thoughtful characters might ask if Galthi herself needs Weapon Attack Roll Damage
or wants for anything out here alone in the wilds. She’ll Crossbow +5 2d6+2
frankly admit that, with winter coming, if the PCs have Dagger +5 1d6+2
any supplies with which they’re willing and able to part
Throwing Axe +3 1d6+3
without much trouble (long-lasting foodstuffs, in partic-
ular, though warm clothes, good blankets, and sturdy Special Qualities
tools also appeal to her), she’d be happy to take such items Favored Stunts: Rapid Reload, The Right Tools
off their hands. In exchange, she can offer some fresh food
Heroes’ Armor: Galthi is considered to have an armor rating
(jellied game meats baked into hearty rolls) and four pots
of 1, or the rating of the armor she is wearing—whichever is
of herbal salves for aches, pains, and injuries.
better—even if she is not wearing armor at all.
Given the perils of trying to navigate the Pavin Weald
by night, Galthi offers the PCs the opportunity to spend Threat: Minor
the night in her little shack. They’ll have to sleep on the
earthen floor, of course, but they’ll at least have four
walls and a thatched roof to cover them from night’s Part 4
chill. If they accept Galthi’s offer (and there’s really no
good reason for them not to), they’ll wake shortly before Bear Encounter
dawn to the smell of plenty of grilling wild boar sausages
and thick slices of bread (to be served with butter and With the coming of a new day, the PCs have continued
jam) toasting by the fire; she won’t have it said that her onward along the steady ascent toward the old outpost.
hospitality—meager though her means might be—is By the time afternoon rolls around, the path has vanished,
anything less than exemplary. and the characters are making do with game trails, the
position of the sun, and the upward slope of the moun-
Galthi tains for their forward progress. It’s at this point that a
bear saunters out in front of them and, taking notice of
She’s lived a ways out of Redbriar
these interlopers into her territory, instantly judges them
for most of her adult life, prefer-
as a threat and responds appropriately.
ring the solitude of the wilds to the
comparative din of even a small The wind among the trees has grown persistently louder
village. Now that she’s starting get and more forceful the further you’ve ascended along the
older, however, Galthi realizes that way to the outpost. Thus, you’re surprised by the emer-
her infrequent treks to Redbriar gence of a large brown bear out of the undergrowth and
for supplies will become ever into your path. She sees you almost as quickly as you spot
harder and more hazardous as time her, and she rears up onto her hind legs with a roar before
marches onward. But she still can’t bring herself to give up dropping back down onto all fours and approaching with
the peace and freedom of her isolated existence. Besides, aggressive snorts and grunts.
she receives the odd visiting hunter as a guest once every
few weeks right up until the snows become treacherous, She’s grumpy and hungry, trying to put on weight before
but that’s plenty of company, as far as she’s concerned. the cold comes and she’s forced to hibernate through the

27
 the rhy wolf's woe
snows. The PCs have disturbed her in the middle of a hunt,
and she wants rid of them so she can go back to tracking
her quarry. Fortunately, she’s not caring for any cubs at the
moment, or else she’d have immediately greeted the char-
acters with a charge and a life-or-death fight.
Obviously, the characters may choose to engage the
bear in combat, but they have other options if they don’t
wish to fight. Those with the appropriate arcana might
instead wish to try talking the bear down or otherwise
calming her from her agitated state. (It’s also possible
that a PC who succeeds in defusing the situation with
arcana might ask if the bear has caught scent of a human
and a wolf traveling together, but she has no recollec-
tion of such a smell due to her singular focus on eating
enough food to last through the winter.)
Although the use of arcana is certainly the most direct
route, it’s not the only one.
• The bear can be frightened off with an even more
threatening display than her own by a character who
succeeds in an opposed test of Strength (Intimida-
tion) against her Strength (Intimidation). Success
will cause the bear to flee, but failure will incite her
to attack immediately.
• A character who succeeds in a TN 11 Communi-
cation (Animal Handling) test can calm the bear
enough to allow the party to move around her,
provided that everyone else succeeds in a TN 9
Dexterity (Stealth) test—not specifically to avoid
the bear’s notice but instead to be sufficiently quiet
Bear and unobtrusive for her, in her newly calmed state,
to regard them as no longer a potential danger. Any
Abilities (Focuses)
failure necessitates another TN 11 Communica-
Accuracy 2 (Bite), Communication 0, tion (Animal Handling) test, followed by TN 9
Constitution 6 (Stamina), Dexterity 1, Fighting 3 (Claws), Dexterity (Stealth) tests, for anyone who failed the
Intelligence -1, Perception 2 (Smelling, Tasting), first time. Any failure in the second round of tests
Strength 6 (Intimidation, Might), Willpower 2 causes the bear to attack.

Speed Health Defense Armor Rating • Another approach requires a character to succeed
in a TN 11 Intelligence (Natural Lore) test. Success
13 60 11 2
clues a PC into the idea of throwing food to the
Weapon Attack Roll Damage bear. She’ll need a fairly hefty amount of it to be
Bite +4 1d6+7 satisfied, but tossing a few days’ worth of rations to
her will keep her sufficiently occupied so that she’ll
Claw +5 2d6+6
let the party pass while doing nothing more than
Special Qualities observing them warily.
Favored Stunts: Knock Prone, Quick Bite (2 SP)
Quick Bite Stunt (2 SP): A bear can follow up a successful
Bear
attack with its claws with a Quick Bite as a special stunt, She’s just fattening up for the coming winter when the
costing 2 SP. This special bite attack must be taken against characters have had to misfortune to stumble across her
the same target as the original attack, and doubles on this path. A particularly large specimen, she’s tracking the
attack roll don’t create additional stunt points.
scent of a wounded deer, and she’s willing to fight these
Tough Hide: Bears have tough hides and thick bones that interlopers she thinks might be here to pilfer her meal She
provide a natural Armor Rating of 2. won’t fight to the death, if she can at all help it, and would
much prefer to run if she meets with serious resistance;
Threat: Moderate
after all, there’s always a chance to find food elsewhere.

28
 the rhy wolf's woe
Part 5
Abandoned Camp
In following the path the people of Redbriar believe
Markas and Greymane likely took, the party chances
upon a hastily improvised campsite in the woods. Given
the remoteness of the area and the insistence of the
villagers that no one comes out this way anymore (as
well as the pair’s probable degree of progress in one day,
having left as they did in the middle of the night), it’s a
near-certainty that this encampment was Markas’ doing.
If the characters pause to inspect the site, they might be
able to gather a few clues that could reveal information
helpful to their quest.
Adjacent to the game trail you’re currently on, you
notice a tiny bit of open space that looks to have been
recently cleared of most of its normal woodland debris
and arranged for a modicum of comfort. A few rocks have
been piled together to make a crude firepit, the ashes still
within. A very small stack of unburned pieces of wood lay
next to the stones, and a sheet of lush moss perhaps six
feet in length lay piled at one side of the little clearing. It
appears to have been torn from the forest floor somewhere
nearby.
It’s possible that the characters, heartened by what is
almost surely a sign of Markas and Greymane, will want
to push onward immediately, but this is a great opportu-
nity for an investigative encounter for the PCs. Consider
giving the players the freebie of letting them know that
even a quick investigation could tell the PCs some impor-
tant things about their quest.
Characters who want to give the campsite a once-over
have a variety of options for doing so, allowing for various
fields of expertise to come in handy.
• Those who succeed in a TN 11 Intelligence (Natural
Lore) test will note that the discarded sheet of moss
was probably used as a blanket since it’s of a type
that retains body heat. Further, Markas likely left
it behind since it’s plentiful in the area and would
be easily harvested for future bedding. As well,
it would have been somewhat heavy and rather
unwieldy to tote around for an entire day of walking
through heavily overgrown wilderness.
• Any character who succeeds in a TN 13 Percep-
tion (Tracking) test realizes that the fire was poorly
built, clearly the product of a novice’s hands. This
is particularly evident in the little stack of branches
that never got burned, as most of them are still too
green or wet to easily catch. While Markas would’ve
known as much (and he intelligently set the
branches next to the fire in an unfortunately fruitless
attempt to dry them out), this means that he lacks
the expertise to know where to look for dry wood in
29
a pinch and simply grabbed whatever he could get
his hands on—presumably as he was losing the light.
• A successful TN 11 Perception (Searching) test
reveals some charred little bones in the fire—
specifically, squirrel bones. From there, it’s a fairly
simple matter to extrapolate that the fact Markas
is eating squirrel means that he surely forgot to
bring any provisions with him when he left home.
The little rodent also wouldn’t have constituted
much of a meal, but it was probably all he (or, more
likely, Greymane) could scare up as evening was
encroaching and hunger pressed.
• With a TN 11 Intelligence (Navigation) test, a PC
can determine that Markas and Greymane are clearly
making for the old outpost, based on the directions
given by the villagers, and that the pair is main-
taining a good sense of orientation. Either Markas
has been very lucky in his guesses as to which trails
to follow amidst the overgrown brush or else he paid
very close attention to the stories he’s been told all
his life.
Any characters with appropriate investigative arcana
(Object Reading is the most obvious choice, but cunning
players might be able to think of others) might wish to
make use of these as well. Depending upon the arcanum
used and the PC’s degree of success, it’s possible to deter-
mine that Markas and Greymane were feeling quite reso-
lute but a bit desperate and with no real plan beyond their
next move.
Depending on the time of day at which they reach
this place, the characters might wish to make use of the
clearing for a camp of their own. It’ll be a tight fit, but it’s
also probably a better spot than anywhere else they’re apt
to find within the next couple of hours.
Part 6
Lost Curs
This encounter, up amidst the jagged peaks and deep
ravines of the lower mountains, is a real test of the party’s
principles. As they continue to make progress toward the
old Kernish outpost, the PCs get the drop on a small band
of mongrels: tall, predatory, dog-like beastfolk long ago
created through the foul magics of the Sorcerer Kings. The
creatures seem to be lost and hungry and lack either the
vantage to spot the characters or a favorable breeze with
which to catch their scent. It would be easy for the group
to either just walk away or even ambush the mongrels
(which are, after all, well-known to be hostile to the people
of Aldis).
But even so, these brutes appear to be underfed and in
rather a pathetic state. There’s no guarantee that they’d
repay kindness with anything better than treachery—
or, for that matter, that they won’t just return to their
 the rhy wolf's woe

Mongrels customary ways of raiding and pillaging if they manage

to get their strength back—but compassionate heroes may,
Abilities (Focuses)*
nonetheless, feel compelled to offer some kind of help to
Accuracy 0/2 (Brawling), Communication 0, these clearly suffering creatures. It’s certainly a quandary,
Constitution 1/2 (Running), Dexterity 2/3 (Stealth), and there isn’t necessarily any “right” answer as to how to
Fighting 1/3 (Heavy Blades, Polearms), handle the situation.
Intelligence 0, Perception 0/2 (Hearing, Smelling),
Strength 1/2 (Intimidation), Willpower -1/1(Morale) As you crest a little rise in your steady ascent, you all
draw up short, managing to avoid the attention of a small
Speed Health Defense Armor Rating party of large, mostly humanoid creatures with the heads
12/13 18 (due to 12/13 3 of mangy canines, sprawled out in a little depression just
starvation)/30 off to your left. Even from a distance, you can see that
their fur is matted, and the slight breeze carries a comin-
Weapon Attack Roll Damage gled stink of filthy wet dog and stale body odor. Not all of
Spear +3/+5 1d6+3/1d6+5 the beastfolk are adults, either—a few naked pups clamber
among their elders, whining plaintively, only to be sent
Sword +3/+5 2d6+0/2d6+2
away with growls or shoves. All of the creatures look lean
Unarmed +2/+4 1d3+0/1d3+2 to the point of near starvation. Both the wind and the tree
Special Qualities cover are in your favor, and it seems a surety that you can
slip by unnoticed if you wish.
Favored Stunts: Set Up, Skirmish
Pack Tactics: If a mongrel attacks with at least three others of A successful TN 7 Intelligence (Sorcery Lore) test
its kind, they may perform stunts for 1 SP less than normal. reveals that mongrels are unnatural creations of the
*(Numbers after the slash indicate the mongrels’ stats when Sorcerer Kings, one of the breeds of beastfolk, and that
healthy and well-fed. These are provided in the event that they are generally considered to be dangerous predators
the PCs help them and you are fleshing out the Quickstart and brigands by civilized peoples. Those who succeed in
with scenes of your own and wish for them to make another a TN 11 Intelligence (Military Lore) test are aware that
appearance.) especially unscrupulous sorts are sometimes known to
hire mongrels as mercenaries.
Threat: Minor A character studying the mongrels who makes a
successful TN 11 Intelligence (Healing) test will be quite
certain that the pitiful creatures are unlikely to survive,
given their present state, if they receive no outside aid.
If the PCs decide to attack the starving mongrels (a
decidedly unheroic action, to be sure), there should be at
most one adult per character. Such a combat won’t really
be so much a fight as a one-sided slaughter. And killing
the adults leaves the terrible question of what to do with
the mongrel pups, who are also suffering from serious
deprivation and surely can’t survive without their elders.
Those who wish to approach and offer aid will need
to make a variety of opposed tests against the mongrels
to get them to listen long enough to accept help without
trying to attack. These tests almost certainly include (but
may not be limited to) at least several of the following:
Communication (Bargaining, Deception, Etiquette,
Leadership, and/or Persuasion), Intelligence
(Cultural Lore), Perception (Empathy), and
Strength (Intimidation).
A firm and unfaltering approach by a compassionate
party may be sufficient to win over the mongrels long
enough to make them see reason even in their present dire
straits. They will not express gratitude for assistance—
in large part because they don’t really understand the
concept of helping the helpless—but even a little bit of the
food the PCs have brought with them should be enough to
sustain the primary hunters of the ragged little pack long

30
 the rhy wolf's woe
enough for them to bring down a more fortifying meal for
the entire group.
If the characters, determining that the risk to the Aldins
living nearby from a healthy pack of mongrels is simply
too much to bear, opt instead to just sneak by, they can
easily do so without the need of tests. The beastfolk aren’t
at their sharpest right now, and the environmental condi-
tions aren’t in their favor for detecting nearby intruders.
Mongrels
Creations of darkest sorcery, these brutes stand between
six and seven feet tall as adults, with the heads of hyenas
or (as is the case with this pack) dogs, and mottled,
tangled coats of fur. They have digitigrade legs but stand
upright, and their hands can do anything a person’s can.
They “speak” in growling tones, interspersed with barks
and whines.
This group was recently cast out from a much larger
pack on the Kernish side of the mountains due to lean
times and hasn’t had any luck bringing down any signifi-
cant prey. Their gnawing hunger has left them listless and
possibly too weak to hunt down and kill something that
could sustain them all.
Part 7
Rubble in the Path
In their progress up into the lower reaches of the moun-
tains, the PCs find the way blocked by a rockslide. The
debris doesn’t look especially stable, but backtracking and
finding another way around could take long hours or even
days—time the party can’t afford to lose if Greymane and
Markas are in dire straits.
The narrow trail into the mountains has been a monot-
onous upward march thus far, but that changes as you
round a turn and find the way ahead closed off with a
precarious pile of stones. The rubble—which looks to have
tumbled down quite recently—covers the path, right up
to the very edge at which it drops off steeply into a long,
dangerous fall. There appears to be no easy way around.
You’re unsure of the last forking path to which you could
fall back to reach the outpost, but it’s at least several long
hours behind you. The only reasonable and timely way
ahead is to try to navigate this hazard.
This encounter can be approached a number of different
ways depending on the characters’ respective strengths.
The simplest way to get around the rockslide is for a
character with appropriate arcana to simply push it aside,
over the precipice. This solution instantly clears the way
and allows the party to continue the search for Greymane
and Markas.
Failing that, however, each character must find a way
around or over the rockfall. The test to do so is TN 13,
31
and the most readily applicable abilities (and focuses) are
Dexterity (Acrobatics) and Strength (Climbing), though
it’s possible that inventive players may come up with
reasonable uses of other abilities and focuses to surmount
the challenge. The use of appropriate equipment (ropes,
hooks, and pitons, for instance) reduces the difficulty of
the test to TN 11.
The first two characters to fail their tests suffer 2d6
damage as heavy loose rocks tumble down onto them. If
a third character fails, however, enough of the debris has
slid away that they are dropped off the side, sustaining
4d6 damage in the process, and requiring time (and, quite
possibly, some ingenuity) to safely climb back up to the
path.
Part 8
The Guardians
of the Ruins
As the party approaches the abandoned outpost in the low
mountains, it becomes clear what sort of trouble Grey-
mane and Markas have stumbled across: a unit of skeletal
soldiers moves into attack position surrounding a small
(but still sturdy and intact) outbuilding around which
they were all gathered.
When you crest the final rise, the ruddy light of the
setting sun falls on a squadron of utterly motionless skel-
etal soldiers ringing one of the outpost’s smaller struc-
tures, their torn and faded Kernish livery flapping softly
in the wind. Rotting leather armor and rusted chainmail
hang from their bony frames, though any weapons they
might’ve once wielded seem to have succumbed to corro-
sion over the years and been discarded. Apparently taking
notice of your approach, they turn as one to face you,
stretching forth the ivory-white talons of their fingertips
and opening their broken-toothed jaws as they plod in
your direction.
As the monstrous creatures turn away from the little
building they’ve surrounded, however, you hear a voice,
weak with privation, calling out through a high, narrow
window. “Please help! We’re trapped in here! My friend
is hurt!” is followed by the pained, plaintive whine of an
injured wolf. One or two of the walking dead pause for
just a moment at Markas’ plea, glancing back at the pale,
dirty face barely visible in the window, but then follow
after their companions to address the more pressing threat.
You should tailor the precise number of walking dead
in the scene to the size of the PCs’ party, also adjusted
by their fighting abilities. A party with members focused
largely on noncombat skills should probably only have one
skeletal warrior to contend with per PC, while one with
several dedicated combatants should be able to handle up
to two walking dead per character. Just remember that it’s
easier to plausibly add enemies (having them appear out
of some other building in the outpost, for instance) than it
is to abruptly subtract them.
Characters who are less able to stand toe-to-toe with the
walking dead may want to look for other ways to help.
Fortunately, opportunities for such can be found around
the outpost.
• Those who succeed in a TN 13 Intelligence (Engi-
neering) test will notice a rough-hewn slab of
flagstone perched atop an unfinished building, posi-
tioned such that it could relatively easily be toppled
over. A character who gets up there (a TN 9 Strength
(Climbing) test) can push it onto a pursuing skeleton
with a TN 11 Strength (Might) test, for 4d6 damage.
Similarly, a character who climbs up stealthily could
drop the stone on one of the walking dead lured in
by a fellow party member.
• Characters who succeed on a TN 11 Perception
(Seeing) test spot a well, one side of which has
collapsed inward. By leading one of the walking
dead over to the well over the course of the fight and
succeeding in an opposed test of Dexterity (Acro-
batics) against the skeleton’s Accuracy (Brawling),
the PC can cause it to plummet into the well for
2d6 damage. While it may not be destroyed by the
fall, it will be unable to crawl back out, effectively
removing it from the fight.
• Any character who wants to evade the notice of their
enemies (perhaps to get to Greymane and Markas
32
to help them) must succeed in an opposed test of
Dexterity (Stealth) against the Perception (Seeing)
of the walking dead. Success allows a PC to slip into
the shadows and move freely into a more advanta-
geous position in the outpost. If a character reaches
Greymane and Markas (the latter of whom will
unbar the door to admit someone able to help so
long as the walking dead are occupied elsewhere),
they can use arcana as normal to heal the rhy-wolf’s
wound and/or succeed in a TN 11 Intelligence
(Healing) test to at least stabilize Greymane.
After the Fight
Once the walking dead have been vanquished, the PCs
can safely attend to Greymane and Markas at length.
If the party has access to healing arcana, this would be
the time to use such to mend Greymane’s wound. In the
absence of such magics, the characters will need to use
mundane healing to bandage up the injured rhy-wolf as
best as possible until a skilled healer can be brought to
her. (Galthi’s salves can come in handy here, if the PCs
received them, granting a +2 bonus to an Intelligence
(Healing) test.)
If the party lacks any means to treat Greymane’s wound,
the PCs can at least get some food and water into her (but
slowly, as both she and Markas are badly dehydrated and
utterly famished), which will tide her over long enough
for one or more characters to make the return trek to
 the rhy wolf's woe

Walking Dead Greymane

Abilities (Focuses) Abilities (Focuses)
Accuracy 0, Communication -2, Constitution 5, Accuracy 3 (Bite), Communication 2,
Dexterity -2, Fighting 1, Intelligence -2, Perception -1, Constitution 2 (Running, Stamina), Dexterity 3 (Stealth),
Strength 2 (Intimidation), Willpower Fighting 0, Intelligence 1, Perception 2 (Smelling,
Tracking), Strength 1, Willpower 2
Speed Health Defense Armor Rating
8 25 8 4 Speed Health Defense Armor Rating
15 (due to injuries;
Weapon Attack Roll Damage 13 13 0
normally 35)
Bite +0 1d6+2
Weapon Attack Roll Damage
Claw +1 1d6+2
Bite +5 1d6+2
Special Qualities
Special Qualities
Favored Stunts: Knock Prone, Swarm Tactics (3 SP)
Favored Stunts: Knock Prone, Set Up
Deathly Fortitude: Walking dead have a natural Armor
Rating of 4 and do not need to breathe, sleep, rest, eat, or Arcana: Enhancement, Nature Reading, Psychic Contact,
drink. Psychic Shield, Second Sight
Mindless Aggression: Walking dead can never flee from Nightvision: Greymane can see in normal darkness without
battle unless commanded to, though they can be tricked or penalty.
manipulated. Pinpoint Attack: Once per round, Greymane can add 1d6
Swarm Tactics Stunt (3 SP): Walking dead can perform damage to a single attack if her Dexterity is greater than that
Swarm Tactics as a special stunt costing 3 SP. This stunt of the target of the attack.
allows any other walking dead adjacent to the target to make
Threat: Minor
an immediate attack. Rolling doubles on these bonus attacks
does not generate stunt points. Walking dead that haven’t
taken their turns yet this round can still take their actions as Markas Yrtano
normal even after benefiting from Swarm Tactics. Abilities (Focuses)

Threat: Minor Accuracy 2 (Light Blades), Communication 2 (Etiquette),

Constitution 1, Dexterity 2 (Crafting), Fighting 0,
Intelligence 3 (Religious Lore), Perception 2 (Empathy),
Redbriar to fetch a healer (or for word to otherwise be Strength 0, Willpower 1
sped back to the village). Now that the path is clear and
more or less safe, those making the trip should have no Speed Health Defense Armor Rating
significant troubles along the way (and you may well 12 30 12 0
wish to simply handle it through a quick bit of narration).
Weapon Attack Roll Damage
Under no circumstances will Markas leave Greymane’s
side while she remains injured, and it’s quite clear that the Dagger +4 1d6+1
two of them should not be left by themselves if someone Special Qualities
needs to head back.
Regardless of whether or not the party has the ability Favored Stunts: Advantageous Positioning, New Friends
to mend the rhy-wolf’s injury, there will be ample oppor- Threat: Minor
tunity to communicate with both of them; Markas, in
particular. The young man has important choices to make
about his future and the direction of his interactions with Walking Dead
his father, henceforth. The characters, people Markas now
regards with admiration and gratitude, can exert great These skeletal soldiers were sent as a vanguard to secure
sway with their counsel, whatever they advise him to the fort on the Aldin side of the Ice-Binder Mountains
do. This experience has certainly left him rattled, but he at the very end of the war that destroyed the Lich King.
has found the strength—both within himself and in his Mindlessly heeding that final command, they arrived
newfound bond with Greymane—to face the challenges weeks later and have been there since, destroying any
with which he is now confronted. In the end, he does love “intruder” (up until now, just the occasional unlucky
his father, but he’s also willing to acknowledge the possi- wild animal) who stumbles across their remote fastness.
bility that there is simply no way for the two of them to When Markas led Greymane to this place, they fell under
have a healthy parent-child relationship. attack by the unliving, who now have them trapped as the

33
 the rhy wolf's woe
rhy-wolf suffered of a serious wound and both wolf and
human slowly succumb to hunger and thirst.
Greymane
All her life, Greymane had keenly
felt that something was missing.
She has known the company of
other rhy-wolves (and other rhydan,
besides) and found contentment in
the pack, but never a true sense of
belonging. All that changed when
she looked upon the shy and timid
Markas Yrtano for the first time,
and she finally understood what the other rhydan spoke
of when they told her that she would just know when
the connection of a rhy-bond was upon her. She does not
regret her decision to return even if it means her death, if
only she could think of a way to get Markas out of here
and to safety in the process.
Markas Yrtano
As tender-hearted as his father
is cold and cruel, Markas lives in
terror of the old man, having spent
his entire life a virtual prisoner in
the humble cabin they share far on
the outskirts of Redbriar Village.
When wandering just a little astray
of his father’s sight while gathering
mushrooms, however, he beheld a
magnificent gray wolf and felt the first stirrings of a real
connection to some other living thing…only to have it
snatched away by his father’s possessive rage. When that
wolf returned to him several nights later, he did not stop
to think and instead grabbed a scant few possessions and
fled into the night to be with her, having no plan beyond
the moment of escape.
Epilogue
Whatever has become of Greymane and Markas (and
Markas’ relationship with his father), the characters must
now consider what to do. The people of Redbriar may, now
that they know these people to be heroes upon whom they
can depend, ask for other assistance or else refer them to
neighboring villages in the Pavin Weald where folk might
be in need of help. Conversely, the characters may wish
to remain in the area until Greymane is fully healed and
34
then escort her (along with her newly rhy-bonded human
companion!) back to Frostwind so that the two friends can
be reunited.
One last thing to consider is that the characters have,
in essence, just fought the final battle of the war with
Kern, years after its conclusion—or have they? Might
other such outposts be found elsewhere in the Ice-Binder
Mountains, manned by eternally patient platoons of the
dead, simply waiting for unfortunate souls to blunder
across them?
In light of this, the characters could decide to make for
the city of Aldis to pass along word to someone in Queen
Jaellin’s court who might be able to coordinate expedi-
tions into the mountains to search for such perilous
relics of the war. As the PCs were the ones to deal with
the threat of the outpost near Redbriar, the queen may
well want to engage their services directly in helping
to locate similar sites, and this could be their path to
royal patronage (as well as the romances, intrigues, and
complications that come with it).
Ultimately, though, the PCs can pretty much go
anywhere they like from here—the entirety of Aldea
awaits!
What’s Next?
If you and your players have enjoyed this Quickstart, then
consider picking up Blue Rose: The AGE Roleplaying Game
of Romantic Fantasy (the core book for stories set in the
nation of Aldis and beyond). The Blue Rose Narrator’s Kit
consolidates many of the resources used to run Blue Rose
games into one convenient package and includes a tri-fold
Narrator’s screen, reference cards, and customizable pre-
generated characters.
If your interest is really piqued, you might want to also
check out Aldis: City of the Blue Rose, the setting source-
book that details the people and places of the capital
city—this may be particularly important if the characters
decide to bring the events of The Rhy-Wolf’s Woe to the
crown’s attention. To continue your adventures, you may
also enjoy Six of Swords, a Blue Rose adventure anthology
containing six ready-to-play scenarios just waiting for the
right heroes to answer the call.
Lastly, if you want to really get more of a feel for the
world of Aldis and its people, take a look at Shadowtide:
A Blue Rose Novel, its sequel novella Pit of Vipers, and the
short fiction, Tales of the Blue Rose: Heartsong.
All of these products are available at http://greenronin-
store.com/collections/blue-rose.
 THE FAMILY NIGHTSONG
This Appendix includes nine pre-generated 1st-level Blue Rose characters, suitable for immediate use in play, either as
ready-made characters for players or Narrator characters for support, background, or to act as adversaries. This extended
family can be adjusted as needed, with characters added or removed as best fits the story, to suit the needs of your
campaign.
Nightsong is a family group comprised largely of misfits and outcasts who found purpose and acceptance in one
another. Although the Dawnbreath constellation (multi-part marriage) acts as the backbone of the family, others have
been adopted in over time, relationships forged throughout Aldea eventually developing into the Nightsong family.
Though they may not have begun life as family, those who are claimed by Nightsong find themselves woven into a clan
of strong personalities, complicated pasts, and intense support for one another. All members of Nightsong are fiercely
devoted to one another and to the family as a whole, even when they disagree or face internal strife. Members of Night-
song often come and go, drifting in and out of one another’s orbit as they move through their individual lives, but when
someone is in need of assistance, they rally.
In Nightsong, Cyfa and Avex Dawnbreath are the de facto heads of the family. Often, leadership duties will fall to one
of these two when they are available. Both Cyfa and Avex understand that they are not always best suited to handle any
given situation, however, and they are more than willing to gracefully step to the side to allow others to hold the mantle
of leadership when appropriate. Although members of the family may disagree on any given topic, when a situation
demands attention, they work together to find a reasonable compromise. As with any family, conflicts may come up
between members, but there is rarely a situation that cannot be resolved with time, effort, and mutual respect.
All characters within this chapter have relationships with other characters in the group; however, these relationships
can be altered as needed. For example, a player may decide that their character feels more loyalty to the constellation
itself than to the individual members to whom they are attached. . Or, since the family is clan/tribe-like rather than blood-
connected, two players may decide to add an element of previously unwritten romance to their characters’ connection.
Likewise, a character may elect to focus on a relationship with another, non-Nightsong figure from their past, such as a
parent, teacher, or lover.

Nightsong Constellation Family Relationships

Mira
close Baldrak twins
friends
Neesa Malachai
Kenn parent Baldrak
& child
close (adoptive)
friends

parent lovers
& child Cyfa
Dawnbreath

loving parents Genan

Ortelia marriage & child Dawnbreath
Dolbrook
Avex
Dawnbreath protective
lovers close of genan
friends

Mykle rhy-bond Chaya

Cliff mourn
35
 cyfa dawnbreath
Cyfa is the daughter of two academics who devoted their lives to the study and preservation of sea-folk history. Their travels took them to
the Barren Islands, where their only child, Cyfa, was born.
Even as a child, Cyfa was seen by the local Islanders as an oddity and outcast, largely because of her parents’ outsider status. Her
family was not part of a Hearth, and her parents spent a great deal of time in Garnet recording and doing research, marking them to
native eyes as corrupted by the touch of humans. It was a lonely childhood, and when her father accepted a position as a historian in
Aldis, she was certain life would change for the better. But her odd accent and clothing marked her as an outsider in the Lake Ward, and
Cyfa found no more acceptance among her peers there than she had on the Islands where she grew up. Eventually, she turned to petty
crime as a source of amusement and a way of proving others’ opinions of her didn’t matter.
When she was caught with her hand in a noble woman’s pocket, Cyfa was given an unorthodox choice by the Sovereign’s Finest, who
acted as magistrate: face punishment, or assist the envoy with a task that required someone with her particular skill set. She accepted
the task and helped to destroy an emendating camp in Jarzon intended to “repair” those with genders or orientations considered “unac-
ceptable.” The gratefulness she found in the young laevvel they freed set Cyfa down a new path, one that has led her to protect other
outcasts and misfits from suffering the same fate she did. With the support of her constellation, Cyfa has begun to leave behind the pain
of her past, channeling her rage and talents into more productive pursuits.

Personality
Cyfa has spent the majority of her life living on the outskirts of society, never quite meeting societal expectations. This has made her wary
of strangers and hesitant to divulge the details of her past. She is proud, stubborn, and determined to make a difference in the world.
However, when surrounded by people she trusts and loves, Cyfa is kind and motherly. After a lifetime spent on the outside, Cyfa has
come to accept her differences, using her life experience to help others survive in what can often be a cruel world.

Goals
Cyfa never sought adventure or excitement in life—she simply
wanted to feel like she was part of something great. With her
constellation supporting her, Cyfa has thrown herself into using
her stealth skills for the greater good. She wants to see equality in
the world and bring hope to those who struggle.
Destiny
Knight of Rods (Resolute): There are many things in the world
that can’t be changed, but that doesn’t stop Cyfa from trying to
do so. History has shown that with time and determination, even
unlikely change can happen. No matter the circumstance, Cyfa
never backs down once she’s set her mind to something.

Calling
The Tower (Lowering the lofty): For much of her life, Cyfa has
watched the lofty nobles (or xenophobic Islander leaders) disre-
garding those below them, their actions affecting the lives of
everyone in the kingdom. She has seen cruelty among the high
born, and she has dedicated her life to seeing those who mistreat
others brought low.
Fate
Six of Pentacles (Envious): Despite all that she has gained in
life, Cyfa can’t help but feel jealous of those who have the things
in life she still longs for. Though she works to put her personal
feelings to the side, she can’t help the kernel of envy that exists
within.

Relationships
Avex Dawnbreath (2): I gave Avex my heart and, in return, he gave me the stars.
Cyfa and Avex met while working together to destroy an emendating camp in Jarzon. Though she first found him to be brash, loud, and
bull-headed, Cyfa eventually came to realize there was more to him than meets the eye. Through their combined efforts, Genan was
rescued from the camp. By the time they arrived in Aldis to claim their reward, both Cyfa and Avex had come to recognize the feelings
they had for one another. A constellation was formed with Avex and his wife, Elliana, providing the framework for Nightsong. Though
deeply in love, Cyfa occasionally grows weary with her husband’s eternal optimism and boundless cheerfulness.
Mira Baldrak (1): She has so much potential, so much power, and she has no idea how far she would go to keep it.
Mira and Cyfa met shortly after the romance blossomed between Cyfa’s child, Genan, and Malachai, Mira’s twin brother. After the
murder of Mira’s parents, Cyfa opened her home to the young adepts. She found herself drawn to Mira, working tirelessly to welcome
her into their family and offer her some semblance of normalcy. Cyfa sees the dark path Mira could potentially turn down, so she is
determined to protect her child from corruption. Cyfa is often hard on Mira—sometimes unnecessarily so—though her actions are born
of love and concern. Should Mira show hints of corruption, Cyfa would be the first to shove her back on the path.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Expert 1
LEVEL

NAME Cyfa Dawnbreath SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Sea-folk +/-

12 15 3
AR 0
BACKGROUND Outcast

32
ACCURACY
3
Rating Leather armor (light armor)
ARMOR TYPE
COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

3
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Rezean CONVICTION
POINTS

Sea-folk: Darksight (20 yards), Hold Breath

CONSTITUTION (60 rounds + Con x 6 rounds), Dehydration, Swim Speed
Swimming 2
Rating
Pinpoint Attack: Once per round, you can add 1d6 damage to a
successful attack if your Dexterity is greater than that of the target
DEXTERITY of the attack.
Stealth 2
Rating
Sidestep: You gain a +1 Defense when you are aware of an attack and
not wearing armor.
FIGHTING Talents: Scouting (Novice)
0
Rating

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

Historical Lore 3
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
3
Rating
Rapier +3 1d6+1

Unarmed +3 1d3
STRENGTH
0
Rating

WILLPOWER
1
Rating Bows, Brawling, Light
WEAPON GROUPS & NOTES
Blades, Polearms, Staves

RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME
Crossbow +3 2d6+3 30 yards 60 yards Major Action

ARCANA NOTES
Equipment: Crossbow, leather armor, locket given to
her by Avex as an anniversary gift, plain but well-
made garments, rapier (light blade), wedding ring
 avex dawnbreath
Avex’s life started on the run. For many years, his parents were slaves who tended goats in a small Kernish village on the edge of the
Ice-Binder Mountains. Upon discovering they were expecting a child, Avex’s parents made the decision to escape. Early winter storms
impeded their flight through the Ice-Binders, and Avex was born in a dingy cave. Though they eventually safely crossed the border into
Aldis, Avex’s mother never recovered from the trauma of childbirth, and she died before his first birthday. Avex grew up in the Pavin
Weald, eventually adopting the pickaxe, much like his father had, upon their arrival.
When new refugees stumbled into the village, the Dawnbreath family were always there to offer support and succor. For years, Avex
was content with his lot in life—he married a night person named Elliana and dedicated himself to the physical labor of the mines. When
darkfiends overran his village, killing his father and many of his companions, he was filled with a new sense of purpose. His first adven-
ture took him to Jarzon, where he helped to liberate children in an emendating camp. Upon his return to Aldis, he formed a constellation
family with Elliana and Cyfa, and they soon adopted Genan, one of the children rescued from the camp. Since then, knowing Elliana is
more than capable of keeping the hearth fires burning, Avex and Cyfa have traveled throughout the world seeking to improve it, recently
with Genan at their side.

Personality
Though raised in Aldis, Avex is still heavily influenced by his father’s Kernish upbringing. He is a survivor, a man willing to do anything
to protect the ones he loves. Along with his strong survival instinct, Avex was blessed with a sense of humor and a cheerful outlook on
life. He is an eternal optimist, wading into every situation with the belief that he will come out on top.

Goals
Avex came from nothing, and he has seen firsthand the devasta-
tion and horror of the world. He seeks to help bring about posi-
tive change and hopes to leave this place better than he found it.
He dreams of a world with no corruption and works endlessly to
see that come to fruition.
Calling
Justice (Justice): Avex is driven to see justice done in the world,
to see the standards of equality and fairness espoused by Aldis
spread to the other kingdoms. He leads by example, hoping his
actions will show others the way to rightfulness.
Destiny
Two of Pentacles (Judicious): The world can be a unfair and
unjust place, despite Aldis’ efforts. Avex hopes to see the bless-
ings of the Golden Hart spread throughout the kingdoms, with
laws and morals to follow.
Fate
Seven of Rods (Reckless): Avex’s optimism and drive to see
justice done often makes him reckless, rushing into situations
without fully understanding what he is facing. This tendency is
one of the reasons Cyfa has insisted on traveling with him.

Relationships
Genan Dawnbreath (2): Everything I do, I do for my son in the hopes that he will find a better world.
Avex met Genan in a dark and terrifying place, and he immediately vowed to protect the young boy no matter the cost. Since then, Avex has
watched his son grow from a terrified mouse of a child to an intelligent, talented, and brave young man. Avex is occasionally over protective
of his now-adult son, stepping in to intervene rather than letting Genan succeed or fail in his own right.
Mykle Cliffmourn (1): Sometimes, there are things I can’t tell anyone, not even my wife. On those days, I turn to Mykle; he always understands.
Avex and Mykle met along the Veran Marsh, a chance encounter that formed a close bond between the two. While Mykle worked to relo-
cate a small group of rhydan to Aldis, Avex found himself sticking close to the caravan to ensure they reached their intended destination.
Neither of them discuss this particular adventure, save to say that everything worked out in the end. Mykle has become one of Avex’s
closest confidants, and he is always there to help set Avex back on his path. Occasionally, their opinions on how to deal with a situation
are widely disparate, but even as the leader of the family, Avex often concedes to Mykle.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Warrior 1
LEVEL

NAME Avex Dawnbreath SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Night Person +/-

13 18 5
AR -2†
BACKGROUND Kernish

†
Speed Only
37
ACCURACY
Brawling 2
Rating Breastplate TYPE
ARMOR (medium armor)

COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

2
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Faento (the language of the Roamers) CONVICTION
POINTS

Night Person: Darksight (30 yards), blinded by light

CONSTITUTION (one round)
Stamina 2
Rating
Talents: Armor Training (Novice), Two-Handed Style (Novice),
Weapon and Shield (Novice)
DEXTERITY
3
Rating

FIGHTING
4
Rating

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

0
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
3
Rating
Battle Axe* +4 3d6+3

Falchion +4 2d6+3
STRENGTH
Intimidation 3
Rating Unarmed +4 1d3+

WILLPOWER
*No shield, can’t be used mounted
1
Rating
WEAPON GROUPS
Axes, Brawling, &Polearms
Heavy Blades, NOTES
RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME
Throwing Axe +4 1d6+2 4 yards 8 yards Minor Action

ARCANA NOTES
Equipment: Battle axe (two-handed axe), breastplate,
falchion (standard heavy blade), throwing axes (2),
good quality garments, shield, wedding ring
 genan dawnbreath
Genan was born on the Leviathan’s Teeth in Jarzon, the youngest child to a pair of merchants who made a healthy living on the side as
scavengers of ancient relics. From a young age, he was much beloved by his family, largely due to his early display of arcane acumen.
When Genan was seven, the family uprooted their lives and moved to Leogarth, the Jarzoni capital, where the child was swiftly sent to
begin training to act as a matron. During this time, Genan slowly began to understand that he was laevvel. Confessing his true nature
made life very difficult for the young adept, and he soon found himself blindfolded and gagged, only to arrive at a new location, an
emendating camp filled with other young Jarzoni.
For three years, Genan was tortured and abused as Confessors attempted to strip him of his very being. When his parents arrived
to shun him and express their disappointment in his failures, Genan lost all hope that he would ever be free. Not long after, the camp
was liberated, and Genan met Avex and Cyfa Dawnbreath, who embraced him for who he truly was and brought him into their lives.
They showed him there was a better way to live life. With the support of his extensive adoptive family, Genan successfully transitioned,
embracing life as the man he always knew he was. He exceled at his continued arcane studies, eventually spending time at the Royal
College of Aldis. Now, with a desire to protect others from suffering as he did, Genan travels with his family, aiding those most in need.

Personality
Soft-spoken and kind, Genan tends to act as a voice of reason for others. He understands the motivations of people and always strives
to find common ground with others he encounters. Although his upbringing in Jarzon was traumatizing, he has maintained a strong
connection to his faith. Genan believes it’s not the religion or gods who are to blame but the people who have perverted their views.

Goals
Genan has an insatiable curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. He
wants to uncover arcane secrets lost to the ages and master his
art without corruption tainting his power. Genan believes arcane
knowledge should be shared with all, and he seeks to educate all
who wish to learn.
Calling
Temperance (Mediation of Extremes): Genan displayed his
arcane talents at a young age, and he quickly learned the bene-
fits of moderation. As he was groomed to become a matron, he
learned to utilize his power in the most effective manner, and this
tendency has carried over into his current life. All things are best
enjoyed in moderation, particularly when it comes to power.
Destiny
Page of Swords (Perceptive): Genan is blessed with the ability
to understand the motives and desires of others. He is highly
intuitive and often understands just what is needed to defuse—or
ignite—a situation.
Fate
Eight of Chalices (Stubborn): A gift from his father, Genan hates
to back down from any situation no matter how insurmountable
the odds might be. Once he has set his mind to a task, it’s practi-
cally impossible to sway him from his course.

Relationships
Malachai Baldrak (2): Malachai was there when I needed a friend, but he quickly became so much more. I’ve found in him the kind of love my
parents have, and he’s shown me that I am indeed worthy of love and happiness.
After a traumatic childhood, Genan eventually found his way to the Royal College in hopes of honing his arcane skills. When he and
Malachai first met, they were competing for the attention and tutelage of Master Paracell. The young men took the opportunity to work
against one another, each plotting to undermine their opponents’ capabilities. It was not until Paracell forced the two of them together
that they realized how well they actually complemented each other. Friendship blossomed as they began to work together rather than
at odds. Though their lives before the college were vastly different, they found common ground in their work ethic and approach to
arcana, and romance eventually blossomed. Though the two now have an unshakeable bond, Malachai continues to challenge Genan,
always pushing him to improve.
Avex Dawnbreath (1): The person I once was died the day my parents shunned me. When Avex found me, I was reborn as his son and he showed me
a better way to live. He gave me a life of unconditional love and offered me a better world.
Genan’s first clear memory of life is the day Avex found him cowering in a cupboard in the kitchen as the emendating camp Genan
had been assigned to was liberated. Though young and terrified, Genan understood what was happening, and he clung to Avex as his
savior. From the first moment they met, Avex treated Genan like a son, offering him the love and support his biological parents denied
him. When Genan was given the opportunity to return to his family of birth in Jarzon, he refused to leave the man he’d come to see as
his father. Although Genan adores his father, he is occasionally frustrated by Avex’s paternal urges. He longs to strike out entirely on his
own and make his father proud.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Adept 1
LEVEL

NAME Genan Dawnbreath SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Human (Laevvel) +/-

11 11 0
AR 0
BACKGROUND Jarzoni

22
ACCURACY
2
Rating ARMOR TYPE
COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

Persuasion 3
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Old Aldin CONVICTION
POINTS

Arcane Channeling: You may use the Skillful Channeling

CONSTITUTION arcane stunt for 1 SP instead of its usual cost of 2. When you use
0
Rating
the Powerful Channeling arcane stunt, you are treated as though
you’d spent one additional SP on activating it (though you must
DEXTERITY still spend at least 1 SP to do so).
1
Rating
Talents: Meditative (Novice), Observation (Empathy; Novice),
Visionary (Novice)
FIGHTING
0
Rating

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

3
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
Searching 4
Rating
Quarterstaff +2 1d6+1

Unarmed +2 1d3
STRENGTH
0
Rating

WILLPOWER
*No shield
Faith 3
Rating
WEAPONBrawling,
GROUPS Staves& NOTES

RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME

ARCANA NOTES
Body Control, Psychic Shield, Scrying, Second Sight, Equipment: Emerald pendant given to him by his
Visions parents, quarterstaff, simple grey robes, small
personal journal with a selection of flowers – all gifts
from Malachi – pressed between its pages
 malachi baldrak
Born at dawn on the Winter Solstice, Malachai Baldrak was always a bright and cheerful child, a distinct opposite to his twin sister, Mira.
With both parents involved in the inner workings of Aldis society, Malachai always enjoyed a life of comfort and plenty. His father was
a member of the Guard and his mother a highly talented and sought-after seamstress who served on the Guild Council. With their lofty
positions and a small family fortune to draw upon Malachai and his sister had many opportunities, particularly after they displayed
arcane talents at a very young age. Private tutors and school helped to foster these innate skills within Malachai and Mira, and both were
declared prodigies at a very early age.
In time, Malachai’s father, Simeon, became a Knight of the Blue Rose. These new duties meant he was rarely available, though his
mother’s second spouse, Ritvan, was more than happy to step in to assist. Despite rarely seeing their father, Malachai and Mira enjoyed
what little time they had together. Malachai often dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps, though his talents lie in the realm of
the arcane and not the physical.
As a young adult, Malachai was admitted to the Royal College to continue his studies of the arcane. While under the tutelage of the
talented and ancient Master Paracell, Malachai met Genan Dawnbreath and romance swiftly blossomed between the two. Shortly after
Malachai began his time with the Royal College, the siblings’ parents were both murdered, and Ritvan was the prime suspect. The
brutality of this loss left Malachai reeling, and it took him several years to fully recover from the shock. Now, with more power than
ever behind his arcane talents, and his twin sister by his side, Malachai is determined to discover the truth behind his parent’s deaths.

Personality
Though Malachai occasionally encounters those who believe he is corrupted due to his appearance, he is nevertheless affable and kind,
a gentle soul. His easy-going nature and calm demeanor allow him to easily make friends wherever he goes.

Goals
Master Paracell of the Royal College often spoke to Malachai
of the importance of knowledge, that it is a universal language
intended to be shared with the world. Malachai has taken these
lessons to heart, and he believes that sharing the knowledge he
has gained is his sacred duty, second only to the drive to under-
stand the circumstances behind his parent’s deaths. He believes
that this power found in this knowledge will allow Aldis to
continue to thrive.
Calling
The Hermit (Transmission of Knowledge): Truth and knowl-
edge are powerful things, capable of destroying civilizations or
catapulting them to greatness. Malachai understands the power
he holds through his arcane abilities, and he seeks to share this
power and knowledge with any who desire it.
Destiny
Five of Chalices (Hopeful): Despite the horrors found in the
world, Malachai knows that life is better now than it was in the
past, and life can continue to change and improve for all. He is
an eternal optimist, certain that his actions will help to change
the world in a positive way. Even when a situation looks dire,
Malachai is there at the forefront, ready and willing to make a
difference.
Fate
Ace of Rods (Overzealous): At times Malachai can be exuberant
and overwhelming. He is constantly on the move, always looking
for the next step in his path. When others want nothing more than
a week of rest and relaxation, Malachai is already seeking his next
adventure.

Relationships
Genan Dawnbreath (1): When my parents were murdered, Genan was the one who pulled me back from the brink. He is my light in the darkness
and the only reason I’ve been able to move forward.
When Malachai first met Genan, he saw nothing but a rival in the young Jarzoni with a complicated past and plenty of unearned
bravado. The first few months of their relationship were a tumultuous competition for Master Parcell’s attention, but the old teacher
saw something between them that neither had anticipated. Late nights at the library eventually turned from study sessions to deep,
soul-baring conversations. For a long time, Malachai was reticent to introduce Genan to his parents, fearing they would not approve of
his human lover. This remains one of Malachai’s biggest regrets in life, one he refuses to make again. At times, Malachai is frustrated by
Genan’s preference for privacy and quiet.
Mira Baldrak (2): She is the darkness to my light, the earth to my sky. Mira is the other half of my soul, and I will do whatever I must to save her
from herself.
Though vastly different in temperament and personality, Mira and Malachai have always been inseparable. This closeness faded somewhat
as Malachai entered the Royal College, with Mira forced to watch from the side. Despite this, Malachai insisted on sharing his knowledge
with his sister in hopes that he could prevent corruption from taking seed in her soul. At times, Malachai is overwhelmed and bewildered
by Mira’s unwise actions, yet he refuses to leave her side. He is determined to keep the darkness from Mira no matter what it takes.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Adept 1
LEVEL

NAME Malachai Baldrak SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Vata’sha +/-

12 12 0
AR 0
BACKGROUND Aldin

26
ACCURACY
2
Rating ARMOR TYPE
COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

2
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Rezean CONVICTION
POINTS

Vata’sha: Arcane Talent (Psychic), Swift Recovery (+2 Con

CONSTITUTION for Recovery Elixirs), Darksight (30 yards), Blinded by bright light
1
Rating (one round)
Arcane Channeling: You may use the Skillful Channeling arcane stunt
DEXTERITY for 1 SP instead of its usual cost of 2. When you use the Powerful
2
Rating Channeling arcane stunt, you are treated as though you’d spent one
additional SP on activating it (though you must still spend at least 1
SP to do so).
FIGHTING
0
Rating Talents: Animism (Novice), Healing (Novice), Medicine (Novice),
Psychic (Novice)

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

Historical Lore, Cultural Lore 3
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
Psychic 3
Rating
Cane +2 1d6+1

Unarmed +2 1d3
STRENGTH
0
Rating

WILLPOWER
3
Rating
WEAPON Brawling,
GROUPS Staves& NOTES

RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME

ARCANA NOTES
Animal Messenger, Calm, Cure, Enhancement, Mind Equipment: Carved wooden cane (standard staves
Reading, Psychic Contact, Psychic Shield, Second Sight weapon), sky-blue jacket of the Royal College, some
tome or another he is currently studying
 mira baldrak
When the world was blanketed in silence, Mira Baldrak was born at the stroke of midnight on the Winter Solstice. While the city of Aldis
anxiously awaited to return of the dawn, Mira’s parents Simeon and Rhi welcomed their first-born child. Even at birth, Mira was an
oddity, an infant who never wept or whined. Where her twin brother, Malachai, bore the mark of the dark vata, Mira possesses the same
appearance as both her vata’an parents. Where her twin was boisterous and cheerful, Mira was thoughtful, methodic, and withdrawn.
She rarely showed affection to anyone other than her brother, and even the most upsetting situations left her nonplussed.
With her mother served on the Guild Council as the preeminent Seamstress of Aldis and her father a member of the Guard ,who was even-
tually promoted to be a Knight of the Blue Rose, Mira had a privileged childhood filled with everything she could desire. Her parent’s lofty
positions and their small family fortune allowed Mira and Malachai access to the best money could offer. When Mira first displayed arcane
abilities as a young girl, private tutors helped to foster her skills. Despite this tutelage, Mira always held an unhealthy fascination for sorcerous
dark magic. Her predilection for sorcery was the driving force behind her denial of admission to the Royal College. While Malachai joined
other arcane talents in the halls of the college, Mira was forced to watch from the sidelines, seeking knowledge wherever she could find it.
This driving desire led her to Ritvan, her mother’s second husband. In secret sessions hidden even from her twin, the two delved into
arcane knowledge, and Mira’s power grew by leaps and bounds. When her parents were murdered, with Ritvan as the prime suspect,
Mira had the opportunity to clear his name but elected to remain silent on the nature of their relationship. After all, knowledge is power,
and Mira is determined to gain as much power as she possibly can, through whatever means necessary.

Personality
Cold, manipulative, and blunt are trademarks of Mira’s personality. She cares little for others, aside from what they might be able to offer
her in power or knowledge. There are very few exceptions to this rule, but her twin brother, Malachai is one. When Mira and Malachai
are together, she seems to be a completely different person—laughing and smiling and enjoying life when she is near him. All others
must prove their worth before Mira will see them as anything approaching an equal.
Despite this, Mira is highly professional when working with others and is quite talented at putting her personal feelings to the side
in order to complete a task. There is no question that she possesses powerful arcane talents, making her an asset to any group. When a
situation gets ugly, Mira will stop at nothing to protect herself, her brother, or the people she is working with.

Goals
As Ritvan taught her, knowledge is power, and with enough
power, she could do anything she desired. Mira has always
known she was unique—her arcane talents set her apart from
others, and her obsession with sorcery offered power and knowl-
edge eschewed by most. Mira understands the danger of corrup-
tion; she is just quite certain it will never touch her. She seeks
to gain knowledge and understanding of the world in hopes of
gaining more power over others.
Calling
The Moon (Discovering and Learning Secrets): Mira has just
enough knowledge to know how much she is still missing and
how powerful she could become if she had it. She seeks the
ancient secrets and arcane knowledge long thought lost. She
knows that if this knowledge can be recovered, she can have a
hand in guiding the world towards a better place.
Destiny
Ace of Rods (Enthusiastic): When a topic interests her, Mira
will stop at nothing to accomplish her task. Although she often
cares little for the plight of others, her brother’s kind nature and
empathy often leaves her helping those in need.
Fate
Seven of Swords (Careless): Mira often acts without thinking a
situation through fully, particularly if she stands to gain knowl-
edge or power from her actions. At times, her careless behavior
has harmed the people she cares about most, yet despite this,
Mira still has difficulties controlling her desire to seek knowledge
and gain power. If it comes to choosing between her goals and the
safety of others, Mira is hard-pressed to make the right choice.

Relationships
Malachai (2): Malachai has always seen it as his duty to protect me from the world. Whenever things were difficult, he was there, trying to shield me
from the worst of the pain no matter the cost to himself.
As a child, Mira was jealous of Malachai and the attention he was given. Where she was quiet and well-behaved, he was loud and
demanding. His appearance didn’t help the situation any, and she often found herself longing for the attention her twin received—though
she knew it wasn’t positive attention. Malachai always sought to protect Mira, and she never had to heart to tell him how much he failed
in that regard. No matter how much the two bicker—which can be a constant state of affairs for the twins—they are staunchly dedicated
to one another. Mira is often jealous of Malachai’s ease around others, and his ability to make new friends wherever they go.
Neesa Kenn (1): Neesa understands me in a way that no one else does, not even my brother. My fury is matched in hers, and together we will be unstoppable.
Mira was drawn to Neesa, and the two swiftly formed a formidable bond. In Neesa, Mira found a friend who could understand her rage
at the world and her driving need to gain more power. Where others cautioned moderation, Neesa encouraged Mira to push her bound-
aries in order to achieve her goals, no matter how detrimental they might be. While some view their relationship as toxic and potentially
dangerous to Nightsong, Mira has found stability and strength in Neesa. The two swore an oath to always support and defend one another
until those who hurt them have paid for their sins. Mira has glimpsed the great potential within Neesa, and she occasionally grows frus-
trated that her friend refuses to fully embrace her strength.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Adept 1
LEVEL

NAME Mira Baldrak SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Vata’an +/-

11 11 0
AR 0
BACKGROUND Aldin

23
ACCURACY
3
Rating ARMOR TYPE
COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

2
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Rezean CONVICTION
POINTS

Vata’an: Arcane Talent (Shaping), Swift Recovery

CONSTITUTION (+2 Con for Recovery Elixirs), Darksight (20 yards)
1
Rating
Arcane Channeling: You may use the Skillful Channeling arcane
stunt for 1 SP instead of its usual cost of 2. When you use the
DEXTERITY Powerful Channeling arcane stunt, you are treated as though
1
Rating
you’d spent one additional SP on activating it (though you must
still spend at least 1 SP to do so).
FIGHTING Talents: Healing (Novice), Observation (Seeing; Novice), Psychic
0
Rating (Novice), Shaping (Novice)

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

Historical Lore 2
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
Pyschic, Seeing 3
Rating
Quarterstaff +3 1d6+3

Unarmed +3 1d3+1
STRENGTH
1
Rating

WILLPOWER
*No shield
4
Rating
WEAPONBrawling,
GROUPS Staves& NOTES

RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME

ARCANA NOTES
Cure, Harm, Move Object, Psychic Contact, Psychic Equipment: Finely made but simple clothing, leather
Shield, Second Sight, Sorcerer’s Grip bookbag with two or three slim folios of her notes,
quarterstaff
 ortelia dolbrook
Born into the Hagin caste of Lar’tya and descended from a long line of accomplished warriors, Ortelia grew up in a life of wealth and
privilege. Although she began her physical training at a young age, as is customary for her family, she had access to all the education
and social events offered to any young woman of her standing. For many years, Ortelia was content to live her life peacefully with little
concern for the world outside of Lar’tya and the people who inhabited it. Though she occasionally accompanied ambassadors to Aldis,
much of her life was spent on the island of Grala.
In time, she fell in love with Derek Galbraith, an ambassador to Aldis, and the couple went on to have three children. Though often
separated by a great distance, Ortelia and Derek maintained a strong constellation that spanned the continents. Shame fell on the
Dolbrook family when their youngest daughter, Raina, fell in love with a Lar’tyan from the another caste, forbidden by Lar’tyan tradi-
tion. Though intervention was attempted, the young couple refused to denounce their loveand fled Grala shortly before their exile was
official. The loss of her daughter left Ortelia shaken to her core and filled with regret over her failure to advocate for her child.
Fifteen years later, she received word that her daughter and son-in-law had been slain by darkfiends in Jarzon, with only their teenage
daughter surviving the attack. Ortelia left Grala immediately and sought her granddaughter, spending a great deal of her accumulated
wealth to hunt down the young woman. She found Neesa in Oliana, a slave in the household of a highly decorated commander. With
her reputation in shambles and her wealth depleted, Ortelia has elected to travel with her granddaughter, teaching her the ways of their
people. Although she can never fully atone for her actions in the past, she is determined to protect Neesa at any cost.

Personality
For many years, Ortelia was the matriarch of her family, meting out wisdom and punishment alike. She was harsh but fair, a traditional
Lar’tyan through and through. When her daughter was exiled, Ortelia began to question the society she’d dedicated her life to—she had
willingly sent her child into the wilds for no crime aside from loving a man deemed unworthy of her attention. Although it was too late
to save Raina, Ortelia threw herself into society events, working to effect change from within, always holding a glimmer of hope that her
child would eventually be welcomed home. Since finding Neesa, Ortelia has mellowed considerably—she can still be strict and harsh,
but she is willing to listen to all sides of a situation before making any decision. She has come to learn that at times, tradition must be
bucked in order to help create a better world for future generations. Ortelia tends to adopt those she meets, taking them under her wing
and striving to protect them from the rest of the world.

Goals
Ortelia’s goal is simple: she wants to change the world. She
wants to see Lar’tya evolve and cast aside their strict caste
system, allowing all members of society to thrive and achieve
their dreams. She hopes that by traveling the world, she can
find ways of showing her people that they can change and still
remain successful. More than anything, she wants to show her
granddaughter that the world is more than the violence and pain
visited on the young woman.
Calling
Judgement (Atonement): While Ortelia once comforted herself
with the knowledge that her actions were all in accordance with
the tradition and laws of the Lar’tyan, she has since realized how
cruel she was. In attempting to force her child to adhere to the
tenets of an ancient caste system, she forced Raina out into a cruel
world, an act that eventually took her life. Ortelia knows that
nothing she does will atone for her actions, but that doesn’t stop
her from trying. She will go to the ends of the earth to ensure her
granddaughter does not suffer the way her daughter did.
Destiny
Nine of Pentacles (Appreciative): Ortelia has enjoyed wealth
and comfort in her life thanks to the circumstances of her birth.
Although she worked to prove herself as a warrior and leader,
she was only given the opportunity due to being a member of the
Hagin. She spent much of her wealth finding Neesa, and uses what
is left to help make life easier for those around her. She no longer
takes anything for granted, thanking Aulora for all that she still has
in her life. She may have lost her daughter, her social standing, and
her homeland, but she still has Neesa and her husband.
Fate
Nine of Pentacles (Fearful): When her daughter met the love of her
life, a man from another caste, Ortelia’s life was forever changed,
and she lives in constant fear that another chance encounter will
once more take her loved ones from her. It’s not love that she fears
but rather the unknown it can hold. She is terrified that something
will happen to Neesa or the few family members who still deign
to speak to her, and Ortelia is determined to protect them all for as
long as she can.

Relationships
Neesa Kenn (2): I was blind, and my family suffered for it, and that is a sin I will never atone for. I lost my daughter, but I will not fail Neesa again.
Neesa and Ortelia have a complicated relationship, one that has always been marred by the actions of Ortelia. Though she missed out on
Neesa’s childhood, she has dedicated herself to atoning for her past and ensuring Neesa does not suffer again. She worries a great deal about
her granddaughter, but Ortelia has concluded that keeping Neesa close gives her the best opportunity to protect the young woman. Although
their relationship has greatly improved, the past still stands between the two of them as a rift that threatens to keep them apart forever.
Mykle Cliffmourn (1): He’s young enough to be my son, but he is wise beyond his years. Our connection might be unorthodox, but Mykle holds a
piece of my soul, gladly given.
When Ortelia and Mykle first met, she viewed him as little more than a potential mate for her beloved granddaughter. In time, Ortelia
realized she was drawn to the young man, though it took time before she was willing to admit her feelings for him. He has since become
part of her constellation, an ever-present comforting lover who understands the things she experiences while traveling the world.
Though Mykle’s bravado often leaves Ortelia rolling her eyes, she’s accepted that his flaws complement her own.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Warrior 1
LEVEL

NAME Ortelia Dolbrook SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Human +/-

12 17 5
AR -2†
BACKGROUND Lar’tyan

†
Speed Only
38
ACCURACY
2
Rating ARMOR
Splint ArmorTYPE
(medium armor)

COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

2
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Lar’tyan CONVICTION
POINTS

Talents: Archery Style (Novice), Armor Training (Novice),

CONSTITUTION Two-Handed Style (Novice)
Swimming 3
Rating

DEXTERITY
2
Rating

FIGHTING
4
Rating

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

1
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
Searching 0
Rating
Hatchet* +2 3d6

Longsword* +4 3d6
STRENGTH
3
Rating Unarmed +2 1d3+3

WILLPOWER
*No shield, can’t be used mounted
Self-Discipline 1
Rating
WEAPON GROUPS
Brawling, Axes, &Blades
Bows, Heavy NOTES
RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME
Longbow +2 1d6+4 30 yards 60 yards Minor Action

ARCANA NOTES
Equipment: Longbow and quiver of 20 arrows, long-
sword, paired hatchets, simple soldier’s uniform, set
of fine riding boots given to her as a gift by Mykle,
splint armor
 neesa kenn
Even before her birth, Neesa was embroiled in conflict. When her parents Raina and Corbin met at a busy tavern, neither knew that
their liaison would blossom into love. And when her mother’s status within the Hagin caste demanded she abandon her Seyn lover,
the couple fled. With no wealth to speak of, they slowly began to travel towards Aldis in hopes of giving their child a better life. Near
Kellan’s Ford, Neesa’s parents found themselves camping near a large caravan of Roamers with a large crowd gathered in hopes of
glimpsing the High Seer Vestiana. When the Seer heard that a Lar’tyan child was soon to be born, she insisted she see the parents.
Upon meeting Neesa’s mother, she blessed them both, informing the small family that their child was destined to endure great sorrow
and reach grand heights. Neesa was born that night, with Vestiana overseeing her birth. For many years, Neesa and her family traveled
with the Roamers, where they were heartily welcomed into a small caravan of young families. Life on the road was challenging, but
Neesa was a happy child, surrounded by other young children who never remarked on her different appearance or made her to feel as
though she were different. When darkfiends swarmed the caravan while they were traveling through Jarzon, it was Neesa who ensured
the youngest children were safely hidden in a wagon designed for just that purpose. With her parents and the other adults of the caravan
dead, she suddenly found herself as the caretaker of a handful of young Roamer children.
Before they could be delivered, Neesa and the other young Roamers were captured and swiftly sent to Oliana, where they were
pressed into servitude. While serving, she continued to work to ensure the other children were safe, helping them escape from their
servitude when possible or bringing them bits of food or stolen money. Her antics brought her plenty of trouble, but every lash of the
whip was worth it to see another of her companions free.
Ortelia Dolbrook, her maternal grandmother, arrived in Oliana after Neesa had been there for several years, using her wealth and
social standing to swiftly free the young woman. Though she was well aware of her mother’s history with the Lar’tyan, Neesa never
expected to be rescued by her biological family, and she is at war with what this means for her life. For now, she is content to travel with
Ortelia and see the world in hopes of healing her soul, but she longs to be reunited with the Roamers who became her family.

Personality
Once, Neesa was a young woman filled with life and curiosity. She was kind and gentle, always the first to assist others in need, but her
experiences in life have left her cold and hard. She has seen the atrocities people visit upon one another, and she has lost hope. Neesa
holds everyone at arm’s length, even her grandmother, as a means of protecting herself. She’s lost everyone she ever cared for, and she
is determined not to suffer through that again. While she cares deeply for those around her, she works very hard to keep those feelings
hidden in hopes of sparing herself further pain.

Goals
Among the Roamers, there are rumors that a wicked sorcerer is
behind the recent rise in caravan attacks. During her time in Oliana,
Neesa began to gather information about the creature who sought
to destroy her people. Neesa is convinced that these stories are true,
and she is determined to find the culprit behind the attacks. She
desperately wants to make the world a safer place for her Roamer
family, even as she struggles to find where she fits in the world now.
Calling
The Sun (Championing the everday): Since the downfall of Faernia,
the Roamers have traveled the world, searching for new homes
while struggling to preserve their traditions and history. Neesa
has seen the mistreatment of the Roamers outside of Aldis and the
hatred they endure, and she knows that her calling is to protect those
most in need of protecting. She wants to be a voice of reason in the
world, someone who will fight to improve the lives of her people.
Destiny
Queen of Rods (Curious): Though Neesa struggles to keep up
a façade of calm disregard, she is still often drawn to new and
interesting things found on her travels. She cannot pass up the
opportunity to solve a mystery, and she often seeks to understand
what is happening around her. Though she has worked to tamp
down on her curiosity as a means of further retreating into her
shell, at times, her driving desire to learn overrides the years of
torment and abuse.
Fate
Queen of Rods (Jaded): When faced with the insurmountable
task of changing the minds and hearts of the people to fully
accept the Roamers, Neesa often finds herself frozen by indeci-
sion and worry. Though her chosen task often seems impossible,
she works to constantly remind herself who she fights for.

Relationships
Ortelia Dolbrook (1): I know my grandmother never intended for any of this to happen, and I know her actions were borne of rapid adherence to
outdated tradition, but I’m not entirely certain I can ever forgive her. I love her, but forgiveness might be too much to ask.
The relationship between Neesa and her grandmother is a complicated one. Although Neesa is grateful for Ortelia’s rescue, and she
does care for her biological grandmother, Neesa has a difficult time fully trusting her. Despite the past hurts, Neesa enjoys learning from
Ortelia and traveling the world with her. Neesa has accepted that Ortelia is her family, and even though she harbors anger, she will do
anything for her family.
Cyfa Dawnbreath (2): Cyfa reminds me so much of my mother, with her determination and fierce love for her family. She counts me among that
family, and she has helped to give me a home again.
When Neesa first met Cyfa, she was a terrified young woman freshly freed from servitude, full of confusion and rage at the world. When
Neesa couldn’t stand the painful memories summoned by Ortelia’s presence, she turned to Cyfa for comfort and protection. Cyfa gave
Neesa what she needed in the moment—safety, stability, and an understanding shoulder to cry on. Though Cyfa acted like a mother to
Neesa in the beginning, their relationship has since shifted into a deep and abiding friendship.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Expert 1
LEVEL

NAME Neesa Kenn SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Sea-folk +/-

14 17 3
AR 0
BACKGROUND Roamer

30
ACCURACY
3
Rating Leather armor (light armor)
ARMOR TYPE
COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

3
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Faento (the language of the Roamers) CONVICTION
POINTS

Sea-folk: Darksight (20 yards), Hold Breath

CONSTITUTION (60 rounds + Con x 6 rounds), Dehydration, Swim Speed
Swimming 2
Rating
Pinpoint Attack: Once per round, you can add 1d6 damage to a
successful attack if your Dexterity is greater than that of the target
DEXTERITY of the attack.
Stealth 2
Rating
Sidestep: You gain a +1 Defense when you are aware of an attack and
not wearing armor.
FIGHTING Talents: Contacts (Novice)
0
Rating

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

Historical Lore 3
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
3
Rating
Daggers +3 1d6+1

Unarmed +3 1d3
STRENGTH
0
Rating

WILLPOWER
1
Rating Bows, Brawling,
WEAPON GROUPS & NOTES
Light Blades, Staves

RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME
Crossbow +3 2d6 30 yards 60 yards Major Action

ARCANA NOTES
Equipment: Brace of three fighting daggers (standard
light blades), crossbow, outfit of fine fitted garments,
scarlet-dyed hooded leather cuirass (leather armor)
 mykle cliff mourn
As the eldest son of an accomplished Jarzoni High Priest, it was always expected that Mykle would display arcane talents. As his father
vied for power on the Keepers Council, Mykle’s parents began to question if he would ever awaken to his true potential. Despite pres-
sure from his family, Mykle had little interest in arcane abilities, and he regularly ignored his studies in favor of exploring the world
outside of the city walls.
On the recommendation of other councilors, Mykle’s parents reluctantly sent him to the Northern Marches in hopes of kindling the
power they were all certain the young man possessed. During the dangerous journey, Mykle’s penchant for wandering off into the
wilderness led him towards a dangerous section of the forest where darkfiends were known to congregate. Here he first encountered
Chaya, the wise and eternally-cranky rhy-badger who saved his life. In that moment, an unbreakable bond was formed between the two.
Although Mykle went on to his studies in the Northern Marches, he was plagued by memories and visions of the creature who had
saved his life until he thought he was going mad. On the day he snuck out of the academy and headed into the wild, he turned his back
on his family and upbringing, choosing the forbidden rhy-bond over the harsh Jarzoni world. Since then, Mykle and Chaya have been
inseparable, making their way to Aldis in search of other rhydan, hoping to better understand the connection they have forged.

Personality
Mykle is kind and quiet, passionate and determined. He has come to understand why the actions of his parents and the Jarzoni priests
are so distasteful, and he has vowed never to return to his homeland. Even as a child, Mykle preferred the company of creatures to
people, and this has only continued into adulthood. Often, Mykle is the voice of reason in a heated situation, always seeking to help
others forge a positive connection.

Goals
For much of his life, Mykle was told who he would be and how he
would behave. With his oppressive family far away, and the diffi-
cult life in Jarzon little more than an unpleasant memory, he now
seeks to explore the world and discover all it has to offer. With
years of baggage to unload and preconceived notions to unravel,
he is anxious to find something new and exciting.
Destiny
Two of Chalices (Affable): Although Mykle has witnessed
some of the cruelty of Jarzon, he has maintained a friendly and
outgoing demeanor. He understands much of the rest of the
world disagrees with the methods of his homeland, and he is
determined to always find the good in others, even to his own
detriment.

Calling
The World (Exploration and discovery): The world is filled with
wonder and excitement, endless new experiences to embrace and
people to encounter, and Mykle wants to do it all. A stifling child-
hood filled with books and discipline has turned Mykle into a
man hungry for adventure.
Fate
Eight of Chalices (Stubborn): Where kindness is a boon, Mykle’s
stubborn streak has been a detriment when he refuses to budge
on a topic where he believes he is in the right. When it comes to
a situation Mykle feels passionately about, he is relentless, rarely
ceding his point in any argument.

Relationships
Ortelia Dolbrook (1): When Ora and I first met, she tried to push me towards her granddaughter, thinking that love might help Neesa move past
what she’d endured. Of course, Neesa would have none of it, which was just fine, since Ora was the one I wanted.
The relationship between Mykle and Ortelia is one years in the making. They started as friends, with Ortelia attempting to match Mykle
with her granddaughter, but eventually this relationship bloomed into something more. Though they’ve known one another for some
time, both were reluctant to admit their feelings. The age disparity between Mykle and Ortelia has caused some strain on the burgeoning
relationship, and it is only their deep friendship and mutual respect that has allowed them to move past these problems.
Chaya (2): She might be the grumpiest creature I’ve ever met, but Chaya is also the most loyal and generous creature I’ve ever encountered. Neither
of us expected or sought the bond, but I have never once wavered from the path now set before us.
Chaya and Mykle first met when his drive for adventure took him to a dangerous place. When the terrifying badger intervened to protect
him from Darkfiends, Mykle swore he would repay the favor someday. From there, the rhy-bond was formed. For months, he obsessed
over the creature he’d seen, until Mykle escaped the academy in hopes of reconnecting with her. Despite the bond, their relationship
hasn’t always been easy. Though Mykle always held great fondness for the wild world, he still had much to learn, and Chaya wasn’t
always the most patient teacher. Their affection for one another has allowed them to largely move past their differences, but they still
butt heads from time to time.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Expert 1
LEVEL

NAME Mykle Cliffmourn SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Human +/-

12 15 3
AR 0
BACKGROUND Jarzoni

31
ACCURACY
4
Rating ARMOR TYPE
COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

Etiquette 2
Rating
Languages: Aldin, Rezean CONVICTION
POINTS

Pinpoint Attack: Once per round, you can add 1d6

CONSTITUTION damage to a successful attack if your Dexterity is greater
2
Rating
than that of the target of the attack.
Sidestep: You gain a +1 Defense when you are aware of an attack and
DEXTERITY not wearing armor.
Riding 2
Rating
Talents: Scouting (Novice)

FIGHTING
0
Rating

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

2
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
Searching 4
Rating
Sidesword +4 1d6+1

Unarmed +4 1d3
STRENGTH
0
Rating

WILLPOWER
1
Rating Bows, Brawling,
WEAPON GROUPS & NOTES
Light Blades, Staves

RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME
Crossbow +4 2d6 30 yards 60 yards Major Action

ARCANA NOTES
Equipment: Crossbow, leather cuirass (light armor),
solid leather garments with fur-lined long black
cloak, sidesword (standard light blade) belted at side
 chaya
Born in the desolate stretch of the Northern Marches of Jarzon, Chaya spent much of her life happily avoiding humanity. Her awakening
came as she watched a wealthy merchant drive a train of servants and slaves across the plains, each struggling beneath a far-too-heavy
load. With every lash of abuse meted out by the merchant’s foremen, her rage grew, until she couldn’t contain it any longer. She chased
the merchant and his men from her home, and word quickly spread about her fearsome claws.
Though reluctant to leave her home, Chaya found herself gravitating away from the creatures around her and drawn to the world of
the two-legged, even as she avoided revealing her true nature to the strangers outside of the wild. When she witnessed the young Mykle
Cliffmourn careening down a dangerous path, she was compelled to protect him from the dangers that lurked. That moment gave rise to
the rhy-bond, forever connecting her to the young man. Since that fateful day, Chaya has dedicated herself to protecting Mykle as well
as all those who cannot protect themselves.

Personality
On the surface, Chaya is a grumpy old badger who cares little for anyone aside from Mykle. Most who encounter her find a creature who
is bluntly honest with a penchant for growling or clawing someone who she feels isn’t doing the right thing. In actuality, Chaya cares
deeply for those she encounters—human and creature alike—and she works diligently to ensure the people she encounters are safe.

Goals
Since leaving her home in the Northern Marches, Chaya has been
adrift in the world, always following Mykle on his adventures
but never finding a place to settle down and enjoy life. Although
she has sworn to always follow him wherever he goes, Chaya
longs to someday find a safe haven where she can settle down
to enjoy the twilight years of her life, preferably with Mykle by
her side. Along the way, she is determined to protect those she
encounters, no matter the cost.
Calling
The Empress (Protection of Nature): For much of her life, Chaya
watched as the worst of mankind and their ilk possessed and
destroyed nature--and each other. She was an outside observer as
they hunted the creatures of the prairie, set fire to the land, enslaved
one another, and destroyed everything they encountered. With her
awakening came new power and an ability to make a difference
in the world. Chaya views herself as a protector of both innocent
humans and nature, and her wrath is a sight to behold.
Destiny
Queen of Pentacles (Nurturing): Chaya believes that each crea-
ture has the potential to be great and kind, and it is this poten-
tial that she seeks whenever she encounters someone. Even
the cruelest of humans deserve the opportunity to embrace
their potential, and she is always willing to offer that chance.
At times, her nurturing nature leads to Chaya gently leading
someone down the path she deems proper; other times, this
manifests as a painful physical reminder that they have strayed
too far.
Fate
Four of Rods (Dour): Though deep down Chaya believes in the
good of everyone, she sometimes struggles against the over-
whelming darkness of the two-legged creatures who surround
her. The hate and greed she witnesses daily is a painful reminder
of the simplicity she left behind in the Northern Marches, and
at times, she has difficulties reaching through her gloomy and
grumpy attitude to find something positive to cling to.

Relationships
Genan Dawnbreath (1): I didn’t save Genan when I first had the opportunity, and I will never make that mistake again. The pain he suffered in the
camps might have been avoided had I only been stronger.
Shortly after Chaya’s awakening, she encountered Genan. He was little more than a child, desperate to earn the approval of his
parents and the priesthood. Chaya only knew the child was bound for training in the arcane arts; she had no idea that he would
eventually find himself in a dire situation within the camps. Though Genan seemed safe, Chaya was reluctant to let him continue with
his guardians, and she has always regretted not stopping the caravan when she had the opportunity. When they met again, down the
path, Genan was older, more confident, and growing into his power while Chaya had learned how to navigate the world as rhyden.
Though Chaya will gladly die for any of her family, Genan holds a special place in her heart, and she always seeks to atone for not
saving him as a child. Chaya is proud of the man Genan has grown into, yet she constantly finds herself annoyed at the risks he takes
to prove himself.
Mykle Cliffmourn (Rhy-Bond, 2): I may not have birthed him myself, but in all the ways that matter, Mykle is my son. I am so proud of the man
he has become, and I know he will change the world for better.
The bond between Mykle and Chaya formed in an instant, changing both of their lives forever. Though Chaya immediately recog-
nized the connection, she allowed the young man to continue on his journey in the belief that he would be better with his own kind.
She didn’t expect the perpetual longing for her companion, or the joy she felt when he found her once more. Since then, Chaya and
Mykle have been inseparable. Although they will occasionally find themselves on adventures without the other, these separations
are usually brief and always punctuated by a joyous reunion. Chaya is wary of Mykle’s relationship with Ortelia, and the two often
argue over it. Chaya and Mykle enjoy spending time in the wild places, though she is sometimes jealous that he enjoys the world of
men as much as he does.
 CLASS HEALTH & FATIGUE

Warrior 1
LEVEL

NAME Chaya SPEED DEFENSE ARMOR PENALTY

RACE Rhy-Badger +/-

8 13 1
AR 0
BACKGROUND None

40
ACCURACY
0
Rating ARMOR TYPE
COMMUNICATION POWERS, TALENTS, AND SPECIALIZATIONS

1
Rating
Languages: Aldin CONVICTION
POINTS

Rhy-Badger: Tough (AR 1)

CONSTITUTION
5
Rating Talents: Armor Training (Novice), Carousing (Novice), Psychic
(Novice), Tooth and Claw (Novice)

DEXTERITY
2
Rating

FIGHTING
3
Rating

INTELLIGENCE MOVE CHARGE RUN

Natural Lore 2
Rating
IN YARDS
PERCEPTION MELEE WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE
1
Rating
Bite +0 1d6+4

Claw +3 1d6+3
STRENGTH
3
Rating

WILLPOWER
0
Rating
WEAPON Natural
GROUPS Weapons& NOTES

RANGED WEAPON ATTACK ROLL DAMAGE SHORT RANGE LONG RANGE RELOAD TIME

ARCANA NOTES
Psychic Contact, Psychic Shield, Second Sight