reach.

Finally, three or more instances of However, once you find the secret door, you
obscurement create darkness. always know where to find that secret door
provided the secret door doesn’t sprout legs and
Darkness wander off.
Typically, you cannot attack or otherwise target
Darkness describes the absence of light. Unless
creatures or objects hidden from you.
you have some exceptional way of seeing (such as
For more information on hiding and finding, see
Dark Vision), you cannot see creatures or objects
Hide and Find under the combat rules later in this
in darkness.
chapter.
Artificial Light
Artificial light describes light that comes from
natural, magical, and supernatural sources, such
Moving in Zones
Typically, you can move around freely inside your
as the light of a torch or lantern, the light cast from
zone or from one zone to another by walking or
a spell, or the radiance emitted by a seraph.
running. You might climb to a zone, leap to
Artificial light has three degrees of illumination:
another, or swim through yet another. You might
bright, dim, and faint.
have other modes of movement available to you
Bright light illuminates the zone in which the
from traits gained from your ancestry, talents
light originates and each adjacent zone to it.
acquired from your paths, spells, and other
Dim light illuminates the zone in which the light
magical effects.
originates.
Outside combat, you can move where you wish
Faint light illuminates only the area within reach
by whatever means are available to you. Since
of the light source.
zones can have different sizes and shapes, tracking
Obscurement affects sources artificial light by
exact distance moved is rarely necessary. As a rule
reducing the degree of illumination by one step for
of thumb, however, you can walk about 30 feet per
each instance of obscurement. For example, bright
round or run 60 feet per round. This means that in
light in a foggy zone would count as emitting dim
a round you can walk from one zone another or
light. If magical shadows add to the fog, bright
run from one zone to one within two zones of you.
light would become faint light. Add rain to the mix
Smaller and larger creatures might move a bit
and the zone would become dark enough that
slower and a bit faster, but the differences are
creature in it would no longer be able to see.
modest enough to have no bearing on movement
rules.
Hidden Creatures and The life and death nature of combat makes
Objects positioning more important and thus the game
introduces additional rules for such scenes.
A secret door in a zone, a silent foe lurking behind
a column, or a pressure plate on the floor all count
as being hidden. The state of being hidden persists Obstacles
until the circumstances that allow the thing to be Obstacles slow or prevent movement. A pit in the
hidden last. If you find the secret door or the center of a passageway, a scattering of caltrops on
pressure plate, they are no longer hidden from the floor, a cramped passage, or a steep slope can
you. If the enemy steps out from behind the all make movement difficult, even perilous. Unless
column or you move to a position where you can an obstacle poses a risk of harm and you have
see the enemy, the enemy stops being hidden from plenty of time to navigate the obstacle, you can
you. overcome the obstacle and continue moving. If an
Once you have awareness of something, it obstacle is dangerous or you’re under pressure,
cannot normally be hidden from you again until the Sage might call for an attribute roll to
the creature or object moves to some other place overcome the obstacle. A failed roll indicates no
and you cannot or do not observe its movement. progress and might result in damage or the loss of
For example, a thief might spring out of the Health, depending on the nature of the obstacle.
darkness and attack you, but then sneak off to
another pool of shadows and hide. You know the Challenging Terrain
thief is somewhere nearby, but not where, and Any terrain difficult to traverse counts as
thus the thief becomes hidden from you again. challenging. Rubble, ice, oil, caltrops, deep water,
and other factors make movement perilous.

11
Normally, challenging terrain covers the walls and Jumping and Leaping
ground, but strong winds and turbulent waters You jump when you try to reach something
might count as challenging terrain to fliers and overhead or down to something below you, and
swimmers, respectively. you leap when you would hop over an obstacle. As
When you move across challenging terrain, you a general rule of thumb, you can jump up a
can walk or crawl to the edge of the zone or, if you number of inches equal to your height in feet or
are at the edge of a zone already, you can walk or twice this number if you get a running start. If
crawl into an adjacent zone. you’re 6 feet tall, you could jump up six inches or
You can also attempt to run across challenging 12 inches if you got a running start. You can safely
terrain. When you do so, you make an Agility roll, jump down a distance equal to your height.
possibly with 1 or more banes. On a failure, you Beyond that, you fall.
fall prone in the zone and your move ends. You can leap a distance equal to half your height
HEATHER AND THE ICE or your full height if you get a running start.
Heather’s character, Heathen, is in a zone with slippery You can double your jumping and leaping
ice covering the floor. If Heather uses a move to walk, distances by making an Agility roll to jump or a
she can walk to the edge of the zone. Next round, she Strength roll to leap. If you would jump or leap
could walk out of the zone and into the adjacent zone. If even farther, the Sage might impose 1 or more
Heathen’s in a hurry, though, she could run, but she banes on your roll.
would have to succeed on an Agility roll or fall prone in See “Special Forms of Movement in Combat” for
the zone. more information.

Clearing Away Challenging Terrain: It takes Dropping Prone
one hour using a tool kit to clear a zone of difficult You can drop to the surface on which you are
terrain that can be cleared away. If multiple standing so that you lay upon it. While prone, you
creatures work on clearing the terrain, divide the move only by crawling or to regain your feet.
total amount of time by the number of creatures
contributing to the effort to see how long the work Falling
takes. A fall happens whenever you drop more than a
distance you can safely jump. When you land, you
Swimming lose 1 Health for every foot you fell. You can roll
You can swim in just about any liquid, though luck, though, and you lose half as much Health on
immersing yourself in acid or toxic goo is never a a success, or no Health if the result is 20 or higher.
good idea. You can move about 15 feet per round If you roll a 0 or lower, you lose all your Health and
while swimming. In rough conditions, when you die.
wear medium or heavy armor, have your hands If you fall onto a liquid surface, you ignore the
bound, or you are hindered in some other way, you first 30 feet when calculating how much Health
might have to make a Strength roll, possibly with 1 you lose from landing after the fall.
bane or more. On a failure, you make no progress,
and on a result of 0 or lower you sink beneath the Climbing
surface and risk suffocating (see "Suffocation" You can climb surfaces that have handholds and
above). footholds. At a typical pace, you can climb about
Suffocation 90 feet per minute, but if you have to make your
You are subject to suffocation when you cannot own handholds, climb at about 30 feet per minute.
breathe. While subject to suffocation, you make Having ropes and a grapple double this rate for
attribute rolls with 1 bane and you grant 1 boon ascending or triple the rate when descending by
on attribute rolls against you. In addition, you rappelling.
cannot talk, or perform activities that require You can try to climb more quickly or across
speech, such as casting spells. In addition, if you go more difficult surfaces by making a Strength roll.
1 minute or longer without breathing, you take Again, the Sage imposes 1 or more banes based on
you take 1d6 damage at the end of each round. If the circumstances. On a success, you move half
you used an action on your turn, you take double again your normal rate. On a failure, you make no
this damage. progress. On a result of 0 or lower, you lose your
grip and fall.

12
 If you are harmed while climbing, you must fragile, takes double damage from heavy objects,
make a successful Strength roll to avoid falling. whether they’re made of wood, stone, or metal. A
See “Special Forms of Movement in Combat” for cloth object takes no damage from a blunt
more information. weapon, but takes double damage from an edged
weapon.
Objects In all cases, the Sage makes the final
determination using common sense to determine
Anything that’s not a creature is as an object,
the outcomes.
whether it’s alive or not. This means rocks are
Secured and Unsecured: A secured object
objects and so are trees, swords, vines growing on
indicates it is held fast in some way, such as being
a stone wall, and the molds staining those same
bolted in place, tied down, or otherwise affixed to
walls. Objects, unless they have the Animated
a surface. An unsecured object has nothing to keep
Object trait, take no actions and do not, usually,
it in place and can be picked up and moved.
move. Objects capable of performing activities and
Lifting, Shoving, and Dragging: You can lift,
moving function as creatures.
shove, or drag unsecured objects. As a general
Attributes: An object’s attributes reflect its
rule, a creature can lift a number of pounds equal
capabilities. An object incapable of exerting force
to its Strength score times 10.
lacks a Strength score. An object incapable of
This said, rather than track specific weights of
movement lacks an Agility score. Only rare objects
thing, the game relies on common sense to
have sentience, so most objects lack Intellect and
determine what can moved in these ways. You
Will scores. If an object has an attribute score, it
could push a wagon provided it has wheels, but if
can perform activities related to it. Otherwise, the
it doesn’t, it’s weight might mean you can’t budge
object lacks the means to perform these activities
it. Similarly, you might topple a statue, but you’re
and has 0s in each attribute.
not likely to be able to push a wall down without
Defense: Unless the object has some means to
serious help. If you attempt to lift, shove, or drag a
avoid harm, it has a Defense of 0. An object worn
heavy object, the Sage call for a Strength roll to see
or carried uses the Defense of whatever wears or
if you can. The weight and bulk of the object might
carries it. Vehicles with drivers or pilots grant the
impose 1 or more banes, or just render the task
objects they operate a Defense equal to half the
impossible.
driver or pilot’s Agility score. If an object can move
Dropping Objects: When you drop an object of
under its own volition, it has a Defense score equal
some hard material, the object falls and it takes
to its Agility score. Suits of armor have Defense of
damage from landing and deals the same damage
0 and when worn either add to the wearer’s
to whatever it lands on. If an object would fall on a
Defense or replace the wearer’s Defense score
creature, the creature can roll luck and, on a
Health: Objects have Health 20. A very large
success, the creature moves out of the path of the
object has multiple parts making up its total form,
falling object and takes no damage when it lands.
each of which have the same Health score.
Destroying a portion of the object indicates that
portion has been shattered or ruined, while Doors and Gates
leaving the remaining form intact. Destroying a Doors, gates, and similar objects typically obstruct
section of wall, for example, does not topple the the borders between two zones. Sometimes,
whole wall. Rather, it creates a hole in the wall overcoming these obstacles involves opening the
where the section was destroyed. door or throwing the lever to lift the gate. Other
Objects that lack the Animated Object trait lose times, you might have to hack through it, kick it
Health instead of taking damage. When an object down, or pick the locks.
takes damage from a source that can harm it, Forcing Open Doors: You can try to open a
reduce the object’s Health score by the amount of door with brute force, either by throwing your
damage it has taken. An object reduced to 0 Health shoulder into it or kicking it down. You need a
is destroyed, ruined and nonfunctional. Animated Strength of 11 or higher to force open a wooden
objects, though, take damage as creatures do. door, and 13 or higher for a metal one. You don’t
Objects might be vulnerable or immune to need to make a roll if you have plenty of time, but
certain sources of damage. A stone wall might be if you’re in combat, in a chase, or in another kind
scorched by fire, but take no real damage from it. of scene where time is important, you make a
A wooden wall, though, takes damage from the Strength roll. On a success, you force the door
flames and might catch fire. A glass window, being open. Metal doors or those barred shut impose 1
or more banes on the roll.

13
 As doors are objects, usually, you can attack Buried
them as you would any other object. You become buried when something covers you
Locks: Many doors and the like have locks. If and prevents you from moving, such as a cave-in
you have the key, you can unlock the lock with or a collapsing ceiling, but also when inhumed in
little to no trouble. Otherwise, you must either the ground. If the falling debris creates a space
destroy the lock by attacking it or pick it using large enough to contain you, you can freely move
tools. around in that space. Otherwise, you cannot move.
You can pick the lock using lock picks. It takes While buried, you cannot see anything outside
1d6 minutes to pick an inferior lock, 2d6 minutes of the space in which you are trapped. Nothing
for a typical lock, 4d6 minutes or longer for a from outside your space can target any part of you
superior lock. At the end of this time, you make an that is covered in the debris. You can hear a
Agility roll with 1 or more banes depending on the shouting creature in your zone, but hear nothing
complexities of the lock. On a success, you open else outside of the space in which you are trapped.
the lock and can freely unlock and lock it. On a You might be in danger of suffocating at the Sage’s
failure, you cannot unlock the lock and cannot try discretion.
again until after a full night’s rest. You might be able to dig yourself free. Doing so
Note, some locks are trapped and might punish normally entails rolling Strength with 1 or more
you for even attempting to pick them. In addition, banes, with a success allowing you to make
locks might be magical and thus immune to efforts progress toward escape. Depending on the degree
to unlock them with ordinary tools. of coverage, you might escape after one success or
several successes.
Holding a Door Shut
In a situation where you would hold shut a door
shut, the creature makes its Strength roll against
Digging and Excavation
You might have cause to dig a hole or clear rubble
your Strength instead of just using 10 as the target
from a passage. As a rule of thumb, it takes one
number. If the creature forcing the door succeeds
person 1 hour to clear a cube, 5-feet on each side,
and the result is 20 or higher, you also fall prone
of earth or twice this time for solid rock. Such an
when the door opens.
activity is possible only with tools—a shovel,
Hidden Doors pickaxe, and the like. For each additional character
Some doors feature construction that conceals working, increase the volume of material removed
their presence from casual observers. Similarly, a by 20 percent.
curtain or other intervening obstacle can hide the
presence of a door. When searching for a hidden
door, you must be specific about where you look.
Traps
A trap is a mechanical, magical, or supernatural
Merely passing in front a door hidden by a
device designed to inhibit movement, sound an
tapestry will not reveal the door. You must pull
alarm, or create harm to those who trigger them.
aside the tapestry. A door disguised to look like a
They can be as simple as bells hanging from a
section of wall might require extensive searching
string to devious as chambers that seal shut and
of the area and a successful Intellect roll.
fill with water. Poisoned darts, falling blocks,
rolling boulders, gas, poisonous or explosive, glue,
Walls and Structures and more can make any descend into the unknown
Walls and structures also count as objects and can even deadlier than the monsters such places
thus be attacked and, eventually, destroyed. house.
Instead of attacking the entire structure, attacks Finding Traps: A detected trap is an avoidable
apply the section the attacker can reach. A section trap. Thus, finding traps requires knowledge of
of wall has 10 Health for wattle and daub, 20 for traps, diligent searching, and caution. When you
wood, 40 for stone, and 80 for metal. Destroying search for a trap, you must specify exactly where
the section creates a hole in it. Note, you must you are searching and the space can be no larger
have a weapon suitable for the work—a maul will than a square, 10 feet on a side. If there’s a clue,
make more headway than will a knife when trying the Sage will reveal it—a tripwire, rust on a
to smash through a wall. Magic, explosives, and handle, a raised stone in the floor. In combat, you
similar effects can destroy entire walls and
can search for traps by performing the Find
structures and might cause them to bury anyone
activity.
and anything under them.

14
 Triggering the Trap: Every trap has a trigger, success, you shake off the effects of infection. On a
which is the event that has to occur in order for failure, you become infected and lose 1d6 Health.
the trap to take effect. Examples include pressure While you are infected, you are weakened. At the
plates, tripwires, noise, heat, or motion. end of each full night’s rest, you make a Strength
Trap Effect: Once triggered, the trap produces roll and lose 1d6 Health on a failure. If your Health
its effect, usually the moment it has been drops to 10 or lower, you fall prone and cannot
triggered. The trap description tells you what stand up; you can move only by crawling. If your
happens and how it’s effects can be mitigated or Health drops to 5 or lower, you are unconscious. If
avoided, if they can. you succeed on a total of three Strength rolls, you
fight off the infection.
Fire Some forms of infection have additional or even
nastier effects.
Fire deals 1d6 damage to any creature or object
that touches it. A creature or object takes this
damage just once per round, regardless of how Wind
many times it touches it in the round. Extended While any movement of the air qualifies as wind,
contact with fire can cause a creature or object to which naturally cause flames to flicker and might
catch fire (see "aflame” under afflictions). disturb loose, lightweight objects, when the game
Extinguishing a fire involves smothering it with refers to wind, it means winds moving at 20 miles
sand, a rug, or tapestry. Fire can also be per hour or faster. Such wind produces the
extinguished with water. following effects. Each round the wind blows
Starting a fire takes 1d6 minutes of work using a through a zone, it extinguishes unprotected
tinderbox or similar materials. flames, causes protected flames, such as those
inside lanterns, to flicker and dance. Wind clears
Poison away smoke, vapor, mist, and gas, and also kicks
up dust, while scattering small, lightweight, and
Poison represents a wide range of substances toxic
unsecured objects. Wind imposes 1 bane on rolls
to living creatures. A creature must be exposed to
to attack beyond your reach . It also counts as an
poison to be affected by it. Exposure to poison
obstacle for the purpose of hearing and it fills the
includes drinking, eating, breathing, or, even,
zone with challenging terrain for fliers as well as
touching a poisonous substance. Poison can also
those on the ground.
be introduced to a creature’s system when the
Strong winds, such as those produced by
poison has been smeared on a weapon or piece of
hurricanes and tornados, might have additional
ammunition or injected as venom.
effects as the Sage decides.
You can apply a dose of poison to food, drink, an
edged or pointed weapon, or an edged or pointed
piece of ammunition. You might also smear poison
on a handle or a few pages in a book. Once applied,
Knowledge
the poison remains potent for 4 hours or until a Knowledge describes what you know and what
living creature of flesh and blood is exposed to it— you can recall. It comprises all the facts, trivia, and
eats the tainted food, drinks the poisoned liquid, basic skills you have picked up along the way.
takes damage from the poisoned weapon or piece Some, examples of what you know follow. Note
of ammunition, or otherwise comes into contact that this is not intended as a comprehensive list;
with the poison. The creature exposed to the rather, this should sketch in the parameters of
poison becomes poisoned (luck ends). what you do know as a typical character. You
know…
Infection • how to build and maintain a fire.
• how to forage for food.
Infection results from exposure to something that • how to dress and prepare meat from animal
will sicken you. Exposure might result from you kill.
drinking contaminated water, eating spoiled food, • how to identify water that’s safe to drink.
or being in proximity to someone suffering from a • how to make use of all the equipment
disease. If you’ve been exposed to infection, note described in chapter @,
the exposure on your character sheet. At end of • how to maintain your equipment,
your next full night’s rest, roll Strength. On a • the basic features of the land you inhabit
and what’s around these lands.

15
 • magic exists. You also know the gods nothing about the topic. Sometimes, the Sage
sometimes walk the lands and bestow might call for an Intellect roll to determine if you
powers onto prized servants. know the thing or not, in which case a success
• the major religions described in the world delivers the information you seek or, at least, some
chapter. of it.
• how to care for and feed an animal.
•
•
how to conduct commerce.
how to feed, clothe, bathe yourself, and tend
to your other needs.
Interaction
As you play the game, you interact with your
• how to read and write. fellow players and the Sage, often outside the
• about the seasons, weather, the major context of the game, but also during play when you
constellations, and other phenomena portray your character. You can describe (as
related to living in this world. yourself) what your character says and does if you
• to identify common creatures you prefer, or you can speak as your character, if you’re
encounter, comfortable doing so.
• how to do whatever it takes to keep yourself In the game, interaction is covered by rules for
alive and in generally good health, languages (how characters and creatures
• anything else that a person would know communicate), disposition (how they feel toward
who lives in a pre-industrial society, each other) and social situations (when they come
together for a purpose other than combat).
Professional
Knowledge Languages
Communication between peoples requires them to
You can recall information related to your have a language in common. A great many
professional specialty. For example, if you are an languages exist in the New Lands, with many more
acolyte of the High One, you know about the prevalent in the ruins of the Old Country and the
Church of the High One; if you are an arsonist, you Devastation of the Fallen Empire. Most
know how to start fires so that they spread civilizations use a language that either evolved
quickly. As you take paths, you add knowledge naturally or that evolved from a previous or
associated with those paths to what you have neighboring civilization.
already learned. In some cases, the path makes Common: The Common tongue originated with
explicit what you learn from it. In others, the Sage a seafaring people and became an important
takes into consideration your special training for tongue for facilitating trade. It became the
the purposes of determining the outcomes of your dominate language in the Great Kingdom and it
activities, possibly granting 1 boon or an has spread to the New Lands from the lips of the
automatic success. Note, professional knowledge refugees pouring across the borderlands.
does not apply to rolls you make to attack, cast Archaic: Without the Church of the High One,
spells, or resist harmful effects. Archaic would certainly have died out for it is an
ancient language rooted in the Holy Empire
Gaining Information consumed by the Devastation long ago. The
Church keeps the tongue alive in its liturgies.
As a rule, you either know something or you don’t. Outside of its role as a religious tongue, historians,
In a case when your character might know mages, and intellectuals study the language. Oddly,
something that you yourself do not, you can demons speak in Archaic, if they bother to speak.
request information from the Sage. The Sage Old Tongue: The language of the Great
makes the determination of whether or not you Kingdom, the Old Tongue traces its roots to a
know something by considering your professions, conquering people who swept into the continent
ancestry, and the paths you have taken. Assuming from across the Endless Ocean to found the Great
you have made choices that relate to the Kingdom. It lost prominence with the rise of
knowledge you’re after, the Sage might reveal what Common, but remains widespread language in the
you wish to know or some of it. Then, again, if the ruins of that land.
topic is far outside your realm of expertise, the Goblin: A language foisted on the outcast
Sage is within rights to tell you that you know faeries by their master, the Goblin King, Goblin

16
uses the vocabulary, grammar, and scrip of Sylvan, comes down from teacher to student and the
but all jumbled up, with some words meaning language belongs to no specific people or culture.
entirely different things and script aways written Druidic: An ancient society of thinkers,
in the passive voice. prophets, and oracles, the druids have
Maridian: The musical tongue of the marids, manipulated the course of history since mankind
the language belongs almost exclusive to this first awakened. Druids use their language for
people. That it shares no common vocabulary, magic and to invoke favor from the gods, but also
grammar, or alphabet reinforces this people’s alien to communicate the mysteries of their secret
nature. society. The druids consider the teaching of the
Runic: One of the oldest languages, it either language to outsiders to be a terrible betrayal and
comes down to the present from early kingdoms put to death any who reveals its secrets to an
of the dwarfs, from the trolls, or some proto- unauthorized student.
society that predates both. The language has a Elemental: Knowledge of the Elemental tongue
harsh sound full of hard consonants and uses a largely belongs to the alchemists who discovered
blocky runic script. it after dealing with the elemental spirits from
Sphinx: An ancient token spoken by the people whom they sometimes learn secrets. Alchemists
of the same name, its pictogrammatic writing and others interested in the elemental magic
appears in old temples and other ruins. Few guard this language as it’s believed to contain the
outside of the sphinxes use this tongue. secret names of things.
Sylvan: The Sylvan tongue, sometimes called Finger-Talk: A sign language expressed by the
Fair Speech or Elvish, originated with the faeries. movements and positions of fingers, hands, and
Sylvan has a musical sound and flowing script that arms, it was invented to help the mute
lacks punctuation, which makes it difficult for communicate, but others find it useful for
some to master. The language remains the primary communicating without drawing attention to
tongue of the faeries. themselves.
Triton: The Triton language has no spoken Ranger Signs: Rangers, scouts, and other
form. Instead, people versed in it make hand travelers through the wild devised a language of
gestures that match the signs of the written form. signs and markings to communicate with other
A complex language with nearly 1,000 gestures travelers who come after them. Such signs indicate
and symbols, few outside of the tritons have been danger, aid and comfort, different kinds of animals,
able to master it. and safe places to make camp. Halflings use these
Undertongue: The pictogrammatic language of signs to communicate with other bands when
the ghouls sees little use outside of their traveling through the wilderness.
subterranean communities. To those unfamiliar Thieves’ Cant: The Thieves’ Guild developed
with the language, words and phrases all have an this language as a means to speak freely about
incomprehensible hissing sound. Ghouls often criminal activities without arousing suspicious.
etch pictograms into stone that can be read by feel. Effectively a form of double-speak, speckled with
lingo and jargon, people who understand the base
Secret Languages language can perceive the words but not their
Most secret languages belong to specialized meaning. Either the phrase sounds like nonsense
organizations and secret societies who prefer to or it means something other than what the
guard their communication. Other such languages speaker intends.
have been guarded for being dangerous to learn,
either because speaking the words aloud can have Pantomime
serious repercussions or because profane When you try to communicate with a creature
concepts can be communicated only in these incapable of understanding the language you use,
tongues. you might still be able to get the idea across. You
Arcane: The principal language used for magic- might use pantomime, drawings, or some other
use, one often encounters it in magical tomes, method to communicate your ideas. Sometimes,
inscriptions, and other writings about magic. this might require the creature with whom you
Magic-users speak in Arcane when they cast communicate to make an Intellect roll to get the
spells. Arcane qualifies as a secret language, gist of what you say, but simple concepts such as
despite the many people who know and use it, food, water, danger, and can be readily
largely because the knowledge of the language communicable.

17
Hearing Effects side for as long as the effect lasts even if it's not
normally friendly toward you.
When an effect requires that a target can hear you,
the target must also share a language in common
with you to understand what you say. Social Situations
If you try to convince someone to do something
Disposition that they wouldn’t ordinarily do such as divulge a
secret, give aid, betray a friend, accept a bribe, or
Creatures have one of three dispositions toward something else along those lines, the outcome of
other creatures: friendly, indifferent, or unfriendly. your social interaction could become uncertain. As
Friendly: A creature acts with goodwill toward with any situation, when it’s not clear what
anyone with whom it is friendly, might aid the happens next, the rules or the Sage can call for an
person, reveal information, and share confidences. attribute roll to see what happens. You typically
A friendly creature might be convinced to take make an Intellect roll against someone else's
risks for the person it likes. Intellect when you are trying to deceive, trick, or
Indifferent: A creature has no strong feelings use logic to win over someone. You roll Will
one way or another to anyone to whom it shows against Will when you use the force of your
indifference. An indifferent creature might be personality to convince, gain trust, or threaten
polite or rude, depending on personality, expects someone. The Sage might let you substitute
compensation for any favors, and is unlikely to Strength for Will if you are using brute force to
offer assistance unless doing so advances its own back up your arguments or might have you roll
interests. Most people are indifferent to strangers. against a different attribute when it makes sense.
Unfriendly: A creature dislikes or hates anyone Boons and banes apply at the Sage’s discretion or
toward whom it is unfriendly. Such a creature will if they come from talents.
be rude, suspicious, and, maybe, combative. In any A successful result usually means the target of
event, it might not lend aid even if offered your interaction behaves in the way you wanted.
compensation. An unfriendly creature might The target trusts you, accepts your bribe, or gives
become an active enemy. you a big discount on an item or service. A failure
means you don’t get the outcome you desired. The
Changing Dispositions target refuses to help you, doesn’t view you in a
Roleplaying and attribute rolls can change a better light, or withholds information from you.
creature’s disposition to the better or for the Sometimes an exceptionally good or a terrible
worse. A change in disposition lasts until outcome might have additional effects. If you get a
circumstances would alter the creature’s result of 20 or higher when trying to intimidate a
perspective. You might use magic to make an prisoner, the character might reveal more
indifferent creature friendly, but that creature information than you were asking for. Or, on a
might become unfriendly—hostile even—when result of 0 or lower, your attempt to seduce the
the spell wears off. barman could make him unfriendly.

Allies and Enemies in

Combat
Combat
When you use violence to resolve conflict or
In a combat scene, any character or creature challenges, combat begins. Since the stakes are at
actively fighting on your side is your ally, and the highest, combat uses special rules to track
anyone fighting against your side is your enemy. time and to make sure everyone has a chance to
This determination is independent of the participate. A combat lasts until one side defeats
creature's normal disposition toward you, and vice the other. The defeated side might succumb to
versa. One of your allies might be indifferent or their injuries, surrender, or flee.
even unfriendly toward you in everyday life, but Combat takes place on a battlefield, which
when battle is joined, you overlook your includes all the zones in the scene leading up to
differences and act as if you were friendly toward the combat’s start as well as other zones that
each other. might be revealed as the battle unfolds. The Sage
If an effect causes someone else to treat you as determines starting positions for all combatants
an ally, that character or creature will fight on your and notes any pertinent features in the

18
battlefield’s zones that could play a part in COMPANIONS IN COMBAT
determining the battle’s outcome. In combat, companions count as a player for the
purposes of when they take their turns. Companions

Rounds in Combat
take their turns at the same time as the character that
controls them and resolves their turns before or after
Combat unfolds in rounds. Each round, everyone the character does. Companions can normally make use
involved in the combat takes a turn. Once each of activities described in this section, as well as those
options described in their rules. The Sage might disallow
combatant has taken a turn, the round ends and a
some on the grounds of common sense.
new one begins. The cycle continues until the
combat ends.
Positioning and
Turns
Each combatant takes a turn during the round. A
combatant can usually move and use an action.
Engagement
Combatants move around the zones in which they
You can move and then use an action or use an fight, but it is sometimes important to know who
action and then move. In addition, you might act can reach whom. When you move into an enemy’s
out of your turn by using a reaction to do so. See reach, you become engaged with that enemy. Once
"Using Reactions" below for more information. you are engaged, you remain so until you or the
End of Your Turn: An effect might begin or end enemy become incapacitated or you or the enemy
at the end of your turn (after you have had an move away from one another. Leaving
opportunity to move and use an action). If engagement, however, is risky. See Free Attacks,
multiple effects begin or end at the end of your below.
turn, you resolve harmful effects first, in any order
you choose, and then other effects, again, in any
order you choose. Moves
You can use a move on your turn to reposition
Turn Order yourself. You might move somewhere in your
Each round, all the combatants under the Sage’s zone, move into an adjacent, zone, climb up a wall,
control take their turns first, acting in any order or move in some other way. Terrain, traps,
the Sage chooses. Each combatant must complete obstacles, and other features might interfere with
its turn before another can take its turn. The Sage your movement in combat based on the conditions
can change the order in which these combatants of the zones in which the battle takes place. When
resolve their turn each round. you move on your turn, you can choose one of the
Once all combatants under the Sage’s control basic means of locomotion described below. Other
have taken their turns, the players can take their options for movement might be available to you
turns. Players can declare they are taking their from talents, spells, and other effects.
turns in any order they like each round. Once a
player declares they are taking their turn, the
others players must wait until the acting player Walk
finishes their turn. If two players want to act at the You either walk to a different position in your
same time and cannot decide who goes first, the zone, such as where you can reach another
Sage decides for them. creature, or you walk into an adjacent zone and
then stop moving at a point of your choice
anywhere in the new zone. Nonhumanoid
End of the Round creatures might “walk” by slithering, rolling, or
Certain effects occur or are resolved at the end of using some other method of movement.
the round (sometimes expressed as "the end of
each round"), after all combatants have had a
chance to take a turn. First, the Sage tends to any Run
characters and creatures not controlled by the You move at a running pace to any zone within
players, in any order the Sage desires, resolving two zones of where you start running. However,
any effect that normally occurs, starts, or ends at until the end of your next turn, you make Strength
the end of the round. Then, the players do the and Agility attribute rolls with 1 bane, and you
same for their characters, after which the combat impose 1 bane on rolls to attack you for the same
continues with the start of another round. length of time.

19
Crawl running. Rules for these forms of movement
expand on those described above and pertain
If you are prone, you can crawl to any spot in your specifically to moving in combat.
zone including to the edge of your zone. If you are
at the edge of your zone already, you can crawl Climbing in Combat
into the zone adjacent to it.
When you walk up to a climbable surface, rope,
ladder, or something similar in your zone, you can
Sneak start climbing. If you are already climbing, you can
When you move by sneaking, you walk or crawl use your move to continue climbing. You can climb
slowly in a way that makes little sound. You can up or down to the edge of the zone or, if already at
sneak to a point in your zone or to the edge of the edge of the zone, climb up or down to the
your zone. Or, if you are at the edge of your zone, adjacent zone. While climbing, you grant 1 boon
you can sneak into an adjacent zone. on rolls to attack you.
Noisy Surfaces: Broken glass, gravel, twigs, dry
leaves, and the like all make noise when you step Jumping in Combat
on them. If the area you want to sneak through has You can jump or leap as a move or as part of a
such a surface, you make an Agility roll. On a walk or run.
success, you reduce the sound of your movement
to a whisper. Squeezing in Combat
This rule also applies if you're wearing armor You can squeeze through tight spaces by crawling.
that makes noise when you move, or if your A tight space is one that smaller than your body
footwear makes noise whenever you don't tread but no smaller than about 2 feet in width. The
carefully (for instance, when your hard-soled space through which you squeeze counts as a
boots make contact with a stone floor). separate zone. While you are squeezing, you
cannot use reactions and you make attribute rolls
Fly with 1 bane. You might be able to squeeze through
You might have the ability to fly. You could have a smaller space by making a successful Agility roll.
wings or benefit from a magical or supernatural
effect that grants you the ability to fly. When you Swimming in Combat
fly, you move to any zone within three zones of You swim whenever you enter a liquid whose
where you started flying. You remain airborne depth prevents you from wading or you start your
until you land or do not use a move on your turn, turn in a zone of water with such a depth. If you
in which case you fall. enter water as part of your move, you can swim to
If you become prone while flying, you a position in your zone or to the edge of the zone.
immediately fall in to the zone below you. If you If you use a move while in liquid, you can swim to
are not also immobilized, stunned, or unconscious, a position in your zone or in an adjacent one.
and you did not hit a solid surface, you can make While swimming, you make rolls to attack with
an Agility roll. On a success, you end the prone 1 bane and you grant 1 boon on rolls to attack you.
affliction and can continue flying. Otherwise, you
fall a distance of one more zone. Repeat this Riding in Combat
process until either you succeed on a luck roll or You can ride on any creature that has the Mount
you hit something and suffer the consequences trait and is willing to bear you as a rider. The
(see "Falls" above). ridden creature becomes your mount.
If you can hover, you are only at risk of falling A friendly mount is controlled by you while you
when flying when you become unconscious. You ride it.
remain airborne even if you are immobilized or If you ride an unfriendly creature that’s
stunned. unwilling to bear you as a rider, you must first
grab the creature before you can mount it and
then use a minor action on each of your turns to
Special Forms of Movement hold onto the creature. You fall off if you don't do
You can also climb, jump, swim, ride a mount, or so. In addition, while an unfriendly mount resists
drive a vehicle. Sometimes you’ll use these special your efforts to control it, the mount either moves
forms of movement as part of other movement. in the direction it chooses. You can use a move to
For example, you might walk up to a wall and start gain temporary control over the mount: make a
climbing it, or you might leap over a hazard while Will roll against the mount’s Will. On a success, the

20
mount becomes controlled until the start of your Collisions: A collision occurs when a vehicle's
next turn. If you succeed three times in a row and movement brings it into contact with a creature or
the mount knows no languages, you retain control an object. If the creature or object is smaller than
over the mount for as long as you ride it. the vehicle, the vehicle slows down but continues
Your mount takes its turn when you do and you moving. If the creature or object is the same size
resolve the order of your turns in any way you as the vehicle or larger, the vehicle stops moving.
choose. When a collision occurs, the vehicle, its
Prone and Falls: When an effect knocks you occupants, and whatever was hit take damage if
prone while you are riding a mount, make a luck the vehicle is moving at speeds of 10 miles per
roll. On a success, you fall off the mount and land hour or faster. When the collision occurs, the
prone. On a failure, you and your mount both fall object struck takes damage equal to half the speed
prone, and you make an Agility roll. If you fail the at which the vehicle is moving. The vehicle takes
Agility roll, the mount falls on top of you. You take half this damage if it continues moving or twice
2d6 damage and become immobilized by the body this damage if it stops. Any creature inside a
of your mount until the creature stands up or is vehicle that has stopped due to a collision makes a
moved off you. You can use an action to make a luck roll. On a failure, it takes damage equal to that
Strength or Agility roll with 1 bane. On a success, taken by the vehicle. On a success, it takes half the
you wriggle out from under it. damage, or no damage on a result of 20 or higher.
The Sage might decide there are other
Vehicles in Combat consequences from a collision—occupants might
The smallest vehicles are single zones, each one be thrown from the vehicle, fall off the vehicle, or
capable of moving or being moved. Carts, wagons, become trapped inside.
carriages, and small boats, which have a limited
capacity for carrying passengers and cargo, fall Teleportation
into this category. Other, larger vehicles might be Teleportation transports you, along with whatever
large enough to contain multiple zones. You can you are wearing and carrying, from one place to
easily move aboard or disembark from a another in an instant. When you appear in the new
stationary vehicle, and you can move around while location, you do so in the same orientation and
aboard if its size permits. If a vehicle is moving posture had when you left the previous position.
when you try to board it or leave it, the Sage might So, if you were prone, you remain prone after
call for a Strength roll or Agility roll, with a failure teleportation. If an effect teleports multiple
resulting In a fall and damage (see "Falls" above). targets, each appear in the same positions they
Driving and Piloting: A vehicle, whether had relative to each other before they moved.
moving or stationary, is either controlled or Finally, movement by teleportation does not
uncontrolled. In a controlled vehicle, someone is trigger free attacks.
in a position on or inside the vehicle from where it
can be driven or piloted. Controlling a vehicle in
motion requires the driver or pilot to use an action
Other Uses for Moves
In addition to the uses for movement described
to cause the vehicle (or the creatures responsible
above, you might use moves for other things. Some
for drawing It) to move as the controller directs. If
examples follow.
the Sage decides a roll is required to operate the
Retreat: If you are standing on a surface that is
vehicle, you might use Strength or Agility.
not challenging terrain and in the reach of at least
An uncontrolled vehicle is usually stationary. If a
one enemy, you can use a move to move out the
vehicle becomes uncontrolled while moving, it
reach of each enemy that can reach you without
stops eventually when it encounters sufficient
enabling those enemies to make free attacks.
resistance. A sailboat that loses its pilot might drift
Stand Up: If you are prone, by choice or
with the wind and the current until it runs
otherwise, you can use a move to stand up.
aground or crashes into some rocks.
Mount or Dismount: As a move or as part of
Movement: A vehicle can move if it has
your move, you can climb onto the back (or
something to propel it, such as creatures to pull it,
elsewhere) of a friendly mount. As a move, you can
winds to push it, or fuel for its motor. Once in
dismount from it and then walk. See "Mounted
motion, a vehicle can maintain a certain speed,
Combat" for more information, including how to
slow down, or speed up, as dictated by its
mount a creature unfriendly to you.
controller.

21
 Take Control of a Vehicle: If you are on or
adjacent to a vehicle that isn’t being controlled,
Cast a Spell
you can use your move to assume a position or get You cast a spell you have learned, that you read
to a location that enables you to control the from an inscription, or from an object that
vehicle. contains the spell. Unless the spell says otherwise,
you must speak at a volume equivalent to normal
speech to cast a spell you have learned or that you
Movement read from an inscription.

Complications Defend
Various complications, coming from effects that Until the end of your next turn, the first time a
target you or from the nature of your creature succeeds on a roll to attack you, make a
environment, might restrict your movement. luck roll and, on a success, you turn the creature’s
success into a failure.
Being Moved
An effect that forces you to move propels you in Find
the direction and to the distance indicated unless You search your zone for a hidden creature, object,
you encounter an obstacle that prevents you from or some other feature. If it’s there and you can
continuing to move. If being moved would expose perceive it, you find it. If you can’t normally
you to peril, such as pushing you over the edge of a perceive it, the Sage might make a luck roll on
cliff or into a fire, you can make a luck roll and, on your behalf to determine if you find it.
a success, you drop prone at the edge of the
danger.
Help
Moving Out of Reach You grant one creature in your zone 1 boon on the
If you move out of the reach of one or more next attribute roll it makes before the start of your
enemies, you trigger free attacks from those next turn. You can deliver the assistance
enemies. See "Free Attacks," below. immediately upon using this action, even if you
lose the ability to use actions before the target
makes its roll.
Use an Action
When you use an action, you strive to complete a Hide
particular task. Examples include making an If you are in a zone containing no enemies and
attack, casting a spell, or helping an ally there is a place in that zone that can conceal you,
accomplish a task. you become hidden. Once hidden, you remain so
The most common kinds of tasks that require until a creature finds you or you do something to
the use of actions are presented below. Most of reveal yourself—attacking, casting a spell, making
them are self-explanatory; detailed rules about the a loud noise.
Attack action and the Cast a Spell action can be Creatures cannot choose hidden creatures or
found in "Making Attacks" and "Casting Spells" objects as targets for attacks, spells, and other
later in this chapter. effects. If you make an attack against a target from
Often, the rules mention these tasks in a which you are hidden, you make the roll with 1
conversational way, such as I’m retreating or I’m boon.
defending. When you see or say such expressions, Hiding Places: A hiding place is a location that
the implication is that you are using an action to fully obstructs anyone else's view of you when you
retreat or you use an action to defend. occupy it, such as the space under a bed, inside a
wardrobe, or behind a curtain. You stop being
Attack hidden if your hiding place can no longer conceal
you (such as when someone crouches down to
You use a weapon or an unarmed strike to attack a
look under the bed or pulls the curtain aside).
target.
If you’re hidden in a hiding place and move to a
different one, you can remain hidden as long as no
one is observing you while you move. A creature
that has line of sight to your current hiding place,

22
the destination of your move, or any space effect that can be overcome tells you what
between these two locations. If you have no attribute to use. If not, the Sage decides.
observes, you change hiding places and remain
hidden, though the Sage might determine you have
to sneak to avoid gaining your enemies’ attention.
Prepare
You plan to wait for the right moment to act.
HIDING EXAMPLES Choose an action you intend to use in the near
Many talents, spells, and other effects depend on being future, such as to attack or rush, and then describe
hidden and interact with the rules for hiding, sneaking, what event must occur for you to undertake it. If
and the like. Here are some examples to help you put the event occurs before the start of your next turn,
these rules into practice. you use a reaction to perform the activity. You
Example 1: Chris’s character, Boris, sneaks down a make any roll required by the enabled activity
passageway and comes to an open door. From the with 1 boon.
opening, Boris hears several raised voices. The Sage

Stabilize
rules that Boris is hidden from the guards since Boris is in
another zone (the corridor) and the voices’ owners are
not aware of him (their own conversation is louder than One incapacitated creature in reach heals damage
Boris’s sneaking footsteps and they lack line of sight to equal to its level (minimum 1).
the corridor).
Example 2: Boris darts across the open door to move
to a different hiding place, one that happens to be on
Steal
the other side of the door. Since Boris is moving from If you have one hand free, you can make an Agility
one hiding place to another and no one is observing him, roll against the Agility of one creature in reach
he hopes to get to the new place without trouble. But that is carrying on its person one object you can
the Sage decides one of the guards happens to be facing see. If you are hidden from the target, you make
the open door, and so calls for Chris to make a luck roll. the roll with 1 boon. On a success, you take the
Chris gets a success and the guard looks away just as object from the target.
Chris sneaks past the open door.
Example 3: Later, Boris’s companions get into a fight
with the guards. At the beginning of combat, Boris is
Throw
hidden from the enemies and so, when he takes his turn, If you are holding something in one or both of
he springs out of hiding and attacks. The next round, the your hands, you throw it at one creature, object, or
surviving guards are aware of Boris, so Boris cannot hide space in your zone or an adjacent zone. If you
from them until he moves somewhere that they cannot throw a weapon, resolve the activity as if you were
see him. making a ranged attack. Otherwise, make a
Strength or Agility roll against the target’s Agility
Hinder and, on a success, the object hits the target, with
the effects determined by the object thrown. On a
You impose 1 bane on the next attribute roll one
failure, the object misses and lands 1d6 feet away
creature in your zone makes before the start of
from the target—behind it if you rolled an even
your next turn. You create the hindrance
number, or in front of the target if you rolled an
immediately upon using this action, even if you
odd number.
lose the ability to use actions before the target
makes its roll.
Gain a Move
Interact You swap your action out for an additional move.
You interact with an object you can reach—you
pick something off the ground, kick in a locked Gain a Minor Action
door, lift the lid on a chest, pull a lever, or do You gain one minor action.
something else. The Sage or the rules determine if
an attribute roll is required. Use a Talent or Trait
You perform an activity granted by one of your
Overcome talents or traits. Note that some traits and talents
If you have an affliction or suffer from some other have effects produced by using a reaction, a minor
persistent effect that does not have a permanent action, or even a move.
duration, you can make an attribute roll to rid
yourself of it. The source of the affliction or the

23
Use an Item Take the Initiative
You use an item that you wield such as a gadget, If you’re aware of the enemies when a new round
trinket, or piece of gear. The item tells you what starts, you can use a reaction to take the initiative.
happens as a result. Some items can be used Before your enemies take their turns, you can
without having to use an action—a use might either use an action or a move, and then your turn
count as a minor action, for example. ends. If you and other allies all take the initiative,
you decide among yourself who goes first as
Do Something Else normal, or the Sage does if no one can decide.
The activities described above represent the most
common performed in combat, but they are not Cover Ally
exhaustive. You might, for example, attempt to When an enemy attacks a target within your reach,
taunt an enemy into attacking you or issue a nasty you can use a reaction to switch the enemy’s
threat to demoralize your foes or yank down a target from the one chosen to you.
tapestry to cover your opponents. It falls to the
Sage to interpret how to resolve these activities,
but they involve, typically, making an attribute roll
Dodge
When a creature would make a roll against your
or enabling targets to make an attribute or luck
Defense or Agility or you would make an Agility
roll.
roll to avoid an effect or mitigate a harmful effect,
you can use a reaction to either impose 1 bane on
Minor Actions the roll or make your roll with 1 boon.
Activities that use an action require significant
effort and attention, which is why they take up Free Attack
most of your turn. Some activities you perform When an enemy willingly moves out of your reach,
take a mere fraction of the effort. You can use one you can use a reaction to attack that creature with
minor action at any point during your turn. a melee weapon you are wielding or an unarmed
Common activities that require the use of a minor attack if you have a hand free.
action include the following:
• Drop something you hold in your hands. Withstand
• Draw a weapon from its scabbard. When a creature would make a roll against your
• Open an unlocked door, chest, or some other Strength or you would make a Strength roll to
container in your zone. avoid an effect or mitigate a harmful effect, you
• Retrieve an item from your backpack or some can use a reaction before the dice are rolled to
other container you carry. either impose 1 bane on the roll or make your roll
• You drop prone. with 1 boon.
• You drop to a surface below you and you might
fall prone fall prone (see Falling).
Some talents and traits allow you to produce
other effects by using a minor action as noted in
Making Attacks
You make an attack whenever you would
their descriptions. physically harm a creature or object. Normally, you
use a weapon to attack, but you might also use a
Reactions natural weapon if you have one, an unarmed
attack, or an object you hold in your hands. Your
You can use a reaction once each round to perform attack in a round represents the best chance you
one of the following special activities. Each activity have to land a telling blow against the target you
describes the event that has to occur in order to choose. You resolve the attack as follows.
use the reaction. In addition to the options
presented below, you might use talents and cast
spells using reactions as noted in their Choose a Target
descriptions. You can target any creature, or object, within the
Unless the circumstance enabling the use of the range of the weapon you use to make the attack,
reaction says otherwise, you resolve the use of the provided you are aware of the creature or object. If
reaction before any dice are rolled. you wield a melee weapon, you choose your
targets from among those in reach. If you wield a

24
ranged weapon, you choose your target from Invisible Targets
among those outside of your reach to within the If you can’t see the target, but have a general idea
weapon’s range. about the target’s location, you make the roll with
3 banes.
Attribute Rolls
If you make an attack with a melee weapon, you Partial Cover and Total Cover
make a Strength roll. If you make an attack with a A target positioned behind an obstacle (which can
ranged weapon, you make an Agility roll. You be a creature or an object) has partial cover from
make these rolls against your target’s Defense. enemies that can see any part of its body, but not
all of it, and imposes 1 bane on rolls against its
Defense and Agility, and makes Agility rolls to
Success or Failure avoid harmful effects with 1 boon. You can also
If you succeed on the roll, you determine damage attack the obstacle and remove it if you destroy it.
by rolling one or more d6s and applying the total A target has total cover from enemies if there is
to the target. Some weapons have additional no line of sight to it because the target is behind an
effects as noted in their descriptions. Normally, obstacle and cannot be seen by an enemy. Such a
nothing happens when you fail a roll to attack. target cannot be directly attacked or affected by an
ECHO SWINGS A SWORD effect unless the rules say otherwise. Instead,
Justin plays Echo, a human mage armed with a sword. attacks against the target strike the obstacle. If the
There’s a bandit in reach, so Justin decides to attack the obstacle is destroyed as a result, any additional
bandit. Justin makes a Strength roll against the bandit’s damage dealt by that attack or effect is applied to
Defense. Justin rolls a 13 and adds 1 to the roll from his 11 whatever was behind the obstacle.
Strength for a result of 14. The bandit’s Defense is 11, so Note that these rules apply in situations when
Echo succeeds. A successful sword attack deals 1d6 an attacker cannot position itself to get a clear
damage, so Justin rolls a d6 and gets a 4. The bandit shot against a target. A enemy attacking a target in
takes 4 damage. its zone can typically thwart cover granted by
allies and obstacles through simple positioning.
Weapon Properties BOBBI SHOOTS THE CURTAIN
Many weapons have properties that can affect how Bobbi rightly suspects an enemy hides behind a curtain
you use them. Weapon properties are described in and so she shoots the curtain where she expects the
the Equipment chapter enemy to be hiding. Bobbi hits the curtain and deals 10
damage. The Sage decides the curtain has Health 5, so
Attack Modifiers Bobby shoots through the curtain and deals 5 damage to
whatever happens to be behind it. In this case, an
Attack modifiers reflect the various circumstances
assassin had been waiting to spring out of hiding to kill
that make attacking harder or easier. The Sage her. Lucky Bobbi.
might also grant boons and impose banes
depending on other circumstances. Friendly Fire
When you make a ranged attack against a target in
Surrounded Target a zone containing of one or more of your allies,
When you make a close attack against a target that you risk striking an unintended target. You make
has been attacked by an ally using a melee weapon the roll with 1 bane. If you get a failure and the
in the same round, you make the roll with 1 boon. result of your roll is 0 or lower, you strike an ally of
the Sage’s choice instead of the target.
High Ground
You make a roll to attack an enemy with a weapon Called Shots
with 1 boon when you attack from above, such as When you attack, you can aim for a certain part of
from the back of a steed or on a higher step of a the target’s body. Doing so imposes 1 bane on your
staircase. roll, but if you succeed, the target becomes
impaired until you take your next turn. The
Poor Visual Conditions attribute impaired depends on the strike. If you
Falling rain and snow, smoke, and other aim for a vital organ, the target might become
atmospheric conditions impose 1 or more banes Strength impaired. If you aim for a wing or limb,
on rolls against targets you can see. the target might become Agility impaired. If you

25
aim for the head, the target could be Intellect Strength. You make the roll with 1 boon if you
impaired. used your move on your current turn to run. On a
success, you push the target into an adjacent zone
Attacking with Two Weapons or both you and the target fall prone. If the result
If you wield two weapons, one in each hand, you of your roll is 20 or higher, the target also falls
can attack with both weapons at the same time. prone and without you having to fall prone as well.
When you do so, only the properties from the
weapon you wield in your main hand apply. On a Grab
success, add the damage from the weapon you You try to grab a creature in reach. Make a
wield in your off-hand as extra damage for the Strength roll against the target's Agility. You
attack. succeed automatically against an immobilized
creature. On a success, the target becomes
Thrown Weapons immobilized until the end of your next turn. The
Some weapons have the thrown property, which affliction ends early if you release the target,
lets you throw them at targets beyond your reach which you can do freely. The effect also ends if you
but within the number of zones listed for the move away from the target without dragging it
thrown property. Once you throw a weapon, it (see Drag) or you become controlled, dazed,
either sticks in the target’s body or bounces off the stunned, or unconscious.
target and falls to the ground—the Sage decides. If you have a target grabbed, you can use an
In any case, you must retrieve the weapon before action extend the duration until the end of your
you attack with it again. next turn.
A grabbed target can overcome the effects of
Natural Weapons being grabbed by making a successful Strength roll
or Agility roll.
Some creatures have natural weapons, such as
claws or teeth. A natural weapon is part of the
creature’s body and as such the creature is
Drag
You attempt to move while you have a creature
considered to be always wielding a melee weapon.
grabbed and bring the creature with you. Make a
Sometimes a natural weapon is called such, but
Strength roll against the Strength of grabbed
often a natural weapon is implied by its name—
creature. On a success, you move as normal and
tail, claw, teeth, and so on.
the creature moves with you.

Unarmed Attacks Wrestle

You can make unarmed attacks using your hands, You attempt to wrestle a creature you have
feet, elbows, and the like. There are several ways grabbed to prevent it from doing anything except
to make an unarmed attack, each of which are try to overcome the grab. Make a Strength roll or
described below. Agility roll against the Strength or Agility of one
Size and Unarmed Attacks When you make an creature you have grabbed. On a success, the
unarmed attack against a target considerably target becomes held until the end of your next
larger than you or smaller than you, the Sage turn or until you release it, which you can do at
might grant boons or impose banes as the any time for free. The effect also ends if the target
circumstances suggest. The Sage might also deem is no longer in your zone, or if you become dazed,
certain unarmed attacks are impossible against stunned, controlled, or unconscious.
some creatures—good luck trying to wrestle the A held target is immobilized, cannot stand up,
dragon! cannot use actions or reactions. The target makes
Strength and Agility rolls with 1 bane. When the
Unarmed Strike target becomes held, you can choose to deal 1d6
You attempt to punch, kick, elbow, or headbutt one damage.
creature in reach. Make a Strength roll with 1 bane While you have a target held, you cannot move,
against the target’s Defense. On a success, the you cannot use reactions or minor actions, you
target takes 1d6 damage. provide partial cover to the target, and you grant 1
boon on rolls to attack you.
Shove You can maintain the hold on your turn by using
You attempt to shove a creature in reach out of an action to do so, which causes the target to be
reach. Make a Strength roll against the target’s held again until the end of your next turn.

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 UNARMED ATTACKS AGAINST OBJECTS Agility roll with 1 bane against the target’s
Some objects might be immune to unarmed attacks at
the Sage’s discretion. Shoving a secured column likely
has no effect and punching an iron wall is not going to
do anything more than hurt yourself. The Sage might
disallow unarmed attacks against objects and animated
objects or impose 1 bane or more on rolls against them.
Furthermore, such attacks could have harmful
consequences for the attacker.
Defense. On a success, the target drops one object
it holds in its hands. If the result of your roll is 20
or higher, and you have a hand free, you can snatch
the dropped object out of the air. If you fail the roll,
though, you grant the target 1 boon on rolls it
makes against you until the start of your next turn.
Driving Attack
Spend 2 combat tokens when you use an action to

Combat Tokens attack with a melee weapon or unarmed strike. On

a success, you and the target move into an
Certain paths grant combat tokens as a benefit. adjacent zone.
You spend combat tokens when you use an action Far Attack
to attack, perform a combat maneuvers, or use When you attack with a ranged weapon, you can
some talents. If you would attack using a reaction, choose your targets beyond the range of your
minor action, or some other resource, you cannot weapon. Spend any number of combat tokens to
combat tokens to enhance the attack unless the increase the range of your ranged weapon by one
rules say otherwise. You replenish your supply of per combat token spent, up to a maximum of
combat tokens at the start of each of your turns. double the weapon’s normal range.
You can spend combat tokens in any of the
following ways. Guarded Attack
Spend 2 combat tokens when you use an action to
Extra Targets attack with a melee weapon. Until the start of your
When you choose your target for an attack you next turn, you impose 1 bane on rolls the target
make with a weapon, you can spend combat makes to attack you. If you are wielding a shield,
tokens to attack additional targets. For every 2 the number of banes increases to 2. The effect
combat tokens you spend, you can target one ends early if you become controlled, dazed,
additional creature. Some weapon properties stunned, or unconscious.
require you to spend more or fewer tokens to Hit and Run Attack
attack extra targets. When you attack with a melee weapon, you can
spend 3 combat tokens. After the attack, you move
Extra Damage out of your target’s reach without triggering a free
When you succeed on a roll to attack, you can attack.
spend combat tokens to deal extra damage with
the attack. For every 2 combat tokens you spend, Off-Hand Attack
your attack deals an extra 1d6 damage. Certain If you are wielding two weapons, one of which has
weapon properties discount or increase the the off-hand property, you can spend 2 combat
combat tokens you need to spend to deal extra tokens to make an additional attack using the off-
damage with them. hand weapon instead of using the normal rules for
fighting with two weapons. You can make this
Combat Maneuvers additional attack against the target of your main
Combat maneuvers provide ways to produce weapon attack or a different one.
effects other than damage. You might lunge at a Unbalancing Attack
foe or smash into the foe to send it sprawling. Spend 2 combat tokens when you make a close or
Whenever you make an attack, you can choose to unarmed attack. On a success, the target makes an
perform a maneuver by spending combat tokens Agility roll and falls prone on a failure.
as noted in the maneuver’s description. You can
perform only one maneuver per attack.
Disarming Attack
Casting Spells
If you wield a melee weapon, you use it to knock You can cast any spell you have learned or in
something from the hand of one creature in reach. written form as an inscription once and then the
Spend a number of combat tokens equal to the spell is lost. You replenish castings of spells you
target’s level (minimum 1). Make a Strength or have learned when you rest for 8 hours.

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 Spell Tiers: A spell belongs to a particular tier, Such durations follow the normal rules concerning
which describes the earliest point you can learn durations.
the spell as well as its overall potency. Spells
described in this book are either minor, novice,
expert, or master spells. Combat
Name
Requirement Any circumstances, situations, or items you
Developments
Although many combats take place in stable
must have in order to cast the spell. If the spell lacks
requirements, this entry is absent. environments between you and your foes,
Casting You can cast any spell you have learned at least once. situations might arise that can tip the scales one
You regain expended castings after a full night’s rest. This way or the other.
entry offers a description of any rules that pertain to the
casting of the spell, such as an increased number of castings,
the ability to cast the spell as a minor action or using a Zone Features
reaction, or if you have to do anything else to cast the spell. If
the spell lacks such rules, this entry is absent.
Many zones include features with which you can
Target A description of what the spell targets. If the spell interact. Doors can be opened and closed, tables
targets you and you alone, this entry is absent. flipped to provide cover, and curtains can be
Effect A description of what happens when you cast the spell. pulled down to briefly tangle up enemies. Using
zone features in creative ways can give you and
Targeting your friends an edge against difficult opponents.
Unless the spell says otherwise, you must be able
to see a target and be able to draw a line between Hidden Features
yourself and it. In other words, you need an As mentioned previously, many zones have hidden
unobstructed path between you and the target. features that must be discovered by searching or
Spells tend not to move around corners and other stumbling across them. A hidden door could
obstacles unless the effect says otherwise provide you with an escape route from an
Creatures and/or Objects: The spell targets unwinnable fight, while stepping on a pressure
up to the listed number of creatures, objects, or plate might send a barrage of arrows through the
creatures and objects. You can always choose room, a pit to open under you, or an alarm to
fewer targets than the spell allows. Also, if a spell sound that alerts other nearby foes. Hidden
would target a creature and you are a creature, features that rely on being triggered take effect
you can target yourself with the spell. immediately when triggered and their ongoing
A spell might specify allies or enemies, in which effects, if any, resolve at the round’s end when the
case the spell can affect only your allies or your Sage resolves end of round effects.
enemies. You count as your own ally.
Zones: The spell targets one or more zones. If
the target line instructs you to choose contiguous Changing Circumstances
zones, each target zone must share a border with A fiery blast might dispatch a band of goblins, but
at least one other target zone. it could also set fire to everything in the room.
Booming thunder might cause an unstable ceiling
to start falling in and shattering a wall with
Rolls tremendous force could cause it to crumble and
Some spells require you to make an attribute roll release the waters it held back. Sometimes your
to produce the desired effect or to improve its activities can have unexpected consequences that
effect, while other spells might allow targets to might aid you or make things worse.
mitigate the spell’s effects with a successful rolls.
If a spell has multiple targets and calls for a roll,
you make the roll for each target separately. Reinforcements
Cover: Cover applies when an obstacle partly The sounds of combat might draw reinforcements
blocks the path between the source of the spell or other enemies into the battle, causing more foes
effect and the target and only if you are rolling to appear at the round’s end. The Sage places new
against a target’s Defense or Agility. combatants on the revealed zone from the greatest
Nested Durations: Sometimes, an effect created concentration of combatants in the direction from
by a success or failure lasts for a period of time. which they come.

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 Extended Chases
Chases If a chase goes on for 1 minute or longer, each
You or your enemies might try to run away. participant must make a Strength roll at the end of
Assuming no one follows, the fleeing party each round. On a failure, a participant becomes
escapes. If one or more creatures take off after Agility impaired until the chase ends.
them, a chase begins between the pursued and
their pursuers. Ending the Chase
When a chase begins, the Sage decides how The chase ends when the lead drops to 0, in which
much of a lead the pursued have on the pursuers. case the pursuers catch up with the pursued, or
The lead is measured in zones, and each round the the pursuers lose track of the pursued, give up, or
pursued spent fleeing adds 1 to the lead. If the do something else.
pursued fled 2 rounds before the pursuers follow,
the lead becomes 2, for example. The pursued,
then, try to increase the lead, while the pursuers
work to lessen it. The pursuers can abandon the
chase at any time, at which point the chase ends.
Like combat, the chase takes place over a series
of rounds. Unlike combat, the pursued take their
turns and then the pursuers take their turns. The
round ends and a new round begins until the
chase ends.

Pursued Turns
Every creature in the group being chased makes
an Agility roll. If half or more succeed, the lead
increases by 1. If fewer than half succeed, the lead
is unchanged. A pursued creature can do
something else such as cast a spell or hide, but
that creature leaves the group of pursued. In
addition, creatures in this group might split up
into smaller groups or as individuals. Those not
pursued get away.

Pursuers Turn
Each group chasing the fleeing creature makes an
Agility roll. If half or more succeed, the lead
decreases by 1 and nothing happens if more than
half fail. During the chase, individual pursuers
might split off to chase creatures that have gone
off in a different direction, in which case the Sage
treats these as separate chases. Finally, the
pursuers can also take other actions—attacking,
casting a spell, or something else, but this usually
means the creature falls behind.

Chase Complications
The chase takes the pursued and the pursuers
through zones, which might introduce
complications as the fleeing creatures might
scramble over rubble, leap over pits, or lead the
pursuers into dangerous places. Some challenges
might require an attribute or a luck roll to
continue to give chase at the Sage’s discretion.

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