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

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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

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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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