Sir Qina’an Nahtam serves as the leader of the High Guard.

He is

a fennec fox originally from a far-off land. He came to Talon Hill

with Morgana IV after he saved her life years ago. He became

a member, and eventually the leader, of the High Guard. He

avoids choosing beween the three successors by following the

letter of the law and serving Thurgud II. He is currently trying to

be both the chief peacekeeper of Talon Hill and the commander

of the High Guard’s expeditions into Augustine Castle. He and

his forces are stretched thin, and they aren’t succeeding well at

either duty. His distraction allowed the Winter Night to violate

the deal he made with her. Now he has to contend with the

Syndicate’s ambition and inernal strife, as well as a series of

murders within his city! He is more and more prone to making

snap judgments in moments of stress. In particular, his own

homegrown prejudice against the Lizard Cult leads him to

condemn Clement Meekly and the local Cult, and he’s likely to

ignore local denizens seeking to enact mob justice upon Meekly.

exhaustion ■ ■■ ■

injury ■ ■■ ■

wear ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■

morale ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■

Drive: To obey the lord of Talon Hill

Equipment:

• Armor of the High Guard

• Eyrie-made sword

Moves:

• Deploy the High Guard

• Investigate a criminal situation

• Delegate High Guard resources to a proxy

High Guard

The High Guard defends the ashwood throne and polices

Talon Hill. They always keep a small contingent close to Lord

Thurgud in case war breaks out. The rest are stationed around

and within the ruins of Augustine Castle. If needed, you can

create specific individual soldiers: use the GM’s NPC creation

rules, being sure to always give them at least 1 box of wear for

their armor, and 1-injury harm for their weapons.

Medium mob: These stats represent a significant group of High

Guard members, likely to be found in any serious conflict.

exhaustion ■ ■■ ■ ■■ ■■ ■■ ■■

injury ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■■ ■■

wear ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■

morale ■ ■■ ■ ■■ ■■ ■■

Harm inflicted: 3-injury

Drive: To serve and defend Lord Thurgud

Equipment:

• Halberds, chainmail

Moves:

• Hunt down interlopers

• Arrest and imprison a wrongdoer

• Intimidate through a show of force

Silver Talons

For lifetimes, the Silver Talons acted as an expeditionary

military for Talon Hill. In the most recent Woodland War,

General Theodora led the Silver Talons to aid the wider

Eyrie in battle against the other factions. When Thurgud

took charge of their home clearing, the Silver Talons balked,

returning to Talon Hill in force to support Theodora’s claim

to the throne. If needed, you can create specific individual

soldiers: use the GM’s NPC creation rules, being sure to always

give them at least 1 box of wear for their armor, and 1-injury

and 1-exhaustion harm for their weapons.

Small mob: These stats represent a squad of the Silver Talons,

the most common size of group the PCs are likely to encounter

in any given situation.

exhaustion ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■

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wear ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■

morale ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Harm inflicted: 2-injury and 2-exhaustion

Drive: To make General Theodora the Lady of Talon Hill

Equipment:

• Well-used and maintained longswords, light armor

Moves:

• Move expertly and quietly

• Cajole others into compliance through threats and pleas

• Engage in ordered battle

Riverfolk Company Mercenaries

Captain Signa of the Riverfolk Company is here to support

Gaius with a complement of mercenaries. Most of the time,

they are all together, so vagabonds have to deal with the

whole group. They generally remain out of sight, but Signa

has pledged them to Gaius, and in the event of a conflict, they

would surge out. If needed, you can create specific individual

mercenaries: use the GM’s NPC creation rules, being sure to

always give them at least 2 boxes of wear for their armor, and

1-injury harm for their weapons.

Small mob: These stats represent a squad of the mercenaries,

the most common size of group the PCs are likely to

encounter in any given situation.

exhaustion ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■

injury ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■

wear ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

morale ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■

Harm inflicted: 2-injury

Drive: To fulfill the contracts and agreements of Signa

Equipment:

• Hammers and axes, hardened plant armor and chainmail

Moves:

• Ambush opposing soldiers or targets of interest

• Pull back from a fight they aren’t clearly winning

• Threaten potential enemies into submission

Root: The Roleplaying GameRoot: The Roleplaying Game 2323

Augustine Castle

Built within the twisty branches of an ancient oak at the

top of the eponymous Talon Hill, the Augustine Castle is

a remnant of a more prosperous time. When the fortress

fell with Lord Dante VII still inside, the symbols of power

were lost. The castle was condemned, and the symbols left

to molder as Talon Hill moved forward. Now giant ants

make the ruins their home and will die defending their

queen against all comers. The High Guard and Silver Talons

both are stationed all around to keep denizens out. Not a

day passes where a room or passageway doesn’t crumble or

collapse. The soldiers aren’t everywhere, however, and one

entrance, a former drainway from the kitchens, remains an

access point for any who know of it.

Citadel of the Shield

The Citadel of the Shield is the stronghold of the Silver Talons

and sits on the ground floor of the clearing. Theodora’s

headquarters is here. The citadel is heavily fortified with stone

walls and roofs and has its own larder and plenty of supplies,

making it impractical for the High Guard to lay siege.

Kingfisher Manor

Built in the highest part of the trees below Talon Hill,

Kingfisher Manor is the current seat of power for the

clearing. For generations, the Kingfisher dynasty has ruled

from this palatial estate. Thurgud and all his siblings and

cousins live here, and the High Guard is stationed inside

with a small guardhouse nearby comprising their offices.

Kingfisher Manor is not well protected or designed to resist

attackers—the citadel was supposed to be the real gateway to

the manor. The manor is on lockdown, and only those with a

royal request are allowed inside.

Talon Hill Orphanage

The orphanage is a large complex that used to be several

individual homes. Talon Hill Orphanage features a large

school building and a dormitory for the children, as well as

the worship house for the faithful and a graveyard. While it

does boast gates and a wall, it is not particularly defensible.

The Full Moon Club

It’s an open secret that, while masquerading as a mere tavern

and card house, this is the home base of the Moonlight

Syndicate and their leader, the Winter Night. All manner of

unsavory types can be found in the bar and game rooms, at all
hours of the day and night. During the day, leaders in the less

affluent communities of the clearing come here to meet with

the Winter Night to conduct business, as it is the Syndicate

who provides municipal services for those places.

Important PlacesImportant Places Special RulesSpecial Rules

Giant Ants

Giant ants roam the halls of Augustine Castle. They have the

following stats:

Small mob: These stats represent a small group of ants that

patrol the castle halls, the most common size of group that the

vagabonds will encounter.

exhaustion ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ injury ■ ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Drive: To protect their queen

Moves:

• Break a wall to cause a collapse

• Swarm upon a threat to the hive

• Pick up a target to carry them away

Note: When a group of ants is defeated, they exude a warning

scent that brings another group of ants to the area.

Shaky Ground

The ruins of the castle are dangerous to move around in.

Whenever one or more characters undertake vigorous activity

that could threaten a collapse within the castle proper, roll

1d6, +1 for every time you’ve made the roll since the last

collapse. If the total is 6 or more, then there is a collapse,

inflicting at least 1-injury on all characters present, though

potentially more based on the fiction.

The vagabonds find Talon Hill on the edge of civil war. Make

sure the vagabonds feel that this is more than a fight between
politicians—this struggle could break out into active war that

would ravage the whole clearing. The denizens of Talon Hill

are deeply invested in whom their leaders are.

To start, introduce them to the conflicts with an immediate

confrontation between the High Guard and the Silver Talons.

The Guard is arresting someone who is loudly proclaiming that

Thurgud is not their lord, and the Silver Talons try to step in.

If the vagabonds don’t get involved, the conflict will reach the

verge of a real fight before Sir Qina’an Nahtam arrives to order

the High Guard to stand down and go to Augustine Castle.

After that, introduce them to the various NPCs who might

be interested in their services. Gaius, keeping an eye on

newcomers, will invite them to a feast and pitch them on

exploring the ruins for him in exchange for a big payday.

Qina’an Nahtam might offer them money to help patrol

and keep the peace in the clearing, if they seem like useful,

trustworthy allies. If not, Nahtam might conscript them for the

High Guard’s efforts at the Augustine Castle.

Where to BeginWhere to Begin

2424 Free RPG Day BookletFree RPG Day Booklet

In the marketplace, the vagabonds might come across a Silver

Talon or High Guard “recruiting drive,” pressuring denizens

into joining a “Special Expeditionary Force,” looking for the

relics but without pay or protection. Things turn worse quickly

when the soldiers begin grabbing and dragging reluctant

denizens away.

In the lower sections of the clearing, the PCs might catch

word of the killings, and of the Cult’s purported guilt. Clement

Meekly would try to get their help, hoping that they are more
understanding than the average denizens of the clearing,

though he can’t offer much of a reward. And if the PCs make

their way into the Full Moon club, they will encounter Diana

and possibly even the Winter Night herself—the two Syndicate

leaders won’t be very trusting, but they might find a use for

the vagabonds with their respective problems, especially if the

vagabonds seem to have similar sympathies.

If the game begins to slow, the tension starts to fade, or the

vagabonds need something more to draw them into the

conflicts of Talon Hill, make an escalation—a special move

that creates a new problem that they’ll need to address. Here

are some examples:

• A shipment of illicit goods has been taken from a

Moonlight Syndicate warehouse, stolen out from under the

talons of the Winter Night. She can’t allow this to stand

and wants the contraband back at all costs. She’s willing

to actively make an alliance with another power such as

the High Guard—if it will get her back her goods. But such

an alliance will immediately upset the tenuous balance

throughout the clearing, leading to open conflict.

• Thurgud has decreed that protesting his rulership openly is

not only seditious, but actively treasonous and punishable

by death. Those who have already been arrested for

speaking out will be the first to hang in three days’ time.

• A mob of denizens who live in the neighborhood of the

orphanage have massed to protest the Cult, blaming them

for the deaths around Talon Hill. The High Guard is there

ostensibly to prevent the protest from becoming a riot, but

Sir Qina’an won’t have his troops intervene without dire

need, not least because he sympathizes with the mob.

• Another collapse in the ruins creates a larger, obvious

entrance into the old castle. Suddenly the High Guard is

stretched far too thin to protect every entrance, and the

conflict turns into a mad rush to get into the castle and

find the symbols of power.

• Violence breaks out between the High Guard and the

Silver Talons when one of the less well-trained High Guard

officers takes a stab at a soldier to get him to move from a

path. The fight starts a fire that endangers the clearing.

PlaybooksPlaybooks

Below is a list of all the pregenerated characters included

in this quickstart. In the following pages, you’ll find the

playbooks themselves, each designed to be printed on a single

sheet of 8.5” x 11” paper, single-sided. There are six vagabonds

in this booklet.

• Fineas the Champion: Fineas is a former soldier of the

Silver Talons who turned away from war to find a better

path to heroism...although he still loves a good fight.

• Saga the Chronicler: Saga is a scholar and historian, most

interested in truth and history, and determined not to let

others abuse knowledge for selfish, destructive purposes.

• Shariyen the Envoy: Shariyen is a world traveler and

diplomat, interested both in resolving dangerous, harmful

conflicts, and in building her own reputation and wealth.

• Jeurgin the Heretic: Jeurgin preaches about the Great

Tree, with a faith that emphasizes defending those who

need it, and he seeks allies in Talon Hill.

• Dona the Seeker: Dona is an explorer who loves going

into ruins and wondrous places. She also has a real problem

with tyrants who would take advantage of others.

• Aurélien the Exile: Aurélien was once a proud noble

knight of the Eyrie Dynasties before being betrayed by foes

and friends; now they seek justice and vengeance.

PC Bonds to Talon Hill

Each prebuilt PC in this booklet has some bonds tying them to Talon Hill and its NPCs. These bonds are
described in

the backgrounds on the character sheets, as well as here for the GM to reference:

• Fineas the Champion: He used to be a part of

Theodora’s Silver Talons. At the start of play, Fineas

chooses the Just and the Enemy, choosing to stand with

one successor and against another.

• Saga the Chronicler: Saga is a scholar with the acumen

to either support Gaius’s archaic methodology, or to

undermine it; all sides will be interested in Saga’s help.

• Shariyen the Envoy: Shariyen the Envoy is known to

Thurgud and to Clement Meekly, both of whom will

want Shariyen’s help in resolving conflicts.

• Jeurgin the Heretic: Jeurgin is looking for a home to

build the Followers of the Great Tree, and to that end

has petitioned Theodora and Gaius, offering aid.

• Dona the Seeker: Dona owes a favor to the Moonlight

Syndicate for a clue on where to find one of the symbols

of power.

• Aurélien the Exile: Aurélien’s player chooses at the

start of play whether they seek vengeance against

Thurgud, Theodora, or Gaius primarily—whoever is

chosen is heavily responsible for Aurélien’s exile.

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Denizens
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Lizard Cult

Riverfolk Companyyour reputationnotorietyprestige

Background

Fineas was is well acquainted with

the strife of Talon Hill, having been

born here. He served as a Silver Talon

in General Theodora’s army before

leaving—he found the nature of the

war to be too much, too full of pain

without honor, for him. He became a

vagabond to seek a true nobility, to be

a beacon, the defender of the innocent

and warrior hero. His success so far

has been…mixed, but he hopes that

in returning to Talon Hill at the time

of this new crisis, he can make a real

difference. One of the first, greatest

decisions facing him is exactly with

which successor he will side. He is a

brilliant warrior, and he enjoys fighting,

but his own personal code of heroism

means he won’t throw the first punch

unless he is going up against someone

he already knows to be deeply unjust.

Fineas the ChampionFineas the Champion A noble, powerful, bumbling would-be hero. Fineas is trying
to

represent true nobility. He has left the service of Lady Theodora to

seek greater justice.

Your Moves

Take Up the Call: Between Thurgud’s

faction, Theodora’s faction, or Gaius’s faction

of the Eyrie, declare one to be the best hope

for the Woodland (The Just) and the other

evil tyrants (The Enemy). Take +1 ongoing to

protect members of the Just or harm agents

of the Enemy. You may switch which of them

you consider to be the Just or the Enemy once

per session by clearing all prestige from the

Eyrie; your reputation remains the same.

The Just:_________ The Enemy: __________

The role you often fill as a champion:

• Paladin: When you inflict harm on the

Enemy, inflict 1 additional harm; when you

suffer harm protecting the Just, suffer 1

fewer harm.

Skill Against Skill Alone: When you

grapple with an enemy and roll a 12+, you

may take their blows to incapacitate them;

suffer their full harm to fill their exhaustion

or injury track.

Family

____________ and I are more-or-less siblings

after years spent in each other’s company. Why

have we struggled to get along in the past?

When you help them fulfill their nature, you

both clear your exhaustion track.

Protector
____________ is a true hero, someone whom

even I look up to for their moral clarity.

What did they do that convinced me of their

righteousness?

When they are in reach, mark exhaustion to

take a blow meant for them. If you do, take

+1 ongoing to weapon moves for the rest of

the scene.

Your Nature

Exemplar: Clear your exhaustion track when you publicly take on

a challenging task on behalf of the Just and those they represent.

Your Drives

Justice: Advance when you achieve justice for someone

wronged by a powerful, wealthy, or high-status individual.

Principles: Advance when you achieve justice for someone

wronged by a powerful, wealthy, or high-status individual.fiffiflff fflffiiinffljuffiir

Charm +2 • Cunning -1 • Finesse -1 • Luck +1 • Might +2

injury

exhaustion

depletion

Your Equipment carrying: 3 burdened: 6 maximum carry: 12

Roguish Feats: Sleight of Hand

Weapon Skills: Cleave

Polearm ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■

• Range: Close | Weapon skill tags: Cleave, Disarm, Storm a Group

• Reach: When you engage in melee, mark wear on this weapon to inflict harm instead of

trading harm; you cannot use this tag if your enemy’s weapon also has Reach.

• Bulky: This weapon cannot be hidden and is always visible while on your body. Mark

exhaustion whenever you attempt a roguish feat or trust fate to sneak, hide, blindside, or
perform an act of acrobatics.

Plate Armor ■ ■ ■ ■■ ■ ■ ■

• Arrow-Proof: Ignore the first hit dealing injury from arrows that you suffer in a scene.

• Weighty: This item counts as 1 additional Load

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Denizens

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Riverfolk Companyyour reputationnotorietyprestige