CHARACTER CREATION and RULES AND STUFF
In this game, most things are done by rolling 1d20 and hoping to roll as high as possible. So, 20 is good, 1 is bad.
All characters start by distributing these numbers among their four stats: 9, 11, 12, 14.
The Four Stats:
--Forceful
--Agile
--Insightful
--Charming
If your stat score is on the left, then when you roll with that stat, modify the result of your roll with the modifier on the right:
1 -5
2–3 -4
4–5 -3
6–7 -2
8–9 -1
10–11 +0
12–13 +1
14–15 +2
16–17 +3
18–19 +4
Your starting stat scores are also sometimes adjusted depending on your character type (see below).
Your starting Health Points (HP) is the same as your starting Forceful score.
Equipment: Every character starts with:
--a big backpack
--clothes
--enough rations and water to not starve (though that type of rations isn't a very fun meal in any other way-- they're just meant to keep you alive)
--enough candles/torches/flint and steel to always have a light source in the dark
--pouches and sacks for carrying loot or other assorted stuff you might find
--any other gear your character types says you can start with
So let's talk about the Character Types!
Each Character Type: What do you do? The short answers:
--Alchemist: you can make potions
--Beekeeper: you can command bees
--Blacksmith: you swing a mighty hammer and can use armor
--Cook/Baker: you can grant strength and vigor and energy to others
--Falconer: you can command falcons
--Gardener: you can grow (or shrink) plants
--Goatherd: you can command goats and travel easily across rooftops
--Messenger: you are swift and courtly
--Musician: you can make others feel emotions, even the dead
--Sage: You specialize in knowing the history of the castle (and of folklore)
--Tailor: you can make clothing that makes the wearer hard to see-- and also quilts that can cover even ghosts and fairies
--Alchemist: always respected by goblins-- -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* -1 to Insightful (you're a bit good at that in general), +1 to using normal melee/normal ranged weapons (you're a bit bad at that in general).
* You can use Insightful to roll to make or analyze anything to do with potions, poisons, drugs, acids, or whatever. When you do, you get a 2-point extra bonus-- subtract 2 points from all such rolls. To THROW a potion (or whatever other kind of chemical concoction) at someone, though, you still have to roll Agile (you may subtract 1 point to THAT roll).
Sample potions you can make:
--Sleeping potion: will put 1 target (does not work on fairies nor undead, but works great on humans and/or goblins) to sleep, or at least make them very drowsy, or maybe 2 if they're standing right next to each other.
--Sneezing potion: will make 1 target (does not work on fairies nor undead, but works great on humans and/or goblins) sneeze repeatedly, maybe 2 targets if they're standing right next to each other.
--Aqua Sanctus: A bubbly, effervescent clear liquid that does damage to undead like acid. Elves and goblins don't like it, are very uncomfortable with it, but it doesn't actually do damage to them. Does nothing to humans.
--Glue Flask: sticks feet to floor, or whatever. Lasts 2d4 rounds, although those wearing footwear might be able to just step out of them...
--Phosphorescent potion: In a glass flask, glows about as brightly as two candles. Thrown, it glows very brightly for 1d4 rounds-- Throw it right, and opponents may be temporarily blinded-- even some types of undead. Also, just a drop or two on a magic item will produce a beautiful floral smell, so it's also a good way to test for magic items.
--Bubbling potion: When spilled or thrown, this potion starts making large bubbles that pop with many loud pops for 2d4 rounds. Good for temporarily deafening and distracting opponents, or for causing a good distraction while you're doing something sneaky nearby.
--Skunk potion: Causes a terrible stink for 1d4+1 rounds. Undead don't care, but fairies HATE it-- they'll find it almost impossible to resist moving away from it quickly.
Alchemists start with 3 small glass flasks filled with potions of their choice. One successful roll means you can create 1 new potion of your choice (this can't be done during combat). Failing the roll means you need more ingredients-- the GM will give you a hint about where to look.
Other gear: Other than the gear all other PCs get, alchemists prefer not to use weapons-- they can use daggers or light crushing weapons IF they're out of potions, though.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Get and analyze a fairy potion
--Learn the secrets of an alchemist from ages past
--Learn the secrets you could unlock with goblin mushrooms
--Beekeeper: always respected by elves-- +1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Swarm: You have a connection with bees. You can't talk with them exactly, but one swarm of them at a time will always try to do what you want.
* Ferocity 1, Cunning 1, 1 Armor
* Choose one strength:
Fast, calm, adaptable, ferocious, intimidating, keen senses
* Your bees are trained to do two things well. Choose two from this list:
search, scout, guard, fight, perform
* Choose two swarm weaknesses (that don't contradict the strength you chose above):
Skittish, savage, slow, frightening, forgetful, stubborn, very-noticeable buzzing
* When you work with your swarm on something it’s trained in:
--and you attack the same living target, if you're successful, add 1 hit to the damage you do.
--and you take damage, roll 1d6. On a 1, On a 1, you block the damage. On a 2, you block the damage, but your swarm can't help you next turn.
--and you roll Insightful, subtract 1 from to your roll.
Other gear: Other than the gear all other PCs get, beekeepers prefer not to use weapons-- they can use light crushing weapons IF something (a spell, for example) has disabled their swarm, though.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Learn to make beeswax candles that will repel the undead (legends say it can be done!)
--Find a way to make honey made from fairy flowers safe (for humans, that is)
--Learn the secrets of goblin mead (because mead is made with honey)
--Blacksmith: +2 to forceful, -2 to Insightful (unless involves metal).
Always respected by elves: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Strong: When you're trying to do something (outside of combat) with brute force-- breaking down a door, for just one example-- roll twice and take the better result.
* Hammerer: You're good with hammers. Subtract -1 for all combat if you're using any kind of hammer, and also you do 1 extra damage with any sort of hammer.
* Armor: You may wear armor. You start with armor that gives you 1 armor point. Any time you take damage, you may lose an armor point to avoid 1 damage. You can also spend an armor point to protect an ally right next to you from a point of damage, instead. You get your armor point back at the end of each combat. When you level up, you may add an armor point (max 3).
GEAR: your armor, and a hammer (you decide if the hammer is Heavy or regular-sized. If you get tired of the size of hammer you're using, you can always swap out from your workshop at home.)
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Learn the secrets of cold iron. Steel repels fairies, and iron even more so... but the legends say that "cold iron" is even stronger. But what is it?
--Learn the secrets of a legendary blacksmith of the distant past
--Is there a steel that will work extra-well against goblins? The legends say that there is, but you don't know the secret! What is The Riddle of Goblin Steel?
--Cook/Baker/Chef: always respected by humans: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Food Basket: You carry a special basket that keeps cold things cold and warm things warm.
--At any time during the day: Feed someone (maybe you) a treat that heals them for 1 HP.
--After that: Roll 1d4 to do it again. If you roll 2-4, heal someone (maybe you). If you roll a 1, heal someone (maybe you), but that's the last treat in the basket until you get to your kitchen-- or at least a fireplace-- to make more.
* Field Cook: You carry a set of tools that let you cook away from your kitchen. At a roaring fire, roll Insightful and subtract 1 point. If you succeed, you make 1d4 new treats for your basket. If not, you just don't have enough ingredients right now.
* Subtract 2 points from your Charming rolls to attempt to bribe goblins or humans with your yummy food.
Other gear: Other than the gear all other PCs get, cooks/bakers/chefs prefer not to use weapons-- they can use a frying pan as a crushing weapon if they have to, though.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Impress the fairies. They always think their food's so superior! You'd love to show them that your cuisine is just as good!
--Get the secrets of The Legendary Recipe that was lost (or was it?) in the ancient past (you don't even know if it's for a main course or some sort of bread or a dessert or what!)
--Goblins mostly eat mushrooms. It apparently keeps them very healthy. You'd love to learn the secrets of making human-safe dishes with goblin mushrooms!
--Falconer: always respected by elves: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Bird of Prey: You have a connection with birds of prey. You can’t talk with them, exactly, but one bird at a time will always try to act as you wish it to.
* Ferocity 2, Cunning 2, 0 Armor
* Choose two strengths:
Fast, calm, adaptable, quick reflexes, ferocious, intimidating, keen senses, stealthy
* Your bird of prey is/are trained to fight. Choose one additional training:
Hunt, search, scout, guard, perform
* Choose one bird of prey weakness (that doesn't contradict the strength you chose above)::
Skittish (may include making noises at unhandy times), savage, slow, forgetful, stubborn
* When you work with your animal companion on something it’s trained in:
--and you attack the same target, subtract 1 from your roll, and if you hit, add 1 hit to the damage you do.
--and you roll insightful, subtract 2 from to your roll
Other gear: Other than the gear all other PCs get, falconers may carry and use a light sword, like a longsword or a short sword or a fencing foil or epee.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Train a new species of bird. There are some rare birds of prey that only live up in the higher altitudes of the mountain-- you know little about them... but you'd love to raise and train one.
--Train an elven bird. They have pet birds, too, you've seen them a couple of times. You'd love to raise and train one yourself...
--The goblins seem to practice a form of falconry, but with bats. You'd love to learn the secrets of bat-training...
--Gardener: always respected by elves: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Any plant you can touch, you can make grow-- and there are lots of weeds growing everywhere above-ground in the Castle in the unused rooms, especially by broken windows (and there are lots of those). A lot of this is because of the fairies. Roll Charming to make plants grab something and hold it still for at 1d3 rounds. This doesn't work on fairies (but it does work on undead with bodies). Some fairies have a similar talent-- and you can reverse it in the same way.
* Wooden Weapon: You carry a stick from a special garden-- the stick is still somewhat alive. At any time, you can use it to try to do piercing damage, slashing damage, or crushing damage. Also, roll Charming to alter your stick. If you're successful, choose ONE from this list:
Your stick gains the Spiky tag and deals both crushing and piercing damage at the same time, doing 1 extra damage
Your stick expands around your arm to shield you, giving you 1 armor-- if you would take a hit, roll 1d6. On a 6, you take no damage. On a 5, you take no damage, but you can't use armor again next round.
Your stick gains reach-- you can attack someone that's more than 5 feet away
You can attack with your stick using Charming instead of Forceful or Agile
If you're unsuccessful, you can't try again until the next time combat starts.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Learn the secrets of the fairies' plant-magic
--Elven magic makes many amazing plants grow-- especially higher up the mountain. You'd love to get some of those seeds or bulbs or whatever...
--Your gift only works on plants-- the mushrooms that grow down in the goblin tunnels are a different form of life altogether. But... are they so different that you might not be able to learn their secrets...?
--Goatherd: always respected by goblins: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Lassoo-throwing: sometimes you have to throw a looped rope around a goat, like when a little kid goat is sick and you have to give it medicine. You get an extra +2 to trying this-- roll Agile to do it.
* Surefooted: you get a +2 to climbing up to higher places, and to moving around rooftops or slippery or rocky terrain in general.
* Goat: You have a connection with the goat species that lives upon Mount Selkrave. You can’t talk with goats exactly, but one at a time always tries to do what you wish it to.
* Choose a base:
Ferocity 2, Cunning 1, 1 Armor
OR
Ferocity 1, Cunning 2, 1 Armor
* Choose as many strengths as its ferocity:
Fast, large, calm, adaptable, quick reflexes, tireless, ferocious, intimidating, keen senses, quiet
* The goats are good with one or two things. Choose as many additional trainings as its cunning:
Search, scout, guard, fight, perform, labor
* Choose one goat weakness (that doesn't contradict anything you chose above):
Skittish, savage, slow, smelly, forgetful, stubborn, loud
* When you work with a goat on something it’s trained in,
--and you attack the same target, subtract 1 from your roll, and if you're successful, add its ferocity to your damage
--and you take damage, roll 1d6. On a 1, On a 1, you block the damage. On a 2, you block the damage, but your goat can't help you next turn.
--and you make an Insightful roll, add its cunning to your roll
GEAR: in addition to the usual gear everyone has, you also carry a lassoo... which can also be used as just, you know, rope.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Climb to the top of the mountain. You think you've seen goats up there, but it's so far, it's hard to tell...
--Legends say that there's a Goat Graveyard where the elderly or very sick goats all go to die. You'd love to see it... it must be a very special place (how do they all know to go there? Does something draw them there?)
--Goat Steed: The goats on the far edges of the mountain look BIGGER than average. What if you made friends with one... could you maybe some day RIDE one...?
--Messenger: always respected by undead: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Naturally quick: You may not be extra GOOD at fighting, but you're fast at it! You can do two things in every round of combat-- two attacks, even against two different opponents, or 1 attack and something else maybe...?
* Insult To Injury: Whenever an opponent is already at a disadvantage (examples: they're drugged, poisoned, on fire, blinded, deafened, hobbled, stunned, one arm is numb) in a way that disadvantages them, then with this move, you get to subtract 2 points from your roll dealing with them (stacks with other bonuses).
* Personal Creed: You have a personal creed you live by.
Choose two from this list: Honor, Glory, Camaraderie, Treasure, Chivalry, Justice, Liberty
Those two things are your Creed-- what you must live your life by as being the most important. When you act to uphold either of these two pillars of your Creed, take +1 forward (meaning, subtract 1 from your roll (stacks with other bonuses)). If you ever act in a way that suggests that either of the pillars of your creed aren't the most important thing in your life, add 1 point to your roll.
Other gear: Other than the gear all other PCs get, messengers may carry and use a light sword, like a short sword or a fencing foil or epee.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Race an elf (and win!)
--Be able to safely use the goblin tunnels to get places
--Impress the royal family
--Musician: always respected by elves: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
Musicians start with stats that are -2 Forceful, +2 Charming.
* Enchanting Entertainer: When you perform in front of an audience (the other PCs don't count), if you describe a song you sing and/or play and/or your performance, roll Charming. If successful, a member of the audience gives you a kind gift of some sort (could be useful information). If you fail, you don't attract unwanted attention.
* Battle Song: This one is for your allies. Roll Charming. On a success, choose two things from the list below.
--On a 7-9+: Just like 10+, but it also helps your enemies a little bit somehow-- the GM chooses exactly how.
You and your allies each gain +1 on your next roll.
You and your allies gain +1 armor point for the rest of this combat (only works if you perform a song during combat).
You and your allies resist the effects of an unwanted enchantment.
If you roll EXACTLY the number you need, choose one thing from the above list, but the song helps your enemies, too. The GM will explain how.
Other gear: In addition to the regular gear everyone starts with, you can start with one portable instrument if you wish-- or maybe you're strictly a vocalist. (For that matter, maybe you're the epic storyteller type of performer, or a dancer. Whatever! It's up to you!) Musicians don't really use weapons, though... although the legends do tell, however, of a guitar that's so tough it can be used as a crushing weapon and a musical instrument... Maybe you'll find it one day...?
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Learn a fairy song
--Learn a goblin song
--Reclaim an ancient song that only the undead remember... or maybe they would know about the combat guitar...?
--Sage: always respected by humans: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Historian: when you try to remember anything useful about the past of Mount Selkrave and the castle, roll twice and take the better result. When you do remember something useful, the next person that makes a roll involving that fact you remembered gets a 1 point bonus (that person could be you). Subtract an extra 2 points if you're looking something up in a library (or any other place where historical records are kept).
Suggestions for things to remember//look up:
--Where a particular room or object mentioned in old records might be now
--How someone in the past defeated a fairy, goblin, or undead
--The existence of secret rooms, doors, or passageways
--The proper ways that various types of elves, goblins, and/or undead like to be talked to diplomatically.
--The details about some magic item or fairy spell//undead curse
* I know this place: You always get a 2 point bonus against getting lost.
* Tactics: It's hard not to be scared in battle, but if a sage can manage to concentrate, they can be very helpful.
--First: roll Insightful, but with a +3 penalty to your roll (add 3 points to your roll result).
--If you fail the roll, then something bad will happen: you or an ally will probably take damage, or drop something, or something like that.
--If you succeed in the roll, then, give advice to an ally. If they do what you said to do, they get a -2 bonus to attempting to do it (-3 . If they don't do what you said, they get a +1 penalty to their next roll.
--You get to keep this advice-giving ability until combat ends, or until you are specifically in danger or take damage. If either happens, you must make a successful Insightful roll again (again with the +3 penalty) in order to use this ability again.
Gear: In addition to the usual sorts of gear everyone starts with, you can carry around one somewhat large reference book. Pick which topic it covers:
--Maps of the castle (yes, the whole mountainside-- it won't cover everything, but it sure helps)
--Fairy Folklore
--Legends of the Undead
--Tales of the Goblins
--The History of the Royal Family: -2 to your related rolls about the royal family history
--Military History-- helps -1 with your rolls related to combat
This book is just the right size for you to use as a crushing weapon, although it has a +! penalty to hit. (It's the closest thing you'll get to using a weapon).
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
You would love to:
--Find out exactly what agreements the Fey made with the Selkrave family. Is it maybe written down somewhere? (Could a loophole be found?)
--For that matter, the legends say there's an ancient agreement with the goblins, too. Could there be a loophole in THAT?
--What about the undead? Is there a way to let them all rest in peace (at once)? (Maybe without having to figure out how to break the fairy agreements first?)
--Tailor: always respected by undead: -1 to Charming rolls involving them
* Your Outfit: Every morning at dawn, choose an outfit to wear. You have:
--An outfit that lets you impress humans: subtract 2 points from all your Charming rolls involving humans today.
--An outfit that lets you be extra-sneaky: subtract 2 points from all your rolls involving being sneaky today.
--An outfit that's extra-noticeable: subtract 2 points from all your rolls involving distracting others and keeping them focused on you today.
* Quilt: You are carrying one very special quilt. It doesn't take up much room at all, but you can throw it over an opponent, and it will seem to grow in size by the time it lands. They'll have to spend the next round pulling it off them. It works on ANYONE-- even invisible fairies-- EVEN INTANGIBLE GHOSTS. Anyone who attacks someone while they're under the quilt gets to subtract 2 extra points from their roll. However:
--it blocks alchemist potions, and
--you should probably use a weapon that does crushing damage, or else you'll damage the quilt, and it'll lose its special qualities. This also goes for a Tailor's special outfits. Damaged quilts and damaged outfits can be repaired with an hour's worth of work.
Your outfits can only be worn by you. Also, you can't have more than one quilt at a time. I mean, of course you can, but only one special one as described above.
Choose one goal that's a priority for you: or, if you choose more than one, mark which one is the most important to you.
Tailors don't really do weapons as such... but if they have to, they can do piercing and slashing attacks. They can only do this, though, if there is only 1 or less PC besides themselves available to fight-- and even then, the Tailor has a +1 penalty to hit in combat.
You would love to:
--Impress the fairies with your clothes. They always think that their clothing is so impressive (and it is)-- you'd like to earn their respect for your craft.
--Get goblin customers: the goblins wear rags that are apparently made of textiles made from somehow weaving mushroom fibers. You'd love to start trading with them to buy your clothes instead.
--Learn the ancient tailoring secrets lost to generations past.
Types of attacks:
--Crushing: like a club. Roll with Forceful.
--Piercing: like a dagger or spear or fencing foil. Roll with Agile.
--Slashing: like a regular sword. Roll with Agile.
--Grappling: like a wrestler. Roll with Forceful.
--Punching: you know what punching is. Roll with Forceful unless the GM makes it clear that your opponent is faster than you, in which case use Agile. (Most elves will be faster than you, and some goblins.)
--Throwing: like anyone someone throwing something, including lassoo-throwing. Agile.
--Shooting: like a bow and arrow. Agile.
--Successfully grappling a target (including with a lassoo) does no damage, but it makes them unable to act or do anything the next round except perhaps to try to get away.
--Punching does 1 damage.
--All other weapons do 2 damage (except heavy weapons, see next line).
--Heavy weapons do double damage, but they are also harder to hit with (add 3 to your roll result).
So a Blacksmith with a Heavy hammer who successfully hit would do 6 damage!
Opponents do NOT roll dice. They damage PCs if and when PCs fail a roll. Many of them-- especially fairies-- have magical abilities to increase the likelihood of the PC failing their dice rolls...
REGAINING HEALTH: Besides eating the treats from a cook/baker/chef, PCs regain 1 HP for every hour that they rest. But you never know when something might interrupt your rest! Away from the currently-inhabited-by-humans part of the castle, a fairy or undead may show up at any time-- and remember that goblins leave their tunnels at night to party!
LEVEL UP: When any PC accomplishes one of their goals, or any time you fulfill a mission that anyone has given you, the whole party levels up. Each PC:
--adds 1 point to a stat (max 18) (and yes, if you increase Forceful, your max HP goes up, too)
OR
--improves one of their special abilities in some way, such as a Blacksmith adding an armor point. Talk to your GM about how you might improve one of your special abilities...
Fairies come in different sizes and levels of power.
--Most Pixies have 2 HP, but they're hard to hit/grab. They're too fast to stab... If you grab them, some of them bite (especially if you squeeze too hard). They can cast little spells to make you clumsy-- you're more likely to hurt yourself or each other if you have to fight a pixie. (Stabbing a pixie just doesn't work. Attacking them otherwise with a weapon means adding 4 points to your attack roll. Just trying to grab them only adds 1, but they might bite.)
--Brownies have 3 hp, but they're also quick, like pixies. +2 to your attack roll.
--Most starting PCs have HP equal to their starting Forceful score.
--Fairies often have less HP than PCs, but they're harder to hit to make up for it.
--Goblins have a wide range of HP-- many are smallish, some are just as tough as PCs, some are notably tougher. The same is true for Undead-- some are fragile, some are very tough to defeat.
--Skeletons (2 HP) take double damage from crushing attacks, but are immune to piercing attacks and take a maximum of 1 damage from all slashing attacks.
--Ghosts and other spectral spirits are immune to all physical attacks (except while under a Tailor's special quilt! Then they usually just have 1 or 2 HP). One deals with them with Insightful and/or Charming rolls.
SOME EXAMPLE NPC LEADERS:
--Aldrian, the Summer King: 18 hp, invisible and/or intangible at will, golden sword. Aldrian only ever appears in June, July, and/or August. His golden sword ignores armor, and those damaged by it three times fall asleep and dream of perfect summer days and nights, usually sleeping for around 24 hours. But Aldrian doesn't bother to draw it except for what he considers a worthy opponent-- so he doesn't draw it often.
--Guntharius, the Goblin Prince: 18 hp, 2 armor points. Guntharius is the prince of one of the goblin tribes who live closest to where the Selkrave royal family currently live. He wields a magical club that does normal damage, but anyone hit with it once becomes Confused-- all rolls they make afterwards have a +3 penalty until the next dawn.
--Nestor Selkrave: 19 hp, undead king, 3 armor points. Nestor Selkrave was the king a little over 1000 years ago. He is overwhelmed with regret and bitterness that the decisions of his ancestors have trapped him in his body, apparently eternally. He mostly just sits in his throne room and broods, but will speak if he chooses, and will fight if he is forced to. Every time he takes damage, his eyes blaze red, and everyone in the area gets a 1-point penalty to their rolls until combat is over (these stack over time!). Nestor wields a heavy greatsword that is unbreakable and can even damage stone (although not just cut through it).
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:45, Tue 10 Oct 2023.
